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2014 Regular Season Recap
The 2014 regular season ended with an AL batting champ (Justin Turner: .359 BA), two 100 RBI men (Josh Donaldson: 109, Yoenis Cespedes: 105), and a near-20 game winner (Jon Lester: 19 wins). Most importantly, it ended with a first place finish in the AL West (101-61).
A 9-game win streak in August and an 11-game win streak in September helped us pull away from the Marines (87-75) down the stretch. We managed to finish third in the league in runs scored (781) despite a power deprived offense that finished 10th in the AL in home runs (142). We had a stellar pitching staff to thank for that, with the AL's #2 starters ERA (3.65) and #1 bullpen ERA (2.71) allowing a total of just 612 runs, tops in the American League. Perhaps most surprising was the team's .691 defensive efficiency, which for much of the season ranked anywhere from 9th to 14th in the league. It finished #4.
It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows in the regular season, though, as CF Jarrod Dyson managed to play only half the season with multiple injuries, while SS Dee Gordon suffered a season-ending ruptured Achilles. Luckily, free agent signee Jose Iglesias (.292) stepped in nicely at short. Sonny Gray had a disappointing 12-11, 4.62 ERA showing in his first full season in the majors, but midseason acquisition R.A. Dickey (11-10, 3.81 ERA) was a nice surprise in the rotation.
Since 2011, the A's had improved their win total each and every year:
2011: 74-88
2012: 94-68
2013: 96-66
2014: 101-61
Armed with our best regular season since 2002 (103-59), we were ready for the postseason.
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