Tiger Woods hit fairways and greens and was never challenged in winning his eighth Bridgestone Invitational Sunday.

AKRON, Ohio -- It was a breezy final round of the Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club on Sunday, especially so for a tournament that had the air and the drama sucked completely out of it.

Tiger Woods called it a "perfect day to protect (the lead)." And what he constructed was the golf equivalent of a fortress, complete with alligator-filled moat.

His final round was the Tea Party of conservative stances. No shots lost. No harbor given.

The tradition of PGA Tour players recounting their birdies and bogeys in the post-round news conference made for a short conversation where Woods was concerned.

One birdie on No. 10. One bogey on No. 14. The rest par for the course en route to a 15-under 265 total for the week.

About the only time he came even close to unraveling was when he was asked about his son, 4-year-old Charlie, catching up with him on the practice green following his eighth Bridgestone Invitational victory and giving him a hug.

"This was the first win he's been at," said Woods. "That's what makes it special for both of us. He's never seen me win a golf tournament."

Protecting a seven-shot lead after three rounds, Woods strung nine consecutive pars to start the day and shot even on the back nine to win by seven shots over Keegan Bradley and Henrik Stenson. Cleveland native Jason Dufner tied for fourth at 6-under in his second pro tournament at Firestone. 

Woods may not intimidate as he once did. But that's a long way from anyone thinking he was vulnerable Sunday.

"It was a really weird feeling because it was like a tournament within a tournament," Bradley said. "Coming in second alone is a big accomplishment considering Tiger had such a big lead."

Woods is so often so dominant at Firestone, his 61 in Friday's second round seriously blunted any optimism about catching him. He spent the last two days preserving his lead, scrambling to a 2-under 68 Saturday and then even-par 70 in Sunday's final round.

Woods goes to this week's PGA Championship having won five times on Tour in 2013.

"I'm proud of how many times I've won (here), how many World Golf Championships I've won (18) but also how many years I've won five or more times in a season. I don't know what that total is, eight or nine."

"Ten," someone corrected.

"That's even better," said Woods, smiling.

His victory here is the second time this season he has captured a tournament for the eighth time in his career. Arnold Palmer's Bay Hilll, where Woods won by two shots over Justin Rose in March, was the first and vaulted Woods back to the No. 1 world ranking.

Sam Snead won the Greater Greensboro Open eight times from 1938 to 1965 at two golf courses. In addition to Bay Hill and Firestone, Woods has also won eight times at Torrey Pines.

Woods, who started Sunday on cruise control, never trailed by fewer than seven shots. He increased his lead to nine shots with a birdie at No. 10.

Twenty times now in his career Woods has won in his final start before a major. He kept the momentum going on four occasions, winning at the 2000 U.S. Open, 2001 Masters, the 2006 PGA Championship and the 2007 PGA Championship.

If it happens again at Oak Hill, he'll end a five-year draught in majors.

Video: Tiger Woods was dominant all weekend at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational to win the tournament by 7 strokes at -15. It was his 8th win at Firestone Country Club and his 79th career PGA Tour win.

A glance at the final round of the Bridgestone Invitational.

AKRON, Ohio - Here is a summary of highlights and lowlights from the final round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club.

Quote of the day: "Can I play six holes on each?" -- Tiger Woods when asked where he'd want to play -- Torrey Pines, Bay Hill or Firestone (where he's won eight times each) -- if he needed to win one tournament.

Best and worst rounds of the day: A handful of players shot 4-under 66. Daniel Popovic shot 12-over 82 and finished 34 over for the tournament.

Best reason to wish there was a cut: Woods at minus-15 finished a tournament record 49 shots better than Popovic, finishing last in his first WGC event.

Quote of the day II: "Every time they extend, I win. So I was telling the guy out there, they've got to do one-year deals." -- Woods, when asked his reaction to the announcement of a contract extension with Bridgestone to keep the tournament at Firestone through 2018.

Worst nitpick: Pointing out that Woods' ultra conservative even-par 70 Sunday means he has yet to shoot a round in the 60s on the final day of a tournament this season.

(Almost) Shot of the day: Henrik Stenson's short approach on the par-4 No. 3 hole hit the flag stick and landed in the rough. He bogeyed the hole.

"A lovely pitch, one bounce, hit the pin, very much like Tiger at Augusta," Stenson said of the wedge Woods hit that caromed off the stick into Rae's Creek (video).

Best stat: Tiger Woods is now 42-2 when holding the outright 54-hole lead.

Worst chip: Cleveland native Jason Dufner from the greenside rough on No. 4 had 42 feet to the pin. He hit it 68 feet and needed to sink a five-and-a-half footer to avoid double bogey.

A conservative Tiger Woods protects his big lead, wins the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and channels Jack Nicklaus in more ways than one.

AKRON, Ohio -- Tiger is not Arnie.

You expected drama in the final round from Tiger Woods, who took the lead at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational by seven shots in round two, maintained the margin at the end of play Saturday and, with an even-par 70, Sunday finished the same seven ahead? If so, you, my friend, do not know Eldrick Tont Woods.

The anti-Tiger was Arnold Palmer, going for a record and blowing a U.S. Open that he led by seven shots with nine holes to play at Olympic in San Francisco.

Tiger is not Greg, either.

Another painful unraveling was that of Greg Norman, who took a six-stroke lead over Nick Faldo into the final round of the 1996 Masters. After a simultaneous El Faldo (Nick shot 67) and El Foldo (Greg shot 78), it was clear Norman at his core lacked the nerve to close the deal.

Tiger is Jack.

Disclaimer: Saying Tiger Woods resembles Jack Nicklaus in any way, shape or form other than his play on a golf course can lead to tests for use of controlled substances and accusations of early-onset stupidity. The Woods' sex scandal is certainly one thing. But Woods also can be disciplined on the course to the point of tactical inflexibility.

Jack was that way. He had his precise yardage notebooks, he prepared with his Teutonic thoroughness, and he was guided by his innate revulsion at loss of control. When he hit two balls into Rae's Creek on the famous 12th hole at Augusta National, he barked at himself: "Good gosh, what am I going to make here? Thirteen?"

That was a shot at former Ohio State player Tom Weiskopf, who drowned five approaches to the par-3 green of his way to a baker's dozen.

