A’s Are Showing Signs of Becoming a Dynasty

The team of the ‘70s may be the team of the ‘90s, too.

With its 4-3 victory over Toronto on Sunday, Oakland won its second straight American League pennant, ending the longest stretch in baseball history without a repeat league champion.

The A’s have power, pitching, speed and style. They defended their title with fun and flair and won in five games with artistry and arrogance. And it seems they’re here to stay.

“I think this is the best team I’ve ever been on,” said designated hitter Dave Parker, who played on the great Pittsburgh teams of the 1970s. “I’ve played on a World Series champion. I’ve played on three NL East champions.”

Last year the A’s swept Boston for the pennant but then lost the World Series to the Dodgers in five games.

“It’s a lot sweeter. A lot better,” Parker said. “Only because it’s been a tough season because of injuries.”

When they talk about teams of the decade, others come close but seem to fall short. The St. Louis Cardinals won three pennants but the team relied almost entirely on speed. The New York Mets had the best talent from 1984-89 but won the pennant only once. The Dodgers won the World Series in 1981 and 1988, but the first was in a split season and the second team hardly hit.

This Oakland team seems to have it all. And the A’s kept up the intensity after winning the pennant last year.

“We did not want to be complacent because of last year’s success,” Oakland Manager Tony La Russa said. “Sometimes you don’t repeat because you back off. I hope people realize how special this team is to have repeated.

“I kind of feel overwhelmed. It’s very hard to do. I think the club right now could fly out of here on their own enthusiasm.”

The A’s won three straight World Series from 1972-74 and five consecutive AL West titles from 1971-75. The A’s of the ‘70s may have been deeper, but this team is not far behind.

That one had Reggie and Rollie. This one has Rickey. That one had Catfish and Campy. This one has Canseco.

La Russa said all that’s necessary to call this team great is a World Series victory.

“I don’t think that there’s a team that can be recognized as great without winning a world championship,” he said. “I don’t feel that way but a lot of people do.”

The last teams to defend pennants were the New York Yankees and Dodgers in 1978. Many champions were favored to repeat; none did.

“I think it’s a lot tougher now because of the free-agent draft,” AL president Bobby Brown said. “The weaker teams get to draft up high and it’s only a matter of time until they get better. And there’s another reason, free agency. We used to have players for their whole career. Now they change teams after six, seven years.”

Jose Canseco said there’s another reason.

“Maybe they get up for us because they can say they beat the AL champions,” he said.

La Russa, soaked in champagne, differed with the majority of his clubhouse on one thing.

“The players like this time better than last year,” he said. “I don’t. I think they’re tied.”