horton

Monday October 3, 2011
Mr. King along with others that Authentic DeSean Jackson Jersey I personally know seem to think
that there was a conspiracy against the Red
Sox to keep them out of the playoffs
(“Yankees tanked to sabotage
Sox,” letter, Sept. 30.) I am not a
Yankees fan or a
Sox fan. I am a fan of the Tampa Bay
Rays, probably the only one in Berkshire County. There are two
reasons that the Red
Sox aren’t in the playoffs. One is
their Authentic Vernon Davis Jersey inability to play all facets of the game of baseball. The
second and most important reason is that the Rays deserve to be
there instead. In Baltimore during the rain delay, Red
Sox announcers were Authentic Michael Crabtree Jersey saying that now
that they are in the playoffs they can play better. Meanwhile, the
Rays were down by seven runs in the 8th inning and came back to win
in the 12th on Evan Longoria’s second homer of the game three
minutes after the Red
Sox blew the game. (Thanks Jonathan
Papelbon).
The Rays don’t buy championships. They try to develop their
players through the best farm system in baseball. So to think that
the Yankees had some scheme in place to ruin the Red
Sox season you only need to look at
the Red
Sox locker room.
The Rays may not win the World Series, then again they just
might. Regardless of what happens I will still stand behind them.
No excuses or whining about this happening or that happening.
That’s what a true fan does. They stand behind their team win or
lose. In order to win you have to know how to lose but Authentic LeSean McCoy Jersey you do it
with dignity either way. When the Rays win the World Series you
won’t see me rubbing it in anybody’s face, unlike the Yankees and
Red
Sox fans that I know. You don’t
hear from them until one beats the other or wins something.
Wednesday night was the greatest night in baseball history and if
you think otherwise you are not a fan of baseball.
TIMM VACHULA PittsfieldYovani Gallardo’s name doesn’t often come up in discussions of
the best young pitchers in baseball.
Yet.
That could change after Gallardo’s performance Saturday at
Miller Park. The 25-year-old right-hander pitched eight superb
innings as the
Milwaukee
Brewers beat the Arizona
Diamondbacks 4-1 in the first game of the NL Division Series.
After escaping trouble in the first inning, Gallardo overpowered
the Diamondbacks with precise command and a variety of pitches.
It was enough to convince Ryan Braun, for one, that Gallardo
belongs in the conversation with guys such as Clayton Kershaw,
Felix Hernandez and David Price among the elite young pitchers in
the game.
“He’s been great his whole career,” Braun said. “But I think if
you really take a look at the last month, it’s like he’s taken a
step forward. He’s been dominant. He’s throwing the ball better
over the last month than I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen him since we
were in (Class) A ball together.
“I’d put him up there with any other ace in baseball.”
Which is what Authentic Michael Vick Jersey the
Brewers did on Saturday as he
outdueled Arizona’s Cy Young candidate Ian Kennedy.
Gallardo retired 19 of 21 batters during one stretch before
yielding a leadoff home run to Ryan Roberts in the eighth
inning.
But the biggest out of the day might have been the one recorded
by Braun, who threw out Willie Bloomquist at the plate as he
attempted to score from second on a single by Justin Upton in the
first inning.
“It was big,” Gallardo said of the play. “He made a great throw.
Who knows? That run scores it might be a whole different ballgame.
But after that I was able to settle in.”
And once Gallardo settled in, the Diamondbacks didn’t have much
of a chance.
“He was painting on the outside corner,” Arizona manager Kirk
Gibson said. “Very firm there. He was right on the edge of the
(strike) zone. He pitched a great game.”
Gallardo has pitched nothing but great games of late. He struck
out 36 batters in his last Authentic Alex Smith Jersey three regular-season starts and tied a
franchise postseason record by striking out nine Diamondbacks.
And he got just enough offensive Authentic Frank Gore Jersey support – some from the usual
suspects and some from less likely sources.
Jerry Hairston Jr., starting at third base in place of Casey
McGehee, broke up a scoreless duel with a bases-loaded sacrifice
fly in the fourth.
Much-maligned shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt tripled with two out
in the sixth and scored on a bloop single by catcher Jonathan
Lucroy.
But then the big boys put it away in the eighth, as Braun lashed
a two-out double – his third hit of the day – down the right field
line. Gibson then chose to stick with Kennedy and allow him to
pitch to Prince Fielder, who lined the second pitch he saw into the
right field bleachers to give the
Brewers a 4-0 lead.
Gibson said he contemplated bringing in left-hander Joe Paterson
to pitch to Fielder. And he also thought about walking him to get
to Rickie Weeks. But Kennedy talked him into letting him pitch to
Fielder.
“That’s what he wanted to do and it was my decision to let him
do it that way,” Gibson said. “It didn’t work out. He threw
probably the worst pitch of the game. Fielder, give him credit. He
put a good swing on it and hit it out of the park.”
For Fielder, it was the most significant homer of his career – a
career that includes 230 regular-season blasts and now two in the
postseason.
“Yeah, the one in ’08 didn’t matter,” said Fielder, referring to
his homer against the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS. “But this
one probably matters. So this was the biggest one.”
Fielder, who went just 1-for-14 in that playoff Authentic Patrick Willis Jersey loss to the
Phillies, said he’s trying to take a different approach to his
second time in the postseason.
“In my mind I felt like it was a one-game playoff every day (in
’08),” Fielder said. “So today I was just trying to enjoy it. We’ve
got a five-game series, so just try to play good baseball.”
But even though there are more games to be played, there was no
mistaking the
Brewers’ excitement about jumping
out to a 1-0 lead in the series. Indeed, Fielder almost got carried
away with his traditional post-home run boxing routine with
Braun.
“I think I was really fortunate I was able to duck in time,”
Braun said, “because his right hook came quick today. Normally, it
doesn’t come that quick. He was fired up.
“For all of us there was a lot of emotion, a lot of adrenaline.
We recognize the importance of getting off to a good start. And
that was a huge home run. It changes the dynamic and it’s obviously
the biggest home run he’s ever hit.”

Arizona
Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson was
lauded all season for leading his team to a stunning last-to-first
finish in the National League West.
