EAST RUTHERFORD, N.
[b]Mecole Hardman Super Bowl Jersey[/b] .J. -- The New York Giants secondary has gotten a lot stronger in the past couple of days, and so has their return game. A year after missing the playoffs for the second straight season, the Giants continued to be a player in free agency, signing cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, formerly with Denver. Terms of the contract were not immediately available. A person with knowledge of the deal also confirmed late Monday night that the Giants have reached an agreement with former Denver Broncos kick returner Trindon Holliday. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because Holliday has to pass physical Tuesday before the team will announce the move. Holliday returned a punt 81 yards for a touchdown in the Broncos 41-23 win over the Giants in the second week of last season. The deals come just a day after the Giants confirmed the signing of former Seahawks cornerback Walter Thurmond and Chiefs safety Quintin Demps. Rodgers-Cromartie and Prince Amukamara are probably penciled in as the starters at cornerback, with Thurmond, Jayron Hosley and Trumaine McBride backing them up. The safety spots will be just as strong with Antrel Rolle, Will Hill, Demps and Stevie Brown on the roster. Demps led the league in kickoff returns with a 30.1 yard average, while Holliday was sixth at 27.7 yards. Holiday was seventh in punt returns with an 8.5 yard average. The Giants have been very active since free agency started last week. They signed running back Rashad Jennings, guard Geoff Schwartz, re-signed free agent middle linebacker Jon Beason and added former Ravens linebacker Jameel McClain. They also re-signed running back Peyton Hillis, kicker Josh Brown, Stevie Brown, McBride and fullback Henry Hynoski. "The main thing, bringing in guys from Kansas City, Seattle, you can see what theyre doing, trying to bring guys that are going to come in and lead by example," said Rodgers-Cromartie, who started in the Super Bowl along with Thurmond. "Thats always a plus." A 2008 first round-draft choice and 2009 Pro Bowler, Rodgers-Cromartie is entering his seventh NFL season. He has also been with Arizona and Philadelphia, playing with Rolle while with the Cardinals. "He brought me in, took me under his wing and took care of me," Cromartie Rodgers said of Rolle. "So to be reunited with him is just a blessing. I know the things that hes done in his career and the man hes become. Thats going to be a help for me." Rodgers-Cromartie has played in 92 regular-season games with 75 starts and has started all nine post-season games in which he played. His career totals include 239 tackles (205 solo) and 19 interceptions. Rodgers-Cromartie joined the Broncos last season as a free agent and played in 15 regular-season games with 13 starts at right cornerback. He finished the season with 31 tackles (25 solo), a team-high 15 passes defenced, and tied for the Broncos lead with three interceptions, including one of an Eli Manning pass late in the second quarter in Denvers victory over the Giants at the Meadowlands on Sept. 15.
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[b]Custom Chiefs Super Bowl Jerseys[/b] . - The Clippers have signed guard Dahntay Jones to a second 10-day contract.BALTIMORE - Orioles third baseman Manny Machado began serving a five-game suspension Monday, nearly three weeks after Major League Baseball initially levied the sentence and five days after his appeal hearing. Machado was suspended and fined on June 10 for intentionally throwing his bat on the field during an at-bat in Baltimores game against Oakland on June 8. Machado immediately appealed the suspension, and spoke for about an hour Wednesday in an appeal hearing in Baltimore with MLB official Joe Garagiola Jr. The initial decision was upheld, meaning Machado will miss the Orioles four-game series against visiting Texas that began Monday, along with Friday nights game in Boston. "When we went in for an appeal I thought we had a good case, we had a great case," Machado said Monday afternoon. "We said what we had to say. It didnt come out how we wanted it to, but going into the appeal you know its going to be 50-50. Its something you cant control. I think we did the right thing, its a flip of the coin and we came up short. ... So now were just going to have to deal with the consequences." So will the Orioles, who will be forced to play with a 24-man roster. Chris Davis, who usually plays first base, was at third base on Monday night. "Thats the worst part about it. Were down a man," Machado said. "Obviously I dont want to put my team in that situation, especially five tough games." Machado tossed his bat in the direction of third base during a plate appearance in which Oakland reliever Fernando Abad threw successive high-and-tight pitches. After the bat went soaring, both benches emptied. Machado and Abad were ejected. Abad was fined but not suspended. "I didnt throw the bat at the pitcher. I didnt harm anybody. And Im going to get five games," Machado said. "I didnt charge the mound. I didnt get in a fight. ... This is an unfortunate event and Im going to have to deal with it." Orioles executive vice-president Dan Duquette said: "Obviously, we were disappointed. We were hoping the suspension would be reduced, and we thought there were good reasons it should have been reduced.
[b]Martinas Rankin Super Bowl Jersey[/b]. " In the opener of that series against the Athletics on June 6, Machado yelled in the face of Oaklands Josh Donaldson after the third baseman tagged him on the chest and caused him to lose his balance. Both benches emptied, but there were no ejections. "It sounded like they were giving him four games for the bat and they were also giving him an additional game for the Friday night," Duquette said. "I hadnt heard of a case where they went back and retroactively apply a suspension. ... The umpires didnt recommend any discipline; Manny stayed in the game. So that was kind of puzzling." Machado, 21, said he learned a lesson from the experience. "Dont do it again," he said. "You dont want to be in this situation. No one wants to be in it. Well just go from here and try to put this behind me and just go on playing baseball." Orioles manager Buck Showalter hoped the five-game sentence would be lowered after the appeal, but was ready to move on after the punishment remained in place. "It was surprising," Showalter said. "Were not going to dwell on it. We understand the rules and why things are in place for different reasons. There are repercussions for actions in baseball as there are in life in general. Hopefully, there will be some positive that comes out of it where Manny is concerned in the future and for all players, managers and coaches." Machado missed the first month of the 2014 season recovering from off-season knee surgery and got off to a slow start at the plate. Just before Mondays suspension, however, he had 10 hits over an eight-game span to raise his batting average 15 points to .239, and he also hit three home runs in his previous four starts. That made the timing of the suspension even tougher to take. "Definitely. It just (stinks)," he said. "I was starting to feel a little better at the plate and here they come with that bomb, five games. It was going to come. It was just about time to come. Unfortunately it came in the wrong spot, but hey, nothing you can do about it." ' ' '