Vorschau » Until his traded to the Tigers in the off-season

LAKELAND, Fla. - New Detroit Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler doesnt mind admitting he had gotten comfortable in Texas. Until his traded to the Tigers in the off-season for slugger Prince Fielder, Kinsler had spent his entire professional career in the Texas Rangers organization. He said he had an inkling after last season that he was on the trade block. He also said he was excited about a change. With the rumours swirling, Kinsler ended up with the Tigers who needed fielding and speed. The Tigers finished last in the American League in 2013 with only 35 stolen bases, 114 behind the Rangers. New Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said he wants to run more this year. Speedy Austin Jackson led the Tigers with eight steals as the Tigers relied on their sluggers, including Fielder, to knock in runs. With the trade of Fielder, the Tigers received Kinsler, who stole 15 bases for the Rangers last year, but has stolen more than 20 bases three times. In addition to Kinsler, the Tigers added Rajai Davis from the Toronto Blue Jays. Davis stole 45 bases for the Blue Jays in 2013. Kinsler was one of several high-profile additions for the Tigers during the off-season. He isnt expected to hit with Fielders power, but his line-drive hitting might be better suited for Comerica Park, which is a haven for line drive hitters, not sluggers. Kinsler lost nearly 20 pounds in the off-season once he was informed of the trade. "I like Comerica Park and wanted to lose weight," Kinsler said after reporting to Tigers camp on Sunday. "I wanted to get faster and get back to hitting line drives. If you hit it in the gap out there, you should get at least three (bases) out of it. I have more chances to run and set up the heart of the order. I never had to lose weight in Texas. As hot as it was, it was easy over there. I had to try to add weight over there. Now I have to lose it. Im ready to go right now." Ausmus said that the additions of Kinsler and Davis change the dynamics of the lineup. Former manager Jim Leyland wasnt big on stealing bases and his recent teams tended to be cautious on the bases. Ausmus said things might be different this season, his first as a major league manager. "Kinsler and Davis bring us the opportunity to get some more stolen bases," Ausmus said. "With Jackson and Torii Hunter to go with them, we have some speed this year. It is a different team with a different personality." Tigers president and general manager Dave Dombrowski said the discussions on the Fielder-for-Kinsler trade went quickly and set the new running philosophy into motion. "We wanted more speed, but if you look at last years team, we had very few places where we could just add speed to the order," Dombrowski said. We had to find a way and the Prince trade set everything into motion. Well be faster this year." Kinsler batted .277 with 13 homers and 72 RBI for the Rangers last season, but said he was prepared for a trade. "I wanted to go to a contender," said Kinsler, who lost two World Series with the Rangers. "It is a place I feel very strongly has a chance to win a World Series. It will be a new experience and I am excited to get out of my comfort zone. I love the park, it suits me, and I can run. We have star power on this team and I worked hard to lose those pounds because I expect to do a lot of running this year." NOTES: Once again, C Victor Martinez is working as a catcher during the daily bullpen sessions. Ausmus said Martinez will see duty behind the plate this season, especially during early interleague play. Ausmus said Martinez will be limited. "Theres no way hell catch 100 games this year," Ausmus said. "Hell work, but not as much as the other catchers.". Ausmus has started a new clubhouse ritual just before opening morning practice. The players and coaches get together and talk about not only baseball, but whatever is on their minds. Some of it, Ausmus said, is just good-natured kidding around. "It gives us a chance to laugh and laugh at each other," he said. "Its all in fun and to loosen things up."