ANNO 1503/1404/1701/1602 » season left everyone wondering about the l

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- From last place to the middle of a pennant race. Its been a fast-moving week for David DeJesus. The playoff-contending Tampa Bay Rays acquired the veteran outfielder from Washington on Friday, just four days after the Nationals picked him up from the struggling Chicago Cubs. Washington will receive a player or cash considerations. Tampa Bay got a versatile player they have coveted for years while continuing to strengthen a roster chasing a post-season berth. The second-place Rays entered Friday nights game against the New York Yankees trailing first-place Boston by one game in the AL East. The DeJesus deal came on the heels of the Rays reuniting with former No. 1 draft pick Delmon Young, who signed a minor league deal on Wednesday. "Our biggest focus was on augmenting our depth," executive vice-president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. "Essentially, weve got a 37-game season, and were doing everything we can to put together the most talented team we can going down the stretch." DeJesus flew from Kansas City, where the Nationals were opening a weekend series, to St. Petersburg on Friday. Rays manager Joe Maddon immediately inserted him into the lineup, playing left field and batting seventh. "Thats what Im here to do -- play baseball," DeJesus said. The 33-year-old DeJesus was acquired by the Nationals on Monday, and he played in three road games with Washington. In 87 games overall with the Nationals and Cubs, he batted .247 with six homers and 27 RBIs. DeJesus has also played with Kansas City and Oakland during a career in which he has batted .279 with 86 homers and 513 RBIs in 11 seasons. He has never played on a team that has reached the post-season, so he is thrilled to be joining a contender. "I went to bed (Thursday night) thinking Im a Nat. I woke up and Im not a Nat anymore. Its been crazy," DeJesus said. "Its an opportunity to come here and help out and be in a pennant race. Ive been on a lot of losing teams, and this is exciting for me." Friedman said the left-handed hitting DeJesus likely will play a lot against right-handed pitchers. The Rays believe he is also capable of playing all three outfield positions and is a good baserunner. "Weve had our eyes on him for some time. We tried to acquire him when he was with Kansas City," Friedman said. "He just does a lot of things that we really appreciate and value. "The fact that we play 37 games in 38 days also factored in. Having as much depth as we possibly could was important, In our minds, this arguably is the deepest roster weve ever had." DeJesus is appreciative of a chance to "start over, start fresh." "I started with one of the worst teams, now Im with one of the best teams in baseball," the outfielder said. "I just want to be here to help out the guys in any way possible, be a veteran leader and just go out there and play hard. "Thats what the Rays expect, and thats what I expect of myself." Justin Pugh Jersey . -- Blake Griffin scored 32 points and grabbed eight rebounds, DeAndre Jordan had 14 points and 22 rebounds and the Los Angeles Clippers outlasted the Golden State Warriors 98-96 on Thursday night to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round series. Brice Butler Jersey .The surgery was performed by Dr. William Meyers at the Vincera Institute in Philadelphia.Letestu had three goals and two assists in nine games before being injured in late October.The 29-year-old has 54 goals and 65 assists in 273 career NHL games, including 39 goals and 51 assists in 188 games with the Blue Jackets. http://www.thecardinalsshoponline.com/ch...nals-jersey-98/. -- The Grand Rapids Griffins scored three goals in 33 seconds of the second period en route to defeating the Hamilton Bulldogs 6-1 in American Hockey League action on Friday. Benson Mayowa Cardinals Jersey . Canadas Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse will reunite at this weekends season-opening World Cup at Canada Olympic Park as they begin their buildup to the Winter Games in Sochi. Andre Smith Cardinals Jersey . Louis still looking for a way out of Tampa Bay, the 38-year-old NHL veteran isnt showing his cards.6) The 2014 season left everyone wondering about the lack of scoring in the CFL. It was easy to point to the quarterback position--too many injuries, not enough talent or experience otherwise. So did you worry about a Grey Cup that featured Bo Levi Mitchell and Zach Collaros, admittedly the best of the new breed but perhaps not ready to light up BC Place with their right arms? Well, both passed for more than 300 yards, and yet just one touchdown pass was thrown, and that by Collaros on the losing side.7) Will you applaud when an NFL team signs Ray Rice and says it believes in giving a second chance? Well, okay, but the NFL team that signs Ray Rice will do so because it believes it needs a running back.8) If it is inevitable that Connor McDavid will come to the NHL as "the next Wayne Gretzky", would it be good or not so good if he is drafted by the Edmonton Oilers? (Wayne Gretzky himself believes McDavid will handle the hype wherever he plays--Im not so sure Edmonton is the best place to do that. And by the way, the Oilers are in 30th place.)9) The event is the thing at the World Junior Hockey Championship, but shall we admit that the interest level will go up or down depending upon the health and performance level of McDavid?10) Does Team Canadas decision to award roster spots to goalies Zach Fucale and Eric Comrie while promoting plenty of competition at other positions make you scratch your head?11) I said here earlier that Tom Brady would clinch NFL MVP honours if he followed wins over Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck with a win over Aaron Rodgers. So the question is: Does the Green Bay quarterback enter the MVP discussion, if he wasnt already in it, and is he now the favourite?12) More MVP talk--is it inevitable that the NHLs Hart Trophy will be won by Sidney Crosby or Steven Stamkos?13) You do want to pause for a minute before declaring that a Toronto Blue Jays trade made by Alex Anthopoulos is a good one, dont you? Things have gone wrong with other moves by AA that appeared to be "cant miss" transactions. But pause all you want, how do you question the decision to trade Brett Lawrie and three prospects for Josh Donaldson?14) Okay, shall I attempt to answer the above? You question the TOR-OAK deal only if you think the As can sstraighten out Lawrie and he can rise a lot closer to Donaldsons level, and if you think Billy Beane is right when he says shortstop Franklin Barreto is one of baseballs best prospects.ddddddddddddWhere the Jays were concerned, Barreto would only have been one of their best prospects.15) Is there a winnable game on the horizon for the Philadelphia 76ers? On this seasons schedule, I mean.16) Never mind how it turns out, when the Boston Red Sox made a big splash in the free-agent pool by signing Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez, werent baseball fans everywhere the beneficiaries? The Red Sox are supposed to be an attraction, and they really werent last season. As for the other team that isnt allowed to be boring, its your move, New York Yankees.17) How much will 2014 home run king Nelson Cruz help the Seattle Mariners? Well, he should certainly help Robinson Cano by hitting behind him in the batting order, but the Mariners, who came agonizingly close to a playoff spot last season, have to do more than add one bat every winter. Canos average was .314 last season. No other Mariner who appeared in 100 or more games was within 45 percentage points of the star second baseman.18) When San Jose Sharks owner Hasso Plattner said "After 10 years on the sunny side, we now find ourselves struggling to make the playoffs", do the rest of us understand that the playoffs are the sunny side, or do we agree that the playoffs are weather-neutral until they end, at which time the sun may not be shining? Like in San Jose.19) Should the NFL have disciplined five members of the St. Louis Rams for their "hands up, dont shoot" gesture? This is a tough one, because the NFL is hearing it from police in St. Louis and elsewhere for not acting, and would certainly have been criticized if it had issued fines. Trouble is, the NFL cant pick and choose based on the issue, dealing with the trivial and ducking the touchy. Except thats what it does, too often lately.20) Is there any reason to mention the New Jersey Devils signing of Scott Gomez? Well, no, not really, except to introduce this weeks musical offering, from the band called Gomez, and for that, we go back to 2006, when Scott Gomez was first with the Devils. Thats "How We Operate". 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