1992 Oakland Athletics season
Encyclopedia
The Oakland Athletics
' 1992 season
involved the A's finishing first in the American League West
with a record of 96 wins and 66 losses. They lost the ALCS
in six games to the eventual world champion Toronto Blue Jays
.
The first game of the series had Oakland's Dave Stewart
face off against Toronto's Jack Morris
. The A's put up a three-spot against Morris in the second inning, as Mark McGwire
and Terry Steinbach
hit back-to-back home runs. Stewart held the Jays scoreless until the fifth, when catcher Pat Borders
homered to put Toronto on the board. Dave Winfield
added another solo shot for Toronto in the sixth, and in the eighth a base hit by John Olerud
scored Winfield to tie the game.
However, Oakland took the lead right back in the top of the ninth, when Harold Baines
led off the inning with a solo home run. A's closer Dennis Eckersley
then shut down the Jays in the bottom half of the inning to preserve a 4-3 victory and give the Athletics a 1-0 lead in the series.
Game 2 saw Oakland's Mike Moore
face the Jays' David Cone
. The game was initially a pitchers' duel, as Moore and Cone put up zeroes for the first four innings. In the bottom of the fifth, however, Toronto's Kelly Gruber
hit a two-run home run off Moore to give the Jays the lead. In the seventh, Gruber doubled, took third on a grounder, and came home on a Manuel Lee
sacrifice fly to extend the Toronto lead to three. The A's avoided a shutout in the top of the ninth, when Rubén Sierra
tripled and scored on a single by Baines, but that was all they could muster against Toronto closer Tom Henke
. The Jays took the second game and tied the series at a game apiece.
The series shifted to Oakland for Game 3, as Juan Guzmán took the hill for the Jays while Ron Darling
toed the rubber for the A's. Toronto struck in the second, when Winfield reached on an error by Athletics' third baseman Carney Lansford
, moved to third on a wild pitch by Darling, and scored on a single by Candy Maldonado
. Roberto Alomar
hit a solo home run in the fourth to give the Jays a 2-0 lead, but in the bottom half of the inning the A's tied the game with RBI base hits by Baines and Steinbach.
However, the very next inning, Maldonado hit a solo homer of his own, and after Oakland manager Tony La Russa
gave Darling the hook in the seventh, the Jays added two unearned runs due to an error by Lance Blankenship
and a triple by Lee, making it a 5-2 game. Although the A's cut TO's lead down to a run, the Jays tacked on single runs in the eighth and ninth. Henke retired the Athletics in order in the ninth, giving Toronto a 7-5 victory and a 2-1 edge in the series.
For the fourth game, Toronto threw Morris against Oakland's Bob Welch
. In the second inning, Olerud tagged Welch for a solo homer to give the Jays the lead. However, the Athletics came back in a big way with a five-run third and tacked on another run in the sixth when Sierra doubled Rickey Henderson
home, giving Oakland a seemingly secure 6-1 advantage. In the top of the eighth, however, La Russa pulled Welch, who had been cruising along, and went to his bullpen. The Jays capitalized by scoring three runs off hits by Joe Carter
, Olerud, and Maldonado, cutting the A's lead to 6-4.
For the top of the ninth, La Russa turned to Eckersley to shut down the top of the Jays' order and tie the series. Although he had given up two of Toronto's three runs in the previous inning, the Oakland closer was still fearsome. Devon White led off with a single to left, but moved to third on an error by Henderson. Roberto Alomar was up next, and he hit a high drive to right field that disappeared behind the wall for a game-tying two-run home run. This turned out to be a crucial point of the series, as it forced the game into extra innings and gave the Jays a chance to win.
Indeed, in the top of the 11th, Toronto came through. Derek Bell
walked, moved to third on a Maldonado single, and came home on a sacrifice fly by Borders to give the Jays a 7-6 lead. Henke shut the door on the A's in the bottom of the inning, handing Toronto a 3-1 series lead.
Game 5 pitted Toronto's Cone against Oakland's Stewart. In the bottom of the first, Sierra cracked a two-run home run off Cone, and the next inning an error by Cone proved costly as Henderson got on base and then scored on a single by Jerry Browne
. Although Winfield broke the shutout with a homer off Stewart in the fourth, the unearned runs continued to hurt the Jays, as the A's added three runs in the fifth (only one of which was earned) for a 6-1 lead. Toronto managed only one more run in the seventh when White singled Gruber home, and Stewart went the distance as the Athletics took a 6-2 victory and cut the Jays' advantage in the series to 3-2.
