forced overtime, where the Heat ultimately prevailed. Miami

TORONTO – Jose Bautista is nearing a return to the Blue Jays lineup and pinch hit in the sixth inning of Sundays series finale against the White Sox. Batting for Dioner Navarro with runners on the corners and the Jays down 2-0 at the time, Bautista grounded out to end the inning. Fans who arrived to watch batting practice were treated to Bautistas first public testing of his injured left hamstring. He was running sprints in the outfield; he estimated at about 50 to 60-percent effort and admitted to feeling some pain, which he said he expected. Bautista will work out on Mondays off day and is hopeful of being in the starting lineup on Tuesday when the Jays play a Canada Day matinee against the Brewers. He hasnt been in the starting lineup since removing himself in the third inning of the June 22 loss in Cincinnati. "You know, its huge," said Bautista of avoiding the disabled list. Then he offered a precautionary thought: "Obviously thats still not in the plans but you never know how things are going to respond," said Bautista. "I just want to make it clear that I can get back into playing and because theres a previous injury there anything can happen. Im not trying to jinx it or anything but thats just reality." Bautista has been hitting in the underneath batting cage. "I feel like hitting is much easier right now than running," he said. While its superfluous to suggest the Blue Jays miss Bautista when hes not in the lineup the matter became more pronounced as the club faced three Chicago lefthanders over the weekend. After two home games versus Milwaukee, against right-handed starters, the Jays kick off their next road trip with four games in Oakland. The As will throw three left-handers at the Blue Jays in that series. Bautistas done serious damage to southpaws this year. Seven of his 15 home runs have been hit off of lefties. Hes accomplished that in only 57 at-bats. His on-base plus slugging percentage sits at an otherworldly 1.329. Combine Bautistas absence with the predominantly right-handed lineup manager John Gibbons has played this weekend, featuring Triple-A call ups Brad Glenn and Darin Mastroianni, and offence has been in relatively short supply. Left-handed hitters Adam Lind and Colby Rasmus, when theyve played, have struggled as the numbers would suggest they would. Bautista isnt committing to whether hell be Tuesdays designated hitter or take his usual spot in right field. "If I come in and feel 100-percent and great and go out on the field and play defence and I could not feel 100-percent and ask to DH instead of playing the field," said Bautista. "It all depends on how I feel on Tuesday and I wont know that until Tuesday." If Bautistas hamstring limits him to the designated hitters role, that likely removes Adam Lind from the Canada Day starting lineup. Against a right-handed starting pitcher, thats less than ideal. Should Bautista declare himself fit to play right field, Edwin Encarnacion and Adam Lind would both play, one as the designated hitter and the other at first base. T. J. Carrie Jersey . - Tom Brady was upset that his New England Patriots hardly looked like a division champion in the first half. Custom Browns Jerseys . A veteran of 16 NHL seasons, Prospals career was highlighted by him ranking fourth in points scored, third in assists and sixth in games played among all Czech Republic born players in NHL history. http://www.brownsauthenticproshop.com/Youth-Carlos-Hyde-Browns-Jersey/ . Rudy Gay made the tying basket in regulation and a 3-pointer in overtime that gave Sacramento the lead for good, and Fredette scored a career-high 24 points to help the Kings beat the Knicks 106-101 on Wednesday night. Damarious Randall Jersey . The 2014 edition will be the ninth meeting between the Caps and Vikes in a tradition that dates back to 2005. "Since the original Whitecaps, the club has enjoyed fantastic support from fans in Victoria and all across Vancouver Island," said Whitecaps FC president Bob Lenarduzzi. Darren Fells Browns Jersey . Winning more at home probably should be on the list. The Flames look to avoid a fifth defeat in six home games by winning a sixth straight meeting with the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night.MIAMI -- A year ago, the Spurs-Heat matchup in the NBA Finals was considered a classic. And now, an encore awaits. For the first time since 1998, the NBA Finals is a rematch. San Antonio and Miami will decide the leagues champion for the second straight season, the Spurs earning their spot Saturday night by beating Oklahoma City 112-107 in overtime in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals. Miami -- the NBAs two-time defending champion -- eliminated Indiana from the East finals Friday night, also in six games. "The two best teams will meet," Heat guard Dwyane Wade said. "Were just happy and excited that were one of the best." The Spurs and Heat split two meetings this season, both winning by comfortable margins at home. Game 1 of this years Finals is Thursday night in San Antonio. "Its unbelievable to regain that focus after that devastating loss that we had last year," San Antonios Tim Duncan said. "But were back here. Were excited about it. Weve got four more to win. Well do it this time." Its the sixth trip to the Finals for San Antonio, which won titles in 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007 before falling to the Heat last season in a series that had some unbelievable drama. The Spurs held a 3-2 series lead and were leeading by five points with 28.dddddddddddd2 seconds left in Game 6 at Miami, before Ray Allens 3-pointer capped a wild rally and forced overtime, where the Heat ultimately prevailed. Miami then won Game 7, 95-88. The Heat are heading to the Finals for the fourth straight season and fifth time overall, beating Dallas in 2006, losing to the Mavericks in 2011, then topping Oklahoma City in 2012 and the Spurs last season. The Spurs -- who had the leagues best regular-season record, 62-20 -- are now the eighth franchise in league history with at least six trips to the championship round, and would be just the fourth franchise with as many as five NBA titles. "We know were facing a very talented and tough team and its going to be rough," the Spurs Manu Ginobili said. "But of course, we believe in our means and were going to do our best, as always." Both teams have a multi-time Finals MVP. Duncan has won it three times for the Spurs; LeBron James has won it twice for the Heat, and will look to join only Michael Jordan and Shaquille ONeal on the list of players to receive that award in three consecutive seasons. The last Finals rematch came in 1998 when Chicago beat Utah for the last of Jordans six championships. ' ' '