NEWS » ble play. "He came up to bunt in the third inning and I

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Muhammad Wilkerson wants to act more like the team leader that he and Jets coach Todd Bowles believe he is.The defensive end owned up to the mistakes he has made that led to his benching, along with Sheldon Richardson, for one quarter last Sunday. And, Wilkerson insists hell be better.This is a distraction, clearly, Wilkerson said Wednesday. I dont want to be a distraction. Thats not me. Its not my character. Thats not me as a teammate. Moving forward, it wont be an issue for me.Both Wilkerson and Richardson sat on the sideline for the first quarter of the Jets 27-23 loss at Miami . After the game, Bowles said it was simply a coachs decision, and refused to go into details. Neither player spoke to reporters in the locker room after the game.Reports emerged Monday that Wilkerson had either missed or been late to more than one team meeting, and was absent for a walkthrough the day before the Jets game against Baltimore on Oct. 23. Wilkerson didnt play in that game because of a sore foot. He was also late for a meeting before the Jets preseason game against the Giants and was benched for a quarter and fined.I have been late to meetings, Wilkerson said. I did miss the walkthrough prior to the Ravens game. Those actions are unacceptable. I definitely feel that, as a leader on this team, I definitely need to do better. I respect the coaches and everybody in this building. I take responsibility for my actions.Moving forward, it wont be an issue. As a leader on this team, I have to show better and do better. Thats something I will do.Wilkerson declined to divulge what he and Bowles spoke about when they met to discuss the situation. Despite the missteps by Wilkerson, Bowles still thinks the defensive end exhibits leadership qualities.His work ethic on the field, as far as getting guys going, Bowles said. Hes one of the guys on the field that people rally around and he can make big plays and make things happen. He can rally guys up in the locker room and out on the field and get going. Thats how I view him from a leadership standpoint.Wilkerson has struggled to match his production from last season, when he had a career-best 12 sacks. He spent the offseason recovering from a broken leg suffered in the season finale, but received a five-year, $86 million contract extension. He has 2 1/2 sacks this season, but insisted his lack of production isnt a result of his tardiness issues.That has nothing to do with my play, Wilkerson said. Whenever Im out there, Im going to do the best that I can.Richardson admitted to oversleeping by 20 minutes and missing the team meeting last Friday, which led to his benching.Im not a regular at missing meetings, Richardson said. Coach Bowles is a disciplinarian. That was my sentencing right there.Richardson said it was the only non-excused absence he had for a team meeting this season.It has been blown way out of proportion, he said. I know me missing the first quarter is not blown out of proportion, but it was one meeting. Its all it is.The benching of two star players has contributed to an increasing opinion that the Jets are dysfunctional , which is a direct reflection on Bowles as the coach. Wilkerson insists Bowles has not lost control of his locker room, not even close.I dont think coaches lose control, Wilkerson said. Its not coach who was late. I was late and Im taking responsibility.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Jack Youngblood Jersey . Louis Cardinals. Victorino is batting sixth and playing right field after missing two games because of back tightness. Jack Youngblood Womens Jersey . -- Anaheim Ducks captain and leading scorer Ryan Getzlaf has been scratched from Sunday nights game against the Vancouver Canucks because of an upper-body injury. http://www.laramsfootballshops.com/gerald-everett-jersey/ . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. David Long Youth Jersey . U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield in Manhattan agreed that lawyers on both sides could make their formal requests by Nov. 8. A hearing is scheduled for a day earlier. Jordan Siev, a lawyer for Rodriguez, wrote in a joint letter to the judge from lawyers on both sides that MLB lawyers planned to ask that the lawsuit be dismissed. Darrell Henderson Womens Jersey . -- Quarterback Will Finch threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns, and Yannick Harou rushed in two scores as the No. LOS ANGELES -- June was a month to savour for Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Yasiel Puig and one to forget for Philadelphia Phillies slumping first baseman Ryan Howard. Puig ended his sensational first month in the major leagues with his first four-hit game, Stephen Fife scattered four hits over seven scoreless innings and the Dodgers beat the Phillies 