GULLANE, Scotland — Zach Johnson quickly shook off that defeat last weekend. Johnson seized the early lead at the British Open on Thursday, shooting a 5-under 31 on the front side only four days after losing the John Deere Classic in a playoff. Johnson didn't arrive at Muirfield until Monday morning after playing in the John Deere, where he made bogey on...

GULLANE, Scotland — Zach Johnson quickly shook off that defeat last weekend.

Johnson seized the early lead at the British Open on Thursday, shooting a 5-under 31 on the front side only four days after losing the John Deere Classic in a playoff.

Johnson didn't arrive at Muirfield until Monday morning after playing in the John Deere, where he made bogey on the 72nd hole and wound up losing in a three-man playoff. Nineteen-year-old Jordan Spieth captured the title on the fifth extra hole, becoming the youngest winner on the PGA Tour since 1931.

If Johnson was still kicking himself over that result, it didn't show. The 2007 Masters champion made an eagle at the par-5 fifth, then birdied the next two holes to claim the top spot on the board.

Johnson said of his round, "I hit some nice shots and obviously I putted really, really well." Johnson finished up with a 5-under 66 and currently holds the lead at The Open. 

Other notables with solid first rounds are Dustin Johnson at 3-under and Phil Mickelson at 2-under. 

•     •     •

Mickelson's playing partner Rory McIlroy struggled to an 8-over 79. This year's US Open champion Justin Rose came in at 4-over.

McIlroy is ready to get some help after a fat 42 on the back nine almost surely put him out of contention in the British Open barely after it began.

But the course may be playing tough for reasons other than the weather. Some players have complained about the placement of pins that the R&A (the group that organizes the British Open) has set up.

Ian Poulter issued a very angry tweet after his round concerning this issue:

Unfortunately the guys this afternoon will struggle with a few pin positions. 8th hole is a joke, 18th needs a windmill & clown face.

— Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) July 18, 2013

Both Phil Mickelson and Zach Johnson mentioned the pin positions in their post-round interviews. With the course drying out, the difficulty of the pin positions will only become accentuated even more.

Mickelson said to ESPN's Tom Rinaldi, "I don't see anyone just starting out with a realistic chance. I feel bad for these guys that now have to go out and play it. It's a distinct disadvantage."

•     •     •

If you're looking to follow this year's British Open at Muirfield, you have a lot of options. 

On the official website, you can track the leaderboard, study an interactive guide to the course, and view all the tee times for Thursday and Friday.

In terms of video online, ESPN3 has live coverage from 4:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

The official website has highlights and press conferences, as well as limited live coverage (only holes 7, 8, and 9). Full live coverage there will begin at 3:30 PM Eastern time.

On television, ESPN has live coverage from 4:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. today and tomorrow. The TV coverage changes for the weekend:

Saturday — 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Sunday — 6 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

ESPN will also air an edited replay each night (on Sunday the replay is on ESPN2):

Thursday/Friday/Saturday -- 7-10 p.m.

Sunday, July 21 -- 9 p.m.-midnight.

The Indians begin a six-game road swing at Minnesota on Friday.

Where: Target Field, Minneapolis, Minn.

When: Friday through Sunday.

TV/radio: SportsTime Ohio; WTAM AM/1100, WMMS FM/100.7.

Pitching matchups: LHP Scott Kazmir (5-4, 4.06 ERA) vs. RHP Mike Pelfrey (4-7, 5.55), Friday at 8:10 p.m.; RHP Corey Kluber (7-5, 3.80) vs. RHP Kevin Correia (9-6, 4.23), Saturday at 7:10 p.m.; RHP Justin Masterson (10-7, 3.72) vs. LHP Scott Diamond (5-8, 5.32) Sunday at 2:10 p.m.

Season series: The Indians lead the Twins, 4-2. The Indians lead, 381-363, overall.

Indians update: They come out of the All-Star break on a four-game winning streak. They're hitting .296 against the Twins this year with Jason Kipnis (.500, one homer, 12 RBI) leading the way. Kazmir is 2-0 and Kluber 1-1 against Minnesota this season.

Twins update: After losing 16 of their previous 18 games, they went into the All-Star break with two wins over the Yankees. The Twins are hitting .255 against the Indians, led by Trevor Plouffe (.375, two homers, five RBI). Pelfry is 1-0 and Correia 0-1 against the Tribe.

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. Twins -- OF Darin Mastroianni (left ankle), OF Wilkin Ramirez (concussion), OF Josh Willingham (left knee) and RHP Tim Wood (right rotator cuff, biceps tendinitis) are on the disabled list.

Next: The Indians open a three-game series Monday night against Seattle at Safeco Field.

The Big Ten and ACC will share two slots in the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville and Music City Bowl, with each conference sending a team to each bowl three times in a six-year period.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – With more Big Ten bowl announcements coming out Wednesday and today, let's reset what we know about the conference's bowl future.

Today came the official word that the Big Ten and ACC will form a rotation with the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville and the Music City Bowl in Nashville in a six-year contract starting with the 2014 season. Each conference will send a team to each bowl three times in the six-year period. Previously, the ACC was hooked to the Music City Bowl and the Big Ten to the Gator Bowl. The opponent conferences in each bowl have yet to be officially announced.

Joining the news of the start-up bowl to be played at Ford Field in Detroit between the Big Ten and ACC, here are the agreements announced for the Big Ten postseason, starting in 2014.

* Rose Bowl/four-team college football playoff

* Orange Bowl (will take a Big Ten team at least three times between 2014 and 2026)

* Holiday Bowl, San Diego

* Gator Bowl/Music City Bowl

* Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, San Francisco

* Pinstripe Bowl, New York

* New Bowl in Detroit

Other bowls that ESPN.com and others have reported should stay in the Big Ten rotation are the Capital One Bowl and Outback Bowl in Florida. They should be slotted in the new conference bowl tier system just below the Rose Bowl and Orange Bowl. Also, the Heart of Dallas Bowl and Armed Forces Bowl, both in Texas, are expected to share a Big Ten agreement, much like the setup announced today, according to ESPN.com.

Are the Indians really a serious contender to be playing in October? Sports Illustrated senior writer Tom Verducci previews the second half of the season for the Indians in this video from CineSport.

 

On today's episode of PD Sports Insider, Dennis Manoloff, Bud Shaw and Glenn Moore talk with Mary Schmitt Boyer about the Cavs and Browns with Mary Kay Cabot.

