MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Twins have cut longtime third baseman Trevor Plouffe, the first significant move by new front office leaders Derek Falvey and Thad Levine.Plouffe cleared waivers and has elected to become a free agent.The 30-year-old was a first-round draft pick of the Twins back in 2004. After struggling to earn a spot as a shortstop, he turned himself into a reliable third baseman with solid power.Plouffe hit .247 with 96 home runs and 357 RBI in seven seasons with the Twins. The move appears to open a spot at third base for young slugger Miguel Sano, who bounced around between designated hitter, third base and the outfield last year.Third base has always been Sanos preferred position.Plouffe was limited to 84 games last season because of injuries. He batted .260 with 12 homers and 47 RBI.The Twins also outrighted catcher Juan Centeno off the 40-man roster Friday.The team says outfielder Adam Brett Walker has been claimed off waivers by the Milwaukee Brewers. Custom NHL Jerseys China .Y. -- Knicks coach Mike Woodson said Wednesday that J. Adidas NHL Jerseys China .2 billion agreement with Rogers Communications for the leagues broadcast and multimedia rights. http://www.wholesalenhlauthenticjerseys.com/ . The Cincinnati Reds remain perfect with their speedy rookie outfielder in the starting lineup. Wholesale NFL Jerseys . The Lightning are 2-0 so far on a four-game road trip, giving the club five straight wins as the guest and improving Tampas away record this season to 11-8-2. Cheap Olympic Hockey Jerseys . -- The Magic have their first victory of the new year. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- In his first public appearance as Syracuses new football coach, Dino Babers didnt make any bold proclamations. Just a plea for fan support.Were not going to make promises, but if you have faith and fill this place ... youre going to see something youve never seen before, Babers said in January to a Carrier Dome basketball crowd of nearly 27,000. We will win!To be certain, the 54-year-old Babers, the fourth coach in seven years at Syracuse, faces a tall task.Syracuse won just seven games the past two seasons under Scott Shafer and is looking for a way to compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference with the likes of Florida State and national runner-up Clemson. The Orange was 4-8 in Shafers third and final season.Since the turn of this century, bright spots have been fleeting for the Orange. The program hasnt been nationally ranked since 2001 under Paul Pasqualoni and still is struggling to emerge from a low point reached under Greg Robinson -- his 10-37 record from 2005-08 represents the worst four-year stretch in school history.The Syracuse program has regularly has had its ups and downs. The trick is to start trending upward in the ACCs Atlantic Division.We just want to try and make sure we get better every day, Babers said after spring ball. And hopefully by getting better somewhere, when the season ends were good enough.Syracuse opens the season against longtime upstate New York foe Colgate, which won the Patriot League last season, made the FCS playoffs, and figures to offer a stiff first test. The Orange has sometimes struggled in the past against FCS teams. A fortunate one-point win over Villanova two years ago serves as a reference.Other things to know about the Syracuse Orange:HURRY UPBabers spent 25 years as an assistant coach, including four seasons at Baylor under Art Briles, and is incorporating Baylors up-tempo spread with pro-style principles. As head coach at Bowling Green prior to coming to Syracuse, his team ranked fourth in the nation in total offense, averaging 561 yards. Anything approaching that would be a triumph. Syracuse was outgained 5,262-3,839 last season and averaged 5.1 yards per play while allowing 6.2.HEALTHY QBBabers has instituted a whole new way of life for the Orange players --- from diets to hydration to conditioning -- to help them adjust to the speedy tempo of play his teams are known for.dddddddddddd What he cant completely control is the health of his quarterbacks, though he can try to alter their risk taking. Eric Dungey (1,298 yards passing and 351 rushing) emerged as a solid leader as a freshman after replacing senior starter Terrel Hunt, whose career ended with an injury in last seasons opener.Dungey was at the top of the depth chart in preseason ball, but in his rearview mirror is at least one concussion suffered early in his first season and several other hard hits to the head that forced him to miss four games. Walk-on Zack Mahoney was the main man in relief, redshirt junior Austin Wilson has limited experience and newcomer Rex Culpepper missed his senior season in high school because of a knee injury suffered a year ago.SOLID BACKFIELDSyracuse has three solid returning players in Jordan Fredericks, George Morris, and Dontae Strickland, along with a newcomer with real promise in Moe Neal. Fredericks led the Orange with 607 yards rushing, Morris chipped in 326, and Neal shined in the spring scrimmage and has continued to surge in preseason practice. Dontae Strickland is a dual-threat guy who also displayed promise as a freshman.WIDEOUT PROMISEThe Orange has talent at wideout. Steve Ishmael led the way last year (39 catches for 570 yards and seven TDs), followed by Brisly Estime (293 yards on 17 catches with two TDs), and Ervin Philips (29 catches for 286 and five TDs). The versatile Philips also rushed for 234 yards and three scores.PREDICTIONSyracuse has a challenging schedule, but at least three of the games are at home: Louisville, Florida State and Pittsburgh. The Orange plays Notre Dame at Metlife Stadium in New Jersey and also travels to Clemson. The Orange finished 2-6 in the division last season, ahead of Boston College (0-8) and Wake Forest (1-7). Look for the Orange to win six games and move up a rung in the division.---Online: Associated Press College Football Website: www.collegefootball.ap.org---Follow Kekis on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Greek1947 Cheap Authentic Jerseys Discount NFL Jerseys Wholesale NFL Camo Jerseys Cheap NFL Autographed Jerseys China Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Store China Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale Throwback Jerseys Cheap Stitched Jerseys China NFL Hoodies Cheap Authentic Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys China Camo China NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China ' ' '