American League Championship Series

MLB Postseason
Division series
American League
National League
Championship series
American League
National League
World Series

In Major League Baseball, the American League Championship Series (ALCS), played in October, is a round in the postseason that determines the winner of the American League pennant. The winner of the series advances to play the winner of the National League Championship Series in baseball's championship, the World Series.

It started in 1969, when the American League was reorganized into two divisions, East and West. The winners of each division played each other in a best-of-five series to determine who would advance to the World Series. In 1985, the format changed to best-of-seven. In 1994, the league was restructured into three divisions, with the three division winners and a wild-card team advancing to a best-of-five postseason round, known as the American League Division Series (ALDS). The winners of that round then advanced to the best-of-seven ALCS. This is the system currently in use.

The ALCS and NLCS, since the expansion to best-of-seven, are always played in a 2–3–2 format: Games 1, 2, 6, and 7 are played in the stadium of the team that has home field advantage, and Games 3, 4, and 5 are played in the stadium of the team that does not. The series concludes when one team records its fourth win. Since 1995, home field advantage has been given to the team that has the better regular season record, unless that team happens to be the Wild Card team. In that case, the other team gets home field advantage, because by rule the Wild Card team is never allowed home field advantage in a Division Series or LCS. In the event that both teams have identical records in the regular season, home field advantage goes to the team that has the winning head-to-head record. From 1969-1993, home field advantage alternated between the two divisions.

Every American League team has appeared in the ALCS at least once.

Contents

Championship Trophy

The William Harridge Trophy is awarded to the ALCS champion.[1]

Most Valuable Player Award

See: League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award#American League winners

The Lee MacPhail Most Valuable Player (MVP) award is given to the outstanding player in the ALCS. No MVP award is given for Division Series play.

Although the National League began its LCS MVP award in 1977, the American League did not begin its LCS MVP award till 1980. The winners are listed (1) below in the section on "ALCS results (1969-present)", in the "Series MVP" column, (2) at League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award, and (3) on the MLB website.[2]

ALCS results (1969–present)

Further information: American League pennant winners 1901-68

Wins by club

Click the link on the far left for detailed information on that series.

