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TORONTO – It appears Melky Cabreras time with the Blue Jays wont extend beyond two seasons, general manager Alex Anthopoulos all but assuring that with Wednesdays trade with the Mariners, a one-for-one which sends pitcher J.A. Happ to the Pacific Northwest in exchange for outfielder, and Canadian, Michael Saunders. The hump day business didnt end there. Less than 24 hours after non-tendering Justin Smoak, the Jays signed the first baseman to a $1-million contract for 2015. Saunders, a 28-year-old from Victoria, B.C., can play all three outfield spots but with Jose Bautista locked down in right field and a number of options including Dalton Pompey and Kevin Pillar for centre field, Saunders is being pegged as the everyday left fielder. A left-handed bat, Saunders projects to hit toward the bottom of the order, an obvious comment considering Jose Reyes, Russell Martin, Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion and Josh Donaldson appear locks at the top. Saunders is arbitration eligible, coming off a year in which he made $2.3-million, so hell get a raise but hell be cheaper than Happ (due $6.7-million). Thats nothing to sniff at as Anthopoulos looks for ways to accrue talent while prudently spending available dollars. Its believed the Blue Jays and Cabrera still cant agree on the players value. Now 30, it was in the middle of the 2012 season when Cabrera was baseballs leading hitter. He was closing in on a five-year extension with the San Francisco Giants, believed to be in the neighbourhood of $75-80-million, a deal which got shelved in the wake of Cabreras positive test for a performance enhancing drug. Cabrera is trying to recoup as much of that lost contract as possible. The Jays see it differently, thrilled with Cabreras 2014 but just as concerned about investing in a player with drug and health history. Anthopoulos is careful not to compare Cabreras and Saunders offensive abilities, but he thinks hes hit on something with Saunders glove. Hes an above average defender in left field, which is important, said Anthopoulos. I mean, I know this wasnt talked about that much, but at least our internal evaluations, from a metrics standpoint, we were below average defensively in the outfield last year. Were trying to get better. Im not calling any player out. Im saying overall, as an outfield group, we didnt have the greatest year so were looking to get better if we can. The Blue Jays dont have a defined ace starting pitcher. Guys like Mark Buehrle and R.A. Dickey would benefit from improved outfield defence. The problem didnt fall solely in Cabreras lap, however. When Anthony Gose wasnt in centrefield, there were problems there and that affects the corner outfielders. Saunders was limited to 78 games last season thanks to shoulder and oblique injuries, but if he can duplicate his numbers (eight home runs, 126 wRC+, .791 OPS) over a full year, the loss of Cabreras offence (16 home runs, 125 wRC+, .808 OPS) wont sting quite as badly. Also, as stated before, Saunders wont occupy Cabreras spot in the batting order and so he wont be expected to set the table for Bautistas, Encarnacions and Donaldsons thunder. By dealing Happ (4.22 ERA, 4.26 FIP, 133 strike outs in 158 innings pitched last season), Anthopoulos clears a spot in the rotation for Aaron Sanchez. The 22-year-old dazzled in 24 relief appearances (1.09 ERA, 2.80 FIP, 27 strikeouts and 14 hits allowed in 33 innings pitched) following his July promotion. Anthopoulos was clear, Sanchez will have to earn the job in spring training, but assuming he does it doesnt sound as though hell be working under an innings limit. People say 20-percent, 30 innings, well is 30 innings if you threw 100 the year before the same as if you threw 180? Is 20-percent of 100 the same as 20-percent of 180 and wheres the science to it, said Anthopoulos. You do monitor. You give him rest. You stay on top of it and I dont think you stay locked in to a number. As of now the starting rotation, in no particular order, consists of Marcus Stroman, R.A. Dickey, Sanchez, Mark Buehrle and Drew Hutchison. The likes of Marco Estrada, Daniel Norris, Todd Redmond, Liam Hendriks and Jeff Francis will back fill. Estrada and Redmond would start the season in the bullpen. Norris, a top prospect coming off of elbow surgery to clean out bone spurs, would continue his seasoning at Triple-A Buffalo. Hendriks and Francis, on minor league deals, also would toil for the Bisons. Smoak has the inside track to get most of the starts at first base; Encarnacion will get most of his starts as the designated hitter. Theres concern about Smoaks offence, and rightfully so, but hes a steady-handed defender who should better pick throws in the dirt. Getting out of the American League West and into the East, playing at Rogers Centre and visiting Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park and Oriole