Maybe youre not a gamer, but at the end of this years Draft Day Manifesto, I
wrote the following.
Stefano Sturaro Jersey .If youve read this
far, youre a gamer. You get it. You know how much fun, how awesome, how
addicting fantasy football is. You know how it brings people together. So why
keep it all to yourself? Make it your goal to convince one person in your life
who has never played before to try a league this year. We need more women
playing, more kids, more senior citizens. Fantasy football is something everyone
can enjoy, so ask your parents, your kids, your neighbor, co-worker, someone.
Just one person. Come on. Help me spread the word.I hope people took me up on
that. If every single one of us invited just one person who had never played
before to enjoy the game, taught them about it so they feel like they know what
they are doing and wont be intimidated by phrases and slogans they havent heard,
then we will be pretty close to my goal of getting every man, woman and child
playing fantasy football.These werent empty words. I meant them, and I also
wanted to practice what I preach. So for my one person who has never played
before, I chose Chelsea Handler.Ive read a lot of her books, watched her on TV
for years. Shes always great on Howard Sterns show. Shes so smart and funny. Her
books really are terrific. Ive been a big fan of hers for a long time. So when a
producer of her new show, Chelsea, reached out and invited me on as a guest, I
jumped at the chance. One of the segments on the show is Chelsea learning about
things she knows nothing about, and she wanted to learn what the hell fantasy
football was.In addition to being fun for me and good promotion for ESPN
Fantasy, I had an ulterior motive. I wanted to not just explain our game, I
wanted to convince her to play. In a league. With me. She was going to be my one
newbie this year.The segment was fun (you can find it on Netflix if youd like to
see it). Chelsea was great in person, and when we were done, I made my pitch.
She smiled and said ... you bet. Lets do it.And so, Chelsea Handler is a part of
the second annual ESPN Fantasy Focus Podcast Celebrity Fantasy Football League.
In fact, she enjoyed the draft so much she set up a second league and is playing
with the staff of her show. And while she has been slow out of the gate in the
podcast league, she leads the league in trash talk. As you might imagine, shes
hilarious. As I write this, she has been going back and forth with Dale
Earnhardt Jr. (no slouch himself in the trash talk department) via email.I can
hear some of you complaining already. All he does is name drop celebrities. That
podcast spends way too much time talking to famous people. Hes so self-centered
and egocentric.Look, Ive got no answer for the third one. Guilty as charged. But
as the second year of the ESPN Fantasy Focus Podcast Celebrity Fantasy Football
League is now underway, I wanted to mention Chelsea and talk about the league
for a very specific reason.Every single person reading this column, playing
their league out for FREE on ESPN.com, checking their scores on the free app and
spending the next few months enjoying the greatest game ever invented, should
sit there and thank these celebs. Support their projects, follow them on social
media and when the subject of a celebrity league comes up -- or just celebrities
in general playing fantasy football -- can it already with the holier-than-thou
sneer.We are a country that places a great deal of value on celebrity. You dont
have to like it, you can say its whats wrong with our country and that it is
warping our values, and youd find a ton of support for that opinion. But it is
what it is. We pay attention to what celebrities say, do, wear and date. An
inordinate amount of attention. Its the true national pastime.And so when a
celebrity does something like, say, play fantasy football, people notice. And
they think ... oh, maybe I should do that. Chelsea Handler has an enormous fan
base, including tons of women. If Chelsea has a fun experience playing fantasy
football and says something on her show or tweets about her fantasy team once or
twice ... thats amazing. That will do more to spread the word about the fun and
ease of fantasy sports than any ESPN commercial we could air.And its not just
Chelsea. Its every celebrity, be they in our podcast league or not. The more
people who play it, the more advertisers want to be associated with it. And the
more advertisers who want to be associated with it, the more free games, tools,
fantasy football marathons and fantasy columns there will be.Thats why the celeb
league is among my favorite things we do on the podcast, and while it is very
popular, I have heard some podcast listeners and readers of this column say that
they wish it were pure football and to stop it with the high jinks and the drops
and the celebs. While I certainly understand that point of view, I disagree with
it. I have a more open worldview. I want everyone to play, not just the people
