The British & Irish Lions are to name their head coach for next summers tour to New Zealand on Sept. 7.Wales Warren Gatland is expected to retain the position he held for the series triumph over Australia in 2013 when the chosen candidate is unveiled at a press conference in Edinburgh.Eddie Jones would have been the clear favourite had Englands head coach and his Rugby Football Union paymasters not stated categorically in the aftermath of the 3-0 whitewash of the Wallabies in June that he is unavailable.Jones has enjoyed a remarkable maiden year at the helm, masterminding a first Grand Slam for 13 years before presiding over the rout of Australia -- just months after virtually the same squad of players had slumped at the World Cup.RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie has made it clear to the Lions board that the 56-year-old Australian is not to be considered, while Jones himself has said he is completely unavailable in order to focus on building for Japan 2019.It clears a path for Gatland to preside over the elite of British and Irish rugby for a second tour having led the 2013 party to a first series victory since South Africa in 1997.Wales fell to a 3-0 whitewash by New Zealand in June, but Gatland is an experienced and canny operator and keen to reprise a role he performed with distinction three years ago.Furthermore, the Welsh Rugby Union has granted the 52-year-old Kiwi permission to take the eight-month sabbatical from his national post demanded by the Lions.The only viable alternative to Gatland is Irelands Joe Schmidt, but his stock has fallen since plotting back-to-back Six Nations titles in 2014 and 2015 and there is no release clause in his contract.Wales lock Alun Wyn Jones and England hooker Dylan Hartley are the main contenders to captain the Lions through a brutal itinerary headlined by two Tests in Auckland and one in Wellington. 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DETROIT -- Its almost certain the Cleveland Indians will have some reserves in the starting lineup Tuesday night when they face Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers.Cleveland clinched its first American League Central Division title since 2007 on Monday night with a 7-4 victory over Detroit, which means manager Terry Francona will give some of his veterans a night off.The Indians wont flood the field with September call-ups, though, because they still have a chance to end up with the overall best record in the league. That would grant them home field advantage throughout the playoffs.The Indians turn to youngster Mike Clevinger (2-2, 4.65 ERA) for Tuesday nights game at Detroit.Clevinger, 25, is making his 10th career start and 16th appearance. He did not get a decision in his last start, against Kansas City, giving up two runs on four hits in five innings.Clevinger has only appeared once against Detroit in his career, working two scoreless innings in relief July 5 at Progressive Field.Having your pitching set up I would say trumps everything else, Francona said of getting ready for the postseason. Even if youre not playing well, but if you got a guy that goes out there and throws nine shutout (innings) that will hide some things.If youre thinking youre playing pretty good and you got a guy goes out and gives up seven, thats pretty tough.Detroit enters Tuesday sitting two games out of the second AL Wild Card spot, held byy Baltimore, with just six games left.ddddddddddddCleveland has dominated Detroit this season, taking 14 of the 16 games to date.I dont remember ever going through something like this, Ausmus said. I cant tell you why. I dont know if its matchups, if its luck, if its happenstance. I couldnt tell you.If we play the same amount of games next year, Id be surprised if it was anything like it was this year. I cant explain it. But the truth is, theyve outplayed us, theyve outhit us, theyve out-pitched us and they out-defended us. Simple.The Tigers pin their Wild Card hopes on Verlander (15-8, 3.21 ERA), an eight-time 15-game winner over his career.Verlander has more appearances against the Indians than any other team, Tuesday marking his 48th start. He is 18-21 over his career against Cleveland with a 4.59 ERA.Of course the Indians have beaten him three times this year in dominating Detroit, ripping him for a 6.46 ERA.It has been without question a streaky season, manager Brad Ausmus of Detroit said. And with that in mind, Im going to take the positive angle and say lets hope we have one more positive streak in front of us -- one more good streak in front of us.Were going to need some help now, thats what it is. We say, its baseball, well, its the same thing in the other ballparks. Anything can happen. ' ' '
