The Indians and other MLB teams are free to sign Japanese amateurs, but people who run the pro league in Japan frown on it.

Hey, Hoynsie: With some of the great players coming out of Asia, especially Japan, what would stop the Indians from scouting and signing these players before they turn pro in the Japan? Is there an agreement with Nippon Professional Baseball that would prevent this from happening? – Jim Hayes, Brecksville.

Hey, Jim: There is no rule prohibiting MLB teams from signing Japanese amateur players. The Indians signed a Japanese pitcher, Naoki Hashimoto, last year. The Red Sox did the same thing with Junichi Tazawa.

It is considered a breach of etiquette by the Japanese teams. They hold their own draft and rely heavily on homegrown Japanese players.

Japanese players who do sign overseas cannot play in Japan for two or three years, depending if they're a high school or college players.

All MLB teams aggressively scout the Pacific Rim. The Indians signed right-hander Chen-Chang Lee out Taiwan in 2008 as an amateur. He has a chance to break camp with the big league club this spring.

If an international draft becomes a reality, how MLB handles countries such as Japan, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela is really going to be interesting.

Hey, Hoynsie: Jason Kipnis is quickly separating himself as one of the top second basemen in the game. Is the Tribe giving any thought to buying out some of his arbitration and free agency years? – Joseph Tablack, Youngstown.

Hey, Joseph: The Indians and Kipnis’ agent are in conversations about a multiyear extension as I answer your question. How’s that for a quick response?

Hey, Hoynsie: Does the front office have any backup plans for the rotation in case the options they have don’t pan out? -- Jeff Kalb, Geneva.

Hey, Jeff: The backup plans currently include Josh Tomlin, Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer, Aaron Harang, Shaun Marcum and Tyler Cloyd. Tomlin, Bauer or Carrasco are expected to win the fifth spot with the losers going to the bullpen or Class AAA Columbus.

Veterans Harang, Marcum ad Cloyd are in camp on minor league deals and I’m sure they can opt out of their deals at certain times. Marcum might hang around longer because he’s coming off surgery on his right shoulder. Cloyd made 11 starts for the Phillies last year.

Hey, Hoynsie: What (if any) impact do you think the new home plate collision rule will have on the game? -- Justin Fisher, Columbus.

Hey, Justin: There’s a reason MLB called it an experimental rule and limited it to the 2014 season. If it works, it will stay. If it’s a disaster, it will be altered or dropped.

A rule like this definitely has a chance to impact the game. There’s not an overwhelming number of bang-bang plays at the plate during a season, but how the umpires handle the first few calls that happen will go a long way in deciding the success or failure of the rule.

I can’t wait to see what happens when an umpire calls a runner, representing the winning run with two out in the bottom of the ninth, safe because the catcher blocked the plate without the ball. Now that will be entertaining.

Hey, Hoynsie: What are the chances of Asdrubal Cabrera being traded and what is his value? -- David Burkhart, Cleveland.

Hey, David: I think the Indians feel they’re a better team with Cabrera than without him. Of course, all that could change if the Indians are out of contention two months into the season.

Hey, Hoynsie: What percentage of potential does Trevor Bauer need to hit to overcome the loss of Ubaldo Jimenez’s second half performance last year? -- Mike, Lakewood.

Hey, Mike: You can’t pin this all on Bauer. The entire rotation is going to have to pitch better to make up for the loss of Jimenez and Scott Kazmir. I think Bauer is going to have a productive year for the Tribe. That doesn’t mean he’s going to start the season with them, but I think he’s going to help at some point.

Hey, Hoynsie: Any chance that the Tribe makes a Kyle Lohse-type play for Ervin Santana later this spring? -- Ricky Clark, Youngstown.

Hey, Ricky: I’d be stunned if they did. They really value the No1 pick they would forfeit if they signed Santana. Of course, if the Indians have a key injury in the rotation before the start of the regular season, and Santana is still available, that could change.

Hey, Hoynsie: How is Lonnie Chisenhall responding to the challenge of Carlos Santana at third base? -- Brendan Kehoe, New York, New York.

Hey, Brendan: Chisenhall has been quietly confident through the first two weeks of camp. We’ll get a better read once the Cactus League games start, but if the Indians were trying to get his attention by letting Santana playing third base, they’ve done it.

Hey, Hoynsie: Do you think the Tribe will be OK not having a solid left-handed starter in the rotation? -- Joey Hooker, San Diego.

Hey, Joey: There have been a lot of good rotations that have been all right-handed. The key is to have some dependable lefties in the bullpen. The Indians have a lot of options when it comes to that including Marc Rzepczynski, Josh Outman, Nick Hagadone, Scott Barnes and others.

Day 2 of "Half-Century of Heartbreak," our weeklong look at Cleveland's 50-year title drought: Indians executive Bob DiBiasio remembers missing out on the Browns' 1964 title game, and what a championship would mean to the city.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It was like clockwork. Any opportunistic -- and hungry -- friend of the DiBiasio brothers timed his bike ride to end at 6 p.m. and, more importantly, at the family's doorstep.

There, they would scarf down a daily dose of Italian cuisine.

"My mother had the best homemade pizza ever, pasta, meatballs, you name it," said Bob DiBiasio, the youngest of the three brothers and now the Cleveland Indians' vice president of public affairs.

That came in handy on Dec. 27, 1964. On that day, DiBiasio's parents needed a consolation prize for their 9-year-old son.

DiBiasio's father bought tickets for the NFL Championship Game, a tilt that pitted the Browns against the Baltimore Colts at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. He brought 15-year-old Dan and 12-year-old Tony to the affair, but deemed little Bobby too young to attend.

"I was heartbroken," he said.

So DiBiasio gorged on his mother's homemade pizza and listened to the game on the family stereo in the living room. When the game ended, neighbors poured out of their houses and celebrated in the street. DiBiasio waited inside for his father and brothers to return home.

"They're like, 'Oh sure, we scarred you for life,' " DiBiasio said. "It's one of those things you remember as a little guy that your two older brothers got to do and you didn't get to do."

It has been nearly 50 years. DiBiasio ate helping after helping of his mother's grub over that span before she passed away in 2011.

He's still waiting, though, for that Cleveland championship.

"We all dream of that day," he said.

DiBiasio thought he had redemption in 1995 and again in '97, the two years the Indians approached the pinnacle of Major League Baseball. The Browns reached consecutive AFC Championship games in the late '80s. The Cavaliers got a brief, four-game taste of the NBA Finals in 2007.

No team, though, has come closer to breaking Cleveland's championship hex than the Indians, whose pitcher, Chad Ogea, had his name etched onto the World Series MVP trophy when the Tribe entered the ninth inning of Game 7 with a one-run lead.

"The feeling that we had in Game 7 of the '97 World Series," DiBiasio said, "sitting at the edge of the dugout, waiting for the explosion of the players to go out and celebrate on the field and just thinking what that would have meant to generations of Indians fans, we think about it all the time.

"We got so damn close to bringing that to reality, and that's all we do is continue to work hard to try to get to that point to make it real."

No Cleveland team has claimed its sport's chief reward since the Browns blanked the Colts, 27-0, on that December afternoon a half-century ago. The Indians haven't won the World Series since 1948.

"You may think that the law of averages would have caught up to the city of Cleveland," DiBiasio said. "With Game 6 in '95 and extra innings in Game 7 in '97 and we were up 3-1 in the ALCS in 2007 -- we got close with all of those playoff runs, but you really have a sense of how difficult it really is to win."

