American League

The American League is next to the National League is one of two leagues in the U.S. Professional Baseball League Major League Baseball. She went out in 1899 from the Western League and is considered to be a Major League since 1901. Since 1903, the winners of the National League and American League to play for the World Series.

  • 3.1 Eastern Division
  • 3.2 Central Division
  • 3.3 Western Division

History and Team

From its foundation in 1901 as a Major League eight teams fighting for the title. All eight teams are still active in this league, but a plurality of location changes and name changes have taken place:

Still active in the city of origin are the

But when founding members also include

The multiple homonyms ensure easy for confusion, especially as the team in general, despite the move and rename the previous history (such as the Master title) " reserve ".

Through various movements have increased since 1977, now fourteen teams in the American League. Teams are considered to be so-called expansion:

  • Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim,
  • Texas Rangers, including 11 years in a Washington resident
  • The Kansas City Royals
  • The Seattle Mariners,
  • The Toronto Blue Jays which remains the only Canadian team in the American League ( in the National League played at times with the Montreal Expos another Canadian team ) and
  • As far last new recording 1998, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Tampa Bay Rays today. In the same year founded the Seattle Pilots in 1969 Milwaukee Brewers switched the first and currently the only team from the American to the National League to a straight inter alia, ensure each number of teams in each league.

Championships

The record champions are the New York Yankees with 40 titles already.

1969 to today

Since 1969, the Championship will be held in so-called divisions. The selected according to geographical criteria East or West Division determined to 1993 each have a division winner, then in the Championship Series ( ALCS ) playing off the master of the AL.

Since 1994, the game operation is carried out in three divisions (East, Central and West). The three division winners and the best second (so-called wild-card ) then determine on a semi-final ( Division Series, ALDS ) and final ( Championship Series ) the title holder. To the respective results of the ALDS compare World Series.

* Winner of the Wild Card

The following overview shows the title wins of the teams in the last 42 years. As in the overall statistics also lead the New York Yankees unchallenged. After that, the league is relatively balanced: Only one of the current 14 teams remained in this period without winning the title (Seattle Mariners, losers in the ALCS in 1995, 2000 and 2001). With Tampa Bay and Texas in 2008 and 2010 that was unsuccessful teams were able to get their first title.

Since 1969

In total

Game operation

The game operation is divided since 1994 into three divisions ( geographically to East, Central and West). With the addition of Tampa Bay 1998, the date last assignment change was necessary: Detroit was transferred from the Eastern to the Central Division, the Milwaukee Brewers switched to the National League. From 2013 to change the Houston Astros from the NL Central to the AL West.

The tables below show the rankings of the teams since that date.

Eastern Division

  • Baltimore Orioles
  • Boston Red Sox
  • New York Yankees
  • Tampa Bay Rays
  • Toronto Blue Jays

Central Division

  • Chicago White Sox
  • Cleveland Indians
  • Detroit Tigers
  • Minnesota Twins
  • Kansas City Royals

Western Division

  • Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
  • Oakland Athletics
  • Seattle Mariners
  • Texas Rangers
  • Houston Astros ( from 2013 )

Rule difference to the National League

There is a difference in the baseball rules between the leagues. In the American League the pitcher needs to be used since 1973 only on the defensive. For it suggests in the American League, an additional batsman, called the designated hitter ( DH). In contrast, the pitcher must be used as a hitter in the National League.

Baltimore Orioles | Boston Red Sox | New York Yankees | Tampa Bay Rays | Toronto Blue Jays

Chicago White Sox | Cleveland Indians | Detroit Tigers | Kansas City Royals | Minnesota Twins

Houston Astros | Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | Oakland Athletics | Seattle Mariners | Texas Rangers

Atlanta Braves | Miami Marlins | New York Mets | Philadelphia Phillies | Washington Nationals

Chicago Cubs | Cincinnati Reds | Milwaukee Brewers | Pittsburgh Pirates | St. Louis Cardinals

Arizona Diamondbacks | Colorado Rockies | Los Angeles Dodgers | San Diego Padres | San Francisco Giants

  • Baseball competition
  • Founded in 1901
Texas Rangers (Baseball) 2010 American League Championship Series 2011 American League Championship Series 2012 American League Championship Series 2013 American League Championship Series
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