Browns rookie Armonty Bryant admitted to a recent substance abuse problem, but with the help of roommate Barkevious Mingo and speakers at the NFL symposium, he's determined to stay sober. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns rookie defensive end Armonty Bryant admitted Tuesday to a substance abuse problem. But with the help of fellow rookie Barkevious Mingo, team support and some powerful messages at this week's NFL rookie symposium, he's working at staying sober.

"I would say yes,'' Bryant said after the rookies' Play 60 youth event at the Browns facility when asked if drugs and alcohol had been a problem. "Because I thought at times I was above the game, and that's one thing they’ve been teaching us at the symposium -- don’t be above the game.

"It's a blessing that I’m even here playing this game and living out a dream of mine. So don't take advantage of this, and I feel that’s exactly what I did.''

Bryant, arrested on a drunk-driving charge less than a week after being a seventh-round pick by Cleveland from East Central (Okla.) University, saw himself in former NBA player Chris Herren, who delivered an emotional speech this week about losing everything to heroin, crack cocaine, crystal meth and any other drug he could get his hands on. In addition to the DUI, Bryant was arrested on campus in October, 2012 for twice selling $20 worth of marijuana to undercover cops.

"(Herren's) message was real powerful," said Bryant. "He was talking about his substance abuse, and he was just really strung out on drugs, real bad. He was able to get help over and over and still make the same mistakes.

"I feel like it kind of reminds me of myself, just getting help and then making the same mistakes. Hearing about the whole 17 years of just being strung out on drugs, who knows? ... It could happen to anyone. I really took his message and it really stuck with me that you’re going to have to get over this and just know that later on, whatever the future may hold, this could better you.''

View full sizeBrowns rookie Armonty Bryant (center, with Barkevious Mingo at left) has some fun with Cleveland 9-year-old Saiedd Reed during the Play 60 event during the NFL rookie symposium at the Browns practice facility on Tuesday. Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer 

Since the DUI arrest, Bryant has sworn off drugs and alcohol, played lots of X-Box and has been hanging with Mingo.

"He's just been keeping me focused and just really helping me out through my situation and everything. We go out, go watch a movie, go out to dinner, just get my mind of stuff like that.''

Mingo, the team's first-round pick, has embraced the opportunity to help Bryant.

"I guess it works both ways," he said. "He's obviously trying to make amends for the mistakes he's made in his past. He's trying to stop doing stuff that caused him problems. Me not doing that and him being with me, we kind of just have common interests I guess. We're doing the same things, so it kind of worked out for the both of us."

He's convinced Bryant is determined to stay straight.

"I've talked with him a lot. ... He's trying to make up for that. Those guys that we just saw (in the symposium), he doesn't want that to happen to him.''

Bryant, who started using as a senior in high school, has paid attention to receiver Josh Gordon's two-game suspension for a positive codeine test. Like Bryant, Gordon was arrested on a marijuana charge in college that hurt his career.

"He's my teammate now and I have to have his back and everything, but me going through the same type of situation, making mistakes in college, it's something I can learn from," Bryant said. "I'll just try to keep my eyes forward and stay on that narrow path."

Bryant listened to former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett's cautionary tale of ruining his NFL career before it began. A third-round pick of the Broncos in 2005, Clarett never played an NFL down, had drug problems, was arrested for armed robbery and spent three years in prison on a gun charge. He's currently playing rugby in Columbus and doing speaking engagements.

"That really opened my eyes,'' said Bryant. "It just goes to show that as fast as it can be given, it can be taken away.''

His takeaway from Clarett was to surround himself with the right people.

"He said 'show me your friends, I'll show you your future,'" said Bryant. "I've been thinking about that a lot. If your friends are doing the wrong things, you could be going down that same path they are."

Bryant called his drug use "a weekend-type thing."

"When you go out on the weekends, you just want to loosen up a little bit from a long week," he said. "Now how I loosen up is just talk to friends and family. Just hearing people's voices at home and them telling me, 'Oh man, you're so lucky to be there.'

"Making another mistake like that would just be like a slap in the face to them, so I've been working really hard on not doing it."

In addition to the support from Mingo and others, Bryant takes measures to stay sober. He's also likely in the NFL's substance abuse program following the DUI.

"I talk to a psychologist here who works with the team every week," Bryant said. "We talk about it, all the urges that I might have and stuff like that, and what I do to overcome them. It's really helped me out a lot."

After the symposium, Bryant will return home to Texas until training camp begins July 25. He's not worried that without Mingo he'll get in trouble again.

"My mom, she's everything for me and she just keeps me positive," he said. "She's like 'son, don't be doing anything stupid, just stay home.' She's really hard on me and she knows what I have at stake, what I can really be and stuff like that, so she really has my back on everything."

Thanks to his support system, Bryant has been finding it easier to change his lifestyle.

"Deep down inside I know that it’s what I really need to do," he said. "Just being here, I just feel like I don’t want to do it anymore. I just want to give that up."

Mingo on contract: Mingo said he's gotten good reports from his agent about his contract negotiations. "I hear we're getting close,'' he said.

Former All-Star boss with Boston won't add to Jim Leyland's "impossible job."

BALTIMORE, Md. -- Seen and heard at Camden Yards before Tuesday's game.

Clubhouse confidential: Manager Terry Francona has given some thought on who among his players deserves at trip the All-Star Game next month at Citi Field in New York. But having sat in the seat now occupied by AL All-Star manager Jim Leyland, who will have a big say on who makes the club, he's kept them to himself.

"I've given it some thought, but I'd like to keep it private," said Francona. "I have as much respect for Jim Leyland as anyone in the game and I know he will leave no stone unturned. Having been through the process, I also know it's an impossible job because every team has to be represented."

On the block: GM Chris Antonetti was talking to reporters in the dugout before the game. DH Jason Giambi walked by, noticed the crowd, and said, "Chris, did you get traded?"

Said Antonetti, "Yeah, I just traded myself. It's the best deal I've ever made. I made a lot of people happy."

"I'm not going to let you go down that street, Chris," said Giambi.

Stat of the day: Jason Kipnis entered tied for fourth in the AL with 17 stolen bases, while tied for third with five caught stealings. Teammate Michael Bourn has also been thrown out five times.

The third edition of The Plain Dealer's Summer Solstice Golf Challenge featured the usual array of birdies, sextuple-bogeys, dented trees, dumbfounding putts, bathroom breaks and frightened deer. And a broken bone.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Rising before 4 a.m., teeing off before the sun, planning for over 16 hours of rollicking and/or resolute golf, the last two words anyone wanted to hear as part of the day were, "It's broken."

The next two least popular words would have been "incident report."

The third edition of The Plain Dealer's Summer Solstice Golf Challenge, at Hickory Nut Golf Course in Columbia Station on June 21, featured the usual array of birdies, sextuple-bogeys, dented trees, dumbfounding putts, bathroom breaks and frightened deer. It also included fishing interludes and a total of 164 holes played between two foursomes, which featured a mix of Plain Dealer staffers and victims, er, winners, of a reader contest to join the adventure to see which team could play the most holes from sunup to sundown.

Damian Lee, a 35-year-old cook from Bedford and the best player in the event, led Team T-Par-T through 74 holes while racking up five birdies and 28 pars. The other team, GOBO, featured a Marine, and even Sean Drapac was impressed by the pain tolerance he witnessed in his foursome.

"I still can't get over his calm demeanor after being struck by the line drive," Drapac said when the day was over.

That referenced the Challenge's first broken bone -- reporter on reporter violence perpetrated by a hack who should never be allowed to grip a club again and absorbed by an honorable man of strength who took a liner from a sliced 6-iron off his right wrist and reacted with the calm of someone standing over a six-inch putt.

"In our house you had to be coughing up blood to get an Advil," said Emily Rogers, one of the four player assistants who catered to the golfers' needs and the daughter of wounded Plain Dealer sportswriter Tim Rogers.

The identity of the really, really sorry writer/attacker -- really sorry, Tim -- isn't as important as the reaction of Rogers, whose golf day ended on the 24th hole of what would be a record-breaking 90 holes from his group.

