Detroit has a seemingly safe two games to none lead in the ALCS, but are they home free?

In 1966, the Orioles swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series four games straight. The Dodgers didn’t score after the third inning of game one.

Yet I had the feeling in that series that if the Orioles didn’t finish LA off when they did in game four that the Dodgers could come back and win the series.

The Dodgers had Don Drysdale pitch game four, Sandy Koufax was ready for game five, Claude Osteen ready for game six, and then it was back to Drysdale or maybe Koufax on two days rest for game seven.

The O’s beat Drysdale 1-0 to wrap up the series so the prospect of facing the Dodger’s big three one more time was never faced by Baltimore.

So how does this stroll down memory lane apply to the A’s and Tigers.

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Even though it was only one game, the A’s first game loss has bigger implications.

Detroit got away with its fourth starter against the A’s number one guy, Barry Zito.

Now Detroit has Justin Verlander, Kenny Rogers, and Jeremy Bonderman lined up in the next three games with two of those games at Comerica.

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Now that the annoying five game AL Division Series is out of the way the A’s can get down to the serious business of getting to the world series.

Every time the A’s needed to make a big pitch, they did. Every time the Twins had a chance to lose the game, they did.

Pure and simple the A’s played better baseball for three days.

A’s and Tigers now that’s a series.

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As I go through the post season I like to look for a pitching staff that can dominate a game.

Last year the White Sox did it from game one of the ALDS right through to the end of the world series.

The Sox didn’t thrash the opposition merely with starting pitching, but used Bobby Jenks, El Duque, Cliff Politte and others to sweep to the title too.

The A’s are getting that look right now.

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The A’s won game one and I must say the Twins played right into the hands of the winners.

Barry Zito was masterful with help from Minnesota hitters that didn’t get the message: you want to get Zito’s pitch count up..don’t swing early in the count with Zito.

Ron Gardenhire helped too.

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Baseball’s 19 games(maximum) tournament gets underway today. You have to win eleven over three weeks.
October baseball is something to watch.
I’ll be broadcasting Right Off The Bat from the Warehouse at 8:15 AM today and Wednesday. You can hear the show by clicking the KNTS icon to the left.
Games turn on one play, usually late in the contest.
Pitching and defense are keys. But the big hitters step up and don’t miss their pitch with the game on the line.
Jermaine Dye was a good example of that kind of hitting last October.
Most folks are conceding game one to the Twins today because Johan Santana is pitching.
I’m not.
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If you thought September baseball was tense just wait until the playoffs start Tuesday.

During the playoffs players must be focused on every play.

Three things to remember:
1) If you think there was interference, continue running, finish the play;
2) If there is a collision at home plate and you haven’t touched the dish, don’t worry about pushing the catcher out of the way, just touch home.
3) If there is a close play at the plate make sure you slide!

Keys for the A’s and the other playoff teams: [Read more →]

In 2006 an old baseball maxim rang true. The best teams survived the grueling 162 game regular season. The cream rose to the top. Twenty-two teams are packing for the winter.

Thanks for playing. We’ll see you next spring.

This year’s playoff teams come as no surprise. Let’s see why the most deserving teams are headed to October baseball.

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So much will be decided over the next two weeks of the season.

Post season awards. Playoff teams.

The most significant of all the postseason awards is Most Valuable Player.

Why is the MVP more important than the outstanding pitching award?

A position player contributes to his team’s success on a daily basis. A starting pitcher works every five days, a reliever every two to three days at best over the course of the 162 game season.

The MVP is the player who if removed from the team changes the squad from a championship team to an also ran.

My MVP must be a carrier, a difference maker, not just a contributor to the cause.

In the American League certain players stand out. Here are the contenders:

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The 2006 playoffs will be here shortly.

Usually this time of year playoff teams are lining up their 20 game winners and other top starting pitchers as they set their rotations for the upcoming games.

Not so in ’06.

Minnesota’s Johan Santana is the only starting pitcher in the AL who strikes fear into the heart of the opposition. Guess what? His team might not get into the playoffs.

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