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Demaryius Thomas' trade from the Denver Broncos to the Houston Texans wasn't so much a good-bye as a see-you-later.As in Sunday Cheap Adam Thielen Jersey , when the Texans (5-3) visit the Broncos (3-5)."I thought about it, yeah," general manager John Elway said Tuesday. "But, ultimately, we had to look past that and (we) thought that it wouldn't affect our game."So, Elway sent his big wide receiver to the Texans for a 2019 fourth-round draft pick. The clubs also swapped seventh-rounders in next year's draft.Thomas, a ninth-year veteran who was first or second on most of Denver's receiving records, has 36 catches for 402 yards this season.Despite averaging a career-low 11.2 yards per catch, Thomas' three TDs were tied with Emmanuel Sanders for the team lead and gave him 66 for his career, including the playoffs."We were not hell-bent on trading Demaryius," Elway said, explaining he was swayed to make the move by the package of picks and the rise of rookies Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton along with that of second-year pro Tim Patrick , who caught his first career TD pass last week."It's never easy when you trade a guy that's been a household name around here for a long time and done a lot of great things, not only on the football field but also in the community, and is a good man," Elway said."Plus http://www.vikingscheapshops.com/cheap-authentic-trae-waynes-jersey , it's a good spot for Demaryius. He's going to a good football team that's in a pennant race. So, it'll be good for him, too."The AFC South-leading Texans, who beat out "three or four other teams," for Thomas' services, according to Elway, found themselves thin at wide receiver when they lost Will Fuller for the season to a torn knee ligament last week and have had trouble keeping rookie Keke Coutee (hamstrings) on the field.In a conference call with Denver media on Tuesday, Texans coach Bill O'Brien said he's followed Thomas since the 6-foot-3, 230-pound receiver was at Georgia Tech before the Broncos selected him in the first round in 2010."He has excellent athletic skills, great hands, very smooth route runner," O'Brien said. "He's a tough guy to defend."And now it's the Broncos who will have to defend him.Thomas has a salary cap figure of $15.53 million for 2019, the last year of his deal, and with the emergence of Sutton as a big-play threat, Elway felt it was time to get something for Thomas, who was unlikely to return next season anyway.Sutton is a younger Cheap Mike Hughes Jersey , rawer version of Thomas, a thick receiver who is adept at pulling down 50-50 passes who will now start alongside Sanders."Hopefully this accelerates his maturity," Elway said of Sutton, a second-round pick from SMU.Elway said this isn't evidence the Broncos, losers of five out of six, are giving up on the season, either."When you lose a guy like Demaryius, we're going to lose a little bit. But I think where we can make it up is the youth and the young guys and getting them experience as this year continues," Elway said.Elway said it was difficult calling Thomas into his office to trade him."It's an end for him and us, but as I told him, he'll always be a Bronco," Elway said. "It ends his career here but not his career in the NFL. And know that look at it as eventually the Broncos will be reunited with Demaryius."So that he can be inducted into the team's Ring of Fame.Josh McDaniels' first draft pick, Thomas has amassed 66 touchdown passes in 135 games, counting playoffs. He's served as a captain and was a durable, consistent go-to receiver for quarterbacks Tim Tebow, Kyle Orton Cheap Dalvin Cook Jersey , Peyton Manning, Brock Osweiler, Trevor Siemian and, this year, Case Keenum.Thomas' 36 100-yard games are the most in Broncos history and his 60 TDs in the regular season and 9,055 yards are second only to Rod Smith.A five-time Pro Bowler, Thomas' career is a lengthy highlight reel.He caught Manning's 509th and 510th touchdown throws that tied and broke Brett Favre's all-time record in 2014, and appeared in two Super Bowls with Manning, setting a Super Bowl record with 13 catches for 118 yards and a TD against Seattle.Two years later, he won a championship at Super Bowl 50 with his mother in attendance. She had just been released from a federal penitentiary after then-President Barack Obama commuted her drug sentence that had taken her away from her son when he was a young teenager.For many, Thomas' top moment was his 80-yard touchdown catch from Tebow on the first play of overtime that gave Denver a stunning 29-23 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in an AFC wild-card playoff game on Jan. 8, 2012."He made so many big plays," Elway said. "Obviously the Pittsburgh one is the one that stands out that we all remember. But he's a guy that was very productive and consistent for a long time and was healthy most of the time, too. So, a guy that we could rely on."And one they'll see again very soon. The New York Jets' secondary will be short-handed against Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings.Cornerback Buster Skrine and safety Marcus Maye are out for the game Sunday, and cornerback Trumaine Johnson is doubtful to play.Skrine has a concussion that has caused him to miss most of the last two games. Maye is dealing with a broken right thumb. Meanwhile Matt Wile Jersey , Johnson 鈥?the Jets' top free-agent signing 鈥?will likely miss his third straight game with a quadriceps injury.The Jets will have to face a Vikings offense that includes wide receiver Adam Thielen, who leads the NFL with 58 receptions and 712 yards receiving. Stefon Diggs has 40 catches for 435 yards, so coach Todd Bowles will have to get creative with his defensive backs."Well, we've got a bunch of guys to play with," Bowles said.Darryl Roberts, who has started the past two games, will see plenty of time again. So will rookie Parry Nickerson, who has filled in at Skrine's slot spot, and Rashard Robinson and Juston Burris.New York could also be short-handed at wide receiver, with Quincy Enunwa having been previously ruled out with a sprained ankle and Terrelle Pryor doubtful with a groin injury.Bowles said "it's possible" the Jets could sign a receiver Friday or Saturday, or promote Deontay Burnett 鈥?a former teammate of quarterback Sam Darnold at USC 鈥?from the practice squad.Linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis (foot) is doubtful, and running back Isaiah Crowell (foot) is questionable.
Newsome signed a five-year extension in 2014 with the understanding that he surrenders the post to assistant GM Eric DeCosta at the end of the contract J.T. Miller Jersey , Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said Friday.
”Ozzie will step down as GM and has assured me that he’s not going anywhere,” Bisciotti said. ”He will work with me and work with Eric for a smooth transition and he’ll be the highest paid scout in America when Eric takes over next year.”
Newsome, 61, has been in charge of filling out the roster since the Ravens arrived in Baltimore in 1996. His first two draft picks were Jonathan Ogden – who became a Hall of Fame offensive lineman – and Ray Lewis, who is expected to enter the Hall this year.
Newsome is also a member of the Hall of Fame. Following his standout career as a tight end with the Cleveland Browns, Newsome made the transition to the front office under former Ravens owner Art Modell. With Newsome leading the way, Baltimore won two Super Bowls and reached the postseason five straight years from 2008-12.
DeCosta, 46, joined the Ravens at an entry-level position in 1996 and was schooled by Newsome. Since becoming assistant general manager in 2012, DeCosta spurned numerous job offers from other teams with the assumption, then assurance Jake Dotchin Jersey , that he would inherit Newsome’s job.
