Were probably a few weeks away still before teams really get serious about moving pitchers, possibly the likes of Jeff Samardzija, David Price, James Shields and Jason Hamel. In fact the way the Royals are playing and Shields is pitching, you can probably scratch him off the list completely. The Royals have won seven in a row and have climbed to within a game and a half of the Central-leading Tigers heading into a key four-game set at Comerica Park in Detroit on Monday night. Shields is their staff ace at 8-3 and is on a personal 5-0 run. One more quality arm might be all it takes to make the Blue Jays the team to beat in the American League. Thinking about that brought back memories of the greatest pitcher the Blue Jays almost acquired at the July 31st non-waiver deadline, but didnt. Pat Gillick was looking for that something extra in 1993 to put the Blue Jays over the top for a second straight World Series title. He was talking to Oakland about Rickey Henderson, and also Seattle about towering lefty Randy Johnson who was just beginning to come into his own at age 29. Gillick preferred the Johnson deal that would have sent right-handers Steve Karsay and Mike Timlin to the Mariners. Trouble was Seattle GM Woody Woodward was out golfing and in the era before cell phones, Gillick couldnt get a hold of him. In the meantime, As GM Sandy Alderson called back and accepted the Henderson deal for Karsay and a player to be named later (outfielder Jose Herrera). But even then, there was a minor hitch. Rickey wanted to be compensated for giving up his right of refusal on a trade. While that was being negotiated, Woodward called Gillick back and wanted to do the Johnson deal. Gillick had already given his word to Alderson and turned down the Johnson deal. As the clock ticked down, the Jays finally got the Rickey Henderson deal completed. In the short term, all of this paid off for the Blue Jays as they won their second straight championship. Rickey wasnt a huge contributor, but he was always a threat for the other team to worry about at the plate and on the bases. Henderson, though, was in a contract year and left as a free agent in the off-season. Would the Jays have been better off with Randy Johnson? Hard to say. There is no question Johnsons career really took off from that point. Through the 93 season, Johnsons record was 75-69 and he had been an All-Star twice and a runner-up for the Cy Young Award. After that he went 228-97 was an All-Star eight more times and won the Cy Young five times. Yet for all of that, he only won the World Series once, with Arizona in 2001. The Blue Jays in 1997 went out and signed Roger Clemens as a free agent after he opted to leave Boston. Clemens won back-to-back Cy Youngs with the Blue Jays yet they didnt make it to the post-season and attendance didnt get the boost most expected, even on the days Clemens was pitching. You wonder as well if the Jays had already landed Johnson, would they even have bothered to pursue Clemens in 97? If they did, the Jays could have had the same double barreled threat Arizona did when they had Johnson and Curt Schilling and defeated the Yankees in 2001. It makes for a great talking point, but at the end of the day, the Blue Jays still have that second straight World Series crown from 1993. Everything else is supposition. Tiger of the Future? When Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias went down for the season with stress fractures in his legs, Detroit was left with a huge hole to fill at short. Danny Worth, Alex Gonzalez and Andrew Romine were all found wanting. But the Tigers may finally have their answer in rookie Eugenio Suarez, a 23-year-old out of Venezuela. Granted hes only had 24 at-bats, but Suarez is hitting .375 with three homers. This past Saturday against the Twins, he had a homer, a double and a triple. The last Tigers rookie to pull that off was catcher Bill Freehan back on May 7, 1963 versus the Yankees. A couple of Hall of Famers, Frank Robinson and Ted Williams managed to pull off that feat in their rookie seasons as well. If the Tigers still choose to go the veteran route at short, the Phillies Jimmy Rollins could be available after all. After breaking Hall of Famer Mike Schmidts franchise hit record on Saturday, Rollins added another one Sunday bringing his career total to 2,236. He said afterwards he would consider waving his no trade rights if the Phillies brass decided it was time to "blow it up" and rebuild. Swing and a Miss White Sox slugger Adam Dunn is in "hot" pursuit of a rather dubious record. He has moved into fourth place on the all-time strikeouts list with 2,295. He is only 11 back of Sammy Sosa for third and 302 back of strikeout king Reggie Jackson. Interesting that three of the top 10 are in Cooperstown, including Jackson, Willie Stargell and Mike Schmidt. Rough Ride Whether the Jays are fast-tracking Aaron Sanchez for a trip to the Majors or are showcasing him for a trade to get a veteran arm, his first start for Triple-A Buffalo was a little bit rocky Saturday at Toledo. The first-round draft pick from 2010 was knocked out in the 5th inning after giving up four earned runs, six hits and four walks. The Mudhens also stole four bases. Though a tad wild, Sanchez did hit a peak of 97 miles per hour on the radar gun. Jaire Alexander Packers Jersey . The post-season, Pierce said repeatedly, is no time to panic. And the Heat, apparently, are nothing to fear. JK Scott Jersey . Jones took a beating, the worst one of his record reign, in a bout against Alexander Gustafsson that knocked the light heavyweight champion on the canvas for the first time in his career and put his belt in jeopardy. http://www.packersrookiestore.com/Packers-Jmon-Moore-Jersey/ . – Team Canadas Brooke Henderson carded a 4-under 67 at Craigowan Golf and Country Club to jump into the lead at the Canadian Womens Amateur Championship on Wednesday. Muhammad Wilkerson Jersey . Bayern winger Franck Ribery marked his league return after recovering from a cracked rib by scoring two goals and setting up two more as the league leaders inflicted the heaviest home defeat on Bremen in the Bundesliga. Oren Burks Jersey . - Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors will coach the Western Conference in the All-Star Game on Feb.Chelseas difficult season has been well documented, with the defending