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MILWAUKEE 鈥?Here it comes http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-rod-carew-jersey , the blockbuster Game 7 in all its glory on Saturday night, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers for the right to play the Boston Red Sox in the World Series, and鈥orget nervous stomachs.What the Dodgers really need is for Manny Machado to tame the butterflies in his head.There was always going to be a price to pay for his bush-league behavior in Los Angeles in this National League Championship Series鈥攌icking Brewers first baseman Jesus Aguilar as he crossed first base in Game 4 and explaining away the periodic dog in him with his infamous hustling is 鈥渘ot my cup of tea鈥?remarks鈥攁nd the first check came due hard in Friday night鈥檚 7-2 Game 6 loss to the Brewers.The Brewers鈥?crowd booed Machado as if he were in town to introduce Prohibition.Machado responded with a dry night at the plate, meekly going 0-for-4 and stranding three.鈥淚t was a tough loss for us today,鈥?he said when asked about the crowd, which was the polite way of checking on the ringing in his ears. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got to come back and play better baseball tomorrow night.鈥漁K, well, um, sure.The way the Brewers ambushed starter Hyun-Jin Ryu for four runs in the first inning, another in the second, four doubles in the first two innings and then scored their sixth run when a wild pitch slipped past Yasmani Grandal, who is to catching in this NLCS what a single sandbag is to a raging flood鈥f course the Dodgers must play better Saturday night if they are to return to the World Series.That includes their marquee trade deadline addition, who appeared determined to hit the ball farther as the boos got louder.鈥淣o,鈥?Machado protested. 鈥淢y focus was on the game, trying to go pitch-by-pitch and drive in runs.鈥漈he sellout Miller Park crowd of 43,619 booed early and booed loudly. They hit decibels that made you hope parents were responsible enough to bring earplugs for infants. It was ear-splitting, it was sustained and it sure appeared to work.Within that 0-for-4, Machado fanned twice, never got the ball out of the infield and appeared in need of a good set of noise-canceling headphones.Charlie Riedel/Associated PressHis name was buried in boos during pregame introductions. An avalanche of boos greeted him again as he walked to the plate in the first inning, and the deafening noise remained throughout the at-bat, hitting a crescendo when he swung through strike three, a 92 mph heater from Milwaukee starter Wade Miley.He popped to short in the third and whiffed again in the fifth. With each swing-and-miss Brian Dozier Jersey , the crowd went bonkers.But the topper came in his final at-bat in the eighth with the Dodgers trailing 6-2.He ran hard all the way down the line鈥攖hat shouldn鈥檛 be worth noting in a major league game, but it is now with the self-proclaimed anti-Johnny Hustle鈥攂ut was thrown out.As he went back across the infield to the Dodgers鈥?third base dugout, he was booed vociferously every step of the way.After disappearing into the dugout, he re-emerged to join his teammates on the top step and couldn鈥檛 resist an exaggerated wave with his right arm as if to challenge the fans.By then, a full-throated 鈥淢anny sucks! Manny sucks! Manny sucks!鈥?chant was in full force.When I asked him about the motion afterward鈥擶as it a wave or brushoff of the fans? Was he motioning to a teammate? Did I mis-see something altogether?鈥擬achado gave a convoluted answer.鈥淚鈥檝e gotta play baseball,鈥?he said. 鈥淵ou come back to the dugout and try to root on your teammates. Belly [Cody Bellinger] was having a good at-bat. I always go back to the top step to root on my teammates.鈥淎 lot of things happened in the game. I can鈥檛 remember.鈥漀obody in the library-quiet Dodgers clubhouse could help but remember most of the rest of the evening. Milwaukee鈥檚 faithful came to see that their winter didn鈥檛 come early. By evening鈥檚 end, summer was assured to last one more day, even though it was a chilly 57 degrees with high winds outside.A cloudy, dreary day turned into a red-hot evening, and when it came time for the Milwaukee tradition following 鈥淭ake Me Out to the Ballgame鈥?during the seventh-inning stretch, with the Brewers leading 5-2, everyone sang 鈥淩oll Out the Barrel鈥?with gusto鈥nd the line 鈥渞oll out the barrel, we鈥檝e got the blues on the run鈥?seemed especially apt. The Dodger blues.鈥淭his is what you want to play for, this is the fun time,鈥?Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen said of Game 7. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got to go play Dodger baseball.鈥滿att Slocum/Associated PressAcross the room, someone asked Chris Taylor about the way the Dodgers have responded all season, from trailing Arizona by nine games in the division a month into the season to chasing down Colorado in September when the Rockies briefly seized first place.鈥淲e have to keep that same mindset,鈥?Taylor said. 鈥淭omorrow is a new day. We have to come out and execute and try to win a game.鈥漅ookie phenom Walker Buehler will start, and you can be sure that ace Clayton Kershaw, who threw a 98-pitch gem on Wednesday, will be available out of the bullpen.On the flip side, another Friday night victory for Milwaukee was this: The Crew beat the Dodgers so badly that they didn鈥檛 even have to use relief ace Josh Hader. So the filthy left-hander will be available in Game 7 for multiple innings. Early? Late? Who knows http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-justin-morneau-jersey , the way Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell maneuvers things.鈥淭hat鈥檚 their best reliever, and obviously you would have liked to have kept the game close enough to have them use him tonight,鈥?Roberts said. 鈥淭hey got away tonight because of run differential, they didn鈥檛 have to use him.鈥滺ader hasn鈥檛 pitched since Game 4 and now has a full three days鈥?rest.In fact, when asked how many innings Hader can go in Game 7, Counsell quipped, 鈥淭welve.鈥漌hen the laughter subsided, the manager clarified: 鈥淚鈥檓 just kidding.鈥滿aybe, maybe not. Who knows? For one night, it was party time in Milwaukee. As Game 6 played out and led toward Game 7, downtown the NBA鈥檚 Bucks were hosting the Indiana Pacers in the first game at the brand-new, state-of-the-art, $524 million Fiserv Forum.The Brewers went 4-for-9 with runners in scoring position after going 5-for-35 with RISP combined over the first five games of this NLCS. The Dodgers went 0-for-3 in those situations, making them 6-for-36 over the past four games.鈥淚 think he had to know what was going to be coming,鈥?third baseman Justin Turner said of Machado. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it affected him.鈥滻t sure looked like it did. But then, hey, who knows, maybe Turner was distracted, too. The crowd reserved a little time for him as well. Going into the bottom of the fourth, the giant center field scoreboard focused on a bearded man in the stands hoisting a sign that read: 鈥淛ustin Turner Can鈥檛 Grow a Beard Like Me.鈥漈he crowd roared.Call it a prelude to Saturday night, and Game 7, as the Brewers try to snag what would be only the second World Series appearance in franchise history. Roll out the barrel Kirby Puckett Jersey , indeed. Scott Miller covers Major League Baseball as a national columnist for Bleacher Report. Follow Scotton Twitterand talk baseball. American League teams often have to do some significant lineup shuffling in World Series road games because National League rules don't include the designated hitter.As a result, Boston Red Sox manager Alex Coracould explore all of his options to try to field the best team in the upcoming championship round."I don't know, man," Cora said when asked if outfielder Mookie Betts would play second base during the Fall Classic to get J.D. Martinez, the team's DH, into the lineup, according to ESPN.com. "He already played second in the regular season. There's always a chance, I guess."Betts made one appearance at second during the regular season as an injury replacement for Ian Kinsler.Before that August 3 game, Betts had not played anywhere other than the outfield since his rookie season in 2014. He appeared in 14 contests at second base that year.The two-time Gold Gloveoutfielder has a career .956 fielding percentage at second, having committed three errors in 15 games.It's a dilemma for Cora. Putting Betts at the keystone would weaken the team's defense and could make him a liability in the field. With a playoff series on the line, defensive miscues can be the difference. You don't need to tell Red Sox fansthat.Then again, if Betts doesn't shift to the infield, Cora would either have to find a spot for Martinez or use him off the bench. Considering Martinez ranked first in the majors in RBI (130) and second in batting average (.330) and home runs (43), it would be tough to sit him.Boston is fortunate enough to have four outfielders worthy of starting in the World Series, but finding each of them at-bats will be a problem in the NL park. Neither Jackie Bradley Jr. nor Andrew Benintendi has played anywhere other than the outfield in the majors.The Red Sox skipper has time to ponder the situation, as the first two games of the best-of-seven series will take place at Fenway Park on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, against either the Milwaukee Brewers or Los Angeles Dodgers. The World Series will shift to the National League park Friday, Oct. 26, for three games.Cora's decision could be impacted by the opponent or how the first two contests play out. Regardless, it will be a storyline to keep an eye on.

DETROIT (AP) Miguel Cabrera can now say it with a good deal of certainty: Baseball is harder than it looks on TV.”It’s so easy when you watch the game on TV. It’s so slow Ken Boyer Jersey ,” the Detroit slugger said. ”The game is so simple on TV.”It’s not nearly as simple on the field, of course, and right now all Cabrera can do is watch. The Tigers lost their star first baseman in the middle of June to a ruptured biceps tendon, and he’s out for the season. Detroit was in a rebuilding mode anyway, but losing one of the team’s top hitters was a significant blow.Cabrera was back at Comerica Park on Monday night to host an event supporting children’s health and youth baseball programs. He seemed to be feeling good, but he has a long way to go before playing again.”Right now it’s a little slow,” Cabrera said. ”Hopefully in a couple weeks I starting do more stuff, to be healthy again.”Cabrera said he goes back and forth between Michigan and Florida, and he thinks he’s making good progress toward being ready for spring training next year. The two-time American League MVP is 35 now http://www.stlouiscardinalsteamshop.com/authentic-mike-shannon-jersey , and this was supposed to be a crucial year for the veteran to show if he could still be one of the game’s most feared hitters after a poor showing in 2017.Instead, Cabrera has played only 38 games after never playing fewer than 119 in his previous decade with the Tigers.”Really hard, watch the games on TV. It’s really hard don’t be on the field with my teammates. It doesn’t matter if we win or lose. I want to be part of this process,” Cabrera said. ”Right now, I’m focused to be back next year and healthy.”Cabrera’s big contract extends through at least 2023, which means Detroit may have a hard time trading him as part of its rebuild. In 2016, he hit .316 with 38 home runs and 108 RBIs – his eighth straight year finishing in the AL’s top seven in batting average.Then last season, he hit .249 with only 16 homers and an unsightly .399 slugging percentage.There were some decent signs early this year. Cabrera hit .299 with a .395 on-base percentage. But he had only three home runs. He was hitting .323 when he went on the disabled list in early May with a hamstring strain . He came back June 1, but his bat was quiet from then until his season-ending injury June 12.Cabrera’s absence has left a big hole in the lineup Whitey Herzog Jersey , and Detroit has backup catcher John Hicks playing first base quite a bit in his place.Only six players have reached both 500 home runs and 3,000 hits, and with 465 homers and 2,676 hits, Cabrera still has a good chance to join that group if he can come back and play several more seasons. His pursuit of those milestones is on hold now, though. And Detroit fans can only wonder how effective he’ll be going forward.Cabrera was cheerful Monday night and quick with a laugh, but it’s clear that being out of action is tough for him.”I can’t describe what I’m feeling right now,” Cabrera said. ”I need to stay focused, mentally stay focusing on trying to be back healthy next year.”— NEW YORK (AP) — Shohei Ohtani is a finalist for the AL Rookie of the Year award along with two New York Yankees infielders.The Baseball Writers’ Association of America revealed the finalists for its major awards Monday night. The winners will be announced next week.Ohtani figures to be in a tight race with Yankees infielders Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres after a historic first season with the Los Angeles Angels. The two-way Japanese sensation was 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA as a starting pitcher before an elbow injury forced him off the mound. He finished out the season exclusively as a designated hitter http://www.stlouiscardinalsteamshop.com/authentic-vince-coleman-jersey , hitting .285 with 22 home runs and 61 RBIs.Ohtani is the first player ever to hit 15 home runs and strike out 50 batters in a season, and he joined Babe Ruth as the only players ever to hit 15 homers and pitch 50 innings. He had Tommy John surgery after the season and is not expected to pitch in 2019.Andujar hit 47 doubles, tied for the second-most by a rookie in major league history, while Torres had 24 homers and 77 RBIs as a 21-year-old. They are the first teammates to finish top three in Rookie of the Year voting since Wil Myers and Chris Archer with Tampa Bay in 2013.The World Series champion Boston Red Sox might be in line for more hardware. Mookie Betts is a finalist for AL MVP, and Alex Cora is in the final three for AL Manager of the Year in his first season. Betts led the majors with a .346 average and .640 slugging percentage while setting career highs with 32 homers and a 1.078 OPS.Los Angeles’ Mike Trout and Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez are also finalists for AL MVP. Trout has finished in the top two in AL MVP voting in five of the past six seasons after finishing fourth in 2017. Ramirez was third in the voting last year, when Houston’s Jose Altuve beat out Yankees slugger Aaron Judge.Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich is the favorite for NL MVP, and Colorado’s Nolan Arenado and Chicago’s Javier Baez also were revealed as top vote-getters. Yelich emerged from a crowded field by hitting .370 with 10 homers and a 1.313 OPS in September while the Brewers topped the Cubs for the NL Central title.The Mets’ Jacob deGrom, Washington’s Max Scherzer and Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola are the top three for the NL Cy Young Award, with deGrom favored to win for the first time despite a 10-9 record. Felix Hernandez had 13 victories when he won the 2010 AL Cy Young Orlando Cepeda Jersey , the fewest wins ever by a starting pitcher to win the award. Scherzer is a three-time winner, including the past two NL awards.Corey Kluber has a shot at a second straight AL Cy Young Award and third overall. The Cleveland right-hander is up against Tampa Bay’s Blake Snell and Houston’s Justin Verlander, who won the AL Cy Young and MVP Awards in 2011.Cora is up against Tampa Bay’s Kevin Cash and Oakland’s Bob Melvin. Cash oversaw the Rays‘ successful experiment with using relief pitchers as “openers” to begin games, a trend that others — including Melvin — adopted later in the season. Melvin led Oakland as it charged back into the AL playoff picture and earned a spot in the wild-card game.Milwaukee’s Craig Counsell, Colorado’s Bud Black and Atlanta’s Brian Snitker were named NL Manager of the Year candidates, while Atlanta’s Ronald Acuna Jr., Washington’s Juan Soto and Los Angeles’ Walker Buehler are the top three for NL Rookie of the Year.

