MLB Season Preview: Oakland Athletics

Another round of discouraging trades leaves the Athletics with little hope for 2012. That doesn't mean they're not an interesting team, though.

Shown here is the popular breakfast cereal Coco Crisp,
cleverly masquerading as the left fielder of the Oakland A's.

Offense: At least half of the A's lineup is composed of guys getting their first chance at a starting job in the big leagues. You know that's the case when the offense's most proven commodity is Coco Crisp. The other 'established' guys, Cliff Pennington and Kurt Suzuki, are all-glove, no-bat types. And the A's don't even really have a third baseman. Still, there are some intriguing players to follow. Brandon Allen and Josh Reddick, at first and right field respectively, have each shown glimpses of potential in the past. Atop the lineup, Jemile Weeks hit .303 and stole 22 bases in his 97-game debut last season. Cleanup hitter Seth Smith has to transition from Coors Field to the cavernous Coliseum, but he was always an underrated player in Colorado (career line of .275/.348/.485). The ultimate wild cards are center fielder Yoenis Cespedes, an uber-toolsy Cuban import whose bold workout video went viral, and Manny Ramirez, who will attempt a comeback after serving his 50-game suspension. No, the A's offense may not be very good. But it sure is...quirky.

Bartolo Colon: Perfectly Spherical.

Pitching: The newest troika of A's aces was supposed to be Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez, and Brett Anderson. Not for long though: Cahill is in Arizona, Gonzalez is in Washington, and Anderson is recovering from last year's Tommy John surgery. Dallas Braden is still around, but he's dealing with a shoulder injury. So Oakland's best option is Brandon McCarthy, a former top prospect who struggled for years with health and unfavorable venues before finally breaking out with a 3.22 ERA in 2011. Bartolo Colon, brought in as a nice scrap-heap signing, should benefit greatly from pitching half his games in the Coliseum. And that's it for the established big leaguers. Tyson Ross missed most of last season. Minor leaguer Tom Milone, acquired in the Gonzalez trade, doesn't have much experience either but boasts pinpoint control. The fifth starter will either be Jarrod Parker, a highly regarded prospect obtained in the Cahill trade, or something called Graham Godfrey (???). Like the rotation, the bullpen is short on known quantities following the trade of Andrew Bailey: it's Grant Balfour, Brian Fuentes, and then whatever sticks.

Yoenis Cespedes is the first-ever YouTube sensation to
be guaranteed $36 million from a professional sports team.

Breakout Candidates: The player on the roster with the most obvious raw potential is Yoenis Cespedes. The A's gave him a big contract and obviously think he can play right away; he viciously clubbed a homer in his second big league game. Jemile Weeks can hit for average and become one of the game's best base-stealers if he improves his efficiency. In the rotation, both Milone and Parker have the potential to develop into fine starters if given the innings.

3 Key Questions: Can McCarthy and Colon repeat last year's unexpected (nay, shocking) success? Is Cespedes the real deal? And which of the young players acquired in the offseason's trades will become big league contributors?

Best Case Scenario: The goofy Cespedes/Manny combination raises attendance figures, Brandon Allen hits 30 homers, the new wave of young pitching impresses, the San Jose territorial dispute with the Giants is resolved, and the A's finish in third place with a bright future ahead.

Worst Case Scenario: Cespedes strikes out 180 times, Manny tests positive again (then promptly re-retires), the offense is dismal, McCarthy gets hurt, the fans stop showing up when they realize their best players are named Coco and Colon, and the A's finish last with no end to the losing cycle in sight.

Predicted Finish: Much like the Mariners, the A's roster has upside even though there's no hope of competing with the Rangers and Angels. Oakland finishes last behind Seattle, but the season features plenty of entertaining bright spots.