12-26-2019, 05:35 AM
WASHINGTON - Centre fielder Denard Span is staying with the Washington Nationals, who exercised their $9 million option for 2015 on his contract Thursday, while declining options on first baseman Adam LaRoche and reliever Rafael Soriano.Span, Washingtons leadoff hitter, batted .302 with 31 steals and tied for first in the NL with a Nationals record 184 hits. He is a Gold Glove Award finalist.Excited to be coming back to #dc for another year! #extraordinary, he tweeted.LaRoches deal included a $15 million mutual optional for next season, but Washington instead chose to pay him a $2 million buyout. Sorianos contract included a $14 million club option for 2015. They now become free agents.The 34-year-old LaRoche led the NL East champion Nationals with 26 homers and 92 RBIs this season, his fourth with the club. He went 1 for 18 in an NL Division Series loss to the eventual World Series champion San Francisco Giants.The Nationals might wind up moving Ryan Zimmerman — a longtime third baseman who has been replaced at that position by Anthony Rendon — across the diamond to first base.Soriano began this season as the closer and converted 22 of 24 save opportunities with a 0.97 ERA before the All-Star break. After that, though, he blew five of 15 save chances, and Drew Storen took over the ninth-inning role in September.Nationals second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera, acquired from Cleveland at the trade deadline, and reserves Scott Hairston and Nate Schierholtz also became free agents. Asics Shoes Australia . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Steve Mason, Philadelphia (4) - Mason was brilliant all night long with save after big save on Benoit Pouliot, Carl Hagelin and Derick Brassard. Air Max 95 Outlet Australia . - Whether its because of her improved play or the reason for it, Michelle Wie appears as comfortable on and off the golf course as at any time in her career. http://www.discountaustraliashoes.com/ch...-fake.html . -- J.R. Sweezy was the one part of the Seattle Seahawks offensive line that had avoided injuries or having to change positions this season. Cheap Balenciaga Australia . Speaking on Leafs Lunch with Bryan Hayes and Jamie McLennan on Thursday, Bernier said it was "very hard" at times being entrenched behind Jonathan Quick and is now excited at the prospect of getting an opportunity to compete with Reimer for the top spot with the Leafs. Wholesale Air Max 97 . -- The Minnesota Vikings have signed Jerome Simpson, the former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver recently convicted on a felony drug charge.LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Phil Mickelson will be the first to admit hes a bit streaky. Sure, its been more than a year since his last victory. Then he goes and makes 10 birdies while shooting 62 on the final day at Firestone. Just like that, Lefty is being mentioned as one of the favourites at the PGA Championship. Can he keep it up? Mickelson has no idea. "If I could answer that question, it would be a lot easier," he said Tuesday after a practice round at Valhalla Golf Club. "Its been 20-plus years and things are just that way. Rather than question it or try to find an answer, I just accept it as being the way it is and look forward to it when it does happen. Its fun when it does." Mickelson hasnt had a lot of fun since winning the British Open at Muirfield nearly 13 months ago. He failed to crack the top 20 at any of the last four majors. His highest finish on the PGA Tour is 11th. His putting got so shaky that he experimented with a claw grip during the U.S. Open at Pinehurst, only to switch back to a conventional style right in the middle of the tournament. He looked downright lost. Nothing changed through the first two rounds of the Bridgestone Invitational, when Mickelsons belief that his game was rounding into form was shattered by rounds of 71 and 73. "It would be out of nowhere for me to play well," he grumbled just last Saturday. The very next day, Mickelson put up his lowest round since a 60 at the 2013 Phoenix Open. "Its just kind of the way I play golf," he said. "Im streaky. Ill get on rolls and get some good momentum, and all of a sudden the hole looks huge. Then there are days where its just the opposite. Its just the way its always been for me. I dont have a great answer." More than anyone, Mickelson realizes the way he was feeling just a few days ago may be gone by the time he tees off in the final major championship of the year. "In this game, things can turn around, really, in an instant," he said. "Im interested to ssee how it goes Thursday and Friday.dddddddddddd But certainly my confidence level and my practice sessions are totally different. I dont feel like Im searching. I feel like now Im just trying to acquire that same feel from Sunday, and I feel like Ive found what Im looking for. I just have to maintain it." At 44, Mickelson can no longer keep up with big hitters like Keegan Bradley and Rickie Fowler, who joined Lefty for Tuesdays practice round. Both struck it farther off the 10th tee during the PGAs long-drive competition. Someone asked Mickelson what it felt like to go against players who grew up idolizing him. "Just makes me feel old, thats all," he said, smiling. "When someone says, Yeah, I used to watch you on TV when I was 6, how do you respond to that?" Mickelson has another goal this week besides winning. Hes played his way onto every Ryder Cup team since making his first in 1995, but hes 10th in the points heading into the final event before the top nine spots are determined. If he doesnt move up at Valhalla, hell have to rely on a fallback position: being one of three picks by captain Tom Watson. That would seem a mere formality. Mickelson would prefer to claim his place without Watsons help. "Im confident that Ill get on the team on my own and wont require that pick," Lefty said. "I want to keep that going, of making the team on my own and not needing a pick." A win would remove any doubt. It also would end Mickelsons longest drought since 2003. "Ideally, you want to have some momentum through the course of the year, through the course of the month heading into big tournaments," he said. "When youre in contention, its a lot easier to stay up there than when you havent been playing well." Of course, Mickelson is never quite sure how things will turn out. He learned long ago to expect the unexpected. "You dont want to put too much emphasis," Mickelson said, "on just one round." ' ' '