1989 Oakland Athletics season

The 1989 Oakland Athletics season was the 89th season for the Oakland Athletics franchise, all as members of the American League, and their 22nd season in Oakland. The Athletics finished the season in first place in the American League West, with a record of 99 wins and 63 losses, seven games in front of the Kansas City Royals. Oakland dominated the American League, earning their second consecutive AL West title, as well as marking the second straight year in which they finished with the best record in all of baseball. A's pitcher Dave Stewart recorded his third straight season of earning 20 or more wins while Rickey Henderson put on a dazzling offensive performance in the postseason as he approached the prospects of landing a three million dollar contract for the following season. The team defeated the Toronto Blue Jays in five games in the ALCS, then swept their cross-Bay rivals, the San Francisco Giants, in an earthquake-marred World Series. The Athletics looked to be a future dynasty by the close of the 1989 season.

Offseason

November 28, 1988: Mike Moore signs as a free agent with the Oakland Athletics. November 30, 1988: Billy Beane was signed as a free agent with the Oakland Athletics.Billy Beane Statistics Baseball-Reference.com

Regular season Ken Griffey Jr. made his major league baseball debut on April 3, 1989, in a game against the Oakland Athletics. On August 22, 1989, Nolan Ryan struck out Rickey Henderson for the 5,000th strikeout in his career.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Notable transactions April 6, 1989: Troy Afenir was traded by the Houston Astros to the Oakland Athletics for Matt Sinatro.Troy Afenir Statistics Baseball-Reference.com April 6, 1989: Mike Norris was signed as a free agent with the Oakland Athletics. May 27, 1989: Jamie Quirk was signed as a free agent with the Oakland Athletics.Jamie Quirk Statistics Baseball-Reference.com June 5, 1989: Mike Mohler was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 42nd round of the 1989 amateur draft. Player signed August 18, 1989. June 21, 1989: Rickey Henderson was traded by the New York Yankees to the Oakland Athletics for Greg Cadaret, Eric Plunk, and Luis Polonia. July 24, 1989: Jamie Quirk was released by the Oakland Athletics. July 31, 1989: Glenn Hubbard was released by the Oakland Athletics.Glenn Hubbard Statistics Baseball-Reference.com August 30, 1989: Ken Phelps was traded by the New York Yankees to the Oakland Athletics for Scott Holcomb (minors).

Roster 1989 Oakland Athletics Roster Pitchers Catchers

Infielders Outfielders

Other batters Manager

Coaches (pitching)

(third base)

Game log

|- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 1 || April 3 || Mariners || 3–2 || Stewart (1–0) || Langston (0–1) || Eckersley (1) || 46,163 || 1–0 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 2 || April 5 || Mariners || 11–1 || Welch (1–0) || Bankhead (0–1) || || 16,045 || 2–0 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 3 || April 6 || Mariners || 11–3 || Davis (1–0) || Campbell (0–1) || Burns (1) || 19,087 || 3–0 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 4 || April 7 || White Sox || 7–1 || Long (1–0) || C. Young (0–1) || Jones (1) || 20,585 || 3–1 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 5 || April 8 || White Sox || 7–4 || Pérez (1–0) || Moore (0–1) || Thigpen (1) || 32,881 || 3–2 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 6 || April 9 || White Sox || 4–2 || Stewart (2–0) || Reuss (1–1) || Eckersley (2) || 45,110 || 4–2 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 7 || April 10 || @ Angels || 4–0 || Welch (2–0) || Finley (1–1) || || 23,820 || 5–2 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 8 || April 11 || @ Angels || 7–1 || Blyleven (1–0) || Davis (1–1) || || 23,322 || 5–3 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 9 || April 12 || @ Angels || 5–0 || McCaskill (2–0) || C. Young (0–2) || || 24,650 || 5–4 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 10 || April 13 || @ Angels || 5–0 || Moore (1–1) || Abbott (0–2) || || 24,137 || 6–4 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 11 || April 14 || @ White Sox || 7–4 || Stewart (3–0) || Pérez (1–1) || || 37,950 || 7–4 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 12 || April 15 || @ White Sox || 7–4 || Reuss (2–1) || Welch (2–1) || Thigpen (3) || 15,748 || 7–5 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 13 || April 16 || @ White Sox || 3–2 || Eckersley (1–0) || King (0–3) || || 20,969 || 8–5 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 14 || April 17 || @ Mariners || 7–2 || Hanson (2–1) || C. Young (0–3) || || 14,827 || 8–6 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 15 || April 18 || @ Mariners || 5–3 || Plunk (1–0) || Reed (1–2) || Eckersley (3) || 9,670 || 9–6 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 16 || April 19 || @ Mariners || 7–5 || Stewart (4–0) || Langston (2–2) || Eckersley (4) || 11,328 || 10–6 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 17 || April 21 || Angels || 10–6 || Welch (3–1) || Finley (2–2) || Honeycutt (1) || 26,903 || 11–6 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 18 || April 22 || Angels || 4–3 || C. Young (1–3) || Blyleven (2–1) || Eckersley (5) || 33,172 || 12–6 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 19 || April 23 || Angels || 2–0 || Moore (2–1) || McCaskill (3–1) || Eckersley (6) || 25,681 || 13–6 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 20 || April 24 || Blue Jays || 5–4 || Nelson (1–0) || Henke (1–2) || || 25,099 || 14–6 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 21 || April 25 || Blue Jays || 3–1 || Davis (2–1) || Cerutti (0–1) || Eckersley (7) || 12,437 || 15–6 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 22 || April 26 || Orioles || 2–1 || Bautista (2–2) || Welch (3–2) || Olson (2) || 17,060 || 15–7 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 23 || April 27 || Orioles || 9–4 || Burns (1–0) || Thurmond (0–1) || || 21,423 || 16–7 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 24 || April 28 || Tigers || 2–1 || Moore (3–1) || Gibson (1–1) || Eckersley (8) || 26,594 || 17–7 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 25 || April 29 || Tigers || 3–2 || Stewart (5–0) || Alexander (3–1) || || 36,313 || 18–7 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 26 || April 30 || Tigers || 7–2 || Tanana (2–3) || Davis (2–2) || Hernández (5) || 36,009 || 18–8

|- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 27 || May 2 || @ Blue Jays || 8–5 || Honeycutt (1–0) || Ward (1–4) || Plunk (1) || 23,439 || 19–8 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 28 || May 3 || @ Blue Jays || 2–0 || Flanagan (2–1) || Moore (3–2) || || 22,370 || 19–9 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 29 || May 5 || @ Tigers || 5–3 || Stewart (6–0) || Tanana (2–4) || Eckersley (9) || 18,482 || 20–9 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 30 || May 6 || @ Tigers || 6–3 || Morris (1–6) || Davis (2–3) || Hernández (6) || 32,404 || 20–10 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 31 || May 7 || @ Tigers || 5–4 || Welch (4–2) || Hudson (0–3) || Eckersley (10) || 20,391 || 21–10 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 32 || May 8 || @ Orioles || 6–1 || Moore (4–2) || Milacki (1–3) || || 19,159 || 22–10 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 33 || May 11 || @ Orioles || 6–2 || Ballard (6–1) || Stewart (6–1) || || 1,201 || 22–11 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 34 || May 12 || Brewers || 5–4 || Burns (2–0) || Plesac (1–2) || || 30,743 || 23–11 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 35 || May 13 || Brewers || 4–3 || Welch (5–2) || Bosio (5–2) || Eckersley (11) || 33,053 || 24–11 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 36 || May 14 || Brewers || 2–1 || Crim (2–2) || Moore (4–3) || Plesac (6) || 26,989 || 24–12 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 37 || May 15 || Brewers || 12–2 || Stewart (7–1) || August (2–5) || || 25,974 || 25–12 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 38 || May 16 || Yankees || 3–2 || Parker (1–0) || C. Young (1–4) || Righetti (6) || 25,852 || 25–13 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 39 || May 17 || Yankees || 8–3 || Davis (3–3) || Dotson (1–1) || Eckersley (12) || 24,505 || 26–13 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 40 || May 18 || Yankees || 6–2 || Welch (6–2) || John (2–7) || Burns (2) || 40,758 || 27–13 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 41 || May 19 || Red Sox || 7 – 4 || Stanley (2–1) || Nelson (1–1) || || 40,382 || 27–14 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 42 || May 20 || Red Sox || 6–3 || Stewart (8–1) || Gardner (1–4) || Eckersley (13) || 43,427 || 28–14 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 43 || May 21 || Red Sox || 5–4 || Burns (3–0) || Clemens (5–3) || Eckersley (14) || 44,505 || 29–14 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 44 || May 23 || @ Brewers || 9–1 || Bosio (6–3) || Welch (6–3) || || 13,882 || 29–15 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 45 || May 24 || @ Brewers || 6–2 || Moore (5–3) || Birkbeck (0–3) || || 13,932 || 30–15 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 46 || May 25 || @ Brewers || 4–1 || Clutterbuck (2–1) || Stewart (8–2) || Plesac (9) || 18,898 || 30–16 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 47 || May 26 || @ Yankees || 4–0 || Burns (4–0) || Hawkins (4–6) || || 28,726 || 31–16 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 48 || May 27 || @ Yankees || 3–0 || C. Young (2–4) || LaPoint (5–3) || Honeycutt (2) || 28,111 || 32–16 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 49 || May 28 || @ Yankees || 4–3 || Moore (6–3) || Parker (2–1) || Honeycutt (3) || 38,527 || 33–16 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 50 || May 29 || @ Red Sox || 3 – 2 || Smith (3–1) || Welch (6–4) || || 33,344 || 33–17 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 51 || May 30 || @ Red Sox || 4–2 || Stewart (9–2) || Smithson (2–4) || Honeycutt (4) || 31,407 || 34–17 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 52 || May 31 || @ Red Sox || 4 – 3 || Smith (4–1) || Plunk (1–1) || || 33,510 || 34–18

|- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 53 || June 2 || Indians || 5–3 || Swindell (6–1) || Moore (6–4) || Jones (12) || 28,052 || 34–19 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 54 || June 3 || Indians || 7–0 || Welch (7–4) || Candiotti (6–3) || || 35,466 || 35–19 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 55 || June 4 || Indians || 4–0 || Stewart (10–2) || Farrell (3–6) || || 34,610 || 36–19 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 56 || June 5 || Twins || 2–1 || Oliveras (3–2) || C. Young (2–5) || Reardon (9) || 34,320 || 36–20 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 57 || June 6 || Twins || 1–0 || Moore (7–4) || Anderson (6–4) || || 23,505 || 37–20 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 58 || June 7 || Twins || 3–2 || Welch (8–4) || Viola (4–8) || Burns (3) || 27,396 || 38–20 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 59 || June 9 || @ Rangers || 11–8 || Guante (4–3) || Nelson (1–2) || Russell (14) || 35,799 || 38–21 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 60 || June 10 || @ Rangers || 5–1 || Davis (4–3) || Witt (5–6) || || 40,796 || 39–21 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 61 || June 11 || @ Rangers || 5–1 || Moore (8–4) || Brown (5–3) || Nelson (1) || 32,127 || 40–21 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 62 || June 12 || @ Royals || 2 – 1 || Gordon (8–2) || Burns (4–1) || || 39,387 || 40–22 |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb"