Dies und Das... » Kerr said he had dinner with Jackson, his

The Kansas City Royals are back in the American League Championship Series for the first time in 29 years. They will continue their quest toward their first World Series appearance since 1985 when they start the best-of-seven series against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards on Friday. While its been a generation since the Royals have been back to the Fall Classic, its been an even longer wait for the Orioles, who were last in the ALCS back in 1997, but havent made a trip to the World Series since winning it all back in 1983. I look at it as two fan bases starving for a winner, Orioles outfielder Adam Jones said. Our fan base, its been 31 years. Theirs, its been since 1985, so thats 29 years. Theres some adults that havent seen winners in their lifetime. I think both teams want to see a winner. Kansas Citys improbable run almost ended in the wild card game against the Oakland Athletics, but the never-say-die Royals rallied to send that game into extra innings, before coming from behind once again to win the game in 12 innings. Ned Yosts crew carried that momentum into the ALDS where the Royals upended the ALs best team, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, in three straight games. They needed more than nine innings to win the first two in Anaheim, before routing the Halos, 8-3, in Game 3 to advance in front of a wild Kauffman Stadium crowd. Im more happy for the fans than anyone else, because they waited a long time to get to this point, owner David Glass said, drenched in champagne in the clubhouse celebration. But listen, were not at the end. Were at the beginning of something that could be really good. No team signified small ball more than Kansas City, which won 89 games this season thanks in large part to its ability to play defense and manufacture runs. The Royals also led the AL with 153 stolen bases, but their 95 home runs were the fewest in baseball. Kansas City, though, has enjoyed the luxury of the home run here in the postseason and won the first two games in Anaheim on the strength of two extra-inning homers. The Royals have hit just as many this postseason (4) as the Orioles, a team that blasted 116 more than them during the regular season. Well, you know, it was huge. Won us two games, Yost said of the power hitting after Sundays clincher. Coming into this game, we were hitting .162 as a team, they were hitting .141, but the difference were the two big home runs. That gave us the edge. Tonight the power was huge again. If there is one perceived weakness within the Royals it could be their starting pitching. James Shields is the ace and will get the call in Game 1 against the Os. Shields has yet to live up to his Big Game James moniker in the postseason, going 3-4 with a 4.96 ERA in eight starts. Hes also lost both of his ALCS starts while with the Tampa Bay Rays. The right-hander, though, picked up the win in his teams clincher over the Angels, surrendering a pair of runs and six hits in six innings. He is 11-7 lifetime versus the Os with a 3.52 ERA in 26 starts. Hes that guy whos going to set the tone for the series, said reliever Wade Davis. He goes out and does his thing, the next guys going to follow suit, and its worked like that since the day I got called up. Baltimore, meanwhile, beat the ALs last three Cy Young Award winners to sweep its way past the Detroit Tigers. While the Tigers three aces werent exactly lights out, the Orioles were able to batter the beleaguered Tigers bullpen to the tune of 10 earned runs in just 4 2/3 innings. Theyve got a lot to be proud of, said Orioles manager Buck Showalter, who won his first postseason series. Its a step. Theres different steps during the season that you have to take and this is one of them. Its so hard against a team like Detroit that has a great pedigree and experience at (the postseason). Baltimore slugged its way to the postseason for the second time in three years thanks to its first AL East crown since 1997 after going 96-66. The win total was the most for an Os team since they accumulated 98 in the year of their last division title. The Os had to overcome a pair of serious injuries along the way, as catcher Matt Wieters was lost for the season in June with an elbow injury, while promising third baseman Manny Machado again suffered a serious leg injury that required surgery in August. Then as if that wasnt enough last years home run champion Chris Davis was suspended for the use of amphetamines in September. Davis is eligible to return for Game 6 of this series, but will