When you shoot yourself in the foot by turning the ball from LAM's blog
CLEVELAND -- Two days later, the pain has diminished -- a little. Cheap Flames Jerseys .The cruel sting of losing Game 7 hasnt completely left the Cleveland Indians.We all want to hoist that World Series trophy, team president Chris Antonetti said Friday, so it hurt when we lost.At the same time the Chicago Cubs were parading down Michigan Avenue after winning their first title in 108 years, the Indians -- who pushed the National League champions into extra innings in an unforgettable season finale before losing 8-7 -- took the first steps toward getting back to the Series in 2017.For Antonetti, who has been with the club for 18 years, there is some comfort in what the Indians did this season. But hell never be satisfied completely until Clevelands title quest is finished.We went to Game 7 of the World Series, that in and of itself is an accomplishment, he said. Not the ultimate one were striving for, but still a great organizational accomplishment.With deadlines approaching and no time for pity, the Indians jumped right into the offseason by locking up manager Terry Francona through 2020.The club exercised its contract options for 2019 and 2020 on the 57-year-old manager, who did a remarkable job in steering the Indians around numerous obstacles to get them to their first Series since 1997.Cleveland overcame key injuries, suspensions and questions about their legitimacy as title contenders under Francona, who in his fourth season got the Indians within one win of their first title since 1948.He did a masterful job, Antonetti said. The way in which Tito is constantly thinking about how to place individual players in a position to be successful, to most impact the team, is always extraordinary. He does that first and foremost by building really deep relationships with guys, where they know he cares and he has their best interest in mind, and hes always going to find a way for them to be the best versions of themselves.Hes done that from the day he got here. As high as our expectations were for Tito when we hired him, hes gone beyond that. Were really fortunate to have him.Antonetti and general manager Mike Chernoff also praised Franconas willingness to include everyone in Clevelands front office on major decisions.Hes five steps ahead of all of us [on the field], Chernoff said. Thats just a small part of it. Hes broken down barriers organizationally for us, whether its scouting, player development, that connection people feel internally, and hes done it on the field with the team and in the clubhouse. And the culture he has helped to build, a lot of the resiliency you see, the grit you saw in this team, is a product of that culture. Its not any one move that he made.The Indians have had four straight winning seasons under Francona, who won two titles with Boston. Hes become wildly popular in Cleveland, where he can be seen riding his motorized scooter to the ballpark and where fans have embraced his everyman persona, enthusiasm and self-deprecating sense of humor.Along with rewarding Francona, the Indians exercised their $12 million option on slugger Carlos Santana for next season. The move was expected after Santana belted 34 homers while splitting time at first and designated hitter.Cleveland declined a $13 million option on outfielder Coco Crisp, who gets a $750,000 buyout.The switch-hitter had a few key hits in the postseason and a .208 batting average with two home runs and eight RBIs for the Indians in the regular season after being acquired from the Athletics on Aug. 31.The trade returned Crisp, who turned 37 on Tuesday, to the team he broke into the majors with in 2002.Antonetti also said the club has expressed to first baseman Mike Napoli and outfielder Rajai Davis that they would like to re-sign the potential free agents. The team has until Monday to make qualifying offers to both. Napolis is worth $17.2 million.In his first season with Cleveland, Napoli reached career highs in homers, plate appearances and RBIs. The 35-year-old struggled in the postseason, but Antonetti said the team will take into account the balance of the season.Mike did a phenomenal job for us, he said. He made a huge impact for us on the field and in the clubhouse, and I think thats the lens through which well view it.Davis, too, helped the Indians to their first American League Central title since 2007. The 35-year-old led the league in stolen bases and helped them offset the loss of All-Star Michael Brantley.And for a little while, Davis hit the biggest homer in Cleveland history. His two-run shot in the eighth inning of Game 7 off Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman tied the score 6-6 before Chicago scored two in the 10th.Antonetti and Chernoff were together in a suite and couldnt contain their emotions.I didnt even try, Antonetti said.I almost fell out of the booth, Chernoff said.And next time, they hope to celebrate after the Series.Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. Womens Flames Jerseys . The Brazilian goalkeeper signed a loan deal with the Major League Soccer club on Friday as he looks to get playing time ahead of this summers World Cup in his home country. Adidas Flames Jerseys . Brazilian national coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has confirmed that the veteran goalkeeper is set to join Toronto on loan, saying it will help him be ready for the World Cup. http://www.cheapflamesjerseyschina.com/ . The mixed zone is not a place to make friends. MONTREAL -- The Toronto Argonauts took full advantage of the Montreal Alouettes early turnovers to gain some breathing room atop the CFLs East Division. John Chiles caught a pair of Ricky Ray touchdown passes and Chad Owens returned a missed field goal attempt 118 yards in the first quarter Thursday to send Toronto on to emphatic 38-13 victory over Montreal. Ray threw his third touchdown pass to Jason Barnes in the second quarter and Noel Prefontaine added a field goal moments later as the Argonauts roared to a 31-0 lead in general manager Jim Popps coaching return for Alouettes. Noel Devine fumbled three times as Montreal turned over the ball six times in its first game since head coach Dan Hawkins was fired. "You never expect to get a start like that," Toronto head coach Scott Milanovich said. "Thats what youre always hoping for, to take advantage of the turnovers. We played great on defence, played great on special teams, and offensively we played great for a half and thats why we were able to get that lead." The Argonauts (4-2) won their third straight game to increase their lead in the East to four points over Montreal and Hamilton. "Its a long season," said Ray, who missed Torontos last game with a knee injury. "Were pretty happy with where were at right now but theres still two thirds of the season to play. Nobody really wins first place early in the year but you definitely give yourself a lot of breathing room or separation and thats what we wanted to do is to get the lead and be able to put the pressure on the other teams." Ray appeared to tweak his knee in the first half and gave way to backup quarterback Zach Collaros with Toronto firmly in the drivers seat. The Alouettes (2-4), meanwhile, fell to 1-3 at home in 2013 to begin Popps third stint as coach in his 18-year career with Montreal. He replaced Hawkins, who was brought in after Marc Trestman left to become head coach of the NFLs Chicago Bears, after just five games. "We werent good enough. Youve got to be better than that," said Popp, who fell to 10-14 overall in the regular season. "You dig a hole like that in the first quarter, you get way behind, our offence was pinned deep, it takes you out of yoour game plan. Discount Flames Jerseys. " Ray threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Chiles 1:18 into the first quarter on Torontos second play from scrimmage after Shane Horton recovered Devines fumble on the opening kickoff. Chiles was then wide open in the end zone at 8:17 to catch Rays 19-yard touchdown pass to give the Argonauts a 14-0 lead. "Somebody got mixed up and I popped open," Chiles said. "It felt good." Owens ran 118 yards to increase the lead to 21-0 at 10:57 after Alouettes kicker Sean Whyte missed wide left on a 49-yard field goal attempt. Toronto had built up a 31-0 lead when Whyte kicked a 48-yard field goal to end the first half that was greeted by mock cheers from the home fans. Montreal quarterback Anthony Calvillo made it 32-10 when he threw a 48-yard touchdown pass to Brandon London 34 seconds into the fourth quarter. Whyte added a 15-yard field goal. It was the first of three meetings between the teams over the next five weeks. Two of Devines three fumbles came in the first quarter. Tyrrell Sutton also fumbled and Calvillo was intercepted as Montreal turned over the ball four times in the first half. "When you shoot yourself in the foot by turning the ball over that does not help at all," Calvillo said. "I thought the guys up front played very well but we didnt sustain enough drives. We had two long drives where we were backed up and we got the ball out to midfield, but it just wasnt enough tonight." Owens, who recovered a fumble by teammate Andre Durie on a 19-yard reception on the Argonauts first offence play of the game, had a potential second touchdown called back in the second. Owens 70-yard punt return was called back because of an illegal block. Prefontaine kicked a 43-yard field goal to make it 31-0. He added a single in the third quarter and two more field goals in the fourth. The two field goal attempts by Whyte were the only times Montreal made it across midfield on offence in the opening half. "Weve just got to stay humble and keep working because this is a long season and anything can happen," Owens said. "So we go back to the drawing board, we look at the film and take the good and the bad and we get better for it." Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
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