Interleague play is the term used to describe regular season Major League Baseball games played with teams in different leagues, introduced in 1997. Before the 1997 season, teams in the American League and National League did not meet during the regular season. AL/NL matchups only occurred during spring training, the All-Star Game, other exhibition games such as the Hall of Fame Game in Cooperstown, New York, and the World Series. None of these contests, save for the World Series, counted toward official team or league records. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The following are the events of the year 1997 that happened world-wide throughout the sport of baseball. ... American League The American League (or formally the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs) is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States of America and Canada. ... The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the National League, is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada and the worlds oldest extant professional team sports league. ... A Grapefruit League game at the LA Dodgers camp in Vero Beach, Florida In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of exhibition games which precedes the regular season. ... The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also popularly known as the Midsummer Classic, is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by fan vote for the starting position players and by the manager (the managers from the previous years... An exhibition game is the North American term for a sporting event in which there is no gain or loss from whether the competitors are victorious or not in the competition. ... Doubleday Field is a baseball stadium in Cooperstown, New York. ... Cooperstown is a village in Otsego County, New York and is the County Seat. ... For other events named World Series, see World Series (disambiguation). ...

History

Interleague or interconference matchups have long been the norm in other professional sports leagues such as the NFL. But while regular season interleague play was discussed for baseball's major leagues as early as the 1930s, the concept didn't take hold until the 1990s (at least in part as an effort to renew the public's interest in MLB following the 1994 players' strike). When the owners voted on implementing interleague play, it was approved 27-1 - George W. Bush, then-owner of the Texas Rangers, being the lone dissenter. The National Football League (NFL) is the largest and most prestigious professional American football league, consisting of thirty-two teams from American cities and regions. ... The 1994 baseball strike resulted in the cancellation of the World Series for the first time in 90 years. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ...

Interleague play was not, and is still not, a universally endorsed innovation. However, it has added a new dimension to the major-league game, creating some matchups that had not been seen before, and some which held special significance for geographical and historical reasons.

The first interleague game took place on June 12, 1997, as the Texas Rangers hosted the San Francisco Giants at The Ballpark in Arlington (now Rangers Ballpark in Arlington). There were four interleague games on the schedule that night, but the other three were played on the West Coast, so the Rangers-Giants matchup started a few hours earlier than the others. San Francisco outfielder Glenallen Hill was the first designated hitter used in a regular-season game by a National League team. is the 163rd day of the year (164th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar). ... Major league affiliations American League (1961–present) West Division (1972–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 26, 34, 42 Name Texas Rangers (1972–present) Washington Senators (1961-1971) Ballpark Rangers Ballpark in Arlington (1994–present) a. ... Major league affiliations National League (1883–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers NY, NY, 3, 4, 11, 24, 27, 30, 36, 42, 44 Name San Francisco Giants (1958–present) New York Giants (1885-1957) New York Gothams (1883-1885) Ballpark AT&T Park (2000–present) a. ... Rangers Ballpark in Arlington is a baseball stadium in Arlington, Texas, located between Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. ... Glenallen Hill (born March 22, 1965 in Santa Cruz, California) is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for 13 seasons. ... This article or section needs additional references or sources to improve its verifiability. ... The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the National League, is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada and the worlds oldest extant professional team sports league. ...

From 1997 to 2001, teams from the American League West played teams from the National League West, etc., typically scheduled to alternate between home and away in consecutive years. However, in 2002, the league began alternating which divisions would play which divisions, and thus in 2002 the American League East played the National League West, the American League Central played the National League East, and the American League West played the National League Central. Matchups which had been of particular interest prior to this format — mainly geographic rivals — were preserved. This is expected to be the continuing format of the interleague schedule though corresponding divisions were integrated in this rotation in 2006. Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

Beginning in 2002, All interleague games are played prior to the All-Star Game, mostly in June. For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also popularly known as the Midsummer Classic, is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by fan vote for the starting position players and by the manager (the managers from the previous years... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

The designated hitter (DH) rule is applied in the same manner as in the World Series and the All-Star Game. In an American League ballpark, both teams use a DH to hit for the pitcher. In a National League ballpark, both teams' pitchers must bat. Some baseball observers feel it might be fairer to reverse this (in other words, always follow the DH rule of the visiting team instead of the home team), thereby offsetting the home-field advantage. This article or section needs additional references or sources to improve its verifiability. ...