It took three days for that love to dissipate.
Gibson has been blistered locally for his postseason strategy,
taking the brunt of the blame for the
Diamondbacks’ 2-0 deficit to the
Milwaukee Brewers in their best-of-five National League Division
Series, which resumes today at Chase Field.
“I can accept full responsibility what goes on with this club,”
Gibson said.
“But I do find it amusing in that the series isn’t over. And
there’s probably many that wrote us off before the series started
and certainly have now. But we don’t subscribe to that.”
Gibson, who had a brief meeting with his team before its workout
Monday, reminded the players Rolando McClain Jersey White they had 48 comeback victories, most
in the major leagues. They had 12 winning streaks of three or more
games, including streaks of six, seven and nine.
“And all of those streaks came after bad play,” Gibson said. “We
understand what we’re up against, and we cherish the opportunity to
be here.”
Gibson was criticized for letting ace Ian Kennedy pitch to
All-Star first baseman Prince Fielder in Game 1 with first base
open; Fielder hit a two-run homer. He was second-guessed for taking
starter Daniel Hudson out too early in Game 2 and leaving reliever
Brad Ziegler in too long.
“We prospered together, we’ve failed together,” Gibson said.
“And that’s the way it will remain. We’re not going to start
blaming people.”
Certainly, the
Diamondbacks front office isn’t
about to blame Gibson, either. He believes in his players. He has
been aggressive. And he’s willing to gamble.
“Gibby isn’t managing any differently now than he did all
season,”
Diamondbacks general manager Kevin
Towers said. “He doesn’t double-switch a lot. He doesn’t pinch-hit
a lot. He sticks with his starters.
“If people want to get on him, he’ll wear it. He understands it.
Everything is magnified in the postseason. That happens to even the
best managers in the game. Gibby can handle it.”
Jonathan Lucroy might not be much of a hitter, but he sure can
squeeze bunt.
The
Milwaukee
Brewers catcher, the subject of some
disparaging remarks by Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Ian Kennedy
after Game 1 of the NL Division Series, got even Sunday with Replica Rolando McClain Jersey a
squeeze bunt that broke a 4-4 tie and triggered a five-run outburst
that carried the
Brewers to a 9-4 victory.
The squeeze bunt has become Rolando McClain Jersey Womens something of a specialty for Lucroy,
who earlier this season had a walk-off suicide squeeze.
“I work on that a lot,” Lucroy said. “Just being the position I
am in the lineup, sometimes you’re called on to do strange things,
especially with the pitcher hitting behind you. It’s a free RBI if
you execute.
“I’m not a good (sacrifice) bunter. But the Rolando McClain Jersey Black safety squeeze, all
you’ve got to do is get it down to the right area. Sac bunting, I
bunt it too hard. cheap nfl jerseys free shipping I’m not good being soft with it.”
To Prince Fielder, who may never have bunted in his life, the
squeeze play isn’t as easy as Lucroy makes it sound.
“I think the squeeze was probably the best thing out of all of
that, because it’s not easy to do – especially (against) a righty
like that,” Fielder said. “For ‘Luc’ to get it down was a big
play.”
After Game 1, Kennedy displayed little regard for Lucroy’s bat
in explaining the reasoning for pitching to Lucroy rather than
walking him to face pitcher Yovani Gallardo with two outs and a
runner on third base in the sixth inning.
“It was a guy who can’t really hit and Gallardo can swing it a
little bit,” said Kennedy, who gave up a bloop single to Lucroy to
drive in Milwaukee’s second run of the game. “There was no thought
at all, for me at least.”
Asked about Kennedy’s comments, Lucroy said he felt no sense of
vindication.
“It don’t matter to me,” he said. “I just like to win. Whether
it’s conventionally, or unconventionally, I’ll take a win any
day.”
For the record, Lucroy actually is one of the better hitting
catchers in the league. His .265 batting average for the season
ranked fifth among catchers in the NL with at least 400 at-bats and
his 59 RBIs ranked fourth.
Hairston steps up
The presumption was that Casey McGehee would start at third base
for the
Brewers in Game 2, based on his
perfect track record at the plate against Arizona starting pitcher
Daniel Hudson
.
That Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke opted to bypass McGehee for
the second straight game in favor of Jerry Hairston Jr.
, a midseason acquisition from Washington, speaks volumes about
his confidence in both players at this point.
And Roenicke was rewarded when Hairston went 2-for-4, including
a one-out double in the sixth that sparked the decisive rally. He
moved to third on a balk by Hudson and scored on Lucroy’s
squeeze.
“You know, he sees pitches – he’s not just up there swinging at
everything, but he gives you a nice quality bat,” Roenicke said.
“And when it’s on the line, you feel really good with him Authentic Rolando McClain Jersey Black up
there.”
And in the field, where Hairston flawlessly handled three
chances and tagged out Ryan Roberts after he was picked off second
base to quell a fourth-inning Arizona rally.
McGehee is 5-for-5 in his career against Hudson, and despite
batting just .223 he played in 155 games and regularly was penciled
into the starting lineup until the final week of the regular
season.
As such, the shift to Hairston, a versatile 36-year-old who
batted .273 in 45 games for the
Brewers, is a relatively significant
move. The job appears to be his to lose.
“I love to play, and it doesn’t matter where I’m playing,” said
Hairston, a 14-year veteran whose only other postseason experience
came in 2009 with the Yankees. “I just love playing the game of
baseball … and getting the opportunity to play in the postseason
is special.”
So how is McGehee, who popped out in a pinch-hitting role in the
eighth inning Sunday, taking the news?
“He’s fine. He wants to start. He wants to get in there and help
us,” Roenicke said before the game. “I just think this is a better
decision, the right way to go.”
Greinke’s game
Zack Greinke, starting for the second consecutive time on three
days’ rest, was just so-so Sunday, but he still managed to keep his
spotless record at Miller Park alive.
Greinke lasted just five innings, giving up four runs. He
surrendered solo homers to Paul Goldschmidt and Chris Young and a
two-run blast to Justin Upton
.
