Dein erstes Forum » Cubs have a chance to wrap up th

Western Bulldogs forward Clay Smith reckons hes starting to move on from the dark moments that accompanied his wretched injury run.After three knee reconstructions, he still finds it hard to believe hes back on the field at the pointy end of the AFL season.The 23-year-old returned to the Bulldogs side in round 15 and has since played 10 consecutive games, something he last achieved in 2013.And his hard-edged performance in the Dogs thumping elimination final win over West Coast suggests hes as ready as anyone for Fridays semi-final against Hawthorn at the MCG.Smith finished Thursdays game at Domain Stadium with nine tackles and left several Eagles feeling the effect of bruising collisions.Thats just the way Ive grown up playing footy, Smith says of his physical approach.I think youve just got to play to your strengths and bring what you do for the team. Thats one of the areas I think I help the team out.If I can put my body in there and crash around and knock a few blokes over then thats what Im going to do.Smith has forged an important role as a defensive forward since his return from injury but admits he wasnt initially sure whether his problematic knees would hold up.It was probably that three or four-game mark where I got nervous because thats where the other ones have gone, he said.Once I got through that its just been really good and really enjoyable to be out there every week and feel normal.I suppose its just a learning curve. Its something that you can learn from and become a stronger person from.The Bulldogs trained in wet conditions at Whitten Oval on Tuesday and Smith said spirits were high following the win over the Eagles and the return of Tom Liberatore, Easton Wood, Jack Macrae and Jordan Roughead from injury.Were just really riding on energy and enthusiasm at the moment, he said.Coming off such a good win, were just full of belief and feeling good and I think that sort of just takes away a few niggles. Yeezy 350 On Sale . After a lengthy wait, persistent rain finally forced the postponement of the Nationals game against the Miami Marlins on Saturday night. The teams, and a few thousand fans, waited nearly four hours from the 7:05 scheduled start time before an announcement was made shortly before 11 p. Yeezy 350 Clearance . Jane Virtanen scored two, and Alex Roach and Elliott Peterson rounded out the offence for the Hitmen (40-15-6). Brady Brassart chipped in with three assists. Colton McCarthy scored twice, Brayden Point had a goal and two assists, and Jack Rodewald also scored for the Warriors (15-35-9), who were 2 for 5 on the power play. https://www.cheapyeezy350outlet.com/ .In my heart and mind Im competing for India, luge competitor Shiva Keshavan told The Associated Press in an email interview. Every day Im flooded with messages from Indians all over the world telling me they are supporting me. Yeezy 350 Discount . Denis Coderre, the former federal MP who was elected mayor on Nov. 3, has drawn the ire of some Montreal Canadiens. During last nights game he tweeted: "Hello? Can we get a one-way ticket to (minor-league) Hamilton for David Desharnais please. Yeezy 350 Wholesale . The 15th-ranked Canadian men lost the opening two games of their European tour: 19-15 to No. 17 Georgia and 21-20 to No. Bruce Bochy and Dave Roberts manage rival teams in the NL West, but they can probably agree on one thing: A no-hitter is no easy spot for a manager.Roberts caused quite a stir Saturday night when he pulled Los Angeles Dodgers starter Rich Hill after seven innings, even though the left-hander was working on a perfect game. Hill has been bothered by a blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand. The Dodgers eventually allowed two hits after Hills departure.Last month, Bochy was pacing around the dugout as San Franciscos Matt Moore closed in on a no-hitter. Bochy let Moore -- who missed most of the last two seasons after Tommy John surgery -- stay in until he allowed his first hit with two outs in the ninth. Moore threw 133 pitches.Now that managers are more sensitive to high pitch counts, a no-hitter in progress can become pretty stressful.Theyre not used to throwing 120, 130 pitches. You have guys that sometimes have had injuries in their career that youre concerned about, New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. Sometimes as a manager, you want to see it take place, you want to see a guy have a perfect game and you want to see a guy have a no-hitter. But theres part of you that says you dont want to be in that situation.Roberts had to take into account Hills health problems and the Dodgers playoff prospects, weighing all of that against Hills opportunity to accomplish something special. Managers around baseball understood the move -- and so did Cleveland right-hander Corey Kluber.Its probably disappointing at that point in time, but theyre playing for more than just one game, Kluber said. Theyre trying to get him lined up to be a big part of their team for the playoffs, Id imagine. I think that ultimately when you look at it, thats the reason, and its hard to argue with it.Detroit manager Brad Ausmus pulled lefty Daniel Norris after five perfect innings last year, but there was little controversy abouut that because Norris was on a pitch count following an oblique strain.ddddddddddddAusmus said the score can also factor into the decision.If its a close game and its a guy thats pitch count is climbing, I think ultimately youve got to make the decision if you think its the best way the team can win a game, Ausmus said. Its about amassing wins, not amassing no-hitters.Hill had thrown 89 pitches when he was taken out.Here are a few other developments from around baseball:DOWN TO THE WIREOnly five of the 15 teams in the American League are under .500, so theres quite a race on for the postseason spots. The AL East is particularly wild, with Boston leading Toronto and Baltimore by two games. The New York Yankees are another two games back.The Blue Jays and Orioles currently occupy the wild cards, but Detroit is a couple games behind, tied with the Yankees. Seattle and Houston are 1 1/2 games further behind, and its another half-game back to Kansas City.So thats 10 teams either occupying a postseason spot or within four games of one.CLINCHING TIMEThe Chicago Cubs have a chance to wrap up the NL Central in St. Louis at the home of the rival Cardinals. Chicagos magic number is five heading into a three-game series at St. Louis that starts Monday.FANTASY FOCUSFantasy owners probably didnt mind that much when Hill was pulled from his perfect game bid. It was only his third start since the beginning of August -- and the first time hed thrown seven innings since May 23. A step in the right direction, to say the least.LINE OF THE WEEKHill is the pick here, although Colorados Chad Bettis earns an honorable mention for his two-hitter against San Francisco on Monday.---AP Baseball Writer Mike Fitzpatrick in New York and AP Sports Writer Jon Krawczynski in Minneapolis contributed to this report. ' ' '