Will the Cavaliers go after Mike Miller? What are the big storylines going into Browns training camp?

- Will Andrew Bynum be able to play a full season with Cavs?

- Will Brandon Weeden flourish under Norv Turner's guidance?

Stay tuned for the next show Thursday, July 25 at 12:30 p.m.

Be sure to like PD Sports Insider on Facebook

About the show: PD Sports Insider airs live every Thursday at 12:30 p.m. Co-hosted by The Plain Dealer's Bud Shaw, Dennis Manoloff and cleveland.com's Glenn Moore, the show features a timely and lively debate of the biggest sports topics of the day and gives readers a chance to interact directly with PD sportswriters and columnists.

Viewers have to the opportunity to ask questions and post comments in a live chat room during the show. They can also their video questions during the week.
Fans who miss the live show can watch the archive, available a few hours later.

Apparently, some people need to be reminded that Marc Anthony is an American. The New York-born singer of Puerto Rican descent touted his roots on "Live with Kelly and Michael" on Thursday after some people criticized his selection to sing "God Bless America" at this week's Major League Baseball All-Star Game, held in New York City.

NEW YORK (AP) — Apparently, some people need to be reminded that Marc Anthony is an American.

The New York-born singer of Puerto Rican descent touted his roots on "Live with Kelly and Michael" on Thursday after some people criticized his selection to sing "God Bless America" at this week's Major League Baseball All-Star Game, held in New York City.

In an interview, the Grammy-winning salsa star said that he heard people were questioning why a foreign-born person was singing the patriotic song. Anthony said he was born in New York and added: "You can't get more New York than me."

Similar comments were made last month when a Texas-born 11-year-old mariachi singer sang the national anthem during the NBA finals. Both Anthony and the child are Latino.

Walls' regular riders are some of his biggest fans and plan to watch him run.

View full sizeFormer East Tech and University of Akron runner Vincent Walls was selected to light the cauldron Friday night during the Opening Festival of the National Senior Games in downtown Cleveland. Walls, 54, will compete in the 800 and 1,500 meters in the age 50-54 group later this month.Special to The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Vincent Walls runs to keep in shape and, at age 54, he still loves to compete.

But lately, he's discovered he's running for other people. He runs for his family, his friends, his co-workers and perhaps his biggest fans – the people who ride his RTA bus.

The last time a story about Walls' exploits as a nationally ranked senior runner appeared in a newspaper, Walls spotted a regular rider on his No. 22 bus with a stack of 75 photocopies of the story as he wheeled around Ohio City.

“She was passing them out to everyone who got on the bus. She said, 'I want everyone to know who's driving this bus and how great he is,'” Walls recalled with a laugh.

Walls joined the fun, handing out to riders keychain souvenirs he brought home from an out-of-state meet.

He drives the No. 16 line on Broadway and Miles now and there's no telling how famous he'll be this time because he's not only running in the National Senior Games in Greater Cleveland this month, he is to start the whole thing off Friday night by lighting the cauldron downtown on Mall B during the Opening Festival.

“I am honored to do it,'' Walls said.

Walls said the original plan was that he was to make the final passing of the torch to national age-group sprint champion John “Jack” Means, who was to light the cauldron. However, Means, 93, died on July 3 at his home in Richmond Heights.

Walls, who ran at East Tech and the University of Akron in the 1970s, has been one of several active area senior runners for years and is vice president of the Over the Hill Track Club. He's run 14 marathons, including New York City, and said his best time was a 2:48 in Cleveland.

He runs shorter distances these days. He is scheduled to run the 800 meters on July 27 in the 50-54 age group and the 1,500 meters July 29. The track events are at Baldwin Wallace. The 800 is his primary distance and he said his best recent time was 2:20 indoors this spring.

“I'm very excited to have the Senior Games in Cleveland and to represent Ohio,'' said Walls, who lives in South Euclid. “I have a lot of people who ride my bus that are going to come and watch me run.''

He said he's inspired co-workers to begin running or start walking groups during their down time, and he talks to them about eating healthy.

“It's easy to gain weight on this job,'' he said.

Perhaps Walls' biggest thrill lately was to learn he had inspired his 13-year-old grandson, Arthur Ledger IV.

“He said, 'Paw-paw, you're amazing, but I can't do what you do,'” Walls recalled. “I told him, 'Yes you can. You'll be amazed at what you can do if you try.'”

The Buckeyes' 2014 recruiting class remains at 14 players, and is ranked No. 6, No. 8, No. 13 and No. 14 in the nation by the major recruiting services.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Louisiana high school quarterback Brandon Harris announced this afternoon that he will play college football at LSU, picking the Tigers over Ohio State and Auburn.

Harris is ranked as the No. 5 dual-threat quarterback in the country by Rivals.com, and No. 2 by ESPN.com and 247sports.com.

Harris revealed his choice in a ceremony at his high school, Parkway High in Bossier City, La., which was streamed live on ESPN.com.

So Ohio State's recruiting class for 2014 remains at 14 members, including quarterback Stephen Collier of Georgia. Ohio State could take a second quarterback in this class, but it's not a necessity.

With 14 seniors on the roster, a couple underclassmen in Bradley Roby and Ryan Shazier and who are strong bets to turn pro and the inevitable transfers that come, Ohio State should wind up with 20 to 22 players in the class. But it shouldn't get to the maximum of 25. So there are fewer than 10 openings left.

Harris would have been a welcome addition, and he becomes the latest high-profile quarterback to talk with the Buckeyes and then choose another school. But the Buckeyes do have a quarterback they like and plenty of time to fill the spots they have remaining.

Before the Harris announcement, ESPN.com had Ohio State ranked as the No. 14 recruiting class for 2014, Rivals.com had Ohio State No. 13, Scout.com had the Buckeyes ranked No. 8 and 247sports.com had Ohio State at No. 6.

Zach Johnson has sure figured out how to play the first round of the British Open. Tiger Woods must prove he still knows how to finish a major.

GULLANE, Scotland — Zach Johnson has sure figured out how to play the first round of the British Open.

Tiger Woods must prove he still knows how to finish a major.

Bouncing back from a tough loss last weekend, Johnson opened with a 5-under 66 on a sunny Thursday at Muirfield — another brilliant start after a 65 at Lytham last year.

"I don't know what the secret is," Johnson said. "I hit some nice shots and obviously I putted really, really well."

