During the inaugural World Baseball Classic three years ago, one of the biggest problems I had with the tournament was the near-complete lack of upsets in the early rounds of the tournament. Korea winning the first two rounds of pool play over Japan was mildly surprising, but since the Japanese kept advancing it didn't seem to matter. The same went for Canada's upset over the U.S.; the Americans advanced and the Canadians didn't, so the upset felt kind of hollow. It was fun to watch, but it was clear that half of the field was very overmatched
This year, however, the tournament's off to a different start. The first weekend of the tournament was full of really surprising upsets, spear-headed this morning by Korea bouncing back from a 14-2 trouncing at the hands of Japan to pull out a 1-0 win in Tokyo to win Pool A. After the jump, I'll recap all of the action from the weekend, in case you missed any of it.
Things aren't going terribly well for the Athletics right now. They continue to lose players to the disabled list, and they've lost 12 of their last 16 games as they keep falling further and further away from the division leading Angels.
Oh, yes, the A's. Losers of 12 of their last 16, the traditional early summer sprint toward the front nowhere in evidence. The bullpen is in shards, with players going down left, right and center, and their rehab and return dates being pushed back almost weekly. Rich Harden has been activated from his own injury but has pitched only three times, including two innings of relief Saturday, and seems to be rehabbing on the fly.
Mike Piazza is rumored to be on the block after only 103 at-bats as the new Frank Thomas. And if he isn't moved, the A's apparently want him to catch about half the time, which leaves Jason Kendall in a sedentary predicament. Bobby Crosby and Eric Chavez play, but at nowhere near their established capabilities. And with Kurt Suzuki, Chris Snelling, Jack Cust and Travis Buck (freshly disabled and replaced by Dee Brown) already on board, Kevin Melillo making a brief cameo and Daric Barton savaging the Pacific Coast League, it seems increasingly clear that Billy Beane is thinking young, and thinking about it fast.
Ever since Beane took over in Oakland, the A's have been buyers at the deadline. Always finding that one under the radar player to put the team over the edge and get them into the playoff race. It seems that for all his knowledge of sabermetrics, Beane doesn't have a mathematical answer for players elbows exploding, and hamstrings being pulled.
As of right now Oakland finds itself in third place, 8.5 games behind the Halos, and if they don't make a run over this next week into the All-Star break there's bound to be plenty of changes in Oaktown come August 1st.
The Oakland Athletics traded outfielder Milton Bradley to the Kansas City Royals for pitcher Leo Nunez, ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney reports. The Royals will pay Bradley's entire salary as he is owed $2.3 million for the remainder of the season.
Considering the Athletics already have Nick Swisher, Mark Kotsay, Jack Cust and Shannon Stewart in the outfield, with two more outfielders set to come off the disabled list in Bobby Kielty and Chris Snelling, trading Bradley was the most logical choice for the A's. Especially since he's spent more time on the disabled list than in the field.
As for Bradley, he's going to get his wish. That playing time he's been lobbying for is finally his. Sure it's in Kansas City, but beggars can't be choosers.
At about this point, I would say that Ryan Langerhans has a complex. For the second time in a week, Langerhans was traded ... this time, back to the National League East with the Washington Nationals.
Outfielder Ryan Langerhans was traded Wednesday night for the second time in a week, going from the Oakland Athletics to the Washington Nationals for outfielder Chris Snelling. Langerhans, obtained Sunday from Atlanta, went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and a walk against Boston in two games for Oakland. He started both games in center field and misplayed a liner for an error that led to a run in the Red Sox6-4 win Wednesday. He was 3-for-44 with the Bravesand came to the Athletics after snapping an 0-for-29 slump on Sunday.
Wow, you have one slump, you make one error, and all of a sudden you get traded twice in a week. So much for the theory that mistakes are why they put erasers on pencils.
