|
2001 Oakland Athletics Season
The Oakland Athletics' 2001 season was the team's 34th in Oakland, California, and the 101st season in franchise history. The team finished second in the American League West with a record of 102-60. The Athletics entered the 2001 season with high expectations. Much of the excitement stemmed from the team's trio of promising young starting pitchers ( Barry Zito, Mark Mulder, and Tim Hudson); after a strong showing in 2000, many expected the Athletics' rotation to rank among the American League's best in 2001. The signing of additional starter Cory Lidle during the 2000-01 offseason helped solidify the rotation's back-end. On offense, the Athletics were loaded; sluggers Miguel Tejada, Eric Chavez, and reigning American League MVP Jason Giambi comprised the core of a powerful Oakland attack. The addition of Johnny Damon, acquired in a three-way trade for Ben Grieve, promised to add a new dimension to the Athletics' offense. A strong bullpen (led by Chad Bradford, Jim Mecir, and Jaso ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
American League West
The American League West is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The division has five teams as of the 2013 season, but had four teams from 1994 to 2012, and had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams currently only reside along the West Coast of the United States, west coast and in Texas, historically the division has had teams as far east as Chicago. From 1998 (when the NL West expanded to five teams) to 2012, the AL West was the only MLB division with four teams. The current champion of this division is the Houston Astros. In 2013, the Houston Astros went from the National League Central to the AL West. That move gives all six MLB divisions an equal five teams and both leagues an equal 15 teams each. Division membership Current members * Houston Astros - Joined in 2013; formerly from the National League West, NL West (1969–1993) and National League Central, NL Central (1994–2012) * Los Angeles AngelsThe Angels were formerly known as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Barry Zito
Barry William Zito (born May 13, 1978) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants. His pitching repertoire consisted of a curveball (his strikeout pitch), a four-seam fastball, a two-seam fastball, a circle changeup, and a cutter–slider. Zito attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles Pierce College, and the University of Southern California. Drafted three times while in college, Zito signed with the Athletics when they chose him in the first round of the 1999 MLB draft. A year later, he was in the major leagues, finishing fifth in American League (AL) Rookie of the Year Award. He struggled to begin the 2001 season but improved greatly down the stretch, finishing the year with an 11–1 win–loss record over his final two months. He won 23 games (while only losing five) in 2002 and won the Cy Young Award. His record was only 14–12 in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jermaine Dye
Jermaine Trevell Dye (born January 28, 1974) is an American former professional baseball right fielder. Dye grew up in Northern California and was a multi-sport star at Will C. Wood High School in Vacaville. Dye attended Cosumnes River College in Sacramento, where he played as a right fielder on a team that reached the playoffs. Dye played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves (1996), Kansas City Royals (1997–2001), Oakland Athletics (2001–2004), and the Chicago White Sox (2005–2009). He won the World Series MVP with the White Sox in 2005. Dye batted and threw right-handed; in his prime, he was known for his ability to hit for power and his powerful throwing arm. Dye announced his retirement on March 31, 2011. Professional career Atlanta Braves Dye was originally selected by the Texas Rangers in the 43rd round (1,210th overall) of the 1992 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign. A year later, he was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 17th round (4 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2001 Seattle Mariners Season
The Seattle Mariners' 2001 season was the 25th since the franchise's inception. They finished with a record, tying the major league record for wins set by the 1906 Chicago Cubs, and setting the record for wins by an American League team. Of those wins, 59 were by four or more runs, a record for the number of games won by such a margin. They also led the majors in both runs scored and fewest runs allowed. The 2001 season was also notable for the Major League debut of star Japanese outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, who led the league in batting average and won both the AL Rookie of the Year and the AL MVP awards. Additionally, the Mariners hosted their second All-Star Game during the season. Winning the American League West division, the 2001 season marked the first (and to date, only) time the Mariners reached the postseason in consecutive seasons. The team defeated the Cleveland Indians in the American League Division Series in five games, but fell to the New York Yankees in five game ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jason Isringhausen
Jason Derik Isringhausen ( born September 7, 1972) is an American former professional baseball pitcher and coach. He pitched in Major League Baseball from 1995 through 2012 for the New York Mets, Oakland Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Isringhausen was, with Bill Pulsipher and Paul Wilson, a member of " Generation K", a group of highly regarded Mets prospects. Isringhausen proceeded to have a successful career as a relief pitcher, recording exactly 300 career saves. He was a two-time All-Star and led the National League in saves in 2004. Early life Isringhausen was born on September 7, 1972, in Brighton, Illinois, one of at least three children of Charles and Georgene Isringhausen. Isringhausen played catcher in high school before being moved to the outfield at Lewis and Clark Community College. Playing career New York Mets (1992-1999) Isringhausen was chosen as a draft-and-follow prospect by the New York Mets in the 44th ro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jim Mecir
James Jason Mecir (born May 16, 1970) is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for five teams over an 11-year career between and . Mecir is notable for having overcome a birth defect (namely club feet) to become an effective Major League pitcher as well as for regularly throwing a screwball. He spent years as a member of the Oakland Athletics and is prominently mentioned in Michael Lewis's bestselling book '' Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game''. Career Mecir attended Eckerd College, and in 1990 he played collegiate summer baseball with the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League. He was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the third round of the 1991 amateur draft. He played for Seattle in , the New York Yankees in and , the Tampa Bay Devil Rays from to , the Oakland Athletics from to , before spending the last year of his career with the Marlins. He announced his retirement on October 2, 2005, following the Marlins' last game ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chad Bradford