Park often should benefit Smoaks bat. Its difficult to imagine he wont improve on last seasons dismal .202/.275/.339 with the Mariners. The club still has questions in centrefield – do you hand the spot to Pompey after just 17 big league games? How does Kevin Pillar figure in? What about second base? Theres much to be desired amongst the group, which includes Maicer Izturis, Ryan Goins, Steve Tolleson and Devon Travis. Theres also the matter of the bullpen, which Anthopoulos considers to be his top priority now. The general manager, who prefers to conduct his business away from the frenzy that is the annual winter meetings (which take place next week in San Diego), has more to do. But Anthopoulos win-now roster is starting to take a clearer shape. Nike Air Max 90 Dames Sale . The Redblacks host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (7-9) Friday night in their last home game of the year and as of Thursday afternoon, the team was anticipating a ninth consecutive sellout. You can watch all the action on TSN1, TSN3, TSN4, and TSN5 beginning at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. Air Max 90 Nederland . The union filed a grievance late Thursday, one day after Goodell suspended four players who participated in bounties from 2009-11. The complaint says Goodell is prohibited from punishing players for any aspect of the case occurring before the new collective bargaining agreement was signed last August. http://www.airmax90salenederland.com/ . And on Sunday against the Houston Astros they were pleased to see his work finally pay off with his first win since May 24. Nike Air Max 90 Dames . The 36-year-old Colts receiver is going back to the playoffs as a division champion. Air Max 90 Sale Nederland . -- The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Cuban shortstop Erisbel Arruebarrena to a $25 million, five-year contract Saturday.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Charlotte Hornets are still waiting for the Lance Stephenson experiment to pay major dividends and will try to stop a nine-game losing streak Wednesday versus the visiting Chicago Bulls. The Hornets have three straight chances at home to stop the losing streak and will also host New York and Boston. They have lost five in a row at home and are 3-6 at Time Warner Cable Arena. Stephenson and the Hornets are coming off Saturdays 105-75 beatdown at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks, and the first-year Hornet had just six points, three assists and three rebounds in 23 minutes. Stephenson has scored in single digits three times over the last four games and is posting an average of 9.6 points and a team-high 7.7 rebounds with 5.4 assists. Charlotte landed Stephenson this offseason in hopes of heading back to the postseason playing alongside Al Jefferson. Jefferson has kept up his end of the bargain and recorded 11 points against the Hawks. Jefferson leads the Hornets with 20.0 points The Hornets shot 33 percent and made only 5-of-23 3-pointers against the Hawks. P.J. Hairston scored 15 points and Gerald Henderson netted 14 for the Hornets, who were coming off close losses to Golden State and Portland. The Hornets were down by more than 40 points in the second half. Right now it doesnt matter what you tweak if you dont show up and play, Charlotte coach Steve Clifford said. You have to give a professional effort, and that was not a professional effort. Cliffordss squad is off to a disappointing 4-14 start.dddddddddddd Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (foot), Marvin Williams (shoulder) and Gary Neal (shoulder) are still bothered by injuries. Williams and Neal are questionable versus the Bulls. Charlotte lost 10 in a row from Feb. 20-March 9, 2013. After a quick stop at home, the Bulls are back on the road, where they went 4-3 on an annual circus trip. The Bulls dropped a 132-129 double-overtime decision to the Dallas Mavericks Tuesday at the United Center. The Bulls needed a 34-28 scoring advantage in the fourth quarter to send the game into an extra period and both teams put up 13 points in the first OT. Mavs guard Monta Ellis scored a season-high 38 points and was clutch from the foul line to send the game into another stanza. Ellis buried a big 3-pointer in the second OT to fend off Chicago, which was led by Pau Gasols 29 points and 14 rebounds. It would have felt better if we won the game, Gasol said of his night. Unfortunately we lost. Jimmy Butler scored 23 points, Mike Dunleavy added 20 and Derrick Rose finished with 10 and 10 assists. Rose banked in a 3-pointer as time expired in the first overtime. Chicago, which shot 45.6 percent and had 50-36 edge in the paint, will return home for three games versus Golden State, Brooklyn and Portland. The Bulls won three of four meetings with Charlotte last season and are 10-2 in the last 12 games in this series. Chicago has won six of the last eight trips to the Tar Heel State. ' ' '