Monday, March 4, 2013

Yankees 2013 Interleague Schedule

On June 12, 1997 the Texas Rangers hosted the San Francisco Giants in the first regular season interleague game in the history of MLB.   Introduced as a gimmick in response to lower attendance and television ratings after the players strike of 1994-1995, interleague is still a topic that is debated every season.

The most popular argument by proponents of interleague play is often that fans get to see teams and players that may not otherwise see.  That argument is very weak in the year 2013, with many games being televised nationally by TBS and ESPN as well as the many packages available from cable providers that make watching virtually any game on either television or the internet possible.

Critics of interleague play most often point to one glaring negative of interleague play, the strength of schedule disparity that it creates not only among teams in the same league but also within a division.   With teams battling for wild card playoff spots as well as battling with division rivals for the division title, it has always struck me as incredibly unfair that two teams in the same league can have a battle between them decided by 18-21 games unbalanced schedule against teams in another league.

The Yankees have gone 144-102(.585) in interleague play, a MLB best winning percentage since interleague's inception.  Despite that record, the Yankees have plenty of reason to be unhappy about their interleague schedule in 2013, a schedule that may cost them dearly.

The Yankees have the following interleague games on the 2013 schedule:

April 16-18 vs the Diamondbacks

May 7-9 at the Rockies

May 27-28 "at"  Mets followed by May 29-30 vs the Mets

June 18-19 vs the Dodgers

July 30-31 at the Dodgers

August 2-4 at the Padres

September 20-22 vs the Giants

MLB, in its "infinite wisdom" decided that in 2013 that the Yankees should play the NL West in addition to their "rival" New York Mets in interleague play.   That means that the Yankees must play three games vs the reigning champion Giants as well as four games vs the Dodgers, who are favored to win the NL in 2013  by many.  Playing a couple of really tough teams isn't the biggest issue at stake in the 2013 interleague schedule, the travel is.

Whether it is the change in time zones or the effect of the long travel, the words "West Coast Trip" have long struck fear in the heart of players and fans of East Coast teams.  Thanks to their 2013 interleague schedule, the Yankees will have two West Coast trips this season for interleague play.  In May the Yankees will have to fly to Colorado for three games with the Rockies and then fly to Kansas City for three games with the Royals without an off day in between.   In late July the Yankees must fly to the West Coast to play two games with the Dodgers and then three games with the Padres before flying to Chicago to play the White Sox with no off day for travel to Chicago.

The Yankees' 2013 interleague schedule also had a negative effect on their regular schedule.  Because of  the two trips to the West Coast to play NL rivals in 2013,  MLB scheduled the Yankees a brutal marathon West Coast trip in June to play their AL West Coast rivals.  This was done to keep the  number of West Coast trips the Yankees take in 2013 to three but it was done at the expense of the Yankees having to play ten games in eleven days against the Mariners(four games), Athletics(three games) and Angels(three games) in the heart of the season.

The Yankees interleague schedule is just one more reason for concern in 2013.

11 comments:

  1. Michael P - No comment from you on Cashman's broken ankle from jumping out of an airplane? lol

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  2. Mike this is an outstanding point and a real screw job from Selig. I have always been a big interleague guy but having it spread out like this is garbage.

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  3. It couldn't possibly hurt as much as Melky and Vizcaino for Javier the sequel, Montero for that disgusting slob Shrek, or the granddaddy of destructive trades Coke/Kennedy/AJax for Granderson.
    I hope they don't give him any painkillers when they reset it.

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  4. Matt the Yankees have the biggest screwing in interleague history this year. Two seperate West Coast trips just for interleague? Usually it is two West Coast trips total. This year it's three for the Yankees, including 10 games in 11 days in the heart of June against their AL West Rivals.
    That's absolute insanity, and Selig simply doesn't seem to use any logical reasoning when he makes his decisions about anything.

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  5. I have a comment...the man is CRAZY I tell you! Rappelling off buildings, jumping out of airplanes! Do you think Cashman is having a midlife crisis?

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  6. Tough interleague for the Yanks but is it the same for the rest of the AL East? At least that would make it fair for the Division. A quick look at Toronto's schedule looks like they play the same teams except they get the Braves instead of the Mets (thank God we still get the Mets).

    But the rough Interleague,on top of the ridiculously imbalanced schedule and the Astros entering the AL West, makes it VERY difficult for anyone in the AL East to earn a Wild Card this year.

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  7. fishjam, I agree with you this year it will be tough for the East to get a wild card team.

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  8. Delia....
    What is wrong with a guy having some fun? He is young and has the money to do whatever he so wishes. Myself, I don't believe in jumping out of a good airplane, I always have a big guy behind me to give me a helping hand or foot...depending on how well we got along. As for rappelling, that's a no, no for me...I am afraid of heights!
    Actually, it is fun to jump, so they tell me, if it is 20 feet up...it is still to high. You should try High-Low, now that is the most fun of all...it wasn't fun for me...I hate high places and that jumping is very high places.
    Have fun Delia, you only go around once! lol :) And yes, he is crazy!

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  9. There are plenty of ways to have fun without there being a risk of hurting yourself.

    As Dr. Seuss once said, "Look at me, look at me, look at me now, it's fun to have fun but you have to know how." :)

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  10. Ain't that the truth! I think you would like it, there is a bit of a rush to the whole thing!
    Have a good day on the marrow! :)

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  11. Delia, love your reference to Dr. Seuss, it was for a good cause so I will give him a pass. In a way he is good for the Yankees, he keeps them in the news.

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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)