Premier League champions currently languishing in mid-table. After bowing out of the Champions League on Wednesday, Guus Hiddinks side are left with the FA Cup as their final chance to salvage silverware.The interim boss described the Blues as a team in transition after the defeat by Paris Saint-Germain, and with a change in manager expected at Stamford Bridge this summer, theres likely to be plenty of transfer activity too. So we asked Sky Sports Paul Merson which Chelsea players he would keep at the end of the season, and which he would move on ahead of next term... Guus Hiddink said Chelsea were a team with an uncertain future after their PSG defeat Who should stay and who should go? Paul Merson says... Stay Let go Wait and see Thibaut Courtois Eden Hazard Branislav Ivanovic Cesar Azpilicueta Oscar Gary Cahill Kenedy Pedro Kurt Zouma Loic Remy Cesc Fabregas John Obi Mikel Nemanja Matic Baba Rahman Willian Diego Costa Bertrand Traore I wouldnt necessarily say Chelsea are in transition, but they need to buy a lot of players. You look at McDonalds - they sell more cheeseburgers, more fries, and more soft drinks than any other fast-food chain in the world, but they still do adverts.Chelsea won the league last season, but they didnt invest to keep them on top, and we saw the same problem a couple of years ago with Man City. You have to keep kicking on, and sometimes you have to upset players by bringing in others who are better.Goalkeeper and defenceLooking at their squad, youd keep the goalkeeper no question. Thibaut Courtois is the undisputed number one.But I watched Baba Rahman the other week against Southampton and he was all over the place so Im not sure hes at the right level. I like Kenedy, hes a good young player and Id keep him at the club. Cesar Azpilicueta would be in-demand if Chelsea let him go, says Merson The way to look at it with Cesar Azpilicueta is, if Chelsea were to sell him, would top teams be in for him? They would be, so he should stay.Moving onto central defence, John Terry leaving still shocks me because hes the main defender at the club.Branislav Ivanovic has been poor this season and hes very fortunate to still be playing in the team. He was the best defender in the country last year but his confidence has dropped, and you see that happen to the best players.With him, Id wait and see how he plays over thee first three or four games of next season and then make a decision very quickly.dddddddddddd If he comes back and hes playing at his top level again, theres still a place for him. But if not, hed have to go straight away for them to win trophies. Branislav Ivanovic has struggled to live up to his performances from last season Im not the biggest fan of Kurt Zouma in the world. Hes quick across the ground but hes a bit rash. Hes still learning the game but Chelsea dont have time for that, they need to win things. Youd still keep him, though.If theyre getting rid of Terry they have to buy a replacement in the summer, but whos about? You only have to look at Manchester Citys signing of Eliaquim Mangala. He was the best part of £30m and youre not getting a lot for your money.That is what worries me with Terry, because they can spend £20m or £30m but theyre not necessarily going to improve. With Gary Cahill and Zouma at the back, for me theyre not winning the Premier League next season.MidfieldIn midfield, Cesc Fabregas would get a club tomorrow morning. On his day hes brilliant, and since Jose Mourinho has gone hes decided to play. Against Southampton he was absolutely outstanding, and hes got that in his locker so keep him. Merse believes Fabregas is one that Chelsea should definitely look to keep But would John Obi Mikel get a football match if Hiddink wasnt the manager? And how many top teams would put him in their side? I know hes done well since hes come in, but if youre looking to win the league I dont think you do it with Mikel playing 35 or 36 games.Nemanja Matic is a strange one. He was one of the best holding midfielders in the world last season, but hes dipped, along with everybody else in the squad apart from Willian. Id keep him because of what he showed the previous year, but I think Mikel could be on his way. John Obi Mikel has come back into the starting XI on a regular basis under Guus Hiddink Then you get to Pedro, and it just shows you how good playing for Barcelona can make you look. Hes had one or two decent games since he joined Chelsea but if I could get money back for him I would.Willian has been the best player at the club by a million miles this season. Hes been very good and all day long he should stay. Hazard in a rut? Eden Hazard struggles while Diego Costa thrives under Hiddink But Id drop Eden Hazard off if I could get £60m for him. Hes had one good year and this season hes been bordering on atrocious. If you can get the money, youd take it all day long. You dont know if he will turn out to be a one-season wonder and you cant take that chance. Eden Hazard should be sold if Chelsea can get big money, says Merse It just shows you why Ryan Giggs is held in such high regard, because he was so good for so long. His whole career he was eight out of 10. It wasnt nine out of 10 one year and then down to five out of 10 the next. Willian has been one of Chelseas best players this campaign Oscar is in and out. One minute hes in the team and looks great, and then hes out of his depth and lightweight. Id get rid of him if you can get good money.Strikers Diego Costa has found his top form under Guus Hiddink Diego Costa has started to perform now and he looks a proper player. For 60 minutes against PSG he had them in his pocket. He looked the player we thought he would be, and he wasnt worried about beating people up. Strikers like that dont come around too often and you have to keep hold of them.Loic Remy should be gone, and youd keep Bertrand Traore because hes one for the future, but they would need to buy another forward in the summer because it cant just be Costa. Also See: Chelsea face transition Hazard stuck in a rut? Where would Zlatan fit in? Weekend football questions Wholesale HoodiesNFL Shirts OutletJerseys NFL WholesaleCheap NFL Jerseys Free ShippingWholesale Jerseys CheapCheap NFL Jerseys ChinaWholesale JerseysWholesale NFL JerseysCheap NFL Jerseys ChinaCheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '