Jose Canseco

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The 1980s and early 1990s at the Oakland Coliseum were defined by noise, speed, and sheer power, with Canseco at the helm. His partnership with Mark McGwire created a phenomenon known as the "Bash Brothers", where opposing pitchers feared facing either slugger in consecutive at-bats. In 1987, the two combined for 80 home runs and 231 runs batted in, making the young pair (Canseco was 22 years old and McGwire 23) the most spectacular batting duo in the upcoming years, drawing comparisons to the likes of Mickey Mantle/Roger Maris, Willie Mays/Willie McCovey, and Hank Aaron/Eddie Mathews. During the preseason of 1988, Canseco guaranteed he would hit at least 40 home runs and steal at least 40 bases in the upcoming season. On September 23, he hit his 40th home run of the year against the Milwaukee Brewers in front of the Oakland crowd. That same day, Canseco stole 2 bases, the second one coming after his first bunt of the season, to become the first 40-40 player in Major League history. With a .393/.446/.753 slash line, 8 home runs, and 24 RBIs in 24 games for the month, he was named the American League's Player of the Month for September.

In Their Own Story

The night air hung heavy over the Coliseum, thick with anticipation. Canseco dug his cleats into the dirt, gripping the handle until his knuckles turned white. The pitcher wound up, and time seemed to slow as the ball left the hand. He swung with everything he had, the wood singing through the humid atmosphere. As the crowd erupted, watching the sphere arc high toward the night sky, he knew this was another moment etched into Oakland history. On July 3, 1988, against the Toronto Blue Jays at Exhibition Stadium during a 16-inning contest, Canseco had a 3-for-7 performance, with 3 home runs and 6 runs batted in. By the All-Star break, he had 24 home runs (1st in the American League), 22 stolen bases, and 67 RBIs (2nd in the AL). He was selected by fans to the All-Star Game as one of the starting outfielders, batting fourth in the lineup. The Oakland Athletics finished the season with a major league-best 104 wins and swept the Boston Red Sox in 4 games in the ALCS. For the series, Canseco had a .313 batting average and hit home runs in games one, two, and four, and all of them either tied the game or gave the Athletics the lead.

Reader's Guide

José Canseco arrived in Oakland during a transitional period that would soon explode into one of baseball's most dominant dynasties. He made his Major League debut on September 2, 1985, striking out in his one at-bat against the Baltimore Orioles. His first hit was off Ron Guidry of the New York Yankees on September 7, and his first home run was off Jeff Russell of the Texas Rangers on September 9. In 1986, he won the American League Rookie of the Year award, defeating California Angels first baseman Wally Joyner, with 33 home runs (4th in the AL), 117 RBIs, 29 doubles, and 15 stolen bases. In 1988, he won the Most Valuable Player award and became the first player in MLB history to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in one season. He won the Silver Slugger Award four times: three as an American League (AL) outfielder (1988, 1990, 1991), and once as a designated hitter (1998). He ranks fourth all-time in Athletics history with 254 home runs. Canseco is a two-time World Series champion with the Oakland Athletics (1989) and the New York Yankees (2000).

Did You Know?

• Canseco made his MLB debut on September 2, 1985.
• From the day of his debut until his last game in MLB (September 2, 1985, until his last career game on October 6, 2001), Canseco hit 462 home runs, but several American League players—including Mark McGwire and Ken Griff
• His 462 career home runs are not the 2nd most in MLB history for a player with less than 2,000 games played; Mark McGwire and others have more.
• Canseco has a twin brother, Ozzie Canseco, who is also a former major league player.
• In 2005, Canseco wrote a tell-all book, 'Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits & How Baseball Got Big', in which he said that the vast majority of MLB players use steroids.