Quasselstube » Defencemen Drew Doughty, Shea Weber

SEATTLE -- One of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season happened in April and is about to take place again at Safeco Field.Anticipated in Japan, anyway.Japanese pitching stars Masahiro Tanaka of the New York Yankees and Seattles Hisashi Iwakuma, former teammates with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Japans Pacific League, will go at it again after Tanaka and the Yankees beat Iwakuma and the Mariners 4-3 in April.Iwakuma was something of a mentor to Tanaka in Japan, as he was the ace of the staff when Tanaka joined the Golden Eagles out of high school. Now their roles have reversed, as Tanaka is one of baseballs most popular Japanese imports while Iwakuma has quietly toiled in Felix Hernandezs shadow for most of his five major league seasons.Numbers-wise, theyre very similar this season. Tanaka (10-4, 3.24 ERA) has won three starts in a row and is living up to his billing, while Iwakuma (14-8, 3.78 ERA) has been a pleasant surprise after being cast off by the Dodgers due to injury concerns last winter.Theyve both come a long way since their April duel, which left Tanaka saying he was just extremely satisfied being able to get that win.The stakes are a little higher this time around, as the Yankees (64-61) try to make one last push to climb back into playoff contention and the Mariners (67-58) try to stay there. New Yorks 5-1 win on Tuesday night left Seattle two games back in the American League wild-card race.Its really important for us to win the series tomorrow, Mariners manager Scott Servais said late Tuesday night. Weve had a pretty good homestand, weve swung the bats well, its just that (Tuesday starter CC Sabathia) got to us.With just 37 games remaining, and two upcoming series against the AL West-leading Rangers, the Mariners cant afford to lose many more games against non-contenders if theyre going to stay in the wild-card race.Every game is big for us, especially when youre behind other teams, said Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano, a former Yankee. You want to keep winning, battling.The Yankees have even less gray area when it comes to winning games down the stretch.Tuesdays win put them five games back in the wild-card race, so theyre skating on thin ice.Many people thought New Yorks chances at the postseason were dashed when the team started trading veterans like Carlos Beltran and Aroldis Chapman, but the young Yankees have surprised people with a respectable 12-9 record in August. Young prospects like catcher Gary Sanchez and outfielder Aaron Judge have come in and given the Yankees new life despite their slim postseason chances.Its exciting, veteran pitcher CC Sabathia said of the Yankees resurgence. Its fun. You want to watch Sanchez hit every time. You want to watch Judge hit every time. Its been a lot of fun, and its fun to be around the clubhouse.The Yankees have an off day Thursday after the afternoon game. Stitched NFL Jerseys . -- The boos poured down on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots at the end of a horrible first half. Wholesale NFL Jerseys 2020 .com) - The women will also have a new champion at the Australian Open. https://www.nfljerseys2020.com/ . -- Bobby Ryan helped the U. NFL Jerseys Wholesale . Defencemen Drew Doughty, Shea Weber and forward Ryan Getzlaf also scored for the Canadians, who started their gold-medal defence 2-0. Goalie Roberto Luongo, getting the call in place of Game 1 starter Carey Price, was solid when needed in making 23 saves for the shutout. NFL Jerseys 2020 . In what the team had called a retirement, Ryan said Thursday that he is resigning as chief executive of the Rangers in a move effective at the end of this month. NEW YORK -- David Ross is taking another victory lap.The Chicago Cubs beloved catcher has a deal with Hachette Books for a memoir that will track his resilient and ultimately triumphantly career. Teammate: My Life in Baseball is coming out in May, Hachette announced Wednesday. Ross will collaborate with Don Yaeger.Ross, 39, was a key player during the Cubs storied 2016 season, when tthey won a World Series title for the first time since 1908.dddddddddddd He had announced his retirement during the regular season and ended his career in style, with a home run in Game 7. Ross played for several major league teams during a 15-year career. ' ' '