Mo Williams ran into LeBron James at the airport on Sunday, and the two talked at length for the first time since The Decision.

Tracy Boulian / The Plain DealerMo Williams admits he still carries disappointment from LeBron James' departure to Miami. "Part of me is still sour, but in the overall picture, you don't wish anything bad to anybody, including friends," he said Monday.

WESTFIELD CENTER, Ohio -- It was, Mo Williams said, a long-overdue conversation.

The Cavaliers' point guard was worried about his flight being four hours late on Sunday, when he had a personal appearance scheduled for Monday's 25th Cavaliers Youth Fund Classic golf event. But, thanks to the delay, he ran into an old friend at the airport -- LeBron James.

Williams had tweeted his disappointment when James left Cleveland for Miami. But the two hadn't really conversed until Sunday.

"We talked for a bit," Williams said. "I think it was a much-needed conversation, being that we were so close.

"The conversation went well. Obviously, our friendship is beyond basketball. Obviously, the basketball decision touched me emotionally. Part of me is still sour, but in the overall picture, you don't wish anything bad to anybody, including friends. I wish him the best. He's got enough people rooting against him. He doesn't need one more."

Asked what he thought James' return with the Heat on Dec. 2 would be like, Williams sighed and then said, "You tell me. It's going to be ... I'm optimistic about that. I wouldn't say I'm looking forward to Dec. 2, but I think it's going to be an emotional day. For lack of a better word, I think it's going to be an emotional day, especially for the fans.

"As players, as an organization, it's personal to a point, but at the end of the day, we look at the business aspect of it.

"But a fan is a fan. Fans love Cleveland on the front of your jersey and that's what they root for. They're going to feel the way they're going to feel. It's going to be kind of ... interesting, the reception."

Cavs notes: Owner Dan Gilbert addressed the participants at Monday's Cavaliers charity golf event, but left without speaking to the media. He did reiterate his intention to do whatever it takes to bring a championship to Cleveland. ... Calling former assistant general manager Lance Blanks almost irreplaceable, new GM Chris Grant said he would take his time hiring a replacement and that it could even be more than one person. Blanks left to become the general manager of the Phoenix Suns earlier this summer. ... Grant said there was no news on former St. Edward star Jawad Williams, to whom the Cavs have extended a qualifying offer. ... Grant declined to comment on reports that he recently signed a two-year extension with a raise. "I don't want to get into any details about that," he said. "I will say Dan's been great. Ownership has been great. I think this organization is in a good place. Dan and his group remain supportive and I don't see that changing."

Jim Brown upstages the Ring of Honor inductions by saying he will not attend -- and shows the limitations of the greatest player the franchise has ever known in everything but football.

Joshua Gunter / The Plain DealerIt's been 45 seasons since Jim Brown carried the ball for the Browns, but his latest feud with the team shows that Brown can still grab the spotlight -- to the detriment of his legacy, says Bill Livingston.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Jim Brown, in upstaging the Browns' Ring of Honor by declaring his intention to skip the induction ceremonies, once again makes the discussion all about himself.

The other inductees feel honored. At 74, indisputably the Browns' greatest player, as well as probably the oldest ex-player to have the ear of a team owner in pro football history, Brown feels snubbed.

Since the great icon says he will sit out the September induction ceremony, Leroy Kelly, Mike McCormack, Paul Warfield and the others to be honored are suddenly cast in the shadows by the ego of one recalcitrant player.

Great as Brown was on the field -- and in this estimation he was the greatest football player ever, and that goes for everywhere, not just with the Browns -- he is divisive, angry and bitter off it.

As usual, he casts the issue in racial terms, despite members of racial minorities holding political office, including the Presidency of the United States, and despite Cleveland's own demonstrated history of racial progressiveness in sports.

Brown endured real, venomous bigotry in his playing career. His world view will forever-more be black and white. That was evident in his indefensible evocation of a "plantation" mentality at Ohio State in the Maurice Clarett scandal, in which, while defending the ex-con running back, Brown called athletic director Andy Geiger a "slave master." It is evident in his latest racially charged language to the Browns' front office. The proud protester fights injustices he conjures out of thin air.

Brown's most inflammatory statements include putting in team president Mike Holmgren's mouth the statement that "one monkey don't stop the show."

As with Geiger at Ohio State, so with Holmgren now: It is virtually impossible for a man to reach such a lofty position as athletic director at OSU or president of an NFL team and hold such beliefs or speak in such terms. He would betray his bigotry in a hundred ways. In the meritocracy of sports, he would be dismissed from his job.

Brown says he refused to be a "greeter" or "mascot" with the team, instead seeking a more meaningful role.

One might ask how well things worked out during the years when Brown advised team owner Randy Lerner?

The disaffected legend ended his letter to Holmgren and Lerner by writing: "So let me end with a little humor, because as you say, one monkey don't stop the show, and as I say 'Willie Lynch missed a few of us,' and there will be no Buck Dancing."

Along with the reference to African-Americans as monkeys, Brown apparently brings up lynching, and a derogatory term (Buck) for African-American males. There might be echoes of a minstrel show in "Buck Dancing" or to lynching. It's unclear at exactly whom the man aims his "humor."

One thing is clear, though. What organization with a lick of sense would let someone who sees the world this way speak for it?

Ohio State coaches and players expect quarterback Terrelle Pryor and the passing game to exhibit rhythm and timing against Marshall on Thursday.

Terry Gilliam / Associated PressThursday's season opener with Marshall will be the first chance for Terrelle Pryor and the OSU offense to display what coaches believe will be a more polished and effective passing game.

