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OAKLAND – The following is a question this writer did not expect to type this season: where would the Blue Jays be without the contribution of J.A. Happ? Happs seven wins are second on the staff to Mark Buehrles 10. Win-loss record is an antiquated stat, sure, but win total is generally an indication of a pitchers ability to work deep into games, enough to be personally affected by the result. Efficiency has been an issue for Happ during his time in Toronto. Hes acquired a reputation as a five-inning pitcher, driven prematurely from outings because hes plodded along to 100 pitches far too soon. Its gotten late, often, far too early. Something has changed. Suddenly, in more starts than not, Happ is working deep, positively affecting the result. When he returned to the rotation on May 5 in Philadelphia, Happs future was being determined on a start-to-start basis. The leash is now longer. Since being acquired from the Astros in July 2012, Happ has been a starter and a reliever; hes been injured, first with a fractured foot two seasons ago and then with head and knee injuries last year, the result of a horrifying line drive off his skull on May 7, 2013 in Tampa Bay. His back flared up in spring training, resulting in a horrible March that cost him his spot in the rotation and landed him on the disabled list for opening day. There have been periods of self doubt, he admitted to TSN.ca. "I certainly would be lying if I said no to that," said Happ. "Last year there was a point where I tried to talk to (pitching coach) Pete (Walker) one on one and was just like, What have you got? I know Im capable of more and Im willing to do whatever it takes to get over the hump. I never thought I was far away but I just couldnt quite get over the hump for whatever reason. It comes and goes and it still does." Happ is a quiet guy. He doesnt say much, at least not when media have access to the players. Nobody would accuse Happ of seeking the limelight. He laughed in spring training, after he was away from the team for two days to deal with the back problem, when it was pointed out to him that a guy so quiet couldnt seem to avoid controversy. Hes heard the talk and hes read the articles. He knows he has his critics and his doubters; hes been one himself. Happ isnt bitter. "I think you write what you see and if thats what you see then thats your interpretation and understanding," said Happ. "Thats how this thing works. I cant be mad at anybody for what they feel like or whatever. I just know what I knew, or know, Im capable of so thats why I try to defend myself in situations where Im maybe not in a position where Id like to be." Happ has allies in two of important places: the managers and coaches offices, where John Gibbons and pitching coach Pete Walker reside. Gibbons has consistently defended his left-hander, quick to point out Happs ordeal last season and confident that a slight arm slot adjustment ultimately would pay off. "Ive always been a fan of the guy," said Gibbons. "Ive always known what hes capable of, but the bottom line is hes got to go out and do that. Hes had his ups and downs along the way but everybody in the game at this level, I mean, very few guys take this game by storm year after year." "I think hes comfortable in that slot right now," said Walker. "Its not as high as it used to be and its not as low as he first started when we dropped him down. Its kind of that in-between slot and I think hes really comfortable throwing there. I think hes in a good place physically and mentally he looks forward to that ball every five days." Happ has been told to attack the strike zone. Hes been told to pitch to contact. Hes been told to more aggressively use his fastball. Hes doing both. Consider this: in his start against the White Sox on June 26, a 7-0 win in which he went 7 2/3 innings of shutout ball, Happ threw 124 pitches, 111 of which were fastballs. The relationship with Walker is an important one to Happ, forged when he joined the Blue Jays two years ago. Walker was the bullpen coach at the time. Happ was a reliever who believed he should be a starter. The two meshed. "Hes a guy that I always felt like he felt that I was capable of more and expected more and kind of knew that it was in there," said Happ. "I know thats kind of part of his job and he probably does it to everybody but hes very good at individualizing things and I always felt like he kind of had my back and I felt the same way about Gibby too. Maybe thats the reason why Im still here." There will be future outings when Happ struggles. The aim, of course, is to turn those into the exception rather than the rule. That June 21 start in Cincinnati, for example. Happ got rapped for seven earned runs in four innings. He bounced back with that gem against the White Sox and a strong start against the Brewers. The doubters who believed Happ, version Cincinnati, was the real guy were forced to reconsider. So if this is the real Happ, what happened? Why did a left-handed pitcher with a mid-90s fastball lack mound