Healthy Brett Lawrie back in Toronto to face soaring Blue Jays

Blue Jays fans shouldn't expect to see Brett Lawrie at third base Tuesday night when he returns to Toronto to face his old team for the first time since Oakland acquired him in a trade last off-season.

No, Lawrie isn't injured, although that was commonplace in the Canadian's three seasons in Toronto.

The Langley, B.C., native has shifted to second base, a position he occupied at times with the Blue Jays, while Danny Valencia, Lawrie's teammate in Toronto, mans the hot corner.

While the Athletics arrive for a three-game series having won three of four from Houston, Lawrie is in the midst of a funk at the plate, posting a .194 batting average in a 17-game stretch. But the struggles aren't enough to bring down the usually amped-up Lawrie in his return home.

'I've learned what I need to do ... to be able to stay on the field every single day.' - A's 2nd baseman/ex-Blue Jays Brett Lawrie

"I loved playing in Toronto. I loved the fan base and the fans," Lawrie, who's hitting .268 with 10 home runs and 47 runs batted in this season, told Oakland reporters recently. "I was in a good situation when I was there, but the stadium [Rogers Centre] the way it made me feel physically wasn't really good."

Lawrie, who has played 106 of 113 games this season but managed to appear in only 177 over the two previous campaigns, visits an acupuncturist twice a week during Oakland's homestands.

"I've learned what I need to do … to be able to stay on the field and help the ballclub," he said. "Acupuncture … helps to get things back in line so I can stay on the field every single day. It gets things back in line."

Lawrie will face a Blue Jays outfit that has won eight in a row following a three-game sweep of the American League East-leading New York Yankees. An 11-1 run has Toronto within 1 ½ games of the Bronx Bombers.

Life is good

Lawrie said he is enjoying life as an Athletic, even though the team is 51-62, 10 games behind the American League West-leading Astros and nine back in the wild-card race.

"The numbers may not say good things as far as win and lose … but as far as the camaraderie goes and playing with these guys, it's been great. I've had the opportunity to meet some new guys, build some new relationships."

'He's got an opportunity, and he's taken advantage of it.' - A's manager Bob Melvin on newcomer/ex-Jay Danny Valencia

Valencia, whom Oakland claimed off waivers last week from Toronto after the Blue Jays traded for speedy left-fielder Ben Revere, has fit in with his new team. The fan favourite in Toronto delivered the winning hit in Sunday's 5-4 victory over Houston and earlier in the game hit a home run.

Valencia is 7-for-16 (.438) in four games for Oakland with two homers and five RBIs, and has also been batting in the cleanup position. In 58 games as a role player with the Jays this season, he hit .296 with seven homers and 29 RBIs.

"He's got an opportunity, and he's taken advantage of it," A's manager Bob Melvin told Oakland reporters. "We've won a couple of games [since his arrival], and we'll leave him there [cleanup] for the time being."

Kendall Graveman, a former Blue Jays pitching prospect who was part of the five-player trade with Lawrie that saw third baseman Josh Donaldson join Toronto, takes the mound for Oakland in the series opener.

The 24-year-old right-hander also opened a three-game set versus the Jays in Oakland three weeks ago and it was an outing he would rather forget. Graveman surrendered solo home runs to Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion while Russell Martin added a three-run blast. He allowed six runs over 5 1/3 innings.

Since that game, the Blue Jays have added shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, starting pitcher David Price, relievers LaTroy Hawkins and Mark Lowe, along with infielder Cliff Pennington and Revere.

Drew Hutchison (10-2, 5.42 earned-run average) starts for the Jays and Toronto's high-octane attack has been particularly lethal with the right-hander on the mound, scoring at least six runs in 10 of his last 11 outings.

Hutchison again was bailed out by his teammates in his last outing, picking up the win against Minnesota despite giving up seven runs (three earned) over five innings.

It has been a common theme for Hutchison, who has managed to avoid a loss despite getting singed for 17 runs and 21 hits in 14 innings over his last three turns. He has pitched markedly better at home, posting an 8-1 mark and 2.69 ERA in 11 starts at Rogers Centre.

