Umfragen » The ground game was important for Montreal, which

ARLINGTON, Texas - The New York Yankees have traded pitcher Gonzalez Germen to the Texas Rangers for cash, a month after acquiring him from the New York Mets.The 27-year-old right-hander had a 4.75 ERA and no record in 25 relief appearances for the Mets last year, when he was sidelined for a month because of a virus and abscess. He was 1-2 with a 4.31 ERA in 54 games with the Mets over the past two seasons.He was designated for assignment by the Mets on Dec. 15 and obtained by the Yankees four days later for cash. The Yankees designated him for assignment on Jan. 13.The trade was announced Tuesday. Brad Ziegler Jersey . The stakes were higher, the competition more fierce and the atmosphere was that of a playoff game - something the young, upstart Raptors have five weeks to better prepare themselves for or the result will be eerily similar. Custom Miami Marlins Jerseys . But Josh Bailey scored the shootout winner to lead the Islanders to a 3-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens in a battle of the Eastern Conferences two worst teams. http://www.marlinsteamproshop.com/Marlins-Jose-Fernandez-Kids-Jersey/ . Though the 26-year-old said he was able to participate, coach Dwane Casey kept Johnson out as a precaution. Jeff Locke Jersey . -- Kevin Harvick pulled away on a restart with 47 laps to go and ended Chase Elliotts two-race winning streak in NASCARs Nationwide Series with a dominating victory early Saturday at Richmond International Raceway. Martin Prado Jersey . The No. 23 seed at the first Grand Slam event of the tennis season has worked out all the details, from his training regime right down to where hes going to eat dinner.HAMILTON - Andy Fantuz wont know until Sunday morning if hell suit up for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the East Division Final. The veteran slotback has missed Hamiltons last three games with a torn hamstring but was placed on the 46-man roster Saturday. Fantuz plans to get to Tim Hortons Field early, warm up then meet with Ticats coaches and doctors to decide if hell face the Montreal Alouettes. You can watch the Eastern Final live on TSN1, TSN3, TSN4, TSN5 and TSN GO at 12pm et/9am pt. Im preparing to play, well see how it feels once I get running around and warm up, said Fantuz. I think its going to be a gametime decision but I am preparing to play. Weve been repping it all week without me so theyll be ready to go if I am not ready to. If I am, its just a bonus. Sundays winner will advance to the Grey Cup game Nov. 30 in Vancouver. Hamilton is looking to make a second straight trip to the contest while Montreals last appearance in the CFL title game was in 2010 when it beat Saskatchewan 21-18 in Edmonton. Fantuz was hurt Oct. 17 in a win over Ottawa. He missed Hamiltons final three regular-season contests, including its 29-15 home victory over Montreal on Nov. 8 that earned the Ticats top spot in the East Division. The six-foot-four, 221-pound Fantuz was Hamiltons second-leading receiver with 62 catches for 639 yards and three touchdowns. Fantuz, 30, of Chatham, Ont., practised sparingly this week, taking limited reps with the starting offence Friday. Andy was healthy enough to put on the roster, Ticats head coach/GM Kent Austin said. Is he healthy enough to play four quarters or start? Were still determining that. I cant say he wont play or that he wont start but I cant say how much hes going to play either, if at all. Austin said hes not worrying about the uncertainty of Fantuzs status. He didnt take really any reps this week so its not like the other guys arent prepared, Austin said. The thing about Andy is he knows our offence and hes very smart so theres trustworthiness with Andy as it relates to a lack of repetitions. We know he will be assignment sound even with few reps if he plays. You dont always have that with other players. Ticats quarterback Zach Collaros would prefer Fantuz be in the lineup. Hes been a great player in this league for a long time and theres a reason for it, Collaros said. His size causes problems for people. Hes a physical guy and theyre a physical football team so thats huge to have out there as well. His competitiveness and love of the game, I think, definitely resonate in the locker-room and huddle as well. He gives me a sense of comfort out there. Collaros will make his first career CFL start Sunday but says nerves wont be an issue. Theres always tension, butterflies, but I wouldnt say nervous is the right word, he said. Nervousness is something that comes with not being prepared for the game and I think weve done a goood job all week of being prepared to go out there and do our job.dddddddddddd Im just real excited more than anything. I understand the importance of the game . . . but we feel we know Montreal pretty well. We know theyre going to throw us a curveball here and there but well adjust to it. Montreal head coach Tom Higgins said his team is prepared to face the Ticats, with or without Fantuz. As long as they play with 12 guys on the field, were OK, Higgins said with a smile. Any time you have weapons you have to be conscious of them but they have some other players whove stepped up and done a really nice job. If (Fantuz) gets the opportunity to play, well be ready. Ticats offensive lineman Peter Dyakowski will make his season debut. The six-foot-five, 315-pound Dyakowski, who in 2012 was crowned Canadas Smartest Person, missed the entire regular season recovering from a serious knee injury suffered in last years Grey Cup game. Im back on the roster, Im back in the mix, the 30-year-old Vancouver native said. Ill look to contribute any way I can . . . it may not be many chances but Im going to get a seasons worth of hits in whatever plays I am given. Running back Tyrell Sutton was a surprising omission from Montreals 46-man roster. Sutton missed last weekends 50-17 East Division semifinal win over B.C. with an ankle injury but did practise all of last week. We truly thought he had a shot, said Higgins. But it was obvious he wasnt close to being 100 per cent. Brandon Rutley, who ran for 98 yards and a TD against B.C. in his first CFL start, topped Montreals depth chart. Chris Rainey, who rushed for 78 yards and a touchdown on just three carries versus the Lions, is the other running back. The ground game was important for Montreal, which ran for 215 yards and four TDs versus B.C. The Ticats counter with a defence that allowed a league-low 76.8 yards rushing per game and two weeks ago held the Als to just 17 rushing yards. Austin said Hamiltons defence prepared this week for all three of Montreals running backs, adding Sutton and Rutley have similar running styles. Theyre both physical running backs, theyre strong, Austin said. They break tackles, they play hard so theyre both a challenge to get to the ground. Hamilton is 6-0 this season at Tim Hortons Field, which will be sold out Sunday. The weather forecast looks favourable with a high of 9 C and 60 per cent chance of rain. Wind can be a factor at Tim Hortons Field, making the opening coin flip important to gain that advantage for the fourth quarter. If the forecast of 15-kilometre winds holds true, that would be just fine with Higgins. Fifteen kilometres an hour does not affect the game that much, he said. When it starts to get to 25 and 30, then the coin toss is important. You want to win the coin toss so you have the option that in the second half youll have the wind in the fourth quarter. ' ' '