ether four consecutive one-out hits in the first. Davis

RENTON, Wash. -- When Marshawn Lynch posted that photo of his cleats hanging from a wire, the Seattle Seahawks task became about more than finding a replacement for the yards and touchdowns he provided over the course of six seasons.Along with Lynchs retirement came the challenge of trying to replace what he meant to the Seahawks in terms of style and attitude.Were not going to be able to replace him. Point blank, wide receiver Doug Baldwin said. Not his personality, his attitude, his leadership in the locker room and on the field. Were not going to be able to replace that.Lynch was not an ordinary running back. He was attitude in green cleats. The Seattle swagger that led to two Super Bowl trips was amplified by the likes of Richard Sherman and Baldwin, but it was first created by Lynch when he arrived via trade early in the 2010 season.Now the Seahawks go into a season for the first time during their rise to prominence without Lynch on the roster. It may seem a minuscule worry with all the other challenges the Seahawks face, but there is a lingering question about whether Seattle needs to replace the personality Lynch provided.Who he was in the locker room, its people like him that gel the team together. He was glue. He didnt speak out, he wasnt the guy to get in front and do rah-rah speeches but the few times he did, everyone shut ... up and listened because it was Marshawn Lynch, Baldwin said. To that degree it is what it is. He wasnt the rah-rah leader, he wasnt always saying stuff but when he spoke it meant volumes. We dont really have a guy like that who commands the respect and attention at that level. There are only a handful of guys in the league who do anyway. We have the leaders like Richard Sherman, like Russell Wilson that can still carry that weight across the team.The process of finding Lynchs replacement begins Saturday when the Seahawks face Kansas City in their preseason opener. The expectation is that Thomas Rawls will be Lynchs heir based on his performance last season as Lynchs backup.Rawls rushed for 830 yards and four touchdowns, and averaged 5.6 yards per carry last season, but suffered a serious ankle injury in December against Baltimore that required surgery and a lengthy rehab. Rawls was only activated from the physically unable to perform list earlier this week and may not even see the field during the preseason.So while Rawls seems the likely replacement, there are questions surrounding his health, leaving the likes of Alex Collins, Christine Michael, Zac Brooks and others to spend the next four weeks trying to take advantage of the opportunity.They all seem to know what being a running back for Seattle entails.Id say definitely toughness. Our (running backs) coach (Sherman Smith) likes to look at it as we set the tone and the tempo for the team. Everyone feeds off the running backs, Collins said. Weve got to run down the field and get the defense chasing. You know, we set the tone so I embrace that and our group embraces that. Thats just what we try to do every day.Seattle got a taste of life without Lynch last season when he missed nine games due to hamstring and abdominal injuries. He rehabilitated away from the team for the latter of the two injuries, spending the final weeks of the regular season mostly absent from the teams facility.During that period, the Seattle offense became even more about Wilson. That evolution will continue this season because no one can completely replace Lynch.Our style is who we are. Marshawn just took that to a whole other level, offensive line coach Tom Cable said. What you hope is Thomas (Rawls) and Christine (Michael) and C.J. (Prosise) and Alex (Collins), all these kids can find their niche in it or their role in it or their style in it if you will. But our style is what we have here, what coach has laid out, and finding the runner that can lift that up. Thats certainly what Marshawn did.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFLCustom Cubs Jerseys .J. -- Seven games into a disappointing season, New York Giants defensive catalyst Jason Pierre-Paul is getting the feeling hes back. Custom Kosuke Fukudome Jersey . -- Mike Smith never saw his first NHL goal go in. http://www.customcubsjersey.com/ . One game after a miserable showing in Oklahoma City, Gay tied a career high with 41 points and the Sacramento Kings cruised to a 114-97 victory at the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. Custom Cubs T-shirts . The Montreal Canadiens announced on Friday that the veteran forward will return to the teams line-up on Saturday night when the Habs visit the Nashville Predators. Custom Cubs Jersey China . -- The Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake played to a 0-0 tie Saturday night that left the top of the Western Conference standings unchanged.OAKLAND, Calif. -- Erasmo Ramirez knew immediately that Athletics slugger Billy Butler made good contact on the 0-1 fastball the Rays reliever threw.Ramirez just didnt know how good -- and on a day in which Tampa Bays offense slumbered through most of the game, it turned out to be just enough to send manager Kevin Cashs ballclub spiraling to a third consecutive loss.Butler hit a tiebreaking home run off Ramirez with one out in the eighth inning and the As held on to beat the Rays 3-2 on Sunday.He had the right swing at the right moment, Ramirez said of Butler. I couldnt believe it. I thought it would be a double because it was a line drive, to the wall. But it wasnt there for me today. It was sad because we need the win.The Rays have lost three straight after winning the opener of this series with the As. Tampa Bay (38-60) fell 22 games under .500 for the third time this season.Home runs have beat us up a lot this year, Cash said. Solo shots, two-run, three-run whatever they are it just seems weve given up uncharacteristic amount of home runs. Obviously when you give up that many, theyre coming at the wrong time.The Rays lost the previous two games on walkoff hits and trailed 2-0 until Logan Forsythes tying two-run homer in the top of the eighth.Tampa Bays bullpen coughed up the lead not long after that.Ramirez (7-8) retired Khris Davis on a fly ball before Butler hammered an 0-1 pitch over the wall in center. Its Butlers third home run of the season and first since June 7.Its been tough for him, As manager Bob Melvinn said.ddddddddddddIts tough for a guy that plays every day to try to get himself into a rhythm if hes not, but thats a big hit today.Davis added two hits while Jake Smolinski doubled twice and scored for the As. Oakland improved to 7-3 since the All-Star break.Ryan Dull (4-2) retired two batters for the win despite giving up Forsythes home run. Ryan Madson pitched the ninth for his 21st save.Oakland jumped on Tampa Bay rookie left-hander Blake Snell early and strung together four consecutive one-out hits in the first. Davis had an RBI double and Butler added a run-scoring single to put the As up 2-0.SNELLS DAYSnell pitched fairly well despite being denied his bid at becoming the first Rays rookie starter to win in Oakland since 1998. The lefty allowed two runs over 6 2/3 innings with four strikeouts and one walk. They got two runs quick and then I just let that go, Snell said. I had to pick it up. The defense was playing really well behind me.TRAINERS ROOMRays: Desmond Jennings (strained left hamstring) ran the bases and took batting practice without a setback during a minor league rehab appearance. ... RHP Brad Boxberger threw 22 pitches in a rehab outing and is hopeful of rejoining the big league club in Los Angeles.UP NEXTRays: RHP Chris Archer (5-13) pitches against the Dodgers in the opener of a two-game series on Tuesday. Archer entered the weekend leading the AL with 147 strikeouts. ' ' '