This team was disappointing for one reason- Tony LaRussa. Mr. Computer couldn't figure out why his team, the best in baseball by far, couldn't beat the Cincinnatti Reds led by Barry Larkin and Jose Rijo or the Los Angeles Dodgers with great stars like Kirk Gibson and- no, not Mickey Mantle, MICKEY HATCHER. Not only did the A's lose to these teams, they lost by a combined total of eight games to one! Oh yeah, they won one World Series over Will Clark's Giants in 1989. What a relief for Tony! This team should have won at least three World Series and they managed just once! Yet Tony LaRussa is credited as one of the best managers in baseball? How?!

On paper they looked unstoppable. But three trips to the big dance and they came away with one title. And they needed an earthquake to help with that. Pretty high on the let down scale, in my opinion.