We happen to fall into the former category. 

We caught up with Kluwe during Raiders OTAs and he didn't disappoint, giving us the scoop on a new project he's working on as well as breaking down his favorite new video games. 

Uber nerdom, activate. 

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Those two pitchers are clear favorites for the top spot in a power ranking of the A's hurlers who have logged at least 20 innings (sorry, Thursday winner Jesse Chavez). Beyond them is the real question, especially considering the sophomore slumping of three returning starters.

Before Thursday's victory over the New York Yankees, Oakland was 7-6 when Tommy Milone, Jarrod Parker or A.J. Griffin was on the mound, and all three have had rough periods.

Another year of ace injury doesn't help, though Brandon McCarthy seemed a regular stalwart last year in comparison to this season's issue.

At least the relievers are all developing, except for that recent deluge brought upon Jon Heyman-hating Sean Doolittle.

Let's see where he's fallen to in the power rankings and who has risen above the reliever. 

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There's great reason to believe the A's can legitimately compete for the AL West crown. There won't be any come-from-behind surprises this year. In fact, if anyone still thinks this team is a fluke, they clearly haven't watched enough baseball.

It's not my doubt in the A's, it's the talented competition that causes concern.

Let's take a look at a few roadblocks standing in Oakland's way, as well as counters to those challenges.

What the A's Have Going For Them

They're off to a hot start.

The A's have finished the first two months of baseball with winning records. Currently, Oakland is on pace for 96 wins. If 96 wins can't get a team into playoffs, then boy, we might be witnesses to the best baseball season of all time.

However, a wild-card spot is one thing. The division title is another.

The original prediction claimed 92 wins, and that's in large part due to the schedule.

June is going to be challenging. Again, the Athletics are a great team, and they can certainly compete with the best of them. But after the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners, the A's face the Texas Rangers, Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals.

July could swing either way. For every Houston Astros game, there's one against the Boston Red Sox.

September looks super easy (Minnesota Twins, Mariners, Astros), but the A's have to get through August, their toughest month of the season, first. During those dog days they'll face the Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Rays, Detroit Tigers and Baltimore Orioles.

The talent is there, though.

Josh Donaldson is playing All-Star-caliber baseball, and Yoenis Cespedes is making a case to be included in the 2013 Home Run Derby. From Coco Crisp leading things off to Grant Balfour closing it out, the team is not just a bunch of nobodies.

If everything looks so peachy, what could possibly stop the A's from winning the division?

The Concerns

It's those pesky Rangers.

A's fans might be quick to claim either the Rangers aren't good or their green and gold team is simply better. But let's be realistic: The Rangers are one of the best teams in baseball.

Their offense is filled with talented hitters like Adrian Beltre. Their pitching staff has a potential Cy Young winner in Yu Darvish and one of the best closers on the back-end, Joe Nathan.

And nearly opposite of the A's, the Rangers have an easy schedule once they get out of June.

Specifically worrisome (for Oakland), while the A's battle in the month of August, Texas might be able to set it on cruise control the rest of the way.

Additionally, Oakland's health is a concern.

Notice how often columnists point out how well the A's play with Cespedes in the lineup versus how limited they are without him? We wouldn't have to constantly point to the numbers if it wasn't constantly relevant.

It's not great when the team is so dependent on one guy who may be a bit more prone to injuries than the average ballplayer.

And if Jed Lowrie, or worse, Donaldson goes down, what happens then?

Finally, the Actual Odds of Winning the Division

One final consideration has to be the Rangers' knack for folding under pressure.

Three years isn't an overwhelming sample size, but they are three consecutive years with relatively the same roster (and arguably a worse one at that).

In 2010, Texas lost in the World Series in five games, outscored 29-12 along the way. In 2011 it got worse. One out away from winning the World Series, the Rangers blew it by allowing two runs in the bottom of the ninth sending Game 6 into extras. They quickly scored two, made two more outs and once again were one out away from glory.

