Ive never been a fan of opt-out clauses in contracts. Adam Duvall Jersey . The Dodgers two-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw who just signed a 7-year $215-million dollar pact, can get out after five years if he so chooses. Japanese star Masahiro Tanaka can escape from his seven-year $155 million dollar deal with the Yankees after four seasons. Zach Greinke and C.C Sabathia both have these kinds of deals as well. Its easy to see why the players and agents want them. If they truly grow to detest a city or an organization they can move on. If the player continues to perform at an optimum level, he can opt out early and get an even better deal, and from the agents perspective can set the market bar even higher for every other pitcher or player in the majors. However, there just seems to be something mercenary, and sort of having your cake and eating it too kind of feel about the whole thing. I can see player option years on contracts or club options or mutual options, but opt-outs just dont feel right. Talking about these kinds of clauses brings back memories of the deal the Blue Jays signed with Roger Clemens back in December of 1996. At the time, the four-year contract looked like an incredible coup for the Jays organization. They had lured one of baseballs all-time great pitchers -- albeit seemingly fading a bit at 34 -- away from the mighty Boston Red Sox. Not only that, but they outbid the Yankees for his services. Paul Beeston actually travelled down to Clemens home in Texas to personally deliver the sales pitch. Initially -- at least based on Clemens stats, over two years -- it was an incredible deal for the Jays. Clemens won over 20 games twice, captured the American League Triple Crown for pitchers both years and won back-to-back Cy Young Awards. Unfortunately, over the ‘97 and ‘98 seasons, the Jays finished a combined 24 games under .500 and attendance never really spiked the way you might have expected when Clemens pitched at home. Then there were stories that Clemens helped pushed for the ouster of Cito Gaston as manager late in the 1997 season, and when Cito was gone campaigned for Red Sox coach Tim Johnson to take over as skipper in 1998. All of that paled in comparison to the news that leaked out late in ‘98 about the exact details of Clemens contract. He had a five-point secret handshake agreement with Paul Beeston and the Blue Jays, as reported by Murray Chass in The New York Times. The key points included Clemens having the right to demand a trade two years into the four-year deal. He also had to approve which team he was traded to. He could also demand a trade to the Houston Astros at any point in the contract. The reason for that was there was a chance his agents Randy and lan Hendricks were going to buy the Astros and the “Rocket Man” really wanted to play for them. None of that transpired, but when news of this secret deal came out, the commissioners office was not impressed. The Jays were fined for entering into a secret deal that was against major league rules. Oddly enough by that time, Paul Beeston had left the Blue Jays and was working for MLB as the number two official below only the Commissioner himself Bud Selig. On Feb. 18, 1999, the Blue Jays ultimately did trade Clemens to the Yankees for Dave Wells, second baseman Homer Bush and lefty reliever Graeme Lloyd. Clemens went on to get his first World Series ring in ‘99 and got another in 2000, though Clemens embarrassed himself by throwing a piece of a broken bat across the path of the Mets Mike Piazza as he ran towards first base. The next time the Blue Jays offered an opt-clause to a pitcher it was legal, and all the “Is” were dotted and the “Ts” crossed. A.J Burnett signed a five-year deal with the Jays on Dec. 6, 2005 for five years and $55 million dollars. It was nine years after the Clemens signing, but Burnett was nowhere near the pitcher Clemens was and got more term and money. Unfortunately for the Jays, Burnett battled injuries in 2006 and 2007 and finished with identical 10-8 records. Finally in 2008 he pitched like an ace and wound up 18-10. But that was a contract year because in effect, since Burnett had the option to opt out of his deal after three years. He did just that and signed with the Yankees, helping them beat the Phillies in the 2009 World Series. I dont dislike the opt out just because of the Blue Jays experiences. No, its because it simply creates the impression the pitcher or player is just using that club as a springboard to a better deal with a perennial contender when the time is right. I hope this becomes a major battle ground when the next labour deal comes up in a couple of years. The Blue Jays opening home series is a three game set against the Yankees to cap the opening week of the season. Id wager we wont get to see Masahiro Tanaka though. The Yanks open the season in Houston and the best bet would be Tanaka would start the second game of the season after staff ace C.C Sabathia. That would mean Tanakas next turn would be at Yankee Stadium for the home opener against Baltimore. The lowest I could see him being in the rotation is number three. That would put him in line to start the finale in Houston and the second game at home against the Orioles. So well have to wait till later in the season to see Tanaka face the Jays. Tucker