"Guys are going to pick it up for me," Kipnis said. "They know they are. I trust that they're going to. I like that we have as much depth as we do on this bench. It's really not a drop-off. These guys are great."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Seen and heard around Progressive Field on Friday.

Clubhouse confidential: The Indians have summoned a committee of three to replace second baseman Jason Kipnis, who landed on the disabled list on Friday.

The Tribe will turn to Mike Aviles, Elliot Johnson and 21-year-old Jose Ramirez, who assumed Kipnis' roster spot.

Manager Terry Francona said he hasn't yet devised a blueprint for how he will divvy up  playing time. Aviles filled in on a daily basis last season when Asdrubal Cabrera was shelved. Aviles, though, has seen considerable time at third base and left field this season. That could open the door for Johnson and Ramirez.

"We'll probably do some mixing and matching and go day-to-day," Francona said. "I don't know that we can make out a lineup a week ahead of time, nor do we need to, but we'll not only try to look at where they're playing, but where they hit in the lineup, too. Some of who plays second may be determined by who plays other positions, just so we have some balance."

On Friday, Aviles started at third base and Johnson manned second.

"Between all of us," Aviles said, "we can pretty much cushion the gap to the point where he can take his time to come back and be healthy for us."

Kipnis is expected to miss three to five weeks with a strained right oblique muscle. He suffered the injury during an at-bat on Tuesday.

"Guys are going to pick it up for me," Kipnis said. "They know they are. I trust that they're going to. I like that we have as much depth as we do on this bench. It's really not a drop-off. These guys are great."

Still, can the trio hold down the fort while Kipnis is sidelined?

"He's going to be in that three hole for a long, long time," Johnson said. "So hopefully he gets back as quick as he can. [But] that's why we're here. That's why we have a job and what we're getting paid to do. So we'll make the most of the opportunity and once Kip gets ready, pass the baton over to him and let him take over."

Fowl balls: A pair of life-size chickens roamed the outfield during batting practice on Friday. Indians pitchers Cody Allen -- nicknamed "Chicken Al" by his teammates -- and Corey Kluber wore vibrant yellow chicken costumes as they shagged fly balls prior to the series opener against Chicago. Last season, the Indians brought an actual live chicken to Progressive Field before a game in September to reverse their fortunes heading into the final stretch of the regular season.

Stat of the day: With their 0-6 showing on the West Coast, the Indians endured their first winless road trip of at least six games since an 0-9 tour through Minnesota, Kansas City and Detroit from July 27-Aug. 5, 2012.

Stat of the day, II: Ryan Raburn snapped an 0-for-22 cold spell with a two-run single in the first inning on Friday.

"There is obviously urgency," Antonetti said. "We want to try to turn things around as quickly as possible. Regardless of what the immediate results are, we need to play better as a team, really in all facets. I'm confident we will do that."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians' winless West Coast trip is in the rearview mirror. The team is looking forward and, despite a forgettable April, General Manager Chris Antonetti and skipper Terry Francona remain optimistic.

"I believe in this group of guys. I believe in the coaching staff," Antonetti said. "Teams are going to go through stretches throughout the course of the season where they don’t play very well. … There are going to be ebbs and flows to the season. Hopefully we can turn it around quickly."

The Indians entered Friday's series opener against Chicago at 11-17 after an 0-6 showing on a tour through San Francisco and Anaheim. The Tribe batted .232 as a team in March/April and committed 26 errors in 28 games.

“There is obviously urgency," Antonetti said. "We want to try to turn things around as quickly as possible. Regardless of what the immediate results are, we need to play better as a team, really in all facets. I’m confident we will do that."

Last season, the Indians limped to an 8-13 start. They suffered through an eight-game losing streak in early June and skids of six and five games in August before veering back on course with a 21-6 mark in September.

"This team has way too much character to sink our own ship this early in the season," said second baseman Jason Kipnis. "We'll hopefully turn it around. I know everyone plays a little better when the calendar changes months."

Francona has suggested to his players that they use some tunnel vision.

"I believe we will find a way to dig ourselves out of what we've dug," Francona said. "Our record isn't what we want it to be, so you have to be strong enough to look at it and think, 'OK, we can do this.' But you have to do it the right way. The right way is by doing it today. We kind of did it in reverse on the road trip."

Starter needed: The Indians need a fifth starter for Tuesday's tilt with the Twins. Antonetti joked that the team would throw "six or seven" names into a hat to choose the lucky hurler. In reality, Trevor Bauer and Josh Tomlin would appear to be the prime candidates.

Bauer has posted a 3-0 record and 1.40 ERA with 28 strikeouts in four starts for Triple-A Columbus. Tomlin, who tossed a complete-game shutout on Thursday, has compiled a 2-1 record and 2.06 ERA with 28 strikeouts in five outings for the Clippers.

"We obviously have a few good candidates in Columbus that are certainly deserving of it and we’ll work through that decision shortly," Antonetti said. "I would expect that whoever gets this opportunity would get more than just one start."

The vacancy in the rotation was created when the Indians moved Carlos Carrasco to the bullpen last week. The right-hander went 0-3 with a 6.95 ERA in four starts.

"We gave him the opportunity to start," Antonetti said, "and we weren’t getting the consistency in that spot in the rotation that we were looking for."

Finally: Indians TV color commentator Rick Manning was honored Friday afternoon for "excellence in broadcasting" by the Cleveland Association of Broadcasting. … UFC heavyweight fighter Stipe Miocic, a Cleveland native, watched batting practice from the field before Friday's game. … Outfielder Clint Frazier, the organization's first-round pick last season, hit his first home run of the year on Thursday for Class A Lake County.

The Indians used 13 hits and 12 runs to snap a six-game losing streak Friday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Terry Francona is not one to break up a regular season into months, or weeks. The Indians manager prefers to embrace the daily grind until the games add up to 162.

Francona's players, though, undoubtedly would prefer to hit the reset button after a miserable first month-plus. That way, they can focus on their dominance in May.

The Indians amassed 13 hits, including homers by Carlos Santana and Michael Brantley, in rolling to a 12-5 victory over the White Sox on Friday night at Progressive Field. Santana finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and three runs. Brantley was 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs.

The Indians matched their season-high for runs, also achieved against the White Sox on April 12 in Chicago. They fell one run shy of their total output on a West Coast trip to San Francisco and Anaheim, Calif., that resulted in a six-game losing streak.

The final defeat on the trip, Wednesday against the Angels, occurred on the last day of April. The Indians closed at 11-17 in the first month, which, for practical purposes, includes Opening Day on March 31.

A day off Thursday provided the opportunity to reinvigorate the bodies and unscramble the brains.

Tribe hitters swung like a relaxed and rested group against the White Sox.

"We did some really good things offensively,'' Francona said. "We had a good approach early and used the whole field.''

The Indians' offensive display enabled them to overcome more shaky defense and an underwhelming start by right-hander Danny Salazar. Coming off a good performance in San Francisco, Salazar gave up five runs (three earned) on seven hits in five-plus innings. He walked three and struck out six.

Salazar did earn his first victory, against three defeats, and lower his ERA from 6.04 to 5.93. But he needs to be better. He has opened his season with one quality start in six outings.

"Danny did an outstanding job of damage control,'' Francona said. "Once he had his hands full, I thought he really threw the ball well.''

The White Sox (14-16) have lost three in a row. They have lost seven straight to the Indians in Cleveland.

The first inning turned out to be pivotal for what the White Sox did not accomplish and what the Indians did.

Salazar's lack of fastball command hurt him immediately. White Sox leadoff batter Adam Eaton fell behind, 0-2, but eventually walked on the ninth pitch. Gordon Beckham singled to right-center, Eaton advancing to third.

Jose Abreu, who entered the day leading the majors with 10 homers and tied for first with 32 RBI, stepped in. After Salazar threw a 94-mph fastball for a ball, Abreu swung through heaters clocked at 92, 95 and 95. The strikeout pitch was over the plate at the thighs.

That Salazar challenged Abreu in a big spot is no surprise. The fastball is Salazar's money pitch, and a secondary pitch had cost him against Abreu on April 10 in Chicago. Abreu led off the second that night by hammering a hanging slider for a homer.

White Sox cleanup batter Adam Dunn took a called strike and swung through a change-up -- Salazar's first off-speed pitch after 20 fastballs. Dunn took a ball before grounding into a 6-3 double play. Tribe shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, as part of the shift, fielded on the second-base side of the bag.

The Indians sent 10 to the plate and scored five in their half. Michael Bourn went 0-for-2, but his teammates picked him up by going 5-for-6 with two walks.

Bourn popped to second on lefty John Danks' second pitch. The next seven Indians reached: Mike Aviles singled to left and stole second; Nick Swisher walked; Santana hit an RBI double into the left-field corner; Ryan Raburn dumped a single into right to drive in two; Brantley singled to left; Cabrera walked; and Yan Gomes flared a double to right to drive in two.

Danks finally regained control by striking out Elliot Johnson and getting Bourn to fly to center. Danks needed 42 pitches to record the three outs.

Raburn snapped an 0-for-22 skid. He entered as a career .297 hitter with 17 homers and 72 RBI in 310 official at-bats against the White Sox.

"If you get pitchers out of the stretch early, before they can settle in, it helps a lot,'' Francona said.

Salazar and the Tribe's leaky defense helped allow the White Sox back in it in the second. Chicago scored three runs on two hits, an error and a passed ball. Two of the runs were unearned.

Dayan Viciedo, who entered ranked second in the American League with a .348 average, walked on five pitches. Alexei Ramirez, who ranked first in the league at .351, chopped to third. Aviles gloved and threw to second baseman Johnson, who failed to secure the ball for the error.

Francona briefly discussed the play with second-base umpire Pat Hoberg. Under MLB's revised transfer rule, Hoberg could have maintained that Johnson lost the ball in the transfer, meaning Viciedo was out. But Hoberg didn't give Johnson that much credit; TV replays backed the call.

The transfer rule was revised last month in part because of Johnson. On April 9 against San Diego, Johnson was playing right field when he made a catch, brushed against the bullpen fence, turned and dropped the ball while preparing to throw. Even though Johnson clearly had caught the ball, umpire Bob Davidson used letter-of-the-rule enforcement to signal the batter safe with what was scored a double.

Similar plays around the majors were called drops, creating enough of a stir that MLB decided to return to common sense: An out could be recorded without the fielder having control of the ball in his throwing hand -- but the fielder still needed to demonstrate some sort of control during the transfer.

Johnson was unconvincing in the second ... equally so in the fourth. With the White Sox trailing, 7-3, Ramirez led off with a single and moved to second on Alejandro De Aza's single. Marcus Semien grounded to Cabrera, who flipped to Johnson, who dropped the ball. Hoberg had another easy call; Francona stayed in the dugout.

Tribe fans, having seen one too many miscues by Johnson, booed him loudly.

The inning could have gotten away from Salazar. He fell behind light-hitting Adrian Nieto, 3-0. Salazar put some anger behind the next three fastballs and struck out Nieto swinging. Eaton grounded to Cabrera, who hustled to beat Johnson to the bag to commence a 6-3 double play.

