Cleveland Indians fans Wes Hatche and David Harvaneck have cautiously optimistic hopes for the Tribe in 2014.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Wes Hatche takes pride in saying he successfully converted Tampa Bay Rays fan David Harvaneck into an Indians fan. 

Harvaneck explained that he rooted for the Rays while attending college in Tampa but is originally from Northeast Ohio. 

Decked out in a Cleveland Indians jersey and hat, Harvaneck definitely looked the part of a lifelong Tribe fan as he and Hatche enjoyed a couple of beers before embarking on their first opening day experience at Progressive Field. 

Both of them shared fairly optimistic predictions for the Indians 2014 season. 

"I think they're going to go to the second round of the playoffs," Hatche said. "I've got high hopes though." 

While they both agreed that the Tribe is primed for another trip to the postseason, they have their doubts as to whether the team has enough quality pitching to win the Central Division. Regardless of what happens, Hatche and Havaneck plan to make the most of their trips to the ballpark. 

"As long as they keep beer prices low and tickets low, we don't care how they do," Harvaneck said. 

Contact high school sports reporter Robert Rozboril by email (rrozboril@cleveland.com), Twitter (@rrozboril) or Facebook (www.facebook.com/rrozboril). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

To make good on his bet that Ohio State would win, Pat Tiberi, a six-term GOP congressman, bought a box of submarine sandwiches for Joyce's staff as well as his own.

WASHINGTON, D. C. -- The University of Dayton's March 20 NCAA basketball upset over Ohio State paid off for Russell Township GOP Rep. Dave Joyce on Friday when a Columbus-area congressman bought lunch for his office to pay off a bet the pair made on the game.

To make good on his bet that Ohio State would win, Pat Tiberi, a six-term GOP congressman who is an Ohio State alum and fan, bought a box of submarine sandwiches from an Italian deli called A. Litteri for Joyce's staff as well as his own.

“It was a big upset," Tiberi spokeswoman Breann Gonzalez said of the Flyers' 60-59 win. "We thought we would be victorious. It blew all our brackets over here.”

Joyce spokeswoman Emily Miller said Tiberi's crew supplied the office with Italian, meatball and vegetarian sandwiches. Joyce, a Dayton alum and basketball fan, had promised to buy lunch for Tiberi's office if he lost.

"It was a big upset, but Dave had faith," said Miller. "He made a bet he thought he could win."

As the Tribe hopes to make another trip to the postseason, Indians fans began filling the streets and bars downtown hours prior to the first pitch of the 2014 Indians' home opener.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Indians' home opener at Progressive Field is always a huge event, year after year.

Jason Kipnis used a lot of flashy stats to help get his six-year $52.5 million extension from the Indians. But he brings a lot more than that to the Indians.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The deal is big and flashy, like a lot of Jason Kipnis’ stats. The fact that it was announced on opening day, two days after his 27th birthday, made it louder and gaudier.

But the ballplayer who manager Terry Francona sees more times than not is the one that came to the plate in the ninth inning Wednesday night in the second game of a day- night doubleheader against the A’s at O.co Coliseum.

The Indians lost the first game, 6-1, and trailed the second, 4-3, against closer Jim Johnson. Ryan Raburn blooped a single into right. Nick Swisher was next and he singled to center with Raburn stopping at second.

It was time for Kipnis, the Tribe’s No.3 hitter, to bat. On his way to the plate, he looked over his shoulder to Francona in the dugout. Francona wanted him to bunt, to advance the runner with cleanup hitter Carlos Santana waiting on deck.

What unfolded was, in Francona’s words, “Kip in a bottle.”

“You got a No.3 hitter looking over his shoulder to see if I want him to bunt,” said Francona. “Most No.3 hitters don’t want to bunt, but he knows that’s the way for us to win.”

One problem, Kipnis couldn’t get the bunt down.

“He didn’t get the bunt down which is rare,” said Francona. “But after he didn’t get the bunt down, he stayed in the count long enough to work that ball to where he could get that grounder.”

Still that’s not a good thing because Kipnis’ grounder to second could have been a double play.

“Most guys would have hit into a double play, but he ran so hard that it was just a fielder’s choice,” said Francona.