They blew it again.

Texas went on to lose Game 7 and a second consecutive World Series. The following year saw even more heartbreak. The Rangers lost the AL West division title to the A's on the final day of the season.

One Wild Card loss later, and they were outed.

Conversely, the A's play outstanding baseball in the second half. Take last year for example, when they won 51 games (67 percent of their games). Even during the losing 2011 campaign, the A's rebounded from a 42 percent win percentage in the first half to a .500 average in the second. The last time Oakland failed to finish .500 or better after the All-Star break was in 2008, five years ago.

Every negative has its positive. This one is almost too hard to tell.

Let's consult outside predictors.

According to Sportsclubstats.com, the A's have an 85.8 chance of making it to playoffs. The breakdown includes a 20 percent chance (each) for going as the No. 2, No. 3 or No. 4 seed, which means they win the division.

MLB.com is less optimistic.

Their intensely calculated projections give the Rangers an 82.5 percent chance of making playoffs. Oakland has only a 68.5 percent chance.

Lastly, BaseballProspectus.com also gives the A's a 68.5 percent chance to make the playoffs, but that figure drops to 34.5 percent to go as the division winner.

The average of the three sites directly above would claim the A's are about 74 percent likely to go to playoffs, one way or another. So what are the odds of doing it as division winners again?

It's tempting to say it's 50-50.

Shocking it would be to see the Rangers fail to take advantage of a soft schedule down the stretch. Likewise, Oakland has to be in tip-top shape the rest of the way, and to do so, health is a must.

Because of those concerns, the odds of winning the division are more like 45 percent.

So they may not win the AL West. Still, they're a fantastic bet to make playoffs period and win more than the originally predicted 92 games in the process.

Read more Oakland Athletics news on BleacherReport.com

Playing in an AFC West division that the vast majority will virtually hand to the Denver Broncos before the season even gets underway, it can be fairly easy to write the Raiders off early. 

At the same time, despite their salary-cap issues, significant roster turnover and number of holes at various spots on the depth chart, this team, like every other in the NFL, will be expected to compete by both its management and fans. 

With some talented players on offense, centered around a superstar-caliber running back in Darren McFadden, the hope is that the transition back to a much more suitable scheme will make instant improvements upon a horrendous 2012 showing. 

Where things get very interesting for the Raiders is forecasting just how the defense will look in 2013. 

Heading into the second season of Allen and Jason Tarver’s systems, to say the Raiders have overhauled their defensive personnel is quite the understatement. 

With all of the additions through both free agency and what turned out to be quite a sizable number of draft picks, the Raiders now only return two of 11 starters on defense: defensive end Lamarr Houston and safety Tyvon Branch. 

Now, it is one thing to turn over a roster for the sake of doing so amid a mass organizational rebuild, but it is another to do so making noticeable improvements. 

On the defensive side of the ball, at least, the Raiders seem to have done just that, looking to have the potential for significant improvement in a number of key areas. 

Defensive Line

Taking a look at the Raiders’ defensive personnel, there will be more initial concern surrounding the front four than any other group. 

The loss of some big names like that of Richard Seymour, Tommy Kelly, Desmond Bryant and Matt Shaughnessy warrants some of that concern and will certainly create some depth issues, but it’s not all negative here. 

To replace the big veterans in the middle, the Raiders added free agents Vance Walker and Pat Sims, as well as sixth-round draft pick Stacy McGee. 

Both Walker and Sims are expected to take on starting roles immediately, and both have established themselves as productive players defending the run. 

Again, while the losses of Seymour, Kelly and Bryant in the middle do hurt, and especially so from a pass rush stand point, there is no denying how much the Raiders’ run defense struggled for years despite their presence. 

The additions of Walker and Sims have the potential to turn around those struggles, and while they may not be as well known as the aforementioned former Raiders, this was much-needed change up front. 

