FLORHAM PARK http://www.steelerscheapauthenticstore.com/benny-snell-jr.-jersey-cheap , N.J. (AP) — He had gone from being the leader of the New York Jets‘ offensive line to an unexpected punchline.Long was all over the blooper reels and social media — the center who simply couldn’t snap the football.“It was a tough, challenging time that I don’t think a lot of people knew exactly what was going on,” Long told The Associated Press on Friday. “My reputation was on the line.”Long was already dealing with a lingering injury to his right hand — his snapping hand — early in the season when he hurt a tendon in his middle finger against Jacksonville in Week 4. It made for a painful combination — “kind of just a chain reaction,” he said — that produced sometimes unpredictably ugly results.There were a few wayward shotgun snaps, and Long tried to push through his misfires before sitting out one week.Then came a disastrous game at Miami in Week 9.“Any time you put your hand on the ball and it doesn’t feel right, it creates an issue, especially for a guy that’s only been playing for so long at that position,” said the 28-year-old Long, who was a guard in his first 2½ NFL seasons in Washington. “I gave the impression that I was ready to go that week and throughout practice I was fine, all my snaps were fine. And then we go into the game and re-injury happens and then you’re in panic mode, you know? And, it was tough.“It was a pretty (awful) time.”The Jets ran an inside zone play against the Dolphins when Long was hit in the back and his right hand was engaged with another player. That’s when he felt a familiar searing pain in his finger.“There it goes again,” Long recalled, “And this is in the middle of a drive. I’m not going to pull myself out during the drive and create dysfunction in the flow.“But obviously, it was a risky decision that didn’t pay off.”Long had at least six errant shotgun snaps to rookie Sam Darnold, including one that soared over the quarterback’s head. He was replaced by Jonotthan Harrison on the next series — and hasn’t snapped in a game since.Long, who signed a four-year Zach Gentry Jersey , $27.4 million contract last offseason, became a popular target of frustrated fans, with the snaps mockingly turned into gifs and memes on social media.“I felt bad for my teammates and coaches for putting that out there,” he said of his performance. “For the fan base, too, because they deserved more than that from me. I’m a guy that’s supposed to be an addition and not a subtraction to this line.”Some blamed coach Todd Bowles for not pulling Long sooner. Others thought offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates should have called for fewer shotgun plays.“It was on me,” Long said. “It was completely on me. I made a decision that maybe wasn’t smart at the time. But I thought until it happened, I was getting through it. It was a (lousy) situation. It was really hard for a while there. I mean, I get it. I understand. I’m a pro center. I’m not supposed to have issues like that. I understand why people would be frustrated. Nobody was more frustrated than me, I can promise you that.“It was tough for me, but, you’ve just got to stick it out.”That, however, was far from easy.His hand was betraying him. And that put him in a dark spot mentally.“It was probably the most stress I’ve ever had playing football,” Long said. “It just kept getting worse because I was using it. I couldn’t protect it. It was a tough month there. It was probably four to six weeks until I was able to move on and be the person that I know I can be, and come back and contribute to this team without that worry.”Starting left guard James Carpenter went down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 10 against Buffalo, creating a void on the offensive line. The Jets shifted Long to guard — where he has started three of the last four games.“It’s crazy how things rearranged themselves via an unfortunate circumstance, but I’m just glad to be playing ball again Chris Lindstrom Jersey ,” Long said. “I know that I could play both positions at a high level, so whatever the team needs me for.”Bowles has seen Long grow more comfortable at left guard during the last month, and his teammates praise him for bouncing back from a situation in which some players might have withered.“He’s a fighter,” Harrison said. “The fact he was able to push through all he had going on, come back out there and keep on fighting, we’ve got all the respect for him.”Long’s future with the Jets is uncertain. He’s due to make $3 million next season with a $3.5 million roster bonus due in February. It’s unclear if he’d be move back to center after an offseason of healing and rehab or stick to left guard. There’s also the likely possibility that there will be a new coaching staff in place.He insists he isn’t thinking about any of that right now. Long is focused on ending what had been a brutal season for him on a positive note.“This was a tough time and it all really tested me,” Long said. “I feel like I’ve come out on the other side with a lot more knowledge about the game and what it takes to get through stuff because of it. It makes the game uncomfortable when you’re not playing with the swagger that you need to have.“But you know, I’m not a quitter, so I just keep going.” Trevor Bauer made plenty of quality pitches, but it was Cleveland catcher Roberto Perez who made the best throw of the night.

Bauer pitched effectively into the eighth inning as the Indians beat the skidding Kansas City Royals 3-2 on Wednesday for a three-game sweep.

