Fussball » manager Lloyd McClendon isnt sure about Major League Baseballs

TORONTO - Jose Bautista entered Wednesdays play at or near the top of most of baseballs important offensive categories. The 33-year-old is the league leader with 34 walks. His 1.058 OPS and 191 OPS+ are the best in the game. Bautistas hit nine home runs, which ties him for fourth in the majors. Hes reached base safely in each of the Blue Jays 33 games to begin the year. Thats a club record. "I think Ive had a pretty strong first month, as strong as I might have had ever in my career," Bautista told TSN.ca during a conversation in Philadelphia. "But the seasons long and its hard to look at small samples and how thats going to portray into a complete season. I try not to pay attention to those things and just focus on the preparation and the work and my effort and hopefully at the end of the year everythings taken care of itself." As teams around the league rely more heavily on spray charts and advanced offensive data, Bautista, like most sluggers around the league, often hits with three infielders on the left side of second base. The percentages show that if Bautista hits the ball on the ground, most of the time hell pull it. With that in mind, hitting coach Kevin Seitzer has encouraged Bautista to occasionally take pitches the other way. Manager John Gibbons believes the approach helps Bautista stay on breaking pitches down and away. He sees those often as opposing pitchers often work around him or, at least, are particularly careful about keeping the ball out of the middle of the strike zone. "The only difference I see with him is hes taking some hits the other way and I think its making him a tougher out," said manager John Gibbons. "You hear some people who complain about, well, hes a home run hitter, youve got to do it this way. Well, you know what? His home run numbers havent suffered one bit." Bautistas coaches and teammates took notice of his approach in the 10th inning of Tuesday nights 6-5 win over the Phillies. Melky Cabrera led off with a single. Bautista worked a 2-2 count and with the infield pulled around to the third base side he pushed a 93 miles per hour fastball through the gaping hole where the second baseman would usually stand. Cabrera advanced to third on the play and one out later scored the game-winning run on Juan Franciscos sacrifice fly. Manager John Gibbons called it "winning baseball." "Its good to see, thats what winning players and winning teams do, the little stuff," said Jose Reyes. "In that situation he didnt try to hit a two-run home run and pop it up to the infield or something. He just tried to move Melky over, he saw that huge space there at second base and he hit the ball that way, first and third and we win the game right there." Outfield coach Tim Leiper paid Bautista the ultimate praise last week, equating his pregame preparation and in-game adjustments to that of a coach. Bautista doesnt want the label but he is involved in every pitch. From the dugout hes studying the opposing pitcher, watching for tendencies that may indicate which type of pitch will be thrown. Not a base stealer himself, Bautista tries to help his faster teammates get a read on a pitchers move. Defensively, hell involve himself in outfield positioning based on his extensive knowledge of hitters. "I try to pay attention to things like that and I share all kinds of information with my teammates," said Bautista. "I also encourage them to share stuff that they know and information that they have with me. I like to listen to that kind of stuff and put it into my database, I guess." Gibbons recalls a game in Kansas City early last year when injuries to Jose Reyes and Brett Lawrie forced Bautista from his usual spot in right field and in to play third base. Bautista would frequently hover around the mound in between outs, giving the pitcher a scouting report on the next hitter. "Joses not just out there playing," said Gibbons. "He studies this and hes paying attention to whats going on. Hes played against a lot of these guys over the years so hes got a pretty good idea of what they do." The Blue Jays entered Wednesdays action with a record of 16-17 following a 4-4 road trip to Kansas City, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Like on their previous road trip, they left some games on the table due to poor, late-game pitching. Bautista isnt panicking, however, because the American League East remains tight six weeks into the season. Torontos just a game and a half back of first-place Baltimore. "The only thing that would matter if we were 15 games back," said Bautista. "That would mean wed dug ourselves a big hole to come out of. From that perspective it doesnt really matter. What matters is how we play from here on out and weve got to focus on that." Zapatillas Adidas Outlet España .J. Ellis hit an RBI single in the ninth inning, Hanley Ramirez hit a tape-measure, three-run homer in the first against Cliff Lee and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 