ddddddddd He suggested the injury might have been in part due to waiting all day to play a night game for the second straight week.I was a little tight in the first half for some

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Back when the 2016 major league schedule was announced, any rational baseball fan likely would have looked at three-game series Sept. 9-11 between the Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers as pivotal to the American League West race.As it stands now, however, the Rangers hold a comfortable 8 1/2-game lead in the West, while the Angels have long since been reduced to playing spoiler, mixing and matching young players and veterans who are trying to make a good impression on club officials for next year and beyond.The Friday starting pitchers for the two clubs are similar, though. Both are Tommy John surgery survivors who missed all of the 2015 season and part of this season.Texas right-hander Yu Darvish, who also battled shoulder troubles this year, is 5-4 with a 3.45 ERA in 13 starts. Los Angeles left-hander Tyler Skaggs, who didnt make his season debut until July 26, is 3-3 with a 4.71 ERA in eight starts.Darvish is coming off his shortest outing of the season, when he lasted just four innings and gave up five runs and seven hits in a 7-6 loss to the Houston Astros on Sunday.I felt very good going into the game, he said. I think I was feeling well, so I have to tip the hats to their offense today. Command-wise, I didnt feel as bad as I did the last time I struggled. The bloopers, the ground balls found a way. We put the shift on and it went through it. Its just one of those things. I didnt think I was that bad.Darvish is 7-2 with a 4.00 ERA in 12 career starts against the Angels.Skaggs, meanwhile, seems to be finding a rhythm. He is coming off back-to-back victories over the Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners in which he gave up three runs in 12 total innings.For Skaggs, the life on his fastball seems to be improving, according to Angels manager Mike Scioscia, and he continues to develop his changeup.In three career starts against Texas, Skaggs is 2-1 with a 7.90 ERA.Skaggs will benefit from the return to the lineup of designated hitter Albert Pujols and center fielder Mike Trout. Both got a day off for rest on Wednesday and then another day with Thursdays scheduled day off.Trout has finished first or second in AL Most Valuable Player voting in each of his four full seasons and will get votes again this year, though playing for a team near the bottom of the division will hurt his chances. Even his own manager said recently that he didnt think players on a last-place team should win the MVP.The Angels arent in last, but they are close enough to hurt Trout despite his lofty numbers going into the series: .323 average, 27 homers, 88 RBI, 24 stolen bases, 109 runs (tied for the AL lead), .442 on-base percentage (best in majors).Trout has hit Darvish well, batting .294 (10-for-34) with four homers, a double, six RBI and six walks against him.Pujols also has put up big numbers this season, his 110 RBI among the leagues leaders. It is his highest RBI total since he had 118 in 2010 while playing for the St. Louis Cardinals.Its fun anytime Albert hits a home run, anytime he gets an RBI or an extra-base hit, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said recently. Every time something happens, hes in some conversation with the all-time greats.One of the hottest Texas hitters of late is Carlos Gomez, who has been with the club only a couple of weeks following his release from the Astros. He hit a three-run homer in his first at-bat as a Ranger, struggled through an 0-for-18 stretch but has nine hits in his past 24 at-bats as he settles in to his new surroundings.Its the best thing that could happen to me, Gomez told MLB.com about joining the Rangers. Seeing the energy here, a new opportunity has been given to me. It has been really good. This team is like family. Youre supposed to be here by 3 oclock, but everybody is here by 1 because it is so much fun.Kaleb McGary Jersey . -- Jonathan Drouin gave Halifax the boost it needed to edge host Sherbrooke Phoenix 3-2 in a shootout in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Steve Bartkowski Youth Jersey . - Derek Wolfe says hes finally healthy after suffering a seizure in November that doctors now believe was related to the spinal cord injury he suffered in the preseason. http://www.falconsrookiestore.com/Customized/ . The (11-11-4) Jets are seventh in the Central Division with 26 points. Fifth place Dallas and sixth-seeded Nashville also have 26 points, but the Stars have three games in hand on Winnipeg while Nashville has two. Brett Favre Womens Jersey . P.A. Parenteau scored early in the third period to help the Avs edge Toronto 2-1 on Tuesday night. Cory Sarich also scored for Colorado (3-0-0), which is off to its best ever start. John Cominsky Jersey .com) - Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Roger Federer were easy first-round winners Tuesday at the Australian Open.PHILADELPHIA -- It wasnt that Aaron Rodgers didnt want anyone to see what was wrong with his left leg.No, the reason the Green Bay Packers quarterback ducked into the tent behind the bench was so no one would see him drop his drawers, as he put it, while he received medical attention.Rodgers said he pulled his hamstring on the opening drive of the third quarter and had the trainers tape his leg between series. When he emerged from the hut behind the visitors bench at Lincoln Financial Field, the Monday Night Football cameras were waiting for him.I just didnt want to be getting taped up on the television, Rodgers said. But obviously, when I walked out and saw the camera right in my face, I knew there was probably some sort of mini-story growing. But no, I had to drop my drawers a little bit to get taped up and just wanted to do [that] in the privacy of that tent.Rodgers not only finished the game but also put together one of his best performances of the season when the Packers needed it most. They snapped a four-game losing streak with a 27-13 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.Rodgers mobility was limited after his injury, but he said he did not think it would prevent him from being ready for Sundays game against the Houstoon Texans.dddddddddddd He suggested the injury might have been in part due to waiting all day to play a night game for the second straight week.I was a little tight in the first half for some reason, Rodgers said. I dont know if it was sitting around the last two weeks, these night games, when you do a lot of resting. Ill be good to go, though.Coach Mike McCarthy was less committal about how the injury would impact Rodgers the rest of the season.I cant tell, McCarthy said after the game. We wont know until tomorrow.Rodgers completed 30 of 39 passes for 313 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, and the Packers were especially proficient on third down, converting 10 of 14 times. At 71 percent, that was the highest rate by any team in a game this season and the Packers highest in a game since Week 8 of 2013.But all most people wanted to talk about after the game was Rodgers injury and his trip to the tent. Center?Corey Linsley?said he wasnt even aware that Rodgers was hurt. In fact, he said he thought the quarterback went under cover for another reason.Maybe he just had to go,?Linsley said. ' ' '