but the Nets were able to stave them

Preminiem Geregistreerd op: 17 Okt 2019 Berichten: 210

CLEARWATER, Florida – Erik Kratzs friendship with R. NBA Jerseys Outlet .A. Dickey, he who throws that strange knuckleball, is growing. At 33, back with the Blue Jays organization and tasked with catching a pitch Dickey once described as a "capricious animal," Kratz is a veteran who is evolving under the bright Florida sun. "Its a cool challenge, it really is," said Kratz of catching the knuckleball. "Its something that as any athlete, any competitor will say that the competition, the effort level is something that youre never going to be someone that says, I didnt quite give it all I had today, but in a sense you have to kind of just relax and let the game come to you, which you have to do normally, but as a catcher you kind of have to have that energy." Kratz is like any other ballplayer. Hes been at this game for years and has developed habits that suit his game and have become second nature. Some of these habits are obvious, things youre taught the moment you strap on catchers gear, like giving the pitcher a firm target. Throw up your glove as he enters his wind up. Will your battery mate to locate his pitch. It doesnt work that way catching Dickey. The knuckleballer doesnt want a target. When Dickey is on his game, he has a good idea of where his pitch will end up, but it still can be unpredictable. Kratz is still at the point where hes reminding himself to let his glove rest over his left knee in his crouch, even when Dickey throws his fastball. Kratz has to be consistent every pitch or the hitter could know whats coming. Its a different mindset and he admits he finds it mentally taxing. "Thats something that as a catcher, I take pride in receiving the ball," he said, moving his left hand as if to put up a target. "I take pride in making the pitch look good. Its something that is a hard habit to break, but on the same hand, its something Ive got to be cognizant of that. I call fastball, normally Im like, Hey, lets get it out there; whoops, maybe not because I dont want to tip his pitches." When youre tasked with catching the knuckleball, you have to set your ego aside. "Its a part of my game that I feel is, not to sound conceited, but I feel like Im pretty good at it," said Kratz of his receiving prowess behind the plate. "I feel like Im really good at it. (Catching the knuckleball is) a challenge that is exciting and every time I go out there, kind of at the beginning I was like, jeez, now Im like lets go out there and do it and see what I can get." The battery-mates spend a lot of time together. Dickey says Kratz has "improved" at handling his pitch. The Blue Jays havent publicly committed to Kratz as the second catcher behind Dioner Navarro, saying that the other alternative, Josh Thole, has an extensive history with Dickey and the club needs to see whether Kratz can do the job. Navarro hasnt played in more than 89 games since 2009, making it likely the Jays will need their backup to play more often. Assuming thats the case, the club requires reasonable improvement over Tholes .175/.256/.242 slash line he posted last season. Kratz has hit 18 home runs in 375 at-bats over the last two seasons playing for the Phillies. He is a low batting average, low on-base percentage hitter but he at least is a threat to go deep. Acquired from Philadelphia, along with left-handed pitcher Rob Rasmussen, for reliever Brad Lincoln on December 3, the former Blue Jays draft pick is preparing as if the job is his. Kratz is using a first basemans glove, instead of an oversized catchers mitt, although, he may revert if he finds a prototype with more flexibility. Each time hes catching Dickey in a bullpen session, he simulates game situations in his mind. Kratz will pretend theres a runner on third. If the knuckleball gets by him, chances are that run scores. Its not quite like live game action, but hes trying to put himself in the right frame of mind. Its important not only for himself, Kratz believes, but also for his teammates. He needs to project the right aura. His is the only position each of his teammates can on the field see in front of them. "If you have a bad energy catcher, you have a bad energy team, in my opinion," said Kratz. "The best teams that have guys that are high energy, you look at them and theyre in every play and theyre ready to go." DICKEY WORKS IN TRIPLE-A GAME While the Blue Jays lost a Grapefruit League game 6-3 to the Rays in Port Charlotte on Saturday, R.A. Dickey