Johnson put everything together in the fifth. With one run in, one out and Dunn on first, Viciedo grounded to Cabrera, who threw to Johnson, who turned the double play. More than a few fans gave the beleaguered second baseman a standing ovation as he accepted high-fives from teammates en route to the dugout.

Brantley made it 8-4 in the bottom of the inning with a homer to right-center.

Abreu went 1-for-5 with two strikeouts, but the hit was a homer, off Salazar in the fifth.

Johnson went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. He was the only Cleveland starter without a hit.

Hall of Fame quarterback Len Dawson shares his thoughts on Johnny Manziel.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Count Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Len Dawson among the fans of Johnny Manziel.

Speaking on Saturday at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Fan Fest at the IX Center, Dawson said he hasn't seen much of the incoming quarterback class, but he has seen some of Manziel and likes what he saw.

"He's a terrific young quarterback," Dawson said. "He has the things you're looking for, and confidence is one thing. I'm sure he doesn't lack confidence. He can move, he can make plays and he can improvise."

Manziel is just one the names being thrown around as a possible first-round selection for the Browns in next week's NFL Draft. Dawson thinks the former Texas A&M quarterback's skills can translate well to the current NFL game, but it won't be easy for him to find the same success he had in his two seasons as the Aggies' starting quarterback.

"This is the National Football League and I can assure you that opposing defensive coordinators will know all about this young man and what his strengths and weaknesses are," said Dawson, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987 after a career spent with the Browns, Steelers, Chiefs and Dallas Texans.

"He's gonna learn how good defenses are and what he can and cannot do against these defenses," Dawson said. "You can think you're king of the hill in the college ranks and then all of the sudden this is a different type of game."

Join cleveland.com's Zack Meisel for a live in-game chat as the Indians take on the White Sox.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Get scoring updates and analysis as the Indians take on the White Sox at Progressive Field and chat with cleveland.com's Zack Meisel in the comments section.

Game 29: Indians (12-17) vs. White Sox (14-16)

First pitch: 6:10 p.m. at Progressive Field

TV/radio: STO; WTAM AM/1100, WMMS 100.7

A list of observations from Kirtland's Wood Bat Tournament.

KIRTLAND, Ohio -- The crack of the bat rang through the air, not the ping of a BBCOR.

That's because on Saturday, Kirtland hosted the fourth annual Kirtland Wood Bat Tournament. 

Teams included Riverside, Fairport, Eastlake North and Twinsburg. Kirtland wasn't able to play a game due to inclement weather.

Here are some quick observations of the Kirtland Wood Bat Tournament.

1. Umpires and coaches were hopeful it wouldn't rain.
2. Every parent had an umbrella.
3. Nobody parks their car close to the field. Several foul balls hit cars in just one inning of play between Eastlake North and Twinsburg. This reporter's car even got during batting practice.
4. Before the start of the game, Twinsburg coach Don Jones told his outfielders to back up and make sure everything fell in front of them, because if it didn't it'd allow Eastlake North to grab extra bags while they went to run it down in the expansive outfield.
5. In Twinsburg's second at-bat, junior Chuck Kuhn stepped up to the plate and knocked one to left field, behind the left fielder. It allowed junior Matt Gugliotta, who was on first base after he was walked, to round the bases and score as North's left fielder chased after the ball.
6. Twinsburg's Zack Gronowski settled in after walking the first batter, forcing groundouts on the next three balls and then striking out the next two batters he faced in the top of the second inning. The game was called at the end of the top of the second.
7. Then it rained.

Other news from around baseball on Saturday: 

1. Walsh Jesuit beat Mayfield in the front end of a doubleheader on Saturday. 

   Benner ends the game w/a K. The Warriors remain undefeated 17-0. Final WJ 2, Mayfield 0

   — WalshJesuit Baseball (@WJHS_Baseball) May 3, 2014

2. The Chad Crawford Memorial Classic was played at Canal Park in Akron, in honor of honor of Chad Crawford. Crawford passed away on Sept 14th, 2013 after a battle with bone cancer. Walsh Jesuit actually honored Crawford and his family on Friday night, after senior captain Kyle Holdsworth, who was mentored by Crawford, put on a fundraiser that raised more than $3,300.
3. Aurora baseball scored eight runs in the last four innings, after allowing six runs in the first three, to beat Hudson, 9-7. Aurora freshman Alan Arslanian hit a home run and scored three RBI.
4. Highland defeated Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, 11-1 in the front end of a doubleheader Saturday and also won the second game, 5-1.
5. Midview defeated Olmsted Falls, 10-5.

Other news from the week in baseball:

1. Kenston defeated Orange, 12-5, on Friday, which included a seven-run fourth inning.
2. Hudson moved to 15-1 after they defeated Solon, 5-1. 

Contact high school sports reporter Stephanie Kuzydym by email (skuzydym@cleveland.com) or on Twitter (@stephkuzy). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below. 

Grand River native and John Carroll alum Don Shula revels in seeing his grandson as JCU's defensive coordinator.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Don Shula came home Saturday, or very close to it, and he could not have appeared more pleased.

The smile barely left Shula's face despite a brisk schedule during the Pro Football Hall of Fame Fan Fest. Whizzing around the massive I-X center on a scooter, he was quick to stop and interact with countless fans, fellow Hall of Famers, media and his latest reconnection with Cleveland, the John Carroll football team.

At Shula's side throughout the day was his grandson and JCU's new defensive coordinator, Chris Shula. Don Shula, who grew up in Grand River and Painesville, played at John Carroll in the late 1940s and early '50s. Its stadium now bears his name. Shula beamed and patted Chris on the thigh as JCU head coach Tom Arth spoke of hiring Chris because he was a good person and a good coach, not because of his last name.

