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like Cooky and Joe Root is, just play your natural game.Thats why Ive been picked, its wh
like Cooky and Joe Root is, just play your natural game.Thats why Ive been picked, its wh
in Off-topic discussion Tue Jul 31, 2018 8:49 amby jokergreen0220 • Farseer | 295 Posts | 2950 Points
BOSTON – Its only May. Josh Gorges Jersey . May means its still early in the big league baseball season. Teams still have more than 100 games to play. Nothing will be sorted out in the next few weeks, let alone the next couple of days. Still, there are benchmark series and often times those come when a club squares off against a divisional rival. In this case, its the Blue Jays trying to emerge from the drudgery and disappointment of 2013 taking on last years surprising world champions, the Boston Red Sox, in their old, fabled barn called Fenway Park. Toronto opened the three-game series with a 7-4 victory, a win built on slugging offence and just enough pitching to keep a big early lead from evaporating. Closer Casey Janssen picked up his fourth save but not without bringing up David Ortiz as the tying run with two on and nobody out in the ninth inning. Not without Ortiz smacking a 2-1 pitch to Providence, Rhode Island, which landed foul and gave Janssen another life and a 2-2 count. He struck out Ortiz on the next pitch. "They won the World Series last year and if we want to be for real weve got to beat these teams," said Janssen. "Were not scared of them or anything like that. We respect them but we want to beat them. The distance we can separate ourselves from them and any other team in our division is important for us, May or September or whenever it is." The Blue Jays won for the 10th time in 15 games. Boston lost its fourth in a row and sixth in its last seven. The win improved Toronto to 24-22. The loss dropped the Red Sox to 20-24. Starter J.A. Happ eked out five innings for the win. It was a Jekyll and Hyde performance, with Happ dominant through the first three innings on the strength of six strikeouts. He started to show signs of coming apart in the fourth, walking two and allowing an infield single to load the bases with one out. Only a Brett Lawrie diving snag of a Xander Bogaerts line drive and the doubling off of Mike Napoli at third saved Happ serious trouble and preserved what was, at the time, a 3-0 Blue Jays lead. Happ was gone two hitters into the sixth after allowing two runs on three doubles in the fifth and a two-run home run to Jonny Gomes an inning later. "I think you look around and you guys get the idea that its pretty casual in here," said J.A. Happ. "But when its time to play I think everybody gets themselves ready and were ready to play. Were ready to play and so I think its always good to try to jump out and get that first one in the series and well see what we can do the rest of the games here." Manager John Gibbons navigated his way through his bullpen, using five relievers to get the final 12 outs. With Drew Hutchison and Mark Buehrle scheduled to pitch on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, taking the first game gives Toronto a strong shot to win the series. "I dont know if its bigger than any … but you need to play good," said Gibbons. "Anytime youre playing your division youve got to play good but weve been playing pretty good baseball recently. I mean, were not even June yet but you want to keep moving forward, not go backwards. So whatever that means." Toronto had 10 hits on the night, eight of which went for extra bases and four of those were home runs. Edwin Encarnacion had his third multi-home run game of the year and has 10 on the season. Erik Kratz and Melky Cabrera also went deep. Cabreras home run, off of Pesky Pole in right field, was one of his four hits on the night, bringing his major league-leading total to 62. Saturdays start Its down to Todd Redmond and Liam Hendriks for Saturdays start against Oakland, which is the first time the Blue Jays will require a fifth starter since Dustin McGowan was removed from the rotation. Manager John Gibbons expects to make a formal announcement as early as Wednesday. Marcus Stroman factors into this equation, eventually. "Were going to build him back up," said Gibbons. "Well see, couple turns, how were doing." Stroman took the loss in Buffalos 3-2 defeat at the hands of Lehigh Valley on Tuesday night. He pitched five innings, the runs were earned, and he threw 64 pitches. Hell need to get back toward the 85-90 pitch range before being considered for the job. Hendriks, 25, is 5-0 with a 1.48 