As a kid, Bob DiBiasio, now Indians vice president of public affairs, missed out on a chance to see the Browns win the 1964 NFL Championship, Cleveland's last major sports title. He said he dreams of the day when Cleveland can host another title parade.John Kuntz, The Plain Dealer 

That lack of a ring occasionally triggers a sense of unfinished business inside the Progressive Field offices.

"Sometimes that empty feeling is there because you haven't achieved the ultimate goal," DiBiasio said, "but if you're in our world, we can't let that linger more than a couple seconds."

DiBiasio harkens back to that day from nearly 50 years ago. He remembers the nights his family spent at the old Cleveland Stadium. He recalls hearing tales about how his grandfather sat in the seats at its predecessor, League Park.

He yearns for a tale of his own to tell his son and daughter and, one day, his grandkids, a saga that endures for generations because it ends with a championship. The vision of that day, the one they "all dream of," is clear.

"It would be nirvana," DiBiasio said. "It would be a holiday, no question about it."

After all, the aftermath of the 1995 World Series provided a bit of foreshadowing for whenever a Cleveland team does capture that elusive title.

In October 1995, the Indians hosted a rally downtown at Public Square to celebrate their American League pennant, which followed a 100-win regular season, the club's first since its previous appearance in the Fall Classic in 1954. Players and coaches spoke to the thousands of fans who lined the streets and showed support for a team that fell two wins short of a World Series title.

"That speaks to what it means, that we almost got there and look what kind of response it generated," DiBiasio said. "Thousands and thousands of people celebrating the fact that we got to the World Series, the incredible pride that they had for the city and the franchise.

"That gave us a real taste of what it would be like."

A taste unlike anything. Except maybe his mother's pizza.

All-Star second baseman said it would be stupid not to listen to an extension offer from the Indians.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. – Jason Kipnis said he couldn’t say a whole lot about it and he didn’t except for this, “I said at Tribe Fest I’d be willing to listen so it would be pretty stupid not to.”

On the Indians’ side, they have made it clear that they are willing to explore a contract extension with their All-Star second baseman.

“For a lot of reasons we’ll stay consistent without commenting on the specifics of any negotiations,” said GM Chris Antonetti. “But I can tell you how much we obviously value and appreciate Kip. We’re always open to guys being here longer than shorter.”

Kipnis has two years and 69 days of big league service time. He’ll be eligible for arbitration after this season, but the Indians control him through 2017.

They just signed Michael Brantley to a four-year $25 million contract extension with an option for a fifth year. So perhaps they can make something work.

Last season Kipnis hit .284 (160-for-564) with 35 doubles, 17 homers and 84 RBI. He scored 86 runs and stole 30 bases in 37 attempts. Kipnis lead the club in RBI, the first second baseman to do that since Hall of Famer Joe Gordon in 1948.

His slash line was .284/.452/.366 and he ranked third in all second baseman with a .818 OPS. Seattle’s Robinson at .919 and St. Louis’ Matt Carpenter .879 finished in front of him.

Boston’s second baseman Dustin Pedroia, a player Kipnis is often compared to, signed a six-year $40.5 million deal after his second full season in the big leagues after the 2008 season. Pedroia, of course, was the AL MVP that year.

Pedroia, who attending Arizona State just like Kipnis, was 24 when he signed that extension. Kipnis will be 27 on April 3.

On the job training: Sometimes Tony Wolters gets so much information thrown his way that it gets overwhelming.

It comes from pitchers, fellow catchers and coaches such as Sandy Alomar

“Sandy is teaching me a lot,” said Wolters “I’m learning a ton, trying to keep it all in.”

Wolters is in his first big league camp, which is tough enough, but he’s also in just his second season since moving from shortstop to catcher.

“He’s a very athletic guy,” said Alomar. “He’s enthusiastic and is always asking questions. He’s making a good transition.”

The Indians used their third round pick in in 2010 to take Wolters out of Rancho Buena Vista High School in Vista Calif. He played three years in the middle infield before manager Terry Francona and others suggested last spring that he make the move to catcher.

Last year Wolters spent the first month of the season in extended spring training getting used to his new position before moving to Class A Carolina. He hit .277 (80-for-289) with 13 doubles, three homers and 33 RBI in 80 games. Then he went to the Arizona Fall League.

“I have no regrets about making the move,” said Wolters. “I’m going to keep pushing and getting better every day. I don’t care where they send me this year. I can’t wait to play a full season at catcher.”

New twist: Some teams play intrasquad games before starting the Cactus League season. Francona has no use for them.

“I won’t do it,” he said. “I think it slows down the day for everybody.”

Francona did offer a solution.

“In Boston, we played the college teams and I loved it,” said Francona. “It was a way for our guys to gradually get into the games. We don’t have anybody out here to play.

“If Ohio State or Cleveland State wants to come out here, I’d be thrilled.”

Francona said he didn’t know all the colleges in the Cleveland area. When told Cleveland State dropped their baseball program, he laughed and said, “Well, we’d definitely beat them.”

Finally: Francona gave Lonnie Chisenhall props Monday for the work he’s put since camp opened. Chisenhall is trying to hold on to the third base job, while holding off a challenge from Carlos Santana.

Manager Terry Francona is going to ease Nick Swisher and other regulars into the Cactus League season.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. – The Indians aren’t rushing into their Cactus League opener Wednesday against the Reds at Goodyear Ballpark. They’re dipping their toe in to check the temperature before taking the plunge.

Here’s their starting lineup: CF Nyjer Morgan, SS Asdrubal Cabrera, 2B Jason Kipnis, 3B Lonnie Chisenhall, LF Ryan Raburn, C Yan Gomes, RF Jeff Francoeur, 1B David Cooper, DH David Adams and RHP Trevor Bauer.

The Reds will go with CF Billy Hamilton, 2B Brandon Phillips, 1B Joey Votto, LF Ryan Ludwick, RF Jay Bruce, 3B Todd Frazier, SS Zack Cozart, C Devin Mesoraco, DH Brayan Pena and RHP Alfredo Simon.

Manager Terry Francona said first baseman Nick Swisher will be held out of the first “four to five" Cactus League games.

“I think he felt like we went too quickly last year,” said Francona. Swisher came down with a strained left shoulder last spring that bothered him during the season.

Center fielder Michael Bourn is expected to play on Thursday against the Reds, but relievers Cody Allen and Bryan Shaw will probably be held back for at least a week before appearing.

“Cody and Shaw pitched a lot last year and they’ll throw a lot this year,” said Francona. “We’d like to start them a week later than the other guys and it gives us a chance to look at everybody else.”

New closer John Axford could be on the same program. So with regulars such as Michael Brantley, Bourn, David Murphy, Swisher and Carlos Santana not starting, the guys who came to camp to compete for a job will get a chance to do just that.

Morgan and Francoeur are in camp on minor-league deals. Cooper and Adams are on the 40-man roster. Cooper, a former No.1 pick of the Blue Jays, is coming off radical back surgery in 2013.

Adams played 43 games with the Yankees last year.

“If we’re going to (ease some regulars into the lineup), I’d like to give the at-bats to some guys who are competing,” said Francona. “It would be good to give them some extra at-bats.”

The same goes for the pitchers. None of the seven pitchers scheduled to face the Reds on Wednesday – Bauer, Aaron Harang, Nick Hagadone, Colt Hynes, Chen-Chang Lee, Preston Guilmet and J.C. Ramirez – are guaranteed a job.

Duty calls: The Diamondbacks and Dodgers open the regular season March 22-23 in Australia.

The Red Sox made a similar trip in 2008. They opened the season against the A’s in Japan. Francona was the manager and he did not enjoy himself.

