A's undergo the offseason's most substantial makeover

Crisp is the only remaining player from Melvin's first day on the job.

Never has the roster realignment been more pronounced than the one Melvin will be working with at the start of Spring Training later this month.

The A's have enjoyed success under Melvin's direction. They advanced to the postseason in each of the past three campaigns. But after being eliminated in a five-game American League Division Series in 2012 and '13, they were knocked out in the AL Wild Card Game last season.

That's not enough to satisfy the A's, who are looking for their first World Series championship since 1989, after coming up short in their last 10 postseason appearances. General manager Billy Beane tried to change that in the middle of last season, when he dealt three prospects to the Cubs on July 5 for pitchers Jason Hammel and Jeff Samardzija. He followed up on that bold move on July 31, when he not only sent Tommy Milone to the Twins for outfielder Sam Fuld, but he also traded outfielder Yoenis Cespedes to the Red Sox for left-hander Jon Lester and outfielder Jonny Gomes.

Fuld is the only one of the five in-season additions still with the A's, who head to Arizona with only two members of last year's Opening Day lineup projected to be on the card Melvin fills out for this year's April 6 opener against the Rangers (center fielder Crisp and right fielder Josh Reddick).

Fuld has taken over in left field and Stephen Vogt at catcher. Offseason additions Billy Butler (DH), Ike Davis (first base), Marcus Semien (shortstop) and Ben Zobrist (second base) all project as starters, too.

No team in the big leagues has undergone a bigger makeover than the A's.

Surf's up

With a new front office in San Diego, the Padres have shaken things up in an effort to earn their first postseason berth since 2006. Every other National League West team has made at least two postseason appearances since then.

The Padres have a new outfield, with the additions of Justin Upton in left, Wil Myers in center and Matt Kemp in right. They also picked up third baseman Will Middlebrooks and catcher Derek Norris.

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A's undergo the offseason's most substantial makeover