Through 2005, the National League held an 1,104-1,095 advantage over the American League in interleague victories; this reversed itself in 2006, with AL teams posting a 154-98 record to give that league an all-time series advantage of 1,249-1,202. The team with the best all-time record in interleague play is the Oakland A's of the AL, with a record of 108-74. Oakland Athletics American League AAA Sacramento River Cats AA Midland RockHounds A Stockton Ports Kane County Cougars Vancouver Canadians R Phoenix Athletics The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. ...

Since 2005, interleague games have been played in mid to late May, the earliest scheduled interleague games of the season. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

In 2007, two teams -- the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Baltimore Orioles played 6 games with more than one interleague opponent. The former playing both the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Angels while the latter played both the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Washington Nationals. Major league affiliations National League (1890–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 2, 4, 19, 20, 24, 32, 39, 42, 53 Name Los Angeles Dodgers (1958–present) Brooklyn Dodgers (1932-1957) Brooklyn Robins (1914-1931) Brooklyn Dodgers (1911-1912) Brooklyn Superbas (1899-1910), (1913) Brooklyn Grooms... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 4, 5, 8, 20, 22, 33, 42 Name Baltimore Orioles (1954–present) St. ... Major league affiliations American League (1977–present) East Division (1977–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 42 Name Toronto Blue Jays (1977–present) Ballpark Rogers Centre (1989–present) a. ... Major league affiliations American League (1961–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 11, 26, 29, 30, 42, 50 Name Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2005–present) Anaheim Angels (1997-2004) California Angels (1965-1996) Los Angeles Angels (1961-1965) Ballpark Angel Stadium of Anaheim (2004–present) a. ... Major league affiliations National League (1998–present) West Division (1998–present) Current uniform Name Arizona Diamondbacks (1998–present) Ballpark Chase Field (1998–present) formerly known as Bank One Ballpark (1998-2005) Major league titles World Series titles (1) 2001 NL Pennants (1) 2001 National League West Division titles (3) 2002... Major league affiliations National League (1969–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 42 Name Washington Nationals (2005–present) Montreal Expos (1969-2004) Ballpark RFK Stadium (2005–present) Hiram Bithorn Stadium[3] (San Juan) (2003-2004) Olympic Stadium (Montreal) (1977-2004) Jarry Park (Montreal) (1969-1976) [3] The...

Interesting matchups

Several interleague matchups are highly anticipated (and well-attended), for a number of reasons:

• Geographical:
  • New York Yankees v. New York Mets (Subway Series)
    • The Yankees and Mets played their first interleague game against one another on June 16, 1997, at Yankee Stadium. The Mets won the game 6-0 courtesy of a three RBI performance from John Olerud and a complete game shutout from pitcher Dave Mlicki.
  • Chicago White Sox v. Chicago Cubs (Crosstown Classic, Windy City Series, or Red Line Series)
  • Los Angeles Angels v. Los Angeles Dodgers (Freeway Series)
  • Oakland Athletics v. San Francisco Giants (Bay Bridge Series)
  • Tampa Bay Devil Rays v. Florida Marlins (Citrus Series)
  • Cleveland Indians v. Cincinnati Reds (Battle for Ohio or Buckeye Series)
  • Kansas City Royals v. St. Louis Cardinals (I-70 Series or Show-Me Series)
  • Texas Rangers v. Houston Astros (Lone Star Series)
  • Baltimore Orioles v. Washington Nationals (Beltway Series)
    • Because the 2005 MLB schedule was already set when the Montreal Expos moved to Washington, DC, the Orioles did not play the Nationals during the 2005 regular season. The two teams began their rivalry in 2006, and play home-and-home series each year during interleague play.
  • Minnesota Twins v. Milwaukee Brewers (Border Battle)
    • The Twins and the Brewers were formerly regional rivals in the American League from the Brewers' relocation from Seattle in 1969 and divisional rivals in the Central prior to the Brewers' realignment into the NL Central for the 1998 season.

