Musik » itches, is expected to make one more minor-league start

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Only the most ardent fans of the Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers will likely care much about what transpires in their preseason game at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night.Then again, the guys on the field will care very much about what happens.The Chiefs and Packers are expected to play few, if any, starters in their fourth preseason game, turning the proceedings over to their backups instead.And in some cases, not even the backups will see game action -- the Chiefs are resting quarterbacks Alex Smith and Nick Foles, and Aaron Rodgers and ailing Packers backup Brett Hundley will enjoy the night in a ball cap.Young guys will get most of the work, Chiefs coach Andy Reid acknowledged this week.He stopped just short of saying all of the work.Some coaches have said they will play their starters for a series or quarter Thursday night, if only to knock off the last vestiges of rust.But the Chiefs and Packers are content with the statuses of their veteran cores, so much so that many of players on both teams have skipped the preseason entirely.Rodgers certainly didnt see much of the field. Chiefs pass rusher Tamba Hali and running back Jamaal Charles, both coming off knee surgery, and safety Eric Berry, who refused to sign a franchise tender before Sunday, have likewise skipped all the preseason.As such, the guys on the fringe -- fighting for the last roster spot or to flash something for other teams in need -- will have an opportunity to shine on Thursday night.Its a great game for the young guys to get in and have an opportunity to show, Reid said. Youre not going to be able to keep everybody, but it gives you an opportunity as a player to get yourself on tape and if you dont make it here, you have an opportunity to make it somewhere else, and thats what this is all about.It certainly isnt about what happens on the scoreboard.So, who are the position battles worth watching for the Chiefs and Packers on Thursday night?The Packers are trying to sort out their wide receiver depth behind Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb.Davante Adams, Ty Montgomery and Jared Abbrederis all appear safe, while Jeff Janis -- who caught the desperation pass in last seasons playoff game against Arizona -- has struggled in camp.The defensive line is also a big question mark with first-round pick Kenny Clark sidelined by an injury and Mike Pennel suspended the first four weeks of the regular season. After starters Mike Daniels and Letroy Guion, fourth-rounder Dean Lowry may need to contribute right away.The defense offers the biggest intrigue in Kansas City, too.The late trade with San Francisco for cornerback Kenneth Acker means competition is tight for jobs in the secondary. The Chiefs have second-year pro Steven Nelson and rookies KeiVarae Russell, Eric Murray and D.J. White along with Marcus Cooper and starters Phillip Gaines and Marcus Peters.I like the competition from the young guys, Chiefs safety Ron Parker said. They do a good job of coming out here every day and competing against each other, going out there and making it hard against the offense. So thats all were asking for young guys to do.In the linebacker group, the absence of Justin Houston as he recovers from surgery to his ACL and the loss of Josh Mauga to season-ending hip surgery this week leave a substantial void.Ramik Wilson, Justin March, and Dadi Nicolas are all trying to prove they have something to offer.Were trying to see what everybody can do, Chiefs defensive coordinator Bob Sutton said. Were trying to get as many evaluations as we can on these guys and give them a chance to go against the first unit of whoever youre playing and kind of see it as close to game as you can on a more limited basis.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Adidas Yeezy Online . -- Matt Rupert scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the London Knights extended their win streak to nine games by defeating the Owen Sound Attack 4-3 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. Stan Smith Schuhe Billig . After Gasquet beat fifth-seeded Ivan Dodig of Croatia 7-5, 6-3, Tsonga followed up with a 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2 win against sixth-seeded Edouard Roger-Vasselin in an all-French match. http://www.yeezyschweizkaufen.com/ . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. Yeezy Schuhe Fake . With their top three point guards and Kobe Bryant all sidelined by injury, the Lakers signed Marshall out of the D-League on Friday before their home game against Minnesota. Yeezy Boost Schweiz . Despite dominating possession, Schalke needed an own goal from Nicolas Hoefler for the breakthrough a minute before the interval. The Freiburg midfielder misjudged Jefferson Farfans corner and bundled the ball into his own net. LOS ANGELES -- Undone by another rocky start, Scott Kazmir refused to link his latest disappointment to his first-inning struggles earlier this season.I feel like Im past that, said Kazmir, who gave up two runs in the first, including Jean Seguras leadoff home run, and another in second Saturday night as the Los Angeles Dodgers lost 4-2 to the Arizona Diamondbacks.I dont think of it like, `Here we go again,the veteran left-hander said. Thats not a good way to approach it. Its unfortunate. Its frustrating for sure. Having to always work through that first inning to put yourself in a good position. Still confident out there.Kazmir (9-4) gave up four runs and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings. The left-hander entered the game as the National Leagues only undefeated pitcher -- minimum of 10 starts -- since May 14, going 7-0 with a 3.73 ERA in 13 starts.Segura led the Diamondacks out of the starting gate by hitting Kazmirs third pitch of the game over the fence for his fourth leadoff home run of the season.I felt like the first two pitches were nice and smooth, good direction, good delivery, and then I tried to overthrow that third one, Kazmir said. Not as sharp early, but once I made adjustments, use my cutter a lot more in the late innings I was able to get some quick outs.With a 3-0 lead, Braden Shipley settled into give the Diamondbacks six scoreless innings, and the Dodgers fell for only the second time in six games. They dropped two games behind division-leading San Francisco.We just let this one slip away, Kazmir said. Giving up three early in the same, really setting the tone. Shipley, he was great out there. You have to tip your cap to him. He really pitched well out there.Los Angeles went 17-9 from June 26 through Friday night, and had cut the Giants division lead from 6 1/2 games to one since the All Star break.Shipley (1-1), Arizonas 2013 first-round draft pick, held the Dodgers to five hits in his second career start as the Diamondbacks won for only the third time in 11 games. He struck out four and walked one.I was just sticking with my plan, you know, staying down in the zone, using my sinker effectively, said Shipley, who got 11 ground-ball outs five days after surrendering three home runs in his major league debut. Thats kind of what I knew that I had to do coming into the night. JJust work down in the zone, and mix pitches, and use that sinker.ddddddddddddSegura added an RBI double in the second, and is hitting .396 (19 for 48) over his last 12 games.Joc Pederson hit his 15th home run, and second in two nights, with two outs in the ninth inning for Los Angeles. Corey Seager drilled his 30th double of the season with two outs in the third, tying the Dodgers rookie record for doubles set by Eric Karros in 1992.You never like losing, but offensively the scorecard doesnt really show the quality of our at-bats, said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. I think our guys competed, squared the baseball up, but didnt have a whole lot to show tonight.Brandon Drury singled home Phil Gosselin with two outs in the seventh for Arizonas final run. Gosselin had been called out stretching a single into a double, but the Diamondbacks challenged the call and it was overturned after a 1-minute, 27-second review.TRAINERS ROOMDiamondbacks: Zach Greinke pitched three innings in a rehab start Friday night in an Arizona rookie league game interrupted by a thunderstorm. Greinke, who threw 52 pitches, is expected to make one more minor-league start before returning to the Diamondbacks in 10 days or so, said Manager Chip Hale. ... Arizona sent LHP Zac Curtis to Double-A and designated RHP Josh Collmenter and INF-OF Micahel Freeman for assignment on Saturday.Dodgers: Los Angeles will make a decision in the next few days whether to activate INF Kike Hernandez (left ribcage inflammation). ... Nothing new on LHP Clayton Kershaw, who continues to rehab with core and back strengthening exercises. He has not resumed any baseball activities with no timetable for a return, said Manager Dave Roberts.UP NEXTDiamondbacks: LHP Patrick Corbin will make his fourth start of the season against the Dodgers in the series finale on Sunday. Corbin is 0-2 with a 5.51 ERA this year, but has a 2-1 record with a 3.25 ERA in five career starts at Dodger Stadium.Dodgers: RHP Bud Norris (6-9,4.27) makes his seventh start for the Dodgers since being acquired from Atlanta in June. Over his last 10 games -- including nine starts -- Norris is 5-2 with a 3.40 ERA, striking out 59 batters in 53 innings. ' ' '