WSJ: Decline of the NL

[stumpak]

The Wall Street Journal this morning had pretty decent primer on the root causes of the NL/AL imbalance:

The Decline of the National League
By DARREN EVERSON
July 11, 2008; Page W1

They play the same game. They pick from the same pool of players. For some reason, though, they don't get the same results.

By just about every measure, the 16 teams in Major League Baseball's National League are inferior to the 14 in the American League. The AL has won 11 of the last 16 World Series, including three of the last four. The annual All-Star Game, to be played Tuesday, has practically become a farce: Not counting a 2002 tie, the AL has won 10 straight.

The American League consistently trumps the National League whenever the two meet, including during the annual All-Star Game. WSJ's Darren Everson speaks to baseball insiders about the reason behind the streak.

Link

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[thedude]

An interesting read.

[knapplc]

Poor management choices by the NL seem to be the primary reason for the AL's supremacy. That's not to say that the AL's management and team-building decisions haven't been superior - by far they have, and the AL has some pretty darned good baseball minds hard at work - but the flat-out ignorance of some NL owners has greatly contributed to this situation as well.

[AussieDodger]

It seems like a lot of brain power and innovation has moved to the AL in recent years, and the NL still has the good ole boys network of Sabean/Colletti/D.Baker/Gillick/Torre/Bochy etc etc etc etc etc

[acsguitar]

The Yankees have a lot to do with the 11 of last 16 with all their moola as do with the sox

[Art Vandelay]

I'd still rather watch the two worst teams in the NL play than the two best teams in the AL. My god, American League baseball is a bore.

[AussieDodger]

I'd still rather watch the two worst teams in the NL play than the two best teams in the AL. My god, American League baseball is a bore.

It's better then having the pit........

[thedude]

I'd still rather watch the two worst teams in the NL play than the two best teams in the AL. My god, American League baseball is a bore.

Yup. Pitchers striking out and bunting is so fun to watch.

[mweir145]

I'd still rather watch the two worst teams in the NL play than the two best teams in the AL. My god, American League baseball is a bore.

Actually, it's the complete opposite.

[jealousblues]

Poor management choices by the NL seem to be the primary reason for the AL's supremacy. That's not to say that the AL's management and team-building decisions haven't been superior - by far they have, and the AL has some pretty darned good baseball minds hard at work - but the flat-out ignorance of some NL owners has greatly contributed to this situation as well.

If I guessed right off the "bat," id say most of the AL have higher payrolls (dont know if thats true) and the ones who actually spend the money in the NL traditionally do it unwisely, Mets, Dodgers, Cubs, Philly
plus we have a LOT of bottomfeeders: nats, Pirates, Marlins (usually), Reds, Brewers (traditionally), Rockies (usually), Padres, Giants...

i dunno.

plus it seems like the AL really took onto the moneyball and the whole SABR thing more that the NL.


heres another question: if the DL rule was designed to perk up scoring in the AL at a time where scoring there was down, why not that its not a problem, why the rule?


and the NL had a good chance in at least two of the last couple games: Last year when Pujols should have batted last, and a couple years ago when Hoffman blew it and the manager brought MCab (one of the worst 3b in the league, now a 1b) in for a defensive replacement in the bottom of the 9th, with Scott Rolen (best d 3b in the league) on the bench...then an important hit went right by him.

argh!