KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- The Atlanta Braves agreed Wednesday on a $14.1 million, one-year contract with Ervin Santana, bolstering their injury plagued starting rotation. The 33-year-old right-hander went 9-10 with a 3.24 ERA in 32 starts for the Kansas City Royals last season and should make a huge impact with the battered Braves, who are facing the prospect of losing Kris Medlen for the season and opening with Brandon Beachy and Mike Minor on the disabled list. Medlen, who had been announced as Atlantas opening-day starter, left a spring training outing Sunday after grabbing his right elbow. Initial tests showed ligament damage, and he will undergo further examination to determine if he needs surgery for the second time in less than four years. Medlen said hes already preparing himself to miss the entire season. Beachy left a start Monday because of continuing problems with his right elbow, and Minor has yet to pitch this spring because of a sore shoulder. "In light of what has happened over the past few days with our pitching staff, we felt it was incumbent on us to do everything we could to strengthen our starting pitching," Braves general manager Frank Wren told reporters before a game against Washington. Santana will be pitching in the NL for the first time in his 10-year career. He spent eight seasons with the Los Angeles Angels before being traded to the Royals in 2013, helping Kansas City post an 86-76 record, their best since 1989. But Santana, who made $13 million in the final year of his contract, turned down a $14.1 million qualifying offer from the Royals and became a free agent. Given his hefty contract demands, he remained unsigned as spring training began, despite putting up some impressive career numbers. "This guy makes our rotation a lot better than where we are at now," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said, praising Wren. "We lost Medlen and Beachy in a matter of 2 1/2 days and he went out there and got the best pitcher available for us." Santana threw a bullpen at the Braves spring training complex on Wednesday, which Gonzalez said went well. Despite his late entrance to camp, Santana could be ready for the start of the season. "It will be close," Gonzalez said. "We are kind of keeping our fingers crossed that we can get him enough innings where he can start for us." Santana was an AL All-Star in 2008, tossed a no-hitter in 2011, and has reached double-figure wins five times, going a career-best 17-10 in 2010 and twice winning 16 games. Overall, he is 105-90 with a 4.19 ERA. Santanas agent, Jay Alou, said he initially received a text from Wren on Sunday, then got another call Tuesday night while negotiating with other clubs. It didnt take long to reach an agreement with Atlanta, a deal that includes award bonuses. Its easy to see why the Braves felt a sense of desperation. Medlen went a team-leading 15-12 with a 3.11 ERA last season, while Minor was 13-9 with a 3.21 ERA. The team also was counting on a full recovery for Beachy, who was one of the NLs most effective pitchers in 2012 before he underwent season-ending elbow surgery. Beachy has been limited to a total of 18 starts over the past two seasons, enduring several setbacks in his attempt to come back. After his latest problem, he will miss his next scheduled spring start and faces another trip to the DL. Minor, who underwent urinary tract surgery on Dec. 31, hopes to pitch within the next week but also seems likely to start the season on the DL while he builds his arm strength. Given all the health issues, the Braves got to the go-ahead from corporate owner Liberty Media to bump the payroll well above the projected $100 million limit. Wren called it "an incredible decision by the organization." With opening day less than three weeks away, the only healthy members of the Braves possible rotation are second-year pitchers Julio Teheran (14-8 last season) and Alex Wood, rookie David Hale and non-roster invitee Freddy Garcia. Hale and Garcia have both struggled this spring. Atlanta also signed veteran Gavin Floyd, but he is coming off Tommy John surgery and wont be ready to pitch until at least May. Now, add Santana to the list, though it will likely be mid-April before he is prepared to join the rotation. He has been throwing on the side and could make his spring training debut next week. "We want to take the right amount of caution to get him ready right, and be ready for the long haul," Wren said. By signing Santana, the Braves forfeited their first-round pick in Junes amateur draft, No. 26 overall, and the Royals will receive a compensation-round selection, the 28th overall. Atlantas first pick is now 32nd overall, as compensation for losing free agent catcher Brian McCann, who signed with the New York Yankees. Santanas signing leaves only two free agents -- Stephen Drew and Kendrys Morales -- available from the 13 players who turned down qualifying offers. If they agree to one-year contracts after opening day, they wouldnt be subject to qualifying offers this November. If they wait until after the draft to reach agreements, clubs that sign them wont lose selections. Among the 22 qualifying offers in the two years of the new labour contract, none have been accepted. "Frankly, the players havent adjusted to the change," New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said. "To blame the system versus the marketplace and blame the system versus a misunderstanding of the marketplace I think is a little