Dein erstes Forum » Wagner came into his own last year

TORONTO – Brett Lawrie is off to a slow start at the plate, just 3-for-29 (.103) entering Wednesday nights tilt with the Astros. Approached to discuss his early season slump, Lawrie obliged but it wasnt long before he got a little help from a friend. "Hell be fine," Jose Reyes shouted as he walked by the discussion. The 24-year-old had a solid Grapefruit League, hitting .339/.373/.484 with two home runs. But thats spring training, the quality of pitching varies (Baseball Reference ranked Lawries mound opponents an 8.6/10) and the types of pitches that get thrown in certain counts are different; often times a pitcher goes into an appearance looking to work on specific parts of his repertoire. Eight games in, Lawrie insists hes not pressing. "Its a long season, man," said Lawrie. "I mean, weve still got 140-plus games so for me to push the panic button right now is no point because its a long year so stay healthy, just keep going and grinding and getting after it. The main thing is that were winning so obviously find positivity there and obviously look to do the job again today and find some way to contribute to the team." The thing is, Lawrie likely is pressing. The fact he doesnt want to talk about it, or admit to it, is fine. "Hes a little mental right now," said hitting coach Kevin Seitzer. "Hes sitting on pitches and hes guessing wrong is whats happening. When that happens you start to lose your approach; you want to get in just to try to hit the ball hard and that ends up being a recipe for disaster. Hes just pressing right now." Lawrie and Seitzer convened for an early Wednesday afternoon hitting session in the batting cage. The aim wasnt to go over significant mechanical tweaks but rather pitch recognition, which is sometimes compromised when a hitter struggles and begins to think too much in the batters box. It appears to the layman observer that the hitch Lawrie had last year has returned to his swing, which occurs just as hes cocking his bat to bring it through the strike zone. "He had some of that in spring training too," said Seitzer. "The late is from tension of reacting to fastballs instead of being ready to hit them and then when you do get one, when youre looking for one and you get it, then you try and do too much and that causes more tension." Manager John Gibbons goes out of his way to praise Lawries maturity, noting his third basemans ability to maintain his composure throughout the early season slump. "Hes come a long way," said Gibbons. Lawrie knows he can contribute in other areas. "Youve got both sides of the coin youve got to worry about," said Lawrie. "Ultimately, if I cant get it done on offence one day than hopefully I can help the team out on defence. Thats kind of how it goes, just try to find a way to contribute." CECIL TAKING CARE Brett Cecil was available for the Blue Jays on Wednesday night against the Astros. He had a 16-pitch, one inning appearance versus Houston on Tuesday and Cecils been careful since spring training not to overextend his arm. "Really what it comes down to is how I feel the day after and how much I can go, whether its just a hitter or a full inning," said Cecil. Cecil made a career-high 60 appearances in 2013, his first full season as a reliever. He was shut down in mid-September, however, suffering from elbow pain. "When I throw one day usually there are no problems, no stiffness," said Cecil. "When I throw two days in a row, the next day it will be a little bit sore. Unless its towards the end of the season, a playoff race or something, that would probably be the only time Id go three days in a row." WAGNER RECALLED Reliever Neil Wagner is back with the Blue Jays, recalled prior to Wednesdays game against the Astros. Right-hander Marcus Walden, who didnt get into a game since joining the Jays on Saturday, was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo. The Blue Jays made no secret that Wagners springtime demotion was strictly a business move – Wagner had an option left and others didnt. "Wagner came into his own last year," said manager John Gibbons. "Hes a guy that can get some big outs late in the game for you." With Casey Janssen still on the disabled list with an abdominal strain and Sergio Santos in the closers role in Janssens stead, the Jays need another late-inning right-hander to work alongside Steve Delabar. Wagner fits the mold. With his mid-to-high 90s fastball, the 30-year-old stuck out 33 hitters in 38 innings over 36 appearances for the Blue Jays last season. BASEBALL PODCAST Each week, Ill sit down with Toronto Star baseball columnist Richard Griffin and MLB.coms Blue Jays beat reporter Gregor Chisholm for the Baseball Podcast. Well discuss the latest news surrounding the ballclub. The aim will be record the podcast each Wednesday but will depend on our respective schedules. Well keep you posted on Twitter. Click here for the first edition, recorded the afternoon of Wednesday, April 9. We talk about the early season performance of the starting rotation, hitters running hot and cold through the first week of the season and last weeks salary deferral revelations. Penguins Jerseys China . Nick Young scored 17 points for Los Angeles, which lost five of its last seven before trouncing the Pelicans, who beat them handily last week