On December 14, in a blockbuster trade, the Diamondbacks acquired starting RHP Dan Haren from the Oakland Athletics for six players: LHP Brett Anderson, LHP Dana Eveland and LHP Greg Smith ; the above-mentioned just-acquired infielder Chris Carter ; and outfielders Aaron Cunningham and Carlos Gonzalez.

In 1981, a split-season format forced the first ever divisional playoff series, in which the New York Yankees won the Eastern Division series over the Milwaukee Brewers ( who were in the American League until 1998 ) in five games while the Oakland Athletics swept the Kansas City Royals in three games in the Western Division.

Barney died on August 12, 1997, and in his honor that night's game at Camden Yards against the Oakland Athletics was held without a public – address announcer.

Reed Johnson and Jim Edmonds were added early on and Rich Harden was acquired from the Oakland Athletics in early July.

The Rockies also traded away Matt Holliday to the Oakland Athletics for pitchers Huston Street and Greg Smith, and outfielder Carlos González.

The Marlins ' first manager was Rene Lachemann, a former catcher who had previously managed the Seattle Mariners and Milwaukee Brewers, and who at the time of his hiring was a third base coach for the Oakland Athletics.

* John-Ford Griffin ( born 1979 ), American Major League Baseball outfielder ; drafted by New York Yankees in 2001 ; with Oakland Athletics in 2002

" However, the Reds would lose in the World Series to a strong Oakland Athletics team in seven games.

The franchise was established following the actions of Stuart Symington, then-United States Senator from Missouri, who demanded a new franchise for the city after the Athletics ( Kansas City's previous major league team from 1955 to 1967 ) moved to Oakland, California.

The Royals returned to the post-season in 1981, losing to the Oakland Athletics in a unique divisional series resulting from the split-season caused by the 1981 Major League Baseball strike.

Though by the close of the 1989 season the team boasted a powerhouse bullpen in the AL Cy Young Award winner Bret Saberhagen ( set franchise record with 23 wins in ), two time All-Star Mark Gubicza ( 15 game winner in 1989 ) and 1989 AL Rookie of the Year runner-up Tom Gordon ( won 17 games in 1989 ), the organization felt they were still missing a few pieces that would give the divisional rivals Oakland Athletics a run for their money.

Forgotten in recent years is the old division rivalry between the Royals and the Oakland Athletics.

The Athletics baseball franchise played in the city of fountains from 1955 to 1967, after moving from Philadelphia and before moving to Oakland.

In 2006, the Twins won the division on the last day of the regular season ( the only day all season they held sole possession of first place ) but lost to the Oakland Athletics in the ALDS.

They entered the American League along with the Kansas City Royals as part of a hasty round of expansion triggered by the Kansas City Athletics ' move to Oakland.

Mark David McGwire ( born October 1, 1963 ), nicknamed " Big Mac ", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals.

Since, they have played in three additional World Series, including a dramatic run in that ended in a Game Seven loss to the Oakland Athletics, a second championship in against the Boston Red Sox that was cited in the Curse of the Bambino, and a Subway Series against their cross-town rivals the New York Yankees in the 2000 World Series which they lost in five games.

They shocked the heavily-favored Cincinnati Reds " Big Red Machine " in the NLCS and pushed the defending World Series Champion Oakland Athletics to a seventh game, but lost.

The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California.

From to the present, the Athletics have played in the Oakland Coliseum.

Currently, the team wears home uniforms with " Athletics " spelled out in script writing and road uniforms with " Oakland " spelled out in script writing, with the cap logo consisting of the traditional " A " with " apostrophe-s ." The home cap is green with a gold bill and white lettering, while the road cap, debuting in 1994, is all green with gold lettering.

From 1972 through 1980, the team nickname was officially " Oakland A's ," although, during that time, the Commissioner's Trophy, given out annually to the winner of baseball's World Series, still listed the team's name as the " Oakland Athletics " on the gold-plated pennant representing the Oakland franchise.

Henderson was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the fourth round of the 1976 Major League Baseball Draft.

* Jay Alford ( born 1983 ), defensive tackle for the Oakland Raiders drafted in the 3rd Round of the 2007 NFL Draft ( 81st overall ).

In the 1999 draft, he was drafted by the Oakland Athletics with the ninth pick of the first round.

Jeremy opted to attend San Jacinto Community College instead, and was drafted in 2008 by the Oakland Athletics.

Berroa was two years older than thought when he was drafted by Oakland and traded to Kansas City.

He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1995 NFL Draft as the 12th overall pick, and played professionally for the Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders of the NFL.

Arbour ( St. Louis ), Ehman ( Oakland ), Boyer ( Oakland ), Horvath ( Minnesota ) and Rupp ( Minnesota ) were all drafted by the new NHL teams.

Yates attended the University of Hawaii at Hilo before being drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 23rd round of the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft.

After playing college ball at Auburn, Bellhorn broke in the majors with the Oakland Athletics in 1997, drafted in the second round.

Giambi was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 2nd round in 1992, and started his career that year with the short season single A Northwest League's Southern Oregon A's, where he hit. 317 in just 13 appearances.

After graduating from Florida State he was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the second round of the American Football League draft and Detroit Lions in the third round.

He was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 20th round of the amateur draft and signed on June 9, 1987.

Bonderman was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in his junior year of high school with the 26th pick in the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft, a selection that, according to Michael Lewis's Moneyball, caused Athletics general manager Billy Beane to throw a chair through a wall in fury.

Glover was considered undersized, so he dropped to the 34th pick in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL Draft, where he was drafted by the Oakland Raiders.

* Arman Shields, NFL player for the Oakland Raiders ; drafted in the 4th round of the 2008 draft ( Class of 2003 )

Shell was drafted by the American Football League's Oakland Raiders from Maryland State College.

He was drafted by Oakland in the 6th round of the 1997 amateur draft.

Hudson was drafted by the Oakland Athletics twice, in the 35th round of the 1994 MLB Draft and again in the 6th round of the 1997 MLB Draft, signing in 1997.

Hinch was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the third round of the 1996 Major League Baseball Draft.

He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the sixth round of the 1997 NFL Draft.

He played college football at Northwestern and was drafted in the first round by the Oakland Raiders in the 2002 NFL Draft.

Harris was drafted in the first round of the 2002 draft by the Oakland Raiders, the 23rd overall pick.