AUBURN, Ala. -- Sean White will open this season like he finished the last one: As Auburns starting quarterback.Coach Gus Malzahn proclaimed White the winner of the three-man race over Jeremy Johnson and junior college transfer John Franklin III after Thursdays practice. White will start Sept. 3 against No. 2 Clemson.Weve got three guys that can run our offense but Sean Whites the first one that will be out there, Malzahn said. Were excited for Sean. Hes earned it. Hes a guy that has experience in our offense last year. Hes a tough guy. Hes in a good spot. Hes in a good spot to lead this team. The teams going to rally around him so Im excited for him.White replaced Johnson as starter in midseason and started five games before sustaining knee and foot injuries against Arkansas. He reclaimed the No. 1 job in the Birmingham Bowl win over Memphis.He was the first Auburn freshman quarterback to make his starting debut against an SEC opponent since Jeff Klein against Tennessee in 1999. White was also the first Auburn passer to throw for 250-plus yards in three consecutive games since Dameyune Craig in 1997.But he only threw one touchdown pass against four interceptions, two of them coming in the bowl game.Now, hes emerged on top from a competition that carried through spring until nine days before the opener.It feels really good, White said. I feel blessed to be in this position, and I feel responsible to lead this team against Clemson. Im happy coach put this responsibility on me and my teammates believe in me. I feel like they have a reason to believe in me. Well be ready to go come Saturday.White said theres a night and day difference from last season, when Johnson opened as not only the clear starter but regarded as a potential star.Before the season, I prepared hard, I wasnt slacking, but I wasnt preparing to go out and start and lead the team until my name was called on, White said. This year, I had all spring, all preseason to prepare like Im the starter. Thats been a huge difference as far as timing with the receivers and just being able to go out there and run the plays, not think, and being able to lead everybody.Malzahn didnt disclose a pecking order behind White. The coach said White ran a 4.6 40 in the spring.Tailback Kerryon Johnson said its a relief to have the quarterback question answered finally. He said theres more to White than just being nice.Hes obviously a really nice guy and a really great friend, Johnson said. But I think Sean has a little mean streak to him. Hes not going to back down from anybody. Hes a spicy player and he loves competition. Thats the thing that people get out of playing with him. They really get that attitude that you can really feed off of as a team.Jeremy Johnson had already had a tough week before losing the quarterback battle. His grandfather, Ojedita Johnson, was killed in a car accident in Lowndes County on Wednesday morning.Our thoughts and prayers go out to him, Malzahn said. Thats a tough situation. Were all hurting for him. Air Max Mens Australia . The 31-year-old Spain midfielder hasnt played since Madrid lost in the Copa del Rey final to Atletico Madrid in May due to back and foot injuries. Air Max Australia Online .Y. - Free agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, fresh off winning the World Series with Boston, reached agreement with the rival New York Yankees on a seven-year contract worth about $153 million, a person familiar with the negotiations said Tuesday night. http://www.cheapairmaxaustraliaonline.com/Air Max Australia . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. Nike Air Max Australia Sale . -- 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. NEW YORK -- A rookie starting pitcher has won each of the first two games of the three-game series between the New York Mets and Washington Nationals. Both teams hope that remains the case in Sundays series finale.A pair of first-year hurlers will take the mound Sunday night, when the Mets are scheduled to host the Nationals at Citi Field. New York earned a 3-1 win Saturday night, when rookie Robert Gsellman collected his second career victory after allowing one run over six solid innings.With the win, the Mets (70-66) moved within one game of the St. Louis Cardinals in the race for the National Leagues second wild-card spot. New York has gained 4 1/2 games on the Cardinals in the last 15 days.I thought tonight was a big game for us to have to win, Mets manager Terry Collins said. Obviously, we werent supposed to win it because we had a rookie pitching.But thats why its a great game. You just never know.Of course, the Nationals could have said the same thing Friday night, when rookie A.J. Cole also gave up one run over six innings in a 4-1 victory. It was the first major league win for Cole.Two rookies will start Sunday, when Mets right-hander Seth Lugo opposes Nationals right-hander Reynaldo Lopez, who will be promoted from Triple-A Syracuse prior to the game.Washington was originally scheduled to start ace right-hander Max Scherzer, but he was pushed back to Monday in order to get him an extra day of rest aas the Nationals (79-56), who lead the Mets by 9 1/2 games in the NL East, prepare for the playoffs.ddddddddddddScherzer is second in the National League in both starts (28) and innings pitched (190). He threw eight innings in each of his last two starts and three times in six starts in August overall.If I can give a guy an extra day, then well give him an extra day, Nationals manager Dusty Baker said. You would love for Max to pitch against the Mets. But (they) felt the extra day was more important than Max pitching here.Lopez will be making his sixth career start while Lugo will be making his fourth big league start.Lopez hasnt pitched for the Nationals since Aug. 23, when he gave up six runs (four earned) on seven hits and three walks while striking out two over a career-low 2 2/3 innings in an 8-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. He is 2-2 with a 5.33 ERA for Washington this season.Lugo, who moved into the rotation when another rookie, left-hander Steven Matz, suffered a shoulder injury, earned his second straight win on Tuesday, when he allowed two runs on five hits and one walk while striking out four over six innings as the Mets beat the Miami Marlins, 7-4. He is 2-1 with a 2.55 ERA in three starts since joining the rotation and 2-2 with a 2.60 ERA in 12 appearances overall. ' ' '