It was the second straight win over L.A. | Forum
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Jan 5 '18
DUNEDIN, Florida – Despite a tweet reporting Ervin Santana to the Blue Jays as a done deal Saturday morning, the last marquee pitcher on the market remains a free agent. Custom Vancouver Canucks Jerseys . The report made for an interesting day at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium, a day that began with reporters scratching their heads at the absence from camp, for a second consecutive day, of starter J.A. Happ, whos battling pain and inflammation in his back. "If the doctor tells you to stay off your feet, you stay off your feet," said manager John Gibbons. The skipper then joked, "Hes not dead, Ill tell you that." Happ has struggled in two spring training appearances. His back hasnt been right during either, which led general manager Alex Anthopoulos to openly muse that there are two, rather than one, available spots in Torontos starting rotation. If multiple reports suggesting Santana has dropped the term demand of a new contract to one year are true, the Blue Jays will continue to kick the tires. There were reports on Saturday that Toronto had offered Santana $14 million for the season, which is roughly the value of the qualifying offer he turned down from his former team, the Kansas City Royals. The Baltimore Orioles also are believed to be interested, with reports they had tabled an offer with a $13 million base salary that could escalate with incentives reached. On the surface, Santana is a risky proposition. While he has been durable, throwing at least 211 innings in four of the last six seasons, he is 31 years old and there are concerns about the health of his right elbow. Santanas patented slider accounts for more than 32 per cent of the pitches hes thrown in his career, a heavy reliance on a pitch that puts severe torque on the shoulder and the elbow. The risk is reduced to almost nothing if Santana is signed only for 2014. The Blue Jays have the money, can afford to cough up the second round selection in Junes draft (their first round picks, ninth and 11th overall, are protected) and Santana is a better option than Happ. The club shouldnt, and fans likely wouldnt, balk at a rotation of R.A. Dickey, Brandon Morrow, Mark Buehrle, Santana and Drew Hutchison. What to do with Happ would be a matter for a later date. While some in the organization are concerned about Santanas propensity to give up the home run, the Jays learned through a raft of injuries last season that a club can never have enough quality pitching. If Santana struggles in the meat-grinder that is the American League East, again, there is no fretting when there is no long-term commitment. The Blue Jays value the arms of Hutchison and Marcus Stroman, believing both to be ready to contribute soon to a successful team. While neither would be hurt by more seasoning at Triple-A Buffalo, Hutchison appears ready to return to the Blue Jays after a lengthy injury absence and Stromans major league debut doesnt have to be far behind. Santana could serve as a viable, experienced, bridge to Stroman and Aaron Sanchez. Hutchison started and threw three innings in Saturdays 4-3 win over Minnesota. His only blemish was a two-run home run by top prospect Byron Buxton in the third. He struck out five Twins, including the side in the second, and was routinely registering 93-95 miles per hour on his fastball. McGRIFFS STILL GOT IT Former Blue Jays first baseman Fred McGriff is back in the fold, serving as a consultant and an in-uniform coach this spring. Hes out on the field, stretching with the players and taking infield. Those are get-to-know-you opportunities for the long-time big leaguer. "Im just trying to get to learn these guys," said McGriff. "This is my first time in big league camp with the Blue Jays and just trying to see what makes guys tick and everything and help the pitchers. If Im running sprints or taking ground balls with the guys its just about getting to know guys." Now 50 years old, McGriff appears fit enough to still be able to play. He does P90-X workouts, Insanity too, although he jokes he "cant swing (a bat) … those days are over. "Just by me stretching and running with these guys, there may be a pitcher that says, Hey, Fred, what did you look for in this situation as a hitter or what did you do right there," said McGriff. "If Im taking ground balls, theyre trying to make Moises Sierra a first baseman a little bit and theyve got Adam Lind and those guys so trying to tell them little secrets I had, little things I did because I was blessed to play 18 years." McGriff spent four full seasons with the Blue Jays, from 1987-90. He was traded to San Diego, along with Tony Fernandez, in the famous deal that brought Roberto Alomar and Joe Carter to Toronto prior to the 1991 season. Since retiring in 2004, McGriff has dabbled in broadcasting and served as an ambassador for the Rays, his hometown team and the club for which he played twice (1998-2001, 2004) While he enjoyed visiting patrons in the luxury suites to take pictures and sign autographs, he wanted more. As a consultant, hell spend a week out of each month visiting one of the Blue Jays farm cities, treks that will take him to, among other places, Buffalo, Manchester, New Hampshire and Lansing, Michigan. McGriff could see himself in a front office one day. "Ive got a brain, I was blessed to play and Ive got some knowledge," said McGriff. "I would love to try to help the Blue Jays in any way I can to get back to a World Series. Use my brain, ask me some questions about some different pitchers, hitters, maybe try to get into management, be a decision maker. Say a team may be interested in making a trade, maybe they can ask me, Hey Fred, why dont you go check out this player, see what you think or make some phone calls and see how this guy is off the field." McGriff, known as the "Crime Dog," is able to relate to todays player despite the many differences he sees. "They make a lot more money now," said McGriff. "When I was a rookie the minimum was $62,000 and now the minimum is $500,000. Its a whole lot different ballgame with social media and everything. Its so different. Guys, you may see them leave the field and go hop on the phone and get on their Twitter account or Facebook or something like that. "The game of baseball is still the same," he continued. "Youve got to try to get 27 outs and if our pitcher is better than your pitcher were going to win ballgames. Even though the dollars have changed and everything and everything else that goes on, its