Atlanta Braves' Finding a fit for Gavin Floyd

The Atlanta Braves' rotation appeared to be in shambles a few short weeks ago when the club learned Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy would be lost for the season.

Enter journeyman Aaron Harang, who pitched seven no-hit innings against the Mets on Friday night to lower is earned run average to a miniscule 0.70 in four starts. Once desperate for healthy arms, the Braves may soon have to decide which effective starter gets bumped once Mike Minor and Gavin Floyd are ready to return.

Minor, who began the year on the disabled list with shoulder tendinitis, was scheduled to start for Triple-A Gwinnett on Friday night, but the game was postponed by rain. There is a chance he could join Atlanta's rotation next week, reports MLB.com’s Mark Bowman.

Floyd, who is attempting to return from Tommy John surgery, allowed four earned runs in 4 2/3 innings in a rehab start for Double-A Mississippi on Friday against Huntsville. Given Floyd has yet to complete five innings, he could be a few weeks away.

Following the last-in, first-out philosophy, the leading candidate to be bumped is David Hale, who has a 1.43 WHIP in four major league starts. Hale also could be kept as a reliever.

Finding a fit for Floyd, however, will be more difficult given Harang’s dazzling start. But some regression to the mean seems inevitable given Harang did have a 5.40 ERA last season. Remember, Paul Maholm got off to a similar start for the Braves last season (0.00 ERA in first three starts) before the bottom fell out.

At the very least, Harang’s performance takes away any temptation to rush Floyd back.

Where Fox would fit in Miami

Jason Walker of ESPN.com reports this morning that free agent offensive tackle Jason Fox is visiting Miami this week, according to a league source. What type of role would the four-year pro have if he decides to sign with the Dolphins? Lets have a look.

 

Fox is a career backup who started only three games in his four seasons in Detroit, but all of those came last season. With Branden Albert signed to play left tackle and the addition of Shelley Smith at guard, Fox would join the competition at right tackle.

 

Walker adds of Fox, a fourth-round pick in 2010: "He is not the long-term answer for the Dolphins. But they need bodies at right tackle, where they only have the versatile Nate Garner and maybe 2013 third-round pick Dallas Thomas on the roster."

 

Kansas City could be the main competition the Dolphins face here; Fox visited the Chiefs on Monday, according to ProFootballTalk.com.

Will New Orleans go WR in Rd. 1?

Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints are one team that could benefit from the highly rated crop of receivers in the 2014 NFL draft, and they may look to address that as early as the first round.

 

The problem with having a pick late in the first round this year isn't that there is a shortage of options -- it's choosing the right receiver from the talented group that may present the biggest challenge.

 

"Where the Saints are picking at No. 27, LSU's Odell Beckham Jr., Oregon State's Brandin Cooks and USC's Marqise Lee could be awfully attractive options if they fall that far," Mike Triplett of ESPN.com wrote on Tuesday. "They all have that dynamic speed element. And as a bonus, all three could potentially serve as return men, as well -- another top need for the Saints.

Jets in Chris Johnson's future?

If Chris Johnson is released by Tennessee this week, and after several failed trade attempts that has become a likely scenario, the New York Jets may be his strongest suitor.

 

At least, that's what Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com suggests.

 

"Still expecting Chris Johnson's release to come this week. When it does, look for the Jets to pounce on the RB," La Canfora tweets this morning: "Would be a strong fit."

 

Earlier this week, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com speculated on Twitter that the reason the Jets were reluctant to dive into the DeSean Jackson derby might have been because they were allotting money for Johnson.

 

Adding Johnson would make a lot of sense; the home run threat he provides would serve as an ideal complement to the Jets' primary back, Chris Ivory, a bruising and powerful runner who earns his money running between the tackles.

No panic yet for Jays and Reyes

As ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reports, "oft-injured Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Jose Reyes is back on the disabled list after reinjuring his left hamstring in the first inning of his team's 9-2 Opening Day loss Monday to Tampa Bay."

 

An MRI taken on Tuesday revealed that the shortstop had mild inflammation, which was news that pleased Reyes. "It is a relief," Reyes said. "That's good news. Just some inflammation there, no damage at all. Just some rest and I should be fine." However, as Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com points out, Reyes had a similar diagnosis back in 2011, and he ended up missing 29 games over two separate trips to the disabled list as a result.

 

"Toronto has decided to go with infielder Jonathan Diaz at short during Reyes' absence," Chisholm writes. "Diaz has the reputation of being an elite defender and should help save some runs for the staff, but there's not a lot of upside with his bat. He's a career .230 hitter in the minor leagues and the Blue Jays' hope is that he'll be able to bridge the gap until Reyes returns."

