鈥?For Saints coach Sean Payton and his players Mitch Haniger Seattle Mariners Jersey , it’s a bit of a stretch to call their return to Minnesota a rematch.Sixteen games have passed since Week 1, when the Saints needed a late, inconsequential touchdown just to reduce the Vikings’ victory margin to 10 points.New Orleans has lost numerous players to injuries. Other players have grown into more significant roles. Chemistry developed, and coaches became more adept at playing to the strengths and covering up weaknesses of various players. The result has been a NFC South championship and a victory in the wild-card round of the NFC playoffs.“There are some similarities in regards to scheme. But when you go through the course of an NFL season and you look at the attrition that takes place, there’s 鈥?shoot 鈥?eight or nine of our (regulars) that were playing in that game that aren’t playing in this game,” Payton said Monday. “You begin to take shape as the season progresses as to who you become.”Seven players listed as starters in Minnesota in Week 1 won’t be playing for New Orleans this weekend. Running back Adrian Peterson was traded after four games. Six others are injured: left guard Andrus Peat; right tackle Zach Strief; defensive end Alex Okafor; linebackers A.J. Klein and Alex Anzalone; and safety Kenny Vaccaro.In addition, tight end Coby Fleener, a regular in the passing game to start the season, is on injured reserve.As Payton discussed the most striking aspects of the Saints’ evolution this season, he began by highlighting “the amount of guys we’ve had to replace and the new faces that are stepping up.”Payton complimented the way linebackers Craig Robertson and Manti Te’o have handled increased roles. Robertson has two sacks, two interceptions, five tackles for losses, a forced fumble and fumble recovery. Te’o has made or assisted on 62 tacklers, including seven for losses, and has a fumble recovery.Payton also named tight end Josh Hill, guard Senio Kelemete Giants Kareem Martin Jersey , cornerback P.J. Williams and fullback Zach Line in a similar vein. Hill had a touchdown and key first-down catches in New Orleans’ playoff triumph over Carolina. Kelemete, pressed into service often this season because of injuries, filled in at guard after Peat fractured his fibula against the Panthers.Williams, a third-year pro who missed nearly all of his first two seasons with separate injuries, has two interceptions this season and saw increasing playing time in five-defensive-back formations because of Vaccaro’s injuries.Line, who scored a short TD against Carolina, wasn’t on the regular-season roster until Oct. 4.The contributions from such players have been “the most encouraging thing,” Payton said, adding that “the resiliency and the fight” of his team “is something that’s great to be around.”New Orleans’ defense, in particular, has played much better since the Minnesota loss, when the Saints gave up 470 yards and allowed the Vikings to convert nine of 14 third downs.“We’ve been playing together for a while now, so we kind of know the strengths and the weaknesses of the guys. We know how to play together, we know where people are going to be and so we’re a lot more confident,” Te’o said. “Week 1, we were a relatively young team as far as experience goes and as far as time together.”Now Adidas Eric Staal Jersey , Te’o said, “We kind of know who we are and what we can do and what our strengths are … and also what things we need to work on.”Offensively, the Saints have evolved as well, particularly with the emergence of versatile running back Alvin Kamara, who put up regular-season numbers (728 yards and eight TDs rushing, 826 yards and five TDs receiving and a kickoff return TD) worthy of rookie-of-the-year consideration. His immediate comfort with Payton’s scheme precipitated Peterson’s trade to Arizona.Meanwhile, receiver Ted Ginn, known primarily as a deep threat before the Saints acquired him in the offseason, demonstrated enough chemistry with quarterback Drew Brees as the season progressed to convert key first downs on intermediate routes as well.“I believe that we are different. We didn’t know what we had in store,” Ginn said when comparing the Saints to Week 1. “We messed around with a lot of options, a lot of different players, different things like that. But as the season went on, we kind of found our mojo.”
TORONTO — A year ago at this time, Francisco Liriano was pitching for the Toronto Blue Jays amid speculation that he would be traded.

The left-hander is again a subject of trade speculation as he returns to the Rogers Centre on Friday night as the starting pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, who will try to end a nine-game losing streak in the opener of a four-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Tigers (36-46) lost 4-2 to the Oakland Athletics at Comerica Park on Thursday afternoon. The Blue Jays (37-43) had the day off after completing a 3-4 trip with a heartbreaking 7-6 loss to the Houston Astros on Wednesday on Alex Bregman’s two-run, walk-off homer.

Both teams are expected to trade some veteran players by the July 31 deadline for deals without waivers.

Liriano (3-3 Cheap Taven Bryan Jersey , 3.94 ERA) will face Blue Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman (0-5, 6.80). Both pitchers will make their second start after returning from the disabled list.

The Blue Jays did trade Liriano on July 31 to the Astros, who went on to win the World Series. In the deal, Toronto received outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, who has become a regular.

Liriano signed with the Tigers as a free agent on Feb. 23.

He will make his 12th start of the season in the series opener. Liriano went on the DL with a strained right hamstring after making his start on May 26 and did not pitch again until Saturday when he took the loss at Cleveland, allowing three runs (two earned), four hits and three walks in four innings.

All of the runs came in a 40-pitch first inning. He did not allow another hit in the next three innings.

“I was rushing things,” Liriano said. “I hadn’t pitched in a while and I was trying to do too much, trying to do more than I can do, and I ended up missing pitches. … Everything feels great. Leg feels good, body feels nice.”

The 34-year-old has faced the Blue Jays seven times in his career, including five starts, going 1-4 with a 5.40 ERA. He last pitched against Toronto on Aug. 5 with Houston when he took the loss after allowing one run, one hit and one walk in two-thirds of an inning in relief.

In 18 career appearances, including 17 starts, at the Rogers Centre Isaiah Oliver Color Rush Jersey , Liriano is 8-4 record with a 4.03 ERA and 98 strikeouts.

Stroman also returned from the DL on Saturday when he allowed six hits and one walk while striking out five in five scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Angels. He did not factor in the decision of a game the Blue Jays won 4-1.

He had not pitched since May 8 because of inflammation in his right shoulder, a problem that shortened his spring training. Stroman believes that in retrospect he probably should have taken a couple of more weeks to build up the shoulder before starting to pitch in the regular season.

“When I’m going good, I feel like I’m pitching at 80, 85 percent and that’s where I’m at right now,” Stroman said. “Earlier in the season, I was max effort, I was pitching at 100 percent every pitch and now I’m back to being very free and easy. Once I’m free and easy, I can do whatever I want.”

Stroman said the shoulder “feels way better.”

“I’m moving way easier, I can pause, I can mess with my delivery now, I can do many things I wasn’t able to do previously in the year,” he added. “Feels great.”

In two career starts against the Tigers, he is 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA.

The Tigers won two of three games against the Blue Jays at Comerica Park on June 1-3. Detroit will try to win its first season series against Toronto since 2013. The Tigers lost two of three games at the Rogers Centre last season, the fourth straight series they have dropped in Toronto.

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