Kritik und Lob » guaranteed to come true. Then again, you

LOS ANGELES -- Pitcher Rich Hill, considered one of the top free-agent starters on the market, is closing in on a deal to return to the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to ESPNs Jim Bowden and multiple reports.?The left-hander, who was acquired from the Oakland Athletics at the non-waiver trade deadline Aug. 1, was a key for the Dodgers down the stretch and on into the postseason.The potential deal, first reported by MLB Networks Peter Gammons, is believed to be for three seasons and more than $40 million. The Dodgers have not confirmed the potential deal, which would lock up one of their key free agents this offseason. The Dodgers continue to negotiate with third baseman Justin Turner and closer Kenley Jansen.Hill, who will turn 37 in March, would be the Dodgers projected No. 2 starter behind staff ace Clayton Kershaw. He won three of his six regular-season starts with the team and posted a 1.83 ERA. He then delivered a 3.46 ERA in three postseason starts, winning Game 3 of the National League Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs.When acquired by the Dodgers from the As, along with outfielder Josh Reddick, Hill was on the disabled list because of a blister issue on the middle finger of his left hand. He then developed another blister issue while rehabbing the initial problem.He eventually made his Dodgers debut on Aug. 24, and was not scored upon during his first three starts. In fact, on Sept. 10 at Miami, Hill pitched seven perfect innings before he was removed from the game as a precaution after throwing 89 pitches. The Marlins broke up the perfect game and no-hitter an inning later against reliever Joe Blanton.It was the second time during the 2016 season that manager Dave Roberts removed his pitcher during a no-hitter. He also removed Ross Stripling from his major league debut after 7 1/3 no-hit innings at San Francisco, with the bullpen again unable to finish off the feat.Hill is 38-28 over his 12-year major league career, posting a 4.10 ERA in 221 career games. He was used mostly as a starter by the Cubs after making his major league debut in 2005 and before becoming primarily a reliever in 2010.After being cut loose by the Washington Nationals in spring training of 2015, Hill went to the independent Long Island Ducks, where he returned to a starting role. He eventually ended the 2015 season by making four starts with the Boston Red Sox, before signing with the As prior to the 2016 season.Fake Vapormax For Sale . "Thank you for the warm welcome," Beckham said on an 80-degree February morning. In this case, it was soccer weather. 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The designation was released Monday after the deadline passed for NFL teams to use franchise or transition tags on players becoming free agents.LOS ANGELES -- One win away. The Chicago Cubs are one win away from their first World Series since the Harry Truman administration. Drink in those words.One win away.But also feel free to ask yourself: Are those the most beautiful words in the universe? Or are they the most scary words in the universe?Theyre beautiful and special because the last World Series to stop by Wrigley Field happened in 1945. In the 70 years since, only two other Cubs teams have ever found themselves where this team finds itself.One win away.But thats also the scary part. The 1984 Cubs were one win away too. And then jumped out to the lead in each of the next three games. Only to get swallowed up by Steve Garveys homer, Leon Durhams error and the weight of history.Nineteen years later, the 2003 Cubs also found themselves one win away. Then Josh Beckett happened. And Steve Bartman happened. And, well, you know how that turned out.So in Chicago, those magic words, one win away, come with a history lesson. And we regret to inform these Cubs, the 2016 Cubs, that theyll be hearing all about that history lesson right up to the first pitch of Game 6 at Wrigley on an electrified Saturday night. Not that they recall signing up for this history class.That history thing is lost on me, joked catcher David Ross, one of the few men in his locker room who has been in this position before (with the 2013 Red Sox). I dont think I made good grades in history as a kid.Ross spoke those words Thursday evening in a clubhouse pulsing with energy after an 8-4 thumping of the Dodgers in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series, a game that lifted these Cubs to this beautiful and scary place.The beauty was a joyous plane ride home, for the chance to play Games 6 and, if necessary, 7 at Wrigley and do something that would change the lives of millions of people. And the thought of what that would mean, for all of them, was powerful stuff.Its one of the main reasons why I