The Oakland Athletics can clinch A.L. Division Series with a victory over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday. Do not miss the live action as an upset is brewing. Check out the live stream provided by Postseason.TV. Why is it an upset? Let's look at these payrolls.
Oakland A's: $71.1 million in guaranteed money in 2013
Detroit Tigers: $152.1 million guaranteed money in 2013
What else will the Tigers need!? They have one of the best middle of the lineups in the game with a healthy Victor Martinez back. They acquired Torii Hunter to carry them late in the season and that's what he did. Miguel Cabrera's health has been a problem in 2013, but Prince Fielder is still a dangerous bat.
Aside from Yoenis Cespedes, Josh Reddick and Coco Crisp, the A's are still a bunch of unknowns to the rest of the baseball world. No disrespect A's fans, but the organization is still building a team of misfits who get the job done. In the past, the A's have been able to get to the playoffs, faltering in the LDS five of six times in the last 12 years. They advanced to the 2006 ALCS, but lost to these Tigers in four straight games.
Good luck is necessary to win and the A's have not had their share of luck in the past decade and change. Bob Melvin has a chance to lead the team back to the ALCS if they can get another victory on Tuesday.
Furthermore, when studying lineups and payrolls, the A's could pull off a huge upset. The Athletics finished with a better record than the Tigers, winning 96 games compared to Detroit's 93. However, because the Tigers have baseball's best hitter in Cabrera and are the defending 2012 A.L. Champions, many have Detroit right back in the World Series.
Who can blame them? The Tigers have two aces in Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, not to mention an Anibal Sanchez who unfortunately got lit up in Game 3. The Tigers are not supposed to lose, but the A's have done the little things to give them the series lead. Oakland can pull a huge upset on Tuesday.
Click here to watch the live stream action of Game 4 between the Tigers and A's.