Here are the final results and standings in 2012 for the Harmon Killebrew Award, which distinguishes the team holding the American League traveling prize.
After dominating the 2011 competition for the Harmon Killebrew Award, the Texas Rangers should have dominated again in 2012. After all, they began 2012 with six consecutive title defenses.
But the Rangers only cobbed the corn one other time in 2012 and couldn't defend it even once on that occasion.
Thus, the Oakland Athletics overtook the Rangers, and the American League, in most categories. The most important: four championships and 27 games with the prize.
The New York Yankees will tell you that they are the most successful sports franchise in the world, having won more world championships than any professional team in any sport throughout all of history. But it took the Bronx Bombers nearly two full years to nab a Killebrew, finally taking it from the Minnesota Twins in a two-of-three outcome in Minneapolis during the final week of the regular season, then defending it three times.
The Yankees finally lost it to the Detroit Tigers in a four-game sweep during the American League Championship Series, giving the Tigers the prize heading into 2013.
Texas 2, Chicago 1 — April 6-8 at Texas.
Texas 3, Seattle 1 — April 9-12 at Texas.
Texas 3, Minnesota 0 — April 13-15 at Minnesota.
Texas 2, Boston 0 — April 17-18 at Boston.
Texas 3, Detroit 1 — April 19-22 at Detroit.
Texas 2, New York 1 — April 23-25 at Texas.
Tampa Bay 2, Texas 1 — April 26-29 at Texas.
Tampa Bay 4, Seattle 0 — April 30-May 3 at Tampa Bay.
Oakland 2, Tampa Bay 1 — May 4-6 at Tampa Bay.
Toronto 2, Oakland 1 — May 7-9 at Oakland.
Minnesota 2, Toronto 1 — May 11-13 at Minnesota.
Cleveland 2, Minnesota 0 — May 14-15 at Minnesota.
Cleveland 2, Seattle 0 — May 16-17 at Cleveland.
Cleveland 3, Detroit 0 — May 21-23 at Cleveland.
Chicago 3, Cleveland 0 — May 25-27 at Chicago.
Chicago 3, Tampa Bay 0 — May 28-30 at Tampa Bay.
Chicago 2, Seattle 1 — June 1-3 at Chicago.
Toronto 2, Chicago 1 — June 5-7 at Chicago.
Boston 2, Toronto 1 — June 25-27 at Boston.
Boston 2, Seattle 2 — June 28-July 1 at Seattle (Boston, 9-6).
Oakland 2, Boston 1 — July 2-4 at Oakland.
Oakland 2, Seattle 1 — July 6-8 at Oakland.
Oakland 3, Minnesota 0 — July 13-15 at Minnesota.
Texas 1, Oakland 1 — July 17-18 at Oakland (Texas, 9-5)
ANGELS 2, Texas 1 — July 20-22 at ANGELS.
ANGELS 2, Kansas City 1 — July 23-25 at ANGELS.
Tampa Bay 2, ANGELS 1 — July 27-29 at ANGELS.
Tampa Bay 2, Oakland 1 — June 30-Aug. 2 at Oakland.
Baltimore 2, Tampa Bay 1 — Aug. 3-5 at Tampa Bay.
Baltimore 3, Seattle 0 — Aug. 6-8 at Baltimore.
Kansas City 2, Baltimore 2 — August 9-12 at Baltimore (Kansas City, 19-16).
Kansas City 2, Oakland 1 — Aug. 14-16 at Kansas City.
Kansas City 3, Chicago (AL) 0 — Aug. 17-19 at Kansas City.
Tampa Bay 2, Kansas City 1 — Aug. 20-22 at Tampa Bay.
Oakland 2, Tampa Bay 1 — Aug. 23-25 at Tampa Bay.
Oakland 4, Cleveland 0 — Aug. 26-29 at Cleveland.
Oakland 3, Boston 0 — Aug. 30-Sept. 2 at Oakland.
ANGELS 2, Oakland 0 — Sept. 3-5 at Oakland.
ANGELS 3, Detroit 0 — Sept. 7-9 at Los Angeles.
Oakland 3, ANGELS 0 — Sept. 10-12 at Los Angeles.
Oakland 2, Baltimore 1 — Sept. 13-15 at Oakland.
Detroit 2, Oakland 1 — Sept. 17-19 at Detroit.
Minnesota 2, Detroit 1 — Sept. 21-23 at Detroit.
New York (AL) 2, Minnesota 1 — Sept. 24-26 at Minnesota.
New York (AL) 2, Toronto 1 — Sept. 28-30 at Toronto.
New York (AL) 3, Boston 0 — Oct. 1-3 at New York.
New York (AL) 3, Baltimore 2 — Oct. 7-12 at New York and Baltimore.
Detroit 4, New York 0 — Oct. 13-18 at Detroit and New York.
Labels: Harmon Killebrew