MILWAUKEE -- Jonathan Villar is struggling -- badly -- but Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell isnt worried.One the more pleasant surprises on Milwaukees roster this season, Villar entrenched himself in the leadoff spot early on in 2016 and kept on hitting, carrying a .297 average into the final month of the season. But in his last 16 games, Villar has gone 5-for-52 at the plate.What Jonathan -- and a couple of guys -- are going through is just the grind of a major league season, Counsell said. From my perspective, they need to go through it because its whats going to happen next year and the years after that.You need to go through it, you need to experience some of this stuff for the first time. You cant take it away from guys, they have to experience it for the first time.Villar went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout on Saturday but also stole his 59th base, moving past injured Cincinnati outfielder Billy Hamilton for the National League lead.I want him to experience some of this a little bit, Counsell said. Not the feeling of failure, but to know that this is what September feels like. Its important and its going to help him next year as he goes through the course of a season. Thats kind of how Im thinking about it.Youre not going to put guys out there who are completely washed out, but I do think that this is part of a 162-game season and when we get to a point when these last 10 games are determining a playoff spot, you want guys who have been through this a bit.Villar will try to dig out of his funk Sunday against Cincinnati right-hander Brandon Finnegan as the Brewers and Reds wrap up their season series with a matinee at Miller Park.It will be the final start of the season for Finnegan, who has thrown 167 innings this season in 31 starts for the Reds. Hed like to finish on a high note, especially after lasting only 2 1/3 innings his last time out.That was supposed to be Finnegans final outing, but with the Reds short on starting pitching, even with expanded September rosters, manager Bryan Price opted to give Finnegan one more start.Im not going to be sitting around for two weeks, thats the good thing about it, said Finnegan, who is 9-11 with a 4.30 ERA this season. If I was doing that, I probably would just sit around and get fat. Its just the truth.Price had considered using Homer Bailey, who hasnt pitched since experiencing arm soreness during an Aug. 28 start, but opted against it for the time being.Im just not ready to commit that hes in the rotation. Thats all, Price said. We havent gotten to that point yet where we have universal confirmation that thats the way we want to go.Wily Peralta gets the ball for Milwaukee, his seventh start since returning from a two-month demotion in the minor leagues. Peralta was 4-7 with a 6.68 ERA when he was optioned to Triple-A Colorado Springs on June 11, but since returning to Milwaukee on Aug. 9, he has gone 3-3 with a 3.26 ERA in eight starts.Peralta has faced the Reds 13 times in his career and twice already this season, going 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA. Cheap Shoes Online . -- Aldon Smith believes he is on the path to being sober for good. Discount Shoes Online . Traditional contenders Brazil, Greece and Turkey drew the other three spots to complete the 24-team field for this summers tournament in Spain, basketball governing body FIBA announced Saturday at its meeting in Barcelona. http://www.cheapshoeswebsites.com/ .5 seconds to play in the game, Kevin Love never stopped believing that they would come out of there with a win. Cheap Shoes Wholesale Free Shipping . Nigeria beat surprise package Ethiopia 2-0 in the second leg of their playoff for a comfortable 4-1 aggregate victory. Victor Moses converted a 20th-minute penalty after an Ethiopian handball, and Victor Obinna made certain of Nigerias place in Brazil with his powerful free kick in the 82nd at UJ Esuene Stadium. Wholesale Shoes Cheap . That left plenty of energy for pitching books and swatting away free agency questions. Anthony had 24 points and nine rebounds, and the Knicks avenged an embarrassing home loss with a rout of their own, beating the Boston Celtics 114-88 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory. RIO DE JANEIRO -- Gabby Douglas tried to block out the criticism when national team coordinator Martha Karolyi named the reigning Olympic champion to the 2016 gymnastics team last month despite a so-so performance at trials.Emphasis on tried.Yes, Douglas wasnt crisp on beam either night in San Jose. Yes, there were a handful of other athletes Karolyi could have chosen instead with minimal effect on the Americans chances of steamrolling their way to gold in Rio. And yes, Douglas understands everything she does now will be compared to that euphoric summer four years ago when she rapidly morphed from prodigy to superstar.Yet Karolyi chose her anyway, confident there was nothing wrong with Douglas that a little quality time at the Karolyi Ranch in the southeast Texas woods couldnt fix. The second-guessing on social media came anyway. Douglas heard it loud and clear.I mean everyone makes mistakes and after trials it was hard because there was a lot of negativity, but whatever, Douglas said Thursday after finishing a solid round of podium training inside the Olympic Arena. I feel like shutting it all the way (down) and I have to prove myself.Funny, but the poised and professional gymnast that always seems to turn it on when it is absolutely necessary was back just three days before team qualifying.There was Douglas working the beam Thursday evening without so much as a wobble. There was Douglas gliding over the uneven bars. Its a testament to how much Douglas has improved over the last month -- much of that time spent under Karolyis close, personal supervision -- that shes assured of a spot in the all-around with three-time world champion Simone Biles while Aly Raisman and Laurie Hernandez are fighting for the third all-around spot even though both finished well ahead of Douglas at trials.Thats how quickly Douglas seems to respond when shes able to retreat into the sanctity of the ranch.She kind of has us in a little bubble, Douglas said. Its great we all get to go down there and she whips us into shape.Its exactly what Karolyi had in mind when she selected Douglas over alternates MyKayla Skinner, Ashton Locklear and Ragan Smith and 2015 world championship team member Maggie Nichols.It would be a stretch to caall Karolyi sentimental, but shes uniquely attuned to what makes Douglas work.dddddddddddd It happened last fall when Douglas struggled in training ahead of the world championships before coming alive once the team got to Britain, where she finished runner-up to Biles in the all-around and qualified for the bars final. Karolyi believes it can happen again.I know Gabby for many years, Karolyi said. Like I said, shes peaking a little bit later and she definitely needs organized and structured training system installed before competitions and she reacts well to that. She responds very, very well. I feel that she is ready to compete.Nowhere is her renewed confidence more visible than on beam. After hopping off once during both nights at trials -- mistakes that overshadowed largely clean routines elsewhere -- Douglas attacked it during training in the green-splashed arena. Podium training is basically a dress rehearsal, a chance for the gymnasts to get a feel for the equipment, the lighting and the energy. No wonder she looked so at home. Shes been here before.Its not really feeling any different (than in London), Douglas said. Weve done so many routines were kind of like on autopilot right now. Its go, go, go, go.Its a sense of urgency that Douglas has long thrived on. A pep talk with Christian Gallardo -- who took over as her full-time coach between U.S. Championships and Olympic Trials -- helped, too.The biggest thing we talk about is going out and doing her gymnastics, Gallardo said. Her gymnastics are beautiful, consistent, clean. She doesnt have to worry about anything other than going out and being Gabby Douglas.When she steps into the arena on Sunday, shell be the first reigning Olympic champion to return to the ensuing games since Nadia Comaneci in 1980. Its heady territory and despite her occasionally uneven route back to this point, Douglas is trying to enjoy it. That doesnt mean its easy. The crown shes worn for four years has proven heavy at times.Im not going to go out here and listen to any negative thing, she said. Just shine bright and do what Im capable of doing. ' ' '