ERST LESEN! » Rory Sloane, David Mackay HF Tom Lynch,

CHICAGO -- Jeff Samardzija will find himself on a familiar mound but in an unaccustomed role on Thursday.A onetime baseball and football standout from northwest Indiana and a Chicago Cubs pitching mainstay from 2008 to 2014, Samardzija will try to shut down his former team as the San Francisco Giants arrive for the opener of a four-game weekend series.The 31-year-old Samardzija, in his first season with the Giants, faces his former team for only the second time in his career and first at Wrigley Field at 8:05 p.m. ET Thursday.Im sure hes excited about it, San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said Wednesday. Hes spent some time there. He knows Wrigley Field. Hes been throwing the ball well. I hope he continues that into tomorrows game.The Giants, currently leading the National League wild-card standings, are making their only Wrigley Field appearance of the season.They took two of three from the Cubs on May 20-22 at AT&T Park.Samardzija declined a long-term Cubs offer in 2014 and began an odyssey that took him to Oakland (via trade), to the Chicago White Sox last year and finally this season to the Giants.Set to make his 26th start of 2016, Samardzija is coming off a seven-inning shutout performance on Aug. 26 against the Atlanta Braves that included seven hits, six strikeouts and three walks.Hes 0-1 all-time against the Cubs, suffering the loss on Aug. 14, 2015, when the White Sox beat their cross-town rivals 6-5 at U.S. Cellular Field.The Cubs counter with Mike Montgomery (1-1, 3.50 ERA), who was originally slated to pitch Wednesday but swapped spots with Jason Hammel.Montgomery, 27, makes his third start with the Cubs, all against NL West opponents, including two against the Giants. He threw 91 pitches, allowed three runs despite walking four and gave up six hits in a no-decision on Aug. 26 at the Los Angeles Dodgers, a 6-4 extra-innings victory.I decided to give him an extra day, Cubs manager Joe Maddon told reporters. It just made all the sense in the world to do it that way. I talked to Hammer (Jason Hammel) about it yesterday, and he was fine. Montgomery was good with it, so thats what were going to do.Montgomery has made 20 career starts, going 5-7 with a 4.39 ERA and two complete game shutouts in 2015.Chicagos spacious new clubhouse will easily handle additions arriving this week as rosters expand to 40 on Thursday.The Cubs got the jump on added personnel by recalling versatile infielder Tommy La Stella and his .295 bat from Triple-A Iowa and inserting him in Wednesday lineup.LaStella had played in 51 games before a declining to report as assigned to Triple-A Iowa in late July, then later agreeing to a minor league stint.Hes expected to be a frequent September contributor and through the subsequent NL playoffs.After the series against the Giants, the Cubs embark on a 10-day, nine-game road trip that takes them to Milwaukee, Houston and St. Louis.Jordan Pickford England Jersey . "Jeff is a hard worker who was an important special-teams contributor for us last season," said Stamps GM John Hufnagel. Kyle Walker Jersey . "It was nerve-wracking, but we pulled through," said Collaros, who threw four touchdown passes to lead the Toronto Argonauts (8-4) to a 33-27 win over the Calgary Stampeders (9-3) in front of 28,781 fans at McMahon Stadium. http://www.englandsoccerpro.com/Jack-Butland-England-Jersey/ . Takahashi, who had a 10-point lead after the short program, received 268.31 points after the free skate to finish 15 points ahead of second-place Nobunari Oda. Jesse Lingard England Jersey John Stones England Jersey . -- Canadian Andrew Wiggins got the ball on the wing, made a nifty spin move and then let go with a soft floater from about 10 feet that swished through the net in Allen Fieldhouse.Thursday, September 8West Coast ($1.22) vs. Western Bulldogs ($4.50), Domain Stadium at 8:10pmWest Coast:?B Brad Sheppard, Will Schofield, Thomas Barrass HB Shannon Hurn, Jeremy McGovern, Sharrod Wellingham C Elliot Yeo, Matt Priddis, Jamie Cripps HF Mark LeCras, Jack Darling, Chris Masten F Jonathan Giles, Josh J. Kennedy, Josh Hill FOL Scott Lycett, Andrew Gaff, Luke Shuey I/C Mitchell Brown, Dom Sheed, Sam Butler, Mark Hutchings EMG Jack Redden, Liam Duggan, Jackson Nelson IN Mitchell Brown OUT Lewis Jetta (Calf)Western Bulldogs:?B Shane Biggs, Joel Hamling, Matthew Boyd