The Philadelphia Athletics

Oakland Athletics

The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....

 season involved the A's finishing fourth in the American League

American League

The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...

 with a record of 79 wins and 75 losses.

Regular season

The Athletics improved 9 games from their 70-84 record in 1951

1951 Philadelphia Athletics season

The 1951 Philadelphia Athletics season involved the A's finishing sixth in the American League with a record of 70 wins and 84 losses.- Offseason :...

 and improved to 4th in the American League. A Most Valuable Player

Most Valuable Player

In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...

 season was turned in by left-handed pitcher Bobby Shantz

Bobby Shantz

Robert Clayton Shantz was a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics , Kansas City Athletics , New York Yankees , Pittsburgh Pirates , Houston Colt .45's , St...

 and the A.L. batting championship was won by Ferris Fain

Ferris Fain

Ferris Roy Fain was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for nine seasons in the American League with the Philadelphia Athletics, Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians...

 with a .320 batting average.

Gus Zernial

Gus Zernial

Gus Edward Zernial was a Major League Baseball left-fielder and right-handed batter who played for the Chicago White Sox , Philadelphia Athletics , Kansas City Athletics and Detroit Tigers...

 hit 29 home runs and drove in 100 RBI while Eddie Joost

Eddie Joost

Edwin David Joost was a shortstop and manager in American Major League Baseball. In 1954, Joost became the third and last manager in the 54-year history of the Philadelphia Athletics. Under Joost, the A's finished last in the American League and lost over 100 games...

 chipped in 20 HRS and 75 RBI. However, outside Bobby Shantz, who went 24-7, their best pitcher record-wise was Harry Byrd

Harry Byrd (baseball)

Harry Gladwin Byrd was an American Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher who played for the Philadelphia Athletics , New York Yankees , Baltimore Orioles , Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers...

, with a 15-15 record. They finished 16 games behind the New York Yankees

1952 New York Yankees season

The New York Yankees season was the 50th season for the Yankees in New York and their 52nd overall, going back to their origins in Baltimore. The team finished with a record of 95-59, winning their 19th pennant, finishing 2 games ahead of the Cleveland Indians. New York was managed by Casey...

. This would also be the last time that the Athletics would finish with a winning record until 1968

1968 Oakland Athletics season

The Oakland Athletics season was the team's first season in Oakland, following their relocation from Kansas City. Their first season in the Bay Area involved the A's finishing sixth in the American League with a record of 82 wins and 80 losses, 21 games behind the eventual World Series champion...

, when the team began playing in Oakland

Oakland, California

Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...

.

Notable transactions

• May 10, 1952: Marion Fricano
  Marion Fricano
  Marion John Fricano was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched all or part of four seasons in the majors, from until , for the Athletics .-External links:*...
  
   was purchased by the Athletics from the Brooklyn Dodgers
  Los Angeles Dodgers
  The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
  
  .

Roster

1952 Philadelphia Athletics
Roster
Pitchers		Catchers Infielders		Outfielders		Manager Coaches

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos	Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
1B		145	538	176	.327	2	59
2B		75	213	47	.221	0	17
SS		146	540	132	.244	20	75
OF		145	549	144	.262	29	100

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
	9	10	2	.200	0	1

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
	33	279.2	24	7	2.48	152
	37	228.1	15	15	3.31	116
	6	30.2	2	2	6.46	17

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	W	L	SV	ERA	SO
	18	1	2	0	6.44	14
	2	0	0	0	1.80	0

Farm system