A's History: Jason Giambi, Ken Waldichuk

With 2024 potentially being the last season of A's baseball in Oakland, it's going to be a season of reflection of all of the memories that we have shared at the Coliseum. With that in mind, this year we are going through each and every player that has worn the green and gold and writing up a couple of paragraphs about their time with the A's, their careers, and sometimes a wacky story from their life in an effort to bring back memories, and perhaps even learn a thing or two about the franchise so many have grown attached to.

Yesterday's birthdays included Jon Lester (and the trade), Dérmis Garcia, Frank Menechino, and the team's second-ever draft pick Joe Keough. 

Birthdays for January 8^th: Ken Waldichuk, Jeff Francis, Jason Giambi, Reno Bertoia, Bert Kuczysnki, Don White, Al Reiss, Art Ewoldt, and Bill Bartley

Ken Waldichuk

Waldichuk was born in 1998 in San Diego, CA and was originally selected by the New York Yankees in the fifth round of the 2019 Draft out of St. Mary's College. He came to the A's with a number of members of the current A's rotation (Sears, Medina) in the deadline deal that sent Frankie Montas and Lou Trivino to the Bronx in 2022. 

Waldichuk made his big-league debut a month later with the A's in Washington, and he went on to collect his first two wins in MLB in games started by Jacob deGrom and Shohei Ohtani. In 2023, he had a rough first half, but once he got his changeup working around midseason, he showed some of the promise that made his a target for the front office. He posted a 4.04 ERA in 14 games in 69 second half innings and also lowered his WHIP to 1.246.

Heading into 2024, the lefty's status is uncertain. After being diagnosed with a flexor strain and a UCL ligament strain, he opted for conservative treatment. As of December 1, he had not to been cleared to start throwing. If he returns healthy in 2024, this could be a big season for Waldichuk. 

Jeff Francis

Francis was born in 1981 in Vancouver, and was another first round selection, this time by the Colorado Rockies in 2002. He was taken ninth overall. The lefty spent eight of his first nine seasons with the Rockies with one year in Kansas City in the middle, and even finished ninth in the NL CY Young voting in 2007 with a 4.22 ERA in 215 ^1/3 innings. With Colorado, 185 of his 197 appearances came as a starting pitcher, but in his final year with the club in 2013, they had him come out of the bullpen in 12 of his 23 trips to the mound. 

He signed as a free agent with the Cincinnati Reds in 2014, made one start that lasted five innings, and then was placed on waivers where Oakland scooped him up. He made nine appearances for Oakland out of the bullpen and held a 6.08 ERA. He was traded to the Yankees after a couple of months, ending his time with the A's. 

He signed on as a free agent with the Toronto Blue Jays as a free agent after the 2014 season, and that would be the final stop of his career. 

Francis also got one at-bat in his time with the A's. He was on the mound in a blowout against the Mets, and with New York up 10-1, he got a chance to hit behind Yoenis Céspedes in the top of the ninth against Vic Black. He struck out. 

Jason Giambi

The Oakland A's haven't had too many superstar level talents in recently. Giambi has been one of the few in the past 25 years. He was born in 1971 in West Covina, CA and was selected by the A's in the second round of the 1992 Draft. He'd make his debut with the A's in 1995, playing 30 of his 54 games at third base. In '96 he moved around between left field, third base, and first base. The A's traded Mark McGwire in 1997 and from that point on, first base belonged to the Giambino. 

Over his six full seasons with the A's, Giambi averaged 30 home runs with 108 rbi and hit .311 with a 415 OBP per season. Those are just insane numbers. He also walked (558) nearly as much as he struck out (571). He won the AL MVP award in 2000, and finished runner-up the following season to Ichiro. After the 2001 campaign, he signed on with the New York Yankees. There's a whole movie (and a book) about it. 

Giambi would return to Oakland as a 38-year-old in 2009, and hit .193 with a .332 OBP before being released in August. Daric Barton would play first base the rest of the season. Giambi was scooped up by the Rockies, and would stay with them through 2012 before signing on for two seasons with the Cleveland Guardians to end his career. 

Giambi also said in March of last year (before the relocation news came out) that he was excited about the A's relocating to Las Vegas, saying "it would be amazing." 

Randy Ready

Ready was born in 1960 and selected in the sixth round of the 1980 Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. He was traded to the Padres in 1986, and then San Diego sent him and John Kruk to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1989. 

Ready signed on with the A's as a free agent in 1992 and played all around the diamond for Oakland, spending time in both corner outfield spots, as well as first, second and third base. He hit .200 with a .329 OBP in 61 games .

Reno Bertoia

Bertoia was born in 1935 in Tagliamento, Italy, was originally signed by the Detroit Tigers in 1953 and would get one plate appearance that season as an 18-year-old. In the top of the first inning, he was spiked on a putout at second base and made an errant throw to first, yet he still came up to bat against Satchel Page in the bottom of the inning. He struck out on three pitches. 

Bertoia was a natural shortstop, but over the course of his ten year career, it was the position he played the least, outside of the three innings he spent in left field.

Bertoia was traded to the A's by the Minnesota Twins in 1961, and spent two months with Kansas City until they traded him back to Detroit, where he'd wrap up his career in the big leagues in 1962 at the age of 27. Bertoia passed away in 2011 in Windsor, Canada. 

Bert Kuczynski

Kuczynski was born in 1920 in Philadelphia, PA and was signed by the A's in 1943. He pitched in six games with Philadelphia (one start) and held a 4.01 ERA across 24 ^2/3 innings. 

Kuczynski enlisted in the Marines, but suffered a knee injury. Shortly after his discharge, he asked Connie Mack if he could play football instead. He was selected in the 19th round of the 1943 Draft by the Detroit Lions and played in five total games. Two in 1943 and three in 1946. He played end and caught two total passes for 13 yards. He later went on to become a high school teacher. 

Kuczynski passed away in 1997 in Allentown, PA. 

Don White

White was born in 1919 in Everett, WA and was selected by the Philadelphia A's away from the San Francisco Seals (PCL) in the 1947 Rule 5 Draft. 

The outfielder made his debut with the A's in 1948, sticking around for two seasons and batting a combined .232 with a .291 OBP. He passed away in 1987 in Carlsbad, CA. 

Al Reiss

Reiss was born in 1909 in Elizabeth, NJ and made it into nine games with the Philadelphia A's in 1932, going 1-for-5 with a walk. He was traded to the Portland Beavers (PCL) for Bill Dietrich, who played six years for the A's. 

The shortstop passed away in 1989 in Red Bank, NJ.

Art Ewoldt

Ewoldt was born in 1894 in Paulina, IA and played nine games for the A's at third base in 1919. He went 7-for-32 with two rbi, a double, and a walk. 

He passed away in 1977 in Des Moines, IA. 

Bill Bartley

Bartley was born in 1885 in Cincinnati, OH and started his career with the New York Giants in 1903, getting into one game and tossing three scoreless innings. There are no transaction records this early in baseball's history, but he showed up again with the Philadelphia A's in 1906 and 1907. His first season was short and rough, but in '07 he tossed 56 1/3 innings and held a 2.24 ERA in 15 appearances (three starts). 

Bartley passed away in 1965 in Cincinnati, OH. 

Tomorrow's birthdays: Kiko Calero, Stan Javier, Don Hopkins, Joe Wallis, Guido Grilli, Ralph Terry, Bob Duliba, Jim Tyack, Dave Keefe, and Jim Mullen