The report card would give the last 8-10 years of Oakland baseball anything but A's but what's the outlook for 2010 with the prodigy Billy Beane running shop? The most notable players on the roster are Andrew Bailey and OF Rajai Davis, who provides speed and stability at the top of the lineup.
Looking back - The A's had yet another AL-ROY last year in the person of All-Star closer Andrew Bailey. The rookie-righty was handed the closer roll early in the season and he held on tight and never looked back. The NJ native throws hard but has been experiencing some elbow issues this spring which is scary news considering he had Tommy John surgery once before.
Who's In - Beane, notorious for not spending a cent and paring payroll at every turn, actually spent some cabbage this off-season. Did he spend it wisely? Coco Crisp. Is that Money Ball? I'm not going to claim to be a disciple of his pontifications but Crisp brings nothing to the table that this team will benefit from what I can see. He has speed but his inability to get on base negates the speed factor automatically. DH Jack Cust was retained and we all know what Cust brings to the table, homers and K's. That said, I'm still baffled as to why he ever sees a fastball. Ben Sheets missed last season recovering from surgery and is being called on (and paid) to be the ace of this Oakland staff. 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff was acquired from the Padres for Scott Hairston and the net result should be an improvement for the A's. Edwar Ramirez, was just acquired from the Texas Rangers and the former Yankees' RP could be a solid innings eater in front of Bailey.
Who's Out - Nomar, Bobby Crosby, Adam Kennedy, Santiago Casilla, Scott Hairston, and Dana Eveland who were all on last year's roster are gone. Most of them should be filed under the who cares category if you asked me.
Who cares? - The players worth paying attention to on this team are C Kurt Suzuki who is not only a solid defensive catcher but he also is a strong contributor in the lineup (.274/.313/.421 in '09). Daric Barton and Kevin Kouzmanoff are at a stage in their careers where their offensive contributions must increase. To call Barton a disappointment thus far is an understatement. Kouzmanoff has been solid but he must take his game to the next level. Eric Chavez is listed on the depth chart to backup at first and third but the chances of him contributing anything are slim. Justin Duchscherer was retained to provide solid innings out of a rotation that sorely needs the help.
The skinny - the A's are destined for last place. There are so many if factors that need to perfectly align for the A's to be successful and that does not even take the rest of their division into consideration. If they break 72 wins, I'd consider this season to be a success.
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