s a.335 hitter with 250 homers and 1,018 RBIs. Last season, he hit .50

The Detroit Red Wings suffered one of the bigger losses of the summer when center Pavel Datsyuk decided to ostensibly retire to and return home to Russia. He wanted to spend more time with his family and play in the Kontinental Hockey League, and the Red Wings allowed him to do so.How much the Red Wings feel the absence of the future Hall of Famer remains to be seen. The team dropped their first two games of the season before breaking through for their first win Monday, a 5-2 thumping of the Ottawa Senators at Joe Louis Arena.General manager Ken Holland signed free-agent center Frans Nielsen to fill Datsyuks roster spot, but the group effort the Red Wings showed against the Senators will be the formula for success in the post-Datsyuk era, which continues against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night.Defenseman Mike Green had a hat trick, the team scored two power-play goals and nine players had points, including new acquisition Thomas Vanek, who had three assists. Unlike their season-opening loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, when they squandered a lead, the Red Wings pulled away after grabbing a 3-0 advantage in the first period.Right now as a team, weve got to learn how to get more comfortable and play better with the lead, Vanek said to the Detroit Free Press. We saw it in Tampa, too -- we were great, had lots of energy, got the lead, and then sat back. We did the same until (Green made it 4-1), and then we got better again.The Rangers have won two of three games to start the season and had to stave off a third-period push in both victories.A 2-0 lead against the New York Islanders on Thursday became a 2-2 game in the third period before the Rangers pulled away. On Monday, the San Jose Sharks cut a 5-2 lead to 5-4 late in the third period before the Rangers scored a pair of empty-net goals to secure the victory.I think we played pretty smart, Rangers goaltender Antti Raanta said. There are some things we can do better but we know what we can do protecting the lead. Of course when you have a three-goal lead and there are only four or five minutes left, sometimes its mental things. You give them a little bit and suddenly its back to 5-4. Its good to practice those things when its a one-goal game like that.It may be tough for the Rangers to play better defensively, as they could again be without Kevin Klein and Dan Girardi. Kleins status should be decided by Rangers coach Alain Vigneault on Wednesday morning.We know teams are going to surge when they are down, Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh said, and I think in certain areas were still trying to work on and make sure that we dont get hurt like that as we continue here.The past six meetings between the Rangers and Red Wings have been decided by one goal, with four going to overtime.There arent any teams in this league that arent quality, Rangers left winger Chris Kreider Theres an unbelievable amount of parity. So its going to be another test for us. Well enjoy (beating San Jose) for about five minutes and then get ready for Detroit. Pittsburgh Pirates Shirts . The giant slalom world champion slipped during her first run in the morning, landing on her back and then twisting forward before getting her leg caught in the protective material on the side of the slope. Stitched Pirates Jerseys . Pettersen, winner of last years Evian Championships, had nine birdies and three bogeys, holding off a series of challengers led by Marion Ricordeau of France. The second-ranked Norwegian made her season debut after missing the LPGA Tours opening event last month in the Bahamas because of a shoulder injury. https://www.cheappiratesjerseys.us/ . Third-seeded Murray had the easiest path to victory on New Years Eve, barely breaking a sweat during his 6-0, 6-0 win over 2,129th-ranked Qatari wildcard recipient Mousa Shanan Zayed. Pittsburgh Pirates Store .com) - The Calgary Flames aim to bounce back from their first regulation home loss of the campaign on Friday night when they host a Detroit Red Wings club that they swept in three meetings a season ago. Wholesale Pirates Jerseys .7 million, one-year contract, a raise of $2.2 million. Wieters had asked for $8.75 million and the Orioles had offered $6. HOUSTON --?Astros?general manager Jeff Luhnow first saw Yulieski Gurriel play a decade ago in a tournament in Amsterdam.He imagined him playing in the major leagues and made that dream a reality Saturday when he signed the Cuban free agent to a five-year deal with the Astros.To be able to get him now really in the prime of his career ... is a huge deal for us, Luhnow said. Its probably the most exciting day since Ive been here except for the wild-card win against the Yankees.According to ESPNs Jim Bowden and multiple reports, the contract is worth $47.5 million.A beaming Gurriel was introduced in Houston on Saturday, seated next to Luhnow behind a table draped with the American and Cuban flags. He was handed an Astros cap and jersey and proudly put both on, slowly fastening each button on the jersey with a huge smile never leaving his face.I have no words to describe this moment, he said in Spanish through an interpreter.Gurriel was one of the most sought international free agents since leaving Cuba in February after competing in the Caribbean World Series in the Dominican Republic. The 32-year-old was declared a free agent last month.There were times Gurriel wondered if hed ever get the chance to play in the majors.I always had the hope to play in the United States, he said. But it always seemed like something very far away ... it has been my dream my whole life to be here and to play next to big league players.The Astros are in the process of obtaining a work visa for Gurriel. After thats done Luhnow said hell head to the minors to get some at-bats to prepare to face major league pitching for the first time. Houstons Triple-A club is in Fresno, California, but the Astros want Gurriel to be closer to the team, so hell likely get those swings with Double-A Corpus Christi. For now, hell head to Houstons spring training complex in Florida to prepare for his next move.Though theres no official timetable for his major leaggue debut, Luhnow is confident that it will happen this season.dddddddddddd.Absolutely, he said. One of the reasons why [we] worked so hard to get this deal done as timely as we could was I want, and Yuli wants to be part of a playoff run this year.The Astros have shaken off a terrible start to the season and entered Saturdays game 4? games behind Texas in the American League West and one game behind for the second wild-card playoff spot.Gurriel is primarily a third baseman but also has played second base and shortstop. He was an Olympian in 2004 and 2008.Luis Valbuena is currently playing third base for Houston, but also can play first base. Luhnow said theyll figure out where Gurriel will play later.In 15 seasons in Cuba, he is a.335 hitter with 250 homers and 1,018 RBIs. Last season, he hit .500 with 15 homers and 51 RBIs in just 49 games for Industriales.To me, he was the Cuban star that everybody was hoping would become available to a major league team, Luhnow said. Its a combination of pretty impressive offensive output, both power and speed and average and the ability to take walks and avoid strikeouts -- all of the things we talk about being key elements of success in the major leagues.Hes a five-tool player with 15 years of incredible success on the international stage ... pretty much the combination wed design if we were going to design a ballplayer, Luhnow said.Though Gurriel, who said he prefers to be called El Yuli, will be a rookie in the majors at 32, hell be looked upon to be a leader for a team with several young Latin stars. When Luhnow went to Florida to watch him work out, it took only a short conversation with the player to see that hed be perfectly comfortable filling that role.The makeup here is exactly what you look for in a ballplayer in your clubhouse, Luhnow said. ' ' '