Aktuelles » the final round of the Farmers Insurance Op

The New York Yankees addressed a position of glaring need by signing the top free agent catcher. Numbers Game breaks down the Yankees addition of Brian McCann. The Yankees Get: C Brian McCann. McCann, 29, was the top free agent catcher on the market and the Yankees had a gaping hole at the position -- their catchers hitting a Major-League-low 8 home runs with a .587 OPS last season -- so this seems like a suitable fit. McCann has hit at least 20 home runs in seven of the last eight seasons and, since 2006, his 171 home runs leads all catchers. His fWAR of 28.9 since 2006 ranks second among catchers, behind only Joe Mauer. More recently, however, there have been signs of decline, as might be expected since McCann has logged more than 1,000 games behind the plate. For example, McCanns 4.5 fWAR over the last two seasons ranks 16th at the position. Defensively, McCann is below average, with a negative Defensive Runs Saved in each of the last five seasons and a below-average caught stealing percentage in every season of his career save for 2010, when he threw out a career-best 30% of attempted base-stealers. Shoulder woes in recent seasons dont figure to make those numbers any better in the future. A left-handed power hitter, McCann figures to benefit from the short right field fence Yankee Stadium, though hes just 1-for-12 in three career games in the Bronx since the Yankees moved into their new home. He does have a .303 batting average and .902 OPS, with 24 home runs, in 114 career inter-league games, so the switch to the American League shouldnt cause major problems. With McCann leaving, the Atlanta Braves can turn their catching duties over to Evan Gattis, a free-swinging power hitter who forced his way into the lineup with a strong rookie season in 2013. McCann has signed a five-year, $85-millon contract, with a $15-million vesting option for a sixth season. Its significant money, to be sure, but the question will be how well McCann ages. While some decline is to be expected in a deal that will take him through age 34, if McCann is capable of playing 120 games and slugging 20 homers a season, then that will count as a major upgrade behind the plate for the Yankees; the kind of free agent signing that will improve their chances of returning to the postseason. Though the Yankees make noise about getting under Major League Baseballs $189-million lusxury tax limit for 2014, for a team with virtually unlimited resources, like the Yankees, getting to the playoffs really ought to be the bottom line. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. Cheap Old Skool Free Shipping . Balotelli was out at dinner with his brother Enoch and came home to discover he had been burgled. The car was later found abandoned. Balotelli wrote Saturday on Twitter: "I feel empty! No emotions . Cheap Old Skool Authentic . Week 2s biggest games include Florida facing Miami and Notre Dame travelling to the Big House to conclude their rivalry against Michigan in primetime on TSN2 and TSN 1050. http://www.cheapoldskool.com/. Inter moved five points behind fourth-place Fiorentina and eight points behind third-place Napoli, which visits relegation-threatened Sassuolo on Sunday. Cheap Old Skool Sale . Ben Street scored twice for the Heat (17-5-1), who won their fourth game in a row and 13th in their last 14 outings. Brett Bulmer scored the lone goal for the Wild (6-11-0), who dropped their sixth straight contest. Old Skool Shoes From China . 22 because of a bruised foot and have added forward Sean Collins to the roster on emergency recall from Springfield of the AHL.MONTREAL -- Michael Putnam and Tim Petrovic mastered the afternoon winds to shoot six-under-par 64s and take a share of the first-round lead at the US$5.7 million RBC Canadian Open on Thursday. But the surprise of the day was big-hitting amateur Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., who shot five-under 65 for a share of third place with Kyle Stanley. Putnam and Petrovic played bogey-free golf at the 7,153-yard par-70 Blue Course at Royal Montreal on a near perfect day for scoring, with sunny weather and soft greens from heavy rains the previous day. A gust wind came in for the those with afternoon starts, but it didnt stop Putnam or Petrovic from shooting the low scores of the day, which set the course record for an opening round. "It was tough ball-striking, but somehow I was able to keep it in the fairway and take advantage of the soft greens to hit a couple of shots close and make a couple of five-to-ten-foot putts," said Putnam, who has been playing his best golf of the season of late with top-35 finishes in his last three outings. The 47-year-old Petrovic didnt know he would play until he got a call on Tuesday saying he was in as the seventh alternate. The former PGA Tour regular, playing only his eighth Tour event this season, didnt even have his name on the program. There was no rust in his game, however. "I didnt set my expectations high because I got in late, so this was kind of my practice round," said Petrovic. "I walked the back nine (Wednesday). "It wasnt that I played conservative. I was just trying to hit fairways and greens, trying to see the golf course and see if I could make a few putts. I drove the ball pretty good overall." There were 11 players tied at 4-under 66, including Nick Watney and Charl Schwartzel, and another 16 at 3-under 67, including David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., and two-time Canadian Open champion Jim Furyk. Another dozen were at 2-under 68 and there were 23 at 1-under 69, including top-ranked Canadian Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., and defending champion Brandt Snedeker. Another sunny day is forecast for the second round on Friday, with a possibility of wet weather on the weekend. The 23-year-old Pendrith, Canadas top amateur, had a dream day in his first round of his first Canadian Open. He recently graduated from Kent State University and hopes to play in the world amateur championships this summer before likely turning pro in the fall. Although its early, hes one stroke off the lead of a tournament no Canadian has won since Pat Fletcher in 1954. "I never expected that," said Pendrith. "I was playing good golf coming in here, so I just played golf. "Five-under is pretty nice. Everybody has some nerves. If you didnt have nerves on the first tee something would be wrong with you.dddddddddddd But after I played the first hole, I felt calm and felt I should be here." He played in the last threesome to tee off in the afternoon, when the worst of the wind was up, but used his long drives to cut through the tree-lined fairways and get close to the greens. He had seven birdies, including one on a putt that trickled in on the 18th, and two bogeys. "The front nine suits my game a lot," he said. "I can shoot driver nearly every hole. "I had four birdies on the front nine, all with wedges." Pendrith is 18th in world amateur rankings, tops among Canadians. He and fellow national team members Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., who shot even-par 70, and Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., who was at 4-over 74, were given entries into the Open. Stanleys 5-under was the best among the early tee times. "I love this golf course," the Gig Harbor, Wash., native said. "Its similar to the one I grew up with in Washington, so I felt pretty comfortable. "I hit the ball well on my first nine today. I was able to make a few of the long range putts that got the round going for me." The soft greens made for ideal scoring conditions, but Stanley said the course is still a challenge. "That front nine is pretty difficult," he said. "Theres a couple of mid-irons into the par-3s and a 500-yard par-4 (the fourth), so its a kind of sneaky-demanding course." Stanley is best known for posting his only PGA Tour win a week after a memorable collapse. In 2012, he blew a six-shot lead in the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open and lost in a playoff to Snedeker, then bounced back with a victory at the Phoenix Open. This season has been trying for the 26-year-old. He sits 164th in FedEx Cup standings with only one top-25 finish, which was in October. He said it was premature to think about turning the season around after one good round. "Theres a ton of golf left," he said. "Its nice to get a round like this because it shows Im working on the right things." Hearn had a great round going until he bogeyed the 14th and 15th on his back nine. He recovered with a birdie at the 16th. "Any day you come off the course and shoot 3-under and feel you left a few out there, you feel its a good day," said Hearn. "Im not overly disappointed with the way I played. "I hit the ball great from tee to green. If I can continue to do that for the rest of the week I know Im going to play well." It was a rough opening round for some. Both Stephen Ames of Calgary and one of the tournament favourites, Dustin Johnson, shot 4-over 74. John Daly had 6-over 76, Scott McCarron turned in a 78 and Erik Compton shot 79. ' ' '