Let's turn our attention to our playing group at Oakland. A collective review of the squad will follow on Opening Day, but here's a more granular look at the 25 players who'll comprise it.
CATCHERS
With such a young and inexperienced staff, Pag provides the veteran guidance we need and will be our everyday C. He's signed thru 1970, which should be the perfect bridge to the Tenace era. Expensive, but worth it - especially if he can rediscover that power swing of his that all but abandoned him in '67.
Tim's a handy UT and will also see his share of time at 1B and in the OF, as well as resting Jim behind the dish.
INFIELDERS
Ray had a handy enough year back at KC in '67 to give us the confidence to shift Cater and he'll work the heavy side of a platoon at 1B with Rudi. Also holds down a decent LF and adequate CF.
This is all about getting Joe some ABs and easing him into the rigours of big-league baseball. He'll also see some outs from the LF vantage point and even 3B if we are (extremely) desperate.
Could just as easily have been Dick Green in this slot, but in the end we opted for John to handle the strong side of a 2B platoon on the basis of him acquitting himself well last season.
Marty will be the soft side of that 2B platoon but will see as many if not more of his ABs coming from utility duties resting the starters at his various positions, including C.
Struggled to assert himself last season against big-league pitching but we know he'll be much improved from the experience and are confident in his abilities to hold down the hot corner on an everyday basis.
The ignition switch to our offensive engine from the leadoff spot, Campy's had three 3+ bWAR seasons on the trot and we expect more of the same. In his walk year so we'll be keen to lock him down long-term some point early in the season to allow him (and us) to concentrate on playing baseball.
Ted has been working hard on his D in the offseason and needs to continue doing so as his bat is never going to be enough to offer him job security at this level.
OUTFIELDERS
A key presence in the lineup behind Reggie, who would otherwise find himself not seeing the sorts of pitches he likes with the frequency he likes to see them. The thought of these two and Darrell at 4-5-6 is a salivating one.
For now, Rick will hold down that 6 slot although longer-term we see him at 3.
If this kid hits even half as good as he talks then my job is going to me made a heck of a lot easier.
Both fringy types and streaky hitters who have had their chance to impress but not taken it. Floyd in particular is glove-oriented and struggles to contribute offensively. But they'll do in backup roles for now.
ROTATION
Made that next step we were both hoping and expecting he would with a 5.5 pWAR '67 campaign and earns the right to be our SP1. A big-ticket item for us as he's already on $210k this season and $310k the next, with one more arb year to follow that. I doubt we'll have the juice to keep him after that and will need to orchestrate a bountiful exit for the club at that point, rather than the bumbling sendoff he got IRL.
A serviceable 1967 given how poor the club was and everything that was going on around the place, but we think Jim's better than that and hope to be proven right in '68 and beyond. On the min until '69 but gets expensive quick after that and is another we are going to be looking at trading in before then.
The workhorse type of SP a small-budget club needs one or two of and he'll fulfil that very role for the next few years here in Oakland.
Will cost us $230k over the next two seasons, which should prove cheap. after that is anyone's guess.
How long Johnny stays on our books will once again be a direction function of how expensive he gets and how quickly. Already into his arb years so we'll know soon enough.
Certainly our weak point from the looks of it. We'll be building up this area of our squad in as quick and orderly fashion as possible, but for now they are going to have to do.
Far from the perfect squad, but plenty of upside over the next year or two. We'll consider 75 wins a "successful" campaign.