FLORHAM PARK Gary Jennings Jr. Jersey , N.J. (AP) —ews conference batting down reports and rumors, while trying to set the record straight.The New York Jets coach has been the focus of lots of conversation — most of it not good — on sports talk radio, television and social media since the team fired general manager Mike Maccagnan last Wednesday. The widespread belief is that Gase had something to do with how everything went down, that he “backstabbed” Maccagnan and forced team chairman and CEO Christopher Johnson to make a change.“That would be false,” Gase insisted Thursday during his first news conference since Maccagnan was fired. “That’s just not true. Christopher made the decision.”On Monday, Gase took one question about the situation from reporters at the team’s facility and said there was no power struggle between him and Maccagnan. Gase acknowledged Thursday that the two didn’t always see eye to eye, but nothing unlike other NFL teams’ coaches and GMs.“The majority of the time, me and Mike were always on the same page,” Gase said. “You have disagreements. There are always going to be disagreements in this profession, as far as philosophy, what you want to do player personnel-wise, but at the end of the day he had the final decision. That was his right.”Gase was then asked if he expressed to Johnson at any point that he couldn’t work with Maccagnan.“No,” Gase said flatly.One of the rumored sources of tension between the two was the Jets giving running back Le’Veon Bell a four-year http://www.seahawksfootballauthentics.com/phil-haynes-jersey-authentic , $52.5 million deal in free agency. According to some published reports, Gase didn’t want Bell; others said Gase was not happy about paying that much money for the former Steelers star.“The contract was what it was,” Gase said. “I mean, everybody can criticize contracts all you want, but he’s here, I’m excited he’s here, I think our players are excited he’s here and our coaches are. When you get a chance to coach a great player, a guy who has done things that no one has ever done in the league, like him we’re excited about that opportunity. I’m excited to get him in the offense, so I can start figuring out what else can we do with him. What hasn’t he done? What can he be great at in this system?”Gase also insisted he did not think the Jets overpaid for Bell, who has not attended the team’s voluntary workouts this offseason. He is expected to re-join his new teammates for mandatory minicamp next week.“Discussions are had and whether or not we disagreed on anything if it was financially, that’s a completely different story than the person or the player,” Gase said. “And that’s where a lot of this gets misconstrued. Le’Veon Bell is a great player Ugo Amadi Jersey , he’s a good person, he’s been in constant contact with me. I enjoyed my interaction with him when he was here, when he came up to visit for his physical and we signed him, when he was here for the beginning of Phase I. He texts me all the time. All that stuff on Instagram, I get it first. That’s how I know what he’s doing. He’s been great with me as far as contact goes, making sure that I know what he’s doing, where he’s working out at, where he is — whatever part of the United States he’s working out in.”There was a recent report that the Jets could even consider trying to trade Bell to get out of the big contract.“That’s ridiculous,” Gase said, shaking his head. “That’s the first time I’ve heard of that.”Gase is serving as the acting general manager while the Jets begin the process of hiring a new one, with the coach characterizing it as being in the “beginning stages.”Johnson said last week that Gase will assist in the search, but Gase reiterated that it will be the owner’s decision. Some have speculated that the incoming GM will likely have previous working ties with Gase, and the coach will have heavy influence on that new hire’s decision making.“I don’t know http://www.clevelandbrownsteamonline.com/sione-takitaki-jersey ,” Gase said. “I don’t really hang out with ‘yes men,’ so if it’s somebody I already know, it’s probably somebody that’s not going to be a ‘yes man.'”Gase was also asked if he thinks he needs to establish a line of trust with the fans who might be wary about how things have unfolded with him during the past few weeks.“I think our fans care whether we win or lose,” he said. “If we win games, nobody’s going to remember this. I know that. … Our job is to win — that’s it.”NOTES: First-round pick DL Quinnen Williams (calf) was not practicing for precautionary reasons. … CB Trumaine Johnson was not present during the voluntary practice. After launching 10 home runs in their first two games against the Pirates, the Dodgers kept it in the park and still won their fourth in a row.

Rich Hill earned his first victory in three months, Yasmani Grandal and Chris Taylor drove in three runs apiece, and Los Angeles beat Pittsburgh 6-4 on Wednesday night to sweep the Pirates for the second straight year.

