Come To Think of It...Phillies Proving That the N.L. Deserves Respect After All

This kind of reminds me of a school-yard taunt: "My team is better than your team!" Except, in this case, it's not so much about the team as it is about the league.

All year long, most everyone associated with the game of baseball has told us how far superior the American League is to the National League.

And one really couldn't argue that position, for the facts seemed to support it, as well.

For one, the A.L. is unbeaten in the All-Star Game 12 games in a row (including a tie in 2002).

For another, the junior circuit has a slight advantage in interleague play. As of 2008, the American League currently holds an all-time series advantage of 1,387–1,317.

The A.L. has the designated hitter, and is considered the tougher league to pitch against. The way CC Sabathia tore up the N.L. after coming over in trade from Cleveland earlier this year didn't help to dispel this notion.

Of course, Tampa Bay won five more games than the Phillies did during the regular season, too.

Since the advent of free agency, players move around much more often these days, switching leagues as often as movie stars change lovers. Still, this idea that the A.L. is superior to the N.L. is prominent.

So, the odds-makers had the Rays favored in this series. That the Phils stand on the cusp of baseball immortality after only four games speaks well for their performance thus far, and to the strength of the senior circuit, as well.

Ryan Howard has rediscovered his stroke, clubbing two home runs and driving in five runs in Sunday night's 10-2 drubbing of the Tampa Bay Rays. And Jamie Moyer finally pitched like the Moyer who looked so good during the regular season in Saturday's performance.

Further, unlikely heroes have erupted from within Philly's walls. Joe Blanton not only pitched well but became the first pitcher to hit a home run in a World Series game in 34 years. Carlos Ruiz, who hit four homers in 320 ABs during the regular season, contributed an unlikely home run on Saturday and a key RBI in Game One.

Eric Bruntlett, who managed to hit two home runs in 120 games during the season, hit one in the series, albeit in a losing cause.

Meanwhile, the Rays did not get good pitching performances out of Andy Sonnanstine or even Matt Garza, who was decent, but not quite up to his usual billing on Saturday.

So the Phillies are up 3-1 in this best-of-seven series. It's looking like the N.L. is going to win the World Series this year. Which wouldn't be the first time the underdog from the supposed weaker league won. In 2006, for example, the St. Louis Cardinals won the series after winning only 83 games during the regular season.

Pundits will point to the fact that any team can win a relatively short series, so the argument over which league is better shouldn't be affected by who wins this series. Of course, if it doesn't matter, then why not just crown the Angels and Cubs as the league representatives based on regular-season wins?

That would have been a huge mistake, of course, in hindsight, considering neither team got out of the first round, despite having the top record in their respective leagues.

But it goes to show that the N.L. does have a pulse, after all.

Come to think of it, maybe earning a little respect in the process.