A Different World

In discussing Randy Johnson's abrupt outing against Tampa Bay Tuesday night, Peter Gammons was asked what's wrong with the Unit?

Gammons said "frustration" and lack of velocity on his slider. Then he added that the American League is "a different world." What exactly does that mean?

I've heard some players (hitters and pitchers) say that pitching patterns vary from league to league, but even those answers don't go into much detail.

And Johnson didn't get lit up by Baltimore, Boston and Chicago. This was the freakin' Devil Rays -- who came to Yankee Stadium to face Johnson with a 5-29 road record.

Gammons cannot be saying that the Devil Rays are so different from any team Johnson faced in the NL. Tampa Bay certainly wouldn't be an elite team -- they'd be doormats over there, too. So what the hell does "a different world" mean?