Best Oakland Athletics Players of All Time

Moneyball might have made the Athletics known worldwide, but they had frequently been a front-runner in World Series odds long before Brad Pitt’s Oscar-nominated film. Some of the sport’s greatest players have worn the iconic Athletics uniform, leading to some tricky decisions when choosing the best Oakland Athletics players of all time.

The Athletics first played in Philadelphia, then briefly in Kansas City before settling on Oakland. They have won nine titles and made 29 Playoff appearances.

Here are my five greatest Athletics ever.

Best Oakland Athletics Players of All Time

1. Rickey Henderson

There was no debate over the No. 1 spot in these rankings. Rickey Henderson was an MVP and six-time All-Star as an Athletic, and collected 867 stolen bases for the franchise. He’s the stolen base king with over 1,400 to his name, and he’s also scored the most runs in MLB history.

A Gold Glove winner and with a 137 OPS+ during his time in Oakland, Henderson was much more than a speedster on the bases. He possessed an exceptional eye (only Barry Bonds has more walks), and solid power. 

2. Jimmie Foxx

Jimmie Foxx won consecutive MVPs as a member of the Philadelphia Athletics and led the team in bWAR five times in a seven-year period. His 175 OPS+ as an Athletic is 19 points better than any other hitter.

He posted eye-popping numbers throughout his time with the franchise. Mark McGwire is the only player to hit more homers, and his 1.079 OPS is almost 100 points clear of anyone else. 

Lefty Grove

If the Cy Young award had existed in Lefty Grove’s time, he would have won several throughout his career. Instead, Grove settled for the inaugural MVP award, two Triple Crowns, and nine ERA titles. 

This Lefty was so right.
On this day, Lefty Grove became the first player to be named American League Most Valuable Player. He led the American League in wins (31), ERA (2.06), complete games (27) and strikeouts (175). #CheersToHistory | @coppolawine pic.twitter.com/8sKq92uwt8

— Oakland A's (@Athletics) October 29, 2020

Boasting the best ERA+ in franchise history, Grove is second in pitcher bWAR, despite being fifth in innings. He was utterly dominant for the Athletics, including a 1.75 ERA in 51.1 World Series innings. 

4. Eddie Plank

Eddie Plank has the most bWAR as an Athletic, but his 120 ERA+ pulls him down to fourth in my rankings. While Plank was a well-above-average pitcher, his most impressive attribute was his durability.

Pitching over 1,200 innings more than anyone else for the franchise is a phenomenal achievement. Plank is also sixth in WHIP and has the franchise lead for total strikeouts, but he never received an MVP vote as an Athletic. 

5. Reggie Jackson

Winner of World Series MVP in 1973 and an elite hitter throughout Oakland’s three-peat, Reggie Jackson would have been even higher on these rankings if he wasn’t traded to the Baltimore Orioles after the 1975 season.

Mr. October has the third-most homers and sixth-highest OPS+ in Athletics history. Six of his 14 All-Star selections came during his time in Oakland.