e can sell results, we really can, Dantonio said. We can sit there and say, This is what weve done, these are the things you can look forward to if yo

NEW YORK -- Long before they were honored for guiding teams with depleted rosters to first-place finishes, Dave Roberts and Terry Francona were forever linked. Hakeem Olajuwon Rockets Jersey .Fans in Boston and beyond will always remember that signature stolen base.It was Roberts daring swipe as a pinch-runner in the bottom of the ninth inning that helped the Red Sox -- managed by Francona -- rally from the brink of being swept in the 2004 AL Championship Series and sped them toward ending their 86-year World Series curse.Francona went on to win two titles with Boston, and on Tuesday he earned his second AL Manager of the Year award with Cleveland.But what if Roberts had been thrown out, could that have altered a path that might someday land Francona in the Hall of Fame?The truth of it is, it probably wouldve been completely different, Francona said on a conference call.Theres always a Dave Roberts-being-out from being the other way, he said.The 44-year-old Roberts won the NL Manager of the Year honor in his first season as a skipper, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to the NL West crown.Roberts and Francona each won handily. The voting figures to be much closer Wednesday for the Cy Young awards.Bostons Rick Porcello (majors-leading 22 wins), Detroits Justin Verlander (league-high 254 strikeouts, best wins above replacement for pitchers by baseballreference.com) and Clevelands Corey Kluber (second among pitchers in WAR) are up for the AL prize.Chicago Cubs teammates Kyle Hendricks (majors-best 2.13 ERA, 16-8) and Jon Lester (2.44, 19-5) and Washingtons Max Scherzer (20-7, majors-most 284 strikeouts) are competing for the NL honor.Roberts didnt bat in the 2004 postseason and didnt even play in the World Series sweep over St. Louis. But to just play a small part in his only season in Boston was rewarding, and he still retains lessons taught by Francona.Being unselfish and playing for the right reasons ... the game honors you, he said.Known for that one slide into second base, Roberts certainly had to scramble this season.The Dodgers put 28 different players on the disabled list, more than any team in the last 30 years. An injury to ace Clayton Kershaw was among the reasons they employed a franchise record-tying 55 players, including 31 pitchers.Among the Dodgers who managed to stay healthy: shortstop Corey Seager, chosen NL Rookie of the Year on Monday.Roberts said he was particularly proud of the way our guys battled adversity all year.Roberts made a record 606 pitching changes while going 91-71. Twice, he pulled pitchers in the late innings when they were throwing no-hitters, trying to protect their arms from overuse.In the postseason, Roberts took a creative approach to his bullpen. He used Kershaw against Washington in the deciding Game 5 of the Division Series, then brought in closer Kenley Jansen early while taking a 2-1 lead over the Cubs in the NLCS.Members of the Baseball Writers Association of America voted at the end of the regular season.Roberts got 16 first-place votes to top Joe Maddon, whose Cubs won the World Series. Maddon, who earned the award last year, was picked first on eight ballots.Washingtons Dusty Baker was third and got four firsts. Terry Collins of the New York Mets had the other two firsts.Roberts was the lone NL manager chosen on every ballot. This marked the third straight year a first-time manager has been honored, following Texas Jeff Banister and Washingtons Matt Williams.The 57-year-old Francona guided the Indians to the AL Central title at 94-67. They overtook the defending champion Royals and high-spending Tigers despite losing starters Danny Salazar and Carlos Carrasco, All-Star outfielder Michael Brantley and catcher Yan Gomes to injuries and outfielders Marlon Byrd and Abraham Almonte to drug suspensions.Cleveland came close to winning its first World Series title since 1948, but the Cubs rallied from a 3-1 deficit.It was an unbelievably satisfying year, Francona said.Its already been a busy offseason for him, too. The Indians picked up options for his contract in 2019 and 2020, then he had a right hip replacement operation.Francona drew 22 first-place votes and was the only manager chosen on all 30 ballots.Banister was second and got four firsts. Baltimores Buck Showalter, who was third, and Bostons John Farrell both drew a pair of firsts. Chris Paul Jersey . -- PGA TOUR Canada member Steve Saunders took a three-stroke lead Saturday in the Web. Austin Rivers Jersey . The mixed zone is not a place to make friends. http://www.therocketsofficial.com/ . Lack made 20 saves for his third shutout of the season as the Canucks blanked the St. Louis Blues 1-0 in the first post-Olympic game for both teams night. Its not a typical start to the season for Michigan State as it opens with Furman on a Friday night.The No. 12 Spartans wont see normal for a while, but the Friday Night Lights atmosphere at Spartan Stadium (7 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network) is a welcome sight. Next week coach Mark Dantonios team has a bye before hitting the road to take on Notre Dame.Dantonio prepares to enter his 10th season leading the Spartans having resurrected a program that saw almost no consistency in the preceding decades.Hes never had a losing season and has been to a bowl game every year, and in the last three seasons, Dantonio has led the Spartans to wins in the Rose Bowl and Cotton Bowl, a spot in the College Football Playoffs and three straight finishes at No. 6 or higher in the national rankings.Add in three Big Ten championships and 11 or more victories in five of the last six seasons, and its clear Dantonio has established the Spartans as a national program.We can sell results, we really can, Dantonio said. We can sit there and say, This is what weve done, these are the things you can look forward to if you come to school at Michigan State. Theres opportunities for you.Thats really the difference there. Early on in the process, that was not the case. But now it seems like thats what we sell.Furman was 4-7 last season and its only game against a Power 5 school resulted in a 42-3 loss at Virginia Tech.Some believe the Spartans will see a drop-off, something critics have been predicting every year since Michigan State won a share of the Big Ten title in 2010.That doesnt mean there wont be challenges moving forward. Ohio State continues to be among the best programs in the nation and Harbaugh mania has taken over at Michigan with the presence of coach Jim Harbaugh convincing most the Wolverines have returned from their funk.And thats just the hurdles Michigan State has in the Big Tenn East. Chris Paul Rockets Jersey. . Winning another division title will be tougher as the Spartans must replace quarterback Connor Cook -- the winningest quarterback in school history -- along with defensive end Shilique Calhoun Big Ten Receiver of the Year Aaron Burbridge.The conference schedule is favorable as both Michigan and Ohio State travel to Spartan Stadium late in the season. If Michigan State can continue its mastery of Michigan (winners in seven of the last eight) and keep challenging the Buckeyes (MSU is the only team to beat Urban Meyer in Big Ten play), the results will be there once again.And the rest of the conference will continue to wonder when the drop-off will come.To remain on a level plain, the Spartans need stability at quarterback.Tyler OConnor doesnt need to be Connor Cook, but it needs him to manage the Spartans pro-style offense and limit the mistakes. He was Cooks backup the last two seasons and helped orchestrate the Spartans win at Ohio State last season when Cook was out with an injured shoulder.Hes also got as much knowledge of the offense and has the respect of the players in the locker room. OConnor had plenty of chances to transfer but had his sights set on the season.To date, OConnor has one big hit on his resume -- leading the Spartans to a victory over Ohio State at Ohio Stadium last season while Cook rested a sore shoulder. But as he told teammates in his fall camp speech, he didnt stick around East Lansing to be a one-hit wonder.I cant imagine not being here after hearing things about different schools, he said. We have it great here, not only football-wise but the culture and the people and education. Theres just too much to pass up on and go somewhere else if you dont know how good it really is here. 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