Photo: Justin Upton’s last at bat as a Detroit Tiger 8-30-17 versus the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Photo by John Barnes – In Play! magazine

TIGERS TRADE JUSTIN UPTON TO LA ANGELS, ACQUIRE GRAYSON LONG AND PLAYER TO BE NAMED LATER

The Detroit Tigers have acquired righthanded pitcher Grayson Long and a player to be named later or cash considerations from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for outfielder Justin Upton.

Long, 23, is ranked as the eighth-best prospect in the Angels system by Baseball America and the ninth-best prospect in the organization according to MLB Pipeline. In 26 starts this season between Single A Inland Empire and Double A Mobile, the 6-5, 230 lbs. righthander has compiled an 8-8 record with a 2.69 ERA (133.2IP/40ER), 125 strikeouts, a 1.17 WHIP and a .232 opponents batting average. Long, who was named to the Southern League All-Star Team earlier this season, currently leads all Southern League pitchers with a 2.52 ERA (121.2IP/34ER), while he is fourth with a .226 opponents batting average and fifth with a 1.13 WHIP. He also ranks fourth among Southern League starting pitchers with 10.50 baserunners allowed per nine innings.

“Grayson has been a standout player this season in the Southern League, that features some of the best prospects in baseball,” said Al Avila, Tigers Executive Vice President and General Manager. “Grayson is a workhorse-type starter who throws strikes and has a great makeup. Our scouts project him to be a starter at the Major League level. As for Justin Upton, he has been a consummate professional in his time here, and the Tigers wish him and his family all the best moving forward.” 

A third round draft pick by the Angels out of Texas A&M University in the 2015 MLB First-Year Player Draft, Long has posted a 13-13 record with a 3.05 ERA (218.1IP/74ER) and 217 strikeouts in 54 career minor league appearances, including 53 starts. Long was named to the Midwest League All-Star Team as a member of the Burlington Bees in 2016.

Upton, 30, has a .279 (128×459) batting average with a .904 OPS, 81 runs scored, 37 doubles, 28 home runs and 94 RBI over 125 games this season. Over two seasons with the Tigers, Upton has batted .260 (268×1029) with 162 runs scored, 65 doubles, 59 home runs and 181 RBI in 278 games.

Detroit Tigers schedule

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NHL NEWS MARCH 2 – 2017 NHL TRADE DEADLINE RECAP

NHL NEWS MARCH 2 – Teams made 18 trades involving 33 players prior to Wednesday’s 2017 NHL Trade Deadline. A few highlights.

• Winnipeg Jets trade F Drew Stafford to Boston Bruins for conditional sixth-round pick in 2018 Draft | Drew Stafford acquired by Bruins from Jets
•  Chicago Blackhawks trade F Sam Carrick and F Spencer Abbott to the Anaheim Ducks for F Kenton Hegelsen and a seventh-round pick in the 2019 Draft
• Toronto Maple Leafs trade D Frank Corrado to the Pittsburgh Penguins for F Eric Fehr, D Steve Oleksy and a fourth-round pick in the 2017 Draft | Fehr acquired by Maple Leafs from Penguins
• Ottawa Senators trade F Curtis Lazar and D Michael Kostka to the Calgary Flames for D Jyrki Jokipakka a second-round pick in the 2017 Draft | Lazar headed to Flames from Senators
• New Jersey Devils trade F PA Parenteau to the Nashville Predators for a sixth-round pick in the 2017 Draft | Predators pick up Parenteau from Devils for sixth-round pick
• Tampa Bay Lightning trade D Mark Streit to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a fourth-round pick in the 2018 Draft | Penguins acquire Streit from Lightning
• New Jersey Devils trade D Reece Scarlett to the Florida Panthers for F Shane Harper
• Columbus Blue Jackets trade D Dillon Heatherington to the Dallas Stars for F Lauri Korpikoski
• Tampa Bay Lightning trade F Valtteri Filppula, a fourth-round pick and a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2017 Draft to Philadelphia Flyers for D Mark Streit | Streit traded to Lightning by Flyers
• Columbus Blue Jackets trade D Dalton Prout to the New Jersey Devils for D Kyle Quincey | Devils trade Quincey to Blue Jackets for Prout
• Detroit Red Wings trade F Thomas Vanek to the Florida Panthers for D Dylan McIlrath and a conditional third-round pick in the 2017 Draft | Panthers get Vanek from Red Wings
• Tampa Bay Lightning trade G Adam Wilcox to the Florida Panthers for G Mike McKenna
• Montreal Canadiens trade F Sven Andrighetto to the Colorado Avalanche for F Andreas Martinsen | Canadiens trade Andrighetto to Avs for Martinsen
• New York Rangers trade F Justin Fontaine to the Edmonton Oilers for F Taylor Beck
• Colorado Avalanche trade F Jarome Iginla to the Los Angeles for conditional fourth-round pick in 2018 Draft | Iginla traded from Avalanche to Kings
• Los Angeles Kings trade F Dwight King to the Montreal Canadiens for conditional fourth-round pick in the 2018 Draft | Dwight King traded to Canadiens by Kings for draft pick
• Colorado Avalanche trade D Cody Corbett to the Washington Capitals for G Joe Cannata
• Colorado Avalanche trade F Joe Whitney to the Arizona Coyotes for F Brendan Ranford
• Detroit Red Wings trade F Steve Ott to Montreal Canadiens for sixth-round pick in the 2018 Draft | Canadiens acquire Steve Ott from Red Wings
• Vancouver Canucks trade F Jannik Hansen to San Jose Sharks for F Nikolay Goldobin, conditional fourth-round pick in 2017 Draft | Jannik Hansen traded to Sharks by Canucks

