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BALTIMORE -- Surrounded by the two players he secured shortly before the non-waiver trade deadline, Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette flashed a proud smile.Left-handed starter Wade Miley sat on Duquettes right side and Steve Pearce was on the left at an introductory news conference Tuesday.The addition of Miley, a veteran left-handed starter, and Pearce, a solid utility man with long-ball power, just might be the difference in first-place Baltimores bid to reach the postseason for the second time in three years.Miley was obtained in a trade with Seattle and Pearce came from Tampa Bay.Our scouts have followed Wade for several years, Duquette said. We tried to trade for him when he was in Arizona (from 2011-14). We tried to trade for him again when the Red Sox sent him to Seattle (last December). We didnt really match up. So now we have him. We think hes a good fit. If he can keep the ball on the ground, hes going to help stabilize our rotation.The 33-year-old Pearce played with Baltimore in 2012 and from 2013 through last year.Steve helps us in a lot of different areas, Duquette said. He can play the infield, he can pinch hit, he can play a couple different outfield positions and hes a terrific defensive first baseman.Miley went 7-8 with a 4.98 ERA with the Mariners but was coming off a sound outing against the Chicago Cubs in which he allowed one run over seven innings. Now, the 29-year-old hopes to keep the momentum rolling with the Orioles.When I first found out, I was excited, to go from a third-place team to a first-place team overnight, Miley said. Theres nothing wrong with that. So hopefully I can just come in here and not screw that up.Pearce left a Rays team that was 20 games under .500. He returns to a place where hes enjoyed some of his best seasons in the majors.We were struggling down there in Florida, Pearce said. So to come from worst place to first place is definitely a better situation. Im excited, especially with the group thats in there right now. Ive been playing with those guys forever. So Im ready to pick up where we left off and pave the way toward the playoffs.Both players provide Baltimore with an instant fix, but Miley comes with a contract that extends through 2017 with a club option for 2018. That wasnt necessarily the motivation for Duquette to make the deal, but it sure didnt hurt.Hes got all the qualities to help our club, and not just for this year, for next year, Duquette said.Miley cant wait to get started. Manager Buck Showalter said its likely the lefty will make his Baltimore debut on Thursday night against the Texas Rangers.Im just going to go out when its my turn to pitch and just try to give us a chance to win, he said. Thats kind of what Ive done throughout my career. Just go out and compete.Pearce will probably get his first start on Wednesday, Showalter said.To make room for the newcomers on the roster, the Orioles optioned pitchers Tyler Wilson and Odrisamer Despaigne to Triple-A Norfolk. Swell NZ . Peter Gammons, an analyst for Major League Baseballs network and website, drew the ire of hockey fans on Sunday when he criticized the two NHL teams on Twitter for their physical game the night before. Swell Spectrum Water Bottle . The Canadian squad, skipped by Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg, got on the board first with two in the second end, and followed that with two more apiece in the fourth and sixth ends. http://www.swellwaterbottlenz.com/swell-traveler-bottle.html . President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest was fired Friday after 12 years with the Marlins. The move came as the team neared the end of its third consecutive last-place season in the NL East. SWell Bottle Nz Stockists . R.J. Umberger scored twice to lead the Blue Jackets to a franchise-record for consecutive wins with a 5-3 victory Tuesday night over the Los Angeles Kings. Swell Drink Bottles NZ . Didier Drogba gave away the penalty that put Senegal one goal away from a major upset, but the veteran striker will get another chance -- probably his last -- at the World Cup after Salomon Kalous injury-time strike sealed the Ivorians place in Brazil next year. In a year that already has proved to be massive for the UFC, with one major card after another, UFC 205 on Nov. 12 at Madison Square Garden in New York looks to be the biggest and most important of them all. In honor of such a marquee event, ESPN.com is providing dedicated previews to all 13 bouts on the card, breaking down whats at stake and projecting who will win, along with quotes and statistics for each fighter.Middleweights: Rafael Natal (21-7-1) vs. Tim Boetsch?