CLEVELAND -- John Axford had other choices where he could pitch next season. Jonas Jersey . The Indians closed the deal. Axford, who had 46 saves for Milwaukee in 2011 but lost his closers job last season and was traded to St. Louis, finalized a $4.5 million, one-year contract Thursday and will close for Cleveland in 2014. The 30-year-old Axford had other teams interested in signing him, but he decided to join the Indians because of their turnaround in 2013, a strong clubhouse and manager Terry Francona, who sold Axford with his typical straightforward approach. "He was very, very up front with me about the team, the organization, the city," Axford said. "It just sounded to me like a situation I want to be a part of." Axford replaces two-time All-Star closer Chris Perez, who was released in October after Cleveland made its first playoff appearance since 2007. Axford agreed to the contract with Cleveland earlier this week, and completed the deal after taking a physical on Wednesday. The right-hander can earn another $1.75 million in performance bonuses based on games finished: $250,000 for 38 and $300,000 apiece for 43, 48, 53, 58 and 63. The Indians initially considered filling the closers role within the organization -- right-handers Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen were the top candidates -- and pursued several veteran free agents before working out a deal with Axford. The Indians werent scared off despite Axford struggles last season, when he started horribly and was demoted by the Brewers before eventually being traded to St. Louis in August. "We thought he was the right guy to take a chance on," Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said. "We feel like we added an experienced, power arm to the back of our bullpen." Antonetti said the team wasnt reluctant to give the job to Shaw or Allen, its just that Axford was a better option and the club feels he can "bounce back" and be an elite stopper again. Axford attributed some of his early problems last season to pitching in the World Baseball Classic. He was throwing hard from the get-go and went through a "dead arm" period when his velocity dropped following the WBC. But after making some adjustments, Axford settled in and posted a 2.92 ERA in his final 71 appearances with the Brewers and Cardinals. "I dont like to make excuses," Axford said. "I really enjoyed pitching for my country, but I really dont think my arm was ever ready for the start of the regular season. I had a dead arm and my velocity was down in those first few games of the regular season. But when you give up four home runs and have an ERA of 22 after four games, you cant be surprised that youre not the closer anymore." Axford has a 22-19 career record with a 3.29 ERA and 106 saves in 281 relief appearances. He said being a free agent "was fun, but it was difficult." Ultimately, he thought the Indians were the best fit for him because they provided a chance to close again and Cleveland is just a 4 1-2 hour drive from his home in Ontario. It also helped the Indians are on the rise after earning a wild-card spot in 2013. "There were certainly other teams in the mix," Axford said. "They had a great season last year. It seemed like a team I would want to pitch for." Ronaldinho Jersey . According the Toronto Star, a knee injury will keep Sundin out of the lineup, which includes former teammates Gary Roberts, Darcy Tucker, Tie Domi and Curtis Joseph. Maicon Jersey . -- Stanford squashed Oregons national championship hopes again, schooling the Ducks in power football. http://www.officialbrazilonline.com/Customized/ . McCarthy, a player who played some games in the second tier for Wigan at the start of this season, would go on to shine inside Evertons midfield, outplaying the man he was brought in to replace, on one of the grandest stages in English football. On Saturday, it was fitting that Manchester Uniteds most recent dagger into the chest was delivered by Frenchman Yohan Cabaye, a wonderfully gifted central midfielder who put on an outstanding effort for Newcastle at Old Trafford. NEW YORK -- During a season of nearly unprecedented pitching success, Max Scherzer relished a rare opportunity to talk about his bat. "Definitely my own," he said. "P-100, says Max Scherzer on it." Scherzer outpitched Matt Harvey in their All-Star rematch, striking out 11 and hitting a stunning RBI double that sent the Detroit Tigers to a 3-0 victory over the New York Mets on Saturday. Scherzer (19-1) joined Rube Marquard in 1912 and Roger Clemens in 2001 as the only major league pitchers to win 19 of their first 20 decisions in a season. But it was his big hit off a hard-throwing ace that had teammates talking -- and Scherzer crowing. "Ive got a replay and Im sending a text to everybody right now. It was definitely 96 (mph) down and away, and I laced it for a double," Scherzer said. "Im never going to shut up. Im just going to keep talking trash the whole time." Andy Dirks had three hits off Harvey, who gave up a career-high 13 over 6 2-3 innings against Detroits powerful lineup. He