”I think he has learned from Ozzie. I think he’s a great leader of the scouts,” Bisciotti said of DeCosta. ”It’s Ozzie’s department, but most of the interaction with all the scouts is with Eric. I’ve seen the way he goes about the business, I’ve seen the way he’s embraced technology and analytics, and I like working with him.”
Bisciotti said of the impending switch from Newsome to DeCosta: ”It’s time. There are people that are running other franchises that got the jobs because Eric wouldn’t take it. This year it was the Packers.”
Bisciotti spoke for nearly an hour in his annual postseason session with the media. He fielded questions on a wide variety of topics – beginning with his decision to retain coach John Harbaugh after Baltimore missed the playoffs for a third straight season.
Firing Harbaugh ”was certainly a consideration, but not one that I was inclined to make this year,” the owner said.
Asked if he would fire Harbaugh if the Ravens fail to reach the postseason in 2018, Bisciotti replied, ”I’m not going to give a `playoff or bust’ edict to you all or my coach. He’s under (more) pressure probably than he’s ever been in in his life, and I expect him to … make the most of this season. I may as well replace him now if I’m going to tell him, `Make the playoffs or you’re out of town next year.’ That’s not the way to run a business.”
Though the Ravens have gone 5-11 Authentic Louis Domingue Jersey , 8-8 and 9-7 over the last three years, Bisciotti noted that things would have been different were it not for a last-minute loss in Pittsburgh in 2016 and a stunning defeat at home in the finale against Cincinnati this season.
He also cited quarterback Joe Flacco’s slow recovery from an ailing back as a determining factor in 2017.
”We’re literally looking at a few moments of time that went against us,” Bisciotti said. ”We’re not talking about 4-12 seasons here. We’re talking about a franchise quarterback that had a herniated disk and was not healthy for the first half of the year. There’s a couple games that we should have won, that if we did, we might have been resting our starters against Cincinnati. That’s our goal next year.”
Bisciotti hopes that an improved team will draw more fans to home games in 2018. The Ravens sold out every game, but often performed before thousands of empty seats.
”Am I disappointed in it? Yeah. Concerned? Yes,” he said. ”The no-shows are a way of telling us our fans aren’t pleased. We’ve got to win, and I hope that solves a majority of the problems.”
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Together again? Not so much.
Janet Jackson has shut down any rumors that she will be joining Justin Timberlake during this year’s Super Bowl halftime show.
”To put to rest any speculation or rumors as to whether I will be performing at the Super Bowl tomorrow; I will not,” Jackson said in a statement released Saturday. ”Thank you for your support and I do look forward to seeing you all very soon.”
Timberlake is returning to the halftime show 14 years after a wardrobe malfunction with Jackson caused a national controversy. Timberlake was Jackson’s special guest during her performance at that year’s game and ripped off a piece of her clothing, revealing her nipple. Timberlake later described it as an unintended ”wardrobe malfunction.”
CBS, which aired that Super Bowl http://www.officiallightningprostore.com/authentic-adidas-mikhail-sergachev-jersey , was fined $550,000 by the Federal Communications Commission, but the fine later was overturned.
The hashtags (hash)JusticeforJanet and (hash)JanetJacksonAppreciationDay became trending topics on Twitter days before Timberlake’s record third trip to the stage at the Super Bowl, at which the Philadelphia Eagles will face the New England Patriots at the U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday.
At a press conference on Thursday, Timberlake mentioned Jackson’s name, along with Jay-Z and ‘NSync, when talking about rumored guests to join him onstage. He was not asked any direct questions about Jackson or the infamous wardrobe malfunction.
When the NFL announced late last year that Timberlake would be returning to the Super Bowl, the decision triggered a backlash from women, minorities and others who felt Jackson was unfairly forced to pay a far higher price than Timberlake faced. Some argued that Jackson, as a black woman, fell victim to a racist and sexist double standard and received harsher treatment than Timberlake Bart Starr Jersey , as a white man, did, and they said he benefited from ”white male privilege.”
When asked during an interview last month if he and Jackson have since made peace, Timberlake said, ”Absolutely.”
He said he and Jackson have talked privately about what happened.
”I don’t know that a lot of people know that,” Timberlake said. ”I mean, I don’t think it’s my job to do that, because you value the relationships that you do have with people.”
Video cameras in the locker room recorded his awkward moves for millions of viewers Womens Brayden Point Jersey , but the team’s longtime owner will be happy to lead a giant dance party if the Eagles beat the New England Patriots on Sunday to capture the first Super Bowl title in franchise history.
”This is the most passionate fan base in the NFL, if not in sports,” Lurie said. ”They care so much, they’re our partners, and we just want to win so badly for them.”
The 66-year-old Lurie grew up a passionate Boston sports fan. He even tried to buy the Patriots in 1993 but was outbid by Robert Kraft. So the former movie producer paid $195 million for the Eagles in 1994. Lurie vowed to win multiple championships for a city that hasn’t celebrated an NFL title since 1960.
He’s still waiting for No. 1. Nothing else matters this week.
”We’re here to win a football game,” Lurie said. ”That’s the bottom line. That’s why we’re here. I’m laser-focused on this football game and winning the Super Bowl. That is the only objective.”
While Kraft is known as a power broker in the NFL, Lurie is more of a behind-the-scenes guy who also has plenty of influence. He serves on numerous league committees, including the Finance Committee, Broadcast Committee, International Committee and the Super Bowl Advisory Committee.
”Jeffrey is a soft voice,” team president Don Smolenski said. ”He doesn’t seek to grab the microphone at every opportunity but when he does stand up, what he says is very thoughtful Braydon Coburn Jersey , very thought-provoking. It’s very respectful and the other owners listen to what he has to say.
”He’s very quietly influential because he doesn’t seek the spotlight and he doesn’t try to be out front but when he speaks, the fellow owners listen and I often see it after the fact when they approach him at a break and talk to him afterward.”
Smolenski and executive vice president Howie Roseman praised the way Lurie gets involved in personnel decisions without meddling.
”He allows us to do what he hired us to do but he also finds a way to push us to do our best, be our best,” Smolenski said.
”He likes to ask a lot of questions. He wants to understand the thought process. He wants to understand the reasoning behind (decisions). He’s always supportive but he’s looking to make sure we evaluated situations from all angles. He has fondness for chess.
”In the game of chess, you have to look at four, five, six moves down the road. So his line of questioning is often around that. We’re very fortunate to work with an owner like that.”
Roseman points to an example that’s played a big role in helping Philadelphia reach this point. When the team wanted to spend $12 million to sign backup quarterback Nick Foles, Lurie gave his blessing.
Foles was spectacular in the NFC championship game against Minnesota and is 4-0 in the four games he’s started that have mattered since Carson Wentz tore his ACL.
