SuraClan » winner advances to face the Los Angeles Angels in the best-of-

It was the one question being asked over and over at Whitecaps training this past week. A question that was repeatedly posed last season, and the season before that and in the 2011 campaign before that. "Why do the Whitecaps struggle so badly on the road?" Ive asked many players and team officials and fellow pundits that same question over the last three years, yet no one can really give a definitive answer. Searing heat, humidity and altitude are often mentioned. Youd think crossing time zones would be really hard on players, except that the Whitecaps managed three wins and a draw from five eastern trips last year alone. Theyve actually exhibited more road futility in the West. Playing surfaces can be unique in makeup and dimension but not drastic. Penalty areas are the same size, as are the goals, and yet the visiting team always seems to start the game with a statistical disadvantage. Some Las Vegas oddsmakers give MLS home teams a half goal advantage which represents a 10% edge, higher than any other Major North American Sport. Coach Carl Robinson pointed out this week that teams who are great at home, usually get into the playoffs. But teams that collect points away are usually comfortably in the playoffs by the time autumn rolls around. Nigel Reo Coker suggested that team spirit and camaraderie are the keys to success no matter where you play, and that this 2014 squad is capable of replicating its thrilling 4-1 win over New York away from BC Place. Whitecaps supporters, who are showing up to more and more away games, just want a team that looks and plays similarly no matter the venue; something Martin Rennie couldnt come to grips with over his 2 seasons. No venue has been a bigger obstacle for the Whitecaps than the one they visit on Sunday, when they play Chivas USA; co-tenants of the Stub Hub Centre with the LA Galaxy. In nine contests there, the Whitecaps have but one win, and two draws. Theyve scored just five times in Carson, while allowing 15 goals. With four games in SoCal this season (representing 11.7% of their entire schedule) taking more of those available 12 points might help reverse a trend that has seen the club win just seven out of 52 games away from Vancouver. Armani Watts Chiefs Jersey . -- New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft wanted to keep Logan Mankins with the team for a long time. Chad Henne Jersey . In their first meeting for six years, the Frenchmen dropped serve twice in the first set, but Giquel broke Simon two more times in the second. Gicquel moves on to face sixth-seeded Jarkko Nieminen of Finland, who advanced with a 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5) win against wild card Pierre-Hugues Herbert, despite the Frenchmans 23 aces. http://www.thechiefsshoponline.com/ . -- The Los Angeles Clippers chose not to speak publicly about owner Donald Sterling before they faced the Golden State Warriors for Game 4 of their first-round series Sunday. Kendall Fuller Jersey . -- Jonathan Diaz is easy to spot in the Blue Jays clubhouse. Anthony Hitchens Jersey . Correia pitched six innings of one-run ball, Eduardo Escobar homered, and the Minnesota Twins pulled away late to beat the Colorado Rockies 9-3 on Saturday.KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Kansas City Royals made one of the boldest trades in franchise history two years ago. The Oakland Athletics made a similarly aggressive move just a couple of months ago.The results of both will be in the starting spotlight Tuesday night.For the Royals, its Big Game James a€” James Shields, the centerpiece of a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays that finally pushed the long-downtrodden franchise into the post-season for the first time in 29 years. For the As, its Jon Lester a€” the post-season star of the Red Sox last season who was acquired by Oakland at the trading deadline just for this moment.The one-game AL wild-card playoff. The winner advances to face the Los Angeles Angels in the best-of-five division series Thursday. The loser trudges away into the off-season.Ive only been here for two years, Shields said Monday, but when I got traded over here, I knew the magnitude of what this organization was headed for. And when I got here, walking around the city and talking to the fans and really relishing the 29 years, its a special moment.The teams share plenty of similarities: pop-gun offences backed by strong starting pitching and two of the dominant bullpens in baseball.They also share a significant difference: Oakland has plenty of post-season experience, making it three straight years, while Kansas City has languished near the cellar for decades.Thats the biggest reason why Royals general manager Dayton Moore got Shields and shut-down reliever Wade Davis prior to last season, trading soon-to-be AL Rookie of the Year Wil Myers and pitching prospect Jake Odorizzi to Tampa Bay.Moore wanted a legitimate ace for the starting rotation, a pitcher who had tasted post-season success, and who could mould a young but rapidly learning Kansas City clubhouse what it takes to win on the games biggest stage.Shields has delivered. Hes pitching to a 2.31 ERA this September, and the Royals have won four of his starts in some high-pressure games.If you sit back and look at it, it means everything. It was the trade that got us over the hump, Royals manager Ned Yost said. Would we be in this situation without James Shields and Wade Davis? No. In my mind, the trade did exactly what we hoped it would do.Whille the Royals were comfortable in their staff ace, the As were still searching for their own.ddddddddddddThey already had several front-line starters, but general manager Billy Beane had been stung by post-season disappointments, and he coveted a horse for such high-leverage games.Turns out that the Red Sox were willing to trade away just that kind of guy.The move Beane made for Lester on July 31, shipping slugger Yoenis Cespedes to Boston, raised eyebrows around the league. And while the Oakland offence took a hit, Lester has done his part. He is 6-4 with a 2.35 ERA in 11 starts since he arrived in the Bay Area.Now, he gets another opportunity to pitch in the post-season.We have a great opportunity ahead of us, said Lester, who some thought should have been the MVP of last years World Series, when he went 2-0 with an 0.59 ERA against St. Louis.Tuesday night will mark Lesters 12th start and 14th post-season appearance.Were going to give it the best shot we can and hopefully at the end of the day were doing this again, he said. You never know whats going to happen. This could be my last chance.It bodes well for him that hes facing the Royals, a team that likens the left-hander to kryptonite. He went 3-0 with a 2.61 ERA against them this season, winning twice in a span of a couple weeks with Oakland. He also no-hit Kansas City in 2008.He has a lot of traits like Shields does. Hes a competitor, Royals outfielder Alex Gordon said. He battles out there. You can tell the way he carries himself ... Obviously his stuff is great, and thats why hes so great in the post-season. Hes a bulldog.The Royals were in a pennant race until the final weekend of the regular season, when Detroit sewed up the AL Central, but they were reasonably secure in their wild card. That wasnt the case for the As, who nearly had to play Seattle in a one-off just for the right to play Tuesday.All that matters now is what happens at Kauffman Stadium, between two starting pitchers who were brought to their respective teams just for this moment.All we can think about is this one game against Oakland, Shields said. We get past this we have a little breathing room. We just have to really focus on this one game and go from there. 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