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TORONTO - When a season doesnt go as planned, a team drastically underperforms on expectations, inevitably the time comes when a player-media spat makes its way into the public realm. Jim Eisenreich Jersey . If you had July 4 in your office pool, congratulations. Hours after going on a Toronto radio station Thursday morning to call into question the persistent criticism hes received from broadcast analysts and former major leaguers Gregg Zaun and Dirk Hayhurst, J.P. Arencibia stood by his comments before a large media horde at Rogers Centre. "I said what I felt," said Arencibia. "I said what I said this morning and I dont regret anything. I think that, again, I feel like me, myself and my teammates feel the same way. "Part of you guys is to be critical," he continued. "Youre not going to talk about every good thing. Youre not going to talk about this guy running the ball out hard. Youre not going to talk about the "sexy" things about the game. Obviously, controversy and negativity is sometimes part of the job. I think that was my point and I feel like I said what I needed to say." Zaun, a former catcher who played for the Blue Jays from 2004-2008, and Hayhurst, who pitched for Toronto in 2009, have regularly criticized Arencibias handling of the pitching staff, his defence and his offensive approach. Entering Thursdays series finale versus Detroit, Arencibias .216 batting average ranked 152nd out of 157 major league players with enough plate appearances to qualify. His .244 on base percentage ranked last among 158 qualified hitters. Arencibias 15 home runs leads all major league catchers but eight of them came in April, as did 16 of his 38 RBI. His WAR rating, which calculates a players value to his team above a minor league replacement, is 0.2. Defensively, Arencibia leads the majors in passed balls (10). Analysts in Toronto and elsewhere have opined on his pitch-framing abilities and his game-calling. Arencibia is a work in progress, hell admit as much, and says hes among the first to arrive and last to leave the ballpark. Whether its watching video or poring over scouting reports, Arencibia says hes constantly preparing. Behind the plate, Arencibia is a workhorse, having caught all but two games not started by R.A. Dickey. The knuckleballer has a personal catcher, first Henry Blanco and now Josh Thole, otherwise its likely Arencibia would have played in some of those games. "Im not going to sit here and say Im excited or should be patted in the toosh for what Ive done but I also think there are a lot of things that go unsaid," said Arencibia. "Its just unjust sometimes. I think, obviously, were not where we wanted to be. The season hasnt gone with the high expectations and that stuff but I think theres nothing specific. Its over a period of time I was making a point of what was being said." After suggesting that because Zaun and Hayhurst played professional baseball, they should have a better understanding of the daily rigours, Arencibia called on both to become more accessible to the players. "I was able to talk to Dirk today," said Arencibia. "I told him, you know hey, you can say what you want to say. Just be around the guys more. Come in. Why was it the first time that youve shown face, today, when something was said? Thats my point. They were both on the other side of the game, they both understand the way it works, I understand its part of their job. Again, why is it the first time that they come around? Why arent they around our team? Probably because theres a little bit more to that." "You never see either one of them, thats a fact," said manager John Gibbons, who identified Arencibia as the clubs "whipping boy". "Where that goes, people view that as gutless. If youre going to write things, you show up. Thats just the way it is, thats how these guys view that stuff. If youre going to take your digs, youve at least got to be around. Thats the way (the players) think." Arencibia is 27-years old but still hasnt hit the three-year anniversary of his major league debut. Highly touted, he made a splash in his debut on August 7, 2010. In that game, a 17-11 win over Tampa Bay, Arencibia went 4-5 with two home runs and three RBI. It seemed the great expectation was set from the get-go. Now, while he struggles for a prolonged period of time, his ceiling has come into question. Kind of like the Blue Jays, version 2013, isnt it? Curt Simmons Jersey .5 million contract with the right-handed reliever. Ziegler revealed the agreement via Twitter, saying hes "really excited to stay in Arizona for a couple more years, at least. Maikel Franco Jersey . Tensions rose in the first period when Penguins defenceman Brooks Orpik hit Bruins forward Loui Eriksson with what appeared to be a clean hit. https://www.cheapphilliesjerseys.us/987n-john-vukovich-jersey-phillies.html .2 million deal for the upcoming season with right-hander Garrett Richards.The person spoke on condition of anonymity Saturday because the announcement hadnt been made. SYLVAN LAKE, Alta. -- Sven Baertschi knows he has to back up a smart decision and a pivotal goal with many more of both to be a regular in the NHL. The Calgary Flames forward scored with nine seconds remaining