TORONTO - Twenty playoff-free seasons and counting may lead one to conclude the Blue Jays are stuck, spinning their wheels, in a culture of defeat. Aaron Altherr Jersey . Just dont expect general manager Alex Anthopoulos to wade into this particular fray. "I guess it depends what you define it as," said Anthopoulos during Tuesdays media gathering. "When youre losing, youre losing but I dont define it that way. To me, it comes down to none of those players in there dont not want to perform and not want to do well and not want to win games. You guys are in there when we dont win. I dont think anyones happy about it. No one likes coming to the ballpark. Wed prefer to win. I think that goes without saying." With 60 wins in 134 games, the Blue Jays are on pace for 72 or 73 victories. That 73 number is key in two areas: first, it would mean 89 defeats and the avoidance of the clubs first 90-loss season since 2004 and only the sixth in franchise history (the first four happened in the post-expansion years from 1977-1980). Anthopoulos routinely consults with manager John Gibbons, Gibbons says hes offered repeated input on the teams shortcomings over the course of the season, and feels he has a handle on some of the intangible issues plaguing the club. The problem is different people have different opinions on something like leadership and whether the clubhouse lacks a true spokesman. How should leadership be defined? Does leadership matter in a sport like baseball? "Weve talked about that," said Anthopoulos. "We just dont know how far to take it. There have been some subjective things. "Ive been here in years past where players get a label of this or that and then they go somewhere else and they do well," he continued. "I just think its a dangerous, slippery slope and you have to be careful. I think a lot of it comes down to production. When a players production slips now the other aspects of his game come out. Its amazing how much our opinions of players change when the production changes." Anthopoulos, for as long as its his choice, appears prepared to stand behind his manager. It will be up to the general manager, more than anyone else, to ensure 2014 isnt a repeat of this lost season. "I still believe we have the makings of a good team that needs work, that needs changes and that needs health," said Anthopoulos. "We didnt play the way we expected to. I think that goes without saying. Id say not only the way that we as an organization did, I think almost everybody across the game, in baseball, expected us to be a good team." JANSSEN ON RIVERA From one closer to another, Casey Janssen marvels at the continued success and the career put together by Yankees legend Mariano Rivera. "Just how professional hes been on and off the field," said Janssen. "How hes carried himself in arguably the biggest baseball city in baseball. Not only that, hes come through more times than not in his career. To have the saves lead is great for him and just an honour to watch him and a pleasure to be able to play on the same field as him." Rivera spent an hour with 20 Blue Jays employees before Tuesdays game. Hes conducted similar audiences in each road city over the course of this, his final season in baseball. Janssen, like almost every pitcher in the history of baseball, has more than one pitch in his repertoire. How does he feel about Riveras ability, since 1995, to get hitters out with his one pitch, the cut fastball? "Its amazing," said Janssen. "I wish I could learn that pitch I guess. I dont know what he does. Id love to stand in the box one time. Its not going to happen, but just to see what makes it so different. Hes got a gift. Its effortless. He seems to pitch in every situation that hes called upon to pitch. Hes the best." INJURY UPDATES - Colby Rasmus (strained left oblique) didnt begin baseball activities on Monday, as scheduled, after suffering a setback. The Blue Jays cant set a timetable for Rasmus return until his injury heals. At the moment, the club believes Rasmus will play again this season. - Steve Delabar threw a scoreless inning for the Gulf Coast Blue Jays on Wednesday morning. It was Delabars first game action since August 2 in Anaheim. He was placed on the disabled list the next day with right shoulder inflammation. - Dustin McGowan was scheduled to throw a side session in Dunedin on Wednesday as he rehabs a strained oblique. - Josh Johnson visited with famed orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews, who confirmed the previous diagnosis of a strained right forearm. Andrews has ordered Johnson two weeks of rest, effectively ending any chance the right-hander will return to the Blue Jays this season. - Brett Cecil, who missed the Yankees series with a tired left shoulder, says hell be ready to pitch when the Jays open a series with Kansas City on Friday. Chuck Klein Jersey . A fully booked flight forced me to leave two hours later. After a nice meal