OAKLAND ATHLETICS


Todd Belitz (25, L) 
 YEAR    TEAM  WN  LS  GP GS CG SH SV  IP HIT  BB  SO ERA
 1998       A   8   6  28 28  0  0  0 175 138  62 163 309
 1999      AA   9   9  28 28  0  0  0 161 169  65 118 577
 2000     AAA   1   2  55  0  0  0  3  59  45  33  56 394

 
      Belitz struggled at Orlando in 1999, so the Devil Rays decided to move him to the bullpen. He was traded to Oakland during the summer, and made his debut with the Athletics in September.
      I don't think there was any good reason to move him to the bullpen. Sure, he struggled a bit with Orlando, but he had a good K/W ratio and was probably going to improve anyways. He's a decent young pitcher; it's no surprise that a screw-up team like Tampa Bay should give up on him so quickly, but a smart team like Oakland will probably get good use out of him.

 
Mark Bellhorn (IF, 27, S/R) 
 YEAR      TM  GM  AB  HT DB TP HR RUN RBI  BB  SO  AVG OBA SLU  SB  CS
 2000     AAA 117 436 116 17 11 24 111  73  94 121  266 399 521  20   5

 
      Bellhorn first appeared with the Athletics in 1997, but has spent the past three years back in the minors. He is a low-average hitter who strikes out a lot, but who also provides an intriguing combination of power, walks and speed. He's also a switch-hitter, and he can play several positions. I think he could be a good utility player.

 
Chad Bradford (27, R) 
 YEAR    TEAM  WN  LS  GP GS CG SH SV  IP HIT  BB  SO ERA
 1998  AA-AAA   5   2  39  0  0  0  1  68  63  19  31 211
 1999     AAA   9   3  47  0  0  0  5  74  63  15  56 194
 2000     AAA   2   4  55  0  0  0 10  54  38  12  42 151

 1998     CHW   2   1  29  0  0  0  1  31  27   7  11 323
 2000     CHW   1   0  12  0  0  0  0  14  13   1   9 198

 
      I guess I don't read Chicago newspapers often enough, because I have no idea what was going on between Bradford and the White Sox. He has pitched brilliantly in the minors, and very well for the Sox, yet they sent him back to Charlotte for the third straight year. Why?
      Anyways, Bradford has been dealt to Oakland, where presumably the Athletics will give him a chance to show what he can do. The evidence seems to suggest that he is a good pitcher.

 
Eric Byrnes (OF, 25, R/R) 
 YEAR      TM  GM  AB  HT DB TP HR RUN RBI  BB  SO  AVG OBA SLU  SB  CS
 1998       A  71 277  99 19  4 11  62  52  34  31  357 433 574  17   2
 1999       A  96 365 123 28  1  6  86  66  58  37  337 433 468  28   8  
 1999      AA  43 164  39 14  0  1  25  22  17  32  238 316 341   6   3
 2000  AA-AAA 134 502 159 48  3 14 104  84  74  68  317 408 508  33  16

 
      The future is now for Byrnes; after a sensational minor league career, it's time for Oakland to give him a job. Byrnes began the year at Midland, where he had struggled for six weeks in 1999; he played very well there, was promoted to Sacramento, and was even better. Last I checked, the Athletics don't have a right-fielder; Byrnes will presumably be the starter in the April. He should be a solid player, likely won't be a star unless he improves his base stealing.

 
Eric Chavez (3B, 23, L/R) 
 YEAR      TM  GM  AB  HT DB TP HR RUN RBI  BB  SO  AVG OBA SLU  SB  CS
 1998  AA-AAA 135 529 173 45  1 33 104 126  54  93  327 388 603  14   7

 1999     OAK 115 356  88 21  2 13  47  50  46  56  247 333 427   1   1
 2000     OAK 153 501 139 23  4 26  89  86  62  94  277 355 495   2   2

 
      Chavez is a terrific young hitter who made some big improvements last season. He should keep getting better; as soon as he figures out how to hit southpaws, he'll be a star. He's got a terrific future ahead of him.

