Baseball 2013: Interleague intrigue, all the time

Published on NewsOK Modified: March 29, 2013 at 4:07 pm •  Published: March 29, 2013



"We were just talking about that in batting practice that it's a little weird to face the American League so early," All-Star Carlos Ruiz said. "But it's a different schedule this year."

Sure is.



Add up the scattered AL vs. NL matchups, it's like a mini-World Series most every day.





Just sounds jarring, doesn't it?

"It is very strange," Cincinnati manager Dusty Baker said. "This usually doesn't happen until June or July."

"What it does is it increases your workload on scouting, advance reports and things like that. You don't have a lot of familiarity on those teams," he said.

Part of baseball's changing landscape, Commissioner Bud Selig says.

"I'm very protective of interleague play, but everybody convinced me it that would work from Day One, and I'm satisfied it will," he said.

"We have to quit worrying about it. We play 162 games. The season is a long journey. It's not a sprint. When the year is over, everybody has played everybody else. When you play it is no reason not to do something," he said.


Hamilton left Texas for the Angels, teaming with Albert Pujols and Mike Trout in a most fearsome lineup. Zack Greinke got $147 million to pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Brothers Justin and B.J Upton wound up together in Atlanta's outfield. Kyle Lohse signed with Milwaukee a week before the opener.


"Talent alone doesn't win," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons cautioned.

Especially if stars are sidelined.


Several top players are on the mend, though.


Stephen Strasburg wasn't active at the end, either. The Washington Nationals shut down their ace so he wouldn't pitch too many innings, and fizzled in their first playoff appearance.

No limits on Strasburg or the Nats this time around.

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