MLB Considering Playoff Expansion

Major League Baseball is reportedly "seriously weighing" an overhaul of the league's playoff structure, and it would include some radical October changes. The proposal would expand the field from five to seven teams (three division winners, four wild card teams) in each league. The reported proposal involves a bye for the top team in each league, a three-game wild card round series and the chance for teams to pick their opponents.

Here are the highlights from the proposal laid out in Sherman's report:

• Seven teams from each league make postseason
• Teams with best record in each league get wild card round byes
• Two other division winners and top wild card team host all games of three-game series in wild card round
• Two other division winners get to pick their wild card round opponents (during a live broadcast) from three other wild card teams, the top wild card team plays the unpicked team
• Three series winners and team with a bye advance to divisional round

This would be a monumental change from the current MLB playoff format (five teams from each league, one-game Wild Card Game), and that the league could implement it starting in the 2022 season.

Here is  last season's National League playoff picture to illustrate how it might work.

The Dodgers had the best record, so they'd get the bye to the divisional round. The Braves had the next-best record, followed by the Cardinals. The wild cards, in order, would've been the Nationals, Brewers, Mets and Diamondbacks.

The Braves would then get to choose their opponent from between the bottom three wild cards. Next up, the Cardinals would then choose between whoever the Braves didn't pick among the Brewers, Mets and D-Backs. Whatever team wasn't picked would then face the Nats.

O'Day Feels Riders Won't Be Very Active as CFLFA Hits

With key players like Shaq Evans, Cam Judge, Charleston Hughes and Ed Gainey already signed to contract extensions, the Saskatchewan Roughriders aren't expecting to be a major player when CFL free agency hits officially Tuesday morning at 11 AM.

GM Jeremy O'Day said as much one day before free agency hit as both he and Head Coach Craig Dickenson answered questions on what the team's approach to free agency would be.

“I would say that we’re probably not going to be very active in free agency."  O'Day said. "We’re still talking to a couple of our players but it can change quickly depending on how the next day or two shape up.

While the Riders do appear set at many positions going into camp, one area where they may be looking to upgrade is at linebacker where Derrick Moncrief is trying his luck in the NFL while Solomon Elimimian has not signed a contract extension.  While the signing of Otha Foster, which was announced after the availability, will help, O'Day feels he will have a group that will be more than capable once the season starts.

"Jason (defensive co-ordinator Jason Shivers) feels comfortable with some of the guys that are on our roster, but we’re always going to try and create competition for every position." O'Day said.

While many pending free agents were signed to new deals, some weren't including defensive lineman Micah Johnson and receiver Naaman Roosevelt.  When it comes to Roosevelt, O'Day won't say for certainty that a return may not happen, but it sounds as if the team is moving on from the sure-handed pass-catcher.

“I don’t want to say 100 per cent that he won’t be back." O'Day said. "It’s going to be a decision that comes down to how we do with the rest of the guys.".

Early Tuesday morning, a report from 3DownNation's Justin Dunk suggested the Riders will upgrade at backup quarterback as they have reportedly signed James Franklin to a deal.  Franklin was a quarterback many Rider fans coveted a few years ago as it was thought then Head Coach Chris Jones wanted to get him to Saskatchewan when he was a  member of the Edmonton Eskimos.'

Jefferson Stays In Winnipeg

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today announce the team has agreed to terms with all-star defensive end Willie Jefferson on a two-year contract extension.

Jefferson is coming off a 2019 season that was the best of his six-year Canadian Football League career. In his first year as a Blue Bomber, he posted a career-best 12 quarterback sacks, set a new CFL record for pass knockdowns by a defensive lineman with 16 (best in the league), while also leading the CFL with six forced fumbles and adding 24 tackles, an interception and two fumble recoveries.

Jefferson was also dominant in the 107th Grey Cup, registering three sacks and two forced fumbles as the Bombers captured their 11th championship in franchise history. For his efforts, Jefferson was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player for the first time in his career and was also named a CFL All-Star and West Division All-Star for the third consecutive season. Jefferson was also named the Blue Bombers Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 2019.

“As an organization, we are very excited to have Willie and his family return for another two seasons,” said General Manager Kyle Walters. “The talent he brings to the table and his ability to change football games speaks for itself, but what we have gotten to know over the past season is the person behind the player, and that is just as important to our football operations.”

The 2020 season with be Jefferson’s seventh in the CFL after spending 2014-15 with the Edmonton Eskimos and 2016-18 with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The veteran lineman has appeared in 94 regular season games, registering 43 sacks, 151 tackles, three career interceptions and touchdowns, and 12 forced fumbles.

Otha Foster Returns To CFL As He Signs With Riders

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed free agent defensive back Otha Foster to a one-year contract.

Foster (6’0 – 205lbs) returns to the Roughriders after a two-year absence, having initially signed with the Club in 2016. Foster most recently spent time with the B.C. Lions in 2018, where he played 18 games and made 58 tackles, one special teams tackle, three sacks and two forced fumbles.

Foster played four preseason games for the Baltimore Ravens in 2017, making three tackles and one sack. He returned to the Roughriders that fall and played in three games for the Green and White making 11 defensive tackles. He had a standout year at linebacker in 2016, where he put up a career-high 71 defensive tackles, two special teams tackles, three sacks, one interception and one forced fumble.

Prior to joining the Roughriders the first time, Foster spent two seasons in Edmonton playing in 33 games and earning 102 defensive tackles, seven special teams tackles three sacks, two interceptions, two touchdowns and two forced fumbles.

(Saskatchewan Roughriders)

NHL Three Stars Of Week

NEW YORK (Feb. 10, 2020) – Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins, Winnipeg Jets left wing Kyle Connor and Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Feb. 9.

FIRST STAR – ELVIS MERZLIKINS, G, COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

Merzlikins went 173:39 before allowing a goal last week, posting a 2-1-0 record, 0.67 goals-against average, .971 save percentage and two shutouts as the Blue Jackets improved to 30-17-9 overall (69 points), third in the Metropolitan Division. Merzlikins began the week by stopping all 32 shots in a 1-0 overtime victory over the Florida Panthers on Feb. 4. Three nights later, he stopped all 16 shots in a 2-0 triumph over the Detroit Red Wings, extending his win streak to eight games (the longest ever by a Columbus rookie) with his League-leading fifth shutout – all in a span of eight games. He closed the week with a 20-save effort Feb. 8 in a 2-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, stopping each of the first 17 shots he faced. Merzlikins, 25, a native of Riga, Latvia, has a 12-7-4 record through 25 games in his first NHL season (2.19 GAA, .930 SV%, 5 SO). Only three different Blue Jackets goaltenders have recorded more than five shutouts in a single season, with Steve Mason (10 in 2008-09) the only to do so as a rookie.

 SECOND STAR – KYLE CONNOR, LW, WINNIPEG JETS

Connor led the League in points with eight (3-5—8) as the Jets (29-23-5, 63 points) gained seven of a possible eight points to move from three points outside the playoff picture into the first Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. Connor was held off the score sheet in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Nashville Predators on Feb. 4 and recorded one assist in a 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 6. Over a weekend back-to-back set Feb. 8-9, Connor recorded 1-3—4 in a 5-2 win over the Ottawa Senators followed by two goals and one assist in a 5-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. In doing so, Connor became the seventh different player in franchise history to record at least three points on consecutive days (and third to do so since the club moved to Winnipeg). Connor, 23, a native of Shelby Township, Mich., is in his fourth NHL season and sits 13th in League scoring with 59 points (28-31—59 in 57 GP). He needs two goals to become the third player in Jets/Thrashers history with at least three consecutive 30-goal seasons.
     