pitched out of trouble to keep the Mets in the game, but they lost for the fifth time in his last six starts. Missing injured slugger David Wright, the Mets have managed only two runs during a three-game skid. They were outhit 15-3 by the AL Central leaders, who got aggressive against Harvey (9-5) despite late-afternoon shadows. Harvey and Scherzer squared off on the same Citi Field mound 5 1/2 weeks ago in the All-Star game. Scherzer started and pitched one inning for the American League, which tossed a three-hitter in a 3-0 victory -- same as the Tigers on Saturday. Harvey got the ball for the NL, escaped an early jam and struck out three over two shutout innings to delight the home crowd. The Mets said this matchup marked the third time All-Star starters had faced each other on another occasion during the same season, according to research by the Elias Sports Bureau. The first two came in the World Series: Mets ace Dwight Gooden opposed Clemens and the Boston Red Sox in 1986, and Red Ruffing of the New York Yankees faced Cincinnatis Paul Derringer in 1939. "Its just something fun to be a part of," Scherzer said. "I always enjoy facing the best." Scherzer, given the best offensive support in the AL at about 7 1/2 runs per nine innings, allowed three hits and four walks in six innings. He struck out seven of eight hitters during one stretch. "I pitched well today but I didnt pitch efficiently," Scherzer said. "I wasnt quite as sharp as usual, but I thought I made big pitches when I needed to and that was the most important thing." New York loaded the bases with one out in the sixth, but a good play by Dirks on Ike Davis double off the base of the right-field wall held Daniel Murphy at third. Scherzer struck out rookie Juan Lagares with a high fastball at 96 mph. John Buck popped up the next pitch, and a fired-up Scherzer pounded his glove in excitement, knowing his day was done after 118 pitches. Jose Alvarez set down all four batters he faced, and Joaquin Benoit worked a perfect ninth ffor his 17th save. Fernandinho Jersey. Don Kelly added a sacrifice fly in the ninth. Pitching before a crowd of 35,636 on a beautiful, 78-degree day, Harvey didnt have it early. He gave up hits to six of his first 10 batters, and the Tigers scored twice in the second inning. "Just a poor performance," Harvey said. "Im getting pretty tired, but so is everybody and you have to work through it." Dirks led off with a double and went to third on Brayan Penas single. One out later, Scherzer showed bunt on one pitch and then swung at the next, lashing an RBI double over shortstop in his first plate appearance of the season. Turns out, Scherzer said, he was supposed to be bunting. He didnt realize the sign was still on. A giddy Scherzer clapped his hands and cracked a smile at second base as the Detroit bench broke up in amusement. "He turned on it. We were shocked. We went crazy," said teammate Torii Hunter, who called Scherzer the "modern-day Babe Ruth" and acknowledged the rest of the Tigers will never hear the end of it. It was Scherzers first hit and RBI in nine at-bats since joining the Tigers in 2010, but he did bat a respectable .226 with two doubles and three RBIs for the Diamondbacks in 2009. "In Arizona we took it very seriously, pitchers hitting in the National League," he said. Thats when fellow ace Justin Verlander came by in the clubhouse. He asked if Scherzer was still talking about hitting, and scoffed. "See, hes so jealous. So jealous," Scherzer said. "He cant take it." On Friday, Scherzer said he was looking forward to the challenge of pitching against Harvey in their much-anticipated rematch. But the Tigers right-hander lamented the fact that a rare chance to hit would come against such a dominant opponent. "I feel like the cards are stacked against me," Scherzer said. Not at all. Austin Jackson drove in another run with an infield single, but Harvey prevented further damage and settled down during the middle innings. He kept the Mets in it with the help of left fielder Eric Young Jr., who threw out a hobbled Omar Infante at the plate in the seventh. "What we saw today is a guy whos working as hard as he can," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "But youre seeing the effects of his first full season up here. Its a grind and hes doing the best he can." NOTES: Tigers manager Jim Leyland said Victor Martinez, normally the DH, will probably catch again Sunday. Martinez, who missed last season following knee surgery, started behind the plate Friday night for the first time since Aug. 4, 2011. "Hes standing, hes breathing, 98.6 temperature, I guess hes OK," Leyland said. ... Martinez and Hunter were rested. SS Jose Iglesias was out of the lineup with a sore left elbow after he was hit by a pitch in the ninth inning Friday. X-rays were negative, but Leyland said Iglesias couldnt bend his swollen arm and wouldnt be available off the bench. Leyland hoped Iglesias could play Sunday. ... New York wore orange Los Mets jerseys on Fiesta Latina Day. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '