the former ownership where they werent sure what they wanted to

TORONTO - It seems that Casey Janssens time in Toronto is coming to an end. While the Blue Jays closer of the last three seasons wouldnt formally shut the door on a return, Janssens poised to test the free agent waters for the first time in his big league career. Janssen reflects on his time in Toronto, his pitch selection and adjustments during a second half that didnt go as well as the first half and he shares the names of three teammates whove impressed him during his nine seasons with the Blue Jays. Listen to the full interview here. Here is the transcript of the interview: TSN.ca: Casey lets not waste any time getting down to brass tacks. Do you anticipate being a Toronto Blue Jay next season? JANSSEN: Its really tough to say. Ive never had the opportunity to test free agency. Ive enjoyed my time here and the opportunity that Ive got here to show what I was able to do is something Ill forever be grateful for. What the future holds is really out of my control and is something not only the Toronto Blue Jays would have to want me back but something that, you know, see what other opportunities arise and see what happens. TSN.ca: You have had, I think, two different halves to this season. The first half you looked like the guy from 2012 and 2013, locking down games. The second half its been a bit more of a struggle. I know youre not an excuses guy but we are looking for reasons. So maybe give me a reason or two that you think your second half has been a struggle for you and did the food poisoning from your trip to the Dominican Republic over the All-Star Break play a role? Did it take you longer to bounce back then maybe you were willing to acknowledge because you didnt want to make excuses? JANSSEN: I mean, looking back and looking at my first half and the rhythm I was in, yeah, I mean its very easy to point the finger at the food poisoning and what I had lost right there. Like you said, Im not one to make excuses but I think, looking back now its easy to say that probably affected him to some level and then from there I believe I probably created some little bad habit. TSN.ca: Mechanical? JANSSEN: Mechanical or pressing or whatever you want to call it. I left balls up and instead of being on the black they were catching a little more white. I wish I could go back and change those last two months. Obviously I cant but I think there was something, a portion and I dont know how long to say it affected me but I think from there I created some kind of flaw in my delivery that led to the downturn. TSN.ca: Over the last couple of months there have had to have been some frustrations that build up inside you. You just mentioned the word pressing there just a little bit. Was some of this mental too? Because I would think youre going through impending free agency for the first time, plus youre obviously wanting to close out games for a team that had won more than it had lost and was contending. Was there an element of that at all? JANSSEN: I would say it was more the team portion than the free agency portion. I want to win so bad. Thats all I want to do. I want to bring a championship to Toronto. Ive always wanted to do that. Pressing on my end, saying that man, I want to be flawless every time out there because I know every time Im out there the game is on the line and every win is so important. So, yeah, I was pressing. I wanted to save five games in the one game that I was trying to close and obviously put ourselves in the best position to win the AL East and to make the playoffs and then as I struggled I think the snowball started to get a little bigger and you know, maybe a touch there of loss of confidence and its a tough game and when youre struggling, youre searching. Youre searching for answers and sometimes its hard to just get that ball rolling on the good side again. TSN.ca: You were talking about leaving balls up. Are you referring mostly to your fastball? I was just looking at your splits for your pitches. Your usage of fastball is down a little bit over last year, about five-percent. Usage of your curveball is up three or four-percent. Have you intentionally changed anything or is that just kind of a random act this season? JANSSEN: Well I think it was definitely intentional that I did change. I think when I was going through those tougher times I felt like I was getting hit with my fastball. Yes, my command wasnt where I expect it to be and I think that led to, like you said, some of the struggles was I was getting beat with my bread and butter which is my fastball and my cutter. The only way to get the hitters off of my fastball and my cutter, because my command wasnt perfect, it was I needed to change speeds more often so I think, yes, I mean obviously throwing more offspeed pitches was intentional from the standpoint of get them off my fastball but at the same time I really like the action on my curveball this year. It was still an aggressive pitch. It wasnt that I was pitching scared with offspeed pitches. I was still, what I felt, pitching aggressively. TSN.ca: It seemed like last year, as good a year as it was for you, there was always conversation about your shoulder and there was more conversation about your shoulder through spring training because you missed a lot of time back in Dunedin dealing with some of that stuff. Where is your shoulder at right now? JANSSEN: It feels great. My body feels great. I think the arm stuff is something of the past. The spring training mishap, I think I can change up my offseason routine a little bit to make sure that doesnt happen again but Im really excited about the way my shoulder feels, the way my arm feels, the way my body feels. I cant wait for the offseason to build on what Ive started here throughout the season and continue to maintain a strong body and arm and so none of those injuries or DL time ever happen again. TSN.ca: Youre, I hate to say this but its true, youre pushing into your mid-30s now. Has all of this over the last eight, 10 years happened way quicker than it seems? I mean, youve got so much to reflect on, probably more so than youve got to look ahead. JANSSEN: Yeah. I dont