by Dayn Perry

Updated: May 15, 2008, 11:40 AM EST 59 comments

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If you need proof, look no further than the recent results of interleague play (since 2004, the AL is 99 games over .500), and the fact that most players making the cross-league leap fare worse coming from the NL to the AL (and fare better when going from the AL to the NL).

If you're into inadequate sample sizes, there's the All-Star Game (the NL hasn't won since 1996) and the World Series (the AL has swept three of the last four). National League fans don't like hearing about it, but that's the case and has been for some time.

Of course, these things run in cycles. In the 1960s and '70s, for instance, the NL was the more dominant league in large part because they integrated more quickly and more fully than the AL. That is, of course, no longer a factor these days, but these things change with time. In fact, the balance of power may be shifting once again.

It's hard to say why the AL has enjoyed such a run — part of it may be superior homegrown talent, part of it may be the substantially higher payrolls in the AL (payrolls that are higher even after you correct for the fact that they have to pay a DH). Whatever the case, the NL is catching up.

Analyst David Pinto has theorized that the NL simply has better young hitters than the AL right now. After all, the NL is giving more plate appearances to young hitters than the AL and, despite letting pitchers hit, the NL is actually outscoring the AL.

However, that doesn't entirely answer the question, which is this: Is the NL poised to become the more powerful league?

To get a better handle on this, let's list the young players in each league (defined as those who were age 25 or younger as of Opening Day) who have legitimate star potential. Sure, this method is quick and dirty and a bit on the subjective side, but it will provide us with an idea of which league is more flush with young, high-upside talent going forward:

AL hitters

Daric Barton, A's; Reid Brignac, Rays; Billy Butler, Royals; Miguel Cabrera, Tigers; Robinson Cano, Yankees; Jeff Clement, Mariners; Jacoby Ellsbury, Red Sox; Carlos Gonzalez, A's; Alex Gordon, Royals; Desmond Jennings, Rays; Adam Jones, Orioles; Howie Kendrick, Angels; Adam Lind, Blue Jays; Evan Longoria, Rays; Nick Markakis, Orioles; Joe Mauer, Twins; Mike Moustakas, Royals; Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox; Carlos Quentin, White Sox; Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Rangers; Grady Sizemore, Indians; Travis Snider, Blue Jays; B.J. Upton, Rays; Matt Wieters, Orioles, Delmon Young, Twins.

NL hitters

Matt Antonelli, Padres; Ryan Braun, Brewers; Jay Bruce, Reds; Stephen Drew, Diamondbacks; Edwin Encarnacion, Reds; Prince Fielder, Brewers; Jeff Francoeur, Braves; J.J. Hardy, Brewers; Chase Headley, Padres; Jeremy Hermida, Marlins; Jason Heyward, Braves; Chin-Lung Hu, Dodgers; Matt Kemp, Dodgers; Matt LaPorta, Brewers; Andy LaRoche, Dodgers; James Loney, Dodgers; Chris Marrero, Nationals; Russell Martin, Dodgers; Cameron Maybin, Marlins; Brian McCann, Braves; Andrew McCutchen, Pirates; Lastings Milledge, Nationals; Hunter Pence, Astros; Felix Pie, Cubs; Hanley Ramirez, Marlins; Colby Rasmus, Cardinals; Jose Reyes, Mets; Mark Reynolds, Diamondbacks; Jordan Schafer, Braves; Geovany Soto, Cubs; Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies; Justin Upton, Diamondbacks; Angel Villalona, Giants; Josh Vitters, Cubs; Joey Votto, Reds; Rickie Weeks, Brewers; David Wright, Mets; Chris Young, Diamondbacks; Ryan Zimmerman, Nationals.

For those keeping score, that's a 39-25 advantage for the NL. Now for the pitchers:

AL pitchers

Nick Adenhart, Angels; Clay Buchholz, Red Sox; Fausto Carmona, Indians; Joba Chamberlain, Yankees; John Danks, White Sox; Wade Davis, Rays; Fautino De Los Santos, A's; Neftali Feliz, Rangers; Matt Garza, Rays; Zack Greinke, Royals; Felix Hernandez, Mariners; Philip Hughes, Yankees; Scott Kazmir, Rays; Jon Lester, Red Sox; Francisco Liriano, Twins; Rick Porcello, Tigers; David Price, Rays; Ervin Santana, Angels; Justin Verlander, Tigers; Jered Weaver, Angels; Joel Zumaya, Tigers.

NL pitchers

Homer Bailey, Reds; Chad Billingsley, Dodgers; Jonathan Broxton, Dodgers; Matt Cain, Giants; Johnny Cueto, Reds; Ross Detwiler, Nationals; Yovani Gallardo, Brewers; Cole Hamels, Phillies; Ubaldo Jimenez, Rockies; Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers; Tim Lincecum, Giants; Andrew Miller, Marlins; Franklin Morales, Rockies; Scott Olsen, Marlins; Jarrod Parker, Diamondbacks; Manny Parra, Brewers; Max Scherzer, Diamondbacks; Edinson Volquez, Reds.

That adds up to a 21-18 advantage for the AL on the pitching front. It's an edge, but not as much as the one the NL enjoys with the hitters. In addition, there's the fact that young pitchers are much less projectable than young hitters.

To be sure, among these prospects and major-league regulars there are varying levels of promise, but generally speaking, these guys are the future of the game. The two leagues are comparable in terms of young pitching, but when it comes to young bats, the AL can't compare to the NL.

As pointed out above, we're already seeing effects of that phenomenon in the 2008 season. That's why, soon enough, the NL will overtake the AL as the more powerful of the two leagues. So be obnoxious while you can, AL partisans.