PITTSBURGH – Its fitting Marcus Stroman is taking Brandon Morrows place on the Blue Jays 40-man roster. Nik Stauskas Jersey . A top pitching prospect, one who the ball club is pinning some of its future hopes, takes the spot of a veteran who once was viewed as a future ace but who, to this point, hasnt realized his potential and may never. Stroman threw his first major league pitch on Sunday, facing four Pirates hitters in the eighth inning of a 7-2 win less than 48 hours after Morrow may have thrown his last pitch for Toronto. That is if Morrow requires season-ending surgery on a torn tendon sheath at the base of his right index finger. Stromans just beginning. Morrow is in the final guaranteed year of his contract and if, for a second consecutive year, his season has ended shortly after it started, its hard to believe the cash-conscious Blue Jays would pick up the $10-million club option it holds on Morrow for 2015. The 23-year-old Stroman, whos started at the Double-A and Triple-A levels dating back to last season, will begin his big league career in the bullpen. Its an area in which Toronto needs help. Since the second game of an April 17 doubleheader in Minnesota, Blue Jays relievers have combined to allow 40 earned runs on 55 hits and 33 walks in 48 1/3 innings pitched. The bullpen has blown saves in six of the last 15 games. It was a strange scene for Stroman. He arrived at the PNC Park and almost immediately was whisked into manager John Gibbons office, where the skipper had called a meeting with his struggling relief corps. The rookie was saying all the right things."I honestly think we have one of the best bullpens in baseball between guys like Sergio (Santos), Casey (Janssen), (Brett) Cecil, everyone thats in the pen dominates," said Stroman. "Its just a rough patch theyre going through but I have no doubt in my mind that theyll get through it and get back to where they were last year."Stroman is coming off his most dominant start of his professional career. On Tuesday in Buffalo, pitching against Louisville, he struck out 10 Bats hitters and didnt allow a hit over six innings. During one stretch, Stroman retired 16-straight. In five starts for the Bisons, Stroman has two wins, a 1.69 ERA, a 1.088 WHIP and 36 strikeouts in 26 2/3 innings. The WHIP is even more impressive when you consider Stroman has allowed almost a hit per inning. Hes walked only six, a welcome walks per nine inning percentage for a staff whose 124 bases on balls is second most in the majors. "Fastball command has definitely been a lot better; Ive been keeping the ball down in the zone much better," said Stroman. "The development of my change has been huge and I just feel more comfortable, more settled in. That was my first big-league spring, I feel like I got ahead of myself sometimes, but I feel real comfortable, I feel like Im ready to go out there and pitch well." Stroman found out about his big league call up in an unusual way. The Bisons played an afternoon game on Saturday, which gave Stroman an opportunity to venture with his girlfriend to Niagara Falls for the evening. He thinks he missed a call from Blue Jays farm director Charlie Wilson and when he did check his phone, the first message he picked up was a congratulatory one from his mother. "Shes been saying for a little bit, Oh, Ive got a feeling," said Stroman. "Im like, Mom, relax." Stroman didnt sleep on Saturday night, he was excited, and he was out of bed by five oclock on Sunday morning to meet the car service driving him from Buffalo to Pittsburgh. "No sleep," he said. "But I feel wide awake." Stromans addition to the starting rotation seems like an eventuality but hes not going to dwell on his role. "Im just happy to be here," said Stroman. "Ive had experience in the bullpen, Im not worried about it, I feel like I can come in, thats something Ive done before in the past and thats something Im comfortable with, so its not like its completely new." Maurice Cheeks Jersey . The Oilers jumped into the free agent market early by signing defencemen Keith Aulie (six-foot-six, 228 pounds) and Mark Fayne (6-3, 210 pounds) and left-winger Benoit Pouliot (6-3, 197-pounds). Two days earlier MacTavish traded lightweight forward Sam Gagner to Tampa Bay for 6-3, 203-pound right winger Ted Purcell. Amir Johnson Jersey . Especially after he got ejected. "How many innings was that?" he wondered. http://www.authentic76ersauthority.com/charles-barkley-76ers-jersey-c-13/ . Wilson hit Schenn from behind during Tuesday nights game in Philadelphia, earning a five-minute major for charging and a game misconduct. He has a phone hearing with the department of player safety, which limits any potential suspension to five or fewer games.Chapel Hill, NC (SportsNetwork.com) - Marcus Paiges layup with 8.5 seconds left lifted the 18th-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels over the fifth-ranked Louisville Cardinals, 72-71, on Saturday. Brice Johnson made a short jumper with 38.1 seconds remaining to give North Carolina a 70-69 edge, but Louisvilles Terry Rozier responded with a baseline jumper at the other end. Paige then drove to the hoop and made a layup high off the glass to put the Tar Heels back in front. Wayne Blackshear missed a 3-point attempt from the corner and Roziers putback layup attempt was off the mark as time expired. Today we tried to run a set play and then break into freelance at the end of that, said North Carolina coach Roy Williams. We did want to get Marcus the ball coming to the top of the key and see what happens after. We had a screen for a guy to go to the basket and a couple other things. Kennedy Meeks had 13 points, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks for the Tar Heels (12-4, 2-1 ACC), who bounced back from a 71-70 loss to Notre Dame on Monday. Johnson tallied 11 points and 11 boards. J.P. Tokoto and Paige each scored 10 points for North Carolina, which trailed by 13 with 8:43 to play. Rozier finished with 25 points for the Cardinals (14-2, 2-1), who had a three- game winning streak snapped. Chris Jones added 19 points. Louisville coach Rick Pitino fell to 0-6 all-time against North Carolina, with three games coming while he was coaching Kentucky. Were playing very good basketball, said Pitino. Joel Embiid Jersey. Im excited, but were hurting very much right now. It stings as much as any game Ive coached. Our players are very hurt by it, but thats the ACC. There will be a lot of games like this. A lot of great teams in the ACC. Well move on from there. Trailing 63-50, Meeks made two free throws and Joel Berry II connected from beyond the arc to start North Carolinas comeback. After Blackshear made a jumper, Paige hit a 3-pointer to make it a seven-point contest. Rozier responded with two free throws, but the Tar Heels ended the game on a 14-4 surge. Tokotos tip-in pulled North Carolina within 69-68 with 2:09 left. Johnson was blocked by Montrezl Harrell on his teams next trip down the court. Blackshear missed a 3-pointer for Louisville and Mangok Mathiang lost control of the ball after pulling down the offensive rebound. Johnson followed his jumper from in close to give North Carolina a 70-69 lead. The score was 34-34 following a first half that featured five lead changes and five ties. Trailing 38-36, the Cardinals used a 13-2 spurt to build a nine-point advantage. The score was 63-50 following Jones jumper and a Blackshear 3- pointer. Game Notes North Carolina improved to 10-3 all-time against Louisville ... 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