Can he keep it going? A year ago, the 2007 Masters champion followed up with a 74 in the second round on the way to a ninth-place finish.

"This game demands resilience," Johnson said. "That just comes with experience."

Woods has plenty of experience winning majors — he's got 14 of 'em — but it's been more than five years since he captured the last one, the longest drought of his career in the tournaments that matter most.

Woods also got off to a strong start, shooting a 69 in the increasingly difficult conditions of the afternoon, but don't get too worked up about his chances just yet.

He shot 67 in the opening round each of the last two years.

He didn't win either time.

The world's top-ranked player yanked his opening tee shot off a lone tree far left of the fairway and was forced to take an unplayable lie, leading to bogey. But a stretch of three birdies in four holes after the turn moved Woods into contention, and he added another two-putt birdie at the par-5 17th after a couple of iron shots that just kept rolling and rolling on the hard ground.

"It was tough," Woods said. "The golf course progressively got more dried out and more difficult as we played. I'm very pleased to shoot anything even par or better."

Rory McIlroy, ranked No. 2 in the world, is still trying to recapture the form he showed last August, when he captured his second major title with a runaway victory at the PGA Championship. At the moment, he's not even close.

The 24-year-old from Northern Ireland has been mired in a baffling slump since changing equipment, and he showed no signs of snapping out of it as he hacked his way to a 79 — the second-worst round of his Open career.

The only time McIlroy shot worse was an 80 at St. Andrews in 2010, but that was more a product of a brutal wind than poor shots.

This time, he could blame only himself. Heck, he didn't even beat birthday boy Nick Faldo, who stirred up a bit of a tempest this week when he advised McIlroy to spend more time focused on golf rather than off-the-course pursuits.

Faldo, who turned 56 on Thursday, matched McIlroy's score even though he's barely played at all the last three years.

Under brilliant blue skies, the temperature climbed into the low 80s and the wind off the Firth of Forth wasn't too much of a hindrance for the morning starters. Some spectators broke out umbrellas, only it was to fend off rays instead of rain.

The greens were slick as ice, having baked in the unseasonably dry Scottish weather over the past few weeks, and several golfers — Phil Mickelson and Ian Poulter among them — complained about the tough pin placements given the speed of the putting surfaces.

"The 18th needs a windmill and a clown face," Poulter griped.

But McIlroy had plenty of problems just getting to the green.

Time and again, he found himself whacking at the ball out of the rough or trying to escape the treacherous bunkers. His most telling sequence came at the 15th, where he drove it into the tall grass, chopped it out just short of the green, then sent a putt screaming past the flag — right into a bunker on the other side. He let out a sigh that said everything — a once-dominant player who, as Paul Azinger said earlier in the week, looks "adrift."

"I wish I could stand here and tell you guys what's wrong and how to make it right," McIlroy said. "I don't know what you can do. You just have to try and play your way out. Sometimes I feel like I'm walking out there and I'm unconscious."

Johnson, on the other hand, quickly shook off his playoff defeat in the John Deere Classic. He didn't arrive at Muirfield until Monday morning after making bogey on the 72nd hole and losing to 19-year-old Jordan Spieth, who became the youngest winner on the PGA Tour since 1931.

The loss did nothing to dampen Johnson's confidence.

Quite the opposite, actually.

He got on a roll with an eagle at the par-5 fifth, and birdies at the next two holes sent him to the lead.

"If anything from last week, what I've embraced is the fact that I'm playing great and I can put that into play, and I'm certainly somewhat confident in what I'm doing, confident in my routines, confident in my walk out there, confident in my lines," he said.

Mark O'Meara ripped through the front nine as though he was in his prime — not a 56-year-old who has combined to shoot 76 over par in the past decade at golf's oldest major. The 1998 Open champion shot 31 on the front before stumbling a bit with three bogeys.

But O'Meara rolled in a curling, 35-foot eagle putt at the 17th, lipped out a birdie putt at the tough 18th, and finished with a 67, tied with Spain's Rafael Cabrera-Bello and just one stroke off the lead.

Not that it's unusual for an old-timer to play well in the Open. Four years ago, Tom Watson nearly won at age 59.

O'Meara wasn't even the only 50-something player on Thursday's leaderboard. Fifty-four-year-old Tom Lehman shot 68.

Miguel Angel Jimenez, Brandt Snedeker, Dustin Johnson joined Lehman at two shots back. Another shot behind were major champions Woods, Mickelson, Angel Cabrera and Todd Hamilton, along with Spieth, whose John Deere victory got him into the Open. The teenager hardly looked out of place, making only one bogey the entire round.

Hamilton's 69 certainly looked out of place. He now plays on a minor-league circuit in the U.S., and this was his lowest round in the Open since he improbably won the championship in 2004.

"I didn't really know what to expect," he said. "I hit a couple of drives early with the driver and made a few putts and that kind of settled me down, and I didn't try to do a lot of stuff that I didn't feel comfortable doing."

UNLV coach says Cavs have "good teammate" and "high-skilled player" in top pick Anthony Bennett.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Dave Rice tells a story about Anthony Bennett, a story that should make fans feel good about the Cavaliers' top draft pick.

"It was right before the season when I talked to Anthony about playing center," said the UNLV head coach. "He was just a freshman, and he hadn't even played center at Findlay Prep." Bennett was a 6-8 power forward for one of the nation's best high-school programs.

"He was a McDonald's All-American, a top-10 player in the country," said Rice. "Most kids like that are worried about what position they will play in the NBA. He really just said he'd do whatever would help the team -- he just wanted to play."

UNLV had a center named Khem Birch, who had to sit out the first 10 games after transferring from Pitt. Birch was part of the reason that Bennett picked UNLV. Both are from Canada and knew each other from the elite summer basketball leagues.

In the eighth game of the season, Bennett scored 25 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as the Rebels won, 76-75, at California. He did it as an undersized center.

"That was the game where I knew Anthony would probably be one-and-done," said Rice, meaning Bennett would play only one season before turning pro.

Bennett the person

During a half-hour interview, Rice said at least three times that "Anthony is a genuine, quality person -- and that's not just coach-talk. He is a great kid."

Rice said Bennett was his first recruit after being hired at UNLV in April of 2011. Findlay Prep is in Henderson, Nevada, just outside of Las Vegas. Former UNLV graduate assistant coach Todd Simon was Findlay's coach. So Bennett was exposed to UNLV often during his two years at the school. When Birch transferred to UNLV, Bennett wanted to join him.

Cavs forward Tristan Thompson also played at Findlay, which has a 157-8 record over the last five seasons. Findlay had seven players receive Division I scholarships this season, and plays a national schedule.

Rice's point is that between being a McDonald's All-American and playing for an elite basketball prep school which led to being recruited by nearly all of the nation's premier programs, Bennett could easily have an overblown sense of entitlement.

"He's very grounded," said Rice. "He's a 'Yes, sir ... No, sir' kid. His mom [Edith] did a super job with him, and I can tell you that the Cavs will be getting a player who is a great teammate and wants to do the right thing."

Rice paused, then said, "I really think you either are a good teammate, or you're not. It's hard to teach."

Once Birch was eligible, Bennett moved to power forward. He averaged 16.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and shot .533 from the field in 28 minutes a game.

Bennett the player

His stats could have been higher, but he played only four minutes at Wyoming, when he hurt his shoulder. In the next game, he played 17 minutes, scoring one point while dealing with the injury.

"He wanted to keep playing," said Rice. "He missed 19 games [with injuries] in his senior year at Findlay Prep, and he was determined to play all 35 games for us."

Bennett had several strong games at the end of the season. He scored 15 points and 11 rebounds when UNLV was knocked out of the NCAA tournament in its first game by California.

By mid-season, Rice said he sensed Bennett would be a top-five pick. The Cavs were at several practices and games. Once the Cavs won the lottery's top pick, the coach knew Bennett had a chance to go No. 1. He said Cavs assistant GM David Griffith "spent at least three days in town, talking to everyone he could about Anthony. The Cavs did their homework."

Rice played on the great UNLV teams of 1989-91, where Larry Johnson was the star. A starting guard on those teams was Freddie Banks, and Bennett is the first McDonald's High School All-American to attend UNLV since Banks.

"Comparing Anthony to Larry Johnson is fair, but only if you realize Larry played four years of college [two in junior college, two at UNLV]," said Rice. "But Anthony has that kind of talent. He can rebound. He can score in the post. He can shoot the jumper. He can run the floor and handle the ball. He's extremely athletic. His skill level is very high."

Patience needed

Rice said that Bennett's defense does need work, "but that's true of about every 19 year old who plays only one year in college."

Rice was Bennett's third coach in four years. He was a sophomore at Mount State Academy in Beckley, W.Va., followed by two years at Findlay Prep then one year of college. Switching high schools is now common for many top players.

"Anthony has to do a better job on defense, and he knows that," said Rice. But he objects to comments that his team ignored defense. The Rebels ranked No. 1 in rebounding, and No. 2 in defensive field goal percentage in the Mountain West Conference.

"He'll be playing for Mike Brown, a great defensive coach," said Rice. "Coach Brown will get Anthony to defend. He can do it."

Like Brown, Rice believes Bennett should start his pro career as a power forward. At some point, "I do think he can defend [small forwards]. He does have the lateral quickness to do it."

He paused again.

"I'm telling you that Anthony is good enough to score in the NBA right now," he said. "There are a lot of 'Wow' moments with Anthony, as [Cavs GM] Chris Grant said."

Bennett had rotator cuff surgery in May. He expects to be ready for training camp. Bennett weighed 240 at the end of the season, and was near 260 at the time of the draft.

"He'll work hard on his conditioning and his rehabilitation," said Rice. "He's still 19. He's still maturing. But he's about the right things."

Then Rice mentioned how Bennett remained in school until the end of the spring semester, even though he knew he'd be entering the draft.

"Most kids just drop out after the season when they are going into the draft," said Rice. "But he wanted to finish, and that says something good about him. If the Cavs are patient, they will end up with a terrific player and a young man with high character."

See a profile on one of the nearly 11,000 athletes competing in the National Senior Games this month in Cleveland: Kay Glynn, 60, the pole vault world record holder for her age.

Kay Glynn

Age: 60.

Sport: Track & field.

Hometown: Hastings, Iowa.

When she was 48, at the urging of her daughter, Kay Glynn resumed her track and field career. The former dance instructor had "no clue" how extensive her opportunities would be when this competitive journey began. Remarkably fit, she is an inspiration for senior citizens nationwide.

After having held the Iowa state high school long jump record for more than 30 years, Glynn won six National Senior Games gold medals two years ago in Houston and established a pole vaulting world record for her age (10-1 1/4). Four years ago, she won the USATF Masters Female Decathlon championship.

She has a pole vaulting pit as well as other workout equipment on her farm property in Hastings, south of Council Bluffs in southwest Iowa.

In 2009, after 20 years as a dance instructor, she closed her studio, and hasn't looked back. Working part time with her husband in the insurance business, she also has pursued a career as a motivational entertainer. She has appeared on several national and regional TV programs performing acrobatic routines.

The family has had fun with its annual Christmas card in recent years -- that's if you call balancing 160 pounds of cement on your abdomen fun. With an especially strong core, Glynn is stretched over two chairs with four 40-pound blocks of plywood placed on her midsection. She said the toughest part was keeping the stocking cap on her head.

Now a grandmother of six, Glynn is scheduled to compete in eight events in Cleveland, starting July 27 (see July 27 schedule), but the bigger challenge will be hip replacement surgery next month.

"If I had a good hip, that's worth at least a foot, isn't it?" asked Glynn, lamenting a season-best 9-6 in the pole vault. "I will be able to do it all again."

1. What is your hip surgery rehabilitation schedule?

"I'm actually having a hip resurfacing and I've been told there will be no restrictions after a year. All I know is I can't tie my shoes for six weeks and I can't jog for six months. I'm going to do the best job of healing I can."

2. With your surgery upcoming, how will you be able to compete in Cleveland?

"Nobody has ever accused me of being rational. I won't warm up the way I used to and am not planning on taking all of the practice throws and jumps."

3. What is it like to compete (unattached) at intercollegiate meets with and against college-aged women?

"I'm an eighth-year senior. They all know me, and we're all pals."

4. How have you been able to stay on top of your nutrition?

"It all goes together. I've gradually learned better eating habits. I prefer to eat every two to three hours rather than three big meals a day. I like to get up from eating and feel like I can go out and run."

5. On being inspired by 100-year-old athlete Harry Peppers, who lit the flame at the Games in Houston in 2011?

"He used to be in track when he first started. Then he went to biking. Then he went to bowling. Well, I'll just be like Harry. That's the great thing about the Senior Games. I will still be at the Games doing something."

