a starter for Sunday’s series finale
The number was different on Friday 鈥?No. 49 instead of No. 18. So were the colors Jacob McQuaide Jersey , trading black and gold for dark blue and white.
The effort and excitement from Shaquem Griffin? That remained the same.
"We had to slow him down on some stuff early. In the walkthrough he was going too hard. We had to chill him out a little bit," Seattle coach Pete Carroll said.
The next chapter of Griffin's football career got underway with the first day of Seattle's three-day minicamp for rookies. In a way, it was a welcome return to normalcy for Griffin after months where the focus was strictly on what he's overcome missing his left hand and whether he would be given a chance in the NFL.
For one afternoon 鈥攅ven if it was simply in shorts, his new jersey and a helmet 鈥?Griffin could just be a football player.
"It's kind of fun to be honest. I was ready to get back to football. I'm pretty sure all the guys that are here were ready to get back to football," Griffin said. "When you're away from football, you have to do all the drills and the combine and the pro day. The only thing you are really here to do is play football. So when you get a chance to go to the draft and that part is over with, and you get signed on to a team and you're ready to go, now it's back to everything you've been doing to get to this point and that's play football."
The day was filled mostly with basics, as Griffin and the rest of Seattle's draft class and rookie free agent signings learned how Carroll runs things in Seattle. Considering how the past week has been, even the mundane fundamentals were welcomed by Griffin.
Outside of the quarterbacks drafted in the first round, there was no bigger story in the draft than where Griffin would go. He was a star in college at Central Florida and deserving of a shot in the NFL Menelik Watson Jersey , especially after stealing the spotlight with his performance at the scouting combine.
It was Seattle that eventually gave Griffin his NFL chance, drafting him in the fifth round and reuniting him with his twin brother Shaquill, who was drafted by the Seahawks in 2017 and became a starting cornerback in his rookie season. But with the pick came an avalanche of requests and attention for Griffin and the Seahawks to filter. And in the grand scheme, Griffin is still a draft pick that must find a role as a weakside linebacker and special teams contributor.
"It's extremely important for that turn to occur," Carroll said. "It's been a great story, it will always be a great story, but right now he's got work to do and he's got focus he's got to generate. He's got a lot of people tugging on him and for all of the right reasons and all of that, but I know that he's very determined and we are to help him in his pursuit of making the club and making a spot and all of that. He's like everybody else, he's got to compete like everybody."
Carroll did note that Griffin seemed to have a little better understanding of what he was going to face arriving for the rookie minicamp likely thanks to some tips from his brother. While this weekend is just three days of creating the foundation, the next step for Griffin will come later this month when the Seahawks move into the next phases of their offseason program and integrate more of the rookie class.
""It's been a whirlwind but that's over with," Griffin said. "It's time for us to get to work and make sure I give high competition. Make sure I get a chance for the coaches to see who I am. Make sure I can do my best to make sure I can make my players better and help anybody I can."
Sean Newcomb is maturing quickly in his second full season in the majors.
”I think I’m doing a better job of just managing everything in general Teez Tabor Jersey ,” Newcomb said. ”Looking back at old starts and taking all the positives from it rather than beating myself up about it or trying to overdo something the next start.”
The 25-year-old Newcomb pitched six scoreless innings, Charlie Culberson homered, and the Atlanta Braves beat the San Diego Padres 1-0 on Saturday.
The NL East-leading Braves improved to 25-7 when their starter pitches at least six innings, and Newcomb has been a big reason for the success.
A winner in eight of his last nine decisions, Newcomb (8-2) allowed two hits, walked one and struck out seven. He retired the last 13 batters he faced and is 6-0 with a 1.35 ERA when starting after the Braves lost their previous game.
Dan Winkler faced four batters in the seventh, A.J. Minter faced the minimum in the eighth and closer Arodys Vizcaino earned his 14th save in 16 chances by working through a shaky ninth.
Hunter Renfroe doubled with one out, and pinch-hitter Cory Spangenburg got plunked in the right side before Vizcaino struck out Franmil Reyes and retired Freddy Galvis on a grounder.
Jordan Lyles (2-4) allowed two base runners – a single by Dansby Swanson in the first and another by Culberson in the second – before Culberson’s third homer made it 1-0 in the fifth.
Lyles turned in a solid performance after entering the game 0-1 with a 6.35 ERA in three career starts and one relief appearance against Atlanta. He gave up five hits and struck out six in his best outing since pitching 7 1/3 scoreless innings against Colorado on May 15.
”We got ahead of guys (in the count) unlike we did back home against these guys, but overall not too many hard-hit balls,” Lyles said. ”Just the one mistake to Charlie.”
Braves starters began the day ranked fourth in the majors with a 3.35 ERA and they improved to 5-1 with a 1.09 ERA in their last 10 home games. Newcomb has been particularly tough on San Diego, pitching six scoreless innings in each of his three career starts.