probably be left off the roster. Regardless, it didnt slow the Orioles down from an offensive standpoint, as they hit a league high 211 dingers, with Nelson Cruz leading the way with an MLB-best 40. Cruz continued to mash against the Tigers, going 6-for-12 with a pair of home runs and five RBI. Eight of Cruzs 16 postseason home runs have come against Detroit. Hes been awesome all year, said Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis. Thats the main reason we got him. I played a lot of games against him and hes done a lot of damage against us. Im just glad hes on our team doing the damage now. Baltimores rotation almost mirrors Kansas City with its lack of star power, but the group did have three 13-game winners (Wei-Yin Chen, Bud Norris and Chris Tillman) for the first time since 97, when Scott Erickson, Jimmy Key and Mike Mussina helped pitch the Os to a division title. Tillman gets the call on Friday after beating the Tigers in Game 1 of the ALDS. He surrendered two runs and four hits in five innings of that one. Tillman was as good as any pitcher down the stretch, going 6-1 in the second half with a 2.33 ERA in 14 starts. Overall he was 13-6 with a 3.34 ERA. Chris is not a look-at-me guy, said Showalter. He wants to blend in. Weve got a lot of those guys. And hed be the first to tell you, when youre talking about Shields and youre talking about (Justin) Verlander and (Max) Scherzer and (David) Price, Chris will say, I havent earned that, I havent done it consistently over a long period of time. In five starts against the Royals he is 2-2 with a 6.21 ERA. The Royals won four of seven from the Orioles during the regular season, outscoring Baltimore 26-18. Jermon Bushrod Jersey .ca. Hi Mr. Fraser, When I was watching the Heritage Classic in Vancouver there was a play midway through the third where Ottawa crashed the Canucks net and it came off its moorings. Saints Jerseys . Kerr said he had dinner with Jackson, his former coach with Chicago and the new Knicks team president, on Friday night and they talked again Saturday. Kerr is in New York to work the game between the Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors for TNT. http://www.officialsaintslockroom.com/cameron-meredith-saints-jersey/ . There, I saw a teenaged boy with tears in his eyes, being consoled by strength and conditioning coach Randy Lee. Marcus Davenport Jersey . -- The Green Bay Packers have signed quarterback Graham Harrell to the active roster from the practice squad and placed tight end Andrew Quarless on injured reserve. DeMario Davis Saints Jersey . While Minnesota takes aim at its eighth win of November, the Canadiens will try to post just their third victory in nine games this month.Leading Australian side Melbourne Storm have declined an invitation to play in next years World Club Series in England. Storm chief executive Dave Donaghy said the decision was made to give Storm the best possible preparation ahead of the 2017 National Rugby League season.In the past, only the NRL champions made the trip to take on the Super League champions, but the format was expanded this year to include other teams. As a club, weve decided that staying in Australia will provide our team with the best possible preparation for the 2017 NRL season, Donaghy said. Will Chambers scores Melbournes second try in the NRL Grand Final Having treasured past visits to the UK in 2008, 2010 and 2013, we thoroughly value the concept of the World Club Challenge. Watch NOW TV Watch Sky Sports for just ￡6.99. No contract. However, a regular NRL season is already incredibly taxing and, as a non-Sydney team, our players travel more than most.Donaghy said the cllub had committed to playing two trial matches in Australia which they feel would serve as a better lead-in for coach Craig Bellamys team ahead of next years opening NRL round.dddddddddddd Jesse Bromwich is a big force for the Melbourne Storm and the Penrith Panthers We wish Cronulla all the best as the NRLs representative against the champion team of England, Wigan, he said of the February series.Melbourne, who lost to the Cronulla Sharks 14-12 in this months NRL grand final, have several players heading to England to take part in the Four Nations tournament later this month.Test skipper Cameron Smith and scrum-half Cooper Cronk will represent Australia, while prop Jesse Bromwich captains a New Zealand team that includes Storm forwards Kevin Proctor and Tohu Harris.You can watch Englands tour of Bangladesh, plus Premier League football and the British Masters on Sky Sports. 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