LOS ANGELES -- Yasiel Puig returned to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, seemingly chastened by a monthlong demotion to the minors to work on his hitting and his attitude.The former All-Star started in right field against the San Diego Padres after being called up earlier in the day from Triple-A Oklahoma City.Ultimately, we felt he made us better, manager Dave Roberts said. He can impact a game in a lot of different ways.The 25-year-old Cuban hit .358 with five home runs and 14 RBI in 24 games since being optioned to the minors on Aug. 2. He had been hitting just .260 with seven homers and 34 RBI in 81 games with Los Angeles.They made the right choice sending me down there but now I was doing the correct things to come back, Puig said through a translator. Im here now and Im grateful for the opportunity.Earlier in the week, Puig was reportedly placed on revocable waivers and claimed by at least one other club without a trade being worked out.I dont decide those things, he said. If Im here in Los Angeles, Im going to take advantage of the opportunity and enjoy the city. If its with another team, then thats something that I cant control. I am thankful for the opportunity and Im going to try to do my best to be a good teammate.Puig said he learned discipline and how to be a better teammate during his minor league stint.It wasnt embarrassing. I earned the demotion, he said. I feel like Im a better person and Im here now to show it, to play well, to do things that will positively affect my future.While he was away, the Dodgers maintained a tenuous hold on first in the NL West, something Puig admitted was difficult to watch from afar. He met with some of his teammates before batting practice.They explained to me what they needed from me, he said. Thats really what I was looking for was a talk with the teammates, a talk with everyone, and having that understanding of what was needed from me to succeed on this team.Roberts said the organization is very hopeful the episode proves to be a turning point for Puig.He was humbled to go down to Triple-A, the manager said. To swallow your pride, to take care of business and to look at yourself in the mirror and say, `I got to be better, thats tough to do. But for him to do that, it says a lot about his character.Roberts and Andrew Friedman, president of baseball operations, first discussed bringing Puig back with a handful of veteran players.If they said that they didnt want him, I would have been surprised, Roberts said. They know the character of Yasiel and what he can bring to help us win baseball games and thats the ultimate goal. I certainly would have been surprised if they had nixed the idea.Puigs status in right field isnt guaranteed. While he was gone, the Dodgers acquired Josh Reddick, who has shared time with rookie Andrew Toles. Veteran Andre Ethier is expected back this month after missing most of the season with a broken leg.Now Im going to get to work, Puig said, and hopefully youll see the success of 2013. Thats what Ill be working for. Lou Whitaker Jersey .S. hockey team after paying his dues as an NHL general manager for more than three decades and giving up a lot of his free time to help USA Hockey. Rudy York Jersey . 1, meaning problems for the doping controls at both major international sports events next year. 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WACO, Texas -- New Baylor coach Matt Rhule has made some immediate Texas connections by hiring the president of the states high school coaches who is a former Bears receiver.Rhule announced his first five hires with the Bears on Friday, three days after being named Baylors coach. They include four members from his staff at Temple and David Wetzel, the head coach and athletic director the past 13 seasons at Ronald Reagan High School in San Antonio.Sean Padden will serve as Baylors director of football operations, similar to his role at Temple the past four years.Rhule didnt immediately announce the titles and job duties for Wetzel, Francis Brown, Mike Siravo and Evan Cooper. There was also no indication of when the rest of his staff would be completed.Brown and Siravo were defensive assistants at Temple, and Cooper was director of player personnel for the Owls.Wetzel, who has coached in the state high school ranks for 25 years, was serving as president of the Texas High School Football Coaches Association. He lettered at Baylor in 1990 and 1991 while playing for Grant Teaff, and also earned a masters degree from the school in 1994. Before Reagan, he was head coach at schools in Killeen and Austin.Wetzel told the Waco Tribune-Herald that he exxpects to play a major role in recruiting, but didnt know yet if hed be coaching offense or defense.ddddddddddddGiven the opportunity, its really a unique deal, Wetzel told the newspaper. I feel like its Gods timing for me to be in the right place at the right time.When Rhule was introduced Wednesday in Waco, he said he had already received about 480 text messages, many from coaches. He also didnt rule out the possibility of some of the current Baylor assistants staying, but said he hadnt had a chance to meet with them. Those assistants were retained from former coach Art Briles staff with Jim Grobe as acting head coach this season.NOTE: Baylor announced Friday that Jalen Pitre, a defensive back from Stafford, Texas, signed a financial aid agreement that will allow him to enroll for the spring 2017 semester after graduating from high school early. Before Rhule was hired, Pitre was the only player verbally committed for Baylors recruiting class in February. He had 83 tackles, six interceptions and four forced fumbles as a senior.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 ' ' '