Kritik und Lob » third baseman, and well assess him on Sat

NEW YORK -- Quiet, please.The two iconic words have always been associated with tennis. Theyve been sampled in pop songs, printed on T-shirts, borrowed in ad campaigns. Theyre symbolic, representing what some people love and some people find irritating about the game. But they may soon go the way of wooden rackets and white tennis balls packed in tin cans.Those words are being put out of business by the US Open. Is the last major domino in the long line of tennis traditions about to fall for good?The long, ongoing war against noise at most major sporting events might have reached a tipping point at this US Open. The fans arent yelling during points, and cheering service faults is still frowned upon by players and most spectators alike. But the ambient noise in Arthur Ashe Stadium has been striking this year.During some matches, repeated pleas for less commotion during play have been ignored. It soon became apparent that the root of the problem was not chatty fans, but the acoustics of the newly roofed Arthur Ashe Stadium.It was clear from the start of play that the roofworks contain and perhaps even magnify sound rising from below, like the skin of a drum. Anyone who sat down in the stadium when it was near capacity noticed it immediately.I didnt feel silence at any moment, said Garbine Muguruza, the No. 3 seed who was upset in the second round. It was continuously a noise. I think its very big, this stadium. Also, its kind of [an] echo. But its the same for the other player.Steve Johnson, the American player who made his debut on Ashe this year, was more positive despite losing his own match: It was definitely louder than most courts. But the atmosphere was great. I didnt have a problem with [the noise]. You watch as a kid night matches on Ashe. You kind of expect it.Significantly, no player of importance lit into the tournament or made claims about the noise ruining concentration or performance, not even famously grumpy No. 2 seed Andy Murray. He probably had the worst of it, too, having to play while a thunderstorm played the equivalent of a heavy-metal bands drum solo on the polyester roof.Murray, who has played a Wimbledon final with the Centre Court roof closed, said the Ashe court is louder. He wasnt thrilled by the fact that he couldnt hear the ball coming off his opponents racket, but he felt the conditions with the roof closed over the hard court didnt change the playing surface as much as they do on the grass at Wimbledon.I dont know what the TV people or fans have said about it [the noise] yet, but the players will adjust, Murray said. The players will deal with it. You get used to stuff. As an athlete, thats what you do.Murrays last assertion represents a major leap forward for a sport in which the top stars once had few good words to say about any challenging innovation. Most former players, particularly the highly strung champions, might have blown a gasket -- and trashed the USTA -- had they been asked to play under the conditions that now characterize tennis at Ashe.At 29, Murray is a responsible, intelligent pro. The younger generation is more flexible for other reasons. Ryan Harrison, 24, believes that playing under the cacophonous conditions of World Team Tennis actually helped him hone his ability to focus. Others of his generation are also more relaxed about distractions older players might have deemed unacceptable.After he upset Milos Raonic in the first round of the Open, Harrison said: Theres been times in my career when someone drops a ball, someone does something, and my first reaction is, What did you do? But its not as big a deal as you think it is. All the things I yell about when someone is moving in the stands are not that big of a deal if I decide to just focus in and block it out.This is what critics mean when they tell tennis players that collegiate basketball players routinely shoot -- and make -- critical free throws with fans screaming and waving oversized foam No. 1 mitts right beneath the basket. Its just a matter of acclimatization.Its fitting that the assault on Quiet, please is happening in New York. Noise is the distinguishing feature of the city. Its inescapable, regardless of your race, creed or color. Rich and poor are equally subject to the wail of the police siren, the thwock, thwock of the helicopter, the mournful horns of a thousand frustrated taxi cab drivers. Noise is the backing track to life in New York, and now to tennis in New York as well.It all makes you wonder if the players willingness to deal with the conditions will lead to a change in the habits of fans. New fans coming into the game might be more inclined to hoot and holler.Shouting and cheering during points wouldnt make watching or playing tennis a better experience. Silence is observed