who think they are the smartest and most competitive people in the room. And to
me, this is a great way to expand our game.I will take one paragraph to indulge
in blatant promotion and say that this year, we managed to not only get a great
cross section of celebrities, we also got celebrities who hadnt done (as far as
I know) public fantasy leagues before. And all of the celebs actually play
fantasy football competitively, except for our two newcomers (In addition to
Chelsea, Anna Faris is playing for the first time with her podcast co-host, Sim
Sarna. So one of you out there is off the hook for getting one person to play
this year, I got you covered). This is the second year of the league, and
because it was so successful last year, we actually had celebs asking us to play
in it; so much so that we expanded to a 14-team league with PPR scoring. Heres
who is in it (in alphabetical order): 1. Ike Barinholtz 2. Kevin Durant (our
defending champ!) 3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 4. Zac Efron 5. Chelsea Handler 6. Evan
Longoria 7. Phil Lord & Chris Miller (directors of 22 Jump Street, Lego
Movie, and currently filming the new Han Solo movie) 8. Jim Parsons 9. Darius
Rucker 10. Miles Teller 11. Unqualified podcast (Anna Faris & Sim
Sarna)Plus, Field Yates, Stephania Bell and I round out the 14. Its a great
group -- a cross section of people, interests, level of experience -- its got
movie stars, pro athletes, musicians and some of the biggest TV stars around.
Its got married folks and single people, parents and party animals, young and
old, from all different parts of the country and all different backgrounds. Its
everything a fantasy league should be. Weve been having members of the league on
the podcast once a week and will continue to do so, so hopefully youll check it
out. Or if its not your thing, just click on it. We dont care if you listen, we
just want the downloads.But the most important thing about the league is that
its promoting fantasy football. Something we should all do. Because our game is
not free from attacks. There are still naysayers. There are still those who dont
get it. There are still those who are negative and only like for-real
football.Thats why I desperately hope folks took me up on the just one person
idea, and if they didnt, I hope they will in the future. Because its not just on
celebs, its on all of us.So if theres someone in your life who hasnt tried it
yet, I will bet anything that person is a fan of at least one member of our
league. And that might just be enough.Come on, try fantasy football. Kevin
Durant plays it! Try it once. For KD. And me.Lets get to it.Quarterbacks I love
in Week 4Matthew Stafford, Lions: Im running out of ways to make puns out of Jim
Bob Cooters name. Coot-tastic! Coot-some! Supercooterfragilisticexpialidocious!
(Too much?) I may have run out, but JBC has not run out of ways to get the ball
to Marvin Jones. Stafford is locked in as a top-10 QB for the season, and I dont
expect the Bears to generate much of a pass rush (Chicago has blitzed the least
in the NFL this season, and Stafford is completing 70.4 percent of passes when
not blitzed), so he should sit back and pick apart a decimated Bears
secondary.Kirk Cousins, Redskins: Told you. Look, his play still has some
head-scratchers (what WAS that final sequence at the end of the first half last
week?), but the recipe continues to be there: poor defense, inconsistent running
game and high-volume passing attack with talented pass-catchers. Facing a Browns
squad that has allowed multiple passing scores and at least 275 passing yards in
each game this season makes Cousins a legit top-10 play this week and an obvious
target for Aaron Rodgers owners if somehow he is still available in your league
(his ownership rate was 76 percent as of this writing).Andy Dalton, Bengals: An
inconsistent defense traveling on a short week versus Dalton, who is terrible in
prime time. Something has to give here. Cody Kessler had almost 250 yards
against the Dolphins last week, and prior to facing the tough Denver defense
last week, Dalton had been terrific. Its a bit of a gut call here, but gimme the
Red Rifle as a top-10 option at the position this week.Others receiving votes:
Even after last weeks solid showing against the Titans, the Raiders are still
last in passing yards allowed per game. The Ravens cant run the ball, and I
expect the Raiders to be able to score here, which means Joe Flacco will have to
throw. Hell be a viable fill-in this week. ... Look, I certainly dont expect
Trevor Siemian to do what he did last week. This is still a run-first offense,
but similar to last week, I could see the Broncos ground game struggling here,
forcing Siemian to pass against a Bucs defense that has allowed the sixth-most
points to opposing QBs and has allowed multiple touchdown passes in 13 of its
past 16 games, including last week to Case Keenum. I repeat, Case Keenum.
