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Generating the NHL's Third Star honors the other day apparently wasn't adequate for Ottawa Senators goalkeeper Craig Anderson.

Within the ensuing 7 days, Anderson won three more games -- together with a shutout from the League-leading New You are able to Rangers at Madison Square Garden -- to increase his personal go to 8--1 over his last nine begins.

Anderson was named Monday because the NHL's First Star within the last week, with Blackhawks forward Viktor Stalberg generating Second Star and Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin taking Third Star.

Anderson, that has the Senators rocketing in the East standings, permitted just three goals within the three begins he earned, while posting b .970 save percentage. Besides blanking the Rangers having a 34-save performance, he switched aside 29 of 30 shots from the Penguins and 33 of 35 to defeat the Northeast Division rival Canadiens.

"He's so steady back there at this time,Inch teammate Jason Spezza stated following the 3- win in New You are able to. "You are able to tell he's confidence. Whenever your goalkeeper exudes that type of confidence, your team exudes that type of confidence. He's done a fantastic job of soothing things lower whenever we get scrambling a bit. There's occasions of the overall game once the other team normally takes momentum, and he's done a great job to consider it back."

Stalberg already includes a career-best 14 goals this year after putting five around the board a week ago, including his first career hat trick to focus on the Blackhawks' 5-2 win Tuesday within the Blue Jackets. Among his three goals that evening was the overall game-champion, and that he added the decisive goal again two nights later because the Hawks capped the Wild. Stalberg occured scoreless Saturday through the Red-colored Wings, but returned back one evening later having a goal as well as an help in a conquer the Sharks.

"It had been fun to obtain that," Stalberg stated of his hat trick. "It had been something I'd a few chances before to obtain, also it has not happened, so excellent feeling clearly. A few men made some nice plays available for me personally.Inch

Malkin ongoing his recent tear which has seen him proceed to within some point of Vancouver's Henrik Sedin for that NHL scoring lead. His week began silently enough, with single-goal performances from the Senators and Panthers sandwiched around a scoreless outing from the Capitals. But from the Lightning on Sunday, he exploded for any natural hat trick within the third period to propel the Penguins to some 6-3 victory. Younger crowd aided on two goals earlier in the overall game to up his point total to 51 for that season.

"I do not consider that," Malkin stated concerning the scoring race. "We performed an excellent game and also got two points and also have done a fantastic job the final three games."

Every Monday throughout the growing season, goalkeeper specialist and founding father of The Goalkeeper Guild Justin Goldman provides you with an in-depth analysis of fantasy goaltenders in NHL.com's weekly segment: "Within the Cage." From up-to-date goalkeeper ratings to men you need to keep an eye on plus much more, Goldman will probably be your fantasy goalkeeper expert all season lengthy.
billiga balklänningar
Because the feeling of emergency increases for teams hinging on the playoff place, also does the feeling of emergency for his or her goaltenders. We have seen hints of brilliance from the couple of savvy veterans during the last week, so you want to provide you with the lowdown on four interesting buy-low candidates for that relaxation from the regular season. There'll always an natural risk with one of these goalies, but this really is universal should you own them, expect a great deal in exchange. If you wish to acquire them, attempt to sneak a buy-low steal from otherwise not aware managers!

1. Craig Anderson: Leading the race in volume stats groups, Anderson is 4--one in his last five games and presently playing the very best hockey of his season. He sits first in games performed (41), second within a few minutes (2,289:59), and first in shots faced (1,219). He plays at his best when he's ultra-aggressive and fierce within the crease, if you see him pushing gamers within the back and swiping his stay with create space, you realize he's on his game. This kind of attitude and sturdiness is exactly what made him so effective in Colorado (within the 2009-10 season), also it might make him a significant pressure for that Senators within the other half.

2. Cam Ward: Having a monumental 3-2 conquer the Bruins last Saturday evening, the Severe weather finally emerged around the right side of the tight one-goal game, and Ward would be a large reason for your. Sunday's return of Shaun Skinner behaved as the second morale booster for that team, and today Ward's value is booming. He stopped 89 of 95 shots in the last three games, and it has permitted just two goals against in every of his last five games (3-2-). Bear in mind that Ward's best month in the career is within March (35-11-4 having a 2.29 goals-against average and .924 save percentage), therefore we feel he fits the profile of the buy-low candidate.

