Posted on: Tuesday, August 14, 2001
Streaking A's on a mission in 2001
Associated Press
OAKLAND, Calif. — Jason Giambi still wore his dusty uniform as he stepped over the remote-control cars on the clubhouse floor and stood below the glossy photos of pro wrestlers that decorate his locker.
When asked to describe the methods behind the madness of the Oakland Athletics' 11-game winning streak, the AL MVP glanced around the room at his teammates.
He saw a bunch of millionaire ballplayers smiling and laughing like kids.
"We just like to have fun together, and you see that on the field," Giambi said. "There's nothing in the world that's more fun than the way we're playing right now."
Giambi had just hit a preposterously dramatic two-out home run in the bottom of the ninth Sunday to give the A's a 4-2 victory over the New York Yankees, sweeping the world champions at the Coliseum for the second time this season.
The victory, celebrated by a screaming, sellout crowd, gave Oakland the second-longest winning streak in team history — second only to a 14-game run in 1988. Giambi, whose homer also was his 1,000th career hit, took a triumphant curtain call to cap a perfect homestand.
"I'm just trying to put the team on my back and carry them to the postseason," he said. "It's just like last year in that respect, but this year, the supporting cast is a lot better."
With Giambi leading the way, the hard-hitting, longball-loving, we-are-family A's of last season are back. But this time, they could be even more dangerous than the team that stretched the Yankees to five games in last season's AL division series.
After an 8-18 start, the A's have won 33 of their last 43 games, streaking to baseball's third-best record at 68-50. Oakland, which leads Boston by two games for the AL wild card, trails only the Yankees (69-49) and the untouchable Seattle Mariners (85-33).
"They came out of last year with a lot of confidence because of what they did to us," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "You've seen that confidence in the way they've been getting back into this race."
The A's have a year's experience with the pressures of the stretch run and the postseason, and their talented young pitching staff is maturing before their eyes.
Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder and Barry Zito all are in top form, and fourth starter Cory Lidle has never pitched better. Boston catcher Brian Daubach said he would fear Oakland's hurlers more than the Yankees' high-priced staff in a five-game division series.
Over the last 14 games, Oakland's starters are 10-0 with a 1.78 ERA. Individually, their numbers are just as remarkable.
Mulder, who leads the AL with 15 victories, hasn't lost since July 1; Zito has a 0.39 ERA in his last three starts; Lidle has won six of his last seven starts; and Hudson — who will start today as Oakland opens a road trip in Toronto — has one loss in his last seven starts.
"We've got a great staff that's really close to each other, but there's some competition there, too," Mulder said. "You don't want to let the other guys down, so when Huddy or Barry or Cory throws a great game, that motivates you."
The A's offense has been energized by Jermaine Dye, who's hitting .303 with four homers and 19 RBIs in 18 games with Oakland — and preventing opponents from pitching around Giambi as much. Johnny Damon, an early season disappointment in the leadoff spot, is hitting .409 in August.
But the A's still love the "jimmy-jack" — Giambi's favored term for the game-breaking home runs that have been the franchise's calling card since Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco formed the Bash Brothers nearly 15 years ago.
All three of the A's hits against the Yankees on Sunday were homers. Miguel Tejada and Eric Chavez broke up Mike Mussina's perfect afternoon with back-to-back blasts in the fifth inning.
That set the stage for Giambi, who has 10 homers and 31 RBIs in his last 30 games.
For all that production, manager Art Howe values Giambi's leadership as much as his offensive contributions.
Despite his tattoos, motorcycles and wild style, Giambi is an old-school team captain in the Mark Messier mold, as his words and his teammates attest. He has refused to sulk or get happy feet as he heads toward free agency this fall.
"I just want to get us into the playoffs. That's the best negotiating tool," Giambi said with a grin.
Even the A's notoriously laconic fans are catching on to their team's magic. Oakland drew 238,000 fans to the six-game homestand — and relatively few were cheering for the Red Sox or the Yankees, as traditionally happens when the East Coast's most venerated teams play before fans transplanted to California.
The A's third sellout crowd in five games stood, stomped and shook the Coliseum long after Giambi's homer settled in the seats.
"It was an electrifying atmosphere, and we played electrifying ball," Howe said.