Siemian is useful this week for the deeper-league desperate. ... Extra time to
prepare and no love lost between Rex Ryan and Bill Belichick. If Jimmy Garoppolo
is out there, I like him to have a decent game here against a Bills team thats
giving up 285 passing yards a game and wont be able to pressure him the way they
did Carson Palmer last week.Quarterbacks I hate in Week 4Russell Wilson,
Seahawks: If he were healthy, Wilson would be a no-brainer for the other list.
While I love and admire the guys toughness, its hard to see him as a top-10 play
this week. He scored 13 points or fewer in all three games so far and has yet to
throw multiple touchdown passes in any of them. (Incidentally, he started slowly
last season too). If his mobility is limited because of injury, so is his upside
on any fantasy points from rushing. The Jets defensive weakness lies in the
secondary, not the run defense, so if you have to start Wilson, you can hang
your hat on that. But on the road, Im expecting a heavy dose of Christine
Michael and a solid but unspectacular game from Wilson, landing him outside the
top 10 this week.Eli Manning, Giants: The email I just got telling me I have a
large inheritance, the idea that Im not losing my hair, the Vikings defense --
at least one of these things is totally legit. The Vikes lead the NFL in sacks
and are third in number of blitzes, whereas Eli struggles against pressure
(fifth-worst QBR against the blitz this season). With just one touchdown pass in
the past two weeks, Manning doesnt have a lot of momentum to face a defense that
already has stopped Aaron Rodgers and Cam Newton. Not a strong option this
week.Marcus Mariota, Titans: Even without J.J. Watt chasing him around, Mariota
is not a start this week, even in deeper leagues. While some of the numbers are
inflated by that weird Patriots game, the fact is that the Texans have allowed
just one passing touchdown and just 151 passing yards per game this season.
Sure, theyve played the Bears, Chiefs and a third-string Patriots QB, but theyve
also had extra time to prepare. I expect the Titans to come in with a run-heavy
offense (yes, even more than normal), especially if Delanie Walker misses
another game. Mariota is simply not a top-15 play this week.Running backs I love
in Week 4DeMarco Murray, Titans: You knew the Titans wanted to run the ball this
year, but the surprising thing is how much they use Murray in the passing game.
He has five or more catches in three straight games. Youll win a bar bet with
this one: Murray has more catches this season than Allen Robinson. A struggling
run defense -- the Texans have given up a rushing touchdown or 100 yards rushing
in all three games this season; did you SEE what LeGarrette Blount did to them?
-- that just lost J.J. Watt should see a lot of Murray (at least 18 touches in
each game), who is an easy RB1 for me this week and someone who will probably be
under-owned in daily.Jeremy Hill, Bengals: Oh, the joy of having a Thursday
night player in one section and then he does the opposite of what you expect. Oh
yeah, those Fridays are fun. Hill is one of the more inconsistent players out
there and he just had a huge game, which means you know hes going to tank this.
But here I am, on Hill this week. Miami gets run on A LOT (second most in the
NFL at 34 attempts a game) and theyre getting gashed too, coughing up 147 yards
per game on the ground. When the Bengals run, its Hill most of the time (71
percent of RB carries this season), so expect to see a lot of him. Traveling on
a short week to face an angry Bengals team, I dont like the Dolphins chances of
containing him. Top-20 play for me this week.Jordan Howard, Bears: As I often
say, you dont have to be the best-looking guy in the bar, you just have to be
the only guy in the bar. Meet Jordan Howard, fresh off your waiver wire and into
your lineup. No KaDeem Carey or Jeremy Langford, which means Howard should get
the majority of work against a Lions team giving up a league-high 5.1 yards per
carry this season. Detroit hasnt given up a touchdown to an opposing running
back this season and I expect Chicago to be down a decent amount in this game,
but Howard does have six receptions on the season (compared to 12 carries).