"It's broken," was all he said.

Then after a trip to the emergency room, his arm in a sling, he came back to watch the last 40 holes.

As for the incident report, that's really more of a human resources thing. (By the way, I am ready to make my confession, er, statement.)

Team T-Par-T (74 holes)

View full sizeThere's no doubt about it, Damian Lee's fluid swing was far too accomplished for the general level of play seen by most participants at last week's Summer Solstice Challenge.Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer 

There was no real strategy for Team T-Par-T last Friday morning. The goal was to surpass the 2012 record of 72 holes completed. The idea was to have fun along the way at Hickory Nut Golf Course in Columbia Station.

If only we had known what we were dealing with in Team GOBO ... what it was capable of in its relentless, soulless quest to play the most holes.

What follows is a story of courage in the face of treachery, of inspiration when all seemed lost, of ... OK, too much? Really, it's just trying to make it through a long, long day -- with endless laughs along the way.

A force of nature: After teeing off on No. 10 just before 5:20 a.m., T-Par-T is on the fairway at No. 13 at 6:05 a.m. The mood is relaxed, the pace steady but not rushed. Bedford resident Damian Lee, 35, is already showing off his skills, using a smooth swing with a long follow-through to hit one solid shot after another.

But Lee suddenly makes a beeline to the woods. He's the first to break, after less than an hour on the course. Some things can't wait. "Too much coffee," Lee says. "If I have any coffee left in me I'd be shocked."

Float like a butterfly: Don't take T-Par-T's relaxed atmosphere the wrong way. It wants to play the most holes, and Strongsville resident Tom Breno, 58, isn't above using a little strategy to disrupt Team GOBO.

After taking a double bogey on the par-3 16th, Breno decides to leave a present for Plain Dealer sportswriter Doug Lesmerises -- a paper butterfly taped to the flag stick. We know Lesmerises has an irrational fear of butterflies. Anything to throw off his game -- not that there's much game to throw off.

Lesmerises later Tweets that he found Tom's butterfly and says, "He will pay." We laugh it off ... we should have been scared to death.

And things bog down: T-Par-T, whose foursome also consists of myself and Plain Dealer golf editor Kristen Davis, completes its first nine at 7:19 a.m. We're already behind Team GOBO, and at the No. 1 tee is a long line of foursomes waiting to tee off. It will be 20 minutes before we're back on the course. Starting at No. 1 proves a big advantage to GOBO. Who planned that?

The line is cast: At No. 5 we're held up again. Nearby is a pond, and this gives Breno a chance to try his luck for the first time.

Breno, a production manager at AlphaGraphics, carries a Pocket Fisherman while golfing to pass the time while waiting for other groups. He's caught about 10 fish this summer in his weekly league with the Strongsville Optimist Club. He thinks he has a nibble, but whatever it was escapes.

"There's some nice fish in there," he says. "Next time, next time." He would get a few more shots but come up empty on this day.

Now we know what we're dealing with: It's just after 10 a.m. and T-Par-T is back on No. 13 when we learn Plain Dealer sportswriter Tim Rogers, a member of Team GOBO, is out with a broken wrist. How was it broken? He was struck by a ball "shanked" by Lesmerises early in their second round.

Rogers heads to the hospital, but GOBO carries on with three players. And guess what? They're making great time, quickly gaining more ground on us. Starting in Round 3, Rogers is replaced by 2011 Summer Solstice Golf Challenge participant Maureen Adler, 52, of Fairview Park, who is a phenomenal golfer.

So a few questions come to mind: What kind of cold, competitive monsters are we dealing with? And how did poor Rogers draw the short straw and not Lesmerises?

Long and short of it: At 11 a.m., Lee asks what hole we're on. It's No. 18, the 27th overall. "I'm going to keep swinging till the sun don't shine," said Lee. "I shouldn't even care what hole we're on."

Lee, a cook at Beachwood's Yours Truly, is playing great. His Round 1 was highlighted by a 43 on the front side that included a 10 on the Par-5 eighth, an anomaly. His play makes an impression on Breno, who is a fine golfer himself.

"I could watch him golf all day. He is really good," Breno says at about 2:15 p.m. as we get ready to tee off at the par-4 15th. Moments later, Lee hits an approach shot from about 115 yards and immediately says "I'm going to be short." The ball bounces just in front of the green, then rolls up to about 12 feet from the cup. This brings a laugh from Breno.

"Yeah, short of spectacular!" he says.

And the heat is on: It's getting hot (84 degrees at 4:30 p.m.). Fatigue, both mental and physical, is setting in. Well, maybe not for Lee -- he's in the cart with his feet up, looking relaxed and still playing well. Breno remains quick with an easy laugh and says he feels fine. So maybe it's just one member of T-Par-T that is struggling.

"I'm not as tired as I thought I'd be ... for as out of shape as I am and old as I am," Breno says with chuckle.

Better safe than sorry: A few minutes after 5 p.m. we finish No. 9 for the third time, No. 54 overall. Team GOBO is now right behind and about to lap us. Earlier, when they got us in their sights, they yelled "We're coming!" We're competitors, though, so we do what competitors do when faced with a challenge: We head to the clubhouse to take a quick break while GOBO speeds on past. With Lesmerises out there, the clubhouse is the safest spot.

A needed boost: It's past 7:30 p.m. and for all of his love of golf, even Breno is dragging. But at 7:40 p.m. his wife, Judy, and about a half-dozen neighbors arrive to cheer him on. It makes a noticeable difference as his game is rejuvenated. They carry signs, and yell and cheer good shots not only by Breno, but by the rest of the foursome. They're a welcome addition.

At 8:50 p.m., with the sky growing darker, Breno gets his first birdie of the day, on the 511-yard par-5 No. 8, the 71st hole overall. At 9:03 p.m. we finish No. 72, and Breno's fans head for the clubhouse.

"They can only stay sober for so long," he jokes.

A lengthy beatdown: It's after 9 p.m., darkness is setting in quickly despite a big, bright moon, and the course has grown quiet. We decide to eclipse the 72 holes played by all eight golfers in last year's solstice challenge and head back to the first tee to go for 74 holes.

Meanwhile, GOBO is racing to complete 90 -- five full rounds of 18. Their devious tactics have worked ... they've trounced us. It matters little to Team T-Par-T.

At 9:33 p.m., Breno sinks the final, short putt under the light of a lantern. "I'm glad to see it come to an end but I hate to see it end," Lee says. "It's been a blast."

-- Cliff Pinckard

Team GOBO (90 holes)

View full sizeA sense of humor is always a good extra club in the bag ... and Deb Solyan certainly had that in spades.Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer 

Some may think a newspaper-sponsored golf outing is for fun. Others might surmise, correctly, that such an event offers a chance at immortality -- or at least bragging rights for a half-hour while you're packing up, which is pretty much the same thing.

For Team GOBO (which my partners told me stood for "Golfing Our Butts Off," but I preferred to think of as "Going Out and Beating the Others"), the idea that the previous best in the first two years of this event was 72 holes played was worth scoffing at.

Now the bar is set at 90 holes, in a smooth 16:06. That's just over 3:13 per round. We started at No. 1, while Team T-Par-T started on No. 10, and by the middle of the fourth round, guess who was playing through?

Maybe she just hates wood: Relentlessly upbeat Deb Solyan's time-saving tip may have been a coincidence, but it might be worth repeating in the future challenges.

No tees. She just dropped her ball between the markers and took a whack, to the amazement of early cart partner Tim Rogers, who'd never seen anything like it in his life. Maybe Solyan just had something against wood.

With the carts featuring flags hanging from the back, and an inflatable shark on each roof, Solyan snapped her wooden flagstick while driving under trees on the sixth hole. It wouldn't, unfortunately, be the only time this group heard a crack like that.

Solyan also rolled in a 35-foot downhill par putt on No. 11 that energized this foursome, which briefly started putting like the hole was as big as an inflatable shark's mouth.

