50 best MLB teams that didn’t win the World Series
player. 96. . 103-59. Lost in the World Series. 1990 Oakland Athletics. 23
Coming off the franchise’s first World Series title in 15 years, the 1990 Oakland Athletics were a star-studded group that many expected to be even better than the ’89 World Champs.
Hall of Fame outfielder and leadoff man Rickey Henderson won the AL MVP Award by hitting .325/.439/.577 with 28 home runs, 61 RBI, 119 runs scored and 65 stolen bases. first baseman Mark McGwire (39 HR, 108) and outfielder Jose Canseco (37 HR, 101 RBI) were at their Bash Brother best, who along with outfielder Dave Henderson (20 HR, 63 RBI), gave the A’s one of the most feared lineups in baseball.
The A’s pitching staff included Cy Young Award winner Bob Welch (27-6, 2.95), who is the last pitcher in Major League Baseball to win more than 25 games in a season. Although, Welch was arguably just the third best pitcher on the staff that season behind Dave Stewart (22-11, 2.56), who pitched 11 complete games, including four shutouts (one a no-hitter) across 36 starts, and Dennis Eckersley (0.61, 48 saves), who posted one of the most impressive seasons ever for a reliever.
With a record of 103-59, Oakland won the AL West by nine games, and swept the Boston Red Sox in four games in the ALCS. The victory sent the Athletics to the Fall Classic for the third consecutive season. But as good as the A’s were in 1990, they couldn’t overcome the Cincinnati Reds, who swept Oakland 4-0 in the World Series. And the A’s have yet to make it back.
Next: 1977 Philadelphia Phillies