Tiger can vent after a bad shot in a torrent of curse words, but he has never varied in how to win with a lead. Hit the fairways, hit the greens, take a two-putt par, and let the galleries yawn and the pursuers despair as the holes run out.

His final round in difficult, blustery conditions might be the perfect prep for this week's PGA Championship in Rochester, N.Y.

"Oak Hill is going to be a golf course where you have to make a lot of pars, there's no doubt," said Woods, who made 16 of them to go with a birdie and a bogey Sunday. "If you have opportunity to make a birdie, you'd better because there aren't a whole lot of opportunities. There are a few holes that you can be aggressive on and maybe a few pin locations that if you have the right situation, you can be pretty aggressive. But otherwise, it's going to be a tough golf course."

In the last 20 years, the winner of the PGA Championship has been 10 under par or better 12 times. By contrast, Oak Hill was behind only Oakland Hills near Detroit in the demands it made on the players. Shaun Micheel won the PGA at Oak Hill at 4-under in 2003, while Padraig Harrington won in Michigan at 3-under in 2008.

It is more of a U.S. Open layout than a PGA event. Because the PGA is for the touring and teaching pros, it usually does not select a course set-up that defiles the reputations of its members. That may change at Oak Hill.

"The rough was already up when I played it on Tuesday," Woods said. "It has another week of getting thicker and more lush. I don't know what they're going to top that out at by game time come Thursday, but I think it's going to be a very, very difficult championship."

Phil Mickelson, Woods' great rival, who reinvented himself as a links golfer to win the British Open, said the key would be to hit the fairways and stay below the hole on the severely sloping greens. Don't go over the greens, for there lurk numbers known as "others," meaning they go from double bogey to infinity.

When Tiger walked off after his final round, he became, in a loving and impulsive gesture to his son, Jack in another way.

On Saturday at the 1973 PGA Championship at Canterbury in Beachwood, Jack put his son, Gary, a toddler at the time, on his shoulders as he walked up the 18th fairway.

On Sunday at Firestone South, looking forward to the 2013 PGA Championship, Tiger scooped his son Charlie up and walked away from his conquest, hugging his son to his chest.

Tiger has been stuck on 14 majors since 2008. Jack, who finished with 18 majors, passed Bobby Jones' record of 13 majors with his eventual victory at Canterbury four decades ago.

Just sayin'.

Charlie Kimball gets his first victory at Mid-Ohio, while series leader Helio Castroneves makes hard charge from 15th to sixth and maintains points lead.

LEXINGTON, Ohio -- Driver Charlie Kimball continued the Chip Ganassi race team dominance at Mid-Ohio, as Kimball's triumph Sunday afternoon made it six wins here in the past seven races for Ganassi.

Art Donovan, the lineman whose hilarious stories about his football career enabled him to maintain his popularity long after his election into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, died Sunday night. He was 89.

BALTIMORE (AP) — Art Donovan, the lineman whose hilarious stories about his football career enabled him to maintain his popularity long after his election into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, died Sunday night. He was 89.

Donovan died at 7:20 p.m. at Stella Maris Hospice in Baltimore, according to Kevin Byrne, senior vice president of public and community relations for the Baltimore Ravens.

Donovan made a name for himself as a feisty defensive tackle for the Baltimore Colts, helping the team to world championships in 1958 and 1959. He also spent single seasons with the New York Yanks and Dallas Texans in a career that lasted from 1950 through 1961.

"We lost a friend, one of the finest men and one of the greatest characters we were fortunate to meet in this community and in this business," Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said. "Baltimore is now without one of its best and someone who was a foundation for the tremendous popularity of football in our area. The world is not as bright tonight because we lost someone who could make us all smile."

Voted into the Hall of Fame in 1968, Donovan was an outstanding lineman and an even better storyteller. Long after his career was over, Donovan made a living on the talk-show circuit, weaving yarns about the NFL's good old days — as he put it, "When men were, well, men."

Donovan was much like Bob Uecker, who also became popular on late-night talk shows through his stories about sports. But Uecker's game was baseball, and his schtick dealt with his limited abilities. Donovan performed on the football field as well as anyone at his position, even though he once said the only weight he ever lifted was a beer can.

"Some of the greatest football ever played by a defensive tackle was played by Art Donovan," said Hall of Fame center Jim Ringo, who died in 2007. "He was one of the greatest people I played against all my life."

Donovan played in the 1958 championship game between the Colts and New York Giants, a contest that was decided in overtime and ultimately tabbed by some football historians as "The Greatest Game Ever Played." The winner's share was $4,700; the most Donovan ever earned in one season was $22,000.

But Donovan got a million dollars' worth of memories and more than enough material for storytelling. Once, he filled a hotel shower stall with water and went for a dip. Things went swimmingly until the shower door burst open, flooding his room and the one below it.

Donovan had a thousand more stories like that, many of which were chronicled in his autobiography, appropriately titled, "Fatso." Donovan liked to say he was a light eater — "When it got light, I started eating."

He was hardly particular about what he ate (or drank), which could explain why he spent much of his life hovering around 300 pounds, although the playing weight of the 6-foot-3 Donovan was listed at 265.

"I've never been a gourmet eater," he wrote. "Kosher hot dogs, cheeseburgers, pizza, baloney, and a couple of cases of Schlitz are all I'd need on a desert isle."

Donovan's father was Arthur J. Donovan Sr., arguably the most famous fight referee of all time. The elder Donovan was the third man in the ring at 19 of Joe Louis' title fights and some 150 championship bouts in all.

When the younger Donovan grew up and left the tough New York neighborhood of his youth, he fought in World War II and played college football at Notre Dame and Boston College. While he was on the football field, he would just as soon step on a guy's hand than shake it.

Off the field, however, he was nothing more than a big teddy bear.

The late John Steadman, a sportswriter for The (Baltimore) Sun who covered the Colts in their glory years, once said, "Art is a tremendous example for everyone, a wonderful Santa Claus-type individual."

Indeed, Donovan often played the role of Saint Nick at the team's annual Christmas party. His good cheer was no act.

"Wherever Artie goes, people always crowd around him and he makes them laugh," former Colt Dick Syzmanski once said. "Isn't that a gift?"

