Baseball is returning to the Olympics in 2020. The question now is who will be playing.With the Summer Games falling in the middle of the major league season, the sport has never been able to produce the kind of best-against-best spectacle that Olympic hockey and basketball have. But even if that remains the case, there will undoubtedly be some big names taking the field at the Tokyo Games.It just might take a few years before baseball fans really know them.Baseball was a full medal event at the Olympics from 1992-2008, and it was a demonstration sport before that. In 1984, Japan won the gold medal game, beating a U.S. team that included Mark McGwire and Will Clark -- both of whom were a couple years away from their big league debuts. At the Seoul Olympics in 1988, the Americans avenged that loss when Jim Abbott beat Japan in the title game.Heres a brief chronology of Olympic baseball since it became a medal sport in 1992:Barcelona (1992): Jason Giambi and Nomar Garciaparra were part of this U.S. team, but the Americans were drubbed by Japan and Cuba and failed to win a medal. The Omar Linares-led Cubans took the gold.Atlanta (1996): Home-field advantage only meant so much for the U.S., which lost 11-2 to Japan in the semifinals and had to settle for bronze. Cuba beat Japan 13-9 for the gold, with Linares hitting three homers in the title game.Sydney (2000): Cubas Olympic dynasty was finally upended when the U.S. knocked off the two-time defending champions 4-0 to win the gold. Professionals were allowed in the Olympic tournament for the first time, but the conflict with the major league schedule meant the Americans still had a relatively unheralded roster. With Tommy Lasorda managing, Ben Sheets allowed one earned run in 22 innings, and his three-hitter in the final gave the U.S. the title.Athens (2004): The U.S. didnt even make it to the Olympics to defend its title. The Americans were eliminated in qualifying, and the gold medal went back to Cuba, which beat upstart Australia in the final. The Aussies had upset Daisuke Matsuzaka and Japan in the semifinals.Beijing (2008): The last Olympic baseball tournament for a while ended in dramatic fashion, when Cubas Yulieski Gurriel -- who signed a $47.5 million, five-year contract with Houston last month -- hit into a double play with the bases loaded in the ninth inning. South Korea held on for a 3-2 win and the gold.There were plenty of future major leaguers playing in the 08 Summer Games. Hyun-Jin Ryu pitched for the champion South Koreans, and the bronze medal-winning Americans had Stephen Strasburg and Jake Arrieta.Japan failed to medal despite having Yu Darvish, Masahiro Tanaka and Norichika Aoki.Here are a few developments from around baseball this past week:STANDING ALONEAlex Rodriguez is set to play his final game for the New York Yankees on Friday, and David Ortiz has announced hell retire at seasons end. If those two are indeed done after this year, then Albert Pujols will be the only remaining active member of the 500-homer club.The 36-year-old Pujols is at 581. The closest active player below 500 home runs is Miguel Cabrera at 433.FANTASY FOCUSNow that the trade deadline is out of the way and players are settling in with new teams and perhaps new roles, the next big issue to watch down the stretch is innings limits. Weve seen teams exercise caution with young pitchers in ways that can affect their fantasy value.Torontos Aaron Sanchez, the AL ERA leader, hasnt been moved to the bullpen yet, but the Blue Jays are clearly being cautious with him, using a six-man rotation. Detroits Michael Fulmer will also be monitored carefully.LINE OF THE WEEKBaltimores Manny Machado homered in the first, second and third innings, driving in seven runs in a 10-2 win over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday. That flurry of power gave the All-Star third baseman a surprisingly reasonable chance at a four-homer game, but he went hitless in his next three at-bats.---Follow Noah Trister at www.Twitter.com/noahtrister Cheap NFL Jerseys China . Robinson finished with 17 points, all but two in the second half, and Lawson had 14 after halftime and finished with a game-high 11 assists as the Nuggets handed Dallas its first home loss in eight games this season. J.J. Hickson led Denver with 22, and Kenneth Faried added 10 points and 10 rebounds. Cheap NFL Jerseys 2018 . And follow TSN.ca right through Deadline Day for all the updates. From Pierre LeBrun While Anaheim GM Bob Murray said earlier this season he was not going to trade Jonas Hiller despite the fact hes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, some sources have told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun that Murray might be willing to move another goalie. http://www.wholesalecheapjerseysauthentic.com/ . Ashley Youngs cross was inadvertently headed by Chester into his own net in the 66th minute, allowing United to claim a third straight league win. "We had to dig deep with our fighting spirit and weve