N.L. looks for turnaround
Senior circuit’s most recent victory in All-Star game was in 1996
ST. LOUIS — A lot has changed since baseball’s All-Stars last pulled into the Gateway City.
Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Hank Aaron and Willie McCovey topped the 1966 N.L. batting order. It was 103 degrees at circular Busch Stadium, and Gaylord Perry got the win in relief of Sandy Koufax, Jim Bunning and Juan Marichal.
And, most significantly, the National League was in the midst of winning nine straight All-Star games and 19 of 20.
When San Francisco’s Tim Lincecum throws the first pitch to Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki tonight at the new Busch – after President Barack Obama’s ceremonial toss to Cardinals star Albert Pujols – the N.L. will be seeking its first win in 13 years.
“At some point this streak’s going to end,” Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira said, “but we just don’t want it to be this year.”
Welcome to one of the most one-sided rivalries in sports, what’s become the American League’s annual domination of the N.L.
Now 11-0-1 since its 1996 defeat at Philadelphia – the longest unbeaten streak in All-Star history – the A.L. has cut the overall gap to 40-37-2 and hasn’t lost in six meetings since the winning league started receiving home-field advantage in the World Series.
“We would love to be able to snap that streak,” said Philadelphia first baseman Ryan Howard, a St. Louis native.
Since interleague play began in 1997, the A.L. has a 1,673-1,534 advantage, according to STATS LLC. This year’s season series went 137-114 to the junior circuit, its sixth straight winning record and ninth in 13 years.
“It’s a more powerful league, maybe, the American League,” said Dodgers manager Joe Torre, who managed the A.L. All-Star team six times after winning pennants with the Yankees. “Not that you don’t have stars that measure up in the National League, but maybe not as many of them.”
A.L. dominance has not carried into October. While unbeaten in the past 12 All-Star games, the A.L. has won seven of the past 12 World Series.
“For whatever reason, the numbers have been what they have been for the last 10 or 12 years. I don’t think it’s a true assessment of how well the game is played in the National League,” said career saves leader Trevor Hoffman.
All-Star victories have taken on increased importance because of the connection to the World Series. In 18 of the last 23 Series, the team with home-field advantage has gone on to win.
Imagine what must be going on in the mind of A.L. starter Roy Halladay.
With the Toronto Blue Jays willing to consider trades, he could help the A.L. get home-field advantage, then get dealt to an N.L. contender.
On Monday, Howard was basking at the attention in his hometown.
He thought about hitting a St. Louis landmark and, no, it wasn’t the Gateway Arch, which rises temptingly beyond the right-center field fence but in reality is several blocks away. Rather, he remembered his Little League days at the suburban Ballwin Athletic Association. He was 12 or 13, and the home run is still talked about.
Where did the drive down the right-field line land?
“Red Lobster,” he said.