presence? Why did it appear that he didnt trust his repertoire? "Any answer to this is going to sound like an excuse and thats the last thing I want it to be," said Happ. "I let myself get caught up in a situation, playing on a team that wasnt very successful and I allowed that to affect me mentally as much I tried to not (let it). I think I probably got into some bad habits." Those bad habits were both mental and mechanical. Success, however, breeds confidence. Happ has had some success. His body language on the mound projects confidence. Maybe Yogi Berra was right when he suggested that 90 per cent of baseball is half mental. "Youve got to believe and youve got to really believe that you guys have got a chance out there in order for it to happen," said Happ. "You cant just wish things to happen in this game. They just dont. Youve got to go make it happen. I had a tough couple of years trying to kind of find myself and who I think I should be and I feel good about getting in a place where my body feels good, my mechanics feel good and Im just a little more free in everything. I felt like I had to be perfect for a lot of the time for things to go right and thats just not the case." Bruce Irvin Jersey . They named Mark Washington as their defensive co-ordinator on Thursday and appear to be closing in on an offensive co-ordinator. T. J. 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Justin Auger, Zack Mitchell and Scott Kosmachuk had a goal and an assist apiece for the Storm (38-8-3), who won their ninth game in a row, while Ryan Horvat added a single goal. Nikolay Goldobin scored the lone goal for the Sting (15-29-6), who are winless in three outings. Guelphs Matthew Mancina made 26 saves for the win as Brodie Barrick turned away 34-of-40 shots for Sarnia. The Storm went 3 for 4 on the power play while the Sting failed to score on seven chances with the man advantage. --- FRONTENACS 3 WHALERS 2 PLYMOUTH, Mich. -- Sam Bennett scored the winner at 19:08 of the third as Kingston edged the Whalers. Corey Pawley and Spencer Watson also scored for the Frontenacs (27-18-4) while Bennett picked up an assist on both. Ryan Hartman and Zach Lorentz supplied the offence for Plymouth (17-27-5). Kingstons Matt Mahalak made 21 saves for the win as Alex Nedeljkovic turned away 49-of-52 shots for the Whalers. --- SPIRIT 7 BULLS 0 SAGINAW, Mich. -- Jesse Graham had three goals and an assist and Jake Paterson made 29 saves as the Spirit blanked Belleville. Justin Sefton, Eric Locke and Kristoff Kontos each had a goal and an assist for Saginaw (24-21-5) and Blake Clarke added a single goal. Defencemn Adam Bignall and Jordan Subban were both a team-worst minus-3 for the Bulls (14-31-4). Bellevilles Michael Giugovaz turned away 40-of-47 shots in a losing effort. --- COLTS 6 RANGERS 4 KITCHENER, Ont. -- Andreas Athanasiou scored once and set up three more as Barrie toppled the Rangers. Mitchell Theoret had a goal and two assists for the Colts (25-19-3) and Aaron Ekblad, Joseph Blandisi, Brendan Lemiex and Michael Webster each scored once. Kitchener (16-30-2) got goals from Nick Magyar, Max Iafrate,, Curtis Meighan and Justin Bailey.dddddddddddd Barries Daniel Gibl made 18 saves for the win as Jordan DeKort turned aside 22-of-27 shots for the Rangers. --- STEELHEADS 2 ICEDOGS 1 MISSISSAUGA, Ont. -- Spencer Martin made 38 saves, including 22 in the second period, as the Steelheads edged Niagara. Sam Babinstevs goal at 5:09 of the second period stood up as the winner for Mississauga (19-27-4) while Brett Foy scored the games first goal. Zach Wilkie scored his first-career OHL goal the IceDogs (17-27-6), who have dropped three straight contests. Jon DIlario turned away 20-of-22 shots for Niagara. --- OTTERS 4 ATTACK 3 OWEN SOUND, Ont. -- Oscar Dansk made 24 saves and three Erie skaters recorded multi-point outings as the Otters handed the Attack their fourth loss in a row. Michael Curtis, Connor McDavid and Brendan Gaunce each had a goal and an assist for Erie (39-9-2), which won its fourth straight contest, while Andre Burakovsky scored once. Zach Nastasiuk had a pair of goals for Owen Sound (21-21-6) and assisted on Kyle Platzers goal as well. Brandon Hope stopped 36-of-40 shots for the Attack. --- KNIGHTS 3 WOLVES 2 SUDBURY, Ont -- Jake Patterson made 39 saves and Max Domi had a goal and an assist as London slipped past the Wolves. Chris Tierney also had a goal and an assist for the Knights (33-11-5) while Alex Basso added a single goal. Dominik Kahun and Nathan Pancel scored for Sudbury (27-14-8). Franky Palazzese turned away 39-of-42 shots in a losing cause for the Wolves. --- BATTALION 5 GENERALS 1 OSHAWA, Ont. -- Brendan ONeill made 25 saves as North Bay defeated the Generals. Brett McKenzie, Matt MacLeod and Ben Thomson each had a goal and an assist for the Battalion (26-18-6) while Mathew Santos and Jared Steege added a goal apiece. Michael Dal Colle scored the lone goal for Oshawa (31-14-4). Daniel Altshuler stopped 33-of-38 shots in a losing cause for the Generals. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '