The long-awaited contract talks between star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and the New York Giants are going to start relatively soon.

After months of waiting to see how Beckham recovered from a broken left ankle and how the 25-year-old mended his ways George Iloka Jersey , Giants co-owner John Mara said Thursday the talks with player and his representatives will take place sooner rather than later.

”I think this was the time that we always had in mind,” Mara said.

”But I think Odell personally is moving in the right direction. He has come in here with a good attitude. Showed up yesterday with a smile on his face. He’s worked hard. I think he’s ready to go. He’s ready for a great season.”

The 25-year-old Beckham is entering the fifth and final season of his rookie contract. He is to earn $8.5 million this season, but the three-time Pro Bowler whose career has been tarnished by off-the- field issues, wants to be among the NFL’s highest-paid players, certainly the highest-paid receiver.

Mara refused to say how much the Giants were willing to pay, but noted the franchise wants Beckham to stay for a long time.

Beckham, who was injured in early October and missed the rest of the season, helped himself in the offseason by working hard. He attended about half of the voluntary organized team activities and reported to camp on time Wednesday.

Beckham took part in about 50 percent of the plays in Thursday’s workout and later ran sprints on a back field. He looked good.

Beckham has been the catalyst of the Giants’ offense since being drafted in the first round in 2014. In 47 NFL games, the former LSU product has 313 catches for 4,424 yards and 38 touchdowns.

Fellow receiver Sterling Shepard said Thursday that Beckham seems even more explosive this season.

”He wants to show everyone he still has it,” Shepard said.

In a wide-ranging interview with the media on the first day of practice Marshall Newhouse Jersey , Mara said he hopes the league and the players union will be able to agree on a national anthem policy. He said the team would wait to see what happened in meetings which he said will take place soon.

”Hopefully we can find a resolution that everyone is open to,” Mara said.

Mara also said he believes 37-year-old quarterback Eli Manning still had several good years ahead of him.

The co-owner also is excited by the unlimited physical skills of running back Saquon Barkley. He is concerned about the hype being thrust on the second overall pick in the draft.

”I think he is capable of living up to it,” Mara said. ”I think he is mature beyond his years.”

Mara says he still has not recovered from last year’s 3-13 season that led to the firing of coach Ben McAdoo and general manager Jerry Reese in early December.

However, he admits there is a new feeling in the building with the changes made by new coach Pat Shurmur and general manager Dave Gettleman.

Gettleman, who was diagnosed with lymphoma in late spring, is doing well and is currently in remission, Mara said.

Gettleman was in the office Wednesday and spoke to the team.

”I don’t think I have ever been around a more upbeat person in my life, particularly going through what he has been going through,” Mara said. ”He is optimistic about his recovery and his ability to work this year.”

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Cincinnati Reds have the worst record in the National League at 24-43, but they still have a better record than the Kansas City Royals.

The Reds beat the Royals 5-1 in 10 innings Tuesday. The Royals have dropped eight of their past nine and are 22-45 overall. Only the Baltimore Orioles (19-47) have a worst record.

The Royals are 23 games below .500 for the first time since Sept. 13 Michael Roberts Jersey , 2011, when they were 63-86.

The Reds will go for a sweep of the two-game mini-series in Kansas City on Wednesday night. The Reds’ victory Tuesday was their first over the Royals since June 12, 2010.

Right-hander Tyler Mahle of the Reds and Jason Hammel of the Royals are scheduled starting pitchers for the series finale.

Mahle (4-6, 4.33 ERA) is 1-0 in two June starts, allowing 11 hits and two earned runs in 10 innings, while striking out 11 and walking four.

This will be Mahle’s first time facing the Royals, but not his first time on the Kaufman Stadium mound. He threw a mound session before the 2013 draft when the Reds chose him in the seventh round.

“They had a high school workout,” Mahle said. “Pitchers just threw a bullpen off the game mound; that was it. All the scouts were here.”

He said never pitching against the Royals does not change his preparation.

“It’s the same between every start,” Mahle said. “I prepare to go out there and hit my spots and compete. It’s a new team, and I’ve never seen them play before, so I’m going to do my homework and kind of make a game plan out of it.”

He said he pitches not to the Royals’ weaknesses Tre'Davious White Jersey , but his strengths.

“You always play to your own strength,” he said. “We’re going to find out what their weaknesses are and kind of find something there in the middle. I throw a lot of fastballs, but if there’s a guy who likes a lot of fastballs, it kind of collides there.

“But, at the same time, if you hit spots, good things are going to happen. Obviously if you throw it down the middle, he’s going to hit it, but if you hit a corner, or something like that, always if you make your pitch Jamon Brown Jersey , good things are going to happen.”

Good things happened to the Reds in the Tuesday victory. They trailed 1-0 entering the ninth, but Tucker Barnhart led off the inning with a blast off Kelvin Herrera that landed in the Royals’ bullpen.

“That is against one of the best closers in the game, so that was huge,” Reds manager Jim Riggleman said. “Both pitchers are pitching so good it’s probably going to be a home-run type game. Nobody was putting a rally together. They got one and we got one, and our bullpen really did a great job.”

Hammel (2-6, 5.12 ERA) is 2-1 with a 2.59 ERA in his last four starts after a 13-start winless streak in which he went 0-8 with a 7.28 ERA. He has issued two or fewer walks in 10 of his 13 starts this season.

Hammel is 0-3 with a 4.70 ERA in five home starts this year and is winless in his last seven Kauffman Stadium starts dating to Aug. 20.

He is 4-1 with a 3.42 ERA in 12 career outings (11 starts) against the Reds. He has won his last four starts against Cincinnati with a 0.75 ERA, but has not faced the Reds since 2016.

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