 

That said, if two weeks comes and goes and Reyes is not ready to roll, perhaps the Blue Jays will turn to the Seattle Mariners and try to pry Nick Franklin from their clutches. If Brad Miller continues his hot start for the Mariners -- the shortstop hit two home runs on Tuesday -- Seattle shouldn't have a problem with letting the demoted Franklin go.

NFL odds: Michael Vick will get chance to win Jets starting job

The New York Jets didn’t sign free agent Michael Vick to a one-year deal simply to be a mentor to Geno Smith — New York expects Vick and Smith to compete for the starting job.

 

For the second straight year, the Jets will have a full-blown quarterback competition on their hands at training camp. Last year Smith essentially won by default when the projected starter, Mark Sanchez, was injured in the preseason.. He was recently cut.

 

“I would say, ‘yes,’” Coach Rex Ryan said of Vick having a chance to be the starter for the season opener. “We want that competition. We’ll let it all play out.”

 

Smith appears to be the frontrunner. Ryan alluded to the last year’s second-round draft choice getting the first crack at running with the first team in organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamp later this spring. Smith threw 12 touchdown passes and 21 interceptions as a rookie last season. Vick lost his starting job in Philadelphia to Nick Foles when he was unable to stay on the field because of injuries.

 

Ryan acknowledged that Vick, even at age 33, can still do so much athletically that most quarterbacks can’t do.

 

“He’s an unusual guy. He was unusual when he came out of the league because of how athletic he was but I think he’s definitely still … you see all that athleticism he has,” Ryan said. “He can still run, moves well in the pocket, he’s more accurate when throwing from the pocket than he used to be when he came into the league.”

 

If Vick doesn’t win the job in training camp, he’ll probably get a chance at some point, either by injury or ineffectiveness. If Vick becomes the Week 1 starter, let’s be honest, he probably won’t last the season, considering his durability issues. Chances are, the Jets will need both quarterbacks.

 

The Jets’ offense could be much better this year. The team already has added former Broncos receiver Eric Decker and reportedly is in talks with the Eagles for star receiver DeSean Jackson. There is also talk the Jets are looking at former Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew.

 

Here is the full list of the Jets’ 2014 opponents. Here is the full list of opponents. The schedule will be announced at a later date.

 

HOME: Buffalo, Miami, New England, Denver, Oakland, Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh

 

AWAY: Buffalo, Miami, New England, Kansas City, San Diego, Green Bay, Minnesota, Tennessee

MLB betting: Indians to open season without Michael Bourn

The Cleveland Indians will open the 2014 season on March 31 in Oakland in a matchup of American League playoff teams from a year ago and the Tribe won’t have outfielder Michael Bourn for at least the first week or two of the campaign.

 

Bourn, who had injury problems last season after signing as a free agent, will open the regular season MLB Picks on the DL due to a hamstring injury. He was only expected to miss about a week, but will apparently need more time to get healthy and ready for game action.

 

“I’d rather have my leg healthy and be ready to play for the long haul,” Bourn said, “than try to make it for Opening Day just because.”

 

Bourn, who tweaked his hamstring in a game against the Giants on March 16, has progressed only to running forward on the grass agility field at Cleveland’s complex in Arizona. The center fielder said he might test his leg on the bases as early as Tuesday but that it was subject to change. Bourn has been able to hit and throw, but the running program has been conservative given the importance of speed to his overall game. Because of the timing of the DL stint, Antonetti said that Bourn would miss at least the first four games of the season, meaning April 5 would represent the earliest possible return date.

 

After signing a four-year, $48 million deal last spring with the Indians, Bourn hit .263/.316/.360 (93 OPS+) with 21 doubles, six triples, six homers, 50 RBI, 75 runs and 23 stolen bases. It wasn’t up to what he did as an All-Star in Atlanta in 2012. With Bourn sidelined, Michael Brantley figures to take over in center field with Ryan Raburn playing left.

 

The Indians will face off against Oakland’s Sonny Gray in the opener. He’s the ninth straight different pitcher to get the Opening Day call for the A’s. Gray was projected as the No. 2 in the rotation before No. 1 Jarrod Parker was lost to season-ending Tommy John surgery. Gray has never faced Cleveland. He was 5-3 with a 2.67 last year as a late season call-up. Bourn was 2-for-9 with a homer against the A’s in 2013.