Struggling MLB Players Already in Danger of Getting Benched

Midway through April, we’re still in the very early stages of the 2019 MLB season.jersey cheap nfl

However, for players who are off to particularly terrible starts, it might already be time for teams to start weighing their potential replacement options.

Whether it’s a young player who looks like he might need more time in the minors, an offseason acquisition not playing up to his potential or a veteran coming to the end of the line, a handful of players could soon find themselves benched or demoted.77d917106be3b4ffb12d724a8c20eb48_crop_exact

Ahead is a look at seven such players and possible alternatives.

Stats: 4 GS, 0-2, 10.70 ERA, 8 BB, 24 K, 17.2 IP

Potential Replacement: Adrian Houser

After working primarily as a starter in the minors, Corbin Burnes joined the Milwaukee Brewers bullpen last year and posted a 2.61 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 30 relief appearances.

With Wade Miley and Gio Gonzalez departing in free agency, the Brewers hoped he would make a smooth shift back to starting and fill a slot in the rotation.

Instead, the transition has been a disaster.authentic nfl jerseys for sale

The 24-year-old has served up an MLB-high 11 home runs in 17.2 innings, and it was more of the same in his most recent start Wednesday when he allowed nine hits and five earned runs in 3.1 innings.

“I think we’re going to have a longer conversation this time, and try to figure out what the best way to get him on track is,” manager Craig Counsell told reporters when asked if Burnes would stay in the rotation.

Ultimately, a move back to the pen could be the best way for him to right the ship.

In his place, right-hander Adrian Houser could get a shot at the MLB rotation after posting a 1.10 ERA, 0.74 WHIP and 18 strikeouts in 16.1 innings at Triple-A to kick off 2019.

Stats: 51 PA, .170/.235/.234, 1 XBH, 1 RBI, 3 BB, 14 K authentic nfl jerseys sale

Potential Replacement: Howie Kendrick

Brian Dozier looked like an excellent buy-low pickup for the Washington Nationals when they signed him to a one-year, $9 million deal on the heels of a disappointing contract year.

After posting a 130 OPS+ while averaging 32 doubles, 38 home runs and 5.3 WAR in 2016 and 2017, he struggled to an  nfl nike jerseys for sale 89 OPS+ with just 1.0 WAR during the 2018 season.jersey nfl wholesale

Aside from the middling surface-level numbers, Dozier has also posted some troubling peripherals, nfl china jersey most notably a 27.3 percent soft-contact rate that is tied for 11th-highest among 193 qualified hitters.

Meanwhile, fellow veteran Howie Kendrick is off to a torrid start, going 10-for-20 with three doubles and three home runs since returning from a hamstring injury that sidelined him to start the year.

Since the Nationals have only made a short-term commitment to Dozier, there’s no where to buy nfl jerseys online reason not to go with the hot hand and give Kendrick everyday playing time as long as he’s swinging a hot bat.

2019 NFL Schedule: League Releases Official Regular-Season Slate

Football fans can start making their travel plans and putting in their sick days after the NFL unveiled its full regular-season schedule for 2019.

The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers have the honor of kicking off the new campaign. They’ll meet Sept. 5 at Soldier Field in Chicago.

The dates for the remaining 255 games are available on NFL.com following Wednesday’s schedule release.nike nfl womens jerseys

The schedules for each of the 32 teams are below, along with some of the more notable dates throughout the year.buy nfl jerseys in bulk

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2019 Key Dates

Thursday, September 5: Regular-Season Opener

Sunday, September 8: Regular-Season Kickoff Weekend  best deals on nfl jerseys

Division to Watch: AFC North authentic nfl cheap jerseys

Even before the 2019 offseason got underway, the AFC North was shaping up nicely this season.womens nike nfl jerseys

The Pittsburgh Steelers missed the playoffs for the first time since 2013, Lamar Jackson energized the Baltimore Ravens in the second half of 2018 after taking over for Joe Flacco, and the Cleveland Browns won seven games after going 4-44 in the preceding three seasons.

All three teams were pretty active over the last few months, providing even more intrigue.

Nobody did more in the NFL to excite their fanbase than the Browns. Cleveland acquired Odell Beckham Jr. and Olivier Vernon from the New York Giants and signed Sheldon Richardson to a three-year, $37 million deal.

By adding Beckham to the mix, the Browns offense is basically approaching Madden-like proportions.cheap real nfl jerseys

Just as the Browns are on the rise, the Steelers may be heading in the opposite direction.

