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Baseball season is just around the corner and TSN. http://www.atleticomadridpro.com/Kids-Diego-Costa-Jersey/ .ca has you covered for whos in, whos out and what to expect from all 30 teams. Today, TSN Blue Jays reporter Scott MacArthur answers the key questions facing the 2014 Toronto Blue Jays and how they stack up in the always competitive American League East. GM: Alex Anthopoulos Manager: John Gibbons 2013: 74-88 5th in AL East, Did not qualify for playoffs QUESTION: What is the answer to the Blue Jays starting rotation problems? MacARTHUR: Cross your fingers. This is a starting rotation that could pleasantly surprise. If it falters, well, that would lead some to conclude that it simply met expectations. If we work off the assumption that we generally know what the Jays will get from R.A. Dickey and Mark Buehrle (double-digit victories, ERAs on either side of 4.00 and more than 200 innings each,) then Brandon Morrow and Drew Hutchison become the keys to this whole thing. Morrow, 29, is healthy after missing the final four months of last season with an entrapped radial nerve in his right forearm. He has never pitched 180 innings in a single season (he did come close in 2011 when he threw a career-high 179 1/3 innings) and is out to prove he can stay healthy and be effective. Win totals arent always an accurate reflection of a pitchers season but the Jays need Morrow to swallow up 15 to 18 victories. If nothing else, the win total reflects that the pitcher went deep into enough ballgames to factor in to the result. Morrow is potentially in a contract year. The Blue Jays hold a $10-million option on his services for 2015. Hutchison, 23, was Torontos best pitcher in the Grapefruit League. He underwent Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery in July, 2012, and threw 35 1/3 innings late last season in the minor leagues. The Jays, however, insist the gloves are off and Hutchison will not be subject to an innings limit this year. The right-hander is a control pitcher and routinely was clocked with a fastball in the low-to-mid 90s this spring. More importantly, Hutchison was painting both corners and was keeping hitters off-balance with his changeup. Take this whichever way you will, but if were talking in September about Hutchison having been the Jays best starting pitcher in 2014, I wouldnt be surprised. Thats a good thing if he turns out to be the ace of a surprisingly strong staff. Thats a not so good thing if Hutchison goes through the typical ups and downs of a young pitcher while the rest of the rotation implodes around him. Regardless, Hutchisons future is bright. Aside from his stuff and his command, the Blue Jays salivate over his mound presence and his desire not just to pitch in the big leagues, but to be a dependable, dominant staff ace. You can look at the addition of Dustin McGowan to the rotation two ways and both are accurate. From a personal perspective, McGowans perseverance through multiple shoulder surgeries and various other ailments is to be commended and celebrated. He was a trustworthy arm in 25 appearances out of the bullpen last year and when, in September, he expressed an interest in stretching out to become a starter once more, people looked at one another puzzled. What could he possibly be thinking? Well, at least to this point, hes proven this doubter wrong and good for him. Can he stay healthy? Who knows. Only time will tell. From a club perspective, McGowan is the best option, which reflects poorly on J.A. Happ, who will begin the season on the disabled list with a bad back and who pitched poorly in four spring games. Happ, essentially, pitched himself out of the rotation. Esmil Rogers, who cannot throw strikes consistently enough to be a starter and Todd Redmond, a strike-thrower who struggles the second time through an oppositions lineup, are better suited to the bullpen. Marcus Stroman and Aaron Sanchez will begin their seasons at Triple-A Buffalo and Double-A New Hampshire, respectively. Both need more seasoning before they join Hutchison in what could be a potent starting rotation for years to come. Dont be surprised if both Stroman and Sanchez make their big league debuts this year. Both are more than capable of making spot starts in case of injury or the poor performance of others. General manager Alex Anthopoulos didnt secure external starting pitching help, either via free agency or via trade, and is left with some uncertainty at the back end of his rotation as a result. QUESTION: Does Alex Anthopoulos take the blame if this season is a failure? MacARTHUR: Yes, Anthopoulos will take some blame if this season is a failure, as he should. So should manager John Gibbons. So should the players. So should everybody in the organization. Will Anthopoulos be fired? The heat is getting turned up on the general manager, who took significant risks when making the blockbuster trades with the Miami Marlins and the New York Mets last offseason. Those deals represented a sudden change in course, ushering in a "win now" mentality instead of the previous plan to draft, develop and patiently cultivate talent. If Toronto has another down year, the club will have to determine whether it can win with a nucleus of Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion. Both are elite sluggers on team-friendly tickets, possibly through 2016, and could fetch significant return. Should Anthopoulos be fired, it will be interesting to see which direction the club takes. Anthopoulos was a lieutenant of former general manager