“I thought he made a bad pitch to Upton for the homer,” Roenicke
said. “The other two homers, not that bad of pitches. He threw the
ball well overall. I know he gave up four runs, but I was happy
with the way he threw.”Greinke said most of his troubles were from
his fastball.”I guess the fastball must have been a little flat,”
he said. “They were hitting the fastball pretty good but they were
struggling a little bit on the other stuff. Even the decently
located fastballs were hit hard sometimes.”Lucroy said that Greinke
wasn’t as sharp as normal.”His velocity was up but I don’t think
his control, his command was there,” Lucroy said. “It wasn’t as
good as I’ve seen it. Premier Rolando McClain Jersey But for the most part he did his job and kept
us right there.”
- Adam Mertz contributed to this report.

The movie “Moneyball” came out last week. True story about cheap nfl jerseys free shipping the
2002 Oakland A’s and their general manager, Billy Beane. Haven’t
seen it, so I can’t tell you if it’s any good.
But, I can tell you about some other Hollywood attempts to tell
stories about real-life stories in the world of sports. Some of
them were pretty good, and some of them stunk up the theater.
Here’s a sample:
The Babe Ruth Story (1948)
Anyone who loves baseball, loved the Babe. This account, with
William Bendix wearing Rolando McClain Authentic Jersey No. 3, was absolutely, positively horrid. He
looked like he was shucking corn when he pumped his bat up and down
for the so-called “called Raiders Rolando McClain Jersey shot” in 1932. “The Babe” came along in
1992 with John Goodman. Wasn’t much better. Authentic Richard Seymour Jersey Black Like Bluto Blutarsky
playing the Sultan of Swat.
The Pride of the
Yankees (1942)
The life of Lou Gehrig. Played by Gary Cooper. Realistic for the
most part, except Cooper couldn’t bat left-handed like Gehrig. He
had to hit righty and Hollywood magic did the rest. Instead of
running to first base in the shots, Cooper ran to third.
Cobb (1994)
Tommy Lee Jones portrayed the hit king in this one, and the
opening scene (won’t give it away), well you would have thought Ty
Cobb was an absolute lunatic. After seeing the movie and reading
the book, I would have to concur. Look for Roger Clemens in a
cameo.
Eight Men Out (1988)
A good account of the Black Sox, who threw the 1919 World
Series. Yup, they were dirty. Charlie Sheen played Black Sox
outfielder Happy Felsch and did not have any temper tantrums.
Schenectady native John Sayles directed and had a cameo as sports
writer Ring Lardner. If you haven’t see it, Richard Seymour Jersey Black see it.
61* (2001)
Billy Crystal’s HBO movie about the home run chase between
New
York
Yankees Mickey Mantle and Roger
Maris in 1961. The two actors playing them (Thomas Jane, Barry
Pepper) had uncanny resemblances to the two ballplayers, especially
Pepper as Maris.
Of course, baseball isn’t the only sport that has had Hollywood
come calling. Some of the other movies with real-life sports
subjects include “Brian’s Song,” the 1971 tearjerker about the
death of Chicago Bears running back Brian Piccolo and his
friendship with Gale Sayers; “Cinderella Man,” which gave us the
story of boxer Jimmy Braddock (Russell Crowe) in 2005; and “Ali,”
with Will Smith as the Greatest Official Rolando McClain Jersey in this 2001 flick (Jon Voight
excellent as Howard Cosell).
And you Richard Seymour Jersey White can’t go wrong with “Raging Bull” (1980) (classic De
Niro) or “Miracle” (2004), the story of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team.
“Rudy,” the 1993 story of the Notre Dame walk-on? Maybe an
inspiration to Touchdown Jesus fans, but I never bought Sean Astin
as Ruettiger. Sue me.
Reach Tim Wilkin at Authentic Rolando McClain Jersey 454-5415 or

Saxophonist B.K. Jackson, 20, of Tampa, a good-luck charm for
the
Rays during their 2008 World Series
run, was disappointed he couldn’t perform the national anthem
during last year’s playoffs due to his class schedule at Florida
A&M. But even with FAMU Official Richard Seymour Jersey having homecoming this week, Jackson,
right, played before Game 3 . “This is my party,” he said. It looks
as if
Rays leftfielder Desmond Jennings
has come out his slump. Jennings entered the postseason in a 0 for
25 slump and had just three hits in his final 40 regular-season
at-bats. He went 2-for-7 in the first two games of the division
series and then blasted two homers in Monday’s Game 3. “I guess I
ran into a couple,” Jennings said. ¶ Jennings became the
sixth rookie in major-league history to Replica Richard Seymour Jersey hit two homers in a
postseason game and the first since the Braves’ Andruw Jones in
Game 1 of the 1996 World Series.
¶ Jennings led off the bottom of the first with a
10-pitch at-bat against Rangers starter Colby Lewis before
grounding out to short. Seeing everything in Lewis’ arsenal in that
at-bat helped Jennings in his second at-bat, in the fourth, when he
hit the first pitch into the leftfield seats, above. He led off the
eighth with a shot into the leftfield stands, this time off
reliever Mike Adams. ¶ “It felt good,” Jennings said.
“It’s exciting. Unfortunately, we came up short.” . Two of the late
Lee Roy Selmon’s children, Lee Roy and Brandy, threw out a
ceremonial first pitch, above. Selmon, a Raiders Richard Seymour Jersey Bucs legend, Pro Football
Hall of Famer and former USF athletic director, died Sept. 4 after
suffering a stroke. He had visited the
Rays last year, spoke to the team
and threw out a first pitch. Son Lee Roy enjoyed his turn. “It was
fun,” he said. . St. Petersburg mayor Bill Foster chatted with
Rays principal owner Stuart
Sternberg on the field before the game, but it was more small talk
than stadium-issues talk. Foster, who was at Wednesday’s wild
playoff-clinching victory over the Yankees, said, “You couldn’t
have scripted a better ending.” Foster – pointing toward Sternberg,
team president Matt Silverman and executive VP Andrew Friedman -
said, “That’s the dream team right here. They do more with less
than anybody I’ve ever known.” Foster said nothing has changed on
the stadium front. “Both of us are so focused on getting to the
World Series, ” Foster said. “(The stadium issue) is the last thing
either one of us is talking about.” Reading up
. Rangers SS Elvis Andrus, top right, and closer Neftali Feliz,
center right, are usually the most talked about when it comes to
the haul Texas got in the 2007 Mark Teixeira trade with the Braves.
