ATLANTA -- Braves third baseman Chris Johnson gets to keep h

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ATLANTA -- Braves third baseman Chris Johnson gets to keep his dream job for another three years. P.K Subban World Cup Jersey . Atlanta was the team he cheered for while growing up in South Florida, and he idolized third baseman Chipper Jones. "In this game, not many times does a team tell a player they want him to be around for a really long time," Johnson said. "Im excited they feel that way about me and have the confidence in me to be around for a little while. Now I just want to work as hard as I can to prove theyre right." After agreeing to a $23.5 million, three-year deal announced Friday, Johnson is under contract through 2017. The 29-year-old was among the teams biggest surprises last season. A supposed throw-in to the Justin Upton trade, Johnson ranked second in the NL with a .321 average. He had 12 homers and 68 RBIs. His agreement continued Atlantas recent trend of signing a core of players to long-term deals. First baseman Freddie Freeman ($135 million over eight years), closer Craig Kimbrel ($42 million over four years), pitcher Julio Teheran ($32.4 million over six years) and shortstop Andrelton Simmons ($58 million over seven years) agreed to long-term deals before or during spring training, and right fielder Jason Heyward struck a $13.3 million, two-year deal. General manager Frank Wren said Johnsons agent approached the team early last month to see whether the sides could work out a new deal. Wren said the Braves arent placing unrealistic expectations on their third baseman. Johnson is off to a slow start, hitting .255 with one homer and four RBIs in 26 games. "I think what we saw last year -- maybe hes not going to hit .320, but weve always felt he was somewhere in the .280-.300 range as a hitter," Wren said. "His career will tell you that." In the first 304 games of his career with Houston and Arizona, Johnson hit .276 and averaged eight homers and 43 RBIs. "I think as we go forward," Wren said, "thats the kind of player he can be -- somewhere in that .285-.300 range -- and hit 10-15 home runs, drive in 70 and play solid third base." Johnson was part of the trade that brought Upton, a slugging left fielder, to Atlanta and sent fan favourite Martin Prado, pitcher Randall Delgado and three minor leaguers to Arizona on Jan. 24 last year. "Theres not many people that are going to be traded with him that arent going to be the other guy, " Johnson said. "But Im fine with that. Its good because it doesnt bother me really to be the other guy. It kind of gave me the fire to prove I need to be here and was not just a name in the trade." Johnson is making $4.75 million this season under a one-year deal. The agreement includes salaries of $6 million next year, $7.5 million in 2016 and $9 million in 2017. Atlanta has a $10 million option for 2018 with a $1 million buyout. Wren is grateful that Liberty Media, the Braves owner, has committed the money to keep another part of the core group together as the team prepares to move into a new ballpark in suburban Cobb County in 2017. "You have to be careful," Wren said. "You have to have that combination of players and especially what we did all winter was looking at really high level young talent that was either pre-arbitration or first-year arbitration and extending them. It fits into that mould." Johnson, who would have been eligible for free agency after the 2016 season, met Jones was he played for Stetson and Jones father Larry was an assistant coach with the school. Johnson never imagined he would replace Jones the year after the longtime Braves star retired after the 2012 season. "Its nuts," he said. "Its crazy. I cant believe it. Its awesome, but Im going to try to make sure I keep grinding and keep working and try to get better every day." Duncan Keith Jersey . Theres little time for rest, too. The Flyers and Rangers play again Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. Simmonds scored in the first period and twice more in the second for his first career post-season hat trick. Mason survived a busy first period and stopping 31 straight shots until Carl Hagelin scored late in the third. Corey Crawford Canada Jersey . Villar connected off Joe Saunders (11-14), sending a drive well over the left-field fence for his first career homer. The Astros scored six times in the first three innings to chase Saunders. http://www.hockeyteamcanadajerseystore.com/jean-beliveau-Canada-jersey/ . -- The Chicago Bears have agreed to terms with safety Brock Vereen and QB David Fales on four-year contracts.Provo, UT (SportsNetwork.com) - Kyle Wiltjer scored 24 points to help No. 8 Gonzaga make a second-half comeback for an 87-80 win over Brigham Young in a West Coast Conference opener on Saturday. Kevin Pangos added 21 points on 5-of-8 shooting from 3-point range and also dished out seven assists for the Bulldogs (12-1, 1-0 WCC). Gonzaga received 15 points and 10 rebounds from Byron Wesley. Gonzaga trailed by six a few minutes into the second half, but the Bulldogs were able to come from behind by limiting BYU to 32.1 percent shooting in the second half, including 2-of-13 from long distance. The Cougars (10-4, 0-1) got 13 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds from Kyle Collinsworth for his second triple-double of the season, but it was not enough. Tyler Haws and Anson Winder led BYU with 17 points each. BYU made just three of its first 15 attempts from the floor as Gonzaga jumped out to a 16-point lead. From there, the Cougars made six straight shots to cut the Bulldogs lead to 35-31 with 4:18 left in the half. At the buzzer, Collinsworth hit a long 3-pointer to tie the game at 43 going into the break. The Bulldogs could not get a stop over the final nine minutes and the Cougars made 11 of their last 15 shots to close the half. Out of the break, Brigham Young toook its first lead of the game on three consecutive Hawes free throws to open the half. Patrick Sharp Team Canada Jersey. The Cougars led by as much as six after a 6-0 spurt, but their shooting struggles returned. While BYU missed its first nine attempts from long distance in the second half, Gonzaga made four in a three minute span to retake the lead with 12 minutes remaining. Frank Bartley IV responded by hitting three straight free throws, but Gonzaga took the lead for good after two straight baskets from Wiltjer. The Cougars forced one more tie at 67 before Wiltjer and Pangos scored eight straight points for the Bulldogs to get some breathing room. Skyler Halford finally ended Brigham Youngs 3-point drought with six minutes to go, and he hit another less than a minute later to pull the Cougars within four. BYU only made one more shot from the floor after that, and Gonzaga made its free throws to hold onto the lead. Game Notes Gonzaga was picked first in the preseason WCC poll, and BYU was picked second ... Gonzaga has won 19 conference openers in a row ... Pangos moved into the top-10 on Gonzagas all-time scoring list ... Both teams will take the floor again Monday with Gonzaga traveling to San Diego and BYU hosting Portland. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '