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CLEVELAND Cheap Mike Hughes Jersey , Ohio — Of all the games in this four-years-running Finals saga between the Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors, Game 3s have been Cleveland’s best.

As in, it’s the only game the Cavaliers have won more than once.

The Warriors are in Cleveland for Game 3 Wednesday with a 2-0 lead in this series. It was the same a year ago at this time and the Cavaliers were on the verge of winning another Game 3 but blew a six-point lead over the final 3:09 and lost, 118-113.

The year before, trailing 0-2, the Cavaliers hammered the Warriors by 30 in Game 3 and eventually won the series for their first championship.

“All three games were really, really difficult,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said. “So we’re used to that. We’re used to the dynamic of being ahead in a series and then having everything shift when you go on the road. But especially when you play Cleveland — LeBron, this crowd and their environment Jets Game Jerseys , we know the kind of force they’re going to bring.

“And we have to be prepared for that. We know it. We’ll see if we can do it.”

James is averaging 40 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 10.5 assists so far in this series. He became the first player to ever score at least 50 points (51) in a Finals game and lose in Game 1, when the Cavaliers lost 124-114 in overtime.

Only 20 teams have ever recovered from an 0-2 deficit in the playoffs, but James was responsible for three of those comebacks. The latest was the last round against Boston, when the Celtics won the first two games at TD Garden but James and the Cavaliers took the series in seven.

“I know it feels like we’re down 2-0, and I don’t like the way I feel,” James said. “I don’t like the way — the mood that I’m in right now, knowing whatever. There’s no Youth Royce Freeman Jersey , like, OK, you’re down 2-0 and you feel better than when you’re down 2-0 before.

“I mean, when you’re down like this, in a deficit like this versus a team like this, there’s no good feeling,” James continued. “So I don’t feel good about it.”

Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said Rodney Hood, who fell out of the rotation for good early in the conference finals, would get a chance in Game 3.

Hood is 25 and 6-foot-8 who can score off the dribble in catch-and-shoot situations and can switch on defense. But he’s been miserable in the playoffs New Orleans Saints Jerseys Womens , averaging just 4.4 points and shooting 15 percent from 3-point range.

Lue didn’t say which player would lose minutes to Hood, nor did he address any other potential adjustments or lineup changes.

“We believe,” Lue said. “We watched tape. We watched film and see the things that we can get better at, very minor things. The most important thing, I think, is physicality. Just being able to be on bodies, being physical, not let Steph (Curry) and Klay (Thompson) and K.D. (Kevin Durant) roam freely.”

Curry set NBA Finals records for 3s (nine) and attempts (17) and is averaging 31 points and 8.5 rebounds in the series. Durant is giving the Warriors 26 points and nine boards so far in the Finals. Andre Iguodala (knee) was upgraded to questionable for Game 3. He hasn’t played since Game 3 of the Western Conference finals.

Curry is looking for his third championship in four years — all against Cleveland.

“In the Finals, this is the only building I know what that experience is like Cheap New York Giants Hoodie ,” Curry said. “We know how the atmosphere is here. We know how Cleveland plays here, with a lot of energy and force.

“We understand how hard it is to win in this building. No matter what’s gone on in the series, when you change venues, you’ve got to reassert your dominance and try to find that right momentum to start.”

Walker wants to work hard Terrelle Pryor Sr. Jersey Jets , do whatever Gregg Popovich asks of him, win and learn about the world outside of basketball.

The 6-foot-4 shooting guard out of Miami found the perfect landing spot with San Antonio and its veteran coach. The Spurs took Walker with the 18th overall pick in the NBA Draft on Thursday night.

”I feel like it’s just God’s message to put me in the right place with the right team,” Walker. ”It’s just time to work, time to prove everyone wrong and I know I’m in the right place at the right time to become something special.”

Walker was projected as a possible lottery selection, which is why the Spurs never worked out the 19-year-old from Reading, Pennsylvania.

”We had him ranked significantly higher,” San Antonio general manager R.C. Buford said. ”So Youth Rick Leonard Jersey , to see the opportunity to have Lonnie available in the draft, that was exciting.”

San Antonio’s staff did interview Walker, discovering he was a good fit for a franchise that prides itself on defense and unselfishness. Walker was forced to play point guard when injuries hit Miami. He averaged 11.5 points in his lone season with the Hurricanes while shooting 35 percent on 3-pointers.