Chris, the son of former Bengals coach Dave Shula, bears a striking resemblance to his grandfather in his younger days.

“I'm better looking,'' Don said, laughing. “I'm very happy and proud of him. I think he's really enjoying it.''

Don Shula, 84, who had difficulty getting in and out of a chair, put any physical discomfort aside and clearly enjoyed himself Saturday. During a Q & A with fans, he seemed to have one eye on the other end of a temporary gridiron where JCU players were conducting an informal practice demonstration.

“We'd like to continue and live up to the same legacy he left,'' John Carroll safety Marty Gibbons said. “He set the bar high for us. To have him here today, we feel the presence of what he did. It's awesome getting to meet him. I know he still has that John Carroll pride.''

Though handlers tried to expedite his trips to different locations in the convention hall, the always accommodating Shula was glad to stop and pose with a small girl in a Dolphins cheerleading uniform, as well as Mary Powers Miller, an 87-year-old football fan from Amherst who said she watched Shula play for the Browns in 1951 and '52.

“I remember I was so impressed by him as a player,'' she said. “He was very special.''

Shula even posed with Pittsburgh fans dressed in black and yellow.

“Steelers fans? Steelers?'' he teased.

“I've always been a big Browns fan,'' Shula said. “Paul Brown meant an awful lot to me and my career.''

View full sizeHall of Fame running back Barry Sanders shares a laugh with Don Shula (seated) while former Bengals coach Dave Shula (in cap) looks on during the Pro Football Hall of Fame Fan Fest in the I-X Center on Saturday.Tim Warsinskey, The Plain Dealer

Shula was in good humor when he was asked about Cleveland's last major professional sports championship won by the 1964 Browns, at the expense of the Baltimore Colts coached by Shula. Cleveland beat Baltimore, 27-0, in the NFL Championship game.

“I remember them calling timeouts so they could score another touchdown to make it 27 to nothing, instead of 20 to nothing,'' Shula said. “Frank Ryan threw the touchdown pass. Then I coached the Pro Bowl against Frank Ryan and our whole theme that week was to get Frank Ryan.

“I think he lasted a quarter. Gino Marchetti helped take care of him.''

Marchetti, the Baltimore defensive end, leveled Ryan and knocked him out. Some say Ryan was never the same after that hit.

The competitive fire still burns in Shula. Told Ryan remains unhappy about that hit, Shula shot back with a laugh, “Well, I'm glad he is.'' Shula brought up the 1968 NFL Championship game in which Baltimore beat Cleveland, 34-0.

“That made me feel pretty proud of bouncing back after getting beat as bad as we got beat,'' he said.

Shula went on to coach the Miami Dolphins and won two Super Bowls, far removed from Cleveland, though his roots remained strong here. Dave Shula recalled the family rented a home in Mentor-on-the-Lake for summer vacations. Many of their relatives live in the area.

Shula grew up on Richmond Street in Grand River, in a home where signs once proclaimed it his birthplace. The signs, stolen several times, have not been replaced. Shula recalled piling his younger triplet siblings, Jane, Jeanette and Jim, onto his bike and taking them to school. He is one of seven children.

He starred at Harvey High in Painesville and planned to take a year off before college. That summer, he ran into a former coach at a gas station. Shula said the coach told him he shouldn't put off college because he might never go, and the coach put Shula in contact with JCU coach Herb Eisele, who offered Shula a partial scholarship. As a senior, Shula and Carl Taseff led John Carroll to an upset of Syracuse in front of Paul Brown, who drafted both players.

Shula (5-11, 190) played defensive back two years with the Browns and five more in the league, and by age 33, was head coach of the Colts.

“That's hard to believe now,'' said Chris Shula, 28.

Don Shula said he felt like a coach as a player.

“If the guy next to me didn't know what he was doing, I never hesitated to tell him. Sometimes, he didn't appreciate it,'' he said. “I didn't want anybody to make a mistake. I was always learning the guys around me what their responsibilities were. That's what coaching is all about – knowing what you're doing and executing in a pressure situation.''

Shula is the winningest coach in NFL history (328-156-6) and perhaps is best remembered for coaching the Dolphins unbeaten 1972 team.

“It's an accomplishment that I'm very proud of,'' he said.

Shula said he also was glad to do that in an era when coaches weren't expected to work 24 hours a day and sleep in their offices.

“Burning the midnight oil is overrated,'' he said. “I went home, got some sleep and worked hard the next day.''

As he left the fan and media areas, Shula was stopped twice more by admirers – Hall of Famers Barry Sanders and Carl Eller. Sanders engaged Shula in a long chat.

Dave Shula stood back and loved every minute of it. He said the highlight for his father was interacting with the John Carroll football team, and his grandson.

“The reconnection has been great,'' Dave Shula said. “It's taking it full circle. John Carroll has always been a very special place to him.''

The day gave Don Shula a chance to reflect on how close he came to an adult life that didn't feature football, had it not been for that chance meeting at a gas station that perhaps changed NFL history.

“It's unbelievable, when you think about the chain of events and how things happen,'' he said. “I have a lot of great memories here.''

What about Sammy Watkins at No. 4 and Teddy Bridgewater at No. 26 for the Browns? Who are some players the Browns are legitimately considering at No. 4? These and other questions are answered in this week's edition of Hey Mary Kay.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Hey, Mary Kay!

Hey, Mary Kay:  Depending on what happens with the first three picks in the draft, would it be a possibility for the Browns to take Sammy Watkins at No. 4 and see how the QB situation is looking and possibly trade up from No. 26 to pick up Teddy Bridgewater if he drops in the first round? If they can pull off getting both of these players in the first round, they get possibly the two most NFL-ready players at their positions, which is exactly what this team needs to win now. I will say it would be very hard to pass on Johnny Manziel at No. 4 if he were available, but something tells me GM Ray Farmer is not sold on him like most of us Browns fans are. -- Paul Vocca, Cottonwood, Ariz.

Hey, Paul: I do think Teddy Bridgewater is dropping and could be available at No. 26. I just don't know if the Browns like him enough to take him there. But if they get Watkins at No. 4, the chances of them taking a quarterback at No. 26, or trading back up in the first round to get one are very high. They didn't work out 11 quarterbacks privately not to take one in the first or second round. For some reason, I can't wrap my brain around Watkins at No. 4. He's great, but he'll still likely be the No. 2 receiver behind Josh Gordon. I'm sticking with a quarterback at No. 4 and a good receiver later.

Hey Mary Kay: Who are some players the Browns are legitimately considering at No. 4?

-- Melissa Wigginton, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Hey Melissa: I think the Browns really like Sammy Watkins, Khalil Mack and Greg Robinson at No. 4. I keep hearing that they'd like to avoid taking a quarterback there -- coach Mike Pettine said as much during minicamp this week -- but I'm skeptical. I think they legitimately like Watkins, but would be happy with either Mack or Robinson there too. I talked to one scout this week who said Mack compares to Denver pass-rushing beast Von Miller and that Robinson compares to Hall of Fame offensive tackle Walter Jones. If that's true, a case can be made for either.

Hey, Mary Kay:  Unquestionably the Browns need a quarterback to become competitive. Why not take an unconventional approach with this draft - 10 picks. Pick their top QB choice at No. 4 and then pick another in the second or third round. One would hopefully emerge as our franchise QB. Bottom line they need a QB so it's time to gamble. What do you think?

- Joe Calio, Chagrin Falls, Ohio

Hey Joe: I agree it's time to gamble on a quarterback at No. 4 even if there's no Andrew Luck in the bunch. Those guys only come around so often, but this class is deep enough that the Browns should be able to find one they like at No. 4. Question is, which one? Do they really love Johnny Manziel? I've heard that they do, and I've heard that they don't! I've heard they really like Derek Carr, but maybe not at No. 4. As for taking two quarterbacks, it's possible. They could always develop both and use one as currency.

Hey, Mary Kay:  What QB would you pick if you were the GM of the Browns? I have watched some of the the episodes of Coach Gruden's QB camp. I was not sold on Derek Carr at all, but after watching that episode I am convinced why everyone is so high on him. Incredible football smarts , but the way he interacted with other players he does not even know showed me that he is a guy that can take control of his team. I still love some Johnny football Though!!!! At this point it seems smart to get Sammy Watkins at No. 4 and get Carr anyway you can. 

- Paul Vocca, Cottonwood, Ariz.

Hey Paul: I'd still go with Derek Carr, who I've been touting for at least a month. I know that most folks think No. 4 is too high for the former Fresno State passer, but if the choice is between taking a guy a little too high or not getting him at all, I'd reach a little. If you're convinced he can take you to the next level, draft him and move on. The Browns will have a chance to take the best quarterback in the draft at No. 4 and I think they should do it. Truth is, the draft is a crapshoot at any position. Why not take a chance on a top five quarterback for the first time since 1999.

Hey, Mary Kay:  To boost their running game even more, do you think the Browns should take Ohio State`s Carlos Hyde with their first pick in the second round, or later? It will most likely take some pressure off Brian Hoyer, or any other QB the Browns get, to have to perform, thinking  Carlos Hyde, plays in the NFL like he did in college. 

- Jacob Strano, Middlefield, Ohio

Hey Jacob: I think Carlos Hyde will probably be the first running back off the board, but I don't think the Browns should spend a first- or second-round pick on him. I think they can get the running game accomplished effectively without spending a high pick on a back. Offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan is coming off two years in Washington with Alfred Morris, a sixth-round pick who rushed for 1,613 yards as a rookie and 1,275 last season. I think the Browns would be better off using No. 26 on a receiver or cornerback if they go QB at No. 4.

Hey, Mary Kay:  Can you please ask all the loyal and die-hard Browns fans to give up their season tickets and turn their back on the Browns forever if they draft a QB at No. 4?  I am now 58 years old. And doesn't anybody remember Tim Couch? We will win with Brian Hoyer. He's our Tom Brady. Geez I hope this regime is smarter but if they draft a QB at No. 4 I'm done forever.

- Craig Ward, Easton, Pa.

Hey Craig: Sorry, but I couldn't disagree with you more. I think the Browns should decide which quarterback they like best and take him at No. 4, providing he's one of the top four signal-callers. If they opt for a developmental quarterback such as an Aaron Murray from Georgia, they can afford to wait. But if they like Johnny Manziel, Blake Bortles or Derek Carr, they should just go ahead and take him and not risk losing him. As for Tim Couch, I've never considered him a bust -- and neither has his former Browns quarterbacks Bruce Arians. Couch had no supporting cast and played on absolutely horrible teams.

Hey, Mary Kay: Wouldn't it make sense for the Browns to draft a QB who is as similar as possible to Brian Hoyer?  If the Browns drafted, say, Johnny Football, wouldn't Kyle Shanahan need to design and install two entirely different offenses - one for when Hoyer is leading the offense; a second when Manziel is playing?  It seems to me that would be very disruptive and would slow the development of the offense.