The series came back to Toronto for Game 6, with Guzmán going against Moore. In the bottom of the first, the Jays took a lead they would never relinquish, as White reached on an error by Henderson and scored on a homer by Carter, making it 2-0. In the third, Olerud lashed an RBI double and Maldonado followed with a three-run shot, extending the advantage to 6-0. McGwire put Oakland on the board in the sixth with a single that scored Sierra, but the A's could only manage another run against the Jays. In the ninth, Henke took the mound and induced a flyout from Sierra to end a 9-2 win, making Toronto the first non-U.S.-based team to win a pennant in Major League history.
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
' 1992 season
1992 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Toronto Blue Jays over Atlanta Braves ; Pat Borders, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Roberto Alomar*National League Championship Series MVP: John Smoltz...
involved the A's finishing first in the American League West
American League West
The American League West is one of three divisions in Major League Baseball's American League. The division currently has four teams, but it has had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams currently only reside along the west coast and in Texas, historically the...
with a record of 96 wins and 66 losses. They lost the ALCS
1992 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 7, 1992 at SkyDome in Toronto, OntarioThe first game of the series had Oakland's Dave Stewart face off against Toronto's Jack Morris. The A's put up a three-spot against Morris in the second inning, as Mark McGwire and Terry Steinbach hit back-to-back home runs...
in six games to the eventual world champion Toronto Blue Jays
1992 Toronto Blue Jays season
The Toronto Blue Jays played their 16th season in Major League Baseball. Toronto finished first in the American League East for the 4th time with a record of 96 wins and 66 losses, closing the season with an attendance record of 4,028,318...
.
Offseason
- October 11, 1991: Vance LawVance LawVance Aaron Law is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball. From through , he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Chicago White Sox , Montreal Expos , Chicago Cubs , and Oakland Athletics . He also played one season in Japan for the Chunichi Dragons in 1990. Law batted and threw...
was released by the Athletics. - January 17, 1992: Ron DarlingRon DarlingRonald Maurice Darling, Jr. is an American former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Oakland Athletics and Montreal Expos...
was signed as a free agent by the Athletics. - January 27, 1992: Goose GossageGoose GossageRichard Michael "Goose" Gossage is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. During a 22-year baseball career, he pitched from 1972-1994 for nine different teams, spending his best years with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres. The nickname "Goose" is a play on his surname...
was signed as a free agent by the Athletics.
Regular season
- José Canseco tied an MLB record with seven consecutive plate appearances with a walk in games against the Texas Rangers on August 4 and 5, 1992.
Notable transactions
- June 1, 1992: Jason GiambiJason GiambiJason Gilbert Giambi is an American professional baseball first baseman with the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball.He was the American League MVP in 2000 while with the Oakland Athletics, and is a five-time All-Star who has led the American League in walks four times, in on base percentage...
was drafted by the Athletics in the 2nd round of the 1992 amateur draft1992 Major League Baseball Draft-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1992 Major League Baseball draft.-Other notable players:*Raúl Ibáñez, 36th round, Seattle Mariners...
. Player signed July 3, 1992. - June 1, 1992: Brian Lesher was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 25th round of the 1992 amateur draft. Player signed June 11, 1992.
- August 31, 1992: José CansecoJosé CansecoJosé Canseco Capas, Jr. is a Cuban-American professional baseball manager, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Yuma Scorpions of the North American League and former Major League Baseball player. He is the identical twin brother of former major league player and current teammate Ozzie Canseco...
was traded by the Athletics to the Texas RangersTexas Rangers (baseball)The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
(during the middle of a game while Canseco was in the on-deck circle no less) for Rubén SierraRubén SierraRubén Angel Sierra García is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. Sierra also goes by the nicknames El Caballo and El Indio....
, Jeff RussellJeff RussellJeffrey Lee Russell is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played 14 years from 1983 to 1996. Russell played for the Cincinnati Reds of the National League and the Texas Rangers, Oakland A's, Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians, all of the American League...
, and Bobby WittBobby WittRobert Andrew Witt was a pitcher for the Major League Baseball Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics, Florida Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Cleveland Indians, and Arizona Diamondbacks....
. - August 31, 1992: Shawn HillegasShawn HillegasShawn Patrick Hillegas is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees and Oakland Athletics.-Biography:...
was signed as a free agent by the Athletics.