The Eagles released backup Chase Daniel last spring despite owing him $5 million and gave Foles a contract that included $7 million in guarantees.
The cap hit for Daniel and Sam Bradford, who was traded to Minnesota in September 2016, totaled $12.5 million this season. For Wentz and Foles, the combined hit was $7.66 million.
”Jeffrey is incredibly smart,” Roseman said. ”He asks the questions. That doesn’t mean he’s going to overrule it Youth Chris Kunitz Jersey , but he’s going to ask about the line of thinking and it challenges you to be better and all of us need that guidance and leadership.”
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AP NFL website:
A look at what’s happening around the majors Thursday:
CLUTCH CITY
Alex Bregman is red-hot at the plate as the Astros travel to Tampa Bay for a four-game series, and he’s been especially good late in games. Bregman has homered in three straight, including a game-ending two-run shot Wednesday to cap Houston’s rally from five runs down against Toronto. That was the second walk-off hit this month for Bregman, who also had a game-ending single in Game 5 of last year’s World Series. Bregman is 9 for 17 with three homers and five doubles since shaving his mustache midway through a game Sunday.
TAKE TWO
Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw looks to sharpen his stuff against the Cubs in his second start since ending a DL stint for a lower back strain. Kershaw stumbled through three innings against the Mets last Saturday after surprisingly nixing a scheduled minor league rehab assignment, though Los Angeles beat New York 8-3 that day behind stellar relief work from rookie Caleb Ferguson. The 21-year-old left-hander is set to follow Kershaw again against Chicago. Kershaw acknowledged feeling some rust at Citi Field, when he was limited to 55 pitches. He’s hoping to go deeper and pitch more effectively this time at Dodger Stadium.
BOSIO FIRED
The Tigers fired pitching coach Chris Bosio on Wednesday, saying he made insensitive comments to another employee of the team. General manager Al Avila said Bosio made the comments recently and they were brought to Avila’s attention Tuesday. Avila decided Wednesday to terminate Bosio’s contract after the team investigated the situation and spoke to all of the people involved. Detroit promoted bullpen coach Rick Anderson to replace Bosio. Roving pitching instructor A.J. Sager will be the team’s bullpen coach until Triple-A Toledo pitching coach Jeff Pico takes his place next week. The Tigers are set to wrap a four-game series against Oakland.
ANOTHER SHOT AT NOLA
The Nationals try to solve the Phillies’ Aaron Nola five days after the right-hander won a 5-3 decision in Washington. Nola (9-2, 2.58) allowed two runs, four hits and three walks over six innings while striking out five in that game. Nola is fifth in the NL in ERA, and only Mets ace Jacob deGrom has allowed fewer home runs per nine innings than Nola (0.53) among qualified NL starters.
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The Panthers had a first down on the Saints 26-yard line with 58 seconds left, but heavy pressure by All-Pro defensive end Cameron Jordan a couple plays later induced an intentional grounding penalty on Carolina quarterback Cam Newton, making it third-and-25 on the Saints 34 and a required 10-second runoff left 22 seconds on the clock.
After an incompletion in the end zone on third down, Vonn Bell sacked Newton on a safety blitz, ensuring the Saints (12-5) swept all three meetings with Carolina (11-6) this season, in addition to winning their first playoff game in four seasons.
Brees’ touchdowns went for 80-yards to Ted Ginn and 9 yards to tight end Josh Hill. Fullback Zach line and running back Alvin Kamara each ran for short touchdowns.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) – Blake Bortles put together one decent drive all day, doing as much with his legs as his arm, and the defensive-minded Jacksonville Jaguars eked out an ugly and sometimes unwatchable 10-3 victory against the Buffalo Bills in an AFC wild-card game Sunday.
In the postseason for the first time since January 2008, the third-seeded Jaguars (11-6) advanced to play at No. 2 seed Pittsburgh next week.
The sixth-seeded Bills (9-8) will head home after ending the longest, current playoff drought in North American professional sports.
Bortles was a big reason Jacksonville won the game and a big reason it was so close. This was far from a passing clinic. It was more like a painful exercise in overcoming poor passing.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Marcus Mariota led Tennessee to three second-half touchdowns, incredibly throwing one of his TD passes to himself , and the Titans rallied from a 21-3 deficit to beat the Kansas City Chiefs 22-21 on Saturday for their first playoff win in 14 years.
Mariota threw for 205 yards and two scores, including the 22-yard go-ahead strike to Eric Decker with just over six minutes left that ushered the Titans into the divisional round of the playoffs.
They’ll head to New England or Pittsburgh next week.
Derrick Henry had a career-high 156 yards rushing and another score for Tennessee (10-7), while a defense that was fileted by Alex Smith and the Chiefs (10-7) during the first half pitched a shutout in the second half – dooming the Kansas City franchise to another humiliating postseason defeat.
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons showed the upstart Los Angeles Rams what playoff poise is all about.
Ryan passed for 218 yards and hit Julio Jones for an 8-yard touchdown with 5:48 to play Andrei Vasilevskiy Jersey , and the defending NFC champion Falcons advanced from the wild-card round with a methodical 26-13 victory over the Rams on Saturday night.
Devonta Freeman rushed for an early score and Matt Bryant kicked four field goals for the Falcons (11-6), who spoiled the Rams’ first playoff game in 13 years while showing off the postseason poise they earned from last season’s journey to the Super Bowl.
Atlanta never trailed at the Coliseum while winning playoff games in consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history.
The Falcons advanced to face the top-seeded Eagles on Saturday in Philadelphia.
NBA
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Brandon Ingram had 20 points and seven assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers snapped a nine-game losing streak with a 132-113 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night.
Julius Randle had 15 points and nine rebounds in this sixth straight start, while Lonzo Ball finished with 13 points, 10 assists and six rebounds.
Los Angeles led by as many as 26 points – its biggest margin this season – and enjoyed a strong shooting night. The Lakers made 55.8 percent of their field goals, and shot 44.4 percent from 3-point range. Even free throws went in for the Lakers, who came into Sunday as the worst team in the league in that category. Los Angeles made 20 of 25.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Keita Bates-Diop scored a career-high 32 points, and Ohio State stunned No. 1 Michigan State 80-64 on Sunday.
The overachieving Buckeyes put together an electrifying 12-0 run to finish the first half and kept their foot on the gas to give first-year coach Chris Holtmann a signature win.
Ohio State (13-4, 4-0 Big Ten) won for its third straight in taking down the best team it is likely to see this season. The mistake-prone Spartans (15-2, 3-1) lost for the first time in the last 15 games, dating back to a seven-point loss to then-No. 1 Duke on Nov. 14.
GOLF
KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) – A new year brought out the best in Dustin Johnson, who powered his way to an 8-under 65 and an eight-shot victory in the Sentry Tournament of Champions.
In a field that featured the top five players in the world, Johnson made a strong opening statement that a No. 1 ranking he has held for nearly a year might be difficult to take away.
