Jackson interviewed other quality

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Hue Jackson is finally handing off his Browns offense.

Cleveland’s coach Youth Jordan Weal Jersey , who has handled game-planning and play-calling duties while going 1-31 over two seasons with the Browns, is hiring former Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Todd Haley.

Jackson interviewed other quality candidates but chose Haley, who spent six seasons guiding Pittsburgh’s high-powered offense before he was fired following a playoff loss last week, a person familiar with the negotiations told the Associated Press on Monday night.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team has not announced the move.

A former head coach with Kansas City, Haley’s familiarity with the AFC North will be a huge plus for Jackson as he tries to turn around the Browns following a historic 0-16 season.

The 50-year-old Haley worked in Pittsburgh with some of the NFL’s best offensive players – quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, running back Le’Veon Bell and wide receiver Antonio Brown. The trio made the Steelers a challenge for any defense, and the team ranked in the Top 10 in scoring in each of the past four seasons.

The Steelers averaged 25.4 points per game last season while the Browns managed a league-low 14.6.

Haley will inherit an offense in Cleveland with far less talent than he had in Pittsburgh, but the Browns are expected to upgrade their offense through free agency and in the draft. They’ll likely use either the No. 1 or No. 4 overall picks on a quarterback and could land Southern Cal’s Sam Darnold, UCLA’s Josh Rosen or Wyoming’s Josh Allen, the top three prospects.

Haley became the fall guy after Steelers were bounced by Jacksonville in the AFC playoffs. He was criticized for failing to have Roethlisberger sneak on two failed fourth-down plays. Haley called a wide pitch that lost yardage and Roethlisberger threw an incompletion on the second critical play as the Steelers were beaten 45-42 by the Jaguars, who advanced to the conference championship.

Haley reportedly had a strained relationship with Roethlisberger, and that disconnect could have hastened the Steelers electing not to renew his contract.

Haley went 19-27 and had one playoff appearance with the Chiefs, who fired him late in the 2011 season. Prior to that, he worked as Arizona’s offensive coordinator in 2007-08. The Cardinals scored a franchise-record 427 points in Haley’s second season.

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PHOENIX — As the second half of the season commences, both Arizona and San Francisco have reasons to feel confident as they prepare for the third game of a three-game weekend series Sunday.

Both are nearing full health, and the NL West remains wide open as the Diamondbacks, Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers are within 3 1/2 games of each other entering July.

Arizona survived a 2-15 stretch in May and is playing as well as it did in the early going, when it did not lose any of its first 12 series. The Giants have won nine of 11 after going 18-10 in June, their first winning month since June, 2016.

“I know that we got off to a great start and hit a little downturn and fought back,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said when asked about his takeaways from the first half.

“The obvious thing is, we are playing very good baseball now. We’ve grown and learned and become stronger and tougher because of the situation we walked through in May. They have never pointed their finger at anything or any anyone in an particular situation or moment.

“When it didn’t go well, they were accountable. They played united baseball. We’re right in the middle of a story that we continue to want to tell the way we are telling it.”

Arizona right-hander Zack Godley will oppose Giants left-hander Derek Holland in the final game of the series at Chase Field on Sunday afternoon. The Giants begin a three-game series in Colorado on Monday while the Diamondbacks will host a three-game series against St. Louis.

“Considering everything that is happened, we are right in the thick of things, which is where you want to be,” San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said.

“If you would have told me what we have to deal with – three starters out Scott Laughton Jersey , (Joe) Panik out, (Evan) Longoria out. Sure, no question you take it. I think it is going to be tight in September. Hopefully we’re right there. That’s our plan.”

Right-handers Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija could made their next starts in the majors after prolonged absences due to injury, and Cueto would be particularly welcome. He was 3-0 with an 0.84 ERA in five starts while holding opponents to a .150 batting average before going on the disabled list because of shoulder soreness in the first week of May.

In the interim, Dereck Rodriguez and Andrew Suarez have pitched well. The Giants also have received only five starts from Madison Bumgarner, who opened the season on the disabled list before returning in early June.

Arizona outfielders A.J. Pollock and Steven Souza Jr. also are nearing a return from the disabled list after missing considerable time. The Diamondbacks also lost starters Taijuan Walker and Robbie Ray for 58 days before returning.

Pollock and Souza Jr. are on rehab assignments for Triple-A Reno, and Pollock is likely to return before the All-Star break. Pollock was slashing .293/.349/.620 with 10 doubles, 11 homers and nine stolen bases in 43 games before suffering a fractured thumb trying to make a diving catch in center field in the ninth inning of a 7-2 loss to Milwaukee on May 14.

“You think about what the (injury) losses are,” Lovullo said “It’s been a very interesting season. I think the most resilient teams are the ones that understand and accept what’s happening day by day, whether it is good or bad, and move on to the next day as quickly as possible.

“We are a resilient group. We can turn the page quickly, no matter what the results are.”

Godley, 9-5 with a 4.58 ERA, is one victory short of NL leaders Max Scherzer, Jon Lester and Aaron Nola, in part because he has received 4.63 runs of support in his 16 starts. His 1.52 WHIP is 44th and last among qualified NL starters, and he has made seven quality starts.

Godley is 1-1 with a 6.10 ERA in two starts against the Giants this season and is 2-2 with a 6.97 ERA in six career appearances, four starts, against them. Godley has pitched his best at home this season, going 4-1 with a 2.89 ERA in six starts.

Holland (5-7, 4.24) is coming off arguably his best outing of the season, although he did not receive a decision in a 3-2 victory over Colorado. Holland gave up one run on six hits in a season-high 6 2/3 innings while striking out a season high eight. It was his longest appearance since he went eight innings against Seattle on May 21, 2017.

He is 0-1 in two starts against the Diamondbacks, both with Texas. Holland is 3-5 with a 3.94 ERA in nine road starts this season. He has never pitched in Chase Field.