“That’s what I try to do every time I take the mound, just keep the tea

Arizona running back David Johnson believes it could be a grand year.Two grand Zach Allen Jersey , even.Johnson came close to having 1,000 yards rushing and receiving once before and believes he can do it under new coach Kliff Kingsbury’s high-octane offense.“I definitely hope that a thousand/thousand is reachable and that’s always going to be my goal, with the team coming first,” Johnson said after organized team activities Wednesday.Only two running backs in NFL history have had 1,000 rushing and receiving in the same season: San Francisco’s Roger Craig in 1985 and St. Louis’ Marshall Faulk in 1999. Johnson was close in a breakout 2016, when he had 1,239 rushing yards and 879 receiving. Christian McCaffrey threatened last year with 1,098/867.Johnson has suffered through a pair of frustrating seasons since, however. He missed all but one game in 2017 after suffering a wrist injury in the season opener, and his totals were down when the Cardinals went 3-13 last year as defenses stacked the running lanes while daring rookie quarterback Josh Rosen to throw. Johnson gained 940 yards rushing (3.6 per carry) and 446 yards receiving.He sees a better fit now.“I think’s it going to be a dynamic offense,” Johnson said. “I think it is going to be a lot different because we are going to be at home in the shotgun. We’re spreading it out a little more. More space out there on the field. It is going to really helpful because only having to worry about one guy tackling you compared to three Hakeem Butler Jersey , four guys loading the box.“I think it is going to be similar to 2016. I think it will be better for me and I will be utilized as a running back and a receiver. A lot more opportunities to get the ball. A lot more opportunities to score and help out the team. I’m very excited.”Kingsbury, whose offense at Texas Tech frequently lined up in four-wide receiver sets, called the halfback in his system “pivotal.”“They have to be able to do it all, and we have a guy who can,” Kingsbury said. “Excited to use him in a bunch of different ways and try to get him the football … You can tell he has run routes before. He looks like he’ll be a tough matchup on some linebackers.”The Cardinals are in the early stages of installing their offense, but Johnson has seen enough to like the system.“I like his mentality,” Johnson said of Kingsbury. “We are trying to get a lot of plays in on offense. No huddle, because it makes it hard for the defense to call plays. They might not call blitzes as much.“I think he’s been tremendous not just the offense but as a coach overall. Straight to the point. Telling guys what he expects out of the whole team . I like what it has been like. The personnel we have. There are so many weapons we added to the offense.”Foremost, of course, is No. 1 draft choice quarterback Kyler Murray, the Heisman Trophy winner last year and the second straight Oklahoma quarterback to be taken with the first pick in the draft after Cleveland selected Baker Mayfield in 2018.“First off Chris Lindstrom Jersey , he’s faster and quicker than I thought,” Johnson said of his early look at Murray.“And I think a lot of people underestimate how great he can throw. He throws an accurate dart. I see him in the quarterback drills, throwing it at the net, and he’s hitting five in a row and stuff like that.”Murray and Johnson seem to building a rapport.“He’s been great at the game,” Murray said of Johnson. “He’s seen a lot of football. He’s played a lot of football. I think we’ll be pretty versatile, as far as me and him go.”
With perhaps the most frustrating road trip of their season in the rearview mirror, the Minnesota Twins return home Thursday looking to get back on track in the opener of a four-game series against the Baltimore Orioles at Target Field.

Minnesota went 1-8 on their I-94 excursion that began by dropping two of three to the Chicago White Sox and ended with sweeps by the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers. As a result, the Twins now sit 13 games under .500 and 12 games behind American League Central-leading Cleveland, holding down third place in the division.

“I think we’re all frustrated,” manager Paul Molitor said after the Brewers hit three solo home runs in a 3-2 victory over the Twins at Miller Park on Wednesday. “You win one game and you’re on the road for 10 days, playing good teams.

“We’re creating some of our own problems. At the same time http://www.lionsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jahlani-tavai-jersey , we’re not catching a lot of breaks. We’ll get home, looking forward to that. Have a nice homestand before the break. We’ll try to get these guys ready for a series with Baltimore tomorrow.”

The Twins will turn to Aaron Slegers (0-0, 3.38 ERA) for his first start of the season in the hopes of turning things around.

He has made just one other major league appearance this season, allowing two runs over 5 1/3 innings of relief May 30 at Kansas City. He has a 5.66 ERA in five career outings, including three starts, in the big leagues overall. Slegers has never faced Baltimore.

Like the Twins, the Orioles come into the series looking to snap out of a slump. They have lost nine of their last 10 games, including two in a row to Philadelphia this week.

Manager Buck Showalter still has confidence his team can turn things around.

“There are some really good people in that locker room and I’d really like to see them get a return, but you can’t will it. You can’t just hope it,” said Showalter. “It’s got to be one pitch at a time. You can’t look at the big picture.”

Andrew Cashner (2-8, 4.48) gets the start for Baltimore on Thursday Kyler Murray Jersey , and he is looking for his first victory since May 21. He has a 3.21 ERA over his last five outings, four of which were quality starts.

Keeping the ball in the park has been a big reason for that recent run of success. Cashner had allowed 11 home runs through his first nine starts but only three over his last seven — and none his last time out when he held the Los Angeles Angels to a run on four hits and a pair of walks while striking out four over six innings of work.

“That’s what I try to do every time I take the mound, just keep the team in the game and grind it out, no matter if it’s pretty or ugly,” Cashner told the Baltimore Sun. “Just try to get through the seventh. Maybe next time I’ll get through the seventh. I thought I got stronger as I went along. The breaking stuff was better, the offspeed was better. Something to build on as we go and keep moving forward.”

Cashner will be making his first career start at Target Field but is 0-2 with a 6.00 ERA in two previous starts against the Twins, who tagged him for five runs (four earned) over five innings on March 31 in Baltimore.