 
Ryan Christenson (OF, 27, R/R) 
 YEAR      TM  GM  AB  HT DB TP HR RUN RBI  BB  SO  AVG OBA SLU  SB  CS
 1998     OAK 117 370  95 22  2  5  56  40  36 106  257 321 368   5   6
 1999     OAK 106 268  56 12  1  4  41  24  38  58  209 305 306   7   5
 2000     OAK 121 129  32  2  2  4  31  18  19  33  248 349 388   1   2

 
      Christenson lost the starting centre field job, but managed to spend the entire year with Oakland as a defensive replacement. He did a good job of getting on base and scoring some runs; he's a quality backup.

 
Johnny Damon (LF, 27, L/L) 
 YEAR      TM  GM  AB  HT DB TP HR RUN RBI  BB  SO  AVG OBA SLU  SB  CS
 1998      KC 161 642 178 30 10 18 104  66  58  84  277 339 439  26  12
 1999      KC 145 583 179 39  9 14 101  77  67  50  307 379 477  36   6
 2000      KC 159 655 214 42 10 16 136  88  65  60  327 382 495  46   9

 
      Damon had a slow start, raising doubts that he would repeat his wonderful 1999 season. In mid-season he started getting hits in almost every at bat, and finished the year with impressive numbers. He's hitting his peak, and should have several 200-hit seasons in his future. One of the top candidates to win a batting title.

 
Dave Eiland (35, R) 
 YEAR    TEAM  WN  LS  GP GS CG SH SV  IP HIT  BB  SO ERA
 1999     AAA   5   3  10 10  0  0  0  59  60   9  46 336

 1999     TAM   4   8  21 15  0  0  0  80  98  27  53 560
 2000     TAM   2   3  17 10  0  0  0  55  77  18  17 724

 
      He keeps coming back. For the record, Eiland made his debut with the Yankees in 1988. He has a career won-loss record of 12-27, and a lifetime 5.74 ERA. Why would you invest 10 starts in Dave Eiland? What would you be hoping to accomplish?

 
Sal Fasano (CA, 30, R/R) 
 YEAR      TM  GM  AB  HT DB TP HR RUN RBI  BB  SO  AVG OBA SLU  SB  CS
 1999     AAA  88 280  77 15  0 21  63  49  42  69  275 415 554   4   2

 1998      KC  74 216  49 10  0  8  21  31  10  56  227 307 384   1   0
 1999      KC  23  60  14  2  0  5  11  16   7  17  233 373 517   0   1
 2000     OAK  52 126  27  6  0  7  21  19  14  47  214 306 429   0   0

 
      Fasano's a veteran catcher who hits home runs and strikes out a lot. He's a solid second or third-string catcher, can put some runs on the board even if he doesn't hit for a high average. His numbers, projected over 502 at bats: 28 homers, 76 RBI and 187 strikeouts.

 
Jason Giambi (1B, 30, L/R) 
 YEAR      TM  GM  AB  HT DB TP HR RUN RBI  BB  SO  AVG OBA SLU  SB  CS
 1998     OAK 153 562 166 28  0 27  92 110  81 102  295 384 489   2   2
 1999     OAK 158 575 181 36  1 33 115 123 105 106  315 422 553   1   1
 2000     OAK 152 510 170 29  1 43 108 137 137  96  333 476 647   2   0

 
      He has developed into quite the fearsome hitter. Giambi had a better season than McGwire ever had for Oakland; his numbers were actually comparable to another Athletics' first baseman, Jimmie Foxx, in 1934. And when you're being compared to The Beast, you know you've done good.
      Giambi makes significant improvements at the plate every year. 2000 was probably his best season, but he should remain a formidable player for a few more seasons.

 
Jeremy Giambi (OF/1B, 27, L/L) 
 YEAR      TM  GM  AB  HT DB TP HR RUN RBI  BB  SO  AVG OBA SLU  SB  CS
 1998     AAA  96 325 121 21  2 20  68  66  57  64  372 469 634   8   5
 1999     AAA  35 127  44  5  1 12  31  28  31  30  346 472 685   1   1

 1999      KC  90 288  82 13  1  3  34  34  40  67  285 373 368   0   0
 2000     OAK 104 260  66 10  2 10  42  50  32  61  254 338 423   0   0

 
      There is some reason to believe that Giambi is as talented a hitter as his older brother, but he hasn't been able to take advantage of his opportunities. I don't know what to do with him; every time he gets sent to the minors, he destroys the pitchers there, then he rejoins the big club and struggles. I still kind of like him, and I would advise any team looking for a good, inexpensive left-handed hitter to take a chance on him.

 
Jason Hart (1B, 24, R/R) 
 YEAR      TM  GM  AB  HT DB TP HR RUN RBI  BB  SO  AVG OBA SLU  SB  CS
 1998       A  75 295  76 19  1 20  58  69  36  67  258 336 532   0   1
 1999       A 135 550 168 48  3 19  96 123  56 105  305 370 504   2   5
 2000      AA 135 546 178 44  3 30  98 121  67 112  326 401 582   4   0

 
      Hart is a young prospect with the Athletics who is quickly developing into an outstanding hitter. His future in Oakland is probably at the DH position; he will probably start the year at Sacramento, but if Oakland's DH situation hasn't cleared itself up by the summer he could find himself playing with the big boys.

 
Gil Heredia (35, R) 
 YEAR    TEAM  WN  LS  GP GS CG SH SV  IP HIT  BB  SO ERA
 1998     OAK   3   3   8  6  0  0  0  42  43   3  27 274
 1999     OAK  13   8  33 33  1  0  0 200 228  34 117 481
 2000     OAK  15  11  32 32  2  0  0 199 214  66 101 412

 
      Heredia was one of the best pitchers in the league in 2000. He is also 35, his walks were way up last season, and the strikeouts were down. I expect him to struggle in 2001.

 
Ramon Hernandez (CA, 25, R/R) 
 YEAR      TM  GM  AB  HT DB TP HR RUN RBI  BB  SO  AVG OBA SLU  SB  CS
 1998      AA 127 479 142 24  1 15  83  98  57  61  296 389 445   4   5
 1999     AAA  77 291  76 11  3 13  38  55  23  37  261 336 454   1   2

 1999     OAK  40 136  38  7  0  3  13  21  18  11  279 363 397   1   0
 2000     OAK 143 419 101 19  0 14  52  62  38  64  241 311 387   1   0

 
      Hernandez is a young catcher who got a chance to play everyday for the Athletics. He was ordinary. The failure of A.J. Hinch has left the Athletics without many other options; Hernandez will likely be back in 2001, and he should improve a little bit.

 
Tim Hudson (26, R) 
 YEAR    TEAM  WN  LS  GP GS CG SH SV  IP HIT  BB  SO ERA
 1998      AA  10   9  22 22  2  0  0 135 136  71 104 454
 1999  AA-AAA   7   0  11 11  0  0  0  67  47  24  79 175

 1999     OAK  11   2  21 21  1  0  0 136 121  62 132 323
 2000     OAK  20   6  32 32  2  2  0 202 169  82 169 414

 
      Awesome young pitcher; he still has the occasional bad game, could also throw some more strikes... but you can't complain too much about a young pitcher who is 31-8 lifetime. He may not go 20-6 again, but I would look for him to make some more improvements in 2001.

 
Jason Isringhausen (29, R) 
 YEAR    TEAM  WN  LS  GP GS CG SH SV  IP HIT  BB  SO ERA
 1999 NYM-OAK   1   4  33  5  0  0  9  65  64  34  51 473
 2000     OAK   6   4  66  0  0  0 33  69  67  32  57 378

 
      Isringhausen's first full year as a closer was solid. He's not one of the best in the league, and he's not much likely get much better, but if he stays healthy he should be able to keep the job for a few more years. He's a good story, a great talent who came back from a serious injury to become a good pitcher.