While Swisher was forced at second, Kipnis was safe at first and Raburn advanced to third. Francona once again picked up the storyline.

“Then Kipnis steals second to set up the go-ahead run,” said Francona. “That’s the way Kip plays. You see a lot of guys maybe don’t get the bunt down, strike out and they’re mad that we asked them to bunt and we lose.”

The Indians did not lose. After Kipnis stole second, Santana walked and Michael Brantley hit a two-run single to right for a 5-4 lead. David Murphy added a sacrifice fly as the Indians returned to Cleveland with a split in the doubleheader.

That is part of the reason why the Indians signed Kipnis to a six-year, $52.5 million contract extension on Thursday. The deal includes a club option worth $16.5 million with a $2.5 million buyout.

The other reasons have to do with Kipnis’ .284 (160-for-564) average, 36 doubles, 17 homers, 84 RBI and 30 steals that he accumulated last year.

“Don’t ever tell me you’ve had a better birthday,” said GM Chris Antonetti during Thursday’s press conference.

Kipnis laughed and said it was true.

The deal took three spring trainings to get done. One of the reasons was that Kipnis wanted to know exactly what the Indians had planned for the years to come. He wanted to know if he was going to be signed as the carrot to fill the stadium or if the Indians had an actual plan to field a good team.

“In 25 years I’ve had a lot of free agents and a lot of arbitration signings,” said Danny Horwits, Kipnis’ agent for Beverly Hills Sports Council. “Out of all my guys, Jason was probably one of the most concerned, if not the most concerned, about how the team was going to be framed.

“A lot of guys say, “What’s the money, let's go.’ But Jason wanted to know about the structure of the contract, he wanted to know what kind of players they were going to keep, whether he was part of that core group of players and what the later years of the contract would be and whether or not the Indians were going to still be able to bring in free agents or sign their own players. It was kind of rare.”

Kipnis’ contract breaks down this way: $1 million signing bonus, $2 million in 2014, $4 million in 2015, $6 million in 2016, $9 million in 2017, $13.5 million in 2018, $14.5 million in 2019 plus the $16.5 million club option in 2020.

Michael Brantley and Yan Gomes also signed contract extensions in the last two months. Overall, 16 of the 25 players on the 25-man roster are signed through at least 2016.

The Browns' whirlwind quarterback tour took them to Eastern Illinois Friday for a date with Jimmy Garappolo.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns' pre-draft quarterback tour took them to Eastern Illinois Friday for a private workout with Jimmy Garoppolo, who's projected as a late first-rounder or early second-round pick, sources told cleveland.com.

Garoppolo (6-2, 226) has impressed scouts and coaches all offseason with good showings at the East-West Shrine Game (MVP), the Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine and his Pro Day last month. In fact, Garoppolo has skyrocketed so much that ESPN's Bill Polian recently predicted on air that Garoppolo would go in the first round.

"It's cool to hear that,” Garoppolo told Yahoo Sports. “My brother is getting more of a kick out of it than I am. I try not to listen too much to that stuff. They fill me in. But it’s kind of a distraction. He’s not going to be the one picking me. I try not to think about it too much.”

Garoppolo is one of many quarterbacks the Browns are working out privately in anticipation of the NFL Draft May 8-10. They also put Derek Carr through the paces on Monday and Blake Bortles on Wednesday, sources told cleveland.com. They were set to also work out Teddy Bridgewater, Pitt's Tom Savage and Ball State's Keith Wenning this week, according to ESPN, and Johnny Manziel in a few weeks.

By the time they're done, they will have seen most of the first- and second-tier quarterbacks in the draft, and should know which one they're taking to compete with incumbent Brian Hoyer.

49ers coach Jim Harbaugh conducted a mini-session with Garoppolo on his Pro Day and was impressed.

“Well, he’s a four-year starter, for starters,” Harbaugh told Yahoo Sports' Eric Edholm. "You’ve got the two losing seasons [as a freshman and sophomore], and then they get to seven wins and then to 12. He helped them get there.

