Boardregeln » always a bonus for power hitters at Yankee Stadium

NEW YORK -- Free-agent catcher Brian McCann and the New York Yankees are about to complete a five-year deal worth around $85 million, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Saturday night. Cheap Nike Shoes From China . The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal wasnt finalized. The contract is expected to include a vesting option worth $15 million. The deals completion is pending a physical. In an already brisk off-season throughout the majors, the McCann move would be the first major addition for the Yankees since they missed the playoffs for only the second time in 19 years. They finished fourth in the AL East this year. The Yankees made finding a catcher a priority, and McCann was the best available. The seven-time All-Star played all nine of his big league seasons with the Atlanta Braves, hitting at least 20 homers for a sixth straight season before choosing to test the market after the World Series. The 29-year-old McCann returned from off-season shoulder surgery in April and hit .256 with 57 RBIs in 356 at-bats for the NL East champions. The Braves will receive a compensatory pick between the first and second round of the June draft because McCann turned down their $14.1 million qualifying offer. The Yankees relied heavily on career backup Chris Stewart last year after Francisco Cervelli was injured, then suspended 50 games. They had let Gold Glove catcher Russell Martin leave as a free agent in a cost-cutting move before the 2013 season. McCann bats left-handed, always a bonus for power hitters at Yankee Stadium with the short right field fence. He is a career .277 hitter with 176 home runs and 661 RBIs. The Yankees still have their own free-agent business to deal with. Star second baseman Robinson Cano is on the market and seeking a contract worth up to $300 million, and the Yankees have said they wont go that high. New York hopes to get under the 2014 tax threshold of $189 million for 2014. Not including McCanns deal, New Yorks luxury tax payroll so far is $97.1 million for seven signed players next year. Several teams have been busy since the season ended. The Detroit Tigers sent first baseman Prince Fielder to the Texas Rangers for second baseman Ian Kinsler in a swap of All-Stars with rich contracts, and the St. Louis Cardinals traded former World Series MVP David Freese to the Los Angeles Angels. Philadelphia recently re-signed Carlos Ruiz, taking another top free-agent catcher off the market. Kobe Bryant Shoes Outlet . And follow TSN.ca right through Deadline Day for all the updates. Getting Creative The Pittsburgh Penguins will try their best to acquire Ryan Kesler from the Vancouver Canucks before the Trade Deadline. Best Fake Air Max 97 . Funny, they looked like longtime friends during Pittsburghs 5-1 demolition of Dallas on Tuesday night. Quick to the puck and even quicker to the net, the Penguins top line overwhelmed the suddenly struggling Stars as Pittsburgh bounced back from a dismal weekend sweep at the hands of Philadelphia by jumping on Dallas early. http://www.wholesalenikeshoesclearance.com/cheap-kobe-bryant-shoes.html . The two-time Olympic halfpipe gold medallist informed ESPN on Monday he plans to compete in Apsen, Colo.MADRID, Spain -- Defending champion Rafael Nadal gave his clay-court doldrums a boost by reaching the Madrid Open semifinals on Friday with a dominant performance against Thomas Berdych. In the womens tournament, two-time defending champion Serena Williams withdrew with a leg injury, while Maria Sharapova ousted Li Na in the quarterfinals. The top-ranked Nadal had lost his previous two quarterfinal matches on clay for his worst run on the surface in a decade. But buoyed on by a partisan crowd, Nadal overpowered Berdych 6-4, 6-2 to advance at the Magic Box. "I brought great energy and intensity to it and thats the best news, that its my best (on clay) yet," Nadal said. "The things that, historically, Ive done well on this surface I managed to do them again today." Nadal has been improving with every match in Madrid after losing at the quarterfinals stage in preceding tournaments in Monte Carlo and Barcelona. But he showed no sign of the nerves that had uncharacteristically crept into the game of the most successful clay-court player ever as he pushed Berdych to the corners and punished him with a powerful forehand that accounted for 16 of his winners. "My play is good when Im hitting my forehand well, especially on clay," said Nadal, who is vying for his third title in the Spanish capital. "In Monte Carlo I used my backhand more and not my forehand, and when I have to hit five or six backhands in a row it doesnt help my game." Berdych, who dropped to 3-18 against Nadal, couldnt keep up in the hot sun beating down on Manolo Santana centre court. Nadal faces countryman Roberto Bautista Agut after the 45th-ranked player beat Colombias Santiago Giraldo 6-3, 6-4. David Ferrer followed Bautista Aguts victory with a 7-6 (3), 6-3 win over Ernests Gulbis to become the third Spaniard in the semis. Kei Nishikori prevented an all-Spanish lineup in the final four by beating Feliciano Lopez 6-4, 6-4 inn the late match. Air Max 97 Clearance Cheap. The win also ensures that he will become the first Japanese player to break into the top 10 when the new world rankings are released on Monday. Nishikori remained undefeated on clay this season in nine matches after winning the Barcelona Open title. The top-ranked Williams has had her left thigh heavily bandaged this week and said she injured it during a first-round victory over Belinda Bencic on Sunday. "It started to get better but, most importantly right now, I just need some time to rest and recover. Its beyond words. Its so frustrating," Williams said in a statement. "This is not the way I wanted this week to end." The withdrawal gave 2011 champion Petra Kvitova a walkover and a spot in the semifinals. The 32-year-old Williams said the injury would not keep her out of the French Open, with the defending champion tweeting she would play in Rome next week before the second Grand Slam of the season starts on May 25. Sharapova reached the semis after she rallied to beat Li 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3. Li was in control until she failed to convert two break points in the 11th game of the second set. Errors then began creeping into the Australian Open champions game as Sharapova evened the match. After an exchange of breaks in the third set, the ninth-ranked Russian broke again and then held serve to win on Lis 43rd unforced error. "It really could have gone her way today. You know, it was just a matter of a few points in the second set," said Sharapova, who came through despite seven doublefaults. "I was down, I didnt play a great first set, and I found a way to get myself in a position to be in the third." Sharapova faces third-ranked Agnieszka Radwanska in the semifinals after the Polish player beat French qualifier Caroline Garcia 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. Kvitova will face fourth-seeded Simona Halep after the Romanian ousted Ana Ivanovic of Serbia 6-2, 6-2. ' ' '