• Marshall vs. Ohio State, Thursday, 7:30 p.m. TV: Big Ten Network

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The defining catch in the Rose Bowl was Ohio State tight end Jake Ballard skying for a Terrelle Pryor pass after the Ohio State quarterback escaped pressure and moved to his right.

That is not what the Ohio State passing game should look like Thursday when the Buckeyes start the 2010 season by hosting Marshall.

To search for progress in junior quarterback Pryor, junior receiver DeVier Posey and senior receiver Dane Sanzenbacher, as well as the Buckeyes' pass protection, set the clock in your head. The Buckeyes want to be in rhythm and on time, with Pryor running through his reads, then checking down to a running back or throwing the ball out of bounds if nothing is there.

"Boom, boom, boom," cornerbacks coach Taver Johnson said, counting off the internal clock in a quarterback's head and noting how often he's seen Pryor put the ball in the right position for his receivers.

"Watching them actually develop that is pretty good," Johnson said Monday after facing the Buckeyes' passing game all preseason. "I do think their timing is definitely improved. It's noticeable to me compared to last year."

The timing and the precision could be seen in yards after the catch, with Pryor more comfortable throwing the ball into a smaller area and giving his receivers a better chance to catch the ball in stride and make a move in the open field.

"Having all that off-season work, that's when you can get that worked on," Sanzenbacher said Monday. "When you first come in [to college], it's just getting the completion. When you start moving on, you can really start thinking about where does the ball need to be and when does it need to be there."

Johnson said he can tell Pryor has a better feel for when Posey, Sanzenbacher and third receiver Taurian Washington are coming out of their breaks, so he's less likely to hold the ball and more likely to let it out of his hand in rhythm.

Receivers coach Darrell Hazell said Pryor will be dumping the ball off to his backs and finding his receivers in routes that have always been there -- the Buckeyes just weren't good enough to execute them before.

"He's made light years [improvement] in his accuracy," Hazell said. "Understanding coverages, he's light years [ahead]. He'll be fun to watch this year."

Linebacker Brian Rolle said Pryor now recognizes the OSU defenses and calls them out before Rolle can. In the past, it was much easier to confuse Pryor. Head coach Jim Tressel said Pryor will be more involved in recognizing and changing what's happening at the line of scrimmage.

"He's a lot more involved in the discussions from a pass protection standpoint," Tressel said. "Pre-practice, in practice, pre-snap. ... He's wrong every once in a while because our defense does a lot. They throw a lot at you, but I've been impressed with how he has been on the mark when we've needed to make some changes."

It's reasonable to expect the Buckeyes will throw the ball a little more this season, including Thursday, than a year ago. But don't focus on the number of passes against the Thundering Herd as much as the type of passes. Count how often Pryor holds the ball and scrambles around before throwing, and how often he goes "boom, boom, boom" in rhythm, and makes his decision.

"He's so much better right now," Hazell said. "He gets back in his drops now and sees the field so much better now than he did a year ago."

Even better than he did in the Rose Bowl, when he completed 23 of 37 passes for 266 yards and was named the game's offensive MVP?

"That was just the beginning of greatness, I think," Hazell said. "I believe that."

Odds and ends: Starting defensive end Nathan Williams, who hurt his left knee on Aug. 14, will miss Thursday's game, but Tressel expects him to return for the Miami game on Sept. 11. Starting cornerback Chimdi Chekwa has been battling a hamstring injury but practiced Monday and will be ready for Thursday. ... Sophomore running back Jordan Hall will return kickoffs along with freshman running back Jaamal Berry and will return punts ahead of Devon Torrence and Corey "Philly" Brown. ... Tressel opened his news conference Monday by talking about the future of the Ohio State-Michigan game in vague terms for several minutes. Reading between the lines, Tressel doesn't like the idea of the game no longer ending the regular season, but he's going to publicly support what the conference decides and not rock the boat.

The Indians staged an unexpected rally, only to see Chicago score four times in the 11th to earn the victory.

Chuck Crow / The Plain DealerIndians manager Manny Acta is too late to keep Jayson Nix from being ejected by home plate umpire Bill Welke in the seventh inning of Monday's game at Progressive Field. Nix complained about a called third strike to end the inning, and was tossed by Welke.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The White Sox needed Manny Ramirez on Monday night, but Brent Lillbridge and Omar Vizquel did just fine. What exactly Mitch Talbot needs is a topic for late nights and pots of coffee.

Before the Indians' deep thinkers delve into Talbot, they should take a minute and try to figure out how they worked themselves back into a seemingly lost cause before finally losing, 10-6, in 11 innings to the White Sox at Progressive Field.

The Indians, trailing 6-3, scored three runs in the ninth off closer Bobby Jenks to force extra innings. Shin-Soo Choo started the rally with a leadoff walk and steal of second. Shelley Duncan scored him with a bloop single to left. The single was Duncan's third hit of the night.

Travis Hafner doubled Duncan to third. It was his fourth hit, and third double, of the game. Luis Valbuena, who came into the game in the seventh after Jayson Nix was ejected, sent a high-chop single to second. Duncan scored and Hafner followed him home with the tying run as Brent Lillbridge threw wildly past first.

There were still no outs, but Jenks retired the next three batters on ground outs with Valbuena, the winning run, stranded at third.

The White Sox won it in the 11th as Lillbridge atoned for his error with a two-out homer off Rafael Perez (4-1). Chicago added three more on consecutive doubles by Vizquel and Alex Rios and Paul Konerko's single.

Talbot, the Indians' rookie right-hander who won eight games before the All-Star break, remained winless since the break as Chicago bumped and bruised him over five innings.

