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DUNEDIN, Florida – In one of his post-game scrums last summer, R.A. Dickey referred to his knuckleball as a "capricious animal," a phrase meant to describe the unpredictability, the figurative moodiness, of his strange pitch. Erik Kratz was behind the plate to start Thursdays 7-5 win over the Phillies. He was catching Dickey for the first time in game action and afterward, could attest to his pitchers apt terminology. Asked how he thought he did on Day One, Kratz turned the tables. "How did you think I did?" He was told he did fine. "Okay, well then I did fine," said Kratz. "It wasnt perfect. I had the anticipated anxiety that I thought I would." Just how anxious was he? "I caught myself not breathing a couple of times and everything like that." Armed with a first basemans glove rather than the oversized catchers mitt preferred by most knuckleball catchers, Kratz understands hell have to be a quick study in learning both the physical and mental requirements of the job. "Just the idea of trying to relax, being out there, getting a different visual but I felt like it went very well," he said. "I felt like there is plenty of room for improvement but I think a lot of things Ive seen in his bullpen sessions, it was good to see in the game. Good to see him be able to change speeds and everything like that." Dickey laboured through the first inning, giving up a lead-off dunk single to Ben Revere. One out later, Brett Lawrie airmailed a throw to second on a Bobby Abreu chopper, putting Phillies on the corners. After Darin Ruf walked to load the bases, a Dickey knuckleball to Maikel Franco eluded Kratz for a passed ball which scored Revere from third. Its not how you would think Kratz would prefer to have drawn it up. Its his first game catching Dickey, in the first inning and the first time with a runner on third and a knuckler gets by him. But he was more than happy to make a mistake in a spring game. Passed balls are going to happen. The key is to not get psyched out; dont make the same mistake twice. "You can say, okay, well, it was a passed ball, wild pitch, it was a tough one to get but you have to be ready for the next one," said Kratz. "I was proud of myself. I was happy about the way I was able to relax." Dickey limits the in-game responsibility of his catcher to receiving his pitch. He calls his own game, communicating velocity to his catcher in ways he wont describe publicly. Hes not going to tip his hand. Dickey doesnt even want Kratz to form a hard target with his glove. "Its probably better for the catcher and for me, for that matter, if hes just nice and relaxed," said Dickey. "Im far enough along in my process where I can pick out a shin guard and hit a fastball. I dont need him to give me a target. "Plus, if hes only giving a target on fastballs then everybody in the stadium is going to know that hey, if he gives you a target its going to be a fastball and if he doesnt give you a target its going to be a knuckleball so I just like him to be nice and relaxed back there, whatever gives him the best chance to consistently catch the ball." Given the uncertainty over Dioner Navarros ability to catch more than 100 games - since Navarro hasnt done so since 2009 - the Jays are looking for more offence from their second catcher. Kratz, with 18 home runs in a back-up role over the last two seasons with the Phillies, fits the bill. Josh Thole, who caught Dickey and served as the back-up catcher after Henry Blanco was released last June, appears to be the odd man out. "Hes going to play a lot," said Gibbons. "We want to make sure he gets some playing time and then well see how it develops. Kratz is going to catch (Dickey) early on, see how that develops, and then go from there." Dickeys knuckleball topped out at 73 miles per hour on Thursday. He struck out two Phillies over two innings, one on a 61-mile-per-hour knuckler and another at 63 miles per hour. He wants his hard knuckleball at 77 by opening day, his floater at 65. Dickey says hes on target to achieve those radar gun readings, adding hes feeling much stronger than he did at the end of last February, when his knuckleball was topping out in the low-70s in early Grapefruit League action. ENCARNACION HAPPY AT FIRST BASE Edwin Encarnacion chuckled at the suggestion he wants to be, or has asked to be, a full-time designated hitter. "No, whatever the manager wants to do Im ready for it," said Encarnacion. "If I have to play every day at first, Ill play. If I have to play both, Im ready for it." Encarnacion played 79 games at first base last season. He served as the designated hitter on 55 occasions. "I like to play DH sometimes because I have more time to go to the computer, watch the pitcher, watch the video," said Encarnacion. "When you play defence you dont have time to do that but for me, if I have to play first base, I dont have a problem with that." Funny, Encarnacions numbers last season were almost indistinguishable. As a first baseman, he compiled a .272/.367/.527 slash line with 19 home runs in 294 at-bats. As a DH: .270/.374/.530 and 13 home runs in 200 at-bats. ROGERS A FATHER Congratulations to Esmil Rogers, the proud father of a baby daughter. Mom and little Elaina are in Denver and doing well. Rogers was there for the birth, returned to Dunedin on Wednesday and pitched in Thursdays game, giving up two runs in one inning of work. Robert Nkemdiche Jersey . Ozuna hit Reeds 2-2 pitch off the batters eye far above the 407-foot sign in