“I hated it and that’s nothing against Japan,” said Francona. “The two exhibition games we played were great. The minute the season counted, I was a wreck. On opening day I was at the U.S. Embassy in Japan. That was the last place I wanted to be.

“I wanted to have a team meeting and I’m over there with a tie on. Everyone wanted to kill me. I was out of my element and I didn’t like it.”

Francona understands such things are needed to increase baseball’s global image, but it wasn’t for him.

“On top of that, we did the world tour,” said Francona. “We went from Japan to LA to play exhibition games. Then we went to Oakland to play real games and we finished up in Toronto. It was a long trip.”

Questions: In the coming weeks, each MLB team will meet with officials to discuss the new rule regarding home plate collisions. Rule 7.13 was released to reporters on Monday, but there are parts of it that need some clarifications.

“I have some questions,” said Francona. “Not about why, but how we’re supposed to do it. I’ll try to get those answered as quickly as possible so we can define it and tell our catchers what to do.”

One question is can a manager use his challenge option on a play at the plate?

“That’s one of the things I want to ask about,” said Francona. “It was a little ambiguous. It sounded like some you could and then it was up to the umpire.

“If you have a challenge left, are you allowed to use it or do the umpires have to OK it? Those are the things we want to find out.”

Let’s talk: Francona, bench coach Brad Mills, GM Chris Antonetti, assistant GM Mike Chernoff and Derek Falvey, director of baseball operations met with MLB officials Tuesday after practice to discuss technical aspects of the new replay rules.

In every MLB ballpark a control booth is being built to facilitate the replay system. At Progressive Field, it is being built in the truck loading area at substantial cost.

Finally: Prospect Erik Gonzalez, in his first big-league camp, was wearing a long-sleeved Under Armour Spiderman top under his spring training uniform Tuesday. Asked if he could shoot webs out of his wrist, Gonzalez turned and fired an imaginary one at Francisco Lindor.

A report that Browns CEO Joe Banner had the new coordinators reporting directly to him is false, the Browns said.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns said Tuesday a report that former CEO Joe Banner had the Browns new coordinators reporting directly to him is false.

"We've had a normal flow chart since we hired Mike Pettine,'' team spokesman Zak Gilbert told cleveland.com. "All coaches report to the head coach.''

CBS Sports' Pat Kirwan reported that a league source at the NFL Scouting Combine told him that Banner had offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil reporting to him instead of Pettine.

Banner and former Browns general manager Mike Lombardi were fired Feb. 11 and Ray Farmer was promoted from assistant general manager to general manager.

The Browns have been involved in a series of controversies since firings, including the news that the Browns tried to trade for 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh just before they hired Pettine.

But Pettine said at the NFL Scouting Combine it's his goal "to quiet the noise. …I know a lot’s happened, but it’s my goal to get the staff I’ve hired moving forward and we can quiet things down and go about the business of winning football games.''

Former Browns general manager Mike Lombardi, fired by the Browns Feb. 11 along with CEO Joe Banner, was spotted at the NFL Combine perusing notes with the Browns logo on them while sitting next to his new boss, Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Former Browns general manager Mike Lombardi was captured in a screengrab at the NFL Scouting Combine Monday sitting next to his new boss Bill Belichick and perusing a stack of notes with the Browns logo on the front.

Browns spokesman Zak Gilbert said the club is aware of the Tweeted screengrab (below), but declined to comment.

A league source told Northeast Ohio Media Group on Tuesday that Browns general manager Ray Farmer isn't concerned about the situation, because the club followed proper procedures regarding Lombardi's departure from the club.

The Patriots also declined to comment on the matter.

Another league source told NEOMG that Lombardi wasn't escorted out of the Browns facility in Berea in the same way that former Browns general manager George Kokinis was in 2009 and that he was able to gather his belongings and leave the Berea facility on his own.

@cpriceNFL @johndryder @WEEI Appointment radio, CP. Cleveland sports radio will prob want you too. @KeithBritton86 pic.twitter.com/kyiYB1lcaD

— PatriotsSB49 (@PatriotsSB49) February 24, 2014

Haslam is presumably still paying Lombardi's salary minus what the Patriots are paying him, and if that's the case, Haslam could have prevented Lombardi from going to work with Belichick, at least until after the draft.

Reports surfaced that Lombardi was joining Belichick in New England the day he was fired, Feb. 11.

Lombardi and Belichick have been close ever since Lombardi helped Belichick become head coach of the Browns in 1991. Even after the two went their separate ways, they maintained a friendship and working relationship, with Lombardi consulting regularly on Patriots' personnel matters.

By the end of the Browns coaching search -- one that cost both Lombardi and Browns CEO Joe Banner their jobs -- Belichick was calling Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and encouraging him to interview fired Bucs coach Greg Schiano, against the wishes of Banner.

Lombardi, Belichick and Schiano were all together at the combine in Indianapolis, including in their suite at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Even if Lombardi didn't take his personal notes, he knows exactly what the Browns are thinking heading into free agency March 11 and the draft May 8-10.

Why is that significant?

Last year, for instance, the Browns and Patriots both pursued defensive Desmond Bryant in free agency and the Browns landed him. It could benefit the Patriots greatly to know which free agents the Browns are targeting.

What's more, the Browns have the No. 4 and No. 26 picks in the first round of the draft, and the Patriots have the No. 29 pick. If the Patriots have a good idea what the Browns are going to do at No. 26, it could impact how they approach No. 29.

Cleveland State's last home game is a big one as the Vikings lock up second place in the Horizon League over rival Youngstown State.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland State head coach Gary Waters called it divine intervention at the end of regulation. Then the Vikings' Anton Grady made the definitive statement at the end of overtime to secure a 70-69 victory over stubborn Youngstown State Tuesday night at the Wolstein Center.

With the game tied, 60-60, the Penguins had the last shot in regulation. A clean 8-foot baseline jumper from Kamren Belin skimmed around the hoop and out, but into the waiting hands of 6-10, 235-pound Bobby Hain. He tipped the ball back up, but it hit the front of the rim and bounced out.

"That ball should have gone in,'' Waters said.

YSU head coach Jerry Slocum felt much the same. "We had a couple of good looks at the end of regulation,'' he said. "I thought it was wide open."

The two teams scrapped and banged through five minutes of a one-possession game to the final four seconds, with CSU taking the ball out of bounds holding a 70-69 lead. Much like an earlier 67-66 loss at YSU, when a flurry of late turnovers led to the Vikings' demise, Cleveland State turned the ball over on the inbounds play with 4.0 on the clock.

Again, the Penguins got the ball where they wanted it, into the hands of senior guard Kendrick Perry.

"Me versus the (potential) Player of the Year in my house," the 6-8 Grady said.

Two dribbles toward the lane, Perry rose for the jumper, but Grady stepped out to meet him and blocked the shot to lock down second place in the Horizon League for the Vikings with one game to play.

"Give Anton credit, he read the play,'' Waters said. "That was the best play of the night."

Grady was one of three CSU players saddled with stomach virus, and was ill on the sidelines several times during the game. But he finished with 14 points and eight rebounds to go with his lone block, in a game that had disaster written all over it until the finish.

"You have got to give credit to Grady,'' said Perry, who finished with 17 points. "He played good defense and we weren't able to come up with it."

CSU (20-10, 11-4) entered the game second in the Horizon League standings, needing a victory to secure that No. 2 spot for the upcoming Horizon League Tournament. They got it vs. YSU (15-15, 6-9) with a game to spare as Wright State upset No. 3 Valparaiso, 67-58, on Tuesday, leaving CSU's Saturday road game at Valpo meaningless when it comes to tournament seeding.

