1970 Oakland Athletics
LeagueAmerican League
DivisionWest
BallparkOakland-Alameda County Coliseum
CityOakland, California
Record89–73 (.549)
OwnersCharles O. Finley
ManagersJohn McNamara
TelevisionKBHK-TV
RadioKNBR
(Monte Moore, Harry Caray)
Seasons

The 1970 Oakland Athletics season involved the A's finishing second in the American League West with a record of 89 wins and 73 losses. In 1970, owner Charlie Finley officially changed the team name from the Athletics to the "A's". An "apostrophe-s" was added to the cap and uniform emblem to reflect that fact.

Offseason

During the off-season, Reggie Jackson sought an increase in salary, and A's owner Charlie Finley threatened to send Jackson to the minors. Commissioner Bowie Kuhn successfully intervened in their dispute. Reggie Jackson demanded $60,000 per season, while he was offered $40,000 by Charlie Finley. Both parties settled on $45,000,[1] but Jackson's numbers in 1970 dropped sharply, as he hit just 23 home runs while batting .237.

Notable transactions

Round 4: Mitchell Page (did not sign)
Secondary Phase[7]
Round 1: Vic Harris[8]

Regular season

  • During the 1970 season, there were rumours of the Athletics attempting to relocate to Toronto.[9]
  • At the end of May, the Athletics were 25–23, and 8 games back of the first place Minnesota Twins.[10]
  • September 21: Vida Blue threw a no-hitter versus the Minnesota Twins, winning 6-0. A walk by Harmon Killebrew prevented Blue from pitching a perfect game.[11][12]
  • The club hired Harry Caray to do the play by play for the Athletics. Charlie Finley wanted Caray to change his broadcast chant of Holy Cow to Holy Mule. Caray refused and left after the season.[13]

Season standings

AL West W L Pct. GB Home Road
Minnesota Twins 9864 0.605 51–30 47–34
Oakland Athletics 8973 0.549 9 49–32 40–41
California Angels 8676 0.531 12 43–38 43–38
Kansas City Royals 6597 0.401 33 35–44 30–53
Milwaukee Brewers 6597 0.401 33 38–42 27–55
Chicago White Sox 56106 0.346 42 31–53 25–53

Record vs. opponents


Sources:
Team BAL BOS CAL CWS CLE DET KC MIL MIN NYY OAK WSH
Baltimore 13–57–59–314–411–712–07–55–711–77–512–6
Boston 5–135–78–412–69–97–55–77–510–87–512–6
California 5–77–512–66–66–610–812–68–105–78–107–5
Chicago 3–94–86–126–66–67–117–116–125–72–164–8
Cleveland 4–146–126–66–67–118–47–56–68–107–511–7
Detroit 7–119–96–66–611–76–68–44–87–116–69–9
Kansas City 0–125–78–1011–74–86–612–65–131–117–116–6
Milwaukee 5–77–56–1211–75–74–86–125–133–9–18–105–7
Minnesota 7–55–710–812–66–68–413–513–55–713–56–6
New York 7–118–107–57–510–811–711–19–3–17–56–610–8
Oakland 5–75–710–816–25–76–611–710–85–136–610–2
Washington 6–126–125–78–47–119–96–67–56–68–102–10

Notable transactions

Round 1: Dan Ford (18th pick)[16]

Roster

1970 Oakland Athletics
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders Manager

Coaches

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI
CFrank Fernández9425254.2141544
1BDon Mincher140463114.2462774
2BDick Green13538473.190429
SSBert Campaneris147603168.2792264
3BSal Bando155502132.2632075
LFFelipe Alou154575156.271855
CFRick Monday112376109.2901037
RFReggie Jackson149426101.2372366

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI
Joe Rudi106350108.3091142
Dave Duncan8623260.2591029
Tommy Davis6620058.290127
Tony La Russa5210621.19806
Gene Tenace3810532.305720
Steve Hovley7210019.19001
John Donaldson418922.247111
Roberto Peña195815.25903
Jim Driscoll215210.19212
Bob Johnson30468.17412
Tito Francona32338.24216
Bobby Brooks7186.33325
José Tartabull24133.23102
Allan Lewis982.25011
Larry Haney220.00000

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player G IP W L ERA SO
Chuck Dobson41267.016153.74149
Catfish Hunter40262.118143.81178
Blue Moon Odom29156.1983.8088
Vida Blue638.2202.0935

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player G IP W L ERA SO
Diego Seguí47162.010102.5695
Rollie Fingers45148.0793.6579
Al Downing1041.0333.9526
Darrell Osteen35.2106.353

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player G W L SV ERA SO
Mudcat Grant7262241.8254
Paul Lindblad628232.7042
Marcel Lachemann413332.7839
Bob Locker383342.8833
Jim Roland283322.7026
Roberto Rodríguez60002.928
Dooley Womack200015.003
Fred Talbot101010.800

Awards and honors

  • Bert Campaneris led the American League in Stolen Bases (42)[18]

Farm system

Level Team League Manager
AAA Iowa Oaks American Association Sherm Lollar
AA Birmingham A's Southern League Phil Cavarretta
A Burlington Bees Midwest League Roy Sievers
A-Short Season Coos Bay-North Bend A's Northwest League Harry Bright

References

  1. Charlie Finley: The Outrageous Story of Baseball's Super Showman, p.134, G. Michael Green and Roger D. Launius. Walker Publishing Company, New York, 2010, ISBN 978-0-8027-1745-0
  2. Manny Trillo page at Baseball Reference
  3. Danny Cater page at Baseball Reference
  4. Diego Seguí page at Baseball Reference
  5. Phil Roof page at Baseball Reference
  6. 1970 Oakland Athletics Picks in the MLB January Amateur Draft
  7. 1970 Oakland Athletics Picks in the MLB January Amateur Draft (secondary phase)
  8. Vic Harris page at Baseball Reference
  9. Charlie Finley: The Outrageous Story of Baseball's Super Showman, p.120, G. Michael Green and Roger D. Launius. Walker Publishing Company, New York, 2010, ISBN 978-0-8027-1745-0
  10. Charlie Finley: The Outrageous Story of Baseball's Super Showman, p.134, G. Michael Green and Roger D. Launius. Walker Publishing Company, New York, 2010, ISBN 978-0-8027-1745-0
  11. Charlie Finley: The Outrageous Story of Baseball's Super Showman, p.140, G. Michael Green and Roger D. Launius. Walker Publishing Company, New York, 2010, ISBN 978-0-8027-1745-0
  12. "Boxscore of Vida Blue No-Hitter". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  13. Charlie Finley: The Outrageous Story of Baseball's Super Showman, p.141, G. Michael Green and Roger D. Launius. Walker Publishing Company, New York, 2010, ISBN 978-0-8027-1745-0
  14. John Donaldson page at Baseball Reference
  15. 1970 Oakland Athletics Picks in the MLB June Amateur Draft
  16. Dan Ford page at Baseball Reference
  17. Steve Hovley page at Baseball Reference
  18. Charlie Finley: The Outrageous Story of Baseball's Super Showman, p.141, G. Michael Green and Roger D. Launius. Walker Publishing Company, New York, 2010, ISBN 978-0-8027-1745-0
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