Indians second baseman snagged a hard-hit

NEW YORK -- Always fast on the field, Chris Johnson is looking to quickly prove his critics wrong. The New York Jets signed the former Titans running back Wednesday, a little over a week after he was officially released by Tennessee. Johnson met with the Jets all day Tuesday -- the first team he visited -- and stayed in town to watch the Knicks-Nets game in Brooklyn before signing Wednesday. The Jets announced the move, but didnt release terms. In a text message to The Associated Press, Johnson confirmed it was a two-year deal. "I have a fresh start," Johnson told The Tennessean. "Now I am going to go out there with a chip on my shoulder. I know a lot of people are doubting me." Johnson was told by the Titans of their decision April 4, ending a six-year stint in Tennessee during which he became one of the NFLs most exciting running backs. The former 2,000-yard rusher will team with Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell to give coach Rex Ryan and offensive co-ordinator Marty Mornhinweg a deep and dangerous backfield. The Jets also have Mike Goodson, who is dealing with legal issues and recovering from torn knee ligaments. "Ive always been a big fan of the Jets," Johnson told the teams website. "There was some thought into this, but just at the end of the day, I was comfortable here. I just felt like it was the right situation." While his days as a workhorse running back -- he carried the ball over 300 times in each of the 2009 and 2010 seasons -- might be over, Johnson could be the perfect complement to the bruising Ivory and versatile Powell. In Mornhinwegs first season as offensive co-ordinator, the Jets finished sixth in the league in rushing last year with Ivory and Powell sharing the load. Despite the solid production, New York still entered the off-season aiming to improve the position with a big-play runner. Thats exactly what theyre hoping to get in the speedy and durable Johnson, who turns 29 in September and is only the sixth player to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his first six seasons. "I see this as a team on the rise," Johnson told newyorkjets.com. "This is a winning team." But there have been questions about whether hell ever be the same player who rushed for 2,006 yards in 2009, when he earned his "CJ2K" nickname. Johnson finished with 1,077 yards -- the second-lowest total of his career -- and a career-worst 3.9-yard average last season. He also rushed for 100 or more yards just twice. The Jets held Johnson to just 21 yards on 15 carries in their 38-13 loss last season at Tennessee, but Johnson gouged them for 122 yards on 21 carries, including a career-best 94-yard touchdown run, in 2012. The splashy move is reminiscent of the one the Jets made in 2010, when they signed an aging LaDainian Tomlinson, who turned out to be a useful role player. While being deliberate throughout free agency, general manager John Idzik has now signed arguably the three best players available at their positions in Johnson, quarterback Michael Vick and wide receiver Eric Decker. New York also showed early interest in free agency in running backs Maurice Jones-Drew and Donald Brown, but they signed elsewhere. The Titans cut ties with Johnson, making him a free agent, to avoid paying the $8 million he was due for this season, along with the final three seasons left on the $53.5 million contract he signed in September 2011. Johnson, who set several franchise and NFL records during his time in Tennessee, repeatedly said he wouldnt take a pay cut this off-season. That prompted the Titans to unsuccessfully explore trade options this off-season-- including with the Jets -- before releasing him. Johnsons exit appeared inevitable when Tennessee signed Dexter McCluster to a three-year deal and re-signed Leon Washington to join Shonn Greene in the backfield. "The Titans were ready to move on," Johnson said in his interview with The Tennessean. "They didnt want me anymore. But everything is going to work out." Johnson was the 24th overall pick in the 2008 draft out of East Carolina, and had never missed a game because of injury -- despite having surgery after the season to repair a torn meniscus that he played with most of the year. He has 7,965 career yards on 1,742 carries for a 4.6-yard average, including 50 touchdowns, and ranks third on Tennessees franchise rushing list behind Eddie George and Earl Campbell. Johnson also has caught 272 passes