3) team that cant seem to get over the hump on offense. All thre

NEW YORK -- Edwin Encarnacion needed no further prompting when asked what the Blue Jays needed to most improve upon in the second half. "I think the starting pitching," he said. "If we want to win, we know and they know we need to pitch better." The numbers back up Encarnacions statement. Whats more, Encarnacions All-Star numbers give him the platform to offer an opinion few other position players could share. Toronto enters the break with the second-highest starters ERA in baseball. At 5.07, only Minnesotas (5.23) ranks worse. Pundits figured the Twins would have a poor rotation but R.A. Dickey, Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle were supposed to be the backbone of a revamped Blue Jays rotation that would propel the club to its first playoff appearance in 20 years. Encarnacion is hitting .264/.345/.476. He has 25 home runs and his 67 since the start of 2012 are third most in baseball behind Miguel Cabrera and Chris Davis. Hes a leader, respected not only in his own clubhouse but around the game. "We have the talent in the clubhouse and I know the pitchers can do better than theyve been doing," he said. "We just need to focus in the games and I know things are going to change." Jose Bautista, voted to New York City by the fans, pointed the finger at himself. "Were totally capable of playing a lot better baseball than weve shown," said Bautista. "We just need to play better as a team. Like I said earlier today, Im number one on that list. Ive been very inconsistent this year and I need to pick it up some and bring that consistency that I know I can bring to the table and bring more of a steady production and help the team win more games." Trade talk will intensify once the schedule resumes later in the week. The July 31 non-waiver trade deadline is looming. Toronto has been linked to the Cubs Matt Garza, to the extent that scouts have been watching his starts, but general manager Alex Anthopoulos says he wont acquire a rental player. Garzas contract is expiring so he falls into the hands off category. Whether or not moves are made is irrelevant to at least one Blue Jays All-Star. "I would take the perspective of that (Alex) doesnt think we need to make a move because he thinks we can do it with what we have," said Brett Cecil. "Thats just me personally. I would hope all the guys, even without talks of trade or anything, would think that we could do it without any types of moves or anything like that and I would hope guys would take it that way if we didnt make a move." The Blue Jays are 45-49, in last place in the American League East, 11.5 games behind division-leading Boston. Toronto is 8.5 games behind Texas for the second American League wild card spot. BORAS TALKS PEDs In the wake of ESPN reports that Major League Baseball will seek to suspend as many as 20 players with alleged links to Biogensis, super agent Scott Boras put out the call for due process. "If we have positive analytical we have no issue," said Boras. "Now were in an area where weve got negative analytical and yet weve got circumstantial pursuit on non-analytical cases. That is in the rules, that is in the rules but it is causing a problem in the game. The problem is its affecting the masses that are innocent. Its affecting the integrity of the game and we have to look at that as to how we approach that. Do we allow the witch hunts? Do we allow the early speculation?" Among those with alleged links to Biogenesis, a now defunct Miami-based anti-aging clinic that peddled performance enhancing drugs, are the Yankees Alex Rodriguez and Milwaukees Ryan Braun. Rodriguez is an admitted steroid user but he claims to have stopped after departing the Texas Rangers following the 2003 season. Braun, the 2011 National League MVP, tested positive for a banned substance shortly afterward but the case was thrown out when a judge ruled the samples chain of command had been compromised. Others, like Texas Nelson Cruz, have never had a positive test. CONFIDENCE IS KEY Cecil admitted to TSN.ca he lost confidence in himself during his trying seasons of 2011 and 2012. Its a fragile thing. "I think a lot of players would tell you that its not because they have all the confidence in the world in themselves," he said. "Sometimes its not necessarily the most truthful thing thats coming out of their mouths. I know as far as me, I mean I told you guys, 2011 and 2012 I still had all the confidence in the world but I really didnt, I really didnt." Prior to his scoreless inning in Baltimore on Saturday, Cecil had allowed runs in two consecutive appearances for the first time all season. He admitted, even then despite his brilliant year, his confidence began to waver. The difference now? Cecil trusts his repertoire. "Back in 2011, 2012, even when I had a good outing I still didnt know if my stuff was good enough to play up here and when I got knocked around I really didnt think it was good enough to play up here," he said. "After the last two outings I know my stuff plays up here and its just a matter of how Im going to deal with the little things that I did wrong and how am I going to take it into my next outing." MUTUAL RESPECT AMONGST VOTTO AND ENCARNACION Edwin Encarnacion and Joey Votto were teammates with the Cincinnati Reds from 2007-2009. Votto, Toronto born and raised, had high praise for an old friend. "Edwin was one of my favourite teammates," said Votto. "Actually, whenever we made the trade for Scott Rolen, for the first month or so whenever Scott would start chirping at me I would tell him how much I miss Edwin. You know, I really miss Edwin, I wish we wouldnt have made that trade, Scott. Im very fond of him and Im really, really happy for his success and I hope he keeps it up because its fun watching him on the highlights hit all of those home runs." "He loved the way I acted," said Encarnacion, whose outgoing personality runs counter to Vottos more reserved countenance. "He loved it. We enjoyed all moments when I was there in Cincinnati with my old team." TAKING IT ALL IN Four-year-old Edwin Encarnacion Jr. was sitting on dads lap during the