on Saturday night. Zapatillas Adidas España Baratas .com) - Minnesota Vikings fans would surely concede Teddy Bridgewater is not Peyton Manning. http://www.zapatillasadidasbaratas.es/ . Luke Wileman and I stood in the corridor outside of the Vancouver Whitecaps dressing room at BC Place in Vancouver. Zapatillas Adidas Baratas España . Anaheim Ducks Reassign D Colby Robak to Norfolk Admirals (AHL). - Team Website D Eric Brewer (foot) removed from injured reserve. Adidas España Outlet .com) - The Pittsburgh Penguins will try to complete a sweep of the Washington Capitals when the clubs cap a quick home-and-home series Tuesday night in the Steel City.SEATTLE - Another well-pitched game for the Oakland Athletics came with a price. Scott Kazmir threw six sharp innings before leaving with tightness in his left triceps, and Yoenis Cespedes hit a two-run homer that broke a scoreless tie in the eighth that lifted the As over the Seattle Mariners 3-0 Sunday. Kazmir called it was "a very, very minor" injury. He said it wont cause him to miss a start, but the As have reason to be cautionary. This spring the club lost staff ace Jarrod Parker to season-ending elbow surgery and A.J. Griffin is sidelined for perhaps the first two months with a strained forearm. Oaklands staff has an AL-leading 2.17 ERA. "Its exciting to have guys follow up a quality start, one after another, one through five. It really is exciting," Kazmir said. "We just want to keep going out there and keep making quality pitches and quality outings, all of us." Kazmir pitched two-hit ball, striking out nine without a walk. As manager Melvin said that the first time he noticed Kazmir was affected by the tightness was at the end of the sixth. Kazmir had a similar issue during training camp, missing one start with triceps tightness. "Everything checked out as far as his strengthening and what he does after a game," Melvin said. "He wanted to go back out but you have to be careful with a guy like that." Mariners star Robinson Cano said Kazmir was exceptionally tough. "He was making guys chase his slider and throwing the heater at 95," Cano said. Cespedes pulled a 2-2 slider from Charlie Furbush (0-1) into the left-field bullpen. Cespedes second homer of the season came after Jed Lowrie drew a leadoff walk. Josh Donaldson added a solo home run in the ninth, his third, off Lucas Luetge. Dan Otero (2-0) retired two batters in the seventh. Luke Gregerson worked the eighth and Sean Doolittle allowed one hit in the ninth for his first save. Chris Young made his first start since Sept. 9, 2012, while with the New York Mets. Troubled by shoulder problems all last season, he went to spring camp this year with the Nationals, was released and signed during the last week of training camp by Seattle. Young pitched six shutout innnings, giving up four hits.ddddddddddddHe walked three and struck out two. Youngs other outing for Seattle was a two-inning scoreless stint in relief. "I was really, really pleased with his outing," Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said. "He got a lot of flyball outs, teased them up in the zone a bit. I think he is close. I saw his breaking ball coming today. When that pitch comes for him, hes going to be pretty tough." Kazmir didnt allow a runner and struck out six the first time through the lineup. The Mariners got back-to-back, one-out singles by Brad Miller and Cano in the fourth, but Kazmir retired Corey Hart on a grounder and struck out Justin Smoak with a 78 mph changeup. The Mariners only other scoring threat came with two outs in the sixth when Brad Miller sent right fielder Eric Sogard to the wall to bring down his flyball. Cano, who singled in the fourth, has a 14-game hitting streak against Oakland dating to Sept. 22, 2012. NOTES: Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon isnt sure about Major League Baseballs expanded replay format. "Im really worried about where were heading with replays, the effect its having on the game, the effect its having on the fans," McClendon said. "Its confusing." McClendon is concerned about the outfield transfer rule, when umpires look to be sure fielders successfully switch the ball from the glove to their hands. The Mariners already have had three such plays this season, with mixed results. "It was made for the play at second, on the double-play ball," Melvin said. "I dont think anyone thought it would come into play in the outfield as youre seeing right now." Both managers have had to talk to their players to be certain that runners go against their instincts and watch the umpires, not the play, in order to advance or hold. "I think the players are struggling more than the managers," McClendon said. "Initially, I thought Id be a fan of it. But Im not so sure now." ... Mariners top pitching prospect Taijuan Walker (shoulder) is scheduled to make another rehab start Tuesday in the minors. Seattle has an open spot in the rotation for that day, but McClendon said he doesnt know when Walker will be called up. ' ' '