Roster
| 1992 Oakland Athletics | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders Other Batters |
Manager Coaches |
||||||
Player stats
| = Indicates team leader |
Starters by position
Note: Pos = position; G = Games played; AB = At Bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting Average; HR = Home Runs; RBI = Runs Batted In| Pos. | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Terry Steinbach Terry Steinbach Terry Lee Steinbach is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who played for 14 years from to . He was drafted in 1980 out of New Ulm High School by the Cleveland Indians. He was the starting catcher for Oakland Athletics teams that won three straight American League pennants from 1988 to... |
128 | 438 | 122 | .279 | 12 | 53 |
| 1B | Mark McGwire Mark McGwire Mark David McGwire , nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently the hitting coach for the St... |
139 | 467 | 125 | .268 | 42 | 104 |
| 2B | Mike Bordick Mike Bordick Michael Todd Bordick is an American retired professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball from 1990 to 2003 with four different teams: the Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, and Toronto Blue Jays.-Early life:Bordick's father, Michael, was in the Air Force,... |
154 | 504 | 151 | .300 | 3 | 48 |
| 3B | Carney Lansford Carney Lansford Carney Ray Lansford is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball and the hitting coach of the Colorado Rockies... |
135 | 496 | 130 | .262 | 7 | 75 |
| SS | Walt Weiss Walt Weiss Walter William Weiss is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball.Weiss was a member of the National League All-Star Team... |
103 | 316 | 67 | .212 | 0 | 21 |
| LF | Rickey Henderson Rickey Henderson Rickey Henley Henderson is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who played for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four stints with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. Nicknamed The Man of Steal, he is widely regarded as the sport's greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner... |
117 | 396 | 112 | .283 | 15 | 46 |
| CF | Willie Wilson | 132 | 396 | 107 | .270 | 0 | 37 |
| RF | José Canseco José Canseco José Canseco Capas, Jr. is a Cuban-American professional baseball manager, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Yuma Scorpions of the North American League and former Major League Baseball player. He is the identical twin brother of former major league player and current teammate Ozzie Canseco... |
97 | 366 | 90 | .246 | 22 | 72 |
| DH | Harold Baines Harold Baines Harold Douglas Baines is a former right fielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for five American League teams from 1980 to 2001. He is best known for his three stints with the Chicago White Sox, the team on which he now serves as coach... |
140 | 478 | 121 | .253 | 16 | 76 |
Other batters
| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Mercedes Henry Mercedes Henry Felipe Mercedes Pérez is a former Major League Baseball catcher who played for five seasons. He played for the Oakland Athletics from 1992 to 1993, the Kansas City Royals from 1995 to 1996, and the Texas Rangers in 1997.-External links:... |
9 | 5 | 4 | .800 | 0 | 1 |
| Jerry Browne Jerry Browne Jerome Austin "The Governor" Browne was a Major League Baseball second baseman from to . Currently, he is the hitting coach for the Syracuse Chiefs.-External links:... |
111 | 324 | 93 | .287 | 3 | 40 |
| Rubén Sierra Rubén Sierra Rubén Angel Sierra García is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. Sierra also goes by the nicknames El Caballo and El Indio.... |
27 | 101 | 28 | .277 | 3 | 17 |
| Troy Neel Troy Neel Troy Lee Neel is a former professional baseball player who played in the major leagues for the Oakland Athletics primarily as a first baseman and designated hitter from -... |
24 | 53 | 14 | .264 | 3 | 9 |
| Lance Blankenship Lance Blankenship Lance Robert Blankenship in Portland Oregon, is a retired Major League Baseball utility player.Blankenship played his entire career with the Oakland Athletics after the A's drafted him in the 10th round of the 1986 MLB amateur draft. He made his Major League Baseball debut on September 4, 1988,... |
123 | 349 | 84 | .241 | 3 | 34 |
| Eric Fox Eric Fox Eric Hollis Fox was born on August 15, 1963 in Lemoore, California. The 5'10", 180 pound former Major League Baseball player attended Fresno State University.... |
51 | 143 | 34 | .238 | 3 | 13 |
| Scott Hemond Scott Hemond Scott Mathew Hemond , is a retired professional baseball player who played catcher in the Major Leagues from -. He would play for the Oakland Athletics, Chicago White Sox, and St. Louis Cardinals.-External links:... |
17 | 27 | 6 | .222 | 0 | 1 |
| Jamie Quirk Jamie Quirk James Patrick Quirk is a former Major League Baseball catcher and current bench coach for the Chicago Cubs. Quirk attended Whittier College.-Playing career:Quirk was also a Parade Magazine All-America quarterback at St... |
78 | 177 | 39 | .220 | 2 | 11 |
| Scott Brosius Scott Brosius Scott David Brosius is a former Major League Baseball third baseman for the Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees . Brosius is currently the head baseball coach at Linfield College, his alma mater.... |
38 | 87 | 19 | .218 | 4 | 13 |
| Randy Ready Randy Ready Randall Max Ready , is a former professional baseball player and was the hitting coach for the San Diego Padres. Ready played in the major Leagues primarily as a utility player from to . He also played one season in Japan for the Chiba Lotte Marines in... |
61 | 125 | 25 | .200 | 3 | 17 |