”If Coach Popovich needs me to dive on the floor strictly, then I’ll strictly dive on the floor. I’m going to do whatever it takes for us to get that win sooner rather than later, hopefully receive that championship,” he said.

The Spurs drafted Chimeze Metu, a 6-foot-11 center from USC Youth Los Angeles Rams Jerseys , with the 49th overall pick in the second round. The native of Nigeria averaged 15.7 points and 7.4 rebounds as a junior for the Trojans.

”We added length and athleticism with both of our picks,” Buford said.

With uncertainty surrounding the future of Kawhi Leonard, who reportedly requested a trade, the Spurs opted to draft the athletic Walker and Metu. Walker will have to battle a crowded backcourt that includes Dejounte Murray, Danny Green, Patty Mills, Bryn Forbes and Brandon Paul.

”I’m ready to get after it right now Cheap Green Bay Packers Hoodie ,” Walker said. ”If they wanted me to work out and practice right now, I’d do it. I’m ready to compete, and at the end of the of the day, I want to be the best. I’m addicted to being the best. I’m obsessed with being the next great. It’s time to be a dog, and it’s just that simple I’ve got something to prove.”

The Spurs are hoping Walker can team with Murray to form a young, athletic backcourt to help counter the tandems of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in Golden State and Chris Paul and James Harden in Houston.

The Spurs remain optimistic they can persuade Leonard to remain, but the superstar forward reportedly wants to leave the only franchise he has played for. Leonard played in only nine games last season while battling a right leg injury. His absence along with injuries to Tony Parker Youth Washington Redskins Jerseys , Rudy Gay, Pau Gasol, Kyle Anderson led to San Antonio’s worst season in two decades.

The Spurs finished seventh in the Western Conference at 47-35, snapping a streak of 18 consecutive seasons with 50 victories. San Antonio battled until the season’s final week to extend its streak of consecutive playoff appearances to 21 straight.

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Ovechkin was held without a point but it hardly mattered. T.J. Oshie, Dmitry Orlov and Tom Wilson scored for Washington while Grubauer kept the NHL’s best power play in check as the Capitals assured themselves home-ice advantage through the first two rounds of the postseason.

The Penguins have the top power play in the league but went 0 for 5 with the man advantage. Patric Hornqvist picked up his 27th of the season late in the third period to avoid a shutout. Matt Murray stopped 31 shots but couldn’t quite match Grubauer.

A night after earning a playoff berth for a franchise-record 12th straight year, Pittsburgh lost at home in regulation for just the second time since Jan. 4.

Ovechkin downplayed his milestone game beforehand, half-jokingly saying it didn’t matter much. The 32-year-old knows his career has been equally defined by his 603 goals and his team’s inability to make a deep playoff run.

The Capitals have won 10 of 12 to create some breathing space in the cramped and crowded Metropolitan

DEVILS 2, CANADIENS 1

MONTREAL (AP) – Taylor Hall scored a short-handed goal late in the third period to lift New Jersey.

Nico Hischier tied the score early in the third and Keith Kinkaid stopped 25 shots in his sixth consecutive start for the Devils. New Jersey increased its lead to seven points on Florida for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Devils, vying for their first trip to the postseason since reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2012, have three games remaining – two fewer than the Panthers.

Daniel Carr scored for the Canadiens Marquez Valdes-Scantling Jersey Packers , who have already been eliminated from playoff contention. Carey Price finished with 30 saves while playing his 556th game with Montreal, pulling into a tie with Jacques Plante for most games by a goaltender in franchise history.

PREDATORS 4, LIGHTNING 1

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Filip Forsbeg had two goals and an assist to lead the Nashville pastTampa Bay.

Forsberg returned to the Predators‘ lineup after being held out of Saturday’s loss to Buffalo for maintenance. Craig Smith and Ryan Johansen also scored to help Nashville move closer to clinching the Presidents’ Trophy with the league’s best record. Juuse Saros finished with 29 saves.

Tampa Bay, which went 0 for 5 on the power play, played the final two periods without captain Steven Stamkos, who left the game with an undisclosed lower-body injury.

Ondrej Palat scored for the Lightning Bills Elite Jerseys , and Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with 21 saves while lost his third consecutive game.

The Lightning fell to 5-6-0 in the past 11 games and sit two points behind Boston for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

FLYERS 4, BRUINS 3, OT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Claude Giroux scored his second goal with 1:21 left in overtime and Philadelphia Flyers recovered from blowing a late lead to inch closer to returning to the playoffs after a one-year absence.

Travis Konecny added a dazzling goal and an assist, Nolan Patrick also scored and Petr Mrazek made 36 saves for the Flyers. Philadelphia who opened an eight-point lead over idle Florida, the last team that can overtake it for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference – the Flyers have three games left and the Panthers five.

Patrice Bergeron tied it with 3.8 seconds left in regulation for the Bruins. With the goaltender pulled, Bergeron got his 30th goal on feed from Brad Marchand after the Flyers twice failed to clear the puck.

Noel Acciari and David Pasrnak scored and Anton Khudobin stopped 20 shots for the Bruins, who lost Brandon Carlo and Riley Nash to injuries a day earlier.

DUCKS 4 Youth Miami Dolphins Jerseys , AVALANCHE 3, OT

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – Ondrej Kase scored 1:34 into overtime to cap Anaheim’s comeback from a two-goal deficit.

Andrew Cogliano had a goal and an assist, and Adam Henrique and Ryan Kesler also scored for the Ducks, who moved into third place in the Pacific Division. Anaheim is one point ahead of Los Angeles with three games remaining for both teams.

Kase was looking to shoot all the way on a 2-on-1 break and won it by going to the short side over Jonathan Bernier’s right shoulder.

Ryan Miller made 19 saves after replacing John Gibson at the start of the second period, helping the Ducks to their fifth straight home win. Gibson, who made 10 saves before departing Cheap Cleveland Browns T-Shirts , appeared to be shaken up late in the first when Gabriel Landeskog was cross-checked by Kesler into the goalie, who was being evaluated for an undisclosed injury.

PHILADELPHIA — The top-seeded Eagles are in search of their first trip to the Super Bowl since the 2004 season when they host the second-seeded Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Eagles (14-3) posted a 15-10 win over the Atlanta Falcons in the divisional round last Saturday and will participate in the NFC Championship Game for the first time since the 2008 season. They dropped a 32-25 decision to the Arizona Cardinals in that contest.

Philadelphia hasn’t hosted an NFC Championship Game since recording a 27-10 win over the Falcons following the 2004 season.

The Vikings (14-3) advanced following a thrilling 29-24 victory over the New Orleans Saints. Stefon Diggs hauled in a 61-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Case Keenum on the final play of the game Sunday.

Like the Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers Jerseys Womens , Minnesota has yet to win a Super Bowl. The Vikings have dropped five consecutive NFC Championship games.

Philadelphia will enter Sunday’s game as an underdog, especially with quarterback Carson Wentz out with a torn ACL.

“It’s about those players in that dressing room, whether we’re three-point underdogs or three-point favorites. They really don’t listen to that stuff,” Eagles coach Doug Pederson said. “Of course, they have been sort of force-fed for about two weeks now, three weeks now Cody Latimer Jersey Giants , the information, and they just stick together. They just stick together and find a way and it’s been that way all season.”

Backup quarterback Nick Foles did an admirable job against the Falcons, completing 23 of 30 passes for 246 yards and a 100.1 passer rating. In two career playoff games with the Eagles — the other coming in a 26-24 loss to the Saints in 2014 — Foles is 46 of 63 for 441 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions and a 102.7 passer rating.

“I am very humbled to win this game and to be a part of this team,” Foles said. “That’s what it’s always been about. I know there was a lot of people against us this last week. Just answering questions Falcons Cheap Jerseys , and just hearing about it.

“… The biggest thing in our locker room is we believe in one another. Everyone believes, and that was shown on display. The city of Philadelphia obviously believes because they were here and loud. So we are grateful for that. Honestly, it’s unbelievable to win this game and we are not finished.”

The Vikings are in search of their first trip to the Super Bowl since the 1976 season — Super Bowl XI.

During the regular season, the Vikings’ defense ranked first in points allowed per game (15.8) and yards given up per game (275.9). Defensive end Everson Griffen was tied for fourth in the league with a career-best 13 sacks this season.

While the Vikings likely have seen video of Diggs’ amazing catch a million times, another game awaits in the NFC Championship.

“We should celebrate this and enjoy this,” tight end Kyle Rudolph told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “It’s hard to win playoff games. There’s a lot of guys in this locker room Sam Hubbard Jersey Bengals , including myself, this is our first playoff win. But it’s just the beginning. We’ve still got a lot of work to do.

