News » Biffle and Carl Edwards

MINNEAPOLIS – It doesnt matter how but it does matter when. The Blue Jays two All-Star representatives are counting on seeing a different looking club by the time the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline rolls around. They wont deny it, if general manager Alex Anthopoulos swings a deal, it would be welcome. “Huge impact,” said Bautista. “Any team that does a trade at the deadline in order to improve their club is going to benefit from it. Obviously thats why you do it. Well see. We have capable guys, though, that we dont necessarily need to go out there but it would be a tremendous help for us to go get somebody. More importantly we need our guys that are hurt to come back into the line-up so we can have our real team come on the field altogether.” Mark Buehrle echoed Bautistas last sentiment, while opining the four-day break would do the Blue Jays some good. “Lets hope,” said Buehrle. “Everybody goes home and clear their minds and gets away from baseball for a few days and comes back refreshed like its the beginning of the year. The injuries, to me, are the biggest key right now.” Anthopoulos faces a delicate balancing act as he tries to upgrade his club for today while retaining its best pieces of tomorrow. Hes dealing with budget parameters, the numbers of which arent clear but Anthopoulos often talks of being “creative” with any deal. Translation: dollar in-dollar out is the likely requirement of a completed trade. The Jays would like to move reliever Sergio Santos and the remainder of his $3.75-million salary. Theyd explore takers for Colby Rasmus and whats left of his $7-million contract. Neither player would be tied to an acquiring team next season. Santos has the first of three successive club options ($6-million in 2015) while Rasmus enters his final year of arbitration eligibility. While trading Rasmus would leave the Jays weaker in centrefield, at least offensively, his deletion would free up significant cash to acquire an asset. The Blue Jays need help in the infield, in the bullpen and like most other clubs not playing in Oakland and perhaps Southern California, could use another starting pitcher. The players realize the division is available. Bautista said the Jays chance of winning the American League East is the best since he arrived in Toronto. “Not necessarily record-wise but momentum, division, competition,” said Bautista. “Ive been here and our team has been hovering around .500 but it seems like, in the past, the division leader has [run] away with it and this time its not the case. Were certainly within striking distance and weve got to take this break and hopefully come back with a different mindset like we were in the first two months.” Injuries to Brett Lawrie (finger), Edwin Encarnacion (quadriceps) and Adam Lind (foot) have exacerbated an offensive downturn which began while all three were still in the lineup. Its reasonable to believe that if manager John Gibbons was able to field his starting line-up, the offence would have reawakened by now. The Blue Jays continue to play in the top 10 in most major offensive categories despite the struggles of the last five weeks. If theres a point of concern, aside from recent performance, its the abundant reliance on the home run. The issue is the lack of depth to cover for the injuries. Mississauga native Dalton Pompey, who isnt major league-ready, is the clubs only hot non-pitching prospect playing as high as Double-A. “You would like to have some depth in your minor league system and some capable guys to come in and replace if somebody gets hurt,” said Bautista. “Theres an opportunity for a lot of guys to step up right now and make a name for themselves and contribute and help out with wins. Right now were going to the farm system but there are different methods of acquiring talent and if its working out a trade or whatever it is … bottom line is there [are] opportunities out there on our team right now and how we get the players doesnt really matter as long as the guys that come in step up.” Bautista slams turf Jose Bautista made waves on the recent road trip when he spoke out strongly against Major League Baseballs flawed replay system. While that topic wasnt broached during Mondays media availability, Bautista touched on a topic closer to home: the turf at the Rogers Centre and the effect it has on players bodies. Only two teams, Toronto and Tampa Bay, still utilize turf. “It seems like us and the Rays, we all have to deal with more injuries than normal and playing banged up a little bit because of the turf,” said Bautista. “Its the only two stadiums left with turf. Even in football and other sports, you can see and you can tell teams that play on turf get hurt more often than teams that play on natural grass.” Players often murmur about the turf, especially toward the end of lengthy homestands when they feel the aches and pains associated with a consecutive stretch of games on the fake surface. Bautista is realistic about the natural grass solution, or lack thereof, and called on the organization to otherwise adapt. “I dont know if theres a way to address it in Rogers Centre so we just have to deal with it and figure out a way to get deeper with our farm system and have guys that can step in and contribute right away if somebody gets hurt,” said Bautista. “Weve got to get creative and weve got to figure it out. Just like we have to figure out how to win weve got to figure out how to stay on the field or have capable guys to come in and replace because some of these injuries, theyre not even caused by any lack of preparation or people not working, its just that you get beat up more when you play on turf.” Buehrle isnt fussed about Tuesday At 35 years-old and in his fifth All-Star Game, his first since 2009, Mark Buehrle knows his chances of returning to the Midsummer Classic are dwindling. Still, hes not concerned about pitching on Tuesday night if American League manager John Farrell decides to go in a different direction. “If I dont throw its not going to be the end of the world,” said Buehrle. “Theres some young guys. Ive been here and Ive thrown in these games before and if there [are] some younger guys that they want to get in there, hometown guys playing in Minnesota that they want to throw and they come over and say, hey, were not going to throw you, Im not going to argue, its not going to be the end of the world. Im just here to enjoy it and have fun.” With 10 victories at the All-Star Break, Buehrles assured himself of a 14th-straight double digit win total. Hes four wins shy of 200 for his career. Buehrles midseason ERA of 2.64 is a run and a half better than his final number from last season (4.15). In his 15th year, Buehrles never finished with an ERA below 3.00. His best, 3.12, came in 2005, the