"We knew what was at stake,'' Grady said. "We didn't want to shoot ourselves in the foot again."

PARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio -- There was an inbounds pass. A blocked shot. A turnover. And a final shot attempt just after the sound of buzzer. It all happened in less than 10 seconds in the Division I Parma District semifinal girls basketball game between No. 2 seed Berea-Midpark and No. 21 seed Cloverleaf.

PARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio -- There was an inbounds pass. A blocked shot. A turnover. And a final shot attempt just after the sound of buzzer.

It all happened in less than 10 seconds in the Division I Parma District semifinal girls basketball game between No. 2 seed Berea-Midpark and No. 21 seed Cloverleaf.

When Berea-Midpark coach Kevin Braaten finally walked out of the locker room after the game he did so with a shake of his head and a smile.

His team, who was ranked in the Top 25 of cleveland.com's girls basketball poll all season, played some of the tightest basketball all season.

It didn't seem that way in the first two quarters, after the Titans pulled out to a 11-10 lead in the first quarter and extended it to a 29-19 lead at halftime. In the second half, though Cloverleaf started to hit more shots, charge harder and, the biggest thing of all, relax.

At the end of the third quarter, the Titans still led 46-37, but it was that final quarter that would decide whether they would advance or not that seemed to scare them the most. Braaten called it "playing not to lose."

Said Braaten: "I just told them you gotta kind of dig deep and realize what got us here and do those things and not worry about the win or loss."

In the game's final second, senior post player and Pitt commit Stasha Carey dug to her core of what she loves about basketball: blocking. She recently told cleveland.com she loves it so much because of the boost it gives to her team.

On Tuesday night, Carey's blocked stopped Cloverleaf's game winning story from ever coming close to the rim.

Carey led all scorers with 19 points, including a perfect 5-of-5 from the line. Cloverleaf was led by sophomore guard Lexi Civittolo. Junior forward Briona Burgos and senior guard Emily Civittolo also scored 16 points each.

BROOKLYN, Ohio — The St. Ignatius hockey team wanted revenge on Rocky River. The Wildcats had to sweat out an extra 11 minutes to get it. Senior captain Harry Smith scored the game-winner with 5:22 left in the second overtime to send the top-seeded Wildcats to a 4-3 win on Tuesday night in a district semifinal at Brooklyn Rec...

BROOKLYN, Ohio — The St. Ignatius hockey team wanted revenge on Rocky River. The Wildcats had to sweat out an extra 11 minutes to get it.

Senior captain Harry Smith scored the game-winner with 5:22 left in the second overtime to send the top-seeded Wildcats to a 4-3 win on Tuesday night in a district semifinal at Brooklyn Rec Center.

The win atones for the loss Rocky River dealt St. Ignatius on this same ice in last year’s district semifinals.

“We had a sour taste in our mouth,” Smith said. “This was our revenge game. We’ve been waiting for it all year. We’re weren’t gonna lose this game. This wasn’t going to be my last game at Ignatius.”

The Wildcats (27-4-5) advance to the championship game of the Brooklyn District, where they will play either St. Edward or Holy Name. The Eagles and Green Wave play in the other semifinal on Wednesday night.

After scoring three power play goals in the third period to erase a 3-0 deficit, the fourth-seeded Pirates (29-6-1) controlled most of the first overtime, but couldn’t find the back of the net.

Mike Ittu, Jack Mallett and Cam Heider scored Rocky River’s three third-period goals in a span of 8 minutes.

“I bet a lot of people didn’t think we’d come back from that,” Rocky River coach Chris Cogan said. “We told the guys one shift at a time, one goal at a time, and we’ll see what happens. They did their job, we kept getting the puck at the net. You can’t ask for better than that.”

Pirates goalie and former St. Ignatius player Ryan Kostelnik was strong down the stretch as well after surrendering three goals in the first two periods. He made 46 saves on 50 shots.

St. Ignatius goalie Dylan McKeon made 36 saves.

Kevin Brogan got the Wildcats on the board first, scoring on a backhand to give St. Ignatius a 1-0 lead with 3:38 left in the first period. Beck Schultz made it 2-0, scoring on a penalty shot with 8:14 left in the second period.

Matty Geither scored with 4.5 seconds left in the second period to put the Wildcats up 3-0, and seemingly put the game out of reach, but the Pirates responded with the third-period rally and controlled most of the first overtime.

“We needed a break, not for our stamina, but just to calm down,” St. Ignatius coach Patrick O’Rourke said. “Guys were trying to cover for each other and we were getting out of position, and they got some pretty good chances off that.”

The Wildcats struggled for chances in overtime, but when their captain skated across the blue line and ripped a wrist shot past Kostelnik, none of it mattered.

They got the revenge they wanted.

“I’m gonna remember this one forever,” Smith said.

Brooklyn District semifinal

St. Ignatius 4, Rocky River 3 (2OT)

SI (26-4-5): Brogan, Schultz, Geither, Smith. RR (29-5-1): Ittu, Mallett, Heider.

Goalies: SI, McKeon (39 shots-36 saves); RR, Kostelnik (50-46).

Contact high school sports reporter Bill Landis by email (blandis@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@blandis25). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

KENT, Ohio -- The Lake Catholic hockey managed to fend off Walsh Jesuit to take a 1-0 win on Tuesday, earning the Cougars a trip to the Kent District final against University School.  Walsh are the second seed in the Kent District playoffs while Lake Catholic is the third seed. 

KENT, Ohio -- The Lake Catholic hockey managed to fend off Walsh Jesuit to take a 1-0 win on Tuesday, earning the Cougars a trip to the Kent District final against University School. 

Walsh are the second seed in the Kent District playoffs while Lake Catholic is the third seed. 

Neither team found the back of the net during the first nine minutes. Then, with 5:29 left in the opening frame, Lake Catholic senior Luke Turk saw a scoring opportunity and buried it just inside the post, unassisted. 

The Warriors turned up their intensity on offense late in the first period and it carried over into the second. 

Walsh's offense was relentless in attacking the Cougars, letting shots fly from all angles and crashing the net, repeatedly. Lake Catholic's defense was equally tough, however, disrupting shots and limiting open looks at the goal. 

The third period began with the Cougars still clinging to a 1-0 advantage and they were able to maintain it to the bitter end. 

Note: This post will be updated with quotes and a video. 

The Indians and Reds will play Wednesday at 3:05 p.m. ET in the teams' spring training opener. Watch video

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- It has been 147 days since the Tampa Bay Rays blanked the Cleveland Indians, 4-0, before a capacity crowd at Progressive Field.

The Indians' roster underwent a minor face lift during the harsh winter months, but the majority of the squad that won 92 games arrived in Goodyear over the past two weeks. Terry Francona's bunch will meet the Cincinnati Reds in the spring training opener at 3:05 p.m. ET.

Trevor Bauer will toe the rubber for the Tribe. Aaron Harang, Nick Hagadone, Colt Hynes, T.J. House, C.C. Lee, J.C. Ramirez and Preston Guilmet are also scheduled to pitch. Manager Terry Francona filled out his starting lineup as follows: CF Nyjer Morgan, SS Asdrubal Cabrera, 2B Jason Kipnis, 3B Lonnie Chisenhall, LF Ryan Raburn, C Yan Gomes, RF Jeff Francouer, 1B David Cooper, DH David Adams.

Plain Dealer columnist Terry Pluto wonders if this Indians team can become the first since 2001 to record a second consecutive winning season.

