Vorstellung » knees with him while going for a steal after W

PITTSBURGH -- Justin Verlanders sore right shoulder will likely force him to miss at least one start, the latest setback for the reeling Detroit Tigers. Detroit manager Brad Ausmus is thrilled, however, the news isnt worse. Ausmus said an MRI on Verlanders shoulder Tuesday revealed inflammation "in a number of different areas" but no major structural damage. "Its not a surgical injury and as of right now it doesnt seem like hell have to go on the DL," Ausmus said. Verlander left Monday nights 11-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates after labouring through a first inning in which he surrendered five runs. He complained of discomfort in the shoulder afterward and added he "didnt feel great." While the initial prognosis is encouraging, hell almost certainly wont pitch for 10 days, the latest in a series of setbacks for the reeling Tigers. Detroit, which led the AL Central by 7 1/2 games a month ago, fell into second place on Monday night behind streaking Kansas City. Still, Ausmus remains encouraged simply because the prognosis could have been so much worse. "It was definitely good news," Ausmus said. "Any time youre talking about a pitcher and his arm, its a very fragile area to be talking about. It was certainly a ray of light in a stormy sky." Ausmus said its "unlikely" Verlander would make his next start on Sunday against the Seattle Mariners. Rookie Robbie Ray, the scheduled starter for Tuesday nights game in Pittsburgh, would fill in on Sunday if Verlander cant go. "I dont think it would be in Justins best interests (to pitch)," Ausmus said. "I imagine a little bit of rest would be part of the prescription." The 31-year-old Verlander is just 10-11 with a 4.76 ERA this season for Detroit and has ceded his spot as the teams ace to fellow Cy Young winners Max Scherzer and newly acquired David Price. Verlander is the second member of Detroits starting rotation to be sidelined in the last week. Anibal Sanchez is on the 15-day disabled list after straining his right pectoral muscle in a loss to Toronto last Friday. Tigers will send out rookie Buck Farmer to the mound on Wednesday night when their interleague series with Pittsburgh moves to Detroit. Its not exactly the way Ausmus drew it up. Then again, it could be worse. Barring anything "weird" coming up in the next few days, the Tigers should have Verlander back sooner rather than later. Considering how grim things appeared Monday night, Ausmus will take it. "Im glad this isnt a bigger issue than we thought it was 18 hours ago," he said. Cheap NBA Store . The Toronto Maple Leafs were holding a news conference, so they got curious. It didnt take long for them to find out via social media that coach Randy Carlyle was coming back — with a two-year extension — and assistants Greg Cronin, Scott Gordon and Dave Farrish were being let go. Wholesale Basketball Jerseys .J. Ward appeared in court Friday on misdemeanour charges that he threw a glass mug at a bartender at a Denver strip club. http://www.cheapnbajerseysusa.com/ . Betancourt was 2-5 with a 4.08 ERA and 16 saves for the Rockies last season before tearing a ligament in his pitching elbow. He considered undergoing platelet-rich plasma therapy to fix his arm, but announced in August his decision to have Tommy John surgery. Cheap Nike NBA Jerseys .com) - Delon Wright made all 12 of his free throws and finished with 21 points and six assists as No. Wholesale NBA Jerseys Free Shipping .Y. - Through three quarters, the Brooklyn Nets could not shake the NBAs worst team.OKLAHOMA CITY -- Russell Westbrook already is off crutches and shooting free throws, but the All-Star point guard says he doesnt know when hell be ready to return to the court for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Westbrook, who underwent his third knee surgery since April on Dec. 27, offered his first public comments since his latest surgery before the Thunders game against the Boston Celtics. Westbrooks on-court performance was fine - he had a triple-double by the middle of the third quarter in a Christmas Day win over the New York Knicks - and he said he wasnt in any pain, but his knee "just kept swelling and swelling." After he underwent an MRI, the decision was made to undergo arthroscopic surgery instead of just trying to rest. "You dont really know either way, resting or going in and doing surgery, but me personally, Im just trying to do whats best for my body and whats best for me in the future," Westbrook said. He said theres "never a doubt" that he wont be able to return to form. Before Sunday, Westbrook hadnt played since tearing the lateral meniscus in his right knee during the second game of the NBA playoffs last April. The injury occurred when Houston Rockets guard Patrick Beverley banged knees with him while going for a steal after Westbrook had stopped to call a timeout.dddddddddddd Westbrook underwent an initial surgery for the injury on April 27. He underwent another surgery on Oct. 1 to remove a loose stitch from the first procedure. At the time, the Thunder said he would miss the first four to six weeks of the regular season. Under that timetable, Westbrook could have been out for as many as 22 games, but instead, he missed only the seasons first two games. Westbrook said then he never expected to be out four to six weeks. This time, the Thunder has said they expect him to be out until after the All-Star break. "I dont pay no attention to those projections," Westbrook said. "I just wake up and try to get better each and every day. Thats it." Entering Sunday, the Thunder was 3-2 since Westbrooks latest surgery. He said hes trying to stay involved with the team as much as he can while hes out of the lineup. "This time of the year, its very important for me and my teammates to be able to get through this stretch, find a way to continue to get wins, and me personally, I want to come in and stay positive and be around my teammates and stay involved with whats going on," Westbrook said. ' ' '