The Dodgers outscored the Pirates 31-8 in the series, the first time they’ve totaled 30-plus runs and 20-plus extra-base hits in a three-game series since 1950, when the Brooklyn Dodgers had 47 runs and 22 extra-base hits also against the Pirates, according to Stats LLC.

”It’s been fun. Everybody seems to be swinging the bat well,” Taylor said. ”It seems like it’s a different guy every time. We know we can manufacture runs. It just happens we’ve been scoring most by the homer.”

Hill (2-3) allowed two runs and four hits in five innings for his first victory since April 1, when he won his season debut against the Giants. The left-hander Sheldrick Redwine Jersey , who had been sidelined by blister issues, struck out five and walked one.

It was the first time the Pirates walked in the series.

”The mechanical things we worked on a month ago I look forward to keeping the rest of the season,” Hill said.

Hill left the game with a stiff neck after an ill-advised head-first slide into home plate in the fourth.

Kenley Jansen earned a five-out save, his 23rd of the season. Pinch-hitter Corey Dickerson singled with two outs in the ninth, putting the potential tying run at the plate, but Austin Meadows struck out to end the game.

Daniel Hudson, who relieved Hill, was ejected in the sixth by first-base umpire Jeff Nelson. Hudson gave up a one-out single to Elias Diaz and then appeared to be yelling in Nelson’s direction before getting tossed. Hudson gave a dismissive wave of his right arm before retreating to the dugout.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Nelson had cautioned Hudson that his hand was carrying the ball, although Roberts said the delivery wasn’t out of the ordinary.

”He wanted Daniel to have the hand available for the runner to see,” Roberts said. ”Nelly interpreted it correctly.”

Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner was hit by a pitch from Tyler Glasnow in the fifth, but stayed in the game. The ball grazed his shoulder first before striking part of his helmet.

”It kind of shook him up,” Roberts said.

Grandal gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead with a two-out RBI single in the first. His two-run RBI double put them back in front in the third, and Taylor followed with an RBI single to chase Clay Holmes (0-1) and make it 4-2.

Taylor’s RBI single in the fifth extended the Dodgers’ lead to 6-2.

Gregory Polanco’s two-run homer off Edward Paredes in the eighth left Pittsburgh trailing 6-4.

The Pirates briefly led 2-1 on Starling Marte’s two-out RBI double just inside the left-field line in the third.

Pittsburgh lost its third in a row and went 4-5 on its nine-game trip to New York Kaleb McGary Jersey , San Diego and Los Angeles.

”The game shows you where you need to improve,” manager Clint Hurdle said. ”It gives you immediate feedback.”

Holmes gave up four runs and five hits in 2 1/3 innings of his first major league start. The right-hander struck out two and walked three, all in the first inning when he needed 35 pitches.

”I made some good pitches,” Holmes said. ”But they had some good takes and made me work a little extra in the first.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: RHP Walker Buehler (right rib microfracture) is set to throw a simulated game in Anaheim on Sunday. That session should end his rehab and he will return to the club. … RHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (left groin strain) will go to spring training camp in Arizona while the Dodgers are on a seven-game trip to Anaheim and San Diego. Ryu will be joined there by RHP Pedro Baez (right biceps tendinitis), LHP Tony Cingrani (left shoulder strain) and RHP Josh Fields (right shoulder inflammation).

ADVENTURE IN BASE RUNNING

Hill notched his first hit of the season with a perfectly placed bunt single in the fourth and his first since Sept. 27, 2017. That launched his adventure on the base paths. He advanced to second and third on wild pitches. Hill slid home head-first only to get tossed out on a double-play ball by Max Muncy. ”Sliding head-first into home plate for a pitcher is no-no,” Taylor said. Hill said he would get treatment on his neck. ”I just need to learn how to slide feet-first,” he said.

UP NEXT

Pirates: Off on Thursday before RHP Trevor Williams (6-6, 4.22 ERA) starts at home Friday against Philadelphia. He has lost his last two starts.

Dodgers: After an off-day, RHP Kenta Maeda (5-5, 3.36) starts the series opener Friday in Anaheim. He is 1-1 with a 3.27 ERA in two career starts against the Angels.

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