Das Team » rs. Hes my pick to go yard again on Thursday.Most

The roster looks relatively unchanged from the 2012 edition that finished tied for a league-worst 6-12 record, but one thing the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are banking on in order to right the ship in 2013 is the development of a key prospect — head coach Tim Burke. Now, referring to the much-lauded defensive mind of Burke as a prospect is quite partial after seven seasons in the CFL, but the two-time Grey Cup champion is entering his first full season at the helm of all three phases of football following 30-plus years in defensive coaching and coordinator roles and nine games with the interim tag after Winnipegs dismissal of Paul LaPolice in late August. Burke is building a new culture in Winnipeg based on his core principles of discipline, confidence, execution, and speed. And by transferring his regimented and no-nonsense approach from the defensive side of the ball to the entire game, he may spark the change needed to overcome a championship drought that has spanned over two decades in Winnipeg. Veterans like six-year Blue Bomber Jovon Johnson see it. "I think hell bring a presence to this team that we havent had in years, and hell have success as a head coach. "Its not only the defensive backs or the defence — its the whole team now," added the leagues Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 2011. "So a lot of the team gets to see the way that he is as a coach. Weve seen it for a number of years now, but I think the rest of the players are getting to see that he holds everybody accountable and his standards are set very high. "I think a lot of players respond to the way he coaches. When youve got a tenacious coach, the way he is and the way he coaches the game, it reflects on the players and how we go out and perform. Because thats the type of guy he is, and it ultimately goes down through everybody on the team." Receiver Terrence Edwards, entering his seventh season in Winnipeg, has noticed the difference in Burke from his last bench boss. "Hes preparing us real hard, I can tell you that much. Hes trying to make practice so hard and so scattered that when you get in games its supposed to be easier. Hes really pushing us and hes in our face. "Its a little different than coach (Paul LaPolices) style. Coach Burke is really in-your-face at everybody. It doesnt matter who you are — in your face pushing you." Burke has been steadfast in applying and enforcing his principles throughout training camp — you can hear it, even when watching workouts from a distance — and he continues to work to ensure everything is done his way while in charge. "Everything is about attention to detail," Burke said. "If you let it slide in one area its going to slide in a game. Weve got to do all the little things right. The margin of error in this league is so small between victory and defeat. "I just want us to be seeking perfection every day. Trying to get better and better and better every day and practicing at a high pace and play with discipline. And trying to out-execute our opponents." But being outscored 76-6 in their two preseason contests — a 24-6 home loss at the hands of mostly starter-less Argonauts roster, and a 52-0 embarrassment with their own skeleton roster of rookies and eventual castoffs against the Tiger-Cats in Guelph — has some feeling that the new head coach may have his team lacking confidence entering Week 1, just seven days removed from the second-worst loss in CFL preseason history. Burke doesnt believe it will be an issue. "I dont think the preseason games have had any effect, certainly for the guys we left behind. It wasnt on TV and we didnt show them the film… When you think about it, theres just a few guys who played in that game (in Guelph) who will play this week so I dont think theres going to be a big effect." "Im sure coming off of last year and the two preseason games nobody expects us to do anything," added Johnson. "So its our job to go out and shock the world." The first ever regular season game at the spanking new Investors Group Field will be a telling matchup as the Bombers host Anthony Calvillo and the Alouettes to kick off the 2013 CFL season. Notes: Receiver Chris Matthews, fresh off his CFL Most Outstanding Rookie season in 2012, tweaked his ankle late in practice on Sunday and will be a game-time decision against Montreal in Week 1. It will be a noticeable difference for quarterback Buck Pierce — 5-foot-10 Isaac Anderson will get his fourth career start if the 6-foot-5 Matthews is unable to go … 2011 fourth-overall draft pick Jade Etienne is slated to (finally) get his first career start in Week 1 at slotback … Terrence Edwards will dress for the first time after missing both preseason games while recovering from off-season foot surgery … Nickelback Johnny Sears still isnt ready to go following his off-season ACL surgery, so either rookie Desia Dunn or sophomore Jeremy McGee will start at the position formerly referred to in Winnipeg as strong-side linebacker … Other new starters for Week 1 include