Here is something that has helped me appreciate the sport of baseball even more than I already do—learning more about the history of the different teams and players. And I’m not really talking about getting to know the record books, big-name players, best baseball teams in general, and all the stuff you’d expect.
No, I’m talking more of the specifics and intricacies; the things maybe only a home-team broadcast would be talking about. These little factoids then lead me to check out different cards of whatever is being thought of, and then down the rabbit hole we go.
So, I thought it would be fun and informative to start looking at some teams. Of course there will be a card tie-in, because how could we not!
The California MLB baseball teams include:
- Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- Oakland Athletics (A’s)
- San Francisco Giants
- San Diego Padres
Of those teams, two are in the American League West – A’s and Angels – and then the three in the National League West (Giants, Dodgers, Padres).
Which Team Arrived in California First?
With five California teams in the MLB, it’s only natural for rivalries to arise—these include the Giants and Dodgers rivalry, the A’s and Giants rivalry, and Dodgers and Angels. So, which team is the rightful owner of California, at least as the first to arrive?
At the root of their rivalry, both the Giants and Dodgers not only moved from New York, but both made the move out West in 1958.
(Did you also know the San Francisco Giants and New York Giants shared the same team name while in NY?)
The Angels have always been a California team, and had their inaugural season in 1961. The A’s then followed, moving out from Kansas City after establishing their franchise in Philadelphia. Last, the Padres got their start in San Diego in 1969.
Which California Team Has the Most World Series Titles?
If we are counting only the titles that came while the team was located in California, this is the breakdown
The Dodgers, who moved to Los Angeles from Brooklyn in the late fifties have captured six titles since doing so, in the years 1959, 1963, 1965, 1981, 1988 (beating the A’s), and 2020.
The Oakland A’s have the most World Series titles of the California Teams with four: 1972, 1973, 1974, and 1989 (note that the A’s had seven more titles before their move to Oakland).
The San Francisco Giants, one of the few teams with black and orange colors, are next with three—going years without a World Series appearance, only to win one in each of the years 2010, 2012, and 2014.
It was the Giants who lost to the Angels in 2002, giving the halos their only World Series victory.
Notably, the San Diego Padres have not won a World Series, and have only appeared twice since they were established in 1969.
Has Any Player Played For All California Teams
To my knowledge and through my own personal research, sadly, I didn’t find anyone who played for all five California teams. There are plenty of players who played for four, though, with the most notable probably being the Man of Steal himself, Rickey Henderson, who played for every California team except the Giants.
Of course, he wasn’t the only player to play for four CA teams. Here are a few other notable names along with the CA team they didn’t play for:
- Dave Kingman (no Dodgers)
- Mike Aldrete (no Dodgers)
- Scott Kazmir (no Padres)
- Brett Tomko (no Angels)
- Steve Finley (no A’s)
Does California Have the Most Baseball Teams?
California has the most baseball teams by far, which you’d expect given the state’s size. That said, Texas only has two teams, the Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros. Many other states have teams in the same city or close by, including Chicago, Illinois (Cubs and White Sox) and New York (Mets and Yankees).