Because of the Bears willingness to dump it off to him when he has been in the
game, Im not scared of game flow here. Howard is a top-20 play for me.Isaiah
Crowell, Browns: There is something to be said about consistency. Washington has
given up two rushing touchdowns to running backs in each of its three games this
season. Whether inflated by big runs or not, Crowell has averaged better than 5
yards per carry in each game this year, and the use of Terrelle Pryor in a
prominent role opens up the entire offense. Expect another healthy workload and
a top-20 day.Others receiving votes: Cameron Artis-Payne got four carries before
Fozzy Whittaker got one last week and touched the ball on better than 48 percent
of his snaps. Game flow killed his opportunity against the Vikings, but with an
easier opponent, I expect Carolina will lead, helping CAPs cause. I like him as
a flex this week. ... Denver doesnt scare me as it relates to Charles Sims, as
hell be on the field a lot. Hes part of the Bucs passing game and so far this
season, Denver hasnt been any good against the run. ... Matt Jones is getting 70
percent of the Redskins RB carries through three weeks, including 19 touches
last week. The Browns are giving up 103 rushing yards per game to running backs
so far. ... Gut call, but I think Dwayne Washington has a strong game Sunday.
The Bears have given up four RB touchdowns the past two weeks and if theres a
rushing score in this one, Washington is the most likely to get it.Running backs
I hate in Week 4Latavius Murray, Raiders: Today in numbers going the wrong way,
Murrays touch count for his past five games, dating to last season:
24-15-15-14-11. Hes in a three-way time-share, you just havent noticed because
he keeps scoring TDs. And he could easily get in the end zone this week too, but
Im nervous. The Ravens are decent against the run and last week Murray had an
eight-point touchdown run and then 10 other touches that totaled one point. If I
said you were going to start a RB that might get only 11 or so touches, would
you be excited about that? Murray is a flex play at best this week, not the
top-15 guy he has been so far.Jerick McKinnon, Vikings: The Giants have given up
only one rushing touchdown this season, theyre allowing just 3.2 yards per
carry, McKinnon is splitting carries and the Vikings cant block. Bleagh.Any
Dolphins, Giants or Ravens running back: Unsure workload, bad matchup and, in
general, not a lot of talent. Hells to the no.Note: I know, I know. Kind of a
weak running back list. Heres the problem: The position is so ugly that its hard
to hate anyone with a pulse. I mean, I am lower on Devonta Freeman and Tevin
Coleman this week than I ever have been, but my guess is you dont have better
options.Wide receivers I love in Week 4Marvin Jones, Lions: Not that you were
ever considering benching him, but Im putting him in here because hes in my top
10 this week, and thats not a fluke. Its legit. Super Cooter Duper! No? OK, Ill
show myself out. Thanks.Demaryius Thomas, Broncos: The No. 1 wide receiver
facing the Buccaneers has scored every week: Julio Jones, Larry Fitzgerald and
Tavon Austin. This is a secondary that has not stopped anyone, allowing seven
scores to wideouts in three games. Per my friend Mike Clays invaluable WR/CB
matchup chart, Thomas, who is 6-foot-3, should spend a lot of time facing off
with the struggling Alterraun Verner, who is 5-10. DT has increased his
reception total each week thus far, and that should continue this week in
Tampa.Jarvis Landry, Dolphins: He needs a slogan. Something snappy. Jarvis, not
just for PPR leagues! The Bengals have given up a slot touchdown in each of the
past three games, and I cant imagine the Dolphins being able to run the ball
here, so through the air is the only way theyll move the ball. Expect another
heavy target day for Landry.Travis Benjamin and Tyrell Williams, Chargers: Do
you want a lot of stats here, or do you want me to just point to the schedule
where it says vs. New Orleans? Williams, by the way, is quietly one of only
eight wide receivers with at least 60 receiving yards in every game this season.