feel 33. The guys keep it young and keep it fun and at the end of the day Im still playing a game so I definitely dont feel 33. But, yeah, saying most of my time here, baseball time, is in the past is crazy to think about but definitely not looking in the past, looking in the future and excited about the future and excited for whatever doors open. TSN.ca: Talk about your ties to Toronto. I know your fianc??e is a Southern Ontario girl so youre always going to have links to this area whether you live here or not sometime down the road. For a Southern California kid who, correct me if Im wrong, probably didnt spend a lot of time here in Toronto growing up, what has this city and this area come to mean to you? JANSSEN: Well, its become my second home. Ive enjoyed my time here. Its definitely a city that, if youve never been here, you wouldnt appreciate it as much as I do. Its an unbelievable city. Its fun. Its a great time. I love the downtown area where you can walk everywhere. The people are great and youll have no trouble finding stuff to do in this city. Ive enjoyed every minute of it. Its been great and like I said, you might see me back here next year or you might not but there will definitely be a place in my heart for this place and either baseball or not baseball Im sure I havent seen the last of it. TSN.ca: Youve been through a few eras here so Im going to put you on the spot. This is going to be a tough one to answer but I want you to try to do it. Give me the names of three current or former teammates who youve played with with the Blue Jays who really stand out for you in terms of elite performance on the field or the way that they handled themselves on and off the field, that sort of thing. JANSSEN: The first that comes to mind is probably Roy Halladay. Just with what he was able to accomplish as a front line starter in this division and among baseball. He was as impressive to watch as anyone I can remember and definitely learned a lot from the way he approached the game. Number two, jeez. TSN.ca: Its not supposed to be easy. Youve probably had a few. JANSSEN: I would say the few years that Bautista had here when he was hitting 50-plus home runs was something to really watch and definitely was glad he was on my team and I was getting to watch it as opposed to having to compete against him. But hes a heck of a player. Hes probably right now the face of the Toronto Blue Jays and he deserves every bit of it. Third, let me think of third. Third, Id probably have to go with Vernon (Wells). Although it was more toward the beginning of my career he manned centrefield and held it down pretty well and he had some pretty special seasons as well when I was here. He was a true professional. You learned a lot about him just, like you said, how he carried himself on and off the field. He was there for the media everyday. He was the ultimate pro. Even when he did have a year or two where it didnt go perfectly his way, he was still the same person that a€| still carried himself the same way as that person that was the three-time Gold Glove winner and however many time All-Star. So I appreciate those guys and being able to watch them and learn from them. TSN.ca: When you assess the market and the needs of the 30 teams and Im sure youll delve more into that when the season ends, is the priority for you to close next year wherever you are? Is it winning? What is it? JANSSEN: Ive always said this, I was given the opportunity to close and I absolutely love to close but its not everything to me. If another team wanted me to pitch in the late innings, if its the seventh or the eighth or even the ninth I just like to embrace my role, whatever my role is and try to be the best at it that I can. So, no, closing isnt the ultimate priority. Obviously I want the opportunity to win and if closing and winning combines itself, great. If it doesnt then I really want to win. I really do. Thats why you play and hopefully somebody out there has seen what Ive done and wants my services. TSN.ca: Well, whatever happens Casey we wish you the best. Good luck. JANSSEN: Thank you very much. Appreciate it. Cheap Grizzlies Jerseys . RAPTORS STRUGGLING: The bottom line is the true test in sports isnt just how you handle failure, but how you handle success. Cheap Mike Conley Jersey . The Maple Leafs handed their embattled head coach a two-year contract extension on Thursday, while at the same time announcing that assistants Dave Farrish, Greg Cronin and Scott Gordon will not be back. http://www.cheapgrizzliesjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-dillon-brooks-jersey .Y. - The New York Rangers have reached a one-year contract extension with goalie Cam Talbot, keeping Henrik Lundqvists backup away from unrestricted free agency. Cheap Chandler Parsons Jersey . The 10-year deal the league and players agreed to that ended the 2011 lockout gave either side the right to opt out after six years. With the league projecting financial growth, there has been speculation that players will take that option in three years, especially since a new national TV contract will be in place by then. Cheap Grizzlies Jerseys Authentic . Bayern led second-place Leverkusen by 10 points with a game in hand, while Dortmund was another four points off the pace. Freiburg midfielder Felix Klaus scored in the last minute as his side twice came from behind to climb provisionally out of the relegation zone.SUNRISE, Fla. -- When Roberto Luongo learned he wouldnt be starting the Heritage Classic, the disappointed goaltender asked agent Pat Brisson to call Vancouver Canucks general manager Mike Gillis just to get a read on his future. When Gillis gave Brisson permission to seek out a potential trade partner for the goalie and his massive contract, the attention turned quickly to the Panthers -- and not just because Luongo calls South Florida home. "It had to be a hockey move," Brisson said. "Roberto wants to play, wants to win. He wants to compete and win. ... When Roberto asked me, I said, I do believe that theres a light at the end of the tunnel for (the Panthers)," Brisson said. "I do believe theres a place where this team is going to go in the right direction." While