as he was the Tar Heels top deep threat. | Forum

                                      LOS ANGELES -- Six years after representing the Colorado Rockies in the All-Star Futures game, left-hander Christian Friedrich continues his campaign to rebuild his career when his San Diego Padres face the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday at Dodger Stadium. http://www.atleticomadridpro.com/Kids-Saul-Niguez-Jersey/ .Friedrichs opponent, right-hander Kenta Maeda, seeks to resurrect his own season after a brilliant April following a stellar career in Japan.Friedrich -- who turned 29 on Friday -- threw only three pitches and retired the only batter he faced for the United States in a 9-1 victory over the World at Angel Stadium. Merely making that team, however, reflected Friedrichs potential as a major leaguer.However, he never gained a foothold with the Rockies. In 2012, Friedrich went 5-8 as a rookie starter before a stress fracture in his lower back ended his season and limited him to just four appearances in 2013. The Rockies tried making Friedrich a reliever but he went 0-8 the past two years.The Los Angeles Angels claimed Friedrich on waivers in February but sent him back to the Rockies, who released him. The Padres signed the left-hander as a free agent in March. Since entering the rotation May 13, Friedrich started 3-1 but has lost three of his past four decisions.Nevertheless, Friedrich showed flashes of his potential June 23, when he used his slider to retire the first nine batters in a start against the Baltimore Orioles before suffering a 12-6 loss.I think its always been one of my better pitches, especially as an out pitch, Friedrich told MLB.com. But when were mixing and matching all of the other pitches, it definitely makes it a little bit better.Maeda, meanwhile, seeks just his fifth victory since beginning his major league career with four quality starts in his first four appearances. During that stretch, Maeda compiled a 3-0 record while allowing just one earned run in 25 1/3 innings.Since then, however, Maeda lost his next three decisions before winning three of his ensuing four. In his last start Tuesday night against the Baltimore Orioles, the 28-year-old rookie allowed four runs, seven hits and three walks in four innings to take his second defeat in his previous three decisions.When he has had good outings and gone deeper, obviously, the mix is good, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told the Los Angeles Daily News after that 4-1 loss. But youve got to make major league hitters respect your fastball, and that you can locate it. For a major league starter to get three times through an order, you have to make batters respect different pitches. If they can lock in on a certain pitch, it just makes it that much tougher.Hitters have been able to decipher Maeda once they survive the early innings. Entering Sundays game, opponents were batting .191 before Maeda reaches 75 pitches but .351 afterward.I think simply put its a control issue, he told the Daily News through an interpreter. For me, I think its more of an execution issue, more about command and control which I definitely didnt have today.Another disturbing trend: Maeda has lasted seven innings just once, on April 17 in a 3-1 win over the San Francisco Giants.After 75 pitches, third time through, the breaking ball has to be especially sharp, Roberts told the Daily News. If its not, theres damage to be had.In Japan, Maeda was the one doing damage. During his eight-year career with the Hiroshima Carp in Japans Central League, the right-hander won 15 games three times and compiled earned-run averages ranging between 2.60 and 1.53 in the past six years.Last season, Maeda led Japans Central League with 15 wins, compiled a 2.09 ERA and held opponents to a .222 average. Maedas performance earned him the Sawamura Award as the best pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball for the second time.The Dodgers signed Maeda to an eight-year contract worth $25 million in January after declining to re-sign right-hander Zack Greinke or to pursue two other highly regarded free-agent starters, right-handers Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija -- who helped the San Francisco Giants compile baseballs best record. http://www.atleticomadridpro.com/Kids-Blank-Jersey/ . -- Canadian Andrew Wiggins got the ball on the wing, made a nifty spin move and then let go with a soft floater from about 10 feet that swished through the net in Allen Fieldhouse. http://www.atleticomadridpro.com/Kids-Thomas-Partey-Jersey/ . Most important, perhaps, it went off without a hitch. Organizers poked a little fun at the now-infamous opening ceremony gaffe that saw only four out of five snowflakes open up into rings, leaving the Olympics logo one ring short. http://www.atleticomadridpro.com/Kids-Rodri-Jersey/ . 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. North Carolina starting wide receiver Mack Hollins is out for the season after breaking his right collarbone in a win over Miami on Saturday.The school announced Hollins had surgery on Sunday. The senior ends his career with 81 receptions for 1,667 yards and 20 touchdowns. His career touchdowns rank third in school history.Hollins began his Tar Heels career as a walk-on, making a name for himself on special teams before earning a starting spot at wide receiver and a scholarship.Mack has been an instrumental player in our program, coach Larry Fedora said in a statement. He became our special teams captain as a freshman and always took pride in making playys in that part of the game. http://www.atleticomadridpro.com/Kids-Jose-Gimenez-Jersey/. Over the last three seasons, he has been a key component of our offense at wide receiver and has been one of our most vocal leaders. His contributions on the field will be missed, but he will continue to be involved with the program and help mentor our players.Hollins was injured on his only reception in the 20-13 win over the Hurricanes.His loss is a big one for the North Carolina offense, as he was the Tar Heels top deep threat. He was averaging 19.3 yards per reception this season. 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