The Interleague Advantage: A Difference in Differences Analysis

Brian Volz

No 2009-32, Working papers from University of Connecticut, Department of Economics

Abstract: It has been argued that the introduction of interleague play in Major League Baseball provides an advantage to American League teams due to their use of the designated hitter. This paper examines whether this advantage actually exists and if so how large any advantage may be. The question is analyzed using a difference in differences model based on player performance data on interleague games from 1997 to 2008. It is shown that American League teams do have a small and statistically significant offensive advantage during interleague play. American League teams are estimated to have a 1.1 to 7.3 point advantage in batting average, a 0.1 to 9.8 point advantage in on base percentage, and a 1.2 to 9.9 point advantage in slugging percentage.

Keywords: Baseball; League Structure; Difference in Differences (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L83 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 15 pages
Date: 2009-10
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-spo
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:uct:uconnp:2009-32

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