AMERICAN LEAGUE: AROUND THE HORN : GORDON COULD RETURN TO SOX.

Byline: - Matt McHale

Oakland and Boston each entered Saturday's action with 27 games remaining. The Red Sox had just a one-game lead in the wild-card race after losing 2-1 in Seattle on Friday.

Oakland has eight games left against teams with .500 records and the Red Sox have 15, including back-to-back series against the league's winningest teams, New York and Cleveland.

But Boston might get back closer Tom Gordon, who was feared lost for the season with elbow problems. Gordon, who converted 46 of 47 save opportunities last season, was clocked at 89 mph during a workout in Florida.

His possible return comes at a time when the Red Sox are uncertain about former Dodger Ramon Martinez, who struggled Thursday in his first start since July 1998 elbow surgery. But they also acquired Grant High product Rod Beck, who is coming back from elbow problems that ruined his season with the Cubs. Beck arrived in the fourth inning of Wednesday's game against Kansas City and earned a save in the ninth.

That was some trade

While the Angels are almost forced to re-sign left-hander Chuck Finley for around $7 million a year, the potential free-agent they let get away, Omar Olivares, has been great in Oakland.

Olivares is 5-0 in seven starts since arriving in Oakland. He had never won more than four in a row in his career. Randy Velarde, another pending free agent acquired in the trade, already has had hitting streaks of 13 and 10 games since joining the A's. More importantly, the A's are 24-10 since the two players arrived.

Who's in left?

When Orioles center fielder Brady Anderson moved to left field Wednesday, it might have been a glimpse of the future. The switch has been talked about much of the season, but now that Baltimore is so far out of the race, the team would like to see youngster Eugene Kingsdale. Right now it looks as though Anderson will be back in center next season, but if Cal Ripken retires after next year, B.J. Surhoff could wind up at third with Anderson in left full-time.

Up and coming

Some good might have come from Brian McRae's bad knee in Toronto. The Blue Jays have called up center fielder Vernon Wells, a top prospect just two years out of high school. Wells began the season at Single-A, but sailed through three levels in five months, batting a combined .334 with 18 homers and 81 RBI. He went 0 for 7 in his first two games, and an 0 for 5 on Friday night dropped his average to .150. But Wells felt better when All-Star Shawn Green came up and said he began his career 0 for 15.

Rangers reload 

The Texas Rangers, fearful of New York and Cleveland's big left-handed bats in the playoffs, acquired left-hander Jeff Fassero from Seattle at the Aug. 31 postseason trade deadline. They weren't comfortable going with former Angel Matt Perisho, a 15-game winner at Triple-A. They obviously worried about using veteran John Burkett or veteran Mike Morgan, who has a 10.80 ERA in his past six starts.

Runaway

Although it is no guarantee of postseason success, the lead the Cleveland Indians have in the Central Division is very impressive. Their 7-6 victory over Baltimore on Friday gave the Indians a 22-1/2-game lead, their biggest since 1995 when they set a major-league record by finishing 30 games in front.

Even though they have superior talent, the Indians have had nine players on the DL this year, including regulars Travis Fryman, Sandy Alomar, Wil Cordero and Kenny Lofton and one-time staff ace Jaret Wright.

For the stretch, Cleveland acquired Harold Baines from Baltimore earlier in the week. Baines wants to return to the Orioles to close out his career, but Baltimore was willing to give him a chance for one more shot at a World Series.