When a pitcher puts a lot of batters on base, manager Manny Acta refers to them as "traffic." Talbot pitched in a rush-hour snarl for four of his five innings. In his first four innings, he faced 24 White Sox. That's a 50 percent increase over the required limit.

Fourteen of batters reached base and five of them scored. It wasn't until the fifth inning -- yes, he was still in the game -- that Talbot finally retired the White Sox in order.

Talbot is 0-5 with a 6.44 ERA in his last nine starts. He has not won a game since June 27 against Cincinnati.

Three of Talbot's first-half victories were against Chicago. If he was going to snap the streak, Talbot was facing the right team.

This is a different White Sox team than the Indians last saw in early June. They're 47-27 since June 9. That included a 25-5 charge to end the first half and put them in first place in the AL Central.

They've struggled since then, losing 13 of their last 21 games, to fall into second place behind the Twins. That's why Ramirez was claimed on waivers from the Dodgers.

They hit Talbot early and often. Paul Konerko's double in the first gave Chicago a 2-0 lead. Vizquel and Rios singled in front of him.

Chicago made it 5-0 with three more runs in the second as they sent eight men to the plate. Alexei Ramirez singled and scored on Mark Kotsay's double. Gordon Beckham, who left the game in the seventh after getting hit on the right hand by a pitch from Frank Herrmann, singled to put Kotsay on third. After Talbot hit Juan Pierre to load the bases, Rios scored Kotsay and Beckman with a bloop single to right.

Talbot, who has done a good job recovering from rocky starts, did it again Monday. He gave up a pair of two-out singles in the third, but Duncan saved him with a fine catch of Pierre's liner in left to end the inning.

He loaded the bases with one out in the out in the fourth, but escaped when A.J. Pierzynski hit into a double play.

Mark Buehrle was in line for his 13th victory. He allowed three runs on eight hits in six innings. He left with a 6-3 lead only to watch Jenks waste it. It was Jenks' fourth blown save.

Nix kept the Indians in the game with a two-run homer in the fourth. It was his 12th of the season, 11 coming after the Indians claimed him on waivers from the White Sox.

Plate umpire Bill Welke ejected Nix for arguing a called third strike to end the seventh. It was the first ejection in Nix's career.

Hafner made it 6-3 in the fifth with his second double. Hafner reached base in his first five plate appearances -- one walk and four hits.

Manny Ramirez is scheduled to join the White Sox on Tuesday morning. He may or may not play Tuesday night against the Indians.

Danny Moloshok / Associated PressHaving worn out his welcome in Los Angeles, Manny Ramirez heads to the fourth team in his career, and could possibly play Tuesday for the White Sox against the Indians at Progressive Field.

INDIANS CHATTER
Clubhouse confidential: So far the Indians’ Kangaroo Kourt has not been called into session by judge Travis Hafner.
A shoe box is sitting on one the tables in the locker room to collect real or perceived transgressions by players on or off the field. The guilty parties get a chance to plead the case before a verdict is rendered.
Shelley Duncan has been a driving force behind the Kourt. “I’ve never been on a team that didn’t have a Kangaroo Kourt,” said Duncan. “They’re a lot of fun.”

Dog days: Missed in Thursday’s Puppypalooza promotion at Progressive Field was Indians reliever Frank Herrmann. He and his puggle, Dennis, walked around Progressive Field with a parade of 268 other dogs. A puggle is a mix between a pug and a beagle.
“My fiancee [Johanna] missed her first two days of graduate school at USC because she wanted to see it,” said Herrmann. “She got a big kick out of it.”
So did Dennis.
“I took him around,” said Herrmann. “Took him into the bullpen for a sniff. He behaved himself.”

Stat of the day: These prominent members of the Indians’ 1995 World Series team have gone on to play for the White Sox in the years between 1996 and 2010: Manny Ramirez, Jim Thome, Albert Belle, Kenny Lofton, Sandy Alomar Jr. and Tony Pena.
— Paul Hoynes

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- With Manny Ramirez expected to arrive in Cleveland at 6 a.m. Tuesday from the West Coast, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said he might not be in Tuesday night's lineup against the Indians at Progressive Field.

"It all depends on how Manny feels," said Guillen.

If Ramirez says he's ready to play, he'll DH and bat fifth for a White Sox team that went into Monday night's game trailing first-place Minnesota by 4.5 games in the AL Central with 31 to play.

"We're not expecting Manny to save us; we just need him to help us," said Guillen.

Ramirez has always had good timing at the plate, as his 554 career homers suggest. Joining the White Sox at the start of a critical 10-game trip, he's not doing too bad in the intrigue department as well.

Ramirez made his big-league debut with the Indians, helping them reach the World Series in 1995 and 1997. He's been booed in Cleveland ever since he left through free agency after the 2000 season.

The next stop on Chicago's trip is Boston. Ramirez signed with the Red Sox after leaving Cleveland. He was the MVP when Boston ended its 86-year drought by winning the World Series in 2004. In 2008, Ramirez was dealt to the Dodgers amidst speculation that he quit on his teammates.

"I don't know why people think Manny is a bad guy or a pain in the butt," said Guillen. "It's funny how people say 'Manny being Manny.' I don't like that. I think it's just Manny being real.

"I never heard any of Manny's teammates complain about Manny. He's just a quiet guy who goes about his business."

Ramirez hit .311 with eight homers and 40 RBI in 66 with the Dodgers. He missed a big chunk of time with a strained right calf that put him on the disabled list.

