Five Defining Moments of Athletics’ 2014 Season
By Tony Frye
Jarrod Parker Goes Out For The Year
On March 17th, two weeks before taking the mound as the Athletics’ opening day starter, it was announced that Jarrod Parker was going to have his second Tommy John surgery and miss the entirety of the 2014 season. This was a devastating blow to the A’s pitching staff who had already lost Bartolo Colon and Grant Balfour to free agency. Without a proven opening-day starter, the entire season suddenly seemed in question. A month later, A.J. Griffin was removed for the season for his Tommy John surgery and all hope had been lost.
Until, of course, Sonny Gray and Scott Kazmir turned in stellar performances alongside Jesse Chavez and Drew Pomeranz. Suddenly the pitching staff without an ace had three and, at times, four amazing starting pitchers who brought the confidence of a win with each start. All was not lost.