, chipped to tap-in range on the 10th and then kept giving h

[blueberryjerry]

CINCINNATI - All-Star catcher Devin Mesoraco agreed to a $28 million, four-year contract on Monday, leaving the Cincinnati Reds with two players in salary arbitration. .The Reds were trying to get deals with two other All-Stars, third baseman Todd Frazier and closer Aroldis Chapman. They havent had a player go to an arbitration hearing since 2004.Mesoracos deal includes a $500,000 signing bonus and salaries of $2.4 million this year, $4.9 million in 2016, $7.2 million in 2017 and $13 million in 2018. The salary in the final year can increase by as much as $2 million.Hes an example of a guy who has worked extremely hard and hes the kind of guy you want to build an organization around, general manager Walt Jocketty said.The 26-year-old catcher was a first-round pick — the 15th overall — in the June 2007 draft. He started 84 games in 2013 and the Reds decided he was ready to become the full-time catcher last season, when he made $525,000. He surpassed their expectations on offence.Mesoraco led all major league catchers in homers (25) and RBIs (80) while batting .273. His 24 homers while catching were the most by a Reds player since Johnny Bench in 1977.I think that before you do actually have success in this league, there is always a little bit of a question mark in your head just as far as if I can be successful, Mesoraco said Monday after the deal was announced. These are the toughest players in the world, so you have to actually go out there and do it, put up some numbers and produce out on the field before its 100 per cent in your mind.But I definitely wasnt lacking confidence going into last year and it showed.The four-deal deal establishes him as part of the clubs core for the next few years. Starting pitcher Homer Bailey got a six-year, $105 million deal during spring training last year that runs through 2019. First baseman Joey Votto is playing under a 10-year, $225 million deal that runs through 2023. Right fielder Jay Bruce got a six-year, $51 million deal that runs through 2016.Mesoraco recognized that the deal makes him someone that people and fans can count on for being part of the club and producing out on the field — me and Joey and Homer and guys like that, guys that the organization has committed to.Mesoraco had asked for $3.6 million in arbitration and the club had offered $2.45 million. Frazier is seeking $5.7 million and Chapman has asked for $8.7 million.Mesoracos 2018 salary would go up by $400,000 each time he reaches 502 plate appearances in the first three years of the deal. It also has award escalators for that year, capped at $800,000. The salary would rise by $150,000 each for making the All-Star game and winning a Gold Glove or Silver Slugger. It would go up by $200,000 if hes among the top five in MVP voting, $150,000 for sixth through 10th, $100,000 for 11th through 15th and $50,000 for 16th through 20th.___Follow Joe Kay on Twitter: http://twitter.com/apjoekay .500 were once common achievements for the Dallas Mavericks. Now, both are season highs as Dallas slowly works its way back into playoff contention in the Western Conference. . His absence against the Celtics comes a day after he scored 43 points in the Heats 100-96 win at Cleveland. . Each day, TSN.ca provides the latest rumours, reports and speculation from around the NHL beat. Duck Calling With several marquee centres available via trade and expected to be available via free agency, the Anaheim Ducks could be primed to be big players in the coming days.HOYLAKE, England -- Rory McIlroy only saw birdies at Royal Liverpool, mostly on his scorecard, and even one pheasant that trotted across the eighth green as he was lining up a putt. That was but a minor interruption in his command performance Friday in the British Open. Once he made a birdie, and then another, nothing could stop McIlroy. Not another collapse in the second round. Not anyone in the field. And certainly not Tiger Woods. After a bogey on his opening hole stirred memories of another "Black Friday," McIlroy looked more like the Boy Wonder who won two majors in a runaway. With three birdies in his last four holes, he posted a second straight 6-under 66 to build a four-shot lead over Dustin Johnson. McIlroy spoke of an "inner peace," and the two secret words that triggered his powerful swing and set up birdie chances on just about every hole. "People call it the zone, people