"It's going to be really cool to see Manny again and wear the same uniform as him," said Chicago infielder Omar Vizquel, who played with Ramirez on the Indians. "He's a funny guy and I've always enjoyed his company. And having a bat like that in the lineup is going to be nice."

Guillen anticipates no problems with Ramirez. He has two rules -- everyone stretches together and everyone shows up for the National Anthem.

As for Ramirez's shoulder-length dreadlocks and baggy uniform, Guillen took a hands-off approach.

"That comes from God [owner Jerry Reinsdorf]," said Guillen. "If Jerry has any problem with his hair or the way he wears his uniform, that goes directly to him. ... We talked about that three or four days ago. That's not my department."

Different story: Guillen said he didn't need Ramirez to save the White Sox. When the subject switched to Vizquel, Guillen said, "If you want to talk about a saver, Omar has been saving the White Sox for a long time. We never thought Omar was going to be playing this long and for this good."

Vizquel, 43, is hitting .288 (74-for-257) with 29 runs, eight doubles, one homer and 25 RBI. He's started 68 games, 56 at third, six at second, five at short and one at DH.

"The job he's doing on the field and off the field is terrific," Guillen added. "I'm proud to manage this kid. Kid? He's three years older than me."

Actually, Guillen is 46 and Vizquel 43, but Guillen says he has more hair.

Early in the season, Vizquel was talking about retiring. He's changed his mind.

"I'm going to try and play next year," said Vizquel. "I've been playing so good this year that I think I'm going to give it another shot."

Testing, testing: Matt LaPorta, who left Sunday's game with a strained left hip, could be available to pinch hit Tuesday.

"If everything goes well, he could be back in the lineup by Wednesday," said manager Manny Acta.

Finally: Acta said he didn't know if Carlos Carrasco would be among the first wave of call-ups from Class AAA Columbus.

The Indians have traded some high-priced veterans the last three years -- some on the verge of free agency -- for, mostly, pitching prospects.

Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer Carlos Carrasco, obtained by Cleveland from the Philadelphia organization in the 2009 trade of Cliff Lee, is pitching well at Columbus.

FARM REPORT

AAA Columbus Clippers

Clippers 6, Indians 4: Wes Hodges and Josh Rodriguez both clubbed two-run homers and Columbus won an International League game at Indianapolis. Yohan Pino (10-8) gave up four runs, all earned, in six innings and picked up the win. Vinnie Pestano pitched a scoreless ninth for his 13th save.

Notes: RHP Carlos Carrasco (10-6, 3.65) is 2-2 with a 2.08 ERA in his last eight starts, striking out 44 and walking eight in 47 2/3 innings, while allowing just 32 hits. Carrasco has given up one home run in his last 63 1/3 innings, after being tagged for 15 homers in his first 87 innings of the season....Going into Monday night's game, OF Jose Constanza (.316) was batting .439 (25-of-57) in his last 14 games, with three doubles, three triples, 13 runs and six RBI....RHP Vinnie Pestano (1-2, 12 saves, 1.66) had converted his last eight save opportunities. In his last 21 games, he was 1-1 with eight saves and an 0.81 ERA, striking out 30, walking six and giving up just 13 hits....OF Ezequiel Carrera (.281) was 12-of-32 (.375) in his last eight games, with a double and two triples....RH reliever Josh Judy (3-0, two saves, 2.78) had not allowed a run in his last six games, going 1-0, while fanning 10 against three hits and two walks in 7 1/3 innings....3B Jared Goedert (.271) broke out of an 0-for-16 skid with four hits, including his 19th home run, in Sunday's 10-5 win over Indianapolis. Goedert went into Monday night's game with 26 homers this season, including seven at Class AA Akron.

AA Akron Aeros

Thunder 4, Aeros 3 (10 innings): Akron right-handed reliever Omar Aguilar took the Eastern League loss to fall to 2-6 as he gave up three hits and one run in the 10th inning against host Trenton, N.J.

Notes: RH starter Corey Kluber (2-2, 3.76) is 2-0 with an 0.98 ERA in his last three starts, pitching 18 1/3 innings. Prior to those games, Kluber lost his first two starts and had a 10.13 ERA in eight innings with Akron, after being acquired from the San Diego Padres in the three-way trade that sent Jake Westbrook to the St. Louis Cardinals....Going into Monday night's game, 3B Lonnie Chisenhall (.277) was hitting .389 (21-of-54) in his last 15 games, with six doubles, three homers, 20 RBI and 12 runs....RHP Chen Lee (5-4, 3.33) had an 0.44 ERA pitching 20 1/3 innings in his last 14 games, with 22 strikeouts, three walks and just eight hits allowed. For the season, Lee had fanned 76, walked 21 and held batters to a .225 average....In 10 games since being promoted from Kinston, RHP Rob Bryson was 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA and 14 strikeouts, allowing just eight hits in 13 1/3 innings. Including his time with Kinston and Lake County this season, Bryson was 7-1 with one save and a 2.51 ERA in 31 games, striking out 73 and walking 20 in 46 2/3 innings, while holding batters to a .172 average....OF Jerad Head (.314) was batting .400 (38-of-95) with nine homers, seven doubles, 29 RBI and 24 runs in his last 26 games with the Aeros.

A Kinston Indians

The Indians were idle on Monday.

