It could have been worse for the Athletics

WINDERMERE, Fla. Cheap Bruins Jerseys . - Tiger Woods has more comebacks than top 10s this year in golf.He makes his second return to competition Thursday in his Hero World Challenge at Isleworth, an unofficial event of 18 players from the top 50 in the world ranking. The tournament has been seen as the end of a long year for some players, and a launching pad into the new year for others.Woods is somewhere in the middle.He hasnt played since Aug. 9 when he missed the cut at the PGA Championship, choosing to sit out nearly four months to get his body stronger and make sure he is fully recovered this time from back surgery earlier in the year.Woods already passed one test on Wednesday in the pro-am, except it had nothing to do with his swing or his back.It was about his legs. He walked 18 holes of golf.I havent done that since the PGA, he said.Woods recorded a few birdies, a bogey and none of it was meaningful. The best measure is Thursday when the tournament gets underway.Here are five things to look for at Isleworth, the course where Woods spent his first 16 years on tour.THE COMEBACK, PART V: This is the fifth time Woods has come back from an injury-induced layoff, whether it was one month or four months.He tied for fourth at the Masters in 2010 when he returned from the minor physical (car accident) and major emotional (infidelity) wounds. He tied for 37th at the Bridgestone Invitational in 2011 after sitting out nearly three months to let his legs fully heal. He missed one month and two tournaments after an injury to his elbow in 2013 and tied for sixth in the British Open. And he missed the cut at Congressional this year after returning from back surgery.THE ODDS: The injury-filled season that allowed Woods to play in only eight tournaments led to his first year that he failed to register a top 10 on the PGA Tour. He gets one last chance at Isleworth to pick up a top 10 in the calendar year.The odds are in his favour because only 18 players are at Isleworth.Woods has won his World Challenge five times, all of them at Sherwood Country Club. But he knows Isleworth even better, having once lived across from the driving range. Woods holds the course record set nearly two decades ago when he shot 59.THE BACK: Woods didnt how any sign of pain when he returned from back surgery in the Quicken Loans National at Congressional in June. He didnt really have any more issues with his back until the final round at Firestone, when he hopped into a bunker from a steep lip and jarred his lower back. Thats when he realized his muscle structure wasnt strong enough, and it led to his decision of taking time off.One positive sign Wednesday was when he hopped off a 4-foot wall behind the 10th tee, then trotted to the clubhouse to use the bathroom. There were no issues.THE SWING: With his health seemingly improved, most of the focus will be on his swing. Woods fired swing coach Sean Foley during his time off and began working with Chris Como, a specialist in biomechanics and listening. Woods had an idea of what he should do with his swing, and he was elated to learn that Como had the same idea.Woods describes it as new, but old, having relied on tapes of his swing dating to when he was an amateur. It looked vaguely familiar to Steve Stricker.Looks a lot similar to early 2000s to me, from the side when I was watching, Stricker said. Looked like the swing was going through a lot freer, like it was on a better path.THE CAMEO: Now you see him, now you dont.Golf Channel has plans for wall-to-wall coverage of Woods playing in the World Challenge. This is the largest media gathering at a PGA Tour-sanctioned tournament since the Tour Championship. When he walked off the 18th green after his pro-am, Woods was surrounded by more than dozen reporters.Woods playing golf again is a big deal. Next up is another break.This is the last golf tournament of the year. Woods wont be in Hawaii to start 2015. He has never played the Humana Challenge. He hasnt been to the Phoenix Open since 2001. He is not planning to go to the Middle East. If he sticks to his regular schedule of starting at Torrey Pines, this will be his last competition for two months. Fake Bruins Jerseys . The Blueshirts hope to stay alive once again when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins in Sundays Game 6 battle at Madison Square Garden. Wholesale Bruins Jerseys .S. international midfielder Michael Bradley is complete. https://www.cheapbruins.com/ . Beanballs were the theme Friday night as the Red Sox and Rays had another AL East rumble, with Boston earning a 3-2 victory on A.BOSTON -- Daric Barton didnt bat and barely got on the field. He still made the game-saving play. Yoenis Cespedes drove in the go-ahead run on an infield single with the bases loaded in the 10th and Barton, playing first, cut down the potential tying run at third in the bottom of the inning as the Athletics averted a three-game sweep with a 3-2 win over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday. "He made a terrific play," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. "Thats a gutsy play. Thats a play that if the runner gets over, they can win the game with a hit. A gutsy play." Bostons Will Middlebrooks opened the inning with a single and advanced to second on the hit when centre fielder Coco Crisp had the ball bounce away for an error. With Barton playing in, guarding for a bunt, Jackie Bradley Jr. bounced it to first. Barton fired to third, cutting down Middlebrooks. "My whole goal was obviously to get the guy at third whether it was a bunt or a ground ball to me," Barton said. "It feels good. Ive learned to be ready. Anything can happen at any time, but Ive learned to be ready when they call my name and go out there and do my job." Barton came in when Josh Reddick left with a sprained ankle in the ninth. Jim Johnson (3-2) then got Dustin Pedroia to bounce into a game-ending double play. Middlebrooks was somewhat surprised and impressed by the play. "I was breaking off the bat. I didnt know it was to his right, to his left or right at him. Unfortunately it was right at him," he said. "This is the big leagues. People are supposed to make plays like that. Normally you dont see a first baseman that far in, but he made a good play. Hats off to him." Oakland closed a 10-game road trip 5-5 and avoided its second three-game sweep in its last four series. The Athletics were swept at home by Texas April 21-23. "Barton makes a heck of a heads-up play to cut down Will going to third," Boston manager John Farrell said. "Theyre playing in. Hes got to trust in his abilities. He throws a strike across the diamond to cut down Will." A.J. Pierzynski hit a solo homer for the Red Sox, who failed to reach .500 for the first time since the fourth game of the season. Jed Lowrie had a two-out double off Chris Capuano (1-1) and after the bases were loaded with an intentional and regular walk, Cespedes beat out a slow roller to third against reliever Burke Badenhop. Boston Bruins Store. Johnson also got a double-play grounder by Jonny Gomes to end the ninth. With the Red Sox trailing 2-1 in the seventh, Pierzynski homered into Bostons bullpen. It could have been worse for the Athletics when right fielder Reddick had trouble with pinch hitter Gomes fly ball in the wind. He was charged with an error, allowing runners to reach second and third with one out. But reliever Fernando Abad got Bradley Jr. out at first on his attempted safety squeeze and Luke Gregerson retired Pedroia. Boston starter John Lackey gave up two runs on five hits in six innings, walking three and striking out four. Oaklands Sonny Gray also pitched six, giving up two runs and six hits, walking two with three strikeouts. Cespedes gave Oakland a 2-1 edge in the sixth with an RBI double off the Green Monster. The Athletics grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first on Brandon Moss two-out RBI single. Grady Sizemores RBI double tied it in the fifth, but Gray escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam when Bradley bounced into a 1-2-3 double play. In the third, Boston shortstop Xander Bogaerts relay from shallow left cut down Donaldson trying to score. Crew chief Jeff Kellogg requested a replay review to see if catcher Pierzynski was illegally blocking the plate. Replays showed he moved his foot and blocked the corner just before he caught the throw, knocking Donaldsons foot away as it attempted to reach home. The play was upheld. Melvin challenged a call on the first pitch of the game -- when Crisp was called out on a 5-6-3 grounder. Replays were ruled inconclusive. NOTES: Reddick limped off after grounding into a DP. ... Boston DH David Ortiz played in his 1,999th career game. ... The Athletics open a 10-game homestand Monday when left-hander Scott Kazmir (4-0, 2.11 ERA) faces Seattle right-hander Chris Young (1-0, 3.04). ... The Red Sox are off Monday before beginning a two-game series on Tuesday against Cincinnati when lefty Felix Doubront (1-3, 5.70) goes against the Reds Homer Bailey (2-2, 5.50). ... Sizemore went 2 for 2 before being pinch hit for, raising his career average to .321 (59 of 184) against the As, his best against any AL team. ' ' '