Dein erstes Forum » believes the Briton already looks good for a fourth ne

SEATTLE -- As a kid growing up outside of Seattle, Tim Lincecum probably dreamed of pitching at Safeco Field.As a star pitcher at the University of Washington, he likely had similar aspirations about pitching against rising Seattle Mariners star Felix Hernandez.On Friday, Lincecum will get to pitch against Hernandez at Safeco Field -- although he probably hoped for better circumstances.The 31-year-old Los Angeles Angels starter continues his comeback while pitching against Hernandez for the first time in his career. He will return to Safeco Field for the first time since June 2012, when he was a part of the soon-to-be-anointed-champion San Francisco Giants rotation.These days, Lincecum (2-5, 8.49 ERA) is a fading star who might not get many more chances to prolong his career. He has been hit hard since making a successful Angels debut on June 18, and he struggled so badly with his command the last time out that he issued six walks in five innings.Despite the growing sentiment that his career is on the verge of finally being over, Lincecum told the Los Angeles Times this week that he has moments when he thinks: Hey, theres promise. Theres potential. Its still in there.While Lincecum is clearly on the back end of his once-proud career, there is a chance he is not the only fading star who will be on the mound Friday night.Hernandez (5-4, 3.46 ERA) has shown plenty of signs that he is not the dominant pitcher he once was. His fastball has lost a few ticks, from the mid- to low-90s, and he has gone past the seventh inning only once in his past eight starts. A recent disabled-list stint with a strained calf cost Hernandez a month and a half. He is still one of the better pitchers in the American League, but Hernandez has a long way to return to his perch as an annual Cy Young contender.This would have been an incredible pitching matchup in, say, 2011. These days, it is not quite as significant.Still, in a battle of two teams that are quickly falling out of postseason contention, the long-overdue matchup of Lincecum and Hernandez is about as intriguing as it gets.The Angels (49-59) havent been in contention since April, and the long season is starting to take its toll. Star center fielder Mike Trout was out of the starting Thursday while feeling the effects of illness, and it is unclear whether he will be back in the lineup for Fridays game. He entered as a sub and went 0-for-1 with a walk in the Angels 8-6, 11-inning loss to the Oakland As.Theres no doubt that we have to look at some point to get the guys that are grinding every day off of their feet at some point, manager Mike Scioscia said Thursday.Seattle has its own set of health problems, with an overworked bullpen that lost another piece in veteran Steve Cishek on Thursday. Cishek was the Mariners closer until Monday night, when he served up the game-winning homer less than 24 hours after blowing his sixth save of the season. Cishek was placed on the disabled list Thursday with a hip injury that may well linger through the remainder of the season.Cishek said before Thursdays game that he pitched through the injury for a while, adding that it started to affect his location.It just got to a point where the surrounding muscles were taking the brunt of it, he said, and I was really having a hard time getting through my delivery.The Mariners could have used Cishek on Thursday night, when they needed all five available relievers to get through a 3-2, 11-inning loss to the Boston Red Sox. Fill-in closer Edwin Diaz, having earned saves on back-to-back nights, got the night off. Nathan Gerry Jersey .Y. -- Injured Buffalo Sabres forward Marcus Foligno did not practice with the team Monday and head coach Ron Rolston said its unlikely hell play in Wednesdays season opener in Detroit. Mike Quick Jersey . The Brazilian goalkeeper signed a loan deal with the Major League Soccer club on Friday as he looks to get playing time ahead of this summers World Cup in his home country. http://www.cheapeaglesjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-josh-sweat-jersey .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. Avonte Maddox Jersey . That gave fans outside Joe Louis Arena another chance to ask for autographs from the 19-year-old whose stardom in the NHL has arrived earlier than most expected. Jordan Mailata Jersey . -- If this was Aaron Gordons final home game at Arizona, and it almost certainly was, then he went out in style. MEGèVE, France -- Chris Froome is closing in on his third Tour de France title but legendary rider Eddy Merckx believes the Briton already looks good for a fourth next year.The 103rd Tour is still three days from finishing in Paris, with Froome winning Thursdays stage 18 time trial to extend his overall lead to 3 minutes, 52 seconds.Chris Froome is a very great champion, said five-time Tour winner Merckx. I think he can win more [Tours]. If you look at the guys who are behind him, I dont know who can beat him in the next years.Hes complete, hes a good time trialist, hes good at ascents, hes overall. Hes the best of the moment. [Even] his teammates are as strong as his rivals.The Belgian added: He [Froome] deserves his win. Hes the strongest. I cant see what could prevent him from keeping this yellow jersey until Paris. His opponents just stay on his teammates wheels. Barring an incident, nobody can beat him in this Tour.If you win the time trial with the yellow jersey its great, its better than another stage. Froome is a great champion. He is complete. When you are the best you have to win.Froome took the yellow leaders jersey by winning Stage 8 with his lightening descent of the Col de Peyresourde near the finish.Its a huge compliment coming from Eddy, said Froome. We feel we are in a bit of a bubble at the race but to have someone like that give a compliment in that way is a huge honour.The Team Sky rider completed the 17km mountain route from Sallanches to Megeve in 30 minutes, 43.23 seconds at an average speed of 33.297kmh.In second place Thursday was Dutch time trial champion Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin), 21 seconds back from Froome, followed by Italian Fabio Aru (Astana) and Australian Richie Porte (BMC), both 33 seconds back.Frenchman Romain Bardet (Ag2r-LA Mondiale) finished fifth, 42 seconds after Froome; Colombian Nairo Quintana (Movistar), who was 10th, was 70 seconds back; Britons Adam Yates (Orica-BikeExchange) was 1 minute, 23 seconds off the pace in 16th; Dutchman Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo), was in 17th a further two seconds back; and Irishman Dan Martin (Etixx-QuickStep) one second after in 18th.I have a great advantage right now with two days [in the Alps] left, added 2013 and 2015 champion Froome. The next two days will be really tough. Main thing for me now is to stay safe and stay out off trouble.ddddddddddddSundays 21st and final stage from Chantilly to the Champs élysées in Paris is suited for the sprinters and should have no bearing on the overall classification -- barring any disaster.But a tight battle is set to unravel for second and third places during the next two stages, with the Alps offering opportunities for riders to attack.Heading into Fridays 19th stage, 146km from Albertville to Saint Gervais Mont Blanc, 68 seconds separates second-placed Mollema to sixth, with Yates 4 minutes, 16 seconds off Froome. Quintana is 4 minutes, 37 seconds off the lead and Bardet 4 minutes, 57 seconds behind, while Porte trails by five minutes.Froome tipped his former Sky teammate and close friend Porte -- who lost 1 minute, 45 seconds on stage two due a flat tyre in the last five kilometres -- to finish best of the rest.I have to go off what I know and what I have seen, Froome said. Richie Porte did a very strong time trial today and yesterday [on stage 17] he was the only one to really take the race on and make a really strong race on the front.Richie looks the one with the most to gain these next couple of stages. Obviously, he had some bad luck early in the race. Its a shame he lost that time earlier, but I believe if he continues the way he is he will see himself on the podium in Paris.Porte was awarded the Prix de Bernard Hinault for the fastest time up the 6.5km C?te Domancy to the 10.5km mark, reaching it nine seconds faster than D