ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Opening their season against a perennial playoff performer, the Toronto Blue Jays head into 2014 facing a Tampa Bay Rays team that has enjoyed the type of success the Jays are looking to duplicate. The division rivals are set to face each other Monday afternoon at Tropicana Field, with David Price and R.A. Dickey taking the mound in a matchup of 2012 Cy Young Award winners. The Rays are coming off a year in which they won 92 games and made the playoffs for the fourth time in six seasons. The Blue Jays would just as soon forget 2013, when they battled injuries and finished in last place after being a popular preseason pick to contend for a championship. Toronto failed to bolster its starting pitching this winter and returns with essentially the same lineup as a year ago, yet Dickey thinks the results will be better. "I think the heartbeat is a lot different this year. I think, one, were very comfortable. If I had a word to describe what (spring training) has been, its been comfortable. Guys really know that this is a big year for us collectively," said Dickey, who was 14-13 with a 4.21 ERA last season. "Were kind of getting a mulligan this year," the knuckleballer added. "Last year, a lot of things went wrong. This year, were pretty much all healthy. ... Were in a much different place." Only the Yankees, Cardinals and Phillies have earned as many post-season berths as the Rays over the past six seasons. And after hiking one of baseballs lowest payrolls above $80 million to keep most of last years roster intact, Tampa Bay anticipates another strong run. Price was 10-8 with a 3.33 ERA in 2013 after winning AL Cy Young honours two years ago, but he went 9-4 with a 2.53 ERA in 18 starts following the first stint of his career on the disabled list. The 28-year-old lefty was the subject of trade speculation much of the winter before agreeing to a $14 million, one-year contract to continue anchoring one of the ALs strongest rotations. The Rays, often overshadowed in the AL East by the big-spending Yankees and Red Sox, dont shy away from taking about how good they believe they can be. "To be honest with you, I thought last year we had more expectations going into the season than we do this year — only because the Red Sox won the World Series and the Yankees have made some pretty big acquisitions. So, that kind of puts us in the shadows again," third baseman Evan Longoria said. "There are a lot of expectations from within this team," he added. "But from an overall perspective, well probably be picked down the ladder a little bit more this year ... which is perfectly fine with me because I think weve proven time in and time out that if you believe the right things and play the right way, then the rest will take care of itself." Toronto pursued free agent Ervin Santana in hopes of improving its rotation, but the right-hander wound up signing with Atlanta. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays offence has a chance to be potent if a lineup featuring Jose Reyes, Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista, Melky Cabrera and off-season acquisition Dioner Navarro can stay healthy. Dickey, who had a solid spring, hopes to revert to the form that helped him capture the NL Cy Young Award with the Mets two years ago. "I feel prepared," Dickey said. "I feel confident." Besides not trading Price, the Rays re-signed first baseman James Loney, acquired free-agent closer Grant Balfour and traded for catcher Ryan Hanigan, reliever Heath Bell and utilityman Logan Forsythe. Longoria is confident the manoeuvring has made the Rays better. Still, he stops short of predicting another playoff berth. "Even when we were the favourites, I would say maybe we are on paper," the three-time All-Star said. "We should have that underdog mentality." The teams set their rosters Sunday, with the Rays placing injured pitchers Jeremy Hellickson and Juan Carlos Oviedo and shortstop Tim Beckham on the 15-day disabled list. The Blue Jays put closer Casey Janssen on the DL due to a strain in his left abdominal area and lower back. Backup catcher Erik Kratz was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo. Fake Jerseys From China . On Wednesday, Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas hit back. In a passionate defence of himself and the London clubs medical staff, the Portuguese coach rebuked the "incompetent people" who have attacked Tottenham for allowing Lloris to continue playing after being briefly knocked unconscious against Everton on Sunday. Fake Jerseys Website .com) - The Hatch Attack is back in the Southern Conference. https://www.fakejersey.com/. "First, I would like to offer my deepest and sincerest apologies for any harm I have inflicted on University of Missouri defensive lineman, Michael Sam," the statement read. Fake Jerseys Outlet . The 23-year-old Woods, Tiger Woods niece, closed with a 4-under 69 at Royal Pines to finish at 16-under 276. Lee also shot 69 in the event sanctioned by the European and Australian tours. Woods birdied the par-5 15th to open a two-stroke lead, hitting a wedge from about 