expect his familiarity with New England coach Bill Belich

The Toronto Blue Jays have dropped three of their last four after that incredible 11-game win streak. They are still just four games back of Baltimore for the second wild card slot, but its pretty clear, if the Jays are going to stay in the thick of the fight, they must upgrade their starting pitching. One bad start Thursday night shouldnt necessarily turn Chien-Ming Wang into a write-off, but face it; Wang was generally regarded as stop gap when the Jays got him, and with the uncertainty about the return dates of Brandon Morrow and J.A. Happ, Alex Anthopoulos has to strike while the Jays still have a chance to make some noise in the race. Ill bet there will be more scouts in the press box Friday night at Miami than there will be fans in the seats. The Padres are taking on the Marlins and both starting pitchers are rumoured to be on the block. Edinson Volquez, whos (5-6) 5.67 ERA will be facing one of the few recognizable faces the Marlins have left in righty Ricky Nolasco, whos 4-7 with a 3.68 earned run average. The Dodgers are rumoured to be willing to pay a pretty hefty price to get Nolasco, but the Orioles, Red Sox and Blue Jays are looking for rotation help as well. Boston could be getting desperate now that Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester are both hurting, while the Os dont seem to have a definitive ace. The Blue Jays have reportedly already scouted Volquez at least once. Nolasco, who is 30-years old, is making $11.5 million this season and is an impending free agent. Volquez turns 30 next week and comes a bit cheaper at $5.725 million for this season. He too is in a contract year. Nolasco has the better career ledger at 80-71 with a 4.43 ERA and once won 15 games in a season. Volquez is (49-46) with a 4.65 earned run average. Those arent the only two said to be available. The Blue Jays were one of several teams at Milwaukee Thursday night scouting Cubs righty Matt Garza. The scouts were well rewarded for their time. Garza, coming off an elbow procedure that delayed the start of his season, was outstanding for the Cubs. He scattered eight hits over seven innings and struck out a season-high of 10 to boost his record to 3-1. The Cubs downed the Brewers 7-2. Garza, an imposing figure at 64 and 215 pounds, is making $10.25 million this season and can walk at the end of the season. Hes 29-years-old and has never quite fulfilled his potential, racking up a career record of 60-62. An old friend, Chicago sportscaster George Ofman, is speculating Garza could be dealt before the weekend is out but Texas is rumoured to be the team to watch out for if the bidding steps up. One thing that really makes Garza enticing to the Jays is that he won 34 games over a three year span pitching in the AL East with Tampa Bay, including a 15 victory season in 2010. Another possibility is the Brewers Yovani Gallardo. Hes only 6-7 this season with a 4.20 ERA, however, over his career in Milwaukee, the 27-year-old is 75-50 with a 3.69 earned run average. Arizona has been looking closely at him. The problem for the Jays is that the price tag on any of these starters is going to be driven up by the number of teams that are interested. The Blue Jays also gave up a flock of prospects last year to get the likes of R.A. Dickey (Travis DArnaud and Noah Syndergaard) and Josh Johnson, Jose Reyes and Mark Buehrle ( Henderson Alvarez and Adeiny Hechavarria). The July 31 non-waiver deadline is still just over a month away but if the Blue Jays are going to stay in contention, they may have to be creative and strike now. Quite a week for a couple of Blue Jays "fan faves." Munenori Kawasaki, who captured the hearts of the fans and his teammates, was optioned to Buffalo to make room for the return of Jose Reyes. The very same day, Pittsburgh designated John MacDonald for assignment. For the 38-year-old Johnny Mac, you wondered if his career might be over. Talk about reversal of fortunes, after Thursday nights game, Kawasaki was called back up to replace Melky Cabrera on the roster after he went on the DL with a sore left knee that had been bothering him for the bulk of the season. Then, the Pirates swapped MacDonald to the Phillies and all was right in the Baseball Universe. The Pirates, incidentally, have pulled into a first place tie in the NL Central with St. Louis and appear poised to end a 20-year string of missing the post-season. The Blue Jays, of course, are right behind them with a 19-year playoff drought. Ultra Boost Scontate . -- Brendan Leipsic had two goals and an assist and Nicolas Petan extended his point streak to 11 games as the Portland Winterhawks slipped past the Red Deer Rebels 5-4 on Saturday in Western Hockey League action. Ultra Boost Scarpe Outlet . So he and his Toronto FC teammates say they will have no problem getting up for their Amway Canadian Championship final against rival Montreal Impact, even if the result doesnt count toward Major League Soccer standings. http://www.ultraboostoutlet.it/ . - The situation looked bleak at best for the coach Doc Rivers Clippers — down by four points with 18 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Scarpe Ultra Boost Offerta . LOUIS -- The St. Ultra Boost Italia .com) - Coming off a pair of tough losses last week, the Syracuse Orange will try to put an end to their first losing skid of the season when they pay a visit to the Maryland Terrapins at the Comcast Center on Monday night in Atlantic Coast Conference action.OWINGS MILLS, Md. - Drawing on the knowledge he gained over 35 years as a football coach, Ravens defensive co-ordinator Dean Pees showed his creativity and expertise this season in putting together a unit that sustained its hard-hitting reputation despite several key injuries and the suspension of Haloti Ngata.The Ravens enter Saturdays playoff game at New England with six defensive backs on injured reserve. Baltimore has employed 12 different cornerbacks over the course of the season and also endured a month without Ngata after the five-time Pro Bowl tackle was disciplined by the league for using Adderall.And still, the Ravens upheld their tradition of defensive excellence.Only five teams allowed fewer points, no running back ran for 100 yards and Baltimore yielded no more than one touchdown in nine of its 16 regular-season games. Most importantly, the Ravens (11-6) played well enough to earn a trip to the post-season for the sixth time in seven years.Weve been through so many different players, and Dean has done a really tremendous job of tailoring the scheme toward what guys can do well, coach John Harbaugh said.We dont really look like the same defence every week in a lot of different ways. Its not like we revamp everything we do, but hes always going to give an opponent something different that theyre maybe not expecting to help guys play certain situations.Pees often stays up late at night drawing up Xs and Os in an effort to find the best way to utilize those at his disposal. Its not unlike his effort two years ago, when he worked through injuries to linebackers Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs to help Baltimore win the Super Bowl.Some years are just like that, Pees said. Weve got to stay here as long as weve got to stay here to get the job done.Baltimore started the season without injured cornerback Lardarius Webb and lost its other starting cornerback, Jimmy Smith, halfway into the season.More injuries to the secondary followed, leaving Pees no choice but to shuffle his coverage and use more blitzes to keep the pressure on the quarterback.Somehow, everything fell onto place.Dean has done an excellent job this year with rotating the safeties and the secondary, the next-man-up thing, Webb said. Hes done a great job of adjusting to the strength of his players. Thats one thing hes always been good at.ddddddddddddHes a nice, aggressive defensive co-ordinator. I love playing for him.Pees, 65, broke into coaching in 1979 as defensive co-ordinator of the University of Findlay (Ohio). He then served as an assistant for five different colleges, including Notre Dame and Michigan State, before taking over as head coach at Kent State in 1998.That job lasted for five years before he was hired as New Englands linebackers coach, a post Pees held for two years before becoming the Patriots defensive co-ordinator from 2006-09.Pees then came to Baltimore, working as linebackers coach for two years before replacing defensive co-ordinator Chuck Pagano, who got the top job in Indianapolis.Pees style can be described as teaching with a purpose.If you dont understand something or dont feel like you can get it down pat, all you have to do is just let him know, Ravens safety Will Hill said. Hes always up new challenges, and always has new schemes. He knows his players and what situations to put people in.Pees will have a heck of a challenge on Saturday against the Patriots (12-4). He doesnt expect his familiarity with New England coach Bill Belichick to factor into the game plan.At this point in time, I dont think I know him as well as everybody thinks I know him, Pees said. Ive been gone five years. Its been so far removed, its different.Although Pees is sure to have some new wrinkles in his defence, the Patriots have a good idea what to expect.Its a great team defence, New England quarterback Tom Brady said. Theyve always had a great defence. Theyre always one of the toughest defences we play all year.Pees is the sixth defensive co-ordinator in Ravens history. Four of the previous five went on to become NFL head coaches, but Pees isnt expecting to change jobs anytime soon.Its got to be something that you want to do; its not the prestige of wanting to be a head coach, he said. Ive never been fired, and I never left a job that I didnt like. Ive always just thought the other opportunity was better, or it was, Id like to try that.Id never say never, but I am so happy here. I love Baltimore, my family loves Baltimore, I love this defence and I love working for John Harbaugh.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '