The Oakland Athletics began the 1990s as a dominant force in baseball, winning the American League pennant in 1990 and 1992 while featuring legendary talents like Rickey Henderson, who earned the 1990 AL MVP, and Cy Young winner Bob Welch. This era was defined by the powerful Bash Brothers duo of Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco, as well as the elite closing of Dennis Eckersley. Toward the end of the decade, the team successfully transitioned into a new competitive window known as the Moneyball years, led by a prolific young pitching staff and a return to postseason contention in 1999.