History says Angels unlikely to catch Texas

May, 2, 2012
5/02/12
8:00
AM CT


The Texas Rangers finished April with a nine-game lead over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. So what does that mean after just the first month of the season?

Well, only two teams have managed to make up that ground and win the division after being that far behind when April ended. A look (thanks to Elias Sports Bureau):

1987 Detroit Tigers: 10 games back
2006 Minnesota Twins: 9 games back
2003 Minnesota Twins: 8 games back

It's certainly not impossible. And with the additional wild card team, the Angels could make the postseason. But history suggests the odds are long on winning the division for LAA.
Richard Durrett joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009. He writes about colleges, the Dallas Stars and the Texas Rangers. Richard spent nine years at The Dallas Morning News covering the Rangers, Stars, colleges, motorsports and high schools.

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TEAM LEADERS

WINS LEADER
Yu Darvish
WINS ERA SO IP
7 2.97 86 60
OTHER LEADERS
BAL. Berkman .309
HRN. Cruz 11
RBIN. Cruz 33
RE. Andrus 28
OPSM. Moreland .922
ERAY. Darvish 2.97
SOY. Darvish 86

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