Dein erstes Forum » am North America, the star-studded under-24

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- While the Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays sit at the bottom of the standings in the American League, both clubs enter Fridays series opener playing some decent baseball.The Twins (43-65) dropped a 9-2 decision to the Cleveland Indians on Thursday afternoon but won the first three games of the four-game series against the AL Central leaders.The Rays (44-63) have won two straight, rallying for three runs in the eighth inning Thursday to defeat the Kansas City Royals 3-2.By coming back and continuing to battle, I think were showing what kind of character we have on this team, said Rays shortstop Brad Miller, whose three-run homer wiped out a 2-0 deficit. This hasnt been an easy season, but the guys in this clubhouse continue to fight every game and play hard.Minnesota, meanwhile, is streaking behind the hot bat of catcher Joe Mauer. The 2009 AL Most Valuable Player was 10-for-18 (.556) with five doubles, a triple and a home run during the four-game series against the Indians. He finished a home run shy of a cycle Tuesday during a 13-5 win over Cleveland.Ive been really staying on that back leg, driving the ball, Mauer said. Ive been a little bit more sore, but its been feeling good getting results.For the Rays, it is Miller providing the big bat. He has homered in the past two games. The surge began days after Tampa Bay acquired third baseman Matt Duffy from the San Francisco Giants at the trade deadline with the plan of making him the full-time shortstop. Duffy is on the disabled list due to strained left Achilles.So while Miller will have to change positions, likely to first base, his bat will still be in the lineup.I dont think they have kept me in the lineup to do me any sort of favors, Miller said. Ive earned my spot and earned the opportunity to play every day. I played shortstop (Thursday), and thats what I prepared for. Ill have to play wherever they move me.The Rays will send rookie left-hander Blake Snell (3-4, 3.08 ERA) to the mound for the series opener Friday.Snell has pitched more than five innings in each of his past seven starts and has won two of his past three, including a 5-3 victory against the New York Yankees on Sunday. In that start, he matched his career high with nine strikeouts, and he yielded two runs in 5 1/3 innings.He will oppose the Twins for the first time in his career.Minnesota will counter with right hander Ervin Santana, who has made three quality starts in a row and five in his past six outings. Santana (4-9, 3.66 ERA) won his last start on Sunday, a 6-4 victory against the Chicago White Sox, giving up three runs (one earned) over six innings.Santana lost his only start against the Rays this season, giving up five runs over six innings in a 7-4 loss at Target Field in June 4. 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"Martyn is a highly-respected coach with experience at the top levels in England," said Whitecaps FC head coach Carl Robinson. DARTMOUTH, Nova Scotia -- The last time Sidney Crosby played a big game, it ended with him hoisting the Stanley Cup after his Pittsburgh Penguins Game 6 win over the San Jose Sharks. And the next time he steps onto the ice in uniform, he will represent Team Canada in the World Cup of Hockey, which begins Sept. 17 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.Winning the Stanley Cup means you play later into the year, and Crosby told media assembled for his hometown Cup celebration that he understands it will be a challenge this summer to balance rest and preparation during a short offseason. Still, hes ready to once again represent his country.Crosby, 28, already has an impressive international résumé, including a world junior championship (2005), two Olympic gold medals (2010 and 2014) and a world championship (2015). Team Canadas World Cup roster will have a combined 22 Olympic gold medals, including 16 from the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. So, its safe to say theres still a passion for winning among this group of talented, world-class players.I would think, Crosby said with a smile. That passion is usually something that just comes along with wearing the Team Canada jerseys, regardless of when or where, thats something thats a given. Yeah, absolutely, I think that will be the case.Crosby is not ready to compare the upcoming World Cup roster with the one that won in Sochi, but there are similarities.The biggest thing in Russia is we got better as the tournament went along, and in a short-term event like that, thats really important, Crosby said. Well have to see. Well have to find our own identity pretty quickly, but I would think any team thats going to have success over that month or so is going to have to get better and improve. Its only a one-game scenario, soo you need to execute pretty well.ddddddddddddCoach Mike Babcocks roster will have some different elements to it from the 2014 Olympic team, including the addition of the Boston Bruins Brad Marchand, who won gold medals for Team Canada at the world junior championship in 2007 and 2008. He also participated in the world championship in the spring. This time around, hell get to play with Crosby on an international stage.One possible combination for Crosbys line could be Marchand and Bruins linemate Patrice Bergeron, who normally plays with Crosby in international competitions. Babcock had a tough time finding linemates for Crosby at the 2010 and 2014 Olympics, so perhaps it makes sense to just start off with Bergeron -- usually a center -- and Marchand on the wings.When it comes to Team Canada and its lineup, the team often goes through different line changes during such a tournament.Crosby is also interested to watch Team North America, the star-studded under-24 team that includes phenom Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, Jack Eichel of the Buffalo Sabres and Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs.They look really good, Crosby said. Theyve got a ton of speed, a lot of skill. Theyre going to be a tough team to play against. You look at their lineup and how well all those young guys have done early on in their career and its pretty impressive, so I think right away they jump out at you as being a pretty competitive team.At least for the next few days, however, Crosbys focus will be on the Stanley Cup celebration and sharing it with his friends, family and fans. But in the back of his mind, hes thinking about conquering the world. ' ' '