because details about the hearing havent been released.The union is

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Halfway through his six spring training appearances, R.A. Dickey feels like an old pitcher with a new beginning. "Its like getting to start over and do it the right way. You feel like youre getting a chance to reboot," Dickey said Sunday after pitching five shutout innings for the Toronto Blue Jays in a 4-3 exhibition loss to the Houston Astros. "It makes you somewhat regret not being able to invest the time that was really needed last year." Dickeys first spring with the Blue Jays was interrupted by the World Baseball Classic. A year after winning the NL Cy Young Award with the New York Mets in 2012, he went 4-7 through May with a 5.18 ERA. "You dont know that in the moment, and youre getting to do a really fantastic honour," he recalled, "but having spent a lot of time with my guys on the team and getting to prepare my body, (this spring) just feels normal." Dickey threw 82 pitches in five innings in his third spring start, giving up four hits and a walk while striking out four. He plans to get up to 95-100 pitches in his next two starts, then perhaps dial it back for his final spring outing before pitching in the season-opening series at Tampa Bay. "Being older, I know what I need to do to prepare, and this is one of the things that helps me feel confident when I take the mound, knowing that Ive gone deep in games in the spring," he said. "That way when it happens during the season Im able to do it right from the get-go and not have to build into it. It works for me. Everybodys different." Marwin Gonzalez and Carlos Perez drove in runs for the Astros in the eighth inning off losing pitcher Jeremy Jeffress. Jason Castro hit a two-run homer for the Astros in the sixth. The Blue Jays took a 3-2 lead in the eighth on a play in which the Astros lost a replay challenge for the second straight day. Steve Tolleson beat a close play at the plate, scoring on a double by Erik Kratz. "If its that close, then its definitely worth challenging because theres no telling what angle they may end up getting that can actually overturn it," Houston manager Bo Porter said. STARTING TIME BLUE JAYS: Asked about the diminished expectations for the Blue Jays this season, Dickey deadpanned: "I think were terrible, and I dont want anybody to take us seriously. I think because of last year, were probably going to get walked all over every game." ASTROS: Rudy Owens, a 26-year-old left-hander who has yet to pitch in the major leagues, matched zeroes with Dickey for three innings, giving up one hit. "I never faced that calibre of hitters, but its something Ive dealt with and Ive been doing for my entire career," he said. "Its time for me to step up and I did." TRAINERS ROOM Toronto manager John Gibbons on the post-Tommy John surgery outlook of pitcher Drew Huthison: "You dont even think of Tommy John; modern medicine is so good. Its almost like when you draft these guys and sign em, do Tommy John right away because sometimes they end up better than they were to begin with." NICE IMPRESSION Kratz drove in two runs with a single and a double while catching Dickeys knuckleball for five innings. "Calling knuckleballs is an anxious proposition so hes got to navigate that some. He did a good job," Dickey said. Fake Mets Jerseys .A. Happ capped a challenging season with one of his best efforts of the year. New York Mets Gear . The Nuggets leading scorer, Lawson is characterized as day to day by the team. Hes averaging 17.9 points and 8.9 assists. Lawson suffered the injury late in Denvers win Sunday at Sacramento. https://www.cheapmetsjerseys.us/ . - Wesley Matthews got a chance to practice his bow-and-arrow 3-point celebration on Sunday night. Mets Jerseys China .com) - Maria Sharapova reached her 10th career grand slam final after beating Ekaterina Makarova in straight sets at the Australian Open on Thursday. Wholesale Mets Jerseys . - The Florida Panthers are getting some Army training to finish off their preparations for the season.A neutral arbiter is expected to decide early next week whether NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell should testify during an appeal of Ray Rices indefinite suspension, a person familiar with the case told The Associated Press on Thursday.Goodell said last week hed leave the decision to former U.S. District Judge Barbara S. Jones. She was picked by the commissioner and the players union to hear Rices appeal earlier this month. The hearing is tentatively set for November.I think Judge Jones is the one who ultimately is going to make the rules and determinations, Goodell said at the owners meetings in New York.The person who informed the AP of the timing spoke on condition of anonymity because details about the hearing havent been released.The union is appealing Rices suspension for violating the NFLs personal conduct policy. The former Baltimore Ravens running back was suspended after video of him hitting his then-ffiancee in an elevator was publicly released.ddddddddddddnion officials said in announcing the appeal that Goodell and his staffs testimony is a central reason why it pushed to jointly select an outside arbiter.Goodell said in appointing Jones that she would have our full co-operation as she hears and decides this appeal. Jones is a partner in a private law firm and is also a former Department of Justice attorney.One month after Rice was initially suspended two games, Goodell said he didnt get things right and announced tougher penalties for future domestic violence incidents. But the penalties didnt apply to Rice. Once the video was released, the Ravens cut Rice and the league banned him indefinitely, with the league saying it considered the video new evidence.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL___Rob Maaddi can be reached on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ap_robmaaddi ' ' '