-- Jeff Brewer, Special to The Plain Dealer

Browns sign third-round pick Leon McFadden, the cornerback out of San Diego State, to a four-year deal.

CLEVELAND -- Browns third-round pick Leon McFadden won't miss a beat in his bid to become the starting cornerback opposite Joe Haden.

McFadden, 5-9, 195, signed a four-year contract today on rookie reporting day for the Browns. Terms of the deal were undisclosed.

McFadden's signing came hours after the Browns signed defensive lineman Armonty Bryant, the seventh-round pick out of East Central University in Oklahoma. That leaves first-rounder Barkevious Mingo, the No. 6 overall pick, as the Browns' only unsigned rookie.

The first full-squad practice is Thursday from 4-6:30 p.m.

McFadden, the No. 68 overall pick out of San Diego State, worked primarily with the second-team during organized team activities and minicamp, but hopes to land the starting job in training camp.

"The biggest thing is just going out there every day and competing for that spot,'' McFadden said last month at the Browns youth football camp. "Everybody is competing for that No. 1 spot. So that’s how you sum it up in a nutshell.”

Coming out of minicamp, Buster Skrine and fifth-year pro Chris Owens were ahead of McFadden in terms of reps with the first team defense.

“Those guys are technically vets in the game, and they’re both good players,'' said McFadden. "They're competing for that No. 1 spot just as well. At the end of the day, when the season starts, we’ll find out.”

Mingo is confident that McFadden is just as good as the premier cornerbacks he played with at LSU: two-time Pro Bowler Patrick Peterson and 2012 No. 6 overall pick Mo Claiborne.

“I think he’s looked just as good or better than some of those players,'' Mingo said at the youth camp. "Obviously Pat was a tremendous talent. Mo’s a tremendous talent. But I think Leon could have came in and played at LSU with all the DBs we had. He could have been one of those players. We’ve just got to wait and see.”

In the meantime, McFadden has been absorbing all of Joe Haden's wisdom on the position.

"Yeah, he’s a great guy,'' said McFadden. "He's given me words of advice on when it’s man coverage, what he does sometimes. So I’ve taken that and pasted into my game somehow.”

McFadden isn't worried about fans' concern over the secondary.

"They’ll just have to wait and see during the season,'' he said. "The way I see it, we’re competing in practice and we’ll be a strong and positive secondary.”

McFadden started 45 of 51 career games at San Diego State (2009-12). He registered 188 career tackles, eight interceptions, 39 passes defensed, three sacks and a forced fumble. His 39 pass breakups set a school record. McFadden also returned 17 punts for 116 yards (6.8 average), blocked an extra point and returned two of his interceptions for touchdowns. He became the fifth player in school history to be named first-team All-Mountain West Conference three times.

Ramp rage has been breaking out at many boat launches around Northeast Ohio, a condition brought on not by the sizzling heat wave, but by people who are not following the rules when they launch their trailer boats or retrieve them from the water.

John Kalb of Crestline, Ohio, gets his boat, the Tina Lynn, in ship shape before getting into line at Lake Erie's Mazurik Access Area launch site in Marblehead on Wednesday. His fishing partner, Leroy Zent of Galion, Ohio, battens down the canvas top to provide shade for the anglers as they try to fill a cooler with tasty yellow perch on a very hot summer morning. D'Arcy Egan, The Plain Dealer 

CLEVELAND, Ohio - "Ramp rage" is sweeping the shoreline of Lake Erie and many of the popular Northeast Ohio reservoirs, a state of frustration brought on by unnecessarily long waits at local launch ramps.

Ramp rage is not the result of crowds of boaters launching or retrieving their trailered craft, or the mind-numbing heat wave.

It's provoked by boaters who don't know the rules of the ramp or, worse yet, are appallingly indifferent to the fact they're inconveniencing boating brethren.

When you buy a boat, seldom are you taught the boating rules of the road or launch-ramp etiquette.

I've watched many dozens of tournament fishermen quickly and efficiently launch boats in predawn light. Once the boat is in the water, the skipper leaves the launch ramp area. He either motors into the water a few yards away or ties up to a courtesy dock away from the ramp. After his partner parks the tow vehicle, he is quickly picked up at the courtesy dock and they're ready to go fishing.

There are seldom long wait times, or spates of ramp rage that can turn nasty.

Norm Marek sent an email the other day after an ugly experience at the Avon Lake Launch Ramp. There are two lanes for launching a boat or retrieving a boat. Marek wanted to launch his boat, and had been waiting quite a while because other boats were tied up at the launch dock, effectively blocking the ramp. A courtesy dock was nearby, wrote Marek. No one was using it.

Marek's driver angled the boat so it could be launched around boats tied up to the launch dock for an inordinate amount of time. Tempers flared. Marek was told, in no uncertain terms, that he was in the wrong despite launch etiquette mandating boaters not tie up to launch docks for any length of time.

A big surprise over the years has been the large number of boaters who don't utilize courtesy docks, located a couple of dozen yards away from the ramp. Some don't know they exist. Marek pointed out while the launch docks were clogged with boats - a sure way to slow the in-and-out flow on the ramp - the courtesy dock designed to smooth ramp traffic was empty.

"I've seen one jet ski take up 28 feet of launch ramp dock," said Craig Lewis at Erie Outfitters in Sheffield Lake. "I can only hope some boaters get the idea after they keep getting yelled at by guys like me. There was a boat tied up at the Sheffield Lake launch dock for more than 20 minutes the other day so someone could take a bathroom break."

When boaters arrive at a launch ramp, here's what they must do before get into the launch line:

• Remove all tie-downs except the winch hook attached to the bow, and disconnect the trailer wiring plug.
• Load all gear, from fishing tackle to coolers and life jackets.
• Make sure the drain plug is in, batteries are charged, fuel levels are good and boat lights work.
• Attach stout lines to bow and stern cleats and have a boat hook ready.
• Tell the crew what's expected of them while launching.

When you're ready to back the boat down the ramp, follow these rules:

• Back down the ramp until the boat motor's cool-water intakes are submerged.
• Start the engine and let it idle for a few moments to prevent stalling.
• Remove the trailer winch hook from the boat's bow eye.
• Finish backing the boat down the ramp, lower the drive unit and slowly back off the trailer and head to the courtesy dock to wait for the tow vehicle driver.