Storming the greens: Sean Drapac served in 13 countries during his time as a Marine, and he attacked the greens with a fervor. He may not have been thinking about 90 holes from the first drive with glow-in-the-dark golf balls ... it might have been 108.

He snacked on energy chews; reminisced, while pounding an energy drink, about staying awake for 36 hours during his service; chased two deer into the woods to see if they were still hanging around after sprinting across the fairway; and pushed and prodded Team GOBO to five full rounds.

Drapac also triple-skipped a tee shot across a pond and onto land. I immediately followed with a single skip to safety. Anything a Marine can do, I can do one-third as well. At the suggestion that he should have been forced to wear a 40-pound pack to play, Drapac said, "Oh, that'd be light."

Since his service ended, Drapac has simultaneously been earning his bachelor's degree and MBA on a three-year plan that he has nearly completed.

So maybe that's the key to the Solstice Challenge. Compared to what he's done in his life, 90 holes in a day was easy.

Follow that blocker: Hickory Nut was crowded Friday, as golfers took in the recent updates and improvements that pleasantly surprised several members of the Solstice Challenge who had played there in recent years.

Playing quickly on the crowded day required help. And that meant Frank the Tank. Frank, our ranger for the much of the day, consistently cleared our path, asking the groups ahead of us if we could play through. Everyone obliged, many asked supportively how we were doing, and it kept us on track.

(Maybe a few wanted to stay out of the way of the golfer rumored to have broken a guy's wrist)

Frank was like a fullback leading us through the hole. To the patrons and employees at Hickory Nut, many thanks.

Bad omen: On the third hole of round two, Rogers chipped his ball into the cart I was sharing with Drapac. It didn't hit anyone. He did not play it as it lied after it settled by the gas pedal.

More bad omens: On the 14th hole of our first round, I lined a banana slice tee shot over the head of photographer Marvin Fong, who was capturing our foibles for The Plain Dealer and saw his life flash before his lens. On the same hole, after landing in a fairway bunker, I nearly hit myself in the groin with the rebound of a shot that banked off the lip and shot backward. Later in the day, I did pop up a chip from the banks of a pond into my own chest.

Mo the super sub: Once Rogers was knocked out, the final 12 holes of the second round flew by as Team GOBO played as a threesome. It may have seemed like a brilliantly cruel secret strategy, if my lack of ability wasn't so widely known. But frankly, it wasn't fair to Team T-Par-T, which was already playing as if wading through molasses.

Enter Mo. Maureen Adler, a participant in the first Challenge in 2011, had been invited back to play a final 18 with the rest of the veterans. But several decided to get in an early 18 at Hickory Nut, so when Team GOBO needed a fourth around 11:30 a.m., she was there.

"When you get the call-up," Adler said, "you've got to be ready."

Ever play with one of those people who just pounds drives down the middle of the fairway and makes boring, by-the-book pars all the time? That's Adler. Amazing. She made 25 pars in 54 holes, but was frustrated in her attempts to join the birdie club inhabited by Solyan, Drapac, and, stunningly, me. (I offered to trade my one birdie for her 25 pars, but she didn't bite.)

Paired with Solyan, a friend from college, the two got rolling. Adler didn't stop. She played another four rounds over the next four days. She'll be ready if needed next year.

"You better believe it," she said. "I keep my clubs in my trunk and my shoes in the back seat. I'm always on call."

Gain through the pain: In the end, Solyan and Rogers had family and friends there lending support, and Rogers' resilience remained the most lasting memory for Team GOBO. Especially for the next six weeks or so until he's out of the sling.

Let's just say that if the roles were reversed, and the slicer had been the one taking the blow, there would have been a lot more tears, hyperventilating and calls for a helicopter airlift.

-- Doug Lesmerises

Special thanks to Hickory Nut manager Julia Osborne, superintendent Geof Kazmierczak, the rangers for keeping us moving and the gracious customers who allowed us to play through all day; player assistants P.J. Flannery, Sean Flannery, Brian O'Shea and Emily Rogers; Brenda and Rob Kammer of Strongsville AlphaGraphics; and Don Padgett III of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

Justin Masterson gave up five runs in the seventh inning Tuesday night.

BALTIMORE, Md. -- Justin Masterson went from one extreme to another Tuesday night at Camden Yards. Which is another way of saying he was extremely good right up until he was extremely bad.

Masterson, who retired the first 12 men he faced, surrendered a two-run homer to Chris Davis and a three-run homer to Alexi Casilla n the seventh inning as the Orioles came from behind to beat the Indians, 6-3, and end a four-game losing streak.

It's one thing to give up a homer to Davis, who leads the American League with 28. It's quite another to give up one to Casilla, who was hitting a lusty .205 when he planted his three-run shot into the right field seats for his first homer of the season.

Asked if he had ever had a game in which his fortunes went from good to bad in such shocking fashion, Masterson said, "I've probably had countless games like that. Hopefully, I'll have plenty more."

Which is all well and good for the eternally positive Masterson, but what about the people who have to watch?

Masterson entered the seventh with a 3-1 lead. In the span of six pitches, everything changed. He hit Adam Jones with his first pitch. Davis drove his second pitch far and deep into the seats in right center field to make it 3-3. Masterson's next four pitches were balls as he walked Matt Wieters.

"It was just a lack of execution in the seventh inning by me," said Masterson. "They took advantage of it."

After J.J. Hardy lined out softly to Mike Aviles at short, it seemed as if Masterson (9-6, 3.76) was regaining his balance. But he soon went tumbling into the dugout.

• Indians-Orioles boxscore | Scoreboard | Standings

Chris Dickerson, with the infield shifted to the right, sent a bunt/check swing single down the third baseline. Then Masterson and catcher Carlos Santana combined on the Tribe's MLB-leading 45th wild pitch to put Wieters on third and Dickerson on second. Despite his puny offensive numbers, the wild pitch put Casilla in the catbird's seat.

With one out and runners on second and third, he no longer had to worry about Masterson's sinker. All he had to do was look for a pitch up in the zone to hit into the outfield for a sacrifice fly.

"In that situation, I'm looking for something up in the zone," said Casilla. "He left a ball up in the middle of the plate. I put a good swing on it and hit a home run. . . . I was surprised."

Casilla is a ghost from the Indians' past. He spent the past seven years with the Twins and knows Masterson and the Indians well.

"I've had almost 30 at-bats against Masterson, so I know what he throws," said Casilla. "He's a great pitcher when he has his sinker and slider working. In the seventh, he just left some pitches in the middle of the plate."

Casilla, a lifetime .345 (10-for-29) hitter against Masterson with two homers and 11 RBI, hit .320 (8-for-25) with nine RBI against the Indians last year.

Lots of pitchers start games with no-hit stuff. Not many can actually use it to flirt with a no-hitter. Tuesday night, Masterson had the stuff and the no-hit flirtation going strong. He flew through the first four innings, retiring 12 straight on just 50 pitches.

To make things even more promising, he was working with a 3-0 lead, thanks to Michael Brantley's sacrifice fly in the first and Jason Kipnis' two-run homer in the fifth.

But Jones blooped a single into center field to start the fifth for the Orioles' first hit. Davis sent him to third with a single to right and Hardy delivered Jones to make it 3-1 on a force play at second.

"He was so good through the first six innings," said manager Terry Francona. "He had an explosive fastball and a really good breaking ball. He was locating.

"Then in the seventh, a breaking ball slips out of his hand and hits Jones. He made a mistake to Davis and it's tied. From there, he made a couple of more mistakes and paid for it."

Kipnis went 2-for-2 with two walks to raise his average to .288 with 10 homers and 43 RBI.

The Indians want to get their injured players back healthy before deciding what kind of trades they'll pursue.

BALTIMORE, Md. -- The Indians have been discussing trades for much of June. The July 31 deadline is still more than a month away, but no deal ever gets done without a lot of ground being covered before it becomes a reality.

"The intensity of the talks has certainly picked up," said GM Chris Antonetti, who arrived in Baltimore on Tuesday. But Antonetti wouldn't say what he feels the team needs the most.

"It's still a process of finding out what teams' needs might be," he said. "That's certainly the case with us. We're focused on getting all our guys back healthy, which would allow us to evaluate people and see where we are in a few weeks."

Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera (right quadriceps) could be activated Wednesday. Closer Chris Perez (strained right rotator cuff) could be back later this week based on the results of his rehab appearance Tuesday night at Class A Mahoning Valley. Brett Myers is working his way back from a right elbow injury as well.

Pitching remains the Indians' biggest need, be it in the rotation or bullpen. The rotation has been better than expected. The pen has been worse.

Starters who could be available include Milwaukee's Yovani Gallardo and Kyle Lohse; Matt Garza of the Cubs, Miami's Ricky Nolasco, Houston's Bud Norris and Jason Vargas of the Angels. Relievers rumored to be available include Milwaukee's John Axford and Francisco Rodriguez, Miami's Steve Cishek and Ryan Webb and Scott Downs of the Angels.

Regarding the rotation, Antonetti said, "Your needs can evolve over the course of a few weeks, but we feel good about the group of guys we have here. They've pitched pretty well over the last few weeks. If they can continue that level of consistency, and give us a chance to win almost every time out, then that's a good foundation to build from."

Take it slow: Right-hander Zach McAllister is not expected to be ready until after the All-Star break because of his sprained right middle finger.

"We are erring on the side of caution," said Antonetti. "We want to make sure that when he comes back he's put the injury completely behind him."

Left on left: Lonnie Chisenhall, who did not play Sunday or Monday because the Indians were facing left-handed starters, was back in the lineup Tuesday. Chisenhall, just recalled from Class AAA Columbus, is hitting .087 (2-for-23) with six strikeouts and no walks against lefties this season.

"We want Lonnie to be able to face lefties and righties," said Francona. "It's hard when you don't face them, or face them sparingly, but the time will come. I'd be willing to bet."

Finally: Former Tribe players/coaches Wayne Kirby (first base), Rick Adair (pitching) and Einar Diaz (assistant hitting coach) are on the Orioles' coaching staff. ... So is T.J. McFarland, who made the Orioles' opening day roster after being selected off the Tribe's unprotected list at the Rule 5 draft in December, is 1-0 with a 4.14 ERA in 18 games. He's struck out 36, walked 14 and allowed 44 hits 41 1/3 innings. ... Antonetti said Blake Wood (right elbow) could help the pen in the second half.

Bruins rout Bulldogs and sweep CWS finals.

View full sizeUCLA baseball players pile up after beating Mississippi State, 8-0, on Tuesday to win the College World Series. The Bruins won the best-of-3 finals, 2-0. Eric Francis, AP

UCLA's offense showed up this time, which meant Mississippi State never had a chance.

Eric Filia drove in a career-high five runs, Nick Vander Tuig limited Mississippi State to five hits in eight innings, and UCLA won its first national championship in baseball with an 8-0 victory Tuesday night.

The Bruins (49-17) completed a two-game sweep in the College World Series finals and ended the season with 11 straight wins. The national title is UCLA's NCAA-record 109th in team sports.

Vander Tuig held off the Bulldogs (51-20) when they threatened in the fourth, fifth and eighth innings and recorded his fourth win in the NCAA Tournament. Vander Tuig (14-4) struck out six and walked one. David Berg pitched the ninth.

Filia produced runs with a sacrifice fly, squeeze bunt and two base hits as the Bruins collected 12 hits and scored their most runs in 18 games.

Bulldogs starter Luis Pollorena (6-4) lasted one inning.

UCLA allowed four runs in five games to set a CWS record for fewest in the metal-bat era that started in 1974.

The Bruins' .227 batting average in the CWS also was the lowest since teams went away from wood bats. The Bruins' 19 runs in four games were the fewest by a champion since the CWS went to eight teams in 1950.

After Arizona's title last year, the Pac-12 has now won two straight and has 17 in all in baseball, most of any conference.

Mississippi State was playing for its first national title in a team sport and was the sixth straight Southeastern Conference team to make it to the finals.

Vander Tuig, who won his fourth straight postseason start, gave up just one earned run in 211/3 innings over his last three starts.

The Bruins won the title in their third CWS appearance in four years and fifth all-time. They had made it to the finals in 2010 and were swept by South Carolina. Last year they went 1-2 in Omaha.

This season they finished third in the Pac-12, behind Oregon State and Oregon, and then got hot in the postseason.

They made magic with an offense that started Tuesday 264th out of 296 teams in batting (.247) and 215th in scoring (4.7 runs per game), but among the national leaders in sacrifices, walks and hit batsmen.

They won three straight at home in regionals and went on the road to upset No. 5 national seed Cal State Fullerton in a two-game super regional.

Once they got to Omaha, the Bruins made themselves at home in spacious TD Ameritrade Park. UCLA produced just enough offense to support its superb pitching and defense in bracket play, and again in Game 1 of the finals.

The pitching and defense showed up again in Game 2, and this time so did the offense.

UCLA was up three runs early -- a lead that has been insurmountable for every team in this year's CWS.

The Bruins, as usual, were creative and opportunistic. They used a hit batsman, a bunt that produced two Mississippi State errors, and Filia's sacrifice fly to lead 1-0 in the first. It was 3-0 in the third after Brian Carroll scored on Filia's safety squeeze bunt and Pat Valaika's RBI single.

The Bulldogs called on their closer, Jonathan Holder, with one out in the fourth after Cody Regis singled in another run. Holder hit Carroll to load the bases, and another sacrifice fly made it 5-0.

Not all the rumors are true, but Cavs are involved in significant trade talks.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Scribbles in my Cavaliers notebook as the NBA draft approaches:

1. They are vague on their first pick because they'd like to trade it. They'd love to drop down a few spots and grab a 2014 first rounder. Supposedly, Orlando loves Nerlens Noel. I've been writing for weeks that the Cavs have cooled on Kentucky's big man, so maybe the two teams trade first-rounders, with the Cavs adding a veteran player or future pick.

2. Not sure if the reports of both first-round picks for LaMarcus Aldridge were true, but they certainly like Aldridge. I'd trade No. 1 and No. 19 for Aldridge in two seconds ... make it one second. He's 27 and averaged 21.1 points and 9.1 rebounds last season. He's a 6-11 power forward with two years left on his contract worth about $15 million annually.

3. There is cap room to take a monster contract, but they don't want to just waste it on a player such 35-year-old Paul Pierce. Aldridge is another story, but it's unclear if Portland would trade him.

4. Another set of talks involve a search for a veteran small forward with one year left on a contract. That's where the Pierce whispers began. But Pierce is not likely to be traded here. I've heard Richard Jefferson mentioned. At 33 he averaged 3.1 points in 2012-13 and makes $11 million next year. Golden State would love to dump him. Not sure he does much for the Cavs.

5. The Danny Granger rumors have been around. He's a 20-point scorer coming off knee surgery, playing 74 minutes for the Pacers last season. He is in the last year of his contract ($14 million). Paul George took over for Granger and made the All-Star Game. But is Granger healthy? I doubt they'd trade the No. 1 pick for him.

6. The Cavs would love to have Luol Deng, but I doubt the rumors of the Bulls moving their small forward are true.

7. If they can find a young small forward with talent, they'll take a long-term contract in return. But for an older player, it's a one-year deal. The Cavs don't want to blow up the salary cap for the next few seasons simply to slip into the playoffs as the No. 8 team in 2014.

8. Not only do they want 2014 cap room when LeBron James is a free agent, but the freedom to make other moves heading into Kyrie Irving's fourth season. In the summer of 2014, the Cavs can offer Irving an extension. He can't be a restricted free agent until 2015.

9. While there have been denials about a deal involving Dallas' Shawn Marion, the teams are talking trade. Dallas has the No. 13 pick, the Cavs have No. 19. It wouldn't be a shock for the Cavs to trade both of their second-rounders and No. 19 for the No. 13 pick and Marion. That would help Dallas to create cap room for Dwight Howard or someone else.