- Jim Bays, Denton, Texas

Hey Jim: No, that wouldn't make sense. For starters, this regime didn't acquire Hoyer in the first place and tried to replace him in the offseason with Matt Schaub, who was traded from the Texans to the Raiders. So although they really like Hoyer, they are not 100% sold on him just yet because of his small body of work. Furthermore, Shanahan coached Robert Griffin III and backup Kirk Cousins in Washington and had no trouble changing the gameplan to fit Cousins' strengths when he beat the Browns 38-21 in 2012. Shanahan is flexible enough to work with any style of quarterback, and would love to add a mobile one to the arsenal.

Punter Ray Guy talks about finally getting inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Fan Fest.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Ray Guy stopped by our cleveland.com set at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Fan Fest to talk with Glenn Moore and Dennis Manoloff about being enshrined this year after being up for the honor seven times before.

He reminisced about getting the call from Pro Football Hall of Fame President Dave Baker.

"I asked him three times, 'Dave, are you kidding me?'" Guy said. "He said, 'I wanted to personally make the call and congratulate you.'"

Guy was the first punter ever selected in the first round of the NFL Draft when he was selected 23rd overall by the Oakland Raiders in the 1973 draft. He played in three Super Bowls, seven Pro Bowls and was named an All-Pro for six-straight seasons from 1973-78.

He averaged under 40 yards per punt just once in his career, and only three of his 1,049 career punts were blocked. One of his most famous punts came in the 1977 Pro Bowl, when he became the first player to hit the overhead scoreboard in the Louisiana Superdome.

"That deal in New Orleans, it wasn't planned during the whole week I was practicing for the Pro Bowl," Guy said. "For some reason I was just looking around and I looked up and I thought, 'Well, why not?' I was at the right trajectory."

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Fan Fest runs through Sunday at the IX Center and features more than 100 players who have been enshrined in Canton.

Taking charge at the top of the lane, California Chrome and jockey Victor Espinoza made a decisive move and quickly sprinted clear. They finished the 1¼ miles in 2:03.66.

Hall of Fame offensive lineman Joe DeLamielleure lays out his draft plan for the Cleveland Browns.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — If Hall of Fame offensive lineman Joe DeLamielleure was running the Cleveland Browns, he has a clear idea of what he would do in next week's NFL Draft.

"Take Sammy Watkins, even if I had to trade up to get him," DeLamielleure said on Saturday at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Fan Fest at the IX Center.

"I think he's the best player in the draft."

That's what he would do with the fourth pick. How about the 26th pick?

"Johnny Football would be a nice second pick for the Browns," DeLamielleure said.

His plan for the Browns would be to form one of the more dynamic passing attacks in the league with Watkins lined up opposite Josh Gordon, and Johnny Manziel throwing them the ball.

That would be his plan regardless of which team he was picking for. DeLamielleure said if were running the Houston Texans, who hold the No. 1 pick in this year's draft, he would still take Watkins and leave a player like South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney on the board.

"I wouldn't take Clowney," DeLamielleure said. "This is a passing league, you're crazy if you think a defensive end is going to change your life. It's not in the NFL. You need wide receivers and corners."

Another player high on DeLamielleure's list is Texas A&M offensive tackle Jake Matthews, whom he called the best offensive lineman in the draft.

"He's going to play for a long time, and I believe in blood lines" DeLamielleure said of Matthews, whose father Bruce was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007.

DeLamielleure wouldn't take Matthews if he were running the Browns, though.

"The Browns don't need him," he said. "They have Joe Thomas, and Joe Thomas is going to be in this Hall of Fame someday."

It's Watkins and Manziel or bust for Joe D.

The Indians announced the center fielder was removed from action for "precautionary reasons."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Michael Bourn departed Saturday's tilt with the White Sox after the third inning with left hamstring tightness.

The Indians announced the center fielder was removed from action for "precautionary reasons." Bourn opened the season on the disabled list after he strained his left hamstring during spring training. He had surgery on the same hamstring over the off-season, though he stressed the two injuries had nothing to do with each other.

Bourn reached on a bunt single to lead off the third inning. He advanced to second on a walk, but remained there until the inning ended. In the top of the fourth, Michael Brantley shifted to center field and Mike Aviles entered the contest in left.

Bourn is batting .266 with a .299 on-base percentage, two triples and two stolen bases in 15 games.

Hall of Fame lineman Randall McDaniel speaks with cleveland.com at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Fan Fest.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Randall McDaniel stopped by the cleveland.com set at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Fan Fest to talk with Branson Wright and Joey Morona.

The Hall of Fame offensive lineman touched on his induction, what he's been doing since retirement and shared his thoughts on the upcoming NFL Draft.

McDaniel, 2009 Hall of Fame inductee who played 14 seasons for the Minnesota Vikings and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, played in a record 12 consecutive Pro Bowls.

He shared the story of the day he got the induction call, and about going through the process of getting his Hall of Fame bust designed — right down to the wrinkles on his head.

McDaniel was a first round pick of the Vikings in 1988, and talked about the importance of identifying impact offensive linemen in the early rounds of the draft.

"You have to build up front," McDaniel said. "Nothing can happen unless you have a good offensive line around you."

McDaniel was a member of the 1998 Minnesota Viking team that went 15-1 in the regular season, and finished with a then-record 556 points.

He said the loss to the Atlanta Falcons in that year's NFC Championship game still stings, but he was glad to be a part of that historic season.

"Even though we didn't finish the job, that was the season that we knew no matter what happened, we were going to score and come back," McDaniel said. "If we were down by 10, we knew that by the end of the game, we would be up by 10."

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Fan Fest runs thought Sunday at the IX Center and features more than 100 players who have been enshrined in Canton.

