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PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates are all-in as they chase the franchises first playoff appearance in 21 years. Pittsburgh traded for longtime Minnesota Twins first baseman Justin Morneau on Saturday, hoping the four-time All Star can give the Pirates middling offence a jolt heading into the final month of the season. "We felt that this move gives us a better chance to play in October, a better chance to win the division, a better chance to advance in October," Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said. The Twins obtained outfielder Alex Presley and either a player to be named or cash in Pittsburghs second major move in a week. The Pirates sent a pair of minor leaguers to the New York Mets on Tuesday in exchange for outfielder Marlon Byrd and catcher John Buck. "Weve got more depth, weve got more options than we had four days ago," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. "Were a better team. Were a stronger team." Pittsburgh entered Saturday tied with St. Louis atop the NL Central with 29 games remaining. The Pirates have been in contention all season thanks in large part to a pitching staff currently second in the majors with a 3.17 ERA. Morneaus presence could have an immediate impact on an offence that ranks 10th in the NL in runs. The 32-year-old New Westminster, B.C., native hit .259 with 17 homers and 74 RBIs this season for Minnesota and is finishing off a red-hot month in which he smacked nine home runs. "I think hes found some ways to spark some things offensively in the second half," Hurdle said. The Pirates will pick up the remaining portion of Morneaus $14 million salary, estimated at around $2 million. Its not an insignificant investment for an ownership group that has sometimes shied away from paying the tab for proven players. Yet with Pittsburgh on the cusp of its first winning season since 1992, Huntington worked aggressively after the non-waiver trade deadline to give the Pirates the pieces they need to remain in a tight three-team divisional race with St. Louis and Cincinnati. "We made Clints job a little bit easier," Huntington said. "Hes got a number of weapons at his disposal now." While Huntington believes hell be "mocked" for thinking the Pirates are true World Series contenders, he and Hurdle made a compelling case to Morneau, who had to OK the trade that ends a sometimes spectacular 11 seasons in Minnesota. Morneau won the 2006 AL MVP award and was one of the best hitters in the game until a concussion knocked him out of action in 2010. Still, he remained one of the cornerstones of the Twins clubhouse. His departure is another emotional low point in a disappointing season. "I have great respect for Morny," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He was our leader. He set the table. If there was something that needed to be said, he stepped up." While Morneaus numbers have tailed off the last three years, his power should play better at PNC Park compared to cavernous Target Field. Its just 320 feet from home plate to the right-field wall at PNC, an inviting target for left-handed sluggers. The Pirates had Morneaus No. 36 jersey ready minutes after the trade was announced and Hurdle held out hope Morneau would make it to the clubhouse in time for Saturday nights game against the Cardinals. Whenever Morneau arrives, hell give a club reaching heights not seen in a generation another proven bat and more than an ounce of legitimacy. And hell do it while taking away at-bats from longtime friend Garrett Jones. Jones has spent most of the season platooning with Gaby Sanchez at first and broke out of a lengthy slump by going 3 for 4 with a home run and four RBIs in Pittsburghs 5-0 win over the Cardinals on Friday. Now hell likely be moved to the bench or spot duty in the outfield. Playing behind Morneau is nothing new for Jones. He was a prospect in Minnesotas farm system for years but couldnt break into the majors on a regular basis with Morneau entrenched at first. Jones called Morneau "a friend" and understands why the Pirates pursued him. Until Friday, Jones was hitting just .119 in August. "When were winning and we know we can get a good player, sometimes youve got to suck it up and know whats best for the team," Jones said. "Hopefully I can still continue to get in there and play and contribute." Sale NFL Jerseys . Stepanek gave the Czech Republic its second straight Davis Cup title Sunday, sweeping past Dusan Lajovic in straight sets in the fifth and decisive match to secure a 3-2 win over Serbia in the final. Cheap Football Jerseys . 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Armstrong was given the rank of "Chevalier" -- or Knight -- in the "Legion dHonneur" in 2005, the last year of his seven consecutive Tour de France victories.ATLANTA -- Major League Soccer is closing in on a deal with Falcons owner Arthur Blank to bring an expansion franchise to Atlantas new downtown stadium. The team would likely begin play in 2017, when the $1 billion retractable roof stadium is set to open next to the Georgia Dome to provide a new home for the NFL Falcons. "Our discussions with Major League Soccer continue, but we do not have a final agreement at this time," Kim Shreckengost, the chief administrative officer for Blanks AMB Group, said Tuesday in an email to The Associated Press. "We hope to complete the agreement soon, at which time we will make a formal announcement." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has reported that a new team will be announced April 16. "We are continuing discussions with Arthur Blank to bring a Major League Soccer expansion team to Atlanta," said Dan Courtemanche, a spokesman for MLS. "However, we have not finalized an agreement at this time." The MLS has long coveted the Atlanta market, the largest in the U.S. without a team, as it moves toward its goal of expanding to 24 franchises. The 19-team league has already announced expansion franchises in New York City and Orlando that are scheduled to begin play next season, in addition to a provisional franchise in Miami owned by a group that includes David Beckham. That team is contingent oon a deal for a new soccer-specific stadium in south Florida.dddddddddddd There are no such concerns in Atlanta, where the Falcons new stadium was designed to accommodate an MLS team, providing Blank with additional revenue streams for the elaborate facility. While most MLS teams are moving toward smaller stadiums that are built solely for soccer, the Atlanta franchise would follow the model of teams in Seattle and Vancouver, which play in larger facilities downsized to provide a more intimate setting. For instance, Vancouvers BC Place has a curtain system that blocks off the upper deck, reducing capacity from 54,000 to 21,000. Atlantas new stadium will likely have a similar capability. Atlanta had two franchises in the old North American Soccer League. The Chiefs won the leagues first championship in 1968 but folded after the 1973 season, having spent their final year known as the Apollos. The Chiefs returned to the NASL in 1979 when the Colorado Caribous moved to Atlanta. That incarnation lasted only three seasons, never drawing as many as 8,000 fans a game before folding due to heavy financial losses. Atlanta has a team in a new version of the NASL, a league that ranks below MLS on the U.S. soccer ladder. The Silverbacks play at a 7,500-seat stadium on the outskirts of the city and are apparently not involved in talks on the MLS expansion team. ' ' '