in New Orleans. Jodie Meeks and Xavier Henry scored 15 points apiece for the Lakers, who led by 20 points in the first half before coasting to their 12th win in their last 13 regular-season meetings with New Orleans. Wholesale Penguins Jerseys .James scored 29 points, including 16 in the first quarter, and the Cleveland Cavaliers broke a four-game losing streak with a 106-74 win over the Orlando Magic on Monday night. https://www.cheappenguinsjersey.com/ . The Ravens werent about to let it happen again. Carleton picked up its fourth straight national mens basketball title, and 10th in the last 12 years, with a 79-67 victory over its crosstown rival on Sunday. Penguins Jerseys 2020 . Toronto announced the deal with the restricted free agent on Saturday. The terms were not disclosed. Pittsburgh Penguins Shirts . Then youve got to worry about the other up and coming teams in the two weaker divisions in the "Junior Circuit". BALTIMORE -- Corey Kluber had command of his pitches, worked the strike zone effectively and regularly got ahead in the count. Ubaldo Jimenez was pretty much the opposite of that in a miserable performance against his former team. Kluber struck out nine in seven innings, and the Cleveland Indians beat Jimenez and the Baltimore Orioles 9-0 Saturday for their fifth win in six games. Carlos Santana homered and walked three times for the Indians, who took control with a five-run fifth and pulled away by scoring four in the seventh. Kluber (5-3) became the first pitcher in the majors this season to have five straight outings with at least eight strikeouts. He gave up five hits, walked two and did not allow a runner past second base. "Aside from throwing a lot of strikes, the biggest thing is working inside and outside," Kluber said. "I think the key is just working ahead. Getting ahead early and staying ahead in the count and not really letting them get comfortable up there." Kluber is 3-0 with a 2.02 ERA and 48 strikeouts in five starts this month. In this one, the right-hander dominated an offence that had produced 38 runs and 62 hits in its previous five games. "Our game and our league, being able to be consistent is such a huge factor in becoming a really good major-league pitcher or player," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "Thats what Klubes is doing. ... This is not like a shock or a big surprise. This has been coming." Jimenez (2-6) matched zeroes with Kluber until the fifth inning, when the first-year Oriole was pulled without getting an out. Jimenez tied two undesirable season highs, giving up five runs and walking five, in four-plus innings. "It looked like I was just missing a little bit of the strike zone," the right-hander said. "Im not that far away, but Im missing. Im falling behind in the count, getting myself into trouble. Today was walking the leadoff guy." Manager Buck Showalter suggested that Jimenez didnt get strike calls from home plate umpire Rob Drake on close pitches, and Jimenez agreed. "I think I threw a lot of good pitches, but I dont know the umpire. He didnt like it," the pitcher said. "Theres nothing I can do right now." Jimenez spent 2 1/2 seasons with Cleveeland before signing a $50 million, four-year contract with Baltimore in February.dddddddddddd "I didnt even think about who I was facing," he said. "When you get to the mound you are trying to get everybody out, it doesnt matter who it is. You have to do your job." Jimenez struck out three and walked three in the first two innings, keeping the Indians hitless but using 52 pitches to do so. "We got his pitch count up a little bit," Indians shortstop Justin Sellers said. "He got a little tired and he started leaving balls out over the plate." Jimenez faced the minimum six batters over the next two innings, allowing an infield single to Michael Bourn before getting Michael Brantley to hit into a double play. Then came the fifth inning, when seven batters reached before Baltimore got an out. A walk, two singles and a throwing error by second baseman Jonathan Schoop produced the games first run, and a single by Mike Aviles made it 2-0 and chased Jimenez. T.J. McFarland entered with the bases loaded and hit Brantley with a pitch to force in a run, and Lonnie Chisenhall followed with an RBI single. The final run of the inning scored on a double-play grounder. In the seventh, Brantley singled and Chisenhall doubled before Ryan Raburn hit a two-run double. One out later, Santana hit reliever Brad Brachs first pitch over the right-field wall. NOTES: Before the game, the Orioles acquired C Nick Hundley (and cash considerations) from San Diego for LHP Troy Patton. Baltimore also recalled INF Steve Lombardozzi from Triple-A Norfolk. ... Orioles 3B Manny Machado missed a second straight game with a strained groin, but manager Buck Showalter said Machado was available if needed. ... Clevelands Asdrubal Cabrera and Nick Swisher were both rested for a second consecutive game because of sore knees. ... Trevor Bauer (1-1, 2.25 ERA) goes for Cleveland in the series finale against Baltimores Miguel Gonzalez (2-3, 4.53). ... Brantley threw out Steve Clevenger trying to stretch a single for his major league high sixth outfield assist. Brantley also extended his hitting streak to 10 games. ... Baltimore fell to 5-12 in day games, the worst record in the big leagues. ' ' '