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Focus on ... can Hamilton fight back?If full points had been awarded after 40 laps of the Malaysian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton would be heading to Japan with a five-point lead over teammate Nico Rosberg. Instead he arrives in Suzuka 23 points adrift of his title rival, wondering if (not when) his luck will change. His engine failure in Sepang was a bitter blow, but it by no means represents championship point to Rosberg. One hundred and twenty five points are still up for grabs over the remaining five races and one failure or accident for car No. 6 could swing the championship momentum the other way in the space of a Sunday afternoon.But even without fate intervening, if Hamilton goes on a three-race winning run -- something that he has made look like childs play in the past -- he will go into the final two races with just a two-point deficit to Rosberg. Far from being over, the final few races of 2016 look set to be classics and each of them will be crucial to deciding the outcome of this years title.In need of a winOK, weve cheated a bit here as this section is usually titled In need of a podium. But a Hamilton victory this weekend would be so significant for the title race that we couldnt resist. Remarkably, his last race victory was over two months ago in July, but as anyone who has followed the last four races knows, that only tells part of the story. In Malaysia he reacted to his Singapore disappointment with a dominant display in qualifying and the race, and he should be even more pumped up this weekend.In need of pointsSince Hondas significant engine upgrade at the Belgian Grand Prix, the McLaren has emerged as a contender to be the fourth fastest car on the grid behind Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari. Force India and Williams tend to be the teams to beat and the accolade switches between the three depending on circuit characteristics. However, Fernando Alonso has been talking up his chances for the last few races and comes to Suzuka with a new updated power unit at his disposal.ESPN predictionLast week we tipped Hamilton to bounce back from his Singapore slump with victory in Malaysia and it didnt go so well. But rather than be discouraged, were going to stick to our guns and pick him to win again in Suzuka.BettingLewis Hamilton is 11/10 to win on Sunday, while Nico Rosbergs odds are slightly longer at 15/8. Daniel Ricciardo is 6/1 to make it back to back wins, while Ferraris odds continue to get longer at 20/1 for Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen at 28/1. Both McLarens are 100/1 to create history by winning in front of Hondas home crowd. Slightly more realistic bets include Daniil Kvyat at 9/1 for a top six finish in the Toro Rosso and both Haas drivers to finish in the points at 16/1.A lap with... Esteban GutierrezTurn one is a very fast corner and you approach it flat out. You turn into the corner and start braking in the middle. You come into the esses, which is turn three, four, five, six and seven. You need to find a good rhythm while at the same time trying to be as quick as possible. Its important to get a good exit out of turn seven.You come into turn eight - its a very special corner because it has a little bit of camber in the middle and you come in with a lot of speed. Its a corner I like at Suzuka. Turn nine is a 90-degree corner with a lot of camber again, good to carry the speed through. Then you come to Hairpin, which is pretty slow, focusing a lot on the exit because the next part is quite a long straight. Then you arrive into (turns)13 and 14 carrying a lot of speed in.The exit of (turn) 14 becomes very important as you have a very long straight with a corner in between, turn 15, which is completely flat out, very interesting, very nice to drive through. Then you arrive into the last chicane, pretty straightforward, pretty slow corner. The car is set up for high-speed corners and when you arrive into the chicane the car is a bit tricky. Going through there using the curbs is important. Then you come to the start finish line and thats it.TyresTyres: Hard, medium, soft? Track temperatures can vary massively, from very warm weather to cold and wet conditions.? Teams tend to run a high downforce set-up to maximise speed through the fast corners.? Plenty of energy goes through tyres because many corners are very long, maximising loads. The famous 130R, for example, contains the highest continuous g-force loading of the year.? There are few longitudinal forces: instead Suzuka is all about lateral loads through corners.? These factors tend to lead to high levels of wear and degradation, with more than one pit stop.? Track evolution can be hard to predict: strategy also needs to remain flexible because of the possibility of safety cars and relative difficulty of overtaking at Suzuka. Cheap NCAA Jerseys Authentic . Dallas hasnt ruled out the star quarterback for Sunday nights game against Philadelphia, but all signs point to Romos back injury pushing Kyle Orton into the starting role after two years of limited play as the backup. Surely Ortons name isnt the first that comes to mind for fans wanting a change after