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ekansekans's blog: "df"

created on 10/29/2012  |  http://fubar.com/df/b351055

CLEVELAND -- Shin-Soo Choo didnt want to be part of the Indians future. So theyre moving on without him. Cleveland traded the talented outfielder to the Cincinnati Reds and acquired prized pitching prospect Trevor Bauer from the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night in a three-team deal involving nine players. The Indians obtained centre fielder Drew Stubbs from Cincinnati and received Bauer, the No. 3 pick in the 2011 draft, along with right-handers Matt Albers and Bryan Shaw from the Diamondbacks. "This is a trade that can impact our team not only for 2013, but for the future," Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said. "Three of the players we acquired we will have under control for at least the next three seasons." Cleveland shipped Choo, infielder Jason Donald and about $3.5 million to the Reds, while sending left-handed reliever Tony Sipp and first baseman Lars Anderson to Arizona. The Diamondbacks also received shortstop prospect Didi Gregorius from Cincinnati. Choo, primarily a right fielder for Cleveland since he was acquired from Seattle in 2006, will play centre and bat leadoff for Cincinnati. "It was very difficult giving up home-grown talent, but we think Choo can fill the missing parts in our lineup both offensively and defensively," Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said in a statement. "He is an exciting player, and we expect him to set the table." Dealing Choo was almost a necessity for the Indians. He was entering the final year of his contract and is eligible for free agency in 2013. The Indians have not been able to work out a deal with agent Scott Boras, who has turned down several extensions in recent years. The 30-year-old Choo, from South Korea, batted .283 with 16 homers and 67 RBIs in 155 games last season. He had been considered a core player for the Indians, who collapsed in August and finished 68-94 -- two games out of last place in the AL Central. "It was really tough," Antonetti said of trading Choo. "I talked with Shin-Soo tonight and expressed my profound appreciation for his professionalism. He is always one of the first to arrive for workouts, whether it is spring training or just a game." With plenty of power in the middle of the lineup, Cincinnati has lacked a prototypical leadoff man to get on base consistently in front of sluggers such as Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, Ryan Ludwick and Todd Frazier. Brandon Phillips, who previously batted cleanup at times, was pressed into leadoff duty last season despite a .322 career on-base percentage. Choo can also hit the ball out of the ballpark, but his .381 career OBP fits the bill at the top of the order. He also had 43 doubles and 21 steals this year. The speedy Stubbs has played centre exclusively for the Reds, helping them win NL Central titles in 2010 and 2012. He batted .213 with 14 homers and 40 RBIs last season, striking out 166 times in 493 at-bats. He has 100 stolen bases over the past three years, including 30 in 2012. Antonetti said the team hasnt decided where Stubbs will play. Michael Brantley played centre for the Indians last season, but has also spent some time in left. "In Drew Stubbs, we received a great defensive player who brings an element of speed and power to our lineup," Antonetti said. "We are happy with the job Michael Brantley did for us in centre field, but Drew is one of the best out there. He brings a great deal of athleticism to our team." Bauer, one of baseballs top pitching prospects, became the first member of the 2011 draft class to reach the majors and went 1-2 with a 6.06 ERA in four starts for Arizona this year. The 21-year-old right-hander struggled with his control, compiling 13 walks and 17 strikeouts in 16 1-3 innings. Bauer spent most of the season in the minors, going a combined 12-2 with a 2.42 ERA in 22 starts at Double-A Mobile and Triple-A Reno. He had 157 strikeouts and 61 walks while allowing 107 hits in 130 1-3 innings. "We are getting a young pitcher with a ton of potential," Antonetti said. "He can be a top-of-the-rotation guy with development. He is somebody we have been interested in for a long time, since he was at UCLA." Arizona general manager Kevin Towers said he was sorry to part with Bauer, but "were fortunate to have a lot of pitching depth." The 22-year-old Gregorius, considered a defensive whiz, spent last season with Double-A Pensacola and Triple-A Louisville before appearing in eight games for the Reds. He hit a combined .265 with seven homers and 54 RBIs in 129 minor league games, adding 21 doubles and 11 triples while scoring 70 runs. The Diamondbacks have been looking for a