their roster says they¡¯re the presumptive favorites to repeat as NL East champs

If the Nats decide to hire a closer from within — Door No. 6, I suppose — they¡¯ve got choices there too. Blake Treinen probably makes the most sense. Thanks to a power sinker that approaches triple digits, the 28-year-old reliever is essentially the NL¡¯s right-handed version of Zach Britton. In fact, Treinen¡¯s 66 percent ground ball rate last season was second best in the majors behind Britton. He¡¯s also figured out how to get lefties out, posting a .221 BAA vs. lefties that was actually better than his mark against righties (.225).
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So there¡¯s that. Shawn Kelley, who tallied seven saves last year and racked up 12.4 Ks per nine innings, could work too. Then there¡¯s Koda Glover, the 23-year-old wild card who had eight minor league saves last year, showed flashes after his call-up, and looks and sounds like he¡¯s straight out of Central Casting to replace Charlie Sheen if they ever decide to do a reboot of the original “Major League.”

In the early part of Fowler¡¯s career, he fared poorly when leading off an inning, posting on-base percentages of .326, .302 and .317 from 2009 to 2011. But then something clicked and the numbers got considerably better.

“We had a really good conversation,” McCutchen said. “I do understand he has a job. I don’t understand what he has to do — I can’t empathize with that, just like he can’t empathize with the challenges I could be going through. We had a good conversation. We basically ended it on good terms.”

McCutchen, who won the National League MVP award in 2013, is coming off his worst major league season, posting career lows in batting average (.256), on-base percentage (.336) and slugging percentage (.430). He also had 24 home runs and 79 RBIs.

Limited Youth Albert Pujols Jersey “You’re going to have your off years, but it’s all about what you do and how you come back from that,” McCutchen said. “I’m looking forward to this season. I’m ready to go.”

If Prescott wins this game, he will extend his win streak to 12 games

That feat was first achieved in 2011, by one player — Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers. He passed for 21 touchdowns and rushed for 14 in his first season out of Auburn. The next season, Robert Griffin III (20 passing touchdowns) and Alfred Morris (13 rushing touchdowns) reached those milestones as rookies with the Washington Redskins.

If Prescott wins this game, he will extend his win streak to 12 games, which would be one from Ben Roethlisberger¡¯s mark for the longest win streak by a rookie quarterback since the 1970 merger, the Elias Sports Bureau notes. Prescott would also have the second most wins by a rookie quarterback in one season.

Elite Womens Pharoh Cooper Jersey That distinction is currently held by Marvin Harrison, who had 469 catches from 1999 to 2002 with the Indianapolis Colts.

A year after Hopkins set the franchise record for receiving touchdowns and became the first player in NFL history to have 100-yard games with four quarterbacks in the same season, his production has dramatically decreased even with just one quarterback throwing him passes this year.

Through 13 games this season, Hopkins has 58 receptions for 668 yards and four touchdowns. At the same point last year, he had 89 catches for 1,221 yards and 10 touchdowns.
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The Pro Bowl receiver said Wednesday that though he asked for a new deal prior to the season, now that the Texans are in the middle of the year, his contract is not something he is concerned about. ¡°I¡¯ll handle that after the season,¡± he said.

Chiefs vs. Texans 2016 final score: Brian Hoyer throws 4 interceptions as Kansas City wins, 30-0

The Kansas City Chiefs dominated the Houston Texans in their Wild Card playoff game Saturday, winning 30-0. Alex Smith threw a rare interception in the first half, but luckily for him, Texans quarterback Brian Hoyer did a lot worse with four interceptions and five total turnovers.

In comparison, Smith looked like an All-Pro. He was efficient, completing 17 of 22 passes for 190 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Hoyer completed 15 of 34 passes for 136 yards with no touchdowns and four interceptions. The Chiefs also assisted Smith with 143 yards rushing on the ground.

