2009 Oakland Athletics season

The Oakland Athletics' 2009 season was their 41st in Oakland, California. It was also the 109th season in franchise history. The team finished fourth in the American League West with a record of 75–87, and finished last in their division for the first time since 1998.

The Athletics entered the season with a measure of hope. During the 2008–09 offseason, the team added numerous hitters through both trades and free agent signings. The most notable addition was that of outfielder Matt Holliday. Holliday was acquired from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for rookie outfielder Carlos González, starting pitcher Greg Smith, and closer Huston Street. Oakland also added a handful of veterans via free agency; these included Orlando Cabrera, Nomar Garciaparra, and former Athletics superstar Jason Giambi. The signings were meant to improve the team's offense, which was the American League's worst (as measured by number of runs scored) in 2008.

While the Athletics' offense improved considerably in 2009, its gains were largely offset by inconsistent pitching. All told, Oakland would finish the season with a third consecutive losing record.

Regular season

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Roster 2009 Oakland Athletics Roster Pitchers

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Other batters Manager

Coaches (third base) (bullpen) (hitting) (first base) (bench) (pitching)

Game log

|- bgcolor="ffbbbb" |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 1 || April 6 || @ Angels || 3–0 || Saunders (1–0) || Braden (0–1) || Fuentes (1) || 43,220 || 0–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 2 || April 7 || @ Angels || 6–4 || Wuertz (1–0) || Jepsen (0–1) || Ziegler (1) || 43,396 || 1–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 3 || April 8 || @ Angels || 6–4 || Bailey (1–0) || Fuentes (0–1) || Ziegler (2) || 43,283 || 2–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbbbbb" | || April 9 || @ Angels || colspan=6 |Postponed (death of Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart; rescheduled for August 27) |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 4 || April 10 || Mariners || 5–4 || Jakubauskas (1–0) || Anderson (0–1) || Aardsma (1) || 36,067 || 2–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 5 || April 11 || Mariners || 8–5 || Batista (1–0) || Casilla (0–1) || Morrow (2) || 19,560 || 2–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 6 || April 12 || Mariners || 1–0 || Bédard (1–0) || Cahill (0–1) || Aardsma (2) || 12,127 || 2–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 7 || April 13 || Red Sox || 8–2 || Braden (1–1) || Lester (0–2) || || 21,331 || 3–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 8 || April 14 || Red Sox || 6 – 5 (12) || Gallagher (1–0) || López (0–1) || || 22,132 || 4–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 9 || April 15 || Red Sox || 8–2 || Wakefield (1–1) || Anderson (0–2) || || 35,067 || 4–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 10 || April 17 || @ Blue Jays || 8–5 || Bailey (2–0) || League (1–1) || Ziegler (3) || 18,272 || 5–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 11 || April 18 || @ Blue Jays || 4 – 2 (12) || Frasor (2–0) || Giese (0–1) || || 21,698 || 5–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 12 || April 19 || @ Blue Jays || 1–0 || Romero (2–0) || Braden (1–2) || Ryan (2) || 22,164 || 5–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbbbbb" | || April 20 || @ Yankees || colspan=6 |Postponed (rain; rescheduled for July 23) |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 13 || April 21 || @ Yankees || 5–3 || Pettitte (2–0) || Eveland (0–1) || Rivera (4) || 42,065 || 5–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 14 || April 22 || @ Yankees || 9 – 7 (14) || Veras (1–1) || Giese (0–2) || || 43,342 || 5–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 15 || April 24 || Rays || 8–2 || Kazmir (3–1) || Cahill (0–2) || || 20,140 || 5–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 16 || April 25 || Rays || 5–2 || Braden (2–2) || Garza (1–2) || Ziegler (4) || 15,432 || 6–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 17 || April 26 || Rays || 7–1 || Eveland (1–1) || Sonnanstine (0–3) || || 18,689 || 7–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 18 || April 28 || @ Rangers || 5–4 || Millwood (2–2) || Wuertz (1–1) || Francisco (6) || 12,627 || 7–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbbbbb" | || April 29 || @ Rangers || colspan=6 |Postponed (rain; rescheduled for May 29) |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 19 || April 30 || @ Rangers || 4–2 || Braden (3–2) || Padilla (1–2) || Wuertz (1) || 13,802 || 8–11