Key
Club Number of wins
New York Yankees 11
Oakland Athletics 6
Baltimore Orioles 5
Boston Red Sox 4
Toronto Blue Jays 2
Kansas City Royals 2
Cleveland Indians 2
Detroit Tigers 2
Minnesota Twins 2
Texas Rangers 2
Anaheim Angels 1
Milwaukee Brewers 1
Chicago White Sox 1
Tampa Bay Rays 1
†
 Denotes wild-card team (since 1995).
Year Winner Loser Record Series MVP TV
Network
1969 Baltimore Orioles Minnesota Twins 3–0 NBC
1970 Baltimore Orioles Minnesota Twins 3–0   NBC
1971 Baltimore Orioles Oakland Athletics 3–0   NBC
1972 Oakland Athletics Detroit Tigers 3–2   NBC
1973 Oakland Athletics Baltimore Orioles 3–2   NBC
1974 Oakland Athletics Baltimore Orioles 3–1   NBC
1975 Boston Red Sox Oakland Athletics 3–0   NBC
1976 New York Yankees Kansas City Royals 3–2   ABC
1977 New York Yankees Kansas City Royals 3–2   NBC
1978 New York Yankees Kansas City Royals 3–1   ABC
1979 Baltimore Orioles California Angels 3–1   NBC
1980 Kansas City Royals New York Yankees 3–0 Frank White, Kansas City ABC
1981 New York Yankees Oakland Athletics 3–0 Graig Nettles, New York NBC
1982 Milwaukee Brewers California Angels 3–2 Fred Lynn, California ABC
1983 Baltimore Orioles Chicago White Sox 3–1 Mike Boddicker, Baltimore NBC
1984 Detroit Tigers Kansas City Royals 3–0 Kirk Gibson, Detroit ABC
1985 Kansas City Royals Toronto Blue Jays 4–3 George Brett, Kansas City NBC
1986 Boston Red Sox California Angels 4–3 Marty Barrett, Boston ABC
1987 Minnesota Twins Detroit Tigers 4–1 Gary Gaetti, Minnesota NBC
1988 Oakland Athletics Boston Red Sox 4–0 Dennis Eckersley, Oakland ABC
1989 Oakland Athletics Toronto Blue Jays 4–1 Rickey Henderson, Oakland NBC
1990 Oakland Athletics Boston Red Sox 4–0 Dave Stewart, Oakland CBS
1991 Minnesota Twins Toronto Blue Jays 4–1 Kirby Puckett, Minnesota CBS
1992 Toronto Blue Jays Oakland Athletics 4–2 Roberto Alomar, Toronto CBS
1993 Toronto Blue Jays Chicago White Sox 4–2 Dave Stewart, Toronto CBS
1994 Not held due to labor dispute.
1995 Cleveland Indians Seattle Mariners 4–2 Orel Hershiser, Cleveland ABC (Games 1–2)
NBC (Games 3–6)
1996 New York Yankees Baltimore Orioles † 4–1 Bernie Williams, New York NBC
1997 Cleveland Indians Baltimore Orioles 4–2 Marquis Grissom, Cleveland FOX
1998 New York Yankees Cleveland Indians 4–2 David Wells, New York NBC
1999 New York Yankees Boston Red Sox † 4–1 Orlando Hernández, New York FOX
2000 New York Yankees Seattle Mariners † 4–2 David Justice, New York NBC
2001 New York Yankees Seattle Mariners 4–1 Andy Pettitte, New York FOX
2002 Anaheim Angels † Minnesota Twins 4–1 Adam Kennedy, Anaheim FOX
2003 New York Yankees Boston Red Sox † 4–3 Mariano Rivera, New York FOX
2004 Boston Red Sox † New York Yankees 4–3 David Ortiz, Boston FOX
2005 Chicago White Sox Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 4–1 Paul Konerko, Chicago FOX
2006 Detroit Tigers † Oakland Athletics 4–0 Plácido Polanco, Detroit FOX
2007 Boston Red Sox Cleveland Indians 4–3 Josh Beckett, Boston FOX
2008 Tampa Bay Rays Boston Red Sox † 4–3 Matt Garza, Tampa Bay TBS
2009 New York Yankees Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 4–2 CC Sabathia, New York FOX
2010 Texas Rangers New York Yankees † 4–2 Josh Hamilton, Texas TBS
2011 Texas Rangers Detroit Tigers 4–2 Nelson Cruz, Texas FOX

See also

References

  1. ^ winner.http://fielderschoice.wordpress.com/2009/04/10/overjoyed/ Dave (Tampa Bay Rays fan), "Overjoyed!", Fielder's Choice Baseball Card Blog, Apr. 10, 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-17 (including photo of trophy).
  2. ^ League Championship Series Most Valuable Players (MLB.com/News/Awards/History/ ). MLB Advanced Media, L.P. Retrieved 2009-08-31.

External links

American League Championship Series
1969–1970s
1960 • 1961 • 1962 • 1963 • 1964 • 1965 • 1966 • 1967 • 1968 • 1969 • 1970 • 1971 • 1972 • 1973 • 1974 • 1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979
1980s–1990s
1980 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989 • 1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999
2000s–2010s
2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011
1884 • 1885 • 1886 • 1887 • 1888 • 1889 • 1890 Adding to maintain spacing between series 1903 • 1904 • 1905 • 1906 • 1907 • 1908 • 1909
1910 • 1911 • 1912 • 1913 • 1914 • 1915 • 1916 • 1917 • 1918 • 1919 • 1920 • 1921 • 1922 • 1923 • 1924 • 1925 • 1926 • 1927 • 1928 • 1929
1930 • 1931 • 1932 • 1933 • 1934 • 1935 • 1936 • 1937 • 1938 • 1939 • 1940 • 1941 • 1942 • 1943 • 1944 • 1945 • 1946 • 1947 • 1948 • 1949
1950 • 1951 • 1952 • 1953 • 1954 • 1955 • 1956 • 1957 • 1958 • 1959 • 1960 • 1961 • 1962 • 1963 • 1964 • 1965 • 1966 • 1967 • 1968 • 1969
1970 • 1971 • 1972 • 1973 • 1974 • 1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979 • 1980 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989
1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999 • 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009
2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2016 • 2017 • 2018 • 2019 • 2020 • 2021 • 2022 • 2023 • 2024 • 2025 • 2026 • 2027 • 2028 • 2029
No series was held in 1904 because the NL Champions refused to participate; the 1994 Series was canceled due to a players' strike.