--RHP Justin Duchscherer is not expected to be limited in any way this spring, despite minor hip surgery last fall. Duchscherer, a two-time All-Star, is the top candidate to start Opening Night for the A's. He has been throwing in Arizona for a month with no problems.
--SS Orlando Cabrera remains on Oakland's radar, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, which reported that Cabrera's agent, Dan Lozano, was expected to have talks with A's general manager Billy Beane before the start of camp. The A's made SS Rafael Furcal an offer before he re-signed with the Dodgers, and the team put SS Bobby Crosby on waivers, where he went unclaimed, in January. It's unclear if Cabrera's camp and the A's can find common ground when it comes to a salary; he is believed to be looking in the $9.5 million range that Edgar Renteria is making. --RHP Edgar Gonzalez signed a minor league deal with Oakland and was granted an invitation to big-league camp. Gonzalez, 25, was in Arizona's rotation at the start of the 2007 season and went 1-3 with a 6.00 ERA in 17 appearances, six starts. He missed the second half with an elbow sprain.
--C Kurt Suzuki declined an opportunity to be a part of the provisional roster for the U.S. team in the World Baseball Classic, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Suzuki, who is considered one of the top up-and-coming catchers in the game as he enters his second full season in the majors, told the paper he wanted to focus on building relationships with the A's new pitchers and getting ready for the regular season.
--RHP Brad Ziegler will be competing with RHP Joey Devine for the closer's job, as expected. Manager Bob Geren said Feb. 11 that both men will get save opportunities and that if one or the other gets on a hot streak that he'll likely wind up with the role. Geren emphasized that he believes the setup role to be just as pivotal, however, and whichever reliever isn't closing will be the primary setup man.
BY THE NUMBERS: 9 -- Times in the past 10 years the A's have finished with a winning record at home, including last year, when the club went 43-38 at the Coliseum.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Like a room full of kindergarteners on Red Bull." -- DH Jason Giambi, describing what his wife, Kristian, thought his impact would be on the young A's clubhouse.
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