Does Interleague Play Affect Baseball Gaming?

[RaychelSnr]

I’m torn on interleague play.

In some instances I think it’s great. I love seeing the Mets vs. Yankees, Cubs vs. White Sox, Reds vs. Indians, Dodgers vs. Angels, and Nationals vs. Orioles. These are all great series for baseball to have each regular season.

On the other hand, I’d make some changes to interleague play such as reducing it to eight games every season, with each team playing a home-and-home four-game series with their geographical rival. But that’s neither here nor there.

Aside from the debates surrounding the topic of interleague play in the real sport, I'm looking to ask a different question: does interleague play affect sports gaming?

Read More - Does Interleague Play Affect Baseball Gaming?

[marginwalker12]

No shot in reducing it now. Next year every day with a full slate of games will include at least one interleague game.

[Up and Coming]

Re: Does Interleague Play Affect Baseball Gaming?

No shot in reducing it now. Next year every day with a full slate of games will include at least one interleague game.

Yes, with both the NL and AL evening out to 15 teams each(odd number) there will be atleast one Interleague series going on all the time. I despise Interleague play. The World Series and the all star game are the times for the AL to face off with the NL. That being said, it does not affect gaming all that much. More exposure to different teams, different players.

[jhendricks316]

I like Interleague Play, but all of the natural rivals aren't "natural".

[BSchwartz07]

I always HATED the "natural rivals".... As a Braves fan our "natural rival" was/is the Red Sox (makes sense, these two organizations shared a city at one point) but the Nationals and Phillies play the Orioles and Blue Jays every year. When you play in a division that is as tight at the NL East just didn't seem right to get stuck with Boston while Philly gained a few games with easy wins.

[Aceito]

I love taking my D-Backs talents to the AL stadiums! Interleague is cool with me.

[DGuinta1]

Re: Does Interleague Play Affect Baseball Gaming?

Subway series is great, I luv it inter league, watching it and playing it on The Show!

[dmacgreg37]

I feel the exact opposite about the DH. I find it to be terrible in video games. I will only play as NL teams (or turn DH off), so that I actually have to make in-game changes. Otherwise, you could just watch your 9 cycle through over and over.

[mpt54]

I enjoy Interleague play living in the middle of Ohio I'm able to go to both the Indians and Reds in Cleveland and the same thing when they play in Cincinnati both are fun series to watch and play in the Show

[Blzer]

Re: Does Interleague Play Affect Baseball Gaming?

How much will this new schedule increase the amount of interleague series' for teams?

If there are fifteen games a day and there is one interleague series at a time, each team playing one interleague series (for both leagues) would be 45 games, which is just over 1/4 of the full season schedule. It seems like each team would only play four interleague series' at most, which is less than the five series' that MLB teams have now.

Doesn't look like it will increase it at all, so I don't know why people have said NL teams have to consider re-managing their teams for the DH when they'll only play like six total games with one.

[thbends]

I LOVE the DH rule and think it's completely unfair for the AL to have to play by the NL rules in the World Series when the NL playing with a DH does nothing but helps them. Pitchers batting is ridiculous in this day and age. So I support interleague play as much as possible to level the playing field. That way AL teams are not hampered as much in the World Series.

[rymflaherty]

Re: Does Interleague Play Affect Baseball Gaming?

To me it really effects the game in the same way it effects real life.....so in that sense, it's not really an issue.

It effects me because the unbalanced schedules in baseball are lame as it is....interleague play then making it even more unbalanced within the division is even worse.
Then the whole DH issue.....So just like real life, I'm forced to take bats away from someone like Ortiz due to the rule.

At least now it takes place over a brief period....so it's only an issue for a week or two and you can plan for it. It seems like it will be even more of an issue/nuisance if it will be spread out across the season moving forward.

[LowerWolf]

Re: Does Interleague Play Affect Baseball Gaming?

With interleague games being played all the time though, there's going to be a push to make the DH rule the same in both leagues. The players union isn't about to give up the DH, so I wouldn't be surprised to see the DH added in the NL in the next few years.

I hate it, but nearly every other level of baseball has the DH now. The NL will adopt it soon, I'm afraid.

[pokerplaya]

Re: Does Interleague Play Affect Baseball Gaming?

I LOVE the DH rule and think it's completely unfair for the AL to have to play by the NL rules in the World Series when the NL playing with a DH does nothing but helps them. Pitchers batting is ridiculous in this day and age. So I support interleague play as much as possible to level the playing field. That way AL teams are not hampered as much in the World Series.

I would ask how old you are, no offense...

"Pitchers batting in this day and age" -- did men somehow lose the ability to swing a bat? You grow up playing the game at a level to where you get to the major leagues and you're incapable of swinging a bat?

I play with the major league rules for realism, but think it's quite bush-league that the two professional leagues still maintain different rules. I'll tell you this, its a lot easier for teams to police themselves in the National when your pitchers have to step in the box. Also, as another poster said -- it removes nearly all strategic elements from the game.

It has always been horrible for the game, and it still is. If you have an pitcher who is a hell of a hitter, that's a defined advantage -- AS IT SHOULD BE.

This is not to mention that the DH rule prolongs the careers of guys that wouldn't be able to even be ROSTERED if they had to play defense, and artificially inflates numbers. Don't get me wrong, I love guys like Jim Thome -- but if he had to play the field every day of his career, he'd have more like 400 homeruns instead of the 600+ he has. David Ortiz, et al...

[DGuinta1]

Re: Does Interleague Play Affect Baseball Gaming?

Agree 100% Lowerwolf, gonna come to the NL soon.