Hilfestellungen » points and 5.2 rebounds last season

CHICAGO -- Terry Francona is on the verge of ending another long World Series drought.Call him Mgr. October.Clevelands maestro of a manager, who has pushed all the right buttons this season and especially over the past few weeks, moved closer to capturing his third Series title as the Indians beat the Chicago Cubs 7-2 in Game 4 on Saturday night to take a 3-1 lead.Francona is the one who guided the Boston Red Sox around the Curse of the Bambino in 2004, helping them to their first title in 86 years. He led them to another three years later.And now hes got the resilient Indians on the edge of taking their first World Series in 68 years.The 57-year-old would never take any credit for Clevelands success, but the Indians wouldnt be where they are if not for Francona, who improved to 11-1 in World Series games.The guy everyone calls Tito -- his dads name -- claims he doesnt have a crystal ball. But he certainly seems to have a sixth sense when it comes to setting his lineup, pulling pitchers at just the right time and keeping his players focused.Hes at the front of all we do -- our attitude we take onto the field, the looseness we kind of carry ourselves and create the environment of having fun and being ourselves -- that all starts with him, said Jason Kipnis, whose three-run homer in the seventh blew the game open.Following Clevelands 1-0 victory in Game 3, a chess match with Chicagos Joe Maddon that he called one of the most agonizing games of his managerial career, Francona made the difficult decision of not starting first baseman Mike Napoli in Game 4.Hes like the heart and soul of our team, Francona said beforehand. It bothers me to sit him, a lot.Francona played Carlos Santana at first instead, and the move panned out when he homered leading off the second inning against John Lackey. And although his move proved to be wise, Francona wasnt happy he had to keep Napoli on the bench before using him as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning. Napoli flied out to the warning track in left-center.I still wasnt pleased that Nap didnt play, he said. But hell be in there tomorrow. His one at-bat, he took a really good swing that, I think, should help make him feel a little better going into tomorrow.Francona has been forced to be creative with his lineup during the three games at Wrigley Field, where the Indians have had to play by National League rules and couldnt use their designated hitter.He took a risk by starting Santana in left field for Game 3 even though the former catcher had played just four innings in his career in left. It worked, though, as Santana caught the only ball hit his way on a night when the wind was blowing out in Wrigley.That was probably the funnest moment of the game, Francona said of Santanas catch in the first. I was going crazy in the dugout. Then I thought I better cool it because there might be another one that finds him.None did, and Francona made several more astute moves in the first Series game at Wrigley in 71 years. He pulled starter Josh Tomlin in the fifth and ace reliever Andrew Miller came in and shut down the Cubs. And when Millers turn came up to bat, Francona sent in pinch-hitter Coco Crisp, who drove in the games only run.Of course he did.Francona also got a little lucky.He made so many double switches that he ran out of position players, and was going to have to bat Game 4 starter Corey Kluber.He almost used some guys that werent on the roster, joked Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway. I mean, theres no better manager in all of baseball than him. He thinks of everything at every moment. Ive learned so much from him.Francona knew just what to do with Kluber on Saturday night.Miller was throwing in the bullpen when Anthony Rizzo doubled leading off the sixth. Miller, who has been virtually unhittable in the postseason, was ready but Francona stayed with Kluber and he promptly retired the next three batters.Its been like that all month as the Indians, who have been overlooked despite running away with the AL Central, swept Boston, beat Toronto in five games and are now a win away from their first title since 1948.The Indians can almost taste the champagne, but Francona wont let them think too far ahead.Nothing changes. Were going to show up tomorrow -- the only thing that changes is well pack our bags, because were going to go home one way or the other, and well show up and try to beat a really good pitcher, and thats what we always do. Nothing needs to change.That 48 Cleveland team was managed by Lou Boudreau, who was also the clubs starting shortstop.Francona laughed before Game 4 when he was asked if he was ready to play short.Im just trying to handle managing, he said. That will be enough.Its been more than that.Fake Nike Air Max Free Shipping . "Jeff is a hard worker who was an important special-teams contributor for us last season," said Stamps GM John Hufnagel. Nike Air Max Discount . He says so-called TRT is only one problem and he wants to go even further than the ban. "Its about time," St-Pierre told reporters at a promotional event in Montreal on Friday. "I think its a good thing. https://www.fakeairmaxwholesale.com/ . They hope to persuade the other team owners and commissioner Roger Goodell to put pressure on Redskins owner Daniel Snyder to drop the nickname they find offensive. "Given the way the meeting transpired," Ray Halbritter, an Oneida representative and leader of the "Change the Mascot Campaign," said Wednesday, "it became somewhat evident they were defending the continued use of the name. Nike Air Max From China . 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Yankees manager Joe Girardi says hes thinking about allowing Rivera to do it this weekend, when the Yankees finish their season with a three-game series at the Houston Astros.TCU Preview CapsuleBy The Associated Press=TCULast season: 12-21.Nickname: Horned Frogs.Coach: Jamie Dixon.Conference: Big 12.Whos gone: G Chauncey Collins, F Devonta Abron, coach Trent Johnson.Whos back: G Malique Trent, top returning scorer at 11.6 points per game; F Karviar Shepherd, senior season for the once highly touted big-man recruit who averaged 7.1 points and 5.2 rebounds last season; G Brandon Parrish, a senior, was the only TCU player to start every game last season (8.7 points per game); G Kenrich Williams, who averaged 8.6 points and 6.7 rebounds in 2014-15, returns for his junior year after missing last season injured.Whos new: G Jaylen Fisher. Freshman point guard expected to have an immeediate impact for the Frogs.dddddddddddd Despite late start in recruiting for TCU, Dixon also added Desmond Bane, a top prep guard from Indiana, and 6-7 forward Kouat Noi.The Skinny: The Horned Frogs havent won an NCAA Tournament game since 1987, when Dixon was a senior guard for them, and their last tournament appearance was 1998. While Dixon led Pitt to 11 NCAAs the past 13 seasons, he has a big challenge at his alma mater. TCU has won only eight Big 12 games in four seasons since moving to the power conference that has been the top RPI league each of the last three seasons. ' ' '