Other » Quinnen Williams passed on paying for a big-name

FLORHAM PARK Cullen Gillaspia Jersey , N.J. (AP) — high-priced personal trainer during his first NFL offseason.The New York Jets rookie defensive lineman simply pressed play on his laptop at home.“I just worked out on my own — I can YouTube everything,” Williams said with a big, braces-filled smile Friday. “I don’t really have to go pay a superstar super-performance dude. I can use YouTube and just do it. On the field, you can’t take a performance coach with you, so I used YouTube a lot and did a lot of stuff that we do here over and over.”Apparently, the video binging worked.The No. 3 overall draft pick arrived in terrific shape at the team’s facility Friday morning to sign his rookie contract, officially ending his one-practice holdout.“It was a huge relief, man, just to be back with my brothers,” Williams said. “Be back with the team, be back in New York and New Jersey. It’s just amazing.”Then, he went out and “crushed” his conditioning test, coach Adam Gase raved.“I’m just ready to perform,” Williams said. “I feel way better than I was in college; I feel way stronger Tytus Howard Jersey , way faster and way more flexible.”The former Alabama star worked out at his alma mater and Georgia Tech during the offseason, spending 18 hours a day between the gym, saunas, hot tubs, cold tubs and massage tables to get himself in perhaps the best shape of his life.With the help of the internet, of course.He dropped his playing weight of 305 pounds from last year with the Crimson Tide to about 295. Williams’ body fat is also down from 20% to 15% after tweaking his diet — with assistance from the Jets’ nutritionist — by eating more vegan plant-based proteins.“I did a lot of conditioning and ran track a lot,” Williams said. “I saw (Eagles wide receiver) DeSean Jackson running track all the time, so I got me some track cleats to start running track. It got me in great shape.”Now, Williams is eager to get on the field and start practicing.That will happen Saturday, the team’s first session in pads, after Gase and the Jets decided to not rush Williams into the mix after a hectic 24-hour stretch for the youngster. Williams agreed to terms Thursday on his four-year, $32.5 million deal that includes a $21.7 million signing bonus, flew to New Jersey later that night and put his pen to paper early Friday morning.“We just thought it was the right move, just pulling him out of practice and not put him in a bad situation,” Gase said.Surprisingly Rock Ya-Sin Jersey , there was only a bit of razzing by Williams’ teammates when he showed up at practice, unlike the welcome Sam Darnold received as he was slow-clapped onto the field last summer after he ended his three-practice holdout.“I just heard, ‘Big Money,’ a lot,” Williams said with a laugh. “All the guys here know I’m not a real big spender. They know I’m a kid, almost. I’m really a goofy, laid-back, cool person, so there really hasn’t been a lot said about it.”But once the whistle blew, Williams did all he could to control himself from running out on the field during the two-hour session.“I was just fidgeting on the sideline, like, ‘Man, I know this play. I know what to do on D-line,'” he said, smiling. “I was just really taking mental reps on the sideline.”That’s aspect of Williams’ game that has really impressed Gase and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. The defensive lineman’s ability to quickly pick up the playbook and apply it to the practice field has him in position already to be a major contributor.“His football intelligence is off the charts http://www.coltsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-ben-banogu-jersey ,” Gase said.In the Jets’ defense, Williams will be moved all around the line — at nose tackle, defensive tackle and defensive end.“It helps him get an extra step outside of his athletic ability,” Gase said of Williams’ football I.Q. “You look at the guys that have a lot of success like Aaron Donald, he is smart and he’s a freak athletically. So, when you put those two things together, they make it tough to stop.”All that despite the 6-foot-6 Williams still developing after not being a starter in college until last season. He quickly became a force for the Crimson Tide as a nearly unblockable D-lineman with an intriguing combination of quickness, power and strong hands. He won the Outland Trophy as college football’s best interior lineman after getting eight sacks last season with 19½ tackles for loss.“He’s in the backfield a lot,” Gase said. “I mean, he’s a good player.”And, now, Williams wants to make his mark, someday in a starring role in his own highlight video.“I just can’t wait to compete,” the big rookie said, “and ball out this year with my brothers and win games.”NOTES: CB Brian Poole Khari Willis Jersey , activated from the non-football injury list Thursday, caused two turnovers in his first practice of camp. … RG Brian Winters returned after he missed Thursday’s practice to be with his wife, who gave birth to a boy.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Boston Red Sox and the Kansas City Royals, two diametrically opposite clubs, meet in a three-game series beginning Friday night at Kauffman Stadium.

