1988 Oakland Athletics season

MLB yearly infobox
name = Oakland Athletics
season = 1988
misc = 1988 AL West Champions
1988 AL Champions

current league = American League
y1 = 1901
division = Western Division
y2 = 1969
Uniform
ballpark = Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
y4 = 1968
city = Oakland, California
y5 = 1968
owners = Walter A. Haas, Jr.
genmanagers = Sandy Alderson
managers = Tony LaRussa
television = KPIX/KICU-TV
(Monte Moore, Ray Fosse)
radio = KSFO
(Bill King, Lon Simmons, Ray Fosse)
KNTA
(Amaury Pi-Gonzalez, Evilio Mendoza)|The Oakland Athletics' 1988 season involved the A's winning their first American League West title since by|1981, with a record of 104 wins and 58 losses. In 1988, the elephant was restored as the symbol of the Athletics and currently adorns the left sleeve of home and road uniforms. The elephant was retired as team mascot in 1963 by then-owner Charles O. Finley in favor of a Missouri mule. The A's defeated the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS, but lost the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games, including a dramatic, classic walk-off home run by the Dodgers' Kirk Gibson in game one.

Offseason

* October 12, 1987: Brian Harper was released by the Athletics. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/h/harpebr01.shtml Brian Harper page at Baseball Reference] ]
* October 12, 1987: Jerry Willard was released by the Athletics. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/w/willaje01.shtml Jerry Willard page at Baseball Reference] ]
* December 6, 1987: Ron Hassey was signed as a free agent by the Athletics. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/h/hassero01.shtml Ron Hassey page at Baseball Reference] ]
* December 7, 1987: Gary Lavelle was signed as a free agent by the Athletics. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/l/lavelga01.shtml Gary Lavelle page at Baseball Reference] ]
* December 8, 1987: José Rijo and Tim Birtsas were traded by the Athletics to the Cincinnati Reds for Dave Parker. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/p/parkeda01.shtml Dave Parker page at Baseball Reference] ]
* December 11, 1987: Alfredo Griffin and Jay Howell were traded by the Athletics to the [Los Angeles Dodgers, and Kevin Tapani and Wally Whitehurst were traded by the Athletics to the New York Mets as part of a three-team trade. Bob Welch and Matt Young were traded by the Dodgers to the Athletics. Jesse Orosco was traded by the Mets to the Dodgers. Jack Savage was traded by the Dodgers to the Mets. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/o/oroscje01.shtml Jesse Orosco page at Baseball Reference] ]
* December 21, 1987: Dave Henderson was signed as a free agent by the Athletics. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/h/hendeda01.shtml Dave Henderson page at Baseball Reference] ]
* December 21, 1987: Rick Rodriguez was released by the Athletics. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/r/rodriri01.shtml Rick Rodriguez page at Baseball Reference] ]
* January 11, 1988: Glenn Hubbard was signed as a free agent by the Athletics. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/h/hubbagl01.shtml Glenn Hubbard page at Baseball Reference] ]
* February 9, 1988: Don Baylor was signed as a free agent by the Athletics. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/b/baylodo01.shtml Don Baylor page at Baseball Reference] ]
* March 9, 1988: Tony Phillips was signed as a free agent by the Athletics. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/p/phillto02.shtml Tony Phillips page at Baseball Reference] ]
* March 28, 1988: Mickey Tettleton was released by the Athletics. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/t/tettlmi02.shtml Mickey Tettleton page at Baseball Reference] ]

Regular season

José Canseco led the American League with 42 Home Runs, 124 RBIs and a .569 slugging percentage. Canseco became the first member of the Athletics to have three straight 100 RBI seasons.

* July 3, 1988: José Canseco had 3 home runs and 6 RBIs in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

eason standings

Notable Transactions

* June 1, 1988: Darren Lewis was drafted by the Athletics in the 18th round of the 1988 amateur draft. Player signed June 8, 1988. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/l/lewisda01.shtml Darren Lewis page at Baseball Reference] ]

Roster

Other batters

Relief pitchers

Game 3

October 8, Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

Awards and Honors

* José Canseco – American League Leader Home Runs (42)
* José Canseco – American League Leader RBIs (124)
* José Canseco – American League Leader Slugging Percentage (.569)
* Terry Steinbach, All-Star Game MVP

All-Star Game
* Terry Steinbach, Catcher, Starter
* Mark McGwire, First Base, Starter
* José Canseco, Outfield, Starter
* Dennis Eckersley, Relief Pitcher, Reserve
* Carney Lansford, Third Base, Reserve

References

* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/OAK/1988.shtml 1988 Oakland Athletics team page at Baseball Reference]
* [http://baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/roster.php?y=1988&t=OAK 1988 Oakland Athletics team page at www.baseball-almanac.com]

succession box
title = AL West Championship Season
years = 1988
before = Minnesota Twins
1987
after = Oakland Athletics
1989succession box
title = American League Championship
years = 1988
before = Minnesota Twins
1987
after = Oakland Athletics
1989