When you're back at the ramp, follow these guidelines:

• Tie up at the courtesy dock and drop off the tow vehicle driver.
• Understand the tow vehicle's place in line determines the order boats will be retrieved, not where a boat is tied to a launch dock.
• As the trailer is backed down the ramp, the boater should leave the courtesy dock or an open water area and slowly motor to the trailer.
• The boater can slowly drive onto the trailer, or the tow vehicle driver can winch the boat on the trailer.
• Raise the motor's lower unit so it won't scrape the ramp.
• Head for an open area of the parking lot before unloading any gear, removing the drain plug, plugging in trailer lights and attaching tie-down straps.

It's always entertaining to watch the boat launch follies on a Saturday afternoon at busy launch ramps along the Lake Erie shoreline. Tow vehicles and trailers can jack-knife while backing down the ramp. Tie-down straps might still be attached, keeping a boat pinned to trailer. A missing drain plug always earns a few hoots. Tow vehicles can go too far down the ramp and get wet.

If you're a new boater, head to an empty parking lot and practice backing up. Use the side mirrors. It takes a while to learn the moves, but speeds up the process.

At the launch ramp, make friends with fellow boaters. Ask for launch help when it's needed. Volunteer a helping hand when others struggle on a windy day. And be sure to stow the ramp rage, even when a boater deserves to be slapped silly with a day-old sheepshead.

Cleveland goes for a fifth consecutive victory Friday night when it visits the Minnesota Twins for the first time.

 

First pitch: 8:10 p.m. at Target Field, Minneapolis, Minn.

TV/radio: TV/radio: SportsTime Ohio; WMMS FM/100.7, WTAM AM/ 1100

Starting pitchers: LHP Scott Kazmir (5-4, 4.06 ERA) vs. RHP Mike Pelfrey (4-7, 5.55).

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The National Senior Games kicked off in Cleveland with opening ceremonies reminiscent of the Olympics.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland may never host the Olympics, but based on today's opening ceremonies of the 2013 National Senior Games, the city is the place to be for high-calibre athletes ages 50 and older.

The ceremonies were held inside the newly built Cleveland Convention Center and outside at Mall B. The festival had everything you'd see in opening ceremonies at the Olympics except the parade of athletes, which will come later.

From Saturday through July 31, about 11,000 senior athletes will compete in 19 sports and two demonstration sports at various venues. That includes Cleveland State University, Baldwin-Wallace College, Case Western Reserve University and premier golf courses like StoneWater and Little Mountain.

The senior games -- a biennial event now in its 14th installment -- will have its "Celebration of Athletes" parade July 26 inside Quicken Arena. Figure skater Scott Hamilton will be the master of ceremonies.

"Most of the athletes will be here in Cleveland next Friday, so it was decided to have a hybrid opening and closing parade at that time," said Nick VanDeMark of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission.

Friday afternoon's festivities began with music at Mall B with the classic rock band The Danger Brothers. They're aren't really brothers but are longtime friends based in Columbus who have performed together for the past 32 years.

They are regulars at Ohio State football games, the Columbus Marathon -- with its 23,000 runners -- and Put-in-Bay, but were just as thrilled to perform at the National Senior Games.

"We love playing whether there are five people listening or 5,000," said drummer Tom Smith, who at 58 was the youngest of the five performers. The others are Bill Bendler and Tom Beougher, both 65, and Dave Hessler and Mimi Rousseau, both 63.

"Our job today was to make people forget about their 40-hour work week," Smith added. "We were excited to be invited here, and one day we'd love to play Beatles and Rolling Stones tunes across the street at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."

While attendees had to deal with blazing heat and high humidity for the Danger Brothers' outdoor performance, those who watched local celebrities play shuffleboard were in air-conditioned comfort inside the Convention Center's Grand Ballroom.

One of the participants was former Cleveland Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar, who partnered with Plain Dealer Publisher Terry Egger.

When asked if he really was old enough to play shuffleboard Kosar responded, "Not only do I play shuffleboard, I also play bocci with my Italian friends.

Kosar said he was happy to see the games in Cleveland "because I feel it's an honor to show off our hometown to our out-of-town visitors and athletes.

"This event will be awesome. People here in Cleveland don't always realize the good things they have here until they go elsewhere in country and see what those cities don't have that we do."

Another shuffleboard ace was Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald, who is aiming for the governor's job.

"Running for governor is much easier than playing shuffleboard," FitzGerald quipped. "I scored negative 10 points in my first match. I hope my run for governor goes better than this."

The winning celebrities were Martin Sweeney, the Cleveland Council president, and Dick Ambrose, former Browns linebacker and current Common Pleas Court judge. They beat Cleveland Clinic chief Toby Cosgrove and Jeff Friedman of Associated Estates in the finals.

As crowds grew towards the evening, nationally known acoustic rock band Rusted Root took the stage.

Torchbearers arrived shortly before 8 p.m. with what some people thought was a fake ceremonial torch. It wasn't.

The torch had an LED light, and the cauldron was also LED-wired to promote "green energy" according to VanDemark. It was "lit" by Over the Hill Track Club vice president Vincent Walls of South Euclid and Gail Means of Richmond Heights, the wife of John Means, a national sprint champion for his age group who died July 3. Her two sons assisted her.

Ceremonies concluded with fireworks that were launched from the north end of Cleveland Browns Stadium.

As for why people flocked to the opening ceremonies, Al and Kathy Holland of Chardon gave the best answer.

"We came to support the city and the athletes," Kathy Holland said. "We want the athletes to know that Cleveland is a great city to have an event like this.

"We also came to snoop around the new Convention Center."

Brazilian-born Yan Gomes is still having a hard time believing soccer legend Pele Tweeted him over the All-Star break.

Yan Gomes takes a throw at the plate against the Twins before the All-Star break. Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer 

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- In Brazil, soccer is king and Pele is god. So imagine how Indians catcher Yan Gomes felt when he was at his parents' home in Miami over the All-Star break and received two Tweets from Pele thanking him for being an inspiration to Brazilian youngsters dreaming of playing in the big leagues.

Gomes is the only Brazilian-born player in the big leagues.

Asked how it felt to get not one, but two Tweets from Pele, in English and Portuguese, Gomes said Friday afternoon at Target Field, "Imagine Babe Ruth Tweeting you."

Here's what Pele Tweeted: "@Pele @Yan_AGomes is such an inspiration to all the Brazilian kids dreaming to play in the @MLB one day."