Good trade for the Nationals considering that with Nook Logan and Alex Escobar on the DL, the Nationals depth chart at this moment has Ryan Church as the starting center fielder ... and the starting left fielder. Ryan Church is good, but that's a lot of ground to cover.
It all seemed so unlikely. And really, so unnecessary. The Nationals were cruising with a 5-0 lead over the Marlins after five innings.
Then the comeback began. First, it was a two run home run by Aaron Boone, which was undoubtedly the most important home run he's ever hit (all right, maybe not). Then it was another two run jack by Joe Borchard. And finally, a dramatic pinch hit game tying home run by Cody Ross off of closer Chad Cordero to send the game to five extra innings.
"I'm concerned because he's my closer and he knows and we know what the problem is. He's still pitching behind in the count," Washington manager Manny Acta said.
So add Chad Cordero to the "he's my closer" club, the club for closers who have gotten that vote of confidence (which means he's in trouble).
But Cordero was bailed out by Jesus Colome (pictured) who pitched three scoreless innings while escaping a bases loaded two outs jam in the 13th by striking out Matt Treanor. That set up the winning run in the top of the 14th when Chris Snelling drove in Ryan Church with the eventual winning run.
The Marlins bullpen gets credit for keeping the team in the game to set up the comeback, pitching eight shutout innings from the sixth through the thirteenth and bailing out Scott Olsen, who had a second straight shaky outing giving up ten hits and five runs in five innings.
Nice touch by the Washington Nationals, who put away their usual hats to pay respects and show support to the victims of the Virginia Tech shootings by wearing Virginia Tech baseball hats during their game with the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night.
The Nationals said the idea of wearing the Virginia Tech caps came from a fan from Calvert County, Md., who e-mailed team president Stan Kasten.
"When I read it, I thought, 'Wow. This is really nice,"' Kasten said. "It was the very least we could do."
The hat worn by Chris Snelling during the Nats' 6-4 loss to Atlanta will be on its way to Cooperstown, for display in baseball's hall of fame.
Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell could probably step right into the Nationals rotation and have the strongest arm of the whole bunch. On Saturday night, Campbell settled for throwing out the ceremonial first pitch of the Nationals' game against Arizona.
Washington Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell threw out last night's ceremonial first pitch. When Campbell was introduced, he drew louder cheers than the Nationals. Campbell's pitch was out of the strike zone -- high and inside -- to outfielder Chris Snelling. As he walked through the stands, the young quarterback was mobbed by autograph seekers. Campbell was wearing a Nationals' home jersey with his No. 17.
Campbell had better keep that jersey and consider learning a change-up (especially if the 'Skins decide to draft JaMarcus Russell as has been speculated on). Besides, with the Nationals starting pitching spitting the bit in the first inning yet again (on Saturday, it was John Patterson's turn to give the opposition three runs before his team ever grabbed a bat), they could offer Campbell a whole lot of dough to be a two sport athlete.
Oh by the way, the Nationals dropped to 1-5 after their 7-1 loss on Saturday.
During the inaugural World Baseball Classic three years ago, one of the biggest problems I had with the tournament was the near-complete lack of upsets in the early rounds of the tournament. Korea winning the first two rounds of pool play over Japan was mildly surprising, but since the Japanese kept advancing it didn't seem to matter. The same went for Canada's upset over the U.S.; the Americans advanced and the Canadians didn't, so the upset felt kind of hollow. It was fun to watch, but it was clear that half of the field was very overmatched
Things aren't going terribly well for the 
Billy Beane
At about this point, I would say that Ryan Langerhans has a complex. For the second time in a week, Langerhans was traded ... this time, back to the National League East with the Washington Nationals.
It all seemed so unlikely. And really, so unnecessary. The Nationals were cruising with a 5-0 lead over the Marlins after five innings.
Nice touch by the Washington Nationals, who put away their usual hats to 
Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell could probably step right into the Nationals rotation and have the strongest arm of the whole bunch. On Saturday night, Campbell settled for throwing out the 