one-sided. From a management standpoint, Id say, Hey, Im surprised if you guys havent taken a qualifying offer. Maybe they should have." Authentic Coach Black Friday UK . But hes choosing to view his loss to the No. 3-ranked player in the world as a learning experience. "Everything is a lesson," Raonic said following his 6-2, 6-3 loss to the Swiss star. Coach Black Friday UK .com) - Tom Brady and Russell Wilson each threw touchdown passes in the final minute of the second quarter as the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks went into halftime of Super Bowl XLIX tied at 14-14. http://www.coachblackfriday.co.uk/ . The 25-year-old Tadic is the first signing of the summer by new manager Ronald Koeman. He will replace outgoing captain Adam Lallana as the creative threat in Southamptons midfield. Coach Wallets Black Friday UK . The Blue Jackets announced the injury through their official Twitter account Friday afternoon. Gaborik, 31, has scored five goals and six assists in 17 games with the Blue Jackets in 2013-14. Coach Black Friday UK 2015 . The six-foot-three, 326-pound native of Saint-Hyacinthe, Que., was scheduled to become a free agent in February. An 08 sixth-round draft pick from Laval, Brodeur-Jourdain became Montreals starting centre in 2010 and has been part of two Grey Cup-winning teams (2009-10).SHANGHAI, China -- Canadian Ryan Cochrane raced to silver in the mens 800-metre freestyle Wednesday, the teams first in swimming at the world championships. The podium performance came a year to the day before the opening ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics, and the significance of the date wasnt lost on the Victoria swimmer. "The Olympic year always seems a ways away, its scary but exciting," said Cochrane. "Im happy where Im at in my career right now, but I would like to be winning events, and thats what Im going to keep aiming for." Sun Yang of China took a narrow lead from the start before pulling away from the Canadian over the final 100 metres for the gold. With the large crowd at the Oriental Sports Center cheering him on, Sun finished in seven minutes 38.57 seconds. Victorias Cochrane won the silver in a Canadian record 7:41.86, lowering his previous record of 7:41.92 from the 2009 world championships. Hungarys Gergo Kis took the bronze in 7:44.94. Cochranes medal was Canadas fourth at these world championships -- Canada captured a silver and bronze in diving and a bronze in synchronized swimming. His podium performance is also expected to kick-start some strong swims from the Canadian team with some of the squads best events still to come. The 22-year-old Cochrane claimed bronze in the 1,500 metres, his stronger event, at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and hell will be one of Canadas top medal hopes heading into London. Theyre lofty expectations he said hell gladly shoulder. "Im excited now that we can talk about being on the podium in London and hopefully bettering my performance from Beijing, thats what we work towards every day," Cochrane said. "I think its great that everyone has these expectations, and Im really happy we can talk about winning. "I think if we want to start winning gold medals we need to talk about it as a national team." Cochrane said his 1,500-metre race later this week will provide a better benchmark of where hes at heading into the final rrun-up to the London Games.ddddddddddddBut his training so far this season, and his performance Wednesday, he added, are both big confidence builders. "I know coming into this competition I had the best year of training I think Ive had in my entire career, its exciting coming into a world championship knowing that youve done more work than you ever have," he said. "I always want to be on the top of the podium, and I had a really exciting year last year but what it comes down to it, its about the Olympics, this is what we train for, and each quadrennial it seems to go by faster and faster. "Its encouraging that this is where Im at a year out, and I think we have a really amazing team that Im really proud to be part of." World record-holder Zhang Lin of China did not defend the title he won two years ago in Rome because team officials said hes out of shape. He failed to win an individual gold at Novembers Asian Games in Guangzhou, China. Brent Hayden of Vancouver and Julia Wilkinson of Stratford, Ont., advanced to their respective finals. Hayden raced to a time of 48.30 in the mens 100 freestyle semifinals, less than half a second off the fastest time posted by James Magnussen Australia who touched in 47.90. Hayden was 11th in the morning prelims. "The first 50 in the prelims was way too slow and I knew the only way to make the final was not worry about how much that second length was going to hurt," said Hayden, the 2007 world champion in the event. "I took it out hard and just tried to hold on for dear life. My semi time was a lot better than I expected." Wilkinson qualified fifth in the 50 backstroke, lowering her own Canadian record to 28.10. "(Wilkinson) showed a lot of strength and a lot of character coming back from a rough couple of days," Canadian coach Randy Bennett said. "Shes a great competitor and it will be exciting to see what she does in the final." Audrey Lacroix of Montreal was 12th in the womens 200 butterfly semifinals. cheap nfl jerseys cheap jerseys cheap jerseys cheap jerseys cheap nfl jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '
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