OAKLAND, Calif. -- In three short years, Sean Doolittle transformed himself from a top first base prospect into a shut-down reliever. The Oakland Athletics are rewarding him for it, giving the left-hander a five-year contract Friday for making the improbable switch. The deal contains a pair of club options that could extend the agreement through the 2020 season. "It means everything that the organization thinks of you like that, that they want to keep you around and they think you can be part of teams here for years to come," said Doolittle, a regular in the second deck at As games as a boy with his brother. "If you factor in the road I took to get here and everything I went through to be able to put on this uniform, its really special to know Ill be part of this organization for a while." Oakland announced the contract ahead of a home weekend series against the Houston Astros. Doolittle took his physical Thursday and should sign the agreement as soon as Monday. His 2020 option becomes mutual if he has a combined 100 games finished between 2018 and 2019. The 27-year-old left-hander has been a reliable member of Oaklands talented bullpen since converting from first base late in the 2011 season. He appreciates his new job security -- and still thinks about the path he took to get to this point. "Its crazy," he said. "There are still plenty of times I cant believe I actually did that. The way things worked out, it just makes everything that much better. I dont take a single minute I have up here for granted." He is 7-6 with a 3.10 ERA and four saves in 122 relief appearances, allowing 100 hits with 129 strikeouts in 125 innings. He is 0-0 with a 3.12 ERA and one save in eight appearances over 8 2-3 innings so far this year, his third big league season. "Hes a guy weve gotten to know on a personal level and we have a ton of faith in the person he is on the field and off the field," said Farhan Zaidi, As assistant general manager and director of baseball operations. "Having to transition from being a position player to a pitcher, thats shown us a lot. Weve seen what everybody else has seen the last two years. Hes been one of the best relievers and setup men in baseball. I think every team would want to have that guy around for as long as possible. That was our motivation." His previous deal was a one-year contract paying $505,000 in the major leagues this season and $295,500 in the minors. The sides reached a basic framework on the new deal before the end of spring training, but still had some language to work out. If Doolittle becomes "Super 2" eligible after this season as expected -- meaning he is just shy of three years of service time -- there are escalators in his new deal based on games finished. Doolittle certainly hopes his role evolves into becoming the regular closer one day. The As brass are thrilled with Doolittles reinvention of himself, though he no longer surprises anybody. "The durability that he has shown, he takes good care of himself, all of the things you look for in the guys you want to get a long-term deal with, he does," manager Bob Melvin said. "With both sides happy about it, its a good deal for us, its a good deal for him. To have a guy like that around for a while is good news to everybody in our clubhouse." James Jones Womens Jersey. With only two downs to achieve a first down, sometimes it is very hard to string together enough consecutive first downs to drive the long fields in the CFL and score touchdowns. Justin Ellis Authentic Jersey. PETERSBURG – To say Sergio Santos is struggling would be an understatement. http://www.footballraidersjerseygear.com/authentic-khalil-mack-raiders-jersey/. - Defenceman Robyn Regehr was placed on injured reserve by the Los Angeles Kings on Friday with an upper-body injury. Ronnie Lott Womens Jersey.com) - Malik Zaire and Everett Golson both saw time under center for Notre Dame, and both helped lead the Irish to a win in the Music City Bowl on Tuesday at LP Field. Rodney Hudson Womens Jersey. Toronto (7-9) visits Montreal (8-8) for its first road game in five weeks. The Argos went 3-1 on a recent homestand, including a 26-24 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday that gave them the season series with their longtime rivals. PINEHURST, N.C. -- The road Michelle Wie took to a U.S. Womens Open title was unlike any other, and suddenly insignificant. Whether this was a long time coming was the least of her cares. The biggest star in womens golf had her name on the biggest trophy. She never looked happier. "Oh my God, I cant even think straight," Wie said Sunday after a two-shot victory over Stacy Lewis to claim her first major. The final three holes at Pinehurst No. 2 were filled with ups and downs that Wie knows as well as anyone in golf. She responded with a performance worthy of the hype that had been heaped on her since she was a teenager. With a three-shot lead on the 16th hole, Wie nearly threw it all away with one poor decision, only keeping the lead by making a nervy 5-foot putt for double bogey. And right when it looked as though this would end badly, the 24-year-old from Hawaii responded with the putt of her life that made her a Womens Open champion. Facing a 25-foot birdie putt on 17 that was fast and dangerous, Wie pumped her fist when it fell, then pounded her fist twice to celebrate the moment. "That kind of emotion, that kind of pressure ... Ill think of that putt as one of the best putts Ive ever hit in my life," she said. A par on the 18th gave her an even-par 70 to beat Lewis, the No. 1 player in womens golf who made Wie earn it. Lewis made eight birdies -- the most in a final round by a male for female in the U.S. Open -- and closed with a 66. Sixteen-year-old Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., shot a 69 in the final round to finish in a tie for 10th place. Lewis was on the range preparing for a playoff when her caddie told her Wie made birdie on the 17th. Moments later, Lewis was on the 18th green to hug Wie. Like most players, she was perplexed why Wie would spend so much time trying to compete against the men when she still didnt have an LPGA Tour card. They are friends now and practice frequently. Lewis said she wasnt the last bit surprised that Wie delivered such a clutch moment. "I think that scene on 18, being on network TV, as many people as we had around there at Pinehurst No. 2 and Michelle Wie winning the golf tournament, I dont think you can script it any better," Lewis said. "I think its great for the game of golf. I think its even better for womens golf. Im so happy for Michelle Wie. I mean this has been such a long time coming for her." Wie had chance to win this title when she was a 15-year-old amateur at Cherry Hills, and a 16-year-old pro at Newport. The last time she was in this area, she opened with an 82 at Pine Needles in 2007 and walked off the course the next day because of injuries. She had been one of the biggest stars in womens golf since she was 13 and played in the final grooup of a major.dddddddddddd Her popularity soared along with criticism when she competed against the men on the PGA Tour while still in high school and talked about wanting to play in the Masters. That seems like a lifetime ago. The 6-foot Wie is all grown up. She is a Stanford graduate, popular among pros of both genders, and now a major champion. "I cant believe this is happening," Wie said. It almost didnt. Just like her so much of her life, the path included a sharp twist no one saw coming. Wie started the final round tied with Amy Yang, took the lead when Yang made double bogey on No. 2 and didnt let anyone catch her the rest of the day. In trouble on the tough fourth hole, she got up-and-down from 135 yards with an 8-iron into 3 feet. Right when Lewis was making a big run, Wie answered by ripping a drive on the shortened par-5 10th and hitting a cut 8-iron into 10 feet for eagle and a four-shot lead. She had not made a bogey since the first hole -- and then it all nearly unravelled. From a fairway bunker on the 16th, holding a three-shot lead, she stayed aggressive and hit hybrid from the sand. "I was kind of a dummy for not laying up when I was in that situation," she said. "And it kind of bit me in the butt. But I laughed it off. Stuff like that does happen." The only time panic began to set in was when no one could find her ball. It finally was located after a three-minute search, buried in a wiregrass bush. She quickly and wisely took a penalty drop behind her in the fairway to limit the damage, chipped to about 35 feet and ran that putt some 5 feet by the hole. Miss it and she would be tied. Bent over in that table-top putting stance, she poured it in to avoid her first three-putt of the week. Smiling as she left the green, she hit 8-iron to 25 feet and delivered a putt that will surely rank among the highlights in U.S. Womens Open history. Wie finished at 2-under 278, the only player to beat par in the second week of championship golf at Pinehurst. Martin Kaymer won by eight shots last week at 9-under 271, the second-lowest score in U.S. Open history. Juli Inkster, playing her 35th and final U.S. Womens Open, closed with a 75 to tie for 15th. She received the loudest ovation of the week walking up the 18th, until Wie arrived as the winner. What a journey. "I think that without your downs, without the hardship, I dont think you appreciate the ups and much as you do," Wie said, the gleaming trophy at her side. "I think the fact that I struggled so much, the fact that I kind of went through a hard period of my life, the fact that this trophy is right next to me, it means so much more to me than it ever would have when I was 15. "I feel extremely lucky." Cheap Soccer Jerseys? Cheap NHL Jerseys?Cheap NFL Jerseys?cheap jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China ' ' '