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TORONTO - With 12 days to go before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline and an injury-riddled team in freefall, general manager Alex Anthopoulos finds himself in an unenviable position: cash-strapped at a time when the American League East is ripe for the picking, struggling to balance a win now mentality while keeping an eye to the future, the need to preserve the top end of the clubs prospect pool. Most teams slot into one of two modus operandi. There are clubs in contention and they approach this time of year either satisfied with their roster or, more likely the case, with an eye toward solidifying areas of need for the playoff push. The Blue Jays, despite having lost 24 of 35 games entering Saturdays action, are in contention, four games back of first place Baltimore in the division and two and a half games behind Seattle for the final wild card spot. They are a team with numerous holes, factoring in more than just the raft of injuries. When Brett Lawrie returns from a fractured right index finger, which cant happen soon enough, itd be nice if he has a positional home. Juan Francisco isnt hitting anybody and Steve Tolleson isnt an everyday option because hes strong against left-handed pitching (.988 OPS) but weak against right-handed pitching (.340 OPS). Its gotten to the point in the bullpen where Todd Redmond is ahead of Sergio Santos on the depth chart. Torontos relief corps has issued 129 walks, tied for fourth most in baseball. Its 4.36 ERA is fifth worst in the game. A reinforcement or two is needed. While the starting staff has acquitted itself nicely, few teams would decline an acquisition to improve its rotation. The Blue Jays are no different. Quietly, players will tell you the club is in need of upgrade and their hope is that ownership will show a commitment to winning this season. To a man, those with whom TSN.ca has spoken are withholding judgment until the deadline has passed. Remember, too, trades can be made in August but only after players clear waivers, which often happens. Manager John Gibbons doesnt want his players consuming themselves with deadline-related rumours and wishlists. "Every year you get to this time of year, I can remember back to as long as Ive been around this place, anytime that deadline is coming up and they know theres going to be moves going to be made, guys are always wondering whats going to happen," said Gibbons. "Some of them are thinking, Am I out of here? or one of those kind of deals, Am I going to be traded? Thats always happened. But understand this is our team right now and you cant always make something happen. Sometimes things never happen. If you get caught up in that youre in trouble anyway." Contrary to the go-for-it approach is the look-to-the-future strategy, commonly referred to as the "rebuild." Its happening in Chicago with the Cubs and, believe it or not, it can be exciting, especially when it nears the fruit bearing stage. Anthony Rizzo lost two valuable teammates, Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel, in a blockbuster trade with Oakland earlier this month. The Cubs received one of baseballs top prospects, shortstop Addison Russell, in the return package. Chicagos minor league system is loaded, reinforced over three seasons by president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer. Some have opined its the greatest collection of prospect talent ever. The Cubs plan is obvious and for that reason, Rizzo was intrigued by the deal. "For the first time that Ive been here, Ive finally had that feeling that its really, really close," Rizzo told TSN.ca during last weeks All-Star festivities. "And I think I can speak on behalf of the organization that we all know its really close. So, I mean, we have what, three or four of the top 10 prospects in baseball. Thats somewhat unheard of so obviously, hopefully they all pan out. You can never have too much talent. These guys all seem like the real deal so keep moving in the right direction." So, whats the plan in Toronto? Where do the Blue Jays slot? The team, with its current roster, is positioned to win now. That was the point of the Marlins and Mets trades two off-seasons ago. The division hasnt been more available since the heady days of the early 1990s. Edwin Encarnacion, Brett Lawrie and Adam Lind will eventually return. Now isnt the time to pinch pennies, regardless of whether theres a new CEO and a multi-billion dollar investment in another sports property. Blue Jays players dont care about that and neither does a fanbase starved for a winner. If now isnt the time, then why waste any more of Bautistas prime years? He wants to win before its too late. Hell be 34 in October and wont be the player three years from now that he is today. Dont make him tread water any longer. Encarnacion is one of the sports premier sluggers. Why waste his talent if now isnt the time? Dont make him tread water any longer. The Blue Jays also have crucial offseason decisions to make on impending free agents like Colby Rasmus and Melky Cabrera. If the club issues them qualifying offers, likely in the neighbourhood of $14-million, and the player accepts, that could skew the books. Neglect to offer either player a qualifying offer and both walk without so much as a compensatory draft pick in return. Torontos problem is solved, in part, by getting healthy and playing better baseball, contending deep into September and possibly securing a playoff spot. The club needs external help, via trade or with the late-season emergence of, say, Aaron Sanchez, to accomplish the goal. Youre either going for it or youre not. Existing in the mushy middle shouldnt be any franchises MO. Chris Conley Jaguars Jersey . 