TORONTO -- After just six seasons of MLS play, Toronto FCs legacy of failure was stunning. The team had a league record of 45-88-55 -- outscored 300-201 -- after finishing seventh, seventh, fifth, fifth, eighth and 10th in the Eastern Conference. Toronto had won just 12 of 94 road games. The playoffs were nothing more than a soccer Shangri-La. And the franchise had gone through seven managers. Ryan Nelsen, manager No. 8 in Season No. 7, knew he was inheriting a mess when he was appointed Jan. 8. But straightening the shambles of a team that was the MLS doormat last season at 5-21-8 is proving to be a task of massive proportions for the first-year manager. As Toronto (1-7-4) prepares to host the Philadelphia Union (5-5-3) on Saturday, Nelsens team is mired in a five-game league losing streak -- during which it has been outscored 8-2 -- and has not won in 10 games. Torontos record in all competitions this year is 2-8-4. And apart from a March 9 victory at the Rogers Centre, it has not won a home league game since July 18, 2012, when it beat Colorado 2-1 at BMO Field. On the surface, Toronto FCs tarnish remains. Nelsen and team president Kevin Payne, who took over the club on Nov. 28, have brought in 19 new players. Four have already left and the team has already announced attacking midfielder Hogan Ephraim will return to Englands Queens Park Rangers when his loan spell ends in July. There is also speculation about the future of veteran defender Danny Califf, who has fallen to No. 5 on the depth chart, and who has been absent recently due to a virus, according to Nelsen. The manager, who is already eagerly awaiting the July 9 opening of the summer transfer window, defends the revolving door approach to personnel. "When we got here there was no scouting, no recruitment, no nothing," Nelsen said Tuesday. "There was no vision, there was no anything. "So we had to bring in players on short-term loans that wouldnt affect the team long-term, (so) we wouldnt be hamstrung by salary cap issues. And were not. We only brought in players because of the absolute unbelievable lack of vision that was here. We needed players in or we were in massive trouble. "Now those players, were not hamstrung by them, theyre going to be here on massive amounts of money. They can be moved at any time that they or we think. So in terms of that, yeah, were preparing for the future. But weve had to. Weve had to do drastic things like this because there was absolutely nothing." The most recent player to exit was former English teen sensation John Bostock, who was waived last week. "We had the opportunity to look at him and if it didnt work out, it didnt work out," said Nelsen. "He wants to play. His agent said he needs to play all the time and I couldnt guarantee him playing time." Nelsen does see light at the end of the tunnel despite a lack of clinical play at both ends of the field. Asked if he can see players on his current roster who will be fixtures on the team sheet next season, he starts listing off names: Joe Bendik, Ryan Richter, Doneil Henry, Gale Agbossoumonde, Ashtone Morgan, Matias Laba, Jeremy Hall, Jonathan Osorio, Kyle Bekker and Emery Welshman. All are 24 or younger. It was not a definitive list, but rather one reeled off the top of his head. Nelsen would likely add talented attacking midfielder Luis Silva, who is 24, to that mix. English defender Richard Eckersley, currently injured, is also 24. "Were a very young team," Nelsen said. "We have a lot of faith in a lot of the young guys. But unfortunately, theyre just young, just a bit inexperienced. Theyve just got to live through stuff and get experience." Nelsen has brought in the likes of 32-year-old Robert Earnshaw, 30-year-old Bobby Convey, 32-year-old Steven Caldwell and 32-year-old Darel Russell to help settle the ship. Of the seven losses this season, only one (last weeks 2-0 loss in New England) has been by more than one goal. Nelsen says his team is confident that it can win games. Pressed on why, the normally genteel New Zealander showed his steely side in turning the question back on the media. "Every game we potentially could have got points out of," he said. "You guys dont see it because you only take a look at the result. Just like yourself, youre not really educated on how a game can be. "When we start winning, you guys will be having a go at us because were only winning by one goal. And then once we win 15 in a season, youll be having a go at us because were only winning 15. Thats your job. "The players, they know. Theyre confident. ... Were very close." Nelsen, while generally accommodating with the media, has become more close-mouthed as the season has worn on. He is not likely to disclose personnel information unless asked and even then can dance around the issue. Practices that were once open are now only partially open. Reporters are restricted to glimpses of the final portion of the session, usually from distance. Admittedly Nelsen is used to the game in Britain, where media access is far more limited. Then again soccer is king there. Its not here. Nelsen has made progress and Torontos young talent is undeniable. Nelsen and his coaching staff have a meticulous plan. Their commitment to turning the franchise around is undeniable. Nelsen, who can be cut-throat when it comes to personnel decisions, has also shown a keen eye in identifying and promoting the likes of Osorio and Hall. The depth of his squad remains very much a work in progress, however. And Torontos inability to take its chances means that it