Limited Kids Ryan Hewitt Jersey Kansas City finished the regular season with 10 consecutive wins, though they fell just short of winning the AFC West. So they were forced to play a wild card game, and on the road against a Texans team that finished the regular season with a 9-7 record, barely winning the AFC South. It’s no surprise that the Chiefs took this game given how things played out prior to the playoffs.

“Quite frankly, I’m not surprised by anything in this business,” Coughlin said of Kelly’s firing, via the New York Daily News. “But that one was close.”

After firing Kelly, Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie spoke about finding a coach that has “emotional intelligence” and can connect with players in a way that Kelly never did,

Josh Smith Elite Jersey “You’ve got to open your heart to players … I would call it a style of leadership that values information, all the resources that are provided and, at the same time, values emotional intelligence,” Lurie said.

Coughlin, while developing a reputation as being a disciplinarian, made deep connections with many players on the Giants and his departure from the team was an emotional event for several players, including quarterback Eli Manning.

Von Miller missed Broncos practice because of some movie theater mozzarella sticks

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Von Miller had a cheesy reason for missing Broncos practice this week. Not “cheesy” like “corny,” like this failed attempt at humor I am trying to make, but rather “cheesy” as in actual cheese. After being listed on Denver’s official injury report with an “illness,” Miller told reporters why he sat out. Via ESPN’s Jeff Legwold:

“Mozzarella sticks — you can¡¯t put just regular gas in a Ferrari. I learned that [Wednesday]. I¡¯m back to normal now. I¡¯m ready to go.”

It helps that Arizona has two of the fastest receivers in the entire league, John Brown and J.J. Nelson, both of whom can literally just run past a defense. They’ve got two of the more physical and powerful receivers in the league in Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd, both of whom can win contested balls downfield. And importantly, Palmer’s a guy that is willing and able climb the pocket and deliver a strike downfield.

Elite Womens Olli Maatta Jersey Here’s what I’m getting at: This team can throw the ball around the yard. I think that will be a big factor in the Divisional round.

Let’s take a look at a few ways they’ve done that this season.

I like this strategy. Because the Cardinals love to chuck the ball deep like they’re playing flyer’s up a handful of times a game, you get defenses that have to respect that action and play a little deeper as a result. One way to counter this — whether it’s a Cover 2 (two-deep) or Cover 3 (three deep) shell — is to run a deep square in, behind the linebackers but in front of the deep safety (or safeties).

In this case below, the Pittsburgh Steelers run what looks like a two-deep, man-under scheme where the two safeties drop back into zone coverage while the corners on the outside match up on their man. With the safeties retreating so far, Brown — the receiver lined up to the far left — just has to beat the press, and he’ll have the corner in his hip pocket. Once he does that, it’s a matter of running a crisp route.

Matt Wieters types who struggle in that area are having to hunt for suitors

Elite Womens Loui Eriksson Jersey On the surface, those are nice words from one former teammate to another. But there¡¯s more to it than that. Through 711? big league innings, Tom Koehler is a below-average starter. He¡¯s not a bad pitcher, but his 4.16 ERA is a bit higher than average and his strikeout-to-walk rate isn’t great.

But last season, one in which Koehler tinkered with his delivery midyear, the Koehler-Mathis connection was special. In 13 starts with Mathis behind the plate, Koehler looked like a Cy Young contender. His ERA and strikeout-to-walk rate were both 2.65, and opponents hit .191 with a .593 OPS against him. In 20 other starts, Koehler had a 5.66 ERA, and his strikeout-to-walk rate was 1.4; opponents hit .309 against him.

Admittedly, you can get into trouble with these sorts of comparisons, because they don¡¯t factor in caliber of opponent (and those 13 games included three against the offensively challenged Phillies). But let¡¯s at least give Mathis a piece of the credit for putting Koehler on a path to success. From a pitch-framing perspective, there¡¯s this: In Koehler¡¯s career, Mathis has gotten him 12.6 called strikes more than the average catcher would have gotten.