was pitching in a Triple-A game in Clearwater, against the Phillies Lehigh Valley Ironpigs affiliate. He logged 7 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks. Dickey struck out two hitters. He threw 100 pitches, 60 of which were strikes. "Its a great mental exercise to come out here and execute your pitches regardless of the situation, surroundings, competition," said Dickey. "Im competing against myself more than I am those guys, anyway, so its a great exercise for me." "I feel more ready," said Dickey. "Now, Im going to take that into the season with me. Its no guarantee that things are going to be perfectly smooth, but at the same time the way that I feel brings a level of confidence with it that I dont have when youre not as prepared. And, yes, I do feel more ready." Dickey has two more starts before he takes the mound on opening day, March 31, against the Rays in St. Petersburg. The first, in which he plans to throw another 100 pitches, will be in a minor-league game, likely on Friday. He will make a shorter start on March 26 versus the Yankees in Dunedin. NBA Jerseys China . Team officials did not indicate the extent of the injury Saturday, simply listing Rose with "left knee soreness." Rose has played two preseason games without any sign of problems. The first NBA game in South America now will be missing its biggest star. Wholesale NBA Jerseys . New York then missed its next six shots and scored only two points the rest of the night. The Los Angeles Clippers defence and the Knicks general ineptitude both played a role in the unsurprising finish to a meeting of two teams headed in opposite directions.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Los Angeles Clippers will carry a two-game winning streak into Thursday nights contest against the Brooklyn Nets at the Staples Center. The Clips knocked off the Sacramento Kings on the road Saturday and collected a home victory over the Boston Celtics on Monday, 102-93. You can catch all of the action LIVE on TSN2 at 10:30pm et/7:30pm pt. LA led by 23 points in the third quarter, but the Celtics responded. Despite allowing the Clippers to shoot 50 percent in the final quarter, the Celtics were able to chip away at the deficit with their own hot shooting. They hit their first five attempts from beyond the arc in the period with Marcus Thornton and Marcus Smart each netting a pair. Thorntons 3 with 3:50 to go made it a one-possession game, but Los Angeles tightened up its defense the rest of the way. The Clippers scored eight of the next nine points, and the Celtics shot just 1-of-5 from the field after the Thornton triple. Chris Pauls 3 with 48 seconds left punctuated the win. We should have been better, said Paul. We shouldnt have let those guys back in the game, but it happens. The good thing is that we were able to hold them off. DeAndre Jordan scored 19 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked six shots. Blake Griffin led Los Angeles with 22 points and the Clippers also received 16 points from both J.J. Redick and Jamal Crawford. The Nets began a three-game western road trip with aa 103-100 victory over the Kings. Nike NBA Jerseys China. It was Brooklyns second win in three games off the heels of a seven- game losing streak. Brook Lopez had 22 points and six rebounds to lead the Nets against the Kings. Jarrett Jack posted 16 points and eight assists, while Joe Johnson added 16 points and eight rebounds for the Nets. I think we were moving the ball well and really sharing it, Lopez said. Weve been doing well. Brooklyn led by as many as 23 in the first half before the Kings trimmed the deficit to two late in the fourth quarter, but the Nets were able to stave them off down the stretch. Rudy Gay scored the final eight points of a 12-2 run to trim an early 17-point fourth quarter deficit to 88-81 midway through the frame and DeMarcus Cousins netted the last four points of a 9-2 spurt later in the period to whittle the gap to 96-94 with 1:31 to go. Johnson answered at the other end with a left wing 3-pointer before Cousins and Johnson each hit a pair of foul shots for a 101-96 Brooklyn advantage with 24.1 ticks remaining. Cousins drove in for a dunk and Johnson split a pair from the charity stripe, but Ben McLemore was off on a triple and Jack hit 1-of-2 foul shots with 8.6 seconds on the clock to seal the outcome. The Nets will visit the Utah Jazz on Saturday. The Clippers have taken two of the last three versus the Nets. LA has won three straight over Brooklyn at the Staples Center. ' ' '