Parris Campbell Jr. posted a blazing time of 10.47 in the 100 meters on Saturday at the Austintown Fitch Optimist Meet.

AUSTINTOWN, Ohio -- If there was any rust on St. Vincent-St. Mary sprinter Parris Campbell Jr., it was not showing.

The Ohio State football recruit spent the last two weeks away from the track focusing on football activities, but returned Saturday to post a wind-aided time of 10.47 seconds in winning the 100-meter dash during the 34th Optimist Meet at Austintown-Fitch.

Competition in the field included defending Division III state champion Carl Zallow of Warren JFK, Division I state placer Shaun Crawford of St. Edward and previously unbeaten Brandon Bolden of Solon.

Zallow placed second (10.55) and Bolden third (10.56) with Crawford fourth (10.62).

Campbell said afterward that he was confident about his chances prior to the race.

"I had a great feeling coming into the meet and I warmed up pretty good," Campbell said. "I got a haircut too, so maybe that helped." 

Bolden said Campbell won the race in the first 15 meters with a quick start and was able to build on his lead.

"I was playing keep up," Bolden said. "Parris had a great start and Zallow is always good out of the blocks. It was just a matter of who was going to hold on to it."

Solon claimed the boys team title with 72.5 points while defending Optimist champion St. Edward was second (57). Host Austintown-Fitch was third with 46 points and Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy fourth (44).

The Comets got a first-place finish from Kevin Blank in the 3,200 meters (9:12.50). Meanwhile, Bolden, who was part of the winning 4x200 relay (1:31.80) and the runner-up 4x100 relay (43.32), rebounded in the 200 final to edge Campbell at the finish line. 

Bolden's wind-aided time of 21.19 ranks as the top mark in the state according to MileSplit.com. The top five finishers in the race posted times under 22 seconds, including Campbell's 21.27. 

"This was a good meet, but I can't settle," Campbell said. "I just know that I'm not content with what I did today. I've got to get better."

St. Edward got wins from Crawford in the long jump (21 feet, eight inches) and Steele Wasik in the 110 hurdles (14.03) and the 300 hurdles (37.78). Wasik's winning 300 hurdles time is the fastest in the state this year according to MileSpilt.com.

With occasionally gusty winds nullifying any meet records, sprinters posted blazing times while distance runners struggled against a headwind on the backstretch.

Hudson's Kyle Mau won the 1,600 meters in 4:16.94 ahead of CVCA's Ryan Adams (4:18.06).

"That backstretch wind has been picking up like crazy these last few weeks," Adams said. "You run the first curve and you go straight into a wall. But everybody's got the same conditions. You either try your best to draft, or just deal with it."

Adams also finished second in the 800 meters behind Twinsburg's Garrett Crichlow (1:58.79).

In the field events, Jeremiah Peters of Euclid won the shot put with a distance of 57-7 while Medina's Mike Hierholzer won the discus with a throw of 182-5.

On the girls side, defending Divison I state champion Solon continued to dominate with big performances by sprinter Jelvon Butler, who was named the meet's most outstanding runner.

The Comets finished with 120 points to win ahead of Warren Harding (62) and Twinsburg (51).

Butler won the 100-meter dash (12.26) and the 200 (24.83) and anchored the winning 4x200 relay (1:45.12). Solon's 4x100 relay finished third with Butler running the second leg (49.09).

Butler said the 200 final, her sixth race of the day, took the most out of her.

"I wanted to give it everything I had and finish strong," Butler said. "I had top push through the curve, but the wind was at my back for the straight, so I just tried to give it all I had left."

Solon also got wins from Geneva Sandridge in the 1,600 (5:24.57) and the 4x800 relay (10:12.14).  

Lake Catholic's Frances Bull won the 400 in 58.12, while SVSM's Marie Hammer won the 300 hurdles in 46.41 and Twinsburg's Samantha Monachino won the high jump with a height of 5-4.

Garrettsville Garfield's Edie Savonavec won the shot put 44-0(3/4) ahead of Solon's Alexis Gray, who also finished second in the discus (156-4).

34th Optimist Meet

At Austintown Fitch High School

BOYS

How they finished: 1. Solon 72(1/2); 2. St. Edward 57; 3. Austintown-Fitch 46; 4. Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy 44; 5. Twinsburg 36; 6. Euclid 35; 7. Louisville 30; 8. Lake Catholic 24; 9. Warren JFK 23; 10. St. Vincent-St. Mary 21; T11. Jefferson Area 20; T11. Medina 20; 13. Maplewood 19; T14. Shaker Heights. 18; T14. Hudson 18; 16. McDonald 17(1/2); T17. Streetsboro 15; T17. Mas. Jackson 15; T19. Warren G. Harding 14; T19. Salem 14; 21. Mass. Perry 12; 22. Garaway 11; 23. University School 9(1/2); 24. Steubenville 8; 25. Cleveland JFK 7(1/2); T26. Hoover 6; T26. Roosevelt 6; T26. United 6; T26. Howland 6; T26. Lake 6; T26. Cleveland Heights 6; 32. Lowellville 5; 33. Newcomerstown 3; 33. Warrensville Heights 3; 35. Lake Center Christian 2; 36. Stow-Munroe Falls 1(1/2); 36. Newton Falls 1(1/2) 38. Youngstown East 1.