GOLDEN KNIGHTS TEAM BECOMES OFFICIAL

The Vegas Golden Knights today completed the acquisition of their team and officially joined the NHL. The League also released the regulations under which the Golden Knights expansion franchise can conduct its hockey business leading up to the Expansion Draft on June 21, 2017.

MUSINGS AND NHL NEWS MARCH 2

• The Flyers signed forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and goaltender Michal Neuvirth to contract extensions
• Jets forward Patrik Laine was named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for February, while Blackhawks forward Jonathan Toews, Predators forward Filip Forsberg and Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby were named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the month
• The NHL unveiled two TV spots – “Imperfectly Perfect” and “If This Cup Could Talk” – to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Stanley Cup.

WEDNESDAY’S NHL RESULTS
Home Team in Caps
TAMPA BAY 4, Carolina 3 (OT)
CHICAGO 4, Pittsburgh 1

THURSDAY’S NHL ACTION
All Times Eastern
New Jersey @ Washington, 7 p.m.
NY Rangers @ Boston, 7 p.m.
Florida @ Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
Minnesota @ Columbus, 7 p.m.
Arizona @ Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Nashville @ Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Colorado @ Ottawa, 7:30 p.m.
NY Islanders @ Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
Toronto @ Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m.
Vancouver @ San Jose, 10:30 p.m.

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MONTREAL CANADIENS ACQUIRE FORWARD STEVE OTT FROM THE DETROIT RED WINGS IN RETURN FOR A SIXTH-ROUND PICK IN 2018

The Montreal Canadiens have acquired forward Steve Ott from the Detroit Red Wings in return for a sixth-round draft pick in 2018.

Ott, 34, suited up for 42 games thus far this season with the Red Wings. He registered six points (3 goals, 3 assists) and served 63 penalty minutes. Ott averaged 10:27 ice time per game and amassed 101 hits. In 837 career NHL regular season games since his debut back in 2002-03, Ott played with the Dallas Stars, Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues and the Red Wings.

The 6’0’’ and 193 lbs forward recorded 287 points (109 goals, 178 assists) and served 1,538 penalty minutes. He added 28 goals on the powerplay, four while shorthanded and 16 game-winning goals.

Ott registered eight points (3 goals, 5 assists) and 80 penalty minutes in 55 playoff contests. On the international stage, the product of the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires represented Canada at the World Junior Championships in 2001 (bronze medal) and 2002 (silver medal), as well as at the 2010 World Championship.

A native of Summerside, PEI, Ott was selected in the first round, 25th overall by the Stars at the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.

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RED WINGS ACQUIRE THIRD-ROUND PICK FROM BLACKHAWKS FOR TOMAS JURCO

The Detroit Red Wings have acquired a third-round draft pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for right wing Tomas Jurco.

Jurco, 24, skated in 159 games for the Red Wings since 2013-14, totaling 39 points (15-24-39) and 46 penalty minutes. The Kosice, Slovakia, native skated in 16 games for the Red Wings this season and also appeared in two games with the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins, picking up two points (1-1-2). A Calder Cup champion in 2013 with the Griffins, Jurco had 71 points (33-38-71) in 113 AHL games between 2012-17. Prior to his professional career, Jurco helped the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Saint John Sea Dogs to league championships in 2011 and 2012, registering 175 points (87-88-175) in 172 games from 2009-12.

The Red Wings currently have nine draft picks in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, including two picks in both the third and sixth rounds.

Tomas Jurco, Right Wing
Born Dec 28 1992 — Kosice, Slovakia
Height 6.01 — Weight 203 — Shoots L

Selected by Detroit Red Wings round 2 #35 overall 2011 NHL Entry Draft

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Windsor Spitfires Add Robertson, Laishram at Trade Deadline

General Manager Warren Rychel added two more players before today’s Ontario Hockey league noon trade deadline. Defenceman Daniel Robertson, 19, a Windsor native, comes over from the Oshawa Generals in exchange for Windsor’s 3rd round pick in 2024.

In the day’s final deal, the club also acquired centre Adam Laishram, 19, from the Hamilton Bulldogs.

The Spitfires recoup their 2nd round pick in 2017 in the deal and also get Hamilton’s 8th rounder in 2017, while sending Niagara’s 2nd round pick in 2017, Kingston’s 4th round pick in 2017 and Windsor’s 2nd in 2026 (conditional) to the Bulldogs. Both players are expected to be in the lineup Thursday (7:05) when the Spits host Kitchener.

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