DETROIT -- Joe Nathan expects to fit in just fine in Detroit -- and now the Tigers dont have to face the closer who has dominated them more than perhaps any other in baseball. Nathan agreed with Detroit on a two-year contract with a club option for 2016, enabling the Tigers to accomplish one of their main objectives this off-season by adding one of the games most accomplished closers to the bullpen. The three-time defending AL Central champions announced the deal Wednesday, two days after trading right-handed starter Doug Fister to Washington. Terms were not disclosed. "Why would I come here?" Nathan asked rhetorically. "I think the question is, why wouldnt I? This team is ready to win. Theyre ready to win now. ... Its not just about getting to the post-season. For me, its about getting to the big one." Nathan, who turned 39 last month, has never pitched in the World Series. He had 43 saves in 46 chances for the Texas Rangers last season. Its been a busy off-season already for Detroit, which traded slugger Prince Fielder to Texas for Ian Kinsler in a move that, coupled with the trade of Fister, gave the Tigers more financial flexibility. Detroits bullpen was unsettled for much of last season. Joaquin Benoit eventually performed well as the closer, but he is now a free agent. "A very big part of what we were trying to accomplish was to get a closer," general manager Dave Dombrowski said. "This was always a goal of ours." Nathan posted a 1.39 ERA last season, then declined a $9 million option that would have kept him with the Rangers. Nathan wanted at least a two-year agreement, and the Tigers were willing to give it to him. Now that Mariano Rivera has retired, Nathan is baseballs active leader with 341 saves. Hes pitched for San Francisco, Minnesota and Texas -- and hes been particularly dominant when facing the Tigers, converting all 36 of his save chances with a 1.44 ERA. Thats more saves than any other pitcher has against the Tigers. Nathan even helped hand Detroit one of its most crushing losses in franchise history -- he pitched in relief when the Twins beat the Tigers in extra innings of a one-game playoff for the 2009 division title. "Probably the best game that Ive ever been a part of," Nathan said. "Sorry to bring it up." Nathan missed the 2010 season with the Twins following surgery on his right elbow. He struggled in 2011 but pitched well for the Rangers the last two seasons. Detroit went into last season without a set closer, and after the Tigers brought Jose Valverde back and that didnt work, they went with Benoit. He finished the season with 24 saves in 26 chances, but in Game 2 of the AL championship series, he allowed a tying grand slam by Bostons David Ortiz that was a turning point in the series. The Red Sox went on to win in six games, rallying against the Detroit bullpen again in the finale. Besides trading Fielder and Fister, the Tigers hired Brad Ausmus to replace manager Jim Leyland, who stepped down. The changes will be clear on the field next season. Dombrowski said Wednesday that Miguel Cabrera will move from third base to first -- a switch that seemed likely from the moment Fielder was traded. The Tigers are hoping Nick Castellanos can take over at third. After trading Fister, the Tigers are prepared to move promising left-hander Drew Smyly from the bullpen to the starting rotation. The bullpen will look a lot different next year, especially since Dombrowski says Benoit is unlikely to be back. Detroit declined an option on right-hander Jose Veras, and the Tigers got left-hander Ian Krol in the deal this week with Washington. Dombrowski said he wouldnt think the Tigers would be involved in any other major moves in free agency, although Detroit has been known to pull off an occasional surprise, whether its a free agent signing or a trade. The general manager was asked if the team is now better positioned to sign somebody to a long-term deal, such as Tigers right-hander Max Scherzer, who won the American League Cy Young Award this year and is a free agent after next season. "Well I wouldnt use any specific names, but Id say -- yes, we are," Dombrowski said. "You try to win in the short term, which were trying to do. Were doing everything we can. But youre also trying to maintain long-term success, so youre always trying to work on both of those things." Oakland Athletics Jerseys . Minutes before the final whistle of Sporting Kansas Citys 3-0 victory over a shorthanded Montreal Impact squad on Saturday afternoon, Saputo tweeted: "Our fans deserve better. Joe Morgan Jersey .com) - Novak Djokovic easily took care of Andy Murray to reach the final at the $2. http://www.authenticbaseshopathletics.co...hillips-Jersey/. 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Homan and her Ottawa Curling Club team downed Denmarks Madeleine Dupont 8-4 earlier in a game than went eight ends. "Its definitely nice to get some rest after playing some shorter games," Homan said. "Its nice to get some extra rest when you can." Canada was tied for second at 4-1 with Swedens Margaretha Sigfridsson behind unbeaten Binia Feltscher of Switzerland at 5-0. The logjam of countries at 3-2 included the U.S., Chinas Liu Sijia, Russias Anna Sidorova and South Koreas Ji-sun Kim. Scotlands Kerry Barr was 2-3 ahead of Denmark, Latvias Evita Regza and Germany Oona Lehmann at 1-4. The Czech Republics Anna Kubeskova was winless in five games. The top four teams at the conclusion of playoffs Thursday advance to the playoffs. Homan felt she had a read on the ice at Harbour Station