• Historical:
  • Boston Red Sox v. New York Mets
    • This matchup is remembered mainly because of the 1986 World Series. In the 10th inning of Game 6 of this Series, the Red Sox came within one strike of their first World Series win since 1918 before losing the lead. Later in the inning, the winning run scored after a ground ball went between the legs of first baseman Bill Buckner. The Mets went on to win Game 7 and the Series.
  • New York Yankees v. Los Angeles Dodgers
    • This rivalry goes back to the days when both teams played in New York. Between 1941 and 1956, the two teams played in seven World Series; Brooklyn won only once (1955). After the Dodgers moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, the teams played four more times in the World Series, with each team winning twice (Dodgers in 1963 and 1981, Yankees in 1977 and 1978).
  • Toronto Blue Jays v. Montreal Expos
    • From 1978 to 1986, the teams only met in the charity Pearson Cup in mid-season. They would only have met in relevant play had they both won their leagues' pennants. They played Pearson Cup games again in 2003, only as exhibition games. As the only Canadian teams, it made a natural rivalry that ended with the Expos' move to Washington.

Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 23, 32, 37, 44, 49 Name New York Yankees (1913–present) New York Highlanders (1903-1912) Baltimore Orioles (1901-1902) (Also referred to as... Major league affiliations National League (1962–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 14, 37, 41, 42 Name New York Mets (1962–present) Other nicknames The Amazin Mets, The Amazins, The Metropolitans Ballpark Shea Stadium (1964–present) Polo Grounds (1962–1963) Major league titles World Series titles... The program for the 1936 Subway Series. The Subway Series is a series of Major League Baseball games played between teams based in New York City. ... is the 167th day of the year (168th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar). ... This is about the stadium the New York Yankees currently play in. ... John Garrett Olerud (born August 5, 1968 in Seattle, Washington) is a retired American first baseman in Major League Baseball. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Major league affiliations National League (1876–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 10, 14, 23, 26, 42 Name Chicago Cubs (1902–present) Chicago Orphans (1898-1901) Chicago Colts (1890-1897) Chicago White Stockings (1870-1889) (a. ... The White Sox-Cubs Rivalry refers to the rivalry between fans of the two Major League Baseball teams who play their home games in Chicago, Illinois. ... The White Sox-Cubs Rivalry refers to the rivalry between fans of the two Major League Baseball teams who play their home games in Chicago, Illinois. ... The White Sox-Cubs Rivalry refers to the rivalry between fans of the two Major League Baseball teams who play their home games in Chicago, Illinois. ... The term Los Angeles Angels refers to two professional baseball teams: 1. ... Major league affiliations National League (1890–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 2, 4, 19, 20, 24, 32, 39, 42, 53 Name Los Angeles Dodgers (1958–present) Brooklyn Dodgers (1932-1957) Brooklyn Robins (1914-1931) Brooklyn Dodgers (1911-1912) Brooklyn Superbas (1899-1910), (1913) Brooklyn Grooms... This does not cite any references or sources. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 9, 27, 34, 42, 43, (As) Name Oakland Athletics (1968–present) Kansas City Athletics (1955-1967) Philadelphia Athletics (1901-1954) (Referred to as As) Other nicknames The As, The White Elephants, The... Major league affiliations National League (1883–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers NY, NY, 3, 4, 11, 24, 27, 30, 36, 42, 44 Name San Francisco Giants (1958–present) New York Giants (1885-1957) New York Gothams (1883-1885) Ballpark AT&T Park (2000–present) a. ... The Bay Bridge Series is the name of a series of baseball games played between—and the rivalry of—Major League Baseballs Oakland Athletics of the American League and San Francisco Giants of the National League. ... Major league affiliations American League (1998–present) East Division (1998–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 12, 42 Name Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1998–present) Other nicknames The D-Rays, The Rays Ballpark Tropicana Field (1998–present) Major league titles World Series titles (0) none AL Pennants (0) none Division titles... Major league affiliations National League (1993–present) East Division (1993–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 5, 42 Name Florida Marlins (1993–present) Ballpark Dolphin Stadium (1993–present) a. ... The Citrus Series refers to the geographical rivalry and interleague matchup between Major League Baseballs Tampa Bay Devil Rays, an American League team based in St. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3, 5, 14, 18, 19, 21, 42, 455 Name Cleveland Indians (1915–present) Cleveland Naps (1905-1914) Cleveland Bronchos (1902-1904) Cleveland Blues (1901) Ballpark Jacobs Field (1994–present) Cleveland Stadium (1932-1993)* a. ... Major league affiliations National League (1890–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 5, 8, 10, 13, 18, 20, 24, 42 Name Cincinnati Reds (1958–present) Cincinnati Redlegs (1953-1958) Cincinnati Reds (1882-1953) Cincinnati Red Stockings (1876-1882) Ballpark Great American Ball Park (2003–present) Riverfront... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The term Buckeye Series also refers to the geographical rivalry and interleague matchup between Major League Baseballs Cleveland Indians, an American League team based in Cleveland, Ohio, and the Cincinnati Reds, a National League team based in Cincinnati, Ohio, as both teams are from Ohio, which is known as... Major league affiliations American League (1969–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 5, 10, 20, 42 Name Kansas City Royals (1969–present) Other nicknames The Boys in Blue Ballpark Kauffman Stadium (1973–present) a. ... Major league affiliations National League (1892–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 2, 6, 9, 14, 17, 20, 42, 42, 45, 85 Name St. ... The I-70 series began as a reference to the 1985 World Series and is now an annual interleague matchup between the two Major League Baseball teams in the state of Missouri, the American Leagues Kansas City Royals in the states extreme west, and the National Leagues... The I-70 series began as a reference to the 1985 World Series and is now an annual interleague matchup between the two Major League Baseball teams in the state of Missouri, the American Leagues Kansas City Royals in the states extreme west, and the National Leagues... Major league affiliations American League (1961–present) West Division (1972–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 26, 34, 42 Name Texas Rangers (1972–present) Washington Senators (1961-1971) Ballpark Rangers Ballpark in Arlington (1994–present) a. ... Major league affiliations National League (1962–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 24, 25, 32, 33, 34, 40, 42, 49 Name Houston Astros (1965–present) Houston Colt . ... Silver Boot 2006 The Lone Star Series is an annual Major League Baseball contest featuring Texas two major league franchises, the Texas Rangers of the American League and the Houston Astros of the National League. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 4, 5, 8, 20, 22, 33, 42 Name Baltimore Orioles (1954–present) St. ... Major league affiliations National League (1969–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 42 Name Washington Nationals (2005–present) Montreal Expos (1969-2004) Ballpark RFK Stadium (2005–present) Hiram Bithorn Stadium[3] (San Juan) (2003-2004) Olympic Stadium (Montreal) (1977-2004) Jarry Park (Montreal) (1969-1976) [3] The... The Beltway Series is the name of the interleague series played between the Washington Nationals and the Baltimore Orioles. ... The Montreal Expos (French: Les Expos de Montréal) were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from 1969 until 2004. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3, 6, 14, 29, 34, 42 Name Minnesota Twins (1961–present) Washington Nationals/Senators (1901-1960) Ballpark Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 1982-present Metropolitan Stadium (1961-1981) Griffith Stadium (1903-1960) a. ... Major league affiliations National League (1998–present) Central Division (1998–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 4, 19, 34, 42, 44 Name Milwaukee Brewers (1970–present) Seattle Pilots (1969) Ballpark Miller Park (2001–present) County Stadium (1970-2000) Sicks Stadium (Seattle) (1969) Major league titles World Series titles (0) None... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... American League The American League (or formally the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs) is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States of America and Canada. ... The American League Central Division is one of Major League Baseballs six divisions. ... The National League Central Division is one of Major League Baseballs six divisions. ... This year in baseball 1995 - 1996 - 1997 - 1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 Events January-March January 5 - Don Sutton, a 324-game winner is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on his fifth try. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 4, 8, 9, 27, 42 Name Boston Red Sox (1908–present) Boston Americans (1901-1907) Other nicknames The BoSox, The Old Towne Team, The Sox Ballpark Fenway Park (1912–present) Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds... Major league affiliations National League (1962–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 14, 37, 41, 42 Name New York Mets (1962–present) Other nicknames The Amazin Mets, The Amazins, The Metropolitans Ballpark Shea Stadium (1964–present) Polo Grounds (1962–1963) Major league titles World Series titles... Dates October 18, 1986–October 25, 1986 MVP Ray Knight (New York) Television network NBC Announcers Vin Scully, Joe Garagiola Umpires John Kibler (NL), Jim Evans (AL), Harry Wendelstedt (NL), Joe Brinkman (AL), Ed Montague (NL), Dale Ford (AL) The 1986 World Series, the 83rd playing of the modern championship... William Joseph Bill Buckner (born December 14, 1949 in Vallejo, California, USA) is a former Major League Baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, California Angels and Kansas City Royals. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 23, 32, 37, 44, 49 Name New York Yankees (1913–present) New York Highlanders (1903-1912) Baltimore Orioles (1901-1902) (Also referred to as... Major league affiliations National League (1890–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 2, 4, 19, 20, 24, 32, 39, 42, 53 Name Los Angeles Dodgers (1958–present) Brooklyn Dodgers (1932-1957) Brooklyn Robins (1914-1931) Brooklyn Dodgers (1911-1912) Brooklyn Superbas (1899-1910), (1913) Brooklyn Grooms... Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... Major league affiliations American League (1977–present) East Division (1977–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 42 Name Toronto Blue Jays (1977–present) Ballpark Rogers Centre (1989–present) a. ... The Montreal Expos (French: Les Expos de Montréal) were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from 1969 until 2004. ... The Pearson Cup was an annual mid-season baseball event, named after former Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, between the Toronto Blue Jays and the former Montreal Expos. ...

Pros

• Interleague matchplay increases attendance. ^[1]
• Fans can see players they might not otherwise get to see, especially those who have only ever played in one league, such as Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Greg Maddux, etc..
• Certain geographic rivalries are played out during the regular season that otherwise might not happen for years at a time, such as Chicago Cubs v. Chicago White Sox.
• It creates matchups that might not have been seen in generations. For example, during the 2004 season, the Giants and Red Sox played each other for the first time since meeting in the 1912 World Series, and the Red Sox had never played at Wrigley Field until 2005.
• It allows for a rematch of the World Series. This has occurred in seven of the eleven seasons of interleague play: 1997 (Atlanta Braves at New York Yankees), 2000 (New York Yankees at Atlanta Braves), 2001 (New York Mets vs. New York Yankees), 2002 (Arizona Diamondbacks at New York Yankees), 2005 (Boston Red Sox at St. Louis Cardinals), 2006 (Houston Astros at Chicago White Sox), and 2007 (St. Louis Cardinals at Detroit Tigers).

Barry Lamar Bonds (born July 24, 1964 in Riverside, California) He is the son of former Major League All-Star Bobby Bonds, cousin of Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson, and the godson of Hall of Famer Willie Mays. ... “A-Rod” redirects here. ... Gregory Alan Maddux (born April 14, 1966) is a pitcher for the San Diego Padres. ... Major league affiliations National League (1876–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 10, 14, 23, 26, 42 Name Chicago Cubs (1902–present) Chicago Orphans (1898-1901) Chicago Colts (1890-1897) Chicago White Stockings (1870-1889) (a. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 2004 throughout the world. ... Major league affiliations National League (1883–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers NY, NY, 3, 4, 11, 24, 27, 30, 36, 42, 44 Name San Francisco Giants (1958–present) New York Giants (1885-1957) New York Gothams (1883-1885) Ballpark AT&T Park (2000–present) a. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 4, 8, 9, 27, 42 Name Boston Red Sox (1908–present) Boston Americans (1901-1907) Other nicknames The BoSox, The Old Towne Team, The Sox Ballpark Fenway Park (1912–present) Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds... In the 1912 World Series, the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Giants in 8 games. ... Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. ... The following are the events of the year 1997 that happened world-wide throughout the sport of baseball. ... Major league affiliations National League (1876–present) East Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3, 21, 35, 41, 42, 44 Name Atlanta Braves (1966–present) Milwaukee Braves (1953-1965) Boston Braves (1941-1952) Boston Bees (1936-1940) Boston Braves (1912-1935) Boston Rustlers (1911) Boston Doves (1907-1910) Boston... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 23, 32, 37, 44, 49 Name New York Yankees (1913–present) New York Highlanders (1903-1912) Baltimore Orioles (1901-1902) (Also referred to as... This year in baseball: 1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 Events January-March January 6 - Major League Baseball officials order Atlanta Braves reliever John Rocker is to undergo psychological testing following derogatory remarks he made in an interview with Sports Illustrated magazine. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 23, 32, 37, 44, 49 Name New York Yankees (1913–present) New York Highlanders (1903-1912) Baltimore Orioles (1901-1902) (Also referred to as... Major league affiliations National League (1876–present) East Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3, 21, 35, 41, 42, 44 Name Atlanta Braves (1966–present) Milwaukee Braves (1953-1965) Boston Braves (1941-1952) Boston Bees (1936-1940) Boston Braves (1912-1935) Boston Rustlers (1911) Boston Doves (1907-1910) Boston... The following are the baseball events of the year 2001 throughout the world. ... Major league affiliations National League (1962–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 14, 37, 41, 42 Name New York Mets (1962–present) Other nicknames The Amazin Mets, The Amazins, The Metropolitans Ballpark Shea Stadium (1964–present) Polo Grounds (1962–1963) Major league titles World Series titles... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 23, 32, 37, 44, 49 Name New York Yankees (1913–present) New York Highlanders (1903-1912) Baltimore Orioles (1901-1902) (Also referred to as... This year in baseball: 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 Events January-March January 8 - Ozzie Smith is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. ... Major league affiliations National League (1998–present) West Division (1998–present) Current uniform Name Arizona Diamondbacks (1998–present) Ballpark Chase Field (1998–present) formerly known as Bank One Ballpark (1998-2005) Major league titles World Series titles (1) 2001 NL Pennants (1) 2001 National League West Division titles (3) 2002... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 23, 32, 37, 44, 49 Name New York Yankees (1913–present) New York Highlanders (1903-1912) Baltimore Orioles (1901-1902) (Also referred to as... The following are the baseball events of the year 2005 throughout the world. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 4, 8, 9, 27, 42 Name Boston Red Sox (1908–present) Boston Americans (1901-1907) Other nicknames The BoSox, The Old Towne Team, The Sox Ballpark Fenway Park (1912–present) Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds... Major league affiliations National League (1892–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 2, 6, 9, 14, 17, 20, 42, 42, 45, 85 Name St. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 2006 throughout the world. ... Major league affiliations National League (1962–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 24, 25, 32, 33, 34, 40, 42, 49 Name Houston Astros (1965–present) Houston Colt . ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The following are the baseball events of the year 2007 throughout the world. ... Major league affiliations National League (1892–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 2, 6, 9, 14, 17, 20, 42, 42, 45, 85 Name St. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) Central Division (1998–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 2, 5, 6, 16, 23, 42 Name Detroit Tigers (1901–present) Other nicknames The Bless You Boys Ballpark Comerica Park (2000–present) Tiger Stadium (1912-1999) Briggs Stadium (1938-1960) Navin Field (1912-1938) Bennett...

Cons

• There are many series that are not considered compelling; for example, series between currently poor-performing teams or teams with no historical or geographic connections.
• American League pitchers generally don't like taking batting practice for the opportunity to bat in one or two games. These pitchers are also unaccustomed to running the bases, which can lead to injury and premature fatigue.
• With the two leagues not having the same number of teams, and with one division (the National League Central) containing six teams while another (the American League West) has only four (the other two divisions in both leagues consisting of five teams each), various irregularities in scheduling result. Most notably, teams no longer play identical opponents as their divisional rivals, and even where they do, they don't always play them an identical number of times. This can lead to "strength of schedule" disparities like those the NFL has to deal with on a yearly basis. For example, in any given season, one NL Central team might play every AL East team except the (strong) first place team, while another NL Central team plays all but the (weak) last place team. Another scheduling problem is that because the leagues are not equal in size, there always has to be one NL game on interleague days (interleague is done with block scheduling like the NHL, so all the teams play interleague games on the same day, and all the interleague games are played in one part of the schedule (third weekend of May and most of June)
• The "rivalry" series that consist of six games a year for some teams leads to further scheduling inequities. For example, the Chicago Cubs play the recently solid Chicago White Sox six times a year, while their division rival St. Louis Cardinals play the recently poor Kansas City Royals six times a year.
• The World Series and All-Star game are robbed of some of their mystique that used to result from the two leagues playing completely exclusive schedules during the regular season.

NFL logo For other uses of the abbreviation NFL, see NFL (disambiguation). ...

See also

• List of Major League Baseball rivalries

This does not cite any references or sources. ...

External links

• Proposals for interleague play prior to 1997
• For head to head listings, choose team and the time period to get full list and results

References

1. ^ http://www.enidnews.com/sportslocal/local_story_139003948.html