The primary and most well-documented concern for this Raiders defense, however, remains their ability to generate a pass rush. 

At defensive end, the projected starters are a young star in Lamarr Houston and an experienced veteran in Andre Carter. 

Houston, a well-established anchor against the run, continues to develop his pass-rushing ability from outside as well. Despite what some would consider underwhelming production in the sack column, his ability to consistently create pressure and disrupt the pocket carries significant value itself. 

On the other side, having Carter enter this season fully healthy should go a long way to seeing improved production on his part. As the 2012 season wore on, and Carter continued to get reacclimated from his prior injury, it became obvious that he still had something left in the tank and was Oakland's best pass-rusher 

Although both Carter and Houston are capable of getting after the quarterback, the key for the Raiders in 2013 will be getting contributions from several additional players as well. 

While the Raiders could certainly look to free agency when it comes time for final roster cuts, keep an eye on one of their seventh-round selections, David Bass, as well. 

Bass’ speed off the edge gives him the potential to contribute as a pass-rush specialist in nickel packages, and especially so considering the Raiders’ need for depth there. 

The Raiders’ unit up front has a good mix of veterans and young players, and while depth will be a concern heading into this season, this group has the potential to surprise some people across the league. 

Linebacker

The starting unit at linebacker has experienced more turnover than any roster group on this team, and for good reason.

That very turnover has made them one of the most improved units on the roster, and thus one of the more exciting to watch as the offseason moves along. 

Heading into the 2013 season, we can project a starting group that consists of Nick Roach in the middle and any two of Kevin Burnett, Kaluka Maiava and Sio Moore on the outside. 

In the middle, Roach will provide the Raiders with a smart, athletic player who possesses the kind of balanced skill set that they have missed in past years. 

Roach may not be the kind of “thumper” that Rolando McClain was sometimes known to be against the run, but he will certainly hold his own in that department, while also giving the Raiders a massive upgrade in coverage. 

Both Burnett and Maiava have been some of the league’s most underrated 4-3 outside linebackers in recent years, and their offseason signings follow suit with that of Roach, and the balance they bring in their skill sets. 

Both thus have potential three-down value, and should either not find themselves in the starting lineup, the improvement in linebacker depth becomes all the more obvious. 

 Moore, the Raiders’ third-round selection, should have an important role regardless of whether or not he wins a starting spot coming out of camp. 

As was mentioned in regard to the defensive line, the Raiders’ ability to generate a pass rush continues to be a concern heading into this season. 

While Moore has the potential to contribute as an early down outside linebacker, his greatest value will come with his ability to put his hand on the ground and get after the quarterback as a nickel pass-rusher. 

Of course, as with any newlydrafted player, the transition to the NFL game is the unknown variable. However, should Moore prove himself as a capable edge-rusher in his rookie season, suddenly a nickel package defensive line of Andre Carter, Vance Walker, Lamarr Houston and Sio Moore does not look so bad. 

Overall, the balance and versatility that this new-look linebacker group brings should go a long way to improving the Raiders defense as a whole. 

These upgrades have not only improved the starting lineup at the position, but the depth of which as well. Having a starter from last season in Miles Burris now likely to take on a backup role at any or all of the linebacker positions is extremely valuable moving forward. 

Secondary

Similar to the linebacker group, the secondary has undergone a complete overhaul this offseason. Considering its struggles in coverage throughout the 2012 campaign, that can only be considered progress for the Raiders as they continue their rebuild. 

At corner, early projections will have both first-round selection D.J. Hayden and free-agent addition Tracy Porter as the starters. 

It remains to be seen how quickly Hayden will acclimate himself to the NFL game, especially considering the fact that he is now expected to be out until the start of training camp, but he has the natural ability in coverage to be the Raiders’ No. 1 corner from day one. 

After a tough season in Denver, largely due to some health reasons that were out of his control, Porter will be looking to rebound. Playing under Allen, he is now reunited with his position coach from his seasons with the New Orleans Saints where he certainly experienced his most career success. 