J.P. Ricciardi and there are people who work for Anthopoulos who date back to the Ricciardi days. It could be time for the Blue Jays to fundamentally reset the baseball operations department by bringing in an outsider. QUESTION: Is this the final season of the championship window? MacARTHUR: This is a tough question to answer because, after last season, it feels like the window either never existed or was bolted shut. The strange thing, despite whats been sold in these parts over the last 15 months, is that the future of the starting rotation (Drew Hutchison, Marcus Stroman, Aaron Sanchez) seems to be much brighter than the present. Maybe the so-called "championship window" is down the road a little bit. The Blue Jays have shopped high-priced talent like Mark Buehrle in the past. Theyd be open to moving him again if the season goes bust, although its a difficult proposition considering Buehrle is owed $18-million this year and $19-million next season, the heavily back-loaded years of the contract he signed with the Marlins. R.A. Dickey is locked in at $12-million per for this year and next. He has a club option for the same amount in 2016. Hes being paid to be the ace. Would another club be willing to take on the money for an almost 40-year-old who throws an unpredictable pitch? Offensively, with good health the Blue Jays should score their share of runs. They wont be a station to station ballclub; dont look for a lot of stolen bases. It will be up to Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion to combine for 75 home runs and for Colby Rasmus, in a contract year, to repeat the .840 OPS he posted last season while cutting down on the strike outs. Brett Lawrie, now 24, is showing signs of maturity at the plate. Hes devoted himself to studying video of opposing pitchers with Encarnacion. I believe the Blue Jays will be a better team this season. However, I also believe the Tampa Bay Rays and the defending world champion Boston Red Sox remain the two best teams in the division. The Baltimore Orioles have a potent offence but are dealing with questions in their starting rotation. The New York Yankees retooled after missing the playoffs for only the second time in 19 seasons but theyre dealing with health concerns of their own – namely Derek Jeter (how he bounces back from a serious ankle injury,) Mark Teixeira (recovering from a torn tendon sheath in his wrist) and CC Sabathia (had elbow problems last season; his fastball has topped out at 91 miles per hour this spring.) Typically, I dont like predicting because there are too many variables. Ill go so far as to say I think Rays starting pitching will catapult them to the American League East crown this year. The Red Sox will finish second in the division and win a wild card spot. That leaves the Blue Jays, Orioles and Yankees to finish in spots three to five. The order is anyones guess. Whos in?: 1B Dan Johnson (minor league deal), C Erik Kratz (acquired from PHI), C Dioner Navarro (Two-year contract) Whos out?: C J.P.Arencibia (Signed with TEX), OF Rajai Davis (Signed with DET), IF Mark DeRosa (retired), SP Josh Johnson (Signed with SD), RP Brad Lincoln (Traded to PHI), RP Darren Oliver (retired), SP Chien-Ming Wang (Signed with CIN) http://www.atleticomadridpro.com/Kids-Antonio-Adan-Jersey/ . - Justin Turner is at his best with runners in scoring position, and he delivered again in a big spot for the Los Angeles Dodgers. http://www.atleticomadridpro.com/Kids-Jose-Gimenez-Jersey/ . Returning to Davis Cup tennis, Federer cruised past Ilija Bozoljac, winning 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 in less than two hours. Federer faced little challenge from Bozoljac, who served well but still was no match for his Swiss opponent. http://www.atleticomadridpro.com/Kids-Saul-Niguez-Jersey/ .Y. -- Phil Jackson lost out on his preferred coach, but hes working hard on keeping his star player.BROSSARD, Que. -- P.K. Subban was still wearing his playoff beard as he answered questions about what may be a summer-long story about his contract negotiations. Since signing a two-year "bridge" deal that paid him US$3.75 million this season, the 25-year-old, who has become one of the NHLs best and most entertaining defencemen, is a potential restricted free agent in position to ink a multi-year contract for a kings ransom with the Montreal Canadiens. Or he could take a shorter contract and then become an unrestricted free agent. Subban said he hopes to sign a long-term deal and to stay in Montreal his entire career. "Im sure everybody in hockey wants a long-term contract, but for me, its not just about that," he said. "Its about being part of a team that can win a championship, and I believe we have that in this dressing room. "When it comes to contract stuff, thats why I hire my agent (Don Meehan). Thats why we pay him. Thats his job and Ill let him do his job. Ive done mine, and hell do his." The Canadiens, coming off their second trip to the Eastern Conference final in four years, gathered at their suburban training centre to clear out lockers and begin exit interviews before splitting up for the off-season. Their better-than-expected run to the third round of playoffs ended on Thursday with a 1-0 loss to the Rangers in New York. "Right now, the season just ended 48 hours ago," said Subban. "It feels weird cleaning out my stall. "Im just still trying to enjoy the last couple of days with my teammates before going home. Enjoy the summer with my family. So, I havent put much thought into (a new contract) as of right now, but obviously during the summer