3. Jonas Hiller: If you take only a couple of slow days to relaxation a tweaked groin, Hiller also re-energized his mind. Relaxation is really a weapon for workhorses, particularly in the other half. Even when it lasts just a few days, time off work in the grind can change a battling goalie's mindset from servant to messiah. Having a solid 4-2 conquer Vancouver last evening, Hiller's swagger has returned, and the skill-set dictates good odds for any large other half run. He's 2--one in his last three games with 72 will save on his last 75 shots faced, but more to the point, has become making timely saves. He's also 3--1 (one no decision) having a 1.38 GAA and .939 save percentage in the last five.

4. Ondrej Pavelec: If this involves discovering a buy-low candidate, you need to search for a goalkeeper using the greatest skill potential possible. For the reason that regard, maybe not one other goalkeeper fits that category much better than Pavelec. With all the games the Jets play, fans are finding his hidden talent on their own, so keep him in your radar. His current 2.89 GAA and .910 save percentage are truly deceitful, and the amounts in December (7-3-1 having a 1.95 GAA and .939 save percentage) might be copied in Feb or March. Contrary, just place-start him in your own home he holds a really solid 2.30 GAA and .925 save percentage in 19 games.

TRENDING UPWARD

1. Sergei Bobrovsky: Regarded as probably the most enhanced goaltenders around the ice this year, Bobrovsky come up with a couple of his finest NHL games a week ago. He stopped 68 of 71 total shots in 2 road wins over Carolina and also the Islanders, and will probably play more within the other half if Ilya Bryzgalov is constantly on the play uninspired hockey. Bobrovsky presently has a ten-3-1 record having a 2.42 GAA and .921 save percentage, with four games within the next 7 days for that Flyers, he could easily earn several start.

2. Mike Cruz: Since coming back from his groin injuries, Cruz has experienced a near-seamless go back to his top form. Although he's only one-1-3 in the last five games, he single-handedly restored single points for that Coyotes in 2 dramatic road games from the Rangers (31 will save on 32 shots) and Red-colored Wings (40 will save on 42 shots). This run has skyrocketed Cruz directly into the very best 10 of some key fantasy ratings, including saves (1,002), and also the all-important save percentage (.925) category.

3. Tomas Vokoun: Having a large 2-1 conquer Carolina last evening, Vokoun is constantly on the look many a lot more like the durable workhorse that powered the Panthers for a lot of years. He's 3-- in the last three games and it has permitted just four goals on 105 shots (b .962 save percentage), and gained his second shutout of year on Jan. 11 having a 30-save 1- conquer the rival Penguins. Sunday's 43-save conquer Carolina also made him an ideal 3-- when facing 40 or even more shots in one game.

TRENDING DOWNWARD

1. Ilya Bryzgalov: Despite the fact that the Cinemax cameras are lengthy gone, Bryzgalov still looked distracted and off his game a week ago. He went -2- in 2 road games and permitted eight goals on just 61 shots, adequate for any .869 save percentage. Because the show "24/7" began airing, he's just two wins (2-5-1) and it has permitted four goals or even more five occasions. This isn't the kind of goaltending that instills confidence inside a team already without its captain, and the playing time within the next 7 days could suffer consequently.

2. Jonas Gustavsson: After exhibiting some solid goaltending in four straight wins (Jan. 3-10), back-to-back deficits (49 will save on 55 shots) over the past weekend likely opened up the doorway for James Reimer to begin on Tuesday against Ottawa. Gustavsson gained his string of begins, but Reimer could perform the same now. He's totally rested and it is wishing to repeat last year's success, so keep an eye on Tuesday's game.

3. Nikolai Khabibulin: Although he was quite valiant in October, your dream to as being a quality fantasy resource takes a turn for that worse. He's presently -4-one in his last five games and it has permitted 16 goals on 124 shots (b .871 save percentage) throughout this stretch. In addition, it seems as though Devan Dubnyk will start to have more looks from coach Tom Renney because the season comes along. Within the last 10 games, Dubnyk has began four, as they originates in relief for Khabibulin two times.

Keep Close Track Of...

Mark Dekanich has become 1-1-1 having a 3.83 GAA and .876 save percentage in Springfield (AHL), therefore the moment as he makes a recall to Columbus is constantly on the draw near. Additionally, there are the problem with Antero Niittymaki still not playing in San Jose he becomes trade bait as every day passes. Finally, the goaltending in Polk Bay is constantly on the strle, so perhaps this is actually the week Steve Yzerman finally gives Dustin Tokarski a go.balklänningar

Marquis Maze has already established two several weeks to consider how a few plays he was thoroughly associated with assisted alter the fortunes for Alabama within the Crimson Tide's 9-6 overtime loss to LSU on November. 5.

He and the teammates now obtain a rare chance for redemption using the Bowl Championship Series title at risk.

Maze, who leads Alabama with 56 receptions for 627 yards and it is the country's tenth-best punt returner at 12.4 yards coming back, sprained his ankle throughout losing towards the Tigers but resolved to remain in the overall game.

Hampered through the injuries because he had been compelled, he states he could not get enough velocity on the pass he put throughout a trick play at the start of the 4th quarter. The ball was intercepted at LSU's 1-yard line. Using the score 6-6 at that time, a effective outcome may have thrown the overall game in Alabama's favor.

Minutes later, Maze had trouble attempting to area a punt by LSU's Kaira Wing. The boot wound up covering 73 yards, which turned area position and set the Tide back at their 18-yard line.

"I understand things i did and things i did not do in order to allow us to,Inch Maze stated Thursday. "Catching that punt and also the interception. It is something I centered on after the overall game, however I am centered on doing what I must do with this game.

"What's done is performed. You will find there's second chance in a team that beat us within the regular season. Now it is simply (about) rebuilding order."

Maze's pass made an appearance in the beginning to become caught close to the goal line by tight finish Michael Williams, but because he hit the floor, LSU safety Eric Reid wrestled the ball from him for which was ruled an interception.

"It had been open, however i got pressure around the edge, I'd a bum ankle and that i could not escape from pressure, and so i just put up,Inch Maze stated. "Maybe I possibly could have tossed it on the line more. However I did not, and also the play stands."

Maze stated he still is not sure concerning the validity from the call and whether Reid ought to have been granted possession. "It is a tough demand the referee. I seem like this time around around, things will change,Inch he stated.

"We found that we beat ourselves for the reason that game. LSU did not do anything whatsoever to conquer us. We've got at a negative balance (zone) 5 or 6 occasions and did not execute. We made mental mistakes and that we just (need to focus) on which we must do within this game. We must become more aggressive."

Reid on Thursday wasn't thinking about being attracted right into a debate concerning the call. "That does not even matter with this game," he stated. "We must keep a clear head around the national title. That play is previously, and contains no impact on Monday.

"We understood he performed quarterback in senior high school therefore we type of expected he may toss the ball. Like a receiver, he's a quick guy, he's nice hands, and we have reached make certain we obtain him covered."

The Five-10, 180-pound Maze vows to not be afraid of LSU's physical defense, that has 30 takeaways around the season. He stated he'll take part in the way he normally does.

"I really hope to visit over the middle," he stated. "Whether it comes lower in my experience being physical or them being physical beside me, I really hope it comes down lower to that particular. I really like going over the middle. That will not change because we are playing LSU."

Maze's deep-threat ability most likely is a key when the Tide offense would be to perform more effectively of computer did the final time the teams met. He'd six catches for 61 yards for the reason that game, using the longest play 19 yards. The Tide unsuccessful to mix the aim line and skipped four of six area-goal tries.

"We have to attempt to develop some explosive plays," stated offensive coordinator Jim McElwain. "They do not provide a lot up, but he clearly has got the expertise to achieve that. We attempt to obtain him lower the area, and hopefully he makes plays within this game."

Now healthy along with the reminiscences of early November residual a little, Maze is counting lower the times until he will get another chance to complete exactly that.

"I am 100% at this time. I wish to make plays badly within this game," he stated. "I have been fantasizing relating to this game since i have discovered i was inside it. I am just looking forward to the 2nd chance."

Duke haters, can we have a word?