10. Marion has a player option for $9.3 million. He'd have to agree to pick it up (or sign a new deal) to be traded. Yes, he's 35. But he's a defensive-oriented small forward (7.8 rebounds), who scored 12.1 points and shot .514 from the field. Mike Brown would like this guy. Marion is a career 16-point scorer. Dallas and the Cavs traded last draft night, bringing Tyler Zeller to Cleveland.

11. Over and over, I hear the Cavs like Anthony Bennett. I hear he could be their "Dion Waiters draft-night surprise." He played one year at UNLV at 6-8, 240 pounds. There are reports that he weighs 260 while recovering from shoulder surgery. He is a bit short for a power forward, but there are several NBA teams who are intrigued.

12. They do like Victor Oladipo, but not at No. 1. If they drop down a few spots (perhaps for a lottery pick next season), then the Indiana guard becomes a real possibility.

13. I believe if they draft a big man, it will be Maryland's Alex Len. They are among several teams with concerns about a 7-1, 255-pound center who had surgery for a stress fracture in a foot. Like Noel (recovering from knee surgery), odds are against being healthy enough to open the season.

14. Some media have suggested the Cavs hired former center Vitaly Potapenko so they can draft Len, a fellow Ukrainian. Or because they want to draft Noel, who has zero post-up moves. Potapenko had excellent footwork and inside moves. But they already have young big men in Tyler Zeller and Tristan Thompson who need to be coach in those areas.

15. More teams should hire former centers who had effective low-post moves to teach young big men, whose footwork tends to be terrible.

16. The Cavs' concerns about Noel's two knee surgeries by 18 are real. Yes, Brown would love his defense, but can he stay healthy? Is he worth the risk, especially given his primitive offense? At 6-10 and 206 pounds at the NBA combine, can he even play center?

17. Most national media believe the Cavs will take Noel. Maybe they are right. But I doubt it. Then again, I also wrote a year ago of Dion Waiters rumors, but I had major doubts that they'd take that gamble. I'm like nearly everyone else -- making my best guess. That's all that is.

18. I can't recall a draft where three possible top-five picks -- Noel, Len and Bennett -- have significant injuries.

19. What about Ben McLemore or Otto Porter? The Cavs need a small forward (Porter) and a shooter (McLemore). One theory is that while Porter doesn't have the "upside" that so many NBA teams crave, the 20 year old is the most NBA-ready player. The Cavs really liked him when they thought it was possible they'd pick between third and fifth.

20. I hear they really like Michigan point guard Trey Burke. If Burke falls out of the top 10, the Cavs could try to trade up. The reason they'd like Burke (or even McLemore) is that they'd have a 3-guard rotation with Kyrie Irving, Waiters and the rookie. Because Waiters can play either point or shooting guard, it opens more options for the Cavs.

Joe Kotoch believes that the top pick for the Cavaliers will be Maryland center Alex Len.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cavaliers continue to keep everyone guessing on whom they will select with the first pick in tonight's NBA draft. Starting at 7:30 they will officially be on the clock and will likely choose between one of these six players:

Maryland center Alex Len, Kentucky center Nerlens Noel, UNLV power forward Anthony Bennett, Kansas shooting guard Ben McLemore, Indiana shooting guard Victor Oladipo and Georgetown small forward Otto Porter Jr.

Cavaliers general manager Chris Grant has not tipped his hand, but that hasn’t stopped speculation by NBA talking heads on what the Cavs will do.

Sam Amico writes for FOX Sports Ohio that, “outside sources also told FOX Sports Ohio that the Cavs remain open to trading the pick.”

The Cavs asking price for the first pick has been the obstacle in getting a trade done. They would like to stay in the lottery this year as well as receive a 2014 pick and a promising player in return for the first pick.

If the Cavs are unable to find a trading partner, Len has emerged in recent weeks as a viable candidate for the first pick.

Joe Kotoch writes for sheridanhoops.com that, barring a trade, the Cavs will indeed select Len first overall.

More NBA Draft links

Even Nerlens Noel and Alex Len don’t know what’s going to happen tonight when the Cavs are on the clock (Yahoo.com)

The Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets are discussing a potential deal that would send both Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to Brooklyn (Yahoo.com)

Ten questions about the NBA draft (SI.com)

Looking back at great moments from past NBA drafts (grantland.com)

The Mavericks-Cavaliers trade discussions involving the No. 13 pick could be dead (fearthesword.com)

The Cavs reportedly have engaged in trade talks with the Brooklyn Nets involving C.J. Miles (netsdaily.com)

- Compiled by Jacob Gries, Plain Dealer Reporter

Kent State junior rallies from 2-down to win match play event.

View full sizeNatalie Goodson, a junior at Kent State, won the Women's Ohio State Amateur Championship on Thursday at Lake Forest Country Club.Special to The Plain Dealer

 HUDSON, Ohio - A study in perseverance.

That's what Natalie Goodson was over the past three days. That's what she needed to be in order to win the 90th annual Women's Ohio State Amateur Championship at Lake Forest Country Club.

Goodson, a junior at Kent State, fell behind early but refused to fold and went on to win the title by defeating Ohio State freshman Jessica Porvasnik, 3-and-2, in the finals on a damp and humid Thursday.

The victory capped a three-day stretch in which Goodson, playing on her home course, was extended in all five of her matches. She won one match on Tuesday and two on each of the past two days. No one ever said match play was easy.

In reaching the finals, Goodson defeated Perrysburg's Alyssa Shimel with a birdie on the first hole of sudden death in Thursday's morning semifinals.

Her match against Porvasnik, The Plain Dealer's high school player of the year last fall, ended on the 16th hole, the same spot her second-round match against Loveland's Megan Tenhundfeld ended on Wednesday. Her opening win on Tuesday against Chillicothe's Michele Schambs ended on the 17th hole and her quarterfinal win over West Chester's Ali Green on Wednesday went the full 18 holes.

"There were a lot of good players in this tournament and they didn't make it easy for me," said Goodson, the daughter of Lake Forest pro John Goodson and his wife, Tina. "But you've got to keep trying. You never know what's going to happen in match play."

Goodson, whose round of 74 in the qualifying stroke play portion of the event shared medalist honors with Porvasnik and Shimel, bogeyed the second hole to fall behind in the finals. She was 2-down at the turn after Porvasnik birdied the fifth and both players parred out the front.

Goodson made about a 30-foot putt from just off the green on the 311-yard 10th hole to cut the deficit in half and took the lead with consecutive pars to Porvasnik's consecutive bogeys on the 11th and 12th.

Both players found trouble off the tee on the 346-yard 15th as Porvasnik ended up in the left rough and caught a tree limb with her second shot. Goodson was in the right rough but was able to advance her ball to just short of the green from where she made a terrific chip shot to about 10 inches for a par and a lead of 2-up. She closed out the match by making about a 15-foot birdie putt on the next hole.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

trogers@plaind.com, 216-999-5169

On Twitter: @TimRogersCLE

The Cleveland Indians begin a four-game series in Chicago against the White Sox with a doubleheader Friday night.

When: Friday through Sunday.

Where: U.S. Cellular Field.

TV/radio: SportsTime Ohio will show both games Friday; WKYC Channel 3 will begin its broadcast at 8 p.m. All other games on SportsTime Ohio; WTAM AM/1100 and WMMS FM/100.7.

Pitching matchups: RHP Trevor Bauer (1-2, 2.76) vs. LHP Hector Santiago (3-5, 3.03), first game, Friday, 5:10 p.m.; RHP Carlos Carrasco (0-3, 7.78) vs. LHP Jose Quintana (3-2, 3.83), second game, Friday; RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (6-4, 4.58) vs. RHP Dylan Axelrod (3-4, 4.57) Saturday at 4:10 p.m. and RHP Justin Masterson (9-6, 3.76) vs. LHP Chris Sale (5-6, 2.75) Sunday at 2:10 p.m.

