Talk » ch and if he takes advantage of those errors

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Angels and Cincinnati Reds dont know much about each other, playing head-to-head only nine times in their respective histories.And they havent played each other at all since 2013, when the lineups of each team looked very different than their current lineups.But the one thing both teams have in common is not something either team is too happy about: Both are in last place, playing out the season and doing a lot of evaluating for next season and beyond.The Angels, though 18 games under .500 and 20 1/2 games out in the American League West, enter the series playing well, having won four of their past five games, beating playoff contenders Toronto and Detroit during that stretch.Not so much for the Reds, 19 games under .500 and 27 games out in the National League Central, who have lost five of seven.The Reds, though, have Dan Straily starting on the mound coming in on a hot streak. Hes 6-0 in his last seven starts and hasnt lost a decision since July 8. He leads the Reds staff in victories (10), innings pitched (151 1/3) and strikeouts (123).A key pitch for Straily is his changeup, and he has been happy to share his secrets with his teammates. In particular, Straily recently was approached by teammate Brandon Finnegan for some help.It was the exact same problem I went through a couple of years ago back when I was in the minor leagues, Straily told mlb.com. Once he told me he was having problems cutting it, I just showed him what helped me stop cutting it and it worked for him. Its just how we hold it. We have the same grip; he was just holding it the same way I used to hold it in college.College balls, the seams allow it to do something different. The seams are smaller and when you throw it the way we threw it back in college, now its like a cutter, sometimes its down, sometimes it goes arm-side, theres no control with the movement, which is a good thing, except when nobody can catch it.The advice paid off when Finnegan struck out a career-high 12 Arizona Diamondback hitters in just six innings last Friday.Straily may have a few tricks up his sleeve against the Angels, at least, compared to what the Angels are used to seeing when facing him. Straily started seven games against the Angels while pitching for Oakland, but went just 1/3 with a 6.69 ERA.Matt Shoemaker will start for the Angels with a record (8-13) that wont strike fear into the Reds hitters. But Shoemaker has been far better than his record shows.Shoemaker has given up two earned runs or fewer in more than half of his starts (13 of 25), but earned the victory in just six of those 13 games.One of Shoemakers biggest problems this season has been a lack of run support. The Angels have scored at least four runs in only 11 of Shoemakers 25 starts. And early runs are even better.Its always good to have a lead, Shoemaker told MLB.com. Its always nice knowing, thats in the back of your mind, Hey weve got a two-run lead or whatever it is. The game plan is to attack the hitters, but then when you have the lead, same thing, attack the hitters, stay aggressive.With just over a month to play, about the only drama the Angels have is whether or not Mike Trout can win another MVP award. Trouts numbers make him a candidate -- .312 average, 24 homers, 82 RBI, 97 runs scored and a league-leading .432 on-base percentage.Surprisingly, though, Angels manager Mike Scioscia generally doesnt believe players from last-place teams deserve to be an MVP.Yes, Scioscia said when asked if the MVP should come from a contender. Unless somebody just separates themselves so much where you go my gosh, this guys 15 more home runs than the next guy, 30 more RBI than the next guy.But I definitely think there needs to be a value on how youve affected a teams performance. I think to be a contender says a lot about what a player brings to a team. ... When you play on a contender your production has more of an impact on that teams success. Pistons Jerseys China . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . Detroit Pistons Pro Shop . Irving scored 23 points, Tristan Thompson had 20 points and 10 rebounds and the Cavaliers beat the Denver Nuggets 117-109 on Friday night. https://www.cheappistonsonline.com/ .com) - Following a late-game loss to the reigning NBA champs, the Toronto Raptors will look to sustain their recent high-level play as they travel to Indiana to take on the Pacers. Stitched Pistons Jerseys . While hell be dialed in to that tournament on a course he loves, you can forgive him if his eyes glance down the calendar just a bit, towards April. Wholesale Pistons Jerseys . Argentina winger Ezequiel Lavezzi and France midfielder Blaise Matuidi scored, with star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic setting up both despite having a poor game by his high standards. Forward Eduardo gave Ajaccio the lead in the sixth minute after being set up by right winger Benjamin Andre, and the Corsican side looked comfortable in the first half, with the lively Johan Cavalli causing problems with his probing runs from midfield. Junior middleweight titlist Liam Smith will attempt to make the third defense of his title on Saturday when he faces Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez (47-1-1, 33 KOs) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.Englands Smith (23-0-1, 13 KOs) will be fighting outside of his home country for the first time, which poses an additional challenge in a fight he enters as the underdog despite holding the belt.If Smith wants to retain his title, he should respect the following keys:Remain patient (and opportunistic)Smith is a boxer who fights with controlled aggression. He rarely takes risks by throwing wild combinations and instead fights like a hunter, waiting for the right moment to throw his best shots. He is patient and has developed an efficient style. He shouldnt change this style against Alvarez. Its a style suited to frustrate the Mexican at first, but Smith will need to follow up with timely counterattacks to win the fight.Rely on your strengths?Smith does not have a varied arsenal. However, he tends to use his artillery wisely. The long right hand from the outside is his primary weapon, along with a short right from close range, and he should focus on both if he wants to hurt Alvarez. Smith has good reach and often uses it to his advantage. If we consider that defense is not Canelos strong point, the British fighter can make things hard for him if he persists with the right hand.Capitalize on mistakesAlvarez will enter the ring determined to take control of the fight and will take risks as he seeks to land his bestt shots.dddddddddddd Its in these moments that the Mexican often makes defensive mistakes. He opens his torso too much to throw hooks from outside or loses his cool when he misses with an overhand. His strong chin has enabled him to survive power punches from smaller opponents. But Smith is bigger, packs a punch and if he takes advantage of those errors to land his power shots, his chances of victory will increase.Stay focusedSmith will be fighting for the first time outside of England and will be facing an opponent who will likely be backed by more than 50,000 Mexican fans. Nerves and stage fright could be another enemy for Smith to overcome. The British fighter must stay calm and focused at all times to carry out his game plan and be determined when it comes to imposing himself and controlling the pace of the fight. This could prove key in the eyes of the judges if it ends up being a close fight.Dont forget Plan B!Defensively, there is no doubt that Smiths absolute priority should be to watch out for Alvarezs power shots. The offensive side, however, will be a battle of strategies. Both fighters may opt to play it safe and take few risks. If the fight becomes a tactical struggle and goes the distance, Alvarez, as the home fighter, is more likely to get the decision. Thats why Smiths corner needs to have an additional strategy for their fighter. Plan B could be the key to success. ' ' '