Dein erstes Forum » in the first series when Carey Price

ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Braves did everything they could over the last year to find a team willing to trade for struggling second baseman Dan Uggla. There were no takers. Ugglas frustrating, four-year tenure with the Braves ended Friday when the team requested unconditional release waivers on a former starter still guaranteed over $18 million for the remainder of this year and next. "Weve been very active making calls for the last month," general manager Frank Wren said. "We got to a point where we realized that this was probably our only avenue." Uggla received the news during an early afternoon meeting at Turner Field with Wren and manager Fredi Gonzalez. "He was professional, just like he always has been and always will be," Gonzalez said. "Now he goes out and he can explore other opportunities. Somebody will give him a chance, and we wish him the best of luck." In his fourth season with the Braves, the 34-year-old Uggla was batting .162 with two home runs and 10 RBI in 48 games and 130 at-bats. He had a 33-game hitting streak in 2011, the franchises second-longest, but also struck out 495 times in 451 games over the last three years. Uggla was benched permanently on May 28 when the Braves purchased the contract of second baseman Tommy La Stella from Triple-A Gwinnett. The teams patience with Uggla appeared to wear thin last Sunday when he was suspended one game for reporting just 30 minutes before the start of a game at the Chicago Cubs. Uggla, a three-time NL All-Star, hit .179 with 22 homers and 55 RBIs last year and underwent corrective eye surgery last summer. He struggled so much that he was left off the post-season roster after losing his job to Elliot Johnson, a journeyman claimed off waivers in late August. The Braves reinserted Uggla as the starter at the beginning of spring training this year, but he hit .212 in April and .080 in 25 at-bats during May. "It wasnt because he didnt prepare or didnt work hard," Wren said. "He did all those things, so I cant answer what happened from a performance standpoint." The Braves recalled utility man Tyler Pastornicky from Gwinnett to take Ugglas spot on the 25-man roster before Fridays game against Philadelphia. Atlanta acquired Uggla on Nov. 16, 2010, when Wren traded infielder Omar Infante and reliever Mike Dunn to the Marlins. Wren soon signed Uggla to a five-year contract worth approximately $62 million. "When we made the deal, right-handed power was of the most difficult things to acquire," Wren said. "It was the perfect fit at that time. Even the first year, Dan hit 36 home runs, and we felt like this was the perfect match. It didnt continue to fit as well." After meeting with Wren and Gonzalez, Uggla spoke with several teammates before leaving the clubhouse seemingly for the last time. "Its obviously a tough day for me," first baseman Freddie Freeman said. "He was beloved by everybody in this clubhouse. He came in here every day and worked hard. He already told us he wants us to go on. Its definitely going to take a while for me (to get over)." Added right fielder Jason Heyward: "He always hustled, did not complain one time, wanted to be in the lineup. Theres not enough good things we can say about him." With 67 games remaining, the Braves are tied for first place in the NL East with Washington. Wren likes the makeup of his roster now, but will continue to consider ways to improve before the trade deadline later this month. "We have some really good pieces and we have some good, young players (in the minors) that we think can help us in the second half," Wren said. "Well look for ways to improve our club internally, maybe externally, but we do think that the foundation of a real good ballclub is here." Vans Shoes Outlet Uk . Alen, 28, hit .315 with five home runs, 59 RBI and a career-high nine stolen bases for the Goldeyes last season. He is the longest serving catcher in Goldeyes history, having already spent five seasons with the organization. Wholesale Vans Shoes . Orlando is to begin play in the MLS for the 2015 season. Kaka, who currently plays with AC Milan, is expected to be loaned out to his home club Sao Paulo for the upcoming season before joining Orlando for next season. http://www.vanssaleuk.com/. The 26-year-old slider from Calgary posted a time of 50.464 seconds, 0.573 seconds back of leader Natalie Geisenberger. The German led the overall World Cup womens standings this season and continued her dominance by putting down a track record time of 49. Cheap Van Shoes Wholesale . A larger-than-life personality known for his intimidating style in the 18-yard box, Schmeichels career spanned some 20 years -- including a memorable tenure at Manchester United. Vans Shoes Uk Sale . He had spent 16 days on the disabled list before being activated Thursday. He was batting just .203 when he came to bat in the 11th inning on Sunday.Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn.ca. Hi Kerry, In Game 2 of the Canadiens-Bruins series, could you explain how the interference to Tuukka Rask by Brandon Prust, which appeared to prevent him from getting back into position and be ready for Mike Weavers shot (which produced Montreals first goal) differed from the situation you described in the first series when Carey Price was interfered with and - as you answered then - was correctly waved off as a no goal? Thanks!Rhonda McClure Rhonda: The primary difference between the two plays, both of which resulted in significant contact with the goalkeepers inside their crease, is that Brandan Prust was pushed/cross-checked from behind onto Tuukka Rask by his defenceman (Andrej Meszaros) which negated interference on the goalkeeper as spelled out in rule 69.1 (If an attacking player has been pushed, shoved or fouled by a defending player so as to cause him to come into contact with the goalkeeper, such contact will not be deemed contact initiated by the attacking player for the purposes of this rule, provided the attacking player has made a reasonable effort to avoid such contact.) Prust had no opportunity to avoid contact with Rask after being shoved from behind by Meszaros. It is also important to note that Prust did not delay in getting up off Rask and then immediately vacated the goal crease. On the other hand, Alex Killorn of the Tampa Lightning initiated contact with Carey Price when he crashed the net with a deke and attempt to jam the puck past Price. (David Desharnais was behind Killorn but did not push, shove or foul the Tampa player so as to cause contact with Price as Meszaros did to Prust!) Following contact with Prices skate and pad Killorn rotated and fell into the back of the net. IIf the puck were to have entered the net on this segment of the play the goal should be disallowed based on the goalie interference initiated by Killorn.dddddddddddd. Alex Killorn suffered double jeopardy once the second incident of contact in the blue paint was clearly initiated by Price when the goalie launched himself into Killorn as the Tampa player was attempting to vacate the crease. This action by Price demonstrates the flaw in rule 69.3 which states; "If a goalkeeper, in the act of establishing his position within his goal crease, initiates contact with an attacking player who is in the goal crease, and this results in an impairment of the goalkeepers ability to defend his goal, and a goal is scored, the goal will be disallowed." Following this allowable contact initiated by Price the goalie was unable to regain his position to defend the subsequent shot and the referee disallowed the goal. There is definitely a need to tweak rule 69.3 when a goalie initiates contact with an attacking player. It might even require that the referee(s) exercise their best judgment to determine the intent of the goalkeepers actions when contact is initiated inside the crease. If contact is legitimately initiated "in the act of establishing his position" to defend a shot then the goalkeeper should be entitled to that protection. If contact is initiated by the goalkeeper for any other purpose, as Carey Prices actions might indicate here, then a goal scored following this "incidental" contact should be allowed to stand. Given the glove hand/arm contact initiated inside the crease by goalkeeper Henrik Lundqvist onto the stick of Evgeni Malkin, perhaps the referees are already exercising their judgment in this area? Based on the current rule James Neals goal that rolled down Lundqvists back following his contact with Malkin should have been disallowed. ' ' '