Season series: The Indians lead, 3-2. The White Sox lead, 1,047-1,003, overall.

Indians update: They went into series finale Thursday night against the Orioles having won 10 of their previous 14 games. Against Chicago this year, Mark Reynolds has six RBI and Masterson is 2-0.

White Sox update: They've lost nine of 13 games. Chicago has out-hit the Indians this year, .192 to .186, but has been outscored, 16-11. Alejandro De Aza has hit two homers, while Quintana is 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in two starts against the Tribe this year.

Injuries: Indians -- RHP Zach McAllister (right middle finger), C Lou Marson (right shoulder), RHP Brett Myers (right elbow/forearm), RHP Josh Tomlin (right elbow), RHP Frank Herrmann (right elbow) and RHP Blake Wood (right elbow) are on the disabled list. White Sox -- RHP Gavin Floyd (right elbow),RHP Jake Peavy (left rib) and OF Dewayne Wise (right hamstring) are on the disabled list. 1B Paul Konerko (back) is day to day. Conor Gillaspie is on paternity leave.

Next for Indians: The Indians open a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium against the Royals on Tuesday.

Knocked out of Wednesday's start in the eighth inning because of back spasms, left-hander Scott Kazmir is expected to make his next start.

Scott Kazmir should be ready to make his next start despite getting knocked out of Wednesday's game against the Orioles with back spasms. Gail Burton, Associated Press 

BALTIMORE, Md. -- Left-hander Scott Kazmir, who left Wednesday night's start with back spasms after throwing a couple of warm up pitches before the eight inning, should be able to make his next start.

He came to Camden Yards early Thursday to get a massage from team masseuse Dawn Weeks.

"I'm a little sore, but not as sore as I thought I'd be," said Kazmir. "I got a massage to loosen things up and now I'm going to go work out and see how it feels."

Kazmir said he wasn't going to play catch on Thursday.

"I normally don't throw the day after I start," he said. "I'll just take it easy today. But it's encouraging today that I woke up and didn't feel too much soreness."

Kazmir allowed an unearned run and one hit through seven innings against Baltimore. He wasn't involved in the decision as the Indians rallied in the ninth inning for a 4-3 victory, but it was by far his most impressive start of the season.

"Kazmir is feeling good," said manager Terry Francona. "It seems like the back spasms calmed down. I think he'll be OK for his next start. We can always lighten up his side day. I think he'll be fine."

Kazmir's next start, depending on how the Indians work Monday's off day, could be Tuesday or Wednesday against the Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

The left-hander is 4-4 in 13 starts. He's struck out 66, walked 13 and allowed 73 hits in 71 innings. Kazmir has lowered his ERA from 16.20 to 4.83 in his 13 starts.

In his last two starts, Kazmir is 1-0, allowing two runs, one earned, in 14 innings. He's struck out 11, walked one and struck out six.

"I think I'm building some consistency right now," said Kazmir, who made just one big league appearance in 2011 and 2012. "I'm feeling comfortable where I'm at. I still have a lot to work on, but my delivery is definitely feeling consistent."
 
Thursday night's lineups:

Indians (40-37): CF Bourn, SS Aviles, 2B Kipnis, DH Giambi, C Santana, LF Brantley, 1B Reynolds, 3B Chisenhall, RF Stubbs, P Kluber (6-4, 3.68).

Orioles (43-36): CF McLouth, 3B Machado, RF Markakis, CF Jones, DH Davis, C Wieters, SS Hardy, 1B Ishikawa, 2B Flaherty, P Gonzalez (5-3, 3.75).

Umpires: H Will Little, 1B Scott Barry, 2B Mike DiMuro, 3B Ted Barrett.   

Oladipo is known for his defense and has to improve his shooting consistency.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Indiana's Victor Oladipo was taken by the Orlando Magic with the second overall pick in NBA Draft 2013 tonight.

Oladipo combined defensive brilliance with glimpses of offensive promise to dramatically bolster his draft prospects during his junior season at Indiana.

A scouting report on Oladipo from Ed Isaacson's NBA Draft Blog includes the following summary:
 

Oladipo has made his name on the defensive side of the ball, but he has improved markedly on the offensive side. Still, he is far from becoming a capable scorer at the NBA level unless he works on becoming a more consistent shooter and a better ballhandler. He is ready to defend NBA players, and he with the ability to guard multiple positions, he could allow teams to be flexible with their rotations. He provides energy, and there is no doubting his work ethic. He is coachable and he should be able to make a seamless transition to any team or system.

Porter is a versatile player whom some scouts think had the most NBA-ready game of the players available this year.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Otto Porter Jr., a small forward from Georgetown, was taken third overall by the Washington Wizards in NBA Draft 2013 tonight.

Some scouts considered Porter to be as NBA-ready as any of the top players in the draft.

Porter entered the draft after playing two seasons at Georgetown. The summary of a scouting report on Porter from Ed Isaacson's NBA Draft Blog:

Porter is a very versatile player who can help create mismatches in different areas of the court. He understands spacing well and he has good court vision and sense. He continues to improve in almost all areas of his game, and he should be capable of guarding a couple of positions at the NBA level. Porter understands how to make an impact, even when he doesn't have the ball on offense, setting solid screens and attacking the offensive glass relentlessly. He still has work to do to improve his quickness, but he understands the game so well that he finds ways to compensate.

Otto Porter Jr. story links

Otto Porter Jr. worked hard at playing basketball, and at other things, to develop his game. (By Sean Deveney, Sporting News, June 25)

The natural spot for Otto Porter Jr. to play in the NBA might be Washington D.C.'s Verizon Center, where he played his college basketball home games. (By Brandon Theo Dorsey, Washington Times, June 24)

The story of Otto Porter Jr. growing up in a small town and becoming a big-time NBA prospect. (By C.J. Moore, Bleacher Report, June 24)

There may be players in the NBA draft who are more athletic or better known than Otto Porter Jr., but he might be the most ready to help his team. (By Josh Robbins, Orlando Sentinel, June 23)

There's a lot to like about Otto Porter Jr. as an NBA prospect. (By Bob Finnan, News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal, June 21)

Otto Porter Jr. grew up in a family with lots of basketball players, helping him develop his game. (By Mary Schmitt Boyer, Plain Dealer, June 16)

Otto Porter Jr. has uncommon success after taking the uncommon route of not playing AAU basketball. (USAToday, Dec. 3, 2012)

Video: The DraftExpress scouting report on Otto Porter Jr.:

Video: Otto Porter Jr. interviewed at the NBA draft combine:

Video: Georgetown coach John Thompson III talks about Otto Porter Jr. and the NBA draft on CBSSports:

Cleveland Indians pitcher Joe Smith wanted to warm up in the bullpen when Scott Kazmir left Wednesday night's game. The umpires, and Orioles manager Buck Showalter, had other ideas.

Clubhouse confidential: When Scott Kazmir couldn't answer the bell Wednesday in the eighth inning because of back spasms, Joe Smith replaced him. Smith, who hadn't started warming up, had all the time he needed to get ready and he took it in the bullpen.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter apparently wasn't happy about that as he argued with plate umpire Ted Barrett. Second base umpire Mike DiMuro ran to the bullpen and yelled at Smith that he had to get to the mound and warm up.

"I wanted to warm up in the bullpen where I normally warm up," said Smith. "I'm allowed to do that. We had the second base umpire screaming at me to get in the game. Kevin Cash, our bullpen coach, told him I could warm up wherever I wanted, but he was still yelling."

Smith, who entered with a 2-1 lead, gave up two runs on three hits, but the Indians rallied for a 4-3 victory and he was credited with a win.

"It didn't affect me, but I just threw the ball very poorly," said Smith.

Stat of the day: The Indians entered Thursday night's game with the best winning percentage in the big leagues in one-run games at .682 (15-7).

Len is a bonafide NBA center with a combination of his 7-1 frame, his agility and coordination.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Maryland center Alex Len  was taken by the Phoenix Suns tonight with the fifth overall pick in NBA Draft 2013, one pick after Indiana center Cody Zeller went to the Charlotte Bobcats.

A scouting report on the 7-1 Len by NBADraft.net includes among his strengths:

He's a legit 5-man with incredible coordination and agility for his size ... Gets up and down the court with ultimate comfort at 255 pounds ... Back to the basket game is on the incline- did a much better job establishing and holding position as a sophomore ... Quick and decisive moves, predominantly over his left shoulder ... Effortless leaping ability and 7'3.5 wingspan result in frequent high percentage looks (53% FG), many above the rim ... Active and willing mover without the ball, averaging 1.48 PPP on basket cuts (52 possessions) ... Consistent shooting mechanics with significant room for development; occasionally will flash confidence letting fly in the mid-range ... 69% free throw shooter ... Willing passing with burgeoning feel for the game (1 APG) ... He's added 30 pounds since arriving on campus from his professional club in the Ukraine ... Imposing upper body with wide set shoulders, supporting additional muscle should not be a concern ... One rebound every 3.3 minutes on the floor ... He possesses all the tools to be a prolific rebounder on both backboards (2.9 ORPG) ... Intimidating presence in the middle filling the role of rim protector (2.1 BLK) ... Capable of deterring shots both on ball and weakside ... Mobile defensively, unafraid to engage the pick and roll ball handler ... Moves well laterally and retreats on balance.

Questions on why Alex Len didn't have an MRI on his ankle until after Maryland's season. (By Rob Dauster, CollegeBasketballTalk, June 24)

Alex Len has come a long way in a rather short time in learning the American style of basketball and the English language. (By John Rohde, The Oklahoman, June 8)

The hard work Alex Len is putting in as he rehabs from surgery for a partial stress fracture in his left ankle and prepares for the NBA. (By Alex Prewitt, Washington Post, June 4)

Alex Len participated in gymnastics in the Ukraine and didn't begin playing basketball until he was 13. A glimpse at Len's background. (By Bill Hass, ACC.com, Feb. 22)

Stronger physically and more comfortable living in a new country with a different language, Alex Len is ready to improve on his freshman season. (By Jeff Barker, Baltimore Sun, Sept. 25, 2012)

Video: A DraftExpress scouting report on Alex Len:



Video: ACC Digital Network highlights on the play of Alex Len:



Video: Maryland coach Mark Turgeon talks about Alex Len on CBSSports' Tim Brando Show:

A new study by the Ohio Division of Wildlife, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and U.S. Geological Survey is proving Lake Erie's yellow perch like to roam a bit, just like their bigger cousins, the popular walleye.

Invasive sea lamprey, a saltwater invader that usually preys on small-scaled trout and salmon, have become so numerous in Lake Erie they're also feeding on walleye, whitefish, sheepshead and yellow perch. Cleveland lure maker Tom Mayher took this photograph of a sea lamprey attached to a large walleye he'd caught near Pelee Island recently. Mayher has also caught sheepshead with sea lamprey attached. Tom Mayher 

CLEVELAND, OHIO - Lake Erie yellow perch have long been considered homebodies, unlike the schools of walleye that migrate along the Ohio shoreline each year. Fisheries biologist Carey Knight of the Ohio Division of Wildlife is discovering some yellow perch are ready to roam, as well.

A new study by the U.S. Geological Survey office in Sandusky and the ODOW's Fairport Harbor Fisheries Research Station netted 6,737 yellow perch from a popular sport fishing area northwest of the mouth of the Grand River a few weeks ago. Tiny transmitters about the size of a grain of rice were inserted in the belly area of the fish and will show up on a scanning device if the perch are caught again by sport or commercial fishermen.

It's the first study of yellow perch movement, and the early returns are surprising.

"Two weeks after we'd inserted the PIT (passive integrated transponder) tags and released the perch, one turned up just east of Geneva and two were discovered in the Ashtabula area, about 29 miles away," said Knight. The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources is a partner in the study, eager to know if yellow perch also move north and south throughout the year. Almost all of the tagged yellow perch were males caught during the spawning season, ranging from 7 to 14 inches in length.

"I checked 27,000 commercially-caught yellow perch in just 15 minutes recently, finding one with a PIT tag," said Knight. "We have a creel clerk scanning sport-caught yellow perch. He checked about 1,000 fish and got one PIT tag, too. We'll also actively scan yellow perch from August to October, during the bulk of the sport and commercial harvest. We feel this study will help to answer a lot of our questions."

Ohio and Ontario plan to expand the yellow perch study in 2014.

State hunt lottery open: Ohio hunters face very long odds in hopes of winning the chance to bag a deer or duck during controlled deer and waterfowl hunts on prime public areas around the Buckeye State. Having tossed my name in the Division of Wildlife's computer drawing over the years, and the non-refundable $3 for each hunt application, luck has never been on my side.

From covering horse racing, I know long shots. I seldom bet them, but for many years I've been taking a flyer or two on the DOW lottery. In 2012, there were 42,604 applications for 2,873 permits. Winning a slot for the NASA Plumbrook Station deer gun hunt last year was a 36-1 shot. The odds were 85-1 to pull a permit to hunt deer at Magee State Wildlife Area/Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge area along the northwest Ohio shoreline of Lake Erie.

It's time to level the playing field. If hunters are drawn for a duck or deer hunt, they should be ineligible for two or three years. Don't allow controlled hunt permits to be transferable, a tactic that tilts the results as hunters have family or friends also apply for them. 

To get a full list of the controlled duck or deer hunts and apply for the lottery, visit wildohio.com. Call 1-800-WILDLIFE to get a mail-in application. The deadline is July 31. Keep all of your fingers crossed.

Dry Water warning: The Ohio Division of Watercraft and the U.S. Coast Guard are warning boaters checkpoints are being set up and marine patrols will be out in force today through Sunday as part of Operation Dry Water. The national initiative targets people intoxicated while on the water, a primary factor in boating-related fatalities.

Bass series on Lake Erie: The Great Lakes Largemouth Series will focus on smallmouth bass when it returns to Lake Erie on Sunday, with its second of eight tournaments based at Catawba Island. The boats launch at the Ottawa County Launch Ramp in West Harbor, where the tournament trail will return on July 14, July 28, Aug. 11, Aug. 25, Sept. 8 and Sept. 22. Catawba Island is also hosting the GLLS championship on Oct. 12-13.

The GLLS trail visits Cleveland on July 7, July 21, Aug. 4 and Sept. 1, launching at Edgewater Park Launch Ramp. The two-angler team circuit has 22 tournaments this year, including events at Pennsylvania's Presque Isle and Michigan's Detroit River. For entry information, visit greatlakeslargemouthseries.com or call Joe Prince, 330-936-6434.

First Shot opens matches: The sprawling Camp Perry ranges will be filled with thousands of civilian and military shooters from July 7 to Aug. 14 for the 106th National Rifle and Pistol Matches at the Ohio National Guard installation just west of Port Clinton. The First Shot Ceremony is July 8 at 10 a.m. Called the "World Series of the Shooting Sports," the National Matches have been held at Camp Perry since 1907.

The matches feature rifle and handgun competitions in a wide range of formats and events. Spectators are welcome to watch the matches and tour the popular Commercial Row, a collection of companies selling shooting gear.

Noel was seen as somewhat of a draft risk because of a serious injury he suffered last season at Kentucky.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Nerlens Noel was taken by the New Orleans Pelicans with the sixth overall pick in NBA Draft 2013 tonight, but the Pelicans then reportedly traded his rights to the Philadelphia 76ers. Terms of the deal have not been announced by the NBA.

Even after suffering a torn ACL in his left knee in February and undergoing surgery in March, Noel had maintained a favorite's status to be the first player selected. He lasted until the sixth pick.

The summary of a scouting report on Noel from Ed Isaacson's NBA Draft Blog:
 

Obviously, Noel's knee injury is going to set back his rookie season, but any team picking Noel isn't doing it for instant impact. Noel is still very raw as a player, especially on offense. Where Noel will make his greatest impact is on the defensive side, where his shot-blocking ability and ability to defend well in both the post and on the perimeter can make it tough for teams to score around the basket. Noel's biggest challenge will be to gain some much needed body strength to handle the rigors of the NBA post game, as well as continuing to develop some sort of consistent offensive options. Still, there is a lot of upside if put in the right system and with the right coaches to develop his skill set. Noel is a hard worker and known to be coachable, but teams will need to have some patience as he develops.

The thunderstorms will continue to rumble this weekend, according to forecasters, but calm winds should provide good yellow perch and walleye fishing around Lake Erie. Inland lake anglers are enjoying a catfish explosion, and the bass, bluegill and crappie are biting, too.

Skipper Terry Thomas of Medina is flanked by teammates Brad Robinson (left) of Berea and Medina's Don Andrews after the Double T squad won the Whiskey Island Walleye Tournament on Lake Erie on June 22. The trio checked a limit of six walleye that stretched 168.5 inches.  

GENERAL FISHING REPORT

The walleye are biting both shallow and deep along the Lake Erie shoreline, yellow perch are in 38 to 40 feet of water and the Lake Erie bass fishing season opens on Saturday. Channel catfish are in the spotlight on inland lakes, with good numbers of walleye, crappie and bass being caught around Northeast Ohio. Watch for thunderstorms through the area this weekend.

CLEVELAND AREA

The Cleveland Crib area in 41 to 44 feet of water has been good for walleye, as well as the dumping grounds northwest of the Crib in 60 to 63 feet of water and off East 72d Street in 48 feet. The walleye are hitting from Lorain to Avon Lake in water shallower than 30 feet and deeper than 50 feet, with not much success in between. Anglers are using a wide variety of minnow-style plugs, spoons and tandem-bladed spinner rigs. Purple color patterns are still rated best.

The yellow perch fishing has been stable in 40 feet of water off the East 72d Street dike and in 38 to 39 feet of water off FirstEnergy Stadium, Bratenahl and Euclid. Rock bass and largemouth bass are biting around Cleveland Harbor and white bass are just starting to move in. The Lorain area yellow perch bite is very good.

Avon Point has been a decent spot for catching white bass on poppers trailing small Wiggle spoons, white flies or small white jigs tipped with white twister tails. Lake Erie smallmouth bass have been active in 15 to 25 feet, hitting tube jigs, drop shot rigs, leeches and crayfish.

CENTRAL LAKE ERIE

In the western areas of the Central Basin walleye are being caught around the weather buoy on the Ohio-Ontario border north of Vermilion, west of the Huron dumping grounds and in 30 to 35 feet of water from Cranberry Creek to Avon Point.  In the eastern part of the Central Basin, walleye are hitting in 65 to 70 feet of water northwest of Fairport Harbor and in 60 to 70 feet of water northeast of Geneva. Yellow perch have been reported caught in 35 to 37 feet of water off the Chagrin River and around the hump northwest of Fairport Harbor.

WESTERN LAKE ERIE

The walleye fishing is still consistent around Western Lake Erie, with the area northwest of Northwest Reef and North Bass Island a popular area for limit catches. Walleye are being caught around B Can and C Can off Camp Perry, northeast of Kelleys Island and north of West Sister Island. Drift-and-cast anglers are catching walleye on small spinner rigs with gold blades, and worm harnesses worked along the lake bottom with weighted bottom bouncers. Trolling fishermen are using a mix of crankbaits, spinner rigs and spoons.
 
The yellow perch fishing has slowed to a crawl around Green and Rattlesnake islands, but is good east of the Kelleys Island airport in 38 to 40 feet of water. The smallmouth bass fishing has sparkled around the Bass Islands. 

RIVERS AND STREAMS

The Northeast Ohio rivers and streams are high and muddy and may not be in shape for weekend fishing. Anglers had been catching channel catfish, carp and smallmouth bass.

INLAND LAKES, RESERVOIRS

Catfish are running amuck on the local ponds and lakes, feasting on worms and bugs washed in from tributaries after the sporadic rains this week. All of the traditional catfish lakes are giving up good numbers of fish on shrimp, chicken livers, cut shad, nightcrawlers and processed catfish baits. The best areas have been creek mouths, bays and shallow flats, with Mosquito and Pymatuning reservoirs both catfish hot spots.

The largemouth bass fishing is fair to good, with top spots including Mosquito, Nimisila and West Branch reservoirs and Lake Milton. Anglers are targeting offshore structure, including points, humps and the outside edges of weed beds. Cast plastic worms, spinnerbaits and jerk baits and topwater lures at dawn. Crappie have moved to deeper cover as the waters warm. Bluegill are being caught along the shoreline on small jigs and maggots or red worms suspended under a float.

 The walleye fishing has been very good in 8 to 12 feet of water around Pymatuning Reservoir, with the south end of the big lake reporting the top catches. Cast jigs tipped with nightcrawlers around the deeper weed edges, or work floating jig heads and nightcrawlers Carolina style along the bottom. Drifting or trolling spinner rigs along the bottom tipped with nightcrawlers has been productive, as well as trolling small- to medium-sized deep-diving crankbaits.

McLemore came out after his redshirt freshman season at KU and is seen as the prototypical shooting guard.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Ben McLemore  was taken by the Sacramento Kings tonight with the seventh overall pick in NBA Draft 2013.

McLemore entered the draft following his red-shirt freshman season at Kansas, where he showed promise of developing into a scoring guard in the NBA. He's considered among the candidates to be selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the first overall pick.

A scouting report on McLemore by SBNation includes:

McLemore is essentially the prototypical shooting guard. He has size (6'4, 180 pounds with a 6'8 wingspan), elite athleticism and an effortless-looking three-point shot. Not many guys can conceivably compete in the dunk contest and the three-point shootout.

However, for all his talent, he wasn't asked to do too much at Kansas. He got most of his points within the flow of the offense, either running of screens or getting out in transition. As an unselfish player without great ball-handling ability, McLemore has the tendency to disappear when the offense stagnates.

He's the Bizarro JR Smith: efficiency is the most intriguing part of his game. He scored 33 points on 13 shots against Iowa State and 30 points on 13 shots against Kansas State. If he gets an open look, he won't miss very often.

When it comes to his transition to the NBA, the question is whether he will be able to create those looks for himself. In the NBA, elite shooting guards can get into the lane, draw fouls and create shots for their teammates, all things McLemore struggled with at Kansas.

A league source says the story surrounding Ben McLemore, his representative and his former AAU coach wouldn't prevent the Cavaliers from taking McLemore with the first overall pick. (By Jason Lloyd, Akron Beacon Journal, June 24)

Ben McLemore appreciates being compared to longtime NBA star Ray Allen. (By Josh Robbins, Orlando Sentinel, June 21)

Ben McLemore has major talent. The primary question is whether he will assert that talent and not defer more than necessary to his teammates. (By Andy Glockner, Sports Illustrated, June 10)

Ben McLemore talks about allegations that his former AAU coach took payments. (By Seth Davis, Sports Illustrated, May 17)

Ben McLemore endured poverty to become one of the top players in college basketball. (By Eric Prisbell, USA Today, Feb. 28)

Ben McLemore overcomes difficult circumstances, wanting to excel for his family. (By Tom Keegan, Lawrewce Journal-World, Dec. 5, 2012)

Video: A DraftExpress scouting report on Ben McLemore:



Video: From FoxSports, highlight plays by Ben McLemore:



Video: From DraftExpress, Ben McLemore interviewed at the draft combine:

Plain Dealer Cleveland Cavaliers beat writer Jodie Valade and columnist Terry Pluto give the opinions of the Cleveland Cavaliers selection of Anthony Bennett with the first pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Plain Dealer Cleveland Cavaliers beat writer Jodie Valade and columnist Terry Pluto discuss the Cleveland Cavaliers selection of Anthony Bennett out of UNLV with the first pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.

Bennett averaged 16.1 points per game with 8.1 rebounds and a three-point shooting percentage of 37.5 for UNLV last year as a freshman.

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