Anaschid » after missing the first three playoff games to recover

DETROIT -- Prince Fielder was placed on the disabled list Friday, days before he is scheduled to have season-ending neck surgery. The move by the Texas Rangers came a day after the team said Fielder would have cervical fusion surgery Tuesday for the herniated disk in his neck. General manager Jon Daniels said he expected a second opinion to confirm the initial recommendation for the operation. It is the first time the durable first baseman has been on the DL in his career. Before a nerve root block injection to treat his neck last Saturday, Fielders 547 consecutive games played was the longest active streak in the majors. Fielder, who turned 30 earlier this month, missed only one game the previous five seasons and hadnt missed a game since Sept. 14, 2010. Fielder went on the 15-day DL, retroactive to May 17. Infielder Donnie Murphy was recalled from an injury rehab assignment and activated for the game against the Tigers. Mitch Moreland was set to start at first base, where he played last year before the trade for Fielder pushed him toward the designated hitter role. "A big blow for us as a team, losing him in the middle of the lineup," Moreland said. "But weve been dealing with adversity all year." Moreland hit 23 home runs last season. He was hitting .275 entering Friday nights game at Detroit. "Prince is on the DL. We dont have him," manager Ron Washington said. "And theres nobody who can replace him, so let Mitch Moreland be Mitch Moreland. Dont even mention Mitch Moreland in the same breath with a Prince Fielder." Murphy was placed on the disabled list May 8 with a neck strain. He was hurt when he tripped at first base trying to beat out a ground ball the previous day against Colorado. He played six games on an injury rehab assignment at Triple-A Round Rock, and Friday was the date he was eligible to return to the roster. The Rangers have a majors-high 13 players on the disabled list. They have had 17 DL placements this season, also the most in the majors. Fielder hit .247 with three home runs and 16 RBIs in 42 games in his first season with the Rangers. The only time he has played fewer games was when he appeared in 39 as a rookie in 2005 with Milwaukee. The Tigers, meanwhile, sent minor league infielder Francisco Martinez outright to Double-A Erie, a move that cleared room on the 40-man roster for right-hander Corey Knebel. Knebels contract was purchased by the Tigers from Triple-A Toledo. Jerseys From China . A day after FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke said three stadiums would not be ready in time for the Dec. 31 deadline, Brazilian officials said they actually plan to deliver all six remaining venues after that date. They claim only three are delayed, with the other three being handed over after the expected date only because of problems accommodating the schedule of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who wants to be present for the ceremonies. 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Cheap NFL jerseys China . -- Louisville backup quarterback Reggie Bonnafon ran for two touchdowns and passed for another and the No.TORONTO -- The Toronto Marlies have enjoyed plenty of success so far in the 2014 American Hockey League playoffs, sweeping their first two series to secure a spot in the Western Conference Final. But despite their perfect 7-0 post-season record, the Marlies wont be taking their next opponent, the Texas Stars, lightly. "We know were not going to win every game," said centre Peter Holland. "If we are going to make it to the Calder Cup (final) and were going to make a push like that, we know were not going to sweep the whole way through. Thats just not realistic." Texas (48-18-10) is the reigning Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy winner with the leagues best regular season record. The Stars roster also boasts the leagues MVP in Travis Morin and Rookie of the Year in Curtis McKenzie. Morin leads the Stars in playoff scoring with two goals and eight assists in nine games, followed closely by Mike Heddens five goals and four assists. The series begins Friday in Cedar Park, Tex. The Stars, like the Marlies (45-25-6), swept their first round matchup against the Oklahoma City Barons and then used six games to dispatch the defending Calder Cup champion Grand Rapids Griffins. Marlies head coach Steve Spott was in Texas Sunday to see the Stars down the Griffins 7-1 in the series clincher. "Theyre the No. 1 team in the league, were an underdog, lets not kid ourselves, were an underdog," Spott said. "I sound like Bruce (Boudreau) right now in Anaheim, but we definitely are, were underdogs, we understand that, but weve been underdogs since Sept. 1 in this league." Spott, who was the head coach of the Kitchener Rangers from 2008-13 before joining the Marlies, has coached or coached against as many as six members of the Stars organization including forwards Radek Faksa and Hedden, both of whom played for the Rangers. "Theyve got depth, theyre well coached and its going to be a heck of a series," said Spott. "I think these are two premiere clubs in the league the way theyre playing right now and its going to be a tough series. I think weeve been searching for adversity.ddddddddddddI think were going to find it and its going to test our identity." The Marlies were 2-2-0 against the Stars this season losing both meetings at Cedar Park Center. Toronto was out-scored 11-2 in the losses. Spencer Abbott and Josh Leivo each had three points during the season series while Marlies leading playoff scorer Jerry DAmigo had two goals and Greg McKegg added three assists. Drew MacIntyre, who has a 1.56 goals-against average and a .949 save percentage in the post-season, appeared in all four regular season meetings, posting a 3.00 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage. An area of concern against Texas could be Torontos power play, which went 1-for-14 during the season series. In the playoffs, though, the Marlies have the top-ranked power play among teams currently playing at 25 per cent efficiency. "Weve really got to make sure our special teams are on top of it cause they can win or lose you games at this time of the year," said Holland. "Weve got to make sure our power play is scoring goals for us and our penalty kill is stopping them." Holland, who has four goals and six points in four games after missing the first three playoff games to recover from injury, didnt play in the regular season series. Spott says Holland is a key ingredient to the power play. "When you drop in Holland and you drop in Abbott, your power play becomes a lot better," said Spott. "What we do is overrated sometimes. We can put in the plan, but theyve got to execute it. "When theres something not there, Peter Holland can create something so I think thats what makes the difference. " Game 2 of the series goes Monday in Texas before moving to Toronto for Games 3-5 beginning May 28 at Ricoh Coliseum. Notes: Defenceman Andrew MacWilliam (upper body), who was injured in Game 3 of the Chicago series, will be a game-time decision for Game 1. Spott said forward Tyler Biggs has been battling a stomach virus, which caused him to lose 11 pounds in a 24-hour period this week. ' ' '