Bob Geren: The Man Who Led the Oakland A’s to Success in 2002

Bob Geren – The Man Who Led the Oakland A’s to Success in 2002

The Oakland A’s have been one of the most successful teams in Major League Baseball for decades. From the days of the Bash Brothers in the late 1980s and early 1990s to the Moneyball era of the early 2000s, the A’s have consistently been contenders in the American League. One of the key figures during this time was Bob Geren, the man who led the 2002 Oakland A’s to a division title and the American League Championship Series.

Early Career

Bob Geren began his professional career in the Oakland A’s organization in 1989 when he was drafted in the 11th round of the MLB draft. He played in the minor leagues for the A’s until 1992 when he made his Major League debut. Geren played in 44 games during the 1992 season, and then was traded to the San Diego Padres before the 1993 season. He spent the next four seasons playing for the Padres, and then returned to Oakland in 1997 as a coach.

Geren began coaching in the A’s minor league system in 1997, and then was promoted to the Major League staff in 1999. He served as the A’s bench coach for the next three seasons before being named the team’s manager in 2003.

Oakland A’s Manager

Bob Geren took over as the manager of the Oakland A’s in 2003, and immediately led the team to success. The A’s won 96 games in 2003, and finished first in the American League West Division. The A’s went on to defeat the Minnesota Twins in the AL Division Series before falling to the eventual World Series Champions, the Boston Red Sox, in the ALCS.

The A’s continued their success in 2004, winning 91 games and finishing second in the AL West. However, the team struggled in 2005 and 2006, and Geren was fired in June 2006.

2002 Season

Bob Geren’s best season as the manager of the Oakland A’s was in 2002. The A’s finished the season with 103 wins, the second-most in franchise history, and won the AL West Division by a comfortable 14-game margin. Geren’s ability to manage the team’s lineup, bullpen, and pitching staff was a key factor in the A’s success that season.

The 2002 A’s had a talented lineup, led by future Hall of Famers Jason Giambi and Miguel Tejada. The team also had a strong pitching staff, with future Cy Young Award winner Barry Zito and All-Stars Mark Mulder, Tim Hudson, and Cory Lidle. Geren also had to manage a deep and talented bullpen, featuring future All-Stars Keith Foulke and Billy Koch.

Conclusion

Bob Geren was an important part of the Oakland A’s success in the early 2000s. As the manager in 2002, he led the A’s to a division title and the American League Championship Series. His ability to manage the team’s lineup and pitching staff was a key factor in the team’s success that season. For more information on Bob Geren, check out Young Runs.