tough to replace, theres no doubt about that, Padres

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- AShawn Robinson said he had enough skills on basketball courts to draw offers to play at UCLA, Boise State and Holy Cross.When he was a 6-foot-4 freshman at Arlington Heights High School in Fort Worth, Texas, he had hoop dreams.When I got bigger, I didnt anymore, Robinson said.Taking his talents to football fields, and keeping them there, has panned out for him and the Detroit Lions.The 6-foot-4, 320-pound rookie defensive tackle is emerging as a key player for the NFC North-leading Lions (7-4) as they surge into contention for their first division title since 1993 .Robinson started in his first game on Thanksgiving when Detroit beat the Minnesota Vikings, breaking a first-place tie.Hes been good and steady, Lions coach Jim Caldwell said. Hes made some plays for us and does a good job of when he doesnt get to the passer, getting his hands up. Hes got a bit of a knack for that, but hes also made plays in the running game. Hes coming along.Robinson has knocked down five passes, tying him for third among NFL defensive linemen.Despite not being an every-down player this season, it is an impressive feat to rank among league leaders in any category and Robinson credits his hoops history.I think it helps my ability to know when the ball is going to get released from the quarterback and when to get my hand up and bat it, he said.When the New Orleans Saints (5-6) host the Lions on Sunday, theyve got a plan to combat Robinsons knack for knocking down passes when Drew Brees is throwing.Anytime a guy puts his hands up, we like to try to get back into his chest and get him to lower his hands, Saints right tackle Zach Strief said.But ultimately if a guy stops and jumps, all you can really do is push him. Theres been more and more of an emphasis of guys doing that as the passing game has gotten a little quicker over time. Sometimes you cant get home, and thats what you do.Lions defensive line coach Kris Kocurek puts his players through drills designed to rush and sack quarterbacks, not bat down passes.So when Robinson is hailed for his ability to do it, he makes it clear his coach isnt celebrating.If I cant get a sack, a batted ball takes a down away from the other team and I see it as a great thing, Robinson said. Coach Kris doesnt like it. He wants sacks instead. But you cant always get to the quarterback, so the next best thing is to bat the ball down.Robinson has two sacks this season and is credited with two quarterback hurries. He has made 17 tackles, including four for losses.Knocking down passes, though, has become his best asset because he clearly has a feel for passing lanes and the timing of throws.Hes reminded me a couple times that he was a basketball player and offered a scholarship by a couple schools, Caldwell said with a grin. So, hes a pretty good athlete.---AP freelance writer Guerry Smith in Metairie, Louisiana, contributed to this report.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Cheap Blue Jays Jerseys Authentic . After dropping their final six games of December, the Wild opened the new calendar year with four consecutive wins. Following a loss to Colorado on Saturday, Minnesota rebounded the following night to blank Nashville 4-0, but then had the tables turned on them Tuesday. Cheap Dave Winfield Jersey . McCarthy, a player who played some games in the second tier for Wigan at the start of this season, would go on to shine inside Evertons midfield, outplaying the man he was brought in to replace, on one of the grandest stages in English football. On Saturday, it was fitting that Manchester Uniteds most recent dagger into the chest was delivered by Frenchman Yohan Cabaye, a wonderfully gifted central midfielder who put on an outstanding effort for Newcastle at Old Trafford. http://www.cheapbluejaysjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-jesse-barfield-jersey . Los Angeles star goalie survived those perilous gymnastics with no problem, and he eventually backstopped the Kings to a skid-snapping win. Quick stopped 27 shots in his return from a 24-game injury absence, Jeff Carter scored the tiebreaking goal with 7:55 to play, and the Kings snapped their five-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night. Cheap Joe Carter Jersey . -- Chicago Bears cornerback Tim Jennings was selected Monday to his second straight Pro Bowl, while guard Kyle Long made it after a solid rookie season. Cheap Roger Clemens Jersey . -- Devin Hester is done returning kicks in Chicago. The San Diego Padres placed outfielder Jon Jay on the 15-day disabled list with a broken right forearm Tuesday.Jay is hitting .296 with 2 home runs and 23 RBIs in 68 games this season and leads the National League with 24 doubles. Set to become a free agent after this season, Jay was a possibility to be traded before this years non-waiver deadline to contenders looking for offensive help.Hes tough to replace, theres no doubt about that, Padres manager Andy Green told the Mighty 1090 AM on Tuesday. Hes a tremendous leader. He goes about his business the right way. He was great at the top of the order. ... He wasnt just getting on base, but he was getting clutch hits for us.Jay was hit on his forearm Sunday with an 89 mph fastball thrown by the Washington Nationals Gio Gonzalez.He has missed the Padres past six games, and?Travis Jankowski has started in his place at center field.dddddddddddd. Jay originally was diagnosed with a bruise after X-rays were negative, but when his arm didnt improve, he was sent for a follow-up CT scan, which revealed the nature of his injury.?Jays addition to the disabled list was made retroactive to June 20. The Padres recalled infielder/outfielder?Alex Dickerson from Triple-A El Paso in a corresponding move Tuesday.Dickerson is leading the Pacific Coast League with a .382 batting average and a 1.047 OPS. He is batting fifth and playing left field in the Padres lineup Tuesday against the Baltimore Orioles. ' ' '