| Dave Henderson Dave Henderson David Lee Henderson , nicknamed Hendu, is an American former Major League Baseball player who played for the Seattle Mariners , Boston Red Sox , San Francisco Giants , Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals . He batted and threw right-handed... |
20 | 63 | 9 | .143 | 0 | 2 |
| Dann Howitt Dann Howitt Dann Paul John Howitt is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder. He played college baseball at Cal State Fullerton, graduating in 1986 and was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 18th round of the 1986 amateur draft. He played during six seasons at the major league level for the... |
22 | 48 | 6 | .125 | 1 | 2 |
| Mike Kingery Mike Kingery Michael Scott Kingery , is a former professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues, primarily as an outfielder, from 1986–1992 and 1994-1996. Kingery's career high for home runs in a season was 9, set in 1987 while playing limited time with the Seattle Mariners... |
12 | 28 | 3 | .107 | 0 | 1 |
Starting pitchers
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Moore | 36 | 223 | 17 | 12 | 4.12 | 117 |
| Ron Darling Ron Darling Ronald Maurice Darling, Jr. is an American former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Oakland Athletics and Montreal Expos... |
33 | 206⅓ | 15 | 10 | 3.66 | 99 |
| Dave Stewart | 31 | 199⅓ | 12 | 10 | 3.66 | 130 |
| Bob Welch | 20 | 123⅔ | 11 | 7 | 3.27 | 47 |
| Joe Slusarski Joe Slusarski Joseph Andrew Slusarski was a pitcher for the Oakland Athletics , Milwaukee Brewers , Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves .... |
15 | 76 | 5 | 5 | 5.45 | 38 |
| Kelly Downs Kelly Downs Kelly Robert Downs is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues for the San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics from 1986-1993... |
18 | 82 | 5 | 5 | 3.29 | 38 |
| Bobby Witt Bobby Witt Robert Andrew Witt was a pitcher for the Major League Baseball Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics, Florida Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Cleveland Indians, and Arizona Diamondbacks.... |
6 | 31⅔ | 1 | 1 | 3.41 | 25 |
Other pitchers
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Campbell Kevin Campbell (baseball) Kevin Wade Campbell is a former professional baseball pitcher. He played in parts of five seasons in Major League Baseball, from 1991 until 1995, for the Oakland Athletics and Minnesota Twins.... |
32 | 65 | 2 | 3 | 5.12 | 38 |
| Gene Nelson Gene Nelson (baseball) Wayland Eugene Nelson , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1981 to 1993. After beginning his career as a starting pitcher with the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners, Nelson gradually converted to a relief role starting in 1983... |
28 | 51⅔ | 3 | 1 | 6.45 | 23 |
| Rich Gossage Rich Gossage Richard Michael "Goose" Gossage is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. During a 22-year baseball career, he pitched from 1972-1994 for nine different teams, spending his best years with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres. The nickname "Goose" is a play on his surname... |
30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2.84 | 26 |
| Bruce Walton Bruce Walton Bruce Kenneth Walton is the pitching coach for the Toronto Blue Jays, a position he has held since 30 October 2009 after replacing Brad Arnsberg. Prior to being named pitching coach he was the bullpen coach for the Blue Jays... |
7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9.90 | 7 |
| Jeff Russell Jeff Russell Jeffrey Lee Russell is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played 14 years from 1983 to 1996. Russell played for the Cincinnati Reds of the National League and the Texas Rangers, Oakland A's, Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians, all of the American League... |
8 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.00 | 5 |
| Shawn Hillegas Shawn Hillegas Shawn Patrick Hillegas is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees and Oakland Athletics.-Biography:... |
5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.35 | 3 |
| John Briscoe John Briscoe John Eric Briscoe is a former Major League Baseball player. A pitcher, Briscoe played for the Oakland Athletics from to .Briscoe attended Lloyd V. Berkner High School and Texas Christian University.... |
2 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6.43 | 4 |
| Mike Raczka Mike Raczka Michael "Mike" Raczka is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Raczka played for the Oakland Athletics in the season.He was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 5th round of the 1984 amateur draft.... |
8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8.53 | 2 |
| Johnny Guzmán Johnny Guzman Dionini Ramon Guzman is a former Dominican Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the Oakland Athletics during the and seasons.-References:... |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12.00 | 0 |
| Todd Revenig Todd Revenig Todd Michael Revenig is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the Oakland Athletics during the season.-References:... |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 |
Relief pitchers
| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dennis Eckersley Dennis Eckersley Dennis Lee Eckersley , nicknamed "Eck", is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. Eckersley had success as a starter, but gained his greatest fame as a closer, becoming the first of only two pitchers in Major League history to have both a 20-win season and a 50-save season in a career .He... |
69 | 7 | 1 | 51 | 1.91 | 93 |
| Jeff Parrett Jeff Parrett Jeffrey Dale Parrett was a pitcher for the Montreal Expos , Philadelphia Phillies , Atlanta Braves , Oakland Athletics , Colorado Rockies and St... |
66 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 3.02 | 78 |
| Vince Horsman Vince Horsman Vincent Stanley Joseph Horsman , is a retired left-handed relief pitcher who spent five seasons in Major League Baseball with the Toronto Blue Jays , Oakland Athletics and Minnesota Twins . He has been the pitching coach for the Lansing Lugnuts since 2009.-External links:*... |
58 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2.49 | 18 |
| Rick Honeycutt Rick Honeycutt Frederick Wayne "Rick" Honeycutt is the current pitching coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Honeycutt was a left-handed pitcher for 21 years from 1977 to 1997. He played with the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, and the St. Louis Cardinals... |
54 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3.69 | 32 |
| Jim Corsi Jim Corsi James Bernard Corsi was a pitcher for the Oakland Athletics , Houston Astros , Florida Marlins , Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles .... |
32 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1.43 | 19 |
Game 1
October 7, Skydome| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 1 |
| Toronto | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 0 |
| W: Jeff Russell Jeff Russell Jeffrey Lee Russell is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played 14 years from 1983 to 1996. Russell played for the Cincinnati Reds of the National League and the Texas Rangers, Oakland A's, Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians, all of the American League... (1-0) L: Jack Morris Jack Morris John Scott "Jack" Morris is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played in 18 big league seasons between 1977 and 1994, mainly for the Detroit Tigers, and won 254 games throughout his career... (0-1) S: Dennis Eckersley Dennis Eckersley Dennis Lee Eckersley , nicknamed "Eck", is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. Eckersley had success as a starter, but gained his greatest fame as a closer, becoming the first of only two pitchers in Major League history to have both a 20-win season and a 50-save season in a career .He... (1) |
||||||||||||
| HR: OAK – Mark McGwire Mark McGwire Mark David McGwire , nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently the hitting coach for the St... (1) Terry Steinbach Terry Steinbach Terry Lee Steinbach is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who played for 14 years from to . He was drafted in 1980 out of New Ulm High School by the Cleveland Indians. He was the starting catcher for Oakland Athletics teams that won three straight American League pennants from 1988 to... (1) Harold Baines Harold Baines Harold Douglas Baines is a former right fielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for five American League teams from 1980 to 2001. He is best known for his three stints with the Chicago White Sox, the team on which he now serves as coach... (1) TOR – Pat Borders Pat Borders Patrick Lance Borders is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who is best remembered for being the Most Valuable Player in the 1992 World Series. Borders also won an Olympic Games gold medal with the United States' baseball team at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney... (1) Dave Winfield Dave Winfield David Mark Winfield is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is currently Executive Vice President/Senior Advisor of the San Diego Padres and an analyst for the ESPN program Baseball Tonight... (1) |
||||||||||||
The first game of the series had Oakland's Dave Stewart
Dave Stewart (baseball player)
David Keith Stewart is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball during the late 1980s and early 1990s. A 20-game winner for 4 consecutive years, he was known for his post-season performance and for staring down batters when pitching to them...
face off against Toronto's Jack Morris
Jack Morris
John Scott "Jack" Morris is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played in 18 big league seasons between 1977 and 1994, mainly for the Detroit Tigers, and won 254 games throughout his career...
. The A's put up a three-spot against Morris in the second inning, as Mark McGwire
Mark McGwire
Mark David McGwire , nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently the hitting coach for the St...
and Terry Steinbach
Terry Steinbach
Terry Lee Steinbach is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who played for 14 years from to . He was drafted in 1980 out of New Ulm High School by the Cleveland Indians. He was the starting catcher for Oakland Athletics teams that won three straight American League pennants from 1988 to...
hit back-to-back home runs. Stewart held the Jays scoreless until the fifth, when catcher Pat Borders
Pat Borders
Patrick Lance Borders is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who is best remembered for being the Most Valuable Player in the 1992 World Series. Borders also won an Olympic Games gold medal with the United States' baseball team at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney...
homered to put Toronto on the board. Dave Winfield
Dave Winfield
David Mark Winfield is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is currently Executive Vice President/Senior Advisor of the San Diego Padres and an analyst for the ESPN program Baseball Tonight...
added another solo shot for Toronto in the sixth, and in the eighth a base hit by John Olerud
John Olerud
John Garrett Olerud , is a former American first baseman in Major League Baseball. Olerud played with the Toronto Blue Jays , New York Mets , Seattle Mariners , New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox ....
scored Winfield to tie the game.
