Bewerben zum clanbeitritt » war, but if it comes to that, he knows w

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Its been 40 days since Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander Francisco Liriano won a game. Hell try to end that drought Sunday afternoon against the Oakland As and impressive rookie pitcher Daniel Mengden.Liriano had ERAs of 3.38 or lower in each of his past three seasons with Pittsburg and went a combined 35-25. This year, hes 4-8 with a 5.33 ERA, more than a full run higher than his career mark of 4.05.A mysterious lack of command has been a key to Liarianos struggles. In his previous start, he walked five and lasted only 4 1/3 innings in a 5-4 loss to the Dodgers on Monday. He gave up four hits and five runs (four earned).Over his past six starts, Liriano is 0-5 with a 7.12 ERA with 24 walks in 30 1/3 innings. Hes allowed five home runs and 36 hits during that stretch. He hasnt won a game since May 24 against Arizona.Ive been here before, Liriano said after his loss to the Dodgers. Ive just got to stay positive and keep working.Liriano went 6-12 with a 5.34 ERA in 2012, pitching for the Twins and White Sox, before signing with the Pirates as a free agent on Feb. 8, 2013. In his first season with Pittsburgh, he went 16-8 with a 3.02 ERA. He walked 63 and struck out 163 in 161 innings.I would never have called him a pinpoint pitcher his whole career, Pirates catcher Chris Stewart said Saturday before the Pirates 4-2, 10-inning victory. I think this year is a little more out of the zone with certain things, falling behind a lot of hitters and putting guys on base, and it seems like guys are getting big hits against him when theyre on base.Its just a matter of him going out, trusting his stuff, attacking the strike zone, establishing the fastball command early, and that way hell get the chases on the other stuff.Mengden is 1/3 in four starts, but he has a 2.81 ERA and is coming off his first career major league victory. He allowed two hits and four runs over a career-high 7 2/3 innings in an 8-3 victory Monday against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park.Mengden started the season with Double-A Midland, was promoted to Triple-A Nashville then was called up to the As on June 11. He has 26 strikeouts and nine walks over 25 2/3 innings. With each major league start, his confidence has grown.Every time you step on the rubber and get out there you gain experience and confidence and trust in yourself, as well, said Mengden, who will try to prevent the Pirates from sweeping the three-game series. Getting used to the atmosphere, the type of hitters youre facing. The more and more you do it, the easier it gets, and I guess the more confidence youll get. And Ive been throwing well, so that always helps with the confidence and trusting my stuff. Its a lot of fun.Mengden scouted the Pirates hitters on Monday in the series opener and again on Tuesday. He knows what to expect when he takes the mound in the series finale.They have a lot of balance to their whole lineup, Mengden said. Speed, power. Theyre a good team. ... Its always nice seeing a few guys face a team before you face them. Cheap Shoes Australia .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. Nike Zoom Womens Australia .J. Jefferson has been charged with assaulting his girlfriend. http://www.cheapnikezoomaustralia.com/ . According to a report from the Winnipeg Free Press, the Bombers will name Acting GM Kyle Walters to the post full time. Cheap Nike Zoom Australia . Their 38th instalment is arguably their biggest fight card to date, including three-title fights and a main event which was selected by the fans. The promotion boasts 14-straight years of business and is operated by MFC president Mark Pavelich, who is often overlooked in this country for the foundation hes established for MMA in Canada. Nike Zoom Wholesale . Toronto has dropped games to Indiana and Miami since a five-game winning streak and closed out a three-game road trip at 1-2. ATLANTA -- Lets face it, Robbie Lawler is not a brilliant fight promoter.The defending UFC welterweight champion does not produce many headlines, and he tends to say little about his opponents. Hes focused on himself, you know? Hes getting better in the gym every day. Hes not worried about the other guy. Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.The best way to promote a Lawler fight is to show a Lawler fight. Thats his selling point -- entertaining, action-packed fights; the kind that might even intimidate future opponents. You want to take Lawlers title? Better be prepared for the worst 25 minutes of your life.Tyron Woodley, who will take on Lawler for the 170-pound title on Saturday at UFC 201 at Philips Arena, says hes up to the challenge.Robbie will bleed and smile and always keep coming, but you have to be intimidated by him to break from that, Woodley said. Thats actually his main attribute. But hes not the boogeyman to me. Im sorry. You put him at the foot of my bed, Im gonna open my eyes, take one look at him, and fall my ass right back to sleep.Its worth noting Woodley (15-3) has a long history with Lawler, which might help him humanize the champ more than others.Much of the pre-fight attention has been dedicated to whether or not the two are real teammates. They both represent American Top Team out of South Florida, although Woodley stopped holding his full-time camp there more than a year ago.Their relationship actually goes back well before Lawler joined ATT in 2013. It even goes back before Woodleys professional debut in 2009.Robbie was a guest referee for my last two amateur fights, Woodley said. I actually trained occasionally at his gym in Granite City, Illinois, which was 15 minutes from my house in St. Louis. We never sparred because Robbie wasnt doing much sparring at the time, but we wrestled a few times.I have video right now on a hard drive, me as an amateur fighter sitting in his gym saying, One day, Im going to be a UFC champion. Who the hell would have thought Id be fighting against the person whose gym I was in to make that happen? Those are things that I think make this a little more speciial.ddddddddddddThe two shared a gym again when Lawler joined ATT, but Woodley ultimately left to open a satellite gym in St. Louis. A former collegiate wrestler at the University of Missouri, Woodley also trains out of Roufusport in Milwaukee, alongside his former college teammate Ben Askren.Since Woodley was the one who relocated, he will, technically, be staring across the cage at a team that once coached him. The 34-year-old says hes not concerned how that might affect the matchup.Are they that familiar with me? Woodley asked. I dont think they are. I think theyre extremely familiar with what they saw a year and a half ago. How much have they seen since? Ill be jumping off the cage in this fight for all they know, throwing spinning backfists and flying armbars. They have no clue what Im coming with.If Lawler does possess inside knowledge on Woodley, he certainly isnt hinting at it. As is the case before all his fights, Lawler says his entire focus is on himself. Hes hoping for a finish, rather than another five-round war, but if it comes to that, he knows where he stands.Its not something I worry about, whether my opponents have that heart in them or not, Lawler said. All I know is that I have it. If they end up having it too, thats when you see something special. But I dont know what the other guy is bringing to the table. Im doing what I can to get them out of there. Thats about it.Where many see a stoic, ruthless juggernaut, who (and this actually is a quote from Lawler) looks to claim an opponents soul in a fight, Woodley sees a beatable opponent who doesnt scare him one bit.He has been put away before, Woodley said. Jacare [Ronaldo] Souza? Nick Diaz? I remember those fights. I watched those fights. Tim Kennedys wrestling was too much for him. Lorenz Larkin was too fast. I possess all those skills, but better. Styles make fights, you know what I mean?I think hes showing a lot of caution before this fight because he knows my style -- he has to respect it. ' ' '