Sean M. Haffey/Getty ImagesThe Boston Red Sox captured their ninth World Series title Sunday night http://www.redsfanproshop.com/authentic-brandon-finnegan-jersey , defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 in Game 5 at Dodger Stadium.Red Sox manager Alex Cora unexpectedly called on David Price instead of Chris Sale to start the fifth game of the Fall Classic, and the gambit paid off, as Price pitched seven-plus innings, allowing one earned run and striking out five batters.Boston hitters roughed up Clayton Kershaw en route to an 8-4 win in Game 1, and they had Kershaw's number again. The three-time National League Cy Young Award winner surrendered four earned runs in seven innings.Steve Pearce bookended the Red Sox's run-scoring. He hit a two-run home run in the first inning to put them ahead 2-0 and then had a solo homer in the eighth to add another insurance run.David Price Rewrites October Narrative with Another Dominant StartEven casual baseball fans were probably aware of David Price's5.03 postseason ERAentering the playoffs; the subject had been discussed a lot both this year and amid the fallout from last season's American League Division Series exit.It looked like history was going to repeat itself when Price gave up seven runs in his first two starts of the 2018 playoffs. Then he allowed just three earned runs over 19.2 innings in four appearances (three starts) to close out his first World Series title.Beyond just how good he was on the mound, Price's flexibility was vital for Boston.Buster Olney Buster_ESPNDavid Price started Game 2. Pitched in relief in Game 3. Warmed up in Game 4. Starts in Game 5 and has controlled the Dodgers -- 1 run in 6 innings.Matthew Pouliot matthewpouliotDavid Price in Bostons last 7 games:ALCS Game 4: Warmed up for over an inningALCS Game 5: Six scoreless in winWS Game 1: RestedWS Game 2: Six innings, two runs in winWS Game 3: Two outs in reliefWS Game 4: Warmed up in ninthWS Game 5: Seven innings, one run (so far)The five-time All-Star seemed to know exactly what was on the line. He wasn't just pitching to get the Red Sox another title; he was attempting to exorcise the ghosts of Octobers past. And in the space of a few weeks, Price has immortalized himself forever in Boston.Chris Cotillo ChrisCotilloDavid Price is fired up. This story is one of redemption, my friends. Six outs away.Chris Mannix ChrisMannixYSAs redemption stories go, David Price is authoring a tremendous one. Has been a target since he signed that $217 million contract. Will be beloved in Boston for life if he closes this thing out.Ian Browne IanMBrowneDavid Price makes John Lackeys 2013 transformation from fan villain to fan favorite look almost insignificant. This is like nothing Ive seen.It's somewhat ironic Price's redemption came at the expense of Kershaw, who allowed nine earned runs in his two World Series starts. There's an alternate reality in which Kershaw is hailed as the postseason hero, heaping further misery upon Price.Prior to the start of the 2018 season, some Red Sox fans were probably hoping Price would opt out of the remaining four years and$127 millionon his contract. Now, those same fans will be worried the veteran left-hander might see just how much his World Series performance is worth on the open market.Dodgers' Championship Window Rapidly Closing Ahead of Pivotal OffseasonTwo or three years ago, the Dodgers appeared to have the strongest foundation of any team in baseball. They had a roster capable of winning a title and afarm systemthat was flush with budding stars.Now, the franchise has lost in the playoffs in six consecutive seasons, and Reggie Sanders Jersey , more importantly, Los Angeles is facing a murky future.Manny Machado is headed for free agency, and the Dodgers will assuredly have strong competition from the New York Yankees for his signature.Kershaw canopt outof his contract, and, while he seems a surer bet to return, his days as the best starter in MLB may be over. His disappointing playoffs capped off a year in which he had hishighest FIP(3.19) and hisfewest strikeouts(8.6 per nine innings) since his rookie season, per Baseball Reference.Likewise, Kenley Jansen had theworst FIPof his career (4.03) in the regular season and is owed$56 millionover the next three years.Jansen was dominant in the playoffs, though, which will ease some of the pressure he would've otherwise faced.And nobody will receive more criticism in the offseason than Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.Chad Jennings chadjennings22Loud boos when Dave Roberts name was just announced pregame. The Dodgers faithful seem to have lost some faith.Abbey Mastracco AbbeyMastraccoI dont know what to make of Dave Roberts right now. It seems like he managed this series like it was the regular season. Meanwhile, Alex Cora managed very aggressively.The Dodgers aren't in dire straits. Corey Seager will be back healthy in 2019.Julio Urias and Walker Buehler are 22 and 24, respectively.Justin Turner is the only key position player over the age of 30. And the franchise can continue to maintain one of MLB's highest payrolls.But there are tough questions Los Angeles will have to answer.Losing Kershaw or having him continue to slowly decline will have an impact on the rotation, and the same goes for Jansen and the bullpen if he doesn't return to his usual self in 2019.Losing Machado would hurt the lineup. The Dodgers may not be able to count upon Max Muncy to slug .582 again either. Opposing teams seemed to figure out Chris Taylor a little more after his breakout in 2017.For a team that has been so singularly focused on winning the World Series, next season could represent a step backward.Red Sox Clear World Series Favorites in 2019 After Legendary SeasonWinning 108 games is probably out of the question in 2019, but the Red Sox have everything required to repeat as champions.The Price opt-out decision will linger throughout the offseason. Beyond that, the spring should be pretty much drama-free for the Red Sox.Craig Kimbrel is Boston's most notable free agent, and the team may be comfortable letting him go. Finding another closer would be better than having to pay Kimbrel between$15 million and $20 million, which is the going rate for proven free-agent closers.Pearce Johnny Bench Jersey , Joe Kelly and Nathan Eovaldi all played a role in Boston's title triumph, but none of the three is irreplaceable.More than anything, the Red Sox's best players are in the primes of their careers.Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers are all 26 or younger. Betts is likely the American League MVP, and teammate J.D. Martinez should finish in the top five.Chris Sale delivered another Cy Young-caliber season, while Price and Rick Porcello have settled into their roles as the secondary aces to the left-hander.Manager Alex Cora also handled the postseason like an experienced vet in his first year.The Red Sox followed up their last World Series win by finishing with 71 victories in 2014. This team is different. Whereas that championship was a bit of an outlier, Boston had been building to this for years. What's Next?The Red Sox will open their spring training schedule Feb. 22 against the Northeastern Huskies. The Dodgers will take on the Chicago White Sox on Feb. 23. Boston and Los Angeles will play one another in the 2019 regular season, as the Red Sox host a three-game series July 12-14. The Los Angeles Dodgers have been one of the busiest teams on the MLB trade market in recent years.Ahead of Tuesday's non-waiver trade deadline, the Dodgers acquired Manny Machado for a quintet of prospects, but that isn't the only upgrade they're looking to make.With Machado already in the lineup, the Dodgers are in search of bullpen help to alleviate some of the pressure on closer Kenley Jansen's shoulders.The relief market is shifting by the day, as a few trades have taken place since the All-Star break, but there are still plenty of players available who could help the Dodgers down the stretch.Below is a look at the latest buzz surrounding the Dodgers' trade targets.Zach BrittonThe Dodgers are one of many teams involved in talks for theBaltimore Orioles' Zach Britton, who is deemed the best reliever left on the market.Although the Dodgers are discussing a potential deal with theO's, they don't appear to be the front-runner for the 30-year-old yet, as theBoston Red Sox, Houston AstrosandChicago Cubs are more active in talks http://www.redsfanproshop.com/authentic-joe-morgan-jersey , per MASN's Roch Kubatko:Roch Kubatko masnRochWhile it鈥檚 true #dodgers in talks with #orioles regarding Britton, hearing #astros, #redsox and #cubs more active.The main concern for the Dodgers if they acquire Britton is his salary, as the $4.5 million he's still owed would put them near the luxury-tax threshold, which would force them to make a corresponding move, per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal:Ken Rosenthal Ken_RosenthalBritton still owed more than $4.5M. #Dodgers up against luxury-tax threshold. If they acquire Britton, they almost certainly will need to purge another salary to remain under. vESaGQbivvIf the Dodgers find a way to get a deal done for Britton, they would be seen as one of the biggest winners of the non-waiver trade deadline, and they'd be viewed as one of the top contenders to win the World Series.Britton's experience as a closer would help the Dodgers in eighth-inning situations, with Jansen waiting to take over in the ninth.Gail Burton/Associated PressBy possessing a dynamic one-two punch in Britton and Jansen, the Dodgers could turn into an unstoppable team in the postseason if their starters are able to go six or seven innings.Since Britton spent time as a starter earlier in his career, it wouldn't be out of the question for the Dodgers to use him starting in the seventh to bridge the gap to Jansen.However, the Dodgers might be in a less-than-ideal position in their attempts to acquire Britton since they already sent five prospects to Baltimore for Machado.With Brad Hand and Jeurys Familia already dealt, the Orioles might try to drive up the price for Britton, knowing he's the most coveted trade target.If that occurs, the Dodgers might be outpriced by other contenders willing to go all-in for a championship by sacrificing a few key prospects. Brad BrachIf the Dodgers are unable to bring in Britton, they could turn to another part of the Orioles bullpen to bolster their relief pitching.According toBill Shaikinof theLos Angeles Times,the Dodgers are interested in Brad Brach in addition to Britton.Brach Dave Concepcion Jersey , who unlike Britton pitched since the start of the season, has 10 saves in 41 appearances for the Orioles, but he possesses a 4.97 ERA in 38 innings.The 32-year-old right-hander would be a downgrade from Britton, but he'd still be an addition who could help Jansen throughout the final two months of the regular season and playoffs.Jim Mone/Associated PressA year ago, Brach recorded a 3.18 ERA with 70 strikeouts in 68 innings, and he gained experience as a closer after Britton went down with an Achilles injury.While he isn't a big fish on the trade market like Britton, Brach might be the better option for the Dodgers if they're looking to trade away fewer prospects while still improving the bullpen.One of the downfalls to acquiring Brach instead of Britton would be the lack of a left-handed power arm in front of Jansen, but the Dodgers could look elsewhere.Other options include Miami's Kyle Barraclough and Drew Steckenrider, who could move to the forefront of the relief market if the Miami Marlins believe they can receive favorable packages in return.A surprise name or two could always pop up as well, which might lead the Dodgers in another direction, but for now, their focus appears to be on the two Orioles relievers.Follow Joe on Twitter, JTansey90.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — One of the hottest pitchers in baseball was at his best early on http://www.redsfanproshop.com/authentic-tom-seaver-jersey , yet the Cubs‘ high-powered hitters didn’t get discouraged.Javier Baez hit one of three solo home runs off Cy Young contender Aaron Nola to reach 30 home runs and 100 RBIs, and Jon Lester pitched six shutout innings to continue his mastery of the Phillies in NL Central-leading Chicago’s 8-1 victory over Philadelphia on Sunday.Daniel Murphy and Anthony Rizzo also went deep off Nola (15-4), who gave up three home runs in a game for the second time over 88 starts in his four-year career.Murphy’s homer was a game changer. Nola fanned seven of the first nine hitters before Murphy’s two-out shot to right field in the third inning gave Chicago a 1-0 lead.“It can really lead to a frustrating dugout,” Lester said of the early struggles, “but you didn’t hear it or see it.”Murphy looked bad while weakly fouling off the previous two pitches before launching a 1-2, 94-mph fastball into the seats“We just grind out at-bats,” Murphy said. “We really made Aaron work today.”Chicago, which has won 10 of 12, leads the Cardinals by 5 ½ games.“We’ve been playing as well as we’ve played all year the last two weeks,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. “The guys have been doing wonderfully and it’s impressive.”Lester (15-5) surrendered eight hits, struck out seven and walked none while improving to 8-0 with a 1.49 ERA in 10 career regular-season starts against the Phillies.The Phillies began the day three games back of Atlanta, which hosted Pittsburgh on Sunday night. Jorge Alfaro had two hits, including an RBI double in the ninth, for Philadelphia.“That’s just an incredible offense, and today they just won http://www.indiansfanproshop.com/authentic-b.j.-upton-jersey ,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said. “I think that’s the long and short of it.”Kapler moved Nola up a day to give him another start at home, where the star right-hander has been dominant. It backfired. Nola gave up four runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings with 11 strikeouts and two walks.“Every loss right now hurts as a team, but I’m going to put this one behind me,” Nola said.Rizzo led off the fourth by hitting an 0-1, 85 mph changeup over the wall in left, and Baez, the league leader in RBIs entering Sunday, hit a 1-2 fastball out to left in the sixth.Nola also gave up an RBI triple to Kyle Schwarber in the sixth to snap a string of 17 straight home starts allowing three runs or less. He dropped to 9-1 at home, where his ERA rose from 1.94 to 2.21. Nola’s overall ERA increased from 2.10 to 2.23.The other top contenders for the NL Cy Young, Washington’s Max Scherzer and the Mets’ Jacob deGrom, will pitch on Monday.NOT HIS DAYNola continued to struggle on Sept. 2. The right-hander has allowed multiple homers in a game 10 times, including all three starts he has made on Sept. 2 (2018, 2017 and 2015). Overall, Nola has a 9.82 ERA on Sept. 2 while allowing 24 hits, including seven homers http://www.indiansfanproshop.com/authentic-omar-vizquel-jersey , over 14 2/3 innings.NOLA’S NEMESISMurphy is batting .345 (10 for 29) with two homers and six RBIs against Nola.CARDS ALLOWEDMajor League Baseball has told teams that it’s OK for pitchers to use the kind of scouting cards that umpire Joe West confiscated from Philadelphia reliever Austin Davis on the mound Saturday.Kapler said Sunday that he’d been informed the cards were legal. They are, provided they don’t delay games, MLB told clubs in clarifying the policy.GREAT COMPANYThe 25-year-old Baez became the fifth Cubs player to reach 30 homers and 100 RBIs in a season before age 25 or during the year reaching that age, joining Ernie Banks, Kris Bryant, Rizzo and Ron Santo.TRAINER’S ROOMPhillies: 1B Justin Bour, out since Aug. 23 with a left oblique strain, was activated from the DL.UP NEXTCubs: LHP Cole Hamels (9-9, 3.70) looks to remain perfect with the Cubs on Monday afternoon in Milwaukee, where he faces RHP Zach Davies (2-5, 5.23). Hamels is 4-0 with a 0.69 ERA in six starts since being traded to Chicago from Texas.Phillies: Begin six-game road trip with a three-game set at Miami on Monday afternoon, with RHP Vince Velasquez (9-9, 4.05) opposing Marlins RHP Jose Urena (4-12, 4.56). SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Kansas City Royals pitcher Eric Skoglund broke down in tears Saturday Jason Kipnis Jersey , talking publicly for the first time since Major League Baseball gave him an 80-game suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs.Skoglund said he is bewildered about what triggered the positive results. The penalty was imposed last month and will begin at the start of the season.“We have no idea,” Skoglund said in a media room at the Royals’ spring training complex.“That’s the hardest part. Something got into my body without me knowing, it was scary. It just makes you think what could have been.”“That’s the hardest part to deal with, not knowing because I’m not a guy that’s going to cheat the game. I didn’t do anything maliciously. It’s not the type of person I am. It’s not in my character. It’s not how I was raised. So it stinks. We couldn’t find anything and that’s what is going to eat me for the rest of my career. It’s not a good feeling at all,” the left-hander said.Asked how it felt to tell Royals general manager Dayton Moore about the suspension, Skoglund became very emotional and could not finish his sentence.“A relief,” he said. “I was in a pretty tough spot, but.”With his eyes watery, Skoglund did not say another word before exiting the room.He returned after a few minutes to finish the answer.“It was a relief,” Skoglund said. “I was just going through a lot these last couple of months. I knew I didn’t do anything maliciously, so having his support was a good feeling for me, definitely helped.”He said only his parents and girlfriend knew about the suspension before he talked to Moore.“I was very fortunate I was able to have my girlfriend and my family by my side during that time just because it was extremely tough and I wasn’t able to speak to anyone about it,” he said. “I was bouncing all around the country just trying to stay afloat mentally.”Skoglund, who was a Royals’ rotation candidate after going 1-6 with a 5.14 ERA, remains confused on why he tested positive for selective androgen receptor modulators S-22 (Ostarine) and LGD-4033 (Ligandrol).“I didn’t change anything in my offseason that I had done in previous offseasons Lonnie Chisenhall Jersey ,” Skoglund said. “The only thing I did was eat cleaner. We didn’t have any information. They said if you try to appeal, you’re probably not going to win. At that point, I just wanted to let the Royals know I was pretty beat inside and it was just eating at me.“I just would rather tell them than appeal for another month and not be able to tell anyone and lose. It would just make me worse mentally, physically, so I just wanted to get it out there with Dayton and the front office,” he said.He said he the only vitamins and supplements he ingested during the offseason came from the Royals’ medical staff and were passed out at the end of season.“I wish I had an answer,” he said.The 6-foot-7, 26-year-old was a 2014 third-round pick out of Central Florida.He was limited to 14 games, 13 of them starts, last season after going on the 60-day disabled list with an elbow strain.He returned in September, where he had a 1.33 ERA and held opponents to a .157 batting average in four games.

