NATIONAL HARBOR, Maryland -- The Los Angeles Dodgers wasted little time making news at the baseball winter meetings, using the first day of the annual gathering of agents, team officials and media to announce the expected three-year deal for free-agent pitcher Rich Hill.The deal, which was agreed to this past weekend but not announced, is worth $48 million, sources told ESPNs Buster Olney.Its just the fan base thats there in L.A. and the passion that they have; the intensity to win, thats something that we wanted and something that we wanted to come back to, Hill said, referencing his family. We want to be a part of that; we want to bring a championship to L.A.Hill, 36, was a boon to the Dodgers down the stretch in 2016 after he was acquired via trade from the Oakland Athletics at the non-waiver trade deadline on Aug. 1, along with outfielder Josh Reddick. The Dodgers gave up minor league pitchers Jharel Cotton, Frankie Montas and Grant Holmes to make the swap.Hill eventually made six starts for the Dodgers after recovering from blister issues on his left hand, posting a 1.83 ERA in 43? innings. He was not scored upon in his first three starts in a Dodgers uniform, even pitching seven perfect innings at Miami on Sept. 10, in a game he eventually left after 89 pitches as a precaution because of his blister issue.In three postseason starts, Hill went 1-1 with a 3.46 ERA, pitching in the deciding Game 5 of the National League Division Series at Washington, and beating the Chicago Cubs in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series.I think anytime in free agency there are risks that you take, but so much of our confidence comes from knowing him, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. No matter how much work you do on a guy, its different once you experience it firsthand and be around it and see it. So having that chance and that opportunity for those three months is what gave us the confidence to bet on him in terms of the type of person he is, what kind of competitor, the work ethic, seeing that up close.Hill is expected to be the Dodgers No. 2 starter, behind staff ace Clayton Kershaw, putting a pair of left-handers atop the rotation.Rich is awesome; Im excited to have Rich Hill back, said Kershaw, who paid a brief visit to the winter meetings. He is so much fun to watch pitch with his competitiveness and fire. He cares and he wants to win and he wants to pitch well, and that is awesome to have. You really cant take that for granted. The guy he is off the field, in the clubhouse, I enjoy talking to him. Hes a fun guy. I consider him a friend, so were excited to have him back, for sure.Hill said working alongside Kershaw has been an inspiration and is one of the main reasons he wanted to return to the Dodgers.Being around the likes of Clayton Kershaw, watching the way the guy works, I bring him up specifically because of his intensity and his passion, Hill said. When he goes out there and pitches, its something that is contagious. Guys feed off that, and thats what you want. Thats what I hope every time that I go out there -- thats what I bring and hope that guys feed off of that.Hill was one of the three top in-house free agents the Dodgers were interested in retaining. He was considered one of the best starting pitchers available on the open market. The club continues to negotiate with the agents for third baseman Justin Turner and closer Kenley Jansen.Toronto Blue Jays Shirts . It was the kind of score that might make everyone else wonder which course he was playing. Except that Graeme McDowell saw the whole thing. Crouched behind the 10th green at Sheshan International, McDowell looked over at the powerful American and said, "Ive probably seen 18 of the best drives Ive seen all year in the last two days. Custom Toronto Blue Jays Jerseys . -- Edmontons Val Sweeting is two wins away from a trip to Winnipeg to play in Canadas Road of the Rings in December. https://www.cheapbluejays.com/ . Emery skated the length of the ice and fought an unwilling Holtby during the third period of the Flyers 7-0 loss Friday night in Philadelphia. He was given 29 penalty minutes, including a game misconduct. But Emery did not face even a disciplinary hearing with NHL senior vice president of player safety Brendan Shanahan because rules 46. Fake Blue Jays Jerseys .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have recalled forward Kevin Porter and defenceman Chad Ruhwedel from the minors as part of a five-player roster shuffle made by the NHLs worst team. Blue Jays Jerseys 2019 . The winner Saturday will remain in the elite 10-team field next year. "We talked about wanting to be disciplined and stick with our game plan and good things will come," Draisaitl said, who had two goals for the victors.One year ago, a rising star named Nyquist rallied to victory in the $2 million Sentient Jet Breeders Cup Juvenile, defeating a quality group of rivals that included an up-and-coming colt named Exaggerator.As we all know, Nyquist and Exaggerator went on to win the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands and Preakness Stakes, respectively, showing that the Breeders Cup Juvenile can be a great place to look for future Triple Crown contenders.The 2016 edition of the Juvenile is one of the most competitive in recent memory, with 11 talented 2-year-olds set to face off in this 1-1/16-mile race. Since theres no standout favorite in the wagering, the odds on any given horse could be higher than expected, making it possible to secure a nice profit with simple win and place bets.One horse that I find particularly exciting is Gormley (#7), whose morning-line odds are 5-1. Trained by John Shirreffs, who isnt known for sending out 2-year-olds to win major races, Gormley caught my eye with his powerful win in the Grade 1 FrontRunner Stakes on Oct. 1 at Santa Anita Park, taking the lead and never facing a serious challenge on his way to a 3-length win.Despite this impressive victory, Gormley didnt appear to be very focused at all during the race, keeping his ears up in a sign of relaxation and distraction throughout the race. He has shown the same trait in his morning workouts, but has been more focused when allowed to race behind other horses, giving him a target to chase. With the speedy pair of Syndergaard (#2) and Three Rules (#6) expected to set the pace in the Juvenile, Gormley should be able to settle in behind the early leaders and stay much more focused.If Gormley improves at all off his win in the FrontRunner, I think hell be difficultt to beat.ddddddddddddI also like the chances of Not This Time (#10), who has been absolutely spectacular in his last two races. After winning a maiden race at Ellis Park by 10 lengths (while running his final quarter-mile in a rapid :23.33), he contested the Grade 3 Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs and cruised to an effortless 8-3/4-length victory despite getting off to a slow start and racing wide.To be honest, words cant describe how easily Not This Time has won his last two races, and hes among the most exciting contenders for next years Kentucky Derby. The only question marks are the trip to Santa Anita (hes been based in Kentucky throughout his career), his post position draw (he could be in for a wide trip from post-position 10) and the possibility of encountering a very fast pace, which he doesnt have much experience with.If youre convinced that Gormley or Not This Time will win the Juvenile, but arent sure which, I recommend playing Wagering Strategy A -- win bets on both colts. However, if you want to shoot for a bigger score, I would use Wagering Strategy B and play win and place bets on Gormley. If he wins, the potential for a big payoff is higher, and if he finishes second, the place payoff should still cover the bet with a small profit.Wagering Strategy A$10 to win on Gormley (would return $60 at 5-1 odds)$15 to win on Not This Time (would return $67.50 at 7-2 odds)Wagering Strategy B$12 to win on Gormley (would return $72 at 5-1 odds)$13 to place on Gormley (variable; would return approximately $35)Good luck, and enjoy the race!For more stories like this check out Americas Best Racing. ' ' '