“It’d be a shame to let something like that go to waste by us not showing up.”

The incredible final play will be etched in viewers’ minds forever.

“I don’t think it’s still really sunk in as far as like what something like that’s going to be,” guard Jeremiah Sirles told ESPN.com. “That’s the stuff that in 20 years, you turn on NFL Films and it’s going to be the 2018 NFL Classic. Something like that that you can’t take away from any player that’s in this room right now. We’ll always be a part of something that happened that was super special like that.”

A win over the Eagles would not only clinch a trip to the Super Bowl, but it would also be the Vikings’ first playoff victory against Philadelphia in four tries. The last time the teams met was in the 2008 wild-card round.

The Vikings are 0-4 all-time in the Super Bowl. In order to get a fifth shot, they’ll have to travel to a hostile environment and knock out the No. 1 seed.

“They’re a pretty resilient bunch Derrius Guice Jersey Redskins ,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer told ESPN.com. “They’re pretty determined in what they’re always trying to get done. They’re always trying to get better. They’re a good group of guys that work really hard.”

NEW YORK — The New York Mets and Tampa Bay Rays will experience what it’s like to look across the field and feel as if they’re staring into a mirror for the last time this season on Sunday afternoon when the teams play the rubber game of a three-game series at Citi Field.

The Mets’ Chris Flexen (0-1 Rashaan Gaulden Jersey Panthers , 10.80 ERA) is scheduled to face the Rays’ Nathan Eovaldi (2-3, 3.92) in a battle of right-handers.

The Rays posted a 3-0 win Saturday afternoon when ace left-hander Blake Snell tossed 7 1/3 strong innings and Wilson Ramos collected two RBIs.

The Mets and Rays have combined for just nine runs in the first two games, four of which were registered when New York’s Jose Bautista hit a walk-off grand slam to lift the Mets to a 5-1 win on Friday night. The teams had just eight hits in 77 plate appearances with runners on base on Friday and Saturday.

Such struggles have become routine for the Rays and Mets, who ranked 26th and 27th in the majors in runs scored after Saturday’s game — during which Tampa Bay moved past New York.

The offensive woes have threatened to negate the strong work of both pitching staffs. The Rays (44-44) have a 2.77 ERA since May 19 Cheap Jordan Whitehead Jersey , when they began infusing their rotation with the “opener” in select games.

“I think that with the way we’ve pitched, we find ourselves being in a lot of ballgames,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said before Saturday’s game. “But when the bats are quiet, it just becomes really Youth Robert Golden Jersey , really tough to find ways to win ballgames.”

Starting pitchers for the Mets (35-50), meanwhile, have a 2.25 ERA in the last six games and a 3.94 ERA this year. New York’s three most utilized starters — Jacob deGrom, Zack Wheeler and Steven Matz — are 11-16 despite a 3.06 ERA in 51 games.

“If we win just five games of deGrom’s and Matz’s and Wheeler’s — and that’s being conservative — we’re right where we want to be Michael Gallup Jersey Cowboys ,” Mets manager Mickey Callaway said after Saturday’s game. “And it just hasn’t happened.”

Flexen will make his first start of the season and his first appearance since June 24, when he took the loss after giving up one run in one inning as the Mets fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-7 in 11 innings. He hasn’t started in the majors since last Oct 1, when Flexen allowed six runs (five earned) in 1 1/3 innings as New York fell to the Philadelphia Phillies 11-0 in the season finale.

Eovaldi didn’t factor into the decision in his most recent start Monday, when he gave up two runs in six innings as the Rays fell to the Miami Marlins 3-2 in 10 innings. He has allowed two runs or fewer three times in seven starts this season but has surrendered at least four runs three other times.

Flexen has never faced the Rays. Eovaldi is 1-4 with a 5.01 ERA in nine career starts against the Mets.

Team president Art Rooney II is optimistic the team can sign Bell to a long-term extension going into the 2018 season Saints Elite Jerseys , but didn’t rule out using the franchise tag for a second straight year as a precaution if the two sides can’t come to an agreement before free agency begins next month.

While allowing that contract negotiations can be hard to predict, Rooney stressed Wednesday that ”the good news is both sides want to get something done and hopefully that will lead us to getting it done.”

Bell played under the franchise tag this season after rejecting a new contract last summer. He responded by leading the NFL in touches (406) while finishing with 1,946 total yards and 11 touchdowns to earn his second All-Pro spot in four years as the Steelers finished 13-3 and won their second straight AFC North title before being upset in the divisional round by Jacksonville.