shortstop to replace Stephen Drew, traded to Oakland in August after returning from a serious ankle injury. They were thought to be interested in Indians All-Star Asdrubal Cabrera, though Towers wouldnt comment on that. Towers said Gregorius reminds him "of a young Derek Jeter." Gregorius will go to spring camp and compete for the starting job in the big leagues. Arizona completed a $15.5 million, two-year contract with right-hander Brandon McCarthy on Tuesday and also acquired reliever Heath Bell from Miami earlier this off-season. Towers said those additions make it "highly unlikely" the team will trade slugger Justin Upton. Cheap Jerseys Direct . Nadal and Novak Djokovic advanced to the final of the $3.145 million event with straight-set wins Saturday in a star-studded pair of semifinals. Cheap Jerseys China .Y. -- Yes, Vince Young is comfortable with his role in Buffalo as Ryan Fitzpatricks backup. http://www.dancewithmeusa.com/hot.html . While the team laced em up for their first preseason game, the teams two biggest offseason additions, Kyle Lowry and Jonas Valanciunas, saw injuries keep them out of action.(Sports Network) -The eighth-seeded Los Angeles Kings will try to earn their first berth in the Stanley Cup Final since 1993 when they host the Phoenix Coyotes today in Game 4 of the Western Conference final. Join TSN.ca at 3pm et/Noon pt for our Live Game Blog and a chance to get interactive with the TSN Community. The Kings have jumped out to a 3-0 lead in this best-of-seven series and are one win away from making just their second trip to the Cup Finals in franchise history. The 1993 team led by Wayne Gretzky made it to the final stage 19 years ago, but lost in five games to Montreal. Los Angeles is also trying to post another four-game sweep after eliminating the second-seeded St. Louis Blues, 4-0, in the conference semifinals. The Kings had never swept a seven-game series in their history before making quick work of the Blues in the last round. After taking Game 3 in Los Angeles by a 2-1 score, the Kings are now 11-1 this postseason and have won eight straight games since losing Game 4 against Vancouver in the opening round. L.A. goaltender Jonathan Quick only needed to make 18 saves in Thursdays win, while Dwight King scored the game-winner in the third period. "Its the same feeling as after the first game," said Quick. "You dont get anything for three wins. Were going to go back to work tomorrow and get ready for Game 4. We know what we have ahead of us. We know Phoenix is going to come out hard in Game 4 and were going to be ready." The third-seeded Coyotes, who are in the conference finals for the first time in franchise history, will need to pull off the improbable 3-0 comeback to make their first trip to the Cup Finals. Only three teams in NHL history have won a seven-game series after losing the first three games. The Philadelphia Flyers were the last club to achieve the 3-0 comeback whenn they beat Boston in the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals.dddddddddddd Daymond Langkow scored the lone goal for Phoenix in Game 3, while Mike Smith made 26 saves in the loss. "It was a tight game all the way through," said Phoenix head coach Dave Tippett. "We didnt create a lot, but we hung around the game, gave ourselves a chance to win. I think were not generating enough to put any pressure on them." The winning goal came just 1:47 into the third when King got the puck out of a scrum in the right corner and skated out to the circle before firing a shot high over the left shoulder of Smith. "I shot it high to the glove side," said King. "The biggest goals of my career keep getting bigger. Im just happy to be here and Im feeling pretty good with my game right now. I dream about this and its working out well for our team." Quick didnt need to do too much to preserve the lead as he had to make just four saves in the final period. Phoenix played the game without forward Martin Hanzal, who was handed a one- game suspension for boarding Dustin Brown in Game 2. In addition to Hanzals return, the Coyotes could also have veteran defenseman Adrian Aucoin back today. Aucoin has missed the first three games of this series with an undisclosed injury suffered in the clinching game of the last round against Nashville, but has said he is ready to go for today. The Coyotes are 4-2 on the road in this years playoffs, while Los Angeles is 4-1 at home. Phoenix will host Game 5 on Tuesday if it wins todays game. This matchup marks the first time the Kings and Coyotes are meeting in the postseason, but the Pacific rivals did face each other six times during the 2011-12 campaign. The Kings and Coyotes split the season series and three of the meetings went past regulation. ' ' ' 

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