A Roof Above Us

LOS ANGELES -- Dan Haren wanted to pitch for a World Series contender next season, and he was eager to get back to his native Southern California. Haren found everything he wanted at Dodger Stadium. The right-hander agreed to a one-year, $10 million deal with the Dodgers on Monday, adding another veteran arm to Los Angeles deep rotation. The deal includes $3 million in performance bonuses and a $10 million vesting option for 2015. Haren was eager for a change after spending last season in Washington, where he went 10-14 with a 4.67 ERA even with a strong finish to the season. He missed his wife and children during his year on the East Coast, and the 11-year veteran seized the chance to return home after spending the previous three seasons with the Angels. "My kids are growing up, and to have the opportunity to come back so close to home and pitch for a championship-level club, it couldnt have happened any better for me," Haren said. The three-time All-Star went 33-27 with the Angels, enduring a rough final season. He also got off to a slow start with the Nationals, but Haren regained enough of his form to make him attractive on the limited free-agent market. Haren will compete for a prominent spot in Los Angeles loaded rotation alongside Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu and injured veterans Chad Billingsley and Josh Beckett. "We were looking for somebody that we could lean on to provide us starts and innings, and obviously had a good track record," Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said. "Hes also somebody from the area, so he understands the Dodgers and has respect for the organization and everything. ... Were more than willing to take a chance on somebody with his makeup, with his ability, with his experience, and with his track record." If Haren pitches 180 innings for the Dodgers, hell have a $10 million player option for 2015. He had pitched at least 180 innings in nine straight seasons before last year in Washington, where he finished with 169 2-3 innings pitched after a stint on the disabled list. Haren will get $250,000 each in performance bonuses if he makes 24, 27 and 30 starts, with a $500,000 bonus for 32 starts. Hell get $250,000 each if he pitches 150, 160 and 170 innings, with a $500,000 bonus for 180 and 190 innings. If he reaches 180 innings in 2014 and is traded before the season ends, then there is a player option for 2015 at $11 million. "Could I have gotten more in other places? Maybe, probably," Haren said. "But the Dodgers seemed like a good fit for me, and at this point in my career, it looks like the Dodgers priority is winning now, and thats my priority too." The 33-year-old has 129 career victories. The Dodgers will be the sixth major league team for Haren, who also pitched for St. Louis, Oakland and Arizona. Haren knows hell be competing with Billingsley and Beckett for a rotation spot, and the Dodgers are eager to see how it develops. "Josh we expect to be ready when camp opens, and Chad at some point during the season," Colletti said. "Im not going to close the door to any more starters. We certainly like the four we have, and we hope we get Josh back and we hope we get Chad back." Haren isnt sure how the rotation will shake out, but hes confident hell have a spot if he performs to his usual capabilities. Hes also eager to suit up for the NL West champions, who lost to the Cardinals in the league championship series. "The talent is second to none," Haren said. "Weve got stars at every position." Haren pitched alongside Greinke in 2012 with the Angels, and theyve stayed in regular contact. Greinke welcomed Haren to the Dodgers earlier in the day -- and then hit him up for fantasy football advice. After he realized last winter that he wouldnt return to the Angels, Haren and his wife kept their home in Irvine, where he lives in the same gated community as Dodgers hitting coach Mark McGwire. Haren isnt suggesting a carpool with Big Mac, but hes thinking about buying an electric vehicle to ease the pain of a daily commute from Orange County to Dodger Stadium. He also plans to get tips on the drive from utilityman Skip Schumaker, who also lives in the coastal area thats home to dozens of athletes, including Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant. "Ill get used to it," Haren said. "Ill get satellite radio or something. ... Or maybe I could (get a ride on) Kobes plane. With his extension today, he could probably afford to give me a few rides." [url=http://www.halvallanikefi.com/nike-air-max-thea.html]nike air max thea musta[/url] . The (11-11-4) Jets are seventh in the Central Division with 26 points. 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One game after a miserable showing in Oklahoma City, Gay tied a career high with 41 points and the Sacramento Kings cruised to a 114-97 victory at the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. [url=http://www.halvallanikefi.com/nike-air-max-thea.html]nike air max thea[/url] . Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, announced Wednesday that the team would assign Swedish forward Elias Lindholm to his nations team for the upcoming tournament.Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn.ca! Hi Kerry, Last night, during the Anaheim Ducks-Colorado Avalanche game, there was definitely some really heated exchange between Patrick Roy and Bruce Boudreau. Do you have any memorable stories where a head coach goes after the head coach of the other team and you had to intervene? Jason Bouchard,Toronto, Ontario Jason: Patrick Roy made quite an impression in his NHL coaching debut beyond just the Avs 6-1 home victory over Bruce Boudreau and the Anaheim Ducks. If Patricks fiery history is any indicator rest assured this wont be the last outburst we see from the new bench boss. Every coach brings a unique personality, style and level of emotion to the job. Often we can look back to the type of players they were and the reputation they earned to indicate what to expect when they step behind the bench. Who can forget the Red Wings-Avalanche rivalry that qualified as hatred for one another following Claude Lemieuxs hit from behind on Kris Draper? No Saint Patrick went toe-to-toe with Mike Vernon and Chris Osgood in addition to a dust-up with Dominik Hasek that was prevented only from becoming a main event by the linesmen. No one can dispute the fact that Patrick Roy is a proven winner and champion and one of the best to ever play the game but he also brought nastiness to his game that I saw firsthand on more than one occasion. I was the referee in Patricks final game as a Montreal Canadien when Scotty Bowmans Red Wings lit him up for nine goals. Habs Coach Mario Tremblay gave the future Hall of Fame goalie the hook after Sergei Federov scored the ninth goal midway through the second period. I saw both the pride and venom in his eyes when he walked the length of the bench to have words with Tremblay and team president Ronald Corey. In Colorado one night, I was skating backwards at full speed and crossing over behind the net on a dump-in when Patrick stepped out his crease and slew-footed me with an extended pad at the goal line causing me to go airborne into the end boards. As I flew through the air I tucked my chin to my chest to protect my helmetless head from becoming the principal point of contact with the boards. My angry threat of a 20-game suspension prompted a line of defence from the goalie that it was just an "accident." That was, until I reminded Patrick that I had witnessed him do the very same thing to Referee Brad Watson in a game earlier that week! As coach of the Quebec Ramparts, his intensity, emotional outbursts and altercations are well-documented. We shouldnt expect anything different from Patrick Roy in his new location behind the Avs bench. He will still be a winner and he will still wear his emotions on his sleeve. Bruce Boudreau on the other hand was a slick, skilled centre who earned his nickname, "Gabby" for being the consummate talker. Thats putting it politely - the fact is, he never shut up! Gabby and I had manyy conversations on the ice when he was a player.dddddddddddd I can see how the perfect storm resulted last night in Colorado when these two personalities collided at the end of the game. Looking back on the different personalities that I dealt with, I understood that as a player, Glen Sather got under the skin of his opponents with a sharp tongue and wit. Slats demonstrated the same style as a successful coach with the Edmonton Oilers. Many times I had to warn him not to taunt opposing players that would ultimately result in a confrontation with the other coach. Most often I had to suppress a laugh at some of the things that came out of Sathers mouth. As a young contracted NHL referee in 1974, I was assigned to swings through the WHL. Pat "Patty" Ginnell was a notorious coach whose teams terrorized opponents. Bobby Clarke, Reggie Leach, Kim Clackson and many other players graduated from Pattys stable. Ginnell had moved from Flin Flon to coach the Victoria Cougars when I was pressed into action one night. The Edmonton Oil Kings were the guests when a line brawl erupted followed by the benches clearing. As I was sorting out penalties I noticed coach Ginnell step onto the ice with a stick in his hand and was approaching Oil Kings coach Ken Hodge. Hodge remained on the Oil bench, but reached into the stick rack to arm himself against the impending attack. I intercepted Ginnell with the stick raised over his head, just 10 feet from Ken Hodge. I was able to talk Ginnell down before ejecting him from the game. The threat was real - and it was scary. I dont think I ever saw another coach that could get under the skin of his opposing bench boss the way Scotty Bowman could unhinge Marc Crawford, especially in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Scotty was the master of game day antics. The Avs visiting team dressing room door was painted in the afternoon with toxic enamel and greeted Crawford and his players when they arrived prior to game time on one occasion. I could smell the paint from ice-level near the Avs bench! On another occasion, the length of the players bench length was altered. When asked, Scotty would calmly reply he knew nothing of it and was just part of regularly scheduled building maintenance! In what was already powder keg matchups between the Wings and the Avalanche, Marc would scream with neck veins bulging at Scotty from a position where the two benches would meet. Once again, Scotty would have that calm little smirk on his face that would infuriate Crow all the more. When these dustups happened, my objective was to try and calm Marc since Scotty already had ice water running through his veins (and often ice cubes in his mouth from the bucket). I told Crow one time on the bench not to let Scotty get to him so much because he was playing right into the Masters hands. Like he did as a Hall of Fame goalie, Patrick Roy established himself and made a mark in his first game as an NHL coach with a well-deserved win and a game misconduct/ejection at the 20:00 minute mark. I wouldnt have expected much less from Saint Patrick. [url=http://www.cheapnflauthenticjerseys.cc/]Cheap China Jerseys[/url] [url=http://www.jerseysandchinacheap.com/]Cheap NFL Jerseys[/url] [url=http://www.cheapnflonlinejerseys.com/]Cheap NFL Jerseys China[/url] [url=http://www.cheapjerseyswholesale.top/]Cheap Jerseys From China[/url] [url=http://www.cheapnfljerseysauthentic.us.com/]China NFL Jerseys[/url] [url=http://www.cheapjerseysauthentic.us.com/]Cheap Jerseys[/url] [url=http://www.cheapjerseysauthenticusa.com/]Cheap Jerseys China[/url] ' ' '