Notes: RHP Joe Gardner (12-5, 2.69) is leading the Carolina League in wins and is third in ERA. He has struck out 103, walked 47 and held batters to four homers and a .202 average in 117 innings. In his last six games, Gardner is 4-0 with a 1.59 ERA in 34 innings, fanning 26, walking 14 and allowing 24 hits -- including no home runs. Gardner began the season making six starts at Lake County, going 1-0 with a 3.24 ERA in 25 innings, with 38 strikeouts, 11 walks and 17 hits allowed....Catcher Chun-Hsiu Chen is hitting .313 with 13 doubles, six homers and 27 RBI in 147 at bats with Kinston. Including his time with Lake County, Chen is hitting .312 with 34 doubles, three triples, 12 homers, 66 RBI and 49 walks in 365 at bats....RH reliever Matthew Langwell (4-2, five saves, 1.99) has not allowed a run in his last 14 games, pitching 18 innings with 19 strikeouts....RHP Austin Adams is 5-1 with a 1.51 ERA in 12 games (11 starts) with the Indians, allowing 46 hits and 13 walks while fanning 44 in 53 2/3 innings....RH reliever Brian Grening (4-3, 3.38) is 1-0 in his last seven games, allowing one run on five hits and two walks, with 14 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings. He has struck out 62 in 48 innings and held hitters to a .192 batting average....Kinston is on a six-game winning streak....The Indians (68-64) will visit the Frederick Keys (70-63) on Tuesday night.

A Lake County Captains

Captains 7, Silver Hawks 5: Starter Jason Knapp struck out eight in just 3.2 innings and Lake County defeated South Bend, Ind., at Classic Park in Eastlake. Knapp, however, also yielded seven hits and four runs, three earned. Chris Kersten was 2-for-4 with a home run and double, and four RBI.

Notes: Going into his start on Monday night, RHP Jason Knapp was 1-0 and had not allowed a run in two starts -- covering nine innings -- with the Captains, allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out 13....Going into Monday night, 3B Adam Abraham (.257) was hitting .354 (56-of-158) with 11 doubles, 10 homers and 40 RBI in his last 38 games....OF Delvi Cid (.257) was hitting .316 (18-of-57) with 12 runs and 10 stolen bases in his last 15 games. Cid's league-leading 68 stolen bases (in 84 attempts) were 17 more than any other player in the Midwest League....OF Tyler Holt (.280) was 11-of-31 (.355) with seven doubles, seven runs and five RBI in his last nine games.

A Mahoning Valley Scrappers

Scrappers 4, Doubledays 2: Mahoning Valley scored four runs on just three hits and defeated visiting Auburn, N.Y., in a New York-Penn League game.

Notes: Including his start on Monday night, LH Mike Rayl (2.81) has a 2.31 ERA in his last 10 starts, holding batters to a .174 average and one homer in 50 2/3 innings, fanning 44 and walking 18....Going into Monday night's game, OF Brian Heere (.255) was hitting .347 (26-of-75) in August, with three doubles, one triple, 19 walks and a .474 on-base percentage....OF Carlos Moncrief (.250) was hitting .333 (32-of-96) in August, with five doubles, three triples and two home runs.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

The Crushers were idle on Monday.

Notes: OF Wayne Bond (.241) is 10-of-19 (.526) with a homer and seven runs in his last five games....3B Andrew Davis (.294) is 6-of-17 (.353) with one double, one triple and five RBI in his last five games....The Crushers (44-45) will host the Washington Wild Things on Tuesday night.

"When you're in the cellar, the least you can do is execute the fundamentals. Whatever you want to call this team - AAAA, minor league, bush league - it is a no-brainer that with the winning run on second and no out in the bottom of the ninth, you bunt the runner to third. That way a wild pitch or sacrifice fly can win the game." - DocLogic

View full sizeChuck Crow | The Plain DealerFans aren't happy with the decision not to bunt in the ninth on Monday night.

In response to the story Wasted rally: Cleveland Indians score 3 in 9th, but White Sox triumph, 10-6, in 11 innings, cleveland.com reader DocLogic can't believe the Indians didn't move the runner over with the game on the line Monday night. This reader writes,

"When you're in the cellar, the least you can do is execute the fundamentals. Whatever you want to call this team - AAAA, minor league, bush league - it is a no-brainer that with the winning run on second and no out in the bottom of the ninth, you bunt the runner to third. That way a wild pitch or sacrifice fly can win the game."

"I am impressed that Williams gets it. The fans root for the team, not the player. Williams has said all the right things since this whole debacle began. He wants to play in Cleveland and he understands the fans pain in all this. He even feels 'sour.' I was never a big Mo Williams fan, but he is starting to look better and better." - oversea

View full sizeBenny Sieu | Milwaukee Journal SentinelMo Williams.

In response to the story Mo Williams chats with LeBron James, says Cavs-Heat game will be 'interesting': Cavaliers Insider, cleveland.com reader oversea is becoming a fan of Mo's. This reader writes,

"I am impressed that Williams gets it. The fans root for the team, not the player. Williams has said all the right things since this whole debacle began. He wants to play in Cleveland and he understands the fans pain in all this. He even feels 'sour.' I was never a big Mo Williams fan, but he is starting to look better and better."

PD sports writer says the fact the former Indian was caught doing steroids (and quit on two teams) knocks him out of consideration.

Associated Press file Manny Ramirez, right, appears at a press conference with then-Indians GM John Hart in 1993. The Indians drafted Ramirez in the first round, 13th overall, in the 1991 draft.

Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, our Web video show about what's going on in Cleveland sports. Today's show is hosted by Branson Wright and Chuck Yarborough.

Let's go to today's show highlights:

• Manny Ramirez will return to Cleveland tonight as the newest member of the Chicago White Sox. Does Ramirez belong in the Hall of Fame? Cast your vote in today's Starting Blocks poll.