 
John Jaha (DH, 35, R/R) 
 YEAR      TM  GM  AB  HT DB TP HR RUN RBI  BB  SO  AVG OBA SLU  SB  CS
 1998     MIL  73 216  45  6  1  7  29  38  49  66  208 366 343   1   3
 1999     OAK 142 457 126 23  0 35  93 111 101 129  276 414 556   2   0
 2000     OAK  33  97  17  1  0  1  14   5  33  38  175 398 216   1   0

 
      Jaha's season was ruined by recurring problems with his left shoulder. He's a formidable hitter, but he's also 35 years old and hopelessly injury prone. The Athletics have so many good young right-handed hitters, that it will be difficult for them to justify sticking with Jaha if he doesn't hit early on. He will probably finish the season playing with Tampa Bay.

 
Doug Jones (44, R) 
 YEAR    TEAM  WN  LS  GP GS CG SH SV  IP HIT  BB  SO ERA
 1998 MIL-CLE   4   6  69  0  0  0 13  85  99  17  71 455
 1999     OAK   5   5  70  0  0  0 10 104 106  24  63 355
 2000     OAK   4   2  54  0  0  0  2  73  86  18  54 393

 
      One of the best relievers in the league, and there is nothing in his record that suggests that he is about to slow down. Apart from the fact that he is 44 years old, of course.
      ADDENDUM: Jones has retired. Is it permanent? Perhaps....

 
Marcus Jones (26, R) 
 YEAR    TEAM  WN  LS  GP GS CG SH SV  IP HIT  BB  SO ERA
 1998       A   7   9  29 20  0  0  4 131 155  45 112 467
 1999       A   8   5  25 20  0  0  0 123 132  46 118 402
 2000  AA-AAA   8   4  22 22  0  0  0 123 132  37  63 409

 
      Jones made one start for Oakland during the summer, the only appearance of his young career. He doesn't have much going for him except good control; it's doubtful that he will be able to make much of a career for himself.

 
Cory Lidle (29, R) 
 YEAR    TEAM  WN  LS  GP GS CG SH SV  IP HIT  BB  SO ERA
 1999     TAM   1   0   5  1  0  0  0   5   8   2   4 720
 2000     TAM   4   6  31 11  0  0  0  97 114  29  62 503

 
      Lidle had a fine rookie season with the Mets in 1997, and made a comeback last year after missing most of two season with injury problems. He wasn't too bad, and if he remains healthy, I expect him to improve. He had good control and a good strikeout rate in 2000; he appears to be headed back in the right direction.

 
Terrence Long (CF, 25, L/L) 
 YEAR      TM  GM  AB  HT DB TP HR RUN RBI  BB  SO  AVG OBA SLU  SB  CS
 1998      AA 130 455 135 20 10 16  69  58  62 105  297 380 490  23  11
 1999     AAA 118 458 137 26  6  9  57  68  33  70  300 348 441  21  10

 2000     OAK 138 584 168 34  4 18  104 80  43  77  288 336 452   5   0

 
      Oakland desperately needed a centre fielder last season, and Long fit the bill. He's a good young player, probably won't get much better than he was last year, but he should remain a solid citizen in centre for the Athletics.

 
Mike Magnante (36, L) 
 YEAR    TEAM  WN  LS  GP GS CG SH SV  IP HIT  BB  SO ERA
 1998     HOU   4   7  48  0  0  0  2  51  56  26  39 488
 1999     ANA   5   2  53  0  0  0  0  69  68  29  44 338
 2000     OAK   1   1  55  0  0  0  0  40  50  19  17 431

 
      Let's see... Magnante is 36 years old, he walked more batters than he struck out, and left-handed batters hit .288 against him. He'll be on a roster in 2001, but surely the writing is on the wall?

 
T.J. Mathews (31, R) 
 YEAR    TEAM  WN  LS  GP GS CG SH SV  IP HIT  BB  SO ERA
 1998     OAK   7   4  66  0  0  0  1  72  71  29  53 458
 1999     OAK   9   5  50  0  0  0  3  59  46  20  42 381
 2000     OAK   2   3  50  0  0  0  0  60  73  25  42 603

 
      He didn't pitch well; the culprit was some right elbow tendinitis that forced him onto the DL during the summer. Mathews is a good pitcher, one of the better middle relievers in the league. I would expect him to be better in 2001.