ERA for the Bisons this season. Hes a strike thrower but that didnt translate into success over parts of three big league seasons with the Twins. In 30 career appearances, 28 starts, Hendriks is 2-13 with a 6.06 ERA and 5.31 FIP. Hes allowed 202 hits in 156 innings pitched. Rasmus has MRI Colby Rasmus underwent a precautionary MRI on his ailing right hamstring. Manager John Gibbons confirmed after Tuesdays game Rasmus has a mild strain, adding Rasmus is "progressing" with his rehabilitation. Rasmus, third on the club with nine home runs, isnt eligible to return from the disabled list until May 28. Rasmussen gets the call Left-handed reliever Rob Rasmussen was recalled on Tuesday afternoon, taking the roster spot of Marcus Stroman, who was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo after Sundays loss in Texas. Before the game, he offered his thoughts on making his major league debut at Fenway Park against Red Sox legend David Ortiz, a distinct possibility in a lefty-lefty matchup. "It would be an absolute dream to be able to come out in your first outing and face such an unbelievably renowned hitter such as David Ortiz," said Rasmussen. "Obviously its something you start to think about but once the game starts its back to playing the game like you always have." Then, it happened. Rasmussen was called on with one out and nobody on in the Boston seventh. Toronto led 7-4 at the time. "I was fortunate enough that I got the call down, knew I was going to face just Ortiz and so I was kind of able to prepare properly for him," said Rasmussen. "You know, work on what I was going to try to throw him through the at-bat. Once you run in, its just back to playing baseball." The Blue Jays are the third organization for the 25-year-old native of Pasadena, California. He was acquired in the offseason from the Phillies, along with catcher Erik Kratz, for reliever Brad Lincoln. A four-pitch reliever featuring a fastball, curveball, slider and changeup, Rasmussen uses his entire repertoire in the bullpen and feels it allows him to match up well against both right-handers and left-handers. "My curveball tends to be more 12-6, so its not necessarily just a left-handed pitch," said Rasmussen. "Couple that with my changeup and I feel I can handle both righties and lefties." In 13 appearances and 17 innings with the Bisons, Rasmussen has a 2.65 ERA and a 1.294 WHIP. Ballplayers can never be sure when the opportunity will come. Rasmussens may be because both Chad Jenkins and Neil Wagner are still within the 10-day window of their most recent options to the minor leagues. Regardless, hes here and he plans to make the most of it. "Obviously excitement, obviously theres a little bit of nerves," said Rasmussen. "Not as much from a baseball standpoint, just getting used to the life, checking into the hotel, what to do in the hotel, what to wear, all that stuff. Mostly excitement. Its been hard to kind of put my feelings into words, other than excitement and joy." Red Sox re-sign Stephen Drew Shortstop Stephen Drew is back in the Boston fold, agreeing to a one-year, $10-million contract with the Red Sox on Tuesday. The signing comes a day after Boston placed third baseman Will Middlebrooks on the disabled list with a fractured finger. Drew, 31, declined a $14-million qualifying offer from the Red Sox and elected free agency. He didnt find work in the offseason. Word is that Drew will be added to the active roster on Wednesday but because he hasnt faced live pitching since last October, its expected hell need at least a week to get into game shape. With Drew back at shortstop, Xander Bogaerts is expected to shift to third base. Danny Gare Jersey . Poti played in 824 regular NHL games with four teams in his career; the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, New York Islanders and the Washington Capitals. Derek Roy Jersey .5 million, two-year contract with the San Francisco Giants on Thursday, a deal that covers his final two arbitration seasons. http://www.authentichockeyshopsabres.com/Pierre-Turgeon-Jersey/ . Stiverne stopped Chris Arreola in the sixth round Saturday night, claiming the WBC heavyweight title belt vacated by Vitali Klitschko.In his first exclusive blog for Sky Sports from India, Ben Duckett praises Stuart Broad ahead of his 100th Test, takes a silver medal in a team FIFA tournament, and talks questionable haircuts… Wednesdays first Test against India cant come soon enough.Weve been in Rajkot for the last couple of days now; the intensity of our training has picked up and were all just buzzing for the first Test. Weve