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ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Texas Rangers have replaced Prince Fielders replacement with a 32-year-old rookie playing first base in the major leagues for the first time. Mitch Moreland, who will get a second opinion before expected surgery on his left ankle later this week, was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday. The Rangers selected Brad Snyders contract from Triple-A Round Rock and he was in the starting lineup at first base against the Miami Marlins. Snyder played in 20 games for the Chicago Cubs from 2010-11, with his only six starts came in the outfield. He also made 12 appearances as a pinch-hitter and another as a pinch-runner. In 1,246 minor league games over 12 seasons, Snyder played only two games at first base -- his past two games with Round Rock before getting called up by the Rangers. "He made the plays, he needs some work," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "Were working with everybody else up here, so that will be no different with him." Snyder said he has played first base in winter ball, and for a few games in college. But he has previously taken a lot of groundballs and done other work at first. Fielder, the slugger added in an off-season trade from Detroit and signed through 2020, had a cervical fusion surgery last month. Moreland will be in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Thursday to get a second opinion on the left ankle that has bothered him since spring training. He could have a procedure to remove a bone in the back of the ankle and be out three to four weeks, or reconstructive surgery that would sideline him for three months. "I dont know whats wrong in there. Im trying to figure out whats going on and figure out the best route to take to get healthy, so I can get on the field and be ready to go," Moreland said Tuesday. "I knew that surgery was going to be there at the end of the year, what I was trying to get. Obviously I didnt make that point. I tried to though. ... Ive been trying to push through it." Moreland hit .246 with two homers and 23 RBIs in 52 games. Snyder, who went to spring training with Texas as a non-roster invitee, hit .284 with 18 home runs and 51 RBIs in 61 games for Round Rock. He was second in the Pacific Coast League in homers and runs (46). To make room on the 40-man roster for Snyder, the Rangers transferred left-hander Matt Harrison from the 15- to the 60-day disabled list. Harrison had spinal fusion surgery June 3. Custom Pittsburgh Penguins Jerseys . "Youre not really spending time to sit back and analyze what your competitions doing and things like that," Anthopoulos said. "Youre so focused on what were trying to get done." Ultimately, while the landscape around them changed with trades both major and minor, the Blue Jays did nothing before Thursdays non-waiver deadline. Mark Recchi Jersey . But unfortunately for the Niagara Falls, Ont., native, a pulled muscle wouldnt allow him to go past the second set. 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Chiasson snapped a third-period tie and lifted the Dallas Stars to a 3-2 victory on Monday night.PHOENIX - An historic Super Bowl is before us.Next Sunday, Seattle goes for a second straight title, seeking to be the first team to repeat since the Patriots a decade ago. A victory, particularly a convincing one, would stamp the Seahawks as one of the great teams of the Super Bowl era.Meanwhile, New Englands coach and quarterback chase a record-tying fourth Super Bowl ring.Yet, as has been the custom this season, major distractions have taken focus away from the field.As much as Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, Pete Carroll and Richard Sherman might want the spotlight to shine only on the game itself — and the potential achievements at hand — much of the buildup to the kickoff will be about anything but.From the New England under-inflated balls saga to injuries for All-Pro defensive backs Sherman and Earl Thomas to Marshawn Lynch being fined yet again for his code of silence with the media, the 49th Super Bowl has taken on a circus atmosphere.Which seems fitting given all that has gone wrong for the NFL off the field — even as pro football remains as popular as ever.Just finding any comments about the matchup of the dynamic defence from Seattle and the potent offence from New England has been a chore. Everything else, it seems, has been in play.Indeed, heres how Seahawks All-Pro cornerback Sherman, recalling last year, describes the upcoming week:To us, it was just another week in the season, obviously. Youre with these guys 180 or 190 of the 365 days, so you get to spend a special week with them. You get to know their families a little better because its not just them there, but its their families, their sons and daughters.A lot of times you dont get to meet them during these weeks, were always at work from eight to six and everyone goes home. You get one day during training camp to meet peoples family, but thats about it. So you have a good time getting to know people more.Notice, no mention of football.But Sherman does insist the left elbow he hurt in the NFC title game will be no factor.If I had to slap my brother, Id be able to do it, he said jokingly.Not much light-hearted stuff coming from New England. Not much football talk, either.Belichick, who can equal Chuck Nolls four Super Bowl rings as a head coach, is grilled about the air pressure in a football, not about the pass pressure Seattle can bring on Brady.Brady, in turn, gets cross-examined about the weight of the footballs, not about the weight of trying to reach Joe Montana/Terry Bradshaw territory with a fourth Super Bowl triumph.OObviously Id much rather be up here talking about the Seahawks and preparing for the Super Bowl, which weve been trying to do for the last few days, he said.ddddddddddddAs for Lynch, while its certain the Patriots are scheming how to slow down Beast Mode, the league is trying to figure out what to do with him on media day and beyond. Lynch was fined $20,000 Thursday for an obscene gesture in the NFC championship win over Green Bay.In November, he was nailed for $50,000 for not adhering to the league media policy. Another $50,000 from 2013 that was withheld with the expectation he would co-operate in the future also was collected because, well, Lynch didnt speak up when required to.Some folks in the NFL offices must be wondering what else could happen to shift the focus from Patriots-Seahawks.What the football-watching world hopefully prefers is to get back to the machinations on the 100-yard gridiron. Such as the key showdown between All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski and Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor, perhaps the only defender who can somewhat match Gronks power and speed.Such as how Seattle avoids the pitfalls that plagued it for much of the NFC title game, when it fell behind 16-0.And how high-priced Patriots cornerback Darrelle Revis performs in his first Super Bowl after seven seasons of falling short (on the field if not at the bank).Theres also what some have dubbed Petes Revenge, recalling how Carroll was canned by the Patriots after the 1999 season and replaced by Belichick. Carroll went on to phenomenal success at Southern California even as his successor was turning New England into a power. Hes displayed no animosity toward the Patriots organization — anything otherwise would have fit in with the theme of the 2014 season and the past few weeks, of course.It was a real challenge, said Carroll, who went 28-23 in three seasons with the Patriots. Its a great place to be in sports: a great town, a great following, much like it is here (in Seattle). Just tremendous support and all, really heartfelt.That was the old days and all of the old facilities; it wasnt quite as nice as it now, I am sure. Still, the whole setup was really exciting to be around, they had such history. It didnt work out. We did some good stuff while we were there, but it didnt work out and time to move on.Yep, maybe its time to move on from all the tangential stuff and concentrate on what the Super Bowl is supposed to represent: football.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '