heavily favoured Detroits heels in the AL Central. "Its

SAN DIEGO -- Josh Johnson was looking for a team close to his Las Vegas home, and the San Diego Padres were looking for a potential top-of-the rotation pitcher. The sides quickly agreed on an $8 million, one-year contract that was finalized on Wednesday. The Padres, coming off a second straight finish of 76-86, hope theyre getting the Johnson who was an All-Star with Miami in 2009 and 2010 and not the one slowed by triceps and forearm injuries last year while with Toronto. General manager Josh Byrnes said the Padres decided that if they could find a starter who had the chance to a difference-maker, they were going to pursue him. "Heres a guy who led the league in ERA who has been a dominant pitcher," Byrnes said. "We know theres risk in any signing but were very excited about the upside, what he can bring and now what our rotation can do to deliver us toward our goal. We want to be an October team. We really feel like the evolution of our starting pitching and bringing in Josh, weve taken a big step in that direction over the last 12 months." The Padres have had losing records in four of the last five seasons and have missed the playoffs seven straight seasons. Johnson, who had bone spurs removed from his right elbow on Oct. 1, was 2-8 with a 6.20 ERA 16 appearances this season. In addition to his base salary, Johnson would earn a $1.25 million bonus for making 26 starts. He said the top teams on his list were the Giants and Padres, and that he and his agent jumped at the first good offer. "Every time you come in here you want to stay here," Johnson said. "The parks great, the citys great, so those two things, thats pretty much what you want. Its a great park to pitch in. That and the staff, and then the team, its a perfect fit." While not saying who is going to be the No. 1 starter, manager Bud Black said he envisions Johnson fitting in at the top of the order along with Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross. "Hes done it in the past," Black said. "Obviously hes had some great performances." Add in Ian Kennedy and Eric Stults, and "We have the makings of a very solid rotation," Black said. The Padres also expect to get young pitchers Joe Wieland and Cory Luebke back from reconstructive elbow surgery. Casey Kelly also is recovering from elbow surgery. Johnson led the NL with a 2.30 ERA in 2010. He has a career record of 58-45 with a 3.40 ERA. "Ive seen Josh from the other side, when he was with Toronto, when he was with Florida," Black said. "This guy, potentially for us, brings a lot to the table. Were really, really pumped to have Josh here." The Padres expect Johnson to be ready to go by spring training. "I was pretty close last year, just not healthy," Johnson said. "It was tough trying to throw through it and all of a sudden Im getting these weird pains all the way up my triceps and my forearms getting tight because of everything going on with my elbow. Hopefully that took care of everything." NOTES: The Padres will make a corresponding move on the 40-man roster when Johnsons signing is confirmed by MLB. ... Byrnes said Luebke threw to college players at San Diego State on Saturday and did fine. Discount Nike Shoes Australia . A 23-year-old rookie, Stroman is 4-2 with a 3.44 earned run average in 12 games this season, the past seven of those being starts. He logged the first scoreless outing of his career on Friday versus Oakland in a no-decision. Nike Clearance Sale Australia . -- Desperate to stop Tom Bradys latest comeback bid, the Miami Dolphins sought help from a reserve safety making his NFL debut after being signed Tuesday off the San Francisco 49ers practice squad. http://www.cheapshoesaustralianike.com/ . LaQuinton Ross scored 17 of his 20 points in the first half, hitting his first four 3-pointers, to send No. Discount Nike Shoes Online Australia . Speaking with TSN 1050 following Brendan Shanahans introductory press conference, the Leafs GM also addressed the clubs perceived leadership issues and the type of working relationship that can be expected within Torontos front office. Wholesale Nike Shoes Australia . The 41-year-old Northern Irishman has proved a perfect fit at Liverpool since taking over from Kenny Dalglish in the summer of 2012 and steered the team to an unexpected title challenge in the Premier League last season.MINNEAPOLIS -- The Detroit Tigers had Kevin Correia on the ropes in the second inning but missed their first chance to knock him out. They didnt miss their second. Torii Hunter had two hits and two RBIs in the Tigers seven-run third inning that propelled them to a 10-6 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night. "We just got pitches that we could drive," said Hunter, who doubled twice among his three hits. "He left some balls up where we could capitalize on them. This guy pitches really well against us. We dont score many runs off him. But tonight we felt good at the plate and I think we were a little patient today and got some pitches we could handle." Nick Castellanos had a home run and three RBIs to back Rick Porcello (3-1), who gave up four runs and six hits with four strikeouts in five-plus innings for the Tigers. Rajai Davis added three hits to raise his average to .354. Correia (0-3) gave up eight runs -- seven earned -- and eight hits in 2 1-3 innings for Minnesota. It was his shortest outing since going just two innings last Aug. 5 against the Royals. Chris Colabello drove in his 27th run for the Twins, setting a franchise record for RBIs in April. Jason Kubel had two doubles among his three hits for the Twins. Brian Dozier hit his seventh homer of the season and Kurt Suzuki drove in two runs, giving him 19 RBIs on the year, which leads all catchers. Correia served up a two-run homer to Castellanos in the second -- and probably only got through that inning thanks to a poor decision by third base coach Dave Clark to send slow-footed Alex Avila from first base on a double by Andrew Romine. Avila was thrown out at home and Ian Kinsler grounded out to short-circuit the rally. "I was missing from the get-go," Correia said. "Balls were just kind of running back over the middle. I got away with it for an inning or so and then it caught up to me." But the Tigers had more in store for Correia. Hunter led off the third with a doublee and, after Miguel Cabreras groundout, the next five batters reached base with three hits and two walks, the last one from Romine with the bases loaded to make it 5-1.dddddddddddd. Hunter added a two-run single off Anthony Swarzak later in the inning that pushed the lead to 9-1. "They teach that in baseball: The most important inning is the inning after your team scores," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "We were able to bounce back and score not just a few but seven." There are no statements delivered in April, but the Tigers did throw a little cold water on what has been a surprising start to the season for the Twins. Minnesota has lost at least 96 games in each of the past three years, but rode the second-highest scoring offence in the American League to an 11-10 start that put the Twins right on heavily favoured Detroits heels in the AL Central. "Its something positive you can build off of and thats what were going to do, try to carry it over to the next day," Hunter said. "Usually when you get a loss, as a human being you kind of think about that negative and it can carry over and linger. But since we won and its positive, just try to build off it." After breezing through the first five innings, Porcello didnt get an out in the sixth before being lifted for Justin Miller. Ausmus had to use five more pitchers to finish the game, but that big third inning gave his team plenty of cushion to absorb a four-run sixth by the Twins. NOTES: Twins GM Terry Ryan finished his last round of radiation treatment for cancer, assistant GM Rob Antony said. Ryan is expected to return to Target Field this weekend. ... Avila left the game with a bruised left shin and is day to day. ... Twins OF Oswaldo Arcia was scheduled to fly to Triple-A Rochester on Saturday to start a rehab assignment. Arcia has been on the disabled list since April 5 with a wrist injury. ... RHP Anibal Sanchez (0-2, 3.54 ERA) pitches for Detroit on Saturday against RHP Phil Hughes (1-1, 6.43). ' ' '