12-24-2019, 01:12 AM
TAMPA – Mark Buehrle spun a gem on his 35th birthday, pitching as if he had evening plans to celebrate. Clearance Air Vapormax . "Go home, drop the family off at the airport so time to go home and clean up the house and get it ready for getting stuff shipped," said Buehrle of what will be a quiet night. Buehrle made his noise on the mound, tossing 6 1/3 innings of seven-hit, one-run ball against a Yankees lineup that featured every starter save for an injured Jacoby Ellsbury. He threw 94 pitches, 59 for strikes and was his usual efficient self, issuing no walks. He didnt strike out anyone, either. The Blue Jays won 3-1. "Hes looked a little different this spring," said manager John Gibbons. "Everythings just right. His locations on. I think hes popping the ball a little bit better. Of course I saw him last year, I hadnt seen him in any spring before that but I know hes feeling good and I think hes a little bit surprised about how good he feels and thats a good thing." Buehrle hadnt pitched in a Grapefruit League game since March 7. On that day, he threw 31 of 44 pitches for strikes and was insistent that his changeup was the best it had been in any game in three years. In between, Buehrle made two starts in minor league games. Cognizant of his opponent, Buehrle threw fewer offspeed pitches on Sunday, focusing on his fastball. "We face these guys a lot so I came out and just said, hey, lets work on a lot of fastballs, location," said Buehrle. "I dont want to say trick them because obviously Ive been in the league for 12, 13 years so they know what I throw but just didnt want to show them everything." The plan is for Buehrle to start on Friday night in Montreal, the first of two exhibition games the Jays will play against the New York Mets at Olympic Stadium. Pitching coach Pete Walker draws up the assignments and didnt give Buehrle the choice of traveling or staying back in Florida to throw in a minor league game. Thats just fine with Buehrle, whos looking to pitch in front of a large crowd, in a large stadium, this close to opening day. "It definitely helps out," said Buehrle. "You get in that atmosphere, the adrenaline pumps a little more, theres a bigger crowd even coming here, everything just kind of clicks and it just becomes real once the game starts." Fridays start wont be Buehrles first at the Big O. His only previous outing came on June 18, 2004, an 11-7 White Sox win over the Expos. Buehrle pitched six innings but, as he put it, he got his "ass kicked." He allowed seven runs on 10 hits and got a no-decision. Reyes Update Jose Reyes wasnt in the Blue Jays lineup on Sunday, one day after leaving Saturdays win over the Tigers in the fourth inning with stiffness in his left hamstring. "It feels a little better," said manager John Gibbons. "We still dont think its a big deal." Reyes is listed as day to day. The Second Catcher Erik Kratz and Josh Thole are in a battle for the second catchers job behind Dioner Navarro. Its going down to the wire. "The number one job is going be able to catch Dickey," said Gibbons. "You want some offence but the number one thing (is) theyve got to be able to catch Dickey." Navarro played in 89 games for the Cubs last season, far and away his most since appearing in 115 games for the Rays in 2009. With that in mind, the Jays anticipate the second catcher having to play more. Kratz offers more offence but Dickey is most comfortable pitching to Thole. Dickeys thrown 565 2/3 career innings with Thole as his battery mate. Henry Blanco, at 127 innings, ranks a distant second. "I think theyve both done a good job so its a tough call," said Gibbons. Dickey, as he did last spring when the decision was made to take Blanco over Thole, insists he doesnt have, and insists he doesnt want, input in the process. Timeline for Roster Finalization Gibbons hopes to have his final roster determined before the Blue Jays leave for Montreal, where theyll play two exhibition games versus the Mets on Friday and Saturday, before the club departs on Thursday evening. "Well have a good idea before that what the roster is going to look like," said Gibbons. "Of course, well bring some extra guys with us anyway but well know in the next couple of days; with the catching, anyway." Vapormax 2021 . Dancevic won his singles match on Friday, defeating Go Soeda 6-4, 7-6 (2), 