Major League Baseball

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The Major League Baseball season runs from April through September with spring training occurring February through March and three rounds of playoffs, which include and end with the World Series, take place in October. (also known as “October Ball”) A regular baseball season includes 162 games, which are mostly between members of the same division. In 1997, interleague play was introduced and has proven to be a fan favorite. Because of this rule, teams that would never meet unless pitted against each other in World Series can meet during the season.

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Designated hitter rule

The American League was established in 1900. The main difference between the American league and the National League is the use of a designated hitter. In the mid-1900’s, pitching dominated baseball and hits were becoming a rarity so members of the American League decided to give the hitters a shot and the designated hitter was born. Since pitchers often rely of practice for pitching, their batting averages were somewhat lacking. The idea of the designated hitter was to replace the pitcher in the batting order with a strong hitter. The designated hitter did not play offense so they needed not be good at anything but swinging the bat.

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The Negro Leagues

Because of racial segregation, blacks were not allowed to play baseball in either the American League or the National League. Because of this the Negro League was formed and successfully ran from 1921-1946. The need for a separate, black league ended in 1947 when Jackie Robinson became the first black man to sign for the National League when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers.

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Leagues and divisions

  • National League West: Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, LA Dodgers, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants
  • National League Central: Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals
  • National League East: Atlanta Braves, Florida marlins, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Nationals
  • American League West: Anaheim Angels, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers
  • American League Central: Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins
  • American League East: Baltimore Oriels, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Toronto Blue Jays
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