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Beitrag 184425 von 192436 (96%)

Autor	panxing18
Datum	22.08.18, 02:56
Betreff	eran and a 13-gam

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The Kansas City Chiefs have agreed to deals with wide receiver Sammy Watkins and middle linebacker Anthony Hitchens Evander Kane Sharks Jersey , filling two of their most glaring needs on the eve of free agency.

The 24-year-old Watkins intends to sign a $48 million, three-year contract with $30 million in guarantees, while the 25-year-old Hitchens agreed to a five-year deal, two people familiar with their decisions told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the contracts, along with several other moves made by Kansas City, cannot become official until the start of the free agency Wednesday afternoon.

The Chiefs have been looking for a playmaking wide receiver to pair with speedster Tyreek Hill since last offseason, but resorted to using Chris Conley in the role. Then Conley went down with a season-ending injury, robbing the Chiefs of their No. 2 wide receiver and forcing journeyman Albert Wilson into a more substantial role in their West Coast offense.

But questions persist about Conley's health and long-term upside, and Wilson has agreed to a free-agent deal with the Miami Dolphins, leaving the Chiefs in the market for a wide receiver.

Watkins was considered one of the premier talents on the market.

The 2014 fourth overall pick of the Buffalo Bills spent last season with the Los Angeles Rams http://www.texansauthorizedshops.com/authentic-justin-reid-jersey , where he caught 39 passes for 593 yards and eight touchdowns. And while he seems far removed from his best season in 2015, when he caught 60 passes for 1,047 yards and nine scores in a season shorted by injury, the Chiefs undoubtedly believe Watkins has yet to reach his ceiling.

It would help matters if he stayed healthy. Along with a calf strain and ankle sprain that season, he's had hip issues in the past, and missed eight games in 2016 with a fractured left foot.

Buffalo decided to decline its fifth-year option on Watkins after all the injuries, and wound up sending him to the Rams last August for cornerback E.J. Gaines and a draft pick.

On defense, the Chiefs have been trying to get younger across the board, releasing cornerstone linebackers Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali and shuffling their defensive backfield.

Hitchens, who The Kansas City Star reported will make about $9 million per season Bengals Cheap Jerseys , would fill Johnson's spot alongside Reggie Ragland in the middle of the defense. The 2014 fourth-round pick had 84 tackles in only 12 starts last season, when a knee injury sidelined him the first four games.

Hitchens also had a couple of pass deflections and nine tackles for a loss, and showed flashes of the same kind of instincts that made Johnson the Chiefs' career tackles leader.

Watkins and Hitchens are expected to sign their contracts Wednesday, when the new league year means the Chiefs can finally consummate their agreed-upon trades sending quarterback Alex Smith to the Washington Redskins and cornerback Marcus Peters to the Rams.

The Chiefs will get cornerback Kendall Fuller and a draft pick back from Washington and two picks back from Los Angeles, allowing them to restock with younger players through the draft.

Kansas City intends to turn its starting quarterback job over to Patrick Mahomes II, whom former general manager John Dorsey traded up to select 10th overall last year. Mahomes dazzled during training camp and was dynamic in a Week 17 start against Denver, when the Chiefs were already assured of the AFC West title and their playoff positioning, allowing Smith to take the week off.

That performance against the Broncos is what made the Chiefs comfortable moving on from Smith, who had a career season that made him coveted by several other teams in the trade market.

Not much has gone right for Texas in the past week, but three things that the Rangers have been lacking aligned on Saturday to allow them to earn a 5-2 victory over Colorado that snapped a season-long seven-game losing streak.

First the Rangers got excellent starting pitching from Mike Minor. Then they forged a five-run rally in the seventh and eighth inning — with Adrian Beltre’s triple in the latter the coup de gras — to sweep to the lead. And lastly Frank Ragnow Jersey , Texas closer Keone Kela earned his 15th save in 15 chances to cement the win for the Rangers.

It was Texas first home win since June 6 against Oakland and the Rangers’ 12th come-from-behind victory of the season, nine of which have come in their final at-bat.

Both teams have a chance to garner a much-needed series win when they conclude the three-game interleague set on Sunday afternoon at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas.

The Rockies will send right-hander Jon Gray (6-7, 5.68 ERA) to the hill while Texas will counter with right-hander Yovani Gallardo (0-0, 30.86 in three games with Cincinnati), who is expected to have his contract purchased in time to make his first start of 2018.

Minor matched his season high with seven innings pitched, posting his second consecutive quality start after having none in his previous five outings. Minor didn’t get the win as he left trailing in the middle of the seventh before the Rangers rallied and snapped their seven-game losing streak.

“We needed a really good start from our starter,” Texas manager Jeff Banister said. “We got that from Mike. Exceptional — probably one of the best starts he has had all year.”

Colorado has lost seven of its past nine games and 11 of its last 15. The loss on Saturday was the Rockies’ 20th this year when holding a lead at some point in the game. Up 2-0 in the seventh on Saturday, they had a chance to play add on with runners on second and third and no out and got nothing out of it.

“You try to keep pushing and keep telling yourself that you will still win the game,” right fielder Carlos Gonzalez said of the change in momentum. “But in baseball Clay Matthews Packers Jersey , it’s sometimes going to go that way when you don’t make them pay.”

Gray will make his 15th start of the season, his eighth on the road and his second on the current trip. He has a 2-3 record with a 7.98 ERA in his past six starts after a 5-4 loss at Philadelphia on Tuesday. He will make his first career start against Texas.

Gallardo, a 12-year veteran and a 13-game winner for the Rangers in 2015, was signed to a minor league contract by Texas on April 13. He was 2-1 with a 3.81 ERA in 10 starts at Triple-A Round Rock and will be making his first MLB start since Sept. 2, 2017.

Gallardo could have opted to enter free agency if he was not called up by Friday.

“Through all the reports (Gallardo) was commanding the baseball and controlling the strike zone, competing, getting hitters out,” Banister said. “All those factors allow him to come up and compete for us.”

Gallardo was 2-0 with a 2.50 ERA over his last three starts with the Express. He is winless in 11 career starts versus the Rockies, going 0-6 with 6.14 ERA.
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