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OAKLAND Wei-Yin Chen Jersey , Calif. (AP) — Khris Davis hardly cares how many home runs he hits this year if he can slug the Oakland Athletics much deeper into the postseason.Sure, he has some numbers in his head. How could he not after leading the majors with 48 homers last year? Perhaps 50 is now within reach.There was time for reflection, and it has now passed.“I did at the end of the season. Now I’m kind of like over it,” Davis said. “I want to pick up where I left off. I felt like I ended the season on a good note, making it to the playoffs. Nobody thought we’d get there. Even though we lost, there was a lot to be proud of. It was by far the most fun I’ve had playing baseball, because we won so many games. And winning is way better than losing.”With a young power-hitting lineup, the A’s realize they won’t surprise the rest of baseball as they did last year with their knack for late-game rallies and winning the close ones. Oakland lost the AL wild card game to the New York Yankees.“We’ve come a long way as a team to get into this type of position,” manager Bob Melvin said. “It’s easier to envision where the lineup’s going to be and look a little bit farther down the road with this type of team than with teams where you’re kind of always having to mix and match.”Here are some things to watch for as the A’s look to start strong, beginning in Japan on March 20 against the AL West rival Seattle Mariners:MOMENTUM TIME: Melvin expects his A’s to have swagger, a well-deserved confidence after the remarkable turnaround of 2018.The A’s trailed the Mariners by 11 games in the wild-card race on June 15 then propelled themselves into the playoffs with a superb second half.“We were able to, through confidence, create the success, and now we have that kind of confidence to go into the season,” said Melvin, the reigning AL Manager of the Year.PROFAR’S PRESENCE: New second baseman Jurickson Profar joins a talented infield with a pair of slugging Matts — Matt Chapman at third and Matt Olson at first — along with much-improved Marcus Semien at shortstop.Profar knows how good his new club can be after watching the A’s beat his former Texas Rangers so many times before being traded.“Now I get the chance to play with them. So far, it’s fun Jeff Locke Jersey ,” he said. “I’m excited to get it started already and have a good year with everybody.”Profar batted .254 with 20 homers and 77 RBIs in 146 games last season while playing all four infield spots for the Rangers.He is embracing a new opportunity with Oakland.“They did great last year and we’re still young. I’m looking forward to doing it again, go to the playoffs and not only one game like last year. Keep going.”POWER PLAY: Davis, who received a $6 million raise this offseason to $16.5 million, also had a career-high 123 RBIs. He jokes about the fact he has hit .247 for each of the past four seasons.Olson hit 29 homers and drove in 85 runs while Chapman had 24 homers and 68 RBIs in his first full major league season. He is coming off left shoulder surgery in December.“Now that I think about it, wow, it was because of these young guys,” Davis said of the recent success. “They bring something fresh, and that’s what Oakland needs is some freshness.”ROTATION FACES: The A’s are counting on veteran starters Mike Fiers and Marco Estrada to lead the rotation until everyone is healthy again.Fiers returned on a $14.1 million, two-year deal in December, then Estrada received a $4 million, one-year contract in January.The A’s acquired Fiers in August from Detroit, and he helped the club reach the playoffs for the first time since 2014. He went 5-2 with a 3.74 ERA in 10 outings with nine starts after joining Oakland.Brett Anderson is back with the A’s and the lefty also is slated to be in the rotation when the season starts.Lefty ace Sean Manaea pitched a no-hitter against Boston on April 21 then underwent shoulder surgery in September. He is expected to be out until around the All-Star break.Jharel Cotton had Tommy John surgery in March, followed by three others who also underwent the elbow ligament replacement surgery: departed 2018 opening day starter Kendall Graveman, Daniel Gossett and top prospect A.J. Puk.TOP PROSPECT: While Jesus Luzardo didn’t get named to the roster for Japan, he is still hopeful of breaking camp with a big league spot. He will remain in Arizona to stay on a throwing schedule.The prized lefty made all of four starts at Triple-A Nashville last season, when he also pitched in Double-A and Class-A ball. SEATTLE (AP) — Adrian Beltre was not ready to say Sunday was the final game of his career.Every other part of the day had the feel of a farewell, and a celebration for one of the best third basemen ever.