Dein erstes Forum » ; just for us to bond even more.

CHICAGO -- Tommy La Stella wanted to share his story with teammates on the Chicago Cubs. From La Stellas perspective, they were the only people who needed to know more about why he refused to report to the minors when he was demoted in July.La Stella met with the team after he was recalled from Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, providing his account of his time away from the organization. But other than that meeting before a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the infielder stayed mostly quietly about the circumstances surrounding his departure and eventual return.I understand that theres going to be people out there who kind of draw conclusions and stuff and thats fine, La Stella said. Im not necessarily out here to make anybody see anything or explain anything. As long as people understand that there are things out there that are kind of personal to me and Ive shared those with the guys. Its not necessarily going to be just like a cut-and-dry, black-and-white answer where everybody goes `Oh yeah, I get it now. That answer doesnt really exist.La Stella was the victim of a roster crunch when the loaded Cubs activated outfielder Chris Coghlan from the disabled list on July 29. The 27-year-old La Stella had options remaining, which left him vulnerable in a crowded infield.La Stella was hitting .295 with a .388 on-base percentage at the time, and did not take the news well, according to manager Joe Maddon. He went back home to New Jersey and the Cubs gave him some time to report to Iowa before placing him on the temporary inactive list on Aug. 10.La Stella said he understood why he was sent down, and that had nothing to do with his refusal to report to the minors. He chalked up his time away to personal baseball reasons and not necessarily personal issues with me or anything like that, more just personal stuff throughout my career.Asked if he missed the game while he was away, La Stella responded I missed the guys.Like I said, man, the game to me, thats kind of just the avenue for the other type of enjoyment that I get through those guys and the stuff that we get to do together, he continued.After weeks of dialogue between the New Jersey native and the team, La Stella joined Double-A Tennessee in mid-August. He batted .296 (8 for 27) in eight games in the minors before returning to the big leagues.The Cubs could have waited until major league rosters expand on Thursday to make the move, but Maddon said they liked the matchup with Pirates right-hander Ryan Vogelsong on the mound for the series finale. La Stella started at second base, and reliever Spencer Patton was optioned to Iowa.La Stella was greeted with a warm round of cheers when he batted for the first time in the second inning.Hes been interacting with the guys, Maddon said. Theyve accepted him back, so its time to move forward.It was La Stellas 23rd start of the year, and he likely will remain in a mostly reserve role the rest of the way. But he could be a nice lefty bat off the bench in the playoffs for the major league leaders.Said it before. The guy could wake up in the middle of the night, hit a line drive on a 1-2 count, Maddon said.La Stella, who was acquired in a November 2014 trade with Atlanta, said he isnt sure if he will keep playing baseball beyond this year. He also praised Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein for how he treated him during his time away.He understands people and he treats you like a person, La Stella said. This whole time, the dialogue, he was just talking to me as a guy and he wasnt talking to an employee, which I really, really appreciated throughout the whole process.---Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap Nikita Kucherov Jersey . The Cleveland Indians, Tampa Bay Rays, and Texas Rangers all won on Sunday meaning the Rangers will host the Rays in a play-in game on Monday. Victor Hedman Lightning Jersey . LOUIS -- Theres no telling how these wacky World Series games will end. http://www.lightninghockeystore.us/Ondrej-Palat-Jersey/ . Rousey will put her perfect 8-0 record and hardware on the line against another undefeated fighter, 7-0 Sara McMann in the main event of UFC 170, which will be held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas Nevada on February 22nd. Brayden Point Jersey . Meanwhile, there were huge victories for Sunderland and West Ham over fellow relegation rivals, leaving the battle to avoid the drop up for grabs with the bottom 11 teams separated by just six points. Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres scored second-half goals to seal a fourth straight victory for Chelsea, which climbed above Arsenal and Manchester City in the standings ahead of their games on Monday and Sunday respectively. Louis Domingue Lightning Jersey . -- Teemu Selanne scored the first goal of his 22nd NHL season, and the Anaheim Ducks extended the best start in franchise history with their fifth straight victory, 3-2 over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. LAS VEGAS -- Gregg Popovich is probably never going to get over basketball without Tim Duncan.Theres a big hole in my belly, Popovich said of Duncan, the future Hall of Famer he coached for his entire 19-year career in San Antonio, who retired last week.I think about the culture and his humor. Ive been used to that for 20 years and now its gone. I have to find that in some other way, some other power, some other player. I have to do something. But life goes on for all of us.This week, life without Duncan begins in earnest as Popovich coaches the Select Team at USA Basketballs training camp in Las Vegas. Its a way to get to know some of the players hell likely be coaching when he succeeds Mike Krzyzewski as head coach of Team USA after these Summer Olympics. But its also become an exciting challenge in the august of Popovichs own Hall of Fame career.It was always believed Popovich, 67, would retire at the same time Duncan walked away. Now hes committed to coaching the San Antonio Spurs and Team USA for at least the next four years.You know what happened? I just got roped in, Popovich joked. I had to keep making promises. Manu [Ginobili] was going to sign a few years back and he was like, Are you going to be here? Tony [Parker], then Kawhi [Leonard]. Then when we were recruiting LaMarcus [Aldridge], he was like, Are you going to be here? it just goes on and on. So I guess I can never stop, I can never retire.Theres gotta be some time when were trying to sign a free agent and he goes, Pop, are you going to be here? and I say, Nope, Im leaving next week.While letting go of Duncan last week was incredibly emotional, Popovich said its been good for him to work with the younger team at this camp.Its really fun. When you look at the group, its almost like men and boys, he said. I look at the Olympic team and then I look at the Select Team, and theyre so young and thin, their faces look like theyre little kidss.dddddddddddd I think about that, but then I think 10 of the 12 Olympians went through that program. Its a pipeline, its a culture. These guys will be the same thing.Krzyzewski compared the succession process with himself and Popovich to platoon leaders succeeding each other in the military.The fact that were both military guys we understand that I have the unit right now and hes going to take command of the unit and we both want the unit to do well, said Krzyzewski, who coached at West Point and served as a field artillery liaison in South Korea. We understand that. Weve been good friends but this has been great for me and I think for him too; just for us to bond even more.Popovich played basketball at the Air Force Academy, served five years of active duty and returned as an assistant coach for the Air Force Academy.Two academy guys following each other, Popovich said. I dont think its a requirement for the job by any means. But it worked out that way.Im totally surprised and shocked when Jerry Colangelo called me because theres a whole lot of younger guys that could do the job. So I was thrilled. When you think about being able to be with these guys and represent your country, you say yes. You dont say, Ill think about it, Ill get back to you. You say yes.In some ways, Im scared to death. I gotta fill some pretty big shoes. This program has been pretty great for a decade after it was a debacle before. I feel that. Id be lying if I didnt say I feel that pressure. Im going to bust my butt and get it right. Im going to squeeze all the information I can out of Coach K and Jerry [Colangelo] and everybody who has been here. Thank heavens Jerrys still going to be with the program. Im sure Coach K will too. So Im in good shape that way. I have all kinds of people I can lean on. ' ' '