Donovan broke into professional football in 1950 with the Colts, who folded after his rookie season. He played with the Yanks in 1951 and Texans in 1952 before the Dallas franchise moved to Baltimore and became the second version of the Colts.

The Indians improved to 10-1 in their past 11 games Sunday with a 2-0 victory over the Marlins.

MIAMI, Fla. -- Left-hander Scott Kazmir and Michael Brantley primed the Indians for what lies straight ahead -- a four-game series with the AL Central-leading Tigers starting Monday night at Progressive Field.

Kazmir pitched six scoreless innings Sunday and Brantley provided elbow room with another big two-out single as the Indians beat Miami, 2-0, at Marlins Park. The Indians have won 10 of their past 11 games, but still trail the Tigers by three games.

"It's going to be high intensity," said Kazmir, referring to the Detroit series. "I know we're ready for it. We're in a good spot and we'll see what happens."

Kazmir (7-4, 3.89), Bryan Shaw, Joe Smith and Chris Perez combined on a four-hitter for the Tribe's MLB-high 15th shutout.

"I wish we had 30," said manager Terry Francona, "but 15 shows you we're getting solid pitching."

The 15 shutouts are the most by the Indians since they had 17 in 1976.

Brantley, with the Tribe clinging to a 1-0 lead, singled with two outs in the eighth to score Mike Aviles from third for a 2-0 lead. Brantley is hitting .383 (18-for-47) with two out and runners in scoring position. In this instance, he singled on a 3-2 pitch from Chad Qualls to end an 0-for-14 slump.

"Qualls is a great pitcher," said Brantley. "It was a long at-bat. I fouled off a couple of pitches at 3-2 and then he left a sinker up. It gave us some breathing room." 

The Indians took a 1-0 lead in the second on Lonnie Chisenhall's single. Yan Gomes started the rally by beating out an infield single on a close play. Mark Reynolds doubled off the fence in left field to chase Gomes to third. It was Reynolds' first extra base hit since he homered on June 28 in the second game of a doubleheader against the White Sox.

With runners on first and third, the inning ended when Kazmir grounded into a 4-6-3 double play.

Kazmir made the 1-0 lead stand through six innings. He was removed in the seventh for pinch-hitter Jason Giambi. The Indians had runners on second and third with one out, but Giambi fouled out to third and Michael Bourn lined out to right.

"I wasn't even thinking about the 1-0 lead," said Kazmir. "I was just thinking about attacking hitters. Right now, I think I'm better than I was four or five years ago. I think I'm wiser and have a couple of more pitches."

In his 20th start of the season, Kazmir struck out seven, walked two and allowed two hits. After Ed Lucas doubled on a 3-2 pitch with one out in the first, the Marlins didn't have another hit until Christian Yelich singled with one out in the sixth. Kazmir finished the inning with two straight strikeouts.

Nathan Eovaldi (2-2, 3.19), making his ninth start of the season, caught the Indians' attention when he hit 100 mph in the first inning on a pitch to Jason Kipnis. The next pitch, a 99 mph fastball, was deposited in center field for a single by Kipnis.

After giving up a run in the second, Eovaldi shut down the Tribe. Including Kazmir's double play to end the second, he recorded 10 straight outs before Kazmir ended the streak with a two-out single in the fifth. It was his second hit in the big leagues and his first since 2007.

• Box score | Scoreboard | Standings

"There's been some serious trash talking going on among the pitchers all year," said Kazmir. "That was fun."

Marlins manager Mike Redmond showed confidence in Eovaldi when he let him hit in the sixth despite trailing, 1-0. Eovaldi allowed one run on seven hits in seven innings.

Bryan Shaw replaced Kazmir and struck out the side in the seventh, but it wasn't as easy as it sounds. Logan Morrison opened with a single, but Donovan Solano struck out. Adeiny Hechavarria followed with a single, but Jake Marisnick struck out. Are you starting to pick up a pattern?

Shaw broke the pattern by striking out Jeff Mathis to end the inning.

Smith pitched a scoreless eighth, striking out slugger Giancarlo Stanton for the third out. Perez recorded his 17th save and 11th straight since coming off the disabled list on June 27.

The game featured good defense by the Tribe.

After Kazmir walked Mathis to start the third, Eovaldi missed on a sacrifice bunt attempt with Mathis moving on the pitch. With Reynolds charging from first, Kipnis snuck over from second to take Gomes' pick-off throw to get Harris.

Kipnis ended the inning with a leaping catch on Lucas' liner.

"They're bunting, Kipnis slides over to first base and Gomes makes the throw, things like that get me excited," said Francona. "Kipnis had just made the last out in the top of the inning. He was mad about a call, but he's still playing the game all the way around."

The Indians, 8-5 in Interleague play, are 11-5 since the All-Star break.

After losing the series opener, 10-0 on Friday, the Indians came back to take the series with wins Saturday and Sunday. Asked if he could pick a better scenario to prepare for the Tigers' series, Francona said, "I'd like to be 10 games up. Every series is big, but this makes this really exciting. We get to play the best team in our division and see how we can do."    

Tribe manager Terry Francona, a Bud Selig fan, called him Monday during the Biogenesis suspensions to offer his support.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Seen and heard at Progressive Field.

Commissioner Bud Selig returned Indians' manager Terry Francona's call Monday and said the Biogenesis suspensions meant better days were ahead for MLB. Mary Altaffer, Associated Press 

Clubhouse confidential: Terry Francona was watching Monday's coverage of MLB's suspensions of 13 players linked to the Biogenesis investigation. Part of it dealt with the reading of Commissioner Bud Selig's statement explaining the 211-game suspension for Alex Rodriguez.

 Francona called Selig, who he knows from his days of playing with the Brewers, and left a message.

 "If you spend 30 seconds with Bud Selig, you know he loves the game," said Francona. "So I was watching his statement being read and I felt for him. I picked up the phone and called him and left a message. Ten minutes later he called me back and said, 'This doesn't need to be a dark day in baseball. It needs to be the beginning of the good stuff.' He said it a lot better than I articulated it, but I agree with him."

 Long road back: Lou Marson, remember him, caught eight innings for Class AAA Columbus on Sunday in Toledo. It was Marson's first game since June 7 as he tries to recover from a right shoulder injury.

