Oakland A's 2003 Season Preview

Tejada leads the A's

This is a fine young ballclub that could become World Champions in '03 if they can avoid their notoriously slow starts and weak playoff showings of the past three years. Add to that the fact that his will probably be MVP Miguel Tejada's final season in Oakland and you have a highly motivated team with something to prove. Don't get me wrong -- this is a team that tied the Yankees for most victories (103) in the majors and gained national attention with a cliff-hanging 20-game win streak coming down the stretch. Still, they are haunted by their inability to climb above the first level of the playoffs.

These A's have evolved over the past few seasons from a developing team with lots of questions to an experienced one that has worked together for several years. And despite their reputation for a laid back clubhouse full of practical jokers, this is a team that is stone serious when they get between the white lines. They have two players with the longest current consecutive game streak (Tejada, 432, and Terrence Long, 399) and 2002 rookie second baseman Mark Ellis immediately impressed his teammates with his hard-nosed attitude.

General Manager Billy Beane has done an amazing job, given his under 50 million payroll year after year. He obviously loves working his magic. After coming that close to taking the Boston GM's job last winter, he decided to return home for one more season of watching the waiver wire and trading for dark horses who blossom in the East Bay.

Back in the days of the Bash Brothers, the A's were based on power, though in Dave Stewart and Bob Welch they had some pretty good pitching. Nowadays, Oakland's foundation is pitching, although in Tejada and Eric Chavez they have a couple of the finest young sluggers out there. But, oh that rotation. Three perennial Cy Young candidates and nary a one of them is over 27. Left-handers Mark Mulder (19-7, 3.47) and 2002 Cy Young winner Barry Zito (23-5, 2.75) are tied for most wins by an AL pitcher the past two seasons, 40 each. At 27, the "grand old man" of this triumverate, Tim Hudson, went 15-9, 2.98 and with some help from the bullpen should have won 20. In eight of his 10 no-decisions he left with a lead, only to have a reliever blow the save eight times. And in his nine losses his teammates provided him with a mere 13 runs. It is not inconceivable that this trio could win 20 games apiece---but they had better get on it because in the next few years they all become free agents. Just like the Expos of the early '90s the young talent moves on in the face of penurious ownership. None of the Big Three is a true fireballer. Zito has become famous for his wicked, looping, biting curveball that appears to start at the shoulders and winds up at the knees. Hudson is a ground ball pitcher with three excellent pitches---sinker, slider and splitter. Mulder has a low 90s fastball with a variety of good pitches, but his strongest points are control and command.

Former Yankee Ted Lilly is the number four pitcher. He also has a low 90s fastball with a big curve, but has a funky delivery in which he hardly uses his legs, putting pressure on his upper body, making him injury prone. The A's are hoping homegrown propsect Aaron Harang, now the number five starter, can learn his craft and be ready to move higher in the rotation when the others move on. At 6' 7", 240 pounds he can really bring it but has control problems.

For reasons still not entirely clear to me, the A's swapped closers with the White Sox, Billy Koch for Keith Foulke. Maybe they felt after pitching in a club record 84 games that Koch is going to break down. But Foulke reported to camp out of shape in 2002 and lost the Chicago closer's job. On a team as budget conscious as the A's mistakes are not tolerated and Foulke reportedly was in good shape when he donned the Oakland uniform for the first time in February. We all know how important relievers are in short series like the playoffs, so the bullpen ranks as one of the A's primary concerns going into 2003. So does the off-season surgery to the formerly reliable Jim Mecir. Submariner Chad Bradford is sound and lefty Ricardo Rincon did a great job after arriving from Cleveland mid-season. Another Cleveland castoff, Roy Smith, will vie with a number of unknowns for the remaining bullpen spots.

The left side of the infield is as good as they come. Third sacker Eric Chavez (.275, 34, 109) is probably ready for a breakthrough season like Tejada (.308, 34, 141) had last year. Chavez won Gold Gloves the past two years. Tejada has always made the spectacular plays, but as he has matured he has learned that making the routine play is imperative. Ellis is a good fielder and may develop into a solid offensive force. First base is manned by Scott Hatteberg, who had career highs in homers (15), RBI (61) and walks (68).

Newcomer Chris Singleton, a fine centerfielder with a decent bat, has shorn up the outfield. His strong defense allows them to move Terrence Long, who was never comfortable in center, back to a more suitable leftfield. Long's average dropped to .240 after hitting .288 and .283 his two previous seasons with the A's. With the pressure of covering so much ground in center maybe his batting prowess will return. Jermaine Dye (.252, 24, 86), the right fielder, also disappointed with the lumber last year, but he missed the first month with a fractured tibia and didn't get on track until after the break. In the second half he whacked 18 homers and drove in 53. If Long and especially Dye hit like they are capable of doing, a lot of the pressure is lifted from Tejada and Chavez.

Catching also his improved. Ramon Hernandez caught 135 games, but his offense struggled once again. With the arrival of back-up Mark Johnson from the White Sox, Hernandez, a fine defensive backstop, will be able to rest more and, hopefully improve his offense, originally his strong point.

This could be the A's season. If they get off to a good start, if Hudson, Mulder and Zito pitch like they are expected to and Tejada, Chavez, Hatteberg, Dye and Long wield big clubs, the questionnable spot is the bullpen. They are as strong a club as any in the game, their starters perhaps the best. They will have to defeat the World Champion Angels and tough Mariners to take their division. It will be a close, exciting race.