Bell told ESPN in the run-up to the playoff loss he would consider sitting out 2018 or retiring if Pittsburgh used the franchise tag again, but softened his stance prior to the Pro Bowl, saying he believes he’s close to signing a new deal Justin Bethel Jersey Falcons , one that would likely make him the highest-paid back in the league.

While Bell figures to be back next fall, defensive backs coach Carnell Lake will not. Lake stepped down on Wednesday after seven seasons, citing a desire to return to California to watch his youngest son finish up his high school football career.

Pittsburgh’s secondary underwent a massive overhaul during Lake’s tenure, as Troy Polamalu, Ike Taylor and Ryan Clark gave way to Mike Mitchell Cheap Logan Woodside Jersey , Artie Burns and Sean Davis.

Rooney praised Lake’s contributions while adding that overall he believes the team still has work to do despite finishing with a franchise-record and NFL-high 56 sacks.

”I think at times we weren’t as solid against the run as we’d like to be and as we’ve been historically as a Steeler defense,” Rooney said.

”We’ve typically been able to stop the run, so we’ve had occasions where maybe we weren’t as consistent in that area as I think we’d like to be.”

Namely against the Jaguars. The Steelers allowed 231 yards rushing in a regular-season loss to Jacksonville and 164 more in a 45-42 playoff stunner.

Rooney, however, downplayed the idea the Steelers were looking ahead to a rematch with New England and defended coach Mike Tomlin’s approach.

”Anybody that wants to look at Mike’s track record since he’s been our coach Hayden Hurst Jersey Ravens , I think the record speaks for itself,” Rooney said.

Rooney praised the leadership among the coaching staff and in the locker room in general following a bumpy autumn sprinkled with off-the-field issues from a ”botched” attempt to sidestep the debate around the national anthem in Chicago to linebacker Ryan Shazier’s life-altering spinal injury to the decision to cut longtime linebacker James Harrison, who promptly signed with New England and reached the Super Bowl.

Rooney said there was blame to go around on both sides for the way Harrison’s tenure with Pittsburgh ended, adding he would have preferred Harrison’s year end with getting five sacks in a Super Bowl with the Steelers.

Shazier will have a role with Pittsburgh next season whether his playing career continues or not. The 25-year-old spent nearly two months in the hospital after injuring his spine against Cincinnati in December and is undergoing outpatient rehabilitation.

Shazier posted a picture of himself standing with a little help shortly before his discharge and he made several appearances at practices and games after getting hurt.

”I expect Ryan is going to be here one way or the other and have a role with the team one way or the other in 2018 for sure,” Rooney said.

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The move by Louisville, Kentucky-based Brown-Forman followed a tough year for organizers of the 1,000-mile (1,610 kilometer) Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race who have faced financial hardships, the loss of other sponsors and its first-ever dog doping scandal.

Jack Daniel’s decided to go a different direction by shifting most of its marketing efforts to a partnership with the National Basketball Association Billy Price Jersey Elite , company spokesman Svend Jansen said in a statement.

He said a campaign against the Iditarod by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals had nothing to do with the decision, which will affect the 2019 race in March.

”As a sponsor of The Iditarod for 15 years we have been particularly impressed with the utmost care in which the animals are treated by the race veterinarians, the dog sled teams and everyone associated with this event,” Jansen wrote in a follow-up email to The Associated Press.

Iditarod spokesman Chas St. George said organizers were notified by Jack Daniel’s that the company made the move to focus on sponsorships in other areas.

”We are confident that we will continue to grow the race with new sponsorship opportunities,” St. George said in an email.

PETA said Jack Daniel’s did the right thing. Spokeswoman Tricia Lebkuecher said the organization believes it had an impact on the decision following public protests and after thousands of PETA members and supporters flooded the company with emails urging the company to end its ties with the race.

PETA said it first contacted Jack Daniel’s following the deaths of five dogs connected with the 2017 race. One dog died in this year’s race as well Authentic Customized Ravens Jerseys , with the cause of death blamed on aspiration pneumonia.

”This is a victory for all the dogs who’ve been forced to run this cruel race,” Lebkuecher said in a phone interview.

PETA says its tally of dog deaths totals more than 150 in the Iditarod’s history. That number is disputed by race officials, who say there are no records of dog deaths during the early years of the race, and an accurate count is not available.

In June, the board for the race implemented a major change regarding dog deaths. Organizers will now remove mushers from the race if one of their dogs dies while on the trail. If a dog’s death is caused ”solely by unforeseeable forces Youth Anthony Averett Jersey ,” then a musher may be allowed to stay in the race, according to the change.

Iditarod officials also responded after one if its veteran mushers, Hugh Neff, was banned from competing in the 2019 Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race over dog care issues.

Registration for the upcoming Iditarod start Saturday. Organizers say they have the right to ”reject any entrant that does not conform with or demonstrate humane animal care practices.”

The Iditarod also has been suffering financially and lost Wells Fargo bank as a major sponsor last year. Organizers have blamed animal rights activists for pressuring sponsors.

Last year’s race also was marked by fallout from the Iditarod’s first-ever dog doping scandal. Race officials announced that the team of four-time champion Dallas Seavey tested positive for an opioid painkiller after his second-place finish in 2017 but said they could not prove he gave tramadol to his dogs.

Officials didn’t punish Seavey but changed race rules to make mushers responsible for any positive drug test. Seavey, who won four titles between 2012 and 2016 Cheap Customized Tennessee Titans Jerseys , denied giving drugs to his dogs and sat out this year’s race in protest.

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It might be Yordano Ventura unleashing a fastball. Or Eric Hosmer sliding into home at Citi Field in New York. Or Wade Davis with his arms thrust high into the air Youth Harrison Phillips Jersey , his blazing fastball having just closed out Game 5 of the World Series and making the Kansas City Royals the world champions.

More than likely, you’ll find the now-iconic photograph of Union Station, where an estimated 400,000 people turned out to celebrate the club’s first title in three decades.

Those photos are reminders of better times. And how quickly things can change.

The Royals, who were indeed baseball royalty in 2015, are now neck and neck with the Orioles for the worst record in baseball. They’ve traded off their star closer, their best players are struggling and the prospects that might one day raise them from the abyss are years away from joining the club.

”The record is what it is. The hitting is what it is. The pitching is what it is,” said Royals manager Ned Yost, who presided over the rebuild that led to back-to-back World Series appearances. ”I have to continue to lead. We have to make sure this year has not been a waste.”

How did things fall apart so quickly?

To start Youth Luke Falk Jersey , the Royals doled out big contracts to players that have not produced. Left fielder Alex Gordon consumes 14 percent of the payroll in the third year of a $72 million, four-year deal, but he’s hitting just .247 with five homers and 15 RBIs. Right-hander Ian Kennedy consumes 11 percent of the payroll in the third year of a $70 million, five-year deal, and he’s 1-8 with a 5.11 ERA.

The few stars that remain on the roster have likewise struggled to produce.

Salvador Perez likely will see his streak of five straight All-Star games end. The catcher, in the third year of a $52 million, six-year deal, is hitting .255 with 11 homers and 33 RBIs.

Good luck winning many games that way.

The Royals were 25-61 heading into their off day Thursday and had lost 24 of their last 28 games. They needed to go 38-38 the rest of the way just to avoid the ignominy of 100 losses.

Making things worse: The Royals are losing that many games with a payroll of about $144 million.

Another reason for the precipitous slide was year after year of poor drafts. Only one of their 13 first-round picks since 2010 is currently on the 25-man roster; Hunter Dozier is hitting .223 in 44 games as he struggles to lock down an everyday job.

”As a young guy you know you’re going to fail, and in some ways we want you to fail because that’s how you’re going to get better Youth Hayden Hurst Jersey ,” said Yost, who is going through the same slow learning process with infielder and erstwhile top prospect Adalberto Mondesi.

The son of longtime big leaguer Raul Mondesi, he is hitting .214 in 42 at-bats this season.

”We also don’t want to heap too much on their shoulders,” Yost said, ”so it’s balancing act.”

Maybe that’s why the Royals have been slow to gut their roster in favor of a complete rebuild, even if that appears to be coming. They’ve already traded utility outfielder Jon Jay to the Diamondbacks and star closer Kelvin Herrera to the Nationals, getting five prospects in return that the Royals hope will help restock a farm system that remains one of the worst in baseball.

More moves could be coming, too. The Royals are hopeful of trading third baseman Mike Moustakas, who signed a one-year deal when no long-term offers materialized last offseason. Versatile infielder Whit Merrifield could land a few solid prospects Youth Ronald Jones II Jersey , and left-hander Danny Duffy and even Perez could be made available, though both have torpedoed their value with poor seasons.

