Each team plays 162 regular season games, and then the Phillies win the World Series
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Because the National League has been in existence longer than the American League ... the National League's first season as a major league was 1876 and the American League's first season as a major league was 1901.
The American League began as a minor league called the Western League whose first season was 1894. The named was changed to American League for the 1900 season and the AL declared itself a major league for the 1901 season.
Here is the entire baseball session. First are what are called exhibition games, or the preseason games. Then the season starts. In the middle of the season is the All-Star Game and the Home Run Derby. Then the second half of the season is played. Now comes the post season: The American/National League Division Series The American/National League Championship Series The World Series
Regular season baseball games between the American League and National League are called interleague games. The first interleague games occurred in 1998 and have been a staple of the MLB schedule since. In 2013 the leagues were balanced to have 15 teams each (the Houston Astros switched from the National League to the American League) which necessitated interleague games throughout the season. Before 2013 interleague games typically happened in concentrated pockets during June and July.
2008 MLB MVPsThe 2008 American League MVP was Dustin PedroiaThe 2008 National League MVP was Albert Pujols