NEU » verage.QUICK HEALER: Duchene ban

CINCINNATI -- Billy Hamilton and Dee Gordon first met as prospects in the Arizona Fall League on their way to the majors. The two speedsters, who are now vital batters at the top of their respective lineups, will have a reunion over the next four days in Cincinnati.Hamiltons Reds host Gordon and the Miami Marlins for the first contest of a four-game series Monday night at Great American Ball Park. Left-hander Brandon Finnegan (7-8, 4.45 ERA) is due to pitch for the Reds, while right-hander David Phelps (5-6, 2.40) makes his third start for the Marlins since being moved into the rotation on Aug. 5.Gordon and Hamilton didnt see each other when the Marlins swept a three-game series in Miami leading into the All-Star break. Gordon was serving an 80-game suspension for violating Major League Baseballs performance-enhancing drug program. In the 15 games since his return, Gordon is hitting .321 with seven stolen bases.Hamilton leads the majors with 51 steals. He is the first player in the major leagues since Michael Bourn (2009-11) to have at least 50 stolen bases in three consecutive seasons, and hes the first Reds player to accomplish the feat since Joe Morgan did it five straight seasons (1972-76).Hamiltons giving himself the opportunities for those steals by getting on base at the highest rate in his career. His OBP is up to .318 after going 3-for-4 against Milwaukee on Sunday, marking his 22nd multi-hit game of the season.Since the All-Star break, Hamilton is hitting .324 with 21 runs scored, five doubles, one triple, three RBI, 29 steals and 12 walks. The Reds (48-68) have gone 16-11 in that span, winning seven of the nine series theyve played.Its not as much the stolen bases as it is just how he affects everything else during the game, Brewers manager Craig Counsell told MLB.com about Hamilton. Does he affect the pitcher? Thats a big part of what we believe in with the running game, is, Can we affect the pitcher? Can we change his delivery? Can we affect his stuff to the hitter?Miami (61-56) ended a three-game losing streak with a 5-4 win against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday. The Marlins are still 8 1/2 games behind Washington in the NL East but are in the thick of the NL wild card race, seeking the franchises first playoff appearance since 2003.Staying in the race with St. Louis, Pittsburgh and the New York Mets got tougher on Sunday when the team placed right fielder Giancarlo Stanton (groin) and pitcher Adam Conley (finger tendonitis) on the 15-day disabled list. An MRI revealed Stanton has a Grade 3 groin strain, putting the rest of the season in jeopardy for him.The best-case scenario is a six-week return, Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill said Sunday. Theres still an opportunity to get (Stanton) back before the end of the season, but it was a significant injury.Stanton has 25 home runs, 70 RBI and a slugging percentage of .497 this season.Youre disappointed, but its one of those things that you talk about as a ballclub from spring training forward, said Marlins manager Don Mattingly. Nothing can get in our way. Youve just got to move forward.Phelps had 50 relief appearances before starting at Colorado on Aug. 5.Finnegan will be making his 24th start of the season. In his last three starts, hes allowed 12 hits and just three runs in 18 innings. Finnegan has thrown 129 1/3 innings this season, and the Reds are keeping an eye on that total as the end of their season approaches.We could use off days and extra starters in September to give guys longer breaks and allow them to stay in the rotation, Reds manager Bryan Price said. 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DENVER -- Patrick Roys time and tirades on the Colorado Avalanche bench are simply a memory.There was no choice for the team but to turn the page on the Hall of Fame goaltender turned coach who surprisingly stepped away two months ago over disagreements within the organization.In steps Jared Bednar, a career minor-league player whos getting his first NHL chance as a head coach.It hasnt taken Bednar long to earn the respect of the players with his even-keel demeanor and firm belief in a system that focuses on speed, organization, defense and more speed, which seems ideal for a crew that includes Nathan MacKinnon, Matt Duchene and captain Gabriel Landeskog.Were going to play faster, said MacKinnon, the 21-year-old forward who signed a seven-year, $44.1 million deal in the offseason. It will be a faster, quicker game, which is how you win nowadays.Roys departure definitely caught the team off guard. They tied a franchise mark with 52 wins in Roys first season before losing in the first round of the postseason. Really, though, who can forget Roy pushing through a glass partition to get to then-Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau in his debut.The team faltered the last two years, missing the playoffs, and Roy resigned as coach and vice president of hockey operations on Aug. 11. Roy had split control with executive vice president and general manager Joe Sakic, a former teammate.Everybody was surprised, for sure, just with the timing of it, defenseman Tyson Barrie said.Bednar definitely knows his hockey, even if this is his first NHL coaching gig. He led the Lake Erie Monsters, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets, to the 2016 Calder Cup title. He also guided the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL to the 2009 Kelly Cup.Theres a lot of excitement among us guys to have him at the helm, said Joe Colborne, a free agent acquisition who had 19 goals for Calgary last season.Bednar has plenty to work with -- speedy forwards, veteran leadership (Francois Beauchemin, Jarome Iginla), a blue line that includes Erik Johnson and Barrie, along with the talented goalie tandem of Semmyon Varlamov and Calvin Pickard.ddddddddddddMacKinnon appears primed for a big season under Bednar as he entered camp 15 pounds lighter and a whole lot more confident after helping Team North America to a good showing at the World Cup of Hockey. Hes adjusting well to his new coach.He came from the bottom of pro hockey up to the NHL. Thats pretty cool, MacKinnon said.Things to know before Colorado begins the season Oct. 15 by hosting Dallas:BETTER STARTS: Colorado put an emphasis on the preseason. Thats right, the preseason. The Avs have struggled in exhibition games the last two years and its spilled over into the regular season. Theyre trying to guard against that happening again.Our starts have been pretty average-to-bad, said Barrie, who signed a four-year, $22 million deal in the offseason. Thats going to be a huge focus for us and I think the coaches know that.GOALTENDERS: Varlamov will be the starter, but Pickard should receive quite a bit of work, too. Varlamov is looking to bounce back from a season in which he went 27-25-3 with a 2.81 goals-against average.QUICK HEALER: Duchene banged up his shoulder in practice while helping Team Canada to a gold medal at the World Cup of Hockey. He had two goals and two assists for Canada.Its going to linger for a bit, but its feeling good, Duchene told reporters after his return to town.MILE HIGH RETURN: Colborne and some of his new teammates have quickly bonded by attending a Denver Broncos game and a few Colorado Rockies contests.I already feel like Ive been here for a long time on this team, said Colborne, who played college hockey down the road at the University of Denver.JUST A NUMBER: At 39, Iginla feels better than ever. He played in all 82 games last season and reached the 20-goal plateau for a 17th time in his career. This season, hes vowing to be even more physical.Ive always been a power forward with a little bit of finesse, Iginla said. But I dont think I was enough power on the power forward side. ' ' '