However, Oakland took the lead right back in the top of the ninth, when Harold Baines
Harold Baines
Harold Douglas Baines is a former right fielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for five American League teams from 1980 to 2001. He is best known for his three stints with the Chicago White Sox, the team on which he now serves as coach...
led off the inning with a solo home run. A's closer Dennis Eckersley
Dennis Eckersley
Dennis Lee Eckersley , nicknamed "Eck", is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. Eckersley had success as a starter, but gained his greatest fame as a closer, becoming the first of only two pitchers in Major League history to have both a 20-win season and a 50-save season in a career .He...
then shut down the Jays in the bottom half of the inning to preserve a 4-3 victory and give the Athletics a 1-0 lead in the series.
Game 2
October 8, Skydome| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| Toronto | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | X | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| W: David Cone David Cone David Brian Cone is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1986-2003 for six different teams. Cone pitched the sixteenth perfect game in baseball history. He also set the MLB record for most years between 20-win seasons. He was a member of five... (1-0) L: Mike Moore Mike Moore (baseball player) Michael Wayne Moore in Eakly, Oklahoma, is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.In college Moore pitched for Oral Roberts University, going 28-11 with an ERA of 2.64. The Seattle Mariners drafted him the first round of the 1981 MLB amateur draft... (0-1) S: Tom Henke Tom Henke Thomas Anthony Henke , nicknamed "The Terminator" because of his ability and success as a closer, is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He was one of the most dominant and feared closers during the late 1980s and early 1990s, pitching for the Texas Rangers , Toronto Blue Jays , and St... (1) |
||||||||||||
| HR: TOR – Kelly Gruber Kelly Gruber Kelly Wayne Gruber is a former Major League Baseball third baseman.-Early career:Gruber played baseball at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas where his number was later retired. He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 1st round of the 1980 amateur draft but did not see time with the team... (1) |
||||||||||||
Game 2 saw Oakland's Mike Moore
Mike Moore (baseball player)
Michael Wayne Moore in Eakly, Oklahoma, is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.In college Moore pitched for Oral Roberts University, going 28-11 with an ERA of 2.64. The Seattle Mariners drafted him the first round of the 1981 MLB amateur draft...
face the Jays' David Cone
David Cone
David Brian Cone is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1986-2003 for six different teams. Cone pitched the sixteenth perfect game in baseball history. He also set the MLB record for most years between 20-win seasons. He was a member of five...
. The game was initially a pitchers' duel, as Moore and Cone put up zeroes for the first four innings. In the bottom of the fifth, however, Toronto's Kelly Gruber
Kelly Gruber
Kelly Wayne Gruber is a former Major League Baseball third baseman.-Early career:Gruber played baseball at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas where his number was later retired. He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 1st round of the 1980 amateur draft but did not see time with the team...
hit a two-run home run off Moore to give the Jays the lead. In the seventh, Gruber doubled, took third on a grounder, and came home on a Manuel Lee
Manuel Lee
Manuel Lora Lee is a former shortstop and second baseman for Major League Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays , Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals...
sacrifice fly to extend the Toronto lead to three. The A's avoided a shutout in the top of the ninth, when Rubén Sierra
Rubén Sierra
Rubén Angel Sierra García is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. Sierra also goes by the nicknames El Caballo and El Indio....
tripled and scored on a single by Baines, but that was all they could muster against Toronto closer Tom Henke
Tom Henke
Thomas Anthony Henke , nicknamed "The Terminator" because of his ability and success as a closer, is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He was one of the most dominant and feared closers during the late 1980s and early 1990s, pitching for the Texas Rangers , Toronto Blue Jays , and St...
. The Jays took the second game and tied the series at a game apiece.
Game 3
October 10, Oakland-Alameda County ColiseumMcAfee Coliseum
O.co Coliseum is a multi-purpose stadium, located in Oakland, California, in the Coliseum Industrial area...
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 9 | 1 |
| Oakland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 13 | 3 |
| W: Juan Guzman (1-0) L: Ron Darling Ron Darling Ronald Maurice Darling, Jr. is an American former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Oakland Athletics and Montreal Expos... (0-1) S: Tom Henke Tom Henke Thomas Anthony Henke , nicknamed "The Terminator" because of his ability and success as a closer, is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He was one of the most dominant and feared closers during the late 1980s and early 1990s, pitching for the Texas Rangers , Toronto Blue Jays , and St... (2) |
||||||||||||
| HR: TOR – Roberto Alomar Roberto Alomar Roberto "Robbie" Alomar Velázquez is a former Major League Baseball player , regarded by many as one of the best second basemen in MLB history. During his career he won more Gold Gloves than any other second baseman in history, and also won the second-most Silver Slugger Awards for a second... (1) Candy Maldonado Candy Maldonado Candido Maldonado Guadarrama is a former Major League Baseball outfielder from to for the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, Cleveland Indians, Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, and Texas Rangers. Chris Berman, a fellow ESPN analyst, called him the "Candyman"... (1) |
||||||||||||
The series shifted to Oakland for Game 3, as Juan Guzmán took the hill for the Jays while Ron Darling
Ron Darling
Ronald Maurice Darling, Jr. is an American former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Oakland Athletics and Montreal Expos...
toed the rubber for the A's. Toronto struck in the second, when Winfield reached on an error by Athletics' third baseman Carney Lansford
Carney Lansford
Carney Ray Lansford is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball and the hitting coach of the Colorado Rockies...
, moved to third on a wild pitch by Darling, and scored on a single by Candy Maldonado
Candy Maldonado
Candido Maldonado Guadarrama is a former Major League Baseball outfielder from to for the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, Cleveland Indians, Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, and Texas Rangers. Chris Berman, a fellow ESPN analyst, called him the "Candyman"...
. Roberto Alomar
Roberto Alomar
Roberto "Robbie" Alomar Velázquez is a former Major League Baseball player , regarded by many as one of the best second basemen in MLB history. During his career he won more Gold Gloves than any other second baseman in history, and also won the second-most Silver Slugger Awards for a second...
hit a solo home run in the fourth to give the Jays a 2-0 lead, but in the bottom half of the inning the A's tied the game with RBI base hits by Baines and Steinbach.
However, the very next inning, Maldonado hit a solo homer of his own, and after Oakland manager Tony La Russa
Tony La Russa
Anthony "Tony" La Russa, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball manager and infielder, best known for his tenures as manager of the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, and St. Louis Cardinals...
gave Darling the hook in the seventh, the Jays added two unearned runs due to an error by Lance Blankenship
Lance Blankenship
Lance Robert Blankenship in Portland Oregon, is a retired Major League Baseball utility player.Blankenship played his entire career with the Oakland Athletics after the A's drafted him in the 10th round of the 1986 MLB amateur draft. He made his Major League Baseball debut on September 4, 1988,...
and a triple by Lee, making it a 5-2 game. Although the A's cut TO's lead down to a run, the Jays tacked on single runs in the eighth and ninth. Henke retired the Athletics in order in the ninth, giving Toronto a 7-5 victory and a 2-1 edge in the series.
Game 4
October 11, Oakland-Alameda County ColiseumMcAfee Coliseum
O.co Coliseum is a multi-purpose stadium, located in Oakland, California, in the Coliseum Industrial area...
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 17 | 4 |
| Oakland | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 2 |
| W: Duane Ward Duane Ward Roy Duane Ward was a Major League Baseball reliever during the late 1980s and early 1990s.Ward went to school and made his early athletic mark in Farmington, New Mexico, a small oil and gas city, and one known for its amateur baseball programs... (1-0) L: Kelly Downs Kelly Downs Kelly Robert Downs is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues for the San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics from 1986-1993... (0-1) S: Tom Henke Tom Henke Thomas Anthony Henke , nicknamed "The Terminator" because of his ability and success as a closer, is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He was one of the most dominant and feared closers during the late 1980s and early 1990s, pitching for the Texas Rangers , Toronto Blue Jays , and St... (3) |
||||||||||||||
| HR: TOR – John Olerud John Olerud John Garrett Olerud , is a former American first baseman in Major League Baseball. Olerud played with the Toronto Blue Jays , New York Mets , Seattle Mariners , New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox .... (1) Roberto Alomar Roberto Alomar Roberto "Robbie" Alomar Velázquez is a former Major League Baseball player , regarded by many as one of the best second basemen in MLB history. During his career he won more Gold Gloves than any other second baseman in history, and also won the second-most Silver Slugger Awards for a second... (2) |
||||||||||||||
For the fourth game, Toronto threw Morris against Oakland's Bob Welch
Bob Welch (baseball player)
Robert Lynn "Bob" Welch is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland Athletics . He played in college for Eastern Michigan. Welch was best known for his blazing fastball, and he is the last pitcher to win 27 games in a single season...
. In the second inning, Olerud tagged Welch for a solo homer to give the Jays the lead. However, the Athletics came back in a big way with a five-run third and tacked on another run in the sixth when Sierra doubled Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henley Henderson is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who played for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four stints with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. Nicknamed The Man of Steal, he is widely regarded as the sport's greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner...
home, giving Oakland a seemingly secure 6-1 advantage. In the top of the eighth, however, La Russa pulled Welch, who had been cruising along, and went to his bullpen. The Jays capitalized by scoring three runs off hits by Joe Carter
Joe Carter
Joseph Christopher Carter is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball who played from to . Carter is most famous for hitting a walk-off home run to win the 1993 World Series for the Toronto Blue Jays....
, Olerud, and Maldonado, cutting the A's lead to 6-4.
