Gästeforum » Playing out there felt like another game.

CHICAGO -- The Chicago White Sox had a power surge on Saturday night. But the offensive production in the 6-5 win over the Kansas City Royals has been a rarity this season, and that was evident after the game when the team announced that hitting coach Jeff Manto had been fired. The White Sox avoided 100 losses for the season with the win, but it wasnt enough to save Mantos job. "Obviously, this has been a very disappointing season and one of the main areas of disappointment has been our offensive performance," general manager Rick Hahn said. "Were at the bottom of several important categories, most importantly runs scored, walks and on-base percentage. Its our belief that the best way to continue to address some of those issues is to get a new voice in here to work with our hitters. "We had a conversation with Jeff and we allowed him to choose whether he finished the season and had this announced on Monday. Jeff decided it was best for him to leave at the start of tonights game." Manager Robin Ventura said he fought for Manto to stay, but the decision to make the change wasnt his. "As bad as this season has been, I dont want anyone to point the finger at him," Ventura said of Manto. "Having played and having the same thing as a player, theres responsibility all over the place." The White Sox were a more potent offence on Saturday. Adam Dunn and Conor Gillapie each hit two-run shots and Marcus Semien and Jordan Danks each added solo homers. "Looking at last year, we hit a lot of home runs," Ventura said. "I think at periods we won more games because we got runs faster. Tonight was one of those nights. It was instant, for both teams. There was no manufacturing of runs. Last year, we had it. This year, we didnt have it as much." It was an unseasonably warm night and the ball was flying out as if it was the middle of summer. All 11 runs came via the home run. The White Sox opened the scoring with back-to-back homers from Semien and Danks in the bottom of the second inning for a 2-0 lead. Its the fourth time this season the White Sox have hit back-to-back homers. Semien has only been with the White Sox a short time, but has a long history with Manto. "I learned a lot from him," Semien said. "Even when I was in the minor leagues, he was our co-ordinator my first year. He taught me a lot about what to look for, what to do in certain situations. Hes helped me become a smarter player." The advantage grew to 4-0 when Dunn smashed a two-run shot in the third. It was Dunns 34th homer on the season. Those homers were surrendered by Royals starter Yordano Ventura (0-1), who allowed four runs and six hits in four innings. White Sox starter Erik Johnson (3-2) didnt allow a hit through the first 4 1-3 innings. Mike Moustakas then homered to right field with one out in the fifth inning. Then in the top of the sixth, Billy Butler hit a two-run shot to make it 4-3. "This park is usually a good park to hit in if you get the ball in the air," Butler said. "Definitely in the (A.L.) Central its the best park to hit in. You hit the ball in the air and you hit it good, its going out." The home runs continued in the bottom of the seventh when Gillaspie smacked the first pitch from left-handed reliever Tim Collins just over the right-field fence for a two-run homer and a 6-3 cushion. Salvador Perez got the runs right back with a two-run shot in the eighth. White Sox closer Addison Reed worked a scoreless ninth for his 40th save. NOTES: Assistant hitting coach Harold Baines will handle Mantos job in Sundays season finale. Manto worked two years as Chicagos hitting coach. ... A day later, there was still a buzz about the unusual catch Royals left-fielder Alex Gordon made Friday on a fly ball by Alexei Ramirez. Gordon ran back and climbed the fence. But then he realized the ball wasnt going that far, so he jumped down and made a casual backhand catch. Many in the ballpark thought the ball was gone, including the person who sets off the fireworks celebrating every White Sox homer. "I wasnt fooled by that," Chicago manager Robin Ventura said. "I wasnt in charge of the fireworks. Believe it or not, we dont have a button controlling that in (the dugout)." ... Barring a last-second collapse of epic proportions, the Royals, who led the AL with a 2.55 bullpen ERA entering Saturday, will set a franchise mark. The previous low in a full season was 2.92 in 1976. . The series, and the season, wraps up Sunday with White Sox LHP Jose Quintana (9-6) facing LHP Bruce Chen (8-4). Yeezy 350 España . Then he got back at the team that released him five days before the start of last season, hitting a tiebreaking double in the ninth inning of the first game at Fenway Park since Boston won the World Series last October. Yeezy Boost Baratas . - Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Jason Babin is now a free agent. http://www.yeezyespana.com/yeezy-boost-350-v2-espana.html . Ellis had a season-high 37 points and two key assists late, Dirk Nowitzki led a fourth-quarter rally with 14 of his 35 points, and the Mavericks spoiled Howards best offensive night in Houston with a 123-120 victory over the Rockets on Wednesday night. Yeezy Comprar Baratas . When Reyes signed a US$106-million, six-year deal with Miami last month, there was speculation Ramirez was unhappy about being supplanted at short. But new manager Ozzie Guillen sold Ramirez on the idea. Yeezy Boost 500 Comprar . Messis father, Jorge Horacio Messi, is apparently still under investigation for an alleged 4 million euros ($5.3 million) in unpaid taxes from Messis image rights from 2007-09. Messis public relations firm confirmed Spanish media reports that the state prosecutor has asked for Messi to be dropped from the investigation that began in June 2013.BROOKLYN, N.Y. - A whopping 59 turnovers in three post-season games. Thereve been times the Toronto Raptors playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets has resembled a kick-ball tournament, with balls bouncing wildly off