6-1, to even the best-of-five series at a game apiece. World No. 18 Kei Nishikori defeated Peter Polansky in the opening match, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Vapormax Online .com) - The Toronto Maple Leafs will try to play spoiler as the Los Angeles Kings will try to match their longest winning streak in over four years in Thursdays battle at Staples Center. https://www.cheapvapormaxoutlet.com/ . - The infectious smile was missing from Nam Nguyen last week. ABERDEEN -- Three years after virtually giving up on links golf, a more mature Rory McIlroy appears ready to give it another chance. McIlroy tamed blustery conditions on day one of the Scottish Open to shoot a 7-under 64 on Thursday, giving him a one-stroke lead and showing his links game is in great shape ahead of next weeks British Open at Hoylake. "I feel I am as prepared as I have ever been to play this type of golf," a smiling McIlroy said after rolling in eight birdies -- six of which came in a stunning seven-hole spell from Nos. 8-14 at Royal Aberdeen. How things have changed from 2011. At a wet and wild British Open at Royal St. Georges that year, a frustrated McIlroy opened his heart, saying he wasnt a fan of tournaments where the "outcome is predicted so much by the weather" and that "theres no point in changing your game for one week a year." Coming from someone who grew up playing on the links in his native Northern Ireland, it was a strange outburst. That seems to be in the past now. "Im going to make it my favourite style for two weeks a year," said McIlroy, adding he was "relishing the challenge" of playing in the wind and rain. Unheralded Swede Kristoffer Broberg -- who went out in the first group at 6:30 a.m. local time -- and Ricardo Gonzalez of Argentina shot 65s to lie one shot behind McIlroy. Michael Hoey, a compatriot of McIlroy, was a stroke further back after a 5-under 66, and former world No. 1 Luke Donald was among four players to shoot 67. Phil Mickelson missed a 3-foot par putt at the final hole for his only bogey in a 68, a solid start by the American to the defence of his title. McIlroys course-record round stood out, though. Refreshed after a two-week break that included a five-day trip to the Spanish island of Ibiza with friends, the two-time major winner looked back to his sharpest. He showed a good feel on the greens, especially in that barrage of birdies around the turn, and drrove straight and long in the face of winds of up to 20 mph (30 kph). Fake Vapormax. One of the highlights of his round was driving the green on the 436-yard 13th hole while the group ahead was on the putting surface. "I didnt really think that was out there," American golfer Rickie Fowler said of McIlroys score. Ominously for his British Open rivals, McIlroy said he felt completely at one with his game, the "polar opposite" to this time last year when he was "not very confident with anything." "Everything was pretty much on," he said. "In the conditions, this is as low as I have ever been." McIlroy has had problems backing up good opening rounds this season, so there is still hope for the rest of the field in northern Scotland. Up at 4 a.m. local time, Broberg showed the kind of form that won him four events on the second-tier Challenge Tour in 2012, earned him his tour card, and marked him as a star of the future. Five of his six birdies came from Nos. 6-12 and Broberg had just 24 putts in his round, putting him in contention to claim one of the four qualifying berths for the British Open that are available at Royal Aberdeen for non-exempt players finishing in the top 10. Gonzalez made light work of a front nine playing into the wind, and was 8 under par after an eagle 3 at No. 12. Two bogeys at the end saw him drop off the lead. Mickelsons round was typically eventful. A chip to 10 feet from a cart path at No. 13 was his shot of the day, while the British Open champion avoided a penalty on the 10th when his ball moved on his backswing for his second shot. A sharp gust of wind was to blame. Lee Westwood recovered from dropping five shots in his first five holes to post a 72, and six-time major winner Nick Faldo, playing his first regular European Tour event since 2010, had a 2-over 73 as he gets ready for a return to the British Open. Tom Lewis made a hole in one on the par-3 No. 17 on his way to a 70. ' ' '