Chat-World » ame induction.Its fitting its got to be

CLEVELAND -- Holding the World Series trophy in his right hand, Theo Epstein grinned: We dont need a plane to fly home.After putting together the first Boston Red Sox team to win the World Series in 86 years, he masterminded the Chicago Cubs first title in 108.Good chance baseballs drought-buster will be flying to Cooperstown one day for his Hall of Fame induction.Its fitting its got to be done with one of the best games of all time, he said after Wednesday nights 8-7, 10-inning thriller over the Cleveland Indians in Game 7. Just unbelievable. What a testament to our players, their grit.A sports editor of the Yale Daily News with a 1995 degree, Epstein interned with the Baltimore Orioles, went along with Larry Lucchino to the Padres and earned a law degree at the University of San Diego. He was hired by the Red Sox under Lucchino in November 2002, at 28 the youngest general manager in major league history.Boston won the World Series in 2004 and again in 2007. Epstein quit after the 2011 season to become president of baseball operations of the Cubs, who had been bought by the Ricketts family two years earlier.After 10 years, no matter how passionate you are, you see the same issues, day after day and you are around the same people day after day, Epstein said then. You are around the same landscape day after day for 10 years and eventually you will benefit from a new landscape and fresh problems.He and general manager Jed Hoyer led a near-total makeover.Albert Almora Jr., who scored the go-ahead run on Ben Zobrists 10th-inning single, was the first player drafted under Epsteins regime, taken sixth overall in 2012. Third baseman Kris Bryant was drafted in 2013 and outfielder Kyle Schwarber in 2014, and the Cubs traded for pitcher Jake Arrieta (from Baltimore), first baseman Anthony Rizzo (San Diego) and shortstop Addison Russell (Oakland).Chicago spent on the free-agent market after the 2014 season for pitcher Jon Lester and last offseason for pitcher John Lackey, all-purpose player Ben Zobrist and outfielders Dexter Fowler and Jason Heyward.Hard-throwing closer Aroldis Chapman, who got the win after blowing a 6-3, eighth-inning lead, was acquired from the New York Yankees in July, when Mike Montgomery, who got the save, was obtained from Seattle.Catcher Willson Contreras and second baseman Javier Baez were holdovers from the administration of Jim Hendry, the Cubs GM from 2002-11.While managing against the Cubs in the World Series, Clevelands Terry Francona praised Epstein, his boss in Boston from 2004-11.Theo had the guts to hire me up there when, I dont know, I didnt have a ton of resume and they were expected to win, and he believed in me, Francona said. We went eight years of a lot of good baseball. Youve been to Boston enough to know if you can survive with somebody through eight years there, that says enough right there.Epsteins grandfather Phillip and grand-uncle Julius J. Epstein won Academy Awards along with Howard E. Koch for the screenplay of Casablanca. While his relatives earned fame for fiction, Theo had made his mark in stark reality: ending two of baseballs most notorious streaks.Our fans just deserve this so much, and all the former Cubs -- everyone, he said. This is for so many people: Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, Billy Williams, whos still here to come celebrate with us tomorrow when we see him. Were bringing the trophy home to you guys. Its been a century in the making. Corey Kluber Jersey . Sgt. Eric ONeal says most of the arrests at Monday nights game were for public drunkenness, though one person was taken into custody on suspicion of trying to steal a seat from the stadium. Jim Thome Jersey . They had already blown a double-digit lead, fans were hitting the exits, and a long seven-game road trip waited at the end. http://www.indianssale.com/indians-larry-doby-jersey/ . The winner Saturday will remain in the elite 10-team field next year. "We talked about wanting to be disciplined and stick with our game plan and good things will come," Draisaitl said, who had two goals for the victors. Tyler Clippard Indians Jersey . -- Peyton Manning will have all of his wide receivers available for the first time in a month when the Denver Broncos begin their playoff run Jan. Cleveland Indians Jerseys . After slipping from the summit during the week, the Gunners overcame struggling Crystal Palace 2-0 on Sunday thanks to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlains second-half brace. FORT WORTH, Texas -- Chris Washburn and the TCU Horned Frogs passed their post-exams test on the court.Washburn had 15 points and nine rebounds in only 11 minutes, leading four TCU players scoring in double figures, and the Frogs beat Texas Southern 96-59 on Sunday night in their first game in eight days.You never know how you are going to play coming out of finals. It was great, first-year Frogs coach Jamie Dixon said. The main thing is that we were unselfish. ... We just kept passing and finding the open guy.Alex Robinson added 13 points, while Jaylen Fisher and Kenrich Williams each had 12 for the Horned Frogs (10-1). The only better start in school history was 13-0 two seasons ago, and they were also 10-1 in 1997-98 -- the last time they went to the NCAA Tournament.Ask if the game felt as easy as it looked, Williams said it did because the Frogs played great team ball against the Tigers (4-8) after practicing hard the last five days.Our practices are sometimes much harder than the games, Washburn said. We foul each other in practices and do everything to make the games easier.Demontrae Jefferson had 15 points and Jalan McCloud 13 for the Tigers, who played the 12th of 16 consecutive road games to start the season. They lost for the second time in a span of about 24 hours, after an 88-80 loss at LSU on Saturday night.Texas Southerns only lead came when Derrick Griffin scored the first basket of the game.TCU took the lead for good with an 8-0 run in a 35-second span soon after that. After JD Miller hit a 3-pointer, Fisher had a steal that became a breakaway layup for Williams. Fisher then followed a Texas Southern miss with a fast-break 3-pointer for an 8-2 lead.Fisher opened the second half with a 3-pointer, starting an 11-2 run thhat made it 51-28.ddddddddddddBIG PICTURETexas Southern: The Tigers seem tired after their fourth game in nine days, including lopsided losses to No. 11 Louisville and No. 25 Cincinnati. Plus, they were coming off the loss at LSU, when Texas Southern trailed by only one with a minute to play. The first half ended with Jefferson missing a breakaway layup.TCU: The Frogs seemed relaxed and effectively took care of business. They shot 53 percent (36 of 68) from the field and had a 50-27 rebounding margin. There were 12 players who played at least 10 minutes, two more played six apiece and no one played more than Robinsons 24 minutes. All 14 players dressed out got into the game played at least 6 minutes.SOME NUMBERS:Washburn was 5-of-8 shooting from the field, and made 5 of 6 free throws. ... TCU had season highs for total rebounds (50), offensive rebounds (17) and defensive boards (33). ... The 96 points by the Frogs marked their second-highest scoring game this season. They scored 98 against Alabama State. ... Fisher, a true freshman has scored in double figures the past six games. ... Robinson had five assists, his fifth straight game with at least five.UP NEXTTexas Southern plays its final non-conference game of the regular season Wednesday at fourth-ranked Baylor. The Tigers then play their first three SWAC games on the road, starting Jan. 2 at Alcorn State.TCU hosts Bradley on Wednesday in its last game before Big 12 play. The Horned Frogs are home for their conference opener Dec. 30 against third-ranked Kansas.---More AP college basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 . ' ' '