None of the above options would seem to address the Dodgers¡¯ major weakness from last season, which explains why they have been linked to trade options such as the Tigers¡¯ Ian Kinsler and the Twins¡¯ Brian Dozier. Indications are that the Dodgers are not comfortable with the price for either. Expect this area to be a hot topic at the winter meetings.
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Turner was that rare extremely productive right-handed hitter in the Dodgers¡¯ lineup, although he actually had reverse splits, meaning that he hit right-handers better than left-handers. It might be argued that Turner is part of the Dodgers¡¯ problem against lefties and not the solution. So is it best to just move on and go elsewhere at third base?

To be blunt: no way. Turner has just locked into his new high-level productivity, and more of the same figures to be coming. He has also developed into an impressive defender. On top of that, Turner has all of the attributes of an impact leader. High-level third basemen are a cherished commodity around baseball, and the Dodgers would regret letting Turner get away.

Yet Randle’s fantasy impact has also improved

Randle’s minutes have also decreased. He’s dropped by two rebounds per game. Yet Randle’s fantasy impact has also improved. More than improved: it’s nearly doubled.

Larry Nance Jr., PF 2015-16 Player Rater: -0.31 2016-17 Player Rater: 3.87
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Nance is only getting 21.8 minutes per game. He’s only averaging 7.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. But he’s shooting 60 percent from the field and is averaging 1.2 steals per game.

D’Angelo Russell, PG 2015-16 Player Rater: 3.61 2016-17 Player Rater: 2.99 (depressed due to injury)

Calm down. He’s been hurt. He’ll be back in 10-14 days.
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In the meantime, comfort yourself with these averages: 16.1 points, 4.8 assists, 2.5 3-pointers, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals. And he’s 20. Russell’s got a higher ceiling than anyone on this list. (As far as 2016-17 is concerned. Beyond that, it’s a foot race with Brandon Ingram.)

Two numbers tell me Russell’s going to break out in the New Year: 28.6 percent usage rate, 17.37 PER. I’ll tell you: Russell’s a true fantasy star in the making.

(Note: I’m not a Laker fan. I just live here. No Lakers Exceptionalism in this house. I’m too busy editing together Ledell Eackles highlight reels).

Timofey Mozgov, C 2015-16 Player Rater: 0.87 (with Cleveland) 2016-17 Player Rater: 2.92

For the year, Mozgov is averaging 8.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 0.7 blocks and $191,121.95 per game. So, before we criticize Mozgov’s lack of rebounding, let’s be honest: how good of a year did you have?

Brandon Ingram, SF/PF 2015-16 Player Rater: NA 2016-17 Player Rater: -0.31

Ignore the crappy shooting (.372 FG%). Ingram is a 19-year-old drooling — teeming, oozing, percolating — with athleticism and freakish upside. He’s already averaging 24.6 MPG. He’s already defending his position. He’s already started to hit the NBA 3-pointer (.438 3-point percentage over his past five games).

Ingram may not be roster-worthy in standard leagues until the last lap of the season. But I have a feeling that when Ingram arrives, it will happen in an awful hurry.

Rex Ryan optimistic about Bills’ quarterback situation

New Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan addressed the media at the NFL Scouting Combine on Wednesday and talked about several issues, including the team’s lackluster quarterback situation.

Ryan naturally expressed optimism Marshawn Lynch Authentic Womens Jersey about the current state of his signal callers, which is lacking a bona fide starter right now. “I’m excited about EJ Manuel,” he said. “I think he’s a young man who has potential.”

Ryan inherited a roster that currently features just two quarterbacks following the abrupt retirement of Kyle Orton. Only 2013 first-round pick EJ Manuel and former undrafted free agent Jeff Tuel remain on the roster, neither of which have been impressive in their first two NFL seasons.

Manuel, 24, was benched after four games in the 2014 season in favor of Orton after back-to-back losses. In 14 career starts, Manuel has compiled a 6–8 record with 16 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Atlanta has plenty of work to do with its entire roster, including revamping the league’s worst defense in 2014. Retaining Jones would go a long way toward getting back to the playoffs for the first time since 2012, when the Falcons lost in the NFC Championship game.

Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman spoke at the NFL Combine on Wednesday and Michael Bennett Authentic Womens Jersey stated he has no plans to move on from star running back Adrian Peterson. Head coach Mike Zimmer echoed that notion, saying the team will not be looking for a back in free agency, per Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Peterson, who was placed on the commissioner exempt list for the final 15 games of 2014 after he was implicated in a child abuse case, is scheduled to make $13 million this season. Peterson will be 30-years-old in March but has a hall of fame body of work, amassing 10,190 rushing yards and 86 touchdowns in his eight-year career.

Bradford’s rookie deal calls for him to receive $16.58 million in 2015 before becoming a free agent. The former Oklahoma star has also dealt with two torn ACLs over the past two seasons, limiting him to seven games.

Forecaster: Key players and teams for Nov. 28-Dec. 4

Drawing penalties is a skill, and some teams tend to earn significantly more power plays than some of their opponents.

The Arizona Coyotes finished with 33 percent more chances on the man advantage (300) than the New York Rangers (226) last season. At this time of the season last year, the Rangers were Jermon Bushrod Authentic Womens Jersey last in power-play opportunities and they finished there. At this time last season, the Coyotes were second in the NHL for most power-play chances and they finished on top.

The disparity this season at this point in time is even greater than it was at this time last season. The Colorado Avalanche were first in chances last Nov. 25 with 85 and the Rangers were last with 56. This season, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Dallas Stars lead the way with 82 power-play opportunities and the Columbus Blue Jackets have a lowly 49 chances.

The Washington Capitals are middle of the pack for power-play percentage, but are third from last in power-play opportunities this season, leaving them with only nine goals on the man advantage. Although we probably don’t need to highlight that for Evgeny Kuznetsov owners.

The good news is that while some of the trends in power-play opportunities hold steady, some don’t. The Vancouver Canucks and Carolina Hurricanes were both top-10 in opportunities at this time last season, but finished in the bottom 10. The Philadelphia Flyers were 21st in chances at this time last season, but wound up finishing second to the Coyotes with 280.

The bottom line here is that power-play percentage tends to get the most play for Jordan Cameron Authentic Womens Jersey those digging through stats, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. The power play can be exceptional, but if it’s not getting many chances it doesn’t have as much value as the teams that are getting more opportunities. Fantasy owners should be looking at the whole picture to try to glean the best roster targets for their team.

he was a National League Gold Glove Award finalist right

During Saturday’s batting practice, Giancarlo launched a ball that nearly cleared the roof of the Marlins’ building located beyond the left-field wall at Roger Stadium. In the second inning of Miami’s 3 to the Cardinals, showcased his powerful right arm by throwing out a runner at the plate. He probably doesn’t get any attention for his defense, but we saw with the spin throw, manager Don Mattingly said. He makes a good play yesterday, having a to throw a out. He makes that throw today. When I gave up the hit, I thought it was going to be automatic run, Chen said.

When I saw him throw him out at home, I Chris Kirksey Womens Jersey was very impressed with his arm. One of the most-feared hitters the game, ‘s defense often gets overlooked. But 2014, he was a National League Gold Glove Award finalist right. His strong, accurate throw on Saturday is a reminder that can impact a game several ways. What’s really impressive is he takes his time there, Mattingly said. He knows the runner. As he comes up to that ball, you don’t him hurrying or rushing. He’s taking his time, knowing his clock, and how much time he’s got. Again, it’s something he doesn’t get a lot of attention for. But interesting to me, when talking our organization about how good of a right fielder this is, you him a couple of days, you don’t know. But listening to our guys, it was one of the good things you like to hear.

But the 28-year-old is determined to tame the Tigers even if it secretly hurts him and his family. The prop made his debut at his home-town club at 16 and became a huge fans favourite during his 12 years there. His popularity grew even more last year when he played the Challenge Cup final, just two weeks after dislocating his elbow. But now he has got his old club his sights and is determined to shoot them down with Huddersfield. He said: It was a pretty difficult decision to leave Cas and not one I took lightly. I was playing all right but joining Huddersfield has taken me out of my comfort zone and given me a new challenge. It was a pretty difficult decision to leave Cas and not one I took lightly.