 
Jim Mecir (31, R) 
 YEAR    TEAM  WN  LS  GP GS CG SH SV  IP HIT  BB  SO ERA
 1998     TAM   7   2  68  0  0  0  0  84  68  33  77 311
 1999     TAM   0   1  17  0  0  0  0  21  15  14  15 261
 2000 TAM-OAK  10   3  63  0  0  0  5  85  70  36  70 296

 
      One of my favourite pitchers, Mecir throws the Screwball From Hell, and held left-handed batters to a .204 batting average. He's one of the best relievers in the league; my only worry is that screwballs are tough on the arm.

 
Frank Menechino (IF, 30, R/R) 
 YEAR      TM  GM  AB  HT DB TP HR RUN RBI  BB  SO  AVG OBA SLU  SB  CS
 1998     AAA 106 378 105 11  7 10  72  40  70  75  278 403 423   9  10
 1999     AAA 130 501 155 31  9 15 103  88  73  97  309 403 497   4   5

 2000     OAK  66 145  37  9  1  6  31  26  20  45  255 345 455   1   4

 
      It took Menechino a long, long time to reach the majors; last year, finally, the Athletics gave him a chance to show what he can do, and he didn't disappoint. He can play several positions, hit for power and can get on base, and that combination should make him a deadly utility player.

 
Mark Mulder (24, L) 
 YEAR    TEAM  WN  LS  GP GS CG SH SV  IP HIT  BB  SO ERA
 1999     AAA   6   7  22 22  1  0  0 129 152  31  81 406

 2000     OAK   9  10  27 27  0  0  0 154 191  69  88 544

 
      How the game has changed. Mulder posted a 5.44 ERA, yet he was widely considered one of the better rookies in the league. He is very young, and has very little professional experience... though to be honest, there isn't a heck of a lot to like about him right now. Being a left-hander might be an advantage... except that lefties hit .368 off of him.

 
Omar Olivares (34, R) 
 YEAR    TEAM  WN  LS  GP GS CG SH SV  IP HIT  BB  SO ERA
 1998     ANA   9   9  37 26  1  0  0 183 189  91 112 403
 1999 ANA-OAK  15  11  32 32  4  0  0 206 217  81  85 416
 2000     OAK   4   8  21 16  1  0  0 108 134  60  57 675

 
      I think we could see this coming; Olivares has never been very impressive, but has managed to win with smoke and mirrors... until last year. To be fair, he did have some shoulder problems, which surely hurt his performance. But I really don't expect a comeback.

 
Jose Ortiz (2B, 24, R/R) 
 YEAR      TM  GM  AB  HT DB TP HR RUN RBI  BB  SO  AVG OBA SLU  SB  CS
 1998      AA  94 354  98 24  2  6  70  55  48  63  277 369 407  22   8
 1999     AAA 107 377 107 29  2  9  66  45  29  50  284 346 443  13   4
 2000     AAA 131 518 182 34  5 24 107 108  47  65  351 408 575  22   9

 
      As if the Athletics don't have enough good young players already, along comes Ortiz, who had a stunning season at Sacramento. The Athletics dealt Randy Velarde after the season, presumably so that Ortiz can move into the lineup. He's very young, and it may take him a year or two before he starts to thrive against major league pitching... but it's possible that a couple of years from now, the American League All-Star infield will be Giambi, Ortiz, Chavez and Tejeda.

 
Adam Piatt (3B/OF, 25, R/R) 
 YEAR      TM  GM  AB  HT DB TP HR RUN RBI  BB  SO  AVG OBA SLU  SB  CS
 1998       A 133 500 144 40  3 20  91 107  80  99  288 381 500  20   6
 1999      AA 129 476 164 48  3 39 128 135  93 101  345 451 704   7   3
 2000     AAA  65 254  72 15  0  8  36  42  26  57  283 355 437   3   2

 2000     OAK  60 157  47  5  5  5  24  23  23  44  299 392 490   0   1

 
      Piatt had a monster year at Midland in 1999; last year he spent the first half of the season splitting time with Oakland and Sacramento, but by the year's end he had established himself as a major league hitter. Piatt hits the ball hard; he can hit for average and power and will draw a walk. My guess is that Piatt will be the starting right fielder for Oakland.

