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final two preseason games,
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fu0222 เมื่อวันที่ : พฤหัสบดี ที่ 31 เดือน ธันวาคม พ.ศ.2558
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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Opening their season against a perennial playoff performer, the Toronto Blue Jays head into 2014 facing a Tampa Bay Rays team that has enjoyed the type of success the Jays are looking to duplicate. The division rivals are set to face each other Monday afternoon at Tropicana Field, with David Price and R.A. ***ey taking the mound in a matchup of 2012 Cy Young Award winners. The Rays are coming off a year in which they won 92 games and made the playoffs for the fourth time in six seasons. The Blue Jays would just as soon forget 2013, when they battled injuries and finished in last place after being a popular preseason pick to contend for a championship. Toronto failed to bolster its starting pitching this winter and returns with essentially the same lineup as a year ago, yet ***ey thinks the results will be better. "I think the heartbeat is a lot different this year. I think, one, were very comfortable. If I had a word to describe what (spring training) has been, its been comfortable. Guys really know that this is a big year for us collectively," said ***ey, who was 14-13 with a 4.21 ERA last season. "Were kind of getting a mulligan this year," the knuckleballer added. "Last year, a lot of things went wrong. This year, were pretty much all healthy. ... Were in a much different place." Only the Yankees, Cardinals and Phillies have earned as many post-season berths as the Rays over the past six seasons. And after hiking one of baseballs lowest payrolls above $80 million to keep most of last years roster intact, Tampa Bay anticipates another strong run. Price was 10-8 with a 3.33 ERA in 2013 after winning AL Cy Young honours two years ago, but he went 9-4 with a 2.53 ERA in 18 starts following the first stint of his career on the disabled list. The 28-year-old lefty was the subject of trade speculation much of the winter before agreeing to a $14 million, one-year contract to continue anchoring one of the ALs strongest rotations. The Rays, often overshadowed in the AL East by the big-spending Yankees and Red Sox, dont shy away from taking about how good they believe they can be. "To be honest with you, I thought last year we had more expectations going into the season than we do this year only because the Red Sox won the World Series and the Yankees have made some pretty big acquisitions. So, that kind of puts us in the shadows again," third baseman Evan Longoria said. "There are a lot of expectations from within this team," he added. "But from an overall perspective, well probably be picked down the ladder a little bit more this year ... which is perfectly fine with me because I think weve proven time in and time out that if you believe the right things and play the right way, then the rest will take care of itself." Toronto pursued free agent Ervin Santana in hopes of improving its rotation, but the right-hander wound up signing with Atlanta. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays offence has a chance to be potent if a lineup featuring Jose Reyes, Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista, Melky Cabrera and off-season acquisition Dioner Navarro can stay healthy. ***ey, who had a solid spring, hopes to revert to the form that helped him capture the NL Cy Young Award with the Mets two years ago. "I feel prepared," ***ey said. "I feel confident." Besides not trading Price, the Rays re-signed first baseman James Loney, acquired free-agent closer Grant Balfour and traded for catcher Ryan Hanigan, reliever Heath Bell and utilityman Logan Forsythe. Longoria is confident the manoeuvring has made the Rays better. Still, he stops short of predicting another playoff berth. "Even when we were the favourites, I would say maybe we are on paper," the three-time All-Star said. "We should have that underdog mentality." The teams set their rosters Sunday, with the Rays placing injured pitchers Jeremy Hellickson and Juan Carlos Oviedo and shortstop Tim Beckham on the 15-day disabled list. The Blue Jays put closer Casey Janssen on the DL due to a strain in his left abdominal area and lower back. Backup catcher Erik Kratz was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo. Cheap NFL Jerseys . Ware, a world championship bronze medallist this past summer on three-metre, posted victories on 10m tower with 325.90 points on Saturday, and on the three-metre with 345. Cheap NFL Jerseys 2016 . - Stephen Curry figured it would happen eventually. http://www.cheapjerseys2016.us.com/ . The Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender had a premonition and told his wife hed play in Thursday nights game against the Boston Bruins. China Jerseys .com) - The Toronto Maple Leafs try to push their season-opening win streak to three straight games on Saturday night as they play their home opener against the Ottawa Senators. Cheap NFL Jerseys China . The Dane is leaving the Premier League club after 20 months, having signed a new contract in March 2013 after being linked with leading clubs following his teams triumph in the League Cup.HOUSTON - Top overall pick Jadeveon Clowney will have a second surgery on his right knee, ending his rookie season for the Houston Texans after just three games.Clowney visited Dr. James Andrews in Pensacola, Florida, on Wednesday to have the knee examined and coach Bill OBrien announced the news on Thursday.This guys been injured and its time to clean it up and get him back to feeling good and get him back on the field as soon as we can, OBrien said.The outside linebacker was injured in Week 1 and had arthroscopic surgery Sept. 8. He has played three games since then, but has never completely recovered from the procedure and said last week that hes still in a lot of pain.OBrien lauded the 21-year-old for trying to fight through this injury and stay on the field. He saw his most extensive action of the season against the Bengals on Nov. 23 when he was in for about 50 plays and had three tackles, including one for a loss. But he experienced swelling in his knee after that and missed his eighth game of the year last week.Hes a tough kid, OBrien said. He tried to go out there and play in the Cincinnati game. He came back in the first Tennessee game he really wanted to play. He really wanted to be out there for his teammates. But at the end of the day he wasnt able to do the things that he really wants to do to be the player that he can be.OBrien wouldnt give details of Clowneys surgery or when it will be performed. Clowney didnt speak to the media on Thursday, but OBrien talked about how hes dealing with his latest setback.He wants to plaay football.dddddddddddd He wants to be good so I think he was disappointed right off the bat, OBrien said. But I think he understands what he has to do and why this is necessary and he knows that he has to rehab hard and get back out there.Clowney has had a difficult time since Houston took him first in this years draft, eager to put him on a defence already featuring rush specialist J.J. Watt. He left a dual practice Aug. 20 after a helmet-to-helmet hit with Denver Broncos tight end Jacob Tamme. He missed the Texans final two preseason games, but said he passed the NFL protocols for head injuries in just over a week. He had to sit out the beginning of camp, too, after off-season surgery to repair a sports hernia.The Texans drafted Clowney after a three-year career at South Carolina in which he had 130 tackles, 24 sacks, 47 tackles for losses and 20 quarterback pressures. He also caused a school-record nine fumbles and deflected seven passes. The 6-foot-5, 266-pound Clowney also set a school record with 13 sacks in 2012.Houston will continue relying on Whitney Mercilus to fill in for Clowney on Sunday at Jacksonville. Mercilus, who was the 26th pick in the 2012 draft, has started 10 games this season and has 43 tackles, four sacks and a forced fumble.Whitney has really done a good job this year, OBrien said. Hes a very improved player ... I think this guy has worked extremely hard to try to become a better player. I think youve seen that on the field.___Online:AP NFL websites: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL cheap nfl jerseys cheap jerseys cheap jerseys cheap jerseys cheap nfl jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '
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