1. LHP Dallas Braden

2. RHP Sean Gallagher

3. LHP Dana Eveland

4. LHP Brett Anderson

5. RHP Trevor Cahill

ROTATION ANALYSIS: Duchscherer, an All-Star, hoped to be ready for the fifth game of the season, but continued elbow soreness will land him on the disabled list to start 2009. That means that the team's Opening Night starter is Braden, who had a solid spring after adding a nice cutter.

Gallagher and Eveland were on the hot seat by the end of the spring, pushed by Anderson and hard-charging prospects Trevor Cahill and Vin Mazzaro. Cahill, like Anderson, is 21, while Mazzaro is 22 and has already pitched in Class AAA. All three have drawn raves from scouts this spring and all could be in the rotation before too long, but Anderson -- who has shown the best ability to minimize damage when he gets in trouble -- is the most likely to open the season in Oakland. Eveland and Gallagher will continue to have little margin for error considering how hard the prospects are pushing.

BULLPEN:

RHP Joey Devine (closer)

RHP Brad Ziegler (closer)

RHP Russ Springer

RHP Santiago Casilla

RHP Michael Wuertz

LHP Jerry Blevins

LHP Josh Outman

BULLPEN ANALYSIS: Right now, the A's plan is to use Devine and Ziegler in save situations based on sensational rookie seasons by both. Devine tends to be fragile, so Ziegler can handle the chores if and when Devine is out of action, but most scouts believe that Devine is the better fit as a classic closer type because he throws much harder and is more of a one-inning pitcher. Ziegler is viewed a setup man because he induces plenty of groundballs, so he can come in earlier when the team needs a double-play ball, and he has the ability to go more than an inning.

Springer provides much needed experience to the pitching staff as a whole -- the Alan Embree role of last season -- and Casilla kept his roster spot with a strong spring, showing plenty of confidence. Wuertz is out of options and was obtained from the Cubs for middle relief, but the left-handed portion of the bullpen is unsettled. Blevins didn't get on track during the spring, and with so much youth in the rotation, manager Bob Geren has mentioned he might like to have two long men available. That might point to Outman and LHP Gio Gonzalez, unless the club prefers to keep one of those two at Sacramento to stay stretched out to start.

LINEUP:

1. CF Ryan Sweeney

2. SS Orlando Cabrera

3. DH Jack Cust

4. LF Matt Holliday

5. 1B Jason Giambi

6. 3B Eric Chavez

7. C Kurt Suzuki

8. RF Travis Buck

9. 2B Mark Ellis

LINEUP ANALYSIS: The middle of the order could change often this season as manager Bob Geren tries to maximize the team's new pop. Sweeney appears set to lead off and Cabrera has fared best most of his career when batting second, although Suzuki and Ellis could be candidates in that role, too.

When Nomar Garciaparra is in the lineup, freeing up Giambi to be the designated hitter, Cust will see some time in right field. And should Daric Barton resurface to play first at any point, Cust probably would be in the outfield at that point, too.

Garciaparra and Bobby Crosby are likely to both fill in at third early in the season to give Chavez plenty of rest after his second right shoulder surgery in less than a year.

RESERVES:

C Landon Powell

INF Nomar Garciaparra

INF Bobby Crosby

OF Rajai Davis

RESERVES ANALYSIS: Crosby never had played first, second or third before this spring, and he made his position clear: He wants to play shortstop every day, so he'd like to be traded if the A's can find a spot where he can do that. He's also making far more ($5.25 million) for an Oakland bench player, so chances are the A's will try to move him at some point. He has the skills to be a decent utility player, especially at third.

Powell was a first-round pick in 2004 whose development was delayed because of knee surgeries, but the team likes his defense and he has a little power.

The team's best defensive alignment would have Davis in center, Holliday in left and Sweeney in right, which is probably what will happen late in most games.

ROOKIE WATCH: LHP Brett Anderson, obtained in the Dan Haren trade with Arizona after the 2007 season, will open the season in the rotation, and RHP Trevor Cahill appears to have nailed down a spot, too. Both are 21 years old and have terrific stuff, lots of movement and plenty of confidence. Anderson pitched in Class AAA during the postseason last year, and Cahill hasn't pitched beyond Class AA. Backup catcher Landon Powell is also a first-year player, but he's unlikely to get significant playing time behind Kurt Suzuki.

MEDICAL WATCH:

RHP Justin Duchscherer (sore elbow) is scheduled for arthroscopic surgery and will open the season on the DL. There is a chance that when he is able to throw off a mound, he will be moved into the bullpen to try to safeguard his health.

3B Eric Chavez (shoulder) did not play in the field in a Cactus League game until March 27, and the team is likely to take it slowly with him considering he had a setback that cost him two weeks at the start of the month.

2B Mark Ellis (shoulder) made his Cactus League debut at second on March 25 and appears completely ready to go, though the A's are sure to give him plenty of rest early in the season.

LHP Gio Gonzalez (shoulder) went two weeks without throwing off a mound, taking him out of the running for a rotation spot, at least initially. He could wind up in Oakland's bullpen at or near the start of the season.

RHP Joey Devine (elbow) missed several weeks but has resumed pitching in games. Considering that he had an elbow problem last year, the A's are likely to minimize his back-to-back appearances and his inning totals early on.

C Landon Powell (side) missed several days because of soreness that was not considered significant.