The Oakland Athletics didn’t do so well in the 2008 season, finishing third in the AL West for the second season in a row, due in no large part to a weak offense. The A’s sought to remedy that by bringing in designated hitter and first baseman Jason Giambi (who played for the team from 1995 to 2001 until he left for the Yankees) and left fielder Matt Holliday (who’s been getting tips from the legendary Mark McGwire). Oakland’s projected pitching rotation of Gio Gonzalez, Dana Eveland, Dallas Braden, Justin Duchscherer and Sean Gallagher is still a little green, but with the newly acquired veteran Russ Springer to show them the ropes, these young players are poised to come into their own. If Eric Chavez can just stay healthy then the A’s have the potential to take home the division title and go deep into the playoffs. Get your tickets to Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum and see how it all plays out for the Oakland Athletics in the 2009 season!

Early Years

The A’s history dates back over a century and spans the country. First formed in 1901 as the Philadelphia Athletics, they were one of the most formidable teams in the early part of the 20th century. Connie Mack owned and managed the team until 1950 when at 87 he finally retired. Between 1901 and 1914 Mack’s A’s won 6 AL Pennants and 3 World Series. The club relocated to Kansas City in 1955 due to declining attendance. Prior to their move west the team brought 2 more World Series titles to Philadelphia and thrilled the fans with the hitting exploits of Jimmie Foxx and the amazing pitching of Lefty Grove.