Well this shouldn't be inflammatory at all. In a fanshot below, KC Mariner linked a Q&A with Brendan Ryan over at FanGraphs. The Q&A took place during the season - not today, or yesterday, or any day close to yesterday, unless you have a geologic perspective on the passage of time - and while you might as well read the whole thing, since it isn't very long and you clearly don't have anything better to do, there was one part in particular that jumped out to me. Ryan?
I never thought that I’d be a bigger fan of the American League, but having played in both now… I think that strategy is cool in the National League, having to bunt and use your pitcher, and all that stuff, but it’s also cool not having to throw away innings. I think it’s cool to have nine hitters go up there.
I don't have a whole lot to add, here - I just wanted to put this out there because, haha, National League, you're stupid. Also, Ryan mentions this interview was being conducted in Fenway Park. The Mariners made two trips to Boston - once at the end of April, and once in late July, when they were already well into their 17-game losing streak that I still can't believe actually happened. That actually happened! The Mariners lost 17 games in a row! The 2001 Mariners didn't lose their 17th game until June 20th!
Anyway, I suspect that this interview took place during the first series, rather than the second one, because by late July there's no way Ryan could have made the "nine hitters" remark without the statement dripping so much sarcasm that Ryan and the interviewer drowned.
Ryan: The weird thing about the American League is that only this one team has to throw away innings.
Ryan: Everybody else gets nine hitters, but for some reason this team gets like two or three hitters.
Ryan: Weird rules.
Ryan: Those are the rules, right?