Basisphilosophie » last year, was another stroke

SAN FRANCISCO -- Yasiel Puig believes he has the support from his Los Angeles Dodgers teammates and the club to help him keep his focus on baseball despite challenges off the field. Puig returned to the starting lineup in right field for Thursdays series finale against the Giants amid reports that smugglers who helped him defect from Cuba had threatened his life. "Im only concentrating on the season and being the best teammate and helping my teammates," Puig said, speaking in Spanish during an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday morning at his locker in AT&T Park. While Puig wont address the details specifically because of a pending legal case, he said he will focus on baseball and on helping the defending NL West champion Dodgers keep winning. He went 1 for 4 with a strikeout in Thursdays 2-1 victory. While he dropped a routine fly to right, he also made two nice catches on the run. "I have great teammates who are helping support me so much this season and to focus on the season when I get to the stadium so I am comfortable," Puig said. "That way I dont start thinking about anything negative in the stadium. Im only thinking about working on the things that are going to make me a better ballplayer." The 23-year-old, scratched from the starting lineup after arriving late for his teams home opener April 4, is hitting .250 with one home run and five RBIs in his second major league season. He said after the game he is committed to baseball "so those things that are happening dont torment me." "Were at the field right now. Weve just got to be thinking about baseball," teammate Hanley Ramirez said. "What Ive seen is hes been learning and hes just happy to be here. Hes playing today and he told me hes going to do everything it takes to win todays game." Manager Don Mattingly said he has read articles about Puigs journey and will offer support. He has spoken briefly with the outfielder, but not regarding specifics of his journey to the United States -- saying if Puig wants to keep those details private, he will respect that wish. Mattingly is committed to helping Puig, who signed a $42 million, seven-year contract. Court documents, part of a federal lawsuit in Miami, say smugglers who helped Puig leave Cuba on a speedboat have made death threats against him and against a Cuban boxer who says he defected with Puig. Boxer Yunior Despaigne says in an affidavit he is afraid of being harmed by the smugglers or their associates if Puig hasnt paid them money he owes. "He hasnt talked about his background. Nobodys told me about his background. Nobodys told me about his story," Mattingly said. "If its true, its a wild story." Other Cuban big leaguers have shared similar experiences. In Oakland, Cuban slugger Yoenis Cespedes discussed in February 2013 how he worried constantly about his family members the previous season as they made their way to the U.S. He wasnt sure whether they might be targeted because of his legal issues stemming from a former agent who claimed the outfielder owed him money. "If you care about Yasiel, you worry about some serious stuff there that he has to deal with," Mattingly said. "If you care about him as a person, you worry about what hes going through." AP Legal Affairs Writer Curt Anderson in Miami contributed to this report. Clark Griswold Jersey . Giants manager Bruce Bochy told The Associated Press of the decision before NL West-leading San Francisco opened a 10-game homestand Monday night with the first of three games against second-place Arizona. Chris Chelios Jersey . In the late match, Shinji Okazaki scored two goals to pace Mainz to a 3-2 victory at Werder Bremen. Goals from Milan Badelj, Maximilian Beister and Hakan Calhanoglu ended Hamburgs two-match losing run and kept Hannover winless in seven games. http://www.officialblackhawksfanstore.com/authentic-ed-belfour-blackhawks-jersey/ . -- John Senden never imagined it would take more than seven years to win again. Chicago Blackhawks Jerseys . Hall joined Bengals teammates for a voluntary workout on Monday. Hes got his mobility back and is on schedule to be ready for the season. CINCINNATI - Bengals cornerback Leon Hall is happy with his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon and expects to be ready for the start of training camp in July. Duncan Keith Jersey . - Skiing far more aggressively than in her season debut a day earlier, Lindsey Vonn was in provisional 10th