First, you probably slurped up Tuesday night with a spoon. Ohio State was ahead 11-0 faster than you can say Mike Krzyzewski, and ended up winning by 22. The Blue Devils hadn't played here since 1964, and it might be 47 more years before they come back.
And get this. Duke took the floor in a hostile arena and didn't even draw the loudest boos of the night. What's the world coming to?
LeBron James was in the house. In Ohio, treason trumps being Duke.
But we need to address another issue. Aren't these awkward days for Duke haters?
Presumably, Krzyzewski's program is reviled by so many because it is perceived as rich and only getting richer with constant media adulation. The Blue Devils are the 1%. Occupy Durham.
But times being what they are in college sports, it'd be hard to make the case that untainted success is a character flaw.
Consider Tuesday night. Duke-Ohio State was the headline game, but the spotlight was on a 36-point blowout win by Syracuse, after which Jim Boeheim took the podium and talked about … well, you know.
Southern California won't be playing in the Pac-12 Conference championship game Friday because of sanctions. Connecticut won a national basketball title under some clouds last April. No need to even get started about Penn State.
The basketball game wasn't even the biggest news in Columbus this week, what with the arrival of Urban Meyer, who, lest we forget, is only here because Jim Tressel did a belly flop into the soup.
Meanwhile, Duke trots out a lineup with national Latin prize winners (Ryan Kelly) and math whizzes (Andre Dawkins) and sons of solid NBA citizens (Seth Curry and Austin Rivers) and several members from the Plumlee family Thanksgiving table.
Remind me again why they're the team to loathe.
The Blue Devils are certainly guilty of one thing: having their heads handed to them by Ohio State.
"Sometimes you just get your butt kicked," Krzyzewski said afterward. "Tonight, my butt's sore."
As the kickers rather than the kickees, the Buckeyes' message was plain. "This basketball team is something special," said Jared Sullinger, Ohio State's main man.
Could well be. Sullinger is one of the nation's most dangerous loads inside, even down 15 pounds. The basketball public is only beginning to catch on how good Aaron Craft can be at point guard, on both ends. There is lavish sophomore potential in Deshaun Thomas and savvy senior leadership in William Buford, who just started his 105th game.
The Buckeyes are an accomplished team on defense, and Thad Matta is steadily pushing his program toward the upper elite, even if he is sometimes obscured by more glittering names. He's even 14-2 against Michigan. If he coached football and had that record, he could be governor.
What he needs, of course, is a national championship.
Matta cautions this team is trying to thrive with "a plethora of freshmen and sophomores." You don't see that very often. Not the freshmen and sophomore part, but a coach coming into a press conference and using the word "plethora."
Nor is he ready to go predicting big things.
"I don't do that anymore, because the last time I did that, the next game (All-American) Evan Turner broke his back," he said. "So we're still not very good."
Yes, they are, though this pounding must come with a disclaimer. It was the fourth game in nine days for each team. Duke's other three came five time zones away in Hawaii, against Kansas, Michigan and Tennessee. Ohio State did not leave its zip code in breezing past North Florida, VMI and Valparaiso.
Krzyzewski said his team played tired, and he looked weary himself. Though fatigue from a self-made schedule can't be an excuse, and he didn't try to use it as one. "Maybe," he said, "we don't beat them, anyway."
Conclusions? Ohio State is formidable, and Duke will be fine, especially as spectacularly gifted freshman Rivers finds his college legs. Many might wince at more Blue Devils' fortune, and that's OK.
But hate them? Look around.

Once again delivering on a promise to spend liberally on the Draft, the Pirates paid out more than $17 million in signing bonuses on 24 players. Such an amount is unprecedented in Major League history, but it was also very much necessary in order for the Pirates to sign No. 1 overall pick Gerrit Cole and second-rounder Josh Bell.

Cole and Bell both agreed to deals on the final day that players taken in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft were allowed to negotiate with teams. Bringing both into the organization was something most thought would be nearly impossible for the Pirates, even given Pittsburgh's commitment to paying above-slot dollars.

It took an $8 million signing bonus to sign Cole, who, according to a source, can make more than $9 million in guaranteed money if he reaches the Majors by 2013. Cole's deal was a Minor League one, though it is the highest-paying Minor League deal ever handed out.

Bell's deal is worth $5 million, a sum that is usually reserved for players taken at the very top of a Draft class. But given how strong a commitment Bell had to play at the University of Texas, the Pirates were well aware that it was going to take significant dollars to lure Bell away from that.