For the top of the ninth, La Russa turned to Eckersley to shut down the top of the Jays' order and tie the series. Although he had given up two of Toronto's three runs in the previous inning, the Oakland closer was still fearsome. Devon White led off with a single to left, but moved to third on an error by Henderson. Roberto Alomar was up next, and he hit a high drive to right field that disappeared behind the wall for a game-tying two-run home run. This turned out to be a crucial point of the series, as it forced the game into extra innings and gave the Jays a chance to win.
Indeed, in the top of the 11th, Toronto came through. Derek Bell
Derek Bell (baseball player)
Derek Nathaniel Bell is a former Major League Baseball player. Primarily a right fielder and center fielder, Bell batted from the right side and threw with his right hand. He is 6'2" tall, and during his playing career, he weighed 215 pounds.-Amateur and minor league career:Bell played amateur...
walked, moved to third on a Maldonado single, and came home on a sacrifice fly by Borders to give the Jays a 7-6 lead. Henke shut the door on the A's in the bottom of the inning, handing Toronto a 3-1 series lead.
Game 5
October 12, Oakland-Alameda County ColiseumMcAfee Coliseum
O.co Coliseum is a multi-purpose stadium, located in Oakland, California, in the Coliseum Industrial area...
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 3 |
| Oakland | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | X | 6 | 8 | 0 |
| W: Dave Stewart Dave Stewart (baseball player) David Keith Stewart is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball during the late 1980s and early 1990s. A 20-game winner for 4 consecutive years, he was known for his post-season performance and for staring down batters when pitching to them... (1-0) L: David Cone David Cone David Brian Cone is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1986-2003 for six different teams. Cone pitched the sixteenth perfect game in baseball history. He also set the MLB record for most years between 20-win seasons. He was a member of five... (1-1) |
||||||||||||
| HR: OAK – Rubén Sierra Rubén Sierra Rubén Angel Sierra García is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. Sierra also goes by the nicknames El Caballo and El Indio.... (1) TOR – Dave Winfield Dave Winfield David Mark Winfield is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is currently Executive Vice President/Senior Advisor of the San Diego Padres and an analyst for the ESPN program Baseball Tonight... (2) |
||||||||||||
Game 5 pitted Toronto's Cone against Oakland's Stewart. In the bottom of the first, Sierra cracked a two-run home run off Cone, and the next inning an error by Cone proved costly as Henderson got on base and then scored on a single by Jerry Browne
Jerry Browne
Jerome Austin "The Governor" Browne was a Major League Baseball second baseman from to . Currently, he is the hitting coach for the Syracuse Chiefs.-External links:...
. Although Winfield broke the shutout with a homer off Stewart in the fourth, the unearned runs continued to hurt the Jays, as the A's added three runs in the fifth (only one of which was earned) for a 6-1 lead. Toronto managed only one more run in the seventh when White singled Gruber home, and Stewart went the distance as the Athletics took a 6-2 victory and cut the Jays' advantage in the series to 3-2.
Game 6
October 14, Skydome| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 1 |
| Toronto | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | X | 9 | 13 | 0 |
| W: Juan Guzman (2-0) L: Mike Moore Mike Moore (baseball player) Michael Wayne Moore in Eakly, Oklahoma, is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.In college Moore pitched for Oral Roberts University, going 28-11 with an ERA of 2.64. The Seattle Mariners drafted him the first round of the 1981 MLB amateur draft... (0-2) |
||||||||||||
| HR: TOR – Joe Carter Joe Carter Joseph Christopher Carter is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball who played from to . Carter is most famous for hitting a walk-off home run to win the 1993 World Series for the Toronto Blue Jays.... (1) Candy Maldonado Candy Maldonado Candido Maldonado Guadarrama is a former Major League Baseball outfielder from to for the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, Cleveland Indians, Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, and Texas Rangers. Chris Berman, a fellow ESPN analyst, called him the "Candyman"... (2) |
||||||||||||
The series came back to Toronto for Game 6, with Guzmán going against Moore. In the bottom of the first, the Jays took a lead they would never relinquish, as White reached on an error by Henderson and scored on a homer by Carter, making it 2-0. In the third, Olerud lashed an RBI double and Maldonado followed with a three-run shot, extending the advantage to 6-0. McGwire put Oakland on the board in the sixth with a single that scored Sierra, but the A's could only manage another run against the Jays. In the ninth, Henke took the mound and induced a flyout from Sierra to end a 9-2 win, making Toronto the first non-U.S.-based team to win a pennant in Major League history.
Awards and honors
- Dennis Eckersley, American League Cy Young Award
- Dennis Eckersley, American League MVP
- Tony La Russa, Associated Press Manager of the Year
- Carney Lansford, Hutch AwardHutch AwardThe Hutch Award is given annually to an active Major League Baseball player who best exemplifies the fighting spirit and competitive desire of Fred Hutchinson...
- Mark McGwire, Silver SluggerSilver SluggerThe Silver Slugger Award is awarded annually to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball...
award