place after the first 45 skiers in a World Cup downhill on Saturday.SAN JOSE, Calif. - The San Jose Sharks had little time to dwell on losing their lead before Joe Pavelski put them back ahead again.Pavelski scored less than a minute after Minnesota tied the game early in the third period, and Alex Stalock made 18 saves against his hometown team to lead the Sharks to their seventh win in eight games, 2-1 over the Wild on Thursday night.They had just got one, Pavelski said. We felt we were playing good. We couldnt revert to any other way. So we came out that next shift.Brent Burns also scored and Joe Thornton had two assists for the Sharks, who have won five straight at home after a slow start to the season at the Shark Tank.Christian Folin scored his first career goal to tie the game just 45 seconds before Pavelskis goal, and the Wild lost for the 10th time in their past 11 games in San Jose. Darcy Kuemper made 28 saves.When you give up a goal right after you score, it hurts, forward Zach Parise said. When you come up short, something is not good enough.After the teams combined for just one goal in the first 40 minutes, they each scored once in the opening 2 minutes of the third period.Minnesota struck first following a weak clearing attempt from Tommy Wingels that ended up right on Folins stick at the point. Folins blast got through a screen from Jason Zucker to tie it.But the Sharks answered quickly when Thornton set up Pavelski for a one-timer from the top of the circle that beat Kuemper. It was Pavelskis 15th goal of the season and sixth in eight games.Those two obviously have a connection, coach Todd McLellan said. Its a goal scorers goal. He shot it in stride. It wasnt in his wheelhouse but he still put it in the right spot.Stalock, a native of St. Paul, Minnesota, made the lead stand up in his first game against the Wild. His best save might have come llate in the third on a one-timer from Jared Spurgeon.dddddddddddd.There was traffic in front, Stalock said. He had one place to shoot it, I figured, where there wasnt any traffic. I got a push over a little late but got a piece of it. Luckily enough it stayed in front of me.The Sharks broke a scoreless tie late in the second period after Nate Prosser was sent to the penalty box for interference. Justin Braun fed Burns for a one-timer from the point that appeared to deflect off Spurgeons stick and past Kuemper.Despite getting only 14 shots in the first two periods, the Wild had plenty of chances earlier to get on the board but couldnt capitalize. Kyle Brodziak hit the post on an odd-man rush with Minnesota short-handed in the first period.Logan Couture then made a couple of big defensive plays to keep the game scoreless earlier in the second, deflecting a wraparound attempt by Thomas Vanek and breaking up a 2-on-1 chance by Parise with a strong backcheck. Spurgeon passed on a chance to shoot on that rush before his pass to Parise was broken up.That was the story of the game, Wild coach Mike Yeo said. Youre lucky enough to get one or two 2-on-1s and when we get four 2-on-1s and dont even get a shot off, thats the game.Stalock also made a good save on Jason Pominville later in the second as the Wild failed to convert on numerous odd-man rushes.NOTES: Thorntons two assists gave him 1,220 career points, moving past Jean Beliveau into 39th place on the NHL scoring list. ... Minnesota was without two defencemen with Marco Scandella serving the first game of a two-game suspension and Keith Ballard injured. ... San Jose D Matt Tennyson and F Chris Tierney were called up from Worcester with D Marc-Edouard Vlasic (upper-body) and Fs Mike Brown (lower body) and Matt Nieto (ankle) injured. Wholesale MLB Orioles Jerseys Red Sox Jerseys From China Discount Yankees Jerseys Online Rays Jerseys For Sale Blue Jays Jerseys From China Wholesale MLB White Sox Jerseys Indians Jerseys For Sale Tigers Jerseys From China Wholesale MLB Astros Jerseys Cheap Baseball Angels Jerseys Athletics Jerseys From China Mariners Jerseys For Sale Cheap Baseball Rangers Jerseys Braves Jerseys For Sale Discount Marlins Jerseys Online Discount Mets Jerseys Online Phillies Jerseys From China Wholesale MLB Nationals Jerseys Cubs Jerseys From China Discount Reds Jerseys Online Brewers Jerseys From China Wholesale MLB Pirates Jerseys Wholesale MLB Cardinals Jerseys Diamondbacks Jerseys For Sale Rockies Jerseys For Sale Discount Dodgers Jerseys Online Discount Padres Jerseys Online Giants Jerseys For Sale ' ' '