This is round 2 of Humbugardy. I’m your host, Alex Scorebard.

It’s time for the last Humbugardy Double Up category. The category is Numb3r5 for 1000.

Im So Blue controls the board, and will get to choose the exact time the question will be posted. It can be any time after 9AM on Tuesday. Wednesday would work, too. Once the answer is posted, you will have 30 minutes to email me your question.

The first correct question will win double the wager. Other correct questions win their wagers. Wrong questions lose their wagers.

Anyone who has successfully questioned an answer may place a wager. You may bet any or all of your points, or up to 1000 points if you have less than 1000 points. Place your wager before 9AM on Tuesday.

The current standings are as follows:
For The Turnstiles: 5500
Bob Timmerman: 3100
T J: 1200
Humma Kavula: 1100
argosy: 800
graciebarn: 600
deadteddy8: 550
Dan Lucero: 500
Rorschach: 500
TFD: 500
Jacob L: 400
Vishal: 400
Baby Maddux: 300
cynic: 300
Ryan Wilkins: 300
Cliff Corcoran: 200
Im So Blue: 200
MatPat11: 200
Sam DC: 200
metfaninalaska: 100
misterjohnny: 100
Derek Smart: 0
Murray: 0
Shaun P: 0
Joe: -600
Jen: -788
Philip Michaels: -1000

Note: In this round, searching the web is allowed.

Six players on the A’s roster, plus two more A’s free agents, are on the initial rosters for the World Baseball Classic, according to MLB.com.

The six current players are:
Eric Chavez, USA
Huston Street, USA
Barry Zito, USA
Esteban Loaiza, Mexico
Kiko Calero, Puerto Rico
Marco Scutaro, TBD

The free agents are:
Alberto Castillo, Dominican Republic
Ricardo Rincon, Mexico

Marco Scutaro is an interesting case. He’s among three players–Alex Rodriguez and Mike Piazza are the others–who can choose which country to represent. The MLB.com article says his choices are Italy and Puerto Rico, which is odd, because Scutaro was born in Venezuela.

The initial rosters will have up to sixty players, which will be trimmed to 30 before the start of play.

Must have been a cold day in Hell yesterday.

Dave and Oprah kissed and made up. The Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors were tied for first place. And it’s still true: the A’s made a significant free agent signing.

What else is going on inside the walls of the Hell Shopping Senter?

The rumor mill for the A’s “senters” around three big names:

• Barry Zito. Reading between Billy Beane’s lines at the Loaiza press conference, it sounds like trading Zito is still an open issue. Beane has his price. Nobody has met that price yet, and he’s not sure that anybody will.

  That’s fine. Beane doesn’t have to trade Zito. From what I could tell, Beane’s budget had about $7-$10 million to play with this offseason, maybe more if Wolff loosened the purse strings a bit. Beane doesn’t need to shed salary, and he may have room for one more signing.
   

• Milton Bradley. The A’s have one spot to fill in their lineup. They could fill it with an outfielder or a DH.

  Word in the Hell Senter is that Bradley will end up either with the A’s or the Cubs. Bradley requires some delicate handling, but if Paul DePodesta liked him, Beane probably would, too.

  Playing Bradley in right field would upgrade both the offense and defense. It would allow Ken Macha to move Nick Swisher around depending on the matchups. Against right handed pitchers, Swisher probably shifts to first base, and Dan Johnson becomes the DH. Swisher is a better defensive first baseman than he is an outfielder, and also better at first base than Johnson. With a lineup like that, the only spot on the field where the A’s wouldn’t be above average defensively would be at catcher. If Swisher continues to struggle hitting right-handed, he could platoon with Bobby Kielty, with Kielty DHing vs. lefties, and Johnson manning first base on those days.
   

• Frank Thomas. With Konerko and Thome both with the White Sox now, the odds that Thomas would end up in Oakland increased quite a bit. Thomas would be the DH, with Swisher in right and Johnson at first every day. Obviously, Thomas won’t improve the defense, but the right-handed power and OBP would be a nice fit, if Thomas can stay healthy.
   
  The Thomas rumors seem to be based on writers speculating where he’d best fit, rather than any noise coming out of either Oakland or the Thomas camp.

Brrr. I feel a draft. I gotta go put on a sweater.

This is round 2 of Humbugardy. I’m your host, Alex Scorebard.

Note: In this round, searching the web is allowed.