eeds - scored his first try for Penrith in his fourth NRL game,

Last Wednesday in St. Petersburg, R.A Dickey tossed a two hit shutout as the Blue Jays blanked Tampa Bay 3-0 to savage the final game of the three-game set at Tropicana Field. It was the Blue Jays first shutout and first complete game of the season. That seemed unusual to me, even for a team that is sitting in the basement in the A.L. East at 40-41. Going back to last season - when the Jays starting rotation was devastated by injuries - they had five complete games for the entire season, and four shutouts. Brandon Morrow had three of each for a team that finished 73-89. Safe to say the Blue Jays are well on pace to have their worst totals in both categories ever. Complete games have been on the downswing for years and it is a rare year indeed when even one pitcher in all of baseball hits double figures in the category. James Shields of the Rays was the last to accomplish the feat in the American League when he hurled 11 in 2011. In fact, since the Blue Jays last World Series title in 1993 only four American League pitchers - including Shields - have had 10 or more complete games in a season. The other three were Angels lefty Chuck Finley, Scott Erickson of the Orioles and current Blue Jays bullpen coach Pat Hentgen. The last to do it in the National League was Randy Johnson in 1999. In 1970, 19.65 per cent of all American League games were complete games. As recently as 2007, that figure had dropped to 2.82 per cent in the American League and 1.85 per cent in the NL. Dave Stieb was the first Blue Jays pitcher to lead the league in complete games with 19 in 1982. Hentgen led with 10 in 1996. The following season, the Blue Jays had co-leaders in the American League, with Roger Clemens and Hentgen each having nine. The interesting thing about 1997 is that it was the final year of Cito Gastons first stint as Manager of the Jays. They had a horrible season, despite getting that kind of quality pitching from Clemens and Hentgen. Lefty David Wells led in complete games in both 1999 and 2000 with seven and nine, respectively. Then we get to the incredible run of one Roy Halladay. He tied for the American League lead in 2003 with nine complete games. Then he held the lead outright in 2005 (five), 2007 (seven), 2008 (nine) and 2009 (nine). In Philadelphia, "Doc" topped the National League the next two seasons with nine and eight in 2010 and ‘11 respectively. But - perhaps as a harbinger of things to come - he had no complete games last season. It marked the first year without one in a decade. He is sidelined right now, rehabbing from shoulder surgery. Halladay wont be back ‘til August at the earliest and there is a chance he wont pitch at all for the Phillies for the rest of the season. The game has changed so much over the past 20 years, with pitch counts, increased specialization and reliance on relievers and of course the designated hitter thats been around 40 years. Its hard to discern, what the decrease in complete games really means. In more cases than not, if youve got a pitcher who can take the ball from first out to last, youve got a leader and youve got an ace. A Blue Jays pitcher has led the league or tied for the league lead in complete games 10 times over their 36 year history. They also employed former league leaders in Jack Morris, Dave Stewart and Phil Niekro. Oddly enough, in the five years they won the American league East, pitchers from other teams led in complete games. The fewest number of complete games to lead a league in any individual year is five, a record shared by Halladay (2005) and Dickey (in his 2012 NL Cy Young season). For the record, Clevelands Justin Masterson is leading the American League so far this season with three complete games while Adam Wainwright of the Cardinals is leading the National League with four. Cleveland enters Monday tied for first in the A.L Central with Detroit, while the Cardinals are second in the NL Central, two games back of Pittsburgh. There is no question July is make-or-break for the Blue Jays. They play 26 games: 17 at home and nine away. Its by no means an easy schedule since they have three-game sets with Baltimore and Tampa Bay, a three-gamer with Oakland and their current four-game set with Detroit. Just the same, with the heavy load of home games this month, the Blue Jays must make up a lot of ground in the Wild Card race, if the games in August and September are going to mean anything. Autographed Saints Jerseys . A knee to the thigh might have stung him the most, but his sixth straight double-double made up for the brief burst of pain. Authentic Saints Jerseys . Galatasaray said in a statement on its website Monday that Mancini signed a three-year contract and will be paid 3.5 million euros for the upcoming season, with his salary upped to 4. http://www.cheapsaintsjerseyselite.com/ . Bjorn, who had a 36-hole total of 8-under 134, made a testing six-foot putt to save par on the 16th and a birdie on the 17th before bogeying the final hole after a misjudged approach shot. American Kevin Streelman was in second place after shooting a 69. White Saints Jerseys . President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest was fired Friday after 12 years with the Marlins. The move came as the team neared the end of its third consecutive last-place season in the NL East. Cheap New Orleans Saints Jerseys . The Dutchmans tenure got off to a poor start when referee Guido Winkmann awarded a penalty within two minutes for Niklas Starks clumsy challenge on Alexandru Maxim. Almost two years to the day since Brisbane sacked him, Anthony Griffin enjoyed a triumphant Suncorp Stadium return on Friday night as Penrith jumped into the NRL top eight with an upset 31-12 win over the Broncos.With a shock victory in front of 30,878 fans, Griffin celebrated his first game with the Penrith reins in Brisbane since being told by the Broncos in July 2014 that he would be replaced by Wayne BennettPenrith (9-9 record) overwhelmed a flat Brisbane by five tries to two to move to seventh on the ladder.Griffin extends his remarkable run against Bennett, enjoying eight wins in 10 games against sides coached by the master mentor.That includes their round-three 23-22 upset at Penrith.The sixth-placed Broncos (10-8) have slumped to their sixth loss in eight games and are in danger of stumbling in the finals race.It was only Brisbanes second loss in seven games against Penrith at Suncorp Stadium.It also marked back-to-back home defeats for the Broncos.Penrith led 18-0 at the main break before piling on another two second-half tries including a 79th-minute effort by lock Trent Merrin.Former Blues forward Merrin celebrated his 150th NRL game, running a remarkable 249m.Queensland winger Corey Oates was the worst offender in the first half for a butterfingered Brisbane.He knocked on in the lead-up to two of Penriths three first-half tries and dropped the ball with the line open in the 20th minute.Penrith centre Waqa Blake scored a conttroversial opening try.ddddddddddddBlake appeared to knock forward a Ben Hunt kick, only to regather and run 100m to score as disbelieving Broncos players looked on.Englands Zak Hardaker - the 2015 UK Man of Steel on loan from Leeds - scored his first try for Penrith in his fourth NRL game, running off Matt Moylan in the 39th minute.Brisbanes display was summed up by a Hunt goalline dropout going out on the full, leading to Penriths 35th-minute penalty goal.Blake was helped off with concussion in the 27th minute after landing heavily contesting a kick.Brisbane prop Josh McGuire might be in trouble for a 26th-minute high shot on Penrith winger Josh Mansour.Griffin insisted he did not get any personal satisfaction in getting another win over Bennett.It gives me more satisfaction how our side is gelling together, just watching them go set for set against a quality side like that for 80 minutes, he said.And he didnt want to make any bold calls about Penriths finals chances.I am not sure what is going to happen in the next six weeks, he said.Bennett wasnt reaching for the panic button despite their worrying display.We couldnt build any pressure, simple as that, he said.Asked if he was concerned about missing the NRL finals, Brisbane captain Corey Parker said: That is not even on my radar - thats seven weeks away. 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