the additional official would line up on the field. One proposa

NEW YORK -- Mets second baseman Neil Walker and Philadelphia pitcher Jeremy Hellickson have accepted $17.2 million qualifying offers, giving up free agency to stay with their teams.Eight other free agents did not accept the offers from their former teams by Mondays 5 p.m. EST deadline: outfielders Jose Bautista (Toronto), Yoenis Cespedes (Mets), Ian Desmond (Texas), Dexter Fowler (Chicago Cubs) and Mark Trumbo (Baltimore), designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion (Toronto); closer Kenley Jansen (Los Angeles Dodgers); and third baseman Justin Turner (Dodgers).Walker and Hellickson are signed players with Mondays decisions and could be eligible for free agency again after next season.Happy to say Im back in Orange and Blue for 2017!! Lets go Mets! Walker tweeted on Monday.The Mets got Walker in a trade with Pittsburgh last December. He hit .282 with 23 homers and 55 RBI in 113 games with New York before his season was cut short by back surgery.The 31-year-old Walker, a first-round pick in the 2004 amateur draft, broke into the majors with the Pirates in 2009 and is a .273 hitter with 116 homers and 473 RBI in 949 career games.Hellickson was traded from Arizona to Philadelphia last November. The 29-year-old right-hander went 12-10 with a 3.71 ERA in 32 starts for the lowly Phillies this year. Robert Hagg Jersey . -- Jaye Marie Green shot a 4-under 68 on Thursday to increase her lead to five strokes after the second round of the LPGA Tours qualifying tournament. Sean Couturier Jersey . And follow TSN.ca right through Deadline Day for all the updates. From Pierre LeBrun While Anaheim GM Bob Murray said earlier this season he was not going to trade Jonas Hiller despite the fact hes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, some sources have told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun that Murray might be willing to move another goalie. http://www.nhlflyersproauthentic.com/brian-elliott-hockey-jersey/ .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch. Oskar Lindblom Flyers Jersey . Schenn scored the game-winning goal and added two assists to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday. Carter Hart Flyers Jersey .B. -- The Baie-Comeau Drakkar took over sole possession of first place atop the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on Thursday with their sixth straight win. BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Get ready for some full-time NFL officials to start throwing yellow flags next year.Troy Vincent, the leagues vice president of football operations, told The Associated Press on Thursday that he expects the NFL to hire as many as 17 full-time officials this offseason.The additions are allowed under the collective bargaining agreement and would increase the size of officiating crews from seven to eight, Vincent said during a visit to Buffalo.This is a topic of discussion daily, he said, noting the league will need to consult with the NFL Referees Association.Vincent said the league is already receiving input from coaches, general managers and owners. And, he said, hiring full-time officials and discussions to expand replay reviews top the agenda of the NFLs competition committee, which is scheduled to meet in February following the Super Bowl.Currently, NFL officiating crews are part-time staff and hold jobs outside of football.Vincent says having full-time officials would allow the NFL to spend more time on training and consultation on a year-round basis.What has yet to be decided is where the additional official would line up on the field. One proposal is to introduce a middle sideline judge to moonitor interior defensive line penalties.dddddddddddd. Another is to have the official oversee hits to the quarterback.Vincent said the league is studying the officiating model recently adopted by college footballs top conferences, which now have eight on-field officials. The Big 12 started the experiment by using eight in 2013, with other conferences following suit a year later.Last season, the NCAA approved the use of eight on-field officials for all levels of football.The NFLs collective bargaining agreement includes a clause allowing the league to hire no more than 17 game officials as full-time employees as of the 2013 season.Vincent said the league has used that time to study potential options to improve officiating, including through replays or adding administrative staff.Citing NFL statistics, Vincent noted the leagues current officials have an accuracy rate of more than 97 percent. Its only during those few occasions where a gaffe is magnified, he said, that they get so much attention.Vincent said the leagues full-time officials would not supersede the authority of the referee. ' ' '