Scribner, Freiman Make The Cut After A's Win 4-3

In the 3rd inning, Yoenis Cespedes reached for an outside changeup and blasted it over the LF wall, a feat that served notice that the A's are probably a bad team to take lightly. There is depth and versatility, power up and down the lineup, but also flat-out athleticism and "star quality" to be found on this roster.

Cespedes' blast off of Ryan Vogelsang made it 4-0 (the A's scored one in the 1st on three consecutive singles by Coco Crisp, John Jaso, and Josh Reddick). Dan Straily backed it all up with 5 shutout innings of 0 BB, 6 K pitching, and Bartolo Colon eeked out a 4 IP save despite surrendering a 3-run HR in the 7th -- after his own error, missing 1B on a ground ball, opened the door. Oakland wins the Bay Bridge series, 2 games to 1.

The A's 25-man roster is set for Monday night. The last bullpen spot goes to Evan Scribner, the winning pitcher in game 162 last season, joining Grant Balfour, Ryan Cook, Pat Neshek, Chris Resop, Sean Doolittle, and Jerry Blevins in the pen. Scott Sizemore and Eric Sogard will handle 2B for the A's, with Jed Lowrie at SS, Hiro Nakajima joins Adam Rosales on the DL, and recent Rule 5 pickup Nate Freiman will get most the rebounds. Straily is in (to pitch game 5) with Colon possibly ticketed for game 6. And you already knew about Anderson, Parker, Milone, Griffin, Norris, Jaso, Cespedes, Crisp, Young, Reddick, and Smith.

Remember, this is just the April 1st roster. Many moves will follow, some probably pretty soon after the season starts. But now we know the 25 entrusted with dethroning King Felix on Monday night and getting the A's their first Opening Night win since 2004. Let the real games begin!