straightaway centre. It was the fifth blown save in 25 tries for Reed (1-5) and the ninth home run the closer has allowed in 38 appearances. Nuno, acquired in the deal that sent Brandon McCarthy to the New York Yankees, gave up three hits, struck out a career-high seven and walked one in seven innings. Brandon Williams Jersey . Russia has spent about $51 billion to deliver the Sochi Olympics, which run Feb. 7-23, making them the most expensive games ever, even though as a winter event it hosts many fewer athletes than summer games do. http://www.officialarizonacardinalsfootball.com/authentic-chad-williams-jersey-womens . Patrice Bergeron and Daniel Paille scored 20 seconds apart a few minutes after Stamkos was taken off the ice on a stretcher with a broken right leg, and the Bruins beat the Lightning 3-0 on Monday afternoon. Tre Boston Jersey . Before that, Rousey needed a total 23 minutes and 26 seconds to take care of her last eight opponents - and one of those fights lasted 10 minutes and 58 seconds. Brice Butler Jersey . -- Valentin Zykov scored in overtime as the Baie-Comeau Drakkar rallied to a 3-2 victory over the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada on Sunday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoff action.Ten years ago, Rory McIlroys father, Gerry, placed a 500-to-1 bet that his 15-year-old son would win the British Open before the age of 26. On Sunday, Gerry McIlroys faith in his son paid off – literally – as Rory won the Claret Jug and he cashed in to the tune of $171,000. With many unknowns - his son being an amateur golfer and just 15 - the bet made by Gerry McIlroy required mostly blind faith in Rorys talent and potential. If you could take the same risk, with relatively similar unknowns, what bet would you make? One could follow McIlroys example and place a bet once again on Rorys success. With his British Open win, Rory has three major titles; a U.S. Open win, a PGA Championship and, now, a British Open title. McIlroy is 11 major wins away from Tiger Woods totla of 14. However, Woods last major win came in 2008, when he was 34-years-old. Would you bet on McIlroy to surpass Woods in the next 10 years? Or how about putting some money on a Canadian team winning it all? Since 1993, hockey fans in Canada have been waiting to see a Canadian team hoist the Stanley Cup. The Vancouver Canucks came close to the feat in 2011, but lost to the Boston Bruins in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. The future for many of Canadas teams seems bright. The Montreal Canadiens advanced to the Eastern Conference Final last season and seem primed for another run in 2014-15 and the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers look to have strong 10-year outlooks based on the young talent on their rosters. Would you bet on any one of Canadas seven teams winning the Cup within the next 10 years? Speaking of Montreal, its been 10 years since the Expos left town. The prospect of bringing baseball back to Montreal is an oft-talked about concept throughout Canada, though nothing is close to imminent. No stadium is in the works, or team up for sale, yet there is a small possibility a Montreal-based team could take to bat within the next 10 years. Earlier this month, commissioner Bud Selig said Montreal was an "excellent candidate in the future." A long-shot bet, but one many Montrealerrs may gladly take as they continue to wait and hope for the return of the game.dddddddddddd Like baseball in Montreal, the debate of bringing NFL football to Toronto seems to always be on the minds of Torontonians. Yet, with the passing of Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson, the topic has received more attention than ever before. With a Toronto-based group reportedly led by rock star Jon Bon Jovi interested in purchasing the Bills, the city seems to have more hope than ever before. However, the Bills cannot leave Western New York until at least 2020 without incurring a $400 million penalty. Theres also no guarantee Bon Jovis group would move the team north of the border. Certainly many questions and unknowns surround the situation, but would you take the bet that four-down football will be played in Toronto within 10 years, or are the citys hopes simply livin on a prayer? Hailing from north of Toronto, Andrew Wiggins appears poised for a strong NBA career. The 19-year-old was selected first overall in this years NBA Draft and has been touted as the leagues "next great player." If he lives up to the hype, Wiggins should join the NBAs elite and join the select company of players to win the leagues most valuable player award. Would you bet that Wiggins will live up to the hype and secure an MVP trophy within his first 10 NBA seasons? Another rising Canadian star that may be worth betting on is Eugenie Bouchard. The 20-year-old from Westmount, Quebec is coming off her first final at a major and has reached the semifinal round at all three majors in 2014. Bouchard currently sits seventh in the world rankings and appears to be ready to rise even further. Could Bouchard win each major tournament and complete a career Grand Slam by the age of 30? Her recent trend of success suggests that bet might be worth taking. Given the chance to make a bet looking 10 years into the future, do you think you would cash in on any of the above? Maybe you have your own intriguing long-shot wager that could have you laughing all the way to the bank. As always, its Your! Call. 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