HB Jason Johannisen, Dale Morris, Easton Wood C Lachie Hunter, Marcus Bontempelli, Liam Picken HF Lin Jong, Zaine Cordy, Jake Stringer F Tory Dickson, Tom Boyd, Caleb Daniel FOL Jordan Roughead, Luke Dahlhaus, Josh Dunkley I/C Matthew Suckling, Jack Macrae, Clay Smith, Tom Liberatore EMG Tom Campbell, Toby McLean, Fletcher Roberts IN Easton Wood, Jake Stringer, Jordan Roughead, Jack Macrae, Tom Liberatore OUT Koby Stevens (Omitted), Fletcher Roberts (Omitted), Bailey Williams (Omitted), Nathan Hrovat (Omitted), Will Minson (Omitted)UBET verdict:?Cash has come thick and fast for the Eagles, who come into the finals in great form, winning nine of their past 10 games. At this stage, the only interest in the Bulldogs is with a head start of 27.5.Enter your ESPNfootytips AFL finals bracketFriday, September 9Geelong ($1.65) vs. Hawthorn ($2.27), MCG at 7:50pmGeelong:?B Corey Enright, Tom Lonergan, Tom Ruggles HB Jake Kolodjashnij, Harry Taylor, Andrew Mackie C Cameron Guthrie, Joel Selwood, Jimmy Bartel HF Sam Menegola, Rhys Stanley, Daniel Menzel F Steven Motlop, Tom Hawkins, Lincoln McCarthy FOL Zac Smith, Patrick Dangerfield, Mitch Duncan I/C Mark Blicavs, Josh Caddy, Josh Cowan, Scott Selwood?EMG Jed Bews, Nakia Cockatoo, Shane Kersten IN Scott Selwood OUT Jed Bews (Omitted)Hawthorn:?B Taylor Duryea, James Frawley, Shaun Burgoyne HB Luke Hodge, Josh Gibson, Grant Birchall C Isaac Smith, Sam Mitchell, Bradley Hill HF Luke Breust, Jack Gunston, Cyril Rioli F Paul Puopolo, Jack Fitzpatrick, Ryan Schoenmakers FOL Ben McEvoy, Jordan Lewis, Liam Shiels I/C Ben Stratton, Brendan Whitecross, James Sicily, Ryan Burton, EMG Billy Hartung, Daniel Howe, Matt Spangher IN Ben McEvoy, Ben Stratton OUT Marc Pittonet (Omitted), Billy Hartung (Omitted)UBET verdict:?An even betting game at this stage, with a slight leaning towards Geelong in terms of head-to-head money in the tin. Value shoppers will like the fact the Hawks have won their last two finals against the CCats.ddddddddddddEnter your ESPNfootytips AFL finals bracketSaturday, September 10Sydney ($1.43) vs. Greater Western Sydney ($2.90), ANZ Stadium at 3:20pmSydney:?B Dane Rampe, Aliir Aliir, Nick Smith HB Jake Lloyd, Heath Grundy, Callum Mills C Isaac Heeney, Josh P. Kennedy, Jarrad McVeigh HF Gary Rohan, Lance Franklin, George Hewett F Ben McGlynn, Kurt Tippett, Luke Parker FOL Sam Naismith, Kieren Jack, Dan Hannebery I/C Harrison Marsh, Tom Mitchell, Tom Papley, Xavier Richards?EMG Harry Cunningham, Jeremy Laidler, Toby Nankervis IN Callum Mills OUT Harry Cunningham (Omitted)GWS:?B Heath Shaw, Phil Davis, Nick Haynes HB Joel Patfull, Adam Tomlinson, Nathan Wilson C Zac Williams, Callan Ward, Josh Kelly HF Toby Greene, Rory Lobb, Jeremy Cameron F Lachie Whitfield, Jonathon Patton, Devon Smith FOL Shane Mumford, Dylan Shiel, Stephen Coniglio I/C Jacob Hopper, Steve Johnson, Tom Scully, Ryan Griffen?EMG Rhys Palmer, Will Hoskin-Elliott, Adam Kennedy IN No ChangeUBET verdict:?Early shoppers give the Giants some hope in their first ever finals appearance, backing them in from their opening quote of $3.00. Interestingly, there has been more money for GWS at the +15.5 line than for either team outright.Enter your ESPNfootytips AFL finals bracketAdelaide ($1.18) vs. North Melbourne ($5), Adelaide Oval at 7:40pmAdelaide:?B Jake Lever, Kyle Hartigan, Luke Brown HB Brodie Smith, Daniel Talia, Rory Laird C Rory Atkins, Rory Sloane, David Mackay HF Tom Lynch, Taylor Walker, Richard Douglas F Eddie Betts, Josh Jenkins, Charlie Cameron FOL Sam Jacobs, Scott Thompson, Matt Crouch I/C Brad Crouch, Kyle Cheney, Jarryd Lyons, Mitch McGovern EMG Riley Knight, Reilly OBrien, Ricky Henderson IN Brodie Smith, Rory Sloane OUT Ricky Henderson (Omitted), Cam Ellis-Yolmen (Omitted)North Melbourne:?B Luke McDonald, Michael Firrito, Shaun Atley HB Jamie Macmillan, Robbie Tarrant, Nick Dal Santo C Sam Gibson, Ben Cunnington, Shaun Higgins HF Jack Ziebell, Ben Brown, Lachlan Hansen F Brent Harvey, Drew Petrie, Lindsay Thomas FOL Todd Goldstein, Daniel Wells, Andrew Swallow I/C Jed Anderson, Trent Dumont, Aaron Mullett, Majak Daw EMG Brad McKenzie, Ryan Clarke, Corey Wagner IN No ChangeUBET verdict:?Punters appear to be going the value way in early trade, specking the Kangaroos at their juicy opening price. Adelaide has won its last four home games against North and we expect the betting to level out closer to game day. ' ' '