”He went out in the sixth and had a 3-0 count on that first hitter and just kind of locked in Domata Peko Jersey ,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. ”It was really good. How he doesn’t panic, how he’s always staying pitch to pitch and just going to work. You expect that out of him now.”
Jose Pirela doubled to begin the game and advanced to third before Newcomb struck out Christian Villaneuva and Franmil Reyes. That was the only trouble he faced.
”There were some power guys that I was trying to attack,” Newcomb said. ”I didn’t want them to hit something soft and do something with it. I knew I’d get some in the top of the zone. I was doing that. It was good.”
The Padres had won three of four and 12 of 17, but dropped to 34-39, last in the NL West.
They didn’t match up well again with Newcomb, who has six starts when not allowing a run, most in the majors this year.
”There’s a profile of a guy that’s tough for our group collectively – a guy that’s throwing fastballs by us in the top of the zone,” San Diego manager Andy Green said. ”I think people can see that. We have to shorten up and connect and weren’t able to do that today.
STILL STREAKING
Braves 1B Freddie Freeman went 1 for 3 and has hit safely in 26 of 27 for a .377 average since May 19. He leads the NL in batting average, hits, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and total bases.
SHORT PAUSE
The game was delayed 25 minutes by rain in the middle of the sixth.
BIG CROWD
The Braves announced their fifth sellout this year and 41 Jordan Poyer Jersey ,916 tickets sold, the largest crowd in SunTrust Park’s two-year history.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: RF Wil Myers, sidelined 44 games with a strained left oblique, has gone 2 for 8 with one RBI in two rehab games with Triple-A El Paso. Myers, who hit a combined 58 homers the last two years, might return next week.
Braves: LF Ronald Acuna Jr. ran the bases vigorously before the game and told manager Brian Snitker immediately afterward that he was ”ready to go.” Acuna has been sidelined since May 28 with a sprained left knee sprain and bruises to his knee and lower back. Snitker said he will report to extended spring training in Orlando by Monday before beginning a rehab assignment. … RHP Mike Foltynewicz was placed on the 10-day disabled list with triceps tightness. After Foltynewicz threw a bullpen session Saturday, the team decided to give him extra rest in hopes of bringing him back next weekend. The team hopes he returns next weekend.
UP NEXT
Padres: Green has yet to announce a starter for Sunday’s series finale, but will use relief pitchers throughout.
Braves: RHP Julio Teheran has been reinstated from the disabled list and will make his 14th start this season and 10th of his career against San Diego. Teheran missed over a week with a sore thumb. He is 0-3 with a 6.14 ERA in his last four starts.
—
.
The effort and excitement from Shaquem Griffin? That remained the same.
"We had to slow him down on some stuff early. In the walkthrough he was going too hard. We had to chill him out a little bit," Seattle coach Pete Carroll said.
The next chapter of Griffin's football career got underway with the first day of Seattle's three-day minicamp for rookies. In a way, it was a welcome return to normalcy for Griffin after months where the focus was strictly on what he's overcome missing his left hand and whether he would be given a chance in the NFL.
For one afternoon 鈥攅ven if it was simply in shorts, his new jersey and a helmet 鈥?Griffin could just be a football player.
"It's kind of fun to be honest. I was ready to get back to football. I'm pretty sure all the guys that are here were ready to get back to football," Griffin said. "When you're away from football, you have to do all the drills and the combine and the pro day. The only thing you are really here to do is play football. So when you get a chance to go to the draft and that part is over with, and you get signed on to a team and you're ready to go, now it's back to everything you've been doing to get to this point and that's play football."
The day was filled mostly with basics, as Griffin and the rest of Seattle's draft class and rookie free agent signings learned how Carroll runs things in Seattle. Considering how the past week has been, even the mundane fundamentals were welcomed by Griffin.
Outside of the quarterbacks drafted in the first round, there was no bigger story in the draft than where Griffin would go. He was a star in college at Central Florida and deserving of a shot in the NFL Menelik Watson Jersey , especially after stealing the spotlight with his performance at the scouting combine.
It was Seattle that eventually gave Griffin his NFL chance, drafting him in the fifth round and reuniting him with his twin brother Shaquill, who was drafted by the Seahawks in 2017 and became a starting cornerback in his rookie season. But with the pick came an avalanche of requests and attention for Griffin and the Seahawks to filter. And in the grand scheme, Griffin is still a draft pick that must find a role as a weakside linebacker and special teams contributor.
"It's extremely important for that turn to occur," Carroll said. "It's been a great story, it will always be a great story, but right now he's got work to do and he's got focus he's got to generate. He's got a lot of people tugging on him and for all of the right reasons and all of that, but I know that he's very determined and we are to help him in his pursuit of making the club and making a spot and all of that. He's like everybody else, he's got to compete like everybody."
Carroll did note that Griffin seemed to have a little better understanding of what he was going to face arriving for the rookie minicamp likely thanks to some tips from his brother. While this weekend is just three days of creating the foundation, the next step for Griffin will come later this month when the Seahawks move into the next phases of their offseason program and integrate more of the rookie class.