 Marson has played just three games for the Tribe this season.

 Stat of the day: The Indians lead the big leagues with 15 shutouts, something they have not done since 1956 when they had 17 including five by Herb Score and four each by Mike Garcia and Early Wynn.
 

Cleveland holds the AL's second wild-card slot and trails Detroit by three games entering the Tigers' final 2013 visit to Progressive Field.

 

» Get updates from the pressbox here

» You can also follow Tweets about the game and post your thoughts in the comments section.

Tweets from @clevelanddotcom/indians

Join cleveland.com's Glenn Moore as he talks Browns with The Plain Dealer's Tom Reed tonight at 9 p.m.

cleveland.com's Glenn Moore and his guest will recap today's practice at 9 p.m. (john Kuntz / The Plain Dealer) 

// username and password used for direct login only
var directUsername = "";
var directPassword = "";
var roomPassword = "";
var roomID = "1522";
var roomName = "www.cleveland.com Room";
var privateChatCID = "";

// logoPath should be swf/png/jpg/gif, approximately 200x30
// bgPath should be swf/png/jpg/gif, size will be stretched to the full background
// bgColor if no background is desired
var logoPath = "http://www.cleveland.com/chatblazermod/images/logo.jpg";
var bgPath = "";
var bgColor = "";
var barColor = ""; // #336699
var textColor = ""; // #FFFFFF

// Size of ChatBlazer application in % or pixels
var chatWidth="480";
var chatHeight="312";

// path of chat
var flashPath="ChatBlazer8"+(mainSkin!=""?"_"+mainSkin:"")+".swf?cb=1";

function addParam(pname,pval) {
if (typeof pval!="undefined" && pval) { flashPath = flashPath + "&"+pname+"=" + encodeURIComponent(pval); }
}

addParam("lang",mainLang);
addParam("config",mainConfig);
addParam("skin",mainSkin);
addParam("username",directUsername);
addParam("password",directPassword);
addParam("roompass",roomPassword);
addParam("roomid",roomID);
addParam("roomname",roomName);
addParam("privatechatcid",privateChatCID);
addParam("logo",logoPath);
addParam("bgpath",bgPath);
addParam("bgcolor",bgColor);
addParam("barcolor",barColor);

if (navigator.appVersion.indexOf("MSIE") != -1) {
addParam("isIE","1");
}

embedFlash(flashPath,chatWidth,chatHeight,"cb8",sourceBase, "#000000");
//-->

How can baseball allow players suspended for PEDs be allowed to come back and play this season?

Detroit Tigers' Jhonny Peralta, right, talks with third base coach Gene Lamont after hitting a triple to drive in Prince Fielder and Alex Avila against the Cleveland Indians in the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 4, 2012, in Detroit. The Tigers defeated the Indians 6-1. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)AP Photo 

Suspending 13 players for using performance enhancing drugs is a good idea.

But the penalties from Major League Baseball are not enough, except in the case of Alex Rodriguez (214 games).

But the rest?

Fifty games for the Tigers' Jhonny Peralta and the Rangers' Nelson Cruz?

Both are all-stars. Both can come back near the end of the regular season and take part in the playoffs, assuming their teams make the post-season.

That's why 50 games for most of the players is not enough.

At the very least, these guys should be done for the year ... and that includes the playoffs.

Moving forward, here is what baseball should do:

1. For a first offense, 100-game suspension.

2. That suspension voids all the remaining years on the player's contract. Ryan Braun was suspended for the rest of this season, but still has $113 million left on his contract. And Milwaukee still has to pay him. Is that fair? 

3. A second suspension is a lifetime ban.

It's very obvious the 50-game suspension doesn't scare teams or players.

In 2012, Melky Cabrera was suspended for 50 games. After the season, he received a two-year, $16 million deal from Toronto.

Peralta is a free agent after the season. Wonder what kind of contract he'll receive. Bet it's hefty.

But if Peralta were to miss another 45 games next season, his value would go down. Same with Nelson Cruz, another free agent.

Yes, Peralta has not been in any serious trouble during his career. He's a quiet guy who plays every day.

He did issue this statement when accepting the suspension: "I take full responsibility for my actions, have no excuses for my lapse in judgment and I accept my suspension. I love the fans, my teammates and this organization and my greatest punishment is knowing that I have let so many good people down."

Peralta made the All-Star team and was batting .305 with 11 homers and 54 RBI.

In his statement, Peralta also said he "made a mistake in the spring of 2012 that I deeply regret."

That seems strange, in terms of timing.

In 2011, he made the All-Star team, batting .299 with 21 homers and 86 RBI.

The next spring, he now admits using PEDs. The result? He batted .239 with 13 homers and 39 RBI.

The truth is we don't know the truth with most of these guys, not just Peralta.

In the spring, the law firm representing Cruz issued this statement: "We are aware of certain allegations and inferences. To the extent these allegations and inferences refer to Nelson, they are denied."

Accepting the suspension, Cruz now delivered this statement: ""From November, 2011 to January, 2012, I was seriously ill with a gastrointestinal infection, helicobacter pylori, which went undiagnosed for over a month. By the time I was properly diagnosed and treated, I had lost 40 pounds.

"Just weeks before I was to report to spring training in 2012, I was unsure whether I would be physically able to play. Faced with this situation, I made an error in judgment that I deeply regret, and I accept full responsibility for that error. I should have handled the situation differently, and my illness was no excuse."

Like Peralta, Cruz will be a free agent at the end of the season.

And like Peralta's situation, baseball should be embarrassed for allowing Cruz to play at any point this season.

The bottom line is MLB was correct to discipline the cheaters, only the penalties were not severe enough.

Terry Francona juggles the demands of today and tomorrow for the Indians' surprising contender.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Big series. Big moment. Terry Francona wants his players to enjoy the games with Detroit, but stay in the moment.

"I hope our guys enjoy the hell out of these four games. If your pulse isn't going now, you're probably semi-comatose," said Francona.

Something like the Detroit series is one of the reasons Scott Kazmir came to spring training in Arizona, hoping to put behind him baseball at the lowest level with the independent Sugarland (Tex.) Skeeters last year.

Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona watches his team take on the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Illinois, Saturday, June 29, 2013. Associated Press 

It's one of the reasons why Jason Giambi, although most of baseball thought he should get on already with being a manager (he interviewed for the Colorado job) or a coach, signed a minor-league contract with the Indians.

"It's always huge when the manager's got your back," said Giambi. "He's a guy you want to play for. Tito (the name of Terry's father and his almost universal nickname in baseball) gets it. He played this game. He understands there are going to be ups and downs. You're not always going to be red hot. Sometimes, you need time to work yourself out of it. It comes down to faith."

Critics wonder why Giambi, at 42, is in the big leagues when he's hitting .194. Francona talks about Giambi's run production, the menacing presence "Big G" has as a pinch-hitter, and his veteran presence in the clubhouse.

The roster is peppered with Fracona's good works through faith. The manager stayed with Jason Kipnis when the All-Star second baseman could have been buried on the bench in April and May. Same with shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, before, during, and after Cabrera's right quadriceps injury. When Francona moved the key free-agent signee, Nick Swisher, down in the lineup, it was with a reluctance that critics saw as needless delay. Same with sitting another featured new arrival, Mark Reynolds.

Perhaps the biggest move that involved, literally and figuratively, short-term pain for longer gain was on May 26. Francona stuck with embattled closer Chris Perez, in Boston --of all places where the manager would have liked to win a series after his dismissal by the Red Sox -- even though Perez was clearly hurting. In fact, he blew a three-run save and took the loss before heading to the disabled list for a month.

"I try to do what's right. As a manager, sometimes you have to look past today. . . and know that it's a long season and you pick your spots," Francona said. "Again, you're dealing with people. Sometimes, you send a guy out knowing it's going to be tough and a struggle, but you know he's going to get hot, and he's your guy, so you stick with him."

A baseball man has to have a long view. Perez, for all his unpopularity with the fans, is a perfect example of what Francona was talking about.

"Some of those times, it might look like a stumbling block, but then the outcome later on in the year is unbelievable. Look at CP now," said Giambi before Perez proved all too fallible in Monday's series opener. "Trust sometimes is a two-way street. That's the hardest thing. Tito does that as well as anybody I've ever seen."

An inherent tension exists between Francona's support for his players and his constant refrain that "today's game is the biggest game."

Managers get paid to juggle such priorities. Francona, for instance, will go with surprise and innovation by using Danny Salazar Wednesday for the third game of this series. Maybe the kid is the new Jaret Wright, the Hero of '97. At the same time, Francona tries to balance the big series-big moment aspects with the check on the emotions that comes with a long season.

Said Francona: "You can't get all revved up and give a guy the ball and try run through the line and gain four yards. Sometimes, the louder it gets, it calls for a guy throwing a change-up. You can't just get all revved up and try to hit a home run."

His trust in his players has forged a team with no cliques.

"Whether they play nine, 10 or 11 innings, it's not always perfect, but when you feel like they're going in one direction, even if it's in the wrong direction, if if we're going together, I get a pretty big kick out of that," he said.

The juggler has no clue how long he can keep the balls in the air. It has, however, already been the best show in years at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario.

"I enjoy it here," Francona said. "I wanted to come here. I have no way to gauge where it's going to end, but it's been enjoyable seeing how good we can be."

Steroids will always been linked with Jason Giambi's name. Following MLB's suspension of 13 players Monday for using performance enhancing drugs, Giambi said baseball is moving in the right direction in its attempt to clean up the game.

Jason Giambi, being congratulated by his teammates after a recent game-winning homer, says the suspensions in the Biogenesis investigation will help clean up baseball.Scott Shaw, The Plain Dealer 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Jason Giambi knows steroids. He admitted using them and testified in the U.S. Government's case against former San Francisco slugger Barry Bonds and his trainer.

When Giambi used steroids, MLB did not have a drug testing policy so he was never suspended. He was ostracized and has dealt with it ever since. As he said in spring training, "I've been to the top of the mountain and down to the gutter in this game."

Giambi, 42, is still playing. He was in the Tribe's lineup Monday for the opening of a big four-game series against the Tigers. But before the game, he was not talking about the race for first in the AL Central, he was talking about steroids following the suspension of 13 players, including former Yankee teammate Alex Rodriguez, for their part in the Biogenesis investigation.

He applauded MLB's current drug testing program, but didn't demonize the players who were suspended.

"I think we've been going in the right direction for a long time," said Giambi. "Human beings are going to make mistakes. It shows that Major League Baseball is doing everything it can to go in the right direction."

Twelve of the 13 players accepted 50-game suspensions. Rodriguez was suspended for 211-regular season games -- the rest of this season and all of the 2014 season. He is considering an appeal.

When asked if the penalties would stop players from cheating, Giambi said, "It's something that hopefully won't keep going on. . .There are consequences and we're seeing these consequences have actions."

Detroit shortstop Jhonny Peralta and Texas right fielder Nelson Cruz were two of the players suspended for 50 games. The Indians are chasing the Tigers in the Central and competing with the Rangers for a wild card spot.

"There's not one guy who is a distraction to a ballclub," said Giambi, when asked if the suspension could help the Indians. "If you're playing well, you get around those distractions."

Long wait: Brett Myers recently received a second opinion on his sore right elbow when the Indians sent his MRIs to another doctor. The news was the same as the Indians' opinion, which was good and bad.

"It's a positive because I don't have to have surgery," said Myers. "It's a negative because they said it was the same injury and there's nothing I can do for it except what I'm doing."

Myers tried to throw off the mound Sunday and his elbow started hurting five pitches into the session. On Monday, he was playing long toss at 150 feet and the elbow felt fine.

"It's starting to tick me off," said Myers, who signed a one-year $7 million deal.

Myers said his teammates have been good to him.

"Normally when you're on the DL, you're kind of in the way," said Myers. "I haven't got that from these guys. They've treated me great."

Myers went on the disabled list with a sore ulnar collateral ligament and a strained flexor tendon in his elbow.

"The UCL is fine, but I reinjured the flex tendon," he said. "It's the second time with the same injury and they said that's the toughest one to come back from."