Plain Dealer reporter Dennis Manoloff continues his AL Central breakdowns, and he pegged the Kansas City Royals for a jump into second place in the division. That leaves the Detroit Tigers as his first-place team.

In the mid-week edition of "Hey, Hoynsie!" Paul Hoynes discussed whether the Indians could unearth the next Masahiro Tanaka, the Japanese phenom who signed with the Yankees over the offseason.

Plain Dealer photographer Chuck Crow checks in with his daily assortment of spring training shots. 

In his daily notebook, Hoynes delves into the Indians' plans to ease into the Cactus League schedule. Francona said Nick Swisher won't play for four or five days, and relievers Cody Allen and Bryan Shaw, expected to pick up the late-inning slack following the departure of Joe Smith, will be slowly eased into action.

In his five observations from Tuesday, Zack Meisel details the crowded outfield mix, the love of Michael Jackson within the clubhouse and the pitching schedule for the rest of the week.

Here is video from Francona's meeting with reporters from Tuesday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Check out the high school coverage planned for cleveland.com on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014. State wrestling previews: Get a breakdown of what every fan needs to know heading into this week's state wrestling tournament, including schedules and ticket info, a rundown of qualifiers, team favorites, background on top wrestlers, links to coverage, pairings, videos, Tweets, photos,...

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Check out the high school coverage planned for cleveland.com on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014.
State wrestling previews:
Get a breakdown of what every fan needs to know heading into this week's state wrestling tournament, including schedules and ticket info, a rundown of qualifiers, team favorites, background on top wrestlers, links to coverage, pairings, videos, Tweets, photos, polls, and more!
The latest weekly cleveland.com ranking of top area wrestler in each weight class includes analysis video and some action videos.
Also check out a preview of our coverage Thursday-Saturday on cleveland.com.
Gymnastics:
Find our state gymnastics preview capsule, with breakdowns on qualifying teams and individuals.
Holy Name celebrating 100 in style:
In its 100th year, Holy Name High School is having one of its best seasons in years with successful boys basketball, girls basketball and hockey programs.
Boys basketball:
Beachwood has gone from basketball afterthought to No. 1 in the state for Division III. Senior guard John Davis III has been in the middle of it all, and he's preparing for his final playoff run.
Girls spotlight:
Our weekly girls basketball off-the-court video profile features Riley Schill of Elyria Catholic.
Where we'll be:
Get updates from the hockey district semifinal at Brooklyn as No. 2 Holy Name takes on No. 3 St. Edward at 7 p.m.
Looking back at Tuesday's coverage:
Lake Catholic hockey holds on to beat Walsh Jesuit, will face University School in Kent District final (video)
St. Ignatius hockey beats Rocky River, 4-3, in double overtime to advance to Brooklyn District final (video)
St. Edward finishes No. 1 in final cleveland.com boys basketball Top 25 (video, poll)
St. Ignatius junior DE Dre’Mont Jones “excited” about recent Ohio State scholarship offer, but not ready to make a decision
Scouting all area Division I boys basketball sectional/district tournaments 2014 (video, polls)
Scouting all area Division II boys basketball sectional/district tournaments 2014 (video, polls)

Half-Century of Heartbreak, Day 3: A 50-year championship drought has the city fighting an eternal time crunch, one that accelerates each team's rebuilding clock and saddles players, coaches and executives with an uncommonly deep-rooted pressure to produce.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Four years ago, former Cavalier Jim Chones ran into Wayne Embry at a bar in Milwaukee. As Embry sipped his cocktail, Chones reflected on a comment someone offered up upon LeBron James' exodus from Cleveland.

"I heard someone say, when we lost LeBron, 'Oh, [the Cavaliers] will be back in four years,' " Chones said.

Embry, a former Cavs general manager, interjected.

"He looks over at me and says, 'Jimmy, you know it takes eight to 10 years,' " Chones said. " 'You're out there talking that B.S. Come on. Tell the truth. It takes time.' "

There seems to be an everlasting shortage of sand in Cleveland's hourglass. A 50-year championship drought has the city fighting an eternal time crunch, one that accelerates each team's rebuilding clock and saddles players, coaches and executives with an uncommonly deep-rooted pressure to produce.

Some embrace the challenge. Others flee from the stress.

Four years after James' departure, the Cavs are still finding their way. The Browns have wiped many a slate clean since their return to Lake Erie's shores 15 years ago. Earlier this month, owner Jimmy Haslam dismissed CEO Joe Banner and general manager Michael Lombardi, just three weeks after hiring new head coach Mike Pettine, a replacement for Rob Chudzinski, who lasted only 11 months in the position.

"I think his feeling is he's responsible to the Cleveland fans to get it done," said former Browns receiver Reggie Rucker, "and not to get it done in three or five years, but to get it done now."

Terry Francona knows all about Cleveland's string of athletic shortcomings. He has made stops in Cleveland as a player, front-office advisor and manager, and his father, Tito, played six seasons for the Tribe. The Indians skipper, though, tries to block out the collective struggles of his Cleveland counterparts. He has enough on his own plate in trying to steer the Tribe to their first World Series title since 1948.

"We can only do as well as we can," Francona said. "That's the way we play. I can't tackle. I used to be able to shoot [a basketball]. We have our hands full trying to be good, as good as we can be. As far as the other franchises go, I pull for them, because I'm here now. … But my job is with the Indians. I don't need to do the Browns' or the Cavs' job. It's hard enough just doing what we're doing."

Fifteen cities host teams in each of the three major sports. If treating the three equally, Cleveland has assembled the worst winning percentage (.467) of those towns since 1964, when the Browns captured the city's last championship with a 27-0 blanking of the Baltimore Colts.

Bob DiBiasio, the Indians' senior vice president of public affairs, has worked in the organization's front office for 35 years. He endured years of Municipal Stadium's empty seats and the real-life version of "Major League," and he journeyed through an era in the '90s defined by packed ballparks and near-supremacy.

"I've never felt the pressure," DiBiasio said. "Maybe it's because we on the inside and very educated fans truly understand how difficult it is to win."

DiBiasio referenced Super Bowl XLII in 2008, in which an unforgettable reception by David Tyree extended a drive that propelled the New York Giants to a historic upset over the previously unbeaten New England Patriots.

"If that guy doesn't catch the ball against his helmet, the Patriots are 19-0 and considered the greatest team in the history of football," DiBiasio said. "Now they're just considered a team that lost the Super Bowl. So we really have a sense of the difficulty of winning."

Does that scare away players and coaches? James dashed to Miami for a better opportunity at a ring, despite being armed with first-hand knowledge of Cleveland's half-century-long litany of close-calls and heartbreaks.

"I think LeBron recognized it," Rucker said. "LeBron is a student of the history of this town. He remembers that Jim Brown and the '64 team were the last to win a championship here, and I thought that was one of the things he thought about when taking on the role that he took on.

"I think young players coming in, particularly the young football players, know this, because the Super Bowl is so big. They understand what we've been dealing with here. I think if I were a young player today, I'd be more interested in the challenge that exists in trying to get a championship than trying to shy away from Cleveland because of this so-called stigma that's been attached to it recently."

Dr. Jack Lesyk, a Beachwood, Ohio-based sports psychologist who has dealt with the Cleveland sports triumvirate, said the motives for players and coaches differ. A coach, of course, is solely judged on the bottom line: winning. Players, though, must prioritize their own output, which can be measured independently from team success.

"The pressure that players feel," Lesyk said, "is much more in terms of, 'I want to be of value to my employer. I want to play really well because I want my contract renewed at a higher rate.'

