Last months 37-point exhibition cruise in Las Vegas past aging Argen

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Back when the 2016 major league schedule was announced, any rational baseball fan likely would have looked at three-game series Sept. 9-11 between the Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers as pivotal to the American League West race.As it stands now, however, the Rangers hold a comfortable 8 1/2-game lead in the West, while the Angels have long since been reduced to playing spoiler, mixing and matching young players and veterans who are trying to make a good impression on club officials for next year and beyond.The Friday starting pitchers for the two clubs are similar, though. Both are Tommy John surgery survivors who missed all of the 2015 season and part of this season.Texas right-hander Yu Darvish, who also battled shoulder troubles this year, is 5-4 with a 3.45 ERA in 13 starts. Los Angeles left-hander Tyler Skaggs, who didnt make his season debut until July 26, is 3-3 with a 4.71 ERA in eight starts.Darvish is coming off his shortest outing of the season, when he lasted just four innings and gave up five runs and seven hits in a 7-6 loss to the Houston Astros on Sunday.I felt very good going into the game, he said. I think I was feeling well, so I have to tip the hats to their offense today. Command-wise, I didnt feel as bad as I did the last time I struggled. The bloopers, the ground balls found a way. We put the shift on and it went through it. Its just one of those things. I didnt think I was that bad.Darvish is 7-2 with a 4.00 ERA in 12 career starts against the Angels.Skaggs, meanwhile, seems to be finding a rhythm. He is coming off back-to-back victories over the Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners in which he gave up three runs in 12 total innings.For Skaggs, the life on his fastball seems to be improving, according to Angels manager Mike Scioscia, and he continues to develop his changeup.In three career starts against Texas, Skaggs is 2-1 with a 7.90 ERA.Skaggs will benefit from the return to the lineup of designated hitter Albert Pujols and center fielder Mike Trout. Both got a day off for rest on Wednesday and then another day with Thursdays scheduled day off.Trout has finished first or second in AL Most Valuable Player voting in each of his four full seasons and will get votes again this year, though playing for a team near the bottom of the division will hurt his chances. Even his own manager said recently that he didnt think players on a last-place team should win the MVP.The Angels arent in last, but they are close enough to hurt Trout despite his lofty numbers going into the series: .323 average, 27 homers, 88 RBI, 24 stolen bases, 109 runs (tied for the AL lead), .442 on-base percentage (best in majors).Trout has hit Darvish well, batting .294 (10-for-34) with four homers, a double, six RBI and six walks against him.Pujols also has put up big numbers this season, his 110 RBI among the leagues leaders. It is his highest RBI total since he had 118 in 2010 while playing for the St. Louis Cardinals.Its fun anytime Albert hits a home run, anytime he gets an RBI or an extra-base hit, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said recently. Every time something happens, hes in some conversation with the all-time greats.One of the hottest Texas hitters of late is Carlos Gomez, who has been with the club only a couple of weeks following his release from the Astros. He hit a three-run homer in his first at-bat as a Ranger, struggled through an 0-for-18 stretch but has nine hits in his past 24 at-bats as he settles in to his new surroundings.Its the best thing that could happen to me, Gomez told MLB.com about joining the Rangers. Seeing the energy here, a new opportunity has been given to me. It has been really good. This team is like family. Youre supposed to be here by 3 oclock, but everybody is here by 1 because it is so much fun. Custom Atlanta Hawks Jerseys . -- When the Florida Panthers fell behind by two goals in the first period to the top team in the NHL, it appeared they were on their way to yet another loss. Custom Basketball Jerseys Outlet . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. There are many more players in contention for the awards than just the three that Ive named, and a good or bad week can easily alter the landscape, but through the first 20 or so games of the NHL season, this is how the awards races look to me. http://www.customjerseysbasketball.com/ .ca! Hi Kerry, Heres an interesting one. I know its common knowledge that all players are responsible for their sticks. We witnessed that when Zack Kassian hit Edmontons Sam Gagner in the face after a missed check. Custom Basketball Jerseys China . William Carrier opened the scoring for Cape Breton (6-4-2), but Andrew Ryan tied the game and Brent Andrews put the Mooseheads (8-6-0) in front for good with a short-handed goal at 13:49 of the second period. Sale Custom Basketball Jerseys . James, who turned 29 on Monday, injured his groin Friday during the Heats overtime loss at Sacramento. He sat out the following game, a 108-107 win Saturday in Portland, before coming back to help send the Nuggets to their seventh consecutive loss. The storylines will be plentiful Wednesday night when the two teams playing the best basketball so far at the Rio Olympics square off, but no subplot was generating more discussion on the eve of the Group A showdown between then United States and Australia than Kyrie Irving versus Matthew Dellavedova.As recently as late June, Irving and Dellavedova were teammates celebrating their first NBA championship together with the Cleveland Cavaliers. But Dellavedova has since moved on in free agency to the Milwaukee Bucks and, coming off the finest game of his national team career, will now go head to head with Irving in the most anticipated game to date in the mens tournament.The individual matchup generated numerous questions Tuesday before Team USAs afternoon practice at Brazils famed Clube Flamengo, sparked partly because of the Melbourne-born Irvings Aussies roots but mostly because of Dellavedovas reputation for in-your-face defense.Dellys gonna compete, Irving said. Thats all he knows. Im used to that already (from Cavaliers practices), so I dont see it as him being feisty or him being a pest. Hes gonna do what Delly does.Irving then tried to assert that he doesnt think Delly is gonna rank as the all-time peskiest guy Ive ever gone against, but Irving also didnt have a ready response when asked to name a defender hes found peskier.Dellavedova enjoyed a near-perfect outing Monday in Australias 95-80 victory over Serbia, totaling 23 points and 13 assists without a single turnover. He and San Antonio Spurs guard Patty Mills combined for 49 points in the win over Serbia, which followed a 21-point trouncing Saturday of highly rated France to set the tone for whats been a mens tourney filled with upsets already -- excluding games featuring the United States.The Americans have romped to a 2-0 start in Group A with wins over China and Venezuela by a combined 101 points and are frankly in need of a push, having only played one game this summer out of seven so far against what could be considered a legitimate medal contender in Rio: Last months 37-point exhibition cruise in Las Vegas past aging Argentina.Hes just a continuance of the Austraalian that weve played against in my 11 years, Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski said of Dellavedova and his relentless style.ddddddddddddTheyve always played first of all with great spirit and togetherness. As good as they are individually, theyre greater as the sum of those parts.In addition to Dellavedova and Mills, Australia boasts legit NBA size in Dallas Mavericks center Andrew Bogut and Detroit Pistons center Aron Baynes as well as former NBAer David Andersen. Utah Jazz swingman Joe Ingles adds to the Aussies shooting threat.But Krzyzewski is concerned most about Australias pick-and-roll prowess and the passing of Bogut and Dellavedova. Its a much stronger team than the Australian squad Team USA blasted by 33 points in the quarterfinals of the London Olympics in 2012, which Bogut missed thanks to an ankle injury.Im sure Australia sees a lot of things that they can do against us because theyre really good, Krzyzewski said. Australian basketball is terrific. ... They can beat us. We know that and well prepare accordingly.We know that they feel like they can beat us and we understand that, Krzyzewski said.I think it will be a really good game.Said Irving: When I saw the France (score), I was like, OK this will be a great test. We need to be beat up a little bit to prepared for whats ahead.Team USA star Kevin Durant, however, scoffed at the notion that the game will narrow down to a duel between Irving and Dellavedova.Dellys playing well, but hes not getting into no one-on-one matchup (with Irving), Durant said. Kyries a dog; hes an animal. Thats how he approaches the game?.Irving ultimately conceded that Dellavedovas physicality led to a few rough days on the Cavaliers practice floor but said his fondness for the former St. Marys standout is such that theyll be bonded forever.Its been good for the both of us, Irving said of their three seasons together as teammates.Yet when it comes to game day, Irving added: Just like I should be worried about him, he should be worried about me. It goes both ways?. ' ' '