ANAHEIM, Calif. cheap jerseys from china . -- Don Baylor is returning to the Los Angeles Angels to be their hitting coach. The Angels hired Baylor on Wednesday to replace Jim Eppard, who wasnt retained by manager Mike Scioscia. The 64-year-old Baylor had been Arizonas hitting coach for the past three years. The former manager of the Rockies and Cubs should be a respected veteran voice on Scioscias coaching staff, which is undergoing an overhaul after the big-budget Angels worst season in a decade. "Don enjoyed a distinguished playing career, highlighted by his tenure with the Angels during their first two division championships," Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto said. "As a coach, he brings us tremendous expertise in the areas of hitting, communication and presence. Its nice to have him home." Many Orange County fans still have fond memories of Baylor, who won the AL MVP award while playing for the Angels in 1979, batting .296 with 36 homers and 139 RBIs. He spent six seasons with the then-California Angels, becoming the teams clubhouse leader while hitting 141 homers. Eppard and bench coach Rob Picciolo were let go by the Angels last week. Scioscia and Dipoto kept their jobs despite the Angels 78-84 finish in third place in the AL West in their fourth consecutive season out of the playoffs. Third base coach Dino Ebel was promoted to bench coach, but Scioscia hasnt yet replaced Ebel at third base. The Angels also are likely to hire one or two additional assistant coaches, Dipoto said. Scioscia and Dipoto both praised Eppard while letting him go -- and hitting wasnt usually the Angels biggest problem last season despite underwhelming performances by high-priced sluggers Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton. Los Angeles was third in the AL in team average (.264) and hits (1,476), finishing sixth with 733 runs. Pitching coach Mike Butcher kept his job despite the Angels 4.23 team ERA -- 11th in the AL. Only Minnesota and Houston allowed more hits in the league than the Los Angeles pitchers ( wholesale nfl jerseys .The former Winnipeg Rifles receiver got to work out with the team last season and even dressed for a July game, then spent the rest of the season on the practice roster. jerseys from china . -- The linebacker with 100 per cent attendance says theres a 99 per cent chance hes done.GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Josh Beckett said he will be ready for the start of the Dodgers season after having a rib removed last July in a surgery to alleviate a nerve condition that was affecting his right arm "I dont have numbness and tingling, anymore," Beckett said Monday. No doubts, either. The right-hander is expected to battle newly acquired Paul Maholm for the fifth spot in the Dodgers starting rotation this spring. Beckett, the fifth starter before last years mid-season surgery, breezed through his first bullpen session Monday in Arizona. He threw 30 pitches with no sign of trouble. "Im not tentative," said Beckett, who reported to camp a day late so he could attend a wedding. "Im going to throw as hard as I can and see what happens. Right now, I feel great. Ill throw the ball until I blow out and Im hoping thats not for a few more years." The Dodgers signing of Maholm on Saturday is considered a hedge against the possibility of further injury to Beckett, a three-time All-Star whom the Dodgers acquired from Boston along with Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto in a 2012 trade. "Josh is doing really well, but hes coming off tough surgery and theres not a lot of history with that surgery, so well see where things go," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. Beckett underwent the same surgical procedure that former St. Louis Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter underwent in July 2012. Carpenter went on to pitch in six more games in 2012 -- three in the regular season and three in the playoffs. But Carpenter did not pitch in 2013. He announced his retirement in November. Beckett said he has spoken to Carpenter. He said he was told Carpenters nerve condition was more severe than his own. Beckett also said the surgery was more complicated. Dr. Greg Pearl of Dallas performed both procedures. Carpenters experience and advice helped, he said. "It got me through the mental part," said Beckett, who was 0-5 with a 5.19 ERA when he landed on the disabled list on May 14. Neck problems and numbnness in his right hand had troubled Beckett for the last few years. wholesale jerseys. It got to the point where he learned how to drive with only his left hand. There were times, he said, when he couldnt feel the steering wheel with his right. "Its crazy how simple things become difficult to do," he said. The surgery, which also includes removal of some connective tissue, alleviated pressure on a nerve in his neck, he said. He never felt any pain. But there were moments when he had no control of his pitches. "I didnt know if I was going to throw it over the backstop," he said. "I had no idea where it was going to go." Beckett arrived in camp with his confidence bolstered by three workouts during the last couple of weeks in Texas. He threw off a mound twice, on Jan. 31 and again on Feb 3. Cold weather forced him inside on Feb. 6 where he threw 38 pitches off a flat surface. Beckett has no illusions about the competition he faces in camp. "Its just if hes healthy," Mattingly said. "Josh throws the ball good. Hes been a quality pitcher for a long time and he still has good stuff. How he bounces back, well see. Weve had nothing but positive reports all winter. Josh has never been in the bullpen. Obviously, its a competitive situation. Were not handing anything out for anybody. If hes healthy, well see." Beckett expects to have more time to prepare than the Dodgers calendar might indicate. They break camp in Arizona after a March 16 game and travel to Australia for a pair of regular-season games in Sydney against the Arizona Diamondbacks on March 22 and 23. "Im probably not going to start opening day in Australia," Beckett said. "Theyre paying a guy a lot of money to do that. Not all of us are getting ready for those days. Some of us have a little more time than it appears we do." NOTES: Outfielder Yasiel Puig is already in camp. Mattingly might open the season with the versatile Puig at the top of the Dodgers batting order. .The rest of the team is scheduled to report on Thursday.Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
