Die Anpflanzler [DA] » far as strength and

CLEVELAND -- After going through a rocky April, the Cleveland Indians got more bad news before even playing a game in May. All-Star second baseman Jason Kipnis was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained side muscle prior to Fridays game against the Chicago White Sox. Kipnis injury is expected to sideline him from three to five weeks. Losing Kipnis is yet another setback for a team thats struggled in several areas. Cleveland has lost six straight and is in last place in the AL Central. The Indians have yet to resemble the club that made the playoffs as a wild-card team in 2013. While one poor month doesnt guarantee a losing season, general manager Chris Antonetti knows its time to see some improvement. "There is obviously urgency," he said. "We want to try to turn things around as quickly as possible. Regardless of what the immediate results are, we need to play better as a team, really in all facets. Im confident well do that." Kipnis injured his oblique during an at-bat in the fourth inning of Tuesday nights loss to Los Angeles. He had an MRI on Thursday that showed the injury was more serious than originally thought. "Its not one of those ones you can play through," Kipnis said. "You have to let it fully recover because if you push it and re-injure it, youre right back at step one." The 27-year-old Kipnis is hitting .234 with three homers and 12 RBIs for the slumping Indians, who went 0-6 on a West Coast trip against the San Francisco Giants and Angels. "Trust me, watch how much this training staff hates me after about a week," he said. "As a player, you never like watching the game and not be able to help out the team. Hopefully, Ill get back out there as soon as possible." Kipnis signed a six-year, $52.5 million contract at the start of this season. His injury was the low point of a trip during which the Indians scored 13 runs and batted .183. "That probably wasnt our most fun road trip," manager Terry Francona said. "Unfortunately, we managed to do some things every game that didnt help us win." In an effort to break the slump, pitchers Corey Kluber and Cody Allen wore chicken outfits while standing in the outfield during batting practice Friday, but the Indians numbers havent provided many laughs. Cleveland is 12th in the AL in runs scored and leads the league with 26 errors, resulting in 17 unearned runs. Opening day starter Justin Masterson is winless in six starts, and several key hitters, including Carlos Santana, Nick Swisher and Asdrubal Cabrera, have struggled. Catcher Yan Gomes, who signed a six-year, $23 million contract in spring training, has made seven errors after committing three last season. "Teams are going to go through stretches of the season where they dont play great," Antonetti said. "There are going to be ebbs and flows to the season." "I believe well find a way to dig ourselves out of what weve dug," Francona said. The Indians recalled infielder Jose Ramirez from Triple-A Columbus. Ramirez has a .319 average with four homers and 17 RBIs in 23 games for the Clippers. A running back is like a city bus. If you miss one, just wait five more minutes and another will come along. This rather harsh maxim is something thats been said on many a draft day of the position. It reflects the mindset of a pro football team that there are so many talented players at that spot, it should be relatively easy to find a replacement should one go down with an injury or retire. The Toronto Argonauts are hoping thats the case because Chad Kackert has been forced to step away from his starting job after breaking his lower leg in a non-contact practice just before last years Eastern Final. Replacing a back of his talent will not, despite the adage, be easy. Sporting a lengthy vertical scar on the outside of his left leg, starting just above the top of his shoe, Kackert said he found out a couple of days ago that camp would be a no go. "I expected to come back and be on IR (injured reserve)," said Kackert, "but I understand the circumstance of the league. I dont want a handout, I dont want to come onto a team and just take a paycheque while Im sitting around not helping anybody."Kackert has been named the teams strength and conditioning coach and was in attendance as the Argos opened their full camp at York University on Sunday. "Im going to rehab. I mean I want my leg to get better...who wants to walk around on a gimp leg for the rest of their life?" continued the 27-year-old. "If its sooner rather than later then Ill reevaluate, but as of right now Im going to get my leg better and I going to coach this team as far as strength and conditioning goes." If Kackerts career is over it was certainly an eventful one. He was named the starting running back in 2012 amid a firestorm of controversy when Cory Boyd, the leagues leading rusher at the time, was unceremoniously cut by the club during the bye week. Kackert took over and led the team to the 100th Grey Cup, where he was named the games Most Outstanding Player. Scott Milanovich benefited from Kackerts play, but now the head coach must carry on without him, something that he was prepared for. "I wasnt expecting him to be here (at camp) as a player," said Milanovich. "It was a very serious injury, particularly with his style of play, using his quickness and his speed so we were planning all along, to unfortunately have to replace him." The coach underscored the importance of Kackerts role on the team, not only on the field, but in the locker room, where his intangibles will still be present in his new coaching role. On the field, life goes on. The Argos currently have six other tailbacks in camp. Canadians Anthony Woodson and Brendan Gillanders would be long shots to start. Another Canadian, this years first-round draft pick Anthony Coombs, is "absolutely" a possibility to be the starter, according to the coach.dddddddddddd. The other three are Americans. Steve Slaton is a former starter with the Houston Texans who was a Heisman Trophy finalist with West Virginia, Jeremiah Johnson is a one-time star at Oregon, while Curtis Steele is back for another year. Steele saw some game action last season when Kackert was injured. His best game was against B.C., when he rushed for 74 yards on 12 carries and scored a pair of touchdowns. Milanovich says that experience will help him in his quest to become the starter, although the competition is wide open. "Curtis has an advantage because hes been here and hes been in the offence," said the coach. "It could be any of those guys at this point." Steele took reps with the first team on Sunday, something he may not have envisioned because he didnt find out about the severity of his teammates injury until the night before camp opened. Like Kackert said about his paycheque, Steele doesnt want anything handed to him. "It just means that you have to come here and work even harder," Steele told TSN.ca. "I thought Kack was going to be back this year, now (the starting spot) is up for grabs. Every day counts, every rep counts, so you just have to come out and give it your all." Its been an interesting calendar year for the University of Memphis product, who got his first taste of the Canadian game, before getting married in April. How much did last years experience help him prepare for this opportunity? "It was huge," said Steele. "I learned so much last year. The plays (this year) are coming to me faster, Im doing less thinking, and thats what I was aiming for for this year. I dont want to think as much so I can just feel comfortable and just make plays and just play." Coombs is the wild card here. A decade ago a Canadian would be a long shot to start at running back, but with two of the leagues best backs, Jon Cornish and Andrew Harris, being Canadian, the adage that a home-grown product wasnt talented enough to play that position has been proven to be a myth. Can the University of Manitoba product continue the trend? He knows he has a lot of work to do. "Things go a lot quicker in the backfield and you have to stay patient. You have to stay calm and focus on your steps and your aiming point and make your read and go. Once I get comfortable with that I think the skys the limit." He quickly added something about the passing game that will make his coaching staff and quarterback smile ear to ear. "We (the backs) are more concerned with the protection because if you cant protect Ricky Ray, you wont be running no routes (laughs) so thats the first thing." With the "Kack Attack" gone, the battle to replace him becomes one of the more interesting subplots to an already fascinating training camp. China NFL Jerseys Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap Basketball Jerseys Online Stitched Hockey Jerseys Wholesale Baseball Jerseys Football Jerseys Outlet College Jerseys For Sale Cheap MLB Jerseys Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys For Sale Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' '