(19-10)Odds as of Nov. 2:?Natal -160; Boetsch +140Dana Whites thoughtsYou know, two tough veterans, battling to stick around here. Thats how sports go. All sports, not just this one. Make a few errors in a key game, youre on the line. NFL -- Jonas Gray was a running back for the Patriots, stud, every time they put him on the field hed get 100 yards rushing, was late to practice and you never saw the guy again. Done. So, thats just the truth of every sport.Whats at stake?One step back to take a few forward for NatalManhattans Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu academy sits less than two blocks away from Madison Square Garden.Natal, 33, has been shaping his skills at W. 30th Street since moving to New York eight years ago and believes none of those years has been as critical to his development as 2016.Natal was recently shaping up to be the Cinderella of the division, having strung together four consecutive wins. That streak ended in April, when he came up short in a three-round fight against Australias Robert Whittaker.Following the loss, Natal requested time off to fill certain holes in his game, and he is eager to show that off against a battle-tested opponent in Boetsch.Renzos academy is one street behind Madison Square Garden. I see it every day, Natal said. In my last fight, I couldnt take him down -- first time in 30 fights. I take people down all the time. He avoided it, and that was a little frustrating. But I believe everything happens for a reason. Sometimes the best thing is to take one step back to take a few steps forward.I asked the UFC to give me a few months off to improve. Had I beat Whittaker, I would have asked for a top-five [opponent]. I wasnt ready for that, but now Ive fixed these things.Boetsch: I never feel secure until I get my hand raisedJust about every fighter on the UFCs roster would have given anything to receive an offer to fight in New York.When that offer came for Boetsch, the first emotion he felt was something close to dread.I was expecting to fight at the beginning of next year, Boetsch said. When I got a call from [matchmaker] Joe Silva out of the blue, I was concerned.Boetsch, 35, is coming off an upset win over Josh Samman in July, but before that, The Barrbarian had lost three consecutive bouts.dddddddddddd He has never forgotten what it felt like to exit the UFC; the promotion let him walk in 2009 before re-signing him the following year.I had three losses in a row before my last fight, Boetsch said. I was anticipating the call to say, We appreciate your time but no longer need your services. I was prepared for that call, and it never came. Instead, they called to offer me a fight on the biggest card in UFC history.I take pride in giving people exactly what they expect when I fight, but if were being honest, I never feel secure until I get my hand raised. Ive been cut by the UFC before. I understand the nature of this business. You better put on an exciting performance, but at the same time, you better win every fight. I go in with that mindset. I probably shouldnt put that pressure on myself, but its always on my mind.Boetsch believes others fighters might have scrambled their game after dropping three in a row, but says he was able to take a sensible approach. In June 2015, he got caught by a Dan Henderson right hand. In January of this year, it was an Ed Herman knee. Disappointing losses for sure, but Boetsch said he believes he has always had the recipe for success and that it hasnt changed.Those are two weapons no one wants to run into, and they found their way through on me, Boetsch said. Thats just fighting. I know the formula to win is there though. I just need to execute.Statistical comparisonNatal: 21-7-1 record (9-5-1 UFC); four-fight winning streak snapped in last fight Natal: 36 takedowns in UFC competition, most all-time in middleweight divisionBoetsch: 19-10 record (10-9 UFC); 14 of 19 wins by stoppage Boetsch: Lands 53 percent of significant strikes in UFC middleweight fights, sixth-highest among active UFC middleweightsBreakdownNatal isnt kidding when he says he couldnt get Whittaker down. He struggled to get anything going in that last fight, and his decision to take time off and evolve speaks to that.Boetsch doesnt have the same steady kickboxing approach that gave Natal so much trouble. His output is way lower, but he has a good deal of one-punch knockout power. Natal performs better when hes not on his back foot the whole time, which shouldnt be the case against the heavy-handed but at times lumbering style of Boetsch.A lot hinges on Natals ability, or lack thereof, to avoid the big shot. Hes durable and will probably have an advantage with judges simply because he does more, but Boetsch is a bigger threat for a KO.PREDICTION:?Natal via decision. ' ' '