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ekansekans's blog: "df"

created on 10/29/2012  |  http://fubar.com/df/b351055

TORONTO -- It took longer than Blue Jays fans probably would have liked, but Torontos mammoth 12-player trade with the Miami Marlins is finally a done deal. Baseball commissioner Bud Selig said Monday he would not stand in the way of the trade that sees Toronto acquire all-star shortstop Jose Reyes, pitchers Mark Buehrle and Josh Johnson, catcher John Buck and infielder/outfielder Emilio Bonifacio from Miami for seven players. "It is my conclusion that this transaction, involving established major leaguers and highly regarded young players and prospects, represents the exercise of plausible baseball judgment on the part of both clubs, does not violate any express rule of Major League Baseball and does not otherwise warrant the exercise of any of my powers to prevent its completion," Selig said it a statement. "It is, of course, up to the clubs involved to make the case to their respective fans that this transaction makes sense and enhances the competitive position of each, now or in the future." Miami gets infielders Yunel Escobar and Adeiny Hechavarria, pitchers Henderson Alvarez, Anthony DeSclafani and Justin Nicolino, catcher Jeff Mathis and outfielder Jake Marisnick in the deal agreed to last week. The Marlins also are sending cash to Toronto as part of their payroll purge. Later Monday, Toronto signed free agent left-fielder Melky Cabrera. The 28-year-old was leading the National League in hitting at .346 for the San Francisco Giants when he was suspended Aug. 15 for a positive testosterone text. Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos said after Torontos disappointing campaign in 2012 -- one that the club go 73-89 and finish fourth in the American League East -- that he wanted to improve the teams starting pitching. He did so in dramatic fashion, pulling off one of the biggest deals in franchise history that changes the look of the team and immediately puts the Blue Jays in the conversation for the American League East crown. But with the deal will come increased expectations. Toronto, which has not made the playoffs since the second of back-to-back World Series victories in 1993, acquired combined guaranteed salaries of US$163.75 million through 2018 in the deal, including $96 million due Reyes. Anthopoulos was expected to address the media at Rogers Centre on Tuesday morning. Johnson and Buehrle will immediately improve a starting rotation that already includes Brandon Morrow and Ricky Romero. Reyes, who should bat leadoff, is a major upgrade over Escobar at shortstop, Bonifacio could fill a hole at second base and Buck, a former Blue Jay, gives the team veteran experience behind the plate. Despite the huge monetary investment, Toronto didnt have to give up much off the current roster. Escobars days with the Blue Jays were already numbered after he wrote an anti-gay slur in Spanish on his eyeblack late in the season. Mathis was a decent backup, while the jury is still out on Alvarez and prospects Hechavarria, DeSclafani, Nicolino and Marisnick. The trade is not the only move Anthopolous made last week. The Blue Jays reportedly signed all-star game MVP Melky Cabrera, who is returning from a drug suspension. Sources say Cabrera and the club have reached an agreement on a two-year contract worth $16 million, pending a physical. Anthopolous still has more work to do, including the hiring of a new manager after John Farrell jumped ship to the Boston Red Sox in October. Despite the major jump in payroll, the trade with the Marlins doesnt come without risk. Reyes, a career .291 hitter with 259 doubles, 111 triples, 92 home runs and 480 RBIs in 1,210 games, is an injury concern, especially on the turf at Rogers Centre. The 29-year-old switch-hitter batted .287 for the Marlins last season with 37 doubles, 12 triples, 11 home runs, 57 RBIs and 40 stolen bases last season, a year removed from winning the National League batting title. Johnson, a free agent after 2013, is owed $13.75 million next season, while Buehrle has $52 million remaining on a deal that expires in 2015. The 28-year-old Johnson was 8-14 last season with a 3.81 earned-run average in 31 starts for Miami. The two-time all-star recorded 165 strikeouts with 65 walks in 191 1/3 innings. A six-foot-seven right-hander, Johnson led the National