1. Can everyone stay healthy?
The A's used the disabled list an Oakland-record 25 times in 2008, with 25 players combining to miss 877 games. That was on the heels of an Oakland-record 22 trips to the DL in '07, so any optimism must be tempered with the reality that the A's have a lot to overcome medically.

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Among the expected key contributors who'll be closely watched early in camp are third baseman Eric Chavez and second baseman Mark Ellis, who are both recovering from surgery on their right shoulders, and ace righty Justin Duchscherer, who underwent season-ending hip surgery for the second year in a row.

2. Will Bobby Crosby get any peace?
Entering the last year of his contract, Crosby's status with the team is tenuous at best after a winter during which the A's tried to replace him in their unsuccessful attempt to sign free-agent shortstop Rafael Furcal before offering up Crosby for all takers via waivers.

Crosby, 29, is penciled in as the starter and has been working on his swing with former A's star Mark McGwire since early January, but the team is said to still be interested in signing free agent Orlando Cabrera if the price is right, so the Crosby saga could continue throughout spring and possibly into the regular season.

3. Will the young pitchers pull their weight?
With all of 35 career starts, lefty Dana Eveland is the most experienced returning member of the rotation, and the bullpen is anchored by co-closers -- for now -- Joey Devine and Brad Ziegler, who made his big league debut in 2008.

Oakland's league-worst offense should be greatly improved by the additions of Matt Holliday and Jason Giambi. The young hurlers, however, will have to come together quickly and exceed all realistic expectations for the A's to pose a legitimate threat to the two-time defending American league West champion Angels, who still have a deep, versatile and experienced pitching staff despite the loss of closer Francisco Rodriguez.

If the back end of Oakland's rotation falters early, top prospects Vin Mazzaro, Trevor Cahill and Brett Anderson could be heard from sooner rather than later. Mazzaro, the lone member of the trio to reach Triple-A during the 2008 regular season, has an outside shot at claiming the No. 5 spot out of camp.

2009 record

75-86, Third place, AL West

Projected batting order

1. CF Ryan Sweeney:
.286 BA, .350 OBP, .383 SLG, 5 HR, 45 RBIs in 2008
2. DH Jack Cust:
.231 BA, .375 OBP, .486 SLG, 33 HR, 77 RBIs in 2008
3. LF Matt Holliday:
.321 BA, .409 OBP, .538 SLG, 25 HR, 88 RBIs in 2008
4. 1B Jason Giambi:
.247 BA, .373 OBP, .502 SLG, 32 HR, 96 RBIs in 2008
5. 3B Eric Chavez:
.247 BA, .295 OBP, .393 SLG, 2 HR, 14 RBIs in 2008
6. C Kurt Suzuki:
.279 BA, .346 OBP, .370 SLG, 7 HR, 42 RBIs in 2008
7. SS Bobby Crosby:
.237 BA, .296 OBP, .349 SLG, 7 HR, 61 RBIs in 2008
8. RF Travis Buck:
.226 BA, .291 OBP, .432 SLG, 7 HR, 25 RBIs in 2008
9. 2B Mark Ellis:
.233 BA, .321 OBP, .373 SLG, 12 HR, 41 RBIs in 2008

Projected rotation

1. Justin Duchscherer, 10-8, 2.54 ERA in 2008
2. Dana Eveland, 9-9, 4.34 ERA in 2008
3. Sean Gallagher, 5-7, 5.15 ERA in 2008
4. Dallas Braden, 5-4, 4.14 ERA in 2008
5. Gio Gonzalez, 1-4, 7.68 ERA in 2008

Projected bullpen

Co-closer: Joey Devine, 6-1, 0.59 ERA, 1-for-2 in save chances in 2008
C0-closer: Brad Ziegler, 3-0, 1.06 ERA, 11-for-13 in save chances in 2008
RH setup man: Russ Springer, 2-1, 2.32 ERA, 15 holds in 2008
LH setup man: Jerry Blevins, 1-3, 3.11 ERA, 5 holds in 2008

The new guys

Holliday: Acquired in a four-player trade with Colorado, Holliday is a legitimate superstar whose consistency and production will take pressure off Oakland's many promising young position players.

Giambi: Signed to a one-year deal as a free agent, Giambi gives the A's a dangerous 1-2 punch in the middle of the lineup and is the kind of clubhouse presence the team has sorely lacked in the past couple of seasons.

