LOS ANGELES -- Yasiel Puig crumpled into his clubhouse chair and put both hands over his face after speaking with reporters about his close relationship with Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez, the fellow Cuban who was killed earlier Sunday morning in a boating accident in Florida.Puig had gotten to know Fernandez in 2013, when both were battling for NL Rookie of the Year honors, an award eventually won by Fernandez. They had dinner as recently as two weeks ago, when the Dodgers were in town for a three-game series.He was a very good guy and I also liked the way he played baseball, Puig said through an interpreter before the Dodgers faced the Colorado Rockies in the finale of their three-game series. The way he treated his mom and his grandma, his teammates and other ballplayers.Puig, who had two hits and five strikeouts in 11 career plate appearances against Fernandez, said facing the hard-throwing right-hander was the best part about playing the Marlins.When he faced Puig for the final time in their most recent meeting (Sept. 9 at Marlins Park), Fernandez struck him out with a 98 mph fastball. Puig blew him a kiss as he headed back to the dugout.Puig said Fernandez was the best pitcher in the majors behind Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw.I liked to face him, Puig said. We would joke around a lot, having a lot of fun. Sometimes, he would throw balls and I would tell him to throw strikes, and I think next time we face Miami and when we play baseball and hes not there, Im really going to miss him.After collecting himself in the dugout, Puig grabbed a Dodgers jersey with Fernandezs name and number on the back and hung it in the dugout. Puig is scheduled to bat cleanup in Sundays regular-season home finale, a game that will clinch a fourth straight NL West title for the Dodgers if they can win.Puig has batted fourth just three others times this season, marking a major step up for the right-fielder, whose first four months to this season were so tumultuous and inconsistent that he was sent down to the minors for all of August, only to return as a more disciplined player and better teammate. Puig credited Fernandez with giving him a sincere pep talk.When we were in Miami, he constantly gave me advice about how to better myself, Puig said. Now, I lost him. Cheap NFL Jerseys China Free Shipping . He just needed to be his best twisting, turning acrobatic self. "I didnt need to be anybody else, I just needed to be myself and be aggressive," said Burks, who scored a career-high 34 points to spark the Utah Jazz to a 118-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night. 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LOUIS -- St. OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Cleveland Indians hope that good news in the short term will lead to encouraging prospects for the long run when they send right-hander Danny Salazar to the mound to face the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night.The pitching pairing has the look of a mismatch, with the first-place Indians sending their second-biggest winner (Salazar, 11-4, 3.57 ERA) against the last-place Athletics second-biggest loser (left-hander Sean Manaea, 4-8, 4.73 ERA).However, that is presuming a healthy Salazar shows up, and that is far from a sure thing.Salazar had to be pulled after one inning in his last start, Thursday at home against the Chicago White Sox. He was seeing his first action since returning from a disabled-list stint caused by a sore elbow, a 17-day layoff during which he received a cortisone shot.The 26-year-old reported no discomfort after the 34-pitch debacle in which he allowed three runs on one hit and three walks.Salazar looked so out of sorts, he was sent to the bullpen to throw the equivalent of three more innings, just to get in a good workout.The main thing, Salazar said afterward, was to feel good, and I did. I feel great.He didnt look great, though, and that is what concerns the Indians.In fact, Salazar hasnt look good since the start of July, after having been one of baseballs best pitchers while posting a 10-3 record and a 2.22 ERA.His ERA in four July starts ballooned to 6.14, the ninth highest in the American League, and nobody in the majors has been worse in August, when his ERA has exploded to 27.00 in two starts.Bring oon the As, who wish they had Salazars problems.ddddddddddddOakland had to fine two players Monday for fighting, including the guy who was on the receiving end of a punch that gave him a concussion.As manager Bob Melvin said he expects to have Danny Valencia back in the lineup Tuesday. He was the one who got upset when Billy Butler reportedly questioned his loyalty to his shoe-endorsement company before the Friday game in Texas.Butler hasnt played since the fight and now finds himself on the seven-day concussion disabled list. Valencia recorded two hits in the Athletics contests Friday and Saturday before not starting the past two games. He struck out as a pinch hitter Monday.The As looked like a team in disarray Monday in a 1-0, series-opening loss to the Indians. They managed just six hits off Cleveland starter Carlos Carrasco, who had been roughed up for 33 runs in his previous 30 1/3 innings.The lack of offense cost As rookie Andrew Triggs, who failed to record his first major league win despite six shutout innings.You feel for him, As manager Bob Melvin said of Triggs. You cant help but pull for a guy whos a great team guy.If there is a positive for the As entering the Tuesday game, it is that their eight-game loser appears to be in better form than the Indians 11-game winner.Manaea has recorded all four of his wins at home while compiling a 4-3 record and a 3.45 ERA in 12 starts.The rookie has never faced the Indians. ' ' '