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Robinson, who?
At least that’s what some in Seattle are asking as the Mariners return to Safeco Field on Friday night to face the Kansas City Royals in the opener of a nine-game homestand.
The Mariners have gone a surprising 29-14, taking hold of the American League’s second wild card without eight-time All-Star second baseman Robinson Cano, who was suspended 80 games by Major League Baseball in mid-May for using performance-enhancing drugs.
On that day, Mariners manager Scott Servais brought together his team and delivered a simple message.
“He just said, ‘We’re a good team. We can still do this Authentic Da'Shawn Hand Jersey ,'” left-hander James Paxton told The Washington Post. “Losing Robbie was a blow to the team. But we knew at the time everyone would have to step up to fill the void. No one guy could replace Robinson Cano.”
The results have surprised even Servais.
“Quite frankly, I couldn’t have predicted we’d go on the run we did without having your three-hole, All-Star second baseman,” the manager told The Post.
After 10 straight games against the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, a span in which they went 3-7, the Mariners swept a four-game series at the Baltimore Orioles, who are in last place in the American League East.
Next up are the Royals, the AL Central cellar-dwellers.
“We’re (20) games over .500 — that bad stretch (against the Red Sox and Yankees) didn’t do anything to our confidence Authentic Josh Jackson Jersey ,” the Mariners’ Dee Gordon told The Post earlier this week. “It’s just — sometimes you lose. Every team goes through a low stretch. We’ll be fine.”
Seattle designated hitter Nelson Cruz, the reigning AL Player of the Week, returned to the cleanup spot in the lineup Thursday after missing two games with lower back tightness. He went 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs as the Mariners beat the Orioles 4-2 in 10 innings.
Royals right-hander Ian Kennedy (1-7, 5.09 ERA) is scheduled to start the series opener Friday against Mariners left-hander Marco Gonzales (7-5, 4.04).
Kennedy, who is winless in 14 starts since a 1-0 victory on April 7 at Cleveland, has allowed two or fewer runs in nine of his 16 starts this season. He’s 2-2 with a 3.38 ERA in four career starts against the Mariners.
Gonzales is 0-1 with a 12.79 ERA in two career starts against the Royals. He suffered a 10-0 defeat on April 9 at Kansas City, allowing four runs and eight hits in 2 1/3 innings.
The Royals are coming off a 5-4 victory Wednesday at Milwaukee. It was the first time they’ve scored five runs since June 2. They’ll be seeking their first back-to-back wins since May 29-30.
“It’s not frustration Cheap JK Scott Jersey ,” Royals manager Ned Yost told MLB.com of his team’s month. “Well, that’s a lie. We’re all frustrated. I’ve never seen anything like it. I’ve never seen an offensive drought like we’ve had all month long. It’s pretty puzzling. There’s no answer for it.”
Kansas City outfielder Jorge Bonifacio was recalled from Triple-A Omaha on Thursday. Bonifacio, who hit .255 with 17 home runs as a rookie last season, had been serving his own 80-game MLB suspension for a failed drug test.
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BALTIMORE — Miami left-hander Wei-Yin Chen will face his former team for the first time when the Marlins take on the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards on Saturday.
Miami is in position to win a three-game series for the first time this season after beating Baltimore 2-0 in the opener Friday.
The Orioles http://www.bearsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-james-daniels-jersey , who have lost eight consecutive games, lag near the bottom of nearly every offensive category. First baseman Chris Davis underscores most of those troubles, and he was held out of the lineup for the third straight game Friday.
Davis is batting .150 with four homers.
“He’s tried a lot of things, but I think doing it this way, you’re trying not to say, ‘OK, if it doesn’t click right away then let’s go to something else.’ He’s got a lot of people talking to him and rightfully so — teammates and I’m sure college coaches Walter Payton Jersey ,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said about Davis.
“Everybody’s trying to help him because they like him and they hate seeing anybody struggle. This is kind of blinders with, ‘Here’s what we’re going to do and let’s throw out everything else and here’s where we’ve got to get to. Here’s where we are, here’s why this problem is happening, because X is happening and let’s eliminate X.’
“Will it look completely different? I’m not sure. What I hope looks completely different are the results. Unfortunately, the games don’t stop. We need a good Chris Davis. We do. He knows that. And that’s what’s frustrating for him.”
Chen (1-3, 6.13 ERA) has lost his past three decisions and struggled to get deep into games. In his last start, he allowed four runs and six hits with five strikeouts and four walks in 4 1/3 innings against the San Francisco Giants.
“I didn’t really do my job well Youth New York Giants Jerseys ,” Chen said after the game.
Alex Cobb (2-8, 7.23) will take the mound for Baltimore. He is still looking to get on track.
Cobb’s last outing was his worst of the season. He allowed a career-high-tying nine runs and 11 hits in 3 2/3 innings Sunday against the Toronto Blue Jays.
However, he is 3-1 with a 1.78 ERA in four career starts against the Marlins, who have batted .139 during that stretch.
The Orioles are just 2-9 in Cobb’s 11 starts.
“I know you look at teams and how they react in tough situations,” Cobbsaid, and I don’t know what’s better, if everyone’s just miserable because you’re losing or people are able to come to work every day and be a good teammate and try to get out of that funk each and every day and help each other to get out of that funk.”
Baltimore is also dealing with several key injuries. Richard Bleier Rashaan Evans Color Rush Jersey , who has been one of the team’s most consistent pitchers out of the bullpen, is on the disabled list with a lat injury that he sustained against the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday. He could be out for the season.
However, starter Andrew Cashner could be back in action Tuesday or Wednesday if he does not have any setbacks with his injured back while throwing a bullpen session Sunday.