Johnson stretched a two-shot lead to six shots at the turn, then delivered the biggest moment of the week with a drive on the par-4 12th hole that stopped 6 inches from the cup for a tap-in eagle. He also drove the par-4 14th hole.
He finished at 24-under 268. The eight-shot margin of victory was his largest ever Anton Stralman Jersey , and it was one short of the tournament record set by David Duval since this event moved to Kapalua in 1999. Jordan Spieth also won by eight shots in 2016.
The Milwaukee Brewers placed left-hander Brent Suter on the 10-day disabled list Friday with forearm tightness.Suter first reported the problem after his last start, when he gave up five runs over five innings against the Twins. He informed the team’s medical staff immediately but when a few days passed and the situation didn’t improve, the decision was made to put Suter on the shelf for at least one start.
”We tried our best to get it out of there,” Suter said. ”I saw the doc yesterday and he said there’s a strain so we’ve just got to be cautious with it.”
Brewers manager Craig Counsell acknowledged that forearm strains are often a red flag type of injury; a precursor to something more series. But he was confident that in Suter’s case, the situation was caught early enough that a bigger problem can be avoided.
”It’s a minor injury,” Counsell said. ”I think you’re always cautious when a pitcher has a forearm injury. At this point it’s a minor injury, but it’s important we don’t let it become something big. So that’s why we put him on the DL.
”Minor injuries happen. You want to make sure it stays a minor injury. There’s no timetable to it. We’ve got to get him pain-free.”
After bouncing back and forth between Triple-A Colorado Springs and Milwaukee last season, Suter earned a spot in the starting rotation out of spring camp and after a bit of a bumpy start, has been one of the Brewers’ most consistent starters. He’s 8-5 with a 4.53 ERA in 18 appearances this season, including two in relief, and had gone 7-2 with a 3.60 ERA in a nine-outing stretch before allowing nine runs over his last two outings.
”I was trying my best not to miss a start all year,” Suter said. ”That was my No. 1 goal coming into the season, so it’s disappointing that way. But I’ve got to listen to the docs. They know what they’re talking about.”
Suter was slated to start Saturday when the Brewers continued their four-game series with the Braves at Miller Park. Instead, right-hander Aaron Wilkerson will get the nod. The 29-year-old is 2-2 with a 2.08 in eight appearances (seven starts) for Colorado Springs this season and pitched three innings of relief for the Brewers last weekend during a loss to the Reds in Cincinnati.
”He’s on line and he’s ready to go,” Counsell said.
”Steve’s personality is as an aggressive guy,” his ex-boss, Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera, said.
Wilks, 48, spent last season as defensive coordinator of the Panthers after five seasons as the team’s secondary coach. He’s been an NFL assistant for 12 years.
Wilks replaces the colorful and outspoken Bruce Arians, who retired after five seasons and compiled a franchise-record 50 victories.
With the hiring of Wilks, all three major football programs in the state have African-American coaches – Wilks, Herm Edwards at Arizona State and Kevin Sumlin at Arizona. Wilks is the Cardinals’ second African-American coach (Dennis Green was the first) and the only minority candidate to get an NFL head coaching job this hiring cycle.
The Cardinals were 8-8 last season despite a myriad of significant injuries and closed out Arians’ career with a win in Seattle.
”This is not really a rebuild, this is a retool,” Wilks told azcardinals.com. ”We have the culture of winning here. We just have to be able to sustain it. It’s all about trying to get to the next level and the consistency you need to get to the next level.”
Patrick Peterson, perennial Pro Bowl cornerback and a leader of the Arizona defense, tweeted simply ”I LOVE IT.”
Azcardinals.com released a brief video of Wilks talking to Arizona fans.
”I’d like to introduce myself to the `Bird Gang,”’ he said. ”This is your head coach Steve Wilks. I’m so excited about building something great here. It’s all about trying to create a commitment to excellence and I can’t wait to see you guys at the Red Sea.”
Wilks was in Arizona for a second interview last week and was interviewed for the Tennessee job, which went to Mike Vrabel. Wilks also coached for 11 years at the collegiate level, including a one-year stint as head coach at Savannah State in 1999.
The Cardinals planned to introduce Wilks as coach at a news conference Tuesday at team headquarters.
Wilks played defensive back at Appalachian State Kyle Brodziak Jersey , attended the Seattle Seahawks training camp and played for the Charlotte Rage of the Arena Football League.
He worked his way up through the college assistant coaching ranks with stops at Johnson C. Smith in Charlotte, Savannah State, Illinois State, Appalachian State, East Tennessee State, Bowling Green, Notre Dame and Washington.
Wilks’ first NFL job was as defensive backs coach of the Chicago Bears. He held a similar job with the San Diego Chargers for three seasons before joining the Panthers staff.
Under Wilks this season, the Panthers ranked seventh in total defense.
Speaking about Wilks last week, his Charlotte players were supportive.
”I think he gets guys to relate to him, get on the same page, get on the same scheme,” defensive end Charles Johnson said. ”He comes to work every day and guys respect that. Just his whole personality. His mentality of getting guys to play how you want to play. He’s a good coach for that.”
In an interview last fall, linebacker Luke Kuechly said, ”Steve Wilks and all those guys are doing an excellent job of game-planning and putting us in position to be successful and utilizing what we do well. Those coaches listen (to the players).
”They’re not hard-headed. They do a great job with us. They motivate us. They do a good job of making sideline corrections and in-game adjustments. It’s fun to play for them.”
The Cardinals were the last team to fill a coaching vacancy, just as they were in 2013 when they hired Arians, who won his second NFL coach of the year award in his second season with the team.
Last week Scottie Upshall Jersey , Rivera talked about Wilks’ coaching potential.
”I know that Steve is a hot commodity, deservedly so,” Rivera said. `He has done a tremendous job wherever he’s been, starting in Chicago and San Diego and down here with us. It’s going to be a tough one. Him and Sean (McDermott) are two very good people who are very special to this organization.”
Wilks replaced McDermott as Carolina defensive coordinator when McDermott was named head coach at Buffalo a year ago.
The Cardinals have a head coach with a background in defense for the first time since Dave McGinnis was hired 17 years ago. Wilks’ first task probably is to hire an offensive coordinator, a move that’s particularly important because the retirement of Carson Palmer left Arizona with no quarterback.
And general manager Steve Keim is turning his attention full-time to finding that elusive quarterback, through a trade, free agency, the draft or any combination of the three.
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AP Pro Football Writer Teresa Walker in Nashville and AP Sports Writer Steve Reed in Charlotte contributed to this report.
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Father’s Day was the crowning touch on rookie catcher Jose Trevino’s wild week.
Trevino blooped a two-run single to left-center field, capping a four-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning that sent the Texas Rangers over the Colorado Rockies 13-12 on Sunday.
He has been a father for only a week, and a major leaguer for three days.
