Tipps & Stellenangebote » We have lost a true friend, who will be m

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 West in 2014. NL WEST Arizona Diamondbacks GM: Kevin Towers Manager: Kirk Gibson 2013: 81-81, third in NL West. Did not qualify for playoffs. That was Then: Gibbys men were pretty much perfectly average in 2013. Apart from the unforgettable brawl that erupted in mid-June when Ian Kennedy plunked Zack Greinke (which, by the way, featured an incredible number of ex-MLB All-Stars on the coaching staffs - including the entire side of Montgomery Burns softball teams infield) the D-backs were 50/50 nearly the entire season. Never finishing a single month more than three games above or below .500 nor boasting a winning or losing streak of more than five games, the team was consistent from start to finish. The big story for the team was Paul Goldschmidts emergence as one of the games elite offensive weapons. Tops in homers and RBI, winning a Gold Glove and finishing second in MVP balloting, the third-year pro was a mammoth presence in the middle of an otherwise middling offence. They wound up second in the West in large part to the Giants drop-off, but clearly had it in mind to shake things up once the off-season kicked into gear. This is Now: There are a lot of intriguing names among the list of players that flew into or out of Arizona this off-season (see below). For the second straight year the D-backs dealt away a one-time blue chip arm. In 2013 it was Trevor Bauer that was Cleveland-bound and this past off-season it was Tyler Skaggs that was sacrificed in order to land Mark Trumbos streaky bat from the Los Angeles Angels. With last seasons mid-summer jettisoning of Ian Kennedy, one has to wonder what the end-game is with the D-backs pitching. That said, Trumbo put either directly in front of or behind Paul Goldschmidt gives Arizona one of the most fear-inducing power combos in all of baseball. That might have been the greater concern for Kevin Towers, considering his team tied for the fifth-least round-trippers in the bigs in 2013. Addison Reed is a nice pick-up for a team that featured a less-than-inspiring closer-by-committee approach last season and Bronson Arroyo will eat a large share of innings for the teams young-ish rotation. Whos In?: SP Bronson Arroyo (two-year contract), RP Addison Reed (trade with CHW), 1B Mark Trumbo (trade with LAA). Whos Out?: RP Heath Bell (trade with TB), IF Willie Bloomquist (signed with SEA), RP Shawn Camp (signed with PHI), 3B Matt Davidson (trade with CHW), OF Adam Eaton (trade with CHW), C Wil Nieves (signed with PHI), SP Tyler Skaggs (trade with LAA), SS Josh Wilson (singed with TEX). Colorado Rockies GM: Dan ODowd Manager: Walt Weiss 2013: 74-88, fifth in NL West. Did not qualify for playoffs. That was Then: The Rockies view didnt get any better in 2013, as they held down their place in the N.L. West cellar, albeit not finishing as miserably as they did the previous year. Injuries were once again a problem for the Rockies core, as Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez missed a combined 88 games due to injury. The pair can be one of the most dynamic pairings in all of baseball - but neither has played more than 145 games in any single season since 2009. Jorge de la Rosa and Jhoulys Chacin actually put up good win totals and decent numbers, especially considering they were on a last-place club, but the back end of the rotation was patchwork for much of the year. One of the games quietest All-Stars (and potential Hall-of-Famers) bid farewell to the Coors Field faithful, as Todd Helton hung up his spikes after 16 seasons in Denver. Helton retired the franchise leader in games played, hits, home runs, RBI, total bases and more and the team has already announced plans to retire his number 17. This is Now: A quick look at the transactions below will reveal the amount of upheaval theres been for the Rocks since October. Will all the changes turn the fortunes? Brett Anderson can be an impact arm, but hes a health risk. Drew Stubbs and Justin Morneau could help the offence, but Morneau, too, comes with injury baggage and is well removed from MVP or even All-Star form. Dealing Dexter Fowler, too, seems an odd move, considering he still had some contract control and plenty of speed to burn. But the key for the Rockies, like every year, will come down to the health of Tulo and CarGo. If both can find even moderate health, their career numbers suggest they will carry the Rockies offence. But thats a huge "if" and not one that the Rockies seem too intent to plan contingencies for. Whos In?: SP Brett Anderson (trade with OAK), OF Brandon Barnes (trade with HOU), RP Matt Belisle (mutual option exercised), RP LaTroy Hawkins (one-year contract), RP Boone Logan (three-year contract), SP Jordan Lyles (trade with HOU), C Michael McKenry (minor league contract), RP Franklin Morales (trade with BOS), 1B Justin Morneau (two-year contract), OF Drew Stubbs (trade with CLE). Whos Out?: RP Mitchell Boggs (signed with CHW), RP Edgmer Escalona (signed with BAL), OF Dexter Fowler (trade with HOU), SP Jeff Francis (signed with CIN), SP Jon Garland (released), 1B Todd Helton (retired), IF Jonathan Herrera (trade with BOS), SP Jeff Manship (signed with PHI), RP Josh Outman (trade with CLE), SP Drew Pomeranz (trade with OAK), C Yorvit Torrealba (signed with LAA). Los Angeles Dodgers GM: Ned Colletti Manager: Don Mattingly 2013: 92-70, first in NL West. Lost to St. Louis in National League Championship Series. That was Then: Having money certainly seems to suit the Dodgers fine. A year removed from bankruptcy, the Dodgers built on the momentum theyd established at the end of 2012. With millions in cast-offs from the Boston Red Sox still on the payroll, the Dodgers went out and spent even more, grabbing Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu and re-upping Brandon League to build one of the majors truly frightening staffs. But the big shift came in June with the arrival of Cuban outfielder Yasiel Puig. Powerful, fast and electrifying, Puig shook up the N.L. West and added a needed boost to the Dodgers outfield that saw Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier and Carl Crawford all battle injuries. The Dodgers wound up running away with the N.L. West, winning by a comfortable 11 games and all but eliminating the shame of the Frank McCourt years. Post-season play would prove an up-and-down experience at Chavez Ravine. The Dodgers would put the sticks to the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS, winning their three games by a combined 13 runs, but their nemesis would rear its head in the form of unlikely rookie Michael Wacha in the NLCS. The 22-year-old held the Dodgers to just seven hits over two scoreless starts, beating Kershaw in a pivotal Game 2 and the decisive Game 6. This is Now: If you liked last year, you might love this year. The thought of an entire year with a Puig-Kemp-Ethier outfield â€" health-permitting â€" is enough to make Dodger fans eager for the 2014 season. The Dodgers rotation, already a thing of beauty, went and bettered itself by adding Paul Maholm and Dan Haren. The Dodgers also re-upped Brian Wilson, who looked very much his "Fear the Beard" self after being cut adrift by the Giants prior to 2013. The infield will take some re-shaping, with Mark Ellis moving to St. Louis and Michael Young calling it a career, but if Hanley Ramirez can stretch what he did in 2013 over a full season he might well have a career year. It would be a surprise if the Dodgers werent a playoff team. The only question heading into this year is: Are they a championship team? Whos In?: P Dan Haren, SP Paul Maholm (one-year contract), RP Chris Perez (one-year contract), IF Justin Turner (minor league contract), RP Jamey Wright (one-year contract). Whos Out?: RP Ronald Belisario (signed with CHW), 2B Mark Ellis (signed with STL), SP Ted Lilly (retired), RP Carlos Marmol (signed with MIA), RP Peter Moylan (signed with HOU), SP Ricky Nolasco (signed with MIN), IF Nick Punto (signed with OAK), IF Skip Schumaker (signed with CIN), SP Edinson Volquez (signed with PIT), IF Michael Young (retired). San Diego Padres GM: Josh Byrnes Manager: Bud Black 2013: 76-86, third in NL West. Did not qualify for playoffs. That was Then: All-in-all, you could probably say that the Padres 2013 campaign comes out as a positive, but there were plenty of ups and downs to be considered before reaching a final verdict. The good news is that the team finished third in the division, ahead (once the math got worked out) of the Giants. They were above .500 for a good chunk of June, which marked the first time the club had been in that position since the end of 2010 and they finished strong, going 16-11 in September including series wins over three divisional opponents. Jedd Gyorko was also a rookie standout, leading the team in dingers (23) and RBIs (63). The Bad news came from the Biogenesis verdict that saw shortstop Everth Cabrera slapped with a 50-game suspension. His ban, coupled with the one handed to catcher Yasmani Grandal at the end of the 2012 campaign hung a gigantic cloud over the teams core talent. Add in a host of injuries that limited first baseman Yonder Alonso to just 97 games in 2013 and it was really a year that a lot of Padres players would like to have buried in the past. It will be interesting to see how they follow it up. This is Now: The Padres took a chance with their off-season strategy, but if the gamble pays off San Diego could be poised to at least be respectable in the West. Joaquin Benoit will eat a whole bunch of innings out of the pen and provides a nice back-up plan should Huston Street falter or get hurt. He and Alex Torres should ease some of the sting of dealing away Luke Gregerson. Similarly, Seth Smith provides some pretty decent pop off the bench and is a nice addition as far as fourth outfielders go. Thats not the risky part. If the Padres signed pre-shoulder surgery, 2010 edition of Josh Johnson for $8 million, theyve added a big piece to their rotation. Hes a player that was once one of the NLs best arms and might be worth a one-year flier. That said, he was bad in 2013 with the Toronto Blue Jays. He missed all of May