30 A's in 30 Days – Landon Powell

Acquired: Drafted in 1st round, 2004.
Contract: One year thru 2009. No prior Major League service time.
Position: Back-up catcher for the one or two games per month that Kurt Suzuki sits out.

Projected BA/OBP/SLG: (.217/.310/.373)

Over/Under: Though Powell has fought back from major surgery on both knees and a maddening inability to control his weight (published reports have had him anywhere from 30 to 300 pounds overweight in recent years – typos, notwithstanding) he's pretty much hit the ceiling of his talent. He'll be 27 next week and he's never played a Major League game. Powell will do just fine at catching the ceremonial first pitch. He'll be dandy at warming up the pitcher at the start of the following inning after Suzuki grounds out to end the previous inning and needs time to put his gear on. He'll also fall UNDER that projection.

By the Numbers: 15 – Percentage of innings in 2008 caught by A's back-up catcher Rob Bowen. He also racked up less than 100 plate appearances. Hard to understand how a gelatinous blob like Powell can avoid one of those extended 0-for-something stretches by retarding his own momentum with one start every 10 days.

Surefire '09 Prediction: All of those sumptuous post-game spreads at the Major League level? The increase in per diem from what he got at Triple-A Sacramento? That delicious basket of popcorn chicken and fries served behind Section 116 at the Oakland Coliseum? This won't end well.