[Paulie123]

The Oakland Telegraph
12 April 2032
World champion A's big favourites to repeat
By Hope Lessatpredicting, crystal ball correspondent

Pretty much every year, this newspaper's preseason preview special edition comes out and cautions against the A's prospect of success. Pretty much every year, we're proven totally wrong. So, breaking the habit of a lifetime, we'll instead forecast that the A's will win it all again. Not only that, we think they'll get 160 wins. For definite. It's a done deal. They might as well not bother playing the season. But just in case the other teams do decide to turn up and compete against the all-conquering, invincible A's, let's take a look at the 25 players on their active roster to begin the year.

Rotation: All five guys are all-stars. The twin aces heading up the A's rotation, Karl Dickson (30/R/4.5*, 19-8 WL, 3.25 ERA in 2031) and Brad Dundee (28/R/4.5*, disabled list all season), both have something to prove. Dickson aims to bounce back from a season last year where he started very poorly. Although it was barely reported, Dundee missed the entire 2031 season with a torn rotator cuff and will want to get back to his Cy Young-winning form of 2030. Young righties Antonio Perez (22/R/4.5*, 17-11, 3.45) and Carl Bates (21/R/4.5*, 9-9, 2.74) would be the ace on some of the basket case teams in this league, but are only number 3 and 4 starters here. Lefty Nathan Hamilton (28/L/4.5*, 18-6, 3.16) had a good 2031 including his first all-star selection, but is anxiously looking over his shoulder at the pitching talent waiting on Oakland's minor league roster and gulping nervously at what he sees.

Bullpen: Jose Duran (28/L/4.5*, 9-3, 3.12, 20 SV) continues as closer, and will keep the role. Until he loses it. The set up pair of Nathan Boyd (24/R/4.5*, 3-2, 2.51) and Frank Sargent (22/L/5*, 4-1, 2.51) can get outs simply by intimidation of opposition batters with their hyper-good stuff. In middle relief, the irritating underperforming duo Gonzalo Avila (24/L/5*, 4-5, 3.90) and Porter Hawkins (24/R/5*, 2-1, 4.10) need to stop being so nice to batters. 2031 draftee Esteban Mendez (22/R/4.5*, drafted 2031 supp rd 1 by Oakland) will shortly be making his MLB debut, while Jonathan Hardy (27/R/3.5*, 0-0, 2.92), you are the weakest link, goodbye. The likes of Brandon Lee, Sergio Chavez and Armando Rodriguez are awaiting their chance.

Catcher: Taking the dominant role in the platoon by playing against righty pitchers is Miguel Rojas (27/S/3*, .337 OBP, 9 HR, 51 RBI in 2031). The other half is Miguel Mason (25/R/4*, .354, 7, 37), who is great with the bat but often unable to catch very well, which is somewhat of a career-limiting affliction when you claim to be a "catcher".

Infield: Superhero first baseman Luis Trujillo (26/R/4.5*, .367, 42, 126) is the A's best batter these days. That used to be true of multi-millionaire Alejandro Gusman (29/L/4.5*, .375, 16, 70) at second base, who has seemingly forgotten that one's performance level ought to be at least in broad proximity to one's earnings. Shortstop Liam Brown (25/R/4.5*, .353, 13, 71) and third baseman Juan Jimenez (31/R/2*, .334, 11, 90) swapped positions during the last season and are firmly ensconced there, or so they claim. Infield reserve Salvador Ortiz (32/R/2.5*, .340, 25, 68) was, no offence to you mate, surprisingly good in his first year with the club last year and can cover the outfield positions expertly too. Newcomer and second reserve infielder Thomas McConnell (32/R/3*, .287, 8, 53) usually wafts his bat to little or no effect at the plate but won a gold glove in his younger years. He is now not exactly best mates with Max Scherzer Jr, who's been pushed to the minors as a result of his arrival, where Harvey Turner and Tony De Jesus are also very promising.

Outfield: Much to his delight, Dennis Hawkins (30/L/4.5*, .375, 22, 87) plays right field these days, because uber-rookie Pepe Rios (23/L/4.5*, .346, 2, 40), the poor flower, is too soft and delicate to play in the outfield without risking a career threatening injury every inning, so hides, sorry, plays at designated hitter. Ah, diddums. Juan Torres (30/R/2.5*, .305, 11, 55) is trying to defy the ageing process at centre field. Left fielder William Morris (28/L/3*, 296, 23, 73) had a breakout year in 2030 but rested badly on his laurels last year. He's promised to at least try and hit the ball this term. Ortiz backs up Torres, while Rob Dyment (25/R/2.5*, .315, 8, 28) returns to the roster as backup corner outfielder, trying desperately to forget that his disappointing displays in the first half of last year ever happened. Jean-Francois Pelletier is pushing for a roster spot.

They're already world champions. With the returning Brad Dundee replacing the departed Ramon Mendoza, their rotation is stronger than last year. The rest of the roster is largely unchanged. Unless injuries strike again, it's hard to see them doing anything other than challenge hard to regain the top prize. Better luck in 2033, the rest of you.