with a triceps injury and was shut down in August with forearm tightness. If it were just a season of injuries that would be problematic enough, but he logged just 81.1 innings, going 2-8 and posting a grotesque 1.66 WHIP. A one-year deal is never truly risky, but an $8 million investment is not exactly a low-risk proposition for a player that underwent off-season elbow surgery. Hes already expected to miss at least a month with a flexor strain. Whos In?: RP Joaquin Benoit (two-year contract), IF Ryan Jackson (trade with HOU), SP Josh Johnson (one-year contract), OF Seth Smith (trade with OAK), RP Alex Torres (trade with TB). Whos Out?: RP Anthony Bass (trade with HOU), RP Brad Boxberger (trade with TB), RP Brad Brach (trade with BAL), IF Logan Forsythe (trade with TB), RP Luke Gregerson (trade with OAK), 1B Jesus Guzman (trade with HOU), RP Colt Hynes (trade with CLE), OF Mark Kotsay (retired), RP Tommy Layne (signed with BOS). San Francisco Giants GM: Brian Sabean Manager: Bruce Bochy 2013: 76-86, fourth in NL West. Did not qualify for playoffs. That was Then: Its never easy defending a championship and Giants fans found that out once more in 2013. After locking Buster Posey down to a mammoth extension in March, the Giants actually got off to a pretty decent start last season, playing .650 baseball through the first 20 games of the season. But the summer would not be kind to San Fran, as the Giants would drop 19 of 24 games in late June and early July. Shortly after that horrible stretch Tim Lincecum would make history by throwing a 148-pitch no-hitter, the second-highest count in MLB history. Losing Matt Cain and Ryan Vogelsong for stretches didnt help their rotation any and by the time the dust settled the Giants were fourth in the West, posting their first sub-.500 season since 2009. This is Now: With the amount of talent the Giants have at their core, its hard to believe they cant contend, despite the disappointment that was 2013. After all, they missed the playoffs the year after their 2010 triumph and came right back to win another championship the next year. They went out and added a wealth of experience to their starting rotation by taking a two-year chance on right-hander Tim Hudson, whose 205 career wins are tops amongst active MLB pitchers. He should add some nice insulation at the back end of their rotation behind the likes of Cain, Lincecum and Madison Bumgarner. A suddenly-trim Pablo Sandoval will be an interesting sight for the Giants this season and the Panda has made spring training promises to lose even more weight. Meanwhile, the continued development of Brandon Belt could provide even more runs for the traditionally run-starved team. Whos In?: SP Tim Hudson (two-year contact), SP David Huff (minor league contract), OF Michael Morse (one-year contract). Whos Out?: RP Jose Mijares (signed with BOS), SP Chad Gaudin (signed with PHI), SP Guillermo Moscoso (signed in Japan), OF Francisco Peguero (signed with BAL), OF Kensuke Tanaka (signed with TEX). Drew Bledsoe Jersey . "It feels good, Ive never had one before, not even in College," Hagelin said after the Rangers outgunned the Jets 4-2, behind some solid goaltending from Henrik Lundqvist following a pretty wide open first period. Stephon Gilmore Youth Jersey . The football club recently announced an increase in season ticket prices in five of the seven categories at Investors Group Field for 2014. While most increases are in the two to three per cent range, the clubs most affordable season tickets will jump from $199 to $250 — a 26 per cent leap. http://www.shoptheofficialpatriots.com/Elite-Irving-Fryar-Patriots-Jersey/ .com) - P.K. Subbans power-play goal 4:08 into overtime sent the Montreal Canadiens into the All-Star break with a 2-1 win over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday. Irving Fryar Womens Jersey .com) - Novak Djokovic easily took care of Andy Murray to reach the final at the $2. Tedy Bruschi Patriots Jersey . Tokarski, a somewhat controversial choice -- with his 10 games of NHL experience and all -- to replace an injured Carey Price in Game Two had a night to remember, turning back a Rangers team that was dominating play from the get-go, outshooting the Canadiens 14-4 in the first period and 37-25 overall.TORONTO -- Bradley Orr said that every kids dream growing up playing soccer in England was to hoist a cup. So he and his Toronto FC teammates say they will have no problem getting up for their Amway Canadian Championship final against rival Montreal Impact, even if the result doesnt count toward Major League Soccer standings. "No, not at all. I love cup games. Theres a prize at the end of it," the Toronto defender said after practice Tuesday. "Back in England it was the FA Cup, now that were here its the Canadian Cup, and its just as important for me as any league game, because theres pride at stake and theres a lot to play for. Its a big game, no doubt about it, and one were looking forward to." Toronto hosts Montreal for the first of two legs Wednesday at BMO Field. The second leg is June 4 at Saputo Stadium in Montreal. The team with the higher aggregate score after the two matches also represents Canada in the 2014-2015 CONCACAF Champions League. "Very very important," captain Steven Caldwell said. "We want to win the Cup. We obviously want to get a good lead if we can from the first leg, its going to be tough, were playing our rivals, a very good side, who are . . . far better than theyve been showing." Toronto is hoping to reclaim the title they relinquished to Montreal last season. TFC won the championship four straight years -- from 2009 through 2012 -- while the Impact won the inaugural competition in 2008 and again last year. "Its Canadian pride here," Toronto-born defender Ashtone Morgan said on the importance of the matches. "I think last year we had a sour taste in our mouth and were looking to bounce back this year, and looking to get the trophy." Dwayne De Rosario is tied for the tournament all-time lead in goals with four, and won back-to-back tournament MVP honours, in 2009 and 10. The 2009 victory was De Rosarios first playing with his hometown team in Toronto, after holding MLS jobs with the San Jose Earthquakes and Houston Dynamo. "For me it was a first championship coming back home, a championship for my city, a championship for TFC, and it was a special moment," De Rosario said. "And hopefully I can create another special moment tomorrow and win back that trophy for this club." Toronto is 7-1-2 all-time against the Impact in Canadian Championship action and are the favourites this season against a Montreal team that is struggling through a horrendous start to the season. TFC has four wins, four losses and one draw in MLS games, while Montreal is 1-6-4 and last in the league. Toronto coach Ryan Nelsen warned though that not only is Montreal a better team than this seasons results indicate, but standings and recent results dont mean much when a championship trophy is on the line. "Very dangerous team, very good team," Nelsen said of the Impact. "Theyre just having a little bit of a bad run at the moment. When you come to this competition, form doesnt really matter, it kind of goes out the window. Ive watched a lot of theiir games, and they have been unlucky in quite a few of them; theyve had opportunities to win the games, but it hasnt fallen their way.dddddddddddd You know the quality they have, theyll get it right." Toronto defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 at home and then 5-3 on penalty kicks in Vancouver to reach the final. The Impact battled back to beat second-division side FC Edmonton to earn their spot in the final. It was a confident TFC team that practised Wednesday morning at their training ground north of the city, after salvaging a 2-2 draw at Sporting Kansas City -- the defending league champions -- last Friday. Toronto managed a draw despite losing Caldwell to a red card in the 63rd minute. "Were very pleased with the result, not the performance particularly but at the end of the day were judged on points. . . Well take that in a very tough place to play," Caldwell said. "They were obviously a better team and we couldnt get anything going all night, and then with the sending off, and the penalty (awarded to Kansas City in the 84th minute for a Doneil Henry foul in the box). . . we felt even the 50-50 decisions were going against us. But well take the draw and move on. Excited for (Wednesday) night." Caldwells red card will keep him out of Saturdays MLS game against the visiting Columbus Crew, but hell be available Wednesday to a Toronto lineup that wont differ much from last Friday. Nelsen said midfielders Jonathan Osorio (hamstring) and Jackson Goncalves (concussion) wont play, while Luke Moore (groin) is questionable. Collen Warner, recently acquired in a trade with Montreal, is ineligible to play because hes cup-tied to the Impact. Nelsen was already in good spirits Wednesday but the coach brightened considerably when asked his thoughts on Queens Park Rangers promotion to the Premier League. "Brilliant. Absolutely fantastic," said Nelsen, who ended his playing career with QPR. The squad that Nelsen played two seasons for defeated Derby 1-0 last weekend to earn promotion. Bobby Zamora scored the decisive goal, pouncing on a defensive miscue by Derby in the 90th minute. "Football is a funny game . . . when youre down to 10 men, as long as you stay in the game, you generally get that one chance. It couldnt have been more obvious than that QPR game," Nelsen said. "Bobby took it brilliantly like he has for his whole career. I can imagine there were a few celebrations that night." Nelsen said he is still emotionally tied to QPR, as he is to every team hes played for, saying he still has good friends not only with that club but DC United, Blackburn, and Tottenham. "You get so emotionally involved because you go through so many highs and lows and people dont really understand how low the lows are and how high the highs are, that you become friends and you make friends," he said. "And when you do things for other people and they do things for you, that are unforgettable things that imprint on your life, and your memories, you obviously stay friends." ' ' '