The 2018 A’s are likely to have a strength common to their teams recently: depth. Relative to their wallet size, in particular, the projected depth is impressive. Even the middle of the roster will hold its own. The biggest problem on this roster will come at the top — who will be this team’s stars?



For a team with the 27th-highest payroll last year, the fact that the A’s 10th-best through 20th-best players next year project to be 10th-best in baseball, collectively, is impressive. Their worst players are better than the ones on teams as good as the Yankees.



They even do fine when you look at players ranked fifth through 10th, where they end up 22nd. That’s not great, but they’re surrounded by teams as interesting as the Twins, Rangers and Orioles. They’re six spots away from the Angels.



The Angels deserve particular mention because they might be the opposite of the A’s. While the A’s have depth and lack...