Bewerbung » belt of both Harper and Strasburg

The Canadian Football Leagues ninth team, the Ottawa Redblacks, still have a long way to go. The 2014 season does have a grace period around it as far as the football season goes and if the Redblacks finish 2-16, which is a distinct possibility, then so be it. From my perception I am just enjoying the fact they are back in the league and as a whole the league is one step closer to a magical 10th team. I anticipated they would have their difficulties and though going into the 18th week of play I was hoping for more than two wins I am not overly disappointed but mildly concerned. The Redblacks organization has a good fan base. They are young, loud and from what I can see from my television screen enjoying TD Place and all that goes with it. But next year if they do not start winning and competing there wont be as many in the seats. And the year after that if things dont change there will be a few less again. And the pattern could be established. It is a challenge in CFL football that the bottom two or even three teams do have attendance issues and the top two or three dont have that problem. I find this issue similar in almost all sports but in the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB your television revenues and number of teams hide the issue. The NFL has a problem drawing in-stadium fans win or lose and other teams do that do not have success. It is not an unusual problem but in our league it can mean profit or debt. I am very confident in all the people running the Redblacks but next year has to be different and truth is the last three games this year can set up next year. Nothing is more important than finding and keeping good players. In Hamilton it was a good move picking up Nick Grigsby as a running back. Not sure what happened in Winnipeg but who cares. For the Ticats he is a hired gun to replace the ability of injured Mossis Madu and CJ Gable. Come in, learn the offence and have a good attitude. Without a running back I dont give the Ticats much of a chance but with a running back or just the threat of a running game the Ticats are as good as any in the East and can finish first or third. To run an effective offence six things have to be equal in effectiveness. Interior runs and perimeter runs. Deceptive and trick plays, draws screens, and reverse plays. Short, intermediate and long pass plays and a short yardage package of plays. When you start listing these, all of a sudden in your playbook you have over 200 plays to cover all the areas but, and this is critical, without a good running back you can eliminate half of what you want to do. Good job of Hamilton picking up Grigsby. He may have attitude questions but he is a great athlete and an educated running back. With Montreal, surprise, surprise they are looking good. Jonathan Crompton has a unique skill set but it works and this was a typical game for him, 19-of-28, 219 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. Nothing spectacular at all but when the game ends, Montreal wins. Defensively only 12 yards allowed in the third quarter for the Argonauts and they could not get past their own 40-yard line. Tom Higgins as a head coach has earned some credit. His re-organization of the offence has worked and what was dysfunctional is now rather efficient. Jeff Garcia makes a difference and Higgins stayed the course. With Ottawa, Toronto and Hamilton 1-2-3 in the division, Montreal controls it all and I would have never thought that 10 weeks ago. What I do think now is that Calgary is the best in the league and Jon Cornish is a very good running back. Those are obvious statements I know but as a team with exceptional depth Calgary is exceptional. And with Dave Dickenson calling plays Cornish receives his opportunities to excel. Dickenson never forgets his best player and it seems like every two, three or at the most four plays it is Cornish who gets the ball. Its smart, disciplined play calling from a smart disciplined former player in Dave Dickenson. Winnipeg is experiencing the same issue, a defence that cant play effective run defence as Cornish ran for 160 yards on only 21 carries. In Sunday afternoons Edmonton-Saskatchewan game Kerry Joseph started at quarterback and I was surprised. It had been October 2012 since he had been a starter and overall he did not look out of place. He was not great statistically but provided a calming effect and some good moments. Take away the Kendial Lawrence kick return for a touchdown and the Riders could have won that one. Would I stick with Joseph for the Calgary game next week and Edmonton the final week? Yes I would. Overall 17-of-36 for 213 yards is not spectacular but I think given more reps and time Joseph will improve. I cant say that with the other two quarterbacks on the Riders roster right now. Watch out for B.C. They have gone three straight games without a touchdown allowed on defence. They are playing Winnipeg and Edmonton on the road, but Week 20 at home to Calgary may be a meaningless game for the Stampeders. And finally, watch out for Montreal. They look confident and holding Ray to 200 yards passing says a lot. Three weeks to go, and six playoff opportunities around the league. Stephen Johns Stars Jersey . The New York State Supreme Court only partially dismissed the lawsuit, meaning the case could be headed for trial. The tour announced a year ago that Singh would be suspended for saying in a Sports Illustrated story that he took deer antler spray, which was believed to contain the banned substance IGF-1. Tyler Seguin Stars Jersey . -- David Ortiz saved his only hit for a key moment for the Boston Red Sox. http://www.thedallasstarshockey.com/jaromir-jagr-hockey-jersey/ .C. -- The Bobcats announced theyve signed centre Justin Hamilton to a 10-day contract. Anton Khudobin Stars Jersey .ca. In addition to the game being aired in its entirety on CTV Two Vancouver Island and TSN.ca, TSN2 will also have coverage of Whitecaps FC immediately following NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Toyota Owners 400. Stephen Johns Jersey . Many of those eyes are in the United States of America, a country that the sport has wanted on its side for some time. On Sunday the football Gods delivered once again, only this time it was time for good old USA to experience as much heartache as joy.Baseball season is just around the corner and TSN.ca has you covered for whos in, whos out and what to expect from all 30 teams. Check in every day this week for two new division previews, finishing up with Scott MacArthurs look at the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday. Heres what to expect out of the National League East in 2014. Atlanta Braves GM: Frank Wren Manager: Fredi Gonzalez 2013: 96-66, 1st in NL East. Lost to Los Angeles in National League Division Series. That Was Then: Picked by many to be a wild card team at best, the 2013 Atlanta Braves stormed to a 96-win season and a division title. The acquisition of the Upton brothers was the blockbuster move of last off-season but it was the development of young pitching and a few surprise offensive contributions that ended up making the difference for the Braves. Chris Johnson, an added piece to the Justin Upton trade, finished second in the league with a .321 batting average and swatted 12 homers in an unexpected breakout season. Andrelton Simmons provided high calibre defence at shortstop and was also a very capable producer at the plate. Mike Minor, Julio Teheran and Kris Medlen all emerged as top of the line starters and it was their contributions that were leaned on the hardest to push the Braves right back to the top of the NL East. This Is Now: Everyone was prepared for the Braves to deal with pitching regression during the 2014 season but instead Spring Training has been a disaster of injuries. Both Medlen and Brandon Beachy were forced to undergo their second Tommy John surgeries ending both of their seasons before even throwing one pitch that counts. Much sought-after free agent Ervin Santana eventually landed in Atlanta after the injuries on a one-year deal but a clear strength of the team has been wiped out before even one game at Turner Field. Prior to the injuries, the Braves spent the off-season locking up the core of their team long term. Freddie Freeman, Craig Kimbrel, Jason Heyward, Simmons and Teheran, who will now get the opening day assignment, are all locked up, allowing the team to move forward with certainty. After being wiped out by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series last year, the Braves will be looking to build on a strong season. Expect their biggest challenge to come in division from the Washington Nationals. It should be a two horse race that comes right down to the wire. Whos In?: SP Gavin Floyd, SP Aaron Harang, SP Ervin Santana. Whos Out?: RP Luis Ayala, 3B Blake DeWitt, RP Scott Downs, SP Tim Hudson, IF Paul Janish, OF Reed Johnson, SP Paul Maholm, C Brian McCann, RP Eric OFlaherty. Miami Marlins GM: Michael Hill Manager: Mike Redmond 2013: 62-100, 5th in NL East. Did not