OAKLAND – Edwin Encarnacion is lost to the Blue Jays until at least the All-Star Break with a Grade-2 strain of his right quadriceps, a tough blow for a team just swept by the mighty Athletics; a club thats lost 19 of its last 28 games to all but fritter away the gains it made with a torrid May. Still, Encarnacion felt a sense of relief. He felt a pop just before crumpling to the ground after running out a groundball in the first inning of Saturdays game. It could have been worse. “Its going to take maybe two weeks,” said Encarnacion. “It depends how Im going to be and how Im going to be day after day, feeling better or not. Well see.” Encarnacion is baseballs leader with 70 RBI through Sundays play. His 26 home runs place him second to the White Soxs Jose Abreu, who has 27. A Blue Jays offence limited to just three runs in a four-game sweep at the hands of pitching-strong Oakland faces as difficult a task heading south to Anaheim, where the Angels will send out Jered Weaver and left-handers Tyler Skaggs and C.J. Wilson against Toronto in a three-game series that starts on Monday. Expect Encarnacion to be placed on the disabled list, perhaps as soon as Monday, paving the way for waiver pickup Nolan Reimold (more on him below) to enter the fold. Jose Bautista, who started at first base on Sunday as waiver claim Cole Gillespie manned right field, was willing to play any position asked of him in the series with the Angels. While Bautista admitted lingering soreness in his ailing hamstring, he acknowledged the clubs dire straits. Brett Lawrie is injured. Encarnacion is injured. Adam Lind is playing hurt. “If its better suited for me to be at third or first for the time being given all the injuries and stuff thats going on, even if Im able to go to right field, Ill take it wherever I can,” said Bautista. “I just want to make sure that I do whatever I can to put the team in the best position to win.” BAUTISTA DECLINES FURTHER COMMENT ON REPLAY Jose Bautista had nothing more to say about Major League Baseballs replay system following Saturday nights rant. Following the Blue Jays 5-1 loss to the Athletics, Bautista referred to the procedure as a “joke” and called for a return to the days pre-replay. He questioned the integrity of those involved, wondering whether the umpires reviewing fellow umpires calls are prioritizing protecting their brethren over making the right call. On Sunday morning, Bautista told TSN.ca he wouldnt be commenting further. When it was mentioned that hed likely be asked, repeatedly, his views on replay at the upcoming All-Star festivities in Minneapolis, Bautista said he would direct reporters to refer to his previous comments. There has been a growing frustration in the Toronto clubhouse with baseballs challenge system. Bautista reached his breaking point following Saturdays eighth inning when, with the Jays down 3-1, he doubled and Melky Cabrera was called out at the plate trying to score from first base. Video evidence suggested Athletics catcher Derek Norris missed Cabrera with a swipe tag but the call was upheld by the war room in New York. A couple of thoughts: Bautista is one of the brighter players in the game and nothing he says is unplanned. He was expressing the aforementioned frustration. He also effectively created a diversion, changing the focus from his teams plight (the Jays had dropped 18 of 27 games through Saturday) to his views on a clearly flawed protocol. Who knows, perhaps Bautistas rant will spark internal discussion amongst the Players Association, which would then lean on Major League Baseball to make necessary changes. A good start would be to have independent parties, unaffiliated with umpires, reviewing challenged calls. REIMOLD CLAIMED The Blue Jays are hoping to catch lightning in a bottle with Orioles castoff Nolan Reimold, claimed off waivers on Sunday. Reimold, 30, is a once promising prospect whose career has been derailed by injuries, specifically two neck surgeries. Hes appeared in 17 games for Baltimores Double-A affiliate, Bowie, this season, hitting .315/.420/.481. In 286 big league games with the Orioles from 2009-2013, Reimold is a .252/.327/.439 hitter with 41 home runs. His platoon splits dont discriminate. He has a career .775 OPS against right-handers with 27 home runs in 603 at-bats. Against left-handers, Reimold has posted a .749 OPS with 14 home runs in 333 at-bats. Reimold will report to the Blue Jays in Anaheim. On Sunday, Toronto designated outfielder Brad Glenn for assignment to make room for Cole Gillespie, who was claimed off waivers from Seattle on Saturday. Gillespie started Sundays game in rightfield. Cheap Jerseys From China .Mila Kunis was a guest on Kimmel last night and revealed a surprising side of herself that comes out when she watches sports. It turns out screaming something vulgar at professional athletes is therapeutic for Kunis. Cheap Cincinnati Bengals Jerseys .com) - The disappointing Ottawa Senators hope to record consecutive wins for the first time since early November, as they visit the Boston Bruins on Friday for the opener of a home-and-home series. http://www.cheapjerseystb.com/?tag=cheap-seattle-seahawks-jerseys . JOHNS, N. 