ARLINGTON, Texas -- Both the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers feel like they have winning pieces for a deep postseason run this year.Theres no doubt the Indians do in Mike Napoli and no one knows that better than Texas. Napoli, who went 0-for-3 in Thursdays 9-0 Texas win, has been to the postseason seven times since the 2007 season. Three of those seasons were with the Rangers and another resulted in a World Series title with Boston in 2015.Now Napoli has a chance at an eighth postseason and another World Series with Cleveland. And while Napoli isnt the sole reason the teams hes played on have gone to the postseason, hes certainly been a big contributor.You know its another year, another playoff run, Napoli joked Monday.The Indians have been all smiles since signing Napoli too. Hes leads the Indians in home runs (29) and RBI (87). His RBI total is sixth in the American League and his homer total has him tied for 10th. Its a product of Napoli playing every day and enjoying his time in Cleveland on the field and off the field, where his Party at Napolis t-shirt has become a must-have item for Cleveland fans.Hes been everything manager Terry Francona could have hoped for after talking with Napolis former teammate Dustin Pedroia about him in the offseason.In my book, getting the endorsement from Pedroia is a high mark, but I tell you what, its been that and then some. Hes been, you take the numbers, which are tremendous, but his will to compete every day, regardless of what the weather is, or how he feels, its been a pleasure.His impact in a clubhouse for a team thats been to the postseason just one time in the last nine years may have more of an impact than the numbers hes delivered from the cleanup spot.Im sure there are a certain number of people that have the ability to take people one direction, Francona said. Hes one. I think theres a certain number they certainly look up to him. There are probably a few others that are scared of him. Thats OK, but like when he practices, he practices right. Hes been a pleasure.The Rangers dont have any complaints about their newest addition either. Outfielder Carlos Gomez homered in his first at-bat with the club Thursday to key the win.Like Napoli, Gomez provides spark with his play on and off the field. While his fiery personality may have rubbed some wrong in his previous stops, its part of him and the club liked what they saw Thursday.This is an energy guy, Texas manager Jeff Banister said. Hell give you a lot of energy. Hes going to excite you. He pushes the envelope, which I dont mind. Weve got some guys that do that already. I think hell fit in in that department. And hes got passion for the game and he wants to win. 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WASHINGTON -- Tommie Smith and John Carlos were proud to raise their gloved fists in a symbolic protest at the Olympics, and now theyre proud that Colin Kaepernick and other athletes are staging national anthem protests to raise awareness about racial inequality and police brutality.The American sprinters who were sent home from the 1968 Mexico City Olympics for what they called a human rights salute say the San Francisco 49ers quarterback and others are right to use their platform in an attempt to affect social change 48 years later.Dont hate the kid because he stood up for something to change, said Smith, who won the gold medal and set a world record in the 200 meters in 1968. He stood up for the right to exercise Amendment 1.Speaking Wednesday at the Team USA Awards, the first U.S. Olympic Committee event theyve been invited to since their protest, Smith says hes backing Kaepernick because his protest is proactive and Carlos says theres no better platform than sports to stand up for something, even if it brings criticism.Protest is a good thing because youre trying to expose certain things through protest, said Carlos, who won the bronze in the 200. Then, when you sit back and say, `Well, I dont know whether its the right place to make statement here or there. In any protest, I think you make a statement to try and reach the far ends of the earth. What better way to do it than if youre in a sport.Several athletes have followed Kaepernick, who sat for the anthem, then modified his protest to kneel during it. Some have raised their fists like Smith and Carlos.Most recently, Nebraska footbaall players Michael Rose-Ivey, Mohamed Barry and DaiShon Neal kneeled during the anthem before a game at Northwestern, drawing criticism from university officials.ddddddddddddt is a sacrifice to deal with anything other than status quo, Smith said. As we know very well.While Smith said its important for athletes to study and understand why theyre protesting and what they want to come out of it, Carlos said backlash is part of the process.Any individual that makes a public statement or a public scene is saying we have issues that we need to deal with and we can no longer stick them under the rug or stick them behind the bus or what have you, Carlos said. By bringing attention to society, for them to be able to determine themselves why it was necessary that we take this thing called racism, violence and prejudice and bury it once and for all.It has taken almost half a century for the USOC to welcome Smith and Carlos back into the fold after being on the outside for breaking the rules. Carlos called their return a rebirth and both men hope they can be ambassadors and a positive influence on young people who werent born when they protested at the Olympics.We never denounced what we stood for, Carlos said. We stood for humanity. At the same time they loved the fact that we had courage. Thats what you need in athletics. For them to come and lower the drawbridge so to speak and welcome us across with open arms, its a beautiful situation. I dont think it gets any better. 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