call it whatever," he said. "Its just a state of mind where you think clearly. Everything seems to be on the right track. Ive always said, whenever you play this well, you always wonder how youve played so badly before. And whenever youve played so badly, you always wonder how you play so well. Im happy where my game is at the minute. And hopefully, I can just keep up the solid play for another couple of days." Woods is fortunate to even play for two more days. He started the second round only three shots behind. He finished it on the 18th hole, standing over a 6-foot birdie putt just to avoid missing back-to-back cuts for the first time in his career. Woods made the putt for a 77, matching his second-worst round as a pro in the British Open. Woods hit driver five times -- four more than he hit all week when he won at Royal Liverpool in 2006. None found the fairway. Woods was 14 shots out of the lead and still thought he had a chance, referring to Paul Lawrie making up 10 shots in one round to win at Carnoustie in 1999. That was against Jean Van de Velde. This is Rory McIlroy, who has won both his majors by eight shots. "Two 66s from Rory is a bit special, but he is just that -- he is a bit special," Graeme McDowell said. "So hes going to be tough to catch this weekend if he keeps that up." McIlroy was at 12-under 132 -- the same 36-hole score of Woods in 2006. Dustin Johnson birdied the last two holes for a 65, the low score of the week. That ordinarily would put him in the last group with McIlroy, except they will have company in a historic decision at golfs oldest championship. Because of a nasty storm approaching England, the Open will go to threesomes teeing off on both sides Saturday. Francesco Molinari (70) will joinn them. . He was part of a large group at 6-under 138 that included Rickie Fowler (69), Sergio Garcia (70), Charl Schwartzel (67), Louis Oosthuizen (68) and Ryan Moore (68). David Hearn (73) of Brantford, Ont., is tied for 24th at 1-under par, while Graham DeLaet (76) of Weyburn, Sask., missed the cut. Johnson had a chance at the claret jug three years ago until a 2-iron that went out-of-bounds on the 14th hole at Royal St. Georges. He also lost a three-shot lead in the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, and missed out on a playoff at Whistling Straits for grounding his club in sand at the 2010 PGA Championship. "Im glad and Im in the last group," Johnson said. "Just go out there and try to shoot a big number." Four shots can be lost quickly in any major, especially in links golf, particularly in nasty weather. McIlroy followed up a record-tying 63 at St. Andrews in 2010 with an 80 the following day. Even so, the ease with which he moved around Royal Liverpool was more frightening than any forecast. McIlroy picked up his first birdie with two putts from across the green on the par-5 fifth. But it was on the par-3 sixth, when McIlroy deposited an 8-iron to 7 feet for birdie, that he found that peace and put the pedal down on the rest of the field. He ushered the pheasant off the eighth green, regrouped and holed a 7-foot birdie putt, chipped to tap-in range on the 10th and then kept giving himself chances on all but one hole until ending with three birdies. McIlroy was in such a groove that with the wind at his back, he hit driver 396 yards on the 17th hole and pitched to 8 feet. It was only Friday -- a fantastic one, not a freaky one -- but the kid looked like he was going for a knockout. "Once I got to 7 (under), I felt like, OK, this time I feel good. I can get to 8. I can get to 8, 9, 10, 11, 12." The 17th hole is where Woods fell apart. He started double bogey-bogey and made only pars the rest of the way until his tee shot on the 17th was about 100 yards short and 50 yards wider than McIlroys drive. Hanging his head, Woods was walking down the fairway when he was told it was out of bounds. Back at the tee, he hooked that shot closer to the 16th fairway and made triple bogey. A birdie enabled him to make the cut, a small consolation considering what McIlroy is doing. "Its not a surprise. Hes done this before," Woods said. "Once he gets going, he can make a lot of birdies and he plays pretty aggressively to begin with. And when hes going, he can get it going pretty good." As for those two secret words that keep McIlroy locked into what hes doing? "Ill tell you on Sunday, hopefully," he said. ' ' '

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