in the second period Wednesday to deadlock a pre-season game against the Arizona Coyotes. After a scoreless third, Curtis Glencross scored the overtime winner for Calgary in a 4-3 victory in Sylvan Lake, Alta. Baertschi came off his final major junior season to join the Flames playing out the string in 2012. Calgarys first-round pick and the No. 13 selection in 2011 inflated expectations with three goals in his first five games with the team. The 21-year-old Swiss forward has played more games in the American Hockey League than with the parent club in the two seasons since then. When Brian Burke joined the Flames a year ago as president of hockey operations, he wasnt complimentary of Baertschi with comments like "big holes" and "lack of commitment." "I realized a little while ago now, coming into the league, its a different game and every decision you make has got to be the right decision," Baertschi said. "Ive been working on it really hard and doing a lot of video. Its the little details out there I want to do right. "I think Im making some really good decisions with the puck. Im not being selfish out there, but Im trying to hold onto the puck a little longer. Its something Ive been working on all summer, so its paying off now. "I want to prove I can play in this league." Sylvan Lake won this years Kraft Hockeyville contest, which included a grant of $100,000 for arena upgrades, as well as the right to host an NHL pre-season game. The community of 13,000 is just west of Red Deer. With a capacity of just under 1,000, the Sylvan Lake Multi-Plex was full and speckled with a few blue Oilers jerseys among red Flames shirts. Local products Glencross and defenceman Kris Russell added to the sense of occasion by combining on the overtime winner. Glencross, who grew up in Prevost, re-directed Russells shot from the blue-line for a power-play goal at 3:50. Russell is from nearby Caroline. The roof of the aging Sylvan Lake Arena next door to the Multi-Plex collapsed in January. The city intends to raise $2 million for a multiplex redevelopment project. "Russ and I both skated in the old barn quite a bit back in the day," Glencross said. "He made a great shot and I got lucky enough to get my stick on it." Deryk Engelland and Brian McGrattan also scored for the Flames, who are 2-1-0 in the pre-season. "I told the players this morning remember those people coming to the game, they had to fight real hard to get this game," Flames head coach Bob Hartley said. "Im sure there were lotss of other great cities that could have this game and since its very close to our market, I think we owed this game to the fans. Bob Boone Jersey. " B.J. Crombeen had a goal and an assist and Matt Kassian and Joe Vitale also scored for Arizona. Defenceman Chris Summers had two assists, but was serving a holding penalty when Glencross scored the winner. Calgary killed off three Arizona power-play chances in the third period and to start overtime. Arizona goalie Mike McKenna stopped 25 of 28 shots through two periods in his first pre-season action. Brendan Burke turned aside seven of eight in the third and overtime. Burke is the son of Arizona goaltending coach Sean Burke, who played 18 seasons in the NHL. After 11 saves on 14 shots, Calgarys Joni Ortio was replaced after two periods by Doug Carr, who stopped all 12 he faced in the third and extra period. McKenna got a piece of Baertschis sharp-angled shot as the second period wound down, but the puck trickled under the goaltenders arm and into the net. "A game like tonight, I think I was really comfortable and didnt make too many bad decisions," Baertschi said. "For me, one of the things Ive been working on is figuring out when to pass and when to shoot. Thats a big part of decision making. At that point, I knew I didnt have any support coming from behind and it went in and I was happy." Arizona led 3-2 at 3:06 when Brandon Gormleys shot from the top of the face-off circle deflected off Crombeens leg and into Calgarys net. Flames enforcer McGrattan scored at 1:59 when he banked in a goal-mouth pass from Markus Granlund. With Calgary trailing 2-0, Edmonton native Engelland threaded a high wrist shot through traffic to halve the deficit with a power-play goal at 19:06. Arizonas Vitale batted a rebound out of the air by Ortio at 12:58. Kassian, another Edmontonian invited to Arizonas camp on a try-out contract, also scored on a rebound from the slot at 8:56. The Coyotes finished one spot out of a playoff berth last season at 37-30-15, while the Flames were well out of the post-season at 35-40-7. "We all know and it doesnt really mean nothing right now, but we played 49 games last year decided by one goal," Hartley said. "I keep repeating to our guys, we have to keep making big strides and learning to win those types of games. Come Game 1 of the regular season, whatever we will have done here as a result will not count, but if we can learn those little details well be a better team." Wednesdays pre-season game was the first of three in as many days for the Flames, who host the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday in Calgary and play in Vancouver on Friday. The Coyotes are in San Jose on Friday to face the Sharks and are in Vancouver on Monday. ' ' '