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CHICAGO -- Wheres Tommy?Chicago Cubs infielder Tommy La Stella was assigned to Triple-A Iowa on July 29, but hasnt reported after 11 days and the Cubs werent exactly sure of his whereabouts this week.So Chicago decided to place La Stella on the temporarily inactive list on Tuesday as they await a decision on if or when he will report to the minors and resume his career.Ive texted him, I talked to him a couple of days ago, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said on Tuesday. I dont have a lot to report other than hes not here, hes not in Triple-A and hes back home working out.Hes not angry, hes not upset. Hes just at that point now he doesnt know exactly what he wants to do, Maddon said.La Stella was reportedly unhappy with the transfer to Iowa, but it wasnt necessarily performance-related. A versatile infielder and left-handed batter, La Stella was hitting .295 with two home runs and eight RBI in 51 games this season.But Chicago had options left with La Stella and he didnt have to clear waivers unlike players like Matt Szczur and Chris Coghlan, who have also spent time this season in the minors.And any transfer to Iowa was viewed as temporary. LaStella was likely to be back when rosters expand on Sept. 1 and even sooner if a key injury occurred.Hopefully hes going to get back relatively soon, said Maddon. Wed love to have him back.LaStella, 27, was optioned to Triple-A as the Cubs activated Coghlan off the 15-day disabled list.La Stella has made no public comment.Angels right-hander Tim Lincecum, a Cy Young Award winner while with the San Francisco Giants, had no issues with accepting a demotion to Triple-A Salt Lake City with an eye to regaining his earlier form.Were really happy that Tim is going to go down and pitch, Angels manager Mike Scioscia told reporters. We all feel that theres a major league pitcher that is hopefully going to blossom out of the pitcher thats making adjustments like Tim (is).The Angels also shuffled other pitchers around on Tuesday.They claimed left-hander Brett Overholtzer off waivers from Philadelphia, placed right-hander Cam Bedrosian on the 15-day disabled list (middle finger tendinitis) and selected the contract of right-hander A.J. Achter from Triple-A Salt Lake.The short Wrigley Field series concludes on Wednesday as the Angels send recently-acquired right-hander Ricky Nolasco (4-8, 5.23 ERA) against Cubs righty Jason Hammel (11-5, 3.07 ERA).The start will be Nolascos second with the Angels since arriving in an Aug. 1 trade with the Minnesota Twins. He did not factor in his first start last Thursday, allowing five earned runs on six hits in a six-inning outing.Jason Heyward is 8-for-23 (.348) with a solo home run against Nolasco, while Miguel Montero has gone 6-for-24 (.250) with a homer and seven RBI against him. Anthony Rizzo is 3-for-7 with a double, a homer and two RBI.As for Hammel, Mike Trout is the only active Angels player who has taken him deep. Trout is 4-for-13 (.308) with a homer and two RBI against Hammel. Albert Pujols is 3-for-11 (.273) with an RBI and three walks while Yunel Escobar is 5-for-26 (.192) with an RBI and four strikeouts.Cheap MLB Jerseys Authentic . That left plenty of energy for pitching books and swatting away free agency questions. Anthony had 24 points and nine rebounds, and the Knicks avenged an embarrassing home loss with a rout of their own, beating the Boston Celtics 114-88 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory. MLB Jerseys 2020 Online . Blackwood, 28, has played the last three seasons in the San Diego Padres system, including the past two summers with Class AA San Antonio of the Texas League. https://www.mlbjerseys2020.com/ . Artturi Lehkonen, Joni Nikko and Ville Leskinen had the other goals for Finland (1-0) while Juuse Saros stopped 28 shots. Tim Robin Johnsgard had the lone goal for Norway (0-2). Nike MLB Jerseys For Sale . - Chris Tierney snapped a tie with a power-play goal late in the third period as the London Knights rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Erie Otters 5-3 in Ontario Hockey League action on Wednesday. MLB Jerseys 2020 . According to a report from the Vancouver Province, the Lions are expected to replace former DC Rich Stubler with defensive backs coach Mark Washington.TORONTO -- The question, which doesnt yet have an answer, is what a successful World Cup of Hockey means in the Olympic equation.On the eve of this tournament dropping the puck here in this hockey-mad country, one ponders: If the event ends up being a smashing hit, will that lead NHL owners to believe theyve found their new, best-on-best vehicle? After all, NHL owners have never been that