HOUSTON -- Houston Astros right-hander Mark Appel, the top overall pick in the 2013 draft, is recovering after an appendectomy. Christian Kirksey Jersey . Appel had the procedure in Houston in Thursday. General manager Jeff Luhnow says the team expects the pitcher will be able to report to spring training on time. The Astros also announced that left-hander Raul Valdes had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee this week. Valdes will report to camp on Feb. 15, but his recovery time is estimated at four to six weeks. Valdes was claimed off waivers from Philadelphia in October. Eric Murray Jersey .com) - Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll knows about life in the NFL from other stints around the league. DErnest Johnson Jersey . "Youre not really spending time to sit back and analyze what your competitions doing and things like that," Anthopoulos said. "Youre so focused on what were trying to get done." Ultimately, while the landscape around them changed with trades both major and minor, the Blue Jays did nothing before Thursdays non-waiver deadline.Columbus, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - The 16th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes will try to close out a season-opening five-game homestand unbeaten on Friday afternoon when they welcome the James Madison Dukes to Value City Arena. JMU had a tough task on opening night against nationally-ranked Virginia, losing 79-51, but since then it has righted the ship with four consecutive victories. The Dukes most recently closed out a five-game homestand on Wednesday with a 79-72 victory over Sacred Heart. Ohio State has barely broken a sweat this season, winning all four of its games by double-digit margins, including its latest contest against Campbell on Wednesday, 91-64. The Buckeyes are 113-6 all-time at Value City Arena against non-conference opponents, which includes wins in 97 of the last 98. The all-time series between the Dukes and the Buckeyes is knotted up at 1-1. Ohio State won the last meeting in November of 2009, 72-44. The Dukes held a lead as large as 20 in the first half of their most recent game, and while they allowed Sacred Heart to cut its deficit to just five in the final 20 minutes, they avoided a collapse and held on for the seven-point win. They shot 50 percent from the floor and had an active, effective night at the free-throw line (27-of-33). Paulius Satkus was nearly perfect en route to 21 points, shooting 5-of-5 from the floor and 10-of-11 at the line. Jackson Kent netted 15 points, Tom Vodanovich came off the bench to scoore 12 and Ron Curry tallied 11 points and seven assists. Damon Sheehy-Guiseppi Jersey. On the season, JMU has been great in close games, piling up a 4-1 record despite a slim +2.0 scoring margin. Kent is the top scoring option with 15.2 ppg and has been outstanding from 3-point range, making 13-of-24 (.542). Curry (11.0 ppg) hands out 5.0 apg. Yohanny Dalembert (10.6 ppg), Vodanovich (10.3 ppg), Winston Grays (9.8 ppg) and Satkus (9.4 ppg) round out a balanced attack. The Buckeyes played very well on both ends of the floor in their 27-point win earlier in the week, as they outshot Campbell from the field, 60.7 percent to 37.7 percent, and won the turnover battle, 17-10. All five starters finished in double figures, led by 22 points out of DAngelo Russell, who also handed out seven assists. Marc Loving poured in 18 points, Sam Thompson and Shannon Scott netted 11 points apiece and Amir Williams scored 10. Ohio States dominance on both ends of the court has become a theme on the season, as the team shoots a lofty 60.8 percent from the field for 90.8 ppg while allowing just 57.5 ppg on 36.9 percent shooting. The squad also lives comfortably in terms of its rebounding (+6.8) and turnover (+7.3) margins. Russell puts up a team-best 19.0 ppg and has been great from 3-point range (12-of-23). Loving (13.0 ppg) and Sam Thompson (11.8 ppg) are strong complimentary options, and Scott (9.8 ppg) leads the nation in assists per game with 11.5. Wholeslae JerseysNFL Jerseys CheapWholesale NBA JerseysCheap NHL JerseysCheap MLB JerseysWholesale Soccer JerseysCheap College JerseysCheap Football JerseysCheap Basketball JerseysCheap Baseball Jerseys ' ' '