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| OFFENSE |
A's
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The Edge:
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Twins
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Jason Giambi may be gone, but this team still follows the Oakland Formula: Be patient, take tons of walks and subsist on three-run home runs. Don't hold your breath waiting to see someone sacrifice or steal a base. Shortstop Miguel Tejada has become an RBI machine and is a deadly hitter with the game on the line. Third baseman Eric Chavez (34 homers) is a threat as well, though he'll have trouble with nasty left-handers like Minnesota setup man J.C. Romero. The A's were in the middle of the AL pack in runs scored, but the lineup is balanced. With their pitching, four runs is usually enough to win.
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Not a lot of firepower here -- no 30-homer or 100-RBI men. Torii Hunter (29 HRs and 94 RBIs, both team highs) anchors the middle of the order, but he slumped the last two months of the season. The rest of the lineup is dominated by left-handed hitters who feast on mediocre right-handed pitching. Good lefty hurlers, however, pretty much make leadoff hitter Jacques Jones and DH David Ortiz irrelevant. No. 2 batter Cristian Guzman, a switch hitter will be a key; he can use his speed if he gets on base. The Twins don't walk much or hit many home runs, but they did lead the AL in doubles so they need to string hits together to score runs. History isn't on Minnesota's side: In nine games against Oakland, the Twins scored just 26 runs.
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| DEFENSE |
A's
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The Edge:
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Twins
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Adequate. Tejada is much more solid and consistent at short than he used to be. Outfield defense is sometimes a problem -- Terrence Long is a corner outfielder masquerading as a center fielder.
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The AL's best. Doug Mientkiewicz is a Gold Glove first baseman. Shortstop Guzman and third baseman Corey Koskie are excellent on the left side. And center fielder Hunter and left fielder Jones fight over balls in the gap that fall in against most teams. If Minnesota loses, it won't be because of its D.
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| STARTING PITCHING |
A's
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The Edge:
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Twins
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There's no better top three in the postseason. Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder and Barry Zito (they'll work in that order, with Hudson coming back for Game 4 if needed) were a combined 55-21 this season. The group has an impressive October pedigree to boot -- Mulder's 2.45 career postseason ERA is the highest of the bunch. Added advantage: The Twins struggled big time against left-handers this year. They'll have to find a way to beat Mulder or Zito at least once to win the series.
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This could be Minnesota's undoing. Brad Radke, who has been mediocre (4-4, 6.63 ERA) on the road and stellar (5-1, 3.02) at home, will start Games 1 and 5 (if necessary) in Oakland. Rick Reed, the Twins most consistent winner all year (15 victories) and best starter down the stretch, won't go until Game 3. Game 4 starter Eric Milton never found his groove after August knee surgery -- he hasn't won in two months and had a 6.64 ERA in September. In theory, all four starters (right-hander Joe Mays will go in Game 2) are solid, but the rotation has been a question mark all season. And against Oakland's starters they'll have little margin for error.
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| BULLPEN |
A's
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The Edge:
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Twins
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Closer Billy Koch was dominant this year, but questions about him remain: How will he react in his first postseason? Will his AL-leading 84 appearances wear on him in October? Right-hander Cory Lidle, usually the fourth starter, is a much-needed bullpen option since other key relievers (Jeff Tam, Jim Mecir, Ricardo Rincon) struggled down the stretch. Rincon, a lefty who's normally very tough on left-handed hitters, will be a key against Minnesota's southpaw-phobic lineup.
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Oakland hitters will know closer Eddie Guardado and setup man Romero well by the end of the series -- both are left-handed workhorses who can throw every day. Guardado isn't an overpowering stopper, but he was excellent in his first full year in the role. Romero has a nasty hard sinker and is death on left-handed batters. Like Guardado, he's effective against righties as well. Right-handers Latroy Hawkins and Tony Fiore (combined 13-2) will handle the middle innings.
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| BENCH |
A's
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The Edge:
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Twins
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If Olmedo Saenz's finger injury heals, the A's will have a decent power bat on the bench. Veteran John Mabry is also a solid hitter, but depth isn't a huge strength.
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Rookie Bobby Kielty was one of the league's better pinch hitters (8 for 23) and he has some power. He and backup catcher Matthew Lecroy could play key roles as right-handed replacements for Jones or Ortiz against tough left-handed pitchers.
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| MANAGER |
A's
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The Edge:
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Twins
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Art Howe is calm, cool and loose, and that attitude is reflected in his team. He's come close to knocking off the Yankees in the previous two postseasons. That experience is an advantage in this series.
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Ron Gardenhire masks it well, but he brings an intense energy to the dugout. He did an excellent job as a rookie manager. Still, he doesn't have any more postseason experience than most of his players, and there are already questions about the way he set up his rotation.
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| X FACTOR |
A's
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The Edge:
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Twins
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Farsightedness. A few Oakland players were vocal about their desire not to play the Yankees in the Division Series. They got their wish, but will they look ahead to an ALCS showdown with the Bombers and take the Twins for granted?
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The great outdoors. Everyone knows how tough the manic Metrodome is for visitors, especially in October. But the Twins will have to win a game in Oakland to get to the ALCS. Minnesota was a .500 team (40-40) on the road this year, and struggled (34-36) on grass.
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