enamored with shutting down their season in mid-February for an Olympic tournament they make no money from.To which Alex Ovechkin on Thursday reminded the hockey world that nothing replaces the Olympics, no matter how much fun and entertaining the World Cup of Hockey might be.I asked the Washington Capitals superstar if, as in the lead-up to the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, when he threatened to play even if the NHL didnt participate, he felt the same way about the South Korea Olympics in 2018.My decision is the same, he responded. So I dont know whats going to happen right now, but we just have to wait [for] what they say and well see. ...Its a situation where you dont know whats going to happen, he added. But obviously, I said Im going to play.Ovechkin doesnt speak for all NHL players; in fact, I think theres a wide range of thoughts and beliefs about how the league should proceed.First and foremost, though, its foolish to think that the level of success of this World Cup isnt related in any fashion to the Olympic discussion. It has to be, regardless of the decision. Theyre tied to each other in some fashion.Yeah, definitely, agreed Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby. This will be something that people are going to compare, that players are going to relate to when youre talking about making a decision like that. Theres so many factors: the timing of it, where the Olympics are, but the fact is, if theres an ability to put on an event like this, its an option and it probably makes the decision harder, especially if people enjoy it. You can only do so many things and you want to be involved in everything, but at the end of the day, this looks like its going to be a great event -- I havent been able to be part of it before. ... Ive had great experiences in the Olympics; well have to see what happens.Its all a moot point if the International Olympic Committee doesnt change its tune when it comes to paying for players insurance and travel costs, something the IOC has always done dating back to Nagano 1998.Still, I think the Olympic question goes beyond that. Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014 were held in countries rich in hockey history. Will playerss care as much about wanting to travel across the world to nonhockey countries?Depends on whom you ask.ddddddddddddOne hundred percent, young Canadian phenom Connor McDavid said Thursday, without hesitation, when asked about wanting the NHL to stay in the Olympics. For some of the guys that have been there, the answer might be a little bit different, but for us young guys that have never had an opportunity to play and win an Olympics, I think it would be something a little bit different. For me, personally, Ive always dreamt of playing in the Olympics and representing my country there. The World Cup is awesome and all that, and its similar in that kind of sense. But do I hope it takes over the Olympics? Not at all. I definitely want the Olympics to be an option for NHL guys.Two-time Team USA Olympian Patrick Kane doesnt want the World Cup to be a replacement for the Olympics; rather, he wants the World Cup to be an important add-on to the best-on-best competitions.I dont know if you want to think of it as a substitution; for me, I look at it as having the chance to play for your country every two years at such a high level, said the Chicago Blackhawks star, last seasons Hart Trophy winner as NHL MVP. Hopefully, its something thats put in there along with the Olympics.Echoed Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask of Finland: I dont think you can ever replace the Olympics, but if you can add to it, and keep them both in the picture, I think that would be a great thing.Besides, Rask said, the opportunity to sell the game in a new market like South Korea could be of great benefit.I think it would be a great thing for hockey to go there and kind of showcase for Asian people, show what hockey is all about, said Rask. I think Olympics are great. If we have a chance to go, I think we should go.Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price knows where his vote lies.The Olympics are a special event, and I really enjoyed my experience going to Sochi and being able to experience that world event, he said. It was really special for me and family to be able to go and take that in. It would be kind of sad to not be able to do that again.Perhaps, in the end, what a successful World Cup of Hockey truly means for the NHL and the NHLPA is enhanced leverage in talks with the IOC.As in: Weve got our own great tournament now, so if you dont play ball, were gone.First, however, this tournament has to be a hit.Were about to find out. ' ' '