|- bgcolor="ffbbbb" |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 20 || May 1 || @ Mariners || 8–7 || Kelley (1–1) || Springer (0–1) || || 25,760 || 8–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 21 || May 2 || @ Mariners || 3–2 || Bailey (3–0) || Aardsma (0–1) || Wuertz (2) || 29,484 || 9–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 22 || May 3 || @ Mariners || 8 – 7 (15) || Vargas (1–0) || Eveland (1–2) || || 29,963 || 9–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 23 || May 4 || Angels || 5–2 || Saunders (4–1) || Anderson (0–3) || Fuentes (6) || 10,397 || 9–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 24 || May 5 || Angels || 5–3 || Loux (2–2) || Braden (3–3) || Fuentes (7) || 13,298 || 9–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 25 || May 6 || Rangers || 3–2 || Feldman (2–0) || Giese (0–3) || Francisco (9) || 15,342 || 9–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 26 || May 7 || Rangers || 9–4 || Cahill (1–2) || McCarthy (3–1) || || 13,702 || 10–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 27 || May 8 || Blue Jays || 5–3 || Wuertz (2–1) || Richmond (4–1) || Bailey (1) || 14,103 || 11–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 28 || May 9 || Blue Jays || 6–4 || Tallet (2–1) || Gallagher (1–1) || || 15,817 || 11–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 29 || May 10 || Blue Jays || 5–0 || Cecil (1–0) || Braden (3–4) || || 15,126 || 11–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 30 || May 12 || Royals || 12–3 || Cahill (2–2) || Hochevar (0–1) || || 10,156 || 12–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 31 || May 13 || Royals || 7–2 || Outman (1–0) || Bannister (3–1) || || 16,057 || 13–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 32 || May 15 || @ Tigers || 14–1 || Jackson (3–2) || Anderson (0–4) || || 26,770 || 13–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 33 || May 16 || @ Tigers || 9–1 || Porcello (4–3) || Braden (3–5) || || 31,554 || 13–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 34 || May 17 || @ Tigers || 11–7 || Miner (3–1) || Cahill (2–3) || || 27,535 || 13–21 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 35 || May 18 || @ Rays || 13–4 || Niemann (4–3) || Gallagher (1–2) || || 11,420 || 13–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 36 || May 19 || @ Rays || 4 – 1 (11) || Casilla (1–1) || Wheeler (1–1) || || 12,842 || 14–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 37 || May 20 || @ Rays || 7–6 || Anderson (1–4) || Kazmir (4–4) || Ziegler (5) || 13,721 || 15–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 38 || May 21 || @ Rays || 6–5 || Nelson (1–0) || Ziegler (0–1) || || 14,374 || 15–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 39 || May 22 || Diamondbacks || 2–1 || Buckner (1–0) || Cahill (2–4) || Rauch (2) || 13,586 || 15–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 40 || May 23 || Diamondbacks || 8 – 7 (11) || Peña (4–1) || Breslow (1–3) || Qualls (11) || 21,295 || 15–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 41 || May 24 || Diamondbacks || 6–2 || Outman (2–0) || Garland (4–3) || || 13,792 || 16–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 42 || May 25 || Mariners || 6–1 || Anderson (2–4) || Jakubauskas (3–5) || Cameron (1) || 15,280 || 17–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 43 || May 26 || Mariners || 4–3 || Braden (4–5) || Batista (2–1) || Bailey (2) || 10,371 || 18–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 44 || May 27 || Mariners || 6–1 || Bédard (3–2) || Cahill (2–5) || || 30,012 || 18–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 45 || May 29 || @ Rangers || 6–3 || Wilson (3–2) || Casilla (1–2) || Francisco (11) || || 18–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 46 || May 29 || @ Rangers || 5–2 || Feldman (4–0) || É. González (0–1) || Wilson (4) || 30,496 || 18–28 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 47 || May 30 || @ Rangers || 14–1 || McCarthy (5–2) || Anderson (2–5) || || 45,325 || 18–29 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 48 || May 31 || @ Rangers || 5–4 || Bailey (4–0) || Francisco (1–1) || || 22,952 || 19–29