To say they are polar extremes would not be an exaggeration.

The Red Sox own the best record in the majors at 59-29. They have won eight of their past 10 and 10 of their past 13. They are 30 games over .500 for the first since they ended the 2013 season 32 games above.

Boston leads the American League with 463 runs and has outscored its opponents by 130 runs.

On the flip side, the Royals have lost six straight, 18 of 21 and 25 of 30. They are 25-61 and are 36 games below .500 for the first time since ending the 2006 season 62-100.

Kansas City ranks last in the American League with 297 runs and has been outscored by 167 runs.

“We didn’t have opportunities to manufacture runs,” manager Ned Yost told reporters after Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to the Cleveland Indians. “We had opportunities with runners in scoring position that we couldn’t capitalize on. And that’s been a major problem for us all year long.”

The Red Sox are 31-17 on the road. The Royals have lost 12 of their last 13 games at Kauffman Stadium and their 11-32 home record is the worst in the majors.

The Royals have not scored more than four runs in 25 of their last 26 games. They have failed to collect double-figure hits in 25 of their last 26 games and are batting .191 with 55 runs in that stretch.

And who do the Royals face in the opener of this series?

None other than dominant left-hander Chris Sale, who leads the American League with 164 strikeouts and is averaging 12.7 strikeouts per nine innings. Opponents own a .179 batting average versus Sale (8-4, 2.41 ERA).

“He looks like the best pitcher in the big leagues right now,” Boston manager Alex Cora said.

Sale, who ranks among the league leaders in overall ERA, owns a 2.32 road ERA and a 2.45 night ERA. He enters the game having not allowed a run in his past 15 innings. Sale is 3-1 with a 1.03 ERA in his past five starts after striking out and allowing a first-inning single to Giancarlo Stanton in seven dominant innings in an 11-0 win at Yankee Stadium over the New York Yankees on Saturday.

“He was outstanding again,” Cora said. “Fastball command and off-speed pitches Josh Allen Jersey , it was a great performance.”

Sale is 10-10 with a 2.92 ERA in 33 career appearances, 22 starts, against Kansas City. He held the Royals to two runs and five hits while walking two and striking out six over seven innings in a no-decision on May 1 at Fenway Park. Sale is 2-0 with a 2.87 ERA in his last four starts in Kansas City, striking out 34 and walking five.

The Royals will counter with right-hander Jason Hammel, who is 2-10 with a 5.56 ERA. He is tied for the AL lead in losses and has yielded 15 runs in his last two starts. He is 0-5 with a 4.33 ERA in seven home starts this season.

Against the Red Sox, Hammel is 3-4 with a 5.13 ERA in 16 career appearances, nine of them starts. He dropped a 10-6 decision on April 30 to Boston, allowing eight runs on eight hits, including a pair of home runs, and three walks over 4 2/3 innings.

While Sale was the AL Pitcher of the Month for June, Hammel went 0-5 with a 6.43 ERA in six starts last month after ending May with back-to-back victories.

Hammel’s biggest challenge will be Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez. They rank 1-2 in the majors in slugging percentage with Betts at .669 and Martinez .642.

Betts has 21 home runs and a .338 batting average. Martinez is hitting .327 with a major league-best 26 home runs, which is more than any Boston player hit in 2017.

Betts also hit three homers at Fenway Park on May 2 and went 4-for-4 in that game.