American League West

AL West
League American League
Sport Major League Baseball
Founded 1969
No. of teams 4 (5 in 2013)
Most recent champion(s) Texas Rangers (5th title)
Most titles Oakland Athletics (14)

The American League West is one of three divisions in Major League Baseball's American League. The division currently has four teams, but it has had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams currently only reside along the west coast and in Texas, historically the division has had teams as far east as Chicago. It is the only division in Major League baseball to have only four teams. The current champion of this division is the Texas Rangers. In November 2011, the Houston Astros were reported by MLB as moving to the division from the National League Central for the 2013 season.[1]

Contents

Division membership

Current members

Future members

Former members

The Division Members

Time period Lineup Changes from previous setup
1969 California Angels, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Pilots Creation of division due to 1969 expansion, Kansas City and Seattle added
1970–1971 California Angels, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, Oakland Athletics Seattle franchise moved to Milwaukee, becoming the Brewers
1972–1976 California Angels, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, Oakland Athletics, Texas Rangers Washington Senators moved to Texas, became Rangers and switched divisions with Milwaukee, which moved to the AL East
1977–1993 California Angels, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers Seattle added in the 1977 league expansion
1994–1996 California Angels, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers Chicago, Kansas City, and Minnesota moved into the newly-created AL Central due to the 1994 realignment.
1997–2004 Anaheim Angels, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers California Angels become Anaheim Angels.
2005–2012 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers Anaheim Angels become Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
2013– Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Houston Astros, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers Houston switches leagues from the NL Central

AL West regular season champions – listed by year

AL West champions by year
Year Winner Record Win % Playoffs
1969 Minnesota Twins 97–65 .599 Lost in ALCS to Baltimore, 3–0
1970 Minnesota Twins 98–64 .605 Lost in ALCS to Baltimore, 3–0
1971 Oakland Athletics 101–61 .627 Lost in ALCS to Baltimore, 3–0
1972 Oakland Athletics 93–62 .600 Won World Series over Cincinnati, 4–3
1973 Oakland Athletics 94–68 .580 Won World Series over New York, 4–3
1974 Oakland Athletics 90–72 .556 Won World Series over Los Angeles, 4–1
1975 Oakland Athletics 98–64 .605 Lost in ALCS to Boston, 3–0
1976 Kansas City Royals 90–72 .556 Lost in ALCS to New York, 3–2
1977 Kansas City Royals 102–60 .630 Lost in ALCS to New York, 3–2
1978 Kansas City Royals 92–70 .568 Lost in ALCS to New York, 3–1
1979 California Angels 88–74 .543 Lost in ALCS to Baltimore, 3–1
1980 Kansas City Royals 97–65 .599 Lost World Series to Philadelphia, 4–2
1981 Oakland Athletics† 64–45 .587 Lost in ALCS to New York, 3–0
1982 California Angels 93–69 .574 Lost in ALCS to Milwaukee, 3–2
1983 Chicago White Sox 99–63 .611 Lost in ALCS to Baltimore, 3–1
1984 Kansas City Royals 84–78 .519 Lost in ALCS to Detroit, 3–0
1985 Kansas City Royals 91–71 .562 Won World Series over St. Louis, 4–3
1986 California Angels 92–70 .568 Lost in ALCS to Boston, 4–3
1987 Minnesota Twins 85–77 .525 Won World Series over St. Louis, 4–3
1988 Oakland Athletics 104–58 .642 Lost World Series to Los Angeles, 4–1
1989 Oakland Athletics 99–63 .611 Won World Series over San Francisco, 4–0
1990 Oakland Athletics 103–59 .636 Lost World Series to Cincinnati, 4–0
1991 Minnesota Twins 95–67 .586 Won World Series over Atlanta, 4–3
1992 Oakland Athletics 96–66 .593 Lost in ALCS to Toronto, 4–2
1993 Chicago White Sox 94–68 .580 Lost in ALCS to Toronto, 4–2
1994 Texas Rangers§ 52-62 .456 No Playoffs
1995 Seattle Mariners* 79-66 .545 Lost in ALCS to Cleveland, 4-2
1996 Texas Rangers 90–72 .556 Lost in ALDS to New York, 3–1
1997 Seattle Mariners 90–72 .556 Lost in ALDS to Baltimore, 3–1
1998 Texas Rangers 88–74 .543 Lost in ALDS to New York, 3–0
1999 Texas Rangers 95–67 .586 Lost in ALDS to New York, 3–0
2000 Oakland Athletics 91–70 .565 Lost in ALDS to New York, 3–2
2001 Seattle Mariners 116–46 .716 Lost in ALCS to New York, 4–1
2002 Oakland Athletics 103–59 .636 Lost in ALDS to Minnesota, 3–2
2003 Oakland Athletics 96–66 .593 Lost in ALDS to Boston, 3–2
2004 Anaheim Angels 92–70 .568 Lost in ALDS to Boston, 3–0
2005 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 95–67 .586 Lost in ALCS to Chicago, 4–1
2006 Oakland Athletics 93–69 .574 Lost in ALCS to Detroit 4–0
2007 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 94–68 .580 Lost in ALDS to Boston, 3–0
2008 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 100–62 .617 Lost in ALDS to Boston, 3–1
2009 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 97–65 .599 Lost in ALCS to New York, 4–2
2010 Texas Rangers 90–72 .556 Lost in World Series to San Francisco, 4–1
2011 Texas Rangers 96-66 .593 Lost in World Series to St. Louis, 4–3

† – Due to the players' strike, the season was split in two. The Athletics won the first half, and they defeated the second-half winner, the Kansas City Royals (50 – 53 overall record) in the postseason.
§ – Due to the 1994 Major League Baseball strike, starting on August 12, no official winner was declared. The Texas Rangers were leading in winning percentage at time of the strike.
* – They defeated the California Angels in a one-game playoff for the division title, 9 – 1.

Wild-card winners produced

See List of American League Wild Card winners (since 1994)
Year Winner Record % GB Playoffs
2000 Seattle Mariners 91–71 .562 .5 Lost in the ALCS to New York, 4–2
2001 Oakland Athletics 102–60 .630 14 Lost in the ALDS to New York, 3–2
2002 Anaheim Angels 99–63 .611 4 Won the World Series over San Francisco, 4–3

AL West statistics

Team Division
Championships		 Last Year Won
Current Teams in Division:
Oakland Athletics
14
2006
Los Angeles Angels
8
2009
Texas Rangers
5
2011
Seattle Mariners
3
2001
Former Teams in Division:
Kansas City Royals
6
1985
Minnesota Twins
4
1991
Chicago White Sox
2
1993

References

  1. ^ "Houston Astros' sale approved by MLB". Associated Press. November 17, 2011. http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7246443/houston-astros-sale-approved-mlb. Retrieved November 17, 2011. 
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