20 steals. Hes hit three game-ending home runs.BIRDS

MINNEAPOLIS -- Its hard to imagine a more prime location for an out-of-town Ryder Cup spectator to spend the night than Jason Wendlandts two-bedroom home.Its 80 feet from the main entrance to Hazeltine National, the course in the Minneapolis suburb of Chaska thats hosting the prestigious international golf tournament this weekend. Its well inside the tight, extended security perimeter.And its $900 a night, sleeps four people and offers a view over Lake Hazeltine.With most of the areas 41,000 hotel rooms already booked, hopeful homeowners near and not-so-near the course are hoping to cash in, listing their homes on Airbnb, Craigslist and other vacation rental sites. However, theyre finding out that asking for hundreds of dollars a day isnt the same thing as getting that much.Twenty-five people looked at Wendlandts Airbnb listing on Sunday alone. A neighbor with a similar house got $5,500 for the week, he said, but no one had asked to stay in his home by Monday. Hes already dropped the price once but knows time is running out with the first round slated to start Friday.Ive been told by people whove been around the world and done stuff like this that anything can happen, he said. So well see what happens.David Newman didnt list his three-bedroom town house on Airbnb until four weeks ago. Hes had lots of viewers but no takers for his $719-a-night listing, which is 3 miles away from Hazeltine.I think people had already made a lot of their travel plans prior to that, he said.If Kari Bouavichith finds a renter for her home, which is a mile from the course, she said shell use the $600-a-night for living expenses. Shes a nurse at a hospital where fellow nurses have been on strike for three weeks. Shes currently on medical leave but is pessimistic about a settlement before shes due back in less than two weeks.I just thought if I could make some quick cash Id go for it, she said.Encouraged by a neighbor who found a renter about a month ago, Natalie Jamison recently registered her three-bedroom home on Airbnb. Shes asking $975 a night and lives about 2 miles from Hazeltine, but the listing is in walking distance of a shuttle bus stop to the course.Shed use the money for plane tickets for Christmas vacation, when Jamison and her husband plan to visit his family in his native New Zealand. The long flights there are especially expensive over the holidays, she said.Wendlandt said having the Ryder Cup played a pitch shot away from his home is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so either way he wins.If it doesnt rent, Ill just enjoy going to the Ryder Cup, he said. And entertaining friends going there.Wholesale Nike Shoes . Didier Drogba gave away the penalty that put Senegal one goal away from a major upset, but the veteran striker will get another chance -- probably his last -- at the World Cup after Salomon Kalous injury-time strike sealed the Ivorians place in Brazil next year. Cheap Nike Running Shoes From China . A statement from the worlds top-ranked player says all checks "were satisfactory and showed positive evolution" regarding the injury, which contributed to his loss to Stanislas Wawrinka in the final in Melbourne. http://www.cheapshoesnikechina.com/ . -- There were a lot of firsts for the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. Discount Nike Shoes China . The All-Pro lineman got the leg bent under him while trying to make a tackle during the first half of a 22-20 overtime loss at Miami on Thursday night. The medical staff initially thought hed torn the ligament, and the test a day later in Cincinnati confirmed it. Nike Shoes From China .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch.A look at whats happening all around the majors Wednesday:---LUNCH-HOUR HARDBALLFour games are set to start at 1:35 p.m. EDT or earlier, including Nationals-Indians and Phillies-Marlins at 12:10, Padres-Blue Jays at 12:37 and Tigers-Red Sox at 1:35. The West Coast gets to play in the sun, too, with Rays-Dodgers starting at 3:10 p.m. EDT and Reds-Giants at 3:45.STRASBURG VS CARRASCONationals ace Stephen Strasburg (13-1, 2.83) seeks a bounce back against Cleveland and right-hander Carlos Carrasco (7-3, 2.31) after suffering his first loss in his last start. Strasburg allowed six runs in six innings in a 6-3 defeat to the Dodgers after winning his previous three outings in dominant fashion. Carrasco threw six scoreless innings and only allowed one hit in an 11-4 victory over Kansas City in his last start.LONG, STRANGE TRIPFollowing a circuitous jaunt to the Canadian border, new Toronto outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. is expected to get his first start for the Blue Jays against San Diego. Upton was traded by the Padres on Tuesday when they were already in Toronto, but joining his new team was much more complicated than walking across the field. Requiring a work visa to enter Canada as a member of the Blue Jays, he drove to 1 1/2 hours to Lewiston, New York, and back to Toronto before Tuesday nights game. Sat at border patrol for a little while, jumped in the car and came back, Upton said. It all went pretty smoothly.dddddddddddd Upton grounded into a fielders choice as a pinch-hitter Tuesday. He was having a resurgent season with the Padres, batting .256 with 16 homers, 45 RBI, 46 runs and 20 steals. Hes hit three game-ending home runs.BIRDS OF PREYSt. Louis tries to extend its recent power surge against Logan Verrett (3-6) and the Mets at Citi Field. The Cardinals have homered in 17 consecutive games, their longest streak since a club-record run of 19 games in 2006. They lead the NL in long balls and have already surpassed last seasons total of 137. The last time they topped the league was 1998, the Elias Sports Bureau said, when Mark McGwire hit 70 of their 223. Part-time infielder Jedd Gyorko has been a steady power source lately, with seven home runs in nine games.NEED SOME SUPPORTYu Darvish looks for a little help when Texas plays Oakland. Darvish is winless in two starts since coming off the disabled list, but the Rangers have scored only two runs combined for him in those games. The right-hander from Japan struck out 11 in six innings against Kansas City last Friday. He is 1-8 in 10 career starts against the As. Rookie lefty Sean Manaea makes his fifth start for Oakland since coming off the DL, and in his last three, the As have scored only one run in his 20 innings. ' ' '