1976 Oakland Athletics season

MLB yearly infobox
name = Oakland Athletics
season = 1976
misc =

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 = Charles O. Finley
managers = Chuck Tanner
television = KPIX-TV
radio = KNBR
(Monte Moore, Bob Waller) |The Oakland Athletics' 1976 season involved the A's finishing 2nd in the American League West with a record of 87 wins and 74 losses, 2.5 games behind the Kansas City Royals, meaning that the A's failed to make the playoffs for the first time since by|1970. As the by|1976 season got underway, the basic rules of player contracts were changing. It was ruled that baseball’s reserve clause only bound players for one season after their contract expired. All players not signed to multi-year contracts would be eligible for free agency at the end of the 1976 season. Finley reacted by trading star players and attempting to sell others. On June 15, Baseball Year|1976, Finley sold left fielder Joe Rudi and relief pitcher Rollie Fingers to Boston for $1 million each, and pitcher Vida Blue [ [http://www.thediamondangle.com/sitt/vida.html SITT - Vida Blue ] ] to the New York Yankees for $1.5 million. Three days later, Bowie Kuhn voided the transactions in the “best interests of baseball.” Amid the turmoil, the A's still finished second in the A.L. West, 2.5 games behind the Royals.

Offseason

*October 10, 1975: Dal Maxvill was released by the Athletics. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/maxvida01.shtml Dal Maxvill page at Baseball Reference] ]
*December 9, 1975: Ray Fosse was purchased from the Athletics by the Cleveland Indians. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/f/fossera01.shtml Ray Fosse page at Baseball Reference] ]

Regular season

eason standings

Notable transactions

* April 2, 1976: Reggie Jackson, Ken Holtzman, and Bill Van Bommell (minors) were traded by the Athletics to the Baltimore Orioles for Don Baylor, Mike Torrez, and Paul Mitchell. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/j/jacksre01.shtml Reggie Jackson page at Baseball Reference] ]
* April 19, 1976: Tim Hosley was selected by the Athletics off waivers from the Chicago Cubs. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/h/hosleti01.shtml Tim Hosley page at Baseball Reference] ]
* June 8, 1976: 1976 Major League Baseball Draft
**Rickey Henderson was drafted by the Athletics in the 4th round. Henderson signed on July 9, 1976. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/h/henderi01.shtml Rickey Henderson page at Baseball Reference] ]
**Ernie Camacho was drafted by the Athletics in the 1st round (18th pick) of the Secondary Phase. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/c/camacer01.shtml Ernie Camacho page at Baseball Reference] ]
*June 9, 1976: Nate Colbert was signed as a free agent by the Athletics. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/c/colbena01.shtml Nate Colbert page at Baseball Reference] ]
* August 30, 1976: Willie McCovey was purchased by the Athletics from the San Diego Padres. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/mccovwi01.shtml Willie McCovey page at Baseball Reference] ]

Roster

Pitching

Starting pitchers

References

* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/OAK/1976.shtml 1976 Oakland Athletics team page at Baseball Reference]
* [http://baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/roster.php?y=1976&t=OAK 1976 Oakland Athletics team page at www.baseball-almanac.com]