feet. The Nets lead the best-of-seven playoff series 2-1 heading into Sundays Game 4 at Barclays Center, and the Raptors know they desperately need to clean up their act to avoid heading back to Toronto trailing 3-1. You can catch the game live NOW on TSN and TSN GO with pre-game coverage. TSN.cas coverage includes live streaming of the fan festivities at Maple Leaf Square during the game, in-game highlights and live streaming of the post-game news conferences. "If we can get it down to 13, 12, somewhere in that area we are happy with that," said Raptors coach Dwane Casey. "Some of the no-look passes, passes where we think our teammates are going to be, are things we can correct. "You are not going to turn some of our guys into Magic Johnson overnight but we can make better decisions of things we control in our turnovers." Giveaways have been a theme of all three games, and each time, the Raptors have come away vowing to do a better job of protecting the ball. Yet the kick balls and the crazy passes continue. They coughed it up 19 times in Game 1, 21 times in Game 2, and 19 times in Friday nights Game 3, a 102-98 loss. The Raptors practised at Pace University on Saturday, just across the bridge from Brooklyn. It was a long morning of making adjustments on both the offensive and defensive end, said Casey, ahead of Game 4. The Raptors are looking for their first playoff victory on the road since a win over Philadelphia way back in 2001. At least for part of the practice, Casey addressed turnovers. He said aggression has something to do with it — players are getting bumped and giving up the ball. He spoke of working on players "dispositions," which goes for both their aggression in holding onto the ball, and playing with aggression period. The Raptors were manhandled by the Nets for the better part of four quarters Friday, finally fighting back late in the game to come within a point. But disposition isnt an easy thing to coach with just a day or two between easy games. "Well, you have to appeal to the guys pride, their ego and intelligence and we have some intelligent players on this team," the coach said. "Again, its playoff basketball. If you cant get a disposition in the right order at this time of year, this is what we play for. "Our franchise hasnt been there for a while so if we cant get excited now about being tough, physical and fighting through the screens, not complaining about it but fighting through the screens and not letting them hold you and getting to your spot, all those things are disposition plays." DeMar DeRozan and Jonas Valanciunas have been Torontos best two players this series, but theyve also turned the ball over more than anyone. Valanciunas has turned it over 13 times, one more than DeRozan. The Nets have turned the ball over 31 times combined over the three games, and the discrepancy in giveaways is the one glaring statistic in a series that is otherwise so even. The Raptors have outscored the Nets by just a single point — 678-677 — in the seven meetings between these two teams this season.dddddddddddd "Man weve just got to be strong with the ball," said Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry. "Theyre definitely physical when we drive the lane but weve got to be a little bit stronger. Its playoff time. Weve got to be stronger with the ball when were driving." Casey said the previous night that Lowry looked like hed been through a "15-round bout," and the gritty point guard looked similarly the worse for wear Saturday morning. Parked on a bench before addressing the media, the teams medical staff inspected his right knee and his busted lip that required a stitch to close Friday night. Lowrys knee was sore from a knee-on-knee collision. "Im going to get treatment around the clock to get healthy. Ice, stim (muscle stimulator). . . weve got a great training staff. We did some work this morning, well do some work when I get back. Get to as close to 100 per cent as possible right now," Lowry said. "Right now its very sore but I have no doubt that Im going to play." DeRozan — who scored 30 points on Friday to become the first player in Raptors history to record 30-plus points in back-to-back playoff games — likes the quick turnaround between games. "I cant wait to play (Sunday)," the Raptors all-star said. "Honestly, get back out there and get a game." "(One day between games) is a lot better," DeRozan added. "I think we could use that to our advantage too, with the quick turnaround. Just come out with high energy knowing we need to get at least one game in their place before we go back home." While the Raptors expected a hostile crowd in Brooklyns Barclays Center — especially after GM Masai Ujiris now famous F-bomb when mentioning the city — it was a pretty docile crowd that awaited them Friday. "It felt like another game to me, like a regular-season game," DeRozan said. "When you talk about atmosphere, honestly, it didnt have nothing on Toronto at all. Thats just our fans though, so it was a lot different. Playing out there felt like another game. I felt comfortable out there. We just have to clean up some things." The Raptors have to hope for better from starters Terrence Ross and Amir Johnson. Ross, who scored 51 points in a game earlier this season to tie Vince Carters franchise record, has struggled mightily. He has yet to score anywhere near double figures, finishing with five points on Friday. Johnson, while given the tough assignment of guarding perennial all-star Paul Pierce, has been hit or miss. He had seven points and four rebounds on Friday. Their teammates continue to be supportive of the two who were key in the Raptors getting to the playoffs this season. "Hes still the same Terrence," DeRozan said, when asked about how Ross fared in practice Saturday. "We all understand everybodys not going to have their best nights. We all understand that. Our job is to keep everybodys confidence high. "Amir, Terrence, they understand whats at stake in this next game and theyre going to definitely come through for us." ' ' '