is up against it when it makes errors at the defensive end. "We know we need to get better -- in all areas," said Nelsen. "Well just continue to work hard and continually try to do it." The good news on that front is striker Danny Koevermans will likely come off the bench this weekend in his return from a 10-month absence due to a knee injury. Koevermans has been sidelined since tearing up his knee last July 14 in New England. TFC has gone 2-17-8 in MLS play in his absence. Saturdays game against the Union falls in the middle of a five-game run against Eastern Conference opposition. Toronto has already lost to Columbus and New England, with games against D.C. United and Houston to follow. Philadelphia currently occupies the fifth -- and last -- playoff spot in the East with 18 points. Nelsens view-- somewhat optimistic in the eyes of some -- is that his team (which has seven points) could be right back in the thick of things if it can beat the Union and D.C. United, which at 1-9-2 is the only team with a worse record than Toronto. Nelsens team has next week off thanks to a bye, so will have plenty of time to ponder the Philadelphia result. Torontos preparations this week will not be helped by the absence of captain Darren ODea on Ireland duty and Canadians Bekker, Henry, Morgan and Osorio. Henry and ODea are both starters and Osorio probably did enough last week coming off the bench in New England to justify a start. The Canadian quartet will return after Tuesday nights game against Costa Rica in Edmonton. ODea is also set to return following a marquee friendly against England. But the Irish defender will jet off again next week for a friendly against Georgia and World Cup qualifier against the Faroe Islands.Michael Brantley Astros Jersey . 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After Gasquet beat fifth-seeded Ivan Dodig of Croatia 7-5, 6-3, Tsonga followed up with a 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2 win against sixth-seeded Edouard Roger-Vasselin in an all-French match. Gerrit Cole Astros Jersey . Thousands of Southern California fans enveloped the Trojans to celebrate an improbable win secured by an interim coach, an inconsistent kicker and a thin defence that wouldnt break.DETROIT -- Miguel Cabrera helped the Detroit Tigers finish off their second sweep on a homestand in which they won twice as many games as they lost.Detroit, though, dropped a three-game series against the AL Central-leading Cleveland Indians in the middle of the nine-game stretch at Comerica Park to stunt any sort of celebration.Were in third place, Cabrera said after hitting one of three homers for the Tigers in their 10-3 win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday. We have a long way to go.Indeed.The surging Indians started the day with a 7 1/2-game lead over Detroit and a six-game cushion ahead of second-place Kansas City.You dont want to get swept three games by the team youre chasing, so that was kind of a downside of the homestand, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. But 6-3 is a good homestand.Cabrera hit his 18th homer of the season in the fourth inning, tying Billy Williams at No. 48 on baseballs career list with 426. Cabreras latest shot soared into the seats in left-center in a matter of seconds.Its something you dont see very often and I get to see it every time he hits one, teammate Ian Kinsler said. Its a lot of fun to watch.Steven Moya and Jarrod Saltalamacchia cleared the fence in consecutive at-bats in the fifth, giving Detroit an 8-2 lead.Marlins reliever Dustin McGowan gave up all three homers, matching a career high.The Tigers built a cushion right away with a four-run first, getting two runs on Victor Martinezs single off Tom Koehler.Its always going to be tough when you are behind the 8-ball at the end of the first inning, but we got those two runs in the second and got ourselves right back into the game, Miami manager Don Mattingly said. The problem iss that we gave one run back, and that just takes all the momentum away from you.dddddddddddd It got sloppy after that.Daniel Norris (1-0) struck out a career-high eight and gave up two runs on eight hits and a walk over five innings.Norris started for the second time this season, replacing Matt Boyd in the rotation after he was sent to Triple-A Toledo earlier this month. Ausmus said Norris will make at least one more start.The Marlins put two on in the first before Norris struck out Marcell Ozuna looking and Giancarlo Stanton swinging to end the threat.With the traffic, the strikeouts became very important, Ausmus said.Koehler (6-7) allowed five runs and eight hits in three innings.I dont think I ever got settled in, he said. Thats a great lineup, and they just made me work for everything I got.Koehler had won three straight, and was coming off five starts in which he lasted six innings each time.Ichiro Suzuki had two hits for Miami, increasing his major league total to 2,988.Martin Prado had four hits for the third time this season for the Marlins.TRAINERS ROOMMarlins: Ozuna, who missed Miamis last two home games with a sore wrist, was able to play in both games against Detroit.Tigers: Moya played after testing a knee injury Wednesday morning that he sustained Friday, leading to him missing the next two games.UP NEXTMarlins: LHP Wei-Yin Chen (4-2) will start for Miami when its road trip continues Thursday night at Atlanta.Tigers: RHP Jordan Zimmermann (9-4) takes the mound for Detroit when it begins a road trip Thursday night at Tampa Bay. ' ' '