""It's been a whirlwind but that's over with," Griffin said. "It's time for us to get to work and make sure I give high competition. Make sure I get a chance for the coaches to see who I am. Make sure I can do my best to make sure I can make my players better and help anybody I can."
Sean Newcomb is maturing quickly in his second full season in the majors.
”I think I’m doing a better job of just managing everything in general Teez Tabor Jersey ,” Newcomb said. ”Looking back at old starts and taking all the positives from it rather than beating myself up about it or trying to overdo something the next start.”
The 25-year-old Newcomb pitched six scoreless innings, Charlie Culberson homered, and the Atlanta Braves beat the San Diego Padres 1-0 on Saturday.
The NL East-leading Braves improved to 25-7 when their starter pitches at least six innings, and Newcomb has been a big reason for the success.
A winner in eight of his last nine decisions, Newcomb (8-2) allowed two hits, walked one and struck out seven. He retired the last 13 batters he faced and is 6-0 with a 1.35 ERA when starting after the Braves lost their previous game.
Dan Winkler faced four batters in the seventh, A.J. Minter faced the minimum in the eighth and closer Arodys Vizcaino earned his 14th save in 16 chances by working through a shaky ninth.
Hunter Renfroe doubled with one out, and pinch-hitter Cory Spangenburg got plunked in the right side before Vizcaino struck out Franmil Reyes and retired Freddy Galvis on a grounder.
Jordan Lyles (2-4) allowed two base runners – a single by Dansby Swanson in the first and another by Culberson in the second – before Culberson’s third homer made it 1-0 in the fifth.
Lyles turned in a solid performance after entering the game 0-1 with a 6.35 ERA in three career starts and one relief appearance against Atlanta. He gave up five hits and struck out six in his best outing since pitching 7 1/3 scoreless innings against Colorado on May 15.
”We got ahead of guys (in the count) unlike we did back home against these guys, but overall not too many hard-hit balls,” Lyles said. ”Just the one mistake to Charlie.”
Braves starters began the day ranked fourth in the majors with a 3.35 ERA and they improved to 5-1 with a 1.09 ERA in their last 10 home games. Newcomb has been particularly tough on San Diego, pitching six scoreless innings in each of his three career starts.
”He went out in the sixth and had a 3-0 count on that first hitter and just kind of locked in Domata Peko Jersey ,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. ”It was really good. How he doesn’t panic, how he’s always staying pitch to pitch and just going to work. You expect that out of him now.”
Jose Pirela doubled to begin the game and advanced to third before Newcomb struck out Christian Villaneuva and Franmil Reyes. That was the only trouble he faced.
”There were some power guys that I was trying to attack,” Newcomb said. ”I didn’t want them to hit something soft and do something with it. I knew I’d get some in the top of the zone. I was doing that. It was good.”
The Padres had won three of four and 12 of 17, but dropped to 34-39, last in the NL West.
They didn’t match up well again with Newcomb, who has six starts when not allowing a run, most in the majors this year.
”There’s a profile of a guy that’s tough for our group collectively – a guy that’s throwing fastballs by us in the top of the zone,” San Diego manager Andy Green said. ”I think people can see that. We have to shorten up and connect and weren’t able to do that today.
STILL STREAKING
Braves 1B Freddie Freeman went 1 for 3 and has hit safely in 26 of 27 for a .377 average since May 19. He leads the NL in batting average, hits, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and total bases.
SHORT PAUSE
The game was delayed 25 minutes by rain in the middle of the sixth.
BIG CROWD
The Braves announced their fifth sellout this year and 41 Jordan Poyer Jersey ,916 tickets sold, the largest crowd in SunTrust Park’s two-year history.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: RF Wil Myers, sidelined 44 games with a strained left oblique, has gone 2 for 8 with one RBI in two rehab games with Triple-A El Paso. Myers, who hit a combined 58 homers the last two years, might return next week.
Braves: LF Ronald Acuna Jr. ran the bases vigorously before the game and told manager Brian Snitker immediately afterward that he was ”ready to go.” Acuna has been sidelined since May 28 with a sprained left knee sprain and bruises to his knee and lower back. Snitker said he will report to extended spring training in Orlando by Monday before beginning a rehab assignment. … RHP Mike Foltynewicz was placed on the 10-day disabled list with triceps tightness. After Foltynewicz threw a bullpen session Saturday, the team decided to give him extra rest in hopes of bringing him back next weekend. The team hopes he returns next weekend.
UP NEXT
Padres: Green has yet to announce a starter for Sunday’s series finale, but will use relief pitchers throughout.
Braves: RHP Julio Teheran has been reinstated from the disabled list and will make his 14th start this season and 10th of his career against San Diego. Teheran missed over a week with a sore thumb. He is 0-3 with a 6.14 ERA in his last four starts.
—
.