"That is much greater pressure than a championship, at least in the Cleveland teams that I work with. They want that. Of course they do. And that adds to their personal value as well. But what's on top of their mind is: They are commodities."

Still, someone stands to gain from Cleveland's 50 years of despondency. After all, the greatest pressures can produce the most rewarding results.

"The only thing that's going to change this perception and this reality is to get it done," Rucker said. "You have to get it done. There could be nothing else that one can say or one can promise."

Former Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar agreed.

"There's a generation of people under 25 that hasn't really seen the [Browns] win," Kosar said. "I think it's imperative now, whatever we talk about, that it doesn't particularly matter, because it comes down to the W's and the L's."

As it stands, the Indians will attempt to piggyback off their first postseason appearance in six years. The Browns hit the reset button again in the front office. The Cavs are four years along in the post-James era and are hoping that Embry overestimated the timeline in his declaration.

Nonetheless, whether it takes another four years, eight years or an additional decade, the group that embraces the pressure put forth by Cleveland's plight could relish in the city's eventual -- and improbable -- fortune.

"Whoever comes in and gets this done is going to be looked at as the savior," Rucker said. "He'll be a big thing in this town. He'll be walking on water."

Wichita State is one game away from a perfect regular season, and if they win the Missouri Valley Conference tournament, they could be the first team to go into the NCAA Tournament undefeated since UNLV in 1991. This may have all started with a 70-66 win over Ohio State last year in the West Regional Final, when the Shockers were a No. 9 seed and the Buckeyes were a No. 2 seed.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Yes, Wichita State is 30-0 this season after Tuesday night's win over Bradley, the only undefeated team remaining in college basketball, the first team to reach 30-0 since UNLV in 1991, and a team now one win away from the first perfect regular season in major college basketball since St. Joseph's in 2004.

Ohio State fans may prefer to think of the Shockers as winners of 31 of their last 32 games. Because you could argue this run started with last year's Elite Eight win over the Buckeyes in Los Angeles that at the time looked like an upset. It was a No. 9 seed over a No. 2 seed, and it legitimized the Shockers' second-round NCAA upset of No. 1 seed Gonzaga.

This season began for Ohio State with some Buckeyes bemoaning that loss, their shot at back-to-back Final Fours wiped out by an upstart from the Missouri Valley Conference.

"We were playing Wichita State, so guys were like, ‘This is our moment, we can lighten up a little bit,' " senior Lenzelle Smith said months ago as the Buckeyes began preseason practice. “We didn't take it easy, but we felt like we could relax and not have to play the type of basketball or kill ourselves like we were doing, and I think that’s what got us."

That attitude may have been understandable then.

Now, you can question Wichita State's schedule, which is rated around the 100th-toughest in the nation. You can wonder where the Shockers would rank in a conference like the Big Ten.

.@Hugeshow says to Tom Izzo, "I think Wichita State would be the 6th-best team in the Big Ten." Izzo: "I think that's fair."

— Brendan F. Quinn (@BFQuinn) February 21, 2014

Maybe.

Or maybe you can count Ohio State's Elite Eight loss to Wichita State like recent losses to Kansas, Kentucky and Florida that ended other deep NCAA Tournament runs. Maybe not so shocking. Right? Seriously, 30-0?

View full sizeAaron Craft (4) walked off the court last season as Wichita State celebrated a win over the Buckeyes in the West Regional Final that sent the Shockers to the Final Four. They are now 30-0 this season.Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer

Even as I mentioned the "only undefeated team" to Ohio State last week, Aaron Craft chimed in with, "and we lost to them last year."

Exactly. So it's like half a loss now.

"Going into the game last year, it was very easy to see how great of a team they were. They lost two guys who played a very important role and played great against us, and they just picked up where they left off. It's very easy to see why they're successful - they play for each other and they play with a cause and that's what it takes."

Wichita State is on track for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, quite a jump from the No. 9 seed a year ago. And after the NCAA success of the Shockers and teams like VCU and Butler, is anything a surprise in college basketball anymore?

"They were rolling obviously," Thad Matta said of the tournament matchup last year, "and they have done a great job of continuing that momentum. ... I think that's what (college basketball) has become, and you use the word parity."

The Buckeyes were wiped out by the parity last season. But while Wichita State is currently No. 2 in the AP poll, the two teams that the Buckeyes beat to get to the Elite Eight are also having great years. When the NCAA Tournament bracket came out last season, it looked like Ohio State had landed in the easiest region. Maybe it wasn't easy, it just wasn't ripe yet.

Iowa State, a 10 seed knocked out by Ohio State in the second round last season, is 21-5 and ranked No. 15 in the nation, while Arizona, the No. 6 seed the Buckeyes beat in the Sweet 16, is 25-2 and No. 3 in the nation.

Beating those Wildcats last March on that LaQuinton Ross 3-pointer with two seconds left do anything more for you now?

"There's very little carryover," Craft said. "Obviously you think we're probably different than people would have expected us to be based on what we had last year and who we had coming back. So every year is different. Every team is different. There aren't too many lookbacks and thinking, 'Oh man, that was great, we did a good job last year.' Because that doesn't put the ball in the basket. That doesn't stop anyone this year."

Maybe. Or maybe beating the Buckeyes 70-66, before losing to eventual national champion Louisville 72-68 in the Final Four, did something for the Shockers. You'll notice in there that Craft hinted at the Buckeyes, a top five team in the preseason, falling short of expectations this season. That's not the case for the guys who won that game in L.A.

"They have guys who are experienced and they have played in big games, played in the Final Four," Craft said. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

Wally Morton came to Cleveland State in 1974 with no knowledge of the school, but wound up finding a place he loved.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Wally Morton isn't sure what he'll be doing a year from now, but he has a feeling that whatever it is, he'll be waking up early to accomplish it. For all his life, Morton has been an early riser out of necessity, but the 4 a.m. wakeup call is now an ingrained habit after 40 years as swimming coach at Cleveland State.

The only swimming coach many at Cleveland State have ever known, Morton is calling it quits when this season is over. This week's Horizon League Championship at the Robert F. Busbey Natatorium will be his final conference meet, and the final chapter in a storied career that includes 20 conference titles, nine Coach of the Year awards, three Olympians and too many other various accolades to recount.

How does the 66-year-old even begin to top all that?

"I'm going to get up early in the morning and I'm going to get an early start on things," Morton said. "That's how you stay young."

That's one of Morton's theories on life. The spry coach who has withstood the introduction of Title IX legislation, budget cuts and tragedy on his team, has a million others, but he likes to whittle it down to two simple ones, when pressed: "My two most important values are be honest and be on time," he said. "If I can take care of those two things, then everything else will take care of itself."

Cleveland State head swimming coach Wally Morton coaches his final conference meet this week, after 40 years as a Vikings coach.Lonnie Timmons III, The Plain Dealer

Those are two of the reasons he even landed a job at Cleveland State in the first place. Morton was running a YMCA in Hamilton, Ohio, after graduating from Miami, where he was a swimmer. His old coach at Miami was Raymond Ray, who also had coached the man who was the CSU swim coach, Bob Busbey.

That chain of connection led to Busbey calling Morton in for an interview – for which he was on time, naturally -- and asking him the kinds of questions Morton wasn't expecting.

"He interviewed me, and did not once talk about swimming," Morton said. "It was about values; it was about his No. 1 value, which is loyalty, and his No. 2 value – which may be equal to that -- is honesty. He wanted someone who was loyal and honest. The rest of it could take care of itself. So, we just talked about philosophy in life and he got a good feel for me."

