Dein erstes Forum » st seasons title squad, with the exception of amnestied

ATLANTA - The Braves found a temporary fix for their overstuffed rotation on Friday by moving Alex Wood to the bullpen for a week. Wood had been scheduled to start Sunday against the Chicago Cubs but instead will become Atlantas second left-handed reliever in addition to Luis Avilan. Aaron Harang will make Sundays start. Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said Wood will be back in the rotation on May 17 against St. Louis. Gonzalez said hell take another look at his rotation in a week. "This buys us eight days," he said. "Putting Wood in there kind of gives us a little breather and kind of gives him a little breather." The 23-year-old is 2-5 with a 3.00 ERA in seven starts — including back-to-back 1-0 losses. He was on pace for about 220 innings, which would surpass his total of 139 2-3 innings last year. "Thats a pretty big gap," Wood said. "Thats part of it. Right now we need help in the bullpen, too. It works best for everybody." Atlanta could make a similar move with Wood after his start against the Cardinals by giving him another short stretch in the bullpen. The plan would keep Wood stretched out for occasional starts until he makes a full-time return to the rotation. "They made it clear they see me in the rotation for the future," Wood said. He was 3-3 with a 3.13 ERA last year in 11 starts and 20 relief appearances. He had a 2.08 ERA out of the bullpen. "Its nice to go to the bullpen and have some experience throwing out of it, thats for sure," Wood said. "I know what to expect and I know what to do to stay ready and stay prepared. ... Its a compliment, going to the pen and pitching in tight situations where they need me." Wood said it wasnt easy to pitch in relief for two months in 2013 and then move to the rotation. He spent 10 days in the minor leagues, making one start, before returning to Atlanta to join the rotation. "Its definitely difficult going that long without starting in terms of getting back in the swing of things," he said. Mike Minor and Gavin Floyd have returned from the disabled list to assume starting spots. That left the Braves with a surplus of starters, even after rookie David Hale was sent to the bullpen. The rotation also includes Julio Teheran, Ervin Santana and Harang. Atlanta Falcons Jerseys . Espanyol midfielder Sanchez intercepted Bilbao goalkeeper Gorka Iraizozs clearance and, having spotted a gap, risked using his less-favoured left foot to fire a beautifully precise long-range shot that bounced in from high up the near post in the 24th minute. Ito Smith Falcons Jersey .ca. Hi Kerry, Love reading your column and loved watching your analysis on the TSN broadcasts!And were now in Round 2! Bruins! Canadiens! We know all about the great games of the past from the players, the broadcasters and the writers. http://www.falconsauthenticofficialonlin...sen-jersey.html. According to the Red Wings Twitter feed, Zetterberg plans to practice with the team on Thursday and is aiming for a second round comeback. Isaiah Oliver Falcons Jersey . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Marc-Andre Fleury, Penguins (3) - Surrendered a tough first goal against on a deflection through the body short side. Justin Bethel Jersey . Winnipeg trailed by five points in the final minute when quarterback Drew Willy completed a 13-play, 75-yard drive with Feoli-Gudinos 18-yard touchdown catch on third down to lift the Bombers to a 34-33 victory over the Montreal Alouettes on Friday night.MIAMI -- Erik Spoelstra said he mentioned how daunting the task would be only once. Back in September, when the Miami Heat assembled to begin training camp, Spoelstra addressed his team about furthering its championship legacy and how rare it is for a team to find its way to the NBA Finals in four consecutive seasons. "Weve never brought it up since then," Spoelstra said. Itll get brought up now. The seed the Heat coach planted in the Bahamas at that training camp took root. The Heat are finals-bound -- for the fourth straight time. The sputtering stretches of play in March and April, surrendering the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs to Indiana, winning 12 fewer games in this regular season than a year ago, they all seem moot and meaningless now. The Heat have a chance at a third consecutive NBA title, with the finals starting Thursday night against San Antonio in a title-series rematch. "Its amazing to make it to one finals," Heat forward Shane Battier said. "To do it four times in a row for some of these guys, its a tremendous, tremendous accomplishment and it speaks volumes to the dedication, luck, and perseverance that you need to do it." Spoelstra spoke of that luck factor when he gathered his team for a locker-room huddle moments after the celebration started Friday night, after Miami wrapped up its fourth straight East crown with a 117-92 win over Indiana to win the series in six games. His words were interrupted twice by LeBron James, which nobody minded. "We dont take this for granted," Spoelstra said. "No, sir," James added, nodding. "We do not take it for granted," Spoelstra repeated. "No way," James interjected. "How tough it actually is and how many things have to go our way," Spoelstra continued. "Four times, you guys who havent been here with us the whole time, you guys inherit everything that weve experienced." Only six current Heat players appeared in the 2011 post-season, Miamis first of the "Big 3" era and the last in which it actually lost a series. James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Mario Chalmers, James Jones and Udonis Haslem are the last holdovers. Battier and Norris Cole arrived after the 2011 finals loss. Ray Allen, Chris Andersen and Rashard Lewis -- all playing huge roles these days for Miami -- came after the first title run of this Heat era in 2012.dddddddddddd The core of last seasons title squad, with the exception of amnestied Mike Miller, was back to try it again this time around. Even with all that talent, with that championship experience, Spoelstra knew a tone had to be immediately set when the season began. "What I was really encouraged about was our attendance and commitment in training camp in the Bahamas," Spoelstra said. "Right from there, and we communicated during the summer that, if were real about this, about how difficult that journey is, that you cannot shortcut, that we would show it immediately in training camp." Theyre still showing it now. Miami is 12-3 in these playoffs, 8-0 at home, and has won a road game in 15 straight post-season series. The Heat will need to extend that streak to win the NBA Finals; the Spurs will hold home-court advantage. "Obviously, going through the weeks and weeks and weeks and grinding months of a regular season, it was a toll on all of us," James said. "But I felt like down the stretch, if we could get healthy, we could get everyone in uniform and have our full strength, it didnt matter what seed we were. I felt like we can represent the Eastern Conference again in the finals if we had the health, and we were able to accomplish that." At times, like Friday night, they make winning look easy. Collectively, they insist its much harder than it appears. "You still have to go out and do it every single night," Allen said. "Its the toughest thing Ive ever done and I guarantee the guys in this locker room would say the same thing." Only the Lakers and Celtics have appeared in four straight finals, with Boston (1984-87) the last to do so. Wade was 5 when that run ended, James was 2, and Cole, Michael Beasley and Greg Oden hadnt even been born. Now the Heat are in that club. And regarding what Spoelstra said in that first-day conversation, the point of his words then has become perfectly clear to his team now. "Having a chance to win is always a special thing," Bosh said. "We always talk about not taking it for granted from Day One. We know its a very long season. It has its rewards in the end if we stick together and do what were supposed to do. But it hasnt really hit us yet. I would rather it hit me in two weeks." Blackhawks Jerseys Store Cheap Wild Jerseys Cheap Red Wings Jerseys Cheap Maple Leafs Jerseys Penguins Jerseys Store Capitals Jerseys For Sale Blues Jerseys Store Cheap Kings Jerseys Adidas Lightning Jerseys Stars Jerseys For Sale Cheap Predators Jerseys Ducks Store Sharks Jerseys For Sale Cheap Sabres Jerseys Rangers Jerseys For Sale ' ' '