Barnhart Jersey . However, it wasnt a problem on Monday night. Evgeni Nabokov made 23 saves for his 56th career shutout in the New York Islanders 3-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night. Barry Larkin Jersey .The seventh-seeded Raonic was scheduled to play U.S. Open finalist Kei Nishikori of Japan, but was replaced in the Group B pool by Spanish substitute David Ferrer.Raonic, who was 0-2 at the year-end event, said he suffered the injury late in the first set of Tuesdays 6-3, 7-6 loss to Murray. http://www.redsgearshop.com/Reds-Joe-Morgan-Kids-Jersey/ . In this weeks Leaf Report podcast, James Mirtle and Jonas Siegel debate whether Toronto can continue their shootout dominance and discuss what Dave Nonis game plan should be heading into the trade deadline. LOS ANGELES -- Jordan Lyles got through seven innings on a night when mound opponent Josh Beckett displayed his old All-Star form for eight. Troy Tulowitzki and the rest of the Colorado Rockies did the rest against the Dodgers overworked bullpen. Charlie Blackmon hit an RBI single in the 11th inning and the Rockies got home runs from Tulowitzki and Corey Dickerson to beat Los Angeles 5-4 on Friday. Carlos Gonzalez also had an RBI during the decisive rally. "We look for Tulo and CarGo to lead us. If they dont go anywhere, we dont go anywhere," Lyles said. "So for us to be good we need them to be good. They are proven players and theyre going to give their best effort every day of the week. Talent-wise, it doesnt get much better that that combo." Adam Ottavino took over in the eighth for Lyles as a steady drizzle sent many in the crowd of 44,866 for cover. Ottavino retired the side in order before Boone Logan struck out his first two batters in the ninth -- including Matt Kemp, who was ejected by umpire Angel Hernandez for arguing a called third strike. It was Kemps seventh career ejection and the Dodgers first this season. The drizzle had turned into a downpour by the 10th. Brandon Barnes pinch-hit for reliever Rex Brothers (2-2) with one out in the 11th and doubled against Jamey Wright (1-1). Left-hander J.P. Howell entered to face the lefty-swinging Blackmon, who came in leading the majors with a .410 average. The leadoff hitter grounded a 2-2 pitch up the middle to drive in the go-ahead run after going hitless in his four previous at-bats against Beckett. Nolan Arenado followed with a single that extended his career-best hitting streak to 15 games. The Rockies added another run when first baseman Adrian Gonzalez threw home on a grounder in front of the bag by Carlos Gonzalez and was too late to get Blackmon. Justin Morneau capped the rally with an RBI single against Brandon League. Brothers pitched a hitless inning and LaTroy Hawkins got three outs for his seventh save after giving up a two-run homer to Adrian Gonzalez. Kemp would have been the next batter had he not been tossed. Yasiel Puig also went deep and had an RBI single for the defending NL West champions,, who are 1-5 in extra-inning games. Anthony DeSclafani Jersey. Beckett allowed two runs and four hits with six strikeouts and no walks, after pitching five scoreless innings in each of his previous two starts. The right-hander, whose first four outings have resulted in no-decisions, hasnt won since beating the Rockies on Sept. 30, 2012, at Los Angeles. "There arent very many easy outs in that lineup, but I got some easier outs on some changeups. That was really the key to keeping them off balance," Beckett said. "Theyre a very good hitting team. Most of their guys usually feel pretty good about themselves, and they should." Beckett was 0-5 with a 5.19 ERA in eight starts last season before sitting out the final five months because of a groin strain and a subsequent bout with thoracic outlet syndrome, a nerve condition that required surgery in July. "I think this was a step in the right direction for me, personally. I wanted to show myself that I could do some things I havent done in a while, like pitching innings," Beckett said. "I mean, I havent been up and down six times in like 400 days. I dont know exactly how many. Thats just a guess." Lyles allowed two runs and six hits, striking out four and walking one. Puig, the second batter Lyles faced, hit the first pitch to centre field for his third home run. Ten of Puigs first 22 big league homers have come on the first pitch. "I dont mind when guys swing early, especially since Im a guy that does a decent job of getting guys to hit the ball on the ground," Lyles said. "I tried to make a good pitch down and away. If I threw a ball, I was fine with it. But I didnt get another chance. I left it over the plate and he put a good swing on it. Hes a strong guy who can put it into the seats." Tulowitzki drove Becketts second pitch of the second inning deep into the left-field pavilion for his fifth of the season. Two batters later, Dickerson hit a first-pitch homer to left-centre. Beckett then retired 17 of his next 18 batters. NOTES: Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw (back) threw 56 pitches over five innings in a rehab start for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga against visiting Lancaster, allowing a run and two hits with six strikeouts and a walk. The run came on a leadoff homer in the fifth. 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