CLEARWATER, Florida – J.A. Happ got the start in the Blue Jays rain-shortened, Grapefruit League opener against the Phillies but it was Todd Redmond who left an early impression on his manager. "Redmonds like anybody else, hes going to get hit every now and then but all weve ever seen out of him is good pitching and he gets guys out," said John Gibbons. "Hes pretty polished." The 29-year-old pitched two clean innings, the second and third, striking out a batter over 22 pitches. He got the win, for what thats worth on February 26, in a 4-3 game called midway through the seventh. Redmond is among more than a half-dozen pitchers in contention for the last starting rotation spot. While not much can be made of one outing, Redmonds performance resonated following a comment Gibbons made before the game. "Usually what happens, when theres a spot open, the guy that takes it, some of those guys have those springs where theyre good all spring and theres no doubt about it ... a lot of times that guy from day one, man, hes standing out and theres no hiccups." All Redmonds ever wanted is an opportunity. Here it is, less than three months before hell turn 29. Think hes overwhelmed? Redmonds been around too long – eight minor league cities over nine seasons – to get rattled by the best chance hes had to crack an opening day roster. "Im an easy-going guy," said Redmond. "Just give me the ball, Ill go out there and pitch. Same thing as I do every day. I pitch." Redmond made 17 appearances for the Blue Jays last season, 14 of them starts. Hed only made one previous appearance in the majors, a start for the Reds in 2012 that didnt go well. Familiarity breeds a sense of comfort. "I have a little more confidence coming into camp. Of my stuff, not of me, just of my stuff. More trusting of my ability," he said. As a starter last season, Redmond slowly earned Gibbons trust, which allowed Redmond to pitch deeper into games. If hes going to succeed at the major league level, however, Redmond will have to vastly improve his numbers facing hitters for a second and third time through the order. Batters have a .627 on-base plus slugging percentage against Redmond the first time through. Redmonds OPS against spikes to .939 when the lineup turns over and .914 the third time around. He insists durability isnt an issue. "My entire career, if you look at my minor league side of it, I dont think Ive ever thrown under 160 innings a year," said Redmond. "The workload. Thats one thing I take pride in is being able to go out there every fifth day and take the ball." Redmonds almost right. In the seven seasons between 2007 and 2012, he logged at least 160 innings five times and never through less than 145 innings. Having worked a modified heavy ball program this offseason, he would typically stretch with the one-pound or two-pound weighted ball prior to throwing, Redmond says his should feels strong as he makes the push for a job in the rotation. "Hes been a good pitcher in the minor leagues," said Gibbons. "Every year hes pretty steady and he never really had that opportunity until he came here last year. If this is his year he makes it and he goes on to have a good year, hell be a big league player and I dont think there will be any looking back." DRABEK UNHAPPY WITH PERFORMANCE Kyle Drabek was visibly upset with his first spring performance, a line that looked like this: 1.2IP/1ER/1H/3BB/1K. In his only full inning of work, Drabek threw 11 pitches but only four for strikes. A candidate for that final rotation spot, he was most bothered by the lack of command. "Ive had it so good in all the bullpens," said Drabek. "Its just frustrating for me to kind of fall back into being wild a little bit. I know what I can do and thats not me." "Kyles whole thing, get it into the zone and hes fine," said Gibbons. "Hes had a long layoff through the surgery. He pitched some last year but in a lot of ways, hes been out for so long it may be something that he can build back into." The 26-year-old has a history of control problems. Hes averaged 5.8 walks per nine innings over 169 1/3 big league innings. Returning from Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery last season, Drabek vastly improved his walk rate, issuing just six bases on balls over 43 innings. BAUTISTA IMPRESSIVE It took Jose Bautista all of three pitches to appear in midseason form. He smacked a 2-0, Roberto Hernandez fastball out of the park, literally. The drive to left field cleared the Phillies bullpen, the walkway behind the bullpen and the fence beyond the walkway. "I dont know, for whatever reason, I feel like Im seeing (the ball) better," said Bautista. "Theres nothing that I could have done different. Im not going to go to play winter ball right now. Its kind of odd because I havent played since August. But Im not complaining." CABRERA LIKELY TO HIT SECOND Its not even March, everyone is healthy, and manager John Gibbons is able to envision putting together a full lineup, something he wasnt able to do all of last season. Jose Reyes will lead off and, as the plan was at this time last year, Melky Cabrera has the inside track to bat behind him. "The only real downfall is he does hit a lot of ground balls but you look at what hes done the last few years, take away last year, and hes been one of the better hitters in baseball," said Gibbons. "We like guys there that can get a lot of hits. Hes a switch-hitter, he can manipulate the bat a little