Craig Huby I just fancied a change. I did wonder if I was doing the right Christian Kirksey Womens Jersey thing but, once I made the decision, I had to stick with it and I’m happy with it. It’s going to be strange playing against Cas but it’s over here hopefully it’s not going to be too bad. People move on all the time. I’m a Huddersfield Giants player now and, as as I step over that white line, I’ll be treating it as just another game. I’ll be doing everything I can to make sure we beat them. Huby, who was called into England’s training squad last season, still lives the Castleford area. And he’s not the only Giants players who have to lie low at home this weekend if they succeed beating the Tigers. Huby’s life-long pal Brett Ferres is another local lad, along with Giants Kyle Wood. Related articles All three travel to training together and Huby admits they helped him make the move. Both sides picked up their first wins last weekend, the Giants beating Widnes 24 and Cas shocking Wigan 4Huby said: I was happy to hear that Cas had won well against Wigan, but I be very happy if we find out that they reached their peak that game. Huddersfield have recalled Luke Robinson, after he was rested for the last two games. Castleford have prop Andy Lynch back from injury and Moore returns from suspension.
Menu Miami Heat basketball plyaer LeBron speaks to the crowd before the start of the LeBron Family Cody Kessler Womens Jersey Foundation, for Kids Bike-a-thon, in Akron, Ohio, Saturday, Aug. 7. grew up in Akron and played for the Cleveland Cavaliers before signing to play with the Heat as a free agent.

Thanksgiving Football Should Be More Like Christmas Basketball

In the United States, football is as much a Thanksgiving tradition as turkey, parades and arguing politics with family members. The NFL has been playing on Thanksgiving Day since the league was founded in 1920, back when the Columbus Panhandles and Elyria Athletics fought to a 0-0 tie (a game I’m sure was just as riveting as it sounds). In total, there have been 222 games played on the holiday,1 for an average of about two and a half turducken-worthy contests per year.

But as much of a Thanksgiving fixture as the NFL is, are the Carson Tinker Authentic Jersey games really all that good? This year’s slate is better than most, but it’s more the exception than the rule.

The typical NFL game is staged between teams with an average Elo rating (FiveThirtyEight’s pet metric for estimating a team’s quality) of 1500. For Thanksgiving games, that number only goes up to 1518 — meaning the league’s big holiday showcases are really only a little bit better than any run-of-the-mill game. Compare that to the average for prime-time games:2 Although those also have their share of duds, the typical prime-time NFL contest has an average Elo of 1539, or 39 points better than an average game. That’s more than double the gap between the typical Thanksgiving game and an average game.

Julianne Hough: Len said it totally perfectly. You’ve come so far in this competition, and, I mean, your frame, your posture, your footwork, everything was so much more on point tonight than the first time you did the Viennese Waltz. I remember the first time, we actually didn’t get to comment because of the face-off, and I remember I wanted to say I felt I could only keep my eyes on Lindsay. Well, tonight, I could only keep my eyes on you.

Bruno Tonioli: The Big Easy on cloud nine. I love the way you swept your girl off her feet, but Chad Henne Authentic Jersey you had the loving care of a true gentleman. You really took the lead, which the last time you didn’t quite get right. Tonight, you were doing it. You were using the floor beautifully, and you’re always so watchable.

Some comments on his freestyle dance, which got a perfect 40 of 40:

Tonioli: After this, straight to Broadway, my darling, to join ‘Motown, the Musical.’ That was so lovely. It was Calvin’s hit parade. What is so clever about this is you, Lindsay, my darling, is that you brought every quality that he has right into focus. Everything was absolutely right.

Goodman: If I was the postman, Calvin, I’d send you a love letter. Listen, freestyle is about entertainment, and it’s about dance. There was never in question that you can entertain, and tonight you proved you can dance. That was brilliant.