The combination of an old and bad team has been made even worse by the fact that the Royals are, well, pretty boring. They don’t hit an abundance of homers. Their starting rotation includes the first two pitchers to hit 10 losses in the majors. There are no young stars yet worth watching.

As a result, the Royals are drawing an average of 20,283 fans to Kauffman Stadium. That’s a drop of more than 7,000 from last season and more than 13,000 from their championship season.

Still, for all the gloom Sam Hubbard Jersey Bengals , the typically irascible Yost has taken a decidedly optimistic approach to this season. He’s been through these long and painful rebuilds and come out the other side.

It takes patience. It takes smart moves. It takes more patience.

”There’s a lot of things to look at that you’re happy with, even though the record is what it is,” he said. ”There is progress that you’re going to see on the back end, in the light, just as we did in 2013 and 2014, when we turned the corner the last time.”

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NEW YORK — Through their first 66 games Customized Kansas City Chiefs Jerseys , the New York Yankees have shaken hands 46 times to celebrate a win.

While some of the big names such as Giancarlo Stanton, Gary Sanchez and Didi Gregorius have experienced slumps, a consistent bat is Aaron Judge.

Judge is following up winning Rookie of the Year by constantly delivering key hits for the Yankees, who go for the four-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.

After setting a rookie record with 52 homers, Judge is batting .283 with 18 homers and 46 RBIs to go along with a .399 on-base percentage and 49 runs. He leads the Yankees in homers, RBIs and runs scored while his 17 doubles are second-most behind rookie Miguel Andujar.

“He’s just such a good player,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Even when Aaron goes through a few days where he’s not swinging great, the at-bat quality doesn’t really change all that much. You know night in and night out, he’s going to make it really hard on the pitchers and they understand that they have to make their best pitches just to retire him.”

Judge left the homers to Stanton and Sanchez on Saturday but contributed a pair of doubles in a 4-1 victory. He is 8-for-18 on the homestand and has 19 hits in his last 63 at-bats.

“That’s one of my main goals every year Youth Breeland Speaks Jersey , just try to be consistent, especially with the lineup we got,” Judge said. “If I can consistently get on base for the guys around me, I feel like we’ll have a pretty good game.”

Judge’s contributions to the latest win occurred on a day when Sanchez homered for the first time since May 19 at Kansas City against the Royals. He had a bases-clearing double Friday and snapped a 66 at-bat stretch without a homer.

Even with some of the ebbs and flows of some other hitters, the Yankees own the best record in baseball and are 13-3 in their last 16 games.

“We’ve had timely hits, big hits, guys step up,” Stanton said. We haven’t all clicked at the same time. Once that happens and we’re on all cylinders, there’s more room to get better.”

Tampa Bay is hoping Sunday is not when everything clicks for the Yankees given its recent history.

Only Matt Duffy’s ninth-inning homer avoided a second straight shutout. The Rays are 4-12 in their last 16 and on a nine-game road losing streak.

“It’s frustrating losing games Youth Jessie Bates III Jersey ,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said after his team mustered five hits and struck out 10 times. “You want these guys to come up here and experience success personally and as a team and the good thing is, we talk about it all the time, these guys have won together, they’re going to be able to withstand some tough stretches.”

It has been a particularly tough stretch for the Rays against the Yankees. They are 0-5 in the season series while getting outscored 31-10.

Tampa Bay is also 10-24 in its last 34 games against the Yankees since Aug. 12, 2016, and 4-18 in its last 22 trips to New York since. That was the day Alex Rodriguez played his last game and one day before Judge made his major league debut.

“That’s a good hitting team,” Duffy said. “We’ve held them to a pretty modest amount of runs considering what they’re capable of, especially in their home park.”

After Luis Severino dominated for eight innings Saturday, CC Sabathia will start for the 522nd time in his career and when he does Jets Cheap Jerseys , he will break a tie with Hall of Famer Jim Palmer and former teammate Andy Pettitte for 38th place on the all-time list.

Sabathia will also go for his 242nd career win, which is one behind former Cleveland Indians teammate Bartolo Colon and Hall of Famer Juan Marichal for 54th on the all-time list.

