CHICAGO -- The NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs identified the bullpen as the biggest weakness in their quest to win their first World Series since 1908.Enter All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman, left-hander Mike Montgomery and, just before the trade deadline Monday, right-hander Joe Smith from the Los Angeles Angels.That was an area we thought we could make some changes, general manager Jed Hoyer said. Adding a closer, a left-hander and then adding a guy like Smith who can be a right-handed specialist, we felt like those were areas that would improve our team and improve the mix of our bullpen.The Cubs third trade in two weeks sent minor league righty Jesus Castillo to the Angels for the 32-year-old Smith. The sidewinder is 1-4 with a 3.82 ERA and six saves in 38 appearances with the Angels this season. Smith has also pitched for the Indians and Mets in his 10-year big league career and is in the last season of his contract.Manager Joe Maddon sees Smith producing double play grounders and getting right-handers out.Try to set him up for the righty, the one thats not going to get pinch-hit for, Maddon said. The chance to get you out of the inning with one pitch, that kind of stuff. Or maybe start an inning based on another teams lineup . as well as one out, runners on first and second, right-handed hitter up, its a good spot to put a guy like that in.With Chapman coming from the New York Yankees last week and Montgomery from Seattle, the Cubs have a much more imposing look in the late innings.But the Cubs werent able to bring in a needed left-handed bat following the season-ending knee injury to slugger Kyle Schwarber in April.Hoyer said they were hampered because the teams looking to deal late included the crosstown White Sox and division foes Milwaukee and Cincinnati.It was really hard to do deals with those teams, Hoyer said. Theres probably a tax you have to pay or even not be able to get a deal done. We were certainly active, but of the teams making moves over the last 48-72 hours, a lot of the most active teams we would have had a hard time matching up with.So with high-priced left-handed hitter Jason Heyward struggling, do the Cubs have enough offense to end their championship drought?There is enough here, Maddon said. But we have to incorporate what were learning, move the baseball when its necessary, accept your walk.The 20-year-old Castillo has a 3.27 ERA in seven starts at Eugene in short season Class A and is seen as a long-term prospect for the Angels.The Cubs also designated left-hander Brian Matusz for assignment Monday after he gave up three home runs in his Chicago debut Sunday. Right-hander Spencer Patton was recalled from Triple-A Iowa.Hoyer stressed the Cubs still could make a roster tweak or two before the postseason.Well work through the August waiver period and try to find small things, Hoyer said. We did it last year, and you can make good and impactful moves after the deadline. Giorgio Chiellini Jersey . -- Timbers coach Caleb Porter didnt stray from his business-like approach to the season even after Portland downed the two-time defending league champion Los Angeles Galaxy to gain crucial playoff position. Emre Can Jersey . Ivanovic was leading 7-5, 1-0 when Hantuchova withdrew after falling 0-40 behind in the second game. The match started slowly for Ivanovic, who surrendered her first two serves as Hantuchova took a 5-3 lead. http://www.juventusfcpro.com/Kids-Carlo-Pinsoglio-Jersey/ . Jeff Green scored 13 points and Kris Humphries 12 for the Celtics, who nearly blew an 18-point, second-half lead. Sullingers 20-20 was the first by a Celtics player since Kevin Garnetts first game in Boston in 2007. Garnett was dealt -- along with Paul Pierce -- to Brooklyn during the off-season. Alex Sandro Jersey . -- The Sacramento Kings are set to become the first major professional sports franchise to accept Bitcoin virtual currency for ticket and merchandise purchases. Blaise Matuidi Jersey . -- 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. TORONTO -- By winning the AL Championship Series in five games, the Cleveland Indians not only captured a spot in the World Series, they also earned a break this team could sorely use.Injuries to starters Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar and Trevor Bauer left Cleveland in a tough spot even as the Indians kept winning. They started Corey Kluber on short rest in Game 4 of the ALCS against Toronto, then sent a virtual unknown to the mound for Game 5 in Ryan Merritt. Cleveland won Game 5 and the series behind a solid effort from Merritt, but the Indians would love for Bauer and perhaps even Salazar to be able to contribute at some point soon.If not, well, Cleveland can still rely on a bullpen thats been up to the task so far. ALCS MVP Andrew Miller has received much of the attention, but the Indians go deeper than that. Their relievers have posted a 1.67 ERA in 32 1/3 innings this postseason, with Cody Allen and Bryan Shaw also making important contributions.The World Series starts Tuesday, and Cleveland is four wins from its first title since 1948. If the Indians pull it off, they could join an impressive list of teams who have won championships thanks to terrific relief pitching.Here are a few more examples:OAKLAND ATHLETICS (1972)Long before the concept of the one-inning closer took hold, bullpens were run much differently. Rollie Fingers was Oaklands star reliever during this era. In 1972, he went 11-9 with 21 saves in 65 appearances, pitching 111 1/3 innings, and Joe Horlen, Bob Locker and Darold Knowles also contributed out of the bullpen. The As beat Cincinnati to win the World Series in seven games, with Fingers appearing in six of them and posting a 1.74 ERA.OAKLAND ATHLETICS (1989)Tony La Russas 1989 champions were led by Dennis Eckersley (33 saves, 1.56 ERA) and got solid work from Todd Burns, Rick Honeycutt and Gene Nelson. Thee As won it all in 89, but Kirk Gibsons homer off Eckersley cost them the previous year, and in 1990, Oakland was denied by another incredible bullpen.dddddddddddd..CINCINNATI REDS (1990)Randy Myers, Norm Charlton and Rob Dibble -- dubbed the Nasty Boys -- formed a dominant late-inning trio for Lou Piniellas Reds. Dibbles numbers were particularly outstanding: 136 strikeouts in 98 innings and a 1.74 ERA. Cincinnati swept the As in the World Series.NEW YORK YANKEES (1996)Before he became one of the games greatest closers, Mariano Rivera was a setup man in 1996, throwing 107 2/3 innings and finishing third in the Cy Young vote. Closer John Wetteland earned World Series MVP honors, and Jeff Nelson was also a factor in that six-game victory over Atlanta.ANAHEIM ANGELS (2002)Francisco Rodriguezs debut year consisted of 5 2/3 innings in the regular season, then the Angels turned him loose in the postseason to devastating effect. He struck out 28 in 18 2/3 innings during Anaheims march to the title, teaming up with relievers Brendan Donnelly and Troy Percival to form a championship-level bullpen.BOSTON RED SOX (2013)Closer Koji Uehara capped an amazing season by allowing one run in 13 2/3 postseason innings. He was the ALCS MVP and had help all the way through from Junichi Tazawa and Craig Breslow.KANSAS CITY ROYALS (2015)After reaching Game 7 of the World Series the previous year behind the relief trio of Greg Holland, Wade Davis and Kelvin Herrera, the Royals won the title in 2015. Holland was unavailable for that postseason because of an injury, but Davis and Herrera were up to the challenge, combining to allow one earned run in 24 1/3 innings.---Information from baseball-reference.com was used in this report. Jerseys NFL China Cheap Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap China Womens NFL Jerseys Jerseys NFL China Discount NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Womens Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Throwback Cheap NFL Jerseys China Discount NFL Jerseys Youth NFL Jerseys Cheap Cheap Jerseys Throwback Cheap NFL Jerseys China Youth NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale Jerseys 2018 ' ' '