|- bgcolor="ffbbbb" |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 49 || June 1 || @ White Sox || 6–2 || Thornton (3–1) || Breslow (1–4) || || 26,038 || 19–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 50 || June 2 || @ White Sox || 5–0 || Mazzaro (1–0) || Colón (3–5) || || 20,519 || 20–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 51 || June 3 || @ White Sox || 5–3 || Outman (3–0) || Richard (2–1) || Bailey (3) || 23,207 || 21–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 52 || June 4 || @ White Sox || 7–0 || Anderson (3–5) || Buehrle (6–2) || || 18,219 || 22–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 53 || June 5 || Orioles || 9–1 || Braden (5–5) || Guthrie (4–5) || || 12,608 || 23–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 54 || June 6 || Orioles || 9–4 || Cahill (3–5) || Berken (1–2) || || 20,267 || 24–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 55 || June 7 || Orioles || 3–0 || Mazzaro (2–0) || Hill (2–1) || Bailey (4) || 17,208 || 25–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 56 || June 8 || Twins || 4–3 || Outman (4–0) || Ayala (1–2) || Bailey (5) || 10,181 || 26–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 57 || June 9 || Twins || 10–5 || Baker (4–6) || Anderson (3–6) || Nathan (12) || 10,127 || 26–31 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 58 || June 10 || Twins || 6–3 || Guerrier (3–0) || Bailey (4–1) || Nathan (13) || 18,074 || 26–32 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 59 || June 11 || Twins || 4–3 || Ziegler (1–1) || Henn (0–2) || || 13,383 || 27–32 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 60 || June 12 || @ Giants || 3–0 || Lincecum (6–1) || Mazzaro (2–1) || || 36,035 || 27–33 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 61 || June 13 || @ Giants || 5–2 || Johnson (6–5) || Outman (4–1) || Wilson (17) || 37,874 || 27–34 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 62 || June 14 || @ Giants || 7–1 || Cain (9–1) || Anderson (3–7) || || 37,728 || 27–35 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 63 || June 16 || @ Dodgers || 5 – 4 (10) || Mota (3–1) || Ziegler (1–2) || || 41,169 || 27–36 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 64 || June 17 || @ Dodgers || 5–4 || Cahill (4–5) || Kuroda (1–3) || Bailey (6) || 46,274 || 28–36 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 65 || June 18 || @ Dodgers || 3–2 || Leach (2–0) || Ziegler (1–3) || Troncoso (4) || 50,492 || 28–37 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 66 || June 19 || @ Padres || 7–5 || Wuertz (3–1) || Mujica (2–2) || Bailey (7) || 20,019 || 29–37 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 67 || June 20 || @ Padres || 6–3 || Wuertz (4–1) || Meredith (4–1) || Bailey (8) || 28,074 || 30–37 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 68 || June 21 || @ Padres || 4–1 || Correia (4–5) || Braden (5–6) || Bell (19) || 24,249 || 30–38 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 69 || June 22 || Giants || 5–1 || Cahill (5–5) || Sánchez (2–8) || Ziegler (6) || 27,324 || 31–38 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 70 || June 23 || Giants || 4–1 || Lincecum (7–2) || Mazzaro (2–2) || || 32,854 || 31–39 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 71 || June 24 || Giants || 6–3 || Johnson (7–5) || G. Gonzalez (0–1) || Wilson (20) || 35,067 || 31–40 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 72 || June 26 || Rockies || 4–2 || Hammel (5–3) || Braden (5–7) || Street (17) || 20,872 || 31–41 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 73 || June 27 || Rockies || 11–9 || de la Rosa (4–7) || Cahill (5–6) || Street (18) || 18,624 || 31–42 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 74 || June 28 || Rockies || 3–1 || Cook (8–3) || Mazzaro (2–3) || Street (19) || 15,701 || 31–43 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 75 || June 29 || Tigers || 7–1 || Anderson (4–7) || Porcello (8–5) || || 10,563 || 32–43 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 76 || June 30 || Tigers || 5–3 || Galarraga (5–7) || G. Gonzalez (0–2) || || 12,126 || 32–44

|- bgcolor="ffbbbb" |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 77 || July 1 || Tigers || 5–1 || Braden (6–7) || Verlander (8–4) || || 21,238 || 33–44