His second Tweet said, "@Pele All my encouragement to @Yan_AGomes in his mission to promote baseball in Brazil."

"That was pretty freaking awesome," said Gomes, who caught Scott Kazmir on Friday night as the Indians resumed the season against the Twins. "I had an idea that he was going to try and reach out to me, but it was freaking awesome. It took me hours to reply back. I was so nervous because a lot of people were going to see it, especially in Brazil, so I wanted to make sure to say the right things."

Here's what Gomes Tweeted, "What a great honor to receive support from @Pele a great person who has inspired myself and so many others!"

Gomes said he didn't get to see Pele play because his heyday was before he was born, but added: "Pele is the main sports guy in Brazil. I've never met him or talked to him. He just kind of reached out to me."

When he received the Tweet, Gomes said he checked to see if it was the real Pele.

"I clicked on his Twitter profile and he had over 500,000 followers so I figured this is the real guy. That was pretty awesome."

Gomes says he tries to set a good example as the only Brazilian in the big leagues.

"When I go to Brazil, I try to be an inspiration," said Gomes.

Gomes' father and brother were really excited when he told them about Pele's Tweets.

"My dad and my brother grew up watching Pele," said Gomes. "When I told them, they were more excited than I was. It was pretty cool."

Tonight's lineups:

Indians (51-44): CF Bourn, SS Cabrera, 2B Kipnis, 1B Swisher, LF Brantley, DH Santana, 3B Chisenhall, C Gomes, RF Stubbs, P Kazmir (5-4, 4.60).

Twins (39-53): 2B Dozier, 3B Plouffe, C Mauer, 1B Morneau, RF Doumit, DH Colabello, CF Hicks, LF Thomas, SS Florimon, P Pelfrey (4-7, 5.55).

Umpires: H Conroy, 1B Darling, 2B Meals, 3B Dreckman.

Manager Terry Francona had a guided tour of the parts of Target Field that were re-sodded after a Kenny Chesney concert.

Terry Francona gave a thumbs-up to re-sodded Target Field. Associated Press 

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Seen and heard Friday at Target Field.

 Clubhouse confidential: Parts of the field at Target Field were re-sodded during the All-Star break following a Kenny Chesney concert. The Twins' groundskeeper walked manager Terry Francona through the parts of the field that were repaired during
the Indians' optional workout Thursday night.

 "The field is beautiful. I saw no problems," said Francona.

 All-Star moment: During the All-Star workout day Monday at Citi Field, Jason Kipnis had his brother, Todd, and some friends on the field during batting practice and the Home Run Derby.

 A fan walked past Kipnis and asked his brother for an autograph, thinking he was the Indians second baseman.

 "My brother is 6-2, 6-3 and in shape," said Kipnis with a smile. "That did not surprise me at all."

 Earlier in the day, an MLB worker from Cleveland told Kipnis, "We're glad you're Mr. Swisher."

 Stat of the day: Indians prospect Francisco Lindor has reached base six times in 11 plate appearances since being promoted to Class AA Akron on Monday.

We pose a question to athletes and coaches competing in the National Senior Games in Cleveland.

What professional athlete (dead or alive) would you most like to meet and why?

"Pete Rose because he was probably the greatest baseball player of all time, or Michael Jordan because he was the greatest basketball player of all time" -- Gary Igo, 66, Cincinnati, softball coach

"I'm thinking way back. I would have liked to have met Sammy Baugh, the quarterback for the Redskins." -- Myron Segal, Silver Spring, Md., bike racing

"Phil Mickelson because he's a very personable guy, a great athlete and a great golfer." -- Alan Leathers, 70, Cape Elizabeth, Maine, golf

"Chris Evert because if she hadn't introduced the two-handed backhand, I wouldn't be playing." -- Linda Lavelle, 59, Athens, Ohio, tennis

"I have two. Muhammad Ali because he was my hero, not just as an athlete but as a person, and LeBron James, just to say not everyone from Cleveland hates him." -- David Moore, 54, Cleveland, racquetball

"One of my favorite guys was always Michael Jordan just because of the things he was able to do and the way he did them." -- Jim Murs, 60, New York, softball

"I would have liked to have met Babe Didrikson." -- Genesta Leathers, 70, Cape Elizabeth, Maine, golf

Browns linebacker Barkevious Mingo failed to sign his contract before the first day for rookies to report to Berea, but the club wrapped up third-rounder Leon McFadden and seventh-rounder Armonty Bryant to four-year deals.

CLEVELAND -- The Browns' 2013 rookie class reported to Berea on Friday -- all except first-round pick Barkevious Mingo. 

The Browns signed third-round pick Leon McFadden and seventh-round pick Armonty Bryant to four-year contracts Friday,  but were still waiting on Mingo to join the rest of his class in the rookies-only portion of camp.

The first full-squad practice isn't until Thursday from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., so Mingo still has some time before he's considered a full-fledged holdout. But the Browns still want all the rookies here to get a jump on the playbook and the routine before the veterans join them next week.

The holdup in Mingo's contract is still the offset language, which the Browns want and Mingo doesn't. Offset language means the drafting team only has to pay the difference in salaries in the event the player is released before the four-year deal expires and he catches on with a new team.

Players want to keep the provision out of their deals so they can collect the full amount of their guaranteed rookie contract regardless of whether they remain with their original team.

It's rare for first-round picks to get released before their contracts expire, but it's a sticking point for top-tier players nonetheless. So far, only three top 10 players have signed, and all have kept offset language out of their contracts.

In the case of Bryant, if he hadn't signed on time, the Browns may have lost their patience with him and cut ties. As it was, they took a chance on him in the seventh round of the draft out of Division II East Central University in Oklahoma after he was arrested in October for selling marijuana to an undercover police officer.

Six days after the Browns drafted him, Bryant was arrested for drunk driving and pleaded no contest. He's still on probation for the marijuana conviction and now has the DUI on his record. He admitted last month at the NFL Rookie Symposium that he had been battling a substance abuse problem before the DUI arrest.

Bryant was already skating on thin ice with the Browns, and if he had missed even one day of rookie camp, he would almost certainly have been cut -- either now or before the season. As it is, Bryant (6-4, 265) is a long shot to make the team at defensive end, one of the deeper positions.

Two things he has working in his favor are that his position coach, Joe Cullen, who had his own past alcohol-related arrest but now helps young players deal with their issues, has taken Bryant under his wing and believes in him as a person and a player. In addition, Mingo has become close with Bryant and has been helping him stay on the straight and narrow during the off-season.