In September, Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman wrote a piece critical of head coach Mike Tomlin, arguing Tomlin had effectively lost the locker room. Pittsburgh proceeded to go 9-6-1, the first time since 2013 it failed to get to double digits in wins.

Few expected Le’Veon Bell to return to the Steelers after he sat out the 2018 season, and he eventually signed with the New York Jets. The trade of Antonio Brown was a little more surprising, even though he had requested a move elsewhere in January. It felt like cooler heads would prevail by the summer. Instead, Brown is a member of the Oakland Raiders.nike nfl jersey differences

James Conner and JuJu Smith-Schuster were Pro Bowlers in 2018, but Pittsburgh is essentially asking them to replicate the production of two players who were the best at their respective positions.

After they finished 13th in defensive efficiency, per Football Outsiders, the Steelers have done little to improve their defense as well. While the team’s Super Bowl window isn’t shut, it may be slowly closing.

The Ravens will have the luxury of a full season with Jackson as the starter.where to find nfl jerseys

He threw for 1,201 yards and six touchdowns while running for 695 yards and five scores as a rookie. Jackson ended the year on a sour note with his performance in Baltimore’s AFC Wild Card Round defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers, but that shouldn’t dampen the enthusiasm around his potential in 2019.where to find cheap nfl jerseys

New York Jets

The Pick: EDGE Josh Allen, Kentucky nfl shop free shipping

The New York Jets swung hard on free agent edge-rusher Anthony Barr and thought they had a grand slam, but it went foul as Barr returned to the Minnesota Vikings.

The Jets do have a much-improved roster after spending to sign C.J. Mosley, Jamison Crowder and Le’Veon Bell, but the hole on the edge of Gregg Williams’ 3-4 defense is notable. With the No. 3 overall selection—and barring a trade back to a quarterback-needy team—the nfl shop the Jets can fill that hole.

Josh Allen is very similar to Barr was coming out of UCLA. He’s a big (6’5″, 260 lbs) edge who has experience playing off-ball linebacker. The versatility he brings to the table is perfect for Williams’ scheme.

If the Jets can’t get a trade offer for No. 3 overall, Allen should be the pick.  nfl jersey shop china4f916ebe124d203ea27492f77d2f7c26_crop_exact

The Pick: LB Devin White, LSU official nfl shop

Here is where things get interesting. The Oakland Raiders have gone wild this offseason by trading for Antonio Brown, signing Trent Brown, Tyrell Williams and Lamarcus Joyner and bringing in Vontaze Burfict after the Cincinnati Bengals released him.

So where do they go with three first-round picks?nfl football shop

Speed at linebacker is still a need. Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden know they’re too slow in the middle of the field. Adding Devin White and passing on Quinnen Williams is possible because the Raiders are so strong at defensive tackle with 2018 draft picks P.J. Hall and Maurice Hurst playing good ball. shop nfl jersey

White is close to perfect at middle linebacker and could have a monster impact from day one. nfl sport shop

The Pick: DL Quinnen Williams, Alabama

The mini slide for Quinnen Williams ends at No. 5 overall.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hired Bruce Arians to remake the team’s offense and get Jameis Winston playing franchise-quarterback football. But the biggest weakness on the roster is on defense, which former New York Jets’ head coach Todd Bowles was hired to run.nfl shop jerseys authentic

With a 3-4 scheme likely coming to Tampa, the team needs to shuffle up front and get talented big men. Last year’s first-rounder Vita Vea likely plays nose tackle with Gerald McCoy in one defensive end spot. Another defensive end is needed. That’s Williams’ best profile in a shop nfl jerseys online 3-4 scheme, where he has the tools to be a Fletcher Cox- or Chris Jones-type player.

Grading Every NFL Team’s Free-Agency Performance

Peak free agency for the NFL’s 99th offseason is over, and more than 200 players signed contracts with a combined value of $2.4 billion in the last nine days.

More moves are coming, and they’ll matter, authentic nike nfl jersey but those transactions will be part of a second wave that doesn’t shape rosters as much as those in the early stages of free agency.

With that in mind, it’s time to issue report cards on the free-agency performance of every NFL team with the following grade scale:fd1c5c1a36050df564b4f9877d47a566_crop_exact

A+: It was pretty much perfect.cheap nike authentic nfl jerseys

A: The good drastically outweighed the bad.

