We really can’t believe how far we’ve come in just two years. Our All-Star representative in 2012 was Ryan Cook, who fans were still getting to know. Since then we’ve seen our team grow through trades, acquisitions and player development and our reward is a 1st place team with 7 All-Stars, looking to win our third-straight AL West title.  So the second half of the season begins and as we’re making Postseason preparations in our ticket office, it’s our hope that every fan and Season Ticket Holder come out to every game they can and purchase their Postseason tickets when the time comes. We want that for one simple reason: we want to share the amazing moments that come with pennant race and the Postseason with our fans who have supported the team through thick and thin. This is the biggest season ticket base we’ve ever had and we’re so grateful to all of our Season Ticket Holders for their commitment and investment in the team. Thank you again, and let’s see what this team can do in August, September and October.

 

Bleacher Report came out and put together a cool video showcasing our Premium Seating areas and featuring our Premium Seating Manager, David King. Click here to check it out!

We’ve taken our first steps in 2013. Our fans have been a huge part of our success early on as the Coliseum still has the playoff atmosphere left over from October. Opening weekend was fantastic, the crowd was electric for Tigers’ series and we already had our first walkoff. As we take a look at some images over the first month of the season, we want to give special thanks to all of our Season Ticket Holders and fans who’ve supported us throughout last year and in this young season. Thank YOU!!

As 2013 begins, A’s fans begin to think about the upcoming season as reigning AL West Champions. By now they’ve finally come down from the incredible journey that the team took them on in 2012. But as the new year begins we can’t help but think of exactly where we were as 2012 began:

 

December 2011: Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez, Andrew Bailey, Ryan Sweeney had all been traded. Leaving many A’s fans wondering not just how good our team would be in 2012, but just who are these players we traded for? Here are the notable players acquired in those trades: Jarrod Parker, Tommy Milone, Josh Reddick, Ryan Cook and Derek Norris. With the moves the Angels made along with the Rangers’ lineup, many pundits pick Oakland to lose 100+ games.

January 2012: A’s trade pitchers Moscoso and Outman for Seth Smith and sign free agent Jonny Gomes

February  2012: A’s sign Yoenis Cespedes

As the depth began to shape up, there was one main thing that stood out: we had highly-regarded players all across the roster that had some big league experience but had not yet played a full season: Jemile Weeks, Parker, Milone, Reddick, Chris Carter, Josh Donaldson. We knew what we were getting from some players (Coco, Suzuki, McCarthy, Penny) but left to wonder about what will come from the other players yet to have a full season under their belt.

March 2012: A’s depart for Opening Series in Japan. Many players say this trip brought the players together. After all, there were hardly any returning starters from the 2011 team. Play began with the A’s facing off against Seattle. As a interesting taste of things to come, actually a microcosm of the A’s style of play throughout the season, Game 2 of the series saw Cespedes and Reddick go back-to-back along with solid defense and great pitching. See the highlights HERE.

April 2012: A’s sign 3B Brandon Inge. Knocks in 13 RBI in first 10 games and assures A’s fans with quality defense.

June 2012: A’s call up 1B/OF Brandon Moss. Hits 7 HR in first 13 games with the club. Later in June, A.J. Griffin makes his MLB debut in an impressive performance against the Giants that ends with a Derek Norris walk-off HR. At the end of June, 1B Chris Carter is called up. Moss and Carter combine to be probably the best 1B platoon in all of baseball for the rest of the year.

July 2012: A’s complete 4-game sweep of Yankees in dramatic fashion, proving to all of baseball that the A’s can beat any team on any day. Click HERE for highlights from the final game of the sweep. A’s go on to have the best record in baseball in July and begin to steamroll throughout the second half of the season.

August 2012: Brett Anderson returns to the A’s after recovering from surgery. He seems to be almost more dominant than he was before he got hurt and proves to be a major jolt for the A’s as the season progresses. Also in August, A’s sign SS Stephen Drew to add depth to the infield. Drew plays a big part of the A’s success the rest of the year.

September 2012: Some of the best games all year. As the AL playoff picture begins to take shape, Oakland fights with Baltimore, New York, Texas and Anaheim for a playoff spot. We get swept by Anaheim at home, including Brandon McCarthy going down with a scary injury. Then go on the road to sweep Seattle and Anaheim in 6 games. Then take two of three from Baltimore at home before going 4-6 on a 10-game road trip that many A’s fans thought could be the end of their magical run (3 at Detroit, 3 at New York, 4 at Texas). All of those games are why we’re fans of baseball. You take it game by game. You don’t look ahead at the schedule. You focus on the game that day, prepare for the game that day, and try to win the game that day. After the roadtrip, the A’s return to sweep the Mariners and Rangers in some of the best games and comebacks A’s fans have ever seen.

