The Point Spread Column

It’s almost over now, but interleague play has been the most lopsided sports betting venue in modern times. Heading into Friday's schedule, the AL was clobbering the NL by a 131- 78 mark and only two NL clubs, the Colorado Rockies and the Florida Marlins, had better than .500 interleague records. The AL has won a decisive 53 more games in interleague play. Even the AL's perennial losers like Kansas City and Tampa Bay found a life against the NL teams that they never knew existed. This was not some statistical fluke. The American League is that much better. Night after night, the AL pounded the NL winning 10 of the 14 games slated on several nights. Top tier NL teams like Cincinnati, St. Louis and the Mets have taken their lumps vs. the American league. While there have been some victories by the NL, every night has been a virtual bloodbath for the elder league overall. One reason is that the American League has no weak sisters in their lineups. The lineups are deeper in the Amercan League. Pitchers don't bat because of the designated hitter rule. So, the AL pitchers have to face a tough lineup from top to bottom with few easy outs. They have to grind out every at bat. Facing the National league batting orders has been easier for them. Simply put, the overall pitching and hitting is better in the junior league. The junior league has dominated the All Star game and the World Series. Now interleague play has become a vacation for the junior circuit. Many AL teams have improved their records so much that they are back into contention for post season races. Not all AL teams did so well, but the AL dominance was overwhelming. Anyone who blindly bet the American League for the interleague duration would be smelling money. Like I said, I don't recall ever seeing such a lopsided betting venue in any sport.