”It has been one of the craziest weeks of my life,” a teary-eyed Trevino said in a television interview. ”I can’t wait to tell (my son) about it.”
Rockies closer Wade Davis (0-2) retired only one batter while walking four and allowing singles to Rougned Odor and Trevino. He entered his third major league game in the top of the ninth after starting catcher Robinson Chirinos was hit on a foot by a foul ball.
Trevino is 2 for 8 for Texas, including a game-tying single in Saturday’s 5-2 victory.
It was the fourth blown save in 24 opportunities for Davis, who threw 23 balls and 15 strikes while tying his season-high 38 pitches. As a result, Colorado lost for a National League-high 21st time after holding a lead.
”It looks as though his release point was way off,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. ”We’ll address that.”
Trevino took advantage.
”It’s everything a kid dreams about, except for there was one out instead of two Vladimir Sobotka Jersey ,” he said.
Trevino has impressed manager Jeff Banister.
”Pretty incredible week for the young man. I think he’ll look back on these first few days in the big leagues and think about how special they really are.”
Colorado took a 5-1 lead in the fifth inning of the seesaw game. The Rangers scored five runs to take a 6-5 lead in the sixth, including Jurickson Profar’s three-run homer off starter Jon Gray.
The Rockies responded with a five-run seventh to go ahead 10-6. Colorado’s Gerardo Parra drove in four runs, three on a bases-clearing double in the seventh.
Texas pulled within 10-9 with three runs in the seventh. Trevor Story hit a two-run homer in the Colorado ninth against Jesse Chavez (3-1).
Yovani Gallardo, pitching for his hometown Rangers for the first time since 2015, allowed the Rockies’ first five runs in five-plus innings.
Nomar Mazara drove in three Texas runs with two singles and a groundout.
Story, the National League leader with 54 RBIs, drove in two runs with his 15th homer.
Gray retired the Rangers’ first 10 batters, striking out seven, before Delino DeShields singled, stole second base and scored on a single by Mazara.
Gray’s only walk of the game led to the five-run sixth.
”You’d like to have your starting pitcher be a good front-runner and attack,” Black said. ”That inning, Jon got behind guys, 2-0 to the first hitter, 2-0 to the second hitter.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rockies: LHP Mike Dunn (rhomboid strain) and RHP Scott Oberg threw bullpen sessions before the game. ”Both successful,” Black said. ”No timetable on their returns. I suspect that they’ll throw another bullpen during the next couple days.”
Rangers: RF Mazara (sore left wrist) and C Robinson Chirinos (body soreness) returned to the lineup after missing two games. Chirinos now may miss more time with a foot injury. ”Pretty sore, pretty numb in the area where he got hit Vladimir Tarasenko Jersey ,” manager Jeff Banister said. … SS Elvis Andrus (fractured right elbow) moved his rehab assignment to Triple-A Round Rock, where he was 0 for 2 with two walks leading off as the DH. Banister said he expected Andrus to make the trip to Kansas City for a series beginning on Monday.
LEADING OFF
Rockies 2B DJ LeMahieu hit his second leadoff homer this season and of his career. The Rangers’ leadoff batter, DH Shin-Soo Choo, extended his on-base streak to 31 games with a sixth-inning single.
MAY JUNE BE WITH YOU
SS Jurickson Profar leads the Rangers with 33 RBIs since May 1. For the season, he has 41 RBIs after totaling only 53 in his first four injury-riddled seasons.
Profar has five of his career-high eight home runs in his last 11 games. He has four homers in four starts batting fourth in Texas’ lineup this season.
UP NEXT
Rockies: They return home, where they have lost seven in a row, to play the Mets on Monday. LHP Tyler Anderson (4-1, 4.48) will start for Colorado against New York RHP Jacob deGrom (4-2, 1.55).
Rangers: RHP Bartolo Colon (3-4, 4.94) will start the series opener on Monday at Kansas City against RHP Ian Kennedy (1-6, 5.13). … Trevino will be making his first major league road trip. He said, ”It should be some fun.”
Police reported two arrests as hundreds of thousands of people wearing green, many of them overcome with equal parts joy and relief after the Eagles’ first Super Bowl victory, crowded the city for a party nearly 60 years in the making.
”I don’t think many people would argue when I say this week has been one of the greatest weeks in Philadelphia history,” said Mayor Jim Kenney, adding that the event mostly ”went off without a hitch.”
Any foul play during the parade was minor, said Police Commissioner Richard Ross, who tallied damage such as four police cars dented by fans climbing on them, two stabbing victims who are expected to survive, an officer who was assaulted by a woman trying to get onto the parade route and two arrests for assault. People attempting to scale a Jumbotron knocked over the huge video screen.
Maintenance crews worked overnight, picking up trash left behind by fans who watched the team travel in open-top double decker buses from their stadium to the art museum steps made famous in the ”Rocky” movies. Coach Doug Pederson walked part of the 5-mile route while carrying the Lombardi Trophy Colton Parayko Jersey , allowing fans to touch the gleaming hardware. Center Jason Kelce, wearing what looked like a genie outfit, gave voice to every frustrated Philly fan with an impassioned and profane speech.
”We were a bunch of underdogs,” shouted Kelce, channeling Rocky. ”Bottom line is we wanted it more!”
Thursday’s parade was tame in comparison to impromptu celebration that broke out Sunday after the Eagles’ defeated the New England Patriots 41-33. In the hours after the Super Bowl victory, fans overturned a car, shattered storefront windows, ate horse feces, collapsed a hotel’s awning and hit the police commissioner in the head with a bottle.
Parade organizers prepared for as many as 2 million people.
Crowd safety experts commissioned by The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News put the number at about 700,000, based on an examination of photos of the parade route. But city Emergency Operators Director Dan Bradley said he felt the number was higher than that.
The parade cost is still being calculated http://www.officialblues.com/authentic-adidas-dmitrij-jaskin-jersey , the mayor said.
The celebration apparently let down at least a few fans who took to social media to fume about how an double-length bus stopped directly in front of a section of the crowd just as the parade cruised by. One person wrote that she had waited in the cold for six hours for nothing.
”We’re absolutely sorry that it happened,” says a message posted on the city’s official Twitter account, adding that the bus was carrying police officers. ”A parade of this magnitude is obviously an extremely fluid situation and our first concern is always public safety.”
Mark Reynolds may have sent his manager toward a sleepless night.How is Dave Martinez supposed to rest when he’s got to figure out whether Reynolds’ career night earned him another start Sunday?
”Well, I mean I’m going to sleep just fine. That’s his problem,” Reynolds joked afterward. ”I’ll be ready to go either way.”
Reynolds homered twice and drove in a career-high 10 runs, Max Scherzer won for the first time since June 5, and the Washington Nationals beat the Miami Marlins 18-4 on Saturday night.