years of damaging interceptions, fumbles or, most infamously, the field goal flub when Romo dropped the snap on a kick that could have won his first playoff game in 2006. Fake College Jerseys . Manuel was offered a position the day he was fired. He accepted earlier this week and the team made the announcement Friday. https://www.ncaajerseys2020.com/ . Perhaps Carroll was so prepared for a break because he believes there is very little the Seattle Seahawks need heading into the off-season. "I dont see anything that we need to add. We just have to get better," Carroll said. Wholesale NCAA Jerseys .J. Ellis hit two-run homers and the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 4-0 Saturday night. College Jerseys Outlet . Brazilian national coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has confirmed that the veteran goalkeeper is set to join Toronto on loan, saying it will help him be ready for the World Cup. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Mike Trout accomplished something Wednesday night that no other major leaguer ever has, and it never even entered his mind.The Angels All-Star center fielder homered to back six strong innings from Jered Weaver in Los Angeles 7-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.Trout led off the fifth inning with his 18th home run to put the Angels up 7-0. It was the 157th homer for the 24-year-old, who moved past Chili Davis into sixth place on the franchise list.With his 100th hit, Trout became the first player to collect 100 hits and 15 home runs before the All-Star break four times before his age-25 season. Miguel Cabrera and Jimmy Foxx are the only other players to have accomplished the feat three times.Thats the first time Ive heard that, said Trout, who will start in center field for the AL in Tuesday nights All-Star Game. I just go out there and play my game. Im not going (up there thinking) I need one more hit for 100 hits.With the homer and walk in five plate appearances, Trout has reached base 33 times in his last 56 plate appearances.I feel good at the plate, he said. Im missing some pitches but its baseball. Its tough.Weaver (7-7) struck out five and gave up four hits, including Logan Forsythes seventh home run. It was only the second time in his last 14 starts Weaver has allowed one run or fewer.This is the best stuff I think weve seen Weave have, manager Mike Scioscia said.My stuff felt the same as it has all the time, Weaver said. It was a matter of locating and keeping those guys off-balance. I trusted my fastball more and my fastball location was pretty good.Evan Longoria had three hits for the Rays, who lost for the 18th time in 21 games.The Angels broke it open with four runs in the third off Rays starter Drew Smyly. After Jett Bandy, Andrelton Simmons and Yunel Escobar loaded the bases with singles, Smyly walked in the first run. Trout bounced into a potential double play, but second baseman Nick Franklins relay throw went wild, allowing two more runs to score on the first of three Tampa Bay errors. After Trout stole third base, Albert Pujols made it 4-0 with a sacrifice fly.Smyly (2-10) gave up seven runs, four earned, on eight hitss in four innings.dddddddddddd The left-hander is winless in nine starts since his last victory on May 16.Were not winning. I didnt pitch well. We didnt defend well. We didnt hit well, and it starts with me, Smyly said. Ive got to put up zeroes. I let it spiral out of control. Thats on me.With two hits, Escobar extended his hitting streak to 11 games.TRAINERS ROOMAngels: OF Shane Robinson was placed on the 15-day disabled list after being hit by a pitch on his right ankle, then rolling the same ankle Tuesday night . ... C Geovany Soto was scheduled to catch for Triple-A Salt Lake on Wednesday night, and Scioscia has not ruled out his activation for the weekend series at Baltimore.Rays: RHP Alex Cobb (Tommy John surgery) gave up three runs in two-thirds of an inning in his first rehab start for Class A Charlotte. ... RHP Chase Whitley (Tommy John surgery) mixed in curveballs for the first time among his 35 pitches during his third session against hitters. ... RHP Brad Boxberger (left oblique) threw 15 pitches in his first batting practice outing. ... CF Kevin Kiermaier (broken left hand), who could return soon after the All-Star break, hit several liners off Whitley and Boxberger in his initial live BP session.MOVING DAYRays: LHP Dana Eveland was designated for assignment and RHP Dylan Floro had his contract purchased from Triple-A Durham. RHP Ryan Webb cleared waivers and was released.SOUZA STARTINGRays RF Steven Souza Jr. was in the starting lineup one day after being pulled Tuesday night for not running hard out of the batters box in what turned into a triple after his routine fly ball dropped between two Los Angeles outfielders.It was over the second the game was over, Rays manager Kevin Cash said.Souza admitted his mistake.I was really impressed with the way he handled it, Cash said. He owned it. He had a lapse. We all have lapses. Well look to move past it now.UP NEXTLHP Hector Santiago (5-4) will pitch for the Angels in Thursdays series finale against rookie LHP Blake Snell (1-3). It will be Snells sixth major league start. ' ' '