Reason why: In the Tribe's 4-2 victory over Florida on Saturday, Miami's Adeiny Hechavarria sent a hard bunt to third baseman Mike Aviles in the ninth inning with a man on first. Aviles fielded the bunt, thought about going to second for the force, thought better of it, and then looked at first before eating the ball.

Manager Terry Francona said the second base umpire screened Avila at second. Avila said that wasn't the case.

"I didn't even see the umpire," Aviles. "When it was bunted, I said I'm going to second for sure because (pinch-hitter) Greg Dobbs was running and when you enter a game as a pinch-hitter you're usually not as loose as a guy who has been playing the game.

"I just said I was going to be aggressive and go to second. When I came up to throw, I thought going to second wasn't the best idea and I said, "Let's just eat this.'"

Francona time: Over the years, Indians' managers have not been the most prompt when it comes to meeting the media for their pre-game press conferences. They start out fine, but soon that 4:15 p.m. meeting seems to get later and later.

It's not that way with Francona, who often beats writers to the meeting.

"I hate being late," said Francona. "I don't think I've ever been late in my life. That's one of the reasons I don't sleep. If we have a day game, I set the alarm in my head and wake up every hour."

Browns running back Trent Richardson might sit out Thursday night's preseason opener against the Rams. Coach Rob Chudzinski hasn't decided yet.

BEREA, Ohio -- Browns running back Trent Richardson (shin) returned to practice on a limited basis Monday after sitting out the previous two sessions with a sore shin, and coach Rob Chudzinski said he hasn't yet decided if Richardson will play Thursday night in the preseason opener against the Rams at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Richardson told "Training Camp Daily'' on FoxSportsOhio that he'd like to play, but that he'll abide by whatever Chudzinski decides. He said Chudzinski told him that September is showtime, which would seem to indicate that they're leaning toward holding him out.

Richardson has vowed to play in all four preseason games after missing all four last year, but he's also determined to be smart about his body this season so he can stay healthy for 16 games.

Richardson participated in goal-line drills and took a few reps in some other team periods, but was held out of the two-minute sessions. He nearly scored in a goal-line drills, but was run out of bounds.

HARDESTY STILL OUT: No. 2 running back Montario Hardesty is still sidelined with his hamstring tendon injury and is expected to sit out the Rams game. That means the Browns could be without their top two backs for the game.

WARD LIMITED: Safety T.J. Ward returned (hamstring) returned to the field but was limited to individual drills only. Johnson Bademosi replaced him and responded by breaking up a pass to Greg Little in the back right side of the end zone. Meanwhile, Tashaun Gipson, who has been battling a sore shoulder, returned for full action and looks ready for Thursday.

TWO-MINUTE NOTES: In Brandon Weeden's first crack at the two-minute drill, he started at his 40 and needed a field goal to win. He completed two passes to his new go-to guy Davone Bess and had one deflected at the line. Then, the first unit was flagged for a penalty when Weeden was trying to spike the ball with one second left. Coach Rob Chudzinski let Graham line up for a field goal anyway, and he nailed a 53-yarder.

In Weeden's second chance at the two-minute, he needed a touchdown to win and hit Bess with an 11-yarder at the left side of the end zone, where he beat cornerback Chris Owens. Weeden and Bess also connected on a 23-yarder over the middle on the drive.

Jason Campbell produced a field goal -- a 52-yarder by Brandon Bogotay -- in his only chance at the two-minute; and Brian Hoyer found Josh Cooper for a 6-yard TD strike. Gary Barnidge made a nice 15-yard leaping catch over the middle from Hoyer on the drive.

cleveland.com's Glenn Moore recapped today's Browns practice with The Plain Dealer's Tom Reed.

Who needs to step up on the offensive line? Tom Reed talks about this and more during Monday night's training camp podcast. (John Kuntz / The Plain Dealer) 

Watch as Cleveland Brown offensive lineman talks about the blood clot that kept him out of the last ten games of the season and switching to right guard this year.

BEREA, Ohio --  Doctors told Cleveland Browns offensive lineman Jason Pinkston that he could have died last year if he had played more due to a blood clot in his lung.  He missed the last ten games of the season.

This season, the only rust he feels is in making the switch to right guard.

Follow on Twitter: @CLEvideos

Browns right guard Shawn Lauvao was carted off the field with an ankle injury, and Jason Pinkston might be pressed into service after sitting out six months with a blood clot in his lung.

BEREA, Ohio - With just minutes left in Monday's practice, starting right guard Shawn Lauvao suffered an ankle injury in a blocking drill and made the long, ominous trek to the fieldhouse on a cart.

It means former starting left guard Jason Pinkston, who missed the final 10 games of last season after suffering a life-threatening blood clot in his lung, will likely be pressed into service for Thursday's preseason opener against the Rams and possibly beyond.

"It's tough,'' said Pinkston. "You never want to see somebody get hurt in a training camp practice. It didn't look too serious. Maybe they took him off for precaution just to make sure he's OK.''

The injury occurred during a one-on-one blocking drill when massive nosetackle Phil Taylor got under Lauvao's pads on a bull rush and Lauvao buckled. He knelt for a moment, grabbed the ankle and winced.

"He put a little weight on it but they were still trying to limit it, just because they didn’t want him to hurt it,'' said Pinkston. "I was talking to him. He said, 'I'm fine. I just twisted my ankle a little bit.' Hopefully it's not serious, but you never know. They still have to look at it.''

The problem for the Browns is that Pinkston, who's mostly been backing up Lauvao at right guard despite starting the past two seasons at left guard, is still getting his legs underneath him after spending six months out of football while on bloodthinners.

“I’m still getting there,'' he said. "I still have a lot of work to do. I haven’t been in a game for six or seven months. It’s still going to take some time to get used to, moving my feet again and moving my hips.''

Despite that, he said, "I feel good, I feel like it never happened.''

The biggest adjustment for Pinkston, even moreso than learning a new offense, is moving from the left side to the right. Prior to leaving the Bengals game Oct. 14 with what proved to be the bloodclot, Pinkston started 22 straight games at left guard. Now, John Greco is manning his old stomping grounds next to Joe Thomas and figures to hold down that job for the season.

"I never played right guard before so my feet are backward so I'm trying to get them together,'' Pinkston said. "The left side is more natural for me. It's definitely a learning period for me, but I've got to be ready. I really don't have a choice.''

