SEATTLE -- Zach Miller will stay with the Seattle Seahawks after the tight end agreed to restructure his contract in an effort to free up salary cap room for the Super Bowl champions.
https://www.greenbayfootballshop.com/23-Jersey . The team confirmed the Millers restructured deal on Saturday, which was first reported by 710 ESPN radio in Seattle. Terms of Millers new deal were not immediately available, but it keeps an important piece of the Seahawks offence in Seattle after two starters -- wide receiver Golden Tate and right tackle Breno Giacomini -- left earlier this week in free agency. Miller has become vital as both a pass receiver and blocker for the Seahawks offence. Miller had 33 receptions and five touchdowns in the 2013 regular season, but his ability to block on the edge and help the run game led by Marshawn Lynch has proven just as important. Miller was due to make $4.8 million in base salary in 2014 before restructuring. It was part of the original deal he signed with Seattle as a free agent before the 2011 season after being a Pro Bowl selection with Oakland. Seattle had previously released wide receiver Sidney Rice and defensive ends Red Bryant and Chris Clemons in an effort to free cap space. Clemons and Bryant both signed with Jacksonville while Rice remains unsigned. With Millers expected return, the Seahawks appear set at tight end, although they have been in discussions with former Green Bay tight end Jermichael Finley. Before the start of free agency, the Seahawks re-signed Anthony McCoy, who missed all of last season after suffering an Achilles tendon tear. Seattle also has Luke Willson, who served as Millers backup this past season.
https://www.greenbayfootballshop.com/76-Jersey . -- David Ortiz saved his only hit for a key moment for the Boston Red Sox.
https://www.greenbayfootballshop.com/47-Jersey . The cause of his death is as of yet undetermined, but police said foul play is not suspected.BALTIMORE – Manager John Gibbons likes to claim he doesnt read what gets written. But he will, on occasion, when something gets passed along. Recently, he was on the receiving end of an article detailing the key difference between his Blue Jays and the Baltimore Orioles, Torontos opponent this week and the team closing in on its first American League East crown since 1997. "When you really compare our pitching, its almost neck-and-neck when you go by the stats and all the newfound formulas that they have. The same way with the offence, two home run-type hitting teams," said Gibbons. "The big thing this article pointed out has been the defence. Plays made, balls not gotten to because they definitely have one of the better defensive teams in baseball." Successful ball clubs prioritize up-the-middle defence. Teams look for a catcher who not only calls a good game but is a good pitch framer – that is, he receives the ball in a way that will ensure borderline pitches are called strikes and not balls – and who can keep the ball in front of him – that is, prevent wild pitches and passed balls which advance baserunners. While Dioner Navarro has had a nice offensive season for the Jays, hes not in the class of Baltimores Matt Wieters (Wieters is out for the season with an elbow injury and has been replaced by the tandem of Caleb Joseph and Nick Hundley). In the infield, the Orioles hold a decided advantage at shortstop. While there is debate about the effectiveness of Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR), which aims to measure the number of runs prevented or allowed based on a players ability to get to balls hit his way, based on the statistic, Baltimores J.J. Hardy (6.1 runs saved entering Mondays action) has badly outperformed Jose Reyes (-9.1, meaning hes given up about nine runs). At second base, Ryan Goins is the Blue Jays best defensive option. The problem is he provides next to no offence. While Goins has made better contact more often since his last recall, his .190/.215/.268 (.483 OPS) slash line in 164 plate appearances doesnt reflect a player "holding his own" offensively, which Gibbons said in spring training Goins would have to do to stick on the big league roster. In centrefield, with the impending departure of Colby Rasmus, Anthony Gose will provide a defensive upgrade but, similar to the situation at second base, an offensive regression at the position. While Gose has improved his on-base percentage to a career-best .321 this season, thanks to a vastly improved walk rate (9.9-percent), it remaains to be seen whether he can carry the freight over an entire season.
https://www.greenbayfootballshop.com/34-Jersey. The problems the Jays have experienced at second base this season, including having to resort to platooning Brett Lawrie and then overusing Munenori Kawasaki after Lawrie got hurt, arent solved without going outside the organization. Its a position that must be addressed in the offseason. The same, however, could have been said a year ago. Reyes, 31, is about to get really expensive. His heavily backloaded contract, signed with the Miami Marlins before the 2012 season, calls for salaries of $22 million for the next three seasons through 2017. Theres a $22 million option for 2018, which requires a $4 million buyout should the club decline it. Should the Blue Jays, at the very least, explore a positional change for Reyes, perhaps a move to second base, where the club could better cover his lack of range? Speaking to people in the organization, its difficult to get a read on whether anyone is willing even to broach the subject with Reyes. Given the uncertainty surrounding the health of Brett Lawrie, who by the end of this year will have appeared in slightly more than 62 per cent of the Blue Jays games since the start of the 2012 season, there are doubts about who will man third base every day. Can Gose play centrefield every day? If Melky Cabrera, a free agent, isnt retained, who takes his outfield spot? Is Reyes best suited to continue at shortstop? Who plays the middle infield with Reyes? What about Lawrie? There are plenty of questions for the organization to answer between now and spring training. Outfield Configuration A few eyebrows were raised when the Blue Jays posted Mondays starting lineup, which included Jose Bautista in centre field, John Mayberry, Jr. in right field and Kevin Pillar in left field. Pillar, it would seem, would be the right fit in centrefield. Hes played their extensively in his minor league career. Manager John Gibbons explained his rationale. "Against a lefty tonight, weve got our left-handed bats in there," said Gibbons. "The tough part in this park to play is left field and left centre so well put Bautista in centre field and he and Pillar should be able to cover that. Right centre and right field are smaller here. They dont require as much range." Gibbons had to use one of Anthony Gose or Ryan Goins, both lefthanded hitters, in the starting lineup. He opted for Goins, whose plus defence at second base was valued because starter Marcus Stroman works a 55 per cent groundball rate. ' ' '