And that was it. Morton began his career at CSU in 1974, where the natatorium was brand new and one of the finest in the country.

The school, however, was another matter in the 1970s.

"Downtown Cleveland was one hurting place," Morton said. "Cleveland, itself, was really in bad shape. But the pool was the best pool in the United States. How could I turn down that opportunity? So I told my wife I would take it for a few years, and move on. Because who ever heard of Cleveland State? I never heard of it."

Seven years later, Morton was the head coach of the men's program, and beginning a career that would last until now.

"Rarely in college athletics do you see an individual stay at one institution for the entirety of their career," said Bill Dorenkott, Ohio State's head women's swimming coach, who swam for CSU in 1988-91. "Wally's tenure as a Viking speaks to his loyalty and pride in the institution. The true hallmarks of a leader are if they left things better than they found them and will they be missed. Simply put, Wally has made a difference in countless individuals' lives."

Why Morton stayed, why he has been so loyal to CSU when he had no ties to the school before arriving in 1973, is simply because he found the perfect fit.

Morton grew up in Dover, Ohio, where he calls the four-lane, 20-yard pool he swam in "one of the worst facilities in the nation." He never had warm-ups. But he found a way to win.

He loves being the underdog.

"When I came here, this was one of the ugliest campuses in the country," Morton joked. "It's gotten a lot better. But here's the thing: so many of my swimmers have gone on to great success. They haven't been coddled, they haven't been spoiled. And they have interacted with some of the poorest people in the world, and they've interacted with some of the richest people in the world. I think that's unique about Cleveland State."

Along the way, Morton has fond memories of coaching Olympic swimmers Rui Abreu, Harold Wagner and Nedim Nisic.

There was the time in 1981 when he traveled to South Bend, Ind., to take on Notre Dame in frigid, blizzard-like conditions that had shut down the turnpike (they didn't realize it).

He relishes how he has maintained the men's swimming program in an era when many men's programs have been cut in the name of Title IX equality, and he has endowed many of the scholarships.

And he's proud of taking over the women's swimming program in 2007, and helping to rebuild that into a successful entity.

"What stands out most in his distinguished career is the standard of excellence he maintained throughout his career and the positive impact he had on the growth and development of his student-athletes," said Lee Reed, current Georgetown athletic director, and former CSU AD. "There will never be another Wally Morton. He will be missed."

Now what? What's left for Morton after a lifelong career at Cleveland State? He'll help get out the news that his school is looking for his successor. He'll spend more time with his wife, Carol, a professor at Baldwin Wallace, and his son, Rob.

He'll wake up early, as usual.

"You know, we come in here and work out at 6, and at the far end of the pool is a masters team," Morton said. "Many of those people are doctors, lawyers, some of them are in their mid-60s and 70s. Maybe I'll be doing that. Maybe I'll be helping out the coach in some way. But I know one thing: I'm going to get up early in the morning and I'm going to get an early start on things."

Wally Morton / By The Numbers
2 -- Horizon League Championships and Midwestern Collegiate Conference titles
3 -- Swimmers who qualified for Olympic Trials
5 -- Swimmers sent to NCAA Championships
9 -- Coach of the Year awards
14 -- Penn-Ohio Championships
20 -- Overall conference titles
46 -- Winning seasons (combined men and women)
385 -- wins as a head coach (combined - 310 men, 75 women)
1974 -- Year Morton arrived at Cleveland State
1981 -- Year Morton became head coach of men's team
2007 -- Year Morton became head coach of women's team

Horizon League Swimming and Diving Championships
When: Wednesday through Saturday.
Where: Busbey Natatorium, 2121 Euclid Ave., Cleveland.
Schedule: Prelims on Thursday, Friday and Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. FInals on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Tickets: All-session passes and daily general admission available at the natatorium.

Last year Cody Allen finished second in the American League in relief appearances with 77 as a rookie.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. – In manager Terry Francona’s world, relievers have to stay on the alert. Unless you’re a closer, he might use you at anytime in any situation.

Cody Allen found that out as a rookie last year. At the first sign of trouble, be it the sixth, seventh of eighth inning, Allen was usually in the game or getting ready to make an appearance.

It didn’t matter if he had to face a left-hander or right-hander. Francona, like most managers, believes more games are lost early than late, which means it’s nice to have a closer for the sixth, seventh and eight innings as well as the ninth.

“Whenever we got into a jam last year, Cody was the guy we used,” said Francona.

When the Indians released closer Chris Perez after the season, GM Chris Antonetti and Francona said they had two internal candidates to replace him -– Allen and Bryan Shaw. But they both knew Francona preferred to find another closer because he liked the versatility of Allen and Shaw, who could parachute into a hot spot in any inning and cool things down.

So former Milwaukee Brewer closer John Axford was signed in December, giving Francona free reign to use Allen and Shaw as he sees fit in the seventh and eighth innings.

“I see this year as just picking up where I left off last year,” said Allen, 6-1 with a 2.43 ERA last season. “Last year I kind of worked my way into that late role. I didn’t break camp as a set-up guy. I was a middle relief guy and just kind of filling in. Now, I’ll probably be in the back end somewhere.”

The Indians have 20 relievers in camp. They lost four bullpen arms over the offseason to free agency in Perez, Rich Hill, Joe Smith and Matt Albers so there are some holes to fill. While Francona and GM Chris Antonetti will decide who can fill the vacancies, Allen already has a spot reserved so he’s not going have to make the club in spring training like he did last year.

“Cody and Bryan Shaw pitched a lot last year and they’re going to pitch a lot this year,” said Francona. “I’d like to start them about a week behind everyone else. This will give us a chance to look at the other guys.”

Allen made 77 appearances last season, second most in the AL. The 77 appearances were the second most in club history next to Bobby Howry’s 79 in 2005.

He did it at a high velocity as well, striking out 88 in 70 1/3 innings. The 88 strikeouts were the most by an Indians’ reliever since Paul Shuey had 103 in 1999. Allen finished third in club history with an average of 11.26 strikeouts per nine innings for relievers behind Vinnie Pestano at 12.19 and Shuey at 11.35.

No wonder Francona is giving him a break.

“I think it’s a good plan,” said Allen. “Last year I came in game ready. Now we’re using spring training to get ready for the season.

“It’s tough for me to go out in a game, bullpen session or live BP session and go three-quarter speed. I like to go full speed all the time so I can find a rhythm.”

So by spacing out his appearances early in camp, Allen can still throw hard and have some added recovery time.

Allen is a power pitcher. He comes out throwing a 95 to 96 mph fastball and stays with it. His goal is to throw every pitch, outside the occasional curveball, through the catcher not to him.

Last year his average fastball velocity was 95.4 mph and he threw the heater 72 percent of the time.

It was that fastball that helped Allen move to the backend of the pen after Pestano struggled and Smith and had to move from the seventh to the eighth inning. Allen said there was another thing that helped the pen.

“When we picked up Rzep (lefty Marc Rzepczynski), that really helped out,” said Allen. “It mean I wasn’t facing lefties all the time because Rzep could come in and get a tough lefty.

“Picking him up at the deadline is what catapulted us as a bullpen. We had a great last couple of months.”

The Indians acquired Rzepczynski from St. Louis on July 30.

Over the last two months of the season, when the Indians were trying to get to the postseason by any available avenue, Allen posted a 1.88 ERA in August and a 2.25 ERA in September. In his last 10 games of the season, he did not allow a run as the Indians won the AL’s first wild card spot by going 21-6 in September.

But that was last year. What about 2014?

