Talk » 2016.THAT WAS FAST: Pole-si

WASHINGTON --?Stephen Strasburg said relying too much on his new slider put stress on his pitching arm and contributed to the injury problems that sidelined him during the second half of last season and the playoffs.I fell in love with it, the Washington Nationals right-hander said Sunday at the teams annual fan festival, because it was working, especially the first half. I mean, it was a quick out.Strasburg threw sliders on 17.1 percent of his pitches last season, according to Fangraphs, more than changeups (13.1 percent) or curveballs (12.6). He said because he wasnt as used to throwing sliders, he had trouble delivering the pitch exactly the same way each time.That altered his motion, and the fact that he went with the slider more often than he should have, Strasburg said, led to a tendon issue in his right elbow -- although one that is now resolved, he added.I had a new pitch, and I probably abused it. So I need to go back to what Ive thrown much longer, said Strasburg, who was sporting a thick beard at the fan festival.The No. 1 pick in the 2009 amateur draft, now 28, had Tommy John surgery in 2011, then was shut down by the Nationals late in 2012 to protect his repaired elbow. This season, he started 13-0 with a 2.51 ERA. In the middle of that stretch, he signed a seven-year, $175 million contract.Strasburg went on the disabled list with elbow soreness in August, then made one more start before being out again.His final 2016 numbers: 15-4 with a 3.60 ERA and 183 strikeouts in only 147? innings.His biggest takeaway? Strasburg said he plans to do everything I can to make the adjustments to stay healthy for the whole season next year.To that end, Nationals pitching coach Mike Maddux mentioned that he thinks Strasburg might opt for a tweaked between-starts throwing program in 2017.Were going to sit down with him and discuss it, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said, noting that Strasburg had been in town to meet with the teams medical staff and strength and conditioning staff.Through spring training, Rizzo added, well devise a workout program to handle the forearm soreness.Strasburg will start his offseason throwing, as usual, in late December or early January. Until then, strengthening his forearm is key.I did stuff like that in the past, but it wasnt as much as Im doing right now, Strasburg said. When you get older and youve had Tommy John, youve got to kind of tweak it a little bit, because the muscles in your arm are just going to maybe change a little bit. Ive just got to make more of an emphasis on slowing everything down and just making the most of the exercises.Bill Russell Jersey . But now that hes in the NHL, the Calgary Flames centre showed big improvement in that department by scoring the winner in the eighth round of a 5-4 shootout victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday. Bailey Howell Jersey . Emery skated the length of the ice and fought an unwilling Holtby during the third period of the Flyers 7-0 loss Friday night in Philadelphia. He was given 29 penalty minutes, including a game misconduct. But Emery did not face even a disciplinary hearing with NHL senior vice president of player safety Brendan Shanahan because rules 46. https://www.cheapceltics.com/502n-marcus-smart-jersey-celtics.html . -- Patrick Reed got an early start in golf. Ray Allen Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. Wholesale Celtics Jerseys . -- The goal posts lying flat on the field, Arizonas fans lingered on the field, congregating around the locker room entrance nearly 30 minutes after rushing out of the stands.BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Ben Kennedy moved past NASCAR Truck season leader William Byron with 19 laps to go and held at Bristol Motor Speedway on Wednesday night for his first series victory.Kennedy, the son of International Speedway Corporation CEO Lesa France Kennedy and great-grandson of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr., became the first France family member to win a NASCAR national series race. He was making his 63rd career start.I cant put it into words, Kennedy said. Someone asked me earlier today what its like going to Bristol for your first time and to win here is just so cool. Im speechless. The guys gave me an awesome truck. Everyone at GMS Racing, Jacob Companies, the fans in the stands, everybody watching on TV, gosh this is just the coolest day of my life.Byron, a rookie won has won five races this season, looked as he would make it six when he took the lead from teammate Daniel Suarez with 21 laps left. But Byron went high into a turn and Kennedy was able to sweep past him. Kennedy had to hold on through a restart with seven laps to go, fending off Brett Moffitt the rest of the way for the victory.I was just thinking go as fast as possible on this last lap, Kennedy said. I knew Brett was putting pressure on me from behind. I appreciate him racing me clean. This is just so cool. These guys deserve it. They work so hard.The victory locked up a spot for Kennedy in the series eight-driver championship chase that begins in New Hampshire next month.Daniel Hemric was third, followed by Byron and Johnny Sauter.Kennedy had not led a lap all season before moving in front on a damp night at Bristol. The races start was delayed more than an hour when storms hit the area. When the green fflag dropped, it looked as if Christopher Bell and Suarez had the strongest machines.ddddddddddddach, though, couldnt sustain things.Bell led a race-high 101 of 200 laps until spinning out while racing Suarez up front. Suarez led 77 laps until he was passed by Byron.Bell held on for seventh, while a late spin dropped Suarez to 29th in the 32-car field.WHOS HOT: Byron has not cooled off. The rookie driver followed up a win at Pocono, his fifth of the season, with a fourth-place run at Bristol. It was his eighth top-10 finish in 13 races this season.WHOS NOT: Two-time series champion Matt Crafton continued his disappointing summer, going only 70 of 200 laps before having to leave the track after he said something broke. Crafton started the season with six top-10s, including two victories, over the first eight races. Hes had only one top-10 finish in the past five times out and was dead last at Bristol, his worst finish of 2016.THAT WAS FAST: Pole-sitter Tyler Reddick qualified at 128.917 mph, nearly 2 mph hour quicker than the 12-year-old qualifying record held by Ken Schrader since August 2004. Reddick led nine drivers who finished under Schraders speed in setting the grid for the truck race at Bristol Motor Speedway.WET WEATHER: The start was delayed more than an hour because of rain. A caution came out early on Lap 28 when drizzle began to fall. NASCAR had scheduled a competition caution 40 laps in to see if the machines would be affected by the soggy conditions.UP NEXT: Michigan International Speedway, Aug. 27. Kyle Busch is the defending race winner. ' ' '