innings -- multiple runners on, pitches in an inning -- are factored into pitching decisions. Thats one of the reasons Yu Darvish was pulled after a season-low four innings Sunday. Darvish allowed five runs

Speculation has it that even if Alabama does not beat Florida to win the SEC Championship, the Crimson Tide could still earn a spot in the third annual College Football Playoff.But dont suggest that to Tide coach Nick Saban.Thats certainly not the mindset that we want, Saban said. This is a big game for us. Its an opportunity to win the SEC championship, which to me is a very, very significant accomplishment. We hold that in very high esteem, having the opportunity to do that, having the ability to do it, having the ability to play for it.The Tide (12-0, 8-0 SEC) and Gators (8-3, 6-2 SEC) will clash at 4 p.m. ET Saturday in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, with CBS cameras catching the action.Alabamas players are locked into Sabans way of thinking.You dont ever want to lose really, Tide tight end O.J. Howard said. You dont want to have to let the season come down to the committee choosing what your stakes are. We just have to take care of business on the field ourselves and we can control our destiny.Alabama, No. 1 in this weeks College Football Playoff rankings, has a chance to become the first team to win three straight SEC championships since Florida won four from 1993 to 1996. Alabama made the College Football Playoff both years with a loss, and the Tide lost a game in three of their four national championship seasons as well.You all want to put everything on the playoffs, man. Thats all you care about, Saban said. You dont care about bowl games, you dont care about any teams in the country that arent in the playoffs. I dont know. If we dont win this game, maybe we throw a stink bomb out there, maybe we dont get in the playoffs. I dont know. You guys have all the answers to that, but I dont.All I know is that if we play and we play well, we control our destiny in terms of what we do. So Id really rather not have any more questions about Is it OK to lose this game? Its never OK to lose a game.With an offense that is producing nearly 40 points and 480 yards a game led by freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts (20 touchdown passes, 12 rushing touchdowns, 2,454 yards passing, 840 rushing) and running back Damien Harris (897 yards rushing), the Tide is expected to roll over a Florida defensive unit that is could have seven starters out with injuries.End Jordan Sherit, injured in last weeks loss to Florida State, is the latest addition to a list that features end Bryan Cox Jr., linebackers Jarrad Davis and Alex Anzalone and safeties Nick Washington and Marcus Maye. They could be joined by linebacker Daniel McMillian and safety Duke Washington, who are day-to-day.The problems are multiplied with the difficulties the Gators have moving the ball with an offense that ranks 13th out of 14 teams in the SEC and averages 352.7 yards a game rushing and passing.Backup quarterback Austin Appleby likely will start with injured starter Luke Del Rio available on a limited basis against an Alabama defense that has held opponents to national lows of 68.7 yards a game rushing and 246.8 yards a game in total offense.But Gators coach Jim McElwain isnt conceding anything.I dont look at it as mismatch, he said. I look at it as a great opportunity. Thats part of the chess match.Still, the Gators have scored just 29 points over their last two games and failed to score an offensive touchdown last week in a 31-13 loss to Florida State.Weve got to get the ball in our playmakers hands in space and allow them to be able to make plays, McElwain said.The game is a rematch of last seasons SEC title game, which Alabama won 29-15. This will be the ninth time they have played for the championship since the league split into two divisions in 1992. They have split the previous eight meetings 4-4.It means a lot to be able to be in this ballgame, McElwain said. This is one of those weekends where a lot of teams arent playing. Its an honor to be representing the East. Custom Keith Tkachuk Jersey . 