TORONTO -- The playoffs are as far out of reach as theyve ever been. Salomon Shoes From China . Same goes for a first winning season. But as Toronto FC embarks on the final quarter of the 2013 Major League Soccer campaign, the players and their head coach insist a lot is at stake, from pride to jobs to momentum for next season. "If you think theres only nine games left and you have to pick yourself up and get motivated, then you shouldnt be playing," striker Robert Earnshaw said Thursday after the Reds completed their final training session ahead of Fridays match at BMO Field against the visiting New England Revolution. "Theres always something to play for." Toronto (4-12-9) begins the weekend 15 points adrift of the Revolution (10-9-6), who are tied with the Houston Dynamo for the fifth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot. As has so often been the case over their seven years in existence, talk as the Reds head into autumn is about next season. And, after a relatively decent run of form over the past six matches (2-2-2), players believe they are now developing a cohesion following another season of tremendous roster turnover. Performances have improved and become more consistent. Players say more positive results will come over the final nine matches if that trend continues, offering supporters proof better days are ahead. "Weve come a long way since the beginning of the year," said striker Andrew Wiedeman. "All the players, all the coaches, all the staff, we know it, we see it every day out here in training. "But it would be nice to get some wins and show the fans as well, and carry some momentum into next year." Captain Steven Caldwell said despite the fact its all but a mathematical certainty Toronto will miss the post-season for a seventh straight year, theres no shortage of motivation down the stretch. "Maybe we cant make the playoffs but we really want to finish the season on a high," the defender said. "Were trying to build something here, so when youre building anything, you need momentum. "Were working extremely hard on achieving consistency and that (improved) level of performance and these nine games are crucially important to letting everyone know where this team is going." In New England, Toronto faces a team rounding into form at the right time. Back-to-back home victories over Chicago and Philadelphia have put the Revolution into the thick of the playoff race. If they make it three straight wins Friday, they would move, at least temporarily, into a second place tie in the East. Midfielder Kelyn Rowe, who had a pair of goals in last weeks 5-1 thrashing of Philadelphia to earn MLS player of the week honours, and striker Juan Agudelo, who also notched a brace in that match, each have three goals in the last two games. New Englands attack also features Diego Fagundez, the clubs leading scorer with eight goals and six assists. This is the rubber match of the season series between the clubs after they split two games in Foxborough, Mass. Fagundez and Agudelo scored in a 2-0 New England win in May with Toronto avenging that with a 1-0 result earlier this month on an early strike by the now-injured Matias Laba. Toronto head coach Ryan Nelsen said in New England he sees a lot of positive signs for his club. "Theyve had their pains of a couple of years and I think theyre just starting to blossom," Nelsen said of a Revolution side which last made the playoffs in 2009. "The young boys are just starting to mature, theyve got a lot of games under their belt now and youre starting to see the best of them. "Its very similar to where we are. Weve got a good set of young guys and very soon theyll become hardened MLS pros." Among those prospective stars of the future for Toronto is hometown midfielder Jonathan Osorio, who is expected to start Friday despite being substituted out after 34 minutes with a sore ankle in last Saturdays 1-1 draw against D.C. United in Washington. "Were looking to finish strong. Were looking at it as a nine-game season," said Osorio, who has five goals in 22 matches and is in the conversation for MLS rookie of the year. "If we can bring momentum from the end of the season we can start next pre-season knowing we can be really good in this league." Cheap Salomon Shoes Store .Y. -- The New York Islanders were seeking a positive finish to a frustrating season on home ice. Wholesale Salomon Shoes .And although FIFAs investigators are preparing to release the findings of a World Cup corruption probe, Hassan Al Thawadi dismissed any chance of Qatar losing the showpiece event. http://www.cheapsalomonshoes.com/ . Hoffman, the former star closer, will evaluate and help co-ordinate all pitchers at Double-A, Triple-A and the big league team. Byrnes says Hoffman "will be a key part of finishing the development of our younger pitchers.KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Rick Porcello is already in his sixth full season in the big leagues, which makes it all the easier to forget that the Tigers right-hander is still just 25 years old. "I do think hes still learning himself a little bit," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said after an 8-2 win over the Kansas City Royals, a game that Porcello dominated for seven innings. "Rick has really matured dramatically over his time here," Ausmus said. "You have to remember the guy is pretty young. You think hes older because hes been in the starting rotation." Porcello (4-1) gave up a sacrifice fly to Eric Hosmer, a solo homer to Billy Butler and little else Friday night. He wound up allowing four hits while striking out six without a walk. "Throwing first-pitch strikes I think was the biggest key tonight," he said. "Being ahead 0-1 instead of 1-0 is huge. You can go a lot of different ways when you do that." Victor Martinez had a pair of doubles and drove in two runs, and J.D. Martinez and Alex Avila also drove in two runs apiece as the Tigers won their fourth straight against the Royals. Meanwhile, Shields (3-3) allowed eight runs -- seven of them earned -- on 12 hits, a walk and a hit batter in 6 1-3 innings. It was the worst outing for the Royals ace since last September, when Shields allowed 10 runs in another lousy start against the Tigers. "I threw some good pitches. Thats a good hitting ball club over there," he said. "I wasnt locating my pitches. I was getting behind in the count. I didnt do my job out there, bottom line. Ive got to do a better job of getting outs. Its just one of those games." As if that wasnt bad enough, the Royals also lost All-Star catcher Salvador Perez when he fouled a pitch off his shin in the seventh inning. He was listed as day to day with a bruise. Shields first got into trouble in the second, when he loaded the bases but escaped the jam unscathed. But things only got worse in the third, when a single by Torii Hunter and back-to-baack doubles by Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez gave Detroit a 2-1 lead. Cheap Salomon Shoes Authentic Online. They never gave it back the rest of the game. J.D. Martinez kept the onslaught going when he led off the fourth with a double, and Avila followed by hitting the first pitch of his at-bat for his first homer of the season. Detroit added another run later in the inning when Andrew Romine reached third on an error by the Royals Mike Moustakas, and then scored on a double-play groundout. Butler provided the only bright spot the rest of the way for Kansas City, guiding a line drive over the fence in left field for his first homer of the season -- and the first by any hitter batting in the cleanup spot in the Royals lineup. "I knew I hit it good. I didnt know if it was high enough to get out," Butler said. "I knew I hit it hard, but didnt hit it very high. I couldnt see if it was fair or foul. I knew it was really close, too." Shields was finally pulled in the seventh, allowing another run and leaving the bases loaded while recording one out. Reliever Kelvin Herrera gave up a double to J.D. Martinez that brought in two more runs and gave the Tigers an 8-2 lead. That was plenty of support for Porcello, who had been miserable in the month of April until this season, when he went 3-1 with a 3.96 ERA. He kept that momentum going against Kansas City, a team he oddly never faced last season, retiring his final 12 batters. "Hes been throwing the ball great all season long," Victor Martinez said. "Hes showing hes young but he knows what hes doing out there. Hes giving us a great chance to win ballgames." NOTES: The Tigers announced the signing of RHP Joel Hanrahan on Friday. The former All-Star underwent Tommy John surgery last May after nine appearances for the Red Sox. ... The Royals put LHP Bruce Chen (bulging disc) on the DL and recalled RHP Aaron Brooks from Triple-A Omaha. ... LHP Drew Smyly will start for Detroit on Saturday. LHP Danny Duffy is on the mound for Kansas City. Cheap Jerseys China NFL Jerseys China NFL Jerseys Wholesale Discount Basketball Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Authentic Cheap Baseball Jerseys Free Shipping Cheapest College Jerseys Sale Cheap Football Jerseys China Nike NFL Jerseys Canada Wholesale NHL Jerseys From China MLB Jerseys Outlet Canada Wholesale NBA Jerseys Canada Store Cheap Soccer Jerseys China Cheap Authentic Jerseys Canada ' ' '