Cactus League countdown: Oakland Athletics

It was a busy winter in the Bay for general manager Billy Beane and the Oakland Athletics, but not in the way A's fans probably would have liked. With the A's in a holding pattern awaiting a decision on a new stadium and their desired move to San Jose, the front office spent little and dealt plenty this offseason. That combination coupled with the bigtime moves made by fellow AL West teams spells out another down season in Oakland. The A's traded all-star pitchers Andrew Bailey and Gio Gonzalez and 2011 Opening Day starter Trevor Cahill. They've also parted ways with the likes of Josh Willingham, Hideki Matsui and David DeJesus, among others. Those departures create plenty of questions, first and foremost with how the rotation fills out. Brandon McCarthy had his best professional season in 2011, so he'll likely top the rotation. Behind him are low-budget free-agent acquisition Bartolo Colon and perhaps Dallas Braden, who hopes to be ready for Opening Day after shoulder surgery last year. Brett Anderson will be out until at least midseason after Tommy John surgery last July. Beyond that, it'll be a scramble among holdovers Tyson Ross and Graham Godfrey and promising young prospects Brad Peacock, Tom Milone and Jarrod Parker, the prime haul from their off-season dismantling. The stockpiling of young pitchers could well pay off in a couple years, and A's fans can only hope it will conjure of memories of the days of Barry Zito, Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson. For the here and now, however, the fans have to exercise patience. But by the time the A's are contending again, they might just be stationed in brand new digs an hour or so to the southeast. Given those low expectations and the obvious rebuilding mode, this spring will be more about the future than the present. Besides for the pitchers, the A's are hoping that they have accumlated some keepers among the ranks of second baseman Jemile Weeks and outfielders Josh Reddick and Collin Cowgill. There will be some more grizzled faces among the newcomers, too. In addition to Colon, the A's have brought in veteran outfielders Jonny Gomes and Seth Smith to compete with Reddick and Cowgill for the corner positions. Spring camp could also be one of the team's last at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, where they've played for 31 years. The park is the Cactus League's oldest, and A's officials revealed recently that the team is in talks to move its spring home to Mesa once the Chicago Cubs vacate HoHoKam Stadium for their new facility. Beane has been realistic about the A's current status, frankly proclaiming he doesn't think the team can compete in its division without a new stadium, especially with the Rangers and Angels investing heavily in additions like Yu Darvish and Albert Pujols. That's the harsh reality for A's fans, who this year will spend the spring reliving the glorious Moneyball era on DVD and envisioning what could be if all those young pitchers turn into stars. Whos new: Seth Smith, OF (trade, Colorado); Josh Reddick, OF (trade, Boston); Bartolo Colon, SP (free agent); Ryan Cook, RP (trade, Arizona); Collin Cowgill, OF (trade, Arizona); Jonny Gomes, OF (free agent); Tom Milone, SP (trade, Washington); Jarrod Parker, SP (trade, Arizona); Brad Peacock, SP (trade, Washington); Jason Pridie, OF (free agent). Whos gone: Andrew Bailey, RP (trade, Boston); Craig Breslow, RP (trade, Arizona); Trevor Cahill, SP (trade, Arizona); David DeJesus, OF (free agent, Cubs); Gio Gonzalez, SP (trade, Washington); Rich Harden (free agent); Andy LaRoche, 3B (free agent, Cleveland); Hideki Matsui, DH (free agent); Guillermo Moscoso, SP (trade, Colorado); Josh Outman, SP (trade, Colorado); Ryan Sweeney, OF (trade, Boston); Josh Willingham, OF (free agent, Minnesota); Michael Wuertz, RP (released). Battle grounds: With center fielder Coco Crisp opting to re-sign with the A's, there's one less available outfield spot for the rest. Seth Smith, who came over in a trade from Colorado, and free agent addition Jonny Gomes will likely battle for left field, while Cowgill and Josh Reddick compete for right. With Boston last season, Reddick had his longest major league stint, while Cowgill showed flashes of offensive potential for the Diamondbacks. The competition at first base between Daric Barton, Brandon Allen and Kila Ka'aihue could determine who ends up the primary designated hitter. Chris Carter may also be in the mix at both positions, and Gomes could be a DH option as well. With Andrew Bailey's departure, the closer's job is up for grabs and there's no clear leader. Look for young fireballer Fautino De Los Santos to be in the mix along with Grant Balfour, Brian Fuentes and Joey Devine. Health watch: Shoulder surgery limited Dallas Braden to just three appearances last season, but his rehab is reportedly going well. He's expected to be good to go for spring camp and should slot into the middle of the rotation. After Tommy John surgery in July, starting pitcher Brett Anderson will be sidelined until at least the middle of the season. Tyson Ross battled an oblique issue last season and will need to have a healthy camp for a shot at the rotation. Sneak preview: Given all the A's dealt away this offseason, almost anything's possible when it comes to prospects making it to the show, but young hurler A.J. Cole is probably a couple years away from the majors. The 20-year-old came over in the Gio Gonzalez trade and averaged almost 11 strikeouts per nine innings in Single-A last season. A's 2011 first round draft pick Sonny Gray will be in major league camp; he was one of a few top picks to sign before the deadline and get some minor league work. He started six games in the A's system in 2011, allowing just two runs in 22 innings. Spring training info: Phoenix Municipal Stadium, 5999 E. Van Buren, Phoenix. First workouts: Feb. 19 (pitchers and catchers), Feb. 25 (full squad). First game: March 2. Tickets: Oaklandathletics.com.