24 Baylor in a Big 12 clash between teams trending in opposite directions. Andrew Wiggins made 10-of-12 from the foul line and scored 17 for Kansas (14-4, 5-0 Big 12), which capped a stretch of four straight games against ranked opponents unscathed. Custom Jets Jersey China .C. -- Chris Thorburn thinks one of the reasons the Winnipeg Jets have been successful under new coach Paul Maurice is that theyre playing together as a team. http://www.customnhljetsjersey.com/ .B. -- The Baie-Comeau Drakkar took over sole possession of first place atop the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on Thursday with their sixth straight win. Custom Jets T-shirts . -- Washington Redskins tight end Fred Davis was charged Thursday with driving while intoxicated, a day after he was suspended for an NFL substance-abuse policy violation. Authentic Custom Jets Jersey . -- Quarterback Will Finch threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns, and Yannick Harou rushed in two scores as the No. SEATTLE -- For the second time in a week, Cole Hamels got battered by the Seattle Mariners.Fortunately for Hamels, hes not likely to see Seattle again this season.Hamels lasted just 1 2/3 innings on Monday, giving up seven earned runs and homers to Robinson Cano and Franklin Gutierrez in Seattles 14-6 win over the Texas Rangers.The Mariners scored five runs in the first, then pulled away with a six-run sixth inning as Hamels watched from the bench long after he had been lifted. It was just the second time in his career that Hamels failed to pitch at least two innings. He lasted just two outs in a 2010 start with Philadelphia, and gave up six runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings last week against the Mariners in Texas.I understand what were trying to accomplish here and when youre not able to do it, especially twice in a row with the type of situations that Ive come out of the game with, theres probably more disappointment in the fact of not being able to give this team a chance to win, Hamels said.Hamels (14-5) had a similar pair of games earlier this year when he faced Minnesota twice in a week. Both times, Hamels couldnt get through five innings, giving up 15 hits and 10 earned runs combined in consecutive starts against the Twins. Those poor performances could be partly explained by Hamels dealing with a blister on his pitching hand.There is no physical issue with Hamels now, just two subpar performances in a row.He didnt get the quality of strike that he wanted to, Texas manager Jeff Banister said. I dont think it was a rhythm issue today, just more didnt get it on the edges where hed like to.Despite being staked to a 7-0 lead, Seattle starter Felix Hernandez (10-5) nearly gave it all away. Texas scored five times off Hernandez in the third inning, including a three-run homer by Nomar Mazara and RBI singles from Rougned Odor and Jonathan Lucroy. Hernandez threw 49 pitches in the inning, but managed to keep the lead. Hernandez made it through 5 2/3 innings and gave up six runs before being lifted.It was my fault. I got out of my game a little bit there, Hernandez said.Odor addeed a solo home run in the sixth inning -- his 30th of the season -- and has homered in five of the past six games.dddddddddddd Odor had two career hits off Hernandez entering the day.I talked to (Shin-Soo) Choo, I talked to (Adrian) Beltre and (Carlos) Beltran, and they gave me a couple tips, Odor said. I tried to do that and I hit pretty good today against him.RATTLING THE BATSCanos 32 homers this season are one off his career high set in 2012 while with the New York Yankees. The two-run shot also set the tone for Seattles largest offensive output since scoring 14 in a win over Toronto in late July. Gutierrez drove in four runs and Jesus Sucre tied a career high with three hits, including a two-run single to cap Seattles big first inning.The key at-bat was Kyle Seagers two-out walk in the first inning. Seager stole second base to get into scoring position and scored on Dae-Ho Lees base hit for an early 3-0 lead. Leonys Martin followed with a double, and Sucres soft liner scored a pair for a 5-0 lead.TRAINERS ROOM:Rangers: Banister said high stress innings -- multiple runners on, pitches in an inning -- are factored into pitching decisions. Thats one of the reasons Yu Darvish was pulled after a season-low four innings Sunday. Darvish allowed five runs on seven hits, throwing 80 pitches, but 33 were in a two-run first.Mariners: RHP Tom Wilhelmsen, on the 15-day DL with lower back spasms, is expected to throw a simulated game on Thursday. Thats the plan with him, see how that goes, manager Scott Servais said. Once he faces some hitters, well see where thats at.UP NEXTRangers: LHP Martin Perez (9-10) makes his career-high 29th start. He is 2-6 with a 5.73 ERA in his last 11 starts. Perez, who had Tommy John surgery in May 2014, already has pitched 169 2/3 innings this season. His high was 167 2/3 in 2013.Mariners: LHP James Paxton (4-5) was pushed back one day after tearing a fingernail in his last start, when he came out after five innings against Texas. ' ' '