Offtopic/fun » bigs in 72, and then batted .196

PARIS -- The Latest from the European Championship (all times local):---10:50 p.m.Wales came from a goal down to beat Belgium 3-1 and advance to the semifinals of the European Championship.Belgium had taken the lead in the 13th minute through a 25-meter strike from Radja Nainggolan.Wales then equalized through a header from captain Ashley Williams in the 30th minute. Hal Robson-Kanu scored the second in the 55th and Sam Vokes sealed the victory in the 85th with a header.Wales will play Portugal in the semifinal in Lyon on June 6.---10:44 p.m.Wales forward Sam Vokes headed in between two Belgian defenders to give his team a 3-1 lead. Vokes was set up by a cross from the right wing by Chris Gunter.---10:42 p.m.GOAL: Sam Vokes scores for Wales in the 85th minute. Wales leads Belgium 3-1.---10:15 p.m.Wales striker Hal Robson-Kanu slotted the ball past Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois with his left foot. He picked up a cross by Aaron Ramsey with his back to the goal, then quickly turned around to shrug off two Belgium defenders before placing the ball carefully past Courtois. Wales leads the quarterfinal match against Belgium 2-1.---10:12 p.m.GOAL: Hal Robson-Kanu scores for Wales in the 55th minute. Wales leads Belgium 2-1.---9:46 p.m.Belgium and Wales are level at 1-1 at halftime of a lively European Championship quarterfinal in Lille.Belgium took the lead in the 13th minute when midfielder Radja Nainggolan fired a rising right-foot shot from 25 meters into the top left corner of the Wales goal.The goal was just reward for Belgiums early dominance. Belgiums fast breaks stretched Wales from the start and helped create four chances in a hectic seventh minute.Shots from Yannick Carrasco, Thomas Meunier and Eden Hazard were saved, blocked and deflected for a corner. When the ball was crossed to the far post, Romelu Lukaku missed the ball from close range with the Wales goal unguarded.Wales then clawed itself back into the game and equalized in the 30th when captain Ashley Williams stooped to head in a corner.Portugal awaits the winner in a semifinal at Lyon on Wednesday.---9:35 p.m.Wales captain Ashley Williams headed in from short range after a corner kick from the right by Aaron Ramsey.---9:32 p.m.GOAL: Ashley Williams equalizes for Wales in the 30th minute. Wales and Belgium are tied at 1-1.---9:18 p.m.Belgium midfielder Radja Nainggolan scored with a 25-meter strike that flew into the top left hand side of the Wales goal. Its Nainggolans second goal of the tournament and gives Belgium a 1-0 lead in the quarterfinal match in Lille.---9:14 p.m.GOAL: Radja Nainggolan scores for Belgium in the 13th minute. Belgium leads Wales 1-0.---8:05 p.m.Belgium defenders Jason Denayer and Jordan Lukaku will replace the suspended Thomas Vermaelen and the injured Jan Vertonghen in the team to face Wales in the quarterfinals of Euro 2016.Center-back Denayer and left-back Lukaku, whose older brother Romelu leads the attack, are playing for the first time at the tournament in what is Belgiums fifth game. Yannick Carrasco also returns to start in place of Dries Mertens on the right side of midfield.Belgium is captained by Eden Hazard, who starred in a 4-0 win over Hungary in the round of 16, and started his career in Lille.Gareth Bale is Belgiums main threat in a Wales lineup that involves one change. Hal Robson-Kanu will partner Bale in attack instead of Sam Vokes, who started in the 1-0 win over Northern Ireland.Portugal awaits the winner in Lyon on Wednesday.---8:00 p.m.Here are the lineups for the quarterfinal match between Wales and Belgium at Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille:Wales: Wayne Hennessey, James Chester, Ashley Williams, Ben Davies, Chris Gunter, Aaron Ramsey, Joe Ledley, Joe Allen, Neil Taylor, Gareth Bale, Hal Robson-Kanu.Belgium: Thibaut Courtois, Thomas Meunier, Toby Alderweireld, Jason Denayer, Jordan Lukaku, Radja Nainggolan, Axel Witsel, Yannick Carrasco, Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku.---7:05 p.m.UEFA says the kick off in the quarterfinal match between Belgium and Wales in Lille will remain at the scheduled 9 p.m. (1900 GMT) even though some Wales fans travelling from England are experiencing delays.Some fans have been stuck in Folkestone by five-hour delays on Eurotunnel services under the English Channel to France. Eurotunnel apologized in a statement, citing some timetable disruption due to earlier cancellations.In a statement, UEFA says: It appears that the vast majority of fans with tickets will arrive on time at the stadium.Wales is playing its biggest game in 58 years with a first-ever semifinals place at a major tournament at stake.Wales coach Chris Coleman says in a statement: We know a lot of people have gone the extra mile to come over and your effort at this frustrating time is very much appreciated.