got a great squad out here, and everyones very positive ahead of the series. Weve been warmly welcomed at our team hotel with a big picture featuring all of the guys, though for some reason theyve chosen a picture of me from when I was about 18!Zafar Ansari has also come out of it badly - like me, he has a questionable haircut on show. But I dont think anyone is too happy with their photo, to be honest.Stuart Broad is set to play in his 100th Test this week, and for a guy like me, on his first England tour, he has been such a great example; he has been extremely welcoming, and is really easy to talk to. Stuart Broad celebrates his 100th Test for England if picked to play against India in Rajkot I wasnt sure what to expect before I came out here. There are obviously some players who Ive never played with or against before. But after just a few weeks, I already feel like I know the guys really well, Theres no pecking order, no cliques. Everyone just gets on really well.Weve also got a team room in the hotel in which weve had FIFA tournaments going on, or table tennis. I somehow came runner-up to Jos Buttler in the first FIFA tournament - I have no idea how I managed to do that. Jos Buttler took the honours in the first England team FIFA tournament of the tour Since the disappointing end to the Bangladesh series in Dhaka, it has been nice to have some time off, and bond a bit more as a team.Its obviously going to be a difficult series in Indias backyard, like it was in Bangladesh, with spin again likely to feature heavily, though there might be a bit more for the seamers on these surfaces.Ravichandran Ashwin is a quality bowler, and has been very successful in Test cricket. Ravindra Jadeja, too, is going to be very difficult to play against. Indian offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin (right) is set to play a big part in the Test series against England But when England have been at their best in the past against other top-class spinners - against Shane Warne in the Ashes, for example - iis when theyve taken the attack to those guys, tried to put them under pressure. Justin Bailey Jersey. Thats what I felt like I did well in my final innings in Bangladesh; Id been getting out stuck on the crease a little bit, but then in that last innings, I played my game - swept the ball positively against the spinners. Ben Duckett (R) on his way through to a first Test fifty in the second Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka You spend a lot of time imagining making your Test debut for England, you play things out in your head, the first over against seam etc - and then you get the surprise of spin first ball!I was slightly under prepared for that, but you have to adapt. Thats life in international cricket.As Alastair Cook said, they were some of the toughest wickets he has played on in his career, so it wasnt easy. And Bangladesh bowled very well.It was a pleasure to open with Cooky - a legend of the game - and that hundred partnership with him in the second Test, plus to get a fifty on the board personally, was very pleasing. Hopefully I can take that bit more confidence with me into this series. Alastair Cook hit fifty in a hundred partnership with Ben Duckett in the second Test in Bangladesh I like to keep things very simple. When I initially came out here, I wasnt even sure if I was going to be in the side, so Im just happy to represent my country, whatever number that may be.I grew up batting in the middle order, so moving down to No 4 will not be a problem. And out here, you can face either seam or spin at any time, so I dont think it makes too much difference where you bat. England XI for first Test? Our Sky Sports pundits select their England XIs for Wednesdays first Test against India in Rajkot. The best bit of advice Ive got since being out here from the senior guys like Cooky and Joe Root is, just play your natural game.Thats why Ive been picked, its why Im here, and so thats what Im hoping to do on Wednesday.England take on India in the first Test of their five-match tour, in Rajkot, from 3.30am this Wednesday on Sky Sports 2. Watch the complete Test for £10.99 with no contract, with a Week Pass from NOW TV. Also See: India v England: Ways to watch England XI for the first Test? Inside track on India Broads 100th Test Quiz Wholesale NFL Autographed Jerseys Wholesale NFL Autographed Jerseys Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap Jerseys Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys 2019 Wholesale Jerseys ' ' '
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