CLEVELAND -- John Axford had other choices where he could pitch next season. Vapormax Cheap Sale . The Indians closed the deal. Axford, who had 46 saves for Milwaukee in 2011 but lost his closers job last season and was traded to St. Louis, finalized a $4.5 million, one-year contract Thursday and will close for Cleveland in 2014. The 30-year-old Axford had other teams interested in signing him, but he decided to join the Indians because of their turnaround in 2013, a strong clubhouse and manager Terry Francona, who sold Axford with his typical straightforward approach. "He was very, very up front with me about the team, the organization, the city," Axford said. "It just sounded to me like a situation I want to be a part of." Axford replaces two-time All-Star closer Chris Perez, who was released in October after Cleveland made its first playoff appearance since 2007. Axford agreed to the contract with Cleveland earlier this week, and completed the deal after taking a physical on Wednesday. The right-hander can earn another $1.75 million in performance bonuses based on games finished: $250,000 for 38 and $300,000 apiece for 43, 48, 53, 58 and 63. The Indians initially considered filling the closers role within the organization -- right-handers Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen were the top candidates -- and pursued several veteran free agents before working out a deal with Axford. The Indians werent scared off despite Axford struggles last season, when he started horribly and was demoted by the Brewers before eventually being traded to St. Louis in August. "We thought he was the right guy to take a chance on," Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said. "We feel like we added an experienced, power arm to the back of our bullpen." Antonetti said the team wasnt reluctant to give the job to Shaw or Allen, its just that Axford was a better option and the club feels he can "bounce back" and be an elite stopper again. Axford attributed some of his early problems last season to pitching in the World Baseball Classic. He was throwing hard from the get-go and went through a "dead arm" period when his velocity dropped following the WBC. But after making some adjustments, Axford settled in and posted a 2.92 ERA in his final 71 appearances with the Brewers and Cardinals. "I dont like to make excuses," Axford said. "I really enjoyed pitching for my country, but I really dont think my arm was ever ready for the start of the regular season. I had a dead arm and my velocity was down in those first few games of the regular season. But when you give up four home runs and have an ERA of 22 after four games, you cant be surprised that youre not the closer anymore." Axford has a 22-19 career record with a 3.29 ERA and 106 saves in 281 relief appearances. He said being a free agent "was fun, but it was difficult." Ultimately, he thought the Indians were the best fit for him because they provided a chance to close again and Cleveland is just a 4 1-2 hour drive from his home in Ontario. It also helped the Indians are on the rise after earning a wild-card spot in 2013. "There were certainly other teams in the mix," Axford said. "They had a great season last year. It seemed like a team I would want to pitch for." Balenciaga Triple s Wholesale . The win puts the final playoff berth in Group A in question. If the Czechs beat Slovakia on Tuesday, they will go through. If they lose, Germany will get the last quarter-final berth. Discount Nike Air Max . Gustafsson controlled the first round after getting top position on a throw, and came out much more forcefully in the second, buckling Manuwa with a Muay Thai knee, and finishing him off with strikes on the ground. http://www.brandshoescheaponline.com/wholesale-adidas-shoes-china/ultra-boost.html .com) - The surprising Calgary Flames host the winless New Jersey Devils at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Friday.KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The scourge of drugs and baseball claimed its third former MVP in a month when Miguel Tejada was suspended Saturday for 105 games after testing positive for an amphetamine. The Kansas City Royals infielder drew one of the longest penalties handed down by Major League Baseball. His ban came after Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez was suspended for 211 games and Brewers star Ryan Braun got a 65-game penalty that will keep him off the field for the rest of the season. All three stars have been dogged by doping allegations in the past. A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that Tejada tested positive for Adderall, a substance the 39-year-old has used to treat Attention Deficit Disorder. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because those details were not made public. "I apologize to my teammates, the Royals organization and to the Kansas City fans," Tejada said in a statement released by the players association. "I have a medical condition that requires medication to treat. I took that medication while re-applying for a Therapeutic Use Exemption. Under the requirements of the Joint Drug Program, I made a mistake in doing so." MLBs medical staff grants therapeutic-use exemptions that allow players to use drugs such as Adderall to treat ADD. But the substance has become a popular performance-enhancer, accounting for 10 of the 11 positive stimulant tests in the major league program in the year ending with the 2012 World Series, according to the annual report of the Independent Program Administrator. The report, which was released in November, said that medication for ADD accounted for 116 of 119 therapeutic-use exemptions granted by Major League Baseball. Tejada, who was already on the 60-day disabled list with a calf injury, previously tested positive under the leagues amphetamine policy. That subjected him to a 25-game ban for a second test and an 80-game suspension for a third. He is not challenging the penalties. Tejada will miss the remainder of this season, which exhausts his contract with Kansas City. If he signs for next season, he would miss about two months before becoming eligible to play. "It doesnt matter if youre MVP or king of the world. If youre going to do things that are illegal, youre going to get caught for it and youre going to get suspended," Royals pitcher James Shields said. "Its a shame because I really like him a lot as a teammate." Tejadas suspension is one of the longest non-lifetime bans in baseball history. Along with Rodriguezs suspension, Pascual Perez was banned for the 1992 season for a positive cocaine test and Dwight Gooden barred for the 95 season for violating his drug after-care program. Rodriguez and Braun received their penalties for their connection to the Biogenesis clinic in Florida that has been accused of dispensing banned drugs. A-Rod was among 13 players suspended 12 days ago by MLB, while Braun was penalized earlier this year. "I think itts another positive sign that the testing continues to work and that those players who commit infractions against the drug policy are being penalized accordingly," Royals pitcher Jeremy Guthrie said. Wholesale Balenciaga Speed Trainer. "Its unfortunate when its a friend of yours and a teammate but the testing is there for a purpose, and this is another indication that its working and serving its purpose." Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar said that many of Tejadas teammates learned of the suspension while watching TV in the clubhouse before their game Saturday night in Detroit. "Maybe he made a mistake. I dont know," Escobar said. "Thats a good guy, a really good teammate. Thats one of the best guys in here. Yeah, I was surprised." A six-time All-Star and the AL MVP in 2002, Tejadas prodigious talent has been called into question more than once by doping allegations that have cropped up throughout his career. The first significant mention of his name came in the Mitchell Report on steroids use in baseball. Then in February 2009, he was charged with lying to Congress about performance-enhancing drugs in the game. Tejada pleaded guilty to the charge and received one year of probation. Tejada made his big league debut in 2003 with the Athletics, where he spent the best years of his career. He hit .308 with 34 homers and 131 RBIs during his MVP season, and then was even better in 2004 with Baltimore, when he .311 with 34 home runs and a career-best 150 RBIs. Tejada also spent time with Houston and San Diego before struggling two years ago in San Francisco, and then was unable to latch onto a big league team last season. The Royals took a chance on him after watching him play in the Dominican Republics winter league, signing him to a deal worth $1.1 million if he made the major league roster. He wound up becoming an everyday player, hitting .288 with three homers and 20 RBIs in 53 games. Just as valuable as his performance, though, was his veteran influence. The Royals have one of the youngest rosters in baseball, and Tejada became a mentor to several players on the team. "He was amazing for this clubhouse," Shields said. "Every day he came in, he was a great teacher. He helped out a lot of our young guys, not only our Latin guys, but everybody. He really taught a lot these guys how to play the right way as far as how on the field goes." Tejada hurt his calf last Saturday while diving for a ball in the seventh inning of a loss to the Red Sox. He wound up on the DL, and was transferred to the 60-day disabled list -- effectively ending his season -- when the Royals acquired utility man Emilio Bonifacio earlier this week. If hes unable to latch onto a team next season, that game against Boston will turn out to be the last time Tejada sets foot on a big league field as a player. "It would definitely be a tough way to go out. Theres no doubt," Shields said. "But he made the decision and hes going to have to live with that." ' ' '