... The Tigers will host their first full-squad meeting no Tuesday even though most key position players have already reported. Jason Heyward Cubs Jersey . -- The Oakland Raiders added a veteran presence to their young receiving group by signing free agent James Jones to a three-year contract Monday. Andre Dawson Cubs Jersey . - Loosening up for their first training camp practice, the Miami Dolphins high-stepped sideways up and down the field while House of Pains song "Jump Around" blared on the loudspeakers. http://www.thecubsteamshop.com/Cubs-Anthony-Rizzo-Kids-Jersey/ . The United States clinched the final berth into the Ford Worlds, March 28-April 6 at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, on Saturday in Blaine, Minn. Joe Maddon Jersey . According to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun, Brodeurs agent Pat Brisson has spoken to six teams so far regarding the veteran goaltender. Javier Baez Jersey .m. on Friday. Granger was acquired from the Indiana Pacers last Thursday for Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen, but never played a minute for Philadelphia. The 76ers also received a 2015 second-round draft pick in the deal.OAKLAND, Calif. - Golden State coach Steve Kerr figured his team was due for an off night after four consecutive blowout wins.Fortunately for the Warriors, it happened at Oracle Arena, where they havent lost in more than two months.Stephen Curry had 22 points and 11 assists, Klay Thompson scored 31 points and Golden State beat the Boston Celtics 114-111 on Sunday night.This is the point in the schedule where it gets really difficult to get up emotionally night after night, Kerr said. For the most part we did our job. We just didnt have a lot of life and legs. It was a night where everybody had to fight through.The Warriors have won 19 consecutive home games for the longest active home streak in the NBA. Their last loss at Oracle was 113-100 to San Antonio on Nov. 11.Having that advantage was helpful against Boston.The Celtics trailed by 10 with 36.3 seconds remaining but closed to 112-109 on Jared Sullingers layup with 4.6 seconds left.Thompson, who scored a career-high 52 points against Sacramento on Friday, calmly made two free throws to seal the win.Andrew Bogut added 13 points and 13 rebounds and Draymond Green had 14 points to help the Warriors to stay unbeaten in 14 games against the Eastern Conference this season. Golden State also improved its NBA-best record to 36-6.The Warriors had won their previous four games by an average of 26.5 points and maintained a double-digit lead against the Celtics for most of the game until Boston made its late run.Now weve got some things to address in practice, Bogut said. The end-of-game execution wasnt great. We made some bonehead plays the last three or four minutes and let them back into the game.Sullinger had 26 points and nine rebounds for Boston. The Celtics have lost four of six.I thought we did as good a job as you can do probably in half court, Boston coach Brad Stevens said. We gave ourselves a chance a lot of the time ... but its hard to guard them for 48 mminutes and score on them.ddddddddddddTwo nights after scoring an NBA-record 37 points in the third quarter of Golden States 126-101 win over Sacramento, Thompson was 11 for 19 from the field and 6 for 8 at the line. He had 18 points in the second half.Curry helped the Warriors keep rolling with his 15th double-double this season.The leading vote-getter for the All-Star game, Curry scored nine points in the third quarter and had two momentum-shifting plays. The diminutive point guard scored on a baseline dunk and did a pull-up on the rim, and then made a behind-the-back pass to Andre Iguodala for an easy layup.The Celtics trailed by as much as 10 in the second quarter but closed to 51-49 on back-to-back buckets by Tyler Zeller.Curry sank two free throws with 7.8 seconds left, and then got three more a few moments later when he tried to beat the buzzer and was fouled by James Young near midcourt. Curry made all three to put the Warriors up 56-49 at the break.___FREE THROW WOESStevens insists hes not worried about Bostons free throw shooting, even though the team is struggling at the line. The Celtics made 19 of 27 foul shots and are shooting just 68.3 per cent (56 of 82) from the line over their past four games.I will not lose one ounce of sleep on free throw shooting, Stevens said. That stuff works itself out with good shooters and it doesnt with guys who arent good shooters.TIP-INSCeltics: F Kelly Olynyk missed his second consecutive game with a sprained right ankle. ... Boston is still one win shy of 200 against the Warriors. ... Marcus Smart did not attend the game due to personal reasons.Warriors: Thompson needs 24 3-pointers to move into second place on the teams career chart behind Curry. Thompson has made 677 3s. ... The Warriors are the first team to go 14-0 against the East since the 1971-72 Lakers won their first 19.UP NEXTCeltics: At Utah on Monday.Warriors: Host Chicago on Tuesday. ' ' '