in which I studied the stats of the Argo win, I prepared to leave the restaurant. As I was gathering my things to leave many large individuals began to walk up and wait for tables. Greg Luzinski Phillies Jersey . The win gives Canada its fifth title at the World Sledge Hockey Challenge. "Weve got to keep pushing," said Westlake, who led Canada with five goals in the tournament. "The second you let off the pedal, everyone catches up. http://www.baseballphilliesofficial.com/steve-carlton-jersey-c-23/ . The Kings paraded the Stanley Cup through downtown Los Angeles on Monday to celebrate their second NHL title in three seasons.DALLAS -- Chandler Parsons and the Houston Rockets made it two straight over a Texas rival without James Harden. Parsons scored 26 points, and the Rockets almost blew a 12-point lead in the final 4 minutes before hanging on for a 117-115 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night. Seven Rockets scored in double figures on a night when they had just 10 players in uniform. Dwight Howard had 21 points, and Jeremy Lin added 18 and seven assists. "When hes out, we have a more balanced attack," Parsons said of Harden. "We run our sets and get the best shot available. When hes not there, we dont go one-on-one as much." The Mavericks cut a 12-point deficit with 4:08 remaining to just two and had a chance to win, but Jose Calderon missed a pair of 3-point tries in the final seconds. Dirk Nowitzki had 38 points and a season-high 17 rebounds, but was the only Dallas starter in double figures. "We shouldnt be putting ourselves in those situations where were fighting back the whole game," Calderon said. Harden was out again with a bruised left thumb a night after Houston beat San Antonio to answer consecutive losses to Memphis. The win over the Spurs came in a season-high third straight game with fewer than 100 points, but the Rockets broke that streak on a pair of free throws by Parsons with 7:08 remaining. "They were two big games for us, especially after losing two to Memphis," Parsons said. The Rockets, who were also without centres Omer Asik and Greg Smith and forward Francisco Rodriguez, took a double-digit lead with a 9-0 run midway through the fourth quarter. Lin, who also grabbed seven rebounds, had a pair of layups to get the run going. Patrick Beverley finished it with a 3-pointer that made him the seventh double-figure scorer and put Houston up 107-95. Dallas was still down seven with 1:20 remaining when Vince Carter hit a 3-pointer, and Nowitzki made two free throws with 22 seconds left. Calderon knocked away the inbound pass, and the ball went off Houstons Aaron Brooks after he chased it down. With a chance to tie or winn, Nowitzki was working for a shot before deciding to pass to Calderon. Tim McCarver Jersey. His first try from 3 was short and he missed again just before the buzzer after running down the rebound. "We came over to double-team Dirk to make sure Dirk didnt beat us," Rockets coach Kevin McHale said. "Calderon had a look, but fortunately he missed." Donatas Motiejunas had his first career double-double with 12 points and a career-high 13 rebounds for the Rockets. Houstons win split the four-game series between the teams and put the Rockets 4 1/2 games ahead of the Mavericks for second place in the Southwest Division. The Spurs are in front. Five days after scoring a career-high 34 points against Memphis, Parsons also had five assists, including an inbound pass for a layup by Brooks with just 0.9 seconds on the shot clock in the third quarter. Howard had a season-low five rebounds but made seven of eight free throws in the last five minutes, most of those with the Mavericks fouling him on purpose to try to get back in the game. He was 9 of 11 from the line. "I dont know how many times they blew by us, but Im glad we started fouling Howard because I was starting to get the chills over there from all of the blow-bys," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. "It saved our guys the embarrassment of getting blown by two or three times in a row." Calderon and Monta Ellis combined for 14 points and made just 5 of 22 from the field for Dallas, which got 22 points from Carter and a season-high 14 for the third straight game from Devin Harris. "In true Houston form, we let them come back," Lin said. "Were happy to sneak away with a win. We always seem to let it go down to the wire." Notes: Nowitzki became the 13th player in NBA history with 26,000 points. John Havlicek is next on the scoring list at 26,395. ... Second-year Rockets F Terrence Jones was selected to the Rising Stars challenge over All-Star weekend. The 22-year-old has started 38 games and more than doubled the scoring and rebounding averages from his rookie season. NFL Jerseys Wholesale Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys 2020 Wholesale NFL Gear China Jerseys Cheap Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys China ' ' '