"We felt like we had a chance to have a terrific Draft in terms of adding talent to the system, and we've been able to do that." general manager Neal Huntington said. "We've added a lot of quality players, obviously headlined by Cole and Bell, but we believe in a lot of other players in our Draft. We obviously invested a significant amount in the Draft again, thanks to [owner Bob Nutting's] support."

Cole's bonus represents the largest the Pirates have ever given to a player. Jameson Taillon, the No. 2 overall selection in the 2010 Draft, previously held that distinction after signing for $6.5 million on this date last year. The last time the Pirates held the first pick in the Draft, they handed out a $4 million signing bonus to college pitcher Bryan Bullington in 2002.

Lauded for committing close to $31 million in signing bonuses over the past three Drafts, the Pirates exceeded their previous franchise high ($11.9 million in 2010) by more than $5 million this year.

The Pirates' investment in the Draft this year easily surpassed the $12 million in signing bonuses the Nationals spent on their 2010 Draft class. That had been the MLB record for signing bonuses given by one team to one Draft class.

Cole joins the Pirates after three years at UCLA. As a junior, the right-hander went 6-8 with a 3.31 ERA in 16 starts. He gave up 103 hits in 114 1/3 innings but also struck out 119.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound right-hander has a fastball that sits in the mid-90s deep into his starts. His two secondary pitches -- a slider and a changeup -- are also already advanced. This would all sest that Cole has a chance to make a quick ascension through the Minors to Pittsburgh.

While Cole was always expected to sign, the same couldn't be said for Bell. Upon drafting the outfielder out of high school, the Pirates knew that he was going to be an extremely difficult sign.

The 19-year-old had made a commitment to play at Texas and had informed teams before the Draft that he intended to honor that college commitment. Such a stance persuaded many other clubs to pass on Bell, but it didn't deter Pittsburgh. With the first pick of the second round, the Pirates took a chance.

"We loved the player," Huntington said of Bell. "We felt like we could be aggressive in a contract offer to him. We felt like it was worth the risk of not being able to sign him. And we went into it with full respect of his commitment to Texas. We wanted the opportunity to explain who we were, how we do things and we were hoping that Josh was ready to take the step to professional baseball if we were to find a common financial ground."

Without such a public pronouncement of his college intentions, Bell would almost certainly have been taken in the first round. He was ranked by Baseball America as the fifth-best position player available in the Draft after hitting .548 with 13 homers, 54 RBIs and 54 runs scored as a senior at Dallas Jesuit High School.

With only three weeks remaining in the Minor League season, Cole and Bell are not expected to make their professional debuts this year. The two will travel to Pittsburgh sometime this week to take part in formal news conferences and to get acquainted with the organization.

"From there," Huntington said, "we've got to establish what they've been doing the last 10 weeks, and based on that information, we will put our plan in place for them from this point forward."

The Pirates signed one other player on Monday -- ninth-rounder Clay Holmes, a recent high school graduate who agreed to a $1.2 million signing bonus. That is the highest signing bonus ever handed out to a player drafted in the ninth round. It shatters the previous record of $750,000 given to Jason Middlebrook by San Diego in 1996.

At the time of the Draft, Holmes, a right-hander who had committed to play at Auburn University, had a 6-2 record and 2.06 ERA for Slocumb (Ala.) High School. He was valedictorian of his high school class and was ranked by Baseball America as the 76th-best prospect coming into the Draft.

With Monday's three signings, the Pirates ended up agreeing to terms with each of their top 10 picks

UCLA pitcher Gerrit Cole was among 22 of 23 first-round draft picks beating the deadline to sign, with the top selection in June's amateur draft agreeing late Monday night to a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates that includes an $8 million signing bonus.

"It's essentially the largest signing bonus ever given an amateur player," Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said. "Sometimes, it's more advantageous for a player to take a minor league contract with a bonus that can be spread over nine months than a major league contract that would be spread out over four years."

Cole turned down an $8.5 million major league contract running through 2016. His agent, Scott Boras, said the pitcher projects to earn an additional $1.4 million under this deal.

"We feel Gerrit is going to be in the major leagues in a year," Boras said.