League with a 2.30 ERA in 2010. Buehrle was 13-13 in 2012 with a 3.74 ERA in his first season with the Marlins. The 33-year-old left-hander tossed 202 1-3 innings in 31 starts, marking the 12th consecutive season he pitched at least 200 innings. The four-time all-star spent the first 12 years of his career with the Chicago White Sox before joining Miami last season. Buck appeared in 106 games for the Marlins in 2012, batting .192 with 12 home runs and 41 RBIs. The 33-year-old veteran catcher returns to Toronto, where he was an American League all-star in 2010. Bonifacio, 27, batted .258 last season in 64 games, with 30 stolen bases and 30 runs scored. He can play all three outfield positions, as well as second base, third base and shortstop. The 28-year-old Cabrera was leading the National League in hitting at .346 for the San Francisco Giants when he was suspended Aug. 15 for a positive testosterone text. The Giants didnt put Cabrera on their post-season roster on their way to winning the World Series. The net amount coming off the Marlins books in the deal is $154 million, which does not account for the cash involved in the trade. Since flopping during the first half of their first season at their new ballpark, the Marlins also have traded former NL batting champion Hanley Ramirez, second baseman Omar Infante, right-hander Anibal Sanchez and closer Heath Bell. The Marlins have been criticized for jettisoning veterans after moving into a ballpark largely funded by public money. "I am sensitive to the concerns of the fans of Miami regarding this trade, and I understand the reactions I have heard," Selig added in the statement. "Baseball is a social institution with important social responsibilities and I fully understand that the Miami community has done its part to put the Marlins into a position to succeed with beautiful new Marlins Park. "Going forward, I will continue to monitor this situation with the expectation that the Marlins will take into account the sentiments of their fans, who deserve the best efforts and considered judgment of their club. I have received assurances from the ownership of the Marlins that they share these beliefs and are fully committed to build a long-term winning team that their fans can be proud of." Marlins president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest said he understood why fans in Miami were mad and confirmed the trade was necessary because owner Jeffrey Loria wanted to pare payroll. "I understand the pause the fans have with the instability in our roster at a time when we were hoping to be very stable in the new stadium," Beinfest said. "Its not a lot of fun." Miamis biggest remaining star, slugger Giancarlo Stanton, has been among those expressing anger about the trade. Beinfest said he hadnt talked with Stanton about the deal. "I know this is an emotional time," Beinfest said. "Im sure it has been tough for him. Our feeling was to maybe let the dust settle a little bit and then talk to Giancarlo. I hear the frustration. Its not unexpected. This has been a tough go, but we think its best for us moving forward." Players union head Michael Weiner withheld comment, saying he was awaiting more input from Major League Baseball. In January 2009, the union reached an agreement with MLB and the Marlins covering 2010-12 which Weiner said was a "response to our concerns that revenue sharing proceeds have not been used as required." As part of the deal, Weiner said the team planned to "use such proceeds to increase player payroll annually as they move toward the opening of their new ballpark." Note: To make room on the 40-man roster following the trade, Toronto designated right-handed pitcher Joel Carreno for assignment. -- With files from The Associated Press Cheap Jerseys Online . Bolt was scheduled to run the 200 metres at the Monaco Diamond League meet on July 20 but pulled out to have treatment ahead of the London Games. Despite the withdrawal, Bolt said Thursday he would be in London to defend his titles. Cheap Jerseys From China . Rafael Nadal wont be ready to return from injury. David Ferrer is skipping the tie after a long run at the Australian Open. http://www.dancewithmeusa.com/hot.html . The 31-year-old from Kamloops, B.C., who was ranked No. 1 in the world last season, threw 20.72 metres. American Ryan Whiting won with a throw of 21.14. Armstrong, who battled injuries over the winter, threw 