With files from SportsDirect Inc. Source: http://www.cbc.ca/sports

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CFL Power Rankings: Week 7

Here's how I rank the Canadian Football League teams after Week 7:

1. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (Up from 2)

Record: 4-2

Streak: Won 3

Next: vs. B.C.

Kitties (now 9-0 at Timmies Field) had some help from a messed-up Winnipeg team that led to a quick 21-0 lead inside eight minutes, but it really wasn't needed. Not with this defence. DC Orlondo Steinauer sends his rush from so many different angles, drops into so many different packages that it's hard to pick them up. They simply smothered the visitors this week. The offence wasn't great, taking advantage of a blocked punt, a recovery on a kickoff and a pick 6 to help put the points up, but Zach Collaros took care of business by throwing for three TDs when the opportunities arose. RB C.J. Gable and SB Andy Fantuz may be out for 2-3 months and that hurts. 

2. Edmonton Eskimos (Down from 1)

Record: 4-2

Streak: Lost 1

Next: at Montreal

This week we saw the good and bad of QB Matt Nichols, who has done a solid job filling in for Mike Reilly. He threw some nice balls, including two for TDs, moved the offence and put up 262 useful yards. He also skied some balls down the field that looked rather like punts, seeing two of them picked off and another saved by a spectacular Calvin McCarthy one-handed catch. Still, a loss to B.C. might at least have gone to overtime if Chris Jones hadn't outcoached himself (again) by not going for a late 48-yard field goal by Grant Shaw, who is 15-for-15 this year. Instead, they turned it over on downs. 

3. Calgary Stampeders (Unchanged — Bye)

Record: 4-2

Streak: Won 1

Next: vs. Ottawa

Startling stat courtesy the Calgary Sun — the Stamps have been through 10 offensive linemen since camp because of injuries. That's two full units. Add the loss of RB Jon Cornish and the White Stallions may have to survive even longer with a below-average offence, one that's in the bottom half of most attack stat categories. Stamps' defence is strong against the run, not so much statistically vs. the pass. On the other hand, you can read that to mean opposing teams have to throw to move and thus are piling up extra yardage. Everything on this team reads average, but health will improve that.

4. Ottawa Redblacks (Up from 6)

Record: 4-2

Streak: Won 2

Next: at Calgary 

It's ragged sometimes, but no one really cares right now except the coaches as the Redblacks find ways to win in just their second season. While the strong defence went about its regular business of keeping the score close, the attack found a way against Montreal. Henry Burris (32 of 34, 323 yards, 2 TDs) led his club on a seven-play winning score from his own 35 with three minutes left, helped by a key pass interference call. Ottawa had over 400 yards in attack, but didn't come through until the wood chips were down and the game there for the taking. Note: This team isn't good enough yet to go for late fake field goals that look like unpracticed fire drills. Could have cost the win. 

5. Toronto Argonauts (Down from 4)

Record: 4-2

Streak: Won 1

Next: at Winnipeg

This contest with the Riders was as bad a football game as we've seen in many years, and that's a lot of contests. Yes, the league has to do something about all these penalties (43 total calls on this night was second most ALL TIME for one game), but that doesn't excuse how poorly the Double Blue played for three quarters. They took 19 penalties, ran the ball just five times into the fourth quarter and were lucky they were playing Team Disarray or it would have been a blowout. As they were saying in the dressing room, it's not the way you start, it's the way you finish. Not an excuse, however. 

6. B.C. Lions (Up from 8)

Record: 3-3

Streak: Won 1

Next: at Hamilton 

Travis Lulay's below-average season was stuttering along late in the Edmonton game when suddenly, there he was. The classic red head returned to lead a comeback victory. Overall, a 16-for-31, 195-yard outing (two picks, two TDs) wasn't great, but perhaps this was an omen. Lulay was helped along by RB Andrew Harris, who, when healthy and productive, is among the top five players in the league. Harris hauled in the winning score as part of a 20-for-118-yard rushing and 57-yard pass catching night. Lions' defence, also in and out so far, came up with a big late sack to help seal it. 

