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MIAMI - Giancarlo Stanton stood on the Miami Marlins field Wednesday and scanned a sea of empty seats, mindful the stands look much the same at games.He had just signed a record $325 million, 13-year contract and conceded he wasnt certain he should have agreed to the deal.There was no 100 per cent sure answer, Stanton said. But the decision is made. Once you make your decision, you go all-in with it.The slugger hit the jackpot, landing the most lucrative contract for an American athlete and the longest in baseball history. Stanton accepted the deal after cost-conscious owner Jeffrey Loria pledged to put together a contending team that will finally transform Miami into a baseball town.Stanton and South Florida have heard such talk before.You cant keep saying, Were going to win this year. Were going to do it this year, Stanton said. Im sick of hearing that. Everyone is sick of hearing that. Its doing something about it.At a news conference, Loria said signing Stanton is part of a long-range plan that began with the Marlins most recent payroll purge two years ago.Our goal was to start fresh, Loria said. It wasnt popular, but we had to do it. We wanted to create a long-term system around young players who would build their entire career with us.General manager Dan Jennings said the team plans to pursue multiyear contracts this off-season with several other young players, including right hander Jose Fernandez, centre fielder Marcell Ozuna, left fielder Christian Yelich and shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria.Such deals will be possible for the historically low-payroll franchise only because of the way Stantons contract is structured. He readily agreed to a heavily backloaded agreement, and will make just $6.5 million in 2015, the same as this year. His salary doesnt peak until 2023, when hell make $32 million.The agreement wouldnt have happened without such structuring, team president David Samson said. He said the Marlins anticipate better attendance and a more lucrative TV package will make Stantons contract affordable.Loria wants to be around for the franchise turnaround. His popularity with fans has plummeted in recent years, but he has no plans to sell the team, Samson said.Hes in it with Miami for the long run, because he loves it, Samson said.While Kevin Brown was the first player to break the $100 million barrier in 1998 and Alex Rodriguez became the first to top $200 million just two years later, it took 14 more years to produce baseballs first $300 million man.Stanton did a double take when asked if the amount of deal was embarrassing to him.Embarrassing to me? Not exactly, he said. I know I have a lot of expectations to live up to, which I need to do and am willing to do. This isnt like a lottery ticket. This is the start of new work and a new job. Its a huge responsibility, and one Im willing to take.Stanton took the podium for his news conference wearing a tailored blue suit and a grin, showing no signs of the beaning that ended his season Sept. 11. He hasnt hit a ball since but said hell return to the batting cage beginning in mid-December in his native California.Ill probably take a moment before I get into that box, but itll be good, he said. Im excited for it.The Marlins said theyre not concerned the injuries will have lingering effects.Stanton, who turned 25 on Nov. 8, wasnt due to become eligible for free agency until after the 2016 season. When negotiations on his mega-deal began, Stanton said he was more concerned about the front offices plans for improving the roster than about his financial terms.Despite 154 home runs from Stanton, the Marlins have finished with a losing record in each of his five seasons, including three last-place finishes.They had the contract there, and I put it aside and said, Listen, what are we going to do to make this better? Im financially good for the rest of my life. Great. But Im not coming here to get my butt kicked for 10 hours every day and then going home to a lavish lifestyle. Thats not fun for me.He said he didnt seek advice from players on other teams about whether to accept the Marlins offer.Everyone sees the dollar sign and theyre like, What are you waiting for? No one could relate to how I felt over the years. So I had to do this on my own.Topics of the negotiations included the dimensions at Marlins Park, which Stanton considers too big. The walls are staying where they are in 2015, but the Marlins havent ruled out moving them in eventually.The final hurdle in the discussions was an opt-out clause, which the Marlins accepted and Stanton described as my fail-safe. He can part with the Marlins after making $107 million over the first six years of the deal. It also includes a no-trade clause.In the end, Stanton called the decision to say yes the toughest of his life.This is 13 years, he said. I didnt even go to school for 13 years.He signed the agreement at the start of the news conference, Loria at his side.Im glad to be here for my foreseeable future, Stanton said.The occasion attracted nearly 100 members of the media, a sign interest in the Marlins already is on the rise. Air Jordan 5 Wholesale .While Rosberg is coming off a strong victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix, Hamilton is dwelling on a mistake that ended his streak of five consecutive wins and kept him from increasing his advantage. Jordan 5 Cheap For Sale . Or maybe he already did. Clark hit his first homer, Wily Peralta pitched into the seventh inning, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Miami Marlins 4-1 Wednesday night. http://www.airjordan5uk.com/. The 25-year-old native of Milford, Conn., has 18 points in 41 