2002 Oakland Athletics season
Encyclopedia
The Oakland Athletics
' 2002 season
involved the A's finishing 1st in the American League
West with a record of 103 wins and 59 losses, despite losing three key players to larger market teams: 2000 AL MVP
Jason Giambi
to the New York Yankees
, outfielder
Johnny Damon
to the Boston Red Sox
, and closer
Jason Isringhausen
to the St. Louis Cardinals
. They are most notable for having set an American League record of winning 20 consecutive games between August 13 and September 4, 2002.
This particular assemblage of the franchise is the version of the Athletics prominently featured in the Michael Lewis
book Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game (as Lewis was given the opportunity to follow the team around throughout that season). A film adaptation of the book was produced in 2011, also titled Moneyball
.
Miguel Tejada
and Barry Zito
would go on to win the AL MVP
and Cy Young Award
respectively.
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....
' 2002 season
2002 Major League Baseball season
The Major League Baseball season finished with the Anaheim Angels defeating the San Francisco Giants in Game 7 of the 2002 World Series.-Major league baseball final standings:...
involved the A's finishing 1st in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
West with a record of 103 wins and 59 losses, despite losing three key players to larger market teams: 2000 AL MVP
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
Jason Giambi
Jason Giambi
Jason 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...
to the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
Johnny Damon
Johnny Damon
Johnny David Damon is an American professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter. From 2000–2008, he was third among active players in runs and seventh in hits and stolen bases . He is currently second among active leaders in triples , five behind Carl Crawford...
to the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, and closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
Jason Isringhausen
Jason Isringhausen
Jason Derik Isringhausen is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher.-New York Mets:Isringhausen was chosen as a draft-and-follow prospect by the New York Mets in the 44th round of the 1991 Major League Baseball Draft...
to the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. They are most notable for having set an American League record of winning 20 consecutive games between August 13 and September 4, 2002.
This particular assemblage of the franchise is the version of the Athletics prominently featured in the Michael Lewis
Michael Lewis (author)
Michael Lewis is an American non-fiction author and financial journalist. His bestselling books include The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine, Liar's Poker, The New New Thing, Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, Panic and Home Game: An...
book Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game (as Lewis was given the opportunity to follow the team around throughout that season). A film adaptation of the book was produced in 2011, also titled Moneyball
Moneyball (film)
Moneyball is a 2011 biographical sports drama film directed by Bennett Miller and distributed by Columbia Pictures. The film is based on Michael Lewis' 2003 book of the same name, an account of the Oakland Athletics baseball team's 2002 season and their general manager Billy Beane's attempts to...
.
Miguel Tejada
Miguel Tejada
Miguel Odalis Tejada was a Major League Baseball infielder who has played for the San Francisco Giants, the San Diego Padres, the Houston Astros, the Baltimore Orioles and the Oakland Athletics...
and Barry Zito
Barry Zito
Barry Zito is a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher for the San Francisco Giants. He previously played seven seasons with the Oakland Athletics, where he won the 2002 American League Cy Young Award and made three All-Star teams....
would go on to win the AL MVP
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
and Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
respectively.
Offseason
- November 2, 2001: Mark Bellhorn was traded by the Oakland Athletics to the Chicago Cubs for Adam Morrissey (minors).
- December 14, 2001: David JusticeDavid JusticeDavid Christopher Justice is a former outfielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for the Atlanta Braves , Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , and Oakland Athletics .-Early life:David was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of Robert and Nettie Justice...
was traded by the New York Yankees to the Oakland Athletics for Mark Guthrie and Tyler Yates. - January 11, 2002: Randy VelardeRandy VelardeRandy Lee Velarde is a former Major League Baseball infielder who played for the New York Yankees, California/Anaheim Angels, Oakland Athletics, and Texas Rangers from to...
was signed as a Free Agent with the Oakland Athletics. - March 19, 2002: Justin DuchschererJustin DuchschererJustin Craig Duchscherer [DUKE-shur] is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.-Early career:...
was traded by the Texas Rangers to the Oakland Athletics for Luis Vizcaino.
Notable transactions
- May 22, 2002: John Mabry was traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the Oakland Athletics for Jeremy Giambi.
- July 5, 2002: Ted Lilly was Traded as part of a 3-team trade by the New York Yankees with Jason Arnold (minors) and John-Ford Griffin to the Oakland Athletics. The Oakland Athletics sent a player to be named later, Carlos Pena, and Franklyn German to the Detroit Tigers. The Detroit Tigers sent Jeff Weaver to the New York Yankees. The Detroit Tigers sent cash to the Oakland Athletics. The Oakland Athletics sent Jeremy Bonderman (August 22, 2002) to the Detroit Tigers to complete the trade.
- July 25, 2002: Ray DurhamRay DurhamRay Durham , nicknamed The Sugarman, is a former Major League Baseball second baseman.A two-time All-Star, Durham in his prime was one of the premier offensive catalysts in all of baseball, providing prototypical lead-off hitting with power...
was traded by the Chicago White Sox with cash to the Oakland Athletics for Jon Adkins. - July 30, 2002: Ricardo RinconRicardo RincónRicardo Rincón Espinoza was a Major League Baseball relief pitcher.Rincón was a left-handed specialist who spent nearly his entire career as a middle reliever and setup pitcher. In his 10-year career, Rincón never started a game and only accumulated 21 saves...
was traded by the Cleveland IndiansCleveland IndiansThe Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
to the Oakland Athletics for Marshall McDougallMarshall McDougallMarshall James McDougall is a professional baseball player. Primarily a third baseman, he has played part of one season in Major League Baseball with the Texas Rangers, and one season in the Chinese Professional Baseball League with the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions...
.
Draft Picks
- June 4, 2002: Nick SwisherNick SwisherNicholas Thompson "Nick" Swisher is an outfielder for the New York Yankees. Swisher is a switch hitter who throws left-handed....
was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 1st round (16th pick) of the 2002 amateur draft. Player signed June 14, 2002. - June 4, 2002: Joe BlantonJoe BlantonJoseph Matthew Blanton is a starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball.-College career:...
was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 1st round (24th pick) of the 2002 amateur draft. Player signed July 20, 2002. - June 4, 2002: Jared BurtonJared BurtonLevi Jared Burton is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball....
was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 8th round of the 2002 amateur draft. Player signed June 12, 2002.
Roster
| 2002 Oakland Athletics | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders |
Manager Coaches (Hitting) (Bullpen) (Bench) (Pitching) (First Base) (Third Base) |
||||||
Batting
Note: G = Games played; AB = At Bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting Average; HR = Home Runs; RBI = Runs Batted In| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|
Other batters
| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|
Starting pitchers
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Hudson Tim Hudson Timothy Adam Hudson is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the Atlanta Braves. Hudson began his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and played his last two years of college eligibility at Auburn University... |
34 | 238.1 | 15 | 9 | 2.98 | 152 |
Other pitchers
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA |
|---|
Relief pitchers
| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|