AMERICAN LEAGUE: AROUND THE HORN A'S TAKE THEIR PLACE IN AL WEST.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

BALTIMORE - It took half a season, but it seems the Oakland A's have finally figured it out.

The A's were the consensus pick to win the AL West this year after winning it last year and adding leadoff hitter Johnny Damon. But they also lost Ben Grieve and Matt Stairs, and it took them a while to understand this year's team was different than last year's.

Of course, they still have Tim Hudson, Barry Zito and Mark Mulder. But with Damon struggling and the three-run home runs not coming like they did last season, the A's stumbled from the start, going 2-10 by mid-April.

``We don't have the same horses we had offensively last year,'' Jason Giambi told the San Francisco Examiner. ``We're not going to sit back and hit a lot of three-run homers. Now the pressure is going to be put on the pitching staff and the bullpen. They're going to be our horses this year.''

It has taken three months to build momentum, but the A's are back in it. They went into the weekend five games out of the wild-card spot. Since that 2-10 start, the A's have the third-best record in the league (49-35), behind the Mariners (60-24) and Indians (49-34).

While the pitching is the heart of the team, the A's have received contributions lately from Damon and Jeremy Giambi.

Damon, who hit .211 in April, .222 in May and .255 in June, is hitting .333 in July. Jeremy Giambi is hitting .413 in July, and his 16 RBI this month more than double Jason's total (seven).

--Double take: The Orioles were set to wear replica uniform from the 1970s on Wednesday when the train derailment postponed the game against the Rangers. Because of the seriousness of the situation, some players, including Cal Ripken, left the ballpark still in their uniforms.

Apparently some people had trouble believing their eyes when looking over at the car next to them at a stoplight and seeing Ripken in full uniform.

``I got a few looks, but my kids enjoyed it,'' Ripken said.

On Thursday, Orioles manager Mike Hargrove tried to enter the warehouse parking lot outside the ballpark when he was stopped by a policeman.

``I gave him my lifetime American League pass; I gave him my 2001 American League pass; I gave him my driver's license and my business card,'' Hargrove said. ``And he said, `There's nothing here that shows you work for the Orioles.' He said he was a hockey fan, not a baseball fan.''

Hargrove eventually got in after he called Orioles vice president Syd Thrift to vouch for him.

--Red Sox revival: The Red Sox have remained at or near the top of the AL East this season despite injuries to their biggest players. But it looks like they're ready to welcome back a mini-All-Star team.

Shortstop Nomar Garciaparra has been out all season with a wrist injury but is expected to begin a rehabilitation assignment in the next few days and could be in the Red Sox lineup within a week to 10 days.

Outfielder Carl Everett (sprained knee) is beginning a rehab assignment and might return the same time as Garciaparra.

Pitcher Pedro Martinez (shoulder) and catcher Jason Varitek (fractured elbow) are throwing and are hoping to return next month.

--Trade talk: The Mariners have less than two weeks before the trading deadline to put in place the final piece of their puzzle. They are looking for a left fielder and have targeted former Mariner Jose Cruz Jr.

Cruz went to the Blue Jays in 1997 from the Mariners for relievers Mike Timlin and Paul Spoljaric. Now, the Mariners seem willing to part with 22-year-old pitcher Joel Pineiro and either pitcher Brett Tomko or pitcher Rob Ramsay.

The Blue Jays, though, might go in a different direction and send Cruz to Colorado for Pedro Astacio.