This was all kinds of embarrassing for the Washington Redskins Cheap Derrius Guice Jersey , from the offense to the defense to the special teams, from the poor plays to the face-palm penalties, from the numbers on the scoreboard to the thousands of empty seats in the stands.Facing a last-place team that had nothing to play for 鈥?but appeared to have more fans in the stadium Sunday than the home team did 鈥?coach Jay Gruden's Redskins dropped their fourth consecutive game to fall below .500 with a 40-16 loss to the New York Giants.Asked whether he's concerned about his job status, Gruden replied: "My job's in jeopardy every week. So I've just got to go about and do the best I can, get these guys ready to go, and we'll continue to do that."Third-string quarterback Mark Sanchez, playing for Washington (6-7) because of injuries to Alex Smith and Colt McCoy, made his first NFL start since 2015 and played like it, going 6 for 14 for 38 yards and two interceptions, including a pick-6."It was tough sledding, for sure," Sanchez said. "That's easy to figure out."The score was 40-0 in the third quarter when Gruden yanked Sanchez, whose passer rating was 10.7 and whose longest completion went for 10 yards.A reporter wanted to know what Gruden thought "went wrong" for Sanchez."What DID work?" came Gruden's answer. "There was nothing that worked. Nothing worked. So everything did not work."Sanchez was replaced by another recently unemployed player, Josh Johnson, who threw his first NFL pass since 2011 and helped the hosts score all of their points in garbage time. Gruden said after the game he would prepare Johnson to start next week at Jacksonville.The Redskins were guilty of two penalties on the initial punt of the game by New York (5-8), setting a pattern: Washington was flagged 15 times for 135 yards."Unacceptable," said defensive back and punt returner Greg Stroman.There was a 5-yarder on Washington's offense for having 12 men in the huddle early. Right tackle Morgan Moses was called twice for false starts in the first half, giving him 12 accepted penalties this season Mason Foster Jersey , the most for any player in the league. Late, after a 31-yard pass from Johnson to Josh Doctson would have set up Washington with a first-and-goal at the 3, the receiver was penalized 15 yards for taunting a defender. On the very next play, Johnson was picked off. Then, with the Giants about to punt on fourth-and-3, Washington had 12 men on the field for the punt, so New York got to keep the ball.There were boos repeatedly from a crowd listed at 57,347 鈥?about 25,000 under the stadium's capacity 鈥?and all the blue Giants jerseys in the stands made it "feel like we're at home" to New York linebacker Alec Ogletree.Competing against a Redskins offensive line that included four tackles and an injured center, a mediocre Giants pass rush that entered the game with 19 sacks 鈥?an average of about 1陆 per game 鈥?already was up to five for the day after Washington's first possession of the second half.A so-so Giants offense that was missing star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. did whatever it wanted most times it had the ball and put up 34 points by halftime, only four fewer than its previous highest total for an entire game this season.Rookie running back Saquon Barley gained 170 yards on only 14 carries, including a 78-yard TD, plus added another 27 yards on four catches. Eli Manning, written off by many earlier this year, looked quite competent, completing 14 of 22 passes for 197 yards and three touchdowns before taking the fourth quarter off."It's tough to deal with. It really is. It's unfortunate," Gruden said. "That product we put on the field today is not a reflection of the guys' work during the week and in practice. However, it did look bad."Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at ://HowardFendrichWashington Redskins Training Camp Day 6 live updates Redskins players and coaches held the fifth day of training camp in Richmond Cheap Alex Smith Jersey , VA yesterday. Day 6 of practices starts today at 9:45am. Training Camp ScheduleWednesday, Aug. 1 9:45 a.m. Practice4:40 p.m. WalkthroughThursday, Aug. 2 9:45 a.m. Practice4:40 p.m. WalkthroughSaturday, Aug. 4 ^ 1:30 p.m. PracticeSunday, Aug. 5 9:45 a.m. Practice4:40 p.m. WalkthroughMonday, Aug. 6 9:45 a.m. Practice4:40 p.m. WalkthroughTuesday, Aug. 71:35 p.m. PracticeSaturday, Aug. 111:35 p.m. PracticeSunday, Aug. 12 * 1:35 p.m. PracticeMonday, Aug. 13 * 10:35 a.m. Walkthrough3:00 p.m. PracticeTuesday, Aug. 14 * 1:35 p.m. PracticeWashington Redskins Preseason ScheduleNew England Patriots Thursday, Aug. 9 7:30 p.m.New York Jets Thursday, Aug. 16 8:00 p.m.Denver Broncos Friday, Aug. 24 7:30 p.m.Baltimore Ravens Thursday, Aug. 30 7:30 p.m.NFL News twitter feed:Tweets from https://twitter.com/HunterLoganX/lists/n...portersRedskins twitter feed:Tweets from https://twitter.com/HunterLoganX/lists/beat-writers Custom Indianapolis Colts Jerseys

Cam Newton accepting a big Bo’ box from a fan and bringing it to the QB huddle is everything The first night of training camp is often a lighthearted affair http://www.authenticscarolinapanthers.com/cheap-mario-addison-jersey , but make no mistake, the players get pretty hungry having a dinnertime practice like this one. This was no problem at all for Cam Newton, who while slapping hands with some fans in attendance was cheerfully given a big tailgate box from Bojangles by one of the fans in attendance.I know two things... If I’m Bojangles Color Rush Torrey Smith Jersey , I am playing this clip over and over on social media for at least the rest of training camp. It might be time for Bojangles to remake that classic commercial that featured Steve Smith and Jake Delhomme riding around in the General Lee and getting some chicken while ducking the law with a new cast of characters. Cam Newton and Devin Funchess perhaps? Luke Kuechly and Cam? You know Cam has to be a part of it.In case you missed it way back in the day... here is the classic commercial in action. IT’S BO TIME!Panthers 2018 season opener countdown: 49 days to go With 49 days to go in the offseason, we look at Panthers #49, linebacker Richie Brown. Richie Brown Color Rush Greg Van Roten Jersey , LinebackerBioHeight: 6’2”Weight: 235 lbsAge: 24College: Mississippi StateNFL Experience: 1 yearBrown started at middle linebacker in each of his past two seasons after the departure of eventual second round pick Benardrick McKinney and led the team in tackles both seasons. He went undrafted in the 2017 draft but found a spot on the Buccaneers’ offseason roster as an undrafted free agent. He was unable to survive the final roster cut and was released on September 2nd. After 3 months of football unemployment, the Panthers signed Brown to the practice squad, where he remained through the end of the season.Brown’s most likely chance to hold on with the Panthers is probably another year on the practice squad. Luke Kuechly http://www.authenticscarolinapanthers.com/cheap-daryl-williams-jersey , Thomas Davis, and Shaq Thompson are locks while the team will probably look for any reason to keep their two drafted rookies on the active roster.