B: The good slightly outweighed the bad.

C: The bad slightly outweighed the good.

D: The bad drastically outweighed the good.authentic nike nfl jerseys wholesale

F: Anything that could go wrong did go wrong.new nike authentic nfl jerseys

Here’s how the class fared.

What they needed to do

Still rebuilding after a roster overhaul and a three-win season, the Arizona Cardinals had one job: Add as much support as possible for young quarterback Josh Rosen authentic nike nfl jerseys china (or Kyler Murray, if they go that route). Arizona can afford to build up its defense through the draft, but the offense needs experience and proven talent. The offensive line was a bloody mess last season.

What they did right

The Cardinals acquired solid and reasonably priced offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and they added depth at guard by signing veteran J.R. Sweezy.

Where they went wrong nfl authentic jerseys nike

They focused far too much on defense. The contract they gave linebacker Jordan Hicks isn’t bad, but that $8.5 million average annual salary could have gone to a stronger guard like Rodger Saffold or Billy Turner. Why spend even a dime on 36-year-old Terrell Suggs? And they’re inexplicably giving cornerback Robert Alford $7.5 million authentic nike nfl jerseys for sale a year on the wrong side of 30. New pass-catchers Charles Clay and Kevin White aren’t likely to do much to help Rosen or Murray either. It’s unclear what general manager Steve Keim is thinking.authentic nike nfl jerseys stitched

What they should do now

The rub with using a first-round pick on Murray is you’d better get a first-rounder back for Rosen. If not, you’re setting Murray up to fail immediately. The Cardinals have to use a first-round pick on a receiver, tight end or offensive lineman who can make an impact right off the bat.

Colgate Raiders

Record: 24-10, 13-5 in Patriot League

How They Got Here: Colgate and Bucknell were seemingly replica nfl jerseys china on a collision course for the Patriot League automatic bid all year, and as expected they met up in the conference tournament championship game. After splitting the regular season, Colgate punched their ticket with a convincing 94-80 victory over the Bison to win the title.

Reason to Believe: The Raiders haven’t lost since Feb. 2 and their 11-game winning streak is tied for the fifth-longest active streak in the nation behind only Wofford (20), New Mexico State (17), UC Irvine (14) and VCU (12). Junior forward Rapolas Ivanauskas (16.4 PPG, 7.9 RPG) won Patriot League POY and he’s one of three players who averaged in double figures for an offense that sits at a respectable 60th in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency.replica nfl jerseys wholesale

Reason to Worry: Syracuse is the only tournament-bound team the Raiders have faced this season and the Orange blew them out by 21 points. They also lost by 11 to Penn State and by 10 to South Florida—their only other games against top 100 NET teams. All told, the Patriots went 0-4 in Quad 1 and Quad 2 games, while tallying three Quad 4 losses. And while their offense has graded out well, their defense ranks outside KenPom’s top 200, which will pose a replica nfl jersey serious problem against an upper-echelon team.

March Madness Ceiling: The Patriot League has pulled off some notable upsets over the years, most recently when No. 15 Lehigh beat No. 2 Duke in the 2012 tournament. That team had a future NBA player in C.J. McCollum, though. This Raiders squad will likely be one-and-done.nfl replica jerseys wholesale

Predicting the Best NBA Free-Agency Bargain at Each Position

The goal of NBA free agency isn’t just to land the best players.  china nfl jerseys cheap

That’s a large part of it, to be sure. Everyone wants to get their hands on LeBron James, as well as the other top contributors on the open market once the world’s best basketballer makes his own decision. Talent does help win games, after all.

But cost-effectiveness is also key. Without finding bargains who are surefire candidates to outproduce their newly inked salaries, you can’t construct a championship-caliber team under the constraints of the omnipresent salary cap and l personalized nfl jerseys uxury-tax threshold. Good luck identifying a single organization that managed to lift up the Larry O’Brien Trophy without at least one bargain on the books.

This year’s class will produce a strong value—at least one, really—at every single position. And it’s our job to get you on board early, evaluating each player’s likelihood of outdoing the expectations to determine the best candidates at each spot in a traditional lineup.

These players aren’t stars. They’re just the types of values you can find outside the first few tiers of the free-agency class who’ll boost your chances of putting together a cohesive rotation.