afternoon media availability session. Each player is seated at his own podium and the assembled media can wander at their leisure. Young Edwin was a trooper. The session was held in the open air of the concourse inside the home plate entrance to Citi Field. With a humidex reading outside of close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit and hundreds of bodies roaming a confined space, it got a little warm. Brett Cecil was looking most forward to having his three-year-old son, Bryton, on the field with him during the home run derby. Steve Delabar had pictures taken with family members including his wife, infant daughter, parents and in-laws, all of whom traveled to New York to share his first time All-Star experience. Wholesale Hockey Jerseys . -- Bobby Ryan helped the U. Fake Hockey Jerseys . Takahashi, who had a 10-point lead after the short program, received 268.31 points after the free skate to finish 15 points ahead of second-place Nobunari Oda. https://www.fakehockeyjerseys.com/ . Booth picked up 65 caps after making her national team debut in 2002 at the age of 17. She most recently played for Sky Blue FC of the National Womens Soccer League. "It just felt like it was my time to move on," she said in a phone interview from her hometown of Burlington, Ont. Cheap Hockey Jerseys China . Jane Virtanen scored two, and Alex Roach and Elliott Peterson rounded out the offence for the Hitmen (40-15-6). Brady Brassart chipped in with three assists. Colton McCarthy scored twice, Brayden Point had a goal and two assists, and Jack Rodewald also scored for the Warriors (15-35-9), who were 2 for 5 on the power play. Authentic Hockey Jerseys Earlier this season Tennessee exorcised a major demon from its football program when it rallied from a 21-point first-half deficit to beat Florida 38-28 in Knoxville. That win ended the Gators 11-game winning streak over the Volunteers.On Saturday No. 9 Tennessee (5-1, 2-1 SEC) gets another opportunity to end a painful streak when No. 1 Alabama (6-0, 3-0) comes to Neyland Stadium (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS).Tennessee has lost nine straight games to Alabama in this historic rivalry. The Volunteers havent beaten the Crimson Tide since 2006 (16-13 in Knoxville). Nick Saban came to Alabama the following year and has not lost to Tennessee. In fact, counting his time at LSU, Saban is 11-1 against Tennessee.There is no question that were facing our toughest challenge to date, said Tennessee coach Butch Jones, whose team played tough against Alabama last season in Tuscaloosa only to fall 19-14. That Alabama team went on to win the national championship. This is the most talented Alabama team we have faced.This will be the 99th playing of the Alabama-Tennessee game, which is known in the history books as The Third Saturday in October. It has lost a little of its star power lately as the two teams havent met as ranked teams since 2005 and havent met as Top 10 teams since 1999.There will be no shortage of star power on Saturday. Alabama has a chance to stay undefeated going into next weeks big showdown with No. 6 Texas A&M. Tennessee, which lost a double-overtime heartbreaker at Texas A&M last Saturday, would make a huge step towards winning the SEC East with a victory.Its going to be fun.Here are some other SEC storylines to watch on Saturday: Dont forget about Ole Miss. The Rebels (3-2, 1-1) have lost only one conference game, to Alabama, and can still win the SEC West by running the table and by Alabama losing twice. No. 12 Ole Miss goes to No. 22 Arkansas (4-2, 0-2) which has given the Rebels a lot of heartbreak over the past two years. Arkansas beat Ole Miss 30-0 in 2014 in Fayetteville. Last season in Oxford the Razorbacks won 53-52 in overtime when Arkansas converted a fourth-and-25 play to keep a drive alive. Arkansas eventually scored and then won the game with a two-point conversion.They have been a really tough matchup for us, said Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze..dddddddddddd No. 18 Florida (4-1, 2-1) finally gets starting quarterback Luke Del Rio back as the Gators host Missouri (2-3, 0-2) for Homecoming. Del Rio, in his first season as a starter, was injured against North Texas on Sept. 17 and has not played since. Backup Austin Appleby went 1-1 in his place.Hell be ready to go and hes excited about getting back out there, said Florida coach Jim McElwain about Del Rio.The Gators have one of the best secondaries in the conference. They lead the SEC and are fourth nationally in pass defense (139.8 yards per game). That secondary will be tested by a Missouri passing game, led by quarterback Drew Lock, that leads the SEC in passing (350.6 yards per game).Florida has next week off and then plays Georgia in Jacksonville on Oct. 29. It has been an interesting week for the Georgia Bulldogs (4-2, 2-2). Due to the impact of Hurricane Matthew they played last Sunday at South Carolina, winning 28-14. Freshman quarterback Jacob Eason had his most difficult outing to date, completing only 5 of 17 passes for 29 yards. Fortunately for Georgia it didnt matter as running backs Nick Chubb (121 yards rushing), Sony Michel (133) and Brian Herrien (82) overpowered an undermanned South Carolina defense.Georgia will host a Vanderbilt (2-4, 0-3) team that cant seem to get over the hump on offense. All three of Vanderbilts SEC losses - 13-10 to South Carolina; 13-6 to Florida; 20-13 to Kentucky - have come by seven points or fewer.Georgia has won 19 of its last 21 meetings with Vanderbilt. LSU (3-2, 2-1) did not play last week as its trip to Florida was postponed due to Hurricane Matthew. But the Tigers, whose only conference loss was to Auburn (18-13), are still very much in the SEC West race. If LSU runs the table (which would include a win over Florida in a makeup game) and Auburn loses again, then LSU would win the division.First they have to take care of Southern Mississippi (4-2), a team that is averaging just over 40 points per game. Then next week Ole Miss comes to Baton Rouge.This will be LSUs second game under interim head coach Ed Orgeron. The Tigers beat Missouri two weeks ago in Baton Rouge. ' ' '