American League Update

Last year in the final Baseball regular season series, the Oakland A’s needed and got a three game sweep of the Texas Rangers in Oakland to take the AL West crown.

Starting today, again in Oakland, the A’s host the Rangers in a three game series. Going into the game, the Rangers have a one game lead.

Starting today in Boston, two very likely American League division winners clash. They are the Detroit Tigers and the Boston Red Sox.

In the race for the two bogus, but surely important wild card berths, the A’s, as cited also in contention for the AL West title, have a five and a half game lead for playoff qualification.

The Tampa Rays, whose fine manager and good man (as he helps the impoverished), Joe Maddon, whom I fear will never overcome the bad karma associated with not bringing in a left handed pitcher to face David Ortiz in # 5 2008 ALCS, have seen their qualification lead shrink to three games.

Joe Maddon