6-1 Sunday to take three of four in the series. "Puigs definitely brought an energy and a spark to us, and his skill level, I think, is a little more than anybody anticipated it would be," Fife said. "Ever since he first got here, Ive had a lot of friends and family ask me: Hey, whats it like? And I just say: Keep watching, because its going to be historic. And as its turned out, its been a pretty historic start." Puig finished June with 44 hits, surpassing the 42 by Pittsburghs Bob Elliott in September 1939 for the second-most in a players first full calendar month in the major leagues. Joe DiMaggio had 48 in May 1936. "Obviously, the league is going to start to make adjustments when they start figuring out what counts and what pitches he may struggle with or have less success with," Philadelphias Jimmy Rollins said. "And then hell have to readjust his game. But right now, hes done everything he needs to do." Puig also eclipsed the Los Angeles Dodgers record for most hits in a month by a rookie, set by Steve Sax in August 1982. The Cuban-born right fielder got his first major league triple in the fifth inning and scored on Adrian Gonzalezs double for a 4-0 lead. Puig singled his first two times up and stole second base both times. He scored the games first run in the fourth inning on a single by Hanley Ramirez. Matt Kemp and Jerry Hairston Jr. also had RBI singles that inning. The only reason Puig led off the fourth was because Fife was picked off first base by catcher Carlos Ruiz for the final out in the third. Puig also doubled in the seventh. "He appears to me to be a complete package of a top-tier ballplayer," Fife said. "And to see somebody do that in the big leagues for the four weeks hes been up now is very impressive. I think hes taken a lot of pressure off a lot of people in here, just because hes producing at such an unbelievable rate." A.J. Ellis had an RBI double among his three hits and threw out two baserunners trying to steal, helping lead the Dodgers to their eighth victory in nine games. He finished the month with a .436 average, 16 RBIs and seven home runs. Fife (3-2) had five strikeouts in his second straight win. The right-hander has a 2.21 ERA over in six starts since being inserted into the rotation on June 3. &"It was a good mix of everything," Fife said.dddddddddddd"I tried to keep the ball down in the zone and was mixing in the changeup and the curveball throughout the whole day. My fastball command kind of went erratic in the third, so I threw the changeup and that kind of got me back on line. Then things started cruising." Jose Dominguez, promoted from Triple-A on Saturday, pitched a perfect eighth inning in his big league debut. The righty struck out his first batter, Delmon Young, on a fastball that registered 101 mph on the Dodger Stadium speed gun. Howard, back in the lineup after sitting out the previous two games because of left-handed starters, was 0 for 4 with three strikeouts. He is hitless in his last 20 at-bats with 11 strikeouts. "Im not happy about it," the 2006 NL MVP said. "Obviously, you dont go out there and say: I want to go 0-for-this entire trip. Its a battle and a grind, and its a very frustrating game at times." Kyle Kendrick (7-5) gave up four runs and 10 hits in six innings. The right-hander was saved by his batting helmet in the sixth when a pitch glanced off the back of it as he tried to duck out of the way. Fife squatted on the front slope of the mound, showing concern for Kendrick before the Phillies pitcher went to first base. Pitching coach Rick Honeycutt came out to settle down Fife, who induced Michael Young to hit into a forceout and got Chase Utley to ground into an inning-ending double play. "He came up to bunt in the third inning and I sailed one over his head, which was completely unintentional. Then in the sixth, I actually hit him in the head," Fife said. "For me, there are rules in this game -- and one of them is, never hit a pitcher. So I got a little rattled. My biggest worry is that he would leave the game with a concussion. I didnt really see the blow, but I heard the noise. I probably owe him more than an apology. Its not something I intend to do ever again." Rollins drove in Philadelphias run with a two-out RBI single in the ninth. NOTES: The Dodgers designated 10-year veteran RHP Matt Guerrier for assignment and promoted rookie RHP Chris Withrow from Triple-A Albuquerque. Guerrier was 2-3 with a 4.80 ERA in 34 relief appearances. Withrow made three appearances for the big club earlier this month before he was optioned to the minors. ... Dodgers LF Carl Crawford, sidelined since June 2 because of a left hamstring strain, began a minor league rehab assignment Sunday with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga. Starting that game against Lancaster was LHP Ted Lilly, who hasnt pitched for Los Angeles since June 4 because of a neck sprain. ' ' '