bit, he knows how to do those things. Ideally, if hes the player we expect him to be, than hed be a good guy for that spot." One thing Cabrera doesnt do often is walk, an ideal trait of a two-hole hitter and something that would get him on base more often ahead of sluggers Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion. After walking 56 times in 2006, his first full year in the big leagues, Cabrera hasnt had more than 43 bases on balls in a season. A HEALTHY PERSPECTIVE Nobody wants to read about or hear about injury as an excuse for the Jays disappointing 2013 year. But a little perspective never hurt anyone, either. Last season, manager John Gibbons had these six players – Jose Reyes, Melky Cabrera, Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, Colby Rasmus and Brett Lawrie – in the lineup at the same time on only eight occasions all year. It happened over an 11-day period, starting on July 21 and ending on August 1. Steve Grogan Patriots Jersey . - Florida State has suspended Jameis Winston for the entire game against Clemson on Saturday, extending its initial punishment of one half after the quarterback made offensive and vulgar comments about female anatomy earlier this week. John Hannah Youth Jersey .com) - Charlie Davies netted a pair of goals, including the series-winner on Saturday, as the New England Revolution battled the New York Red Bulls to a 2-2 draw in the second leg of the Eastern Conference Championship at Gillette Stadium and advanced to MLS Cup final via a thrilling 4-3 aggregate victory. https://www.patriotssportsgoods.com/Womens-Sony-Michel-Inverted-Jersey/ . The 10-year deal the league and players agreed to that ended the 2011 lockout gave either side the right to opt out after six years. With the league projecting financial growth, there has been speculation that players will take that option in three years, especially since a new national TV contract will be in place by then. Irving Fryar Patriots Jersey .Kessy tried to show what he can do playing left wing for the Oilers in 5-0 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday in pre-season action. Tedy Bruschi Youth Jersey . Costa Rica followed up its wins over Uruguay and Italy by holding England to a dour 0-0 draw on Tuesday, enough to finish first in Group D.CALGARY, Alta. - Hockey Canada announced the 22 players named to Canadas National Womens Development Team, which will compete in a three-game series against the United States Womens Under-22 National Team from Aug. 21-24 at WinSports Markin MacPhail Centre at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary. The 13 forwards, seven defencemen and two goaltenders were chosen following Canadas National Womens Development Team selection camp, held Aug. 7-17. Players were divided into two teams, Blue and Yellow, and competed in three intrasquad games during selection camp. Canadas National Womens Development Team features three players who won a gold medal with Canadas National Womens Under-22/Development Team at the 2013 Meco Cup, two players who won a gold medal with Canadas National Womens Under-18 Team at the 2014 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Womens World Championship and eight players who won a gold medal with Canadas National Womens Under-18 Team at the 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Womens World Championship. Canadas National Womens Development Team was selected by Melody Davidson, general manager of national womens team programs, and Hockey Canadas team of scouts, along with Canadas National Womens Development Team head coach Dwayne Gylywoychuk, and assistant coaches Amanda Benoit-Wark and Cara Morey. The 41 players who attended selection camp in Calgary left it all on the ice, and as a coaching staff we could not have asked for more, Gylywoychuk said. It made for some tough decisions, but we are thrilled to work with these 22 players over the next week, and as a tteam we look forward to representing the country against the U.ddddddddddddS. The puck drops on the three-game series against the United States on Aug. 21, with other games scheduled for Aug. 22 and Aug. 24. Following the series, Hockey Canada scouts, along with the teams coaching staff, will continue to evaluate players with their club teams during the 2014-15 season, in preparation for selecting the Canadian team that will compete at an international tournament next January in Germany. GOALTENDERS Emerance Maschmeyer - Harvard University (ECAC) Ann-Renée Desbiens - University of Wisconsin (WCHA) DEFENCE Abbey Frazer - Harvard University (ECAC) Mellissa Channell - University of Wisconsin (WCHA) Renata Fast - Clarkson University (ECAC) Gina Repaci - University of Vermont (HE) Halli Krzyzaniak - University of North Dakota (WCHA) Erin Ambrose - Clarkson University (ECAC) Brittney Fouracres - McGill University (RSEQ) FORWARD Hanna Bunton - Cornell University (ECAC) Laura Stacey - Dartmouth College (ECAC) Catherine Dubois - Limoilou (CEGEP) Sarah Lefor - Boston University (HE) Karly Heffernan - Pursuit of Excellence (Midget AAA) Blayre Turnbull - University of Wisconsin (WCHA) Ashleigh Brykaliuk - University of Minnesota Duluth (WCHA) Meghan Dufault - University of North Dakota (WCHA) Victoria Bach - Mississauga (PWHL) Sarah Nurse - University of Wisconsin (WCHA) Shannon MacAulay - Clarkson University (ECAC) Kristyn Capizzano - Boston College (HE) Emily Clark - Okanagan Hockey Academy (JWHL) ' ' '