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FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Devin Smith has had 10 months to think.About life. About football. About his future.The New York Jets wide receiver has been sidelined since last December with a knee injury that cut short his rookie season -- and threw his career into uncertainty.Really, you just realize that this game can be taken away from you, Smith said. It was taken away from me for a couple of months. It sat me down, man.Smith is inching closer to a return to the game he has missed. He spent the first six weeks of the season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list and is eligible to begin practicing next week.The Jets would have 21 days from the day Smith first practices to activate him to the 53-man roster or place him on season-ending injured reserve.I havent done any football in about nine months, so its been a long time coming, Smith said. I cant wait. It has seemed very, very long.Smith was a second-round pick out of Ohio State last year, a speedster with terrific athleticism, as evidenced by his eye-popping one-handed touchdown catch against Miami of Ohio in 2012 -- long before Odell Beckham Jr. made those acrobatic types of grabs a routine sight in the NFL.The Jets drafted him with the hope that he would provide a field-stretching element to the offense. But Smith injured a lung and a few ribs in training camp, sidelining him for several weeks. Once he returned, he struggled through the ups and downs of life as a rookie, trying to find his place on the team.Against Tennessee on Dec. 12, 2015, Smith was covering a punt in the third quarter when his right knee gave out. He was carted off the field and found out a short time later his season was done because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament.He finished with just nine catches for 115 yards and a touchdown -- and plenty of disappointment.A humbled Smith used the time since to re-evaluate himself while he was rehabbing, and his 16-month son Devin Jr. has had as big an impact on him as any coach or teammate.I got to watch him grow up a little bit and it really put some perspective to my life, Smith said. My little boy, its like he learns something new every day. Its such a blessing to watch him grow. And Im able to do what I do. Everythings all good.Smith is getting better at just the right time as the Jets receiving corps took a major hit when Eric Decker was lost for the season with a shoulder injury. After Brandon Marshall and Quincy Enunwa, New York will have to rely on several inexperienced players , including rookies Robby Anderson, Jalin Marshall and Charone Peake.I just cant wait to come back and do whatever I can to just help this team, Smith said. Were down a couple of wide receivers, so adding me in, I think would just be good for all of us.Smith said he has been running and cutting every day, and his knee has felt good. He doesnt think he has any limitations at this point and just needs to work his way back into game shape.In terms of practicing and doing some individual (drills) and getting my feet wet again, Im looking forward to that, and I feel I will be able to do that, he said. In terms of playing in a game or how much playing time Id get, Im going to leave that up to the coaches.After a lost rookie season, Smith seemed a bit of an afterthought during training camp because of the uncertainty surrounding his knee and the influx of young receivers.Smith never doubted hed be back, though, even if people outside the facility were writing him off.Thats really kind of how its been ever since I was in high school, said Smith, who was a football, track and basketball star while growing up in Massillon, Ohio. Everybody forgot about me and I burst on the scene. Its nothing new to me. Im just sticking to the script and staying focused, and Ill do what Ive got to do.Coach Todd Bowles said hes hopeful Smith will be able to get back in pads in the next couple of weeks.Smith will just be happy not having to watch games on TV, instead of the sideline, and wishing he could make a play.Its been very tough to watch the team take a couple of Ls and stuff like that, he said. During the preseason, when I was on the sideline, I would feel like my heart would race. I was just so anxious to get back out there. Its really tough just seeing your team not doing so well and you cant even be out there to try to do something to help the team.Thats what Im looking forward to the most, me being back with everybody and helping.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFLNico Hoerner Jersey . The Lightning are 2-0 so far on a four-game road trip, giving the club five straight wins as the guest and improving Tampas away record this season to 11-8-2. Custom Kerry Wood Jersey . 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The teams, and a few thousand fans, waited nearly four hours from the 7:05 scheduled start time before an announcement was made shortly before 11 p.ANAHEIM, Calif. -- He started brilliantly, paused for only the smallest of moments, and then just kept rolling on.The Yankees Masahiro Tanaka is in the midst a special kind of stretch, none of which had to be explained to the Los Angeles Angels after he pitched New York to an easy 7-0 victory Friday night.Tanaka retired his first 11 hitters, gave up two singles, and then just kept frustrating the Angels for the rest of his 7 2/3 innings. He allowed five hits, struck out nine, and for the fourth consecutive game did not walk a batter.We faced him before, but tonight he was a little crisper and had his pitches working, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. He pitched ahead in the count and threw a good game for them.The Yankees supported Tanaka (10-4) with four home runs off Jered Weaver, solos shots by Jacoby Ellsbury, Ronald Torreyes, Didi Gregorius and Brian McCann.It was the first career home run for the 23-year-old Torreyes, who had a career-high four hits. It was quite an output for the seldom-used infielder.I think hes handled it extremely well and I think its because his work ethic allows him to have days like today, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. Because every day he considers pregame his game and he works really hard at it.Catcher Gary Sanchez had three hits for New York, becoming the first Yankee rookie with four consecutive multi-hit games since Robinson Cano in 2005.It was more than enough support for Tanaka, who lowered his ERA to 3.24. The Yankees have won 10 of his last 12 starts.Tanaka left the game with two outs in the eighth after he allowed two singles. Left-hander Tommy Layne walked the bases loaded, but Girardi called on Adam Warren to face Mike Trout. The right-hander caught him looking with a fastball on a full count to secure the shutout.Weaver (8-11) is going the opposite direction of Tanaka. He is winless in his last six outings. The four home runs he allowed matched a career-high.I couldnt keep the ball in the yard, Weaver said. I didnt fooll too many people tonight.ddddddddddddNothing hurts worse than letting your teammates down and Ive been doing that on a pretty consistent basis. Its definitely a tough pill to swallow.Weaver has allowed more home runs (34) than any pitcher in baseball. His career ERA against the Yankees is now 6.24 -- his highest against any team in the American League.At times he made some really good pitches, but he was having some trouble getting pitches where he wanted to and those guys didnt miss them, Scioscia said. So well just turn the page on that.The Yankees have beaten the Angels in all five meetings this season. The Angels have lost 13 of their last 15 games overall, falling a season-high 20 games under .500 (51-71).ESCOBAR LEAVES GAMEAngels 3B Yunel Escobar was attempting to bunt his way on in the fourth inning when the ball went directly off his bat and hit him in the face. He quickly left the game. Scioscia said Escobar, who is hitting .320, was hit in the nose and cheek, and the DL was a possibility.Were going to take it one step at a time, but its a possibility, Scioscia said.TRAINERS ROOMYankees: 3B Chase Headley (sore Achilles) was held out, but is expected to return to the lineup Saturday. ... OF Brett Gardner was out with a sore foot. ... The Yankees said RHP Nathan Eovaldi underwent successful Tommy John surgery, in addition to repairing his right flexor tendon.Angels: 1B C.J. Crow (broken bone in left hand) has rejoined the team after his rehab stint at Triple-A Salt Lake City and is expected to be activated Saturday.UP NEXTYankees: RHP Luis Cessa (2-0) is scheduled to make his first major league start. In eight games as a reliever this season, the 24-year-old has a 5.30 ERA.Angels: RHP Ricky Nolasco (4-10) will be looking for his first victory with the Angels in his fourth start. He is 0-2 with a 5.19 ERA in his first three starts. ' ' '