“I wanted to make sure to enjoy it Cameron Maybin Jersey , do what you do and if this is it, this is it,” Beltre said. “It was just not something I could say was defined, ‘This was my last game or my last out, last groundball, last hit.’ But it could be. So it’s difficult to explain, but I do not know how I feel.”Beltre and the Texas Rangers were shut down by Seattle starter Roenis Elias in the Mariners’ 3-1 win on Sunday that closed out the 2018 season. The day was overshadowed with what-ifs mostly about whether Beltre will retire after 21 seasons, but also if Nelson Cruz will be back in Seattle in 2019 with his contract up after the season.The majority of the focus was on Beltre and the day had a feeling of finality for a career likely bound for Cooperstown. Beltre played 4½ innings before being lifted before the bottom of the fifth, given a standing ovation by the crowd of 21,146. Beltre went 1 for 2 and finished with a .273 average, 15 homers and 65 RBIs.Like his demeanor for most of his career, Beltre had fun should it be his final game. Beltre blooped a single to right leading off the second inning. He was almost immediately doubled off when Joey Gallo’s liner was caught by first baseman Ryon Healy. After he was called out, Beltre jogged to the Mariners dugout railing and gave close friend Felix Hernandez a hug before heading back to the Rangers dugout.Beltre had another humorous moment on the final out of the fourth inning with runners on first and second. Ryon Healy stopped running to third and retreated toward second base, but Beltre waved Healy back toward third and tagged him for the final out.“Right before that at-bat I thought this was perfect. I don’t have to throw, I don’t have to move. If they hit it to me I’m going to stand in the line until they come over,” Beltre said. “It happens and Healy … he was cool enough to come back to me and let me tag him.”Beltre, who spent five seasons with the Mariners from 2005-09 Lewis Brinson Jersey , was given a standing ovation leading off the fifth inning as a “Thank You, Adrian” message was shown on the video board. Beltre tipped his helmet to the crowd before flying out to right field. Beltre took the field for the bottom of the fifth and was replaced by Jurickson Profar, receiving hugs from all of his teammates on the field and in the dugout.“It was emotional. I wasn’t expecting that. They told me a couple of things that was deep and got me choked up a little bit right there,” Beltre said.Beltre didn’t give a timeline for when he would make a decision on his future but intended to take a little break before making a choice.“I know how much the fans truly enjoyed his time here,” Seattle’s Kyle Seger said. “Being the home player and watching a visiting player get that type of ovation was pretty special.”OTHER FAREWELL?Cruz was replaced in right field with one out in the top of the fourth inning by Ben Gamel. Cruz was given a standing ovation as he jogged to the dugout in what could be his final game with the Mariners. Cruz has been one of the best free agent signings in Mariners history. Cruz, who turned 38 in July, hit .256 with 37 home runs and 97 RBIs this season. He hit 163 homers and had 414 RBIs in his four seasons with Seattle.Cruz said he would like to be back.“Hopefully we can get something done,” Cruz said.STARTING OFFThe blooper by Beltre was the only hit allowed by Elias (3-1), who struck out four and walked none in a game that took just 2 hours, 14 minutes. David Freitas had an RBI double and Andrew Romine a run-scoring single off Yovani Gallardo (8-8) in the second inning. Seager added a sacrifice fly in the fifth.WIN TOTALSSeattle finished with 89 victories, its most since 2003, but it was a hallow accomplishment after seeing the longest playoff drought in any of the four major U.S. pro sports extended to 17 years. The Mariners last made the postseason in 2001 and in the middle of June appeared set to finally end that streak leading Oakland by 11 games in the wild-card race. That lead disappeared quickly as Oakland caught Seattle by August and raced past the Mariners over the final two months.After establishing the 11-game lead, Seattle went 43-48 over the final 101 games.Texas finished last in the AL West for the first time since 2014 and had consecutive losing seasons for the first time since going four straight years under .500 from 2005-08. The 95 losses matched the most for Texas since losing 99 games in 1985. Texas was one of eight teams to finish with at least 95 losses, a first in the major leagues.HOMERS OVER HITSRangers slugger Joey Gallo finished with more home runs (40) than singles (38). Gallo had 103 hits in 500 at-bats on the season. He batted .206UP NEXTRangers: Texas opens on March 28 at home against the Chicago Cubs.Mariners: Seattle starts on March 20 in Tokyo against Oakland.