In a division where Houston is up and coming, Los Angeles has always been free-spending, Seattle continues to pick up name players, and Texas is the defending champ, the Oakland Athletics seem to be the forgotten team. They've got some years every now and again where they overachieve, but it sure doesn't look like 2016 is going to be one of them.
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ODDS ANALYSIS
Odds to Win the World Series: +8950
Odds to Win the AL Pennant: +4294
Odds to Win the AL West: +1323
Regular Season Win Total: 76 Games
The Athletics really don't have much of chance to win this division this year, and it's tough to imagine them finishing at .500 when the other four teams in the division should at least be close to pulling off the task.
There aren't many teams in the American League who are really out of the conventional discussion for the playoffs, but Oakland really is one of those teams.
LOOKING AT THE LINEUP
There's really nothing all that special about the A's on paper. The only man who will certainly get to double-digits in steals is Billy Burns, and we aren't sure there's a 20-home run hitter on the squad.
The A's really needed some upgrades this year both in the field and in the lineup, and neither was really made. Adding Khris Davis will add a big thumping bat in the middle of the lineup, but he isn't making up for this power outage on the roster all by himself, especially going into one of the least hitter-friendly ballparks in America.
Davis also won't help out in the field. The Athletics led the majors last year with a whopping 126 errors, and we don't see them improving much in that department this season.
PITCHING STAFF PROFILE
Sonny Gray is a beast. We all know this. He only went 14-7, but he did so on a bad team thanks to his 2.73 ERA. The other four days in the rotation though, are up in the air at best.
Kendall Graveman was expected to be a stalwart in the rotation last year for Oakland, but he only went 6-9 with a 4.05 ERA and had to spend some time in the minors to correct his control. He's expected to be a No. 3 pitcher or so in this rotation, and we just aren't sure he has the stuff to do so. Jesse Hahn, Rich Hill and either Henderson Alvarez or Chris Bassitt will fill out this rotation, and no one is going to be afraid of that group of five outside of Gray.
Scott Doolittle will get the first crack at closing this year, but we aren't all that confident in him. Ryan Madson and John Axford both have a history of closing as well, and they'll be waiting in the wings if Doolittle struggles in the ninth.
THE 2016 SEASON WILL BE A SUCCESS IF…
… Davis and Josh Reddick come out of the blocks with guns blazing and blast plenty of homers. Davis is eligible for arbitration at the end of the season, while Reddick is a free agent to be. Billy Beane would love to get the chance to move both at the deadline for valuable assets.
It's sad that this really is the key for the A's this year, but it's tough to forecast them going anywhere. They need more assets for sure to help out Gray in the rotation, and the best way to do that is by building tradable commodities. Beane is the best in the bigs at that, and unfortunately, adding more assets is the only thing Oakland can hope for in 2016.
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