its something that will get taken care of." General manager Marc Bergevin, who will talk to the media only on Monday, has a heap of contracts to settle, but none will be watched with quite the rapt attention of Subbans. During his bridge deal, the Toronto native won the Norris Trophy as the leagues top defenceman in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season and followed with a career-best 53-point campaign in which he had 24:36 of ice time per game, second on the team to rearguard Andrei Markov. He also helped Canada win gold at the Sochi Olympics in February, although he was cast as the extra defenceman on a talent-packed team due to managements doubts about defensive lapses. Where Subban sits on the scale of NHL stars, or of top defencemen, is much debated. Among his Olympic teammates, Shea Weber is signed through 2020-21 by Nashville for an average of $7.8 million per season, Drew Doughty is with Los Angeles until 2018-19 at $7.0 million, while Chicagos Duncan Keith will make only $5.5 million until 2020-21. The one he is often compared with is Ottawas Erik Karlsson, who is earning $6.5 million per year through 2018-19. But with the salary cap expected to rise steadily in coming years, the scale may now he higher for a player of Subbans skill and star power. And theres always the possibility that another team (Toronto perhaps?) makes him a spectacular offer that the Canadiens would have the right to match. Asked if he feels he has reached elite status among NHL defenders, Subban said it is for others to decide. "I dont control what people say and what category people put me in," he sad. "All I can control is trying to help my team win hockey games and a championship. "Thats my goal. But in terms of what people say about me. There are always critics. There are always people that are going to characterize yourself, your game. Thats not for me to do." Two other restricted free agents who are likely to be much easier to sign aare Lars Eller, who had an excellent playoffs and who is developing into a shut-down centre, and right-winger Dale Weise, a late-season pickup who sparkled in the post-season until suffering a suspected concussion in Game 5 of the conference final. Custom Atletico Madrid Jerseys. Weise was not available to the media. And RFA Ryan White, who wasnt used in the playoffs, has an uncertain future with the club, although he would likely be of interest to a team needing a fourth liner with grit to his game. Markov, Thomas Vanek and captain Brian Gionta top the list of seven potential unrestricted free agents. The tough decisions involve Markov and Gionta, who are both 35 and slowing but who are leaders on the team. Both may have to take short-term deals for perhaps less money. Gionta, ending a five-year deal that pays $5 million per season, wants to stay. "My familys been here for a while," he said. "We love the city. "We love the team and believe in the team and the direction of the team, so well leave it up to (Bergevin) and my agent to take care of it." Vanek has said all season he intends to test the free agent market. The big, gifted winger showed he can be a game-changer when at his best, but he struggled in the playoffs and ended up going from the first to the fourth lines. "A year ago I made a decision that it will likely be my only time to pick my own team, and hopefully pick a team where I have a chance to win," said Vanek, who started the season in Buffalo and moved to the New York Islanders before being picked up at the trade deadline by Montreal. "Once you make the decision, you cant look back. "I loved it. Its a market that I wasnt used to. Overall, I have nothing but good things to say. Marc Bergevin really made me feel at home. When I had ups and downs he was always there for me. Hes a great guy. Ill always appreciate what he did for me." Vanek insists he wasnt injured in the playoffs, but said he struggled once he was taken off the top unit with David Desharnais and Max Pacioretty. "I thought we were one of the best lines," he said. "Once I got taken off, I just struggled to find myself on a new line. "I played with (Tomas Plekanec) most of the playoffs and it just didnt work. Were both, I believe, very good players, were just not on the same page. Its just a different game." The Canadiens may also want to keep another deadline pickup, defenceman Mike Weaver, although he is also over 35. But it may be the end in Montreal for potential UFAs Francis Bouillon, Douglas Murray and enforcer George Parros. "Id like to keep playing, but well see what happens," said 38-year-old Bouillon. While much of the talk was of who would and would not be back, the mood was upbeat. The Canadiens were expected to battle just to make the playoffs, but ended up with a 100-point regular season and a trip to the conference finals. They have a young core of Subban, Pacioretty, pesky winger Brendan Gallagher, skilled 20-year-old Alex Galchenyuk, goalie Carey Price and a few promising young defencemen that suggest they can become a Cup contender. "I think we have an excellent opportunity," said Price, who injured a knee in the opening game of the conference final. "We came just a little bit short, so well need to find ways to improve somehow. "We didnt win, so we have to get better. How that is well have to evaluate over the summer. Each player individually is going to have to figure out a way to get 10 per cent better. It might not even be that much, it might be one per cent better. But were going to have to improve somehow." Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '