Pat Caputo: Interleague Play Is Valued In Some Cities, But Provides Little Meaning For Tigers
My initial response to interleague play, when baseball first implemented it in 1997, was to abhor it.
To me, the American League and the National League were separate entities that didn't cross paths with the obvious exceptions.
No interaction on the regular-season schedule made the World Series extra meaningful. There was a greater element of anticipation because there was zero chance of the two teams meeting during the regular season.
It also kept an element of importance surrounding the All-Star Game. When I was a kid growing up in Oakland County, and the National League would win the All-Star Game virtually every year, it was devastating as a fan of an American League team.