Thursday night's game will mark the first time Pinkston has played in FirstEnergy Stadium since he was seen throwing up blood on the sidelines during that Bengals game.

“Yeah, it will (be big),'' he said. "It will be the first time running out there for a meaningful game. I remember knowing something was really, really wrong and I wasn’t sure what it was, but I was overall happy because our team just beat Cincinnati.”

Doctors told Pinkston that if he had stayed in for two or three more plays and gotten hit, he could've died on the field.

"So you look at it like that, I'm just happy to be able to come out here and practice and have a chance at starting for a job again,'' he said. "When I was out, guys would ask me how I’m doing and I was like, ‘You don’t know when it could be over.' ''

Pinkston didn't know if he'd ever be able to play football again until doctors cleared him in March. It was the same day his daughter, Martha Jane, was born.

"I was a doctor's appointment away from not being able to play football again, so I'm thankful every day I'm able to put pads on and practice and be out here with my teammates again,'' he said.

Pinkston, who recently shed the 25 pounds he gained while out and is back down to 320, revealed that he wasn't himself right from the start of last season.

“It was kind of weird,'' he said. "Week One, I had lost 10 pounds going into the Eagles game so I was feeling kind of sick from the very first game. I didn’t know what was wrong, but I realized I wasn’t playing very well. I had lost a lot of weight and my legs were feeling weird, but I didn’t know what it was. I thought it was just coming from training camp.”

Pinkston has no hard feelings that he has to try to win a starting job back. He's taken a few reps at left guard, but has been with the second team on the right. On the depth chart, however, he has equal billing with both Greco and Lauvao, meaning the Browns are still considering it a three-horse race.

“It’s tough, but you know it’s a business,'' he said. "It’s going to be the next guy up when something happens. I’m taking it as it is and I’m still here working ‘cause it’s a long season, so anything could happen. I could be in there tomorrow as the starter. There’s no such thing as you can’t lose your job from injury, and I think some people around the league, they get confused with that. Sometimes you get banged up and someone gets in there performing and the team’s rolling. Why pull them out? You just can’t do that.”

Lauvao's injury marks the second time a Browns offensive lineman has gone down in a blocking drill this camp. Second-year pro Ryan Miller suffered a concussion in the same kind of drill July 28 and hasn't even been spotted on the sidelines since.

"I was standing right next to Ryan when that happened and that was a scary thing,'' said Pinkston. "I didn't know what happened and he was just laying there. It didn’t look good.''

The backup guards behind the big three are both rookies: free-agent pickup Aaron Adams from Eastern Kentucky on the right side; and seventh-round pick Garrett Gilkey on the left. So it's imperative that Pinkston get up to speed if Lauvao is out for awhile.

"Football shape is different than just being in shape, so it’s still going to be a grind to get ready for the first game, to be in the shape you need to be in to play 14 plays,'' Pinkston said. "(But) we still have a couple weeks before we actually play, so I think there’s enough time for me to get those down and accomplished before we open up with Miami.”

Converted halfback happy to get an opportunity after falling out of favor with previous coaching staff

BEREA, Ohio – Chris Ogbonnaya doesn’t possess the brawn of a traditional fullback, but his 6-foot, 225-pound compact frame can pack a wallop. Just ask Ray Lewis.

Not many players flattened the future Hall-of-Fame linebacker during his 17-year career, but Ogbonnaya was among them on a blitz pickup a season ago in Baltimore.

“I just remember it was a zero blitz, an all-out pressure,” Ogbonnoya said. “I tried to meet him at a point where he wouldn’t hit Brandon (Weeden) and save a play . . . There were some calls and texts. I’ve always taken pride in my ability to block and it’s something I need to continue to work on.”

The Browns are giving the 27-year-old that opportunity. The converted halfback has received the most reps as Trent Richardson’s lead blocker, and he’s listed as first-team fullback for Thursday’s preseason opener against the St. Louis Rams.

In an era of spread offenses, few football positions are as devalued or unconventional. Ogbonnaya, however, is grateful for the audition and appears poised to wrest the fullback role from incumbent Owen Marecic. He was used as the undersized lead blocker in goal-line drills Monday.

“Everything takes effort (at) any position on this field – there’s a lot of talented players – but I think it’s fun,” Ogbonnaya said. “I’m having a lot of fun doing it. It’s a great challenge and I’m trying to accept it.”

Fullbacks receive fewer snaps in today’s NFL and the job description calls for as much versatility as muscularity.

Ogbonnaya has proven a capable pass catcher out of the backfield, collecting 47 receptions the last two seasons for 352 yards. He has just three drops on 58 targets with the Browns.

The running back also has rushed for 420 yards on 95 carries in a four-year career that includes stops in St. Louis and Houston. Beyond his fullback duties, he's also in a crowded field of reserve halfbacks with Montario Hardesty, Dion Lewis and Brandon Jackson.

“He’s a guy that can play multiple positions,” said Browns coach Rob Chudzinski, who told Ogbonnaya in the spring he might see time at fullback.  “Sometimes it’s hard to put those guys in two different spots . . . The thing about depth charts, they don’t always tell the story of roles . . . A guy that appears sometimes as a third teamer on a depth chart is the first teamer in some sort of role in some situation for a game. Certainly, Oby is a very valuable part of what we’re doing.”

Ogbonnaya is among the benefactors of the offseason coaching change. He fell out of favor with Pat Shurmur last season after lining up incorrectly on a crucial fourth-quarter play in a 25-15 loss to the Ravens on Nov. 4. Weeden hit receiver Josh Gordon for a go-ahead touchdown that was nullified on an illegal-formation call.

The halfback participated in just 29 offensive snaps the rest of the season, touching the ball seven times.

“It’s always been important for me to be on the roster,” Ogbonnaya said. “It didn’t matter if I was on special teams. I just wanted to play and represent my family. If fullback provides me with that opportunity I will give it my best.

“What I’ve learned about this game is what you put in is what you get out. It’s a privilege to play, not a right.”

Ogbonnaya is earning that right again.

With “Focus T25,”Shaun T has at last produced an exercise program regular people can handle.

Shaun T has come to his senses. Mostly.

