Is there a significant difference in playing style between the National League and the American League?
Yes, there is a significant difference. The use of the Designated Hitter in the AL (a player who bats in the lineup in place of the pitcher, but who does not have a fielding position) does result in different styles of play in the two leagues. NL teams strategize based on their pitcher coming up to bat. For example, if there are two runners on and two outs and your pitcher (usually a poor hitter) is next to bat, you may have to replace him with a pinch hitter in an NL game, to increase your team’s chance of getting a hit and scoring some runs. This also means a new pitcher must come into the game once the side is retired. This materially changes the course of the game. You won’t have to make this decision in the AL. In AL games, theoretically you can have 9 good hitters in a lineup (assuming you can afford their salaries!) There isn’t the emphasis on setting up your lineup so that the best hitters can get the runs in before the pitcher comes to bat and ruins it all! Managers in the NL