I continue to really like him for season-long leagues. This might be your last
chance to buy semi-low.Terrelle Pryor, Browns: I am so mad at myself. Podcast
fans know I have been talking about Pryor for a while now, ever since the
preseason. And I liked him last week, talked him up enough on the podcast and
elsewhere. I could have sworn I wrote about him in Love/Hate last week. At 10:07
a.m. ET on Sunday morning, I sent this tweet:Terrelle Pryor avail in 74% of ESPN
lgs. As pod fans know, I like him in general but quite a bit today. Even if you
dont start, grab him.- Matthew Berry (@MatthewBerryTMR) September 25,
2016Anyway, this isnt bragging. OK, its a little bragging, but believe me, I got
plenty of calls wrong last week, and always do and will. But Im just so mad I
didnt put him in this column last week. Regardless, hes all sorts of legit. The
quarterback play will continue, the running ... all of it. Hes the Browns most
talented playmaker, and there is a connection between Hue Jackson and Pryor
going back to Oakland. Hue is a great coach and will continue to find creative
ways to get the ball in his hands. So Im putting Pryor here to say that (A) hes
not a fluke, he was on the field for 82 snaps last week, and (B) Im not worried
if Josh Norman shadows him this week; they will line him up all over. Top-20
play for me.Others receiving votes: In two games versus Indy last season, with
Vontae Davis shadowing Allen Robinson, Hurns went burns -- as in he burned the
Colts! Ha! Its getting late. Im a bit loopy. At any rate, he went over 100 yards
and had a score in each game. While the Jags offense isnt clicking like last
season thus far, Davis should be on A-Rob again, making Hurns a strong play this
week. ... Same game, gimme some Phillip Dorsett, who led the Colts in snaps
played last week and should spend a good chunk of the game being guarded by
Davon House, currently Pro Football Focus 96th-ranked cornerback out of 104. ...
You know I am on Kirk Cousins, so DeSean Jackson and Jamison Crowder should
continue to be WR3s with upside.Wide receivers I hate in Week 4Sammy Watkins,
Bills: Im not even convinced he plays, but even if he does, he has never had
more than 60 yards receiving in four career meetings against Bill Belichick and
has just one score. It depends who else you have on your team, of course, and
Watkins is talented enough that any one play can make your week, but in the
two-WR, one-flex, 16-team PPR league that I own Watkins in, I am starting
DeAndre Hopkins (obviously), Terrelle Pryor and Willie Snead over him this week.
And if Snead cant go, Ill probably play Tyrell Williams over Watkins. I expect a
lot of Malcolm Butler on Watkins in this one, and at less than 100 percent, he
is outside my top 20.Dez Bryant, Cowboys: I dont think he plays, and if he does
suit up for the Cowboys, hes not suiting up for me. I feel hed be out there just
as a decoy.Tajae Sharpe, Titans: He has cooled off after a hot start, and you
know I think this game leans run-heavy. Sharpe has seen his targets decline
after a big Week 1, and its worth noting, Marcus Mariota struggles when under
pressure. And while theres no J.J. Watt in this one, I still expect Houston to
bring pressure here and the Titans to run a lot to counter that. There are
likely better options on your team.Julian Edelman, Patriots: Wake me when Tom is
back. Anything is possible, but I am expecting a run-heavy game script that
takes some shots to Rob Gronkowski. Edelman has just one red zone reception in
three weeks, which makes him more a WR3 this week and not the automatic start he
normally is.Jordy Nelson, Packers: Hes on a bye this week. Just making sure
youre paying attention.Tight ends I love in Week 4Dennis Pitta, Ravens: The past
two weeks, Joe Flacco has eyes for Pitta only. At least it seems that way.
