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PEORIA, Ariz. -- Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon said Saturday it would be "hard pressed" for either Hisashi Iwakuma or Taijuan Walker to be in the Mariners rotation on opening day because of their injury setbacks during spring training. McClendon said the injuries to Iwakuma (finger) and Walker (shoulder) will open up chances for others in camp, but also leave a rotation that had questions entering spring training even more uncertain. "I always plan for the worst and our contingency plan has been that," McClendon said. "So like I said before this gives other guys opportunities to go out and see what they can do. Well see what happens." Iwakuma will have his right middle finger in a splint for another three weeks before throwing, while Walker is being shut down for a week because of inflammation in his right shoulder. By the time the duo make up for missed time on the mound it will be early- to mid-April before either is expected in a game. While Seattle is understandably cautious with the sore shoulder of the 21-year-old Walker because of his age, the finger injury has become frustrating for Iwakuma. When he went to see Dr. Don Sheridan on Friday, Iwakuma had the expectation that he could start throwing on Saturday. Instead, he was told to avoid throwing for three more weeks. The earliest Iwakuma is expected to pick up a ball is March 21. By the time he gets caught up on bullpen sessions and simulated games to get the needed innings to be ready for the season, itll likely be mid-April before he could join the Mariners rotation. "I was honestly disappointed and frustrated too at the same time, but you have to respect what the doctor says," Iwakuma said through an interpreter Saturday morning. "I was ready to play catch today so it is what it is and I have to wait three more weeks." Iwakuma went 14-6 with a 2.66 ERA in 33 starts last season and was a finalist for the AL Cy Young Award. Iwakuma reported for spring training wearing the splint and said his finger got caught as he tried to retrieve a ball in some netting while working out in Southern California on Jan. 20. McClendon also confirmed -- not surprisingly -- that Felix Hernandez is expected to be Seattles opening day starter when the Mariners open the season on March 31 against the Angels. "Unless youve got somebody else," McClendon joked. "Ill try and see if he can go opening day, the second day and the third day." Air Max 90 Mens Nz . Infante hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning and had an RBI single in a four-run fifth against former teammate Justin Verlander, helping the Kansas City Royals beat the Tigers 11-8 Monday night. Air Max 97 Sale Nz .com) - The Oakland Athletics needed to rely on a lot of young pitchers to win an American League West title this season. http://www.airmaxnzwholeale.com/cheap-ai...5-mens.html.com) - Nino Williams posted 18 points and seven rebounds, as Kansas State edged No. Nike Air Max 270 Nz Womens . The Brazil defender was substituted 13 minutes into Wednesdays 2-1 Copa del Rey win at Athletic Bilbao because of a right hamstring problem. Scans revealed a second grade tear which could keep him out for a reported four to six weeks. Womens Air Max 97 Nz .The Toronto Raptors guard, who will represent the Eastern Conference at the All-Star Game in New Orleans on Sunday, says he doesnt complain in the face of adversity "because I know this little girl is just happy for anything. DALLAS -- Monta Ellis dribbled near midcourt with the clock winding down in a sluggish first half for the Dallas Mavericks. He made a pullup jumper off that isolation play, triggering a big finish for Dallas new playmaker. Ellis scored 24 points, including 13 in the third quarter when Dallas took its first lead, and the Mavericks beat the Philadelphia 76ers 97-94 Monday night. Ellis had 19 points in the second half and added a game-high 10 assists and two of Dallas 11 blocked shots. "I dont think I was being aggressive enough in the first half," said Ellis, who has scored at least 18 points in all 11 games with the Mavericks, the longest streak to start a career in Dallas. "We werent clicking as a team. They took us out of our game." Two nights after a 37-point loss in New Orleans and playing without budding star Michael Carter-Williams for the fourth straight game because of a foot injury, the Sixers held the Mavericks scoreless for the first 5 minutes and led by 10 in the first half. Even after losing its lead for good late in the third quarter, Philadelphia stayed close behind Evan Turner, Tony Wroten and some late 3-pointers from James Anderson. Turner had 26 points, nine rebounds and seven assists while Wroten had 19 points and five steals. The Sixers were down six with just 30 seconds left, but one of 20 Dallas turnovers kept them alive. The outcome wasnt settled until the Mavericks inbounded with 4.8 seconds left and Shawn Marion had a breakaway dunk that came just after the final buzzer, leaving the final margin at three. "I thought we battled and showed a lot of heart to come back from arguably our worst performance in New Orleans, and we lost to a good team," Philadelphia coach Brett Brown said. Dirk Nowitzki and Marion had 20 points apiece for the Mavericks, who began a stretch of seven of nine games in Dallas. Nowitzki had 10 rebounds, and Marion chipped in seven. The Mavericks pulled even twice in the third quarter before finally taking their first lead when Vince Carter knocked the ball loose as Hollis Thompson was going up for a layup. Jae Crowder ended up with the ball on a breakaway but gave it up to Marion for the dunk and a 70-69 Dallas lead with 1:44 remaining. Philadelphia had the ball dowwn just 90-87 in the fourth, but Samuel Dalembert had one of his three blocks on a drive by Turner.dddddddddddd Jose Calderon was wide open for a short jumper on the other end but passed before getting the ball back beyond the arc and hitting for a 93-87 lead. Calderon had 14 points and was 4 of 10 from long range. Coming off the bench for the first time this season, Dalembert also had eight points and a game-high 14 rebounds. "I explained the situation this morning," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. "He was great about it. Its a case of a guy who didnt let that affect him. He came in and he was a big factor." Anderson finished with 14 points, including 3-of-7 shooting from 3-point range. Thaddeus Young struggled from the field at 6 of 18 but still finished with a double-double at 12 points and 11 rebounds. Spencer Hawes had 10 points and 11 boards. The Sixers shot just 38 per cent and made only 12 of 22 free throws, numbers best illustrated by a sequence of three missed shots, four missed free throws and four offensive rebounds all in the same possession when they trailed 86-81 midway through the fourth quarter. "I think we played our hearts out," Turner said. "Once again, we didnt help ourselves at the free-throw line but we just have to keep up the intensity." Ellis didnt get his first basket until the 2:12 mark of the second quarter. But it wasnt because he was missing. He was just 2 of 4 from the field before halftime. Carlisles move to replace Dalembert, his centre, with Crowder, a forward, in the starting lineup backfired at first. Crowder went 0 for 5 with two turnovers while Dallas went scoreless in the first 5 minutes before Nowitzki hit a baseline jumper after Marion rebounded a missed 3-pointer by Crowder, who scored two points on 1-of-8 shooting but did have six rebounds. NOTES: Dallas rookie PG Shane Larkin made his NBA debut late in the first quarter, four months after breaking his right ankle in the final practice before summer league. He immediately had a steal, and his first assist was on a bucket by Nowitzki. He finished three points, three assists and three steals. ... The teams combined for 12 missed shots to start the game before Turner hit a jump shot with 9:10 left in the first quarter. ' ' '