The Chiefs were awarded tight end Alex Ellis off waivers from the New Orleans Saints and released defensive tackle Stefan Charles as part of a series of roster moves Tuesday.Kansas City also waived backup running back Akeem Hunt with a failed physical designation; signed rookie free agents Step Durham, Tejan Koroma, Robert McCray, Malik Reaves and Jordan Smallward; and waived Prince Charles Iworah, Devondre Seymour Authentic Weston Richburg Jersey , Brandon Shippen and Nelson Spruce.
The Chiefs have been searching for a blocking tight end to complement Travis Kelce. Ellis made the league as an undrafted free agent with Jacksonville before spending part of last season with the Saints.
Hunt appeared in 15 games last season, primarily as a kick returner, before going on injured reserve with an ankle injury in January. He also had eight carries for 23 yards.
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The two Super Bowl-winning coaches aren't fans of video reviews Youth Michael Gallup Jersey , particularly the slow-motion replays. They also recognize that replay isn't going away.
"I don't like instant replay," Carroll said Tuesday at the NFL meetings. "I like the game played on the field. The scrutiny of the officials has become so intense, they don't call the game like they used to, I feel. That didn't mean I didn't argue with them any more or any less.
"There are so many reasons why replay has been a positive factor in our game, but I don't like it," the Seahawks coach added.
Gruden returned to coaching this year Brian Allen Jersey Rams , with the Raiders, after working as the ESPN analyst on Monday night games. So replay was a beneficial tool for him as an announcer, giving him an opportunity to break down the action even more insightfully.
As a coach, he would have no qualms if it was eliminated.
"Let the naked eye make the call," Gruden said. "Eliminate instant replay and let the officials call the game.
"Slow motion is the biggest problem with replay. Throw slo-mo out and get back to common sense."
The Patriots are sporting a new look on defense and an attitude of leaving behind their lack of defense in the Super Bowl.Former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia is now head coach in Detroit. Longtime assistant Brian Flores is running the defense in New England without the formal title of coordinator.
Several players have shuffled on and off the roster. Starting cornerback Malcolm Butler signed with Tennessee in free agency after being mysteriously benched for most of the Super Bowl, but key additions include lineman Danny Shelton Authentic DJ Chark Jersey , pass rusher Adrian Clayborn and cornerback Jason McCourty joining his twin brother Devin in the backfield.
Linebacker Dont'a Hightower says the players are moving past the Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, a game in which the Patriots defense allowed 613 yards.
"I don't think any of those guys are going to let that hold over their heads. I'm sure they're focused on this year. That Super Bowl last year is gone, it's over with," Hightower said. "We're focusing on training camp."
Safety Duron Harmon says all his teammates can do now is buckle down on their assignments and string good days together.
"If you're looking at the tunnel you can't even see the light right now," said Harmon, who changed his number to 21 as he gave the No. 30 jersey to Jason McCourty Mitchell Trubisky Jersey Youth , who played for the Browns last season.
Players say Flores has brought in a different terminology and attitude.
"I know how he's going to drive the team and I appreciate it," Harmon said. "I like his intensity, I love his attitude and I just know it's going to help me become a better football player."
NOTES: WR Malcolm Mitchell, still working his way back from knee surgery, was among the players who missed the first day of camp. . TE Rob Gronkowski, in camp amid crawling talks aimed at a new contract http://www.billsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-josh-allen-jersey , was asked if Tom Brady amazes him performing at this high level after age 40: "It's just like he was out here when I first got here. He's full go, always ready to roll and it's just an inspiration basically, just how fast he's always playing and he's ready to roll." . Players and coach Bill Belichick are refusing to address Butler's exit, with Harmon saying: "Malcolm has moved on, he's now with the Tennessee Titans and it's time that we do the same."
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Vacations to the Jersey shore as a child gave the Green Bay Packers‘ defensive coordinator a glimpse of the life. His father Cheap Nick Nelson Jersey , a high school football coach in suburban Philadelphia, took a briefcase to the beach, settled a chair into the sand and went to work.
”I do the same … But it’s a backpack. I’m a little more with the times,” Pettine said.
The lessons passed on by dad stay with him to this day.
Mike Pettine Sr., who died in Feburary 2017, was one of the most successful coaches in Pennsylvania prep history. Pettine, 51, is coaching again in the NFL after being hired by head coach Mike McCarthy to oversee the Packers defense. He returned after largely staying out of football following a two-year stint as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, serving as a consultant with Seattle in 2017.
”I thought it was normal for everybody else’s dad to carry a briefcase on to the beach,” Pettine said after a recent Packers practice. ”He always had (football) on his mind, it was always there. If it wasn’t direct, it was always kind of lurking. He always had pen and paper close Dak Prescott Jersey , if an idea popped into his head.”
Those ideas often worked.
The elder Pettine won 326 games at Central Bucks West High School and four state titles. He retired in 1999 following a third consecutive unbeaten season.
Pettine played for his father and later served as an assistant coach. He ended up across the field from his father, too, after taking the head coaching job at rival North Penn – matchups that often made Philadelphia-area headlines. Pettine took over a team that went from hovering at about .500 to challenging his father’s team for state supremacy.
All five head-to-head meetings went to Dad.
”The headline `Father knows best’ was getting a little bit old,” Pettine quipped.
The elder Pettine was a Philadelphia Eagles fan, though he had no qualms about rooting for whatever team that his son was working for as he climbed the NFL coaching ladder. Pettine’s first stop in the pros came in 2002 as an assistant with the Baltimore Ravens.
Dad would serve as a consultant. Pettine would send him DVDs to view film. Later, he could watch on an iPad.
”A lot of times he would start the conversations with, `I know I’m just a high school football coach, however …,”’ Pettine recounted. ”He would give us 10 things and they were all dead on. … He just had a great eye for the game.”
A high school coach can sometimes resemble a drill sergeant on the job. The style in the NFL is a bit different. For Pettine, it’s about creating an environment where players and coaches work together.
But he admired the way his father adjusted to players in a career that started in the 1960s.
”I thought his strength was his ability to adapt, where he goes from an age of kids where they never questioned authority and by the time he finished that had essentially flipped,” he said.
