homer.That one pitch, a slider, was definitely a mistake, Maeda told

CHICAGO -- Soccer injuries are sending soaring numbers of U.S. kids to emergency rooms, a trend driven in part by young players with concussions seeking urgent medical care, a study has found.The findings, based on 25 years of data, partly reflect soccers growing popularity. But the researchers and sports medicine experts believe the trend also is a result of greater awareness about concussions and their potential risks. Coaches and parents are likely seeking emergency treatment for symptoms that in previous years might have been downplayed or overlooked.Nearly 3 million players aged 7 through 17 received ER treatment for soccer-related injuries in the 2000-2014 study. The overall rate of injuries, which takes into account soccers rising popularity, more than doubled to 220 per 10,000 players in 2013, from 106 per 10,000 players in 1990. Researchers did not have enough data to calculate 2014 rates.More than 200,000 concussions or head injuries were treated in emergency rooms, or 7 percent of injuries. The rate jumped to almost 30 per 10,000 people in 2013 from just under 2 per 10,000 players in 1990.That trend underscores a need for better safety education and injury prevention in youth soccer, said Dr. Huiyun Xiang, the lead author and a researcher at the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Childrens Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.Concussions can have significant consequences in terms of cognitive function and brain development, Xiang said.His study is an analysis of data from a national injury surveillance system and was published Monday in Pediatrics.According to U.S. Youth Soccer, there were more than 3 million registered soccer players younger than 19 in 2014, almost twice as many as in 1990.The rate of injuries from playing soccer has ranked second behind football in other studies on youth sports, including an analysis of 2015-2016 data from Reporting Information Online, an internet-based injury surveillance system for high school sports.For boys, football-related concussions result in more ER visits than other sports, according to previous research. For girls, its soccer, according to an analysis of 2001-2012 data by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The current study lacks information on gender-specific soccer injury rates.Sprains and fractures were the most common injuries; most players were not hospitalized. Falling and getting hit by another player or the ball were among leading causes of injury but theres no data in the study on whether many injuries were from heading the ball.Concern about kids injuries from heading led to the U.S. Soccer Federations recent restrictions including a ban for kids aged 10 and younger and limits on heading for those aged 11-13.Many concussions in soccer occur when heads collide as two players jump up to head the ball, said Dr. Cynthia LaBella, a sport medicine specialist at Chicagos Ann & Robert H. Lurie Childrens Hospital. She said learning proper technique including tensing neck muscles can help kids avoid injury while heading the ball.Labella noted that soccer has become so popular that it attracts kids with a wide range of athletic ability, and that many injuries she treats are in kids who lack adequate strength and conditioning for their soccer level.Everyones so eager to join the soccer team. Theyre signing up because they want to be with their buddies, she said. The range of athleticism especially at the youth and preteen level is pretty broad.---Online:CDC: http://www.cdc.govYouth Soccer: http://www.usyouthsoccer.org/Heading rules: http://bit.ly/2cgjEWr---Follow AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner at http://www.twitter.com/LindseyTanner . Her work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/lindsey-tanner .DaRon Payne Youth Jersey .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. Terry McLaurin Redskins Jersey . Malkin got tangled up with Detroits Luke Glendening early in the third period and his left skate took the brunt of collision with the boards behind Pittsburghs net. http://www.redskinsrookiestore.com/Redskins-Doug-Williams-Jersey/ . - The Washington Redskins have cut defensive lineman Adam Carriker and punter Sav Rocca. Sean Taylor Redskins Jersey .Y. -- Jayna Hefford scored the winning goal Friday as Canada survived a scare with a 4-3 win over Sweden at the Four Nations womens hockey tournament. Derrius Guice Youth JerseyLOS ANGELES -- The Arizona Diamondbacks biggest offseason acquisition is set to make his first appearance against the team he represented for three seasons and helped win three successive division championships.Right-hander Zack Greinke, who spurned the Los Angeles Dodgers as a free agent to sign a six-year contract worth $206.5 million, will pitch against his former teammates Monday evening when the Diamondbacks begin a three-game series at Dodger Stadium.From 2013 through 2015 with the Dodgers, Greinke won 51 games and compiled a 2.30 ERA. He also finished among the top 10 for the National Leagues Cy Young Award all three seasons, including second last year to the Chicago Cubs Jake Arrieta, while winning two Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger award.Last year, Greinke led the major leagues with a 1.66 ERA, collected a career-high 19 wins and started for the NL in the All-Star Game. In 222 2/3 innings, the 12-year veteran conceded just 40 walks and 148 hits while amassing 200 strikeouts.The Diamondbacks hoped Greinke and other offseason acquisitions as Shelby Miller and Jean Segura could combine with Paul Goldschmidt, A.J. Pollock, David Peralta and Yasmany Tomas to ignite a surge toward playoff contention. Instead, Arizona is battling the San Diego Padres to stay out of last place in the NL West.Greinke (12-4) leads the Diamondbacks in wins, but his ERA has ballooned to 4.17, his worst since 2010. He has already allowed 140 hits while striking out just 114. Away from Phoenixs Chase Field, Greinke owns seven victories but a 5.50 ERA.Last week, the Dodgers expressed interest in re-acquiring Greinke after he cleared revocable waivers, Fox Sports Ken Rosenthal reported, as the right-handers departure in January further depleted Los Angeles thin rotaation.dddddddddddd However, Rosenthal reported that discussions did not proceed very far, and USA Todays Bob Nightengale added that the Diamondbacks would not trade Greinke during the offseason.Opposing Greinke on Monday will be the veteran signed to replace him, right-hander Kenta Maeda(13-8, 3.37 ERA). After eight seasons with the Hiroshima Carp in Japans Central League, Maeda signed an eight-year contract worth $25 million in January, one month after Greinke joined the Diamondbacks.In his final season in Japan, Maeda led the Central League with 15 victories, compiled a 2.09 ERA and limited opposing hitters to a .222 average. That performance enabled Maeda to win the Sawamura Award as the best pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball for the second time.Maeda will pitch with a full week of rest after his last start. The 28-year-old rookie collected six strikeouts in five innings Aug. 29 against the Colorado Rockies, but he allowed two runs on four hits and a walk in an 8-1 loss. Those runs were the result of a Nick Hundley two-run homer.That one pitch, a slider, was definitely a mistake, Maeda told MLB.com through an interpreter regarding Hundleys homer. Overall, I thought I pitched pretty well. I always want to pitch longer, but that one pitch led to the team losing.Before that defeat, Maeda won his previous four starts and earned victories in five successive decisions since July 23. During that stretch, he allowed 28 hits and only seven walks in 33 2/3 innings while getting 30 strikeouts, compiling a 3.74 ERA and allowing permitting hitters to bat just .226. However, Maeda also conceded six home runs in that span. ' ' '