PROGRAMMING NOTE: NBC Sports California is looking back at the A's 50 Memorable Moments since the franchise relocated to Oakland in 1968. Below are the next two moments you can vote on. Tune into A's Pregame Live tonight at 6:30pm to watch highlights of the two moments. After the A's and Royals conclude, tune into A's Postgame Live to see which moment will move on to the next round!
1. Dallas Braden's Perfect Game on Mother's Day 2010 (Eight-time winner -- Defeated Mark McGwire's 538-foot home run off Randy Johnson in the Kingdome in 1997)
(From Dallas Braden)
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Well, they haven’t taken it away yet so I guess it might not be a dream after all. It’s still insane to think that on such a special day for so many people, my teammates and I were able to etch ourselves into the hearts of A’s fans everywhere.
In the moment, I had no clue. At the same time, I was fully aware. Completely focused and emotionally distracted at the same time. Hell, I talked myself into the wrong count in the last at-bat of the game. The 27th out. In that moment I had no clue. No clue I’d become the vehicle for such an emotional moment shared between mothers and their families across baseball that special day. I do believe that’s what I was -- merely a vehicle to connect people through our beautiful game. My mom, along with the baseball gods, and Landon Powell, I guess, all steered us down the path of history and to be able to share and relive those special moments and memories is a blessing a young little leaguer can only dream of.
I hope that through my passion for the game you feel the same love I, myself, my wife, baby girl, and grandmother have felt from each of you, the fans of the Green & Gold. We couldn’t be happier to share this Mother’s Day and every Mother’s Day from here on out, TOGETHER! It’s a perfect fit if you ask me.
VS.
2. Bob Welch's 27-win 1990 season
(From Dave Stewart, A's pitcher from 1986-1992, 1995 and current NBC Sports California analyst)
Oakland Athletics
That was an unbelievable season. I’m mean it really seemed like he was destined to win a lot of games. He threw the ball really well that year, he was just unbelievable.
He pitched above the strike zone. People often wonder how he could pitch high in the zone like he did, but he was never right at the belt, he was always just above the strike zone. He had a 12-to-6 breaking ball, he was starting to sink the ball at the time, he was also cutting the ball at that time, Bobby was adding to his game is what he was doing.
Bobby, when he was younger was pretty much a fastball, breaking ball pitcher, he didn’t use the change-up very much, tried to, but he didn’t have one, so he was pretty much a fastball, breaking-ball pitcher, but as he got older, he started to cut the ball and sink the ball, and he was just incredible that year. Everything he did was just right.
Nobody wins 27 games, he had the touch of gold that year, everything went right.
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