[Paulie123]

The Oakland Telegraph
7 April 2031
Weaker pitching threatens to create a more challenging season for Oakland
Baseball's back at last! The Oakland A's kick off their 2031 regular season campaign this afternoon, aiming to bounce back from their disappointing loss at the end of last year to Detroit in the American League championship series. Our correspondent Toto Liclueless assesses their chances of returning to the World Series.

Rotation: Oakland had one of the all-time great starting rotations last year. But with 9-time all-star Lucio Vargas now wasting his time, sorry, plying his trade in Washington, and 2030 Cy Young winner Brad Dundee on the disabled list for the entire season, they have a much more youthful and unfortunately much weaker-looking fivesome this time round. They still have superstar Karl Dickson (29/R/5*, 17-9 WL, 2.14 ERA in 2030) as their ace, however. Lefties Ramon Mendoza (26/L/4*, 12-2, 2.42) and Nathan Hamilton (27/L/4.5*, 16-9, 3.43) return too, and they'll need to step up if Oakland are to contend. A pair of wet behind the year youths have the unenviable task of trying to replace Vargas and Dundee. Carl Bates (20/R/4*, 4-2, 2.44) started eight games for the A's last year; he could be very handy if he can address his lack of stamina. This is also rather hampering his ability to hang onto a girlfriend. Fellow infant Antonio Perez (21/R/4*, 5-7, 5.28) made 17 starts for Kansas City before being acquired in the Roy Ellis trade and getting stashed in the minors; he's now let out of the dungeon and is ready to go. Joe Byrd and Touki Toussaint are high quality reserves.

Bullpen: In this baseball universe where most teams' bullpens are predominantly the wrong side of 35, Oakland's relief corps are, relatively speaking, still in their nappies. But they're good, at least on paper. Well, on my iPad. Closer Gonzalo Avila (23/L/3.5*, 8-2, 2.68, 20 SV) is rumoured to throw so hard he can break lead blocks. Throwing in the right direction more frequently would also be helpful. The set-up men are Jose Duran (27/L/5*, 8-5, 3.71), a.k.a. Mr Big BABIP, and last year's fast-developing second round draft pick Kenji Takahashi (22/R/5*, 0-0, 2.77). Frank Sargent (21/L/5*, 0-1, 2.77) and Nathan Boyd (23/R/5*, 5-2, 3.67) could become beasts. Weakling Porter Hawkins (23/R/4.5*, 0-1, 8.20) is a fragile little flower who even gets blown over by the breeze in Minute Maid Park and struggled last year, but has the raw attributes to become very good indeed. Runt of the litter is Jorge Sanchez (27/R/4.5*, 2-0, 4.37). A's pitching coach Ace Onballs is working on getting him to not pitch like he's giving batting practice, but the message seems to not be getting through. Byrd and several young relievers like Armando Rodriguez and Jonathan Hardy are putting pressure on him.

Catcher: Beane loves his options here: two decent guys both on minimum salary for at least the next couple of years, and both called Miguel. Miguel Rojas (26/S/2.5*, .326 OBP, 10 HR, 42 RBI in 2030) is better defensively, while random name generator malfunction Miguel Mason (24/R/4*, .361, 4, 17) is the better bat. They platoon, with Rojas playing against righty starting pitchers, and Mason against the southpaws.

Infield: Star first baseman Luis Trujillo (25/R/4.5*, .348, 30, 104) has been conned slash persuaded to sign a comparatively club-friendly deal that will keep him in Oakland until the end of 2035. Alejandro Gusman (28/L/4.5*, .384, 4, 64) at second base is never short of a bob or two these days, but was below par last season. Liam Brown (24/R/3.5*, .320, 5, 53) plays third base. Hitting the ball towards the fielders seems to be a particular talent of his, but he's good enough and cheap enough for GM Paulie Beane. At shortstop, Juan Jimenez (30/R/2.5*, .358, 7, 57) had a good year in 2030 but the team's scouts seem to think he's hopeless with the bat. Recent arrival Salvador Ortiz (31/R/3*, .320, 20, 56) and defensive specialist (translation: two sandwiches short of a picnic at the plate) Derek Hopkins (26/R/2.5*, .256, 1, 4) are rather too right-handed to form a good quality backup pairing. Max Scherzer Jr is back in the minors, because he's been even more of a "defensive specialist" than Hopkins.

Outfield: With Javier Cruz gone in the offseason, the A's are now so weak defensively at the corner outfield positions that even Dennis Hawkins (29/L/3*, .364, 14, 65) is now actually playing there, in right field. For someone who has just started a new 3-year, $15m per year contract, his batting ratings look worryingly on the wane. He-man William Morris (27/L/4.5*, .343, 40, 117) smashed and bashed everything small, round and white that moved last year, and takes over the designated hitter spot against righty pitchers. Juan Torres (29/R/2.5*, .281, 10, 59) returns for a fourth season as the A's centre fielder. Tasked with filling Cruz's boots is newly-promoted rookie Rob Dyment (24/R/2.5*, drafted 2027 rd 1 by Minnesota), who starts in left field. He's another powerful batter who makes the ball disappear - if he can actually manage to make contact. Fifth outfielder is Corey Hodges (28/R/2*, .330, 12, 32), who will pretend to be a supportive mentor and senior colleague of Dyment's, but in truth will be absolutely desperate to take his place in the starting lineup. All the guys will be looking over their shoulders at the fast-improving prospects Pepe Rios and Jean-Francois Pelletier.

The overall roster will be a concern to Oakland fans. Yes, they got 112 wins last year, but they were well beaten by Detroit in the championship series and now the cracks are showing. The rotation is clearly worse than last year. Key offensive cogs like Hawkins and Gusman look to be on a downward spiral. The bullpen is exceptionally young. There's plenty of power on offense, but can they get on base? Fans at the Coliseum have come to expect a playoff place; it's been a decade since they last missed out. They expect a tilt at the World Series. But after the champagne of the 2020s this year could prove to be rather flat beer. I predict a .500 season and not even a wildcard place, unless Beane can pull off some audacious mid-season trading.