year his White Sox won the World Series. A family affair Mark Buehrles wife, Jamie, and his son and daughter are in Minneapolis to share in his All-Star experience. One of his brothers, along with his wife and children are also here. Buehrles son, Braden, is now seven years old. His daughter, Brooklyn, is five. This is the first time hes been an All-Star when his kids have an opportunity to remember the event. The treatments been first class. “We took a private jet up here,” said Buehrle. “Im like, these kids are so spoiled right now. Like, they dont realize how spoiled they are so hopefully they can soak it in and have fun with it.” Buehrles mother, Pat, and father, John, arent taking part. John underwent knee replacement surgery earlier this month and is struggling to get back on his feet. John insisted on attending but Mark put his foot down. “Im not going to make mom or have mom be pushing you around,” said Buehrle. “Youre going to get bumped. Youre going to be sweating so, a chance of getting infected, there were too much health risks to get him here.” Hurry-up Offence The Blue Jays played back to back nine-inning games, on Wednesday in Anaheim and on Friday in Tampa Bay, which combined took almost eight hours to play. “Its annoying how long some of these games are,” said Buehrle. Buehrle is one of baseballs fastest-working pitchers. He notices the length of games, their lack of pace and admitted its becoming increasingly talked about amongst players. “I think they did that speed up rule a couple of years ago and it seems like since theyve done that the games have gotten actually longer,” said Buehrle. “I dont know exactly how you can enforce it or make it more strict but they need to do something.” Buehrle on Jeter Buehrle tipped his cap to outgoing Yankees captain Derek Jeter. “Hes owned me over his career so Im not too sad to see him go and obviously get out of the game,” said Buehrle. “Obviously what hes done for baseball and over his career, I mean hes the top guy in Major League Baseball on and off the field so its going to be sad to see him go.” Buehrles right. Jeters hit him well, lifetime .341/.356/.545 in 46 plate appearances with two home runs and three doubles. Dan Wilson Mariners Jersey . The 30-year-old Kottaras served as Kansas Citys backup catcher last season after being claimed off waivers from Oakland in January. Matt Magill Mariners Jersey . Perhaps as important, shes sending a message to 17-year-old gold medal favourite Sara Takanashi of Japan. Iraschko-Stolz relegated Takanashi, who has 10 World Cup victories this season, to second place in two of three training jumps Saturday. https://www.cheapmariners.com/2445k-rich...y-mariners.html. Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, Fiorentina levelled on aggregate in the 14th minute when Joaquin Sanchez Rodriguez headed back a long ball from David Pizarro and Pasqual smashed home an angled volley. Pat Borders Mariners Jersey . LaQuinton Ross scored 17 of his 20 points in the first half, hitting his first four 3-pointers, to send No. Gorman Thomas Mariners Jersey . - The Detroit Lions have 13 takeaways this season — three less than all of last season — and the defence isnt the only unit pleased with the performance.Kansas City, KS (SportsNetwork.com) - Championship contender Kevin Harvick won his eighth pole of the season in the Sprint Cup Series, while defending series titleholder Jimmie Johnson struggled in Fridays qualifying for the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway. Harvick, in his first season as driver of the No. 4 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing, grabbed the pole for Sundays 400-mile race at Kansas after posting a lap at 197.621 mph in the third and final round of knockout qualifying. He set a new track qualifying record at this 1.5-mile racetrack when he turned a lap at 197.773 mph during the second round. It was the 20th time this season that a new track qualifying record has been set in NASCARs premier series. Harvick has surpassed a previous track record six times in 2014 -- Texas, Michigan, Indianapolis, Bristol and both Kansas races. One year ago when he drove for Richard Childress Racing, Harvick won the Chase race at Kansas after starting on the pole and leading the most laps with 138. When the series most recently competed here in May, the first night race at this track, he started on the pole and led the most laps with 119 but finished second to Jeff Gordon. For whatever reason, this fits everything that I have going on with my driving style, Harvick said. But in the end, its all about having fast cars. Last year, we had a fast car, and this year, we have had a fast car as well. So just have to thank everybody on my Budweiser (sponsor) team for staying focused, continuing to build better race cars and controlling all the things that we can control. Our cars are fast, we are qualifying well, our pit stops are good, cars are reliable and everything is good. We just need a little bit of good luck to go with it. Its just like I keep telling these guys - that stuff will all come fulll circle and hopefully it does it at the right time this year.dddddddddddd Harvick has two wins in Sprint Cup this season but has not been to victory lane in the series since April 12 at Darlington (21 races ago). I just feel like with a little bit of good luck we can beat every car here, every week, at any style racetrack, he said. Everything is there. Its just a matter of having everything come together on the luck side. Well just keep plugging away. While Harvick claimed his 14th career pole in Cup, Johnson qualified 32nd, which matched his worst starting position in a race this season. Making his second lap in the first qualifying round, Johnsons car spun out in turn 2. He did not make contact with anything. Brian Vickers, who is not in the Chase, will start on the front row for the first time this season after qualifying second at 196.307 mph. Wow, that was a fun lap, Vickers said. Aric Almirola, who was eliminated from the Chase last weekend at Dover, qualified third, matching his best starting spot of the season. Joey Logano grabbed the fourth position, followed by Jeff Gordon, who leads all drivers with three victories at Kansas. Im happy with where we ended up, Gordon said. A top-five, you have to be happy with that starting position. Qualifying sixth through 12th were: Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards. Logano, Gordon, Keselowski, Busch, Earnhardt, Kahne and Edwards remain in the Chase. Kansas is the first of three races in round 2 of the playoffs, known as the Contender Round. The other Chase drivers and their starting positions are: Ryan Newman (17th), Denny Hamlin (25th) and Matt Kenseth (27th). All 43 drivers who attempted qualifying made the starting field for Sundays race. ' ' '