ERST LESEN! » ngham minds.Im not a pigeon hat

The Texas Rangers were interested in Alex Rios before last weeks non-waiver trading deadline. They really needed him after losing All-Star slugger Nelson Cruz. Texas acquired the Chicago White Sox right fielder Friday after putting in an earlier waiver claim for Rios, and four days after Cruz was suspended for the final 50 games of the regular season. "Hes good for us, and we had interest in him prior to learning of Nelsons suspension and continued to have interest in, and were able to work out a deal," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said on a conference call. "We had interest either way." The Rangers also got cash while sending the White Sox a player to be named later or cash. Cruz, the 2011 AL championship series MVP, was among 13 players disciplined Monday by Major League Baseball following its investigation into the Biogenesis clinic accused of distributing banned performance-enhancing drugs. He was leading the Rangers with 27 home runs and 76 RBIs. Going into a four-game series at Houston starting Friday night, the Rangers had won nine of 10 games. Texas, a playoff team the past three seasons, made up six games in the AL West in that span to tie Oakland for the division lead. Daniels said Rios wasnt expected to make it to Houston for the start of the series opener, but should be in the lineup Saturday. The Rangers have to make a 25-man roster move when the 32-year-old Rios reports. Rios is batting .277 with 12 home runs, 26 stolen bases, 55 RBIs and 57 runs scored. He joined the White Sox after he was claimed off waivers from Toronto on Aug. 10, 2009. "For myself, Im going to go to a team thats fighting for first place and I think thats going to be refreshing," Rios said. "Theyre trying to win the division and go to the playoffs, so lets see what happens." Another benefit for Texas is that Rios is signed for $12.5 million in 2014 with a club option of $13.5 million for 2015. Cruz and David Murphy, another corner outfielder, are both eligible for free agency after the season. "That certainly adds a layer to it for us," Daniels said. Asked how the acquisition of Rios might affect Cruzs future with the Rangers, Daniels responded, "Ones not related to the other" and that the team would make a decision on the potential return of Cruz at the appropriate time. "Thats not now," Daniels said. "Right now, were focused on putting the best club we possibly can out there, and its an unrelated situation." White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said it wasnt easy trading Rios. "Its difficult to let a player like Alex Rios go," he said. "He in my opinion was outstanding for us on and off the field during his stay in Chicago." The Rios trade is the next step for the retooling White Sox, who went into Fridays day-night doubleheader against Minnesota last in the AL Central. "We looked so good in spring training, we actually thought we were going to be contenders," Rios said. "Its just bizarre what happened. I cant point a finger at what exactly happened. Its just one of those years." Rios departure creates an opening for Avisail Garcia, the promising outfielder acquired from Detroit as part of a three-team deal that sent Jake Peavy from the White Sox to Boston before the July 31 non-waiver deadline. Garcia was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte, where he hit .370 in eight games. The trades also give the White Sox some economic flexibility to use on the draft, international players or free agency. "Its going to go to making the big league club better for the long haul, no doubt," Hahn said. "One of the positives of an unfortunate season like this is were going to have an opportunity to spend a lot more money on amateur talent. Thats going to be the first couple of line items next year -- what we spend on the draft and what we spend on that internationally. Even after that, given the flexibility thats opened up, there will be the opportunity whether it be via trade or free agency to perhaps take on even more money." Texas manager Ron Washington called Rios a solid outfielder and tremendous base runner. His 26 stolen bases were tied for sixth in the AL with Rangers centre fielder Leonys Martin, and four behind team leader Elvis Andrus. "What it does is just add to what the dynamic already is here," Washington said. "I dont think the void that Nelson left can be filled. (Rios) is a solid baseball player and we just want him to come in and play his game. He fits in well, extremely well." ------Nike Air Presto Off White Shop . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011. Nike Presto x Off White Shop .C. -- Charlotte Bobcats coach Steve Clifford said after all of these years in the NBA hes still amazed at some of the things LeBron James does. http://www.airforce1justdoit.it/ . -- The boos poured down on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots at the end of a horrible first half. Nike Air Force 1 Just Do It Uomo . But now that hes in the NHL, the Calgary Flames centre showed big improvement in that department by scoring the winner in the eighth round of a 5-4 shootout victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday. Nike Air Presto Italia . Irving scored 23 points, Tristan Thompson had 20 points and 10 rebounds and the Cavaliers beat the Denver Nuggets 117-109 on Friday night.NEW YORK -- A flock of newcomers quickly swoops into Yankee Stadium and suddenly a team that wobbled all season turns into a playoff contender.So exactly whos gotten the New York Yankees flying so high? A rookie slugger, a fresh set of pitchers?Sure, theyve helped. But maybe its something more.Pigeon power , outfielder Aaron Judge said. Theyre fueling us.OK, go ahead and laugh. Then look at the Yankees record lately -- against the Blue Jays and Orioles, no less -- ever since dozens and dozens of pigeons began descending for picnics at the park.Besides, if the Royals can have a Rally Mantis, the Angels a Rally Monkey and the Cardinals a Rally Squirrel, why not a good-luck pack of pigeons?Sometimes, these birds arrive early, searching for new seeds that keep the grass so green and fresh. More than 85 of them recently roamed the yard before batting practice.Often, they stick around for the game, hardly ruffled by the balls that go whizzing past them.In the sixth inning last weekend against Tampa Bay, six gray pigeons lounged in medium left-center field, a half-dozen hung out in shallow center and seven others strolled in right-center. No surprise, moments later the Yankees hit back-to-back home runs to break open a scoreless game.Theyre fearless, longtime head groundskeeper Dan Cunningham said.Speedy, too.I dont worry about them too much because theyre pretty fast, star center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury said. They can take care of themselves.No birds have been hit yet. Certainly nothing like that spring training episode many years ago when a fastball by Randy Johnson struck a dove in mid-flight. And they arent pesky, like the seagulls that hover around AT&T Park late during San Francisco Giants games.Scorned and shooed away all aaround town, these pigeons relax at The House That Ruth Built.dddddddddddd Oh, and they seem to prefer day games.When line drives get too close, they simply flap away and settle somewhere else, perhaps on the warning track in deep center or near the foul lines. Or they take off toward the scoreboard and stay there for a while, with a birds-eye view.Weve been watching them fly overhead, more and more of them, reliever Tommy Layne said. You just hope they dont unload on you.Cunningham said the birds come for the seeds that maintain the combination blue and rye grass. The stadium hosts the Yankees and the New York City FC team in Major League Soccer, making for a lot of reseeding late this summer.Plus, players who spit sunflower seeds provide tasty snacks.Overall, thats brought more and more feathered fans in the last month. Not that Cunningham minds.Im not a pigeon hater, he said. Its New York, theyre part of the scene here.A month ago, Judge homered in his first major league at-bat. He fits into the Yankees wave of the future, along with Gary Sanchez, Tyler Austin and the fittingly named Greg Bird.Judge has grown accustomed to sharing his surroundings with the other birds in right field.Actually started noticing them maybe about a week ago. Kind of started showing up in little bunches, he said. Started out with five or 10, now its 20, 30, 40. Just a big bunch of them out there now.I go for a ball in the gap, they start flying everywhere. Could cause a little bit of havoc, he said.Then again, pigeons have always had a place in this city.I dont mind them, Judge said. A little company in the outfield. ' ' '