“I really enjoyed watching him on tape. He’s got some fire. [He] goes out and beats San Diego State, really had Northern Illinois on the ropes. I enjoyed following him through the year. Wanted to see him in person. It all checked out really well.”

Harbaugh noted that Garoppolo's release might actually be too quick at times and "you want to see him go through [the] whole throwing motion. But he can do it. He picks it up quickly. He’s got natural skill, and it’s obvious when you watch him."

Garoppolo told the Chicago Daily Herald that former Browns quarterback Ty Detmer has helped him with his mechanics and in playing under center.

"He worked with me for about three days, and he just broke down the game for me," Garoppolo said. "He taught me things that I really had no clue about until he explained it. Then you're like, ‘Oh, why didn't I think about that a long time ago?' Just how the fronts and the linebackers tie into the coverages, how different offensive formations dictate coverages.''

Garoppolo's claim to fame is that he shattered all of Tony Romo's passing records at Eastern Illinois. He also won the 2013 Walter Payton Award for the FCS's top quarterback after throwing for 5,050 yards and 53 touchdowns. He threw for 400-plus yards on five occasions and 300-plus 11 times. He also threw only nine interceptions in 568 attempts.

Occasional showers failed to dampen the spirits of Indians fans, who turned out Friday to celebrate the team's home opener for 2014.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Occasional showers failed to dampen the spirits of Indians fans, who turned out Friday to celebrate the team's home opener for 2014.

 

Indians fans gather at bars while waiting for rain delay to end.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- While the Cleveland Indians had their first home game delayed by rain, the fans aren't exactly complaining. The later start time means more time to celebrate the beginning of the season in Cleveland.

Danny Salazar will heave Friday's first pitch at about 5:15 p.m. ET.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Danny Salazar will heave Friday's first pitch at about 5:15 p.m. ET.

The Indians' grounds crew initiated the process of removing the tarp from the field at about 4:30 p.m. The home opener was originally slated for a 3:05 p.m. start, but a short, heavy rain invaded the area about 45 minutes past that time. Aware of the forecast, the team opted to delay the start of the game, despite partly cloudy skies.

Player introductions are pegged for 4:49 p.m. and the national anthem will take place at 5 p.m.

The Indians will attempt to improve to 3-1 and halt a five-game home opener skid.

Ross Atkins talks with cleveland.com about when the Indians knew they had a core player in Kipnis, what makes Danny Salazar so special and if Francisco Lindor could play in the majors this season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Indians vice president of player development Ross Atkins joined Northeast Ohio Media Group's Chris Fedor and Dan Labbe on cleveland.com's Opening Day pregame show on Friday.

Atkins talked about when the Indians knew they had a core player in Jason Kipnis, what makes Danny Salazar so special and if Francisco Lindor could play in the majors this season.

Click on the video above to watch.

Can the Cavaliers close the gap on Atlanta for the final seed in the East? Get updates and chat with other fans here starting at 7:30 p.m.

ATLANTA, Georgia -- The Cavaliers look to close in on the eighth playoff spot in the East as they take on the Hawks tonight. Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m.

Where to find the game: TV: Fox Sports Ohio; Radio: WMMS 100.7 FM

Get updates from The Plain Dealer on Twitter @PDCavsInsider and post your comments during the game here.

Tweets by @PDcavsinsider

Chris Antonetti talks with cleveland.com about the Indians contract extension with Jason Kipnis, whether they want to continue conversations with Justin Masterson and the support of the Dolans.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Indians General Manager Chris Antonetti joined Northeast Ohio Media Group's Chris Fedor and Dan Labbe on cleveland.com's Opening Day pregame show on Friday.

Click on the video above to watch.

Watch our Indians postgame show with cleveland.com's Glenn Moore and Zack Meisel approximately 30 minutes after the game.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Talk Tribe and recap the Indians home opener against the Twins at Progressive Field with cleveland.com's Glenn Moore and Zack Meisel after the ballgame. You can ask you questions and voice your opinion in the comments section.

You can watch the live show below, which will start approximately 30 minutes after the game.