With the Royals trailing by one in the eighth, Whit Merrifield hit a leadoff double before Perez nabbed him attempting to steal third.

”It was a huge play,” Bauer said.

Merrifield, the 2017 AL stolen base champion, said he got a good jump

”They executed. I executed,” Merrifield said. ”They got me this time. It was the right play. If I had a chance to do it again, I’d do it again.”

Perez gave credit to Bauer.

”He was thinking he was going to try and steal,” Perez said. ”He called fastball up and in and I thought that was the game right there. That was on Bauer. He hit me right in the chest and I made a strong throw, and (Jose) Ramirez made a good tag on him. I was fired up.”

Michael Brantley had an early RBI double and the Indians scored all their runs in the first three innings on only one hit. Bauer struck out eight and walked one over 7 2/3 innings.

The plummeting Royals have lost six straight and 18 of 21. They have scored four or fewer runs in 25 of their past 26 games and are barely ahead of Baltimore for the worst record in the majors.

After winning on grand slams by Francisco Lindor and Yan Gomes the previous two nights http://www.falconscheapshops.com/cheap-authentic-kaleb-mcgary-jersey , the Indians managed only four hits – two in the ninth inning.

Bauer (8-6) has struck out eight or more in eight consecutive starts. He allowed seven hits, six of them singles, and is 3-1 in his past four starts.

”It was frustrating in a lot of ways and I was happy the team won,” Bauer said. ”I made some good pitches and gave up some weak hits. I had too many two-strike pitches put into play. I need to clean that up.”

Cody Allen worked the ninth to earn his 18th save in 19 chances. It was his 140th career save, breaking a tie with Bob Wickman for the club record.

Lindor walked to start the game, stole second and scored on Brantley’s double. Brantley went to third on Ramirez’s flyout and scored on Edwin Encarnacion’s sacrifice fly.

The Indians manufactured a run without a hit in the second. Jason Kipnis and Tyler Naquin opened the inning with walks. Perez advanced both with a sacrifice bunt, and Greg Allen delivered a sacrifice fly.

Kansas City used a double steal to create a run in the second. Alex Gordon, who was hit by a pitch, and Hunter Dozier, who reached on an infield single, were at the corners with two outs. They pulled off a successful double steal, with Gordon scoring. It was Dozier’s first career steal.

The last Royals player to steal home was Alex Rios on July 20, 2015, against Pittsburgh, also as part of a double steal.

Alcides Escobar singled in the Kansas City fifth and advanced to third on Drew Butera’s one-out single. Escobar scored on Merrifield’s sacrifice fly.

Royals starter Trevor Oaks (0-2), recalled from Triple-A Omaha to take Ian Kennedy’s spot in the rotation, was removed after four innings and 73 pitches. He allowed three runs on two hits and four walks.

”The leadoff walks and not having good command, just really frustrating when I’ve walked like one or two guys an outing and now I’m back to four Kendall Sheffield Jersey ,” Oaks said.

Oaks had a 0.62 ERA in his last seven Triple-A starts. Kennedy went on the disabled list with a strained left oblique.

THE HOT CORNER

Dozier made his first big league start at third base. Dozier played 401 games at third, starting 281, in the Royals’ minor league system. He had started 35 games at first base, two in right field and two as the DH this season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians: OF Brandon Guyer (bruised left knee) did not play after fouling a pitch off his leg in the ninth inning Tuesday. X-rays were negative. … LHP Andrew Miller (right knee inflammation) is scheduled to throw a bullpen Thursday. … LHP Tyler Olson (shoulder strain) threw 17 pitches for Triple-A Columbus on a rehab assignment. He retired two batters, walked one, struck out one and did not allow a hit.

Royals: 3B Mike Moustakas (back spasms) was held out of the lineup for the second straight game. ”It’s not serious at all,” manager Ned Yost said. ”He came in today and still felt it a little bit. With an off day tomorrow, there’s no sense in pushing it.” … OF Bubba Starling (oblique strain) was sent to the rookie-level Arizona League to begin a rehab assignment. Starling, a 2011 first-round draft pick, has not played since May 10 with Triple-A Omaha.

UP NEXT

Indians: Open a homestand Friday against the Athletics with RHP Carlos Carrasco (8-5, 4.24 ERA) starting. Oakland will counter with RHP Paul Blackburn (2-2, 6.46).

Royals: RHP Jason Hammel (2-10, 5.56) starts Friday night against the Red Sox at Kauffman Stadium. LHP Chris Sale (8-4, 2.41) gets the ball for Boston.

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