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  August 25, 2018 10:23 AM EEST

  In football, the straight on kicker is long gone and there are no more drop kicks. In hockey, there is no more rover and the players dont go without helmets and masks. But in baseball, some things refuse to die. This past season, the Blue Jays R.A. Dickey was the only full-time knuckleball pitcher in the majors. His knuckler is more of a hybrid, thrown harder than the traditional floater of the likes of Phil Niekro, Tim Wakefield and Charlie Hough. I often wondered that when the Jays aquired Dickey in the offseason last year, if he would eventually be the last ever to throw the storied pitch in the majors. Maybe not. The Red Sox have a knuckball pitcher in their system in 29-year-old right-hander Steven Wright. He made the conversion to throwing the knuckleball in 2011 and made it to the BoSox this past season with mixed success. On Aug. 6, his catcher Ryan Lavarnway was charged with four passed balls in one inning, tying the Major League record. The first time it happened was in 1954, when Ray Katt was catching Hall of Fame knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm, the second when ex-Blue Jay Gino Petralli - then of the Rangers - was catching yet another knuckleballer in Charlie Hough. And theres another would-be knuckler. Kevin Pucetas - a 29-year-old in the Texas organization - has bounced around a bit. He was drafted in the 17th round of the June draft in 2006. He showed enough promise to pitch in the  All-Star Futures game in 2008. However, by October of 2010, he was dealt to the Royals as the player to be named later in the Jose Guillen deal. He was released by K.C. in 2011 and signed by Washington. Things didnt work out with the Nationals either and in January of this year, he was signed to a minor league deal by Texas. Pucetas pitched for Frisco in the Double "A" Texas League this season and didnt really blow anyone away with his stuff. After the season, to keep playing the sport he loved, he agreed to try and become a knuckleballer. He made seven starts in the Dominican Winter League and went 3-1 with a 4.86 ERA. However, something seemed to click in his final four outings. He went 22 2/3 innings and shaved his ERA down to 2.78. He gave up 13 hits, struck out 14 and walked only three. The Dominican team wanted him to stay longer because he was pitching so well, but as Gerry Fraley of The Dallas Morning News reported, the Rangers called him back stateside because they wanted him to be well-rested for spring training. So keep that name in mind come February - Kevin Pucetas of the Texas Rangers. Who knows, maybe hell follow the path that Dickey and so many other blazed before him. Three Ex-Blue Jays were also in the news this past week. Chris Woodward, who was drafted in 54th round by the Blue Jays in 2004, was named infield coach at Seattle. Chris spent parts of seven seasons with the Blue Jays as a "Jack of all Trades" utilityman and spent 12 years in the majors in total. Darnell Coles spent 14 years in the bigs and was with the Blue Jays for two seasons, including 1993, when he was a key bat of the bench for the team that won a second straight World Series. Darnell had just been promoted by the Brewers to be manager of their Triple "A" Nashville farm club, but opted out to become an assistant hitting coach with the Detroit Tigers with new skipper Brad Ausmus. The third former Blue Jay in the news was Ted Lilly, who retired this week at age 37 and battled what had become chronic neck problems. The lefty came to the Blue Jays in one of J.P. Ricciardis better deals back on November of 2003. The Jays sent outfielder Bob Kielty to Oakland to get him and from 2004 through 2006, Lilly went 37-34 for the Jays and ate a lot of innings. Unfortunately, he became better known in Toronto for his in-game run-in with skipper John Gibbons, when he balked at being taken out of the game while he was in the process of blowing a huge lead. Both men have put that behind them now. Lilly was traded five times over his career and is also one of those who was an Expo and a Blue Jay. He put together a career record of 130-113 with a 4.14 ERA. He didnt want to retire and was actually trying to pitch in the Venezuelan Winter League when he realized his body just couldnt carry him anymore. Now on to other matters - the Winter Meetings start Dec. 9, a week from Monday in Orlando. Cant wait! Custom Eagles Jerseys . "Yes, Id like to get them in," Detroits rookie manager said. "Mother Natures going to have a say in that." Sure enough, the Tigers had their game against the Kansas City Royals postponed because of rain on Thursday. Markus Wheaton Jersey . So he and his Toronto FC teammates say they will have no problem getting up for their Amway Canadian Championship final against rival Montreal Impact, even if the result doesnt count toward Major League Soccer standings. http://www.theeaglesfootballauthentic.com/eagles-mike-wallace-black-jersey/. -- The Toronto Maple Leafs are tightening the race for second place in the Atlantic Division. Paul Worrilow Eagles Jersey .I dont think it comes to mind in this business, in this game, the Philadelphia Flyers forward said. You dont try to lose games. Paul Worrilow Jersey . "Its not done, but its a huge step," Hannover general manager Dirk Dufner said. Poor defending allowed the visitors to score in the second minute, when Leon Andreasens header from Christian Panders cross sent the ball inside the far post.