 
Ariel Prieto (31, R) 
 YEAR    TEAM  WN  LS  GP GS CG SH SV  IP HIT  BB  SO ERA
 2000     AAA   8   4  20 18  0  0  0 113 110  31  79 327

 2000     OAK   1   2   8  6  0  0  0  32  42  13  19 512

 
      Prieto has made just eight starts since 1997 because of injuries to his arm. He tried making a comeback last year, pitched fairly well at Sacramento and made a few starts with Oakland. He doesn't have much potential; even when he was healthy, he wasn't very good. But he's a veteran who throws strikes, and he'll likely get a job somewhere.

 
Jon Ratliff (29, R) 
 YEAR    TEAM  WN  LS  GP GS CG SH SV  IP HIT  BB  SO ERA
 1998     AAA  12  13  29 29  2  0  0 151 167  65 143 494
 1999     AAA   5  12  27 27  0  0  0 158 154  44 129 445
 2000     AAA   8   4  20 18  0  0  0 107 102  31  72 344

 
      A veteran control pitcher whose minor league record isn't too impressive, Ratliff got a chance to throw some innings late in the year with Oakland. I kind of like him; he's not a good bet to have a good year, but he's a better bet than, say, Jaime Navarro or Tim Belcher.

 
Olmedo Saenz (3B, 30, R/R) 
 YEAR      TM  GM  AB  HT DB TP HR RUN RBI  BB  SO  AVG OBA SLU  SB  CS
 1998     AAA 124 466 146 29  0 29  89 102  45  49  313 394 562   3   3

 1999     OAK  97 255  70 18  0 11  41  41  22  47  275 363 475   1   1
 2000     OAK  76 214  67 12  2  9  40  33  25  40  313 401 514   1   0

 
      Saenz has gotten a second chance at a career, and he is making the most of it. After two seasons, he is a career .288 hitter who hits for power and gets on base. I'm sure he would love to play everyday, and there is no evidence that he couldn't; if he starts the year hot, they may just give him the DH job, and let him run with hit. Saenz has been hit by 22 pitches the past two seasons.

 
Rich Sauveur (37, L) 
 YEAR    TEAM  WN  LS  GP GS CG SH SV  IP HIT  BB  SO ERA
 2000     AAA   5   2  25 11  0  0  1  83  88  25  59 457

 2000     OAK   0   0  10  0  0  0  0  10  13   1   7 435

 
      Who?? Apparently, Sauveur made his big-league debut in 1986 with the Pirates. He also pitched for Montreal in 1988, with the Mets in 1991, with Kansas City in 1992, with the White Sox in 1996, and with Oakland last year. He has thrown 46 lifetime innings, and is still looking for his first major-league win. He's a survivor, to be sure, but can he wait another four years before he gets another shot?

 
Scott Service (34, R) 
 YEAR    TEAM  WN  LS  GP GS CG SH SV  IP HIT  BB  SO ERA
 1998      KC   6   4  73  0  0  0  4  82  70  34  95 348
 1999      KC   5   5  68  0  0  0  8  75  87  42  68 609
 2000     OAK   1   2  20  0  0  0  1  37  45  19  35 638

 
      Service had a good year for KC in 1998; since then, his performance has been, um, uninspiring. He did pitch quite well for Sacramento last season; as long as he has a live arm and can get strike outs, he should continue to get chances. I expect him to pitch better this year... but not much better.

 
Mike Stanley (1B/DH, 38, R/R) 
 YEAR      TM  GM  AB  HT DB TP HR RUN RBI  BB  SO  AVG OBA SLU  SB  CS
 1998 TOR-BOS 145 497 127 25  0 29  74  79  82 129  256 364 481   3   1
 1999     BOS 136 427 120 22  0 19  59  72  70  94  281 393 466   0   0
 2000 BOS-OAK  90 282  67 12  0 14  33  46  44  65  238 339 429   0   0

 
      He's a veteran slugger, can still hit left-handers but can't do much else. Stanley hit just .211 against right-handers last year, and I wouldn't expect him to do better in the future. He should still be good for 100-150 at bats, mostly against southpaws.