Watch a time-lapse video as Progressive Field fills up with Tribe fans after a rain delay for the opening ceremonies before the game against the Minnesota Twins.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Indians opened their 2014 home season at Progressive Field Friday, April 4 against the Minnesota Twins.  It was 20 years ago to the day that the then Jacobs Field opened its gates for the first time.

Pre-game festivities included: The raising of a 20-year anniversary flag featuring eight postseason pennants; recognition of last years' playoff team; a moment of silence for the late broadcaster Mike Hegan, and Mike Hargrove throwing out the first pitch to Sandy Alomar Jr.

The game sold out in 15 minutes online. It is the 22nd consecutive opening day sell-out dating back to the last one at Cleveland Municipal Stadium.

On Twitter: @CLEvideos

Cavaliers coach Mike Brown has not missed the playoffs since 1999.

ATLANTA -- This late-season push for the playoffs is new to most of the Cavaliers young players, but it's new for coach Mike Brown, too. He is not used to being on the outside looking in.

The last time he missed the playoffs as a head coach or an assistant when in 1999, when he was with the Washington Wizards.

"This is a little bit of an experience for me as a head coach,'' he admitted. "Just trying to lay a foundation with a group of guys and growing with a group of guys to me has been a challenging but rewarding experience, especially when you start seeing it pay off the right way consistently.

"We're starting to get a little more consistent with what we're doing on both ends of the floor, and it's exciting to see. It's fun to be around. You've love to be around the group when they really peak.''

Even though the makeup of the Cavs team he took to the playoffs in 2005-06 after his first season as head coach was completely different -- a host of veterans surrounding LeBron James -- the excitement of striving for the post-season is the same.

"For me it is,'' Brown said. "Just the journey, so to speak, is relatively the same. You like when the success shows on the floor because it backs up what you've been trying to preach to them. It makes it easier the next time we're in front of the group trying to tell them to do something for those guys to buy in. Any time you get buy-in from a group of guys, the sky's the limit for that group.

"So the excitement about continuing to try to obtain the next step or the next level is very much there for me and I think for the team, too.''

Back to school: Jarrett Jack was back on the Georgia Tech campus on Thursday, when the Cavs practiced at his alma mater.

It wasn't that big a deal for Jack, who lives here in the off season and works out there in the summers. But he did put his time to good use -- signing up for his final class. He hopes to graduate this summer with a degree in business management.

"I made sure I got everything taken care of, got readmitted and all that,'' Jack said. "I'm looking forward to taking that one class and getting it out of the way.''

Injury updates: The Cavs have lost 142 games to injury this season, but this is the first time the injury bug has extended beyond the players.

Longtime director of team security Marvin Cross, a former commander and detective with the Cleveland Police Department, ruptured his Achilles during a game of pick-up basketball on Thursday at Piedmont Park.

Cavs vs. Bobcats

Time: 7:30 p.m. Saturday

TV/radio: Fox Sports Ohio, WTAM AM/1100.

Notable: Second night of back-to-back for Cavs and Bobcats. Cavs were at Atlanta on Friday. Bobcats played host to Orlando….Charlotte is 3-0 against the Cavs this season….Josh McRoberts is out for Bobcats with an ankle injury.

John Axford thinks a year away from closing did him good.

CLEVELAND, Ohio –John Axford expected nerves. So far there have been none.

After being a closer for three years in Milwaukee, he lost the job last April. The Indians signed Axford to a one-year $4.5 million deal in December to resume his closer’s activities.

“It’s been an easy transition going back to it,” said Axford. “I’ve just kept with my mental aspect I had in spring. Just go out there and do the job you have to do and don’t make it bigger than maybe what I have in the past.”

Axford went into Friday’s opener with two saves.

“I’ve felt great so far,” he said. “I haven’t been anxious, nervous anything. Generally, I have some sort of anxiousness, or some nervousness when I’m down in the pen when I know a situation is coming.”

After losing his closer’s job, Axford pitched in a variety of roles for the Brewers and later the Cardinals. He made 75 appearances last year and said the change in routine helped.

“It helped me step away and prepare myself mentally a little bit differently,” said Axford, who saved 106 games for the Brewers. “Generally my mental preparation was always the same, the same with my physical preparation.

