2002 Oakland Athletics season

2002 Oakland Athletics season

The 2002 Oakland Athletics season was the team’s 35th in Oakland, California. It was the 102nd season in franchise history. The team is most famous for winning 20 consecutive games between August 13 and September 4, 2002. The streak was the subject of Michael Lewis’s 2003 book Moneyball.

About 2002 Oakland Athletics season in brief

Summary 2002 Oakland Athletics seasonThe 2002 Oakland Athletics season was the team’s 35th in Oakland, California. It was the 102nd season in franchise history. The Athletics finished first in the American League West with a record of 103-59. The team is most famous for winning 20 consecutive games between August 13 and September 4, 2002. The streak was the subject of Michael Lewis’s 2003 book Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game. A film adaptation of the book, titled Moneyball, was released in 2011. The club’s late-season surge allowed it to hold off the Anaheim Angels, who finished four games behind them at 99-63.

The A’s failed to translate their regular season exploits into postseason success, however, once again failing to make it to the postseason. The 2002 season saw the MLB debuts of second baseman Mark Ellis and eventual starter Aaron Harang. It also saw the free agent signings of Scott Hatteberg, David Justice, and Ray Durham. The season also saw a number of under-the-radar signings, such as reliever Billy Koch and relief pitcher Ted Lilly. It ended with a 6-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins on September 6.