But today’s Game 4 starter, LHP Matt Harrison, was also part of
that deal and arguably has been just as valuable this season. In
his first full year in the rotation, the hard-throwing lefty went
14-9 with a 3.39 ERA. Authentic Louis Murphy Jersey Black Motivated by not making last year’s
postseason roster and missing the Rangers’ World Series run,
Harrison sharpened up mentally by reading books such as The Mental
ABC’s of Pitching . “And that’s what really has turned my career
around so far this year,” he said. AL Division Series | Game 4,
2:07 today, St. Petersburg TV/radio: TBS; 620-AM, 1040-AM
Rays killer
Napoli, acquired last offseason from the Angels, was 2-for-3
with a walk and one huge home run in the Rangers’ 4-3 win. He also
threw out B.J. Upton trying to steal second in the bottom of the
eighth inning to thwart a
Rays rally attempt. “He’s had so
many big hits for us,” Rangers president and CEO Nolan Ryan said.
“You shudder to think about where we would be without him.”
With the Rangers trailing 1-0 in the top of the seventh, Napoli
hit a towering two-run home run off starter David Price that gave
the Rangers the lead. They tacked on two more runs later in the
inning and held on.
“He hits balls so high, you don’t think they’re going to come
down,” Rangers third baseman Michael Young said.
That Napoli was the hero is no surprise. Including that game, he
is 11-for-23 with four home runs and nine RBIs in six games played
at Tropicana Field this cheap nfl jerseys china year. “I like hitting here, I know that,”
he said. .
Rays centerfielder B.J. Upton took
the blame for throwing a wrench into a potential rally in the
eighth inning. Down 4-2 going to the bottom of the eighth, the
Rays cut their deficit to 4-3 on
Desmond Jennings’ second homer of the game.
Upton followed with a walk with no outs then guessed wrong when
trying to steal second on a 1-and-2 count to Evan Longoria. The
Rangers pitched out, and catcher Mike Napoli cut down Upton.
“I definitely got to run the bases better there,” Upton said.
“It was a perfect pitchout count. I just got to think a little
more.”
Napoli credited bench coach Jackie Moore for the pitchout call.
“B.J. is fast, and you knew they were going to try to steal down
one,” he said. “I just had to get my legs under me and make a good
throw. Can’t rush things there.”
Upton being thrown out stung a bit more when Rangers reliever
Mike Adams walked Longoria and then Matt Joyce. Instead of having
the bases loaded with no Richard Seymour Authentic Jersey outs, the
Rays had runners on first and
second with one out. The Rangers then got out of the inning after
Johnny Damon and Ben Zobrist struck out.
“It was a great call on their part,”
Rays manager Joe Maddon said about
the pitchout. “They beat us in that moment. I have to give them a
lot of credit for that. I will not denigrate B.J. at all for that
moment. If he’s safe, everybody loves it.”
And it’s not going to stop the
Rays from running today in Game 4,
Maddon said.
“We are not going to get timid now,” he said. “We are not a
timid team or group or organization. We’re not. They got us. Hats
off to them. We’ll see what happens next time.” Running wild
. Third baseman Evan Longoria said the
Rays weren’t quite prepared last
year for how the Rangers beat them at their own game in the
division series, stealing bases, bunting, etc. Texas Authentic Richard Seymour Jersey stole four
bases in Game 5 of that series alone. Monday the Rangers were
running again, stealing four bases, including a double steal in the
seventh inning. This Premier Richard Seymour Jersey time Craig Gentry was picked off first base in
the third, and Elvis Andrus got caught in a rundown to end the
seventh.
Rays-playoffs11

Zack Greinke isn’t one for small talk.
Ordinarily, his dealings with the media are limited to postgame
interviews on days when he pitches. He doesn’t say much then, and
what he does is spoken in a dull monotone that betrays no enjoyment
of the process.
But as the starting pitcher for the
Milwaukee
Brewers in Game 2 of the NL Division
Series today against the Arizona Diamondbacks, one Replica Louis Murphy Jersey of Greinke’s
obligations was to participate in a news conference before
Saturday’s game.
Safe to say he will be more comfortable when he takes the mound
today at Miller Park.
And why not? Greinke has found his ultimate comfort on the mound
at his new home park, where he is undefeated in his first year in
Milwaukee. Not only is he 11-0, but the
Brewers are 15-0 in his starts.
That’s a big reason why he will start today on three days’ rest,
just as he did Wednesday when the Raiders Louis Murphy Jersey
Brewers needed his help to assure
home-field advantage for the NLDS.
But that was only part of the equation. Just as important, if
not more so, was getting Greinke involved in the series as soon as
possible.
“In our mind some of it had to do with wanting to pitch him at
home,” manager Ron Roenicke said. “But Zack has been really good
everywhere lately. The home numbers, I know there’s quite a bit of
difference if you look at the season. But if you look at just the
last month or two, he’s been good both places.”
In his last 16 starts, Greinke went 9-3 with a 2.61 ERA to lower
his season ERA from 5.66 to 3.83. During that stretch he was 3-3
with a 2.91 ERA on the road, including a 4-0 loss at Arizona in
July. But take away a rough outing at Pittsburgh in which he gave
up seven runs, his road ERA drops to 1.80.
So as much as Greinke likes his new home, he insisted that he’s
equally comfortable pitching anywhere.
“I do (feel comfortable) in most places, just the results have
been good here,” Greinke said. “Our team plays better here.
Sometimes when you get on a roll it just kind of continues easier.
I don’t think I even noticed I pitched any better here than on the
road until maybe a month ago when people were making a big deal out
of it. It just kind of happened.”
After laboring for seven years with the Kansas City Royals,
Greinke is enjoying Authentic Louis Murphy Jersey the experience of playing for a winner.
“It’s a lot more fun to come to the park Louis Murphy Authentic Jersey when this is going on,”
said Greinke, who won the AL Cy Young Award in 2009. wholesale nfl jerseys free shipping “When you’re
doing good individually, it’s still not fun to go to the park if
the team is losing.”
With Greinke, who suffers from social anxiety disorder, it’s not
always easy to tell whether or not he’s having fun. That’s
especially true for outsiders.
But his quirky personality fits in comfortably in a
Brewers clubhouse packed with
powerful personalities.
“You hear some things and until you’re with him and see how he
interacts with the other players, it’s hard to imagine what was
going to go on,” Roenicke said. “Zack likes to engage. He likes to
stir it up a little bit with the other pitchers.
“He’s very confident … he’s brutally honest. And at times
maybe some people take a step back at that, but if you know Premier Louis Murphy Jersey Zack
and you know where he’s coming from, there’s no malice in it.”
Good call
About the only managerial decision facing Roenicke going into
the series was choosing whether to stick with regular third baseman
Casey McGehee or go with utilityman Jerry Hairston Jr. at the
position.
Roenicke, who has stuck with McGehee throughout his slump-ridden
season, chose to go with Hairston.
And the veteran made that decision look good by driving in the
Brewers’ first run with a sacrifice
fly in the fourth inning and making a big defensive play to retire
Justin Upton for the final out in the sixth.
“Nice game for him,” Roenicke said. “You know, sometimes you’re
not sure what to do and you put a guy there and he has a nice game
and makes you feel Official Louis Murphy Jersey good.”
Roenicke’s rationale was simple. “I just think that he’s
swinging the bat better,” he said.
Roenicke indicated that McGehee saw the change coming.
“It wasn’t tough telling Casey because we’ve had a lot of
conversations in the last week or two on what’s going on,” he
said.
Having played a utility role for a good portion of his career,
Hairston was prepared when he was called upon.
“That’s my job,” Hairston said. “I’ve been doing that the last
five or six years of my career. I’m very comfortable playing just
about anywhere.”

Brewers VS. DIAMONDBACKS
Best-of-five NLDS, on Louis Murphy Jersey Black TBS
Game 1: Milwaukee 4, Arizona 1
Today: Arizona (Hudson 16-12) at Milw. (Greinke 16-6), 4:07
p.m.
Tuesday: at Arizona, TBA
Wednesday: at Arizona, TBA
Friday: at Milwaukee, TBA

The media was kept waiting for about 25 minutes Monday night while Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo was talking with owner Stan Kroenke.That night, Spagnuolo made no mention of why he was late, but opened his press conference by saying, First, I apologize for the wait, I really do. Not how I planned it and I’m not doing that Authentic Louis Murphy Jersey Black on purpose. I wouldn’t do that. Too much respect for you guys and gals.The delay became a story and was written about on profootballtalk.com when New York Post reporter Bart Hubbuch tweeted, I hear Rams control-freak owner keeps haranguing him after losses, wanting explanations.Attempting to douse the fire, Rams senior director of communications Ted Crews told the website there was nothing unusual about the pow-wow with Kroenke other than how long it lasted. Crews said, They talk after every game. Win or lose.Spagnuolo again addressed the issue Tuesday at his day-after press conference, saying, I do deeply apologize for being late at the post-game conferences. I want you to know that it is not out of any disrespect. I do know that the jobs you guys have. There is a lot going on at that time and you want to get the players and you don’t want to be sitting in a Authentic Richard Seymour Jersey press conference room waiting for me. I have visited a couple times with Mr. Replica Louis Murphy Jersey Kroenke and I value that time. He’s great. I appreciate him coming in and talking to us and myself and that’s kind of what happened but we’ll get that squared away and I promise you that we’ll take care of you like we should.When Danario Alexander scored on a 19-yard play with 1:18 remaining in the third quarter, it made the score wholesale jerseys 28-15. A successful 2-point conversion would have brought the Rams to within 11 points, meaning another touchdown with 2-point conversion and a field Louis Murphy Jersey Black goal could tie the game. An unsuccessful 2-point play would have  left the Rams 13 points behind. Whether a 12-, or 13-point lead, two touchdowns were necessary to take the lead.Asked if he considered going for two, Spagnuolo said, That’s a good question. The chart said one point and now I don’t always go by Raiders Richard Seymour Jersey that, but I looked at the time; we had a full quarter left. You can make an argument to go the other way, but at that point I just wanted to get points. It’s just Richard Seymour Authentic Jersey like the opening drive of the second half. I know there was some talk, why not go for it on fourth-and-four, fourth-and-three, but I felt it was important to come away with points Permier Louis Murphy Jersey there, so that’s what we did.At the end of the game, the Rams were on their own 15-yard line, facing fourth-and-28 with 1:41 remaining in the game. With no time outs remaining, instead of trying for a miracle first down, Spagnuolo opted to punt.He said, In all honesty, at that point I think it was going to be very difficult to win the football game. I just felt; I didn’t want to take a chance mostly in possibly getting the quarterback hurt. I didn’t know what they might do. That’s really all that was. I just didn’t think at that time it was going to make a difference one way or another.BY THE NUMBERS 8 – Number of first downs Rams opponents have gotten by penalty, second-most in the league. Only Oakland with 11 has more.QUOTE TO NOTE We’re certainly not where we want to be, record-wise or performance-wise. But I will say this; we’ve always said this: It’s not about how you start, it’s how you finish. Now, you can only use that saying for so long because then you start running out of games. – Coach Steve Spagnuolo on the team’s third consecutive 0-2 start with him as head coach.Copyright C 2011 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.

