Too Close For Comfort? Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Rush!

The AL West now has three teams within 1 game of each other. Anaheim leads Seattle by two percentage points and Oakland lags in third, one game back. Anaheim also leads Seattle by one game and Oakland by two in the ever-important loss column.

Here are the teams' remaining playoff-caliber opponents:

Anaheim (39 games remaining): 3 vs. New York, 4 vs. Boston, 8 vs. Oakland, 6 vs. Seattle (including last series of season)
Seattle (37): 5 vs. Minnesota, 6 vs. Oakland, 6 vs. Anaheim (last 9 games vs. Anaheim and Oakland)
Oakland (37): 6 vs. Minnesota, 8 vs. Anaheim, 8 vs. Seattle (last series: Texas)

The Angels have the advantage of two extra games on hand. Seattle has the advantge of playing the last nine games against the other two with the greatest ability to make up ground at that point if it's close. Oakland has no advantages but is hot. Texas has a ticked-off Tom Hicks. The Rushes have a wacky house guest named Monroe.

It's going to be interesting if there's no strike.