d. Outfielder Carlos Beltran, first baseman Mark Teixeira and pitcher Ivan Nova

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Its a measure of how far Dale Earnhardt Jr. has come that people are talking like hes in a slump.?Sure, NASCARs most compelling star hasnt won a race since November at Phoenix International Raceway. But sitting 12th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings, second among winless drivers so far in 2016, doesnt exactly hark back to 2008-12, when Earnhardt truly was embroiled in a slump.?He has come close to winning a number of times this year, logging four second-place finishes, the most recent in early June at Pocono Raceway. But a poor month of May and an inordinate number of crashes -- most notably at the restrictor-plate tracks of Daytona and Talladega, places normally considered an Earnhardt specialty -- have resulted in four finishes of 32nd or worse and the perception that not all is well in the No. 88 camp.?Dale Jr. admits that this years results arent up to the standards he and crew chief Greg Ives expect out of their group at Hendrick Motorsports, especially on the heels of two consecutive three-win seasons. Theyve sometimes struggled in qualifying, making it harder for the driver and pit crew to get themselves into a competitive position on race day.?We are a little frustrated with how we ran through the month of May, Earnhardt said Thursday at Daytona while waiting out the summer rain.?We have seen more speed out of our cars but had some bad finishes, wrecks and so forth. Tore up a lot of cars this year, and its uncharacteristic, I think, for us to be in so many accidents. In the past several years, we have sat around the top five in points throughout the season and things just came easier for us. They are not coming so easy today.? ? ?So where we are in points is very frustrating, he continued.?It creates a lot of anxiety between me and Greg.?I think we are way better than where we are, and we both are not happy with where we are in the points. We are wondering and worrying about trying to make the Chase, and it shouldnt be something that this team is concerned with.?Earnhardts No. 88 Chevrolet has qualified for the Chase every year since 2011, but it wasnt until 2014 that he put together the kind of consistent season that made people think of him as a potential Cup champion.?Last year, he made a smooth transition between crew chiefs as Steve Letarte departed to pursue a television career with NBC, opening the door for Ives. The 2015 campaign was highlighted by restrictor-plate wins at Talladega in the spring and the summer Daytona race. Hendrick brought that car, named Amelia, back for the plate races this year, but Earnhardt crashed out of both.?In retrospect, he thinks the 88 teams dependence on a proven steed ended up costing it because other teams developed their cars better over the past 18 months.? ?Amelia has taken a place of honor in the race car graveyard on the property outside Earnhardts North Carolina home.?No, were not going to be naming cars anymore, he said with a laugh. I knew as soon as we did that, it sort of took off and put a lot of pressure on that car and the team. These cars just dont stick around long enough to get names. You used to race cars for years and years and they would show a personality. These days, you only keep a car for maybe a year before its unrecognizable or its cut out of the herd.?We had so much success with that car last year that we ran it this year, and we probably shouldnt have, he added. There are newer ideas and theories and better ways to do things that car didnt have. We have a new car, and well see how this car does. Weve got some good direction on trying to improve and built this car with some newer ideas. Hopefully its going to go out there and be quick.?Letarte, who was involved in the build and development of Amelia in 2014, said he was surprised Ives and the No. 88 team raced the car at Talladega after the crash at Daytona.?I was pretty shocked, just because the sport moves along so quickly that normally you can always build something better or newer, Letarte said. Its no different than Joe Gibbs Racing or Stewart-Haas Racing, where you see new cars week in and week out.?I would expect the guys and the group with the 88 and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports to feel very confident in the car they bring, he added.?No doubt the fact that they are in Daytona can only help. Earnhardt seems to have inherited plenty of restrictor-plate savvy from his late father, recording a total of 10 Cup Series wins at Daytona and Talladega.?He has earned a total of 17 victories at Daytona across all NASCAR platforms. And even if he cant win this weekend in the Coke Zero 400, Dale Jr. realizes that he needs to get a win sometime between now and September, or at least put together a series of consistent results, to guarantee another Chase appearance.?At 12th in the standings, he is second to Hendrick teammate Chase Elliott among winless drivers. But he is only 25 points ahead of the 16th-place driver idling on the Chase cutoff line -- another Hendrick teammate, Kasey Kahne.?I definitely come in here to Daytona thinking this is a great opportunity to win a race, Earnhardt said.? Hopefully, we can put a string of races together that will give us a good cushion between us and the next guys fighting for those last few spots [in the Chase].?Obviously, we need to get a win to put all that to bed, but nothing is guaranteed, he noted.?If we dont get a win going into the Chase, we are going to have to do well in these next 10 races and just be real consistent. Hopefully, we just get to Richmond and we dont have a lot of pressure about trying to make the Chase.Wholesale Shoes UK . Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek defeated Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (4) on the indoor hard-court at Belgrade Arena. The victory improved the Czech pairs impressive cup doubles record to 14-1. Shoes Online UK Review . 