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DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Brett Cecil walked into spring training last year with his career in limbo. The Toronto left-hander seemed far removed from his breakout season of 2010, when he posted a team-high 15 wins despite not making the 25-man roster out of camp. Instead, he was fresh off two years of disappointment. Hed bounced back and forth between the Blue Jays and Triple-A, going a combined 6-15 while getting demoted from the rotation. Cecil knew that if he didnt show improvement, his days in Toronto would be numbered. "There was a big discussion before the beginning of spring last year whether he was even going to make the team," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said Saturday. That doubt forced the 6-foot-1, 215-pound Cecil to make a change. He began throwing a weighted baseball during pitching drills to help strengthen his arm and build velocity. It worked. After several strong outings, Cecil was informed in the final days of camp that hed made the final cut. As a reliever, in fact. Cecil took advantage of that opportunity and went 5-1 with a 2.82 ERA and one save. He was also picked as an American League All-Star for the first time. Cecil pitched in 60 games, striking out 70 in 60 2-3 innings. He signed a one-year, $1.3 million contract in the off-season. The 27-year-old Cecil said last years experience changed his mindset and made him appreciate what he has. "Completely different," he said. "Im fairly certain that I have a spot on the team. Obviously, I have to perform, but its a little bit more pressure taken off not being on the bubble." Though Cecil performed well early on in 2013, he began to wear down during the second half of the season. Extra work with the weighted-ball routine and the added stress of having to continuously prove himself took a toll on his body. In September, soreness developed in his shoulder and prematurely ended his season. "I just needed rest," Cecil said. "It was a combination of a different role, different workload and overdoing the ball program a little bit." Cecil said he is now completely healthy and understands where his limits are. He said it will be much easier to dial it back when he needs to instead of constantly going full-bore all the time. "I just dont want any red flags to be thrown up, but I am going to be a lot smarter about the time I take throwing," Cecil said. "When I feel like I really need the work, if I feel like I need to take a day, I said Im going to take a day." "(During batting practice on Friday) they told me I had 25 pitches, and I said I dont need 25 pitches, Ill do 20. If I can throw 20, Im sure I can get five more in a game down the road. I dont need that right now. I need 20 or so and that would be it. Right now, its just saving as many bullets as I can for August, September and, hopefully, October." Gibbons agreed and said it will take that approach from Cecil to help the bullpen succeed. "He had a heck of a year," Gibbons said. "Hes found a role, he likes that bullpen role and hes very good at it. The big thing is always going to be durability, because the good ones get used a lot. Hes got to be conscious of that. He can be a hero, but he also has to understand that to be good in this business." NOTES: Gibbons said LHP J.A. Happ will start the Blue Jays exhibition opener on Wednesday in Clearwater against the Philadelphia Phillies. ... RHP Liam Hendriks, claimed off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles on Friday, joined the team. ... Japanese-born SS Munenori Kawasaki said he will cheer for the Canadian mens hockey team during its Olympic gold-medal game against Sweden on Sunday. Kawasaki said he predicts a win for Canada, because his son, Issho, was born in Toronto last year. "I love Canada," Kawasaki said. "I think Canada wins 2-1. Yes, perfect. Sounds good. Lets go, Canada." Bill Russell Jersey . At a news conference Tuesday where it was thought that the fiery Schallibaum may be shown the door after a dismal finish to the Major League Soccer season, team president Joey Saputo said no decision has been made on whether the Swiss Volcano will be back in 2014. Bob Cousy Jersey .9 million deal Thursday. The 25-year McGinn had 19 goals and 19 assists in 79 games last season in helping the Avalanche tie a franchise record with 52 wins. http://www.celticsofficialsstore.com/kids-terry-rozier-celtics-jersey/ . The freestyle skier from Calgary finished sixth in the qualification round with a total of 82.00 points. Groenewoud won a silver medal at the X Games last month, just over five weeks after undergoing double knee surgery. Boston Celtics Jerseys . The Mavericks were not going to let San Antonio beat them with 3-pointers, and they did not want Tony Parker using the lane as his personal playground. Robert Parish Jersey .Those stars, most notably the top line of James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak and Phil Kessel, struggled against the Montreal Canadiens and must be better as the Leafs look ahead to facing the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers this weekend.BOSTON -- Rajon Rondo had season highs with 19 points and 10 assists and the Boston Celtics snapped a four-game losing streak with a 96-89 win over the Orlando Magic on Sunday. Jared Sullinger scored seven of his 21 points in the fourth quarter for the Celtics, who let a 12-point lead slip to one in the final period before pulling away at the end. Brandon Bass had 19 points and nine rebounds and Avery Bradley scored 17 in his return after missing five games with a sprained ankle. Jeff Green was the only Boston starter not to score in double figures as the Celtics won for the third time in four games against the Magic, who have lost four of five. Arron Afflalo had 18 points and Nikola Vucevic finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Magic, who lost their 11th straight road game. Glen Davis had 15 points, Tobias Harris scored 13 and Victor Oladipo had 12 points as all five Orlando starters scored in double figures. The only game on the NBA schedule Sunday featured two of the leagues bottom teams. Boston entered Sunday winless in six games since Rondos return last month after missing nearly a year with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. His season highs were 13 points and eight assists bbefore going 9 of 10 from the floor Sunday and adding six rebounds.dddddddddddd Orlando, which has just three road wins this season, rallied after making a push in the fourth quarter. The Magic went without a field goal in the fourth quarter until Maurice Harkless layup cut Bostons lead to 75-68 with 9:01 left to play. ETwaun Moore and Davis added layups during an 10-2 run that pulled the Magic within 77-76 on a pair of free throws by Kyle OQuinn with 6:11 left to play. It was as close as Orlando would get. Rondo answered with hook shot for the Celtics and Bradley followed with a field goal and two foul shots as Boston started to pull away. The Celtics sealed it with an 8-2 run in the final two minutes. NOTES: Rondo was 5 for 6 in the first half while scoring 13. ... The Celtics scored 27 in each of the first two periods and led 54-45 at halftime. ... Boston G Avery Bradley returned after missing five games with a sprained right ankle. ... Orlando G Jameer Nelson did not travel with the Magic because of a sore left knee. ... Boston was 0-6 in games with Rondo in the lineup since returning from a torn ACL. ... Orlando last won on the road Dec. 16, beating Chicago 83-82. ... The Magics 3-22 road record is the worst in the NBA. 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