
Forum �bersicht Suche Login Registrieren Forums-Blog Landkarte

M�rz
2019

Glover Quin Jersey

PHOENIX � After signing Zack Greinke in late 2015 http://www.philliesfanproshop.com/authentic-lenny-dykstra-jersey , the Arizona Diamondbacks made a trade designed to turn them into an instant contender. It did not work as intended, but Atlanta is not complaining. The Braves acquired Ender Inciarte and Dansby Swanson, adding them to a group of veterans and up-and-coming young players who helped make the Braves relevant again.Article continues below ...After finishing a combined 71 games below .500 in the previous three seasons, the Braves have a 3 1/2-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East entering the final game of a four-game series on Sunday in Arizona.Inciarte and Swanson � the principles sent from Arizona to Atlanta for right-hander Shelby Miller in a deal that was widely panned at the time � have helped. Inciarte leads the Braves and is fifth in the NL with 25 stolen bases. Swanson has 55 RBIs for a team that is second in the NL in runs.Miller has missed most of the last two seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery.Swanson threw out the potential tying run at the plate in the Braves� 5-4, 10-inning victory on Saturday. �Everybody knows the last couple of years have not been the best around here, but to be in this situation now is great,� first baseman Freddie Freeman said. �I�ve been through it all, so this is great when you start winning again. It is kind of like when I just got called up. We were winning all the time. We have the right group of people in this clubhouse to hopefully carry us into the postseason.�Another former Diamondbacks prospect, right-hander Touki Toussaint (1-1) Rhys Hoskins Jersey , is scheduled to make his third career start Sunday opposite Arizona left-hander Robbie Ray (5-2) as the teams shoot for a series split.Toussaint, like Swanson a Diamondbacks first-round draft pick, was traded to Atlanta in mid-2015 along with veteran right-hander Bronson Arroyo and his $9.5 million contract when management ordered a payroll cut.�It feels great to be a part of this,� Enciarte said. �The goal is to play meaningful games in September. You see new guys, but you see everybody developing quick. It wasn�t bad years at all.�I know the Diamondbacks are in a great position. We are in a good position, too. Both teams are winning, and I know we are happy with what we have. We don�t look back on what happened because we believe everything happens for a reason. We�re here where we want to be, and we want to be a part of this for a long time.�The Diamondbacks begin a seven-game road trip with the opener of a four-game series in Colorado on Monday, part of a schedule that could include a major league-record 17 straight games against division leaders. They play Colorado twice http://www.philliesfanproshop.com/authentic-carlos-santana-jersey , Houston and the Chicago Cubs in the next two weeks.�September baseball, when you are in a pennant race is pressure enough,� Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said.�So I don�t want any situation to override how they perform. How do I do that? Different ways with different guys. Distract them. Make them smile. Make them laugh. Make them remember how good they are and how fun the game is when you are doing your job.�Atlanta has seven games remaining against Philadelphia and three against St. Louis.Ray, who has a 4.25 ERA in 19 starts, gets the start after his most effective outing of the season, a 6-0 victory in which he struck out 10 and gave up two singles in 6 1/3 scoreless innings.�My last two starts are about as mechanically sound as I�ve felt all year,� Ray said. �It�s a combination of my direction to the plate and my tempo. Just getting the ball back, getting back on the mound and going. I think that�s the biggest thing, not too much time between pitches.� Ray Tommy Hunter Jersey , who missed two months because of an oblique injury, is 2-0 with a 1.02 ERA in his last three starts. He had a good feel for his curveball in the victory over the Padres.�I think I have thrown it more often lately because it is a pitch I feel I can also land (in the strike zone) but also bounce,� Ray said.Ray has lost both of his career starts against Atlanta with a 4.82 ERA.Toussaint beat Miami in his first major league start on Aug. 13 and lost his most recent, an 8-2 defeat to Boston last Sunday in which gave up three runs and struck out six in 4 2/3 innings. He threw four scoreless innings before the Red Sox knocked him out in the fifth.�I haven�t liked him, I�ve loved him,� Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said.�He�s very impressive young man. Very impressive player. Carries himself very well. Love his assortment. His arsenal is very good. He�s a very athletic kid. He�s handled himself tremendous in the two starts he�s hard here.� Toussaint was 9-6 in 24 minor league starts this season, going 5-0 with a 1.43 ERA in eight starts with Triple-A Gwinnett.He has not appeared fazed by being thrust into a pennant race.�He faced the best team in baseball the other day and did a really good job,� Snitker said. �The maturity, the game awareness Will Middlebrooks Jersey , how he�s handled himself. The whole thing has been very impressive.� CLEVELAND (AP) � Jason Kipnis has been in this position before. That�s the positive.That doesn�t mean he�s happy about it.Kipnis took fly balls in center field on Tuesday as he transitioned from playing second base after the Indians acquired third baseman Josh Donaldson in a trade last week from the Toronto Blue Jays.Donaldson�s arrival � he�s currently on the disabled list with a calf injury � has caused an infield shift. Jose Ramirez is moving from third to second, dispatching Kipnis into the outfield. The former All-Star made a similar move last September, but those were different circumstances as Kipnis was coming off the disabled list and the Indians were thin in the outfield because of injuries.This time, Kipnis is being moved to accommodate a star who may help the Indians reach the World Series. And Kipnis has struggled all season.�I�m not going to make it about me this year,� Kipnis said before starting Tuesday�s game against Kansas City at second. �I understand what he can bring to the table and I�m hoping he does it. I�m excited for this team and this organization. I understand where they�re coming from and I understand that I probably put us in this situation with not having the year I�m capable of having.�It�s a little bit of cause and effect. But I�ve got a job to do. I show up every day and work hard and if that means switching positions, I�m switching positions. I look forward to most challenges. I�m excited to get going.�Donaldson worked out with the Indians after playing one game for Triple-A Columbus. Donaldson was placed on the disabled list Monday so he could rehab in the minors, and he hit a grand slam in the Clippers� final game.Donaldson will resume his rehab stint with Double-A Akron. The 2015 AL MVP is eligible to be activated on Sept. 11.Kipnis could get some playing time in center before Donaldson is ready. He played 11 of Cleveland�s final 12 regular-season games there last year and started all five playoff games in the outfield.�I actually have some legs under me,� said Kipnis, who is batting .226 with 14 homers and 57 RBIs. �Having some kind of starting point to fall back on now is nice. We�re not just starting from eight years scratch or something like that. Do I love it? No. But I don�t have to love it. That�s the part. I�ve got a job to do. It�s OK as long as all of our goals are the same and that�s to win a World Series for this city and this organization Francisco Rodriguez Jersey , then you�re not really going to hear too many problems from me.�But unlike last year, Kipnis has to earn any playing time. Greg Allen has played in 70 games, and he�s better defensively than Kipnis.Indians manager Terry Francona explained to Kipnis that nothing will be given to him.�We feel like we�re a better team when Kip�s playing well,� Francona said. �I told him, �You have to be our best option out there. And I told Greg the same thing.� It�s a little unsettling. It�s a guy � I�ve known Kip for six years now. He�s been a guy that we�ve depended on. Now, all of a sudden you�re having a conversation with him that�s probably not exactly what he wants to hear, so it�s not the funnest thing in the world.�But I think the best way to start those is by being honest.