the Canucks head in the direction of a rebuild, the Panthers look like a team on the upward climb thanks to new owner Vinny Viola and a cadre of young prospects GM Dale Tallon has assembled in the NHLs southernmost market. Through two games with his new team, Luongo has already caught a glimpse of what he and many hockey people believe is a bright future for the Panthers. Luongo sees potential stars in Jonathan Huberdeau, Nick Bjugstad and a handful more young players around the locker-room. At 34 years old, he wants to contribute to the revival of the franchise rather than riding coattails. "Its all about making a commitment to bringing some people in and trying to build a winner," Luongo said Sunday night after facing the Boston Bruins. "Thats what its all about for me. Im not here to fade into the sunset. I want to be part of something special coming here." Something special in the short term might just mean making the playoffs after missing in 11 of the past 12 seasons. Even as the Panthers head toward another early off-season, Bjugstad hopes its just "growing pains" as part of an important learning experience. Thats to be expected for a team whose top players include 18-year-old Aleksander Barkov, 20-year-old Huberdeau, and 22-year-old Erik Gudbranson. Players were on a bus in Boston when they found out Luongo was coming and represented something of a safety valve for mistakes of youth. "Any time you can have a solid goaltender behind you, it gives you confidence that you can make some plays," said 20-year-old forward Vincent Trocheck, who made his Panthers debut the same game Luongo returned. "If you do make a mistake, you know that hes back there to save your butt, basically." Yet in the larger scope, Luongo is not being asked to save a franchise by himself. It is, however, Tallons hope that trading for him "sets the tone" for the organization. The message of taking on the final eight-plus years and over US$28 million of Luongos contract was that the Panthers are willing to spend. Hours after making the move, Tallon said it was about making good on all the talk about wanting to win a Stanley Cup because "talk is cheap." Doing so could be expensive, but its not out of the realm of possibility that Florida has a better chance of winning a Cup in the next four or five years than Vancouver. "You never know," Luongo said. "Its tough to say. You hope so. Thats why Im here. I think the pieces are definitely here, just a matter of making sure that we bring the right piece to complement these young guys that are talented and theyre going to be stars in this league." Tallon has a plan. After already taking the goaltending gamble that was Jacob Marksttrom out of the equation and getting Luongo, he has his sights set on signing, drafting or trading for two power wingers to support Barkov, Huberdeau, Bjugstad and Trocheck.dddddddddddd. The Panthers payroll is the lowest in the league at just over US$50 million, but with Viola in charge, Tallon expects to be "a cap team or close to a cap team" next season. Having almost $30 million of cap space could help the Panthers continue down the path to being a contender, but it also helps to have Luongo as a salesman and a symbol of the clubs all-out push to get better. "Its hard to recruit anybody if they dont think youre doing the right thing," Tallon said. "I think the commitment of making that deal and the commitment that Vinny Violas going to make ... will really influence a lot of decisions as far as players wanting to come here, seeing that were really committed to winning." Luongo didnt keep close tabs on the Panthers rebuild while he was playing for the Canucks because he didnt expect to get traded, let alone back to Florida. But Brisson, who just negotiated a two-year extension for winger Brad Boyes, had a good sense of what was happening. New ownership meant a new opportunity for Luongo. "If it was back to the former ownership where they werent sure what they wanted to spend, what they wanted to do, I wouldnt have recommended it at the time -- absolutely not," Brisson said. "If you look at good ownership and willingness to spend and the right chef, so to speak, the right cook in the kitchen, its an attractive place for Roberto and the players that are there." Tallon is that chef, and he has quite the recipe on his resume. Even though Stan Bowman was the general manager when the Blackhawks won the 2010 Stanley Cup, Tallon orchestrated much of the turnaround in Chicago. "It went well for them," Bjugstad said. "Thats kind of what were banking on." For every Blackhawks success story theres another example like the Edmonton Oilers, who are set to miss the playoffs for the eighth straight season despite three straight No. 1 picks and six in the top 10. They provide a cautionary tale for the Panthers, even as Tallon rattles off prospect after prospect who could make a difference. Each one of those young, unproven players represents essentially a raffle ticket for Florida, another chance to hit it big. But theres plenty of risk and uncertainty in that. "Obviously weve got to prove ourselves before we can get too excited," Bjugstad said. "Theres a ways to go." In Luongo, the young Panthers get a goalie who is already established. Even if his play is not Vezina Trophy-calibre, he could instill plenty of confidence on and off the ice. "I think maybe as more of an experienced guy in the locker-room to bring whatever I have learned over the years and maybe help them out along the way as far as just being a pro and all that kind of stuff to help their development," Luongo said. That team-wide development and progression toward a playoff team is still in the "early" stages, according to Tallon. Luongos addition speeds it up, but theres still no set goal on when he figures the Panthers will get over the hump. "I dont put numbers on that," he said. "I just let the players start to develop and see when theyre ready to make a real hit on the team as far as moving forward. And when they all come together as a group, as a team, not just in a group of individuals, thats when you pretty well know when youve got something special." 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