“I am still kind of on that same path, but I’m doing things a little bit differently. I’m picking things up that I did last year. I think that helps me stay on my toes a little bit longer. “

Axford has three strikeouts and two walks in two innings this year. He has not allowed a hit.

“I’ve been calm. The entire time I’ve felt good,” he said. “I feel confident when I’m out there.

“I feel my teammates are behind me and confident as well. That’s something very big to have. When you know the guys are there and behind you. We have a great team atmosphere and respect in this clubhouse right now.”

Axford’s first two saves came in the season-opening series against Oakland. Each time after the final out, first baseman Nick Swisher swung his hand down like he was swinging an axe. That would be Axe= as in Axford.

“I hope he does that about 50 more times,” said Axford.

Nice touch: There was a moment of silence before Friday’s game for Mike Hegan, the long-time Indians announcer who died in December.

In the dirt: Former Tribe manager Mike Hargrove threw out the first pitch for the home opener. He bounced it, but Sandy Alomar, Hargrove’s old catcher, made a nice stop.

The game marked the 20th anniversary of the opening of Progressive Field. Asked if it felt like it has been 20 years since he managed the first game at then Jacobs Field, Hargrove said, “Only when I stand up out of my chair. Then it feels like 20 years. Time really has gone fast. I think the ballpark has aged really well. It seems like it was just yesterday.”

When the Hargrove managed the Indians, the front office signed young players such as Kenny Lofton, Carlos Baerga and Charlie Nagy to multiyear contracts to avoid arbitration. This spring the Indians have signed Jason Kipnis, Michael Brantley and Yan Gomes to multiyear deals.

“We've been able to do that with Gomes and Kipnis and Brantley and other guys, so it's reminiscent in that regard,” said Hargrove. “It's a good thing in that it allows us to keep the core of our good young players around and be good for a long time instead of a few short years.”

Plane trouble: The Indians had trouble getting out of Oakland after Wednesday’s day-night doubleheader.

They were supposed to fly out of Oakland, but had to switch to San Francisco’s airport because their plane broke down in Oakland. The team did land in in Cleveland until 8:30 a.m. Thursday.

“We had a tired group,” said manager Terry Francona. “I told everybody we had an optional workout, if anybody shows up they’re optioned out.”

Testing, testing: Michael Bourn (left hamstring) was supposed to start his rehabilitation program at Class AAA Columbus on Friday, but did not play because of wet grounds.

Francona said there has still been no decision on whether Jason Giambi (rib) needs to go on a rehab assignment to get some at-bats.

Finally: Nick and JoAnna Garcia Swisher made a $50,000 donation to Providence House for the second straight year. Providence House is dedicated to protecting at-risk children. . . Saturday’s game between the Tribe and Twins will be the first MLB game ever on the new FOX Sports 1 network. Thom Brennaman and Eric Karros will do the game . . .The start of Friday’s home opener was delayed by rain for 2 hours and 13 minutes.

Watch our postgame show as our Indians beat writers talk about the team's loss to Minnesota.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians fell to the Minnesota Twins on Saturday at Progressive Field, 7-3. Carlos Carrasco took the loss for the Tribe in his 2014 debut.

Cleveland.com Indians beat writers Paul Hoynes and Zack Meisel talked about the game in our postgame show. You can watch the show in the video player above. (Note: Due to an audio issue, the first few seconds of the show are cut off. It picks up with them talking about Carrasco's performance.)

Hoynes and Meisel discuss Carrasco, who gave up four earned runs in 5 2/3 innings and how short his leash will be if he continues to struggle. They also discuss Vinnie Pestano who, after the game, admitted that he is fighting for his job.

They also look ahead to Sunday's game against the Twins, which featured Justin Masterson making his second start of the season for the Indians.

A few hours after Aaron Harang requested and was given his release by the Indians last month, he signed with the Altanta Braves. Could the Indians have traded Harang instead of releasing him?

Hey, Hoynsie: If the coaching staff and front office knew a week or two in advance that Aaron Harang wasn't going to make the rotation and was likely to request his release, was there a thought and/or effort to trade him with all the injuries to starting pitchers out there and teams looking for an established starter? I feel like we could have gotten something out of him instead of releasing him for nothing. – Graham Ketcham, Ashland.

