Thunder practiced Wednesday in Oklahoma City before travell

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- The Atlanta Braves agreed Wednesday on a $14.1 million, one-year contract with Ervin Santana, bolstering their injury plagued starting rotation. The 33-year-old right-hander went 9-10 with a 3.24 ERA in 32 starts for the Kansas City Royals last season and should make a huge impact with the battered Braves, who are facing the prospect of losing Kris Medlen for the season and opening with Brandon Beachy and Mike Minor on the disabled list. Medlen, who had been announced as Atlantas opening-day starter, left a spring training outing Sunday after grabbing his right elbow. Initial tests showed ligament damage, and he will undergo further examination to determine if he needs surgery for the second time in less than four years. Medlen said hes already preparing himself to miss the entire season. Beachy left a start Monday because of continuing problems with his right elbow, and Minor has yet to pitch this spring because of a sore shoulder. "In light of what has happened over the past few days with our pitching staff, we felt it was incumbent on us to do everything we could to strengthen our starting pitching," Braves general manager Frank Wren told reporters before a game against Washington. Santana will be pitching in the NL for the first time in his 10-year career. He spent eight seasons with the Los Angeles Angels before being traded to the Royals in 2013, helping Kansas City post an 86-76 record, their best since 1989. But Santana, who made $13 million in the final year of his contract, turned down a $14.1 million qualifying offer from the Royals and became a free agent. Given his hefty contract demands, he remained unsigned as spring training began, despite putting up some impressive career numbers. "This guy makes our rotation a lot better than where we are at now," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said, praising Wren. "We lost Medlen and Beachy in a matter of 2 1/2 days and he went out there and got the best pitcher available for us." Santana threw a bullpen at the Braves spring training complex on Wednesday, which Gonzalez said went well. Despite his late entrance to camp, Santana could be ready for the start of the season. "It will be close," Gonzalez said. "We are kind of keeping our fingers crossed that we can get him enough innings where he can start for us." Santana was an AL All-Star in 2008, tossed a no-hitter in 2011, and has reached double-figure wins five times, going a career-best 17-10 in 2010 and twice winning 16 games. Overall, he is 105-90 with a 4.19 ERA. Santanas agent, Jay Alou, said he initially received a text from Wren on Sunday, then got another call Tuesday night while negotiating with other clubs. It didnt take long to reach an agreement with Atlanta, a deal that includes award bonuses. Its easy to see why the Braves felt a sense of desperation. Medlen went a team-leading 15-12 with a 3.11 ERA last season, while Minor was 13-9 with a 3.21 ERA. The team also was counting on a full recovery for Beachy, who was one of the NLs most effective pitchers in 2012 before he underwent season-ending elbow surgery. Beachy has been limited to a total of 18 starts over the past two seasons, enduring several setbacks in his attempt to come back. After his latest problem, he will miss his next scheduled spring start and faces another trip to the DL. Minor, who underwent urinary tract surgery on Dec. 31, hopes to pitch within the next week but also seems likely to start the season on the DL while he builds his arm strength. Given all the health issues, the Braves got to the go-ahead from corporate owner Liberty Media to bump the payroll well above the projected $100 million limit. Wren called it "an incredible decision by the organization." With opening day less than three weeks away, the only healthy members of the Braves possible rotation are second-year pitchers Julio Teheran (14-8 last season) and Alex Wood, rookie David Hale and non-roster invitee Freddy Garcia. Hale and Garcia have both struggled this spring. Atlanta also signed veteran Gavin Floyd, but he is coming off Tommy John surgery and wont be ready to pitch until at least May. Now, add Santana to the list, though it will likely be mid-April before he is prepared to join the rotation. He has been throwing on the side and could make his spring training debut next week. "We want to take the right amount of caution to get him ready right, and be ready for the long haul," Wren said. By signing Santana, the Braves forfeited their first-round pick in Junes amateur draft, No. 26 overall, and the Royals will receive a compensation-round selection, the 28th overall. Atlantas first pick is now 32nd overall, as compensation for losing free agent catcher Brian McCann, who signed with the New York Yankees. Santanas signing leaves only two free agents -- Stephen Drew and Kendrys Morales -- available from the 13 players who turned down qualifying offers. If they agree to one-year contracts after opening day, they wouldnt be subject to qualifying offers this November. If they wait until after the draft to reach agreements, clubs that sign them wont lose selections. Among the 22 qualifying offers in the two years of the new labour contract, none have been