It’s been a strange year for Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora, who was listed as one of the plaintiffs in the NFLPA’s Brady antitrust lawsuit against the league.The 29-year old Umenyiora, who has long been said to be unhappy with his current contract, filed a sworn affidavit accusing general manager Jerry Reese of going back on his word about renegotiating Umenyiora’s contract or trading him to a team that would give him a payday worthy of the top five at his position.After a brief training camp holdout that lasted all of one day, Umenyiora reported to camp, but did not practice due to a lingering knee injury he said stems back to last year.The icing on the cake for Umenyiora was his decision to undergo surgery on his ailing knee on August 19, a decision that some questioned was in response to his contract dispute with the Giants.Initially when he had that surgery, the Giants announced he would be back within 3-4 weeks, though a source close to Umenyiora said that the recovery period was closer to 4-6 weeks.Throughout that time, Umenyiora had mostly been silent  until Thursday when he finally decided to meet with reporters to discuss his situation.Umenyiora said that his decision to have his surgery when he did was not in response to the front office’s refusal to rework his contact or accept anything lower than a first round draft pick for his services.I could have dragged this injury thing out this whole year and not had surgery and continued to say that I was hurt and didn’t want to play, he said. But the fact of the matter is that I wanted to get back on the football field to help this team.Umenyiora, who Replica Jason Campbell Jersey gave the team a glimmer of hope that he might be closer to returning after he was able to do some pass rushing, said that he is indeed getting close to making his 2011 debut, but declined to provide a definite time frame.I’m just working on my technique and fundamentals. I haven’t really played football in a game since January 2 so it’s been 8-9 months; so it’s going to be difficult if I have to get acclimated going back to playing football so I go out there and do drills and things of that nature and hopefully I’ll be all right when it’s time to go.Coming into the 2011 season, the Giants were expected by many to be able to stand toe-to-toe with their next opponent, the Philadelphia Eagles, the team they have perennially battled for the NFC East crown.This Louis Murphy Authentic Jersey year, at least on paper, the matchup almost seems to be unfair. Somehow, the Eagles became richer, landing top free agents such as cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, defensive end Jason Babin, quarterback Vince Young, running back Ronnie Brown, and receiver Steve Smith, who defected from the GiantsMeanwhile, the Giants began losing key players to season-ending injuries, such as cornerback Terrell Thomas, linebackers Clint Sintim and Jonathan Goff, receiver Domenik Hixon, and defensive tackle Marvin Austin. And others who were expected to play a significant role this season for New York, such as defensive end Osi Umenyiora, receiver Ramses Barden, and cornerback Prince Amukamara, have yet to see the playing field this season.While championships have never been handed out based on what a team does in the Authentic Jason Campbell Jersey Black off-season, the Giants have understandably been in scramble mode as far as getting all their talent on the same page whereas the Eagles, thanks to their good fortune, are a group that as of right now does indeed look like a team to beat.What, then, do the Giants need to do in order to make sure that they’re competitive moving forward?It is just the performance end of it and the aspect of the being in position to execute the way that wholesale jerseys china we want to, said coach Tom Coughlin. Let’s give credit to the fact that there are 11 guys on the other side of the ball that are conducting their offense, defense and special teams as well.While the Giants Jason Campbell Jersey White have made some noticeable progress from Week 1 to Week 2, Coughlin admitted the progress hasn’t come at the desired pace.I don’t know if it was as radical as we would hope, but it is an opportunity for us to continue to grow and develop with the idea towards developing the kind of cohesive execution that is needed at this level to succeed, he said.If the Giants are to at least be competitive against the Eagles this Sunday, they will need to start showing that radical improvement in several areas. From an offensive perspective, the revamped offensive line needs to eliminate the continued communication issues Raiders Louis Murphy Jersey that have plagued it in each of its last two games.Then there is Authentic Louis Murphy Jersey the passing offense, led by QB Eli Manning. Manning has two interceptions so far this season and has struggled with his receivers to convert third downs. While Manning has at times been under duress, it doesn’t help that he and his receivers  what’s left of them that is  haven’t been able to get on the same page.As usual, Manning wasn’t worried about having to get on the same page with his Jason Campbell Jersey Black receivers, even after learning that the Giants lost Domenik Hixon for the year due to a knee injury.We still have Hakeem Nicks. We still have Mario Manningham. Those are our two starters and the two guys that are in on most plays, Manning said.We still have talented guys and there’s no reason we can’t go out there and be successful throwing the ball.On defense, the injuries to the defensive secondary coupled with the inconsistent play of the linebackers has resulted in New York’s first two opponents this season capitalizing on the big play, as both the Redskins and the Rams were successful in passing for more than 300 yards in their respective games against New York.Coughlin believes the problem with the passing defense is a result of the players not always being in the right position.We were in a trail position more than in a good, competitive, stride for stride position, he said. I think there are a couple of things without a doubt, from a technical standpoint, we can work on and we can improve.While there is certainly no shortage of confidence in the Giants locker room that they can play David to the Eagles’ Goliath, when push comes to shove, safety Antrel Rolle said the playing field will even out when both sides line up across the field from each other, and that it will be just as competitive as any other Giants-Eagles matchup.We are always looking for a great matchup, he said. It’s always been an exciting game because it’s always been down to the last minute. That’s the only thing I’m looking forward to come this weekend.SERIES HISTORY 153rd regular-season meeting. Giants lead series, 79-71-2. The Eagles have won the last six in a row, including a pair of fourth-quarter comebacks in 2010. The Giants and Eagles have met four times in the postseason, with that series tied at 2-2.Copyright C 2011 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.