Almost 30 percent of Flaccos completions in the past two weeks have gone to The
Peach. (Get it? The Peach? Peach Pitta? No? What? Am I still here? Im still
here. I shouldnt be. Excuse me. Ill leave now.) The Raiders got destroyed by the
Falcons Jacob Tamme, and I expect a good game for Pitta here.Jimmy Graham,
Seahawks: With Russell Wilson immobile, the Hawks will want to use Graham to
control the middle of the field, and theyll be successful at it. The Jets pass
defense is their weakness, allowing opponents to complete a league-high 71.3
percent of passes this season. The Chiefs tight ends just gashed New York last
week, so I like Graham this week to continue his strong start.Zach Miller,
Bears: Can Brian Hoyer stay the Bears QB forever? Asking for a friend. Who
happens to own Miller. And is actually me. Hoyer kept looking his way last week
(nine targets), and he should do it again in a matchup he can win. The Lions
have allowed a touchdown to a tight end each week this season, coughing up 216
yards and five TDs to TEs on only 19 catches (50 fantasy points, most in the
NFL).Others receiving votes: Kyle Rudolph has scored in back-to-back weeks and
is getting targeted on 28 percent of all Vikings passes, behind only Stefon
Diggs. ... Cameron Brate is getting all the love now that Austin
Seferian-Jenkins is no longer on the team, and while its not a great matchup,
youre better off attacking the middle of the field with your tight end against
Denver than you are going after their corners. ... It doesnt look like Antonio
Gates will play this week, so Hunter Henry gets another shot after running a
route on better than 65 percent of his snaps played last week. Bad fumble aside,
he looked good and now gets, ahem, the Saints.Tight ends I hate in Week 4Clive
Walford, Raiders: The Ravens have been strong against tight ends this season,
and with 50 yards or fewer in three straight, Walford is a touchdown-dependent
TE2.Jesse James, Steelers: Heres Jesses target count by week: 7-5-4. In their
past 13 games, the Chiefs have allowed just one touchdown to an opposing tight
end. One. How lucky do you feel?Defenses I love in Week 4Cincinnati Bengals: At
home on a short week, the return of Vontaze Burfict should give a lift to a
defense that is allowing the fourth-lowest completion percentage this
season.Minnesota Vikings: How am I the only guy with them in the top three?New
York Giants: Theyve allowed just one rushing touchdown this season, and their
front is for real. I see Big Blue getting up for a game on a national stage, and
that Vikings offensive line will struggle against the Giants front.Others
receiving votes: So Bill has had extra time to prepare for Rex, and the game is
in New England? OK. ... The Rams are fourth in blitzes this season, and pressure
is one thing Carson Palmer struggles with, ranking 26th of 31 qualified passers
in QBR versus the blitz this season. The Rams will get after Palmer in this one,
and a few sacks and a turnover are strong possibilities.Defenses I hate in Week
4Buffalo Bills: Even after last week, even with a banged-up, backup QB. I want
no part of Rexs defense against Belichick.Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys have
allowed the second-most yards before contact this season, which should allow the
49ers to run the ball and control the clock, limiting the number of potential
turnovers.Thats all we have this week. A reminder to tune in to see Fantasy
Football Now on Sunday morning, 11 a.m. ET on ESPN2. Thanks to Kyle Soppe of
ESPN Fantasy for his help with this column. Good luck in Week 4!Matthew Berry,
The Talented Mr. Roto, is trying to figure out how he can get Anne Hathaway to
play fantasy football next year. To, you know, just pick a name out at random.
He is the creator of RotoPass.com, a paid spokesman for DraftKings.com and one
of the owners of the Fantasy Life app.
Blank Juventus Jersey . Now that hes hitting
streaking teammates with pin-point passes for easy layups, Love is asserting
himself as one of the true superstars in the league.
Leonardo Bonucci Jersey . After Gasquet beat
fifth-seeded Ivan Dodig of Croatia 7-5, 6-3, Tsonga followed up with a 6-7 (3),
6-2, 6-2 win against sixth-seeded Edouard Roger-Vasselin in an all-French match.
http:///...io-Chiellini-Jersey/
. Vettel was 0.168 seconds faster than Red Bull teammate Mark Webber around the
Suzuka circuit. Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg was two tenths of a second off
Vettel. "The car balance is decent, but I think we can still improve," Vettel
said.MINNEAPOLIS -- Justin Morneau watched the ball sail off one of his big
swings toward right field, and finally the flight ended in the seats. After 168
at-bats without a home run, Minnesotas most powerful hitter for the past decade
went deep again. Morneaus two-run shot and Brian Doziers three-run homer helped
the Twins beat the Chicago White Sox 7-4 on Wednesday. "Theyll come in bunches.