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"Were not going to need a backup driver," boasted Stewart, who is scheduled to be in the race car for the first time Friday for 105 minutes of practice for the exhibition Sprint Unlimited. "I feel good enough that Im confident were not going to have to worry about anything," he added. "Weve planned for anything that we think might or could go wrong, and when I say go wrong, its not anything thats going to take us out of the race car. Its just a matter of making everything as comfortable as possible." Stewart has not raced in more than six months, an unheard of amount of time off for a driver who makes his money racing in NASCAR yet crisscrossed the country cramming 50 or more weeknight events into his year-round schedule. Six-time champion Jimmie Johnson isnt dismissing Stewarts chances of making a successful return. "Tonys a guy that when hes motivated, he can do anything," Johnson said. "And his motivation and desire to get in the car is probably higher than its been since he was a little kid, so it could be really dangerous for all of us, you know what I mean?" Last August, Stewart was leading with five laps remaining at Southern Iowa Speedway when a lapped car spun in front of him, causing Stewart to hit that car and flip several times. Stewarts time sidelined was certainly difficult, enhanced by the pain from his broken leg. He had two surgeries for the breaks, then a third to treat an infection. He was flat on his back, confined to the first-floor bedroom of his longtime business manager, where he was forced to lay with his leg elevated above his heart. When there was Stewart-Haas Racing business to address, team personnel did it at his bedside. Stewart required an ambulance to get to his doctor appointments, and when he finally was able to get out of bed, he needed a wheelchair to get around. And when Stewart -- a driver SHR vice-president of competition Greg Zipadelli referred to as "Superman" in the days after his accident -- finally made an appearance at the race track, it was on a motorized scooter.dddddddddddd Nobody was comfortable seeing the three-time NASCAR champion so restricted. Many wondered if hed ever be the same. Not Stewart. "Right off the bat, the surgeon, the therapists, theyve all said, Youre going to have 100-per cent recovery," Stewart said. "With that, from Day 1, it took the doubt out." Any questions about getting back into a race car were erased, and Stewart turned his attention to his recovery. He wondered when hed be 100 per cent -- doctors have told him it will take a year, and he said this week his leg is only 65-per cent healed -- and when the pain would subside. He asked doctors if hed always have some sort of lingering pain, and he threw himself into a tough rehabilitation program. As he progressed and moved closer to Fridays practice sessions, his SHR team built a module that includes a seat, steering wheel, steering column and pedals so Stewart could sit and hold the pedal down for 20 minutes to simulate the pressure of having his foot on the throttle. New teammate Kevin Harvick ordered Stewart a special pad that hangs off the steering wheel that will prevent his knees from banging into the steering column. Now his peers wait to see how Stewart will drive. Harvick said they attended a sponsor appearance together this week and when they left, Stewart "was like a crazed lunatic. You could see that look in his eye. He looked at me and said, Im ready to ... race!" A driver who has excelled in races because of his ability to feel the car, some have wondered if the injury has taken that talent from Stewart. He doesnt believe the broken leg has robbed him of anything. "When you hear the quote, Its a seat-of-the-pants feel, you feel it in your core," he said. "Everything that is processed through your brain is between your core as far as feeling whats going on. Your hands and arm are feeling pressure in the steering wheel. But as far as from your legs down, youre not really feeling that sensation. Its more of what your brain is telling your legs to do. "If we had to have an area to have an injury, my right leg was probably the one." Denny Hamlin struggled all last season after missing five races with a fractured vertebra in his lower back. But Hamlin cited Stewarts superior talent as reason why Stewart wont have similar issues. ' ' '