1989 Oakland Athletics (99-63)

Manager: Tony LaRussa

After losing the World Series to the Dodgers the previous year, the Oakland A's were hungry to win their first World Title since 1974. The A's, led by manager Tony LaRussa, had a powerful lineup. It featured outfielder Jose Canseco, who in 1988 became the first to hit 40 homers and steal 40 bases in one season. It also had first baseman Mark McGwire, pitchers Dave Stewart and Dennis Eckersley, and shortstop Walt Weiss. However, Canseco missed the first four months of the season. For the loss, they re-acquired speedster Rickey Henderson, who was traded to the Yankees after 1984. Also, Mark McGwire and Dennis Eckersley picked up most of the slack. The A's finished the season with a 99-63 record, with a second straight AL Western Division Championship to go with it.

In the ALCS against Toronto, Rickey Henderson turned this series into his own show as he hit .400 in the series, hit 2 homers, and stole 8 bases. This series was also remembered for Canseco's homer towards the upper deck of the Toronto SkyDome. The A's would win the pennant in five games. The World Series against the Giants would be the first all Bay Area showdown. In Oakland, the A's would outscore the Giants 10-1 in the first two games. The A's would take the 2-0 lead heading across the bridge. In San Francisco, the A's hoped to take the series and become the best team in the Bay Area. But at 5:04pm San Francisco time, an earthquake with a 6.8 magnitude destroyed much of San Francisco, including the Cyprus Structure, in which top level cars crushed lower level cars. New commissioner Francis "Fay" Vincent decided that this series would resume in ten days. After the 10 days passed, the A's would complete the sweep. Ironically, Dennis Eckersley, whose favorite team was the Giants while being a kid, caught the final out. But it was Dave Stewart who took Series MVP honors.