qualify for playoffs. That Was Then: After unloading anything that wasnt nailed down prior to the season, the Miami Marlins were not expected to do much in 2013 and they didnt. They finished the year with a 62-100 record, which is a bad season even by their incredibly low standards and were led offensively with only two players passing even the 10-home run mark. What to make, then, of the incredible Rookie of the Year season of Jose Fernandez? Fernandez turned in one of the greatest seasons by a rookie pitcher in MLBs live ball era. Taking into account all first year hurlers since 1920, he finished fifth in ERA with a 2.19 mark, second in WHIP at .979 and sixth in K/9 at 9.7. His season is even more incredible when you see the team that was surrounding him when he posted those lofty numbers. He even hit his first career home run, which ties him with two players that had regular at bats over the course of the season. This Is Now: Henderson Alvarez, one of the players the Marlins acquired in last seasons blockbuster deal with the Toronto Blue Jays, threw a no-hitter in his final start of the season last year and his continued improvement is one of the keys to their season. Giancarlo Stanton is the only offensive weapon in the lineup and his tape measure blasts will once again be counted on by the Marlins to keep them in games. They will also hope Fernandez can be as good or better in his sophomore season. It is going to be another long year in Miami but this is a team with good young talent that will continue to grow. Whos In?: IF Jeff Baker, OF Brian Bogusevic, RP Carter Capps, OF Reed Johnson, IF Garrett Jones, RP Carlos Marmol, RP Henry Rodriguez, C Jarrod Saltalamacchia, OF Jordany Valdespin, IF Ty Wigginton. Whos Out?: RP Duane Below, 1B Jordan Brown, OF Chris Coghlan, OF Matt Diaz, OF Logan Morrison, C Miguel Olivo, RP Chad Qualls, RP Ryan Webb . New York Mets GM: Sandy Alderson Manager: Terry Collins 2013: 74-88, 3rd in NL East. Did not qualify for playoffs. That Was Then: 2013 was another lost season for the New York Mets, as they finished under .500 for the fifth straight season and found themselves outside of the playoff picture for the seventh in a row. They were never a factor in the National League playoff race and even the two high points of their season were in the end bittersweet. All-Star third baseman David Wright was posting elite level numbers and was well on his way to being part of the end of the season MVP conversation when an August hamstring injury stole 45 games right out of the stretch drive of his season. As it was, he finished with 18 homers and 58 RBIs while providing the team with his usual defence and leadership along the way. However the story for the 2013 Mets was starter Matt Harvey, who was named as the NL starting pitcher at the 2013 All-Star game and was dominant in his breakout season. Harvey posted a 9-5 record and 2.27 ERA with 191 strikeouts in 178.1 innings but on Aug. 26 doctors discovered a partially torn UCL bringing his season to an end. He would eventually undergo Tommy John surgery that will also cost him his entire 2014 campaign. This Is Now: A healthy Wright will once again be one of the key cogs in the Mets machine in 2014 but without Harrvey they will have to compete all season with a huge hole in their rotation.dddddddddddd To help Wright, the Mets signed outfielder Curtis Granderson away from their cross-town rival New York Yankees and will count on his veteran bat. They splashed the cash for starter Bartolo Colon who cannot be expected to replace Harvey but will be a boost to their rotation. They will also rely on youngsters like highly touted prospect Travis dArnaud who should get his chance at some point this season to finally show what he can do at the Major League level. Whos In?: SP Bartolo Colon, RP Kyle Farnsworth, OF Curtis Granderson, SP Jeremy Hefner, SP John Lannan, RP Jose Valverde, OF Chris Young. Whos Out?: RP David Aardsma, OF Rick Ankiel, RP LaTroy Hawkins, SP Shaun Marcum, IF Justin Turner, OF Jordany Valdespin. Philadelphia Phillies GM: Ruben Amaro, Jr. Manager: Ryne Sandberg 2013: 73-89, 4th in NL East. Did not qualify for playoffs That Was Then: A 53-67 record over their first 120 games spelled the end of the line for long time manager Charlie Manuel, who was fired and replaced by Ryne Sandberg. This list of players that under-performed for the Phillies is long but is highlighted by slugger Ryan Howard who produced at career-low levels with 11 home runs and 43 RBIs in 80 games. He lost much of the season after having