TORONTO – This weekends series against the Tampa Bay Rays is important for the obvious reason: the Blue Jays are running out of time and games to make up the
three-and-a-half game deficit for a playoff spot they had entering Fridays
action.
Ndamukong Suh Dolphins Jersey . There are other reasons, too. Take a look at the leagues schedule. The Blue Jays are one
of six teams, seven if you count Kansas City thanks to its precarious half-game
lead on Detroit in the American League Central, competing for two wild card
spots. As Toronto is hosting the Rays, four of those teams are squaring off.
Cleveland (tied with Toronto) is visiting Detroit (which holds the second wild
card spot). Meanwhile, nighthawks will stay up enjoying the Athletics (which
holds the first wild card spot) versus the Mariners (a half-game behind the
Tigers) from Seattle. If the Blue Jays sweep the Rays, it will mean they gained
ground on at least two teams (because one of Oakland, Seattle and one of
Cleveland, Detroit will lose) each day. On the days Toronto loses, it loses
ground to at least two teams, a situation the Jays cannot afford as the regular
season enters its final two weeks. "Well, I mean, were coming out here trying to
win this game regardless of the circumstances," said manager John Gibbons. "We
dont have a whole lot of room to play with so we need to win some games." With a
seven-game road trip to Baltimore and New York looming, followed by home series
with Seattle (four games) and Baltimore (three games) to end the year, as of
Friday Tampa Bay was the lone remaining sub-.500 opponent on the Jays docket.
"We dont think about what other teams are going to do," said Jose Reyes. "We
think about us, about taking it one game at a time because youre not going to
win three games in one day." Reyes hammered the old cliché but its the truth.
While theres reason to root for Baltimore to beat New York (there was a loud
cheer during Jays batting practice when the Orioles walked off an 11th inning
victory over the Yankees on Friday afternoon) and Boston to beat Kansas City,
the other two results are saw offs. Simply, the Jays must win. Rotation switch
Manager John Gibbons is taking advantage of the off day on Thursday to slightly
reconfigure his starting rotation. Left-hander Mark Buehrle, originally
scheduled to open the series in Baltimore on Monday, instead will start Sundays
finale at home against Tampa Bay. Rookie Marcus Stroman moves to Monday. He had
been set to pitch on Sunday. "Give (Stroman) another extra day," said Gibbons.
"Weve been trying all year long to protect these guys, young guys especially."
Another reason for the switch: Buehrles numbers against the Rays are much better
than his numbers against Baltimore. In five starts against Tampa Bay this
season, Buehrle is 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA. In three starts against the Orioles, hes
1-2 with a 4.67 ERA. Stroman has yet to face Baltimore. Yet another reason for
the switch: despite injuries to Manny Machado and Matt Wieters and a 25-game
suspension to Chris Davis for a positive test for amphetamines, the Orioles are
a home run hitting team. The recent development of Stromans dominating
sinkerball, a groundball pitch, plays well in Oriole Park at Camden Yards, which
is prone to allowing the home run. Davis suspension helps Blue Jays The AL
East-leading Orioles, already without Wieters (elbow) and Machado (knee) for the
remainder of the season, lost first baseman Davis for 25 games. This will not
disappoint Blue Jays pitching, on whom Davis has feasted. Since the start of the
2012 season, in 47 games, Davis has hit 21 home runs against Toronto. No
opposing player has more in that span. Davis, 28, has had a disappointing
season. After leading baseball with 53 home runs and 138 RBI and posting a 1.004
OPS in 2013, his numbers have dropped dramatically (20 home runs, .704 OPS in
2014). Davis tested positive for amphetamines, which he said were the result of
his use of the stimulant Adderall. Davis said he had a Therapeutic Use Exemption
for Adderall through to the end of last season, a prescription which,
apparently, was not renewed.
Cheap Jay Ajayi Jersey .1 Sam Stosur will meet Germanys second-ranked player Andrea Petkovic in the opening match of the
Fed Cup World Group semifinal.
Mark Duper Dolphins Jersey . Sources tell TSN that union executives travelled to select CFL cities Monday to open dialogue
with players and answer questions. After the tentative deal was reached Saturday
night, several players posted messages of frustration and disappointment on
social media - and that carried over into Sunday on both the web and the
field.OAKLAND, Calif. -- Leave it to a pair of former Oakland Athletics to end
one of the worst skids the Minnesota Twins have ever had against another club.
Kurt Suzuki hit a tiebreaking double and Josh Willingham added two-run homer in
the eighth inning, and the Twins snapped a 12-game losing streak to Oakland by
beating the As 6-1 on Sunday. "Theyve had their way with us," said Willingham,
who played for the As in 2011. "If we wouldve come in here and lost today, that
wouldve been a very big disappointment. We needed to get this win." Brian Dozier
connected for his 20th homer in the first before Suzuki and Willingham each had
a big hit against Luke Gregerson (2-2) in the eighth. Minnesota scored two more
in the ninth to avoid a four-game sweep with its first win over the As since
last September. Only 13-game losing streaks to the New York Yankees (2002-2003)
and Texas Rangers (1998-1999) top the Twins skid to Oakland. "Its just one of
those things," Suzuki said, struggling to find an explanation. Phil Hughes
(12-8) allowed four hits in seven innings for his second straight victory. He
came out because of a cracked nail on his right index finger, which he glued
back on in the clubhouse -- something he said he has done throughout his career
and shouldnt keep him from making his next start. Stephen Vogts RBI single in
the first accounted for the As only run. The poor offensive effort wasted a
second straight superb start from Jason Hammel, who gave up four hits and one
run in 6 1-3 innings. Hammel, who beat Tampa Bay his last time out, had lost his
first four starts with Oakland after being acquired in a July 4 trade with the
Chicago Cubs that also sent Jeff Samardzija to the AL West leaders. "This is the
best hes pitched from what Ive seen," As manager Bob Melvin said. After they
each allowed a run in the first, Hammel and Hughes quickly corrected most of
thhe mistakes they made the rest of the way.
DeVante Parker Dolphins Jersey. But the biggest blunder might have been a self-inflicted one by the Twins. With two
runners on in the seventh, Jordan Schafer whiffed at a bunt and Eduardo Nunez
was tagged out between third and home. Fernando Abad struck out Schafer on the
next pitch. Minnesota more than made up for the mistake in the eighth and ninth
innings. LOST IN THE SUN Suzuki, who was a catcher for the As from 2007-12
before returning for 15 games late last season, should know more than anybody on
the Twins about how difficult the sun can be in Oakland during day games.
Instead, Suzuki provided one of Sundays best bloopers when he never turned to
catch Josh Reddicks popup that bounced off the warning track behind the plate in
the fourth. Reddick drew Oaklands only walk off Hughes in the at-bat. "They said
I missed it. But I didnt think I missed it because I didnt even try to go for
it," Suzuki joked. "It doesnt count as a miss." TRAINERS ROOM Twins: First
baseman Joe Mauer, who has been out since July 1 with a strained muscle on his
right side, is expected to be activated at Houston on Monday. Infielder
Trevor Plouffe (sore left foot) and outfielder Oswaldo Arcia (lower back pain)
sat out. Both are day to day. Athletics: Shortstop Jed Lowrie got the day off to
rest his bruised right index finger, which sidelined him for three games last
week. Hes expected to start Monday at Kansas City. UP NEXT Twins: Minnesota will
call up former As lefty Tommy Milone from Triple-A Rochester to start Monday in
Houston. Milone was dealt to the Twins at the July 31 trade deadline for
outfielder Sam Fuld after going 6-3 with a 3.55 ERA for Oakland this season.
Athletics: Sonny Gray (12-5, 2.87 ERA), the AL Pitcher of the Month for July,
tries to rebound from back-to-back losses in August when he goes in the opener
at Kansas City.
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