Yet among the most polarizing elements of Major League Baseball is the mere existence of interleague play.
It was introduced in 1997 with the idea that fans in all MLB cities would be able to see teams that they don't normally see. And they do, but for a lot of people, that's not enough.
Many fans can't explain it with great detail, other than saying it's just wrong. Others disagree with the fact that teams are forced to play by rules that they don't normally follow. It works both ways, as NL teams have to use a fourth outfielder or utility player at designated hitter in AL parks, while AL teams have to put bats into the hands of their pitchers. It all can get fairly ugly (just ask Chien-Ming Wang).
Of course, for the Red Sox, interleague play has been very kind. Though things turned a bit sour this week with two losses in Colorado and a Dustin Pedroia foot injury in San Francisco, the Sox entered the week with a 10-4 record against NL teams this year. That's right on par with their 62-28 in interleague contests since 2005.
Still, for some people, the interleague portion of the schedule is a headache, and it's hard to fully enjoy the schedule until it's gone. With the Red Sox playing their final interleague game of the season on Sunday afternoon in San Francisco, what's your opinion? Do you enjoy watching these teams that you rarely get to see, or do you believe the leagues should only meet in the All-Star Game and the World Series?
Share your thoughts below. The best comments will be read on NESN’s Red Sox GameDay Live or Red Sox Final.
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