to undergo knee surgery. A shoulder injury hampered two-time Cy Young Award-winner Roy Halladay, who turned in a 4-5 season with a 6.82 ERA after being limited to only 13 starts. It would turn out to be his last Major League season, with the Doctor retiring over the winter. In a tough division the Phillies looked older and a step behind for the entire season. This Is Now: Coming into 2014 the question surrounding the Phillies was: Would they blow it all up or try to add a few pieces to their veteran lineup and take another run at being a real player in the NL East? Locking up starter A.J. Burnett in the off-season was as good a signal as any that the Phillies were indeed looking up instead of looking ahead. With a rotation that now includes Burnett along with Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Kyle Kendrick, they should be in most games. The problem they have is: What can they expect out of their aging lineup? A bounce-back season from not only Howard but former league MVP Jimmy Rollins will be key components to any success they have throughout the season. The addition of Marlon Byrd didnt make them any younger but it does make them stronger and deeper. Sandberg finished 2013 20-22 at the helm of a team that had already packed it in for the season , in his first full year in charge hell have a huge task in trying to get this ship once again headed in the proper direction. Whos In?: SS Reid Brignac, SP A.J. Burnett, OF Marlon Byrd, RP Shawn Camp, IF Ronny Cedeno, SP Chad Gaudin, SP Roberto Hernandez, RP Brad Lincoln, C Lou Marson, C Wil Nieves, OF Clete Thomas. Whos Out?: OF Roger Bernadina, RP Chad Durbin, SP Roy Halladay, C Erik Kratz, SP John Lannan, RP Zach Miner, OF Laynce Nix, IF Pete Orr, OF Casper Wells. Washington Nationals GM: Mike Rizzo Manager: Matt Williams 2013: 86-76, 2nd in NL East. Did not qualify for playoffs. That Was Then: After making the playoffs for the first time since the franchise relocated, the Washington Nationals were a team on the rise, with elite young talent at important positions ready to contribute and an old school manager with the moxy to label the 2013 season: World Series or Bust. Unfortunately, and despite a strong 29-11 finish to the season, Davey Johnsons Nationals went bust as they were only able to pick up 86 wins on their way to finishing outside of the playoff picture. It doesnt take a deep dive into the numbers to see what went wrong in the American Capital in 2013. The teams starters ERA which was a league best the season before slipped to sixth as did their overall defensive ranking. Additions of players like Dan Haren and Denard Span failed to have the effect that management had hoped when they picked them up in the off- season. Outfielder Bryce Harper showed a lot of heart and fearlessness as he twice made the highlight reel crashing into walls, unfortunately those incidents would end up costing him as the season wore on and staff ace Stephen Strasburg finished with an 8-9 record coming off a career best 15-win campaign. This Is Now: Matt Williams is now the man in charge, taking over for Johnson who retired at the end of the 2013 season and he will be debuting with a roster that is almost totally intact from the prior season. The two biggest additions to this years team are starter Doug Fister who was acquired from the Detroit Tigers and, of course, another year of experience under the belt of both Harper and Strasburg. In Harper, Denard Span and Jayson Werth, the Nationals will have one of the best combinations of speed and power in the outfield league wide and if these three can stay healthy and produce, should also form one of the best top of the lineup combinations. As far as starters go, it would be hard not to be excited by the combination of Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Gio Gonzalez and Fister. Again, with health on their side, it would be very difficult to find a better or deeper top-four rotation in the entire league. If the Nationals can also count on a bullpen that let them down last season but is chalked full of talent, there is no question they are once again among the favourites to make the post season. Just dont expect Matt Williams to label his new squad World Series or bust. Whos In?: RP Luis Ayala, RP Jerry Blevins, SP Doug Fister, RP Michael Gonzalez, C Koyie Hill, C Jose Lobaton, OF Nate McLouth, RP Daniel Stange. Whos Out?: RP Fernando Abad, SP Dan Haren, SP Nathan Karns, RP Ian Krol, IF Steve Lombardozzi, RP Mark Lowe, 1B Chris Marrero, RP Yunesky Maya, 3B Chad Tracy. ' ' '