American League

One of two components (alongside the National League) of Major League Baseball. Formed at the beginning of the 20th Century, it was briefly a rival to the National, before serious interleague warfare was resolved with a merger. Now there's little to differentiate the two leagues, except for the designated hitter, and they will perhaps be little more than a memory in a few years, as MLB continues its oft-pointless reorganization efforts.

Also an old school way to denote the American Hockey League; the NHL was called the "National League".

The American League was created in 1901, 25 years after the creation of the National League. To contain the growing number of teams, added a second league. The one noticeable difference between the two leagues is the American League has the designated hitter rule whereas in the National League, a pitcher is forced to hit or be substituted for a pinch hitter. The American League is similar to the National League, because the American League is divided into three-divisions; the East, the Central, and the West.

The American League East consists of 5 teams. The teams include the:

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

The New York Yankees are obviously the dominant team in the division, winning four of the last six World Series, and winning more World Series (26) in the history of the MLB than any other team.

The American League Central is made up of 5 teams also. The teams are:

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

The Cleveland Indians won the division in the 2001 season, but the Minnesota Twins will end up being the dominant team in the division. The Detroit Tigers started the 2002 season with an 1-11 record, the worst in the majors.

The American League West is made up of 5 teams. The teams are:

• Anaheim Angels
• Houston Astros
• Oakland Athletics
• Seattle Mariners
• Texas Rangers

The Seattle Mariners ended the 2001 season with a outstanding 116 wins. The Oakland Athletics had an 100+ season, but settled for a wild-card spot, rather than the division championship. Also in 2002, the Oakland A's won 21 games in a row. The AL West is the toughest division to win, with the Angels, A's and Mariners capable of winning 100 games every year.

The Houston Astros moved to the AL West from the NL Central in 2013.