”And I think you have to be able to adapt Youth Johnny Townsend Jersey , and I feel the same way when you’re working with NFL players,” he said. ”I just think it’s important to know your audience, understand that you’re working with the, trying to help them be successful, which in turn will help you be successful.”
Team film sessions at CB West with Pettine Sr., on Mondays after Friday games stick out, too.
”You would never know (they won) if you sat in on those film sessions – you would think they lost by 30 when they had won by 30,” Pettine said. ”But I’m a big believer in there’s no better teaching tool than seeing it on film. You paint a picture, you show a guy, `Hey, this is how it’s supposed to look.”’
It was a way that his father held his players accountable, which is also important to Pettine.
”My dad said Cody Bellinger Jersey , `Stop the projector, turn on the lights. Quick, stand up and explain to your teammates what you were just doing.’ Nobody wanted that to happen,” Pettine said. ”And that’s something I’ve always believed, being honest with your players, being direct, that’s by far the best way to go about things.”
With one big difference.
”I don’t turn on the lights,” Pettine said with a laugh.
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>WASHINGTON 鈥?Ray Lewis, the longtime Baltimore Ravens linebacker will be
heading to Canton after being elected to the NFL’s Hall of Fame in his first
year on the ballot.But longtime Redskins offensive tackle Joe Jacoby will not be
accompanying Lewis. Jacoby did not make it in his final year as a modern day
finalist. He still could eventually get the call to the Hall of Fame as a senior
finalist.Lewis joins Randy Moss, Brian Urlacher, Brian Dawkins, Terrell
Owens Youth
DaeSean Hamilton Jersey , Jerry Kramer, Robert Brazile and Bobby
Beathard in the NFL’s Hall of Fame Class of 2018.Lewis is widely considered one
of the greatest middle linebackers, winning two AP Defensive Player of the Year
awards and earning eight All-Pro selections. He anchored a dominant defense for
the 2000 Baltimore Ravens in a season that ended with him winning Super Bowl
MVP, then retired as a champion after Baltimore closed his last season with a
title win over San Francisco in February 2013.Lewis joined tackle Jonathan Ogden
as the only Ravens voted into the Hall of Fame as both of the team鈥檚 first-round
picks in its initial season of 1996 received the high honor.Lewis鈥?career was
also marked by legal problems off the field. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor
charge of obstruction of justice after initially being charged with murder in
connection with two killings following a Super Bowl party in Atlanta in January
2000. Lewis was also fined $250,000 by the NFL.Jacoby will have to wait another
year to make the Hall of Fame. He now moves to senior nominee status, which is
for players whose careers ended at least 25 years ago.Jacoby spent all of his
13-year career with the Redskins and was part of the vaunted “Hogs” offensive
line that helped lead the Redskins to four trips to the Super Bowl three Super
Bowl wins, each time with a different starting quarterback.He was a two-time
first-team All-Pro and was selected to four straight Pro Bowls from
1983-1986.The Associated Press contributed to this report. Like WTOP on Facebook
and follow WTOP on to engage in conversation about this article and others.漏
2018 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located
within the European Economic Area..
MINNEAPOLIS — Shin-Soo Choo will try to reach base for a 36th consecutive game Saturday when the Texas Rangers continue their three-game series with the Minnesota Twins at Target Field.
The 35-year-old Rangers outfielder extended his streak to 35 games Friday night with a two-run homer against Fernando Romero.
His streak is the second longest in baseball this season Kurt Suzuki Jersey , trailing only Philadelphia’s Odubel Herrera, who reached in 40 straight games. It’s the longest by a Rangers player since Mark Teixeira made it on base in 36 straight games in 2006.
Julio Franco holds the franchise record for a season with 46 straight games and Will Clark reached in 58 straight games at the end of the 1995 and start of 1996 seasons.
“I signed here to get on base, that’s why they brought me here,” Choo said. “When I’ve been healthy, I’ve gotten on base.”
Choo has been on a tear the last month, slashing .306/.468/.556 in his last 30 games, leading to his name being mentioned more frequently in trade rumors as the Rangers remain stuck in the American League West cellar despite winning a season-high six straight games after opening their series in Minnesota with an 8-1 victory Friday night.
While he is open to joining a contender for a stretch run, he knows the $50 million-plus owed to him through the 2020 season could make that difficult.
“Probably (my) contract is still (an obstacle),” Choo admitted earlier this week. “It’s probably not easy. I’m not 28 or 30 anymore.”
The Rangers turn to Yovani Gallardo (0-0, 15.95 ERA) to keep their streak going Saturday. It will be the second start of the season for Gallardo Cheap Ryan Switzer Jersey , who was cut by Milwaukee at the end of spring training, then allowed eight runs in 2 1/3 innings of relief before he was cut by Cincinnati and eventually signed a minor league deal with the Rangers.
Gallardo posted a 3.81 ERA in 10 starts for Triple-A Round Rock and was called up to face Colorado last Sunday. He allowed five runs and six hits while striking out four in a no-decision.
“I thought Yo threw the ball well,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. “It was similar to what we’ve seen in the past from Yo. He gave up a couple of soft hits, the walks are something not typical of Yo, but he managed the game and was able to give us some length.”
Gallardo is 4-2 with a 3.49 ERA in 11 career starts against Minnesota.
Jake Odorizzi (3-4, 3.48 ERA) starts Saturday for the Twins, who are looking to get back on track after losing two straight and scoring just three runs in those games combined.
Odorizzi is looking for a bounce-back outing himself after the Indians tagged him for four runs in five innings his last time out on Sunday.
He is 4-0 with 2.02 ERA in six career starts against the Rangers.
The Twins should get a bit of a boost Saturday as third baseman Eduardo Escobar is expected to return to the lineup. He sat out the series opener Friday after taking a pitch to an elbow a day earlier against the Boston Red Sox.
“I think probably a tad better than I expected,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. “He’s sore and there’s some limitation because there’s still a lot of swelling there that impedes his ability probably to throw accurately, as well as take his normal swing. But I’m fairly optimistic that in another, roughly James Paxton Seattle Mariners Jersey , a little less than 24 hours, that he might be able to start a game tomorrow.”
Trevor Story grew up about 15 minutes from the Texas Rangers’ ballpark, where he got to see the home team he cheered for play in the World Series.Now the Rockies’ shortstop from Irving has finally played in that stadium as a big leaguer.
”This was my Yankee Stadium growing up,” Story said Friday before Colorado opened an interleague series in Texas with a 9-5 victory. ”I always was in the stands watching from afar.”
Story wasn’t able to play the last time the Rockies were at Texas two years ago. He hit an NL rookie shortstop-record 27 homers in 97 games that year, but missed the games he had long circled on his calendar because of a season-ending thumb injury suffered about two weeks earlier.
”I circled it again for this year,” Story said. ”It was tough honestly … obviously dying to be out there.”
Story increased his National League-leading RBI total to 52. He had an RBI single and stolen base in Colorado’s six-run second inning, and hit a run-scoring double in the seventh.
It was the sixth time in seven games he had multiple hits, and his only hit Wednesday at Philadelphia was an RBI double with two outs in the seventh inning to break up Vince Velasquez’s no-hitter.
Rockies manager Bud Black said Story is playing at an All-Star level.
”He’s leading the league in RBIs, he’s playing great defense. The average is starting to climb,” Black said. ”Trevor Story’s name is getting out there now amongst baseball people Babe Ruth Jersey , in the circle, behind the cage, conversations with other managers and coaches that I have, he’s becoming a guy that people are noticing. It’s deserving.”
Story, whose favorite Rangers were Hall of Fame catcher Ivan ”Pudge” Rodriguez and franchise hits leader Michael Young, said all he ever wanted to do was be a baseball player.
”If I couldn’t be a baseball player, I wanted to be a fireman like my dad,” the 25-year-old said.
About 200 of Story’s family and friends were expected this weekend at the ballpark, including his parents and some of his fianc锟?#8217;s family. His dad just this year retired after 37 years as a firefighter in Irving. His coach and former teammates from Irving High School, before the Rockies picked him 45th overall in the 2011 draft Walter Payton Bears Jersey , were also there.
Their local favorite, who still lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area during the offseason, came home during one of the best stretches of his young big league career.
”Yeah, it definitely helps,” Story said. ”But this game, you never know what’s going to happen. … It’s nice to be doing well. I don’t try to think too much in it, just play it as another game.”
And, at last, a series at home.
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The third-year running back for the Seattle Seahawks has been plagued by injuries throughout his first two years in the NFL. From serious ailments like a fractured scapula, broken wrist bone and high-ankle sprains to more minor ones like groin, hamstring and hip strains, Prosise has been sidelined constantly.
With Chris Carson back from injury himself and Seattle using their first-round pick on San Diego State back Rashaad Penny, there is an urgency for Prosise to be able to stay healthy and contribute regularly this season.
Prosise spent the offseason trying to get physically ready to make the most of what could be a final opportunity with Seattle.
”I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life Saints Cheap Jerseys ,” Prosise said. ”I feel like I can do anything on the field. I feel 100 percent and ready to go so I’m excited for this camp. We play a physical game and injuries happen and you can’t avoid it. This offseason was geared around getting my body prepared to take the punishment that my body needs to take and so my body is in that position to do that now. So I’m ready to play.”
Prosise buckled down with a personal trainer this offseason and was focused on putting himself in a position to withstand the types of injuries that had hampered him his first two seasons.
”That was a big change I made,” Prosise said. ”Before this I didn’t put as much work as I should have been putting in. Now, I’ve kind of figured out my regimen. And also just getting on the field every day and working with drills, specific running back drills and stuff. For the most part hitting the weight room really hard and getting my body toned up and ready for the season is really what’s helped the most.”
Prosise has played in just 11 games in his two years in Seattle. But the limited action was still enough to show the type of player he can be when he’s in peak form. As a rookie in his first career start, he gained 153 yards from scrimmage in a victory over a New England Patriots team that would go on to the win the Super Bowl. His ability to perform both as a runner and as a receiver out of the backfield caused fits for the Patriots defense.
A week later Authentic Kyle Long Jersey , Prosise broke free for a 72-yard touchdown run against the Philadelphia Eagles. Then Prosise was sidelined when he broke his shoulder blade late in the first half and missed the rest of the season.
A pair of high-ankle sprains held him to just five games played a year ago as well.
Maybe it’s the same tease he’s provided in his first two camps with Seattle but Prosise is again drawing praise in the early stages of training camp.
”I’m so fired up for him,” head coach Pete Carroll said. ”He’s always been such a terrific potential guy and he has just not been able to stay healthy. He’s leaner and stronger. He just is more fit, which screams at how hard he worked and how important this is to him. Couldn’t send a better message.”
The old adage that your greatest ability is your availability couldn’t be more apt when it comes to Prosise. All of his potential will go unrealized if he’s not available on Sundays due to injuries. But as Seattle tries to right a rushing attack that managed just one rushing touchdown from the running back position all last season, having an athlete like Prosise at its disposal would be welcome.
NOTES: LB Joshua Perry, who announced his retirement from the NFL earlier this week due to concussions Arden Key Jersey Raiders , told NBC’s ”Today Show” on Thursday that he believes the NFL is doing enough when it comes to concussions. ”I think the hardest part.is the research is a little bit fuzzy. I think that we do a great job in terms of the protocol that the NFL has. Coaches aren’t pressuring players to get back, I think players feel their own type of pressure to be there for their teammates.” Perry had a long post on social media earlier this week announcing he was stepping away after suffering a sixth concussion in the opening days of training camp. Perry was a fourth-round pick of the Chargers in 2016. He signed with Seattle in June.
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Record-setting return specialist Devin Hester and running back Matt Forte will sign one-day contracts with the Chicago Bears and retire as members of the organization where they starred.
The team says they will make it official at a ceremony on Monday. Forte had already announced he would retire as a member of the Bears. Both players spent their first eight seasons in Chicago.
Forte's 9,796 yards rushing in 10 seasons with the Bears and New York Jets rank 33rd on the NFL's career list. He also had 554 receptions and 14,468 yards from scrimmage 鈥?most in the NFL in the past decade.
Hester holds the NFL record with 20 kick return touchdowns in 11 years with Chicago, Atlanta and Baltimore. He returned the opening kickoff of the Super Bowl 92 yards for a touchdown in 2007 against Indianapolis.
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WINNIPEG Joe Mixon Bengals Jersey , Manitoba — With a three-goal first period lead, there’s no doubt many members of the Nashville Predators were convinced it was just a matter of 40 minutes until they reclaimed home-ice advantage in their second-round playoff series against the Winnipeg Jets.
But then the unfathomable happened. And now, instead of preparing for Game 4 on Thursday with a 2-1 series lead, the Predators trail by that same margin and are in danger of facing elimination when they return home for Game 5 on Saturday.
After absolutely dominating the Jets in every facet of the game for the first 20 minutes, the Predators poked the bear with the pointiest of sticks and turned a three-goal cushion into a three-goal deficit.
Center Austin Watson caught Jets captain Blake Wheeler with a hit to the head early in the second period, knocking his helmet off, causing normally mild-mannered Mark Scheifele to wrestle him to the ground, negating what would have been a Winnipeg power play.
From that point on, the Jets were a different team, finishing hits, outskating and outshooting the Predators and recapturing the most elusive of intangibles — momentum.
Winnipeg center Paul Stastny got things going less than three minutes into the second period when defenseman Jacob Trouba’s shot from the point hit his skate and deflected past Pekka Rinne and the comeback was on. Within three more minutes, both Dustin Byfuglien and Trouba had bulged the twine behind arguably the NHL’s best goalie this season and Bell MTS Place, which just a few minutes earlier had resembled a morgue Tarik Cohen Bears Jersey , had been transformed into a madhouse.
When Byfuglien put the Jets ahead 4-3 with just 45 seconds remaining in the period, it was so loud that fans couldn’t hear their own voices inside their own heads. Even though Nashville tied things at 4-4 in the third, the Jets had the ice tilted in their favor and Wheeler scored two goals in the third, including the game-winner.
“I was mad at (Scheifele) at first because I thought we had a power play,” Wheeler told a media scrum. “It’s one of those things that you hate to see (Scheifele) go to the box with anyone. I’d rather have him on the ice. I’m okay, I can take that (hit). But I would do the same for him. That’s what teammates do for each other.”
Byfuglien, in addition to his usual physical dominance, has also been making an impact on the scoresheet with 10 points to lead all defensemen. In fact, he has as many goals — three — as the entire Predators’ defense this postseason. Nashville led the NHL in goals (56) and points (206) from their rear-guards during the regular season.
Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm acknowledged that Byfuglien, who weighs 265 pounds, has been a dominant force.
“In today’s game, it’s all about speed and it’s all about moving your feet,” he told The Tennessean. “He can still do that being a large human being Isaiah Wynn Patriots Jersey , so it’s impressive, for sure.”
Jets forward Mathieu Perreault, who has been out since the first round of the playoffs but has been skating in a full-contact jersey for a couple of days, has been cleared to play and is a possibility for Thursday.
The sluggish opening three months. The so-so finish. The only occasional attention to detail on defense. None of it matters anymore.The playoffs are here. The champs are, too.
Sidney Crosby and the Penguins provided proof in Pittsburgh’s 7-0 dismantling of the Philadelphia Flyers in the opening game of their first-round series Wednesday night.
Crosby performed more stick wizardry on his way to his third postseason hat trick, Evgeni Malkin added a highlight-reel goal of his own and the Penguins overwhelmed their seemingly overmatched cross-state rivals to begin their quest for a third straight Stanley Cup with a blowout that seemed to indicate the grudge match could be a mismatch.
Not that Pittsburgh’s captain wanted to buy into any sort of message sending, even after the Penguins became only the fifth team in NHL history to win a series opener by at least seven goals.
”I mean, it’s one game,” Crosby said. ”Whether it’s 7-0 or 1-0 or double overtime, it’s one game. A big part in the playoffs is to get better every game and to adjust, and that’s the way we have to look at it.”
That might be a frightening proposition for the rest of the NHL. It certainly is for the Flyers, who have lost all five meetings with Pittsburgh this season, giving up at least five goals each time. Nothing that happened during the regular season Rashaad Penny Jersey , however, compared to Wednesday night. The Penguins pumped five goals in the first 29:01 to chase goalie Brian Elliott, and the Flyers simply could not keep pace.
”It was one of the worst games I’ve been a part of,” Flyers forward Claude Giroux said.
Philadelphia coach Dave Hakstol mercifully pulled Elliott after Crosby swatted Brian Dumoulin’s point shot out of the air and knocked it by a stunned Elliott to put the Penguins up 5-0 just before the game’s midway point. Elliott stopped 14 of 19 shots before being replaced by Petr Mrazek. Mrazek made 12 saves, but Hakstol indicated he’s likely to go with Elliott again in Friday’s Game 2.
Whoever is in net for the Flyers, it won’t matter if the play in front of them isn’t better. Philadelphia’s power play went 0 for 4 and didn’t even generate a shot.
”They beat us from pretty much every aspect tonight, starting from the net out,” Elliott said. ”Everybody just has to be better.”
Jake Guentzel had a goal and three assists for Pittsburgh. Bryan Rust and Carl Hagelin also scored. Matt Murray stopped 24 shots for his third straight playoff shutout.
The Flyers stressed the need to stay out of the penalty box and put together three disciplined, competitive periods if they wanted to put an abrupt halt to Pittsburgh’s run at history. It didn’t happen. Not even close.
The Penguins jumped on Philadelphia early. Elliott stopped Kris Letang’s slap shot with his blocker only to see the long rebound go right to Rust, who ripped it over Elliott’s right shoulder to give the Penguins the lead 2:38 into the game.
Philadelphia’s best chance at staying in it came minutes later, but Scott Laughton whiffed on his first attempt from the doorstep and Murray made a sprawling glove save on Laughton’s second try to preserve Pittsburgh’s lead.
”If that goes in, it’s 1-1 and maybe we’re talking about a different result,” Crosby said.
Moments later Leonard Williams Jersey , Hagelin expertly redirected Patric Hornqvist’s shot past Elliott 10:07 into the game. Malkin drew a hooking penalty to negate a Pittsburgh power play, and when he emerged from the penalty box, he whizzed past three Flyers in one sequence, darting by Jakub Voracek, slipping past Giroux and then fending off Shayne Gostisbehere before flicking a backhand past Elliott to put the Penguins up 3-0 before the series was 15 minutes old.
All that before Crosby got involved.
The two-time MVP has a knack for scoring in unorthodox ways. He beat Montreal’s Carey Price with an intentional double-deflection and smacked a rebound out of air in overtime to top New Jersey within a span of eight days last month.
His first of the playoffs was just as impressive and provided the exclamation point on a night Pittsburgh looked every bit the threat to become the first team since the New York Islanders of the early 1980s to capture three straight Cups.
NOTES: Crosby’s hat trick tied Pittsburgh owner and Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux for the most postseason hat tricks in franchise history. … Murray hasn’t allowed a goal since Game 4 of the 2017 Stanley Cup finals, a span of 206:26. … The Penguins, who had the league’s top-ranked power play during the regular season, went 1 for 4 with the man advantage. … Pittsburgh C Derick Brassard, who missed time late in the regular season with a lower-body injury, had an assist in 13:44. … Injured Steelers LB Ryan Shazier, who is recovering from spine stabilization surgery and has already been ruled out for the 2018 season, stood up and led the sell-out crowd in a pre-game cheer.
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WASHINGTON — Bryce Harper made some strides at the plate Thursday night just as the Washington Nationals prepare to welcome the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies to town for a weekend series.
Moved back to the leadoff spot by manager Dave Martinez Aaron Rodgers Packers Jersey , Harper walked twice and had a sacrifice fly and a double in four plate appearances during a 4-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles. Harper doubled in the eighth inning of a tie game and came in on Juan Soto’s two-run double and the Nationals took two of three from the Orioles.
“I was able to see a lot of pitches tonight,” Harper told the Washington Times after the Nationals (40-33) improved to 9-1 with him in the leadoff spot.
Harper began the night hitting .133 (8-for-60) in June, with five walks and 23 strikeouts.
“My swing has felt great,” Harper told mlb.com. “I’ve felt great the past month and a half or so, just chasing pitches. Tonight, I tried to do the best I could to get a ball over the middle (of the plate), and I was able to do that.”
The 19-year-old Soto just continues to hit. Thursday night he went 1-for-3 with a walk in the cleanup spot and enters the weekend hitting .326 with six homers and 16 RBIs over 92 major-league at-bats.
“I think we’re all amazed every single day Isaiah Oliver Falcons Jersey ,” Washington starter Max Scherzer told mlb.com. “He’s a great young player. He’s just enjoying himself. He’s the bat we kind of need in our lineup right now, that’s hot. And teams are going to have to figure out how to get him out, because it’s tough right now.”
Friday night that task falls to Philadelphia right-hander Zach Eflin (4-2, 3.43 ERA). He has won three straight starts, allowing four runs over 18 2/3 innings while striking out 17 batters and walking just three after pitching five effective innings Saturday in Milwaukee.
Elfin will be making his first career start against Washington, which counters with right-hander Tanner Roark (3-7, 3.87).
Roark gave up four runs on eight hits over four innings of in an 8-6 loss at Toronto on Sunday.
On May 5 he lost to the Phillies in Washington when he allowed three runs in 6 1/3 innings. For his career Authentic Andy Dalton Jersey , he is 6-7 with a 3.98 ERA in 18 games (16 starts) versus the Phillies.
The Phillies (39-33) trail the second-place Nationals by one-half game in the NL East and trail the Braves by 3 1/3 games. Philadelphia has won seven of its last 10 games and has taken three straight series — against Colorado, at Milwaukee and against St. Louis — as it begins a 10-game stretch against the Nationals and Yankees.
“I think coming off this series, we anticipate a highly-competitive series against a good ballclub on the road, and it seems like we’re ready for that challenge,” Philadelphia right-hander Jake Arrieta told mlb.com.
Off on Thursday, the Phillies defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 4-3 on Wednesday.
Odubel Herrera hit what proved to be the game-winning home run in the seventh inning to go along with a single and a double.
“It was one of those ‘Wow’ moments,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler told the Courier Post. “He’s so hot Jim Kelly Jersey , but he’s such an incredible athlete. It’s really elite barrel accuracy. I don’t know how to describe it. He just knows how to find the barrel, find the sweet spot.”
Herrera is hitting .419 (13-for-31) with two doubles, five home runs, eight RBIs in the past seven games. He is 13-for-31 (.419) versus Roark.
Patrick Roy has returned to the Quebec Remparts as coach and general manager.The Hall of Fame goalie signed a two-year contract Thursday with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team. The 52-year-old Roy previously acted as part-owner, coach and GM of the Remparts from 2005-2013, winning a Memorial Cup in 2006.
”The Remparts have always been my passion,” he said.
Roy left the Remparts in 2013 for a three-year stint as coach and vice president of hockey operations for the Colorado Avalanche Marcedes Lewis Packers Jersey , during which he won the Jack Adams Trophy as NHL coach of the year in 2014.
The Quebec City native has not closed the door on an eventual return to the NHL, but said he hasn’t received any offers since his abrupt departure from Colorado, where he felt he was being shut out of hockey decisions.
Roy returns to a team that has moved out of the Quebec Colisee into the 18,259-seat Videotron Centre and which is now owned by media company Quebecor. Quebecor President and CEO Pierre-Karl Peladeau attended the news conference with Roy, Quebecor-Sports head Martin Tremblay and Remparts President Jacques Tanguay.
”Coming back to run the Remparts is like a gift to myself,” Roy said. ”I lived through some very good years behind the bench. I consider it a privilege to come back to my city to coach this team.”
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How soon that happens remains an open question.
”It can be frustrating because we’re a society that wants a quick change and we want it right now Brian Urlacher Bears Jersey ,” Joerger said after the final game of his second season in Sacramento. ”It just takes time together to get that chemistry. We all want it to happen as fast as possible and we’re doing everything we can for that.”
The Kings took a step back in the standings this season, winning five fewer games on the way to a 27-55 record that left them out of the playoffs for the 12th straight season, the longest active drought in the NBA.
But with most of Sacramento’s key players age 25 or younger, there might be some reason for optimism for a franchise that seems to be in perpetual rebuilding mode.
”They’ve seen enough to know how to react now,” veteran Vince Carter said. ”They have a legitimate chance to contend. The challenge now is learning how to sustain leads. That’s the next part.”
The Kings are looking to build a pair of rookie guards in last year’s first-round pick De’Aaron Fox and European import Bogdan Bogdanovic. Each showed good flashes at times throughout the season and improved as they got more responsibility when Joerger turned things over to the youth movement.
”Just be ready to take on a load,” Fox said about his next step. ”I came off the bench, was able to feel out games and it just kind of molded me into a starting point guard. Next year, I just have to be more efficient, just elevate my game.”
Guards Buddy Hield and Frank Mason III Walter Payton Bears Jersey , swingman Justin Jackson and big men Willie Cauley-Stein and Skal Labissiere also got significant playing time as the Kings try to finding building blocks to turn the franchise around.
Sacramento went 9-12 after the start of March in what the team hopes is a good sign for the future.
Here are some other takeaways from the season and the upcoming offseason:
BIG DRAFT
Sacramento enters the draft with the sixth-best chance at winning the top pick. This will be a key draft for the Kings, who don’t have a first-round pick in 2019 because of previous deals. With top free agents hesitant to sign with a struggling franchise, Sacramento needs to find impact players in the draft in order to rebuild.
WAITING FOR GILES
The Kings have high hopes for forward Harry Giles, who sat out his rookie season rehabbing a knee injury. Sacramento acquired Giles in a draft day deal but held him out of games all year in order to strengthen his knee. Giles was one of the top recruits coming out of high school before injuring his knee as a senior. He played one year at Duke, starting just six games, but has impressed Kings officials in workouts this season.
PROTESTS
The most notable part of another losing season in Sacramento surrounded the protests of a police shooting and the Kings’ reaction to it. Protesters kept most fans from entering the arena for two games following the March 18 fatal shooting by police of Stephon Clark, a 22-year-old unarmed black man. Kings players and owners supported the protesters and partnered with local groups to create a multiyear partnership that supports education, workforce preparation and economic development efforts in the community.
ONE MORE YEAR
Carter plans to come back for one more season, whether it’s in Sacramento or somewhere else. Carter Adidas Evander Kane Jersey , who turns 42 next January, is eligible to become a free agent this summer and wants to play a 21st season in the NBA. Carter averaged 5.4 points and 2.6 rebounds per game in his one season with the Kings.
”Every day I want to be here, I want to play this game,” Carter said. ”I enjoy this league and I enjoy this game so much. I want to be able to play and be able to compete with younger guys.”
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Former Louisville coach Rick Pitino believes the school should take legal action against the NCAA after the governing body nullified the Cardinals of the 2013 men’s basketball title.
Pitino, speaking from his attorney’s offices, said that the NCAA’s decision to have Louisville vacate the title as part of sanctions for a sex scandal was unfair.
The sex scandal occurred during Pitino’s coaching tenure, though the Hall of Fame coach once again reiterated that he didn’t know about the sex shows. Pitino did take responsibility for the people he hired as assistant coaches – including Andre McGee. It was McGee who an escort said hired her and other dancers for sex parties on campus with players and recruits that led to the NCAA investigation.
As for taking legal action himself, Pitino said he was defenseless in this situation, but he is suing Louisville for his dismissal. He was not fired after the sex scandal Billy Price Jersey , but Louisville let him go in October after the school acknowledged the university was being investigated as part of a federal college corruption case.
That case is unrelated to the NCAA’s investigation of the sex scandal.
NBA
DALLAS (AP) – The NBA fined outspoken Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban $600,000 on Wednesday for comments about tanking during a podcast with Hall of Famer Julius Erving.
Commissioner Adam Silver said the fine was for ”public statements detrimental to the NBA.” The league said the podcast with Erving was posted Sunday, the day the All-Star game was played in Los Angeles.
Cuban said during the 30-minute interview that he met recently with some of his players and told them ”losing is our best option.” Cuban was trying to illustrate to Erving how he believes he is a transparent owner.
After trading veteran guard Devin Harris to Denver at the deadline this season, Dallas (18-40) is tied for the fewest wins in the NBA and among seven teams with 18 or 19 victories at the All-Star break.
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Dirk Nowitzki said he was ”disgusted” to read about allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct by former team president Terdema Ussery in a Sports Illustrated report that described a hostile workplace for women.
The 20-year player who has spent his entire career with the Mavericks told reporters after the first post-All-Star break practice in Los Angeles that he was glad the franchise was addressing the situation by hiring outside counsel to investigate the allegations.
