Tipps & Tricks » Shanghai, have disrupted his state of serenity, w

TORONTO -- The Oakland Athletics could be a American League playoff team not because theyre a great hitting club but because theyre opportunistic. Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons knows that "they make you pay if you dont throw strikes." In beating the As 5-4 Saturday afternoon at Rogers Centre, the Blue Jays did some of that themselves. Opportune offence gave them an early lead, then Jose Reyes solo homer in the seventh was enough insurance to help them snap a two-game skid. The Blue Jays got only five hits, and three of them were from Jose Bautista, but they manufactured runs thanks to some walks and other Oakland mistakes. "I think youve just got to take advantage of it," Gibbons said. "Any time you can get those freebies, that puts extra pressure on a pitcher, you get guys on, he throws more pitches. All those little things add up over time." They added up to three early runs against As pitcher Sonny Gray, who was making his first career major-league start. Bautistas 27th home run of the season in the first inning was a two-run shot because of Maicer Izturis walk, and Reyes fielders choice scored Brett Lawrie in the second after the third baseman got on thanks to a strikeout and passed ball. "Thats why you always preach on the other side, Dont walk batters," Gibbons said. "It puts you in a jam, and it also puts you in a bad frame of mind." Even if he wasnt perfect, Gray didnt implode, surrendering only three earned runs in six innings. But with another small-ball run in the third, the Blue Jays gave starter Mark Buehrle a cushion to work with. Buehrle was efficient, if not spectacular, giving up three earned runs on seven hits and striking out five in 5 1/3 innings including a home run to As right-fielder Josh Reddick. The big lefty improved to 8-7 this season, as Gibbons called the performance "typical Buehrle." "I kind of feel like I stole the win today. It was one of those ones that you dont feel like you deserve," he said. "I feel like Im not doing my job if I dont go at least six innings." Buehrle got the hook in the sixth after allowing his third run and putting a runner on third. All-star lefty reliever Brett Cecil got Toronto hit a batter before recording two big outs to leave the game unscathed. As Gibbons kept spinning the bullpen wheel, it kept working out for the Blue Jays. Aaron Loup for two outs, Sergio Santos for one and Darren Oliver for three got Toronto to reliable closer Casey Janssen. "They all fell in line, did their jobs," Gibbons said. "Great effort by the bullpen." Reyes line-drive home run gave that bullpen some breathing room, and Janssen needed the insurance run. Reddick led off the ninth with a homer, and the next two As batters reached. "It got hairy there, no question," Gibbons said. With catcher Derek Norris back bothering him, backup Stephen Vogt pinch-hit with two on and no outs and couldnt get his bunt attempt in the right spot. Janssen fielded it and threw to third to force out the lead runner, easily the biggest defensive play of the game. "I dont think that was a gamble," Janssen said. "I think I field my position well. The bunt wasnt good enough where my clock in my head said I had a chance." A flyout and a strikeout got a relieved Janssen his 21st save of the season. "I had to grind, it wasnt pretty, I didnt draw it up getting a lead-off homer and then the first two guys on," he said. "I think this was one of the more satisfying closes Ive had this year." Wholesale Custom Clippers Shirts . Nine days before the opening ceremony, organizing committee chief Dmitry Chernyshenko said Wednesday that Sochi is "fully ready" and will deliver safe, friendly and well-run games that defy the grim reports that have overshadowed preparations. Clippers Jerseys China . Jason Zucker and Matt Cooke also scored for Minnesota, which has won five of six. Kuemper made five saves in the first, nine in the second, and nine in the third. The rookies best save came with 2:17 left in the third period when he denied former Wild forward Matt Cullen from just outside of the crease on the right side. http://www.customclippersjersey.com/ . - Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is not a fan of his teams use of the wildcat formation, saying "it makes you look like a high school offence. Custom Clippers Jerseys . -- James Young couldnt wait to apply those tweaks to his jump shot, and the first one he made against UT Arlington told him it could be a good night. Custom Clippers Jerseys . The giant slalom world champion slipped during her first run in the morning, landing on her back and then twisting forward before getting her leg caught in the protective material on the side of the slope. Just like that, we are down to the final tour-sanctioned tournament of the season.Sure, we wont see Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal, but the ATP World Tour Finals promises to be a fiercely competitive year-end championship, especially with the No. 1 ranking on the line.But thats only one of the exciting narratives. Heres whats on the minds of our writers ahead of the event, which starts Sunday at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN3.