120 yards to 4 feet. Fake Jerseys . This time, Tebow was in a groove the entire second half -- not just in the waning minutes -- and his teammates on defence were getting gobbled up.TORONTO -- Shea Emry and Tim Burke are together again. The Toronto Argonauts signed the veteran linebacker to a three-year deal Tuesday, hours after the start of CFL free agency. The move reunites Emry with Tim Burke, the new Argos defensive co-ordinator who held the same post in Montreal when Emry began his pro career in 2008. "We (Emry and Burke) had a brief conversation after I signed and it was great, it was just like old times," Emry said during a conference call. "Im super excited with the dynamic aspects he wants to bring to it. "Im a guy whos been in the defence that really allowed me to flourish and be the player I want to be." Toronto also signed former Edmonton Eskimos offensive lineman Scott Mitchell as a free agent Tuesday. Emry will replace veteran Robert McCune in the middle of Torontos defence. McCune was the clubs tackling leader last season but became a free agent Tuesday as well. "I think youre getting a player of similar mould," Argos head coach Scott Milanovich said when asked to compare Emry with McCune. "One of the things Ive always said about Shea from when he was a rookie is theres a certain number of players in the league that when the games on the line and you need a play, you hear it said all the time, this guy is around the ball and making a play. "Thats one of the biggest strengths Shea has, is when the moment is at its biggest, thats when he seems to make a play and change the game. I dont know thats different from Robert McCune but Im certainly thrilled. Ive watched Shea since he was a rookie ... Im sure he had many many offers and Im honoured he chose to join the Double Blue." Emry, 27, of Richmond, B.C., spent the first six years of his career with Montreal, helping the Alouettes earn Grey Cup titles 2009 and 2010. Burke was the defensive co-ordinator on those championship teams but left to join head coach Paul LaPolices staff in Winnipeg in 2011. Burke became the Bombers head coach after LaPolice was fired in August 2011 and held that position until being let go by Winnipeg following the 2013 campaign. "The one guy we highlighted was Shea Emry and if he stayed available he was the guy we were going to go hard on," Argos general manager Jim Barker said. "We felt like hes the right guy, the piece to help us and Tim Burke in terms of putting in his defence a guy whos played for him and obviously is a ratio changer. "He just brings all the things we look for on this football team." Milanovich is also intimately familiar wiith Emry, having won Grey Cups as Montreals offensive co-ordinator before coming to Toronto prior to the 2012 campaign.dddddddddddd. Also, offensive co-ordinator Marcus Brady is a former Alouettes assistant. "I wanted to make my decision based on the football club," Emry said. "I know Jim and Scott run a tight ship around there, no pun intended. "I really respect Scott and respect Marcus and Tim ... I recognize theres a culture in there I want to be a part of. That was a big part of the decision. I want to be part of a winning culture and a culture that allows players to play together and flourish as a team." The seventh overall pick in the 2008 CFL draft, Emry has 261 tackles, 13 sacks, three fumble recoveries and four interceptions in his career. Emrys best season came in 2012 when he totalled a career-best 87 tackles, including seven sacks, and was named the East Divisions top Canadian and defensive MVP. He was also an East Division and CFL all-star. He said leaving Montreal is hard. "It was a difficult decision to make but on the other hand it came down to something that was really easy, it was a values-based decision," he said. "Going into this free-agency market, I knew I wanted to make a decision based on values and not where my heart laid. "I wanted to give Montreal the proper gratitude for drafting me and for having given me six great years of football and the opportunity to play football. Coming down this morning and having all the offers on the table, it made it an easy decision to go to a franchise ... that presents a great opportunity for me to step in and allow myself to be the man I want to be." The six-foot-four, 295-pound Mitchell was the second player taken in the 2011 CFL draft by Edmonton. The 24-year-old Ottawa native spent the last three years with the Eskimos. The addition of Emry and Mitchell certainly fill definite needs for Toronto, which lost starting offensive lineman Joe Epelle and versatile linebacker Jason Pottinger, both Canadians, to the expansion Ottawa Redblacks in December. The Argos also announced they signed OL Scott Mitchell, formely of the Edmonton Eskimos, and WR Mike Bradwell to a two-year extension. "Scott is a talented, young Canadian lineman who was a very good collegiate prospect coming out of a large U.S. football program," Argos GM Jim Barker said in a team release. "He now has three years of professional experience in our league and we look forward to seeing him develop with us in Toronto." ' ' '