FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots must get used to playing without Rob Gronkowski again. The star tight end who missed the first six games while recovering from surgeries is done for the season after being placed on injured reserve Monday with a damaged right knee. That experience could help the Patriots handle his absence. "Id like to think theres going to be some carry-over there, not only (from) the first six weeks of the season, but the entire training camp as well," coach Bill Belichick said Monday. "Thats the way we practiced and played most of the year." Gronkowski was hurt midway through the third quarter of the Patriots 27-26 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday when he was hit on the knee by safety T.J. Ward after a 21-yard reception. The Patriots were 5-1 while Gronkowski recovered from off-season operations on his left forearm and back. In the next six games, he led all NFL tight ends with 37 catches and 560 yards receiving and they were 4-2. But the offence was much more productive. Gronkowski caught touchdown passes in four consecutive games before making just two receptions for 32 yards against the Browns. He suffered a torn ACL and damaged MCL, a person familiar with the injury said Monday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team did not release those details. Cleveland coach Rob Chudzinski said Monday he didnt know whether Wards hit on Gronkowski resulted from a reluctance to hit a player high and possibly incur a fine for helmet-first contact. "From my vantage point, I think he was trying to get Gronkowski down on the ground," Chudzinski said. "A big guy coming at you that way is tough to get on the ground, so I dont know that it has to do with the rules other than trying to get the guy on the ground. Certainly, we feel terrible about that (injury). Hes a great player, and (we) hope that he has a speedy recovery." The Patriots visit Miami on Sunday. "The thing about New England is they have an excellent offensive staff, they utilize their personnel very, very well, and they adjust," Dolphins coach Joe Philbin said. "You have to have a big enough system offensively that you can incorporate different players throughout the course of the season." The injury is just the latest to a key Patriots player. Defensive tackles Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly, linebacker Jerod Mayo and right tackle Sebastian Vollmer are on season-ending injured reserve. Gronkowskis injury should make it tougher for the Patriots (10-3) to hold on to the No. 2 spot in the AFC and a first-round bye. Cincinnati (9-4) is third and has beaten New England this season. "We cant sit here and try to pretend like its something thats easy and that we just can roll through. Its tough," special teams captain Matthew Slater said. "When you lose guys, and guys of this calibre, it makes it hard on your football team." The Patriots signed tight end D.J. Williams to the 53-man roster. They had released him last Wednesday after signing him as a free agent on Nov. 27. Williams played sparingly in a 34-31 win over Houston. He and Matthew Mulligan are the Patriots only healthy tight ends. Michael Hoomanawanui missed the past three games with a knee injury. "As far as (getting) more reps here or there, you just dont know," Mulligan said. "Its all game plan and well see what happens." Mulligan has just 16 receptions in five seasons. Gronkowski set an NFL record for tight ends with 18 touchdowns in 2011. "Unfortunately, weve had to take the field without him in the past and weve had to figure out ways to still be productive," Slater said. "Were going to have to do that again." Cheap Air Max 97 Wholesale . - After a back-and-forth battle throughout the season, Alex Guenette has earned the 2013 rookie of the year award for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 by just one point over Ryley Seibert. Air Max 97 Cheap Ireland . Sizemore, who turned 29 on Jan. 4, has been limited to six games over the past two seasons because of an injured left knee that twice required surgery. He originally got hurt on Feb. 25, 2012, during a fielding drill in Oaklands first full-squad spring training workout and had surgery that March 21 to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament. http://www.airmax97cheapireland.com/ . -- The Chicago Bears say they have agreed to a one-year contract with centre Roberto Garza. Wholesale Air Max 97 Ireland . -- Masahiro Tanaka knows that first appearance in a spring training game for the New York Yankees will be scrutinized. Air Max 97 Outlet . The 17-year-old had four goals and four assists in 38 games for Liberec in the Czech pro league this past season. Zacha had three goals and two assists in seven games at the world mens under-18 championship in April when the Czech Republic took the silver medal.Their