Only 10 first-round picks -- and just one among the first nine players selected -- had agreements with one hour left before the midnight deadline. By the end of the night, the only first-round pick without a deal was right-hander Tyler Beede, taken by Toronto with the 21st pick. Because he failed to sign, the Blue Jays will receive an extra-first round selection after the 21st choice next year.

Virginia left-hander Danny Hultzen, the No. 2 pick, agreed to an $8.5 million, five-year contract with Seattle that included a $6.35 million signing bonus. Dylan Bundy, a high school right-hander selected fourth by Baltimore, got a $6.25 million, five-year contract.

Among the lower rounds, the Chicago Cubs agreed to a $1,275,000 signing bonus with California high school outfielder Shawon Dunston Jr., an 11th-round pick. His father was the No. 1 overall pick by Chicago in 1982. The Cubs also agreed to a $375,000 bonus with seventh-round selection Trevor Gretzky, the baseball-playing son of hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky.

Dereck Rodriguez, son of the 14-time All-Star catcher Ivan Rodriguez, agreed to a $130,000 deal with Minnesota. D-Rod was a sixth-round pick.

Boras was negotiating for the top pick for the third straight year after reaching agreements with Washington for pitcher Stephen Strasburg ($15.1 million over four years) and outfielder Bryce Harper ($9.9 million over five years).

Three years ago, Cole decided not to sign after the Yankees selected him with the 28th overall pick. He was 6-8 with a 3.31 ERA for the Bruins as a junior, but the Pirates decided his potential outweighed his latest statistics.

The deal was reached about 15 minutes before the deadline.

"There was an ebb and flow to them all night," Huntington said. "At times, everything seemed to be going really well and then there would be times where we seemed to be moving apart."

Pittsburgh also gave a $5 million deal to second-round pick Josh Bell, a high school outfielder from Dallas who had said he was committed to attending the University of Texas.

"After the draft, we had the opportunity to sit down with Josh and his family and let him know what our organization is about and how we operate," Huntington said. "We made it clear that we would really like him to be part of our organization. We left with the idea that they were open-minded and that if we were able to reach a financial agreement that both sides were comfortable with that he would be willing to begin his professional career with us."

Boras also negotiated a $7.5 million signing bonus for high school outfielder Bubba Starling with the Kansas City Royals, and a $7.2 million, four-year major league contract for Rice third baseman Anthony Rendon with the Washington Nationals, a deal that would be worth up to $10 million, including an option year. Starling was the fifth overall pick and Rendon sixth.

Boras' son, California high school third baseman Trent Boras, failed to reach an agreement with the Milwaukee Brewers. Trent Boras, a 30th-round pick, will attend the University of Southern California.

Scott Boras spoke with Brewers owner Mark Attanasio and general manager Doug Melvin in the hours before the deadline.

"We made the decision long ago that we wanted him to go to college," Scott Boras said. "The Brewers gave us every courtesy of working with him."

With two outs in the bottom of the first inning Tuesday night, Phil Hughes took a breath, steadied himself and peered in against White Sox designated hitter Carlos Quentin, a sler who has hit 20 home runs this season.

Even so early in the game, it was an important moment for Hughes, who had not been explicitly told that he was pitching for his spot in the Yankees’ rotation but certainly knew the gravity of his situation.

On Monday, one day ahead of what many expected to be his final audition in the competition with Ivan Nova, Hughes had vowed to be more aggressive with his fastball, using that pitch to set up his others and, when necessary, to finish off a hitter. This was a perfect opportunity to follow his plan.

Against Quentin, Hughes wasted no time. After throwing a 91-mile-per-hour fastball for a strike, he fired three more fastballs at 95 m.p.h., the third one freezing Quentin for a called third strike to end the inning. Quentin argued, to no avail, and Hughes walked slowly off the mound toward the Yankees’ dugout, satisfied with his execution and on his way to his best performance in more than a year.

Hughes allowed no runs and three hits over six innings, his first shutout performance in a start since May 12, 2010, as the Yankees beat the White Sox, 6-0, in a rain-shortened game that was called in the middle of the seventh inning.

“It was great,” Hughes said afterward. “Obviously this year hasn’t gone the way I would have liked, but I just tried to get back to basics and do what I do well.”

Hughes was backed by another explosive night from the Yankees’ hitters. Mark Teixeira set a major league record by hitting home runs from both sides of the plate in the same game for the 12th time in his career. It increased Teixeira’s season total to 31, marking the eighth straight year that he has hit 30 or more.

“It’s not easy,” Teixeira said of his switch-hitting record. “You don’t get a lot of opportunities to drive the ball from both sides of the plate in the same game, so I’m pretty proud of it.”

The game was delayed twice, first for 45 minutes before first pitch (when the forecast was poor but there was no rain), then again for 57 minutes before it was called (when a thunderstorm did, in fact, rip across the sky above U.S. Cellular Field).

After Russell Martin, who added a home run of his own in the second inning, made the last out of the top of the seventh, the White Sox players ran off the field and the umpires signaled for the grounds crew to roll out the tarp. Hughes, however, was oblivious to the delay, so he ran out to the mound, picking up the ball as if to warm up before the home-plate umpire, Ted Barrett, told him that the game was going to be stopped.

Hughes’s exuberance was understandable. He had thrown only 65 pitches, by far his most efficient performance this year. His commitment to his fastball also allowed him to mix in his changeup, his cutter and, occasionally, his curveball as he faced only two hitters over the minimum.

Earlier this season, when Hughes was flummoxed by a mysterious loss of velocity (eventually attributed to shoulder inflammation), he went away from his fastball because he lost confidence in its effectiveness. After working his way back from a stint on the disabled list, he is rediscovering the strength of repertory.

“We saw that, and we haven’t seen that this year,” Girardi said of the velocity on Hughes’s fastball. “That’s why we’re not always in such a hurry to judge. We want to see what we’ve got from guys.

“I’ve been saying he’s basically a couple weeks out of spring training his last few starts. This is something that we can build on. We need to talk about it, but he was very good tonight.”

What comes next for Hughes is a lingering question. Coming into the game, Hughes could have been considered a considerable underdog in his battle with Nova, who is scheduled to pitch here Thursday.

Although Hughes has a greater track record with the Yankees (he won 18 games as a starter last year), Nova has clearly been better this season, going 9-4 with a 4.01 earned run average through 18 games. After this week, however, Manager Joe Girardi said, it is likely that one of them will either be headed to the bullpen or Class AAA.

After Hughes’s performance, Girardi was not ready to make any declarative statements, though he did indicate he might push off a decision for another week. Of course, Nova is still yet to pitch.

“Maybe we stay at six-man rotation through another time,” Girardi said. “I don’t know what we’re going to do at this moment, but I’m happy with what I saw tonight and I really liked it.”

Girardi was surely pleased by what he saw from the Yankees hitters, too, as they had immediate success against starter John Danks. Robinson Cano drove in the game’s first run with a R.B.I. double in the first inning, and Martin crushed his 11th home run of the season to left in the second. Teixeira’s first home run — batting right-handed — was a two-run shot in the third inning, and his second, batting left-handed, came off reliever Jason Frasor in the seventh.

The way Hughes was pitching, it was more than enough. The only downside to the evening, Hughes said, was the rain. With such a low pitch count, Hughes said he could have pitched a nine-inning complete game, and that is why he went out to the mound for the seventh. He was hoping the umpires might change their mind about calling for the grounds crew.

“I was just hoping they wouldn’t run me over with the tarp,” Hughes said.

So far, in the battle of two of the league's worst offenses, Oakland is outdoing the punchless Mariners when it comes to utter futility.

The A's ran their string of innings without a run to 18 on Friday at Safeco Field in a 4-0 loss to the Mariners. Making his fourth big-league start, Michael Pineda worked six scoreless innings for Seattle, which had shut out the A's 1-0 the night before behind Felix Hernandez.

The last time the A's were blanked in consecutive games was May 13-14, 2008, at Cleveland. The A's have lost three in a row, a season high.

Kevin Kouzmanoff missed home plate on the A's only real scoring opportunity, in the fifth, and was tagged out by catcher Miguel Olivo. Then the A's had the bases loaded in the ninth - something of an accomplishment in itself of late - but Brandon League got pinch hitter Conor Jackson to ground into a game-ending double play.

The A's are batting .236, the last-place Mariners .224. The A's 66 runs are second-fewest in the league, after the Twins, who are tied with the A's for the fewest homers, eight.