Hey, Graham: Harang was in camp on a minor-league deal with an out in his contract. Every team that needed pitching knew that. So why would they give up a player when they knew the odds on Harang making the Tribe’s rotation weren’t that good and he’d soon be available as a free agent?

When the Indians told Harang he wasn't going to make the rotation, he requested his release. Hours after being released, Harang signed a big-league deal with the Braves.

Hey, Hoynsie: Since Vinnie Pestano was named to the 25-man roster with a week left in spring training, he has been hit hard in all of his outings both in exhibition and regular season games. Is this just a bad stretch or has he not fully regained his form and velocity to be the Vinnie we all knew and loved? -- Rich Smith, Columbus.

Hey, Rich: Pestano showed progress in spring training. He says he feels healthy and strong, but he gave up a couple of more runs in the ninth inning Saturday against the Twins. As long as Pestano is healthy, I think he’ll eventually put the pieces back together. How long that takes and how much patience the Indians will show is another story.

Hey, Hoynsie: When Francisco Lindor arrives, do you think he would hit leadoff, second or, as I think, ninth? – Geoffrey Lee, Strongsville.

Hey, Geoffrey: Lindor has hit in one of the top spots in the order much of his career. Whether or not that continues in the big leagues will depend on the kind of lineup the Indians have when Lindor gets the call. Most young players – Carlos Santana being an exception – hit low in the order early in their career.

Hey, Hoynsie: Is each team required to participate in these now annual New York love fests for retiring Yankee players? Or can a team opt to not 'honor' a player with a .277 lifetime batting average? – Erik Kreh, Willoughby Hills.

Hey, Erik: I sense resentment in your tone, and I’m assuming you’re referring to Derek Jeter. However, Jeter is a .312 lifetime hitter and I would like to think Indians fans would show their appreciation for him whether the team officially honors him or not.

To answer your question, teams aren’t required to recognize a retiring future Hall of Famer from another team, but it says a lot about the organization if it does.

Hey, Hoynsie: Will we see some Indians pitchers batting this year if Carlos Santana is the back-up catcher and starts as the DH? – Nate K, Iowa City, Ia.

Hey, Nate: I guess it could happen, if No.1 catcher Yan Gomes has to leave a game for some reason and Santana has to move from DH to catcher. But manager Terry Francona could always use emergency catchers Ryan Raburn or Elliot Johnson.

On Saturday, Santana DH’d, Gomes caught and not one Indians pitcher picked up a bat. More than likely, Santana would be at third base, which means he would move to catcher with no hassle and the DH would stay intact.

As for Indians pitchers batting, they will surely do that in their interleague game this year.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Hawken's softball team defeated Villa Angela-St. Joseph, 12-1, on Saturday on the road.  Hawken, who was denoted the home team for the second game of their doubleheader against the Vikings, was led by pitcher Emily Oliver.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Hawken's softball team defeated Villa Angela-St. Joseph, 12-1, on Saturday on the road. 

Hawken, who was denoted the home team for the second game of their doubleheader against the Vikings, was led by pitcher Emily Oliver.

Oliver (2-0) threw eight strikeouts. From the plate, she went 2-for-2, hitting a single, a double and two RBIs.

Hawken won the first game, too, 5-0. 

The Cleveland Indians have blunted the criticism heard late in spring training when they failed to reach a contract settlement with pitcher Justin Masterson.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – In the past two years, the Indians have committed $200 million to Nick Swisher, Michael Bourn, Jason Kipnis, Michael Brantley and Yan Gomes.

That won’t suddenly make the fan base embrace Paul Dolan as the Monopoly Man -- cash spilling from his pockets as he adjusts his top hat.

The signings have a more important and practical benefit beyond helping repair ownership’s image as penny pinchers. The Indians have 16 players under contract through 2016. And, even better, some of them are pretty good.

The side benefit: The signings have managed to blunt the criticism heard when the Indians failed to reach a contract extension with No. 1 starter Justin Masterson late in spring training. Or at least it should.

