MIAMI -- Wade LeBlanc likes how the Miami Marlins new uniforms look. Matt Cooke Wild Jersey . He hopes to be wearing one next April. The Marlins acquired the left-hander from the San Diego Padres on Tuesday for catcher John Baker. LeBlanc went 5-6 with a 4.63 earned-run average for the Padres last season, winning three of his last four decisions and hoping that strong finish carries over into spring training when hell try to win a job. "Baseballs a big confidence game," said LeBlanc, who expects to compete for a job at the back end of the Miami rotation. "And anytime you can ... string a few games together like that, that shows yourself that you can do it and more importantly shows your team and your coaching staff, gives them confidence in you going forward." In parts of four seasons with the Padres, LeBlanc went 17-22 with a 4.54 ERA, starting 52 times and coming in as a reliever twice. He split time last season between San Diego and Triple-A Tucson, where he went 9-1 with a 4.30 ERA in 106 2-3 innings, with 92 strikeouts and 28 walks. Miami president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest said LeBlanc -- who beat the Marlins in August, the lone time he faced them in 2011 -- will have a chance to win a rotation job this spring. "When you havent firmly established yourself you have to fight every year and well put him in the mix," Beinfest said. "We liked when he pitched against us ... not overpowering stuff, but throws strikes. Got a very good change-up which gives him the ability to pitch to right-handed batters as well as left. So again, just an opportunity to add pitching depth." Beinfest said the groundwork for the deal was put in place at baseball meetings last week. Earlier this month, the Marlins officially dropped the "Florida" from their title, and theyll open play in a new downtown Miami stadium next year. A California native, Baker was limited to 16 games last season after having elbow reconstruction surgery in September 2010. He was 2 for 13, all but one of those at-bats coming as a pinch-hitter. In 212 career games with the Marlins, Baker batted .271 with 14 home runs and 89 RBIs. "We believe John fits well into our catching situation," Padres general manager Josh Byrnes said. "As a left-handed hitter with a good history of getting on base, he will provide us with depth and will help balance the roster from a left-right perspective." Among pitchers with 40 at-bats or more, LeBlancs batting average of .318 since the start of 2010 ranks second-best in baseball. He hit 4 for 6 in three games against the Marlins. "Kind of bittersweet," LeBlanc said of leaving the Padres. "San Diego was the only organization that Ive ever known. But its business. Its part of baseball and Im excited." Christian Folin Wild Jersey . Free agent John Axford, who had 46 saves for Milwaukee in 2011 but has struggled the past two seasons, agreed to a one-year, $4. Ryan Suter Wild Jersey . Lowry led the Raptors to a 3-1 week, averaging 25.0 points per game, 8.0 assists and 2.3 steals.Oilers captain Andrew Ference plays his first game against his old team tonight as Edmonton hosts the Boston Bruins at Rexall Place. The Oilers are 3-1-1 so far in December and are coming off Tuesdays 5-4 overtime win against visiting Carolina. Jordan Eberles power-play goal 1:48 into the extra session saved two points for the Oilers, who led the game by a 4-1 score early in the second period before letting the Hurricanes back into the contest. The Oilers coughed up a 4-1 lead over a period and a half, with Jeff Skinners goal late in the third tying it for Carolina. But Hurricanes defenseman Justin Faulk was sent off 19 seconds into overtime, penalized for boarding after hitting Ryan Nugent-Hopkins from behind in the corner to give the Oilers a 4- on-3. Eberle then scored on a second-chance shot through the legs of Carolina defenseman Andrej Sekera, who was covering the net on the left side for Cam Ward. "It was a weird game but we found a way to win," Eberle said. Taylor Hall, Nail Yakupov, Jesse Joensuu and Nugent-Hopkins also scored for the Oilers, who moved to 2-1-1 on a five-game homestand that ends tonight. Devan Dubnyk made 24 saves for Tuesdays win and he could get the start again on Thursday. Dubnyk is 0-2-0 with a 4.57 goals against average in two career games against the Bruins, while Rask boasts a 3-0 record and a 1.67 GAA in three lifetime outings versus the Oilers. The Bruins take aim at a fourth consecutive victory when they continue a four-game road trip. The Bruins picked up a third win in a row and improved to 2-0 on their current swing with Tuesdays comeback win in Calgary. Boston scored a pair of goals late in the third period to rally for a 2-1 win on the night Jarome Iginla returned to the Saddledome. Boston made Iginlas return to Calgary a triumphant one, as the club overcame a 1-0 third-period deficit to win in regulation. Reilly Smith potted the game- winner for the Bruins wwith 4:33 left to play, a mere 98 seconds after David Krejci recorded the equalizer with the Bruins on the power play. Ryan Suter Authentic Jersey. Iginla, the Flames all-time leader in goals (525), points (1,095) and games played (1,219), faced the club he spent 16 highly productive seasons with for the first time since Calgary traded its longtime captain to Pittsburgh during last Aprils trade deadline. The revered 36-year-old received a warm and rousing ovation from the home crowd during postgame introductions. "It brought back a lot of great memories," Iginla said of his return. Tuukka Rask stopped 26-of-27 shots to help Boston improve to 13-3-1 over its last 17 games, a stretch that has vaulted the Bruins into first place in the Atlantic Division. Boston won on Tuesday despite playing without a handful of players due to injuries, and another because of an impending suspension. Defensemen Dougie Hamilton and Adam McQuaid missed the last game with lower- body injuries, while forwards Loui Eriksson (concussion), Daniel Paille (upper body) and Chris Kelly (broken ankle) also sat out with various ailments. All of those players are expected to miss Thursdays game, including Hamilton, who will miss 2-to-4 weeks after suffering an injury in Sundays win at Toronto. Meanwhile, Bruins forward Shawn Thornton is facing a suspension for his actions in Saturdays win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Thornton, who grabbed Brooks Orpik of the Penguins from behind during a scrum and began punching him, is scheduled to have an in-person hearing with the league on Friday and he could be suspended for six or more games. Even with a short-handed lineup, the Bruins hope to continue their dominance of the Oilers on Thursday. Boston has won 10 straight in this series overall and has taken four in a row and 10 of the last 13 meetings in Edmonton. Boston is 8-5-0 on the road this season and will complete its current trek in Saturdays game against Vancouver. wholesale jerseyscheap jerseys ' ' '