by Monday night having played on all four sheets and in the morning, afternoon and evening draws. Another reason the abbreviated game against the U.S. on Monday evening was welcomed by Canada is because they are right back on the ice Tuesday morning against Latvia before facing Scotland in the evening. Homan, vice Emma Miskew, second Alison Kreviazuk and lead Lisa Weagle won the bronze medal at last years world curling championship in Riga, Latvia, after starting 2-3 there. Monday was a big bounce for the Canadians after demoralizing loss to the Swiss the previous day, when it was Canada giving up four points in steals and shaking hands after eight ends. Homan felt their communication was missing in that game. The skip misread the ice early against the Americans, but the Canadians were able to solve it via discussion. "Lisa was missing a couple early and she said is it me? I said no, its completely my ice. So she believed in how she was throwing," Homan explained. "If we didnt have that communication, she would have tried to change the way she was throwing and Id give her more ice and shed miss again. "We made sure when we were missing we knew why and were communicating that to each other." Pottinger was born in Brampton, Ont., and learned to curl in Otterburn Park, Que., but the 40-year-old is representing the U.S. for the 11th time at the womens world championship. She won a silver medal playing third for Patti Lank, another transplanted Canadian from Midale, Sask., when the world championship was last held in Saint John, N.B., in 1999. "Everyone is always so nice when were here. A woman today brought me ketchup chips and Smarties," Pottinger said of two items that are difficult to find in the U.S. "Its terrific. I had them between games." Pottinger made a clutch raise against four Canadian stones in the third end to score a point and trail 2-1, but the fourth end was disastrous for the Americans. With Canada laying two, Pottinger ticked on a guard to let Homan add another counter to the rings. The American skip attempted to draw through a port to get to the four-foot rings, but was well shhort of the house.dddddddddddd Homan had half the house for a target and drew in for four points and a 6-1 lead in front of 1,914 at Harbour Station. "We threw it pretty hard, but just out there in the frost it didnt have a chance," Pottinger said. "It never got there." The Americans got two back in the fifth, but called it a day when Homan collected another three in the sixth. "To get the two back was kind of nice, but at that point every end is the 10th end," Pottinger said. "You dont want them to get away from you and its hard to play five 10th ends against that kind of team." "That was so not good that I think its an off game and you forget about it. Chuck it in the bag." Homan and her teammates are all under the age of 28. Like the Brad Jacobs team that won the mens Olympic gold last month, theyre considered the new generation of Canadian curling stars. A year after graduating from the junior ranks, Homans team made the playoffs in their first national womens championship in 2011. They won the Canadian title last year by beating Winnipegs Jennifer Jones, now the reigning Olympic womens gold medallist after her unbeaten run in Sochi. Homan and company were considered a team to beat at Decembers Olympic trials along with Jones. Homan and her teammates either quit their jobs, took a leave or scaled back work hours in the months leading into those trials to prepare. They rented a suite in Winnipeg away from the MTS Centre so they could cook and eat their own meals during the competition. But Homan lost the semifinal 10-4 to Sherry Middaugh. Homans coach Earle Morris now wonders in hindsight if they "over-prepared" for trials. "I think what we did was we probably practised a bit too much," he said. "A couple of the girls quit their jobs, one of the girls took a leave of absence. They really made it a focused priority and maybe we focused too much on the trials. "We really tried to leave no stone unturned. Because it was our first trials, we prepared as best we could based on what we thought would be difference-makers. If we had to do it again, wed probably do it a little differently. Take maybe a more relaxed approach and not emphasize it too much." The best medicine for their trials disappointment was to participate in the Continental Cup in Las Vegas in January. They played with Jones, Jacobs and other top North American teams in a Ryder-Cup style competition against European curling teams. "We all re-connected with the sport," Miskew said. "It was really tough after the trials to feel a love for curling. "We were able to go out and enjoy the sport again. Before that, it was practising without much of a purpose because it feels weird after you put so much time into something. It changed when we went there and it felt better." That experience set the table for the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Montreal, where Homan went 13-0 en route to a second straight Canadian title and a return trip to the world championship. "Continental Cup was perfect," Homan said. "We played mixed, mixed doubles and it was just a lot of fun." "We definitely needed it. We got to press the re-set button and focus again for the Scotties." White NFL Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys Camo NFL Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale Authentic Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Online Wholesale Jerseys 2018 Cheap Jerseys China ' ' '