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, The Leafs/Canadiens game Saturday night was very entertaining, right up until the penalty in overtime against Bernier and the Leafs. Can you please explain what Bernier did wrong to be awarded that penalty in OT? Thanks,Brad Mains ----- Kerry, In the game last night - Leafs and Habs - the ref called a penalty on Bernier for delay of game in OT. I know it is a rule in the books, but has not been called, IMO, very much. It is the rule, but my question is this - Was calling it OT a fair thing to do?  I realize the ref was damned if did and damned if not! What is your take on this. Cheers! Ray Bungay ----- Kerry: In the Toronto - Montreal game, there was a penalty handed to Bernier of Toronto for Delay of game for coming out of his net and smothering the puck with a Montreal player right there.  This seems an unusual if not unnecessary call, given it was in the overtime.  I have never seen this before.  What is the basis for the call? Your views would be helpful. Ted Baskerville ----- Hi Kerry,The Leafs Habs game Saturday night, the overtime penalty assessed to Bernier. I have seen many goalies cover the puck well outside their crease, I asked a goalie friend of mine and he said he was taught as long as the goalie can reach or has some part of himself in the crease it can be covered outside of the crease. Is this a rule? I believe Bernier was still in the crease when he dove at the puck then slid for another couple of feet. Was that the right call or am I just another bitter Leafs fan. Thanks,Chris Stevens Brad, Ray, Ted and Chris: I dont want to add fuel to the "bitterness" some Leafs fans might feel or even demonstrate on occasion but the delay of game penalty that Jonathan Bernier was assessed in the overtime loss to the Canadiens on Saturday was a must call for the referee to make regardless of the score or the time remaining in the game! In every case, when a goalkeeper skates out of his net and covers on a loose puck that far from his crease a delay of game penalty should be assessed as per the rule. This infraction committed by thhe goalkeeper should applied with the same consistency as the puck over glass rule that we saw called against Peter Budaj (8:31 of first period) and Phil Kessel with just 31 seconds remaining in regulation time.dddddddddddd From Rule 63.2: A minor penalty shall be imposed on any player, including the goalkeeper, who holds, freezes or plays the puck with his stick, skates or body in such a manner as to deliberately cause a stoppage of play. With regard to a goalkeeper, this rule applies outside of his goal crease area. If a goalkeeper comes out of his crease to "cut down the angle" on a shot and after making the save covers the puck, this shall be legal. If the goalkeeper races out of his crease in an attempt to beat the attacking player to the puck and instead of playing the puck jumps on the puck causing a stoppage of play, this shall be a minor penalty for delay of game. The long stretch pass that PK Subban fired near the Habs goal line was too hot for Daniel Briere to handle cleanly at the Leafs blue line and created a race for a loose puck with Bernier on the potential scoring opportunity. A scoring opportunity was clearly eliminated when Bernier got to the puck first and covered it with his glove to cause a stoppage in play as opposed to legally playing the puck with his goal stick. The referee whistled the play dead and raised his arms in an upward fashion but did not immediately or emphatically signal a penalty to Bernier as he should have.  A slower, perhaps methodical response by the ref was evident in both the camera shot and the minute of run-on commentary by the broadcasters before it became evident to them that a penalty to Bernier had been assessed. While you have never seen this penalty called Ted, I can assure you that I personally assessed it a number of times during my 30-year NHL officiating career. Whenever I had the occasion to make this call I did so immediately with an emphatic signal so there was no doubt or confusion in anyones mind that a penalty was assessed to the goalkeeper in this unique situation. Jonathan Bernier clearly violated rule 63.2 at 3:14 of the overtime period. The correct call was made by the referee and resulted in Max Paciorettys eventual power play game-winning goal.   Cheap Diamondbacks Jerseys Cheap Braves Jerseys Cheap Orioles Jerseys Cheap Red Sox Jerseys Cheap Cubs Jerseys Cheap White Sox Jerseys Cheap Reds Jerseys Cheap Indians Jerseys Cheap Rockies Jerseys Cheap Tigers Jerseys Cheap Astros Jerseys Cheap Royals Jerseys Cheap Angels Jerseys Cheap Dodgers Jerseys Cheap Marlins Jerseys ' ' '