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Running the Gauntlet
2005-06-06 14:31
by Derek Smart

As we await the beginning of this main bout of interleague play, I thought it would be interesting to see who in the National League was getting helped and hurt by this June's slate of games. Below is a quick table of the NL teams and the winning percentages of their prospective June AL opponents through yesterday's games. Read it and weep.

TEAMOPP W%
Cubs0.556
Braves0.543
Padres0.531
Dodgers0.523
Rockies0.505
D-Backs0.504
Pirates0.502
Nationals0.502
Astros0.500
Reds0.496
Phillies0.495
Brewers0.489
Marlins0.484
Mets0.480
Cardinals0.478
Giants0.453

For those of you thinking in terms of the NL Central race, it's bad enough that the Cubs are at the top of the list, but look at where the Cardinals sit. Of course, it would only get worse if I tossed in the winning percentages of the AL clubs these teams played in May, as the Cubs spent three games battling the team with the best record in baseball while the Redbirds feasted Royally.

Much as I love our boys, I still think St. Louis will wind up taking the division handily. However, if the Cubs lose the crown to the Cardinals by a skinny game or two, I'll be looking back on this aberrant practice and cursing the day the schedule-makers were born.

Comments
2005-06-06 14:53:46
1.   84 Cubs
Amen, Derek! And it has been this way for quite a few years now. As much as the "natural rivalries" are fun and make sense from a marketing point of view, they are the only part of the schedule that are inequitable. We play the White Sox twice, they play KC and TB. For the forseeable future, this will be an advantage for them.

After we get this injustice straightened out, how about shipping the Brewers back to the AL where they belong, so that we won't be handicapped in yet another way by having to compete in the only 6-team division in baseball?

Revenue, TV, and Selig be damned - Brew Crew to the AL West!

2005-06-06 16:19:18
2.   graciebarn
Think of all the tremendous popularity that would ensue if the All-Star Game became the cumilation (sp?) to All-Star Week, which featured crosstown (or cross-state) matchups for exhibitions. Meanwhile, interleague play would be removed from the regular season.

84, please realize there is a generation out there that has only known the Crew in the NL Central. (Although it probably consists of far fewer fans than preceding generations.) And how could we have them in the West with the Twins still in the Central?

2005-06-06 22:19:38
3.   Charlie Hustler
Well... as long as we're playing this game, shouldn't the Royals go to the AL West? Of course, with the unbalanced schedules currently deployed, this would strengthen the AL Central, making the wildcard more difficult for Minnesota and ChiSox, while improving the same aspirations of LA Angels and Texas?

Of course, 15 teams in each league would require an interleague game each day or an idle team in each league daily...

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