Chadwick Lee Bradford (born September 14, 1974) is an American former professional relief pitcher. He was well known for his extreme submarine-style pitching, and his success in Major League Baseball (MLB) despite his unconventional delivery and the slow speed at which he threw the ball (his fastball was only in the mid 80-mph range). This led to him figuring prominently in the Michael Lewis book '' Moneyball'', which in 2011 was made into the film of the same title. Bradford is played by actor Casey Bond in the film. Early life Bradford was born in Byram, Mississippi. His father had suffered a stroke that left him partially paralyzed, so that he could only throw underhand when playing catch with his son. Author Michael Lewis speculates that memories of his father's throwing motion may have contributed to the development of Bradford's pitching style. Bradford went to Byram High School. Unlike most players who become major leaguers, he had not exhibited outstanding athletic ta ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ben Grieve
Ben Grieve (born May 4, 1976) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He batted left and threw right. In his nine-season career, he played with the Oakland Athletics (–), Tampa Bay Devil Rays (–), Milwaukee Brewers (), and Chicago Cubs (2004–). Grieve was a prospect who won the American League Rookie of the Year award while playing for the Oakland Athletics. His father, Tom, was also a Major League Baseball player. High school Grieve attended Martin High School in Arlington, Texas, where he was teammates with Matt Blank and won a Texas baseball championship in 1993. As a senior in 1994, he hit .486. He benefited from receiving hitting instruction from Tom's former teammate and then- Texas Rangers hitting coach, Tom Robson. He also played basketball at Martin. He initially committed to play college baseball at TCU. Professional career Oakland Athletics Grieve was selected by the Oakland Athletics with the second pick of the 1994 Major League Baseball dr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Johnny Damon
Johnny David Damon (born November 5, 1973) is an American former professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1995 to 2012. During his MLB career, Damon played for the Kansas City Royals (1995–2000), Oakland Athletics (2001), Boston Red Sox (2002–2005), New York Yankees (2006–2009), Detroit Tigers (2010), Tampa Bay Rays (2011) and Cleveland Indians (2012). Damon also played for the Thailand national baseball team and was a member of the squad for the 2013 World Baseball Classic qualifiers. Early years Damon was born on Fort Riley, an U.S. Army post in Kansas. His mother Yome is a Thai immigrant to the United States and his father Jimmy is an American of Croatian and Irish descent. They met while his father, a staff sergeant in the United States Army, was stationed in Thailand. Damon spent much of his infancy as an "Army brat," moving to several posts including Okinawa, Japan and West Germany before his father was discharged from the Arm ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jason Giambi
Jason Gilbert Giambi (; born January 8, 1971) is an American former professional baseball first baseman and designated hitter. In his Major League Baseball (MLB) career, which began in 1995, Giambi played for the Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, Colorado Rockies, and Cleveland Indians. He is the older brother of the late MLB player Jeremy Giambi. Giambi was the American League (AL) MVP in 2000 while with the Athletics, and is a five-time All-Star, who led the AL in walks four times; in on-base percentage three times; and in doubles and slugging percentage once each; he also won the Silver Slugger Award twice. Giambi has publicly apologized for using performance-enhancing drugs during his career. Early years Giambi attended Sacred Heart Private Catholic School in Covina, California. He then attended South Hills High School in his native West Covina, where he was a three-sport standout. Giambi was on the baseball team, whose roster also included his brother Jeremy and thr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eric Chavez
Eric Cesar Chavez (born December 7, 1977) is an American professional baseball coach and former third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics (1998–2010), New York Yankees (2011–2012), and Arizona Diamondbacks (2013–2014). During his playing career, Chavez won six Gold Glove Awards (–) and a Silver Slugger Award (2002). Chavez served hitting coach for the New York Mets in 2022 and presently is in the position of bench coach. Early life Chavez was the second of four children born to Cesar and Ruby Chavez in Los Angeles, California. Cesar, who was born in Mexico, was a custodian at an elementary school and Ruby worked at Rancho Bernardo High School. Chavez was baptized Catholic but his mother converted to Protestantism when he was eight or nine years old. Although all four of Chavez's grandparents were from Mexico, he did not learn to speak Spanish. Chavez was an early childhood friend as well as a high school teammate of Eric Munson at ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miguel Tejada
Miguel Odalis Tejada ( Tejeda; born May 25, 1974) is a Dominican former professional baseball shortstop who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for six teams, most notably the Oakland Athletics and Baltimore Orioles, before short stints with the Houston Astros, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, and Kansas City Royals. Tejada spent his first six seasons in MLB with the Athletics, where he began a streak of 1,152 consecutive games that ended with the Orioles on June 22, 2007. He is a six-time All-Star and a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner. In 2002, he won the American League Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award, and was the 2005 All-Star Game MVP. Tejada's nickname is "La Guagua", which means "the bus" in certain Spanish dialects, after his ability to drive in runs. On February 11, 2009, he pleaded guilty to one count of perjury for lying to Congress in his testimony on whether Rafael Palmeiro lied about his steroid use. On August 17, 2013, MLB s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
