MESA AZ–As their Spring Training camp opened in Mesa, Arizona, the Oakland Athletics who finished with a 68-94 record in last place in 2015, have the eternal optimism that springs bring. The Chicago Cubs are 4 to 1 favorites to win the 2016 World Series. The Cubs defeated the Detroit Tigers to win the 1908 World Series.. As of today, this is the last World Series title for the Chicago Cubs. Nobody is picking the A’s to win anything this season,it is as simple as that, and the World Series is not even in the discussion.

Predicting how the Athletics would finish in the standings each year is not an easy task, for a team that is in constant evolution, and specially in the American League West by itself-a very turbulent and difficult division to predict.

The Houston Astros have the Cy Young and the Rookie of the Year and a young and dynamic team. the Texas Rangers have their #1 pitcher Yu Darvish back, and very experience players, the Seattle Mariners still have a formidable team with big name stars, and the Los Angeles Angels, just like the Athletics have many questions that will have to be answered as this Soring Training develops as well as during the regular season.

Recently during a Presidential primary in Iowa a candidate won by a “coin flip”, I am tempted to also toss a coin in the air and make a prediction how the Oakland Athletics will do this season. Their bullpen engine was replaced now with John Axford(Colorado),Liam Hendricks(Toronto), Ryan Madson(Kansas City), Marc Rzepczynski(San Diego), and hopefully a healthy Sean Doolittle from the start. The A’s bullpen was not a pretty site in 2015. The team also acquired 26 year old right handed starter Henderson Alvarez(Miami). Alvarez had shoulder surgery in July of last year so he will not be ready for the start of the season, but he has the potential to be the #2 on the rotation behind Sonny Gray.

Alvarez was 0-4 last season and 12-7 and 2.65 earned run average during the 2014 season. A’s also added Yonder Alonso(San Diego) who will be competing to play at first base, and who also had a 2015 season restricted by injuries. Chris Davis came from Milwaukee where he hit .247 with 27 home runs and 66 runs batted it. I like to be optimistic about Davis who does have power, however,there is a difference  between Miller Park in Milwaukee and the O.Co at Oakland. Jed Lowrie(Houston .222, 9 homers 30 runs batted in)is back with the A’s.

Billy Butler needs a rebound season, Mark Canha will be on his second season, Sony Gray and Stephen Vogt are All Stars, Josh Reddick begins his fifth season with the club and 2015 was his best since 2012, he hit for ,.272 with 20 home runs and drove in 77 runs. Billy Burns brings speed and excitement to the lead-off spot and veteran Coco Crisp needs to be healthy most of the season. Later next month, when the team breaks camp and we can see who is healthy and who is not who is ready and who is not and all that stuff that happens during Spring Training, I will have a much clearer picture and my predictions for this up coming season.

Sorry, but right now, I cannot predict where the Oakland A’s will finish in 2016.  Can I have that coin again?  let me see…

 Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio voice for Oakland A’s baseball and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com