Winnipeg Goldeyes manager Rick Forney announced today the signing of catcher Luis Alen to a contract for the 2014 season. Rafael Bush Womens Jersey . Alen, 28, hit .315 with five home runs, 59 RBI and a career-high nine stolen bases for the Goldeyes last season. He is the longest serving catcher in Goldeyes history, having already spent five seasons with the organization. Alen is poised to become one of four players in franchise history to play six or more seasons with Winnipeg. “Obviously, Luis is one of my most favourite players that weve ever had wear a Goldeyes uniform,” Forney said. “In my opinion, hes the best duel-threat catcher there is in independent baseball. Offensively, hes a very consistent .300-hitting catcher that has the ability to drive in a lot of runs and produce a great on-base percentage. He doesnt swing and miss very much. Behind the plate, hes super at receiving and does a great job of calling games. He has a real understanding of what works and what doesnt work in this league.” Hailing from San Francisco, Venezuela, Alen has a career .315 batting average with Winnipeg, which sits third in franchise history for Goldeyes players with a minimum of 750 career at-bats. Hes hit 29 home runs and added 261 RBI in 465 career games, which trails only Max Poulins 676 games played for the most by a Goldeyes player. Among other career Goldeyes records Alen is chasing, he needs 11 doubles to pass Fehlandt Lentini, 59 RBI to pass Harry Berrios and 95 hits to pass Poulin. Alen was signed as a free agent by the Florida Marlins in 2003 and played three seasons in their system. After playing in Italy in 2006, he joined the Goldeyes for the 2007 campaign. He was then signed by the New York Mets and played from 2008-2009 in their organization. Alen came back to Winnipeg in 2010 and has played the last four seasons with the Goldeyes. The Goldeyes now have 14 players signed for the 2014 season, including seven pitchers and seven position players. Junior Galette Jersey . Johnson, 34, appeared in three games for the Baltimore Orioles last season after being acquired from the New York Yankees organization on Aug. 30. The six-foot-two, 210-pound native of Coon Rapids, Minn. Archie Manning Saints Jersey . The Winnipeg Jets head coach, whose parents are French-Canadian, lost much of his mother tongue the result of playing and coaching hockey in the U.S. but still speaks enough to get by.CLEVELAND -- The Browns are acting as if Josh Gordon is already gone. With the status of their Pro Bowl wide receiver still unclear for next season, the team added two veteran free-agent wide receivers Thursday, agreeing to terms with Miles Austin and signing Earl Bennett. Both players give the Browns insurance in case Gordon, the teams top playmaker who led the NFL in yards receiving last season, is suspended for a year after reportedly failing another drug test. Austin and Bennett have been available since March, but the Browns passed on them in favour of signing veteran Nate Burleson to challenge Greg Little for the No. 2 receivers spot. However, a report last week that Gordon is facing a one-year suspension forced the Browns to find some quality help and rookie general manager Ray Farmer added Miles and Bennett. Despite being aware of Gordons situation, Farmer passed on drafting a wide receiver last week. At the time, Farmers inaction seemed peculiar, but the team obviously had other options in mind. "Were confident we have a plan," coach Mike Pettine said at a golf outing earlier this week. "That the situation didnt call for panic, thats something we werent going to do. I agree with Ray 1,000 per cent that we have to build this team so that no one player drives the ship, that we can be insulated. Losing players for extended periods of time potentially is part of the game. "Successful franchises are the ones that have enough depth built and enough options that they have from scheme-wise, coaching-wise to account for it. Those are the ones that are successful." A two-time Pro Bowl player, Austin was released by Dallas in March in a salary-cap move. The 29-year-old played in just 11 games last season because of hamstring injuries. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Austin was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He appeared in 106 games, recording 301 receptions for 4,481 yards and 34 touchdowns. Miles had his best seasson in 2009, when he had 81 receptions for 1,320 yards and 11 touchdowns. Mark Ingram Womens Jersey. The 27-year-old Bennett has made 29 starts in six pro seasons -- all with the Chicago Bears. He has 185 career receptions for 2,277 yards with 12 touchdowns. Last season, he had 32 receptions for 243 yards and four TDs in 15 games. Only hours after the Browns introduced Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel last Friday, ESPN reported that the 22-year-old Gordon is facing a one-year ban for testing positive for marijuana dampened the enthusiasm created by Clevelands draft. Citing unidentified sources, the report said Gordon was notified by a league physician that he failed the test. Gordon has failed two previous tests and was suspended for the first two games last season for violating the leagues substance abuse policy. Despite playing just 14 games, Gordon, who also had substance abuse issues in college, led the league with 1,646 yards receiving. The league has not commented on Gordons situation. Agent Drew Rosenhaus has declined comment. Faced with a substantial fine, Farmer was careful as he spoke about Gordon, but indicated the team was prepared to move on without him. "Its no different than if a player was going out during the off-season and broke an ankle or tore an ACL playing pickup hoops," Farmer said. "We have to build a football team that can win regardless of whos missing. I think thats the charge that we have. Thats my job. Thats coach Pettines job. To prepare this football team to win games regardless of whos missing." Along with Gordons fluid situation, the Browns may be without Burleson after he recently underwent minor surgery to fix a plate in the left arm he broke last year in a car accident. Farmer expects Burleson to be ready when training camp opens in July. The Browns also signed undrafted free agent defensive lineman Elhadji Ndiaye. Born in Senegal, the 6-4, 265-pound Ndiaye attended Nebraska-Kearney. He had six sacks in 2013. cheap nfl jerseys ' ' '
