What is the difference btween pitching in the American League and pitching in the National League?

Answer 1

• The National League dates back to 1876. The American League was formed in 1901 as a competitor to the National League. Initially, the two leagues were independent of each other--there was no Major League Baseball. The two leagues met in the first World Series in 1903. From 1903 through 1960, each league had 8 teams, and the team that finished first in the standings in each league went to the World Series, except in 1904 when the Giants refused to participate in the Series. The World Series games were the only official games played between teams from the two leagues. The leagues also began playing each other in All Star games starting in 1933. The AL expanded to 10 teams in 1961 (Senators II who are now the Rangers and Angels) and the NL expanded to 10 in 1962 (New York Mets and Houston Colt .45s who are now the Astros.) In 1969, both leagues expanded to 12 teams as the AL added the Seattle Pilots (now the Milwaukee Brewers) and the Kansas City Royals while the NL added the San Diego Padres and the Montreal Expos (now the Washington Nationals.) Also, each league split into an East and West division and had the winners of its divisions play in a League Championshp Series to determine its representative to the World Series. In 1973, the AL adopted the Designnated Hitter while the NL did not. In 1977, the AL went to 14 teams by adding the Seattle Mariners and the Toronto Blue Jays. In 1993, the NL went to 14 teams by adding the Florida Marlins and Colorado Rockies. In 1998, both leagues expanded again with Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the AL and the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL. To keep an even number of teams in both leagues, the Milwaukee Brewers moved from the AL to the NL, giving the NL 16 teams to the AL's 14. This was the first time the NL had more teams than the AL. The leagues had separate league offices and umpiring crews until a few years ago. Now, the basic difference between the two leagues is the AL uses the designated hitter and the NL does not. The umpiring crews are consolidated under Major League Baseball and the league offices are no longer in existence.

• The AL has a designated hitter bat for the pitcher, but the NL has the pitcher bat for himself.

• The National League is the older of the two leagues constituting Major League Baseball. The League was founded in 1876. The American League was founded in 1900. The league originated from the National Association of Baseball (NA), which was the prevailing professional baseball league at the time.

• In 1900, a new league - the American League - was formed. The American League was well aware of the previous double-crossing tactics of the National League, and geared up for battle. The American League was successful in raiding National League stars. The newer league proved to be a better organized, better financed, and more determined than previous league rivals. The more established National League was forced to cooperate, and in 1903, the return to a two-league format allowed the resumption of postseason play with the World Series of 1903.

• Today the National League game still resembles the game as it was a century ago. The biggest difference between the two leagues is that the National League remained with the rule that the pitcher must be in the batting lineup. The American League adopted the Designated Hitter (DH) to fill in for the pitcher in the 1970s. This DH rule has led to differences in the style of play between the two leagues. The American League is generally more based upon power � with emphasis on the home run, while the National League is said to be more pitching-oriented, with more of a focus on an offensive running.

• Baseball [in the two leagues] is two different games, played with two different sets of rules," Buck said with an infectious smile. "The DH. It makes such a difference. It's phenomenal. "And the American League has these little tiny ballparks. It's like home run derby over there."

The conversation then shifted to the subject of the strike zones in the two leagues.

"If you think strike zones are tight [in the National League]...well, in the American League, [umpires] won't call big name hitters out on called third strikes," Buck opined. "The umpires in the American League are more inconsistent. They are unwilling to call your Griffeys and your McGwires out on third strikes. It's a different game."

Answer 2

2009 Major League Baseball

There were 30 teams in Major League Baseball in 2009; 16 teams in the National League, and 14 Teams in the American League. Each league is divided into three divisions, East, Central, and West. Below is the list of teams in each League.

National League

Eastern Division

• Atlanta Braves
• Florida Marlins
• New York Mets
• Philadelphia Phillies
• Washington Nationals

  Central Division

• Chicago Cubs
• Cincinnati Reds
• Houston Astros
• Milwaukee Brewers
• St Louis Cardinals
• Pittsburgh Pirates

Western Division

• Arizona Diamondbacks
• Colorado Rockies
• Los Angeles Dodgers
• San Diego Padres
• San Francisco Giants

American LeagueEastern Division

• Baltimore Orioles
• Boston Red Sox
• Toronto Blue Jays
• Tampa Bay Rays
• New York Yankees

  Central Division

• Cleveland Indians
• Chicago White Sox
• Detroit Tigers
• Kansas City Royals
• Minnesota Twins

  Western Division

• Oakland Athletics
• Los Angeles Angels
• Seattle Mariners
• Texas Rangers

Answer 3

The first professional Baseball organization was formed in 1876 as a sports business. The people who formed this organization called it the National League. In 1901 another baseball organization was formed and called themselves the American League. Soon after the two leagues recognized each other as legitimate professional baseball organizations and created what we now refer to as major league baseball. They agreed to the same rules of play and also to hold a end of the season championship called the World Series. Much later on changes were made to the American League. As example the American League instituted the designated hitter "rule". In 1977 both leagues agreed to inter league play. Other changes such as the height of the pitcher's mound were agreed to by both leagues.

Answer 4

The main difference between pitching in the American League and the National League is that in the American League, the Pitcher has to pitch to all nine batters. In the National League, the Pitcher has to pitch to nine batters as well but the batter in the ninth spot is the opposing Pitcher and Pitchers aren't typically very skilled at batting.

Answer 5

The rules are practically the same. The only difference is that the AL uses uses a Designated Hitter, and the NL doesn't.

Answer 6

None. They umpire in both leagues.