OAKLAND – The following is a question this writer did not expect to type this season: where would the Blue Jays be without the contribution of J.A. Happ? Happs seven wins are second on the staff to Mark Buehrles 10. Win-loss record is an antiquated stat, sure, but win total is generally an indication of a pitchers ability to work deep into games, enough to be personally affected by the result. Efficiency has been an issue for Happ during his time in Toronto. Hes acquired a reputation as a five-inning pitcher, driven prematurely from outings because hes plodded along to 100 pitches far too soon. Its gotten late, often, far too early. Something has changed. Suddenly, in more starts than not, Happ is working deep, positively affecting the result. When he returned to the rotation on May 5 in Philadelphia, Happs future was being determined on a start-to-start basis. The leash is now longer. Since being acquired from the Astros in July 2012, Happ has been a starter and a reliever; hes been injured, first with a fractured foot two seasons ago and then with head and knee injuries last year, the result of a horrifying line drive off his skull on May 7, 2013 in Tampa Bay. His back flared up in spring training, resulting in a horrible March that cost him his spot in the rotation and landed him on the disabled list for opening day. There have been periods of self doubt, he admitted to TSN.ca. "I certainly would be lying if I said no to that," said Happ. "Last year there was a point where I tried to talk to (pitching coach) Pete (Walker) one on one and was just like, What have you got? I know Im capable of more and Im willing to do whatever it takes to get over the hump. I never thought I was far away but I just couldnt quite get over the hump for whatever reason. It comes and goes and it still does." Happ is a quiet guy. He doesnt say much, at least not when media have access to the players. Nobody would accuse Happ of seeking the limelight. He laughed in spring training, after he was away from the team for two days to deal with the back problem, when it was pointed out to him that a guy so quiet couldnt seem to avoid controversy. Hes heard the talk and hes read the articles. He knows he has his critics and his doubters; hes been one himself. Happ isnt bitter. "I think you write what you see and if thats what you see then thats your interpretation and understanding," said Happ. "Thats how this thing works. I cant be mad at anybody for what they feel like or whatever. I just know what I knew, or know, Im capable of so thats why I try to defend myself in situations where Im maybe not in a position where Id like to be." Happ has allies in two of important places: the managers and coaches offices, where John Gibbons and pitching coach Pete Walker reside. Gibbons has consistently defended his left-hander, quick to point out Happs ordeal last season and confident that a slight arm slot adjustment ultimately would pay off. "Ive always been a fan of the guy," said Gibbons. "Ive always known what hes capable of, but the bottom line is hes got to go out and do that. Hes had his ups and downs along the way but everybody in the game at this level, I mean, very few guys take this game by storm year after year." "I think hes comfortable in that slot right now," said Walker. "Its not as high as it used to be and its not as low as he first started when we dropped him down. Its kind of that in-between slot and I think hes really comfortable throwing there. I think hes in a good place physically and mentally he looks forward to that ball every five days." Happ has been told to attack the strike zone. Hes been told to pitch to contact. Hes been told to more aggressively use his fastball. Hes doing both. Consider this: in his start against the White Sox on June 26, a 7-0 win in which he went 7 2/3 innings of shutout ball, Happ threw 124 pitches, 111 of which were fastballs. The relationship with Walker is an important one to Happ, forged when he joined the Blue Jays two years ago. Walker was the bullpen coach at the time. Happ was a reliever who believed he should be a starter. The two meshed. "Hes a guy that I always felt like he felt that I was capable of more and expected more and kind of knew that it was in there," said Happ. "I know thats kind of part of his job and he probably does it to everybody but hes very good at individualizing things and I always felt like he kind of had my back and I felt the same way about Gibby too. Maybe thats the reason why Im still here." There will be future outings when Happ struggles. The aim, of course, is to turn those into the exception rather than the rule. That June 21 start in Cincinnati, for example. Happ got rapped for seven earned runs in four innings. He bounced back with that gem against the White Sox and a strong start against the Brewers. The doubters who believed Happ, version Cincinnati, was the real guy were forced to reconsider. So if this is the real Happ, what happened? Why did a left-handed pitcher with a mid-90s fastball lack mound presence? Why did it appear that he didnt trust his repertoire? "Any answer to this is going to sound like an excuse and thats the last thing I want it to be," said Happ. "I let myself get caught up in a situation, playing on a team that wasnt very successful and I allowed that to affect me mentally as much I tried to not (let it). I think I probably got into some bad habits." Those bad habits were both mental and mechanical. Success, however, breeds confidence. Happ has had some success. His body language on the mound projects confidence. Maybe Yogi Berra was right when he suggested that 90 per cent of baseball is half mental. "Youve got to believe and youve got to really believe that you guys have got a chance out there in order for it to happen," said Happ. "You cant just wish things to happen in this game. They just dont. Youve got to go make it happen. I had a tough couple of years trying to kind of find myself and who I think I should be and I feel good about getting in a place where my body feels good, my mechanics feel good and Im just a little more free in everything. I felt like I had to be perfect for a lot of the time for things to go right and thats just not the case." Kyle Singler Jersey . "Youre not really spending time to sit back and analyze what your competitions doing and things like that," Anthopoulos said. "Youre so focused on what were trying to get done." Ultimately, while the landscape around them changed with trades both major and minor, the Blue Jays did nothing before Thursdays non-waiver deadline. Custom Oklahoma City Thunder Jerseys . It is unclear how long Kallstrom, who was brought in to alleviate the teams midfield problems, will be sidelined. Arsenals communications director, Mark Gonnella, says the club decided to proceed with Kallstroms signing despite the injury. http://www.shopthunderstore.com/Cheap-R ... er-Jersey/. Parnell will be out much longer if it turns out he needs surgery. But first, he will try resting for two weeks before beginning a throwing program that could last up to a month, general manager Sandy Alderson said. Kevin Durant Jersey . When the next inning rolled around Wednesday, though, Nationals manager Matt Williams sent Strasburg to the mound to face the top of the Dodgers order in what would become a 3-2 victory for Washington, the first time this season the No. Andre Roberson Jersey . It was the most lopsided loss in Lakers history. Darren Collison had a team-high 24 points while starting at shooting guard for the injured Jamal Crawford. Chris Paul added 13 points and 11 assists for the Clippers, who apparently are trying to make up for decades of humiliation at the hands of the Lakers all in one season; theyve won the last two meetings by a combined 84 points.PHILADELPHIA - Nick Foles isnt close statistically to where he was last season. Hes near the bottom in several passing categories and some are wondering if Mark Sanchez should get a chance to start for the Philadelphia Eagles.Not coach Chip Kelly.I think you rate your quarterback in terms of, Are you winning, are you losing? Kelly said. Nick is 5-2.Foles surpassed all expectations in 2013 when he came off the bench in Week 5 and put together one of the best seasons by any quarterback in history. He threw 27 touchdown passes and only two interceptions, setting an NFL record for best TD/interception ratio. He completed 64 per cent of his regular-season passes for 2,891 yards and his passer rating of 119.2 was the third-highest ever. He tied an NFL record with seven TD passes in his ninth career start at Oakland on Nov. 3.Overall, including the playoffs, Foles tossed 29 TDs and only two picks in 350 attempts and finished off as the offensive MVP of the Pro Bowl.Things arent going quite so smoothly for the third-year pro. Foles already has nine interceptions and hes lost three fumbles. His completion percentage (59.2) and his passer rating (80.7) both are sixth-worst in the NFL.I have to do a better job, Foles said. Words cant describe it. I have to keep working on fundamentals, footwork and decision-making. Im going to keep studying film and keep working. Its all correctable and I can fix it. My words dont mean anything. I have to go out there and prove it.Foles threw two picks in a 24-20 loss at Arizona on Sunday and misfired on three straight passes from the Cardinals 16.Its a concern when we turn the ball over, offensive co-ordinator Pat Shurmur said. Weve got to correct the errors that we make in terms of turning the ball over, and again theres a reason for it. And were just going to have to just continue to try to improve it, and I think thats really it.Kelly woulddnt put all the blame on Foles.ddddddddddddI know weve thrown nine interceptions, but theres not a consistent (thing), he said. Sometimes its the rush, sometimes we werent running the proper route, and sometimes its the quarterback.Foles threw one interception against Arizona off his back foot instead of getting set in the pocket. Hes only been sacked twice in the past six games, but hes made risky throws to avoid the rush at times.What Im finding with Nick is when he sets his feet and steps into the throws, hes awesome, Shurmur said. What were also finding is there are times when he gets flushed or he flushes himself and he doesnt have his feet underneath him and hes not as good as he could be if they were, and I think that can be said for all quarterbacks. When we do flush, weve got to remain a passer.There are times when an incomplete pass is really the right thing to do, Shurmur said. But as a passer, if you can stay in the pocket, trust the pocket, theres no reason to flush, go through your progression, as the down gets late, then you start to use your feet and do the right thing with the football.The defending NFC East champion Eagles are only a half-game behind Dallas (6-2) in the division and still have two games remaining against the Cowboys. Though Sanchez, the former New York Jets star, excelled in the preseason, he wont get a chance unless Foles is injured.NOTES: C Jason Kelce practiced with the starters, just one month after having surgery for a sports hernia. Kelce has missed the last four games. ... RB Darren Sproles also practiced after missing one game because of a sprained knee. ... CB Brandon Boykin and S Nate Allen didnt practice because of hamstring injuries. ... 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