After two-plus seasons of mediocre play, time apparently has run out for Seattle Seahawks linebacker Aaron Curry.The Wake Forest product confirmed on Thursday that his role has changed with the team, and he had been demoted to second team in favor of rookie K.J. Wright at strong-side, outside linebacker.I don’t even know how to put it into words, Curry said. But it is what it is. Everything happens for a reason. There’s a purpose behind everything, and I’ll find it and learn from it and take off running.The move comes after Curry, 25, struggled against Pittsburgh last week, dropping an interception in pass coverage with his team Jason Campbell Authentic Jersey down 7-0 in the second quarter that potentially could have been returned for a touchdown.Seahawks Jacoby Ford Jersey White defensive coordinator Gus Bradley characterized the switch as an open competition, with Wright taking most of the snaps with the first unit this week.K.J. Wright has played very well for us, especially in that first game, Bradley said. And we just felt like we wanted to have more competition at that spot, so we’re giving K.J. a chance there yesterday, and we looked at him today. And we’ll evaluate it the whole week.As you know, the model here is competition. We just felt like we needed to stress that position even more.Seattle head coach Pete Carroll consistently praised and supported Curry from the first day he took over as the team’s head coach in January of last year. When he took the job, Carroll said one of his first priorities was to find a way to best use the raw athletic talents of the 6-2, 255-pound linebacker.Considered by many draft analysts as the safest player in the 2009 draft, Curry’s athleticism has never translated to consistent production on the football field, as he often found himself out of position and did not create explosive plays defensively.For the most part, Curry’s been healthy, playing in 32 of 34 possible games, including 30 starts. And he’s been a model citizen off the field. But Curry’s production has not lived up to his lofty draft status.Through two games, Curry is tied for third on the team in combined tackles with 11. Curry has 5.5 sacks and just one interception in the playoffs last season against Chicago to his credit in two-plus seasons. He finished fifth overall on the team in total tackles with 73 in 2010.While Curry has floundered, other linebackers taken after him in his same draft class have flourished. Washington’s Brian Orakpo selected No. 13, Houston’s Brian Cushing No. 15 and Green Bay’s Clay Matthews No. 26 all have a Pro Bowl to their credit in their young careers.Earlier this season during training camp, the Seahawks restructured Curry’s contract, making it easier to part ways with the underperforming linebacker at season’s end if they choose.Curry agreed to cut his rookie deal from six to four years.In return for giving up 5 million in guaranteed salary Curry’s due to make in 2012, he can become a free agent at the end of that season – two years earlier at the age of 27.By season’s end, Curry will have earned 28.25 million in guaranteed money over 21/2 years of the six-year, 60 million deal he originally signed with Seattle’s previous regime in August Jacoby Ford Jersey Black 2009.Because Curry’s salary is not guaranteed in 2012, the Seahawks could release him in February without any financial obligation. The restructured deal also makes it easier wholesale nfl jerseys free shipping to for Seattle to move Curry in a trade.The Seahawks selected Wright in the fourth round of this year’s draft. At 6-4, 246 pounds, Seattle drafted Wright as depth behind Curry. But linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr. placed Wright at middle linebacker behind David Hawthorne because of his instincts and he liked his length inside.When the Seattle Seahawks face Arizona quarterback Kevin Kolb in the team’s home opener Sunday, they’ll get a first-hand look at what could have been.Seattle coach Pete Carroll told reporters Wednesday the Seahawks strongly considered Kolb two years ago when they traded for Charlie Whitehurst, and they also considered the possibility of trading for him with Philadelphia this past season before deciding to sign Tarvaris Jackson in free agency.We looked at him two years ago, so we’ve watched him very carefully and he’s shown the ability to make big plays, Carroll said. He’s got a little zip to him in that he’ll take a shot at stuff and he’s been very good at creating. They’ve had a lot of big plays in preseason and already in the early games. So I’m not surprised at all. They’re benefiting from this acquisition. He looks very good in their program.And Kolb told Seattle-area reporters that Seattle did indeed show interest in him the past two seasons.It was the year that Philly was talking about how they were willing to get rid of me, Mike Vick or Donovan McNabb, Kolb said. And it ended up that Donovan was gone and Philly wasn’t going to trade me. So I think the Eagles were asking something outrageous. So I think that’s whenever most of that talk was heating up as far as I know.Seattle reportedly made an offer to give up a first and third-round pick to Philadelphia for Kolb’s services two years ago.Kolb also talked about the Seahawks’ interest in him this past offseason.I think early there was some interest, Kolb said. But there are Official Jason Campbell Jersey so many games you just never know what the truth is. And then I think once it started to dial down, they figured out they wanted Tarvaris Jackson, and that Arizona was the best chance for me. So it played out well, and everybody was pretty honest with each other, and I appreciated their interest from the very beginning.Kolb said about eight teams were interested in making a trade initially, but then once they realized what Philadelphia was asking for in terms of compensation and what he wanted in contract terms, teams begin to back off.We could see that coming, Kolb said about the situation. And then it just came down to a deal where, ‘Hey, I want to be there. You want me there. Let’s get it done.’ And that’s kind of how it went.Once Arizona consummated the trade, it signed Kolb to a six-year, 65 million contract, including 21 million in guaranteed money.Kolb said that now he’s the guy in Arizona, it feels good to have clarity in his role as the starter on the team, so he can Authentic Jacoby Ford Jersey Black focus on going out and performing.I haven’t had that since I’ve been in the NFL, he said. That’s something that I missed. It’s obviously something I wanted to get to. I commented on it a few times Authentic Jason Campbell Jersey in the last couple years, and Raiders Jason Campbell Jersey Andy Reid granted me that wish. So to come to a place like this, I couldn’t be more excited. I think we have good, talented team. Everybody’s hungry.With Arizona at 1-1 heading into this NFC West division contest, Kolb said he and his teammates are approaching this game as a must-win situation.You hate to say it this early in the season, but we’re thinking of it as a must-win, Kolb said. I mean that’s our mentality. And we’re upset with ourselves last week in letting one get away. So it’s very important for us to get off on the right foot, not only in the first quarter, but of course in our first division game.SERIES HISTORY 25th regular-season meeting. Cardinals lead series, 13-11. However, Seattle won both contests last year  22-10 in Seattle and 36-18 at Arizona. The Cardinals have won six of the last nine meetings.Copyright C 2011 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.

