2007 Oakland Athletics

The Oakland Athletics' 2007 season is their first since 2004 in which they are defending a title. After winning the AL West championship in the 2006 season, they will try to prevent their competition, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the Texas Rangers, and the Seattle Mariners from stealing the championship away from them. The Oakland Athletics will be without Frank Thomas (Toronto) and ace Barry Zito (San Francisco), both players who the A's lost to free agency. They filled the space left by Frank Thomas by signing free agent catcher Mike Piazza to a one-year contract worth $8.5 million. He is expected to be the team's designated hitter. They will also be without Ken Macha, their former manager who was fired after 4 seasons with the team and replaced by Bob Geren, as well as third-base coach Ron Washington, who accepted the managerial position of the Texas Rangers.

[edit] Regular season

[edit] Season standings

E = Eliminated from winning the division

[edit] Game log

Template:2007 Oakland Athletics season game log

[edit] Notable games

• April 5, 2007 - Mike Piazza hits a go-ahead home run to center field giving the A's a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. It was notable because it was his first home run of the season, his first as an Oakland Athletic, and his first ever at Angel Stadium.
• April 15, 2007 - Trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the ninth with two outs against the New York Yankees, Todd Walker got a hit and Jason Kendall was walked to put two men on base. Backup Marco Scutaro who was then 1 for 20 on the season hit a home run to left field which gave the A's a remarkable 5-4 win as well as the series vs. the Yankees.
• May 13, 2007 - Again trailing by two in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, the Athletics seemed to be out vs. the Cleveland Indians. However Chavez overcame a 0-2 strike count to hit a single and get on board. Milton Bradley then hit a home run to right field to tie the game. After Dan Johnson and Bobby Crosby got on base, Jack Cust, coming off a hot streak after being in the lineup for seven days at the time, hit a three-run shot to center field which gave the A's another dramatic comeback at home for a 10-7 victory.
• May 18, 2007 - The first game of the season against the San Francisco Giants saw former A's pitcher Barry Zito return to Oakland and try to beat his former team. However, the A's would not allow that. Zito allowed seven runs and six hits in four-plus innings, and walked seven. The A's would pound the Giants even harder, scoring eight runs on the Giants bullpen, including a Mark Ellis grand slam for a 15-3 win.
• June 2, 2007 - Joe Blanton hit nine scoreless innings for his fifth complete game against the Minnesota Twins. The Twins' pitcher Carlos Silva also pitched the entire eight innings in which the Twins were on the field. (The A's were at home, so the bottom of the ninth was not necessary.) The one run Silva allowed was the difference as the A's won 1-0.
• June 4, 2007 - Mark Ellis was having a great day for the entire game vs. the Boston Red Sox. After hitting a triple in the bottom of the 2nd which gave the A's the lead, he would hit a home run in the fourth, and a double in the sixth. With a chance to hit for the cycle in the bottom of the eighth, Ellis grounded the ball into a fielder's choice and was not awarded a single, despite that no one was out as a result of the play. With the A's having a 4-2 lead it seemed like Ellis would not hit for the cycle. However, the Red Sox would tie the game in the top of the ninth, and the A's were unable to break the tie in the bottom of the inning. This was a blessing in disguise as Mark Ellis had another chance to hit for the cycle, which he did with a single to midfield. He was the sixth player in the Oakland Athletics to hit for the cycle (not including when the A's were in Philadelphia and Kansas City). Eric Chavez, who has also hit for the cycle in 2000, won the game with a solo home run in the 11th.
• June 7, 2007 - Shannon Stewart broke up a hitless game for the A's in the bottom of the ninth. This spoiled Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling's bid for his first career no-hitter. The A's however could not score, and Schilling still walked away with a complete game 1-0 shutout. It was Boston's only win of the four game series.

[edit] Current roster

Template:Oakland Athletics roster

[edit] References

Template:Oakland Athletics Template:Oakland Athletics managers