Martinez said he’ll have to think about where to put the right-handed hitting Reynolds when the Marlins start a right-hander on Sunday. Martinez has other options at first base, including left-handed hitters Matt Adams and Daniel Murphy.
Washington has won three straight and scored a combined 35 runs since calling a players-only meeting on Wednesday after falling under .500 for the first time since May 2.
Reynolds (5 for 5) tied his career high for hits and equaled the Nationals’ RBI record.
Reynolds hit a two-run homer in the second inning into the same visitors’ bullpen where his walk-off homer landed on Friday. He followed that up with an RBI double in the second, a two-run single in the fifth, a three-run homer in the sixth, and a two-run single in the seventh.
”Yeah Youth Jaden Schwartz Jersey , that’s like a good two weeks,” Reynolds said. ”These things don’t happen often.”
Signed as minor league free agent in April, Reynolds is 12 for 23 with four home runs since June 29.
”I’ve seen him like this,” Martinez said. ”When he gets hot like this he can stay hot for a while, so we’ll have to figure something out, see if we can get him in tomorrow.”
Washington, which has won 14 straight against Miami, broke it open by batting around the order and scoring a season-best seven runs in the fifth inning.
”We haven’t had any success with them in a while now,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. ”They’re a good lineup up and down, but we’ve pitched better than this.”
Scherzer (11-5), who was 0-4 in his previous five starts Jake Allen Jersey , pitched seven innings, allowing four runs on four hits – three of which were home runs. The Nationals had been shut out in three of Scherzer’s previous five starts.
Miami starter Wei-Yin Chen (2-6) lasted 4 1/3 innings, allowing seven runs on seven hits.
Bryce Harper had three hits and an intentional walk.
Starlin Castro and J.T. Realmuto hit the first back-to-back home runs of the season for the Marlins in the fourth inning. Yadiel Rivera hit his first homer of the season in the seventh.
STREAK SNAPPED
The Marlins were 9-0 this season in games in which Realmuto homered before Saturday night.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: OF Brian Anderson was out of the lineup for the first time this season. After playing in Miami’s first 90 games, Mattingly said it was time for a breather. … Mattingly said OF Lewis Brinson (right hip) is still sore and ”doing a little treatment, and that’s all.”
Nationals: Martinez said RHP Stephen Strasburg (shoulder inflammation) is scheduled to go on a rehab assignment Tuesday with the goal of throwing 50-60 pitches. … OF Victor Robles (hyperextended left elbow) and RHP Koda Glover (right shoulder tendinitis) both played in a Gulf Coast League game Friday. Martinez said Glover is ”progressing well” but that he wouldn’t be pitching in back-to-back games. … C Matt Wieters (left hamstring strain) went 1 for 4 in a rehab start with Double-A Harrisburg and is expected to play again on Sunday before being re-evaluated.
UP NEXT
Marlins: Rookie RHP Trevor Richards (2-5, 5.26 ERA) makes his first start against the Nationals in the series finale.
Nationals: RHP Tanner Roark (3-10, 4.60 ERA) is looking for his first win since June 6. Roark is 5-8 with a 3.99 ERA in 22 games against the Marlins.
The 65-year-old Turner said he returned to coaching because of an opportunity to work again with Panthers coach Ron Rivera – who was on his coaching staff for four seasons in San Diego – and to coach the talented group of offensive players led by Newton.
”He’s an amazing player for his position,” Turner said Tuesday on a conference call.
The versatile 6-foot-5, 245-pound Newton has carried the ball 828 times over the past seven seasons – by far the most in the league by a quarterback during that span. By comparison, Seattle’s Russell Wilson has run the ball 578 times during his six seasons in the league.
While it’s logical to question how much pounding Newton’s body can take – he turns 29 in May – it’s also hard to argue with his success.
He’s averaged 5.2 yards per carry and has scored 54 touchdowns rushing, which is the most by a QB in NFL history. And Newton tends to play better when he’s more involved in the running game.
”He’s a real threat to defenses,” Tuner said. ”So he will always have that threat to run.”
That should be music to Newton’s ears.
After Newton carried the ball a career-high 139 times last season and led the Panthers in rushing with 754 yards, he said ”that’s my edge.”
”I wouldn’t expect you or anybody else to take it away,” Newton said following Carolina’s season-ending playoff loss at New Orleans. ”And when I say you, I mean the media as a whole. I’m comfortable running the football, I feel like I help the team when I’m running the football, and as long as I’m playing this game, I’m going to run the football.”
Turner suggested that he and his son Scott Turner, the team’s new quarterbacks coach Joel Iyiegbuniwe Color Rush Jersey , will look to improve Newton’s throwing mechanics.
Because he’s so big Newton has a tendency to rely on his strong arm and throw off his back foot, often resulting in high throws that lead to incompletions or interceptions. Turner said that while sometimes those types of throws are necessary under pressure, the staff ”is going to work hard to get his weight transferred and have good technique when he is throwing.”
Turner said the Panthers overall system won’t change much, although he wants to be able to stretch the field vertically to force defenses to cover the entire field.
He believes Newton has the arm strength to do that.
Turner said he had a brief conversation with Newton after being hired.
”We didn’t get into a lot of football,” Turner said. ”As he expressed to me – and I feel the same way – there is excitement and nervousness. When you have change there is nervousness. Sometimes that nervousness is good and it gets your attention. It’s not status quo and you use that as a time to improve.”
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TORONTO — A year ago at this time, Francisco Liriano was pitching for the Toronto Blue Jays amid speculation that he would be traded.
The left-hander is again a subject of trade speculation as he returns to the Rogers Centre on Friday night as the starting pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, who will try to end a nine-game losing streak in the opener of a four-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Tigers (36-46) lost 4-2 to the Oakland Athletics at Comerica Park on Thursday afternoon. The Blue Jays (37-43) had the day off after completing a 3-4 trip with a heartbreaking 7-6 loss to the Houston Astros on Wednesday on Alex Bregman’s two-run, walk-off homer.
Both teams are expected to trade some veteran players by the July 31 deadline for deals without waivers.
Liriano (3-3, 3.94 ERA) will face Blue Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman (0-5, 6.80). Both pitchers will make their second start after returning from the disabled list.
The Blue Jays did trade Liriano on July 31 to the Astros, who went on to win the World Series. In the deal, Toronto received outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, who has become a regular.
Liriano signed with the Tigers as a free agent on Feb. 23.
He will make his 12th start of the season in the series opener. Liriano went on the DL with a strained right hamstring after making his start on May 26 and did not pitch again until Saturday when he took the loss at Cleveland Roquan Smith Color Rush Jersey , allowing three runs (two earned), four hits and three walks in four innings.
All of the runs came in a 40-pitch first inning. He did not allow another hit in the next three innings.
“I was rushing things,” Liriano said. “I hadn’t pitched in a while and I was trying to do too much, trying to do more than I can do, and I ended up missing pitches. … Everything feels great. Leg feels good, body feels nice.”
