TAMPA, Fla. -- Masahiro Tanaka knows that first appearance in a spring training game for the New York Yankees will be scrutinized. Tanaka and Hiroki Kuroda will follow starter CC Sabathia in Saturdays game against Philadelphia at Steinbrenner Field. All three are expected to throw two innings or 35 pitches. "Obviously, I understand that some of the people are just going to look at the numbers of the game that Im pitching in, but Im not really too focused and worried about that," Tanaka said Wednesday through an interpreter. Tanaka signed a $155 million, seven-year contract in January. He was 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA last year while leading the Rakuten Golden Eagles to their first Japan Series title. "I feel that Im getting into the rhythm, used to things," Tanaka said. Adidas NMD Womens Pink .C. -- LeBron James called comments on an audio recording of a man identified as Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling "appalling" and said hes not sure if he would suit up for the remainder of the NBA playoffs if he played for the Clippers. Cheap NMD For Sale . However, the intensity and physicality that has characterized the postseason so far has caught Gretzky by surprise. "Its a little bit risqué right now," Gretzky told Philadelphia radio station 97. http://www.cheapnmdonline.com/wholesale-adidas-nmd-r1-china.html . The 18-year-old centre was the Senators first-round pick (17th overall) in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. The six-foot 196-pound native of Salmon Arm, B. Wholesale NMD . Seriously. Seven years of losing has brought many different faces, players and management, to the annual pre-season get-to-know-the-team round up. Adidas NMD R1 China . He still wanted out. "It just seemed like the direction they were going didnt fit what I thought my career was going to be," Kesler said. "At the end of the day I want to win a championship and I want to win it now, and four years is a little too long for me.(SportsNetwork.com) - Having struggled offensively in back-to-back games following the All-Star break, the New York Rangers try to avoid their longest skid in over two months on Saturday night as they host the Carolina Hurricanes. The Rangers put together a 16-3-0 mark over 19 games leading up to the All- Star break, but followed the hiatus with a 4-1 loss to the New York Islanders two days prior to Thursdays 1-0 setback to the Montreal Canadiens. Henrik Lundqvist made 25 saves versus the Habs in the opener of a four-game homestand and did not allow the only goal of the game until there was 4:17 left. He was finally solved by the Habs when Max Pacioretty snapped a shot through the legs of Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh. Its tough for any goalie to pick up a shot like that with a quick release and a little bit of a screen by myself, McDonagh said. New York now tries to avoid losing three in a row for the first time since an 0-1-2 slide from Nov. 13-17. The Blueshirts havent lost three in a row in regulation since Oct. 11-14. The Rangers do draw a favorable matchup as they have won four straight and 14 of their last 15 meetings with the Hurricanes. That includes a sweep of a home-and-home series on Dec. 20-21, capped with a 1-0 triumph in New York..dddddddddddd The Blueshirts have won eight in a row at home in this series as backup Cam Talbot made 18 saves and McDonagh scored in the first period. New York has not lost at home to Carolina since Oct. 29, 2010 and Lundqvist is 19-9-1 versus the Hurricanes with a 2.13 goals against average and .924 save percentage in 29 meetings. Anton Khudobin made 30 saves in the recent setback to the Rangers. Khudobin had a rough go of things last night for the Hurricanes, getting lifted early in a 3-2 shootout loss as he yielded two goals on three shots. Cam Ward halted all 29 shots he faced through overtime in relief as Carolina rallied to get a point. The goalie change was more just to slow their momentum down, said Carolina head coach Bill Peters. Its obviously not a reflection of the goaltender, but we didnt start on time, thats for sure. Justin Faulk and Ryan Murphy lit the lamp for the Hurricanes, who had a three- game winning streak snapped. Ward gave up the only goal of the shootout, beat by defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk in the second round. Carolina begins a four-game road trip tonight and Ward figures to get the start. He is 10-12-4 versus the Rangers in 27 meetings, posting a 2.44 GAA, .924 save percentage and two shutouts. ' ' '