It doesn’t mean the Indians are any more likely to sign players who stand to strike it rich on the free-agent market. They aren’t. What it means is they’re investing in a core group of everyday players who can help them survive inevitable defections.

One of the anti-Dolan arguments I heard after talks with Masterson ended was that they were sending the wrong message to a clubhouse that came together last season, bought into Terry Francona, and came back looking to revive the good vibes that carried them to a historic finish and into the postseason for the first time in six years.

And, somehow, not signing Masterson was jeopardizing that.

With whom? Swisher, who signed for four years and $56 million last year, and who is so positive he could probably find something nice to say about Cleveland’s potholes (“I needed a new axle anyway, bro.”)?

Bourn? Who signed for four years and $48 million?

Brantley? Gomes?

Kipnis, who knew his day was coming?

"It's the ownership, the top, showing us that they believe in us, that we've got the guys who can win games now and we want them stick around," Kipnis said after signing his deal. "I'm excited about being a part of that. The decision to sign was a lot easier knowing we’re going in the right direction.”

“This is not a one-and-done organization anymore,” Swisher told reporters Friday. “The moves we’re making are all the right moves. It not only helps in the locker room, but it helps the fan base. We’re starting to create an identity.”

Swisher said ownership was “putting their money where their mouth is.” Some will say they won’t speak loudly enough until they sign one of their own established stars, as the Reds did in retaining Joey Votto and the Tigers did in signing Miguel Cabrera and the Twins did in keeping Joe Mauer.

You could make the argument the Indians haven’t had a hitter as good as those three in recent years, but that would suggest they’d have kept them if they had.

Nobody is suggesting the Dolans couldn’t use an investor (or three). But until that happens they’re going about it the best way they can in a sport with no salary cap and in a modest market where attendance is lagging (to be as kind as possible).

It might never make sense for the Indians to sign a player who accounts for 20 percent or more of their payroll, but if they do it should be a position player.

If it’s a pitcher he’d better be their answer to Clayton Kershaw. In the meantime, the Dolans have built a winning team around a two-time World Series champion manager.

They’re going to be together, generally speaking, for the next couple years. There’s still a chance Masterson is part of that, though when players get the sniff of free agency they don’t often close the windows and pull the drapes.

For now, signing the players they’ve signed doesn’t turn Paul Dolan into Bill Gates. Just as not signing Masterson doesn’t portend more of the same backsliding.

That’s at least a change for the better.

SPINOFFS

• Kyrie Irving took to Twitter to address speculation – you can’t even really call it a report – that he wants out of Cleveland.

Sick to my stomach with all these rumors and accusations. Can I play without media guessing at my life and putting B.S out for headlines.

— Kyrie Irving (@KyrieIrving) April 5, 2014

At least be man or woman enough to come and ask me. There's no such source as "Kyrie's camp", nothing but nonsense.

— Kyrie Irving (@KyrieIrving) April 5, 2014

#Clarity

— Kyrie Irving (@KyrieIrving) April 5, 2014

Two things:

I don’t blame him for lashing out.

And since he doesn’t say in any of his Tweets that he plans on signing a max deal and being here long term, he should expect to hear it until he does.

• Making the playoffs (unlikely now, to be kind) would be a good experience -- ff you discount one dangerous message it would send: A lack of effort most of the season can be overcome with six weeks of actual trying.

• An Indians fan debated the validity of Chief Wahoo as an acceptable team logo with a Native American protestor at Friday’s home opener.

You don’t need a strong opinion on the subject to offer the fan some advice for next time.

One would probably have a better chance convincing a Native American that the Chief is a harmless cartoon and not an insensitive stereotype if you are not in red-face and wearing a head dress while the conversation is taking place.

• DeSean Jackson emphatically told ESPN, “I am not a gang member.”

Jackson admitted he’s lifelong friends with guys who have belonged to gangs. So we suspect the Eagles did not release him on the basis of a personal profile where he lists “West Side Story” as his favorite Broadway play.

The question remains: Why would a team trade away a player at the top of his game allegedly because of his associations?

Asked Ron Harper.

• Not long after getting good news from the courts on his “Johnny Football” trademark battle, Johnny Manziel is applying to trademark the phrase “The House That Johnny Built.”