THIRD STAR – ANDREI VASILEVSKIY, G, TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

Vasilevskiy went 3-0-0 with a 1.67 goals-against average and .936 save percentage to guide the Lightning to a perfect week and an overall record of 35-15-5 (75 points), second in the Atlantic Division and third in the entire NHL. Vasilevskiy led Tampa Bay to 4-2 wins against the Vegas Golden Knights (Feb. 4; 27 saves) and Pittsburgh Penguins (Feb. 6; 29 saves) before closing the week with 17 saves in a 3-1 triumph over the New York Islanders on Feb. 8. All three victories came at AMALIE Arena as Vasilevskiy pushed his home winning streak to eight games, matching the franchise record for the third time in as many seasons. Vasilevskiy, 25, a native of Tyumen, Russia, owns an overall record of 29-9-3 in 41 games this season (2.48 GAA, .918 SV%, 2 SO) as he aims to become the second Lightning goaltender to record three consecutive 30-win seasons. His active 18-game point streak (16-0-2 dating to Dec. 17) is one of 16 in NHL history of at least that length – and the second-longest by any active goaltender.

AJ Green Heading To XFL

Veteran Canadian Football League receiver SJ Green will sign with the XFL Monday,

Green, released by the Argos last week, was weighing offers from both the CFL and XFL before deciding to continue his career south of the border with the new league.

With the XFL playing until late May, Green could conceivably return to the CFL if he wantd to.

In 18 games for the Argos last season, Green finished with 85 receptions for 1,039 yards and four touchdowns. The 34-year-old played in the CFL for 13 seasons and has 716 career receptions for 10,222 yards and 60 touchdowns.

CFL News From Winnipeg & Hamilton

 The Winnipeg Blue Bombers announced on Sunday that the team has agreed to terms with wide receiver Darvin Adams on a three-year contract extension, keeping Adams in Blue and Gold through 2022.

The 2020 campaign will mark the 30-year-old’s sixth with the Blue Bombers since joining the club in 2015 after two years with the Toronto Argonauts.

An injury limited Adams to 13 games in 2019 and he finished the year with 47 catches for 549 yards and five touchdowns, ending a streak of back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2017 and 2018.

The veteran receiver was especially effective in the Bombers’ push to a championship, making some critical catches in three playoff games leading up to and including the Grey Cup. Adams had six catches for 105 yards and a 71-yard touchdown in the Western Semi-Final win over the Calgary Stampeders and a week later, pulled in eight catches for 93 yards in the Western Final victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He then had three receptions for 11 yards in the Grey Cup decision over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and even completed a 13-yard pass to quarterback Chris Streveler.

He has 296 receptions for 4,226 yards as a Bomber, ranking him just outside the franchise’s Top 10 in both categories. He also has 34 touchdowns as a Bomber.

(Winnipeg Blue Bombers)

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The Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced Sunday the football club has re-signed American defensive back/kick returner Frankie Williams.

Williams, 26, started at defensive back in 16 of his 17 appearances (15 at field corner, one at boundary halfback) for the Tiger-Cats last season, finishing second in the Canadian Football League in pass knock downs with 14, and adding 50 defensive tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery. The 5-9, 190-pound native of Tampa, Florida also won the 2019 John Agro Award as the league’s Most Outstanding Special Teams Player and was named a CFL All-Star after ranking among league leaders in numerous kick return categories, including first in punt return yardage (949), 30+ yard punt returns (10), average yards per kickoff return (24.9) and kickoff return touchdowns (tie-1), second in punt return touchdowns (tie-1) and overall kick return touchdowns (tie-2), and third in average yards per punt return (12.5) and kickoff return yardage (1,071).

Williams has appeared in 31 career CFL games with 22 starts at defensive back over two seasons with the Tiger-Cats (2018-19), registering 67 defensive tackles, 10 special teams tackles, one interception and 15 pass knock downs. The Purdue University product has also served as Hamilton’s primary kick returner the last two seasons, accumulating 116 punt returns for 1,332 yards and two touchdowns, 61 kickoff returns for 1,478 yards and one touchdown, and one missed field goal return for 30 yards.

(Hamilton Tiger-Cats)