You don’t know how many people I’ve talked to that said “you know, I’ve had season tickets for a long time and this was by far the best season and the most fun I’ve ever had.” I listed some of the bigger moments above and who joined the team and when, but that doesn’t begin to point out all of the ups and downs, the amazing moments and plays made all year. In April, it was more “let’s see what these boys can do.” In May-June it was “I think we may be on to something here.” In July-August it was “we can beat anyone, any day.” September and October was equivalent to the 9th round of a heavyweight fight, with A’s fans hanging on every pitch.

After an amazing 2012 season, April can’t come soon enough.

There have been more than a few plays this season so far that A’s fans will never forget. Those “I can’t believe that happened” moments. Here are a few plays if you want to relive them again (and again, and again):

Coco getting picked off and somehow eluding TWO tags vs. NY:

 

The Donaldson-Rosales-Carter triple play against Minnesota:

 

Top of the ninth, two out, tying run on first against Baltimore. Pinch runner Xavier Avery tries to steal second and is thrown out by Derek Norris to end the game. The energy in the building that night was ridiculous and to win that way was an amazing moment. I think Norris’ reaction says it all:

It seems like someone different is stepping up for A’s each game to seal the victory. One day Chris Carter hits a three-run bomb, another day A.J. Griffin goes perfect through 5 innings en route to another win. Maybe Pennington goes 4-4 with 2 RBI and 2 runs. With that in mind, we’ve started a new game in the Ticket Office. It’s called “Another Day, Different A”. The way it works is each person in the department picks the player they think will step of for the A’s and be the top performer that game. Any player is available and can be selected more than one person. The photo shows the board from the Friday night demolition of the Red Sox, that ended up finishing 20-2. How do you pick who was the top performer when the team puts up 20 runs? To keep it fair, we use ESPN’s Scorecenter app which shows the ‘top performer’ from each team once the game goes final. That night it was Brandon Moss, who went 4-5 with two doubles, a home run, 4 RBI and 4 runs scored. We’re keeping track of who gets the most correct selections and the winner at the end of the year will win a PTBNL (prize to be named later).

As you might have heard, the Raiders played their first preseason on Monday. This means it’s time for us to say goodbye to our normally pristine outfield. This photo was from last week as the Stadium Crew were converting the stadium to football configuration:

The A’s lead the league in walk off wins this year with 11! The craziest part about it is Coco Crisp was the first Athletic to contribute for 2 of those wins. How many different A’s are going to step up and win a game for the A’s? Here’s a photo collection of all of the walk off wins to this point:

April 11: Jonny Gomes flexes after winning the game with a rare walk-off HBP.

April 25: Kila Ka’aihue’s flare was enough to boost the A’s over the White Sox.

May 8: Brandon Inge crouches to make sure his walk-off GS stays fair against Toronto.

June 21: Yoenis Cespedes blasts a line-drive walk-off HR to finish off the Dodgers.

June 24: Derek Norris’ first career HR won it against the Giants.

July 3: Coco’s sac fly against Boston scored Cliff Pennington and sealed the W.

July 6: Josh Reddick doubles in Jemile weeks and gets the customary ‘pie treatment’.

July 8: Chris Carter drops a walk-off bomb against Seattle and flies into home plate.

July 18: Brandon Hicks pulls a ‘Norris’ by walking off with his first career HR.

July 20: Brandon Moss delivers the winning run against the Yanks.

July 22: Coco completes the sweep against the Yanks with his second walk-off.

Check out our photos we put up! We’ve had some fun over the years with the different theme days. Clockwise from top-left: the entire Ticket Services crew on ’70s Turn-Back-The-Clock Day, Ticket Services doing the YMCA, everyone on ’80s Turn-Back-The-Clock Day and the Ticket Operations department at our company softball game.

Sunday, July 8th vs. Seattle marks our Turn-Back-The-Clock Day this year. We’re taking a trip back to the 1950s but need your help with costume ideas! What are some good looks and styles unique to that era? Should we dress as T-Birds and Pink Ladies? Or dress like we’re right out of ‘American Graffiti’? Please comment below with your ideas!