Ok, so basically what I'm going to do here is come up with a big list of IF's, and while they're not completely farfetched, they aren't set in stone.

So I'm going to assume the following:

A's sign Furcal

A's sign Giambi

A's tradeCrosby

Chavez not healthy

Cahill and Anderson impress at Spring Training

Assuming these transactions the A's lineup in 2009 will look something like this, with each player's 2008 BA and OBP:

Furcal SS-            .270,  .357  (2007)

R Sweeney CF-   .286, .350

Giambi 1B-          .247,   .373

Holliday LF-         .321,  .409

Cust DH-              .231,  .375

Barton 3B-           .226,   .327

Ellis 2B-               .233,    .321

Buck RF-              .226,    .291

Suzuki C-              .279,    .346

Now that lineup looks a lot more formidable than the lineup last year and I think can certianly contend for an October push.

While a lot of people are saying that Holliday will lose productivity away from Colorado, that can also be countered with the fact that Daric Barton and Travis Buck aren't as bad as their 2008 numbers indicate.

The pitching staff will look something like this:

Duchscherer -                  10-8      2.54 ERA       2.79 K/BB

Eveland  -                         9-9        4.34  ERA       1.53 K/BB

Gonzalez (MLB+Minors) - 9-11      4.98 ERA         1.88 K/BB

Cahill (Minors)-                  11-5      2.61 ERA          2.72 K/BB

Anderson (Minors) -           11-5      3.69 ERA          4.37 K/BB

Blevins (Minors+Majors) -   10 SV   2.95 ERA         3.73 K/BB

Zeigler                                 11 SV   1.06 ERA         1.36 K/BB

Devine                                 .59 ERA  3.26 K/BB     .83 WHIP

Thats a strong lineup, a very good rotation, and a lights-out bulpen.

I have a good feeling about 2009