Answer:
They're virtually identical.
Here are the numbers for
2006:
|
Lineup Slots 1 through 8 OPS (On-base Plus Slugging percentage) |
|
American League: |
.788 |
|
National League: |
.789 |
What it comes down to then is
that the effect of the American League using the DH shows itself pretty
much entirely in the number-nine slot.
|
Lineup Slot 9 OPS |
|
American League: |
.672 |
|
National League: |
.500 |
Pitchers hitting is the
primary reason for the low National League figure, of course, but they
aren't batting as often as you might expect. The number-nine slot came
to the plate a total of 10,033 times in the NL in 2006. NL pitchers had
5,684 plate appearances last year (regardless of lineup slot). That
means that pinch-hitters (and double-switches) accounted for nearly half
the plate appearances in the NL ninth slot. When I first saw this number
I was surprised, but I scanned a few boxscores and saw that it was not
uncommon for an NL starting pitcher to bat twice and then have pinch
hitters bat once or twice more later in the game.