 
Jeffrey Tam (31, R) 
 YEAR    TEAM  WN  LS  GP GS CG SH SV  IP HIT  BB  SO ERA
 1998     AAA   3   3  45  0  0  0 11  64  42   6  54 183
 1999     AAA   2   3  32  0  0  0  3  46  47  11  23 253

 2000     OAK   3   3  72  0  0  0  3  86  86  23  46 263

 
      It took Tam a long time to establish himself in the majors, but last year he finally got a chance to shine with the Athletics. He's a control pitcher, should be good for a couple more years, is well suited to the setup role and should stay there.

 
Miguel Tejada (SS, 25, R/R) 
 YEAR      TM  GM  AB  HT DB TP HR RUN RBI  BB  SO  AVG OBA SLU  SB  CS
 1998     OAK 105 365  85 20  1 11  53  45  28  86  233 298 384   5   6
 1999     OAK 159 593 149 33  4 21  93  84  57  94  251 325 427   8   7
 2000     OAK 160 607 167 32  1 30 105 115  66 102  275 349 479   6   0

 
      A young shortstop with lots of power, Tejada has made major improvements at the plate every season. I love young players who do that; it gives you confidence that they're going to get the most out of their ability, doesn't it? Tejada struggled against left-handers last season, batting only .220 against them; I would expect him fix that problem in 2001.

 
Mario Valdez (1B, 26, L/R) 
 YEAR      TM  GM  AB  HT DB TP HR RUN RBI  BB  SO  AVG OBA SLU  SB  CS
 1998     AAA 123 448 148 32  0 20  86  81  60 102  330 420 536   1   2
 1999     AAA 121 402 110 17  2 26  78  76  76  91  274 403 520   1   0
 2000     AAA 105 378 130 27  1 20  87  96  66  59  344 441 579   1   1

 
      Valdez got a brief opportunity with the White Sox in 1997, but didn't hit and was exiled back to the minor leagues. He has hit up a storm the past three years, but the opportunities have been slim. Last year he escaped the White Sox' organization, signed with Minnesota, put up some huge numbers at Salt Lake City, then was dealt to Oakland (apparently, the Twins already have more power hitters than they can use). He joined the Athletics in September, but fractured a bone in his hand. Valdez is one of numerous candidates who will be vying for the DH role in Oakland; with some luck, he could have a good year.

 
Luis Vizcaino (24, R) 
 YEAR    TEAM  WN  LS  GP GS CG SH SV  IP HIT  BB  SO ERA
 1998       A   6   3  23 16  0  0  0 102  72  43 108 274
 1998      AA   3   2   7  7  0  0  0  39  43  22  26 466
 1999  AA-AAA   8   8  32 19  0  0  0 118 133  54  95 535
 2000     AAA   6   2  33  2  0  0  5  48  48  21  41 503

 2000     OAK   0   1  12  0  0  0  0  19  25  11  18 745

 
      Vizcaino is a young pitcher with the Athletics. He appears to have decent control and a strong arm, but at the moment he has a lot of work to do before he is a quality pitcher.

 
Barry Zito (23, L) 
 YEAR    TEAM  WN  LS  GP GS CG SH SV  IP HIT  BB  SO ERA
 1999       A   3   0   8  8  0  0  0  40  21  22  62 245
 1999  AA-AAA   3   1   5  5  0  0  0  28  27  13  35 418
 2000     AAA   8   5  18 18  0  0  0 102  88  45  91 319

 2000     OAK   7   4  14 14  1  1  0  93  64  45  78 272

 
      Zito had a stunning rookie season, and the more I think about it, the more I think that he may have deserved to the Rookie Of The Year Award. He's nasty; left-handers hit just .194 off him, right-handers just .195. Zito is young, inexperienced, a little wild and was rushed a bit, so it may be premature to predict greatness... but if he stays healthy he should be a hell of a pitcher.