Dein erstes Forum » out of the park, literally. The drive

DETROIT a€“ In the Maple Leafs 28-page training camp guide, Brandon Kozun, a California native, is listed at 5-foot-8 and 167 pounds, but up close he looks much smaller than that. Kozun is among the unlikeliest of final contenders to crack the NHL squad in Toronto, just another hurdle for a kid from Los Angeles to overcome. a€?As a smaller guy you obviously have an uphill climb,a€? said the 24-year-old, who moved to Calgary at age 10. a€?Ita€?s not a surprise. This is a game of men and as a smaller guy, youa€?re always going to listen to the critics say that youa€?re big enough or youa€?re not strong enough. But for me ita€?s always been a€?Ia€?m going to prove you wronga€? and try and get to that next level. Kozun has never played an NHL game, but is sure he will one day a€“ if not very soon. Therea€?s an air of confidence (but not cockiness) about him, one seemingly born from a career of being doubted, dismissed and overlooked because of his smallish stature. a€?Because of your size you get cut from certain situations and for me ita€?s always been that determination to get to that next level,a€? he said. a€?No matter what anyone says Ia€?m going to get there.a€? Of the 210 North American skaters ranked by NHL Central Scouting in 2008, an 18-year-old Kozun was nowhere to be found. He went undrafted that summer, but came back the following year and absolutely tore up the Dub, potting 40 goals and 108 points a€“ good for second in the league a€“ for the WHLa€?s top team, the Calgary Hitmen. He found his name on those rankings (150th) following that performance and was plucked up by L.A. with the 179th-overall selection at the draft in Montreal that June. Buried amongst the Kings talented prospect pool, Kozun spent three-plus seasons in the AHL with Manchester a€“ scoring more than 20 goals three times a€“ before landing in Toronto last January in a midseason trade that sent Andrew Crescenzi to L.A. Now he finds himself bidding for an NHL opportunity with the Leafs, his unlikely combination of wheels and pluckiness earning him a good, long and rewarding look. Few could have expected him to last this long and therea€?s a case to be made that hea€?s earned a spot. a€?Ia€?ve tried to just come into it with a a€?whatever happens, happensa€? mentality,a€? he said. a€?I feel like I dona€?t have anything to lose.a€? Ita€?s the skating with Kozun that first grabs the eye, a must for a player of his stature, according to head coach, Randy Carlyle. a€?Well I think thata€?s his biggest asset,a€? Carlyle said recently. a€?If you come and watch him he jumps out at you because of his speed.a€? The player agrees. a€?As a smaller guy I think you kind of need that in the game today,a€? Kozun said. a€?I think it helps me navigate around the ice. Ita€?s just part of my game. Ita€?s something I try to use as a weapon. When Ia€?m skating thata€?s when Ia€?m most effective.a€? And though he may be small, Kozun tries to play big. Hea€?s not appeared afraid or unwilling to throw around that diminutive frame, especially up the ice on the penalty kill, where hea€?s been used from time to time in the preseason. The Marlies were actually surprised to learn last season that he hadna€?t been used much as a penalty killer prior to joining their team - his ability to disrupt opposing power-plays with speed and forcefulness an obvious benefit. That was noticeable at the Joe in Detroit on Monday; Kozun broke free of the defence for a short-handed breakaway that was turned aside by Red Wings goalie, Petr Mrazek. Kozun later landed in the box for a heavy, hard-charging hit on Stephen Weiss and then replaced Matt Frattin alongside Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk, bursting past the Wings for two more good chances in the final frame. His fight is ultimately for the one of the final forward spots, likely the fourth line right-wing position occupied mostly by Colton Orr last season. With his wheels, rambunctiousness, penalty-killing ability and potential for bits of offence, he offers more tools than that of his current competition. Hea€?s outplayed that competition at camp, no less a€“ Orr, Troy Bodie, Frazer McLaren, Carter Ashton, Tyler Biggs, David Broll and even Frattin, who has had a mediocre preseason in the eyes of head coach. In question for Carlyle, his coaching staff and management is whether Kozuns assets will translate when the game rises to NHL speeds. a€?The challenge will be and is for the small guy, the smaller player in stature to make an impact,a€? said Carlyle, a€?the same impact he was making at the American Hockey League, can that continue on into the NHL against bigger, stronger, faster-skating defencemen?a€? Others of similar stature have shown recently that it can be done. Nathan Gerbe, listed at 5-foot-6 and 180, scored 16 goals last year in Carolina, killing penalties and injecting bite along the way. Stephen Gionta, 5-foot-7 and of the same build as Gerbe, remains a feisty fourth-line force for Peter DeBoer in Jersey. Kozun, for one, doesna€?t hide from the belief he has in himself or his abilities. Hea€?s confident he can get to the next level. a€?I think you have to have confidence in yourself,a€? he said. a€?If I were to tell you a€?no, I dona€?t believe Ia€?m going to get therea€? I dona€?t think I ever will. A lot of people,a€? he continued, a€?have said a lot of things that I wouldna€?t do.a€? Phil Simms Jersey .Y. -- When the New York Islanders lead was cut in half in the opening minute of the third period, the sense of impending doom began wafting through Nassau Coliseum. Michael Strahan Jersey . -- Justin Verlander took a no-hit bid into the sixth inning and won his fourth straight decision, leading Detroit over the Kansas City Royals 9-4 Sunday and extending the Tigers winning streak to a season-high five games. http://www.authenticnygiantspro.com/Mark...-giants-jersey/. -- Maple Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf has been suspended two games for his hit from behind on Kevan Miller of the Bruins. Doug Kotar Jersey . Make that, almost always subjective. Saturday at Carrow Road, the spirit of fair play trumped the rulebook, costing Norwich City three points. Harry Carson Jersey . - This is just the warm-up act for 18-year-old William Nylander.CLEARWATER, Florida – J.A. Happ got the start in the Blue Jays rain-shortened, Grapefruit League opener against the Phillies but it was Todd Redmond who left an early impression on his manager. "Redmonds like anybody else, hes going to get hit every now and then but all weve ever seen out of him is good pitching and he gets guys out," said John Gibbons. "Hes pretty polished." The 29-year-old pitched two clean innings, the second and third, striking out a batter over 22 pitches. He got the win, for what thats worth on February 26, in a 4-3 game called midway through the seventh. Redmond is among more than a half-dozen pitchers in contention for the last starting rotation spot. While not much can be made of one outing, Redmonds performance resonated following a comment Gibbons made before the game. "Usually what happens, when theres a spot open, the guy that takes it, some of those guys have those springs where theyre good all spring and theres no doubt about it ... a lot of times that guy from day one, man, hes standing out and theres no hiccups." All Redmonds ever wanted is an opportunity. Here it is, less than three months before hell turn 29. Think hes overwhelmed? Redmonds been around too long – eight minor league cities over nine seasons – to get rattled by the best chance hes had to crack an opening day roster. "Im an easy-going guy," said Redmond. "Just give me the ball, Ill go out there and pitch. Same thing as I do every day. I pitch." Redmond made 17 appearances for the Blue Jays last season, 14 of them starts. Hed only made one previous appearance in the majors, a start for the Reds in 2012 that didnt go well. Familiarity breeds a sense of comfort. "I have a little more confidence coming into camp. Of my stuff, not of me, just of my stuff. More trusting of my ability," he said. As a starter last season, Redmond slowly earned Gibbons trust, which allowed Redmond to pitch deeper into games. If hes going to succeed at the major league level, however, Redmond will have to vastly improve his numbers facing hitters for a second and third time through the order. Batters have a .627 on-base plus slugging percentage against Redmond the first time through. Redmonds OPS against spikes to .939 when the lineup turns over and .914 the third time around. He insists durability isnt an issue. "My entire career, if you look at my minor league side of it, I dont think Ive ever thrown under 160 innings a year," said Redmond. "The workload. Thats one thing I take pride in is being able to go out there every fifth day and take the ball." Redmonds almost right. In the seven seasons between 2007 and 2012, he logged at least 160 innings five times and never through less than 145 innings. Having worked a modified heavy ball program this offseason, he would typically stretch with the one-pound or two-pound weighted ball prior to throwing, Redmond says his should feels strong as he makes the push for a job in the rotation. "Hes been a good pitcher in the minor leagues," said Gibbons. "Every year hes pretty steady and he never really had that opportunity until he came here last year. If this is his year he makes it and he goes on to have a good year, hell be a big league player and I dont think there will be any looking back.dddddddddddd" DRABEK UNHAPPY WITH PERFORMANCE Kyle Drabek was visibly upset with his first spring performance, a line that looked like this: 1.2IP/1ER/1H/3BB/1K. In his only full inning of work, Drabek threw 11 pitches but only four for strikes. A candidate for that final rotation spot, he was most bothered by the lack of command. "Ive had it so good in all the bullpens," said Drabek. "Its just frustrating for me to kind of fall back into being wild a little bit. I know what I can do and thats not me." "Kyles whole thing, get it into the zone and hes fine," said Gibbons. "Hes had a long layoff through the surgery. He pitched some last year but in a lot of ways, hes been out for so long it may be something that he can build back into." The 26-year-old has a history of control problems. Hes averaged 5.8 walks per nine innings over 169 1/3 big league innings. Returning from Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery last season, Drabek vastly improved his walk rate, issuing just six bases on balls over 43 innings. BAUTISTA IMPRESSIVE It took Jose Bautista all of three pitches to appear in midseason form. He smacked a 2-0, Roberto Hernandez fastball out of the park, literally. The drive to left field cleared the Phillies bullpen, the walkway behind the bullpen and the fence beyond the walkway. "I dont know, for whatever reason, I feel like Im seeing (the ball) better," said Bautista. "Theres nothing that I could have done different. Im not going to go to play winter ball right now. Its kind of odd because I havent played since August. But Im not complaining." CABRERA LIKELY TO HIT SECOND Its not even March, everyone is healthy, and manager John Gibbons is able to envision putting together a full lineup, something he wasnt able to do all of last season. Jose Reyes will lead off and, as the plan was at this time last year, Melky Cabrera has the inside track to bat behind him. "The only real downfall is he does hit a lot of ground balls but you look at what hes done the last few years, take away last year, and hes been one of the better hitters in baseball," said Gibbons. "We like guys there that can get a lot of hits. Hes a switch-hitter, he can manipulate the bat a little bit, he knows how to do those things. Ideally, if hes the player we expect him to be, than hed be a good guy for that spot." One thing Cabrera doesnt do often is walk, an ideal trait of a two-hole hitter and something that would get him on base more often ahead of sluggers Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion. After walking 56 times in 2006, his first full year in the big leagues, Cabrera hasnt had more than 43 bases on balls in a season. A HEALTHY PERSPECTIVE Nobody wants to read about or hear about injury as an excuse for the Jays disappointing 2013 year. But a little perspective never hurt anyone, either. Last season, manager John Gibbons had these six players – Jose Reyes, Melky Cabrera, Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, Colby Rasmus and Brett Lawrie – in the lineup at the same time on only eight occasions all year. It happened over an 11-day period, starting on July 21 and ending on August 1. 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