Ussery was accused of making sexually suggestive remarks to several women. He spent 18 years with the team before going to the sports apparel company Under Armour in 2015. Ussery, who was investigated by the team over similar claims in 1998, denied the allegations in a statement to SI.
NHL
LAS VEGAS (AP) – Another game, another record for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Alex Tuch scored the tiebreaking goal in the second period and Vegas pulled away for a 7-3 victory over the Calgary Flames. The win moved the Golden Knights back atop the NHL standings with 84 points – a record for an expansion team in its inaugural season – one point ahead of Eastern Conference-leading Tampa Bay.
Vegas improved to 23-4-2 at home to also set the record for home wins by a team in its inaugural season. It topped the previous mark set by the Gordie Howe-lead 1979-80 Whalers (22-12-6).
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) – The Arizona Coyotes acquired goalie Darcy Kuemper from the Los Angeles Kings for forward Tobias Rieder and goalie Scott Wedgewood.
The 27-year-old Kuemper was 10-1-3 with a 2.10 goals-against average in 19 games for the Kings this season. He’s 51-35-17 with a 2.52 GAA in 104 career games with Minnesota and Los Angeles.
The 6-foot-5 Kuemper will join No. 1 goalie Antti Raanta as the netminding pair for the Coyotes.
Kuemper and the Coyotes were finalizing a contract extension Wednesday night. He said he is excited to be part of the growth of an Arizona franchise with a lot of young players.
The 25-year-old Rieder, from Germany Tyron Smith Jersey Womens , had eight goals and 11 assists in 58 games for Arizona this season. He has 51 goals and 60 assists in 292 career games, all with the Coyotes.
Wedgewood was 5-9-4 with a 3.45 GAA in 20 games this season for Arizona. The 25-year-old goalie appeared in four games for New Jersey in 2015-16.
NFL
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – Marty Hurney will be calling the shots once again with the Carolina Panthers.
Carolina re-hired Hurney as its general manager, marking his second full-time stint as general manager. Hurney previously worked for the Panthers from 1998-2012, beginning as GM in 2002. He rejoined the Panthers last July as on an interim basis.
Panthers COO Tina Becker said Hurney did an ”exceptional” job in helping the Panthers to an 11-5 season last year.
The Panthers reinstated Hurney as interim general manager last week after an NFL investigation found no wrongdoing into charges of harassment by his ex-wife. Hurney had been on a paid leave of absence during the investigation and had disputed all accusations through his attorney.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have hired former NFL player Brentson Buckner as defensive line coach.
Buckner spent the past five seasons as defensive line coach for the Arizona Cardinals. They had 203 sacks during his tenure – tied for the seventh-most in the NFL.
The Bucs were last in the league with 22 sacks in 2017.
Buckner was a second-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1994. He also played for the Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers and Carolina Panthers during a 12-year career.
The Bucs also announced .
”I don’t consider myself as a European coach,” he said. ”I’m an NBA coach.”
Kokoskov, 46, just finished his 18th season as an NBA assistant coach. He’s been with six different teams. Some played slow. Some played fast. He has been on the staffs of seven squads to reach the conference finals. This game is not new to him.
”As a coach, I’m not spoiled,” he said. ”I think your job is to build and create from what you have in front of you. I’m the kind of guy who loves my team. I love my guys and they can feel it.”
Kokoskov was named head coach of the Suns last week but, as an assistant with the Utah Jazz, he had to finish his work in the playoff series against the Houston Rockets before turning his attention to the desert.
He was an assistant with the Suns from 2008 to 2013 and became a U.S. citizen during a ceremony on the court at Phoenix’s Talking Stick Resort Arena.
”We really, as a family, the Family Kokoskov, consider Phoenix as a home base Derick Brassard Penguins Jersey ,” he said. ”This is always home base.”
Although he certainly has paid the traditional dues as an NBA assistant, he knows he’ll also have the label ”foreign coach.”
Kokoskov praised the ”courage” of Suns owner Robert Sarver and the team’s management to hire a ”rookie coach, international coach, foreign coach.”
”I kind of carry some responsibilities because, if this fails, then American media and the public are going to say, `See, they can’t coach. We’ve got to stick with our guys,”’ Kokoskov said.
But any ultimate judgment, he said, will come from what happens on the court.
”It’s all about winning Adidas Derick Brassard Jersey ,” Kokoskov said. ”It doesn’t really matter if you’re an international or American coach. All that matters is can you get it done and can you coach?”
He inherits a team that went 21-61, worst in the NBA and second-worst in franchise history. The Suns haven’t made the playoffs in eight seasons but do have the most ping pong balls in Tuesday night’s lottery to determine what team gets the No. 1 overall pick,
Still, Kokoskov said the Suns have ”a good solid foundation.”
”With a couple of guys maybe we’re going to add, obviously we are expecting a lot from the upcoming draft and free agency,” he said. ”That is something that we have a long summer to discuss, to talk, but the foundation is there.”
Kokoskov, who coached Slovenia to the EuroBasket 2017 championship, said he’s not wedded to any particular style of play, that it will depend on the talent at hand. When he was with the Suns Zack Martin Jersey Womens , there was Steve Nash and it was a fast pace.
”I was fortunate to be part of a winning team and be part of the team with Steve Nash and Grant Hill and the rest of the guys,” he said, ”being part of the staff with Alvin Gentry.”
Kokoskov was there when the Suns advanced to the Western Conference Finals in 2010.
But the years have not been kind to the once-vibrant franchise since Nash’s departure.
General manager Ryan McDonough has said the time is now to inject some more experienced talent into the current mix of youngsters, who are led by burgeoning star Devin Booker.
Kokoskov gets the task of trying to fulfill that ambition.
The team, he said, needs to be playing on television in June, and he wasn’t talking about its perennial appearance in the draft lottery.
”I think the city of Phoenix deserves that,” Kokoskov said. ”I think the fans that love basketball deserve that and we’ll do our best to bring this organization and team into that path. We want to be in June on TV.”
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