The 34-year-old has faced the Blue Jays seven times in his career, including five starts, going 1-4 with a 5.40 ERA. He last pitched against Toronto on Aug. 5 with Houston when he took the loss after allowing one run, one hit and one walk in two-thirds of an inning in relief.
In 18 career appearances, including 17 starts, at the Rogers Centre, Liriano is 8-4 record with a 4.03 ERA and 98 strikeouts.
Stroman also returned from the DL on Saturday when he allowed six hits and one walk while striking out five in five scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Angels. He did not factor in the decision of a game the Blue Jays won 4-1.
He had not pitched since May 8 because of inflammation in his right shoulder, a problem that shortened his spring training. Stroman believes that in retrospect he probably should have taken a couple of more weeks to build up the shoulder before starting to pitch in the regular season.
“When I’m going good Anthony Miller Color Rush Jersey , I feel like I’m pitching at 80, 85 percent and that’s where I’m at right now,” Stroman said. “Earlier in the season, I was max effort, I was pitching at 100 percent every pitch and now I’m back to being very free and easy. Once I’m free and easy, I can do whatever I want.”
Stroman said the shoulder “feels way better.”
“I’m moving way easier, I can pause, I can mess with my delivery now, I can do many things I wasn’t able to do previously in the year,” he added. “Feels great.”
In two career starts against the Tigers, he is 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA.
The Tigers won two of three games against the Blue Jays at Comerica Park on June 1-3. Detroit will try to win its first season series against Toronto since 2013. The Tigers lost two of three games at the Rogers Centre last season, the fourth straight series they have dropped in Toronto.
TORONTO — Jose Bautista will return to the scene of some of his biggest moments in baseball Tuesday night when the New York Mets visit the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Mets and Blue Jays will play a two-game interleague series at the Rogers Centre Jerome Baker Color Rush Jersey , where Bautista starred for the better part of nine years.
The Mets will start right-hander Zack Wheeler (2-6, 4.47 ERA) against Blue Jays right-hander Marco Estrada (4-7, 4.53) in the series opener.
While the Blue Jays (39-45) were losing 3-2 in 10 innings on Monday afternoon to the Detroit Tigers at the Rogers Centre, the Mets (33-48) had the day off. It gave Bautista a chance to renew acquaintances in Toronto.
“I have some stuff scheduled, to meet up with people who were part of my life when I was there and visit some of the usual spots,” Bautista told reporters in Miami, where the Mets played last weekend. “It’s definitely a place that I hold dear and close to my heart. It’s going to be a fun time.”
Bautista twice led the American League in home runs with the Blue Jays, hitting 54 in 2010 and 43 in 2011. His most famous home run came in 2015 at the Rogers Centre, a three-run blast with an iconic bat flip that won the American League Division Series in the fifth and deciding game against the Texas Rangers.
He played 1,235 regular-season games for the Blue Jays from 2008 to 2017, hitting 288 homers (second only to Carlos Delgado’s 336) with 776 RBIs (third on the team’s career list).
Bautista also had an influence on his teammates.
“He was a huge help in my development,” Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Pillar said. “There was a time in my first full year when I went from left to center and I was making some plays and I kind of earned his respect and he metaphorically gave me the keys (to the outfield) and told me to go get anything I could. And my voice became the voice in the outfield. That was pretty special to me.”
When the Blue Jays did not pick up the option on his contract for this season, he became a free agent. He did not have a team until the Atlanta Braves signed him on April 18. After a minor-league stint, he struggled with the Braves for 12 games and was released May 20. The Mets signed him May 22.
In 36 games with the Mets, the 37-year-old is batting .250/.418/476 with three homers and 13 RBIs. In his past 14 games, he is hitting .300/.462/.650 with three homers and 10 RBIs.
“I’m not surprised by what he’s doing,” Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. “He probably just needed some at-bats to get going and now we’re seeing the byproduct of him being ready. I’ve always known he’s a really good hitter. He keeps himself in really good shape. He’s probably in the best shape of anybody on our team and is (the oldest player on the team). Great approach, great patience, still has bat speed.”
“Not having a spring training, wanting to swing the bat and some other things might’ve played into me not (reaching base) as much in Atlanta,” Bautista said.
Bautista always has been a versatile player. He played mostly right field with the Blue Jays but also manned third base and occasionally first base. He has played 12 games in left field for the Mets, 10 in right field, two at third base and one at second base.
This will be the second series between the teams. They split two games on May 15-16 at Citi Field.
Wheeler was the losing pitcher on May 16, a 12-1 Blue Jays victory, in his only career outing against Toronto. He allowed six runs, seven hits and three walks and struck out seven in four innings.
Estrada is 0-2 with a 7.27 ERA in seven career games (two starts) against the Mets. He struggled earlier in the season but is 2-1 with a 2.35 ERA in his past five starts.
It was a long and odd day, one that started with teenager Juan Soto homering in a game that officially was played before he made his major league debut.Huh?
Soto delivered a tiebreaking, pinch-hit Brian O'Neill Color Rush Jersey , two-run shot in the sixth inning of a game that began and was suspended because of rain last month, five days before he was called up from the minors for the first time, to lift the Washington Nationals to a 5-3 victory over the New York Yankees in the opener of an unusual semi-doubleheader Monday.
”Geez, he has a bright future. How old is he, 19? You don’t see too many 19-year-olds doing what he’s doing,” Yankees slugger Aaron Judge said about Soto. ”I’m excited to see him develop for years to come.”
In Game 2, Judge made two key catches of balls hit by Trea Turner, including one on the warning track that bailed out Aroldis Chapman with two men on in the bottom of the ninth to end it, and the Yankees grabbed a 4-2 victory with the help of Aaron Hicks‘ go-ahead two-run homer.
That final-out fly ”got me to hold my breath for a sec,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
Throw in a trade by Washington to add reliever Kelvin Herrera from the Kansas City Royals, full-throated chants of ”Let’s go, Yankees!” from portions of the sellout crowd of 42,723, and all in all, so much happened at Nationals Park.
”That,” Nationals closer Sean Doolittle said, summing up things neatly, ”was weird.”
Game 1 resumed with the score 3-all and the Nationals about to bat in the bottom of the sixth. After Bryce Harper – who had a full beard back on May 15, when the game began, but was clean-shaven this time – struck out, and Anthony Rendon singled, Soto drove a 97 mph fastball from Chad Green (4-1) to the back of the second deck in right field.
”I thought he had a good chance to hit the ball hard,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. ”That was hard.”
It was Soto’s sixth homer since he was brought up from Double-A Harrisburg on May 20 – and half have come against the Yankees. Soto stood and admired this one before beginning his trot around the bases.
”A lot of people tell me, `Hey, you’re killing the Yankees,'” Soto said. ”Everybody knows the Yankees, likes the Yankees. That feels pretty good.”
Soto also was involved in a double play while playing left in the seventh. Didi Gregorius lined to Soto, and he lobbed the ball to shortstop Turner James Washington Color Rush Jersey , who sprinted to second base to double off Gary Sanchez.
Soto’s stats – and all others from Game 1 – will count as being part of the originally scheduled game on May 15, but Soto’s debut will still be considered to have come on the actual date it happened, May 20, according to the Nationals, citing the Elias Sports Bureau.
Wander Suero (1-0) got the win for 1 1-3 scoreless innings – one inning on May 15, and one out on Monday.
Doolittle struck out Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, then got Sanchez to fly out to center in the ninth for his 18th save.
The Nationals had lost five of six games entering the day.
Game 2, which was completely rained out May 16, began a half-hour after Game 1 finished, and Washington led 2-1 before Hicks’ ninth homer, which came in the fifth against Erick Fedde (0-2) and got plenty of Yankees fans excited – and loud.
The rookie righty lost to the Yankees for the second time in less than a week, giving up three runs in 5 1-3 innings this time.
Stanton provided some cushion with an RBI double off Sammy Solis in the seventh, part of a 4-for-5 showing in Game 2.
Sonny Gray (5-4) allowed two runs in five-plus innings, with Mark Reynolds driving in both.
HARPER’S DAY
Harper’s batting average is .212 after he went 0 for 5 on Monday, with two strikeouts, three groundouts and a walk. He has one hit in his last 27 at-bats. ”He’s just in one of those little funks, where you’re kind of happy to face him right now,” Boone said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: OF Brett Gardner didn’t play, a day after an MRI exam showed swelling in his right knee. Boone doesn’t expect Gardner to go on the DL.
Nationals: RHP Jeremy Hellickson, on the DL for two weeks with a strained right hamstring, took fielding practice before the start of play Monday and said he ”felt fine.” Hellickson has taken two bullpen sessions and ”felt 100 percent,” so expects to be able to return soon. … 1B Matt Adams was ”still a little sore” after getting hit by a pitch on a finger Friday and did not play.
ROSTER MOVE
The Yankees returned right-hander Giovanny Gallegos to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after the game. Gallegos had been called up as the 26th man for the nightcap Monday.
UP NEXT
Yankees: Open a three-game set against visiting Seattle, with RHP Domingo German (1-4, 5.23 ERA) pitching Tuesday.
Nationals: Begin a three-game series at home against Baltimore on Tuesday, with Jefry Rodriguez on the mound for his second major league appearance and first start.
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Whether it’s hiring former Oregon coach Mark Helfrich Youth DJ Chark Jersey , coming from an up-tempo college attack, as offensive coordinator, or quarterback Mitchell Trubisky running Nagy’s pet run-pass options, the Bears anticipate becoming less predictable than under former coach John Fox.
Nagy, former Kansas City offensive coordinator, is still completing his coaching staff, and the most surprising hire so far was bringing in Helfrich to help revive the league’s 30th-ranked attack.
”As you could tell from some of the things we did in Kansas City offensively, we were trying to be a little bit out of the box and new wave type of stuff,” Nagy said. ”It was easy when I was approached, and started researching different names, that he was the guy.”
Developing Trubisky is the key for the Bears’ offense, and Nagy cited it as a reason for hiring Helfrich.
”It’s such an important position in this league and it’s a delicate position that has to be done the right way,” Nagy said. ”It was a slam dunk.
”The second I knew he was interested and got to talk football with him and people skills Ryan Johansen Jersey , it was a no-brainer.”
Helfrich was head coach at Oregon when his quarterback was current Tennessee Titans QB Marcus Mariota, and he sees Trubisky as someone with similar abilities – and flaws.
”Mitchell has a tight release, he’s an accurate passer,” Helfrich said. ”They also have a couple things similar that makes them inaccurate. Their feet take them out of position.”
Whether due to poor footwork or other reasons, Trubisky completed only 59.4 percent of passes as a rookie. He had seven touchdowns to seven interceptions.
”He had, I think was a 3-to-1 or maybe even a 4-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio in college,” Helfrich said. ”That works. That’s a good thing. We need to continue that.
”We can’t put the defense in a bad situation, our team in a situation, because there’s times in the NFL they’re going to get you, and I think a quarterback kind of has that innate ability to take care of the football versus turning it over when he, for lack of a better word, panics.”
Nagy will call plays, and referred to Helfrich’s role as a ”conduit” between himself and the offense.
”The communication process is so big Scott Hartnell Jersey , so Mark’s been there, done that as a head coach,” Nagy said. ”He’s been there as an offensive coordinator, so the process whether you want to compare it from college to the NFL, it’s the same.”
While Helfrich lacks any NFL experience, the same isn’t true for Nagy’s defensive or special teams coordinators. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio was retained from Fox’s staff, while former Browns special teams coordinator Chris Tabor returned for his second stint as an assistant in Chicago.
Fangio’s defense finished 10th and he was a candidate for the Bears’ head coaching position. He had interest from other teams as a coordinator, but found returning his best option after Nagy was hired.
”I just had to feel comfortable with everything, you know, with who the head coach was going to be, the continued direction of the team as far as where we were headed roster-wise, things of that nature,” Fangio said.
Having personnel back from an effective defense was an enticement Youth Mike Gesicki Jersey , but Fangio sees work ahead. The Bears had eight interceptions in each of his three seasons as coordinator – each a franchise single-season low.
”I think it’s a wrong picture to paint that the defense was great and the rest of the team wasn’t,” he said. ”We were 5-11. If we were a great defense we’d have more than five wins.”
Tabor was a special teams assistant under coordinator Dave Toub from 2008-2010 in Chicago and inherits an immediate problem at kicker. The Bears went through three last season and have no one under contract for 2018. It’s much different than when Tabor left, with Robbie Gould as a mainstay and the Bears coming off an NFC title game.
”When you have a great one, you want to ride that horse all the way, there’s no doubt about that,” Tabor said. ”And then when teams are looking for guys, I think there’s going to be growing pains.”
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First baseman Andrew Vaughn has won USA Baseball’s Golden Spikes Award as the top amateur baseball player, the first University of California player to earn the honor.
Vaughn earned the 2018 Pac-12 Player of the Year award, hitting .402 in his sophomore season with 14 doubles, a school-recording tying 23 homers and 63 RBIs.
He is the eighth player from the conference to win the award after Bob Horner (1978), Terry Francona (1980), Oddibe McDowell (1984), Mike Kelly (1991) Youth Jerome Baker Jersey , Mark Prior (2001), Tim Lincecum (2006) and Trevor Bauer (2011).
The other finalists for the award, announced Thursday, were Texas infielder Kody Clemens, Auburn right-hander Casey Mize and Florida right-hander Brady Singer.
About 200 people cast ballots among national baseball media, select professional baseball personnel, previous winners and select USA Baseball staff. Those votes counted for 95 percent of the total, with fan balloting accounting for the remainder.