The Raiders Jacoby Ford Jersey Saints got veteran DE Will Smith back for Wednesday’s practice as they began preparing for Sunday’s game against the undefeated Houston Texans.Smith, an eight-year veteran, was suspended for two games without pay for using a banned diuretic in 2008. He was reinstated by Darren McFadden Jersey Womens the NFL on Monday and Wednesday took part in his first practice since training camp.He’ll play and start in Sunday’s game even though he won’t get paid for the next two games as well, as part of his punishment for taking weight-loss pills that contained the banned stimulant Bumetanide although it wasn’t listed as an ingredient on the label.I’m just glad to put it behind me, said Smith, who’ll lose about 1.41 million of his 6 million base salary this season. I know the coaches were always concerned about it, the fans, everyone was always concerned about it.I’m happy it’s over with so I don’t have to worry about it and can just focus on football, focus on the Houston Texans and focus on the rest of the year.SS Roman Harper was named Wednesday as the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in his team’s 30-13 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday.Harper, a six-year veteran and two-time Pro Bowl pick, had seven tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble in the win over the Bears despite a sprained right ankle that Permier Jacoby Ford Jersey limited him in practice last week.With Harper leading Jacoby Ford Authentic Jersey the way, the Saints wound up sacking QB Jay Cutler six times, and numerous hits and hurries on him didn’t leave a lot of time to scan Darren McFadden Jersey White the field for his wide receivers. He connected on just 19 of 45 passes as the Bears had 246 total yards  including 3.6 yards per pass play.In splitting their team’s first two games to start the season, the Saints offense has been in midseason form.The Saints have scored 30 or more points in both games, losing 42-34 to the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 8 before a 30-13 win over the Bears last Sunday in the Superdome.It’s only the third time in the franchise’s 45-year history that they have opened the season scoring at least 30 points in their first two games. The only other times it happened were in 1993 and 2009.The Saints have never scored 30 or more points in the first three games of the season, which will be the goal in Sunday’s contest with the Texans.Saints coach Sean Payton will try to maintain a hot streak against AFC teams when the Saints go against the Texans in the Superdome.Payton started 2-7 against the AFC after taking over as the Saints’ coach in 2006. But since early in the 2008 season, he has won nine of his last 11 matchups with the other conference and is now 11-9.Payton has actually won 10 of his last 12 with the AFC if you count a 31-17 win over the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV after the 2009 season.With the win over the Bears, coach Sean Payton now has 50 regular-season wins with the Saints. He’s 50-32 and is 4-2 in postseason play for an overall mark of 54-34.BY THE NUMBERS 5  Career receptions of 75 yards or longer for Saints wide receiver Devery Henderson after Authentic Jacoby Ford Jersey he caught a 79-yard touchdown pass from Drew Brees in last Sunday’s victory over Official Jacoby Ford Jersey the Chicago Bears. His longest catch has gone for 84 yards.QUOTE TO NOTE Will had one of his better training camps prior to the suspension. Authentic Darren McFadden Jersey He’s in real good shape and anytime you get a player like Will Smith back, one of your captains and someone who’s been a steady player for us and gives us a ton of good snaps against the run and the pass, it can only help you.  Saints coach Sean Payton, on getting veteran DE Will Smith back.Copyright C 2011 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.

Michael Vick was back at practice Thursday, taking all of the reps with the first-team offense after being cleared by an independent neurologist.Vick, the Eagles’ starting quarterback, suffered a concussion late in the third quarter of Sunday night’s 35-31 loss to the Atlanta Falcons when he collided with teammate Todd Herremans.It apparently wasn’t very serious. He sped through most of the league-mandated protocol over the last few days, including cognitive and exertion tests, and was cleared Thursday morning to return to practice.He practiced, man-of-few-words head coach Andy Reid said. That’s what he did.Unless Vick has an unexpected setback between now and Sunday, he will start against the New York Giants.He looked good, man, and he looked fine, said wide receiver Jeremy Maclin. Very, very in control of the huddle, in control of what was going on, in control of the offense. Like I said, he’s in good shape.Vick was not available to reporters after practice.While Michael Vick’s status for Sunday’s NFC East game against the Giants likely will remain up in the air for another few days, the vibes given off by head coach Andy Reid and trainer Rick Burkholder on Wednesday seemed to indicate they think he will be cleared to play.The quarterback sustained a concussion in the third quarter of Sunday night’s Raiders Darren McFadden Jersey loss Replica Darren McFadden Jersey to Atlanta when he collided Darren McFadden Jersey Black with one of his offensive linemen, Todd Herremans. He left the game and must go through all of the league-mandated protocol for concussions, including being cleared by an independent neurologist before he can return to play.Vick didn’t participate in practice Wednesday afternoon, but went through the morning walk-through with the team. He spent part of the afternoon doing exertion work, including riding a bike, lifting weights and things to gauge his balance.Everything’s progressing, Burkholder said. We’re not going to push him ahead of where we think the process goes. We’re not going to judge it right now.Burkholder said Vick Authentic Darren McFadden Jersey Black wanted to go back in the game Sunday night and does not have any concussion symptoms.The only symptom he’s got is his neck and jaw are still a little sore from banging into Herremans, the trainer said.Mike Kafka, who replaced Vick after he got hurt Sunday, took the first-team reps Wednesday. Vince Young, who missed the first two games with a hamstring strain, almost was a full practice participant.Kafka, a 2010 fourth-round pick out of Northwestern, was impressive in the Authentic Darren McFadden Jersey first regular-season action of his career. He completed 7 of 9 passes for 72 yards. One of the two incompletions was batted down. The other, a fourth-and-four pass to Jeremy Maclin at the Atlanta 15 with a minute and a half to go in the game, was dropped.When Reid met with Authentic Adrian Peterson Jersey the media just before noon Wednesday, he wouldn’t even discount the possibility that Vick might participate in practice 90 minutes later, even though he would have needed to get checked out by the independent neurologist first. But that’s an indication of how close he is to returning.Symptom-wise, he’s OK, Burkholder said. I’d like to see him do just a little bit better and challenge Darren McFadden Authentic Jersey him a little bit more exercise-wise before I send him to the neurologist. That’s why I haven’t sent him yet.Last December, Vick spearheaded an improbable 21-point fourth-quarter comeback against the Giants with both his arm and his legs. He threw for three touchdowns and rushed for 130 yards and another touchdown in a 38-31 victory that clinched the division title for the Eagles.Vick needs to protect the ball better than he did Sunday against the Falcons though. He turned it over three times, twice on fumbles and once on an interception. The Falcons turned two Permier Darren McFadden Jersey of those turnovers into touchdowns.SERIES HISTORY 153th regular-season meeting. Giants lead series, 79-71-2. The Eagles have won the last six meetings, including 27-17 and 38-31 victories last year. The Eagles came back from 21 points down in the fourth quarter to win last December. Michael Vick threw for three touchdowns and rushed for 130 yards in that game.Copyright C 2011 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.