"You can't pout," Oakland second baseman Mark Ellis said. "No one feels sorry for you. But you know we're going to come out of it. Everyone in here can hit a little bit, and sooner or later we will. But it's not fun wasting a lot of good starts, games you could be winning. You hope that doesn't hurt you down the road."

Tyson Ross, who turned 24 Friday, made his first start of the season, pitching in place of Dallas Braden, who is on the disabled list with left shoulder stiffness. Despite some control issues, Ross allowed only one run through the first four innings, but things started to unravel in the fifth when he gave up a leadoff single to Jack Wilson, then a one-out walk.

Jerry Blevins took over and walked two more, including ex-A's designated hitter Jack Cust with the bases loaded, and Adam Kennedy slapped a two-run single to center. The total damage charged to Ross: four hits, four walks and three runs in 4 1/3 innings.

"The fastball command wasn't close to where it was in the spring or really close to where it needs to be," A's manager Bob Geren said.

Ross said he'll work between starts on staying on top of the ball, but, he said, he needs to get better at adjusting during the game when he starts getting on the side of the ball too much, the reason he felt he wasn't in the zone enough.

Pineda, 22, held Oakland down for the most part, even though at this point, it's hard to tell if it's the opposing pitching or the A's anemic attack that is more responsible for the string of zeros. Oakland had been shut out the previous night by reigning Cy Young winner Hernandez, and sometimes there's a carryover effect.

"That's a tough 1-2 combo," Ellis said. "And any time you face a guy for the first time, it's more difficult. He's really got a great arm."

Brad Ziegler got two strikeouts to end the fifth; he worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings and is unscored upon in all seven of his appearances this year.

Torii Hunter stood before his locker in a corner of the Angels clubhouse Thursday afternoon and joked about getting some T-shirts made.

"They're going to say OG on them," he said, drawing a line across his chest with an index finger. "That's supposed to stand for Original Gangster. But mine are going to stand for Old Goat."

A couple of hours later Hunter showed that, old or not, this goat is not ready to be put out to pasture just yet, collecting two hits, including a long fourth-inning home run to start the Angels on their way to a 4-2 season-opening win over the Kansas City Royals.


While Jered Weaver set the mood on the mound, holding the Royals to two singles by Melky Cabrera through 61/3 innings, it was Hunter who led the way everywhere else. Not only did his fourth-inning home run give them a lead that they never relinquished, but he also stifled a potential Royals rally in the sixth with a spectacular diving catch of a Mike Aviles' fly ball just inside the right-field line.

"My whole career, that's what I always wanted to be," he said. "That guy, that table-setter. That guy that sets the tone and makes everything go."

Last summer's move to right field led some to whisper that Hunter had lost a step, that his game was in decline. It's a quiet criticism that Hunter now uses as motivation — even after driving a full-count pitch to the base of the scoreboard in center field more than 440 feet away.

"I still go out and play and I play hard. I've still got it," spat Hunter, who at 35 is the Angels' second-oldest regular. "No matter if I have a bad day or not, I'm going to push that other guy to have some fun and play the game. Maybe he'll help us win."

Two innings after Hunter got the Angels started, Jeff Mathis followed with a solo homer of his own, his first since July. And with Mathis turning 28 on Thursday, it made him just the third player in history to hit an opening-day home run on his birthday.

That also helped give Weaver a 4-0 lead to work with. But when the right-hander surpassed 100 pitches an inning later, he was lifted with one out in the seventh — and that's when the fun began.

Last season no American League bullpen walked more batters than the shaky Angels', and the team's relievers proved to be in midseason form Thursday, starting with Hisanori Takahashi, who gave up a home run and two singles in the span of four batters in the seventh.

Kevin Jepsen gave up another home run, two walks and a wild pitch to start the eighth before yielding to Michael Kohn, who walked his first batter to load the bases before wiggling out of the jam.

Fernando Rodney then survived an equally shaky ninth, putting the tying run on base in the ninth before striking out Alex Gordon on a foul tip to end the game.

Weaver, watching from the safety of the clubhouse, said he couldn't help but grow nervous.

"We made it interesting a little bit," he said. "But those guys made pitches when they needed to. So that was a good way to start the season."