• Today's guest, Plain Dealer sports writer Dennis Manoloff, says there's no way Ramirez belongs in the Hall, as he tested positive for steroids and has quit on two teams. D-Man also talks about his favorite Manny moments as an Indian.

SBTV will return Wednesday morning with Plain Dealer Ohio State writer Doug Lesmerises as the guest. He will talk about the 2010 season and Thursday's season opener against Marshall.

The Indians have reportedly promoted Carlos Carrasco to the big leagues. Rosters expand from 25 players to 40 on Wednesday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Right-hander Carlos Carrasco is coming to Cleveland to join the Indians. Rosters expand from 25 to 40 players Wednesday so he could join the Tribe in less than 24 hours.

Carrasco is 10-6 with a 3.64 ERA in 25 starts at Class AAA Columbus. He was scheduled to make his next start at Columbus on Wednesday. Josh Tomlin is scheduled to start against the White Sox on Wednesday at 12:05 p.m. at Progressive Field.

If Carrasco doesn't start for the Tribe on Wednesday, he could be slipped into the rotation when the Indians open a four-game series against Seattle at Safeco Field starting Thursday.

Carrasco arrives at a good time. The Indians don't want to push Justin Masterson past 170 to 180 innings. Mitch Talbot seems to be tiring and rookies Tomlin and Gomez are in the big leagues for the first time.

Manager Manny Acta says he could go with a six-man rotation for the last month of the season to relieve the strain on the rest of the rotation.

Acta has wanted to get a look at Carrasco for sometime. Carrasco would have already been in the big leagues if not for a recent right forearm injury.

The Indians acquired Carrasco last year as part of the Cliff Lee deal with the Phillies. He made his big league debut with the Tribe in September.

To take Carrasco's place at Columbus, the Indians promoted Corey Kluber from Class AA Akron. Kluber was acquired from San Diego in the Jake Westbrook trade.

"I'd be a little shocked if we opened up the playbook against Marshall, unless the Thundering Herd manage to keep it close at halftime. I expect to see the full offense only when the start of the Miami game occurs. Until then, expect bland 'Tressel Ball' during the Marshall game as they try to keep it simple before the big game against the Hurricanes." - osufan77

View full sizeMarvin Fong | The Plain Dealer Jim Tressel has a reputation for keeping things close to the vest, especially against lesser opponents.

In response to the story Buckeyes hoping Terrelle Pryor-led offense will be as smooth as 1-2-3 vs. Marshall, cleveland.com reader osufan77 doesn't expect to see much from the offense Thursday night. This reader writes,

"I'd be a little shocked if we opened up the playbook against Marshall, unless the Thundering Herd manage to keep it close at halftime. I expect to see the full offense only when the start of the Miami game occurs. Until then, expect bland 'Tressel Ball' during the Marshall game as they try to keep it simple before the big game against the Hurricanes."

What's going on with Jim Brown? What should we watch for during Thursday night's preseason game? Plain Dealer sports columnist Terry Pluto was online, tackling those questions and more in his weekly chat.

Terry Pluto tackles your questions live every Tuesday at noon.

Plain Dealer sports columnist Terry Pluto was online, tackling those questions and more in his weekly chat on cleveland.com earlier today.

Among the other topics discussed:

- Are you concerned about Jerome Harrison this preseason?

- Do you believe what you're seeing from Jake Delhomme or are you still taking a wait-and-see approach?

- Do any young Indians players inspire confidence in you that they can develop into reliable pieces next season?

- Is Manny Ramirez a Hall of Famer?

Browns nose tackle Shaun Rogers will be fined one game check of about $400,000 by the NFL for his gun incident at Hopkins.

Tracy Boulian, The Plain DealerBrowns' Shaun Rogerswill be fined but not suspended for a gun charge, a report says.

CLEVELAND -- Browns nose tackle Shaun Rogers will be fined one game check by the NFL for carrying a gun in his handbag at airport security, an NFL spokesman said.

That's about $400,000, or 1/17th of his $6.9 million base salary for 2010.

Rogers is appealing the decision. The fine falls under the league's Personal Conduct Policy. He will not be suspended.

Rogers, who was placed in a diversion program and ordered to take a gun course and do community service, said before confirming the fine. "It is what it is.''

Fellow defensive lineman Robaire Smith, who was also caught with a gun at airport security in Michigan, said he hasn't heard anything yet about a possible fine or suspension.

"They're two different cases,'' said Smith. "I'd like to think mine will have a good outcome, but I don't know anything yet.''

Rogers, who said he never spoke with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell about the incident, is still not practicing with the team because of a leg injury and it's uncertain if he'll be ready for the opener Sept. 12 in Tampa.

The gun incident took place on April 1 at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

Coach Nick Saban says Ingram should make a full recovery in a "relatively short time."

Mark J. Terrill, Associated PressAlabama running back and Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram (left) is nursing an injured knee and will miss the season opener.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram of Alabama will miss the opener of his 2010 college football season after injuring his left knee during practice.

He was hurt Monday and coach Nick Saban said in a statement the star tailback had an arthroscopic procedure today. The coach says Ingram should make a full recovery in a "relatively short time."

The top-ranked Crimson Tide opens Saturday against San Jose State. Alabama's biggest nonconference game comes when No. 19 Penn State visits on Sept. 11.

Saban says "everyone involved" thought it better to get the problem taken care of quickly so Ingram wouldn't have issues later in the season. The coach adds that decisions on Ingram's recovery will be made week to week.

Browns quarterbacks Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace will rest Thursday night against the Bears in the preseason finale.

Jim Prisching / Associated PressJake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace will watch from the sidelines Thursday vs. the Bears.

CLEVELAND -- Browns quarterbacks Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace will rest Thursday night in the preseason finale against the Bears at the Stadium, coach Eric Mangini said.

Rookie Colt McCoy and veteran Brett Ratliff will each play two quarters, but Mangini said he hadn't yet decided which will start. He said McCoy is not "where he needs to be'' but showed some progress in the third preseason game Saturday in Detroit.

In other Browns news:

* Tight end Ben Watson returned to practice Tuesday after being excused Monday for a personal reason. Right tackle John St. Clair is still excused for a personal reason and was out all last week two.

* Tight end Robert Royal, who walked through the locker with a walking boot on his right foot Monday, was still idle Tuesday.

* The Browns have to cut five players by 4 p.m. today to get down to the limit of 75.

* Mangini said he's not sure yet how much playing time rookie running back Montario Hardesty will get.

Tressel said kicker Devin Barclay has won the right to handle more field goals than previously planned.

Marvin Fong | The Plain Dealer Jim Tressel, not in helmet, said today that running back Brandon Saine is as good as any running back in the country at catching the ball.

Notes from Ohio State coach Jim Tressel's appearances on the Big Ten coaches conference call and on his one-hour weekly radio show today:

* On the call, Tressel was asked again about the potential of Ohio State-Michigan moving away from the end of the season. As he did at his news conference Monday, Tressel basically said he'll go along with what the conference wants, no matter what he really thinks. He he did add that in his lifetime, as an observer and as a part of the rivalry, he enjoyed Michigan and Ohio State playing at the end of the regular season, but "I'm not silly enough to think my feelings are the only ones that are important."

So that is as definite as Tressel as going to get. He doesn't like it. But it certainly sounds like that decision has already been made, by others. And he's not going to make a huge issue out of it.

* The Buckeyes had a kicking battle during the preseason. Entering camp, the breakdown was that senior Devin Barclay would handle field goals 42 yards and shorter, and freshman Drew Basil would handle the longer field goals and the kickoffs. Today, Tressel said Barclay would handle all the field goals 54 yards and shorter, and Basil would take anything 55 yards and longer, as well as the kickoffs.

So that's still a chance for both, but that's a big move for Barclay. Those 45-, 47-, 49-yard field goals can be gamechangers, the ones you should make that are far from gimmees. And winning the chance to take those is a victory for Barclay.

*  Tressel said he believes running back Brandon Saine is may be as good as a receiver as any running back in America. I'm not going to pretend I know about every pass-catching running back in America, but I do think Saine is very good. In 36 career games, Saine has 32 catches, including 17 last season. Sounds like there's reason to expect him to catch at least 20 passes this season.

* It sounds as if the Buckeyes will five the entire second unit on the offensive line, maybe just with a big lead. We have certainly seen Ohio State do that before. Tressel singled out fifth-year senior Connor Smith for praise at left guard. The former five-star recruit has never turned into the player many expected, never starting in his career, he's cemented his spot with the second team this season. That second team, starting at left tackle, would be Andrew Miller-Smith-Corey Linsley-Jack Mewhort-Andrew Norwell. Norwell is a true freshman that Tressel also said looks good, though he has a ways to go. He joked that Norwell lost some of his feistiness when he cut his long hair during camp.

* Tressel said he expects that the defensive line may only two seven players deep for now, with starting Leo defensive end Nathan Williams missing the game. It sounds he would like to keep the option open to redshirt freshman Leo J.T. Moore, who is the No. 2 Leo for now with Williams out. The other three backups in that top seven would be Garrett Goebel, Adam Bellamy and Johnathan Hankins. I'm trying to check out exactly where redshirt freshman Melvin Fellows stands. He did miss at least some practice time during camp and was a third-teamer in the team scrimmage.

* This isn't new, but to confirm, starting cornerback Chimdi Chekwa practiced Monday and should be ready for Thursday. Tressel wasn't sure about Chekwa as of Monday afternoon, but cornerbacks coach Taver Johnson said Monday night Chekwa practiced and looked ready. Travis Howard will see time backing up Chekwa as the No. 3 corner, while No. 4 corner Corey Brown and No. 5 corner Dominic Clarke will spell starting corner Devon Torrence on the other side.

Mitch Talbot gives up more runs than cheap paint.

View full sizeMark Duncan,
Associated PressMitch Talbot continues his struggles. The Tribe pitcher, who surrendered five runs in the Indians' 10-6 loss to the White Sox last night, hasn't won since June 27.

Cleveland, Ohio -- What's 17 inches wide and hard white rubber that's outlined in black on its five sides?

Don't ask Tribe rookie pitcher Mitch Talbot; he might tell you it's a launching pad after giving up five runs, 10 hits and three walks in just five innings in last night's 11th-inning 10-6 loss to the White Sox. That's if he could describe it at all.

Talbot had eight consecutive wins prior to the All-Star break; he's run his streak to, um, zero, since then.

Here's how the Akron Beacon-Journal's Sheldon Ocker saw the game last night:

The cozy gathering of 10,663 had barely squeezed through the turnstiles when Talbot began filling the bases with enemy batsmen. Four hitters into the game, the White Sox were already ahead 2-0, after (Omar) Vizquel singled, (Carlos) Rios reached on a bloop single and (Paul) Konerko doubled to score both.

Not all of this was Talbot's fault. Rios' hit was a high pop fly about 65 feet beyond first base. Jason Donald raced over from second but couldn't reach it. The ball belonged to first baseman Andy Marte, but he didn't even turn around to look for it.

At any rate, Talbot's problems continued in the second inning, when he gave up three more runs on four hits, plus a hit batter. He stopped the bleeding after that but gave up two hits in the fourth, when he was saved by (Shelley) Duncan, who made a tough running catch of (Juan) Pierre's two-out liner to left. Talbot also loaded the bases in the fourth but threw a double-play ball.

Since returning to the rotation after his injury, Talbot has averaged fewer than five innings in his four starts, is giving up hits at the rate of 14.6 per nine innings and walking batters at the rate of 5.9 per nine innings.

As kids, we played a game that usually started out simply as "Kill the Man with the Ball," in which you'd tackle the kid with the ball. He'd surrender it, and the next kid would be off and running . . . for his life. That's because eventually, the object of the game segued from tackling to dogpiling on top of some kid dang near to the point of suffocation. It was one of the few times when your humble Starting Blocks correspondent was grateful for being so fumble-fingered that he was unable to catch a football, and thus become the base of a mountain of 10-year-old boys.

With that in mind, we turn to Plain Dealer beat writer Paul Hoynes, who joined us aging 10-year-olds in dogpiling on Talbot. In an earlier version of his game story, Hoynsie noted that manager Manny Acta refers to runners left on base as "traffic." "Talbot pitched in a rush-hour snarl for four of his five innings," Hoynsie wrote. "In his first four innings, he faced 24 White Sox. That's a 100 percent increase over the required limit."

What we do know, however, is that a lot of baseball is watching the move by a team trying with all its might to catch AL Central-leading Minnesota, whom the Sox trail by four games. Here's how espnchicago.com's Jon Greenberg put it:

The worst-kept secret in baseball was made official Monday when the White Sox were awarded their waiver claim on Ramirez. It was a bold move, aimed at immediate results. It was either a desperate, expensive reach or the equivalent of doubling down on 10 with the dealer showing an ace.

White Sox general manager Kenny Williams loves these kinds of "Kenny being Kenny" risks. He should. Every baseball fan should admire him for being himself.

If you're in the GM chair and you're not into taking chances, you might as well run the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Of course, what Greenberg also said is that it's a moot move, one that won't affect the outcome in the race:

I handicapped the team's chances the old-fashioned way: going through the schedule and guessing. The Twins have 19 at home and the Sox 16. I've got the Sox finishing with a 21-10 kick but falling two games short of the Twins, whom I have going 19-12.

Still, doesn't it make you feel good, knowing that a couple of former Indians – Ramirez and Omar Vizquel – are in the fray to win an AL Central title against another, Minnesota's Jim Thome?

Yeah, us neither.

From The Plain Dealer


Beat writer Paul Hoynes also jumps in on the Manny situation in his Indians Insider column. Actually, he asks Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen to jump in . . . and as expected Guillen has an opinion. He believes Ramirez will help the Sox, but won't be their savior. And then Ozzie goes on being Ozzie:

"I don't know why people think Manny is a bad guy or a pain in the butt," said Guillen. "It's funny how people say 'Manny being Manny.' I don't like that. I think it's just Manny being real.

"I never heard any of Manny's teammates complain about Manny. He's just a quiet guy who goes about his business."

Hmm. Something tells us Manny and Ozzie are gonna get along just fine, being the proverbial two peas in a pod.

Columnist Bill Livingston adds some golden prose about the golden arm of ailing Tribe legend Bob Feller in a piece that notes that the Iowa farmboy who's now 91 will always be the heart of not just the Indians, but Cleveland sports.

The press release explains that the uniforms will include a camouflage-print base layer.

OSUCharles Csuri, Ohio State's MVP in 1942

There has been so much talk about the potential schedule change for the Ohio State-Michigan game, fans, as I expected, haven't had time to be angry about the different Nike jerseys for that game. Ahh, remember when all people had to worry about was what the players wore for that game? Those were the days.

Anyway, the Buckeyes might wear some sort of camo base layer. Huh?

Nike will officially unveil the Pro Combat uniforms for the 10 teams involved in the program at an event in New York on Wednesday. But the Miami website has leaked the news release, posting the info from Nike with a Sept. 1 date at the start.

No photos yet, but each uniform is describe. Here is Ohio State's:

Ohio State: Stylized script numbers, a replica U.S. flag on the jersey sleeve and the camouflage-print base layer honor the WWII-bound Buckeyes, National Champions of 1942.

This to me sounds more interesting than the white helmets and white jerseys from last season, which were modeled after the 1954 team. And the background story is right up Jim Tressel's alley. He's searching for Buckeyes who served in the military to add to a display at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, and supporting the troops is something he focuses on at the Woody and on his website.

The Nike release explains that one representative from each university will be in New York to discuss the design of the uniform, and this shows Tressel's influence as well.

There for Ohio State will be Charles Csuri, who may be Tressel's absolute favorite former Buckeye. Csuri was an Ohio State captain and the MVP of 1942 team as a tackle before earning a Bronze Star for his heroism at the Battle of the Bulge in World War II, then becoming a pioneer in computer animation and a professor at Ohio State. Tressel loves to tell the Csuri story.

So maybe fans still won't like the idea of Ohio State wearing alternate uniforms for the Michigan game. I still think they could find a better game to do something different.

Of course, all of this is still just a way for everyone to make more money, no one will forget that. But that's part of the deal in college sports. And it's hard to argue when it comes to what the what the Buckeyes will be honoring this time around.

We'll just have to see what this camo-print base layer looks like.

By the way, Alabama is wearing a houndstooth check pattern to honor Bear Bryant. We can only be a few years away from the Buckeyes wearing jerseys with a sweatervest stitched onto them to honor Tressel.