21.Flushing Meadows, NY (Sports Network) - Three-time champion Kim Clijsters, playing in her final WTA event, came up a second-round loser Wednesday at the U.S. Open. The 23rd-seeded former world No. 1 succumbed to rising 18-year-old British left-hander Laura Robson 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5) at Ashe Stadium. "This seems like the perfect place to retire, I just wish it wasnt today," said an emotional Clijsters. Clijsters saved two match points, trailing 5-6, 15-40 in the second set, but was unable to stave off a third in the second-set tiebreak, as the Belgian wife and mother sent one final backhand return long on Day 3. The 29-year-old star hadnt lost at the U.S. Open since falling to Justine Henin in an all-Belgian final in 2003. Shed won her last 22 matches on the famed hardcourts in Flushing. Clijsters, who is still in the doubles draw, was the U.S. Open champ in 2005, 2009 and 2010 and settled for a 38-6 singles record at Americas Open. The oft-injured four-time Grand Slam singles champ, who turned pro in 1997 and retired from the WTA for the first time in 2007 in order to start a family, corralled 41 career titles and also helped Belgium win its lone Fed Cup title back in 2001. Clijsters was also a four-time major runner-up. Other big names moved on Wednesday, including world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka, defending champion Samantha Stosur, former winner Maria Sharapova and last years Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova. The Belarusian star Azarenka whipped Belgian qualifier Kirsten Flipkens 6-2, 6-2 in 65 minutes at Ashe. Flipkens is a former U.S. Open girls and junior world champion who is playing doubles alongside Clijsters. Azarenka, a former U.S. Open mixed doubles champ, has been No. 1 for most of the year after capturing her first major singles title at the Australian Open back in January. The 23-year-old Azarenka has never advanced beyond the fourth round in Flushing. "I dont feel like I have to prove something," said the Olympic bronze medalist, who moved on to face Chinas Zheng Jie. Stosur, who shocked Serena Williams in last years final, scored a 6-3, 6-0 win over RRomanian Edina Gallovits-Hall.dddddddddddd The seventh-seeded Australian will play No. 31 American Varvara Lepchenko in the next round. The 2006 champion Sharapova, seeded No. 3 this year, fired six aces and had no trouble in a 6-0, 6-1 win over Spaniard Lourdes Dominguez Lino. The Russian Sharapova set up a match with Stanford All-American Mallory Burdette. Kvitova, seeded fifth, handled Frances Alize Cornet 6-4, 6-3 at Armstrong Stadium. The left-handed Czech slugger, who captured both Wimbledon and the prestigious season-ending WTA Championships last year, is the only woman to reach the quarterfinals at all three Grand Slam events so far this year. Kvitovas third-round opponent will be Frances Pauline Parmentier. Ninth-seeded Chinese Li Na continued her recent run of fine play with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Aussie Casey Dellacqua. The 2011 French Open champion is fresh off her big hardcourt title in Cincinnati and was a runner-up to Kvitova in Montreal earlier this month. Lis third-round opponent will be the talented Robson. Also, No. 11 seed Marion Bartoli of France held on to beat Switzerlands Romina Oprandi 6-2, 1-6, 7-5; 15th-seeded Czech Lucie Safarova held off Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak 6-3, 4-6, 6-2; Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic dismissed 17th-seeded Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1, 6-2; and 19th- seeded former top-10 Russian Nadia Petrova pasted Romanian Simona Halep 6-1, 6-1. In other action involving seeds, Parmentier knocked out No. 25 Belgian Yanina Wickmayer 7-6 (7-5), 6-3, a No. 28 Zheng drubbed Slovak Magdalena Rybarikova 6-3, 6-1, and Lepchenko whipped Aussie Anastasia Rodionova 6-2, 6-2. Another American winner was Burdette, who surprised the capable Czech Lucie Hradecka 6-2, 6-4. Burdette is a 21-year-old from Georgia who was this years NCAA runner-up to Nicole Gibbs, who lost in the first round this week. "To end up here at the U.S. Open was a huge surprise," Burdette said. "I never expected that at the beginning of the summer." Also advancing to the third round was Luxembourgs Mandy Minella and Georgian Anna Tatishvili. ' ' ' 

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