1976 Oakland Athletics season
| 1976 Oakland Athletics | |
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| Results | |
| Record | 87–74 (.540) |
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| Owner(s) | Charles O. Finley |
| Manager(s) | Chuck Tanner |
| Local television | KPIX-TV |
| Local radio |
KNBR (Monte Moore, Bob Waller) |
| < Previous season Next season > | |
The 1976 Oakland Athletics season involved the A's finishing second in the American League West with a record of 87 wins and 74 losses, 2½ games behind the Kansas City Royals, meaning that the A's failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 1970. This team set and still holds the American League team record for most stolen bases in a season with 341.
The Athletics would not eclipse this season's win total until 1988 (when they won 104). Indeed, nearly all of the team's stars (Sal Bando, Rollie Fingers, Gene Tenace, Joe Rudi, Bert Campaneris, Don Baylor, Phil Garner, Billy Williams, Claudell Washington, and an injury-plagued Willie McCovey) would depart during the 1976–77 offseason. This staggering mass exodus contributed led to a 24-win plunge in 1977.
As the 1976 season got underway, the basic rules of player contracts were changing. It was ruled that baseball's reserve clause only bound players for one season after their contract expired. All players not signed to multi-year contracts would be eligible for free agency at the end of the 1976 season. Finley reacted by trading star players and attempting to sell others. On June 15, 1976, Finley sold left fielder Joe Rudi and relief pitcher Rollie Fingers to Boston for $1 million each, and pitcher Vida Blue to the New York Yankees for $1.5 million. Three days later, Bowie Kuhn voided the transactions in the "best interests of baseball." Amid the turmoil, the A's still finished second in the A.L. West, 2.5 games behind the Royals.
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Wikipedia