Kritik und Lob » Alcides Escobar hit a single in the ninth to exte

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Matt Joyce hopes to play more regularly again in his new role with the Oakland Athletics, who needed a new outfielder to fill a big void and put him high on their offseason list.The versatile Joyce reached agreement on an $11 million, two-year contract Wednesday after passing a physical.Obviously the biggest thing that was kind of noticed for me was how interested they were and the opportunity to get substantial playing time again coming from the situations that I was in last year, Joyce said. Were really pumped and excited for the whole opportunity and how it worked out.The 32-year-old journeyman has played 140 games in each of three of the last four seasons, batting .242 with 13 home runs and 42 RBI this year for Pittsburgh. A regular pinch hitter, he started 30 games in right field and is likely to be a regular against right-handed hitting with a possible platoon role with Mark Canha.Joyce will earn $5 million in 2017 and $6 million the following season. Oakland dealt right fielder Josh Reddick to the Dodgers at the trade deadline and then sent Coco Crisp back to his former Cleveland club.Joyce will play for his fifth major league team as he begins his 10th season. The security means a lot for Joyce as he prepares for the birth of his first child.It was obviously the perfect fit, Joyce said. It was a great fit for the kind of player I am and the kind of organization Oakland is. Its a good opportunity with a two-year deal on the table with a lot of security and the chance to play a lot is huge for me.At 69-83, the As responded from losing 10 of 11 to win their final two games at Seattle and finish with one more victory than a year ago. But they finished in fifth place and at the bottom of the AL West for the second straight season -- another year of injuries and big-name departures.Their budget could tighten in the future, too. A person familiar with Major League Baseballs tentative new labor deal said the As revenue-sharing funds will be cut to 75 percent next year, 50 percent in 2018, 25 percent in 2019 and then phased out as part of the five-year agreement reached Wednesday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not yet been signed.One of general manager David Forsts first calls this offseason was to Joyces agent, Seth Levinson.I told him I thought Matt would be a good fit. We made no secret of the fact that we were out there looking for outfielders, Forst said. Hes a guy who has played in the American League, spent a year in the American League West, hes familiar with everything here. He has a really consistent track record of hitting right-handed pitching.While Forst envisions Joyce as a regular against righty pitchers, Oaklands brass also took notice of his adjustments and progress hitting lefties last season. For a club that puts value in walks and on-base percentage, his patience at the plate was another important factor.The As are still actively looking for a center fielder and might add at the corner outfield spots, too, Forst said.Catcher Stephen Vogt will be a familiar face for Joyce as they were teammates in 2012 with Tampa Bay.Im excited to have Matt here! Vogt wrote in a text message. He was a good friend and teammate and happy to be playing with him again. He is a smart and great hitter with one of the smoothest swings in baseball. We are going to learn a lot from him.Nike Baseball Jerseys . Siddikur, whose previous win on the circuit came in Brunei three years ago, finished his bogey-free round with a birdie on the 18th for a total of 17-under 199. Indias Shiv Chowrasia, who has finished runner-up in this tournament twice, was in second place after a 66. MLB Jerseys . -- Jakob Silfverberg is making himself right at home with the Anaheim Ducks, scoring four goals in his first four games. https://www.cheapmlbjerseysjustwholesale.com/soccer-jerseys-2020.html .Y. - General manager Billy King says the Brooklyn Nets are looking to add a big man and confirmed the team worked out centre Jason Collins, who would become the first openly gay active NBA player if signed. Nike NBA Jerseys 2020 . Self was acquired from the Buffalo Bandits in a trade for Alex Hill midway through last season, and made his debut in Rochester on March 16, 2013. Adidas NHL Jerseys 2020 . Defencemen Drew Doughty, Shea Weber and forward Ryan Getzlaf also scored for the Canadians, who started their gold-medal defence 2-0. Goalie Roberto Luongo, getting the call in place of Game 1 starter Carey Price, was solid when needed in making 23 saves for the shutout.PHILADELPHIA -- Yordano Ventura got a costly hit.He sprained his right ankle running the bases in a short outing as the Kansas City Royals lost 7-2 to the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.Ventura (6-6) exited in the third inning following his second career hit. He lined a single to right but got hurt running to second on Alex Gordons double-play grounder.It feels better right now than it did before, Ventura said after the game through an interpreter. It seems like the swelling is getting better. Its still too early to tell. Itll be a couple days before we know.Ventura went out to the mound in the bottom half of the inning and left after Cody Asche hit a shot into the second deck in right field with two outs.He had trouble pushing off, Royals manager Ned Yost said.Ventura gave up four runs and four hits in 2 2/3 innings. He allowed seven runs in 5 13 innings in his previous start.Weve been trying to get him to stay within himself and control his emotions, Yost said. He did a good job with that.Cameron Rupp hit a three-run homer and Vince Velasquez threw six effective innings for the Phillies. Cody Asche and Maikel Franco also went deep to help Philadelphia win two of three against the defending World Series champions.Velasquez (7-2) allowed two runs and five hits, striking out seven in his second start since returning from the disabled list. It appeared Velasquez was hurt in the first inning when manager Pete Mackanin and a trainer visited the mound after he threw just five pitches.dddddddddddd But Velasquez stayed in, his velocity increased and he threw 96 pitches.Rupp gave the Phillies a 3-0 lead in the first when he hit a 1-2 pitch the opposite way into the right-field seats for his eighth homer.I wanted a fastball on the outside and the pitch was up, Ventura said.Gordons two-run homer off Velasquez cut it to 4-2 in the fifth. Maikel Francos infield single drove in a run in the bottom half. He hit a solo homer off Brian Flynn in the eighth.STANDINGSThe Royals fell to 43-38 with their 13th loss in their last 18 road games. The Phillies (37-46) have won five of six.STREAKINGRoyals SS Alcides Escobar hit a single in the ninth to extend his hitting streak to 14 games. Its the longest of his career in a single season. He had an 18-game streak that stretched over two seasons in 2014-15). Escobar is batting .371 (23 for 62) during his current streak. ... Kansas Citys Kendrys Morales was 0 for 3 with a walk and two strikeouts, ending his eight-game hitting streak.UP NEXTRoyals: RHP Edinson Volquez (7-7, 4.60 ERA) pitches the opener of a three-game series at Toronto. RHP Aaron Sanchez (8-1, 3.08) goes for the Blue Jays. ' ' '