Team: Memphis Grizzlies

Age: 32 nfl jersey sale

Type of Free Agency: Unrestricted

2017-18 Per-Game Stats: 7.7 points, 2.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.2 blocks

2017-18 Advanced Metrics: 10.4 PER, minus-75.86 TPA, minus-0.11 RPM nfl official jersey

Mario Chalmers’ return from a one-year stint overseas was filled with struggles. But even as he failed to find his shooting stroke and was tasked with too many responsibilities for an injury-riddled Memphis Grizzlies outfit, his defensive chops prevented his season from morphing into a cataclysmic disaster.

Not only did the Grizz allow 4.9 fewer points per 100 possessions with him on the floor—trailing only the differentials earned by Mike Conley (minus-5.9), Brandan Wright (minus-11.8) and Vince Hunter (minus-15.2), who combined to play just over half as many minutes as Chalmers logged—but this also wasn’t a fluke created by fortuitous lineup placement. ESPN.com’s defensive real plus/minus gave the floor general a distinctly positive score, leaving him behind only 10 fellow point guards.

That preventing ability, stemming from his quick hands and intuitive understanding of positioning within the half-court set, gives Chalmers a solid floor and makes him a safer purchase on the open market, especially since his offensive woes where to get nfl jerseys cheap will inevitably drive down his price. But his shooting should also experience a regression to the mean during his second season back stateside.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Taven Bryan Making Waves

The last thing the Jacksonville Jaguars needed in 2018 was another impact defensive lineman. The Jags are as loaded up front as any team in the NFL.

Of course, just because the Jaguars don’t buy nfl jerseys in bulk need the help on the D-line doesn’t mean the team won’t gladly take it. And one youngster stood out in a big way in OTAs.

As John Reid reported for the Florida Times-Union, rookie second-round pick Taven Bryan has made quite the impression on coaches and teammates alike. Bryan was singled out for praise by defensive line coach Marion Hobby.

“That (first step) kind of jumps out at you,” Hobby said. “I like that 6-foot-4, 295-pound frame. He’s not doing a bunch of talking, but he’s not afraid to ask questions. He’s assertive. He’s not a me guy. I think he wants to please.”

Veteran defensive end Calais Campbell also likes what he’s seen.buy nfl jerseys in bulk

“We talk often,” Campbell said. “He’s trying to learn the actual plays and the techniques to use in certain situations that can give him advantages and stuff. He is really learning the basics right now. He’s a very talented player and has shown a lot of flash, a lot of potential. I’m just eager to see what he does when we put pads on him. It is a long way away. He’s getting better each day.”

Bryan, for his part, appears to be keeping things in perspective.best deals on nfl jerseys

“I just want to do the right things,” Bryan said. “I’m starting at the bottom and I’m trying to work my way up and maybe earn some playing time.”womens nike nfl jerseys

That sound you hear is the quarterbacks in the AFC South throwing up.

Scared NFL Makes Epic Mistake with Anthem Policy

The NFL has gotten things wrong before, but in the recent history of this league, it has gotten fewer things more horribly, disgracefully, stupidly, terribly wrong than what it decided to do Wednesday in trying to half-heartedly stop players from protesting during the national anthem.

In a statement released by the league, team owners decided that starting this season, players can stay in the locker room during the anthem. If players take a knee to protest, say, unarmed black and brown people being unjustly shot by law enforcement, cheap nike nfl jerseys wholesale commissioner Roger Goodell can potentially fine both teams and players.

Essentially, the league is trying to shove the protests out of sight by putting them in the locker room. And by fining players who want to publicly protest, it is also trying to make this a financial decision for players.

“We want people to be respectful of the national anthem,” Goodell said in a press conference. “We want people to stand—that’s all personnel—and make sure they treat this moment in a respectful fashion. That’s something we think we owe. [But] we were also very sensitive to give players choices.”

But as protesters like Colin Kaepernick (who, along with Eric Reid, started the protests) have said, they are not protesting the anthem or the military; they are using the anthem to bring attention to racial injustice and the issue of police abuse of black and brown citizens.cheap nfl nike jersey

Now, because of the NFL’s ineptitude, the anthem controversy will be around a long time, and it will be messy, and ugly, and divisive. The union and the league will likely go to war, and swaths of America will fight over it.

Within hours of the league’s announcement, the NFLPA had fired back:cheap nfl jerseys china nike

Why is the NFL handling this so poorly, crafting a policy based on fear, not practicality? The answer remains clear, according to a variety of league sources: an intense fear of President Donald Trump.

This is a fact. This is the truth. This is the core basis for the NFL’s decision. This has been told to me before, and it was reiterated by several people Wednesday.

“Our league,” one team official said, “is f–king terrified of Trump. We’re scared of him.”nike nfl jerseys cheap china

What does the NFL fear? It fears boycotts of games. It fears people not watching its product on television. It fears people not buying its products.

Roger Goodell Issues Statement on Sports Gambling, Calls for Legislation

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell released a statement Monday in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision last week to end the ban on sports betting in most states, calling on Congress “to enact uniform standards for states that choose to legalize sports betting.”nfl nike jersey cheap

Goodell asked that Congress consider regulating betting with “four core principles” in mind:

“There must be substantial consumer protections;
“Sports leagues can protect our content and intellectual property from those who attempt to steal or misuse it;
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“Law enforcement will have the resources, monitoring and enforcement tools necessary to protect our fans and penalize bad actors here at home and abroad.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who has long been a proponent of legalized sports betting, also believes the NBA and other professional leagues should receive a portion of the revenue created by the industry.

“We’ve joined the fray… and we have a position,” cheap nike nfl jerseys wholesale he said in April on ESPN’s Get Up! (h/t Andrew Joe Potter of The Score). “We think we should be compensated in certain ways for the additional costs we’re going to incur through various integrity measures.”

And in February he told reporters: “I would only say from the NBA’s standpoint we will spend this year roughly $7.5 billion creating this content, creating these games. Those are total expenses for the season. So this notion that as the intellectual property creators that we should receive a one percent fee seems very fair to me.”cheap nfl nike jersey

Goodell’s third point in his statement seems to be indicating the NFL may take a similar stance to Silver and the NBA, setting up a potential legal fight for the professional leagues against legal betting books in the future, especially if Congress abstains from creating a federal standard for sports betting cheap nfl jerseys china nike and instead allows all 50 states to regulate it as they see fit.

The Supreme Court’s decision potentially opened up sports betting around the United States, but the implications of the decision and its applications going forward remain a gray area.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Do They Have Enough Offensive Talent to Support Bortles?

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles is one of the most polarizing players in the NFL.

When he’s at his best, he will make a defense pay. When he’s playing poorly, it’s can be hard to watch.

Bortles will be Jacksonville’s starter at least through 2018. The Jaguars inked him to a new three-year, $54 million deal this offseason that includes $26.5 million guaranteed.cheap nike nfl jersey

The Jaguars now have to figure out whether they have the weapons in place to get the good Bortles in 2018.

They brought in receivers Donte Moncrief and rookie second-round pick D.J. Chark, but they parted with Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns. Tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins joins the squad, but he’ll be tasked with replacing Mercedes Lewis.buy nike nfl jerseys cheap

Jacksonville figures to lean on Leonard Fournette and the ground game as much as possible in 2018, but teams will be looking to shut down the run. Bortles will have to lead the charge at times, so if the Jaguars don’t believe he has the weapons he needs, they may look to bring in more help before the season starts.

The big question for Chiefs fans is whether Patrick Mahomes will be an upgrade over Alex Smith. However, quality play from Mahomes won’t matter much if the Kansas City defense is as bad as it was in 2017.

The Chiefs ranked 25th against the run (118.1 yards per game allowed), 29th against the pass (247.0 yards) and 28th in total defense (365.1 yards) last season. That caused them to reforge their defense over the past few months.

Kansas City traded Marcus Peters and added cornerbacks David Amerson and Kendall Fuller. It parted ways with linebackers Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali. It added linebacker Anthony Hitchens and drafted defensive linemen Breeland Speaks and Derrick Nnadi. The Chiefs also drafted linebacker Dorian O’Daniel and let safety Ron Parker walk.cheap nfl nike jerseys china

For now, the Chiefs will be sticking by defensive coordinator Bob Sutton.

“I think we’re OK there,” head coach Andy Reid said, per Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. “I always look at the big picture of things with Bob and our coaches, and I know what he’s done here the last five years. [People are] basing [the reaction] off one game, or two games, nfl nike jersey cheap and I’m basing it off of five years. So I’m comfortable with him in that spot.”

The Chiefs defense is going to be different in 2018, but will it be better? Kansas City needs to find out sooner than later. Otherwise, further changes may have to come, perhaps involving coaching and scheme.