TORONTO -- Shea Emry and Tim Burke are together again. Bryce Brown Bills Jersey . The Toronto Argonauts signed the veteran linebacker to a three-year deal Tuesday, hours after the start of CFL free agency. The move reunites Emry with Tim Burke, the new Argos defensive co-ordinator who held the same post in Montreal when Emry began his pro career in 2008. "We (Emry and Burke) had a brief conversation after I signed and it was great, it was just like old times," Emry said during a conference call. "Im super excited with the dynamic aspects he wants to bring to it. "Im a guy whos been in the defence that really allowed me to flourish and be the player I want to be." Toronto also signed former Edmonton Eskimos offensive lineman Scott Mitchell as a free agent Tuesday. Emry will replace veteran Robert McCune in the middle of Torontos defence. McCune was the clubs tackling leader last season but became a free agent Tuesday as well. "I think youre getting a player of similar mould," Argos head coach Scott Milanovich said when asked to compare Emry with McCune. "One of the things Ive always said about Shea from when he was a rookie is theres a certain number of players in the league that when the games on the line and you need a play, you hear it said all the time, this guy is around the ball and making a play. "Thats one of the biggest strengths Shea has, is when the moment is at its biggest, thats when he seems to make a play and change the game. I dont know thats different from Robert McCune but Im certainly thrilled. Ive watched Shea since he was a rookie ... Im sure he had many many offers and Im honoured he chose to join the Double Blue." Emry, 27, of Richmond, B.C., spent the first six years of his career with Montreal, helping the Alouettes earn Grey Cup titles 2009 and 2010. Burke was the defensive co-ordinator on those championship teams but left to join head coach Paul LaPolices staff in Winnipeg in 2011. Burke became the Bombers head coach after LaPolice was fired in August 2011 and held that position until being let go by Winnipeg following the 2013 campaign. "The one guy we highlighted was Shea Emry and if he stayed available he was the guy we were going to go hard on," Argos general manager Jim Barker said. "We felt like hes the right guy, the piece to help us and Tim Burke in terms of putting in his defence a guy whos played for him and obviously is a ratio changer. "He just brings all the things we look for on this football team." Milanovich is also intimately familiar with Emry, having won Grey Cups as Montreals offensive co-ordinator before coming to Toronto prior to the 2012 campaign. Also, offensive co-ordinator Marcus Brady is a former Alouettes assistant. "I wanted to make my decision based on the football club," Emry said. "I know Jim and Scott run a tight ship around there, no pun intended. "I really respect Scott and respect Marcus and Tim ... I recognize theres a culture in there I want to be a part of. That was a big part of the decision. I want to be part of a winning culture and a culture that allows players to play together and flourish as a team." The seventh overall pick in the 2008 CFL draft, Emry has 261 tackles, 13 sacks, three fumble recoveries and four interceptions in his career. Emrys best season came in 2012 when he totalled a career-best 87 tackles, including seven sacks, and was named the East Divisions top Canadian and defensive MVP. He was also an East Division and CFL all-star. He said leaving Montreal is hard. "It was a difficult decision to make but on the other hand it came down to something that was really easy, it was a values-based decision," he said. "Going into this free-agency market, I knew I wanted to make a decision based on values and not where my heart laid. "I wanted to give Montreal the proper gratitude for drafting me and for having given me six great years of football and the opportunity to play football. Coming down this morning and having all the offers on the table, it made it an easy decision to go to a franchise ... that presents a great opportunity for me to step in and allow myself to be the man I want to be." The six-foot-four, 295-pound Mitchell was the second player taken in the 2011 CFL draft by Edmonton. The 24-year-old Ottawa native spent the last three years with the Eskimos. The addition of Emry and Mitchell certainly fill definite needs for Toronto, which lost starting offensive lineman Joe Epelle and versatile linebacker Jason Pottinger, both Canadians, to the expansion Ottawa Redblacks in December. The Argos also announced they signed OL Scott Mitchell, formely of the Edmonton Eskimos, and WR Mike Bradwell to a two-year extension. "Scott is a talented, young Canadian lineman who was a very good collegiate prospect coming out of a large U.S. football program," Argos GM Jim Barker said in a team release. "He now has three years of professional experience in our league and we look forward to seeing him develop with us in Toronto." Dan Carpenter Jersey . Teague one handed three pointerTheres something to be said about having the nerve to go up and take a shot from downtown late in a close playoff game, but what is there really to say when that shot is one handed? Teague answers that question with a simple Jordan like shrug of the shoulders. Mike Williams Jersey . He leaves as a potential first overall pick, and one of the most dynamic, breath-taking players in college football history.For the last couple of weeks, there has been a strange and somewhat sad story unfolding in the Philadelphia Phillies camp. Jimmy Rollins, who should go down as one of the all-time great Phillies, is being questioned about his attitude and whether he is hurting the franchise by refusing to allow himself to be traded. Rollins is 35 years old and has played in Philadelphia his entire career. Hes a three-time All-Star and