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Its tough enough for the Blue Jays to be playing in the American League East to get even a sniff of the postseason. Then youve got to worry about the other up and coming teams in the two weaker divisions in the "Junior Circuit". If you had to peg one team whom the Blue Jays will have to reckon with in 2014, it would be Kansas City. The Royals finished with an 86-76 record a year ago and missed the playoffs. However that record was 12 games better than the Jays 74-88. One bad month really cost KC a spot in the playoffs a year ago. They went 8-20 in May. Every other month, they were over .500 including 17-10 in September. Kansas City scuffled a bit to score runs in 2013 averaging four per game, but the Blue Jays werent all that much better at 4.40 runs per game. The big difference was in runs allowed by the starting rotation and the bullpen. The Royals starters had an ERA of 3.87 to the Blue Jays 4.81 which was well above the American League average of 4.17. As highly touted as the Blue Jays bullpen was, its ERA of 3.37 was no match for the Royals 2.55. This is in part because of the Royals spacier ballpark, but KC only gave up 155 home runs over the course of the season to the Jays ugly total of 195. If you want to talk team speed, the Blue Jays stole 112 bases, which was better than the league average of 95, but the Royals were even better swiping 153. You could argue the Royals will be even better in 2014. Although they lost Ervin Santana as a free agent, they added durable lefty and former Angel Jason Vargas to plug into the rotation. They also have an elite closer in Greg Holland who saved 47 out of 50 a year ago and a workhorse starter to lead the rotation in James Shields, who through 228.2 innings last season. The Royals also upgraded at second base and right field. They filled a major hole at the keystone by signing former Tiger Omar Infante to a four-year deal worth $30.25 million and traded for speedy right fielder Norichika Aoki, who will take over as their leadoff hitter. KCs secret weapon might just be 22-year-old right-hander Yordano Ventura. Though only 511", he throws consistantly in high 90s and has been known to hit between 100 and 102mph on occasion. Hes already earned a spot in skipper Ned Yosts rotation and is being touted as one of the top candidates for rookie of the year. Since Pittsburgh made the playoffs last season, Kansas City and the Blue Jays are the two teams that have gone the longest between post-season appearances. The Royals havent made it since they won the World Series over St. Louis in 1985. The Blue Jays of course, havent made it since winning their second straight World Series in 1993. The Blue Jays play the Royals seven times this season, from April 29 through May 1 in Missouri and then back in Toronto from May 29 through June 1. Those are seven games of their first 58 that could well prove whether the Jays are good enough to contend for a Wild Card spot, or which team of these two will wind up with the longest postseason drought when the 2014 season is all said and done. Around Spring Training Injuries turned right-hander Josh Johnson into arguably the biggest disappointment of the Blue Jays season a year ago. Unfortunately his luck hasnt changed much in San Diego. The 30-year-old right-hander is going to be out 4-to-5 weeks with a strained right forearm. Tough blow for the Texas Rangers. Their young second baseman Jurickson Profar is out 10 to 12 weeks with a slight muscle tear in his right shoulder. Profar was expected to shoulder the load at second since Ian Kinsler was dealt to Detroit as part of the Prince Fielder deal. Profar hasnt proven himself as a big league hitter yet, but his glove and arm are world class. Yes, its only spring training, but the Yankees have got to be a bit concerned that Derek Jeter is only hitting .114 and Mark Teixiera only .120. Great to see David Ortiz is probably going to end his career in Boston. After all hes been pretty much the face of the franchise for the last 10 years. Ortiz agreed over the weekend to a one-year, $15 million extension for 2015. He also has a vesting option for 2016 and there is a club option for 2017 by which time Ortiz will be 42 years old. Erik Bedard is looking for new gig. The 35-year-old southpaw and native of Navan, Ontario opted out of his deal with Tampa Bay after the fifth starters job went to 24-year-old Jake Odorizzi. Bedard just didnt want to go back to Triple-A at this stage of his career. Experienced Help We mentioned a couple of articles ago that a former Blue Jays third baseman, Roy Howell, was managing in Triple-A this season at Tacoma. Now another Ex-Jay, Tom Lawless, has taken over as interim manager at Oklahoma City in the Pacific Coast League. Lawless will be filling in for Ton DeFrancesco who was diagnosed with cancer while working in the parent Astros camp this spring. DeFrancescos cancer was caught early enough that he is expected to make a full recovery. Nike Free Cheap Online . The two-time former Formula One champion downplayed his third-place finish three weeks ago in China and said progress is going slow for Ferrari as it tries to make up ground on Mercedes. Wholesale Nike Free Australia . Appearing on TSN 1050 on Tuesday, Sean McAdam of Comcast SportsNet New England reported that the Blue Jays, along with a number of other playoff contenders were in the mix for the Boston ace. http://www.wholesalenikefreeaustralia.com/ . Spencer Abbott and Trevor Smith scored third-period goals erasing a 2-1 deficit giving Toronto a late 3-2 lead. Nike Free Shoes Australia . -- Another baseball tradition is about to largely disappear: a manager, with a crazed look in his eyes, charging the field and getting into a face-to-face shouting match with an umpire. Nike Free Sale Australia . “Momentum is only as good as the next days starter,” the long-time Baltimore Orioles manager famously quipped.MALDONADO, Uruguay - New England Revolution forward Diego Fagundez has chosen to play his international football with Uruguay — the land of his birth — and not with the United States, where he grew up and has lived since he was five.Fagundez debuted for Uruguay this month in the South American Under-20 Championship, which means he is no longer eligible to play for the U.S. at the senior level. He has a Uruguayan passport, but is not eligible for an American one for several years.Thats fine with the 19-year-old winger, who has scored 22 goals in four seasons with the Revolution and grew up in Massachusetts.Fagundez said he was enticed by playing for a country that has a rich football heritage like Uruguay and grew tired of waiting for the right American documents.He said his parents immigrated to the United States in 2000 to look for a better future.I cant say anything bad, Fagundez said in an interview with The Associated Press. My family is well and we have everything that we need to live well.Fagundez played on U.S. youth teams, but said he was eventually told that — without the right residency documents — he could not keep playing.The moment came when they told me I couldnt continue because I wasnt a citizen or a resident, said Fagundez, who speaks Spanish and English but prefers to write in English. A lot of years passed — so many years — and the situation didnt change. I was tired of waiting for the United States.Gaining exposure in Uruguay should increase Fagundezs international value, though the competition could be tough.dddddddddddd Despite a population of only 3.3 million — the greater Boston area alone has more with about 4.5 million — Uruguay produces some of the worlds top player like Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan.Fabian Coito, technical director of the Uruguay under-20 team, said Fagundez brings a foreign aspect to the side.Hes a player brought up with a different game, and aspects of his game are hard to find in Uruguayan players, Coito said. He is always linking up, plays the short pass, repeating those passes up the pitch. Its different to our style. We are very vertical, direct and looking to quickly put the ball in an attacking position. Weve always been interested in this part of his game.To the surprise of his Uruguay teammates, Fagundez loves ice hockey, a sport ignored in the small South American country.Im a hard-core fan, said Fagundez, who turns 20 next month. I love to watch it. Its a violent sport, lots of physical contact and fights. The fans are so passionate.But he said his new teammates already treat him like a brother.This biggest adjustment will be the intensity of the play.The South American game is different than the American one, Coito said. Diego will have to adapt to the style: less space and more contact.Coito said Fagundez had a great future and could eventually make the senior team.Fagundez said he had no hard feeling against American soccer officials.Right now, I dont want to play with the United States, he said. Im very happy with Uruguay and I think we can go far. ' ' '