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Oakland slugger sets the tone on young club 

As the Oakland Athletics prepare for their opener today, they will be taking on an unfamiliar role: the favorite. 

No players remain from the last time the A’s were the favorite to win the American League West. That was in the early ’90s, the end of the powerful dynasty founded on Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire and Dave Stewart. Most of the players on this year’s roster were still in high school back then. 

The elder statesman of the current version is Jason Giambi, at the ripe old age of 30. With designated hitter John Jaha starting the year on the shelf, Giambi is the only starting position player older than 27. But these A’s, despite their youth, are one of the best teams in the game. 

It all starts with Giambi. Last year’s AL MVP, he sets the tone both on and off the field. He is exactly the type of player the organization has tried to develop for the past few years: a masher who only swings at strikes. Don’t look for stolen bases and sacrifice bunts from this squad; they prefer a leisurely stroll around the bases. They get on base any way they can, then wait for someone to drive them in with the longball. 

Giambi is joined in the middle of the lineup by up-and-coming stars Miguel Tejada and Eric Chavez. Tejada is a shortstop who is rapidly making his way towards the big three of Alex Rodriguez, Nomar Garciaparra and Derek Jeter at the top of the heap at the position. His 30 homers and 115 RBI last season would make him an All-Star in any other era, but right now he’s got to wait his turn behind the superstars. 

Chavez joins him on the left side of the infield, a third baseman with outstanding power and a rapidly improving fielder. But he’s just another guy for the A’s, who have eight players on their roster who could hit at least 30 homers this year. 

The biggest change for the A’s this season will be at the top of the order. Johnny Damon, the left fielder acquired from the Kansas City Royals in the offseason, may be the best leadoff hitter in baseball. With him setting the table rather than center fielder Terrence Long (who could drive in 100 runs from the seven hole), the A’s are even more dangerous than last season, when they scored the third-most runs in the league. 

But unlike the teams that have a lineup full of giants and a rotation full of weaklings (see: Texas Rangers), the A’s don’t have to score 10 runs every night to win. They have a staff that can carry them through any rough patches. It all starts with ace Tim Hudson, a 20-game winner at the tender age of 25 last year. If fellow youngsters Barry Zito and Mark Mulder can live up to their promise, Oakland could have the best rotation this side of the Yankees. They will hand the ball off to a solid bullpen, with setup men Jeff Tam and Jim Mecir bridging the gap to developing closer Jason Isringhausen. Isringhausen saved 33 games last year in his first try as a closer, and should improve his secondary numbers this year. 

With Giambi’s contract status still up the air after a spring training full of negotiations, this season could end up being a one-year window of opportunity. It’s possible both he and Damon could leave the club as free agents after this year, which would punch a great big hole in the team general manager Billy Beane has put together so carefully. The three-time defending champion Yankees aren’t getting any younger, and they look more vulnerable than ever right now. The last A’s dynasty netted just one World Series championship. If they don’t win it this year, this young team may never even make it that far.