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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Willis McGahees decision to skip off-season workouts isnt what cost the veteran running back his job with the Denver Broncos. His absence, however, did allow the organization to see ample promise in rookie Montee Ball and abundant progress from second-year speedster Ronnie Hillman. That gave them the faith to put the football and their fortunes in the hands of the two young running backs Thursday by releasing McGahee, the 31-year-old bruiser who led them in rushing last season despite missing the final two months with a right knee injury. The move wasnt unexpected, but the timing of it was a bit of a surprise. The Broncos could have kept McGahee through training camp as an insurance policy against injury even if he wasnt going to vie for the starting job. Instead, they sent him on his way just before wrapping up their three-day mandatory minicamp where McGahee had gotten just a handful of handoffs. "In fairness to him, I think (for) the things hes done for us, this gives him a better opportunity to hook on somewhere," coach John Fox said. "It gives us a better opportunity to give some of these young guys more reps. Its just a conscious decision for us to get younger." McGahee was mostly a spectator this week and seemed resigned to his impending release when on Tuesday he said, "If it happens, it happens." Hours after releasing McGahee, the Broncos signed Ball, their second-round draft pick, along with cornerback Kayvon Webster, their third-round selection. "Im not here for money, honestly," Ball said shortly before heading inside team headquarters to sign his contract. "And thats what I told my agent. I told him not to bother them that much. Im just blessed to be here because its always been my favourite team." McGahee had two years and $4.5 million remaining on the four-year, $9.5 million deal he signed in 2011. By releasing him, the Broncos will take a $1 million cap hit this season. The Broncos are still deep at the position with former first-round pick Knowshon Moreno and versatile fullback Jacob Hester, among other veterans, also in the mix. McGahee was the first signing Fox and his boss, John Elway, made when they joined forces in 2011, and Fox said parting ways with the affable pro was difficult both for him and running backs coach Eric Studesville, who had worked with McGahee back in Buffalo. "Id like to thank Willis for everything he did. He did a great job for us, leading rusher. He was one of our first signees when we came here to get this thing turned around and its an unfortunate part about this business, but he did a great job for us," Fox said. Elway said, "Its never easy to part ways with a veteran player who made so many positive contributions to our team and community. I appreciate all of the competitiveness, toughness and leadership Willis brought to the Broncos. He was an integral part of our teams turnaround during the past two seasons, and I wish him the best as he continues his NFL career." Even with Ball, who scored an NCAA record 83 touchdowns at Wisconsin, joining a bulked-up Hillman in the Broncos backfield, McGahee shunned the teams three weeks of voluntary workouts this spring, something Fox insisted had nothing to do with Thursdays decision to release him. Upon his return for the Broncos mandatory minicamp Tuesday, McGahee said he skipped the OTAs for family reasons, insisted he would still be the starter come September and suggested that missing those 10 workouts didnt put him at a decided disadvantage by giving the youngsters a head start. "I probably would have been behind the 8-ball either way," he said. "Younger group. Just being real, right?" Now hell be looking to carry the ball for someone else. The 11-year veteran who was set to make $2.5 million in 2013 should draw interest across the league. Although hes pushing 32, hes doesnt have the wear and tear that would be expected of a running back who has been in the league a decade because he spent much of his career sharing snaps. He played in Buffalo from 2003-06 and Baltimore from 2007-10 before joining the Broncos for an eventful two seasons in which he was an integral part of the Tim Tebow experiment and then the Peyton Manning comeback tour. McGahee, who became one of the NFLs most dependable runners despite tearing all the ligaments in his left knee during his last game for the University of Miami, tore the medial collateral ligament and suffered a compression fracture to his right knee in a game against San Diego last November and missed the rest of the year. Still, he led the team with 731 yards rushing. McGahee said this week he wasnt bothered by the Broncos selecting another running back high in the draft, suggesting, "Im a different breed. I can block, I can run, I can get the tough yards. Everybody cant do that." He also said he had been medically cleared to participate fully at practice, declaring, "Im healthy. Im clear. No problems. I can run," and he said he felt he still had plenty of football left in him, especially with the way the rules severely limit padded practices now. His teammates had figured McGahee would be back with them for some of those practices when training camp opens next month and were stunned to see his empty chair in the running backs meeting room. "I mean hes a guy that you look up to being in the league for a very long time and hes still capable of doing the things that he was doing six years ago," Hillman said. "So Im pretty sure hell get picked up again. But its a sad day for me because he was a real mentor to me."Austin Corbett Youth Jersey . MORITZ, Switzerland -- Fog prevented downhill racers from getting their Olympic dress rehearsal. 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PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Rays are doing very little well lately.Thanks to a torrid stretch in which they have dropped 18 of 21 games, the last-place Rays (34-50) are now 15 games behind the first-place Baltimore Orioles in the American League East. They are also seven games behind the team directly ahead of them, the fourth-place New York Yankees.However, the Rays are consistently hitting the ball well against lefties. They are batting .283 against left-handers as opposed to .229 against right-handers, and they are 11-9 against lefties, 23-41 against righties.Thus, if there is any optimism for Tampa Bay headed into the series finale against the Angels on Thursday, wrapping up a homestand that currently stands at 3-7, it is that the Rays get to face Los Angeles left-hander Hector Santiago.Santiago (5-4, 4.93 ERA) owns a career 8.38 ERA against Tampa Bay, including a 9.00 ERA in one previous start this season.The Rays counter with a young lefty of their own, rookie Blake Snell, who is 1/3 with a 3.86 ERA. He is making just his sixth career start, his first against the Angels.Los Angeles (35-50) were in a 2-12 tailspin after dropping the series opener at Tropicana Field on Monday. The Angels responded a 13-5 win Tuesday and a 7-2 victory Wednesday for their first two-game winning streak in 17 days.Wednesday was another game in which so much went wrong for the Rays early that it mattered little that the bullpen stepped up with five scoreless innings, including three innings of one-hit ball from Matt Andriese, who has pitched well since transitioning from the rotation.By the fifth inning, however, the Rays trailed 7-0, done in by three errors, matching their season high, and another ineffective outing by right-hander Drew Smyly, who is 0-6 in his last nine starts.ddddddddddddere not playing well. Were not pitching well, said Smyly, who said he cant wait for the All-Star break and a chance to reset things from his current slump. Hopefully the second half will go better for us.The Angels are swinging hot bats right now. They are averaging 8.7 runs per game on their current road trip while hitting .336, including a .383 average with runners in scoring position. Wednesday brought a rare bright spot from their pitching to match that, holding an opponent to two runs or fewer for just the second time in 16 games.If youre a team that wants to reach your goal, you need quality innings, said Angels manager Mike Scioscia, pleased with Jered Weaver, who held the Rays to one run on four hits over seven innings. You need a pitcher to go out and throw 200 quality innings, which is something a pitcher strives for. Thats what important. You can give a guy the ball, let him go out and get beat up and give you 200 innings, and thats going to have a minimum positive effect on the outcome of your season.Both teams have one more series before the All-Star break. The Rays go to Boston, hoping to find some positive momentum to take into the break, while the Angels go to Baltimore, aiming to close out their road trip with more hitting and more wins. ' ' '