Springer: A 40-year-old coming off his best two big league seasons, Springer signed a one-year deal as a free agent and is expected to provide much-needed leadership for a bullpen that's otherwise mostly young and inexperienced.

Michael Wuertz: A veteran righty acquired in a trade with the Cubs, Wuertz spent part of last season in the Minors but is out of options and should serve as an early setup man for late setup man Springer.

Jerome Williams: A 27-year-old righty signed to a Minor League deal with an invitation to camp, Williams was a top prospect early in his career but is a darkhorse at best to claim the lone opening in the starting rotation.

Edgar Gonzalez: Signed to a Minor League deal earlier this week, Gonzalez has started and relieved in the big leagues and appears to be something of an insurance policy.

Prospects to watch

Mazzaro, Cahill and Anderson: Expected to anchor Oakland's rotation for years to come, they'll be at camp early on but will have to be lights-out to stick around. The organization would like to have this talented trio spend the first few months of the season together at Triple-A Sacramento.

Aaron Cunningham: Impressive during limited big league action last season, Cunningham has a rock-solid all-around game and has a shot at making the big league roster, but he's 22 years old and likely could use a little more time in Triple-A.

Tyson Ross: An early pick in last June's Draft, Ross is a right-handed horse who had a great career at the University of California and will be in camp as a non-roster invitee. He pitched in six games at Class A after signing last summer.

James Simmons: Oakland's top Draft pick in 2007, Simmons is a right-handed starter who went 9-6 with a 3.51 ERA at Double-A Midland last season and should open the season in Sacramento's rotation.

Henry Rodriguez: A righty reliever who has hit triple-digits on the radar gun and pitched in the All-Star Futures Game last summer, Rodriguez is viewed as a big part of Oakland's bullpen in the future, but not this year.

On the rebound

Chavez, Ellis and Duchscherer: The only players recovering from major surgery, all three say they'll be ready for Opening Day, but Ellis won't play in Cactus League games for at least a few weeks.

Barton: In addition to having a miserable rookie season, Barton had minor hip surgery and a tonsillectomy in the offseason, limiting his workouts. He'll have to prove healthy and productive at camp to force his back way into the mix at first base. If he does, Giambi will see more time as designated hitter, and Cust will see more time in the outfield.

Crosby: If he's with the team this year, it'll be his last year in Oakland unless he delivers a big season. Health has long been an issue for Crosby, but he played in 145 games in 2008.

Buck: Injured for much of 2008, Buck finished the season strong and could earn the everyday job in right field if he performs in camp as well as he did for most of his rookie season in '07.

Gonzalez: Gifted but inconsistent, Gonzalez might open the year at Sacramento if he doesn't win the No. 5 spot in the rotation, but he did perform well out of the bullpen after losing his starting role late last season.

Santiago Casilla: Out of Minor League options, Casilla, a righty, could play a huge role in the bullpen if he pitches as well as he did before suffering a right elbow injury last year. He seemed tentative about letting loose with his hard-breaking slider upon his return, though, so it seems as though he's got a mental hurdle to clear at camp.

Long gone

Rich Harden and Joe Blanton: Shipped at midseason last year to the Cubs and Phillies, respectively, they were the last of the big names sent packing as part of Oakland's rebuilding project.

Emil Brown: It was one-and-done in Oakland for Brown, who was among the league leaders in RBIs early in the season, but ended up in an outfield platoon as the A's went younger and younger as the season wore on.

Greg Smith: A smart, young lefty starter who led the league in pickoffs last season, Smith was sent to Colorado as part of the package that brought Holliday.

Huston Street: Having lost his closer's job to Ziegler after struggling to pitch through injuries, Street also was dealt to the Rockies in the Holliday deal.

Carlos Gonzalez: Also part of the Holliday trade, Gonzalez is so gifted that he was hyped as a fixture in Oakland's outfield for years to come after being acquired in the Dan Haren deal with the Diamondbacks two years ago, but he struggled as a rookie after a splashy debut.

Alan Embree: A respected veteran lefty whose role diminished late in the season, Embree signed with the Rockies as a free agent.

Keith Foulke: The veteran righty reliever had a hard time staying healthy in 2008 and was let go as a free agent. He has not signed with another team and likely won't.

Andrew Brown: The righty reliever who recently underwent elbow surgery was cut to make room for Springer on the 40-man roster.