---5:35 p.m.Belgium should have royal support for its quarterfinal against Wales at their European Championship later Friday.Belgiums King Philippe is on UEFAs list of VIP guests scheduled to attend the match in Lille. The city is near to the Belgian border and less than 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Brussels.Britains Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, is also in the region Friday, though he was attending World War I memorial ceremonies. The Battle of the Somme began exactly 100 years ago Friday.Still, Wales should have a King on its side in the VIP seats. Julian King, the British ambassador to France, is among those expected to attend.---4:10 p.m.France defender Bacary Sagna is hoping France does not slip up in its European Championship quarterfinal against Iceland -- literally.The poor state of several pitches at Euro 2016 has been a cause of concern for players and coaches alike.They havent been great, said Sagna, ahead of Sundays match at the Stade de France, adding that the players will choose their footwear even more carefully.We will have to adapt and put the right studs in, he said. Because the pitch is very slippery.---3:25 p.m.UEFA has charged the Portuguese football federation after one of the teams fans ran onto the field during Thursdays European Championship quarterfinal against Poland.Both Portugal and Poland also face disciplinary proceedings over fireworks being set off by fans at the stadium in Marseille. Poland has also been charged over a late kickoff.Portugal advanced by winning a penalty shootout.UEFA says its disciplinary body will deal with the cases on July 21.---3:15 p.m.France, which has a recent history of team rebellion, is talking up the importance of unity as the two-time European champions prepare to face Iceland in Sundays quarterfinal.If someone wants to act like a star, well put them back in their place, France defender Patrice Evra said. The team is the star.France may be the host of Euro 2016 and one of the favorites to win the tournament, but the limelight has been well and truly seized by the fearless Icelanders, who are unbeaten in four matches and dispatched England to reach the last eight.A lot of people have underestimated the smaller nations, Evra said.Adidas Gazelle China Wholesale . -- Matt Rupert scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the London Knights extended their win streak to nine games by defeating the Owen Sound Attack 4-3 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. Adidas Nmd r1 Ebay Uk . The third-ranked Ivanovic, who won the event in 2008 and 10, served five aces and broke Wickmayer, also a former winner in 2009, five times. "The result looked easier than it really was," Ivanovic said. http://www.nmdukonlinestore.com/eqt-trainers-outlet-deals.html .com) - The Montreal Canadiens embark on their first road trip of the season as they head out west to battle the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. Wholesale Adidas NMD R2 . 4 Villanova with a 96-68 drubbing on Monday. Wragge hit 9-of-14 from behind the arc, matching Kyle Korvers school record for 3-pointers in a game set in 2003, as Creighton (16-3, 6-1 Big East broke a conference record with 21 treys in the rout. Adidas Nmd r1 Outlet . Breaking three of his own world records on his way to winning in Paris, Chan silenced the critics and left the audiences standing in appreciation and awe.Weve all been there: Your favorite team encounters tough times and your focus turns from the misfortunes of the big club to that group of cant miss prospects down on the farm.For me, when I was young, it was the early 1970s Philadelphia Phillies. In 1971, they finished last in the NL East, 4? games behind a third-year expansion team from Montreal that had lost 110 games its first season. Instead of focusing on the travails of Joe Lis and Bobby Pfeil, I read the newspaper references to youngsters such as Mike Schmidt, Greg Luzinski and Mike Anderson and dreamed of better days to come.Trouble is, those guys dont always pan out (see also, Mike Anderson). Even among those who go on to have successful major league careers, the payoff at the major league level isnt always immediate. Hall of Famer Schmidt had a cup of coffee in the bigs in 72, and then batted .196 in his first full year as a reegular in 1973 before lifting off from there.dddddddddddd.Over the past couple of years, there have been a number of young prospects who have not paid immediate dividends. These range from high-end prospects such as Byron Buxton, Joey Gallo and Orlando Arcia, to accomplished Cuban veteran Yulieski Gurriel, to under-the-radar breakthrough Mallex Smith. Ultimately, their ability to handle adversity and make the necessary adjustments under the glare of MLB-level pressure will determine their respective places in the game.But what do the numbers tell us? Looking at some granular ball-in-play data for these players, lets compare some of those markers to some current upper-end major leaguers who struggled at first before rising to their current station in the game. ' ' '