7. Montreal Alouettes (Down from 5)

Record: 2-4

Streak: Lost 2

Next: Edmonton 

Les Alouettes have lost four games by a total of 12 points. This either means they are close to being good, or too close to being bad. A problem emerging is young QB Rakeem Cato can produce yards but not points due to his own errors. Twice in deep against Ottawa he threw picks, once in the second quarter and once in the third, the latter because he didn't have enough on the ball. Larks didn't help themselves by taking a penalty on a Stefan Logan 102-yard punt return TD. Time before Labour Day to get this together, but doing it in Edmonton is going to be a trial. Oh, Michael Sam played. 

8. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Down from 7)

Record: 3-4

Streak: Lost 1

Next: Toronto

Query of the week: How do you hold Hamilton to less than 300 yards offence, pick off the QB twice, sack him five times, give up just seven points in the second half on the road, yet still lose by 30 points? QB Drew Willy, now out for 6-8 weeks with a knee injury, tossed an early pick 6, the special teams allowed Hamilton to recover the subsequent kickoff that led to another TD one play later, and the defence let Collaros march for another score to make it 21-0 just 7:37 into the game. 31-0 at the half. Nice the defence came out with pride in the second half, but the Cats were in full cruise mode by that point. 

9. Saskatchewan Roughriders (Unchanged)

Record: 0-7

Streak: Lost 7

Next: Bye

To coach Corey Chamblin's credit, he came right out to see us after the Toronto game and did not make excuses. Didn't blame the refs. Did not point to wicked providence. How could he? Riders took 24 penalties against Toronto and embarrassed themselves in a game they should have won with 403 yards in total offence. Here's the season in three first quarter plays: Third string QB Brett Smith hits Rob Bagg for a nice 32-yard gain. Bagg was offside. On 2nd and 15, he finds Chris Getzlaf for a pretty 55-yard TD. Ryan Smith is offside. Next play, Brett Smith is sacked. Mind blowing. Getzlaf had two TDs called back by penalties. Next year has arrived. 

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/sports

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IAAF says 28 more athletes tested positive at 2005, '07 worlds

Twenty-eight athletes tested positive and are facing disciplinary action after their doping samples from the 2005 and 2007 world championships were reanalyzed, the IAAF said Tuesday.

Track and field's governing body did not name any of the athletes, who produced 32 positive findings in tests from the 2005 championships in Helsinki and 2007 meeting in Osaka.

The International Association of Athletics Federations said none of the athletes will be competing in the upcoming world championships in Beijing, which begin Aug. 22.

"A large majority of the 28 are retired, some are athletes who have already been sanctioned, and only very few remain active in sport," the IAAF said.

If athletes are found guilty of doping violations, the IAAF said it "will correct the record books and re-allocate medals as necessary."

In 2012, the IAAF conducted a first round of retesting of urine samples from Helsinki and caught six athletes for doping. A second round of retesting began in April of this year, resulting in the 32 new positives, the IAAF said.

The statement comes amid scrutiny over testing procedures following media reports in Germany in Britain that blood doping was rampant in the sport, citing leaked test results from an IAAF database.

The IAAF has strongly rejected suggestions that it had failed to follow up on the suspicious tests and that it wasn't doing enough to uncover doping.

The IAAF said Tuesday that the retesting of the 2005 and 2007 samples "commenced well before" the allegations made by the ARD network and The Sunday Times.

The samples were retested with improved scientific methods that can find previously undetectable substances. The IAAF also took advantage of the longer statute of limitations for testing of stored samples, which was recently extended from eight to 10 years.

"The findings reconfirm, yet again, the commitment of the IAAF to target and uncover all cheating in the sport, no matter how long it takes," the statement said.

The samples were retested at the Swiss doping laboratory in Lausanne.

"We are at the cutting edge of the fight against doping," lab director Martial Saugy said. "In our 10-year partnership with the IAAF we have been using every scientific advance and legal opportunity at our disposal to catch the cheats."

© The Associated Press, 2015

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/sports

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