accepted. "Frankly, the players havent adjusted to the change," New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said. "To blame the system versus the marketplace and blame the system versus a misunderstanding of the marketplace I think is a little one-sided. From a management standpoint, Id say, Hey, Im surprised if you guys havent taken a qualifying offer. Maybe they should have." Cheap NMD For Sale . - Pete Rose didnt want it to be about him, not on a day when four new members were elected to baseballs most exclusive club. Adidas NMD Pharrell Williams Human Race Yellow .A. Happ. The Toronto Blue Jays will be looking to improve the starting rotation ahead of next season and pitchers like Happ have a chance to show they belong as the disastrous 2013 campaign draws to a close. http://www.cheapnmdonline.com/wholesale-adidas-nmd-r1-china.html .com) - The Calgary Flames were again involved in a game in which a team was held scoreless, only this time they came out on the winning side. Adidas NMD Clearance . The NFL says Wednesday that the game between the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions at Wembley on Oct. 26 will start at 1:30 p. Adidas NMD Triple Black For Sale .com) - The Dallas Mavericks had a five-game winning streak snapped last time out, but theyll try to get back into the winners circle Sunday evening when the Milwaukee Bucks pay a visit to American Airlines Center.MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Grizzlies are happy to be back in Memphis, where they finished the regular season by winning a franchise-record 14 straight games. They brought home-court advantage with them. To guard Mike Conley, that ratchets up the pressure even more. Its time for the Grizzlies to protect the place they call the Grindhouse. "Its going to be tough against a team thats played so well, especially on the road," Conley said Wednesday of the Thunder. "But were happy with our position, I can tell you that much." The Grizzlies evened this first-round Western Conference series by winning 111-105 in overtime at Oklahoma City on Monday. Being the visitor Thursday night in a hostile arena for Game 3 isnt a concern for the Thunder, who went 25-16 away from Oklahoma City for the NBAs second-best road record in the regular season. "Everybodys going to be there. Theyre going to have T-shirts. Theyre going to be swinging towels," Kevin Durant said. "Its the playoffs. Its going to be hostile, but weve been there before." Yes, the Thunder certainly have. But they have exactly one win in five previous post-season games in Memphis, and they needed three overtimes to pull that out in the 2011 conference semifinals. Memphis took both matchups in last years semifinals en route to winning the series in five. Memphis went 5-2 at home in the 2013 playoffs, when San Antonio, in the conference finals, was the only visitor to win. Tony Allen, who has made Durant work so much harder for his points in this series, said the Grizzlies cant become complacent knowing theyll have a loud crowd at the FedExForum. "We got to understand its one game at a time," Allen said. "Its the playoffs. Each game counts. Each possession counts. We cant get caught up in that." Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger also has cautioned his team not to simply assume being home will make everything work. That 14-game winning streak that helped them reach the pllayoffs as the seventh seed also is meaningless.dddddddddddd Joerger said its time to start over now, and the team that sets the tone for its style quickest has won each of the first two games. Oklahoma City ran all over Memphis in winning the opener 100-86 in a game that was only that close because the Grizzlies had a big third quarter. The Grizzlies slowed the Thunder down from the opening tip Monday night in leading by as many as 10, even if they needed overtime after Durants amazing four-point play off his 3 falling out of bounds. "Our team is a team that cant play too far from behind because we play a certain style of basketball, and its tough," Grizzlies forward Mike Miller said. "Our starts are big for us. They do have some pressure. They have some expectations." The Thunder practiced Wednesday in Oklahoma City before travelling to Memphis. Coach Scott Brooks wants the Thunder to keep Conley and backup guard Beno Udrih in front of them. Udrih had 14 points in 14 minutes, giving Conley plenty of rest in his first extended action since being claimed off waivers in February. Brooks also wants to make sure Memphis big men work for what they get. Zach Randolph scored 25 points Monday, hitting 10 of his 20 shots. Offensively, Oklahoma City wants to screen better to keep Allen away from Durant as much as possible. "If we dont have good setups and good screens, its going to bog down and its going to be tough shots at the end of the shot clock," Brooks said. Of course, thats exactly what the Grizzlies want to slow down the Thunder. "We just keep slogging along and we feel always that if we get you in a possession game, we feel like that over the course of 48 minutes that we can grind you down," Joerger said. ___ AP Sports Writer Cliff Brunt contributed to this report from Oklahoma City, and AP freelance writer Clay Bailey contributed in Memphis. ___ Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker ' ' '