Although Hayden and Porter are projected as starters, there will still be plenty of competition here. In fact, the Raiders’ competition at cornerback will be among the most interesting to follow throughout training camp. 

Also in the mix for some significant playing time will be free-agent signee Mike Jenkins, Joselio Hanson and Phillip Adams. 

Whichever way the depth chart works itself out, a group consisting of Hayden, Porter, Jenkins, Hanson and Adams is both more talented and a much deeper group than that of last season. 

At strong safety, the Raiders’ second returning defensive starter, Tyvon Branch, continues to be one of their best players overall. 

In recent seasons, Branch’s defensive contributions against both the run and pass may have been overlooked due to a struggling overall unit around him, but this is the year that could change in a big way. 

The significant upgrades at corner will certainly help, but so will the presence of his new teammate at free safety, Charles Woodson. 

Since Woodson’s signing in Oakland, and his essential “homecoming” to the silver and black, the potential impact he will have has been well-discussed. 

Despite his age, he has proved that he can still play at a very high level, and the leadership he will bring not only to a young defense, but to the team overall, goes without saying. 

Expected to have a defensive role that allows him to roam around and best utilize his instincts and playmaking ability, Woodson should have plenty of opportunities to create turnovers and contribute in a big way. 

Free-agent addition Usama Young has established himself as a more-than-capable starting safety in this league, and having him as the primary backup for both Branch and Woodson again speaks toward significantly improved depth in the secondary. 

All things considered, the Raiders have done well to improve a secondary that was arguably the NFL’s worst unit in 2012. 

Now, while they may not be at the top of the league, upgrades at both the starting positions and further down the depth chart will go a long way to helping the coverage unit overall, and subsequently the defense’s biggest concern, the pass rush. 

What to Expect

Despite the fact that the Raiders have lost some big names in free agency this offseason, they have made significant upgrades across the defense. 

Expect the upgrades in the front seven, as well as the addition of Woodson at safety, to help improve what has been a struggling run defense for many years now. 

Yes, the pass rush remains a prime concern, but that is where the defensive scheming and game-planning of Allen and Tarver needs to play its part. 

Now, with an improved coverage unit in the secondary, the coaching staff can get more creative with the variety of blitz packages it chooses to employ, sending extra defenders from a number of different positions. 

Having as many starting-potential linebackers as the Raiders do, as well as some capable of rushing the passer off the edge, the defensive staff can create these different situations through the multiple formations it has long been looking to make use of. 

Overall, the Raiders defense will probably not be among the league’s best, but nor should it be among the league’s worst. 

Continuing to add the kind of players they want to this unit, Allen and Tarver should be able to open up the defensive playbook even more. 

If that very scheme’s success toward the back end of last season is any indication, now with much-improved personnel groups at many spots, this Raiders defense should take a big step forward in 2013.

Dan Wilkins is an Oakland Raiders Featured Columnist. You can follow him on Twitter here.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

Forced to stay indoors with a rare blood disease, Nick was able to throw out the first pitch prior to Wednesday's game between the New York Yankees and Oakland Athletics.

What makes it even more remarkable is the fact that Nick threw it from Kansas City.

How was it done? According to the Associated Press (via ESPN), all it took was a little bit of technology.

LeGrande and his family, including parents Mike and Shari, were taken to a mini baseball stadium. It was constructed by Google at its Kansas City offices -- a location close to LeGrande's home and Children's Mercy Hospital, where he receives treatment. Nick's friends, doctors and former teammates were all set to be in attendance.

At the same in the Bay Area, a telerobotic pitching machine was placed on the pitcher's mound at the Oakland Coliseum to follow the teen's movements. The technology allowed LeGrande to simultaneously throw the pitch and watch it happen from afar.

Talk about modern technology.

Prior to the game it was noted that Nick had no clue he was throwing out the first pitch.

So this just happened: 13-yr-old Nick LeGrande (w/ glove) just learned he’s throwing #NicksFirstPitch in 45 minutes!! twitter.com/ChildrensMercy…

— Children's Mercy(@ChildrensMercy) June 13, 2013

Then when it came time for the pitch, the Oakland faithful stood and cheered for the little boy.  

Great first pitch from Nick LeGrande, and a standing ovation from the Coliseum crowd. Really neat. #Athletics

— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) June 13, 2013

Rightfully so, the brave young boy became an instant celebrity, and his first official post-pitch interview was handled just like he was a real major leaguer:

A star is born. Then hugged and heckled by his big brothers. #NicksFirstPitch g.co/nicksfirstpitch twitter.com/ChildrensMercy…

— Children's Mercy(@ChildrensMercy) June 13, 2013

It's a great piece of technology and something MLB should consider working with in concurrence with Google in the future.

This is a moment that Nick LeGrande, his family and many baseball fans across the country will never forget. Here's hoping more deserving children are afforded the same opportunity.

Read more Oakland Athletics news on BleacherReport.com

The Oakland Raiders suffered through a pretty miserable 2012. 2013 may not be much better, but there are signs that general manager Reggie McKenzie has the team headed in the right direction.  

In the video above, I give my grades for free agency and the draft, as well as the offseason overall.

Let us know in the comments below where you agree or disagree and what kind of grade you would give the Raiders for their work this offseason. 

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

In the process, the A's have received stellar performances from multiple players who have merited consideration for the 2013 All-Star Game at Citi Field in New York.

To put that idea into proper perspective, the only time that Oakland sent more than one player to the All-Star Game in the past eight years was in 2010 when Trevor Cahill and Andrew Bailey were chosen.

Oakland has not sent multiple position players to the Midsummer Classic since 1991 and no position player has represented the A's since Ramon Hernandez was a reserve catcher in 2003.

But this year could be different. While contributions have been made by many players in Oakland, here are the five A's players who have played at a legitimate All-Star level.

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With a whole slew of new faces—most of them younger and unproven—there aren't a whole lot of expectations this season. That said, there's a strange sense of hope and excitement hovering over the team thus far.

So as we look to the 2013 schedule, a few games jump off for a number of reasons—some are must-wins, some are statement games and some are simply confidence boosters.

These aren't necessarily the most important games of the season and they aren't necessarily the easiest, but they are the five that will dictate how the 2013 season is perceived looking backwards.

Week 1: Oakland at Indianapolis

For every team, Week 1 is important.

For Oakland, however, it's going to be more of a feeling-out process than anything else.

What's nice for Oakland is that going on the road to Indianapolis is a sneaky game in which Oakland could actually compete.

With Andrew Luck under center coming off a trip to the playoffs, Indy will be a heavy favorite at home.

The Raiders, however, will have their first chance at proving themselves to be better than last season—especially in the secondary.

If Oakland can keep the game close and make this more interesting than people think, this becomes a major confidence booster moving forward.

If the Raiders get smoked, well, lets just say it's going to be a long season.

Week 5: San Diego at Oakland

Any time the dreaded Chargers come to town, the stakes are raised—but under these circumstances, the stakes should be even higher.

After games against the Colts, Jaguars, Broncos and Redskins, the Raiders will be badly in need of a victory—especially within the division.

While San Diego finally rid itself of Norv Turner, it still isn't an outstanding team on paper—and at home, in a rivalry game, you've got to think Oakland will be ready for this one.

This is going to be another turning-point game for Oakland because many assume the Raiders will come into the matchup 1-3 (at best).

With a divisional win, Oakland would move closer to .500 on the season and will have some momentum heading into the final game before its bye week.

With a loss, however, Oakland drops to 1-4 and everyone starts looking forward to another pick at the top of the draft.

This game is definitely a season-changer.

Week 6: Oakland at Kansas City

While the Chiefs are definitely improving, it's safe to say they aren't light years ahead of Oakland in the development process.

Sure, they've added a new coach, a new quarterback and a number of nice pieces on defense, but they're still just months removed from a 2-14 season that landed them the top pick.

Like the game against the Chargers, this is another "propel" game. What I mean is that this game either propels Oakland towards improvement or towards the top pick in the draft.

If Oakland loses to both San Diego and Kansas City, it's hard to imagine it being any better than 1-5 heading into the bye week with an 0-3 record in the division.

If that's the case, Reggie McKenzie and Co. can start scouting Jadeveon Clowney.

If Oakland can win both divisional games, however, there's hope that the rebuilding process might be further along than many think.

Week 13: Oakland at Dallas

Thanksgiving Day with a national audience against the Cowboys. Doesn't get much bigger than that.

While this game has little significance on the overall season for Oakland, I think it could have a big impact on the national perception of Oakland moving forward.

As one of two nationally televised games for Oakland this season, it's likely the one that most people watch.

Of course, what the national media says about the team doesn't matter on the field, but it surely matters to the players and coaches, impacting their confidence and psyche immensely.

With just a few weeks remaining in the season, there's a chance this will be the time when a lot of the younger, more undeveloped guys start to see more action as a way of building towards 2014.

If that's the case, these final few weeks will have a major impact on the future of the franchise and who sticks around.

Week 17: Denver at Oakland

While there's little chance this game has equal significance for both teams, this is going to be a pride game for the Raiders—and could be the type of game that determines the future of guys like Darren McFadden and Dennis Allen.

There's a chance that Denver is resting starters in anticipation of a playoff run, and there's a chance that Oakland has turned the reins over to the rookies in anticipation of a top draft pick, but whenever the Broncos and Raiders play in Oakland, it's sure to be fun.

This game won't affect the standings, but it will affect any hope Oakland has in the future.

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

With the success that Donaldson has had at the plate—a .324 batting average and .394 on-base percentage—he is getting a push from A's fans to be sent to the All-Star Game.  

Donaldson is starting to get the attention that he deserves, as he recently surpassed Kevin Youkilis of the New York Yankees for the fifth spot in votes at third base.  

While Donaldson will likely not surpass players such as Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers, Donaldson could certainly move up further and pass a player like Adrian Beltre—who has a .307 batting average—of the division rival Texas Rangers.  

Donaldson deserves a trip to the All-Star Game, but is it a big deal if he is snubbed?

The A's tend to not get the respect they deserve in the national media.  Just after winning the 2012 division title, the A's were seen as underdogs to the Los Angeles Angels, again, in 2013 by the likes of ESPN.  With that perspective in the national media, it will be very difficult for Donaldson to get enough votes outside of the Bay Area to make the American League team.  

In the NBA, I said the same thing with Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors as I will say about Donaldson: being voted to the All-Star Game is not as important as team success.  It is certainly nice to be voted by the fans as one of the best players in the game, but the voting isn't exactly an accurate calculation of talent.

In the NBA, Curry was short on votes for the popularity contest known as the All-Star Game.  In reality, he led his team to the second round of the playoffs and he set the record for three-pointers in a single season.

In the MLB, Donaldson is going to have trouble competing with more established names like Cabrera and Beltre for votes.  Donaldson's best chance to make the AL roster may be as a hand-selected representative rather than receiving fan votes.

If Donaldson is not awarded a trip to the All-Star Game, he shouldn't worry about it.  The real great players show off their skill by winning in October, not July. 

Read more Oakland Athletics news on BleacherReport.com

As these offseason programs continue, we will get a better idea of just how the Raiders’ depth chart will shake out heading into the regular season. 

While a few positions are relatively set, there are many that could go in a variety of directions. Having said that, it is never too early to predict just what directions those may be. 

Here is a post-OTA prediction of what the Oakland Raiders’ final depth chart will look like.

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