1997 2001[edit]

Tejada developed quickly into a top-notch prospect, showing early signs of power
. He reached the Majors towards the end of the 1997 season, joining a struggling
Oakland Athletics club. Though he only hit .202 in 26 games that year, the A's
saw potential in the 23-year-old Tejada. This was bolstered by his performance w
ith the Edmonton Trappers (AAA) in the Pacific Coast League during the season, a
nd returning to the minors to lead the Trappers to a PCL championship that year.
He was rewarded with the starting shortstop job beginning in 1998.
The A's, and Tejada, steadily improved over the next two years. His hitting impr
oved as he gained more discipline at the plate. In 1998, he hit .233 with 11 hom
e runs and in 1999 his average jumped to .251 with 21 home runs.
After a solid 87-win campaign in 1999, Tejada and a core of young players led th
eir A's to their first American League Western Division title in eight years in
2000. Bolstered by an American League MVP-winning performance by first baseman J
ason Giambi, and aided by Tejada's .275 average and 30 home runs, the A's won 91
games. The A's faced the New York Yankees in the first round of the postseason,
which was won by the Yankees 3-2.
In 2001, Tejada had a comparable offensive year, hitting .267 with 31 homers. Th
e A's captured the American League wild card with a 102-60 record. In the postse
ason, however, the A's fell to the Yankees in five games, blowing an initial 2-0
series lead.