How much longer will we be able to say that the AL is better than the NL?

[Sports Guy]

Look at some of the talent coming into the NL as of late...Strasburg, Stanton and now Alvarez.

Not that the same isn't happening at times in the AL but the young talent in the NL seems to be better.

[BaltimoreTerp]

It's going to take a lot of talent to make up for the fact that they only bat eight.

[Moose Milligan]

Heyward, too.

The NL ROY race will be hotly contested. Crazy thing is, I heard some people giving Heyward MVP consideration the other day...he might join Lynn and Ichiro to win ROY and MVP in the same season.

If the Nats don't shut down Strasburg, he could get Cy young consideration if he keeps pitching like this. I mean, Haren is leading the NL with 97 strikeouts in 14 games started. Strasburg already has 22 in 2 games started.

[DrungoHazewood]

It's going to take a lot of talent to make up for the fact that they only bat eight.

I don't think that has anything to do with it. Or much of anything. I think it's mainly that the Red Sox and Yanks drive much of it, some through their payrolls and quality, some because it forces other teams in the league to compete with them.

But some of it is just historical ebb and flow. The AL has been a little better at finding, acquiring, and developing talent. That'll shift the other way eventually, if it already hasn't.

In interleague play the run difference between AL DHs and NL players used as DHs isn't much different than the delta between AL (pitchers hitting + pinch hitters) and NL (pitchers hitting + pinch hitters). It's not nearly enough to account for the AL's winning percentage in interleague over the recent past.

[NewMarketSean]

It's going to take a lot of talent to make up for the fact that they only bat eight.

Then what do we bat, four? If that?

[Frobby]

A handful of talented young players won't tip the balance, so long as the free agent flow continues to favor the AL.

So far the AL is 61-55 in intraleague play this year. That's not as overwhelming as in some recent years, so maybe the gap is closing a little.

[CalvertCo.OsFan]

A handful of talented young players won't tip the balance, so long as the free agent flow continues to favor the AL.

So far the AL is 61-55 in intraleague play this year. That's not as overwhelming as in some recent years, so maybe the gap is closing a little.

Agreed. Additionally, look at how many solid starters there are in the NL. They have probably the 3 best pitchers in the entire league over there. Jimenez is the best pitcher in MLB right now, Halladay is right there behind him & then you have J.Santana. Lincecum will probably get things turned around.........not going to mention the guy in DC who is a rook.

[BaltimoreTerp]

Then what do we bat, four? If that?

Well, the Yankees bat 13, so that evens it out

[orayole]

Then they hit free agency and the Yankees and Sox buy them up.

[mweb]

Heyward, too.

The NL ROY race will be hotly contested. Crazy thing is, I heard some people giving Heyward MVP consideration the other day...he might join Lynn and Ichiro to win ROY and MVP in the same season.

If the Nats don't shut down Strasburg, he could get Cy young consideration if he keeps pitching like this. I mean, Haren is leading the NL with 97 strikeouts in 14 games started. Strasburg already has 22 in 2 games started.

At the moment, there is no race. One guy is way way ahead of the pack. But of course that can change.

I agree with Frobby, a few very talented players won't make that big of a difference as long as the AL continues to get most of the top free agents and trade targets.

[Moose Milligan]

At the moment, there is no race. One guy is way way ahead of the pack. But of course that can change.

I agree with Frobby, a few very talented players won't make that big of a difference as long as the AL continues to get most of the top free agents and trade targets.

Ubaldo..right. Keep forgetting about him...I really just don't pay much attention to NL ball.

[Frobby]

The AL won the interleague series 134-118 this year (.532). That's 7 straight years the AL has won the series. However, the series has gotten closer over the last 3 years:

2008: 149-103

2009: 138-114

2010: 134-118

And, this was the closest since 2004. So, SG's question is legit.

I still feel that the presence of NYY and BOS in the AL leads to more free agent spending by the AL in general, and therefore the NL will have a tough tiime closing the remaining gap.