Once again and for the last time, let’s look back at the special season that was 2012 for the Oakland A’s. From Bob Melvin to Yoenis Cespedes to Josh Reddick to Jonny Gomes to Ryan Cook to Josh Donaldson, this was a team that truly was greater than the sum of its parts. As a journalist, they were fun to cover because it brought back memories of the early 2000s.
But as a fan, I have never had more fun watching an A’s team than the one in 2012. They defied expectations, a sluggish start and more rookies than a police academy to take down the two-time defending American League champion Texas Rangers at the finish and win the AL West for the first time in six years.
It was a remarkable story, and while duplicating it seems daunting, we shouldn’t forget this team wasn’t even supposed to be in a position to have expectations in the first place. So watch and enjoy…a retrospective on the A’s amazing season.