Quasselstube » ... Hes really been one of the most pro

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Shin-Soo Choo will be the leadoff hitter for the Texas Rangers in an offence they feel they have successfully remade this off-season. Choo was formally introduced Friday, nearly a week after agreeing to a $130 million, seven-year deal. "It was a perfect fit," general manager Jon Daniels said. "His skill set, his personality, his personal goals and desires really lineup up perfectly with ours and what our club needed. ... Hes really been one of the most productive offensive players in the game for a period of time now." The 31-year-old South Korean outfielder has a .288 career average and .389 on-base percentage in 853 major league games for Seattle (2005-06), Cleveland (2006-12) and Cincinnati (2013). Choo has at least 20 homers and 20 stolen bases three times, including last season when he started 150 games in centre field and was the primary leadoff hitter for the Reds in his only year there. With numerous teams interested during free agency, Choo said he was looking for a winning team and somewhere his wife and three young children would be comfortable. "The Texas Rangers were the best fit for me," Choo said. "It was very easy to pick." Agent Scott Boras called it a "tremendous baseball fit" for both sides. Texas last month acquired five-time All-Star first baseman Prince Fielder from Detroit in a trade for second baseman Ian Kinsler. Only Mike Trout (564) and Miguel Cabrera (562) have reached base more than last two seasons than Choo (556) and Fielder (542). "We talked early on about our desire to remake our offence, both in personnel, but also equally importantly in style," Daniels said. "We feel very good about what weve been able to accomplish to this point." Texas missed the playoffs for the first time in four years and scored only 730 runs, its fewest in a non-strike season since 1992. Choo was presented jersey No. 17, which had been worn by free-agent slugger Nelson Cruz, the 2011 AL championship series MVP who hit 27 home runs with 76 RBIs in 109 games for Texas last season. Cruz was suspended 50 games after Major League Baseballs investigation into a Florida clinic accused of distributing banned performance-enhancing drugs, but returned to play in the AL wild-card tiebreaker game the Rangers lost. The addition of Choo, whose salary will average about $18.6 million per season, also lessens the likelihood of Texas being serious bidders for Japanese star pitcher Masahiro Tanaka. Rangers co-owner Bob Simpson said the team is comfortable where we are in terms of financial commitment " and that "Tanaka would be a tough thing." The Texas payroll is expected to be over $130 million next season. When the ownership group took over during the 2010 season, the same year the Rangers went to the first of consecutive World Series, the payroll was less than $60 million. Choos deal is the third-richest this off-season, behind only Robinson Cano ($240 million, 10 years from Seattle) and Jacoby Ellsbury ($153 million, seven years from New York Yankees). Choo will make $14 million in 2014 and 2015, $20 million from 2016-18, and $21 million the last two years of the deal. There is also a limited no-trade clause and award bonuses, the largest being $250,000 for being selected AL MVP. Rangers manager Ron Washington plans to play Choo in left field and utilize him at the top of the batting order. He had a .423 OBP with Cincinnati and scored 107 runs last season. "Hell be the kind of guy to come back to the dugout and let everyone know exactly what that pitcher is doing. ... Thats old-school baseball right there," Washington said. "Hes a young man bringing old-school values, and thats what I like the most." Dalvin Cook Jersey . So it was understandable if he was a little shaky early in his return to the Texas Rangers rotation. He spent most of the outing searching for his best stuff, but still managed to shut down the struggling Minnesota Twins offence. Chris Doleman Jersey . Viewers in the Canadiens region can watch the game on TSN Canadiens at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. The game can also be heard on TSN Radio Montreal 690. The Calgary Flames will see if they can take their recent hot streak on the road when they shoot for a sixth consecutive win Monday night in Montreal. http://www.vikingssale.com/Vikings-Randy-Moss-Draft-Jersey/. Tyrell appeared in seven games with the Lightning this year, he had no points in those appearances. The 24-year-old has seven goals and 17 assists in 132 career NHL games, all coming with the Lightning. He was selected in the second round, 47th overall, of the 2007 draft. Paul Krause Jersey . TSN 1290s coverage begins with Hustler & Lawless at 3pm. Rick Ralph hosts the Official Jets Pre-game Show at 5pm. Cris Carter Jersey .com) - The Los Angeles Kings werent playing their best hockey before the league went on break during the Winter Olympics.PORTLAND, Ore. - Missing their two starting forwards could have been a problem for the Portland Trail Blazers. Instead, it was an opportunity.Damian Lillard had 28 points and 10 assists to lead the Blazers to a 97-87 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night, despite the absences of LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum.Three-time All-Star Aldridge was out with an upper respiratory illness. Batum missed his third game with a bruised knee. Coach Terry Stotts inserted little-used Allen Crabbe and Meyers Leonard into their places in the lineup.Fortified by strong bench play, Portland didnt miss a beat.The contributions of everybody off the bench — it was definitely a team win. Stotts said. It just shows the young guys are getting better.Brook Lopez led Brooklyn with 21 points, matching up against twin brother Robin for the first time in two years. Joe Johnson added 20 points and Deron Williams had 19 for the Nets, who were coming off losses to Phoenix and Golden State.Reserve centre Chris Kaman scored 12 for Portland and Leonard had a career-high 12 rebounds.The Blazers have won four straight.They carried a double-digit lead until late in the fourth quarter, when Kevin Garnett made two free throws and Mirza Teletovic scored at the hoop to get Brooklyn within 88-82. However, Wesley Matthews countered with a 3-pointer for Portland and the Nets got no closer.At the end of the game we were right there, we got to where we wanted to get, Brook Lopez said.dddddddddddd We just didnt finish.The Blazers went on an 11-2 run at the end of the first quarter to take a 24-15 lead. Williams scored Brooklyns first 10 points of the second, but the Nets failed to close the gap and Portland took a 50-39 lead into the half.Lillard and Robin Lopez each scored eight points in the third for Portland, with Lillard giving Portland a 66-53 lead with a 3-pointer midway through the quarter.___TIP-INSNets: Nets coach Lionel Hollins was a guard on the Trail Blazers 1976-77 NBA championship team and his No. 14 jersey is retired in the Moda Center rafters. . The Nets were 16 of 17 from the free throw line.Trail Blazers: Aldridge is the third Blazers player, after Steve Blake and Leonard, to miss a game this season due to illness. . Robin Lopez had 10 points and seven rebounds. He is 5-3 in NBA games against Brook.UNSELFISHThe Blazers tallied 26 assists and have finished with 20 or more in all 10 games this season. They are fourth in the NBA with 24 assists per game. I think we moved around well, Lillard said. We moved without the ball. We made hard cuts and made them chase us and guys made shots.BEHIND THE ARCBrooklyn finished 1 of 19 on 3-pointers. The Nets missed their first 17 3s until Williams made one with 18.3 seconds left in the game.UP NEXTNets: Host Miami on Monday.Trail Blazers: Host New Orleans on Monday. 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