Youll see him at 20-plus before too long," Dozier said. Morneaus third homer of
the season followed an RBI single by Josh Willingham in the sixth off Deunte
Heath after Chris Sales night ended after five shaky innings. Morneau last went
deep on April 28. The 2006 AL MVP has three seasons of 30-plus homers, but he
hasnt done that since 2009. "I was sure hoping it was going to be gone, thats
for sure," Morneau said. "Its been a while. It was good feeling. It was a good
game for us. Hopefully that gets the monkey off my back, and we can get
rolling." His teammates teased him in the dugout after he rounded the bases,
pretending to ignore him, a silent-treatment trick instigated by manager Ron
Gardenhire, according to Dozier. So Morneau gave out a bunch of air high-fives,
a light moment on a night when several Twins enjoyed fine performances. "You can
stand there and look like an idiot or high-five the air like an idiot. I chose
to high-five the air like an idiot. It was fun," Morneau said. Glen Perkins
pitched a perfect ninth for the second game in a row, recording his 18th save in
20 tries, after Kevin Correia (6-4) pitched into the seventh. Dozier reached
base four times, including a three-run homer in the second against Sale (5-6).
The White Sox have dropped six of seven to fall to 29-40. Theyre 11 games under
.500 for the first time since an 11-22 record on May 6, 2011. "We havent quit.
Its still a long way to go, and we can get hot any time," right fielder Alex
Rios said. "Any moment, we can turn things around. Were going to keep grinding
until theres nothing left." If Sale is struggling, thats almost a sure sign the
White Sox are in trouble too. The lanky left-hander failed to reach the sixth
inning for the first time in his last 10 starts, giving up four runs and eight
hits. He also walked two, hit two batters and threw a wild pitch. Four of Sales
five strikeouts were notched with his first four outs, but the second inning was
a rough one. Oswaldo Arcia hit a sharp comebacker that Sale got a glove on to
proteect his body, but in doing so he jerked his midsection backward and flipped
over from the momentum.
Mario Lemina Jersey. . The ball grazed his
arm and his chin. Arcia had a one-out single, and Sale stayed in the game after
he was checked out. Then Clete Thomas walked, and Doziers two-out drive -- his
fifth homer this season -- put the Twins in front 3-1. Right before that, as
Sale covered first base to barely get Pedro Florimon on a 3-1 groundout, the
pitcher appeared to twist his left knee after trying to slow down and pivot
toward the diamond as the runners moved to second and third. That prompted a
second manager-trainer visit to Sale. He didnt show any discomfort after that,
but he never found his form. Sale said neither of those scary plays affected his
pitching. "Getting behind guys, thats what happens. They make you pay for it,"
Sale said. Trevor Plouffes RBI single in the third inning extended the lead, and
the Twins left eight men on base over Sales five innings. Sale is 0-4 in four
starts this month, but in 26 1-3 innings he has allowed only nine earned runs.
Alejandro De Azas fourth leadoff home run this season was not nearly enough for
the White Sox, who crept closer against the Twins bullpen but ran out of outs.
Correia gave up five hits and two runs in 6 2-3 innings without a walk. He
struck out six, after facing his third straight standout lefty. He had a
no-decision against Washingtons Gio Gonzalez and Philadelphias Cliff Lee in his
last two turns. "Im used to it. Its fun, going up against a very good pitcher
like that. You dont have any room for error," Correia said. NOTES: Morneau tied
Kirby Puckett for fifth place on Minnesotas home run list with the 207th of his
career. ... Twins first-round draft pick Kohl Stewart shagged fly balls during
batting practice after signing his contract and will leave Thursday for Fort
Myers, Fla., to start pitching in the Gulf Coast League. Stewart, also a star
quarterback at St. Pius X High School in Houston, turned down an offer to play
baseball and football for Texas A&M. When Stewart stepped on the plane for
Minnesota this week, he noticed a familiar face sitting in front of him: Adrian
Peterson. After they landed, Stewart used Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin as an
introductory icebreaker. Sumlin was an assistant at Oklahoma when Peterson
played there. "Its kind of intimidating to introduce myself to Adrian Peterson,
but it kind of worked out well," Stewart said.
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