The A.L. West features three World Champions, two of them on paper being the two weakest World Series winners in that decade. The Royals lead the way with five teams as some may forget at one time they weren't a complete joke. The White Sox, Rangers, and Mariners have just one team a piece, Mariners being the only franchise in the 80's who failed to have a winning record with their '87 team leading the way with 78 wins. Can they shock the world and upset the '89 A's in the 1st Round?

 

#1

1989 Oakland Athletics (99-63, defeated San Francisco 4-0 in World Series)

 

OPS+: 104 (t-3rd)

ERA+: 118 (1st)

DefEff: .715 (1st)

 

Best Player: Rickey Henderson

Best Pitcher: Mike Moore

 

#2

1985 Kansas City Royals (91-71, defeated St. Louis 4-3 in World Series)

 

OPS+: 95 (t-12th)

ERA+: 119 (2nd)

DefEff: .701 (8th)

 

Best Player: George Brett

Best Pitcher: Brett Saberhagen

 

#3

1987 Minnesota Twins (85-77, defeated St. Louis 4-3 in World Series)

 

OPS+: 96 (10th)

ERA+: 100 (t-8th)

DefEff: .700 (t-6th)

 

Best Player: Kirby Puckett

Best Pitcher: Frank Viola

 

#4

1988 Oakland Athletics (104-58, lost to Los Angeles 4-1 in World Series)

 

OPS+: 109 (4th)

ERA+: 110 (t-2nd)

DefEff: .710 (4th)

 

Best Player: Jose Canseco

Best Pitcher: Dave Stewart

 

#5

1980 Kansas City Royals (97-65, lost to Philadelphia 4-2 in World Series)

 

OPS+: 107 (t-4th)

ERA+: 105 (5th)

DefEff: .707 (3rd)

 

Best Player: George Brett

Best Pitcher: Larry Gura

 

#6

1983 Chicago White Sox (99-63, lost to Baltimore 3-1 in ALCS)

 

OPS+: 100 (t-6th)

ERA+: 114 (2nd)

DefEff: .712 (2nd)

 

Best Player: Carlton Fisk

Best Pitcher: Richard Dotson

 

#7

1981 Oakland Athletics (64-45, lost to New York 3-0 in ALCS)

 

OPS+: 103 (9th)

ERA+: 105 (3rd)

DefEff: .732 (2nd)

 

Best Player: Rickey Henderson

Best Pitcher: Steve McCatty

 

#8

1982 California Angels (93-69, lost to Milwaukee 3-2 in ALCS)

 

OPS+: 114 (2nd)

ERA+: 107 (t-3rd)

DefEff: .712 (4th)

 

Best Player: Doug DiCinces

Best Pitcher: Geoff Zahn

 

#9

1986 California Angels (92-70, lost to Boston 4-3 in ALCS)

 

OPS+: 103 (t-6th)

ERA+: 107 (4th)

DefEff: .715 (3rd)

 

Best Player: Brian Downing

Best Pitcher: Mike Witt

 

#10

1984 Kansas City Royals (84-78, lost to Detroit 3-0 in ALCS)

 

OPS+: 97 (t-8th)

ERA+: 103 (6th)

DefEff: .711 (4th)

 

Best Player: Willie Wilson

Best Pitcher: Dan Quisenberry

 

#11

1989 Kansas City Royals (92-70, finished 7 games behind Oakland)

 

OPS+: 98 (t-8th)

ERA+: 109 (t-3rd)

DefEff: .692 (11th)

 

Best Player: Kevin Seitzer

Best Pitcher: Bret Saberhagen

 

#12

1988 Minnesota Twins (91-71, finished 13 games behind Oakland)

 

OPS+: 110 (t-2nd)

ERA+: 104 (t-4th)

DefEff: .699 (6th)

 

Best Player: Kirby Puckett

Best Pitcher: Frank Viola

 

#13

1982 Kansas City Royals (90-72, finished 3 games behind California)

 

OPS+: 109 (3rd)

ERA+: 100 (t-8th)

DefEff: .716 (3rd)

 

Best Player: George Brett

Best Pitcher: Dan Quisenberry

 

#14

1985 California Angels (90-72, finished 1 game behind Kansas City)

 

OPS+: 97 (8th)

ERA+: 105 (t-6th)

DefEff: .710 (t-4th)

 

Best Player: Brian Downing

Best Pitcher: Donnie Moore

 

#15

1981 Texas Rangers (57-48, second best overall record in A.L. West)

 

OPS+: 105 (t-5th)

ERA+: 102 (t-6th)

DefEff: .713 (t-5th)

 

Best Player: Buddy Bell

Best Pitcher: Doc Medich

 

#16

1987 Seattle Mariners (78-84, finished 7 games behind Minnesota)

 

OPS+: 97 (t-8th)

ERA+: 105 (5th)

DefEff: .694 (10th)

 

Best Player: Phil Bradley

Best Pitcher: Mark Langston

 

 

1st Round Match-ups

 

'87 Mariners vs. '89 A's

'86 Angels vs. '82 Angels

'82 Royals vs. '88 A's

'88 Twins vs. '80 Royals

'89 Royals vs. '83 White Sox

'85 Angels vs. '87 Twins

'84 Royals vs. '81 A's

'81 Rangers vs. '85 Royals