Word of Justice

GM Billy Beane is a realist, and he simply didn't see his team being able to compete with the Angels and Mariners. So he had the guts to do what many general managers wouldn't: He blew up the roster and is essentially starting over.

He acquired 13 prospects in the trades for Dan Haren, Nick Swisher and Mark Kotsay. He's also listening to offers for right-hander Joe Blanton and closer Huston Street.

If Rich Harden stays healthy, the A's will be interesting, and based on Beane's track record of acquiring prospects, better than anyone thinks. Chris Denorfia, Daric Barton and Travis Buck will get the kind of opportunity every young player would love to have.

-- Richard Justice

Preview Poetry

After 10 long years of contending
The A's are no longer pretending
That with a payroll so small
They will win in the fall
So '08 won't have a happy ending

-- Tom Fornelli/Melissa Lockard, FanHouse

Numbers Game

13 - The number of starts made by Rich Harden in the last two years. Harden is a wonderful talent. He has excellent stuff and the results are almost always positive when he pitches, but he isn't on the mound nearly enough. If Harden is healthy, the A's could challenge for second place in the division. If not, it's going to be a long and depressing summer in Oakland.

768 - Combined games played by the A's projected starting outfielders in the majors. By comparison, Torii Hunter, the biggest addition made by the rival Angels this winter, has played in 1,234 major league games. The trades of Nick Swisher and Mark Kotsay this offseason leaves Oakland with one of the most inexperienced outfields in baseball.

.639 - Daric Barton's slugging average in an 18-game cameo in the majors last September. The 22-year-old never slugged over .511 at any level in the minors. If he can flash that kind of power regularly, he could be a legitimate superstar.

-- Andrew Johnson

Fantasy Spin

The A's look quite different from last season from a fantasy perspective without their two most-owned commodities. But even without Dan Haren and Nick Swisher, there's still some value with high upside to be found on this club. Without a doubt, the biggest boom-or-bust is Rich Harden. The A's hurler has burned fantasy owners in back-to-back seasons, but he's still someone who can anchor your staff when he's healthy. Joe Blanton is back to being a solid addition after a successful 2008 campaign. He can surely help the middle of your rotation, but beware of another second-half swoon.

Travis Buck and Kurt Suzuki are two players who could turn some heads this year. Buck has more power in his bat than the seven HR he hit last year (with an elbow injury) and could be an 80-90 RBI contributor. And in Suzuki, I see a possible 15-HR, 70-RBI catcher now that he'll have the full-time gig. Eric Chavez may be on the decline, but he still has 20-HR pop in his bat if he can stay on the field. Jack Cust will need to fight off Dan Johnson at DH before you can count on him for power again. First baseman Daric Barton will be a nice option for average help.

And the three youngsters you really want to keep an eye on are Gio Gonzalez (SP), Chris Carter (1B/DH) and Carlos Gonzalez (OF), the latter two of which might be another year away from the bigs, but have great power potential. Gio Gonzalez could be an immediate help to your staff as soon as this year.

-- Tom Herrera