season is just four days old, but the Seattle Mariners are off to an impressive 3-1 start. They swept the Angels, then lost a 3-2, 12-inning heartbreaker to the Oakland As on a Coco Crisp walk-off home run. The biggest story in my mind though was the performance of their number three starter James Paxton, in an 8-2 victory over the Halos. He pitched a two-hitter over seven innings and immediately threw himself into the mix for those to watch in the Rookie of the Year race this season. Paxton is a 64", 220-pound lefty who hails from Richmond, BC. Unfortunately for the Blue Jays, hes one that got away. Paxton was originally drafted by the Blue Jays 37th overall in 2009, but he chose not to sign. He intended to return to the University of Kentucky, but was ruled ineligible because he had signed an agreement with agent Scott Boras. Paxton went on to pitch briefly for the Independent Grand Prairie Airhogs of the American Association in 2010. That year he was drafted by the Mariners in the fourth round. With Hisashi Iwakuma and top prospect Taijuan Walker rehabbing from injuries, Paxton may be around for awhile and could be a key part of the Ms resurgence. Seattle has another impressive young lefty in their rotation in Cuban-born lefty Roenis Elias, who pitched well, but got saddled with a no-decision in the Mariners loss to the As. The only question coming into this season was over their ability to score runs, even with the addition of ex-Yankees star Robinson Cano. With this seeming wealth of starting pitching, the Ms may be able to deal for the bats they need as the season unfolds. Cano, by the way, is off to a decent start with Seattle, going 6 for 16 with a pair of intentional walks. Here and Now Theres no sense fretting now over the Jays not getting Paxton. Better to concentrate on the top two pitching prospects they do have. Marcus Stroman started the Buffalo Bisons season opener on Thursday against the Twins Rochester farm club, the Red Wings. He was on a pitch count and over four innings, made 73 pitches - 47 for strikes - gave up four hits and two earned runs, struck out three of the first four batters he faced and got a no decision in the Bisons 6-3 victory. The Bisons are veteran team, with 16 players on their roster who played in the Majors last season. Matt Tuiasosopo, who was just picked up on waivers last week from Arizona and then three days later was outrighted to Buffalo, led the attack with thrree hits.dddddddddddd After Stroman, the rest of the Buffalo rotation consists of Ricky Romero, Kyle Drabek, lefty Sean Nolin, who was briefly with the Jays, and Liam Hendricks. J.A. Happ is expected to join them as well in the near future on a rehab assignment. Bisons closer Neil Wagner, who figures to be up with the Jays at some point this season, struck out three of four batters and racked up the save. Blue Jays blue chip prospect Aaron Sanchez started opening night for Double "A" New Hampshire at Trenton. He was described as being dominant over his five-inning stint, giving up just one hit and striking out five while walking two. He also got the victory in the Fishercats 6-0 victory over Trenton. Fresh Start Emilio Bonifacio, who was a bust with the Blue Jays last season and eventually moved on to the Royals, signed with the Cubs as a free agent and is off to a torrid start at the plate with Chicago. Hes 11 for 16 with four stolen bases on the young season. Hes been batting lead-off and playing centre field. The Cubs - weather permitting - will be marking the 100th anniversary of Wrigley Field on Friday afternoon in their home opener against the Phillies. Great trivia question on Wrigley: name the only person to hit the scoreboard. Heres a clue, it wasnt a ball player. It was golf legend Slammin Sammy Snead. He teed off from homeplate in a publicity stunt and hit the 89 high scoreboard, which was 420 feet away on the fly. On his next try he hit it right over the scoreboard. Wrigley has also hosted two of the wildest games in Major League history. In the highest scoring game ever, the Cubs beat the Phillies 26-23 on August 25, 1922. The Phils got their revenge in 1979, 57 years later, when they edged the Cubs 23-22 in 10 innings. Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt hommered off Cubs closer Bruce Sutter to win it. The teams combined for 11 homers, including three by the Cubbies Dave Kingman. Roys Return Great move by the Blue Jays to get Roy Halladay to throw out the first pitch for their home opener Friday night at sold-out Rogers Centre against Derek Jeter and the Yankees. It makes you wonder if they will put Halladays name up on the "Level of Excellence" tonight or at some point down the road. The pitching match-up couldnt be more intriguing with the comeback king Dustin McGowan facing Japanese star Masahiro Tanaka, who will be making his first Major League start. ' ' '