Liebe, Lust und Leben » /url] . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about

ATLANTA, Georgia - When Alex Anthopoulos made blockbuster deals with the Miami Marlins and New York Mets to acquire the likes of Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson and R.A. Dickey, he couldnt have envisioned his Blue Jays mired in last place in the American League East two months into the season. Yet after play on Wednesday, after an impressive 3-0 win over the Braves, the club was seven games under .500 and looking up at the rest of the division, eight and a half back of first place Boston and five and a half back of its nearest foe, Tampa Bay. The offence has come around. The statistics say so. The Blue Jays are a middle of the pack team in team batting average (.253) and on-base percentage (.320) after being near the bottom of the league in both categories in April. The club is slugging sixth-best in the majors (.427,) powered by 67 home runs, second-most in the American League. Its the starting rotation, afflicted by injuries, aches and inconsistency, which has the most room for improvement. "I think (the offence) will be able to carry us for quite some time, but theres no question the rotation is going to be a big part and getting a guy like Josh (Johnson) back soon is going to help," said general manager Alex Anthopoulos. "Expect R.A. (Dickey) to be a lot better and Buehrles continuing to throw the ball better. Even a guy like Chad (Jenkins,) we didnt know what to expect, but Chad has done a really nice job." The Blue Jays 5.46 starters ERA ranks ahead of only two teams in Major League Baseball: Houston and Minnesota. Check the standings for the commonality; the three clubs each are last in their American League division. Josh Johnson (triceps) and J.A. Happ (head/knee) have injuries that have forced them out of the lineup. R.A. Dickeys pitched most of the season battling a neck strain which has robbed him of his high-velocity knuckleball. Brandon Morrow, who missed 10 days in May with a back strain, left Tuesdays game against the Braves after two innings with a strained forearm. While he expects to make his next scheduled start, Sunday in San Diego, he would be less than 100-percent. Mix in visits to the disabled list for relievers Sergio Santos and Darren Oliver and the uncertain availability of closer Casey Janssen and its been a trying season. Anthopoulos and his staff study different ways to maximize a pitchers health and efficiency but he concedes injuries are a risk of the business. "Weve done the same program for 10 years, the same staff," said Anthopoulos. "Weve looked at it, I think we were 14th lowest, basically the middle of the pack, in DL days. Weve studied it and always, just like the same thing, we dont get a guy in from third base with less than two outs, you feel like youre the only team in the league doing it and a lot of teams are going through it, a lot of teams have guys going down and getting hurt. From that standpoint, I think DL days, it seems across the league are up. I think for the most part you continue to study it." BULLET POINTS Anthopoulos addressed a number of other topics, including: - Josh Johnson will make his final rehab start on Thursday night, for Buffalo, in Durham. Johnson is on schedule to pitch on Tuesday, when the Blue Jays open a two-game series in San Francisco. - Brandon Morrow, suffering from a forearm strain, is expected to make his next start on Sunday in San Diego. The final decision wont be made until closer to the date. - Brett Lawrie, placed on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 28, will be shut down for a week to allow his sprained left ankle to heal. Lawries likely to return in no more than three weeks. - Rajai Davis is close to returning from a strained oblique. Davis played in an extended spring training game on Wednesday. - Jose Reyes, whos begun taking batting practice and ground balls as he rehabs a badly sprained ankle, is about two weeks away from appearing in an extended spring training game. Reyes is expected to return to the Blue Jays in late June. - The club has considered different options in order to keep Adam Lind in the starting lineup in games played under National League rules. The absence of the designated hitter makes it a challenge. Edwin Encarnacion could play some third base, where he played in only one game last season. Lind, who played 16 games in leftfield in 2010, may see time in the outfield. - Anthopoulos was asked if Ricky Romero, who allowed eight runs in just 2/3 of an inning in his latest start at Triple-A Buffalo, is suffering a crisis of confidence and needs time away from the game. "I dont know," said Anthopoulos. "He hasnt said that to me. He hasnt been able to pinpoint anything. I think you have to be open to anything at this point. Some people have talked about confidence and so on. I dont know how you could be confident when youre not having some success. Its the age old question, what comes first? Everyone has theories and we brainstorm and weve had so many people come up with ideas. Its one of those things that he continues to work and pitch and hopefully at some point hes going to find it again." Jrue Holiday Pelicans Jersey . The recently retired Stern was elected Friday to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and will be enshrined with the class of 2014 on Aug. New Orleans Pelicans Jerseys . The 27-year-old Scrivens will be joining his third NHL club since signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a free agent in 2010. The move also reunites with him with head coach Dallas Eakins from their time together with the American Hockey Leagues Toronto Marlies. http://www.shoppelicansonline.com/Authentic-ETwaun-Moore-Pelicans-Jersey/ . William Carrier opened the scoring for Cape Breton (6-4-2), but Andrew Ryan tied the game and Brent Andrews put the Mooseheads (8-6-0) in front for good with a short-handed goal at 13:49 of the second period. Jrue Holiday Jersey . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about No. Jahlil Okafor Jersey . Aduriz headed home Markel Susaetas cross in the sixth minute to open the scoring at San Mames Stadium. He bettered that with a long-range blast that went in off the goal frame in the 18th, and converted a penalty in the 72nd after Diego Mainz was sent off for fouling Aduriz with only the goalkeeper to beat. TOKYO -- Former New York Yankees pitcher Hiroki Kuroda earned the win as the Hiroshima Carp defeated the Yomiuri Giants 6-4 on Saturday to capture its first Central League pennant in 25 years.Kuroda (9-8) struck out four batters and gave up three runs on six hits over six innings at Tokyo Dome to help Hiroshima to its seventh Central League title in Japanese professional baseball.Kuroda, 41, tuurned down a lucrative contract with the Yankees to return in 2015 to the Carp, where he spent his entire career before his first season in Major League Baseball in 2008 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.ddddddddddddThe Carp last won the Japan Series championship in 1984. ' ' '