"I’ve cut out going out, I’ve stopped drinking - everything,'' Bryant said last month at the symposium. "I’ve just been sticking myself in a hotel room, me and Barkevious Mingo. He's been keeping me focused and really helping me out through my situation. We go watch a movie, go out to dinner, just get my mind off stuff like that.''

McFadden's on-time arrival means he'll get a jump on his bid to earn the starting cornerback job opposite Joe Haden. The No. 68 overall pick out of San Diego State, McFadden worked primarily with the second-team during organized team activities and minicamp, but hopes to land the starting job in training camp.

"The biggest thing is just going out there every day and competing for that spot,'' McFadden said last month at the Browns' youth football camp. "Everybody is competing for that No. 1 spot. So that’s how you sum it up in a nutshell.”

McFadden worked behind fifth-year pro Chris Owens and third-year pro Buster Skrine in organized team activities and minicamp.

“Those guys are technically vets in the game, and they’re both good players,'' said McFadden. "They're competing for that No. 1 spot just as well. At the end of the day, when the season starts, we’ll find out.”

Mingo is confident McFadden is just as good as the premier cornerbacks he played with at LSU: two-time Pro Bowler Patrick Peterson and 2012 No. 6 overall pick Mo Claiborne.

“I think he’s looked just as good or better than some of those players,'' Mingo said at the youth camp. "Obviously Pat was a tremendous talent. Mo’s a tremendous talent. But I think Leon could have came in and played at LSU with all the DBs we had. He could have been one of those players. We’ve just got to wait and see.”

In the meantime, McFadden has been absorbing all of Haden's wisdom on the position.

"Yeah, he’s a great guy,'' said McFadden. "He's given me words of advice on when it’s man coverage, what he does sometimes. So I’ve taken that and pasted it into my game somehow.”

McFadden isn't worried about fans' concern over the secondary.

"They’ll just have to wait and see during the season,'' he said. "The way I see it, we’re competing in practice and we’ll be a strong and positive secondary.”

McFadden started 45 of 51 career games at San Diego State (2009-12). He registered 188 career tackles, eight interceptions, 39 passes defensed, three sacks and a forced fumble. His 39 pass breakups set a school record. McFadden also returned 17 punts for 116 yards (6.8 average), blocked an extra point and returned two of his interceptions for touchdowns. He became the fifth player in school history to be named first-team All-Mountain West Conference three times.

Zach McAllister says he's ready to rejoin the starting rotation. Manager Terry Francona agrees, but he's not going to rush into a decisions.

After throwing six scoreless innings Thursday for Class AAA Columbus, Zach McAllister says he's ready to rejoin the starting rotation.Mark Duncan, Associated Press 

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. --

There is an opening in the Indians' starting rotation Tuesday in Seattle and Zach McAllister says he's ready to fill it.

"I feel like I'm ready," said McAllister, after pitching six scoreless innings Thursday night in a rehab start for Class AAA Columbus against Lehigh Valley. "It's up to them to decide, but from my standpoint I feel I'm ready."

The Indians feel the same way, but they're going to wait until he throws his bullpen session today before making a decision.

"We'll let him throw his side session and see how he bounces back," said manager Terry Francona. "But everything is leaning toward him pitching [Tuesday]."

McAllister has been on the disabled list since June 8 with a sprained right middle finger. The Indians have had bad experiences with such injuries and have been especially cautious with McAllister.

Thursday was the first time he threw his curveball in a game since going on the DL. The Indians believe the curveball caused the injury.

"I used my curveball the way I wanted to and didn't feel any pain," said McAllister. "I have confidence in my curveball and that was one of my biggest things."

He said he threw his first curve in the second inning.

"I just took the mentality that I'm going to let it go and throw it the way I want to and whatever happens, happens," said McAllister.

McAllister, who struck out two, walked two and allowed two hits, threw 69 pitches, 44 for strikes. He went to the bullpen and worked his pitch count to 90.

It was McAllister's second rehab start.

Message from Pele: In Brazil soccer is king and Pele is a god. So imagine how catcher Yan Gomes felt when he was at his parents' home in Miami over the All-Star break and received two Tweets from Pele thanking him for being an inspiration to Brazilian youngsters dreaming of playing in the big leagues.

Gomes is the only Brazilian-born player in the big leagues.

Asked how it felt to get not one, but two Tweets from Pele, in English and Portuguese, Gomes said Friday afternoon at Target Field, "Imagine Babe Ruth Tweeting you."

Here's what Pele Tweeted: "@Pele @Yan_AGomes is such an inspiration to all the Brazilian kids dreaming to play in the @MLB one day."

His second Tweet said, "@Pele All my encouragement to @Yan_AGomes in his mission to promote baseball in Brazil."

"That was pretty freaking awesome," said Gomes. "I had an idea that he was going to try and reach out to me, but it was freaking awesome. I took me hours to reply back. I was so nervous because a lot of people were going to see it, especially in Brazil, so I wanted to make sure to say the right things."

Here's what Gomes Tweeted, "What a great honor to receive support from @Pele a great person who has inspired myself and so many others!"

On the shelf: Tom Hamilton, Indians play-by-play man on WTAM AM/1100, will miss this six-game trip as he recovers from knee surgery. Jim Rosenhaus will take over the play-by-play duties while former Tribe lefty Jason Stanford and Mike Belcher serve as analysts.

Stanford will do the Twins series and Belcher the Seattle series.

"I made my big-league debut in Minneapolis with the Tribe and I was DFA'd [designated for assignment] in Minneapolis," said Stanford. "Now I'm making my radio debut here."

Jensen Lewis, another former Tribe pitcher, will do Stanford's studio work at SportsTime Ohio this weekend.

MIA: Mark Reynolds didn't play in the last two games before the All-Star break and he was not in the lineup Friday. He's healthy, but his bat is still sick.

"He'll be in there [today]," said Francona. "I'm trying to do for him what I did for Vinnie [Pestano] in the bullpen. I'm trying to find some favorable matchups to get him on a roll."

Finally: Brett Myers (right elbow) has been shut down again by the Indians. Myers, who opened the season in the rotation, has been on the DL since April 20.

When asked if Myers, 32, needs surgery, Francona said: "At his age, I don't think he wants to do that. If he was 22 or 23, he'd probably have surgery. But now he wants to try to pitch."