Redskins Final 53-Man Projection Redskins Final 53-Man Roster projection: Who Makes the Cut?So Youth Alex Smith Jersey , we’ve made it through preseason (thank goodness). Beyond a few tough injuries, my initial roster projections(Offense/Defense) after week 2 of the preseason is largely intact (I told you so). I will highlight the changes (in bold) that have been made and give a few other notes for each position below.OFFENSEQB (2): Alex Smith, Colt McCoyIf the Redskins were going to keep a 3rd QB because of Colt’s injury, it wouldn’t be Hogan. He just isn’t yet ready to be a backup.RB (4): Adrian Peterson, Rob Kelley, Samaje Perine, Chris ThompsonSamaje holds on to a roster spot just barely better than he holds on to the football. He’s on the roster for now, but as soon as Thompson falters on any level, look for either Bibbs to be brought back in or Marshall to be activated off the IR. Kelley is the kind of player you want on your team; he advocated for more special teams reps in OTAs and will do whatever it takes to make this team. He also looked much more effective running behind a FB. WR (6): Josh Doctson, Paul Richardson, Jamison Crowder, Trey Quinn, Mo Harris, Brian QuickPreseason sweetheart Cam Sims finds himself on the outside looking in. Every year, fans fall in love with a WR that has tools but isn’t ready yet (see Marko Mitchell). If Harris isn’t healthy, Sims is the last guy on, but I think Quick is a lock because of his veteran presence, special teams play, and consistency.TE (4): Jordan Reed, Vernon Davis, Jeremy Sprinkle, JP HoltzThis is an easy group, right? Wrong. Holtz makes the team as he has shown he can be a capable fullback in front of two RBs who ran significantly better in 12 personnel this preseason. Gruden is a creative play-caller and knows what fits his offense best, so I believe he sees that both Rob Kelley and Adrian Peterson run more effectively with a lead-blocker. Plus, Holtz has shown he is athletic enough to get out on a flat-route effectively.OL (9): Trent Williams http://www.authenticswashingtonredskins.com/cheap-mason-foster-jersey , Shawn Lauvao, Chase Roullier, Brandon Scherff, Morgan Moses, Ty Nsekhe, Geron Christian, Kyle Kalis, Tony BergstromNo change here. The final roster spot was between Kyle Kalis and Tyler Catalina, so now that the Wine-Mixer is out for the season, Kalis keeps his job. However, I fully expect that the last OL spot will belong to someone who is not currently on the Redskins’ roster come week 1 in Arizona.DEFENSEDL (6): Jonathan Allen, DaRon Payne, Matt Ioannidis, Anthony Lanier II, Tim Settle, Ziggy Hood*This assumes Stacy McGee starts out the season on PUP*No change here. As I said three weeks ago, no chance Phil Taylor makes this team as a third NT. It was never going to happen. Big Phil is a good guy, but he never had a shot at this roster without an injury.OLB (4): Ryan Kerrigan, Preston Smith, Pernell McPhee, Ryan Anderson, Only change here is Pete Robertson not making the final 53 in favor of a fourth TE. I don’t think the Redskins are thrilled with their talent on the outside, and if a 5th OLB is kept, I think that player comes from the waiver-wire.ILB (5): Mason Foster, Zach Brown http://www.authenticswashingtonredskins.com/cheap-matthew-ioannidis-jersey , Josh Harvey-Clemons, Shaun Dion Hamilton, Martrell SpaightSpaight makes the HUGE push to supplant Zach Vigil. At camp, Spaight was playing with the 3rd, and sometimes 4th, lines. Perhaps that was a message from the coaches, but Vigil has been less-than-spectacular and his lack of athleticism has shown up throughout the preseason. Spaight’s special teams value, hard-hitting style, and the fact that Brown, JHC, and Hamilton are all more ‘finesse’ ILBs land him the final ILB spot.CB (6): Josh Norman, Quinton Dunbar, Fabian Moreau, Greg Stroman, Adonis Alexander, Danny Johnson*This assumes Joshua Holsey starts out the season on PUP*Danny Johnson was my ‘last cut’ after preseason week 2, but after the departure of Orlando Scandrick, Johnson makes this team. Whispers from the park suggest that Danny Johnson might be considered by coaches to be the team’s 4th CB who would come in after Moreau in nickel. Quite a few months for the undrafted rookie.S (4): DJ Swearinger, Montae Nicholson, Deshazor Everett, Troy ApkeI remain worried about this position, but the projection stays the same. Apke and Everett missed more tackles than they made in the preseason, neither living up to their new ‘Nutella and Wonderbread’ nicknames. Swearinger and Nicholson both struggle in man coverage, something the team showed a lot of in preseason. I hope this unit proves me wrong.Special Teams (3): LS Nick Sundberg, K Dustin Hopkins Youth Derrius Guice Jersey , P Tress WayI don’t care about special teams. I do think the team should’ve brought in competition for Hopkins, but he was 2% above league average last year in kick accuracy and 4.8% above the league average inside of 50-yards, so maybe we all remember misses more than we remember the kicks he put through the uprights.So, to recap, that’s 25 offense, 25 defense and 3 specialists. As always, give me a follow/ask me questions on Twitter @Kennedy_Paynter and thanks for reading!Is It Time for the Redskins to Make a Trade? For numerous reasons, the Redskins can be a potential trade partner now, or in the very near future, either as a giver or receiver (no pun intended) in a trade.It was just announced today that the following players from teams around the NFL are being placed on IR, likely ending most of their seasons:Seantrel Henderson - OTTitansDelanie Walker - TETitansGreg Olsen - TEPanthersDaryl Williams - OTPanthersJeremy Hill - RBPatriotsKeanu Neal - SFalconsRedskins players who could be trade-bait:Ty Nsekhe - If the Skins feel they can get by with rookie swing tackle Geron Christian, Nsekhe could be moved for the right price to a tackle-needy team.Samaje Perine - Perine was inactive for Sunday’s game, and if the staff feels comfortable with Peterson, Thompson and Kelley, could they trade Perine and bring up Bibbs from the practice squad?Vernon Davis - Father Time still has a lot left in the tank, and with the recent rash of tight ends getting injured, and a healthy Jordan Reed, Davis could be a potential trade target - especially seeing what the Chargers did by recently signing Antonio Gates. D.J. Swearinger - The Redskins used a 2018 fourth round pick on Penn State stud safety Troy Apke. Could baptism by fire be in the works for the rookie if the team were to move Swearinger in a trade?The Redskins may also be in the market for a wide receiver if both Cam Sims and Trey Quinn miss significant time due to their ankle injuries. It’s been reported that the team is not interested in current free agent Dez Bryant, but how many other instant contributors can be found on the open market?...maybe Corey Coleman could be worth a sniff? He can’t be any worse than Doctson. The most likely choice would be to bring back veteran Brian Quick, as I don’t believe any receiver from the practice squad is game-ready just yet, or trade for a veteran on a current NFL roster. All just food for thought...

The Panthers are 2-1 following an impressive 31-21 win over the Bengals last Sunday and are heading into an unfortunately early bye week with a lot to be happy about.NFL experts are starting to believe this team is pretty good Youth Luke Kuechly Jersey , as evidenced by this week’s power rankings. Following their win over the Bengals, the Panthers find themselves in the top ten of most experts’ lists as they head into their week off.I have to say most because—as always—there has to be one hater in the group:ESPNSure, being No. 11 isn’t that bad, but come on man... can’t we have a clean sweep of the top ten for once? Here are the rankings from the better experts who place the Panthers firmly where they belong...NFL.comUSA TodaySporting NewsBleacher ReportSB NationWhat do you think http://www.authenticscarolinapanthers.com/cheap-graham-gano-jersey , Panthers fans? Are the Panthers a top-ten team? Why or why not?Discuss. The most immediate question regarding the return of safety Eric Reid to the NFL is whether the deal with the Panthers has any impact on his pending collusion case.Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the contract with the Panthers does not impact Reid’s collusion grievance against the NFL. Specifically, Reid did not agree to dismiss or settle his collusion grievance as part of his contract in Carolina.The ongoing unemployment of Reid was only making the collusion more conspicuous.聽And there’s one potential piece of evidence that could make the collusion even more conspicuous: If the Panthers cleared the move with the league office before making it, the mere effort to get the green light from the league before signing Reid would be evidence of an atmosphere of collusion. Absent an atmosphere of collusion Michael Palardy Jersey , there would be no need to get the league’s nod of approval before signing Reid.Green light or not, the Panthers did the right thing by looking past non-football matters and making a football decision.聽Earlier this week, Panthers receiver Torrey Smith lobbied publicly for the Panthers to consider Reid. To their credit, the Panthers did — with no assurances or promises that Reid won’t continue to pursue legal rights against the NFL Authentic Cam Newton Jersey , which necessarily includes the Panthers.