still baseball." WILSON PLAYS HERO Kenny Wilson played the hero in the Blue Jays 4-3 victory over Minnesota on Saturday. His ninth-inning triple, a drive off the centerfield wall, cashed Erik Kratz with the game-winning run. "It was just two strikes, looking for a pitch up in the zone and I was able to put a pretty good swing on it," said Wilson. Wilson, 24, was a second round pick in the 2008 draft. Hes been slow to develop offensively but the Blue Jays saw enough value in the defensively sound speedster to protect him from Decembers Rule 5 draft. He was added to the 40-man roster. "When I got the call from Charlie Wilson it was pretty surreal," said Wilson. "I went to the (Arizona) Fall League, playing there and I was really hoping I could get added to the 40-man in November and when he asked me I was really excited." A native of Tampa, Wilson has worked with the likes of McGriff on ways to shorten his swing. Hell need to improve on a six-year minor league batting average of .229 and OPS of .640. But if Wilson gets on base, hes a threat to run. Hes stolen 194 bases in 490 minor league games. RASMUS UPDATE Colby Rasmus reported no problems with his neck after playing catch and taking swings in the batting cage. Hes been out for more than a week with neck spasms and received a cortisone injection to settle down the affected muscle. The plan is for Rasmus to work out tomorrow, enjoy the team day off on Monday, then play on Tuesday in St. Petersburg against the Canadian Junior team. Alex Burrows Jersey . Patty Mills scored 15 points, Tim Duncan had 10 points and 11 rebounds in limited minutes, and San Antonio trailed for only 11 seconds late in the first quarter of a 103-90 victory over Portland on Wednesday night. Trevor Linden Jersey . Carcillo was a little of both for New York in Game 3. Derek Stepan, Martin St. Louis, Dan Girardi and Carcillo scored goals, leading the Rangers to a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night.(SportsNetwork.com) - The struggling Los Angeles Kings will try to pick up just their second win in seven games when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs in Mondays battle at Staples Center. The Kings have not been playing like defending Stanley Cup champions during what has been a difficult start to the 2014-15 season and the club is just 1-2-3 over its last six games. That includes an 0-1-2 start to a seven-game homestand which has dropped Los Angeles record as the host to 14-5-4. L.A. lost a 5-4 shootout decision Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets, who moved one point ahead of the Kings for the first of two wild card spots in the Western Conference. Winnipeg jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the opening seven minutes of the first period, but the Kings cut the deficit to one by the end of the opening stanza. L.A. grabbed a 4-3 lead with third-period goals from Marian Gaborik and Kyle Clifford, but Zach Bogosian would score with 5:56 remaining in regulation to eventually send the game to overtime. Bryan Little then scored the lone shootout goal to award the extra point to the Jets. Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick allowed Winnipeg to score three times on its first three shots of the game, but he rebounded to stop 21-of-22 shots the rest of the way. Quick also made an incredible sprawling save, falling backward with his left hand stopping a shot from Mathieu Perreault in the second round of the shootout. However, Little beat the Kings netminder when he scored the only goal of the shootout in the fourth round. Littles wrist shot found the right side of the net before Kings forward Mike Richards missed the net on his attempt to extend the shootout. Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams joined Clifford and Gaborik as the goal- scorers for L.A., which went 2-for-6 on the power play. Everyone individually has to step up, myself included, Kings defenseman Alec Martinez said. We all have to take a little more ownership in our game, and play Kings hockey. Im confident this team will be successful if we do that. If we keep on digging ourselves in a hole in the first period like weve been doing, and giving up as many goals as we have been, its going to be pretty difficult on us. Kings forward Tanner Pearson leeft the game late in the second period with a lower body injury after he was driven into the boards by Jets defenseman Jay Harrison. Sven Baertschi Jersey. Pearson, who has 12 goals and four assists in 42 games this season, suffered a fractured fibula and is out indefinitely. Fellow forward Tyler Toffoli also will miss a second straight game with mononucleosis. Quick is expected to start tonight for the Kings. He is 2-2-1 with a 2.74 goals against average in five career games against the Maple Leafs. Former L.A. netminder Jonathan Bernier earned a victory with just 18 saves on Friday to help Toronto halt a three-game skid with a 5-2 win over visiting Columbus. It was just the third win in the last 11 games for the Leafs, who are 1-1-0 since firing head coach Randy Carlyle and replacing him on an interim basis with Peter Horachek. James van Riemsdyk had two goals and an assist to help the Maple Leafs down the Blue Jackets. Phil Kessel, Tyler Bozak and Daniel Winnik each registered a goal and an assist for the Maple Leafs. I thought there was a clear focus yesterday and clear focus this morning. I felt it, Horachek said. Kessel played in his 406th consecutive game, the second-longest games played streak in Maple Leafs history. Tim Horton owns the record at 486. Toronto, which is three points out of a playoff spot in the East, is hoping Fridays win can give the club confidence as it begins a road-heavy part of the schedule. Beginning with tonights tilt in the City of Angels, the Maple Leafs are playing four straight and nine of its next 11 games on the road. The Leafs are 15-9-0 at Air Canada Centre this season compared to a 7-8-3 mark on the road. The swing will continue Wednesday in Anaheim. Bernier is 0-1-0 with a 3.83 GAA in his career against the Kings and its uncertain if he will get the call against his former club tonight. Backup James Reimer boasts a lifetime 3-0-1 record and 1.83 GAA versus L.A. Reimer earned the win when Toronto notched a 4-3 shootout win over a visiting L.A. team on Dec. 14. It was the second straight win over L.A. for the Maple Leafs, who are 3-1-1 in the last five matchups in this series. Toronto has claimed the past three encounters at Staples Center. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
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