AL Update and Notes: A’s and Tigers

The Oakland Athletics, who won the AL West last season by sweeping the Texas Rangers in the season’s final three games have made a “big move” much earlier this season. Currently the A’s lead the division by 6 games over the second place Rangers.

What a story Billy Beane (his penchant, even mandate, to sign lesser priced players was cited in the movie “Moneyball,” which starred Brad Pitt as Beane) and the A’s continue to be.

Last year they lost a maximum 5 game division series to eventual AL champion and World Series loser, Detroit (Tigers).

The Tigers, clashing with the A’s 40 years after a classic best of five, ALCS won by eventual world champion Oakland, won the first two at home just as the A’s had done 40 years earlier.

Next the A’s playing “the part” of the 1972 Tigers won the next two games at home, even staging a rally similar to the Tigers’ in game 4, 40 years earlier.

The Tigers, a la the ’72 A’s then won the fifth and deciding game on the road. Then Detroit swept the Yankees in the ALCS only to be swept by the Giants in the World Series.

The top heavy AL Central favorites, the Tigers lead this year’s race by three games and most likely both the Tigers and A’s will comprise one fourth of the “tournament,” to be contested after the regular season concludes.