2009 record: 75-87, fourth in AL West
Manager: Bob Geren
Key additions: SP Ben Sheets, OF Coco Crisp, 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff, OF Gabe Gross, SP Jason Jennings
Key losses: IF Adam Kennedy, OF Scott Hairston, IF Nomar Garciaparra, SP Dana Eveland
Outlook: Every team is loaded with "ifs" at this point in the season. The Athletics have a pair of big ones atop their rotation, and if they provide favorable results, a significant step forward is possible in Oakland.
The question marks involve Ben Sheets and Justin Duchscherer, two pitchers who missed all of 2009 due to injury but are slotted 1-2 in the rotation. If (there's that word again) they are remotely like they were the year before, when they combined to go 23-17 with a 2.86 ERA with Milwaukee and Oakland, respectively, then a young and promising rotation becomes a force to be reckoned with.
For Sheets, it was elbow surgery that robbed him of last season. Duchscherer had a back issue. Both have been slow to get going in spring training, Sheets struggling with command and Duchscherer finally throwing to live hitters this week, only to take a line drive off his thumb.
If the tandem is unfit to open the season on the mound, a trio of promising young guns waits in the wings.
Sox fans will remember Brett Anderson, who, at 21 years old, flat-out dominated Boston last season. In three starts against the Red Sox, the big lefty was 2-1 with a 2.05 ERA. He allowed just three earned runs and struck out 17 in 15 innings at Fenway. Fellow left-hander Dallas Braden won his only start against Boston, part of a first half of the season which saw him go 7-7 with a 3.12 ERA.
Trevor Cahill has the inside track on the last spot, but Gio Gonzalez and Vin Mazzaro are in the mix.
In Rookie of the Year Andrew Bailey, just 25, the A's have another young arm to fill the closer's spot, rounding out a potentially powerful pitching staff.
The offense features plenty of speed, and newly acquired Coco Crisp only makes that a more potent threat. But its power comes from Jack Cust and Kevin Kouzmanoff, not exactly a scary sight in the heart of the order.
Although the A's increased their run total by 113 from an anemic 2008, they still ranked last in the AL with 135 homers last year.
Since reaching the playoffs in five out of seven years, it feels as if Oakland has fallen off the planet. There has been little star power and a ton of injuries, but the club has somehow managed to prevent an all-out collapse — its 75 wins in 2009 were by far the most of a last-place team and the A's had a better run differential than five other AL teams.
With no clear-cut favorite in the West, it’s not out of the realm of possibility for Oakland to stick around. If, of course, a few things go right.
What it means to the Red Sox: During three straight losing seasons, the A's have managed to play the Red Sox well, including nine wins in 14 games out west. With Anderson and Braden on the mound, there could be some difficult nights for Boston bats.
We won't see Nomar Garciaparra come to town anymore, but Coco Crisp will face the Sox for the first time since he left the team following the 2008 season when the A's visit Fenway the first three days of June.