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Wholesale Shoes UK Free Shipping . -- Nate Robinson has played for seven teams, so beating one of them is no longer a rare occurrence.The Chicago Cubs have added Aroldis Chapman for their push to the World Series, acquiring the flame-throwing closer in a blockbuster trade with the New York Yankees.The teams announced the trade Monday, saying that Chapman is expected to join the National League-leading Cubs for their game Tuesday against the crosstown rival Chicago White Sox.The Yankees received a four-player package, headlined by top shortstop prospect Gleyber Torres, in exchange for Chapman, who was suspended for the first 29 games of this season under baseballs domestic violence policy.Obviously, we are aware of the circumstances surrounding Aroldis Chapmans suspension earlier this season, Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said in a statement. We are also aware that he cooperated fully with the league investigation and takes responsibility for his actions.Chapman was involved in an October incident when he allegedly choked his girlfriend, but police did not file charges against the Cuban-born left-hander, citing insufficient evidence, conflicting stories and uncooperative witnesses. Major League Baseball announced Chapmans suspension in early March, two months after the Yankees traded four minor leaguers to the Cincinnati Reds for the All-Star closer.I want to thank the New York Yankees for trusting and supporting me, and I wish nothing but the best for the Yankees organization and my former teammates, Chapman said in a statement.Now the five-time All-Star is headed to Chicago, where he figures to bolster a struggling bullpen and strengthen the Cubs pursuit of their first World Series championship since 1908.I am excited about todays trade and look forward to joining the Chicago Cubs and meeting my new teammates, he said. It is a privilege to wear the Cubs uniform and to play for the fans of Chicago.Hector Rondon has a 1.95 ERA and 18 saves this season as Chicagos closer, but the rest of the Cubs bullpen has been spotty. The Cubs had a combined ERA of 3.83, ranking seventh in the NL, entering Monday, when the bullpen gave up a game-winning hit to White Sox shortstop Tyler Saladino?in the bottom of the ninth inning of a 5-4 loss.The Cubs paid a steep price, parting with Torres, versatile pitcher Adam Warren and minor league outfielders Billy McKinney and Rashad Crawford.But there is no doubting the talent of the 28-year-old Chapman, who went 3-0 with a 2.01 ERA and 20 saves in 31 games with New York. He threw a 105.1 mph fastball to Baltimores J.J. Hardy last Monday night, matching the fastest since MLB began tracking speeds in 2008.With lefty-batting sluggers Bryce Harper of Washington and Brandon Belt of San Francisco possibly looming in the playoffs, the addition of Chapman gives Cubs manager Joe Maddon one of the majors top assets when in need of a late strikeout.Today, prior to completing the trade, Theo, Jed and I spoke with Aroldis, Ricketts said. I shared with him the high expectations we set for our players and staff both on and off the field. Aroldis indicated he is commfortable with meeting those expectations.ddddddddddddFinally, my family, this team and Major League Baseball take the issue of domestic violence very seriously and support efforts to reduce domestic violence through education, awareness and intervention.Chapman told police in October that he poked the woman on the shoulder and she fell to the ground. According to the police report, after family members broke up the altercation, Chapman said he went into his car, punched the passenger-side window, and suffered a laceration on his finger. He also acknowledged firing eight shots from a handgun in his garage during the incident.I regret that I did not exercise better judgment and for that I am truly sorry, Chapman said in Mondays statement. Looking back, I feel I have learned from this matter and have grown as a person. My girlfriend and I have worked hard to strengthen our relationship, to raise our daughter together, and would appreciate the opportunity to move forward without revisiting an event we consider part of our past.Chapman saved 146 games with a 2.17 ERA in six years with the Reds before he was traded to New York last December after a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers fell through amid reports of the domestic violence incident.New York had won six of eight games heading into Monday nights game at Houston, but still faces long odds of getting to the playoffs. All-Stars Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances are still at the back of the bullpen, allowing the Yankees to trade Chapman now and still consider trying for the postseason depending on how they fare ahead of the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline.This isnt a white flag, Yankees GM Brian Cashman said. It is a rearrangement.If New York slips back any further, it could engage in a rare sell-off for the franchise. Miller, who is signed through 2018, also could be traded. Outfielder Carlos Beltran, first baseman Mark Teixeira and pitcher Ivan Nova are eligible for free agency after the season and could be sought by contenders.Chapman quickly turned into one of baseballs most dominant relievers when he broke into the majors in 2010 with Cincinnati. He threw the 62 fastest pitches in the major leagues last season, ranging from 103.92 to 102.36 mph.Torres, a 19-year-old at Class A, is the centerpiece of the deal for the Yankees. He is the Cubs top-ranked prospect and No. 26 in baseball, according to ESPN Insider Keith Law. Torres was scratched about 20 minutes before first pitch Sunday afternoon.Chicago originally acquired Warren in an earlier trade with the Yankees that sent Starlin Castro to New York. The right-hander went 3-2 with a 5.91 ERA in 29 games this season with the Cubs.McKinney, 21, is at Double-A. He was part of the 2014 trade that brought Addison Russell to Chicago from Oakland.ESPNs Jesse Rogers and the Associated Press contributed to this report. ' ' '