signed here, said Ben Zobrist, because I knew the history, and I wanted to be part of something special that hasnt been done in a long, long time. Its been an elusive championship. But were not there yet. Oh, right. Theyre not there yet. Good point. To get there, all they have to do is beat Clayton Kershaw on Saturday and then Rich Hill on Sunday -- if there is a Sunday. That should be a blast.In the two games earlier in this NLCS in which they faced those two, the Cubs sent 46 hitters to the plate against them. And exactly four of those 46 got what the sabermetricians like to call a hit.So thats the scary half of this equation. In these next two games, they probably wont be seeing a whole lot of Joe Blanton and Luis Avilan. The mission starts with a Game 6 steel-cage match against Kershaw, who has spent this October rewriting his own postseason legacy.We know hes going to challenge us, and hell be going out there for blood, Dexter Fowler said. So we just have to do our best and see what happens.If theyd like a little slice of upbeat history, we can toss this tidbit their way. In the past decade, seven teams have been in this exact position -- heading home for Games 6 and 7, needing to win just one to make it to the World Series. All seven of those teams finished the job. And only the 2008 Rays -- a team managed by some guy named Joe Maddon -- even needed to play a seventh game to do it.On the other hand, those teams also had something else in common. None of them were the Cubs. Youu can add your own punchline.ddddddddddddh, but not these Cubs. From the day these Cubs arrived in spring training, there has always been something different about them. They had their GPS set for this place, in this moment.So this group has been shoving aside the goats and the curses for all those months in the journey to reach a game that very few men who have worn this uniform have ever gotten to play. And now they already can smell the special essence that will be in the air Saturday night. Its the best challenge in all of baseball, Ross said. Its the Holy Grail of championships, right? You win a World Series in Chicago, I mean, thats the tops right now. I just think as a competitor, you want to be on the biggest stage -- unless youre scared. Maybe if youre scared, you dont want to be. But we dont have any dudes in here who are scared.Nevertheless, they havent played a more challenging game all season than the game they are about to play Saturday night. And this is where the handful of men in their clubhouse who have known the meaning of these one-win-away moments have to make sure the young guys around them dont get overwhelmed by the magnitude of what they have a chance to do.All you can stress is the importance of winning every inning, said their assistant hitting coach, Eric Hinske, a man who played in the postseason for four teams and won World Series titles in Boston and New York. The good teams Ive been on, guys like Jason Varitek and Derek Jeter talked about winning every inning, getting to the next pitch. And thats what you do. Youve got to simplify things. You cant look at the grand scheme of everything. Youve got to stay in the moment.Ross, who won a World Series in Boston, keeps showering the young guys around him with almost that same mantra -- that this is no time to let your mind wander farther than the field youre playing on.Asked what advice he gives the phenoms in his clubhouse, he replied: Dont even think about the World Series. Youve got Clayton Kershaw on the docket for Saturday. And hes going to be as locked in as anybody. Hes one of the best in the game. So well celebrate once we go [to the Series]. But youve got to focus on the game. You start looking at the big picture and youll get lost, and itll swallow you up, and it will be gone before you know it.Ha. Tell it to the 42,000 people who will charge into Wrigley Field on Saturday night. They too have waited a lifetime to witness a game like this. But they dont need Eric Hinske or David Ross to tell them these dreams are never guaranteed to come true. Then again, you know the best part about history? You can rewrite it. And you know how close this team is to doing that?One win away.Were trying to write our own story, Hinske said. And this is us -- the 2016 Cubs. Weve been together for eight months now. But weve got to win Saturday.Four of the 25 players who will wear their uniform Saturday night have won a World Series: Ross, Jon Lester, John Lackey and Zobrist. But when Zobrist was asked if hed ever shown his teammates what that World Series ring he won last year in Kansas City looks like, he shook his head.Its something that Ill show friends and family, he said. And its something that Ill wear in the offseason, and probably when Im done with my career. But for now, were keeping these fingers free. ' ' '