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four games to Texas this week. "W

  • December 17, 2019 3:20 AM EST

    Gordon Hayward is staying in Utah after all. USWNT Gear . The Jazz on Saturday matched Charlottes four-year, $63 million offer for the restricted free agent. Hayward posted to Twitter: "Officially back with the (at)utahjazz!!!! Wanna thank them and all of .jazznation for believing in me! Lots of work ahead..." The Jazz had until late Sunday to match the Hornets maximum offer sheet for the 6-foot-8 small forward. Jazz general manager Gordon Lindsey repeatedly said he wanted to keep Hayward on the roster. "As we have said since the start of last season, we have always seen Gordon Hayward as a significant part of the future of the Utah Jazz," Lindsey said in a statement. "Gordon is a young, multi-faceted player and a high-character individual who we are pleased will remain a member of the Jazz for many years to come." Hayward averaged career highs of 16.2 points, 5.2 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals last season while leading the Jazz in scoring and minutes. He was the first Jazz player to average 16 points, five rebounds and five assists since Pete Maravich. He had seven games with double-digit rebounds and six with double-digit assists. He scored more than 20 points in 22 games. The Jazz, who couldnt reach an agreement on an extension with Hayward last fall, extended a qualifying offer on June 26, making him a restricted free agent. Hayward also saw interest from the Cleveland Cavaliers before Charlottes offer came Thursday. Haywards agent, Mark Bartelstein, confirmed that Utah had matched on Saturday morning. The move was first reported by Yahoo! Sports. "I think its certainly a gigantic statement of how the Jazz value Gordon," Bartelstein told The Associated Press. Hornets coach Steve Clifford had praised Haywards "size, skill, competitiveness" and said he could play small forward or shooting guard. "Hes 24 years old and he has the talent, the character and the work ethic to be an All-Star player," Clifford said. The ninth overall pick in the 2010 draft, Hayward has played all four seasons in Utah. He has scored in double figures 63 times with nine double-doubles while averaging 12 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists. The young Jazz struggled last season, going 25-57. In the aftermath, coach Tyrone Corbin was let go after three-plus seasons in Utah and the Jazz hired Atlanta Hawks assistant coach Quin Snyder. Under Snyder, Utah is rebuilding around Hayward, Trey Burke, Derrick Favours and Enes Kanter. Last month, the team added promising Australian guard Dante Exum and former Duke forward Rodney Hood in the NBA draft. "I am excited to have the opportunity to coach Gordon," Snyder said. "He is a talented and versatile player, and will play an integral role in our effort to build the Utah Jazz into a championship-calibre team. We look forward to seeing him continue to develop as a leader on our team." Wholesale USWNT Jerseys . -- Mixed martial arts fighter Cristiane Justino Santos has been suspended and fined for testing positive for steroids. Cheap USWNT Jerseys . The Mets made the announcement Sunday night. Parnell blew a save on opening day against Washington and the next day it was revealed he had partially torn right elbow ligament.MINNEAPOLIS - As Joe Mauer walked back to the dugout, the bat in his hand and a sour look on his face, there were boos from the Minnesota crowd. Mauer struck out to end the inning, with a runner on third base in the seventh on Wednesday and the Twins trailing 1-0. Everybody does this, of course, in a sport with a 30 per cent success rate at the plate long proven to be a benchmark of excellence. Failures this year have piled up for Mauer faster than usual for the six-time All-Star, three-time American League batting champion and one-time AL MVP. "Im a heck of a lot more frustrated than they are," Mauer said that night, when asked about those jeering fans. The sound of those boos has been jarring, considering hes the hometown guy from St. Paul with the handsome looks and the hitting skills to build a .321 career batting average, the best among all active players in baseball with at least 3,000 plate appearances. Minnesotans are fiercely proud of and protective of their natives, so Mauer figured to have a lifetime pass in the popularity department here. After signing that $184 million, eight-year contract extension in 2010, though, he has become a more-frequent target of criticism from fans frustrated by the teams struggles the past several years. The 28 home runs he hit in 138 games in 2009 were a one-year wonder. Lingering lower-body injuries limited him to 82 games in 2011. This season, his on-base-plus-slugging percentage was at a career-low .704 entering the weekend series in New York. Mauer is also on pace to blow by his career-high strikeout total of 89 set last year. "I feel pretty good actually, which is even more frustrating," he said. USWNT Jerseys 2021. . "Im hitting a lot of balls hard and just not having much to show for it. So hopefully that turns here soon." Mauer isnt the only one sputtering with the Twins. The teams batting average with runners in scoring position fell to .214, the second-worst in the league, after losing three of four games to Texas this week. "Were putting together a lot of good at-bats but still not driving people in with runners in scoring position. Thats the main focus, getting guys on, but we cant get them in," second baseman Brian Dozier said. Mauer reluctantly gave up his job as the catcher to better protect himself from another concussion, after missing the final six weeks of last season following a foul tip that hit him in the head. The loss to the Twins of Mauers intelligence and defence behind the plate was supposed to be trumped by an increase in his availability and production at a less-taxing position. He missed five games with back spasms earlier this month, but since then he said he feels fine. The problem has been these paltry totals: nine extra-base hits and 15 RBIs through Thursday. "The expectations are very high for him. People get frustrated. I just dont want Joe to get frustrated. I know he is a little bit right now, because he doesnt have the results he wants. But I dont want to put any more pressure on the guy," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "I just want him to just keep being himself, keep swinging, and hell be fine." ___ Dave Campbell on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DaveCampbellAP ' ' '