Build The Team: CFB Standouts Week 3 It’s all about the Redskins but I love college football as well. I’m 2 weeks late (things you don’t want to hear?) but now is as good a time as any to kick this series off. Without further adieu here is who caught my eye this week. . . Offense Hakeem Butler Womens Josh Doctson Jersey , WRSchool: Iowa State | Conference: BIG 12College Experience: RS Junior | Age: 21?Height / Weight: 6-6 / 225 lbsLast year Butler was the #2 receiving option behind Allen Lazard (who is currently on Jacksonville’s practice squad). This year he is the #1 receiving option and he showed up big against some of the best competition he’ll have all year. Iowa State lost this game but Butler showed he can hang with the big boys. Butler kept his team competitive through the majority of the game against an obviously superior Oklahoma team. He is a strong possession receiver that plays with power, speed, and has good hands. His size makes him a physical mismatch for most secondary players and he’ll be making plays for Iowa State’s offense all year long if they keep throwing his way. Butler finished with 5 catches for 174 yards and 2 touchdowns. Here is a taste of what he did this past weekend. Darius Anderson, RBSchool: TCU | Conference: BIG 12College Experience: Junior | Age: 21?Height / Weight: 5-11 / 212 lbsDarius Anderson put TCU on his back in primetime this past Saturday night. Anderson was TCU’s leading rusher last season but has not been fully 100% for a while and has missed more than a handful of games in his career. He looked 100% as he blew by Ohio State’s defense and powerful front 7. Anderson ripped off a monster run that not only set a school record for longest run from scrimmage but also set a record for Ohio State - most yards given up on a single play. Anderson has speed to take it to the house but he is also well build and has good vision and can get tough yards on interior runs as well. There will be a few running backs that will get a lot of love because of the conferences they play in but if Anderson can stay healthy and keep up this level of play he could be one of the top backs in the draft if he decides to declare. TCU got away from the run game as they fell behind and Anderson finished with 12 carries for 154 yards and 2 touchdowns. A.J. Richardson, WRSchool: Boise State | Conference: Mountain WestCollege Experience: Senior | Age: 21?Height / Weight: 6-0 / 212 lbsA.J. Richardson is an under the radar WR prospect playing with an under the radar QB in Brett Rypien. The duo don’t have perfect trust and chemistry all the time but they did on a jaw dropping play as Boise State was trying to fight back against Oklahoma State this past weekend. Richardson is going to break just about every career receiving statistic he’s logged playing as one of Rypien’s more trusted options this season after Cedric Wilson (now a Cowboy) was drafted. If he can pull off a play like this with any consistency you’ll start hearing more about him in January. Outside of this beauty of a catch Richardson finished the day with 4 catches for 70 yards and a touchdown.DefenseDre’Mont Jones, DLSchool: Ohio State | Conference: BIG 10College Experience: RS Junior | Age: 21?Height / Weight: 6-3 / 286 lbsDre’Mont Jones had 1st round buzz last year but he decided to go back to Ohio State for his RS Junior season. He also showed up in primetime this past Saturday and made key plays that helped Ohio State pull away from TCU in the second half. Jones is likely going to be referred to as one of if not the most athletically gifted interior defensive line prospects in the country. Jones showed off his athleticism and skill as he intercepted a shovel pass and took it to the house and sacked TCU QB Shawn Robinson on a key drive and down as TCU was trying to get back into the game. He is currently working to get bigger without compromising his quickness to be more stout against the run. Jones finished the game with 6 tackles, a sack, a pick 6, and a pass defended. Greedy Williams, CBSchool: LSU | Conference: SECCollege Experience: RS Sophomore | Age: 20Height / Weight: 6-2 / 182 lbsThe entire LSU defense made Jared Stidham and the Auburn offense look bad and out of sync all afternoon. Stidham who is supposed to be one of the top prospects at the QB position this year thought he could get away with throwing to Andreaz “Greedy” Williams’ side of the field. Williams who is already being talked about as a top-10 prospect was an All-American last year and CB1 on many early season college draft boards. He definitely has the attitude you want out of a CB1 as well. Williams shut down his side of the field and never let Stidham get into a rhythm. Williams is a well rounded corner who can play press and off coverage and has an impressive set of instincts and ability to time and adjust to the ball in the air. You’re gonna hear his name a lot this season. Williams finished with 2 tackles, an interception, and a pass defended. Deionte Thompson, SSchool: Alabama | Conference: SECCollege Experience: RS Junior | Age: 21?Height / Weight: 6-2 / 196 lbsNick Saban has had an embarrassment of riches in terms of the talent that enters Alabama especially on the defensive side of the ball. Every year we are impressed and want one of his players which could be a defensive lineman Authentic Matthew Ioannidis Jersey , a linebacker, or a secondary player. Alabama has sent several starting caliber and star players at the safety position to the NFL which include HaHa Clinton-Dix, Landon Collins, Eddie Jackson, among others in recent years. Deionte Thompson is the next in line but Thompson is different. He is already being talked about as a generational player. Check social media for the praise he received this week from draft Twitter along with former and HOF players like Shannon Sharpe, Tory Holt, and Ryan Clark. Thompson has the ability to affect and take over games and he clearly is going to be the best safety in the class if he decides to declare at the end of the season. The plus factors for Thompson are his range, instincts, and cover ability which myself and others throw out a lot but Thompson truly executes this skills week in and week out and is game changer on the Alabama defense. Thompson had an interception week 1 against Louisville and in all honestly I could probably feature him every week this season so I’m getting one out of the way early.Thompson finished with 4 tackles and an interception. Yesterday was one of the most amazing NFL Sundays I can remember. Not only did the Redskins escape the day without a loss, but every single team in the NFC East took a beating. It feels like every team in our division has played three or four times since the last time the Redskins took the field. The manner in which our divisional brethren took their losses was also inspiring. Whether it be a record-setting kick off the foot of...Graham freaking Gano...or a loss to Kirk Cousins or even, well, any Dallas loss is inspiring—it was a very happy day in the Meringolo household yesterday. Coming off the bye week and watching the Eagles, Giants and Cowboys all lose before we take the field again is something that should be bottled up and sold as a magic elixir. The Redskins Cheap Jonathan Allen Jersey , at 2-1, have a little juice going into tonight’s tilt in New Orleans. The story is still going to be all about Drew Brees, but I love that. Nobody thinks the Redskins are coming. At all. Hell, maybe they’re right, but not because they know something we don’t. If people are doubting on the Redskins today, it is because the Redskins have inspired doubt over the years among the national audience. The coronation of Drew Brees as the all-time passing leader is an easy thing for fans around the country to glom onto, and the glomming will be in full force on national television. I can’t be the only Redskins fan excited about this.The most common question I get is what makes the Redskins think they have a chance at all against the Saints offense. Easy, I say: our defense. If there is a face of this Redskins team after just three games, it has to be the defense. That’s not because Adrian Peterson hasn’t been a great story, or because Alex Smith has failed to capture our hearts and minds. It is because the extremely brief and early success this Washington team has achieved thus far is due to the men on the defensive side of the ball. It is also true because for this team to have any chance at all against Drew Brees, Micheal Thomas, Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram, it has to be the defense that makes it happen. A straight offensive battle is simply going to favor the league’s—say it with me—all-time passing leader.I was trying to think of a guy that we will need to play above his level for the Skins to emerge victorious Youth D.J. Swearinger Jersey , and I keep coming back to Quinton Dunbar. That seems pretty unfair, given he has been one the highest rated corners in the league so far. The mountains up front are going to have to do what they do, but Dunbar is going to be tested by Drew Brees and we are going to learn even more about the former wide receiver than we already knew. I think we need at least one turnover from #23 and if I’m being honest, we might need to see him take it to the house. Is it cool to make a defensive touchdown one of the keys to winning tonight? Because I think I just did...and I think it is true.Let’s do two more keys to victory and then we can see how we did on tomorrow night’s podcast. First up is the run game. It would be too easy to tie too much to Adrian Peterson. No...for the Redskins to be successful tonight, they will need two running backs perform at a high level—because the New Orleans Saints will. Chris Thompson has to have over 100 yards from scrimmage and at least one score. I don’t care how he gets it, but he needs to be productive. Let’s set the target level to 20—a total of 20 total touches for CT25 will give us at least a fighting chance.The last time we played the New Orleans Saints (you remember...our quarterback and dynamic running back got injured on the same play and we couldn’t get one yard in two chances) the Redskins had a chance to make a play to seal the win. They failed to do so and Drew Brees showed the world why he is...you guessed it...the league’s all-time passing king. The last key is this: Redskins need to sneak under the pomp and pageantry of tonight’s party in the French Quarter and make a game-winning play in the fourth quarter. It can be as simple as the quarterback sneak we failed to call and execute last year, or it can be a play made on the defensive side of the ball that results in the announcer saying, “Wow...that should just about do it tonight to lock up a victory for the Washington Redskins.” Nobody sees Washington coming, but that means absolutely nothing for a group led by what is already proving to be one of the league’s meanest defenses. You can’t win without making that last play. We have seen this team make that play already this season, but tonight, the entire country is watching. In order for folks to wake up to what kind of team Washington can be in 2018, now is the time and tonight is the stage for that play.

