The A's are a team that in recent years have been notorious for starting off slowly, only to turn it on later in the season. This year, the added stress of a trip to Japan to open the season will be an X factor for them.

Even though they will get much better accommodations on their flight than you or I would flying coach, its still something like 14 hours each way, and an insane time difference. Can you say jet-lag? Add this to a team that is already a slow starter and in a rebuilding year, and this could be a recipe for a disastrous start to a season that has the makings of a trainwreck. Eric Chavez, the team's "slugger" has a balky back and the trans-pacific flight won't help matters there.

It should help that following the trip, during which the A's will play two games that count, they will be playing their "Bay Bridge" tune up series. (Playing preseason games after the season starts... that is odd...) Those games will give them a chance to rest the starters and let them recuperate further from the trip.

No one expects the young A's to be contending this year, as they sold off their talent for "prospects," so this could be a good year to start off on a bad foot. This does give the A's the chance to raise their stature internationally, and maybe get a foot in the door towards bringing players over from the Japanese leagues. (that is until the skinflint ownership remembers what the large market teams are paying just for the rights to sign those players.)

Anyway, go A's....

__________________
--Patrick

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