so the Jazz need to prove theyre an organization that can compete | Forum

BOSTON -- It didnt matter to the Rangers that the Boston Red Sox dominated the AL All-Star team, with six players making the roster -- and the possibility of another -- to two for Texas. Ray Bourque Jersey .No ones keeping score that (way), Rangers outfielder Ian Desmond said.When the season is over, no one is going to look back and say that team had seven All-Stars or that team had two. Its going to be this team won the World Series and everybody else came in second, he said after Texas beat Boston 7-2 on Tuesday night. They can have seven. We can have two. It doesnt matter.Shin-Soo Choo homered on David Prices first pitch of the game, and Robinson Chirinos hit a three-run shot off All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel in the ninth to help the Rangers snap a three-game losing streak.Texas loaded the bases after Choos homer and took a 2-0 lead in the first, then made it 3-2 when Elvis Andrus scored to break a sixth-inning tie. It stayed that way until Kimbrel came on in the ninth and failed to retire any of the four batters he faced.In 12 pitches, a lot happened, said Red Sox manager John Farrell, whose team stranded 14 baserunners and went 2 for 16 with runners in scoring position. We had ample opportunity, with runners on base in almost every single inning. A missed opportunity tonight.The Red Sox had the most players selected to the AL roster for next weeks All-Star Game in San Diego, and second baseman Dustin Pedroia would make it seven if he wins the final vote. Texas had just Desmond and pitcher Cole Hamels.To have two -- and only two -- it speaks volumes to the team aspect of how our guys play, Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. If were going to be limited to two, (its) the right two guys.Price (8-6) threw 46 pitches in first two innings -- 45 after Choo drove the first one of the game out to center. Texas loaded the bases on two singles and a walk before Prince Fielder struck out looking -- drawing a mock cheer from Boston fans.But the Rangers managed just one more run in the inning. Price settled down and the Red Sox tied it before Andrus singled and scored to make it 3-2 on Rougned Odors double.He flipped the switch tonight in like the third or fourth inning, Desmond said. He threw the ball really well. I think in his case it was just a little bit too late.Rangers starter A.J. Griffin left after four innings, and Cesar Ramos (3-3) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the win.Mookie Betts, Pedroia and Travis Shaw had two hits apiece for the Red Sox. Jackie Bradley Jr. homered for Boston, which had won two straight.ALL-STARSBetts, Bradley and shortstop Xander Bogaerts will start for the AL in the All-Star Game, joining designated hitter David Ortiz, making his 10th and final appearance. Kimbrel and knuckleballer?Steven Wright?were also selected.For a team with six All-Stars, the Red Sox arent playing very well. Boston is 8-13 since opening June with a three-game lead in the AL East, falling into third place.I dont think we are as bad as were showing, Bradley said. Were definitely capable of putting together a good run. Hopefully that comes soon.PRICE IS WRONGIn all, Price allowed three runs, eight hits and a walk, striking out 10. But he didnt want to talk about how he settled down and lasted eight innings, how he fanned Desmond in the fifth for his 1,500th career strikeout, or how he posted his sixth game of the season with 10 or more strikeouts.Theres nothing positive to put out, he said. Im tired of this. Its not me. Ive got to get better.TRAINERS ROOMRangers: Choo left the game in the fifth with lower back stiffness. ... 1B Mitch Moreland (right calf tightness) was not in the starting lineup for the third straight game. ... With three starters on the DL, Texas called up RHP Jose Leclerc from Triple-A Round Rock and designated LHP Michael Roth for assignment. Leclerc, 22, has split time between Double-A Frisco and Round Rock this season and has never played in the majors.Red Sox: Boston activated veteran C Ryan Hanigan (neck strain) from the 15-day DL following a rehab stint with Triple-A Pawtucket. The Red Sox optioned C Christian Vazquez to Pawtucket after Monday nights game against Texas.UP NEXTRangers: LHP Martin Perez (7-4, 3.39 ERA) is 6-0 with two no-decisions in his last eight starts. Perez, who leads the Rangers with 17 starts already, hasnt taken a loss since May 18, at Oakland.Red Sox: Wright (9-5, 2.42) gets another shot at the Rangers, who tagged him for eight runs and seven hits over 4 2/3 innings in a loss at Texas on June 25. Johnny Bucyk Jersey . The Browns coaching search remains incomplete. Custom Boston Bruins Jerseys . Batiste, who briefly signed with the Eskimos in 2006, has spent time with several NFL teams including the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins. http://www.bruinsstore.com/authentic-cam-neely-bruins-jersey/ . It is a cliché dragged out by fans and pundits regularly when discussions take place around which teams are better than others. SALT LAKE CITY -- Joe Johnson had options of where to chase a ring in the twilight of his career and the seven-time All-Star chose to sign a two-year deal with a Utah Jazz team that hasnt reached the playoffs since 2012.Johnson, 35, bought into the widespread belief that the Jazz will improve from young up-and-comers to a competitive playoff team.It was the talent level and knowing from talking to (coach) Quin (Snyder), they wanted some veteran guys around these young guys and help lead the way, Johnson said. That was probably the biggest part.Thats the story on the Jazz entering the 2016-17 season: a team no longer on the cusp, but one with postseason expectations.Snyder and general manager Dennis Lindsey have tried to temper those expectations, but the offseason moves to add veterans spoke volumes. The Jazz traded for George Hill and Boris Diaw and signed Johnson -- ending the slow rebuild. The league, however, wont see what this roster looks like at full strength for some time.Gordon Hayward is out for an unknown amount of time with a broken finger on his non-shooting hand. Derrick Favors played just one preseason game due to a knee issue. Key reserve Alec Burks still hasnt returned from arthroscopic surgery to his knee and ankle in June.So the Jazz didnt get to fully integrate the new veterans with the established players during the preseason.I feel like weve got a lot done in spite of (injuries), Snyder said. (Diaw, Hill and Johnson) have probably played more preseason minutes than I intended. ... It has given them a chance to get acclimated. Their roles, particularly Joes, will probably change and evolve when Gordon comes back. Outside of that, theres challenges. You just dont know. Certain players, certain lineups. ... I dont think we were able to build quite the connectivity that wed like at this point. But I felt like this was a team that was going to take a while to develop, too. Hopefully it doesnt set us back too much.The Jazz begin the season on the road against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday. Eight of their first 11 games are on the road.Things to watch as tthe Jazz prepare to tip off the season:STIFLING TOWER: The 7-foot-1 Rudy Gobert has already established himself as one of the best defensive centers in the game, averaging 2. Terry OReilly Jersey. 27 blocks over the last two seasons, but hes shown off a little more offense this preseason. He seemed to catch and finish better than in the past and averaged 14.8 points in six games. The most notable improvement has been Goberts free throw shooting. He shot 56.9 percent last year and 74.5 percent this preseason.RETURN OF EXUM: Dante Exum is back for regular season games for the first time since tearing his ACL in the summer of 2015. The No. 5 overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft is fully healthy and still an upper echelon defender on the perimeter with his 6-foot-6 frame. He looks to become more active on the offensive end with a better floater in the lane and improved 3-point shooting. The point guard showed the ability to log minutes at shooting guard next to Hill during the preseason.GROWTH AREAS: The Jazz hope the additions and another year of growth will affect three areas in particular. The Jazz were No. 28 in the league with a scoring average of 97.7 points per game. That must improve. Johnson, Hill and Diaw already improve the depth. The team also struggled in close games, finishing 14-28 in games that were within five points with five minutes or less left.IMPRESSION TIME: Not making the playoffs could not only be disappointing, but a detriment to the future. Hayward has a player-option on his contract after this season and is expected to use it to become a free agent. There will be a large market for his services, so the Jazz need to prove theyre an organization that can compete for championships in the near future. Gobert will become a restricted free agent in July if he doesnt sign an extension by Oct. 31. Favors is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2017-18 season.---Follow Kareem Copeland on Twitter: www.twitter.com/KareemCopeland ' ' '