“The old cliché is you want to go one step farther and build on last year,” said Allen. “That’s the truth, but we understand it’s going to be tough.

“It’s a lot tougher to build on 92 wins because the bar is already set extremely high. We got a lot of work in front of us.”

There were many light moments at the Cleveland Indians spring training sessions this year, and Plain Dealer photographer Chuck Crow was on hand to capture them. The fun may fade, however, now that the Indians are starting their preseason games. They have Wednesday, Thursday and Friday matchups with  the Cincinnati Reds. And the following week they face the White...

There were many light moments at the Cleveland Indians spring training sessions this year, and Plain Dealer photographer Chuck Crow was on hand to capture them.

The fun may fade, however, now that the Indians are starting their preseason games. They have Wednesday, Thursday and Friday matchups with  the Cincinnati Reds. And the following week they face the White Sox, Mariners, Rangers, Cubs and Padres.

Let's hope they bring home some victories and keep smiling.

Check back for more Chuck Crow photo galleries and all the game news.

Grandson of Don Shula establishes a new tie between the Shula family and JCU.

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio – The Shula coaching tree has grown another branch, this time close to its roots.

Chris Shula has been hired as defensive coordinator at John Carroll University, head  coach Tom Arth said. Shula is the son of former Cincinnati Bengals coach Dave Shula and the grandson of football Hall of Fame coach Don Shula, who grew up in Grand River and graduated from John Carroll. The Blue Streaks' home field is Don Shula Stadium.

Chris Shula spent the last three seasons as a defensive graduate assistant at Indiana. The IU media guide lists him as assistant to the head coach and Arth said he coached defensive backs. He was a graduate assistant at Ball State in 2010 and played four years at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

“We're excited to work with him,'' Arth said. “The most important thing in the process was finding a person of high character and you spend a few minutes with Chris and you can see that in him.''

Don Shula, 83, lives in Miami and maintains close ties with the school, but Arth said he did not lobby on behalf of his grandson. Dave Shula also has retired from coaching and president of the family restaurant chain, Shula Steak Houses.

“It's just a bonus for us. Chris feels a strong tie to John Carroll and we're very proud of that,'' Arth said.

Chris Shula played linebacker at Miami (Ohio) University from 2004-08 and was a three-year letterman. He graduated with a degree in sports studies and spent one year as a graduate assistant in athletic administration at Oklahoma.

Arth is beginning his second year as head coach and Shula is his third defensive coordinator. His first, Jerry Schuplinski, was hired by the New England Patriots before last season began. Brandon Staley coached last season and was hired by James Madison to be its defensive coordinator. John Carroll was 9-2 last season and qualified for the NCAA Division III playoffs.

Don Shula, born in Grand River, near Painesville, played cornerback at John Carroll and was drafted by the Browns in 1951. He coached the Baltimore Colts and Miami Dolphins, won two Super Bowls, and is the winningest coach in NFL history. Dave Shula was the Bengals head coach from 1992-96.

Kyrie Irving scored 25 points for the Cavs, who have lost three straight and are still without the injured Anderson Varejao (back), Dion Waiters (knee) and C.J. Miles (ankle).

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Give it to Kyrie Irving. The young man is consistent.

Three times reporters tried to goad him into criticizing the officiating down the stretch in the Cavaliers 99-93 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night at The Q, and three times he declined to do so.

Asked about the offensive foul called against him with 1:02 left and the Cavs trailing, 94-91, Irving smiled and said, "It's part of the game. The refs are going to make the call. It's their job. On to the next game, the next play.''

Asked if he thought Kyle Lowry would get called for the block, Irving smiled and said, "Like I said. It's the ref's job to make calls. That's what they do. Pick myself up and get ready for Oklahoma City [on Wednesday].''

Asked if he thought the officials might change the charge call after they stepped over to the scorers table to review, Irving, once again, smiled and said, "Like I said, it's the ref's job to make the call. So I picked myself up.''

Cavaliers coach Mike Brown also declined to weigh in on the play.

"I did not get a great look at it on the monitor,'' the coach said. "I have not seen it yet. The referees weren't why we lost the game. … That's stuff we don't have control over. We've got to be able to play through it and find a way to still get a win.''

The Cavs led, 89-87, after two free throws by Tyler Zeller with 3:11 left. But Terrence Ross hit a big 3-pointer and after Zeller stepped out of bounds on the Cavs next possession, DeMar DeRozan slammed the ball through to push Toronto's lead to 92-89. The Raptors were still ahead, 94-91, when Irving was called for a charge on the sort of drive to the basket that he typically gets the call on -- especially at home.

DeRozan missed his next shot and the Cavs got the rebound, but Spencer Hawes threw the ball away with 31.9 seconds left. Luol Deng fouled DeRozan with 27.1 seconds left, and his two free throws gave the Raptors just enough cushion.

DeRozan, the Raptors All-Star, had 33 points, six assists and four rebounds, and Ross added 19 for the Raptors, who improved to 32-25.

Irving had 25 points and nine assists for the Cavs, while Spencer Hawes, making his first start since joining the team at the trading deadline five days ago, finished with 15 points and seven rebounds as the Cavs dropped their third straight to fall to 22-36. With the Cavs still missing Anderson Varejao (back), Dion Waiters (knee) and C.J. Miles (ankle), Irving played all 24 minutes in the second half.

"I'm willing to do whatever it takes,'' Irving said.

"When I pulled him in the first half, we had a little trouble scoring,'' Brown explained. "I thought he was in a little bit of a groove. He's our best player. So I wanted to leave him on the floor to see if he could help that second unit generate some offense.''

The Cavs trailed by as many as 14 points in the second quarter but used a 14-0 run over the end of the second quarter and start of the third to get back into the game. It was close from that point on. It was the exact opposite of Friday's 98-91 loss at Toronto, where the Cavs led for most of the first half and fell apart in the third quarter.

Tuesday, they were hanging tough until Lowry made what might be considered the play of the game, taking the charge from Irving with the Cavs trying to come back.

To that point, Lowry was just 3 of 15 from the floor.

"You have to make sure you make other winning plays,'' Lowry said.

Akron Zips lose on the road and fall out of touch with the conference leaders with three games left in the regular season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Akron Zips fell out of step with the conference leaders Wednesday night with a third straight loss, 65-61, to the Miami RedHawks on the road.

Akron (17-11, 9-6) returns home to finish the season with three straight in Rhodes Arena, beginning Saturday against Bowling Green, which is coming off a 71-66 home victory over Kent State.

Akron trailed most of the game, but did get within 62-61 with 1:06 to play. But the Zips failed to get a big rebound down the stretch, then missed a jumper to take the lead with four seconds to play. The RedHawks closed the game out with free throws.

Akron now falls three games behind the conference leaders, and is tied with Ohio University for the fourth and last bye in the upcoming Mid-American Conference Tournament.

"We built this program on toughness,'' head coach Keith Dambrot said after the game. "Now we're going to find out if we have any."

While Demetrius Treadwell posted another double-double, with 12 points and 11 rebounds, offensively it was a struggle for fellow senior Quincy Diggs, who only posted four points to go with 12 rebounds. Miami, which snapped a two-game slide, was led by Lutheran East High product Will Felder with 16 points.

The still short-handed Zips (18-10, 10-5) welcomed the return of senior forward Nick Harney from a four-game suspension, as he scored six points off the bench.

"He gave us a little, but he hasn't really practiced,'' Dambrot said. "We just have to regroup."

Akron was still without the services of sophomore sharp-shooters Reggie McAdams (mononucleosis) and Jake Kretzer (concussion).