Dein erstes Forum » o enjoy the wins and deal with the losses.Losses ha

CHICAGO -- Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo went on the attack before his team began second-half play on Friday against the Texas Rangers.His target? The media, which he says has been too negative about the Cubs struggles before the All-Star break, when a double-digit lead in the National League Central dropped to seven games.The only people panicking about this is the media, Rizzo said Friday morning to a throng of reporters. No offense to you guys. Its been pretty negative. All the comments coming out of everyones mouth except in this clubhouse. We feel great. We feel great to be back together and were ready to go.The Cubs went 2-9 in their final 11 games and 7-14 in their final 21 before the break, with numbers in pitching, hitting and fielding all down. Most attributed the slide to a grueling schedule in which the Cubs played 23 of 33 games on the road and played on 24 consecutive days.Its July and you need stories to write about, and what better story to write about than why are the Cubs struggling? Rizzo said. The only people worried about it are outsiders.Cubs manager Joe Maddon had a softer stance. The noise coming from outside is necessary, he said. It can serve as motivation and its also just fans being fans. Its about how you channel all that.Maddon was quick to defend his team, citing the tough schedule. I probably have not been as tired as I was at this break, ever, he said. If I felt the need to rest, Im certain our guys felt the same way.Theo Epstein, the Cubs president of baseball operations, also addressed the tone of the conversation surrounding his team. It went from talk of breaking records at the beginning of the season to talk of a possible epic collapse heading into the break.When we were 25-6, the media was asking questions about, How do we balance getting our players rest with going for the all-time wins record? Epstein said. I attached zero meaning to that. I called bulls--- on that question. The same way, if I think people are getting too down on us for not playing well, Ill call bulls--- on that, too. I just think all that matters is how we respond to adversity and how we handle success.Itll help the Cubs to get some injured bodies back in the lineup as two key position players, outfielders?Dexter Fowler and Jorge Soler, continue to rehab hamstring injuries.Fowler is getting tested by trainers this weekend before beginning a new rehab assignment. Maddon said he is hoping Fowler will be available by the end of next week.Soler is further away from returning but is also making progress. Hes doing well, Maddon said. Hes getting better but dont have a finish line there.The Cubs got catcher?David Ross back after a stint on the seven-day concussion list, but pitcher?Trevor Cahill was placed on the 15-day DL with tendinitis in his right knee.The Cubs still have a need for a lefty reliever. Clayton Richard, who was in the minors rehabbing from a blister, was called up from Triple-A Iowa. Richard was struggling with a 7.30 ERA in 22 relief outings before being sidelined June 21.Velocity was up, Maddon said of Richard. Strike throwing was better. Everything was good.The Cubs will know soon if fatigue was to blame for their pre-break slump -- especially on the mound, where Maddon says it showed the most. ?Either way, the team isnt concerned with the narrative outside the clubhouse.Its undeniable that we didnt play well for a long stretch of time, Epstein said. Once you go through that as a club, then you know its possible. You get to the edge of the abyss and you stare right in. You go, Hey, were not going to just rack up the wins. You have to go out and earn it. That can be a good thing for our team. Stitched Twins Jerseys . - Connor McDavid scored 53 seconds into overtime as the Erie Otters came from behind to defeat the visiting Guelph Storm 4-3 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. Zack Littell Jersey . That left plenty of energy for pitching books and swatting away free agency questions. Anthony had 24 points and nine rebounds, and the Knicks avenged an embarrassing home loss with a rout of their own, beating the Boston Celtics 114-88 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory. https://www.cheaptwins.com/272t-c-j-cron-jersey-twins.html . That left plenty of energy for pitching books and swatting away free agency questions. Anthony had 24 points and nine rebounds, and the Knicks avenged an embarrassing home loss with a rout of their own, beating the Boston Celtics 114-88 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory. Paul Molitor Twins Jersey .Y. -- Paul Byron and Matt Stajan scored as the Calgary Flames started a five-game road trip with a 2-1 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday afternoon. Harmon Killebrew Twins Jersey . Colin Wilson had two goals and an assist, and Mike Fisher scored a goal and helped set up two others in the Predators 6-4 victory over the Red Wings on Monday night. He is Australias most decorated basketballer, achieving almost everything during a celebrated 20-year playing career.On Thursday night, the great Andrew Gaze chalked up his first win as a rookie NBL coach after guiding the Sydney Kings to a pressure-relieving 88-84 win over the Illawarra Hawks in Wollongong.But the last thing the seven-time NBL MVP and five-time Olympian wanted was to hog the limelight after Sydneys round-two victory, especially with a Saturday night home clash with the Cairns Taipans to prepare for.Im more happy for the players, Gaze said of his maiden coaching triumph.As I keep telling these guys Im here to try and help them, and I get excited with their joy and excitement because I know what theyve been through as players.My relief is that these guys care. They care about the game, they care about winning, they care about the opportunity they have, so I feel the pressure that they go through and I was more relieved that we broke our duck and got a win in a very, very tough environment.Ive had more than my fair share of unbelievable times and now Ive got this opportunity to share in some more in a differrent capacity.ddddddddddddWhatever this journey of mine is, I just want the players to enjoy the experience, to be able to enjoy the wins and deal with the losses.Losses have piled up for Sydney in recent years and thats a trend Gaze hopes to reverse.The club cleared out half of last seasons playing roster and recruited some big names to fill the vacancies.Eyebrows were raised when the Kings lost last weeks season-opening home game to the Brisbane Bullets, but the hard-earned road win over a formidable foe like Illawarra underlined the Kings potential.Pleased as he was to see his side register its first win, Gaze had already shifted his attention to the Taipans, who lost in overtime to titleholders Perth last week.Its a very limited time to recover and we dont have a lot of time to prepare, he said.We have a video session [on Friday] and a walk-through session on game day, but it is what it is.All teams have to do it. Im not crying and saying weve been harshly done by, but it does make it tough. ' ' '