during points for a reason: An attentive spectator is too busy watching, and theres plenty of time to cheer because the ball is in play for only brief periods. But cheering or heckling before serves, or between first and second serves, could become a common occurrence, as it sometimes is in Davis Cup.Adaptable as todays players are, they arent eager for fans to bring constant noise. As Venus Williams said after one of her matches:Theres something very special about tennis in the quiet. Theres that tension that everybody feels, the sound of the ball, the sound of the footwork is very special in sports. I do enjoy the quiet. Especially the more important the moments, silence says it all. Personally, I dont think it should go away. China Made Jerseys . -- Mike Smith never saw his first NHL goal go in. 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DETROIT -- Viable.The Houston Astros and Detroit Tigers see that as their watchword during a three-game weekend series between two resurgent teams seeking to overtake their respective division leaders.Houston trails Texas in the AL West while Detroit is stalking Cleveland in the AL Central. Neither can claim first place by Mondays non-waiver trade deadline, but both will remain contenders regardless of how the series plays out.The Astros are seen as more of a buyer than the Tigers, who are limited by their $200 million payroll and limited trade chips, but neither club will be in sell mode. Detroit may make a minor cosmetic move but Houston would not surprise if it made a nice splash before the trade deadline.Detroit and Houston were off Thursday, a plus for both sides.Tigers manager Brad Ausmus used the day off plus another scheduled break Monday to rearrange his rotation as he awaits the return of injured starters Jordan Zimmermann and Daniel Norris, both of whom will have one final rehab start this week prior to rejoining the staff. He is also using the breaks to push back rookie Michael Fulmer and further limit his starts and innings.Exactly which day Fulmer pitches again has not been determined and may be contingent on where Ausmus wants to slot in Zimmermann and Norris next week.Astros skipper A.J. Hinch has two regulars nursing sore hamstrings -- third baseman Luis Valbuena and center fielder Carlos Gomez. Valbuena was injured Tuesday and Gomez had to come out of Wednesdays game early.Its a mild strain, Gomez told MLB.com. We have the advantage of the off-day (Thursday) and (then) we have a night game. Like I said before, I had it in the past. I know how I feel. I dont think this is going to be something that will take me long to heal. In the past, I have had it worse than that and I was ready in six or seven days, and they put me on the DL. In this case, I dont think its necessary.Valbuena wont play Friday, Hinch said earlier in the week, but is possible for one of the next two games.Its not comfortabble when the bench is pretty much empty with the exception of (Evan) Gattis as a pinch-hitter/catcher, Hinch said to MLB.ddddddddddddcom. Weve got some fortunate timing, if I can call it that, because were expected to put (right-hander Doug) Fister on the paternity leave soon. His wife is going to deliver his first child in the next couple of days, so we might have a transaction in Detroit that will probably be a position player.Fister worked Wednesday, so he wont pitch in Detroit. If hes placed on paternity leave Friday, the Astros can bring up a position player for the weekend.Valbuenas strain is higher in the hamstring than Gomezs, which is just above the back of the knee.Hes unlikely to play Friday, Hinch said of his third baseman, and well assess him on Saturday. Where its located, sort of behind the knee really low, makes for some tricky diagnosis.That would give rookie Alex Bregman, just up from the minors, at least one more start at third. Hes been working out in left field and likely will play the left side of the infield, outfield and do some designated hitting -- if he hits.Right-hander Collin McHugh will pitch for Houston against southpaw Matt Boyd of Detroit.Right-hander Mike Fiers and southpaw Dallas Keuchel will go Saturday and Sunday, respectively, for the Astros while the Tigers counter with right-handers Justin Verlander and Mike Pelfrey.McHugh (7-6, 4.18 ERA) has never beaten Detroit but has only started three times against it, going 0-2 with a 3.72 ERA. He won his last start, against the Los Angeles Angels.Boyd has been a fill-in starter for the Tigers this season and is currently holding place for the return of Zimmermann and Norris He is 1-2 with a 4.63 ERA in eight starts but is 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA over his last three starts. Boyd has started just once against Houston, not getting a decision in a five-inning outing in which he gave up five runs on six hits. ' ' '