Terrell Parker at weak-side linebacker, Demond Washington at the halfback spot vacated by Jonathan Hefney following his release, and Kenny Mainor enters his third CFL season eyeing career start number seven at defensive end, but dont be surprised to see import rookie Freddie Harris rotated in heavily at that spot … Starting 2013 on the one-game injured list; running back Chris Garrett, receivers Doug Pierce and Kito Poblah, nickelback Johnny Sears, defensive lineman Jake Thomas … O-lineman Tyson Pencer is the only player who will start the season on the nine-game injured list … The Bombers currently have 45 players listed on their 46-man roster, and there is another open spot on the practice roster with the rumour being that general manager Joe Mack is after a young quarterback to develop behind backups Justin Goltz and Max Hall, as well as another non-import player … The worst loss in CFL preseason history took place back in 1962 when the Blue Bombers lost 53-0 to the Alouettes in Montreal. Four months later, Winnipeg captured their fourth Grey Cup in five years with a 28-27 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the historic 50th Grey Cup game known as "The Fog Bowl." It is the first and only Grey Cup to ever have play suspended and completed the following day. Cheap Jerseys . The phone hearing is scheduled for 4:30pm et/1:30pm pt. Winchester, who was not penalized for the hit, appeared to make contact with Kellys head early in the first period of Thursdays game in Boston. Cheap NFL Jerseys . The Vancouver coach and an announced sellout crowd of 18,910 watched in dismay as the Canucks lost 7-4 to the New York Islanders on Monday night by squandering a 3-0 lead in the third period. http://www.cheapauthenticjerseysstore.com/ . Bryant, who signed a five-year, $34 million contract as a free agent with Cleveland in March, reported symptoms on Monday morning, a team spokesman said. Wholesale Authentic Jerseys .C. United of Major League Soccer. United chose the defender in the second round of the 2013 MLS re-entry draft. Cheap Authentic NFL Jerseys . -- Teemu Selanne scored the first goal of his 22nd NHL season, and the Anaheim Ducks extended the best start in franchise history with their fifth straight victory, 3-2 over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. Another Thursday, another ugly slate. And dare I say it, this one is uglier than most. There are no elite options to speak of, and the middle tier is filled with question marks. Alas, those cash-game lineups still need to get filled out, so lets wade into the muck and try to make sense of it all.PitchingEliteKeep moving. Nothing to see here.SolidIts a sad day when Jaime Garcia tops the rankings. The left-hander owns a 5.09 ERA since the All-Star break and has allowed five or more runs in three of his last four starts. Not exactly what youre looking for from your cash-game anchor. On the bright side, a home matchup against Milwaukee is prime. Garcia has been much more effective at Busch Stadium (3.87 home ERA versus 5.16 road ERA), and the Brewers whiff 25 percent of the time against lefties. Its also worth noting that Garcia has dominated the Brewers this season in three starts, allowing just three runs over 22 innings (1.23 ERA) with 22 Ks. On a normal day, I wouldnt even consider Garcia in cash. Then again, this isnt a normal day.Trevor Bauer draws a home date with the Astros. Despite a lineup that features plenty of young talent, the Astros have been just middle-of-the-road against right-handed pitching this season while whiffing at an inflated 24 percent clip. Bauer has delivered four straight quality starts and has registered a Game Score of 68 or above in three of those outings. The fact that he has whiffed more than four batters just once in his last eight starts throws some cold water on his upside, but he still has three double-digit K games this season and we already discussed the Astros swing-and-miss tendencies, so this is still a high-upside matchup. The only catch is that Bauers DFS availability will be limited, considering hes pitching in the days only afternoon game.In another high-upside matchup, CC Sabathia gets the Rays at home. While the Rays have been average against southpaws this season, theyve also whiffed at a 26 percent clip. Sabathias K/9 sits at just 7.6 for the season, but he has fanned seven or more in four of his last five starts, including whiffing 12 against Toronto in mid-August, his first double-digit whiff performance since 2013. Its true that the leftys 4.82 second-half ERA doesnt give much confidence, but he has settled down of late, notching three straight quality starts.The Pirates offense has collapsed since the break (87 wRC+). Meanwhile, Dan Straily has been pitching some of his best ball since the Midsummer Classic (2.93 ERA). This puts the Reds righty in an appealing spot on Thursday. He belongs in the cash-game discussion due to the abbreviated slate.Strailys opponent, Ivan Nova, also finds himself in an appealing spot, matching up against a Reds team that does little damage against righties (89 wRC+) and strikes out 21 percent of the time. Not only does the right-hander hold a 3.13 ERA since the All-Star break, but he owns a 2.89 ERA and 1.00 WHIP since joining the Pirates. Like Straily, Nova is cash-game viable on Thursday.A matchup against the Cardinals, who sport an NL-best 109 wRC+ against right-handed pitching, has Junior Guerra in a tough spot. Then again, what Guerra has done this season has largely gone under the radar. In 18 starts, the right-hander sports a 2.85 ERA, and he has allowed more than three earned runs in a start just twice since early May. The strikeout upside is limited, and, again, the matchup isnt ideal, but Guerra still provides a nice floor in cash games.I generally dont like relying on a guy like A.J. Cole, who has minimal big-league experience. That said, he misses bats and gets a Phillies team thats one of the worst in baseball against righty pitching (82 wRC+) and strikes out 22 percent of the time. His 57 Game Score is the second-highest of the day.Hes a GPP playy only, but rookie Jeff Hoffman has nice upside in a cake matchup against San Diego.dddddddddddd The fact that the young righty owns a 6.60 ERA and more walks than strikeouts in three career starts is tough to ignore. However, he held a 9.4 K/9 in Triple-A and is facing a team thats striking out a whopping 27 percent of the time in the second half.StreamersClayton Richard has made just four starts since stepping into the Padres rotation, but the results have been good (1.17 ERA). A home matchup against the Rockies, who are unimposing away from Coors Field, should lead to more success for the San Diego righty. A 5.6 career K/9 tells use the upside is nonexistent, though he should still rack up a handful of whiffs against a team that strikes out 24 percent of the time on the road. Richards ESPN ownership sits at just two percent.Alex Cobb is set to make his second start since returning from Tommy John surgery. The first went rather well, as he held the Blue Jays to two runs in five innings while striking out seven and walking one. He finds himself in an even better matchup Thursday, facing a Yankees team thats well below average against right-handed pitching. Cobb is a free agent in 83 percent of ESPN.com leagues.Its hard to recommend rookie David Paulino against an Indians team thats tough on right-handed pitching, but he gets a mention here because of the 2.00 ERA and 10.6 K/9 and 1.5 BB/9 he posted in 90 combined innings between Rookie ball, Double-A and Triple-A. Hes worth keeping tabs on.AvoidEven on a short slate, Im not sure how you can feel comfortable rolling Taijuan Walker out there on Thursday. Since being recalled from Triple-A, the right-hander has allowed at least four runs in each start, and he didnt even make it out of the first inning his last time out, as the Angels pummeled him for six runs in just two-thirds of an inning. Im steering clear in a matchup against a Rangers team that ranks second in the AL in runs scored.HittingAs discussed above, Walker has been throwing batting practice of late. With the Rangers coming to town, the right-hander could be in long for another long night. Walker has actually had more trouble with right-handed batters, so Ian Desmond, Adrian Beltre and Jonathan Lucroy are the targets here, though lefty swingers Nomar Mazara?and?Rougned Odor and switch-hitter Carlos Beltran are in play, too.Paulino has plenty of potential, but I dont have high hopes for a rookie hurler facing a tough Indians lineup in his first major league start. Look at switch-hitters Carlos Santana and Francisco Lindor and the left-handed Jason Kipnis in this one.Garcia is one of the days top-ranked pitchers, but on a slate like this, I have no problem stacking against him. Despite the favorable matchup, he has struggled mightily in the second half and the Brewers lineup is predominantly right-handed. Sluggers Ryan Braun and Chris Carter are the upside plays here.Alec Asher is set to make his first start since serving an 80-game suspension for PEDs. My bet is that hes going to be a little rusty. With the Nationals on tap, lefty swingers Daniel Murphy and Bryce Harper are the top targets, though the Nats right-handed hitters are also worth consideration.Most likely to go yard: Evan LongoriaIm not a believer in batter versus pitcher data being predictive, but sometimes its too hard to ignore. Longoria is a career .400 against Sabathia (28-for-70) with nine doubles and seven homers. Hes my pick to go yard again on Thursday.Most likely to swipe a bag: Elvis AndrusWalker has not done a great job keeping baserunners honest this season, making Andrus a great bet to build on his team-leading 21 stolen bases. Cheap NFL T-shirts Discount Jerseys Wholesale NFL Gear Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys From China China NFL Jerseys Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Jerseys Wholesale Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping China Jerseys Cheap Stitched Jerseys NFL Jerseys China Jerseys NFL Cheap Cheap Stitched Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic ' ' '