The Blue Jays bullpen is going to have a distinctly different look in 2015 after the drop off the group experienced this year. Wholesale Air Jordan 5 . GM Alex Anthopoulos fingered the pen as a significant factor in the club missing the post-season by five games. He said if the relievers had just performed at the Major League average, the Jays likely would have beaten out Oakland for that second Wild Card position. Its almost a guarantee that Casey Janssen wont be back as the closer next season. After all, he is a free agent and the Jays so far have shown no inclination to re-sign him. Casey never was the prototypical closer. He got by more on stealth and pinpoint control than power. But over the past three seasons, he racked up 81 of his 90 career saves, good for fourth all-time on the Jays list. It was only a year ago he had his best season, saving 34 of 36 chances. But closers can be great and lose it just like that as Oakland found out with Jim Johnson this year and Tampa Bay learned with Grant Balfour, two free agent signings that didnt exactly work out. Aaron Sanchez, who was so effective down the stretch in a set-up role with a couple of saves thrown in, could emerge as the closer next spring. However, its a better bet that he winds up in the starting rotation. Before Janssen, the last home grown starter I can remember who morphed into a closer was Billy Koch. They drafted the flame-throwing righthander in the first round of the June draft fourth overall in 1996. He pitched in A ball at Dunedin in 1997 and 1998 as a starter and impressed with his velocity but struggled at times with his control and his composure on the mound. After making five starts at Syracuse in 1999, Koch was called up to the Blue Jays and immediately thrust into the role of closer, largely because of his ability to hit 100 miles per hour on the gun. Koch had a solid three-year run as the Blue Jays bullpen stopper, racking up 100 saves in 117 chances, good for the third spot on the Jays list. After the 2001 season, incoming GM J.P. Ricciardi dealt him to Oakland for 3rd baseman and now Cubs coach Eric Hinske, who would go on to be the American League Rookie of the Year in 2002. The As benefited from that deal as well. Koch racked up 44 saves in 2002 for the playoff-bound As and put up an (11-4) record. Unfortunately, that season proved to be his undoing. Koch was burnt out by the playoffs and gave up a decisive home run to the Twins A.J Pierzynski in the deciding game of that series with Minnesota. Koch was never the same and bounced around from the As to the White Sox and then the Marlins before finally being released by the Blue Jays in spring training of 2005 after just four Grapefruit League appearances. He didnt pitch in another Major League game after 2004 at age 30. The point being of course, the Blue Jays want a longer career out of Sanchez, not just the sort of flame-out career that often becomes the lot of a closer. If the Blue Jays are going to look for an experienced veteran closer, there are a couple of interesting names who are going to be on the market shortly as free agents, including Jason Motte of the Cardinals and Sergio Romo of the Giants. Motte, whos 32, has now saved 42 games for the Cardinals when they won the World Series. Then the following year, he underwent Tommy John surgery on his elbow. Motte made $7.5 million this season and the Cards let him walk since they seem to have settled on Trevor Rosenthal as their closer. Romo, whos 31, has dropped off a bit this season, but still has 75 of his career 78 saves in the past three years. He made 5.5 million this season and, like Motte, is a free agent. He also has a wicked slider as an out pitch. If the Jays go the internal route, lefty Brett Cecil might be the best bet. Division Series Picks After lucking out in the Wild Card games and going 2 for 2, I might as well give you my picks for the Division Series. In the American, though Id love to see Kansas City win, Im picking the Angels in four games. In the other series Baltimore in five over Detroit. In the National League, the Dodgers over St. Louis in four and Washington to beat the Giants in four. Id still love to see San Francisco win though, just to see them play the Dodgers in a seven-game series for the first time ever. Jays Streak A strange and unusual Blue Jays streak that I had totally forgotten about: over a stretch of 614 games starting on October 4th of 1980, the Blue Jays did not get a single victory from a lefthanded starting pitcher. Jimmy Key finally ended the streak on May 1st of 1985. This season, southpaws Mark Buehrle and J.A. Happ won 24 between them. Go figure. Cheap Jordan 5 Ireland . Maximilian Arnold put Wolfsburg ahead in the eighth minute, when the stationary Fallou Diagne allowed him to guide Patrick Ochs cross beyond the helpless Freiburg goalkeeper, and Ivica Olic doubled the lead three minutes later after Luiz Gustavo did well to set him up. Air Jordan Retro 5 Cheap . The veteran NFL receiver received his work permit and is in Montreal for the start of the Alouettes rookie camp. Johnson even took in the Montreal Canadiens Game 5 win over the New York Rangers at the Bell Centre Tuesday night.ARLINGTON, Va. -- Even if Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals have earned a reputation for quick exits, at least theyve been making the playoffs year after year. Thats not a given this time. And the team is well aware of it: Every time players set foot in the practice facility, they come face to face with a display showing where Washington stands. On Thursday, the Capitals had 70 points, good enough only for 11th place in the 16-team Eastern Conference. The top eight teams qualify for the post-season. "Weve got a board in our dressing room here that says the standings. You walk by it six, seven times a day," right wing Troy Brouwer said. "So theres no way to be immune to whats going on." Washington hasnt missed the playoffs since the 2006-07 season, although its never been past the second round in that span. At the moment, the fading Capitals have won only one of their last six games heading into Friday night against the visiting Vancouver Canucks, who are 10th in the West. "The desperate level," Brouwer said, "is getting up there." Washington has 15 games left in the regular season. Its not a particularly easy schedule, either, with 10 games against teams currently in playoff position, including a daunting March 18-22 road trip to Anaheim, Los Angeles and San Jose. "Obviously, were very concerned," coach Adam Oates said. "But the one good thing about hockey is tomorrows another game and you cant get too far ahead or dwell too much on it, because youve got to play tomorrow. Its a must win tomorrow." There have been various problems lately, including poor passing and puck possession, leading to turnovers and a lack of shots on goal. Also glaring: Ovechkins sudden lack of scoring. The three-time NHL MVP and team captain leads the league with 44 goals, but he has been held without a point in each of the last four games, matching his worst drought this season. So whats it going to take to get things turned in the right direction before its too late? "It can be one big hit," saiid Ovechkin, whos been known to dole those out. Original Air Jordan 5 For Sale. "Or it can be one good play and everybody (wakes) up and everybody (plays) much better." In a bid to help the playoff push, general manager George McPhee added goalie Jaroslav Halak and left wing Dustin Penner in separate deals at the trade deadline this month, then finally signed 2010 first-round draft pick Evgeny Kuznetsov. But there hasnt been a payoff yet. Penner was thought to be destined for the top forward line, alongside Ovechkin and centre Nicklas Backstrom. But Oates said Thursday, "I dont think he matches well with them." Asked to elaborate, Oates replied: "Hes not the fastest guy in the world. Hes a puck-possession, battle-along-the-wall guy, and I think (Ovechkin and Backstrom) need a quicker guy." Halak, meanwhile, has made three consecutive starts over Braden Holtby. Oates wouldnt say who would be in net Friday. Holtby said all the right things Thursday, though -- about Halak "giving us a chance to win, whenever he plays"; about how "I want to learn from" Halak; about how theres no rivalry between the pair. Holtby also gave a frank assessment about what Washington needs to do now. "Everyone knows," Holtby said, "that we have to have at least 10 wins, probably, in these last 15 -- or more -- to have a chance." Notes: D Dmitry Orlov signed a $4 million, two-year contract extension. "Good for him," Ovechkin said, "and good for us." Orlov was suspended by the NHL for two games this month after launching into an opponent and drawing a major penalty that helped the Flyers rally for a 5-4 overtime victory. ... C Brooks Laich, who missed two of the last four games with a groin injury, saw a doctor and will be monitored day by day, according to Oates. Its possible Laich will play Friday. ... C Mikhail Grabovski skated before Thursdays practice as he deals with a left ankle injury. "Until he can practice with us, I think hes a ways away," Oates said. Wholesale China JerseysWholesale Jerseys Wholesale Authentic Jerseys Nike NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Nike Basketball Jerseys Hockey Jerseys China Supply Baseball Jerseys Football Jerseys Sale Authentic College Jerseys MLB Jerseys China Stitched Soccer Jerseys Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap Nike Jerseys ' ' '