2011 ALCS Odds at Allpro. The American League Championship Series started in 1969 when the American League expanded to two divisions. The two division winners would meet in, what was then, a five-game series to determine who would represent the AL in the World Series. In 1986, the series transformed into a seven game series, which it remains today. With the addition of the Wild Card in 1995, and the expansion to three divisions, a Divisional Series was added prior the League Championship Series, which now featured the winners of the ALDS series.

Obviously, the team with the most World Series Championships since 1969 would also have the most ALCS appearances. The New York Yankees have appeared in 14 ALCS's winning 11 of them, including 6 out of 8 from 1996 through 2003. Following close behind are the Oakland Athletics, who have appeared in the ALCS 12 times, advancing to the World Series six times (though, most recently in 1990). And while they haven't appeared in a Championship Series since 1997, the Baltimore Orioles have been in 10 of them, going five and five in them, with their last win coming in 1983. In fact, every current member of the American League has taken part in at least one ALCS, with the Rangers being the last to win one last season. The only team never to win a Championship series: the Seattle Mariners, though they reached in 1995, 2000 and 2001.

While the Yankees are the biggest winners when it comes to the ALCS, the most ALCS loses belongs to the Oakland Athletics who lost six series. Losing five were the Baltimore Orioles, the Boston Red Sox and the California/ Anaheim/ Los Angeles Angles of Anaheim. Nine times the Championship Series have been sweeps, just as many times as they have gone to a deciding game. The Yankees hold the record for the most consecutive ALCS victories, winning the series in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001 (they won each World Series except for 2001.

Since the Yankees string of four straight victories ended in 2001, there has not been a repeat winner in the American League Championship series. Seven different teams have represented the American League in the World Series in that time: The Anaheim Angels, the New York Yankees, The Boston Red Sox, the Detroit Tigers, the Chicago White Sox, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Texas Rangers, with only the Yankees and Red Sox taking multiple trips.