And still some NFL coaches -- like Minnesota’s Mike Zimmer -- wonder if Manziel is too interested in the celebrity and riches that go with being a NFL quarterback.

• The catch for Manziel in the latest trademark issue is that Fitch Estate Sales has already applied for the trademark. Nate Fitch, the owner of the company, is known as Uncle Nate. He was at Manziel’s side for autograph sessions that landed Manziel a half-game suspension this past season.

Despite that suspension, there’s yet no move to trademark the phrase “Pulling the wool over the NCAA’s eyes.”

• Russell Wilson says he wants to be the best quarterback in the NFL history.

Meanwhile, you get the impression Manziel’s goal is to have his big hands imprinted on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

• Jason Kipnis turned 27 Thursday, then signed a contract guaranteeing him $52 million Friday. Seems like an easy decision but it wasn’t.

He had to accept he’d never make a newspaper reporter’s salary and was probably best off settling for half a hundred mil.

• The last three women to appear on the cover of Golf Digest: Paulina Gretzky, the fianceé of PGA Tour pro Dustin Johnson; actress Kate Upton (with Arnold Palmer) and Golf Channel's Holly Sonders.

What do they have in common? If your first thought was that they can all teach you how to hit a fade from a hook lie, keep guessing.

• The LPGA isn’t exactly thrilled with Golf Digest’s choice, since none of the three cover girls are Tour players and the last time a LPGA player appeared on the cover was 2008.

I don’t want to say they have a point, but the SI Swimsuit Issue thinks Golf Digest is a little too obvious in pandering to its male readership.

• Golf Digest editor Jerry Tarde answered the criticism by saying, “Sports figures, celebrities and models have appeared on Golf Digest covers since the magazine's beginning. Paulina ranks at the high end of the golf celebrity scene today, and she has a compelling story to tell. She also might get some new people interested in the game."

And by that he means interested in checking out the gallery while Dustin Johnson plays.

• The Mets’ Daniel Murphy left the team to be at his wife’s side for the birth of his child and took heat from WFAN co-host Boomer Esiason for abandoning his teammates. Because nothing says a player can be at his wife’s side for three days after the birth of a child.

Except common sense and the collective bargaining agreement.

• Esiason, who does great work with the March of Dimes, apologized for suggesting Murphy’s wife, who had a C-section, should’ve scheduled it before the season.

As if C-sections are haircut appointments.

• Teddy Bridgewater and Manziel worked out for New England.

Either Bill Belichick is going to make a major move on draft day or one of these quarterbacks is going to fall far enough to make Brady Quinn’s wait in the green room look like a two-minute drill.

• Alshon Jeffery, former South Carolina star receiver, says the Gamecocks’ Jadeveon Clowney will dominate the NFL.

Which is quite the guarantee, since he didn’t dominate college football last year.

• South Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw says Clowney was in a lose-lose situation with the expectations heaped on him by “all the media.”

The bigger issue: His coach, Steve Spurrier, didn’t exactly rave about his work ethic. And Spurrier is the guy who was casual enough to have adopted “HBC” as his title when he was head coach of the Redskins.

“Head Ball Coach.”

It said on the golf cart he used to get around.

• Spurrier bristled at the notion he ran a country club as NFL head coach. My favorite defense of that came in a 2002 AP story:

“As expected, Spurrier keeps shorter hours and makes his practices less physically demanding than most NFL coaches. But it's a misconception to think he doesn't work long and hard between his rounds of golf.”

Between his rounds of golf.

Beautiful.

• Browns head coach Mike Pettine weighed in on the knocks against Clowney: “I think if you’re strong and assertive as a coach, you can get that guy to be more focused and get him to be much more consistent.”

In different words, Pettine was speaking for every woman who’s ever said, “I can change him.”

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Hawken softball team earned their first win on the road Saturday defeating Villa Angela-St. Joseph, 5-0. Hawken pitcher Emily Oliver struck out eight batters in her first win.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Hawken softball team earned their first win on the road Saturday defeating Villa Angela-St. Joseph, 5-0.

Hawken pitcher Emily Oliver struck out eight batters in her first win.