Schwarzes Brett » the best course of action was Tommy

The Pittsburgh Penguins got one of the top free agent defencemen on the market and didnt have to give up big money or term to get it done. Numbers Game looks at the signing of Christian Ehrhoff. The Penguins Get: D Christian Ehrhoff. Ehrhoff, 31, was surprisingly bought out of his contract by the Buffalo Sabres and became one of the most appealing free agent defencemen on a thin market, yet decided to accept a one-year deal with a championship contender. While Ehrhoffs possession numbers werent great in Buffalo, thats no surprise playing for the worst team in the league, and Ehrhoff has consistently posted very strong relative possession numbers, so even though the Penguins may not be a possession powerhouse, they are a better team and have a supporting cast that should allow Ehrhoff to thrive. Since 2008-2009, he has 223 points, which ranks 13th among defencemen and hes averaged better than 23 minutes per game in each of the past four seasons. In Pittsburgh, Ehrhoff effectively takes over for Matt Niskanen, which should include some power play time, but this will allow the Penguins to be a little more judicious as they bring in their young defencemen. Simon Despres is due to move into he lineup and both Olli Maatta and prospect Derrick Pouliot are coming off shoulder surgery, so having Ehrhoff, Paul Martin and Kris Letang gives them a core around which they can anchor their defence. This isnt to suggest that Ehrhoff is a saviour, but hes capable of handling top-pair minutes, so getting that calibre of defenceman without having to give up term or significant money is a virtual gift for the Penguins. Additionally, signing for one year and $4-million, Ehrhoff sets himself up for another big contract next season, should he be so inclined. From the Sabres perspective, they already know that they arent going to be good next year and, apparently, had concerns about Ehrhoff retiring before the end of his contract and the recapture penalties that would go with it. Theyre decidedly worse without Ehrhoff, but being worse when your team finishes 30th still means finishing 30th. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. Tyler Johnson Jersey .com) - James van Riemsdyk had two goals with one assist to help the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 5-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night. Goran Dragic Jersey . -- Washington Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo is going to the Pro Bowl as a replacement for San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks. http://www.authenticbasketballshopheat.i...ce-heat-jersey/. Observant Muslims avoid food and liquids from dawn to dusk during Ramadan but can, and often do, skip it if travelling or doing hard physical labour. Some devout Muslim athletes choose to fast during training or competition, but it can create selection difficulties for the coaches in team sports. Tim Hardaway Jersey .J. -- Pete Carroll said it was the suspension of linebacker Bruce Irvin last spring that finally got the attention of the rest of the Seattle Seahawks that they needed to be taking their commitment to the team more seriously. Dion Waiters Jersey . - After sewage backups, toilet overflows and foul smells surfaced the past two years, nothing at the Oakland Coliseum surprises the home team anymore.CLEVELAND -- Allowing nine runs in the last two innings wasnt the worst thing that happened to the New York Yankees on Thursday night. New Yorks 9-3 loss to the Cleveland Indians was overshadowed by the news that rookie sensation Masahiro Tanaka has a partially torn ligament in his right elbow. General manager Brian Cashman said in a conference call during the game that Tanaka could return in six weeks, but didnt rule out the possibility of Tommy John surgery if the right-hander doesnt respond to a rehab program. "Certainly disappointed for our player, for our organization," Cashman said. "Hes been an important piece. We have a tremendously gifted and tough player. Well see how he responds." "It is what it is," manager Joe Girardi said. "Were not going to have him for at least six weeks and thats the tough part, but Im optimistic that well have him back." Tanaka was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday and had an MRI in New York, one day after his worst major league outing. He flew to Seattle on Thursday. Cashman said Tanaka saw three doctors, including Yankees head physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad, and all three agreed that a six-week rehab program was the best option at this time. "If we knew today that the best course of action was Tommy John surgery, despite the name and the amount of the investment, we would be doing Tommy John surgery," Cashman said. Girardi, looking for any positive sign, said, "Guys have had success doing this and well keep our fingers crossed. That gives you reason for optimism that hes going to pitch again for us this year." Tanaka, who is tied for the major league lead with 12 wins, allowed five runs and 10 hits -- both career highs -- over 6 2-3 innings Tuesday night in a 5-3 loss to the Indians. The All-Star is 12-4 with a 2.51 ERA in 18 starts, but has lost three of his past four outings. The injury is a huge blow to a battered Yankees rotation already was missing CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova and Michael Pineda to injuries. Tanaka had been a stabilizing ace in his first season since arriving from Japan. "Weve lost 80 per cent of it," Girardi said. "Theres really not a whole lot that you can go back and redo. Youve just got to go out and find a way." Mets ace Matt Harvey initially tried to rehab a partial tear of his ulnar collateral ligament last year before ultimately opting for Tommy John surgery. Harvey has been sidelined all season, but his rehabilitation appears to be going well. "When it comes time to trying to work through it, its a personal decision. Going down and having Tommy John surgery is a personal decision in itself. Everybody is different. No one is saying that he cant rehab and be completely fine and never have an issue again. For me, personally, it was a mental thing. It was sometthing I didnt want to continue thinking about," Harvey said Thursday night in New York.dddddddddddd "I would tell him to just go with what you feel. I didnt listen to anybody. I went off of my personal feelings. Its your body that you want to throw with again. If you want to go out and try not to have it, and your mind is set to that and youre 100 per cent committed to that, then more power to you. If its the other way around, then go get it done." Derek Jeter, playing his final regular-season game in Cleveland, went 2 for 4 in the 1,000th multihit game of his career. "You cant sit around and feel sorry for yourselves," he said. "Its unfortunate, its not what we planned coming out of spring training, but it gives some other guys some opportunities to step up and fill some voids. Its unfortunate but what can you do? You have to move on." Jeter was hit on the wrist by Michael Brantleys groundball RBI single in the eighth, but said he was fine. Prior to the game, the Yankees placed Carlos Beltran on the seven-day concussion list. Beltran was hit in the face with a ball that caromed off the batting cage Wednesday and broke his nose. The game did nothing to lift the Yankees spirits. New York took a 3-0 lead into the seventh, but the Indians scored four times to go ahead and blew it open with a five-run eighth. Carlos Carrasco (2-3) pitched a scoreless inning to help the Indians gain a four-game split. Ichiro Suzuki had a pinch-hit single in the eighth for his 2,800th major league hit. Zelous Wheeler hit a two-run homer in the fourth for New York. Yankees starter David Phelps took a shutout into the seventh before Chris Dickerson and Roberto Perez singled. Jason Kipnis singled off the glove of reliever Matt Thornton (0-3) to load the bases. Girardi initially thought the groundball could have been a double play if it hadnt deflected off Thorntons glove. "It happens, its a reaction," he said. "You want your pitchers to try to field balls, but that happened to be one that is the double play ball that were looking for." Yangervis Solarte, recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to replace Beltran, had an RBI single in the fifth. NOTES: The Indians presented Jeter with an electric guitar before the game. The white guitar with blue Yankees pinstripes was inscribed with Jeters No. 2 and the words, "The Captain." ... The Yankees are 5-3 on an 11-game road trip that takes them to Baltimore this weekend for three games before the All-Star break. RHP Hiroki Kuroda (6-6) faces Orioles RHP Miguel Gonzalez (4-5) on Friday night. ... Solarte played third base. ... Cleveland begins a three-game series at home against the White Sox on Friday night. RHP Corey Kluber (8-6) faces Chicago RHP Hector Noesi (3-5). 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