dream Efe Obada was recently highlighted here at CSR so this is as good of a time as any to give some props to the NFL for its International Pathway Program. The IPP launched in 2017 and gave each of the teams in the NFC South an additional spot on the practice squad for a foreign born player. The goals of the program include expanding the NFL’s global reach while developing players from outside of the United States to help them live the American dream. Call me a sucker if you want Womens Mike Adams Jersey , but I love underdog stories. Movies like The Rookie, Invincible, and Million Dollar Arm are right in my wheelhouse. So yes, I’m rooting for Nigerian-born, London-raised Efe Obada to fulfill his NFL dream. Obada was born in Nigeria then trafficked from the Netherlands to England where he was left abandoned and homeless at age 10. His rise from homelessness to warehouse worker to the London Warriors to the Dallas Cowboys (and now the Panthers) is incredible. I’d encourage you to read Obada’s entire story here at NFLUK.com. While Obada becoming a successful NFL player is improbable, it’s not impossible. Just look at the Detroit Lions’ Ezekiel (Ziggy) Ansah. As a BYU fan I had the joy of watching Ansah develop from playing “American football” for the first time in 2010 into a first round pick in 2013. Ansah’s story in a nutshell is he was born in Ghana, arrived at BYU in 2008 as a former soccer player with basketball aspirations, but he got cut from the basketball team in both 2008 and 2009. He walked on the track team in 2009 then finally listened to friends and coaches who told him to try out for the football team. When he first showed up on the football field he didn’t know where the end zone was. He didn’t know how to put on pads. He didn’t know how to get in a defensive stance or how to tackle. Three years later Ansah was the fifth overall pick in the NFL draft, recorded 8.0 sacks in his rookie season, and was selected to the 2013 All-Rookie Team. In 2015 his 14.5 sacks where third in the NFL and made him a Pro Bowl selection. He went from clueless to dominant in five short years. Some foreign-born aspiring football players just need a chance. They need coaching, equipment, and infrastructure. Football lacks the access of soccer and basketball where kids can just gather and play with minimal cost and virtually zero adult oversight. Competitive football players can’t develop that way. They need an organized support staff assisting them almost every step of the way. Obada told the NFL UK his life “is a dream” and “feels like a movie.”Call me a sucker, but I hope this is a movie with a happy ending. Plays to Love, Plays to Hate (aka “P2L, P2H”) looks at the most significant plays in swinging momentum and impacting the eventual outcome of the game. There is always plenty to hate about NFL officiating, so we will only focus on the plays on the field, not the refs.Three plays to love2nd Quarter 15:00 – Panthers 7, Ravens 7. Ravens ball 2nd-and-4 at BLT 31 The Situation: The first quarter consisted of one long Ravens touchdown drive followed by one long Panthers touchdown drive and a 7-7 tie. Baltimore had just started its second drive with six-yard reception as the first quarter ended.The Play: Kyle Love came unblocked up the middle and drilled Alex Collins the moment he took the handoff. Love’s huge hit jarred the ball loose and Vernon Butler recovered the fumble at the Baltimore 12. Three plays later, Cam Newton hit Greg Olsen for a touchdown and a 14-7 Panthers lead.2nd Quarter 5:26 – Panthers 14 Womens Devin Funchess Jersey , Ravens 7. Panthers ball 3rd-and-1 at BLT 45 The Situation: Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. The Play(s): Facing 3rd-and-1, Cam Newton was pressured on a pitch to D.J. Moore and the errant pitch hit Moore’s hand then bounced off the ground as a fumble. Fortunately for the Panthers, the ball popped right back up into Moore’s arms and he ran for 37-yard gain to the Baltimore 17. Two plays later, Cam threw a laser to Devin Funchess but a Ravens defender tipped the ball up in the air just past the line of scrimmage. Christian McCaffrey alertly adjusted his route, leaped in the air, and high-pointed the ball for a zany touchdown reception before any Ravens defenders could pick it off. This drive could’ve ended with a lost fumble or an interception, but instead the Panthers ended up with seven points. To quote Napoleon Dynamite, “Luckyyyyy!” 2nd Quarter 0:05 – Panthers 21, Ravens 7. Panthers ball 4th-and-7 at BLT 49 The Situation: This was bizarre, but effective. Instead of attempting a 62-yard field goal to end the first half, the Panthers took a delay of game. Taylor Heinicke was inserted at quarterback to attempt a Hail Mary because Cam’s shoulder wasn’t feeling up to making the long throw.The Play: The Ravens dropped multiple defenders into deep coverage leaving Greg Olsen wide open off the line. Here’s what Heinecke said happened next, “Greg was yelling at me while he was going out for the route. ‘Taylor! Taylor! Taylor!’ That’s all he was yelling as the ball was getting snapped.” Heinicke hit Olsen for an easy 13-yard gain to the Baltimore 36 with :02 left, setting up a successful 54-yard Graham Gano field goal and a 24-7 halftime lead.Three Two plays to hate1st Quarter 10:23 – Panthers 0, Ravens 0. Ravens ball 2nd-and-14 at BLT 46 The Situation: The Ravens faced 2nd-and-14 from near midfield on the game’s opening drive. They picked up five yards to now face an apparent 3rd-and-9, but the refs threw a flag after the play had ended. The Play: Dontari Poe was called for a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty for apparently making contact with a Ravens player while Poe was on the sideline! He wasn’t even in the game! Instead of 3rd-and-9 from the Carolina 49, it was now 1st-and-10 from the Carolina 34. The Ravens ended up scoring a touchdown on this drive thanks in large part to Poe’s dumb penalty. 1st Quarter 7:57 – Panthers 0, Ravens 0. Ravens ball 2nd-and-10 at CAR 14 The Situation: The Ravens took the game’s opening possession on a long drive down to the Panthers 14. The Play: Alex Collins took a handoff up the middle. Eric Reid came untouched from the safety spot but allowed Collins to spin right out of his tackle and into the end zone for a touchdown. Thomas Davis fought off a block but whiffed on his tackle attempt as well. Better tackling by Reid and Davis would’ve forced a 3rd-and-4 instead of a Ravens score. Closing it out and summing it upMan, only two plays to hate and they were both in the first quarter. What a great game! Consistency is going to be the key for the 2018 Carolina Panthers. They can look absolutely awesome at times like they did this week against the Ravens and in last week’s second half against the Philadelphia Eagles. They can also look like a dumpster fire like they did against the New York GIants and against Washington. But at 5-2, the Panthers are rolling right now.D.J. Moore had the best game of his rookie season with five receptions (on six targets) for 90 yards with an additional 39 rushing yards on two carries. Cam Newton Authentic Shaq Thompson Jersey , the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Week, was incredible yet again going 21-for-29 with 219 yards and two passing touchdowns, plus an additional 52 rushing yards and a score. Defensively, Donte Jackson is a stud in coverage and had a lightning-quick sack on Joe Flacco. Captain Munnerlyn made a nice play undercutting a route for an interception. I’m getting really worried about Dontari Poe, though. He’s made zero impact plays this year and I think I only heard his name called against the Ravens for the boneheaded penalty. On special teams, Michael Palardy pinned the Ravens once at the one yard line and another time at the eight. Graham Gano went 3-for-3, including a 54-yarder, to remain perfect on the season. These guys are flat out ballin’!At 5-2 the Panthers control their playoff destiny and with performances like this Carolina could make some serious noise in the postseason. Plays to love season leaders3 - D.J. Moore, James Bradberry2 - Cam Newton, Christian McCaffrey, Efe Obada, Kyle Love, Torrey Smith, 1 - Colin Jones, Devin Funchess, Donte Jackson, Graham Gano, Greg Olsen, Julius Peppers Authentic Donte Jackson Jersey , Kawann Short, Mario Addison, Norv Turner, Taylor Heinicke, Wes HortonPlays to hate season leaders4 - Mike Adams3 - Eric Reid2 - Cam Newton, Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore, Dontari Poe1 - Amini Silatolu, C.J. Anderson, Captain Munnerlyn, Colin Jones, Devin Funchess, Donte Jackson, Eric Washington, Ian Thomas, Thomas Davis, Trai Turner