a four-time Gold Glover. He won a Silver Slugger Award and was named the National League MVP in 2007, in addition to winning a World Series with the Phils in 2008. Rollins has one year, plus a vesting option for another year, left on his contract. He is a "5/10" man, that is, he has played 10 years in the Majors and five consecutive years with his current team, so he has the power to veto any trade. Its no secret that the Phillies are an older, veteran team that may have one more shot at glory or, more likely, is heading for a blow-up and a major rebuild. Rollins, perhaps bothered or jaded by the teams struggles the past couple of years, was accused in so many words of not hustling enough or providing enough leadership. At one point, his previous manager, Charlie Manuel, benched him to send a message and this spring, his current manager, Ryne Sandberg, sat Rollins for three days after he said that spring training games were basically meaningless. The Detroit Tigers need a shortstop since Jose Iglesias is likely gone for the season with stress fractures in both of his legs. Rumours began that the Phils might try to deal Rollins to the Tigers. Rollins responded by saying he is unmovable because, at this time, he doesnt want to go anywhere. Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. angrily shot down the rumours, saying there never was any talk of trading Rollins in the first place. One of Rollinss motives for wanting to stay in Philly is his pursuit of the franchises all-time hits record. He needs just 60 more to break Hall of Famer Mike Schmidts mark of 2234. Rollins is fourth on the list right now behind Schmidt, Richie Ashburn and Ed Delahanty. Even with a subpar season, Rollins will pass all three as long as he stays healthy. Jimmy Rollins is accused of being selfish for not allowing a trade for the good of the franchise. In Toronto, Mats Sundin and Carlos Delgado took the same kind of heat from Leafs and Blue Jays fans when they refused to be dealt in the final years of their contracts. Rollins is already the Phils career leader in doubles, but the hits record is something special to him. As he put it, only 30 players in baseball can say they lead a franchise in base hits. Is he being selfish? Not if he gives everything hes got to the Phillies every time hes on the diamond. Rollins wouldnt be the first to hang in to attempt to reach a career milestone. Two of the greatest pitchers in Major League history hung in past their primes in order to reach 300 wins. Lefty Grove, in some pundits minds the greatest pitcher of all-time, came back in 1941 needing seven wins for 300. He won his 299th on July 2 of that season. Essentially down to being a once-a-week pitcher for tthe Boston Red Sox at that time, he didnt get number 300 until July 25 and it wasnt pretty. Bruce Smith Womens Jersey. Grove went all the way in a 10-6 victory over Cleveland giving up five earned runs on 12 hits. He never won again that season and called it a career on December 7, 1941, the day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Early Wynn, Tom Cheeks original partner on the Blue Jays radio broadcasts, went 7-15 with the Chicago White Sox in 1962 and finished that season with 299 victories. He came back with the Cleveland Indians, the club with which he had most of his greatest seasons, in 1963 at age 43 for one last shot at number 300. On July 13, he finally got it , but hardly in grand and glorious style. Wynn left the game after five innings with Cleveland holding a 5-4 lead over the Kansas City Atheltics. Earlys roommate, Jerry Walker, took over and held KC scoreless over the final four innings. Wynn became the first pitcher to have won 300 since Lefty Grove in 1941. There was one other case that I can recall of a player hanging in to get a record. Carlton Fisk, then of the Chicago White Sox, broke Bob Boones all-time record for games caught behind the plate with his 2,226th on June 22, 1993. Six days later, in what was perceived to be a heartless move, Fisk was released by the club. Is Jimmy Rollins selfish? No less so than any of the above three Hall of Famers. As long as the effort and the desire are there, I say more power to Rollins. He has a contract and the rules of baseball say he cant be traded. The one last twist to this story: Mike Schmidt is an icon in Philadelphia and will be working on home-game telecasts on Sundays this season. There are a lot of Philllies fans who dont want to see him lose this record. Rollinss position in all of this reminds of the heat Roger Maris was taking in his successful pursuit of Babe Ruths single season home run record in 1961. Some never forgave him for hitting 61 in 61. Jimmy Rollins doesnt deserve to receive the same kind of scorn. If he breaks the record, hes earned it. - Its hard to get into the idea of the season opening this weekend in Australia. The Los Angeles Dodgers are taking on the Arizona Diamondbacks in two games before returning to Arizona for the remainder of spring training. The really strange thing is, thanks to the time difference, the season effectively opens as a day-night doubleheader for us. The first game starts at 4am et/1am pt on Saturday morning and the second one at 10pm et/7pm pt on Saturday night. - One sad note out of the Blue Jays camp: the team released lefty reliever Luis Perez to make room for utility sluggerMatt Tuiasosopo, who was picked up on waivers from Arizona. Two years ago, Perez, for my money, was the best all-around reliever in the Jays bullpen. But then he blew out his elbow and needed Tommy John surgery. Perez was supposed to be back this season like Drew Hutchison and Kyle Drabek, however, he had a set back in the offseason and needed further surgery to remove scar tissue. Now at 29, his career is in limbo. Heres hoping he can make it back all the way to the Bigs somewhere. ' ' '
