TORONTO - Kevin Pillar doesnt know how long his second shot with the Blue Jays will last but hes here, excited to play and eager to use the opportunity to showcase the strides hes made toward becoming a consistent major league player. Amongst Torontos starting outfielders, only Jose Bautista is signed for next season. Colby Rasmus and Melky Cabrera are in the final year of their deals. "I think guys like myself, guys like Anthony (Gose), know that theres potential for some openings in the outfield coming up," said Pillar. "Were really here to just take care of our business. Any time you get to go out on a big league field its an audition, not only for your team but all the other 29 teams out there. As guys who play the game we want to play in the major leagues. Ideally we want to play for the Blue Jays, theyre the team that drafted me and theyre dear to my heart but anytime you step onto the field you know its an audition for a major league job somewhere." Pillar joins the club red-hot at the plate. After stumbling out of the gate to a .114 batting average (5-for-44), Pillar has gone 38-for-97 (.392) since, which included an 18-game hitting streak. At the time of his recall, hed reached base safely in each of Triple-A Buffalos last 26 games. His nine walks represent an upward trend over his time with the Bisons last year. Pillar has struck out 16 times which, prorated, is a positive trend downward. "Just getting back, using the whole field and being aggressive in counts, hunting the heater and getting better pitches to hit," said Pillar of his early-season adjustments. "Kev, in the minor leagues last year, had a tremendous year," said manager John Gibbons. "He came up here, got his feet wet and it was a little bit of a struggle for him last year. Went back down there to Triple-A this year and really got it going again. Hes a good baseball player. A real good defender, good baserunner and the guy can hit." Like Chad Jenkins and Jonathan Diaz (the man whose roster spot he took – Diaz was optioned to Buffalo on Tuesday) the day before, Pillars travel day began in Charlotte and involved a complicated path to Toronto. He flew from Charlotte to Baltimore, changed planes and flew into Buffalo. After quick stops at his apartment to gather clothes and toiletries and at the Bisons home, Coca Cola Field, where he transferred his equipment to a bag with a Blue Jays logo, he picked up the waiting car service for the drive to Toronto. This time when Pillar arrived in the clubhouse, he knew what to expect. He knew where to go to find what he needed. Its nice to feel comfortable. "That was a huge difference compared to last time," said Pillar. "Coming in, I walked in on egg shells. I didnt really know anyone here. I was greeted with open arms. At least I knew where my locker was, I knew where things were at this time. Its definitely a different feeling this time." "Hes coming back the second time, you know the shock, now he knows what to expect, said Gibbons. "The awe of the big leagues is kind of out the way now. The first time you show up you dont know what to expect and youre kind of overwhelmed or you can be sometimes." Pillar started in centerfield in place of Colby Rasmus on Tuesday night. Rasmus is nursing a tight right hamstring, the condition of which Rasmus said was improving. After Monday nights game, in which Rasmus was removed to start the seventh, Gibbons offered that maybe Rasmus was in need of a stint on the disabled list. Rasmus is hoping to avoid the DL and by Tuesday afternoon Gibbons had changed his tone, sounding hopeful Rasmus would need only a day or two on the bench. Meanwhile, while hes here, Pillar just wants to relax. "I dont have those same butterflies that I did six months ago when I came here the first time," said Pillar. "I kind of feel like Im here on a business trip and Im prepared." 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"I have had no discussions with Chad Johnson or his representation," Popp said Friday in an email. However, he appeared to confirm a report on Twitter from TSN this week that Johnson was on Montreals negotiation list.CLEVELAND -- The Browns have released outside linebacker Quentin Groves, a special teams captain with the club last year. Groves signed with Cleveland as an unrestricted free agent last year after a season with Arizona. He was in the linebacker rotation and had a sack in the season opener against Miami. But Groves he severely sprained an ankle on the opening kickoff the following week against Baltimore and waas limited to five games.dddddddddddd. He underwent off-season surgery and had been healthy and practicing with the team this spring. Apparently, the Browns new coaching staff didnt see him as a fit in the defence. The 6-foot-3, 265-pound Groves has played with Oakland and Jacksonville. The Browns also released former Ohio State linebacker Larry Grant, who signed as a free agent last month. ' ' 's. This deserves attention, but well get it over and well get to work." Sam shared the dais with five other players taken in the sixth and seventh rounds Saturday as the draft came to a close. Snead joked that Tennessee State centre Demetrius Rhaney, taken one pick after Sam at 250th overall, should get the first question after it got lost in the hubbub Saturday. "Im not sure anybody knows we drafted Demetrius," Snead said, adding that he hoped someday that pick 249 will someday be a footnote in sports history, and not such a big deal. For Sams subsequent solo session with reporters, he was flanked by Fisher and Snead, with Rams chief operating officer Kevin Demoff joining the group. Everyone seemed eager to embrace Sam. Second-round pick Lamarcus Joyner, a cornerback from Florida State, has never had an openly gay teammate. He applauded Sams decision. "Hes a courageous young man," Joyner said. "Hes a brave young man that we need in this organization." The teams two first-round picks were first to the podium. Offensive tackle Greg Robinson, chosen second overall, sported a bow tie. Both got their due. Both welcomed Sam to the family. Robinson and Sam did a TV commercial together for a credit card company. Aaron Donald met Sam at ceremonies for the Lombardi and Nagurski awards. "Hes a cool guy," Donald said. "Hes a football player, he works his butt off and thats what you want. You want playmakers around you and hes a playmaker. Third-round pick Tre Mason, a running back from Auburn, said Sam was a "man of his own and hes entitled to do that." "Were a team and hes also a family member to me now." Sam will put on the pads later in the week when the team holds a three-day rookie orientation, much, if not all of it, closed to the media. The Rams drafted Sam even though they didnt need help at defensive end, where they have a pair of first-round picks as starters. Robert Quinn was second in the NFL with 19 sacks last season and Chris Long has been a standout since getting chosen second overall in 2008. But the Rams were well-stocked with picks, finishing with 11 selections, putting them in unique position to make history. "Shortly before we got to our pick, Michaels value as a football player was off the charts," Fisher said. "He has an opportunity now to come in and compete to try to make our team." Sam realizes its up to him to make the most of this chance, and he bristles at the naysayers who contend hes in the NFL only because he came out. "Will I make the cut?" he said, repeating a question. "You want to find out in a couple months, huh?" Wholesale Steph Curry Shoes .com) - Darius Carter and Ron Baker scored 18 points apiece to help 13th-ranked Wichita State beat Evansville 61-41 on Saturday. 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This time, the two nations meet not for the gold medal, but for a chance at it. Listen on TSN Radio as Canada takes on the United States in the semifinals at 11:30am et/8:30am pt. For Canada, the semifinal offers another chance for their talented forward corps to break out of their goal-scoring funk. Of the 13 goals Canada has scored at the 2014 Games, only six have come from their forwards. Jeff Carter of the Los Angeles Kings remains the only Canadian forward to have scored multiple goals in Sochi, having notched a natural hat trick against Austria in the preliminary round. The United States, meanwhile, has seen their offence click on all cylinders – scoring a tournament-high 20 goals through the quarter-final round. Toronto Maple Leafs forward Phil Kessel leads all Olympians with eight points and five goals through four games. He and his linemates – San Jose Sharks centre Joe Pavelski and his Toronto teammate James van Riemsdyk – have combined for 18 points so far at the tournament. The American attack has been the opposite of the Canadians thus far at the Games, with all but three of their goals coming from their forward ranks. While the Americans are expected to ice the same lineup they have employed throughout the Games thus far, injuries have necessitated a change up front for the Canadians.dddddddddddd New York Islanders captain John Tavares suffered a knee injury that put an end to his NHL season in Canadas quarterfinal game against Latvia. He will be replaced up front by Matt Duchene. Canadas Carey Price goes into the game with a .941 save precentage while Jonathan Quick is not far behind at .935. Canada has won three of their four meetings with the United States since the NHL began full Olympic participation in 1998. The United States only win came in the preliminary round of the 2010 Games. Both teams enter the semifinals at the Sochi Olympics with unbeaten records after finishing atop their respective qualifying groups. Both teams, however, have been pushed to the limit at least once by their opposition. T.J. Oshie earned his Sochi celebrity by carrying the U.S. to a shootout win over Russia in the preliminary round. Canada, meanwhile, needed overtime to beat Finland in their Group B matchup. The winner of the Canada-U.S. matchup will meet the winner of Fridays other semifinal between Sweden and Finland in Sundays gold medal game. ' ' '