With “Focus T25,” the trainer responsible for the popular “Insanity” and “Asylum” video exercise series has at last come out with a program regular people can handle.

Not that it’s easy, mind you. Nothing with Shaun T ever is. It is, however, more realistic in terms of intensity, and observes a format more amenable to those with lives outside fitness.

It’s that number in the title that makes most of the difference. At exactly 25 minutes apiece, each of the 11 workouts in the 10-week program feels just right, and can fit into even the tightest of schedules.

No time is wasted warming up, cooling down, or gabbing between exercises. With most of the exercises, Shaun T opts for quality over quantity, reminding participants of each move’s “focus” and how to get the most out of each repetition.

But what Shaun T does with that compressed time also makes the program friendlier. I haven’t yet performed all 10 workouts, but the four I’ve completed and the others I’ve watched all struck me as far more rationally paced than anything else of his I’ve ever tried.

Instead of constant challenges beyond a normal person’s ability, T25 is stocked with familiar, or at least traditional, exercises. A few of the workouts are actually fun, even without breaks. Only at points of absolute exhaustion did I find myself skipping or modifying an exercise. The rest of the time, I kept up just fine.

Like Beachbody’s other flagship series, such as P90X, T25 is highly regimented. It’s divided into two five-week parts, “Alpha” and “Beta,” and a calendar dictates which workouts to complete on each day.

Most days, only one workout is required. That’s plenty, believe me. Shaun T packs a lot into those 25 minutes. Fridays, however, call for two workouts, and Sunday is reserved for a “Stretch” DVD. There’s also a small nutrition guide, with recipes. ($120, beachbody.com)

Of the workouts I’ve completed so far, my favorite is “Speed 2.0,” from the “Beta” segment. Choreography is my Kryptonite. Nevertheless, I enjoyed what in many ways resembled a lively dance routine: repeated rounds of hops, squats and kicks in time to fast, rhythmic music.

But I also had a good time sampling “Cardio” and “Ab Intervals” from the “Alpha” section and the “Upper Focus” session from “Beta.” All three were workouts I’d be glad to encounter again and again, were I to commit to the full program.

Nice thing about most of the workouts: they require little or no equipment. Of the workouts I did, only “Upper Focus” involved hand-weights, and even with that one, I could have used a resistance band instead. After all, curls, dips and presses have the same effect whether you’re pumping iron or rubber.

“Cardio” and “Ab Intervals,” meanwhile, demanded nothing more than hard work. Endurance exercise is my wheelhouse, but the former still got me sweating with rapid running, hopping and skipping in place. The latter, by contrast, I muddled my way through, emerging with both the sorest stomach I’ve ever had and new ideas for abdominal exercises to practice on my own.

When Shaun T released “Asylum,” I feared he’d gone off the deep end, and that we as a society had pushed him. Now my worries have abated. T25 is strenuous, but at least it’s doable. After venturing where only a few could follow, we’ve returned to the realm of the sane.

The Buckeyes kick off the season against Buffalo on Aug. 31, just 25 days away.

COLUMBUS - With just 25 days until the season opener against Buffalo, let's take a look back at the 25-day countdown that led up to Sunday's first preseason practice.

It started so long ago, the third installment, No. 23, was about whether Carlos Hyde might become Urban Meyer's first 1,000-yard running back. Given how things may work out in the backfield now, with Rod Smith leading the group that will replace Hyde for three games before the senior returns, it looks like Meyer may not have a 1,000-yard back again.

Guess he may have to settle for Braxton Miller trying to get to 1,000 again.

Miller dominated the top 10 of the countdown, with his comfort in the offense (No. 7), his need to stay healthy and not be only playmaker (No. 5) and his throwing (No. 2).

Drew Basil, the kicker, didn't make the countdown. That's because the Buckeyes can expect him to do his job without much worry, especially now that he isn't having to punt anymore (see No. 24).Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer

We delved into five opponents on the list: Cal (No. 22), Penn State (No. 20), San Diego State (No. 14), Northwestern (No. 10) and Michigan (No. 9). Wisconsin, which is ranked in the coaches poll preseason 25, didn't make the countdown because I'm expecting the Badgers to struggle more than most expect in Gary Andersen's first year. But overlooking Wisconsin may turn out to be wrong.

Remember, as No. 1 on the countdown said, the Buckeyes can't overlook anyone. It's the only thing that may stop them.

No. 1: Fighting complacency

No. 2: Braxton Miller throwing

No. 3: Bradley Roby and Ryan Shazier

No. 4: Being Alabama good

No. 5: Finding playmakers beyond Braxton Miller

No. 6: Leading like John Simon

No. 7: Tom Herman opening up the offense

No. 8: Offensive line depth

No. 9: Playing Michigan twice?

No. 10: The trip to Northwestern

No. 11: Replacing Johnathan Hankins on the defensive line

No. 12: Middle linebacker Curtis Grant

No. 13: Senior safeties Christian Bryant and C.J. Barnett

No. 14: San Diego State's solid running back

No. 15: Young speed in the offense

No. 16: Noah Spence attacking the passer

No. 17: Ohio State fans at the Big Ten title game

No. 18: Braxton Miller scrambling

No. 19: Philly Brown leading the receivers

No. 20: Penn State finding a QB

No. 21: Young Buckeyes on special teams

No. 22: Getting ready for Cal's new offense

No. 23: Urban Meyer's first 1,000-yard running back? (a pre-suspension Carlos Hyde story)

No. 24: The Australian punter

No. 25: Luck matters

Watch Mary Kay Cabot's and Tom Reed's analysis of Monday's Training Camp practice plus a video of Jason Pinkston talking about coming back from the blood clot in his lung last year. Watch video

 BEREA, Ohio -- Plain Dealer's Cleveland Browns beat writers Mary Kay Cabot and Tom Reed analyze what happened at yesterdays Training Camp practice.

Topics include: Shawn Lauvao carted off the field with an ankle injury.  Jason Pinkston getting reps at both right and left guard after coming back from the blood clot in his lung.  Trent Richardson and T.J. Ward both returning to practice on a limited basis.  Chris Ogbonnaya working as first string fullback.

Players are back on the practice field today in Berea at 4 p.m.

Follow on Twitter: @CLEvideos