for 2,003 yards and eight TDs. Wholesale Air Jordan 11 . Off-season additions Jermain Defoe and Michael Bradley did not train with the club today, prompting Nelsen to declare its too early to tell if either will be ready for Saturday. Wholesale Jordan 11 Free Shipping . Trailing by a goal after 20 minutes of play, Joe Pavelski responded with three goals and an assist as the Sharks snapped a two-game losing skid with a 5-2 victory over the struggling Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. http://www.wholesaleairjordan11.com/.com) - The Minnesota Twins made it official on Wednesday, announcing the signing of outfielder Torii Hunter to a one-year contract. Wholesale Air Jordan 11 Cheap .com) - Longtime Senators star Daniel Alfredsson returned to Ottawa on Thursday to officially announce his retirement. Cheap Air Jordan 11 Free Shipping . This week they discuss the Philadelphia 76ers, Gregg Popovich, Royal and Ancient Golf Club and Bill Belichick.BOSTON -- Jason Kipnis delivered three singles for the Cleveland Indians, and then he helped them out with his glove. The Indians second baseman snagged a hard-hit grounder from Red Sox slugger David Ortiz to start an eighth-inning double play. Instead of facing a late Boston rally, the Indians held on for a 3-2 victory on Saturday that snapped a four-game losing streak. "He hit it pretty hard," Kipnis said. "You guys know as well as I do: Youve got some time with him going down the line. All he has to do is jog, with most of his hits." Asdrubal Cabrera and Michael Brantley each had a pair of hits for Cleveland, which had lost eight of its past nine games at Fenway Park. The Indians scored two runs in the seventh to take the lead on an error by catcher A.J. Pierzynski and a bases-loaded walk. "Were going to have to win some games like that," said Cleveland manager Terry Francona, whose team stranded 13 base runners and went 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position. John Axford (2-3) earned the win with one scoreless inning in relief of T.J. House, and Cody Allen pitched the ninth for his seventh save. Craig Breslow (2-2) took the loss, allowing two unearned runs and two hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning. Boston starter Jake Peavy left with a 2-1 lead but remains winless in his past nine starts. "You just try to do what you can do to win," said Peavy, who entered the game with the second-lowest run support in the AL. "Obviously, its been tough to score on my day, thats something Im not going to shy away from. Im not blaming anyone. I have to be better. Guys have to find a way to be better on my day to win. Its frustrating, no doubt. At the end of the day its frustrating to lose." The Red Sox ledd 2-1 when Breslow relieved Peavy to start the seventh.dddddddddddd Cabrera hit a grounder behind second base that shortstop Jonathan Herrera grabbed with a diving stop, but his throw to first short-hopped Mike Napoli and popped off the heel of his glove. Michael Brantley singled to right, then second baseman Dustin Pedroia tried to come home on Kipnis grounder but Pierzynski couldnt come up with the ball. Home plate umpire Sean Barber initially signalled out, but changed the call when he saw the ball rolling in the dirt. "You cant second-guess that," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "Thats a good, aggressive defensive play. Then unfortunately we started to nitpick a little bit on the outside of the strike zone." Two outs later, David Murphy walked to load the bases and, after Junichi Tazawa relieved Breslow, Carlos Santana walked in the go-ahead run to make it 3-2. Jonny Gomes and Brock Holt had two hits apiece for the Red Sox, who scored a season-high 10 runs on Friday night. Boston had won seven in a row at home. Ortiz doubled in a run in the first inning for Boston. It was his 422nd career double in a Red Sox uniform, tying Wade Boggs for fourth on the teams all-time list. NOTES: Peavy is 0-4 with a 5.46 ERA in his past nine starts. ... Red Sox SS Stephen Drew missed his sixth straight game with a right side muscle injury. Farrell said he will be available on Sunday. ... RHP Clay Buchholz (right knee) OF Shane Victorino (right hamstring) and 3B Will Middlebrooks (right index finger) all made rehab appearances for Triple-A Pawtucket. ... Francona, who led the Red Sox to the 2004 and 07 World Series titles, got a big cheer when he came out to check on Michael Bourn after his third-inning single. ' ' '