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KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Mathematically, the Kansas City Royals remain alive in the American League wild-card standings.Practically, the odds are next to impossible the Royals will make it back to postseason for the third consecutive year and get to defend their World Series championship. One could get better odds that the Cleveland Browns will win the Super Bowl this season.The Royals beat the Minnesota Twins 4-3 in 11 innings Tuesday to remain on life support. With five games left, they are five games behind the Baltimore Orioles, who lost Tuesday at Toronto, for the second wild-card spot. One Orioles victory or one Royals loss would eliminate Kansas City.However, if the Royals can win two of their remaining five games, they would finish above .500 for the fourth consecutive year. That is a more reasonable and achievable goal.Its very, very important, Royals manager Ned Yost said. I mean, its important to us. Um, if it wasnt important, wed just pack our bags and go home right now.So, weve got a group of guys in there that play hard. They play hard until the last outs made and they play hard every single day. And they play to win. Everything thats happened, with all the injuries and everything thats happened this year, for us to have a winning records going to be good for us.The Twins and Royals will meet again Wednesday night in the middle game of this three-game series. The Twins have lost 14 of 17 to the Royals this year, including all eight games at Kauffman Stadium. The Twins have never gone winless in Kansas City during a season since the Royals franchise was birthed in 1969.Left-hander Jason Vargas will start Wednesday for the Royals. This will be the third start of the year for Vargas, who had Tommy John surgery in August 2015 and spent most of this year rehabilitating. He made six minor league rehab starts, going 0-2 with a 5.85 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 20 innings, before making his first big league appearance.In his past start, Vargas gave up a solo home run to Jason Kipnis and a run-producing double to Carlos Santana in the first inning at Cleveland, but he retired the final 10 batters he faced. He left after 70 pitches and four innings with a no-decision. He will be on a pitch count Wednesday, probably around 85.Vargas is 6-4 with a 3.96 ERA in 16 career outings against the Twins. He is 4-1 with a 2.53 ERA in seven starts with the Royals against the Twins.The Twins will counter with veteran right-hander Ervin Santana, who pitched for the Royals in 2013.Santana will be making his fifth start of the season against Kansas City and the 21st of his career. He is 5-9 with a 4.65 ERA against the Royals, allowing 66 earned runs in 127 2/3 innings while striking out 104 and walking 45.Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer is 7-for-21 with two home runs and nine RBI against Santana. Alex Gordon is just 8-for-38 (.211) off Santana, but two of the hits were home runs. Kendrys Morales is 4-for-17 with one home run against Santana.While rookie right-hander Jose Berrios failed to make it through five innings Tuesday against the Royals, Twins manager Paul Molitor hinted he would start the season finale Sunday at the Chicago White Sox. He said he would discuss it with the 22-year-old Berrios and see how he is feeling after the long season.Berrios wants the ball.I felt confident, he said of his start against the Royals. I think the work that I put into the bullpens getting to the start have been put into the start and have helped a lot.I feel 100 percent. I want to go out there and pitch. I feel like thats what every athlete wants is to win a game. Thats what they pride themselves on. So, yeah, if thats what they want, thats what Ill do. Dave Schultz Flyers Jersey . -- The goal posts lying flat on the field, Arizonas fans lingered on the field, congregating around the locker room entrance nearly 30 minutes after rushing out of the stands. Jakub Voracek Jersey . The players spoke Jan. 13 during a Major League Baseball Players Association conference call after Rodriguez sued the union and Major League Baseball to overturn an arbitrators decision suspending him for the 2014 season and post-season. http://www.nhlflyersproauthentic.com/james-van-riemsdyk-hockey-jersey/ . Following a lopsided 5-2 loss against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night, Paul MacLean told reporters that "theres a lack of focus, theres a lack of leadership and theres a lack of preparation" with his struggling team. That came on the heels of Bryan Murray taking the unusual step of going into the locker room at the Prudential Center and addressing the players himself. Eric Lindros Flyers Jersey . Now, correct me if Im wrong but I saw one official distinctly pointing at the net indicating a good goal but after an inconclusive review they overturned the goal. Shouldnt the ruling on the ice (good goal) stand after an inconclusive review? Why was this overturned? James Veaudry Pembroke, ON -- Hey Kerry, Youll get a lot of these, but why was the Montreal goal against Nashville Saturday night overturned? Eller puts the puck on net and the on ice ruling from the ref behind the net is a Montreal goal. Travis Konecny Flyers Jersey . Nine days before the opening ceremony, organizing committee chief Dmitry Chernyshenko said Wednesday that Sochi is "fully ready" and will deliver safe, friendly and well-run games that defy the grim reports that have overshadowed preparations. Mitchell Pearce warns Luke Keary wont receive a saloon passage to the Sydney Roosters No.6 jersey next NRL season following the unearthing of Connor Watson.The emergence of 20-year-old Watson has been one of the few bright spots for the 14th-placed Roosters in a forgettable year.Watsons shift from the bench utility role to five-eighth has coincided with the sides late season resurgence, winning three from six, including three of their last four.Premiership-winning playmaker Keary will arrive at the club on a two-year deal from arch-rivals South Sydney in 2017 and has been expected to be an automatic selection at five-eighth.While halfback Pearce spoke about Keary in glowing terms on Tuesday, he also said he had a fight on his hands with Watson for the five-eighth spot.Its going to be a tricky one, Pearce said.Its obviously why Robbo (Trent Robinson) is the coach and were just the players but its probably a good headache to have.There are lots of things that happen during the season, injuries and that sort of stuff and weve sstruggled for depth this year.ddddddddddddLuke is coming as a half and Im really excited to play with him as well.Pearce was full of praise for Watson.No one knew what position he was going to be at the start of the year, hes always been a bit of a utility player, Pearce said.Coming in this year as a five-eighth, his running game is as lethal as any five-eighth in the game, if not the best.Having grown up playing fullback, Watson moved into the halves upon his arrival at Moore Park in the junior grades but said he had learned to love defending in the front line.He said five-eighth was his favoured position but he was expecting to play behind Keary next year.Id probably say Ill start out the year as a utility covering a few positions and Ill see how I go from there, Watson said.He (Keary) is a great player and hes won a comp and hes coming here to start at five-eighth so Im keen for the challenge. 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