The left-hander is 4-1 with a 3.15 ERA in 10 starts since returning from a brief disabled list stint April 19. He last pitched Tuesday against the Washington Nationals when he became the fifth pitcher to get 1,500 strikeouts with the Yankees and allowed four hits in 5 2/3 innings of a 3-0 victory.

Overall, Sabathia is at 2,893 strikeouts and inching closer to becoming the 17th pitcher to reach 3,000 strikeouts, though he was not aware he reached 1,500 after striking out Michael A. Taylor on Tuesday.

The left-hander is 16-14 with a 3.77 ERA in 45 career starts against the Rays. His 45 starts and 296 innings pitched against Tampa Bay are his most against any opponent.

Sabathia is 5-0 with a 3.57 ERA in his last seven starts against the Rays.

Tampa Bay will use a reliever to open the game for the second straight time. After Ryne Stanek started by throwing 21 pitches in 1 1/3 innings Saturday, Wilmer Font will pitch.

“It’s weird Youth Jeremy Kerley Jersey ,” Stanton said of Tampa Bay’s unorthodox strategy. “It’s just like a guy coming out of the pen, how you prep for him, except you do it at the beginning of the game. Get ready for the starter. It’s weird, out of order, but the same sequence.”

Font is 0-1 with a 2.31 ERA in six appearances since joining the Rays last month and Sunday will be his third start for the Rays. On Wednesday, he threw 66 pitches and allowed two hits in 3 1/3 innings during a 1-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Rays will make a roster move as shortstop Christian Arroyo will be placed on the disabled list with a strained oblique and Adeiny Hechavarria will be recalled from his rehab assignment after missing 28 games with a strained right hamstring.

The Knicks lacked talent, and needed a player with the flexibility to play in multiple spots.

Kevin Knox checked off those boxes. And so the decision-makers were comfortable using the ninth pick Thursday night on the 18-year-old forward.

”We were set,” Mills said at the team’s training facility. He called Knox a ”perfect fit for how we want to play.”

Knox played one season at Kentucky, where he led the Wildcats in scoring at 15.8 points per game and 3-pointers with 57. Mills said the Knicks held ”two or three different conversations” with John Calipari, Knox’s coach at Kentucky.

The Knicks ”did our research,” Mills said. ”(We) did our due diligence.”

Knox shared the SEC’s Freshman of the Year award with Alabama guard Collin Sexton Youth Mike Gesicki Jersey , who was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers, and was also an AP Honorable Mention on the All-America team.

At 6-foot-9 and 215 pounds, Knox shot .445 from the field, and .341 from 3-point range.

”He fits what we’re going to be about,” Knicks GM Scott Perry said. ”He’s long, he’s athletic Youth Darius Leonard Jersey , he can play multiple positions, we think he has tremendous upside. He’s coming from a program in Kentucky that’s produced a lot of great pros.

”We thought Kevin was an excellent fit for what we’re trying to get done here.”

New York is coming off a 29-53 season as it tries to rebuild. The franchise’s cornerstone piece, Kristaps Porzingis, the fourth overall pick in the 2015 draft, suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in February and it isn’t known if he will play this season.

New York has only nine players under contract, after reserve center Kyle O’Quinn opted out of the last year of his $4.3 million contract Wednesday Bengals Authentic Jerseys , although starting center Enes Kanter could opt out of his $18.6 million contract on June 29. Joakim Noah, who was banished from the team following an incident with then-coach Jeff Hornacek during a practice in Denver, is still under contract and is slated to earn $18.53 million next season.

While it is unlikely that the Knicks will be a playoff team next spring, Perry pushed back against the notion that the selection of Knox over Villanova’s Mikal Bridges and Missouri’s Michael Porter Jr. was a symbolic waiving of the white flag on the 2018-19 season.

”There’s a lot of talented young people in this draft,” Perry said of Knox, who is the youngest player the Knicks have drafted since Michael Sweetney in 2003. ”We just thought Kevin separated himself for us.”

The Knicks’ youth movement continued in the second round as the team used the 36th overall pick on Mitchell Robinson. The 20-year old is listed at 6-11 and 225 pounds Youth DaeSean Hamilton Jersey , but did not play college basketball despite having committed to Western Kentucky University.

As a senior at Chalmette High School in Chalmette, Louisiana, Robinson averaged 19.6 points, 12.5 rebounds and 7.9 blocks. He played in the 2017 McDonald’s All-American and Jordan Brand Classic games, which are showcases for the pre-eminent high school players in the country.

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