1. Lions WR Calvin Johnson (6 REC, 101 YDS, 1 TD, 10 targets) leads receivers with 1,299 yards and 12 touchdowns, though his 118.1 receiving yards per game ranks second behind Clevelands Josh Gordon. Gordon (10 REC, 261 YDS, 2 TD, 15 targets) is emerging as a superstar, putting up huge numbers even with Jason Campbell and Brandon Weeden at quarterback. Telvin Smith Jersey .com) - Patrik Elias registered the winner in the shootout as New Jersey nipped Toronto 2-1 at Prudential Center on Wednesday. http://www.officialjacksonvillejaguarspro.com/Nick-foles-jaguars-jersey/ . The 25-year-old Brazilian player has only made four Premier League appearances for United this season and underwent a medical test in Italy on Friday. Leonard Fournette Jaguars Jersey . -- Former Penn State coach Joe Paterno was admitted to the hospital Friday for observation due to minor complications from cancer treatments, his family said. Nick Foles Womens Jersey .com) - His team lost in the round of 16 of the FCS playoffs, yet Northern Iowa football coach Mark Farley says his team has made a strong case to be voted to the top 5 in the final rankings. RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. -- Lexi Thompson went after it at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, smashing driver on every hole she could. Michelle Wie reined in her power, hitting conservative fairway-metal stingers and only occasionally letting loose with the driver. Thompson ended up cannonballing into Poppies Pond late Sunday afternoon in the traditional victory leap, while Wie was left to wonder about her strategy. "I play this course very aggressively," the 19-year-old Thompson said. "I didnt want to change the way I played the last few days because my driver wont get me in any trouble on a lot of the holes. So, laying back wouldnt really make sense. "The greens were a little firmer, so even with a wedge in your hand you had to play for quite a bit of bounce out. I figured the closer I could get, even if I was in the rough, I could get it pretty close to the hole." Thompson birdied four of the first nine holes to open a five-stroke lead and parred the final nine for a 4-under 68 for a three-stroke victory over Wie. "This is what Ive worked so hard for," Thompson said. "This was one of my goals coming into the year, to win a major. Ive always seen myself winning a Kraft Nabisco. Its such a huge honour with all the history behind the tournament." Wie birdied the final hole for a 71. She used her driver only four times, choosing to hit fairway woods on the other 10 driving holes -- leaving her as much as 60 yards behind Thompson. When both hit 3-woods, Thompson also had the advantage. "I stuck with my game plan and I think it was the right play," Wie said. "Who knows? In hindsight you would do something here or do something there, make a putt there. Thats the way golf is. I just couldnt get anything going today." Thompson finished at 14-under 274 at Mission Hills for her fourth LPGA Tour victory. She opened with a 73, shot a tournament-best 64 on Friday and had a 69 on Saturday to tie for the lead with Wie at 10 under. The 6-foot Florida player had only one bogey -- when she missed a 3-footer on the par-5 18th Saturday -- in her last 55 holes. "When I had a bad hole, Id just fight right back," Thompson said. "Or if I hit a bad shot, just know that I can get it up-and-down or get it on the green." Five years after she first played the event as a 14-year-old amateur, Thompson became the second-youngest major winnner at 19 years, 1 month, 27 days.dddddddddddd Morgan Pressel set the mark in 2007 at Mission Hills at 18 years, 10 months, 9 days. "It has been an honour to play at this tournament so many years," Thompson said. "Only being 19 and to win it is the biggest honour ever." Thompson has three victories in her last 12 starts, winning in Malaysia and Mexico late last season. She also won the 2011 Navistar LPGA at 16 to become the youngest winner in tour history, a mark broken by Lydia Ko in the 2012 Canadian Womens Open. "Im really looking forward to the future," Thompson said. The 24-year-old Wie won the last of her two tour titles in 2010. "Im just proud of myself for how the week went," Wie said. Sixteen-year-old amateur Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., shot a 74 and finished in a tie for 26th. Thompson hammered a drive 40 yards past Wies 3-wood on the par-4 opening hole and took the lead with a 15-foot birdie putt. Wie pulled even with a birdie on the par-5 second, then bogeyed the par-4 third -- missing from 6 feet after leaving a chip short. Thompson birdied Nos. 4 and 5. She hit a 3-wood 30 yards past Wies 3-wood and made a 12-foot putt on the par-4 fourth, and holed a 5-footer on the par-3 fifth. Thompson picked up another stroke on the par-3 eighth when Wie missed a 2-foot par putt, and pushed her lead to five with an 8-foot birdie putt on the par-5 ninth. Wie birdied the first two holes where she used her driver, hitting it past Thompson on Nos. 2 and 11 -- both par 5s. Wie also hit driver on the par-4 13th, setting up a wedge that she hit to 4 feet. But she left the birdie putt short to remain four strokes back. "I think it got to a point where I just tried too hard," Wie said. Wie cut it to three on No. 14, holing a 12-footer, but dropped a stroke on the 17th. "Lexi played amazing," Wie said. "She played probably the best Ive ever seen her play. She hit the ball so well. ... It was just hard to catch up to her all day." Stacy Lewis, the 2011 winner, had a 67 to finish third at 7 under. DIVOTS: Minjee Lee, the 17-year-old Australian who tops the amateur ranking and is 110th overall, was the low amateur. She shot a 72 to tie for 24th at even par. Lee won the Australian professional tours Victorian Open in February. ... Inbee Park, the 2013 champion, had a 75 to tie for 38th at 4 over. ' ' '