DETROIT - Justin Verlander is doing his best to take Max Scherzers departure in stride.Yes, the Detroit Tigers will miss Scherzer, one of the games top right-handers. But his exit via free agency was by no means a shock.Obviously you dont want to see a teammate go, but you can kind of see it coming too, Verlander said Thursday. I think once that deal was turned down last year, I think the probability of him coming back went way down. Thats the nature of the sport.Scherzer signed with the Washington Nationals this week after a five-year run in Detroit that included four division titles, a Cy Young Award in 2013 and strikeout totals that even Verlander had a hard time keeping up with. Now the Tigers will try for a fifth straight AL Central championship with a retooled rotation that also lost Rick Porcello. This may be the first time in a while that Detroit isnt a solid favourite to win the division.Scherzer turned down a lucrative deal with the Tigers before last season, and he ended up signing a $210 million, seven-year contract with the Nationals.Obviously, you lose a player of that calibre, its always tough. I think this organizations been preparing for that since last year, and I think if anybody, this staff has the capability to lose a guy of that calibre and still not miss a beat, Verlander said at the start of the Tigers winter caravan. I think were still going to be one of the best staffs in baseball, if not the best. Youve just got to perform. I know Ive got to pitch better and I will.Verlander was the American League MVP in 2011 and remained dominant the following year as well, but his performance dipped a bit in 2013, and last year he went 15-12 with a 4.54 ERA. At this time last year, Verlander was recovering from core muscle repair surgery, so hes hoping a more normal off-season will help.The rotation has been the backbone of the Tigers success over the last few seasons, but it looks a lot different than it did at the beginning of 2014. Detroit acquired star left-hander David Price at last years trade deadline, sending starter Drew Smyly to Tampa Bay in that deal. The Tigers then traded Porcello in the off-season for Boston outfielder Yoenis Cespedes.Detroit also traded for right-handers Shane Greene and Alfredo Simon this off-season, and its those two newcomers who now face the daunting task of replacing Scherzer and Porcello.I have a lot of expectations for myself, and theyre probably higher than most peoples expectations for me, said Greene, who went 5-4 with a 3.78 ERA as a rookie for the New York Yankees last year.Price may be the key to Detroits division title defence. The Tigers can look forward to having him for a full season, although he can become a free agent at the end of it.Price went 4-4 in 11 starts with the Tigers, but he ended last season on a good note, shutting down Minnesota in a division-clinching victory in Game 162. He also pitched well in his lone playoff start, although the Tigers were swept by Baltimore in the AL Division Series.We want to pick up, not where we left off last year, but we want to continue the success that the Tigers have had in recent years, Price said. We want to build on that as well and be the last team playing in October.Losing Scherzer was certainly a setback, but it doesnt have to be a crippling one.I talked to Max the day it kind of broke. Max is a good guy. Hes got a great sense of humour, Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said. I was happy for him. I kind of knew, it kind of seemed all along that he wasnt going to be coming back here as a Tiger, so Im just glad he went to the National League.NOTES: Ausmus said hes been in touch with slugger Miguel Cabrera, who had off-season surgery on his right ankle. Hes out of the boot, as of a week ago maybe. Hes in shoes, Ausmus said. Hes got another appointment mid-February, just before spring training, and were hoping that all goes well, and the doctor says he can really start doing some stuff on it. Oscar Klefbom Jersey .com) - The Milwaukee Bucks will try to get another win on this homestand Thursday night when they welcome the Utah Jazz to the Bradley Center. Brandon Manning Jersey .ca. Hi Kerry, Love reading your column and loved watching your analysis on the TSN broadcasts!And were now in Round 2! Bruins! Canadiens! We know all about the great games of the past from the players, the broadcasters and the writers. https://www.cheapoilers.com/1745s-ryan-nugent-hopkins-jersey-oilers.html .C. -- Carter Ashton had a pair of goals and added an assist as the Toronto Marlies downed the Charlotte Checkers 5-2 on Saturday in the American Hockey League. Jari Kurri Jersey . - Chelseas 1-0 win at the Etihad, spoiling Manchester Citys perfect home record continues to be the talking point of the week. Alex Chiasson Jersey . Which is to say, the top of this years draft class is not as dynamic or exciting as the 2013 class of Nate MacKinnon, Sasha Barkov, Jonathan Drouin and Seth Jones and its not as strikingly promising as the highly-anticipated 2015 slate of Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin.KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Kansas City Royals might have found their answer at second base. The Royals and veteran Omar Infante reached a tentative agreement on a four-year contract Friday night, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the contract. The deal was first reported by Fox Sports. Royals general manager Dayton Moore has said throughout the off-season that upgrading at second base was a priority. Kansas City used six players at the position last season, though none did enough to make the Royals feel comfortable moving forward. Infante, who turns 32 on Dec. 26, would stabilize second base in Kansas City for the first time in years. He hit .318 with 10 homers and 51 RBIs in 118 games for Detroit last season. Infante received substantial interest from the New York Yankees, who were seeking a replacement for Robinson Cano. But the Yankees were hesitant to give Infante more than three years, and the Royals decided to give the versatile infielder an extra year to help consummate the deal. The Royals signed left-hander Jason Vargas to a $32 million, four-year deal in November to help replace Ervin Santana, who is likely to sign elsewhere in free agency. The deals for Vargas and Infante push the notoriously frugal Royals beyond $90 million in payroll for next season — a club record, assumingg they dont make any moves to trim salary.dddddddddddd Moore has said he expects payroll to be "about the same" as last season, which was roughly $82 million. But hes also said the Royals can be flexible if the right opportunity arises. Infante played all of his games at second base for Detroit last season, but the former All-Star also has logged significant time at shortstop and third base while playing a bit in the outfield. Hell play the majority of his time at second base in Kansas City, where Emilio Bonifacio, Jamey Carroll, Chris Getz, Johnny Giavotella, Elliot Johnson and Miguel Tejada each tried to fill in last season. They combined to hit .243 with just four home runs. The fallback plan for the Royals was to go into next season with Bonifacio as their primary second baseman, but hell likely become a utilityman now. The Royals are certainly familiar with Infante from having watched him play for their AL Central rival Detroit. Infante came up with the Tigers in 2002, and then was traded to the Cubs and Braves before landing back in Detroit two years ago, when he helped the Tigers win an American League pennant. Infante is batting .279 with 74 homers and 421 RBIs over his 12-year career. Hes never played more than 149 games in a season, and missed more than a month last year with an ankle injury that occurred when the Blue Jays Colby Rasmus slid aggressively into his leg. ' ' '