| 908 Beiträge - Forenjunkie
|
|
|
OAKLAND, Calif. Camiseta Cesc Fabregas Seleccion Española . -- Coco Crisp offered a long list of reasons why Oakland is such a great fit for him for years to come -- his sentiments the same whether or not he had a nice new contract to his name. The Athletics have mutual strong feelings about their do-everything centre fielder and speedy leadoff man, who is staying with the As for an additional two seasons after agreeing Friday to a new contract through 2016 that adds $22.75 million in guaranteed money. "Its nice. I dont think it was weighing on me too much," Crisp said Friday, a day before Oakland holds its FanFest. "Either way, if it happened after the season or before, this is the place I want to be." The deal includes a 2017 option that could become guaranteed, the As said. Crisp was set to attend FanFest on Saturday with the two-time reigning AL West champions, a week ahead of the start of spring training in Phoenix. Crisp has a $7.5 million salary this year under a club option exercised Nov. 1. He will earn $11 million per season in 2015 and 2016, and the 2017 option is for $13 million with a $750,000 buyout. A switch-hitter who gets things going at the top of the lineup with his aggressive baserunning and, more recently, pop in his bat -- Crisp hit a career-high 22 home runs last year. "Im just grateful they put me up there and give me the opportunity to do that. If I hit 22, thatd be awesome. If I hit 23, thatd be better," Crisp said, grinning. "If the best part of the wood gets ahold of the balls, that would be amazing." The 34-year-old Crisp, starting his fifth season with the As, hasnt played more than 136 games in a season since arriving in the Bay Area. He batted .261 with the 22 homers, 66 RBIs and 21 steals last year. Despite the power surge, Crisp has refused to call himself a home run hitter. Yet he does hope to duplicate that production in 2014. "Thats a lot of home runs. Its really impressive for a leadoff hitter," new infielder Nick Punto said. "He might not call himself a home run hitter but he has some pop in the bat." Crisps 2017 option would vest with 550 plate appearances in 2016 or 1,000 plate appearances in 2015-16 combined or 130 games in 2016, or 260 games in 2015-16 combined. In addition, the 260 combined games is with no fewer than 110 played in 2016 and he cant finish 2016 season on the disabled list. New Oakland closer Jim Johnson is happy to no longer have to face Crisp. "Hes a pain," Johnson said. "He fights off good pitches. Hes a guy you think you have a plan and your plan goes to crap." Crisps current contract allows him the use of a ballpark suite for six games per year -- excluding the Yankees, Red Sox and Giants -- and the number increases to eight for 2015-17. Former Tigers manager Jim Leyland said several times that containing Crisp was the biggest key for Detroit to beat the As in the division series for the second straight season. Crisp is a career .278 hitter in 30 post-season games for Boston and Oakland. Left fielder Yoenis Cespedes, who said Friday he hopes for an extension to stay with the As beyond his initial $36 million, four-year deal from February 2012, realizes how much it means to be playing alongside Crisp for the near future. "I dont know if Im going to be the next to get an extension, but he is the key for this team," Cespedes said. "I want to play in Oakland beyond my four years. I thank them for giving me the opportunity to play in the big leagues. I dont forget that." The Coliseum field is still dirt piles in preparation for a Monster Trucks event at the Coliseum later this month, then it will be quickly converted and re-turfed for baseball. http://www.eurocopaespanashop.es/camiseta-juan-mat...-2016.h tml . He was 40. Firefighters were called about 11 a.m. Friday because Brown was unresponsive at his home near the Inner Harbor, fire spokesman Battalion Chief Kevin Cartwright said. He said Brown was dead when firefighters arrived. http://www.eurocopaespanashop.es/eurocopa-2016-mik...ersey.h tml .com) - Former champion Maria Sharapova and third seed Simona Halep notched wins, while former runner-up Ana Ivanovic was a stunning opening-round loser on Day 1 at the Australian Open.Jordan Bachynski had been in this situation before. In fact, hes been there on more than one occasion. The NCAAs leader in blocked shots has saved three games for Arizona State this season blocking shots at the buzzer. This time, in his first NCAA tournament game, Bachynski challenged Texas centre Cameron Ridleys lay-up, which narrowly escaped the Calgary, Alberta natives 74 wingspan with milliseconds left on the clock. The ball bounced off the backboard and into the net for an 87-85 buzzer-beater win. Arizona State was sent home after falling short of a hard fought first round upset, ending a season which saw them in the tournament for the first time in five years. It also capped a standout collegiate career for Bachynski, who in his senior year bettered his individual stats each season as his teams record improved as well. TSN.ca spoke with the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year prior to the NCAA Tournament about his goals, his game and whats next. What goals did you set for yourself as a team and individually this year? As a team, it was to make it to the NCAA Tournament. Most of the guys on our team havent ever been to the tournament - me included. So thats a huge goal, and to be able to do that and we felt we had a really strong team and guys that can help us get there. My main goal this year was to lead the nation in blocked shots because thats something I knew I would be able to excel at and so I was able to meet that goal. What is your approach or technique to blocking shots? Its not something I really think about; its something that comes naturally to me. Our defense is set up for me to help the guys on D. Coach Sendek actually completely changed the defensive strategy when I started to show that I had a knack for blocking shots. There were two games where I had a bunch of blocked shots and so the coaches saw that as such a huge asset for us and changed what we play to more help side man-to-man and Ive loved it. I love playing help side where a man is coming down the pike and I just get to step up and bloock his shot. http://www.eurocopaespanashop.es/camiseta-thiago-a...-2016.h tml. How does it feel to be recognized as the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year? Its a huge honour, especially with the tradition of the Pac-12 and how it has produced such great players and such great big men. Some of the best big men ever to play the game came for the Pac-10/Pac-12. Its just an honour to be recognized as a defensive presence in such a great conference. Its an interesting time for Canadians in the NCAA. What does that say about the growth of Canadian basketball? Canadian basketball is on its way up. This summer I had a great opportunity to play with Team Canadas Development Team and there are some great players. Especially Melvin Ejim, who is doing amazing things. He just got named Player of the Year in his conference and me and him still keep in touch. Watching Brady Heslip knock shots down at Baylor and Kevin Pangos at Gonzaga and playing against Dwight Powell at Stanford, Canada basketball has really stepped up in college this year. Its crazy. Whats next for you after you graduate? Is the NBA in the cards for you? Thats definitely in the cards for me. Im working as hard as I can to get there. The NCAA Tournament would be huge for me. The national exposure and playing on that big stage and showing what type of player that I am, the defensive stopper that I am and the scorer that I am, and to play with my team is the main thing. Right now I want to get to the NBA, but the most important thing to me is that my team wins and thats what Im working for. So if that means that I have to take one less shot to pass it up to someone who has a better shot Im willing to do that because I want to win. Not a lot of guys realize that you can be a great player on a bad team and no one is going to notice you, so you need to make those guys around you better if you want to get noticed. Coaches and scouts are going to notice that and by helping your team win, by doing the right thing and playing the right way, you actually are giving yourself a better look at the next level. Cheap China Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China China NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China ' ' ' Cheap NFL China Jerseys
|
