CHICAGO -- Paul Konerko will likely be watching from the bench for the start of what figures to be his 16th and final opening day with the Chicago White Sox And the 38-year-old first baseman is comfortable with that decision, which ends a streak of 15 consecutive opening-day starts. [url=https://www.

CHICAGO -- Paul Konerko will likely be watching from the bench for the start of what figures to be his 16th and final opening day with the Chicago White Sox And the 38-year-old first baseman is comfortable with that decision, which ends a streak of 15 consecutive opening-day starts. Custom Nike Minnesota Twins Jerseys . Konerkos new role is as a right-handed-hitting platoon player at designated hitter. With Minnesota starting right-hander Ricky Nolasco, left-handed-hitting Adam Dunn will start. "I just think its the way it should be," Konerko said Sunday as both teams conducted voluntary workouts. "Its just not part of the blueprint of what were going to do here. ... Its pretty simple. Theres a plan and roles of when guys play and when they dont." A six-time All-Star, Konerko agreed in December to a $2.5 million, one-year contract. White Sox manager Robin Ventura said Konerko made the choice to stay with the platoon. "In talking to Paulie, its not an easy decision," Ventura said, "but when you go over how youre going to do this and make this work, he made it clear this is kind of what he signed up to do." Left-hander Chris Sale starts for the White Sox. He was surprised by Konerkos decision but said he respected it. "I think he should be out there," Sale said. "What hes done for this city, what hes done for this team, who hes been throughout his career, I think hes earned that. But what he says, goes." Starting his second White Sox opener, Sale faces Nolasco in only the third time opening-day meeting between the teams and the first since 1993. After a lengthy and severe Chicago winter, Mondays forecast calls for partly sunny skies and a 65-degree temperature. The White Sox are coming off a 63-99 season, their poorest record since 1970. Their projected lineup features five players making their opening-day debuts, including Cuban slugger Jose Abreu, who signed a $68 million, six-year contract. "I dont really know where Im going to be hitting, but it doesnt matter," Abreu said through a translator. "To be honest with you, thats irrelevant. Im ready to hit wherever they put me. Im here to help the team." Minnesota (66-96) committed $73 million to sign Nolasco (13-11 for Miami and the Los Angeles Dodgers) and Phil Hughes in an effort to rebuild its pitching. "Its important to get off to a good start," Nolasco said. "I know theyve been struggling the last couple years, but weve been working hard as a staff trying to go out there do quick, efficient innings, get us back in the dugout and try to swing the bats." Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said Nolasco is ready for the season. "Rickys game on," he said. "Im not worried about him one bit. Hell go until he tells us hes tired. Hes very sure of what he needs to do to win." Despite snow piles and a frozen field earlier this month, Roger Bossards groundskeepers got the playing surface ready at U.S. Cellular Field. "Im impressed," Ventura said. "We thought thered be an iceberg out in left field with all the reports we got. ... But we knew Roger would pull it off this off." Custom Nike Chicago Cubs Jerseys . Johansen scored twice and Derek MacKenzie, Brandon Dubinsky and Cam Atkinson also had goals to lead the Blue Jackets to a 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Thursday night, ending a three-game losing skid. Wholesale Custom Nike Baseball Jerseys . The Flames announced Monday that Treliving, a former assistant general manager with the Coyotes, will take over the vacant GM spot in Calgary. "Im ready for this,"Treliving said. https://www.customnikebaseballjerseys.com/ . Chris Heisey followed with a two-run triple and Billy Hamilton added an RBI double, all but sealing Cincinnatis fourth straight victory and seventh in eight games. Brandon Phillips, celebrating his 33rd birthday, hit a go-ahead homer in the ninth for the Reds before pinch-hitter Buster Posey tied it with an RBI double off hard-throwing closer Aroldis Chapman in the bottom half.PHILADELPHIA -- Jonathan Papelbon lost the lead and then lost his cool. The Phillies closer made a lewd gesture to fans and was ejected after giving up four runs in the ninth inning during Philadelphias 5-4 loss to the Miami Marlins on Sunday. Papelbon grabbed his crotch as he walked to the dugout and was ejected by crew chief Joe West. He jogged out of the dugout and got into a face-to-face argument with West, who grasped the pitchers jersey to hold him off, and Papelbon then argued with first base umpire Marty Foster. Papelbon threw a cup of liquid on the field before leaving the dugout. "I told him Youve got to go," West said. "And then he charged out of the dugout and his head bumped into my hat. And I grabbed him and I said, Get off of me. "The whole thing started because the fans booed him and he made an obscene gesture. He had no business doing that. Hes got to be more professional than that. And thats why he was ejected." Papelbon denied gesturing lewdly toward fans and said boos had no impact on him. "This is baseball," Papelbon said. "I had to make an adjustment and I did it and by no means am I directing anything at any fans. . When Im out there and in the moment, the fans are irrelevant to me. I dont see them. I dont hear them. To me, this is pretty stupid, to be totally honest with you. "They pay money, they want to see a good game and they have the right to boo and do whatever they want to do, but when an umpire gets caught up in that and starts trying to look for extra things he may think are going on -- just umpire the game." Papelbon (2-3) had converted 14 straight save chances since July 22 when he entered with a 4-1 lead. He allowed five of his first six batters to reach, giving up Jarrod Saltalamacchias double, Kike Hernandezs walk, Adeiny Hechavarrias infield single, Jordany Valdespins RBI groundout, Christian Yelichs run-scoring infield single and pinch-hitter Justin Bours tying single. After Casey McGehee struck out, Papelbon bounced a wild pitch past catcher Carlos Ruiz as Yelich scored the go-ahead run. Custom Nike Houston Astros Jerseys. Papelbon retired Marcell Ozuna on an inning-ending groundout. Papelbon blew a save for the fourth time in 41 chances this season. He had been 18 for 18 in career save chances against the Marlins. Anthony DeSclafani (2-2) got the final out of the eighth for the win. Steve Cishek walked Freddy Galvis leading off the bottom half and allowed Cody Asches single, then struck out Ben Revere, Maikel Franco and Chase Utley for his 35th save in 39 chances. Revere and Utley took called third strikes. Miami stopped a four-game losing streak. The Marlins had not won since Giancarlo Stanton took a fastball to the face on Thursday. "Its probably the biggest win of the year for us," Miami manager Mike Redmond said. "Its been very emotional the last few days. We needed a win." Francos RBI single in the third put Philadelphia ahead, but Hernandezs homer tied the score in the fourth. The Phillies opened a 3-1 lead in the fourth on Domonic Browns run-scoring, double-play grounder and Ruizs RBI single, and Utley hit into a run-scoring fielders choice in the eighth. Phillies starter David Buchanan allowed one run and five hits in 6 1-3 innings, and Marlins starter Tom Koehler gave up three runs -- two earned -- and seven hits in six innings. TRAINERS ROOM Phillies: SS Jimmy Rollins sat out a sixth consecutive game and has not played since straining his left hamstring on Sept. 8. UP NEXT Phillies: RHP Jerome Williams (3-1) takes the mound in the opener of Philadelphias 10-game West Coast trip. He faces San Diegos Andrew Cashner (3-7). Marlins: RHP Jarred Cosart (13-9), who has won four of six decisions since he was acquired from Houston, gets the ball in Miamis series opener with New York. He opposes RHP Jacob deGrom (8-6). GLOVE WORK Yelich slid on the warning track in left-centre near the 387-foot sign for a sliding backhand catch of Ruizs drive in the second. ROUNDING THE BASES Revere swiped second base in the first and eighth innings, giving him a career-high 45 steals. ' ' '