Playoff Push By The Numbers
* The 2006 White Sox are on the verge of becoming the first team in American League history to have four players with 30 home runs and 100 RBIs in a single season. Jermaine Dye (.323-41-114) and Paul Konerko (.315-32-105) already have reached those milestones. Jim Thome (.291-39-99) and Joe Crede (.300-29-93) aren't far behind. If Thome and Crede finish in the 30-homer, 100-RBI club, the White Sox join the 1996 and 1999 Rockies as the only teams with four players to reach it.
* The Minnesota Twins are relying heavily on pitching to compete in the American League Central this season, but their hitting is markedly improved over a year ago. As a team, the Twins are batting .285 on the season, and only the Yankees (.285) have posted a higher average among all big league teams. Minnesota batted .259 as a team in 2005, and only Seattle (.256) had a lower team mark among AL clubs.
* The Oakland Athletics have quietly posted the best second-half winning percentage in the majors with a 38-19 record (.667). The Athletics are surging after going 45-43 before the All-Star break. This is the eighth straight season they have posted a better record during the second half. In the last eight years, Oakland is 366-210 after the All-Star Game, good for a .635 winning percentage that tops all major league clubs in this span.
* Justin Morneau has seen the biggest 2006 hike in his batting average among all major leaguers with at least 200 at-bats in 2005 and at least two at-bats a game this season. The Twins' first baseman hit .239 with 22 homers and 79 RBIs a year ago. This year he's batting .325, a spike of 86 points, and he leads the Twins with 33 homers and 121 RBIs.