done that," United striker Wayne Rooney said. Wholesale Basketball Jerseys . According the Toronto Star, a knee injury will keep Sundin out of the lineup, which includes former teammates Gary Roberts, Darcy Tucker, Tie Domi and Curtis Joseph. Cheap Jerseys 2018 . -- In one brief spurt, Brazil turned a close game into a rout and proved again it will be a strong World Cup favourite. PITTSBURGH -- The Minnesota Wild, after a long layoff, were admittedly a little rusty early on the road against the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.But Eric Staal provided the spark offensively to allow the defensive-minded Wild to settle down.Staal had a three-point night, including the game-winning goal in the third period, as the Wild defeated the Penguins 4-2 on Thursday night.Ive scored a few against (Pittsburgh) and Ive felt the pain against them in the playoffs a few years, too, Staal said. It was nice to get the win tonight.Staal has spent 11 of his 12 NHL seasons in the Eastern Conference, and last season, he played for the Rangers, a team the Penguins eliminated in the playoffs en route to the franchises fourth Stanley Cup.Still, Staal has experienced success against Pittsburgh and the trend continued Thursday. Staal scored his fifth of the season and added two assists, giving him 51 points in 50 career games against the Penguins.Charlie Coyle scored his fourth of the season on the power play, while Nino Niederreiter added his third and Jared Spurgeon his second into an empty net for the Wild, who won for the fourth time in six games.Devan Dubnyk, who made 39 saves, allowed fewer than three goals for the eighth straight game, which includes a streak of three straight shutouts. The Wild defeated the Penguins for the first time in five games, including four straight in Pittsburgh.This was a great challenge going against the Stanley Cup champions who hadnt lost in regulation at home, Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said. I think they were up for it.Sidney Crosby and Patric Hornqvist both scored power-play goals for Pittsburgh, which lost in regulation for the first time in eight games. It was also Pittsburghs first regulation home loss this season.Crosby has nine goals and 11 points in eight games since returning from a concussion that sidelined him for the first six games of the season. Crosby opened the season with a six-game point streak. Phil Kessel had two assists for Pittsburgh, which allowed a season-high 43 shots.Marc-Andre Fleury made his first start in a week on Thursday and stopped 40 shots. He backed up Matt Murray the previouss two games.ddddddddddddEspecially in their own zone, (the Wild) are really good at having different layers, Crosby said. They collapse five guys pretty close to the puck, so you have to find ways to win your battles and play in their end a little bit more and we werent able to do that.The Wild, playing their first game since a one-goal loss against Colorado on Saturday, started slow as a giveaway led to a chance for Crosby alone in front of Dubnyk, while Evgeni Malkin later hit the post during a 2-on-1 with Kessel.(Crosby) is not the guy you want to see standing in front of you that early in the game, Dubnyk said. Anytime Sid wants to backhand it into my chest Im fine with that because his backhand is as hard as many forehands. They came out real hard and sometimes you need a couple bounces to get going.Staal was the catalyst, with a second assist on Coyles power-play goal and then the primary helper on Niederreiters tying goal in the second period.Staal put Minnesota in front for good early in the third period. Coyle put a shot on net following a Penguins turnover behind the goal and Staal backhanded the rebound behind Fleury.The first five minutes, I think we were a little nervous and we started throwing the puck away, and I thought `Uh-oh, were going to get killed, Boudreau said. Once we settled down, a lot of good things happened and I thought we competed really hard.Game notes Minnesota entered with five goals in its previous 34 chances with the man advantage. . Kessel has a seven-game home point streak. Malkin has a point in five straight home games for Pittsburgh ... Wild F Erik Haula returned after missing seven games with a foot injury. ... Minnesota F Zack Mitchell made his NHL debut. ... The Wild placed D Marco Scandella on long-term injured reserve on Wednesday. ... Minnesota F Zach Parise remains week-to-week with a lower-body injury suffered last month.UP NEXTWild: Continue a stretch of three road games in four nights Saturday against Philadelphia.Penguins: Complete a three-game home stand Saturday against Toronto. Cheap Stitched Jerseys China NFL Jerseys White Wholesale NFL Autographed Jerseys Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale China Jerseys Wholesale Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Youth NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale NFL Gear Youth NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys ' ' '