@greggarber_espn: The two groups for the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals were announced Monday. The John McEnroe group consists of world No. 1 Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Kei Nishikori and Marin Cilic.The Ivan Lendl group features?Novak Djokovic, Milos Raonic, Gael Monfils and Dominic Thiem.On paper, Murrays path looks far more arduous than Djokovics -- the two players vying for the year-end No. 1 ranking. Wawrinka, of course, is not far removed from winning the US Open championship, while Cilic is the hottest player on the planet outside Murray. The Croatian is 14-3 since New York, including a title in Basel, Switzerland, and a semifinal appearance at the Paris Masters this past week. As for Nishikori, these indoor courts suit his baseline attacking game, and he has found his form since the US Open.If Djokovic can regroup mentally, he should be the heavy favorite to advance to the semifinals, as his group cohorts have all struggled with results and/or injury in the past month, especially Thiem, who has not won consecutive matches in his past four events.But Djokovic himself is a question mark. Mental lapses and frustration, including a complete racket-smashing meltdown in Shanghai, have disrupted his state of serenity, which has long been one of his strengths. And who knows how Djokovic will cope with losing his top ranking last week? More evidence that he needs a long holiday, or the wake-up call he needed?@mattwilansky: Congratulations, Andy Murray, on becoming the new world No. 1 in mens tennis. The question now is whether he can cling to a narrow lead and close out the season as the top-ranked player. As it stands, Murray leads Novak Djokovic by a paltry 130 points.Each round-robin match at the ATP World Tour Finals?is worth 200 points, a semifinal victory 400 and a win in the final another 500 points. And if the champion sweeps the entire field, he is awarded 1,500 points. What does all this mean? Simply said, because the race between Murray and Djokovic is so close, the player who advances further in London will end the season No. 1.This scenario could also make this event one of the more fascinating ends in recent years, as there is a good chance Murray and Djokovic could be playing on the final Sunday for the prestigious title and the No. 1 ranking.@CarlBialik: The main storyline of the ATP World Tour Finals is whether Andy Murray can do well enough to finish the year ahead of Novak Djokovic at No. 1. But Ill be looking out for a differentt kind of No.dddddddddddd. 1, a maiden big title for the men born in 1989 or later. Represented by Kei Nishikori, Milos Raonic (if his injured quad allows it) and Dominic Thiem in the tour finals, this underachieving swath of the sport -- the oldest of whom will turn 28 next year -- has yet to win one singles title at the tour finals, majors, Masters events or the Olympics.Its a remarkable run of futility, only partly explained by the sport becoming more friendly to its older players and by the remarkable talents of the Big Four, all born in 1987 or earlier.In 2016, when the oldest of the ATPs underachieving young players should be at or past their peak, the born-in-1989-or-later set combined for only four mere finals appearances at big events: Raonic at Indian Wells and Wimbledon, and Nishikori at Miami and Toronto. In all four finals, Djokovic or Murray won without dropping a set.None of the three youngest players who qualified for London looks likely to win the title. Thiem has lost four of his past five matches and hasnt beaten a top-20 player since June. Raonic failed to win a set in his only appearance at the tour finals, and his last win over any of his fellow World Tour finalists, besides Thiem, came in January. Nishikori is the best of the bunch and has the best chance, but its not a great one. Hes a combined 4-17 against Murray and Djokovic.@ptbodo:?Jack Sock took giant strides in the second half of the year, fired by his double medal (mixed and mens doubles) performance at the Rio Olympics. His season ended Sunday with a loss to fellow countryman John Isner in the Paris Masters 1000 quarterfinals. It was a very tight, hard-fought match.Sock failed to win at least three matches only twice after the Rio Olympics, and the first time can hardly be held against him. Given his three-discipline workload at the Olympics and a trip to the fourth round of the US Open, a letdown at some point was inevitable. It came against Alexander Zverev in the second round at Beijing. Sock also lost later in the fall in the second round at Basel.Socks second-half ATP World Tour highlight was a runner-up finish to Juan Martin del Potro in the Stockholm final. Socks record after Rio included strong runs in the Shanghai and Paris Masters events, and he had wins over the likes of Marin Cilic, Milos Raonic, Dominic Thiem and Richard Gasquet. It suggests that Sock is becoming a player whos comfortable playing against higher-ranked opponents on big stages.Was Socks run in the fall a wake-up call to Isner, who made the Paris final, losing to Murray. Socks emergence might be just the thing to fire up Isner and goad him into finding his way back into the top 10. Its a development that, if true, must come as good news to the U.S. tennis establishment. ' ' '