games this season. The five-foot-eight 166-pound centre also has 28 points (10-18) in 15 games with AHL Oklahoma City. Cheap Jordan 5 Retro .J. -- The NHL reduced its penalty against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday for signing Ilya Kovalchuk in 2010. Wholesale Jordan Retro 5 . -- The Los Angeles Angels have agreed to a minor league contract with reliever Brandon Lyon that includes an invitation to their big league camp for spring training.Washington, DC (SportsNetwork.com) - Troy Brouwer scored the game-winning goal with just 12.9 seconds to play and the Washington Capitals nabbed a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2015 Winter Classic from Nationals Park. The game appeared headed to overtime, but a penalty to Jonathan Toews at 18:47 gave the Capitals a power play, and just under a minute later a mid-ice faceoff was won by the Capitals that saw Alex Ovechkin bring it into the Chicago end. Ovechkin had his stick broken at the left circle and lost control of the puck, but Brouwer was there for a turnaround shot that beat Corey Crawford for the lead. When I saw the puck laying at his feet when he broke his stick, somebody had to try to keep alive, said Brouwer. So I turned around, threw it to the net. Im not sure where it even went in, but I heard the noise of the crowd, heard the noise of the guys on the ice, and it was one of those where you know the time, you know the score, and youre just trying to get a puck on net, and thankfully it went in. Braden Holtby then sealed the victory with a tough save on a Patrick Kane shot just before time expired to give the Capitals their second victory in the New Years Day event. Washington had won a 3-1 decision over the Penguins at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh in 2011, and is now the first team to win two games at this annual event. Ovechkin finished the game with a goal and an assist, while Eric Fehr also lit the lamp for the Capitals, who had come into the game having lost two of their last three games. Holtby finished the game with 33 stops. The whole day was unbelievable, said Ovechkin. It has been outstanding. The atmosphere on the ice, like, since first second was like unreal. Its a good one before all our lives, and Im pretty sure Im going to watch this hockey game and well enjoy it. Patrick Sharp and Brandon Saad scored for the Blackhawks, who have lost both of their Winter Classic appearances as the team dropped a 6-4 decision to Detroit at Wrigley Field in 2009. Crawford made 32 saves. Its a fun process, it was a great experience, I think that we could have left here with a point, we would have been a lot happier with the whole build- up and the whole thrill and experience, said Chicago head coach Joel Quenneville. The fans were great. Theyre just a little happier than we are today. The first good chance came three minutes in when Brooks Laich skated in on a 2-on-1 break for the Caps, but his shot from the right wing was blocked away by Crawford. Just under seven minutes in, the Blackhawks had their own good scoring chance as Saad threw a shot on net that Holtby blocked and then bloocked Saads follow-up backhander during 4-on-4 play.dddddddddddd With each team still down a man, the Caps got on the scoreboard as Brent Seabrook misplayed the puck at the right point in the Washington end. Fehr caught up to the puck near the Chicago blueline and went in on a short break, shifting from the backhand to the forehand and sliding it just past the left pad of Crawford for a 1-0 lead at 7:01 of the first. The teams switched sides at the midway point of the first period, and the Capitals made it a 2-0 game two minutes later as strong work in the Chicago end saw Ovechkin finish off a rebound in front off a Mike Green shot from the right point. Chicago, though, got on the board 1 1/2 minutes later on the power play after Nicklas Backstrom was called for holding. A left circle faceoff win saw Chicago control the puck in the Washington end, and Sharp wristed the puck in from the high slot with Andrew Shaw providing a screen in front. The Caps nearly regained their two-goal edge less than two minutes into the second as Ovechkin beat Crawford with a wrister from the right wing, but the shot rang off the crossbar. The Blackhawks tied the game at 3:15 of the second thanks to a good bounce. John Carlson had the puck to the left of his goaltender and tried to backhand a pass off the backboards, but the disc sat there at Marian Hossa was able to grab it. Hossa then sent a quick pass out front to Toews, who quickly passed it over to his left where Saad had a wide open net for his ninth goal of the season. The Blackhawks had a solid chance to take the lead later in the second, as the team skated 5-on-3 for 1:31 after a pair of minors from the Caps near the midway point, but they were unable to generate any opportunities. You dont score on five and threes, you generally dont win and that ended up being the result, said Quenneville. Chicago went just 1-for-6 on the power play, while Washington finished the game 1-for-4. Game Notes Temperature at game time was 41 degrees, with much of the ice under the sun, thereby necessitating the teams switching sides in the first period to equalize any advantages. In the second and third periods, the entire ice was under shade, and there was no side-switching ... There will be one other outdoor game this season on Feb. 21 between Los Angeles and San Jose at Levis Stadium, home of the NFLs San Francisco 49ers ... Toews assist on Saads goal gave him two goals and three assists in outdoor games, most in NHL history ... It was Chicagos third outdoor game overall, as the team hosted the Penguins at Soldier Field last season. ' ' '