felder Carlos Gomez, signed in August after be

SAN DIEGO, California - Josh Johnson was doing more than rehabbing an inflamed triceps during his six-week absence. When Johnson takes the mound on Tuesday night in San Francisco, his first start since April 21, hell feature a differently gripped changeup he hopes will keep Giants hitters off balance. A prototypical power pitcher with a fastball consistently in the mid-90s mph, Johnson feels hes lacked an offspeed pitch with a significant variation in velocity. "Ive been trying to get speed off for years and years," said Johnson. "You see other guys whose changeups are hard but they have good action to it. Mine doesnt really have that action that youd like that can get groundballs or get a swing and miss here and there to throw guys off a little bit, to have them respect that pitch. Hopefully I can get it to that level where it can be a huge pitch for me." Johnson has previously used his curveball to get hitters, anticipating his fastball or slider, to commit early. Even then he found he was throwing his curveball too hard. During his down time, spent predominantly at the Blue Jays facility in Dunedin, Florida, Johnson began picking the brain of Rick Langford, the clubs minor league rehab and pitching coach. It was then a change to Johnsons changeup grip was discussed and once the big right-hander was back on a mound, the change was implemented. "Its all about trust with that, with new grips," said Johnson. "I threw a couple good ones in the rehab starts. The first rehab starts the punchouts I had were with the changeup. Then, as always, once you start throwing it more and more it kind of goes up and down. Hopefully it will keep going up and progressing with it and keep it down in the zone." The Blue Jays, who entered play Sunday 10 games under .500 and buried in last place in the American League East, need not only Johnsons return to the mound but his return to effectiveness. Johnson himself needs the same. Making $13.75-million this season and a free agent after the World Series, Johnson needs a combination of health and success in order to secure a contract rich in both term and dollar. In four starts this season, the last of which came April 21, Johnson is 0-1 with an ERA of 6.86. His walks plus hits per innings pitched (WHIP) sits at 1.881, inordinately high especially for a potential staff ace. When Johnson went down there was no indication he would miss six weeks. "It was just in a weird spot, its something that Ive never had before, never felt before," said Johnson of the triceps inflammation. "Just felt like someone had my fingers stuck in my triceps and every time Id get out there and get extension, I could throw and be alright but as soon as I let it go and got extension thats when I could feel it. It was in a weird spot and I didnt want to escalate it into anything worse, its the exact opposite of what wed want. So, just take a little bit more on this end of it." Johnson rejoined the Blue Jays on Friday night and was in the dugout in time to watch a good portion of the 17-inning marathon loss. His family is with him on the road trip. He says hes glad to be back. "Absolutely. Just being out there and going to battle with the guys and just being around." Noah Fant Youth Jersey . John Tavares, Thomas Vanek and Kyle Okposo were also being counted on to slow down sizzling Rangers forward Rick Nash. That plan didnt go so well early. Bradley Chubb Jersey . Soukalova missed only one target and completed the 15-kilometre course in 40 minutes, 32.6 seconds for both victories in this seasons individual discipline. Darya Domracheva of Belarus was second, 34. http://www.thebroncosstoreonline.com/Youth-Royce-Freeman-Broncos-Jerseys/ . Just not the game. Kyle Palmieri scored two straight goals in the third period to rally the Anaheim Ducks past the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Tuesday night. Royce Freeman Broncos Jersey . Luis Suarezs double powered Liverpool to a 4-0 victory over Fulham, and Southampton easily overcame Hull 4-1 to continue the south coast clubs impressive start to the season. Liverpool and Southampton sent Chelsea down to fourth place as the west London club was held to 2-2 at home. Courtland Sutton Womens Jersey . Fellow centre Pavel Datsyuk remains out because of a concussion. Zetterberg has 11 goals and 19 assists for a team-high 30 points, and Datsyuk has a team-high 12 goals and 11 assists. ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Texas Rangers have exercised their $5.25 million club option for next season on catcher Jonathan Lucroy and will extend a $17.2 million qualifying offer to All-Star outfielder Ian Desmond.General manager Jon Daniels also said Thursday that the AL West champion Rangers wont make qualifying offers to first baseman Mitch Moreland or right-hander Colby Lewis, but are open to bringing back those free agents.The Rangers arent expected to exercise an $11 million team option for left-hander Derek Holland, but trading him could be an option before Mondays deadline. There is a $1.5 million buyout on the contract for the pitcher, who has missed much of the last three seasons with injuries.Designated hitter Carlos Beltran, acquired in an Aug. 1 trade with the New York Yankees, and left fielder Carlos Gomez, signed in August after being released by Houston, also became free agents.Texas signed Desmond during spring training and got Lucroy in a trade from Milwaukee on AAug.dddddddddddd 1.Lucroy hit .276 with 11 homers and 31 RBIs in 47 games for the Rangers after being acquired. The two-time All-Star catcher hit .299 with 13 homers and 50 RBIs in 95 games for the Brewers before that.Desmond got an $8 million, one-year deal from Texas at the end of February and converted to the outfield during spring training. He had turned down a qualifying offer from Washington after spending seven seasons as a shortstop with the Nationals, including the 2012 season when he was an All-Star.Desmond batted .285 with 22 homers and 86 RBIs this season. If he signs with another club before the amateur draft next June, the Rangers would receive a draft pick as compensation at the end of the first round.The Rangers also purchased the contract of infielder/outfielder Drew Robinson from Triple-A Round Rock and added him to the 40-man roster. ' ' '