Last night in Japan (or was it this morning?) the A's defeated the Red Sox, 5-1, to split their opening series. The teams now travel back to the US, and will finish their series next Tuesday in Oakland. Oddly, in between, the teams will resume spring training with the A's playing their annual Bay Bridge preseason series with the Giants and the Sox playing three exhibition games with the Dodgers. So right in the middle of spring training, they played some games that count. Thanks Mr. Selig! (You old kook)
The high point for the A's has to be the strong showing of Rich Harden. Harden pitched six strong innings striking out 9 and walking only 2, despite giving up a solo shot to Manny Ramirez in the sixth. If Harden can stay healthy this year, that's good news for the A's and their extremely young team. Former Royal Emil Brown smacked a three-run HR in the third that put the A's up 4-0, and they sailed in from there. That made up for his base-running brain freeze in the first game of the series, which killed a possible game tying opportunity for the A's in the 10th.
All in all a typical Japan opening series. This is the third time the MLB has held the season opening series in Japan, and for the third time the team's split. More importantly, baseball season is finally here, even if we have to wait til next week for more games.
Faces at the U.S. Open
Comments (6)
Sorry, I didn't read anything after "(you old kook)"............distractions.
Ghost. Done. | 03/26/08, 12:31 PM
Report Offensive CommentThis pre-regular season love affair with Japan has to stop...and stop NOW! To us baseball freaks, this nonsense tends to diminish actual Opening Day in the US (plus Toronto). It is no longer a true opening day for the Socks and A's at Fenway or the Mausoleum.
Good job Bud, unbelievable how he even found a way to outsource one of America's favorite pastimes.
seachickenhawk | 03/26/08, 01:59 PM
Report Offensive CommentHey, does this mean the A's go 1-161??? (Only Thug knows...LOL)
And, nice thought on "outsourcing". I never thought of it THAT way...technically, you COULD call it that.
DC Sports Nut: good Zorning!!! | 03/26/08, 04:58 PM
Report Offensive CommentWhat's with the pictures?
Marc.H | 03/26/08, 07:15 PM
Report Offensive CommentGood blog. Good pictures. I was able to watch the first game, but the 2nd game, I wasn't able to watch.
Dyhard -- Badgers/Brewers won | 03/26/08, 09:46 PM
Report Offensive Comment"drool.......drool.......huh?......drool.......what did ya say?.....Oh, sorry. Great job. Love the pix (going out on a limb), but this biz about starting in another country (and I'm really not trying to be a USA homer) is a slap in the fan's face as far as I'm concerned. Leave it to baseball to take its market for granted. We keep going to the games, reading and watching, and blogging about it though. Good stuff. (btw, I have a "friend" who would like to know where you get your pictures. What can I tell "him?"
RUGator | 03/27/08, 01:34 PM
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