I don't think its just semantics. Its the American League and the National League two Leagues that compete for the Major League Championship. Major League Baseball is just the terminology to cover both because they are considered professional players. Edit http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_difference_between_the_National_League_and_American_League K so there used to be two leagues and now their is one. But screw them and I still think of it as two until they get the same rules between them.
So basically what you're saying is that even though the league itself says it's one you still insist otherwise?
What you are bolding is exactly semantics. If they were called conferences instead of leagues this wouldn't be a conversation. They are handled almost exactly as the conferences in the NFL in terms of records/schedules/standings/playoffs ... the list goes on. OK so MLB says it's ONE LEAGUE but you still disagree. I guess there's no point in trying to reason with people who won't accept what the league itself says as the truth.
In 1903 they merged into one league that played for one trophy. By 1919 there was one commissioner. It has been one league for a long time.
That's a fairly recent convention, isn't it? I remember when I was a wee lad Scooter and Bill White used to go on and on about how horrible it was that AL umps where switching to the under-the-shirt protective padding that NL umps used. AL umps used to have this hanging mattress concoction they'd hide behind. They could stand up straighter and get a better view of the pitch because they weren't hiding behind the catcher so much.