Shot put: 1. Peters (Euclid) 57-07; 2. Hierholzer (Medina) 57-05; 3. Peterson (Solon) 54-05. Discus: 1. Hierholzer (Medina) 182-5; 2. Smith (McDonald) 180-7; 3. Zedella (St. Edward) 173-8. High jump: 1. Chase (Jefferson Area) 6-4; 2. Cavalier (Louisville) 6-2; 3. Schwenk (Hoover) 6-2. Long jump: 1. Crawford (St. Edward) 21-8; 2. Bell (University School) 21-4(1/4); 3. Fillman (United) 21-0(1/4). Pole vault: 1. Kelley (Mass. Perry) 14-6; 2. Ludwig (Lake Catholic) 14-6. 3. Latone (Austintown-Fitch) 14-0. 4x800: 1. Maplewood (Hall, Rahmen, Moder, Morrison) 8:18.65; 2. Louisville 8:24.42; 3. Solon 8:35.02. 110H: 1. Wasik (St. Edward) 14.03; 2. Owens (Shaker Hts.) 14.05; 3. Ortz (Austintown-Fitch) 14.78. 100: 1. Campbell (SVSM) 10.47; 2. Zallow (Warren JFK) 10.55; 3. Bolden (Solon) 10.56. 4x200: 1 Solon (Furlow, Kollyn Crenshaw, Jackson, Bolden) 1:31.80; 2. Streetsboro 1:32.06; 3. Salem 1:32.07. 1,600: 1. Mau (Hudson) 4:16.94; 2. Adams (CVCA) 4:18.06; 3. Crichlow (Twinsburg) 4:18.98. 4x100: 1. Austintown-Fitch (Gibson, Harrington, Hall, Bowlen) 42.68; 2. Solon 43.32; 3. Euclid 44.42. 400: 1. Chase (Jefferson Area) 50.11; 2. Lavender (Steubenville) 50.59; 3. Spurney (Roosevelt) 50.93. 300H: 1. Wasik (St. Edward) 37.78; 2. Carroscia (CVCA) 37.98; 3. Owens (Shaker Hts.) 38.39. 800: 1. Crichlow (Twinsburg) 1:58.79; 2. Adams (CVCA) 2:01.28; 3. Bruster (Euclid) 2:02.51. 200: 1. Bolden (Solon) 21.19; 2. Campbell (SVSM) 21.27; 3. Zallow (Warren JFK) 21.67. 3,200: 1. Blank (Solon) 9:12.50; 2. Johnson (McDonald) 9:17.90; 3. Kernell (Lake) 9:24.90. 4x400: 1. Austintown-Fitch (Gibson, Bowlen, Hall, Harrington) 3:29.01; 2. Salem 3:29.74; 3. Solon 3:30.81. 

GIRLS 

How they finished1. Solon 120; 2. Warren G Harding 62; 3. Twinsburg 51; 4. Austintown-Fitch 48; T5. St. Vincent-St. Mary 31;T5. Shaker Heights 31; 7. Garaway 29; 8. Louisville 28; 9. Roosevelt 23(1/3); 10. Girard 22(1/3); T11. South Range 18 T11. Garfield 18; 13. Mas. Jackson 16(1/2); 14. McDonald 16; 15. Stow-Munroe Falls 13(1/3);16. Hudson 12; T17. Collinwood 11; T17. Streetsboro 11; T19. United 10; T19. Lake Catholic 10; T19. Cleveland Heights 10; T19. Berkshire 10; T23. West Geauga 8; T23. Hoover 8; T23. Independence 8;26. Green 7; 27. Cuyahoga Falls 6; 28. Badger 5; 29. Salem 4; T30. Lordstown 3; T30. East Canton 3; T30. Newton Falls 3; 33. Warren JFK 2; 34. Bristol 1.

Shot put: 1. Svonavec (Garrettsville Garfield) 44-0(3/4); 2. Gray (Solon) 42-11(1/2); 3. Ziccardi (Cuyahoga Falls) 37-2. Discus: 1. Mosley (McDonald) 157-5; 2. Gray (Solon) 156-4; 3. Ross (McDonald) 141-6. High jump: 1. Monachino (Twinsburg) 5-4; 2. Worley (Hoover) 5-2; T3. Teter (Girard) 5-0; T3. Graham (Solon) 5-0; T3. Staaf (Austintown-Fitch) 5-0. Long jump: 1. Richardson (Warren G Harding) 17-0(1/4); 2. Morsefield (Roosevelt) 16-1(1/4); 3. Marsinek (Roosevelt) 15-11(3/4). Pole vault: 1. Dunn (Garaway) 11-6; 2. Rabe (West Geauga) 10-6; 3. Roth (Solon) 10-6. 4x800: 1. Solon (Wise, Haiss, E. Sandridge, G. Sandridge) 10:12.14; 2. Berkshire 10:20.28; 3. Twinsburg 10:23.85. 100H: 1. Jackson (Warren G. Harding) 15.13 2. King (Streetsboro 15.24; 3. Hammer (SVSM) 15.91. 100: 1. Butler (Solon) 12.26; 2. Marshall-Stewart (Collinwood) 12.27; 3. Guiley (Louisville) 12.53. 4x200: 1. Solon (Kandakai, McCoy, Mitchell, Butler) 1:45.12; 2. Shaker Heights 1:48.19; 3. Austintown-Fitch 1:51.21. 1,600: 1. Sandridge (Solon) 5:24.57; 2. Jenkins (Austintown-Fitch) 5:25.16; 3. Pierson (South Range) 5:35.25. 4x100: 1. Warren G. Harding (Stroud, Jackson, Bercheni, Richardson) 48.51; 2. Solon 49.09; 3. Shaker Heights 50.70. 400: 1. Bull (Lake Catholic) 58.12; 2. Davis (SVSM) 59.96; 3. Hill (Warren G. Harding) 1:00.15. 300H: 1. Hammer (SVSM) 46.41; 2. Cloud (Girard) 46.46; 3. Mason (South Range) 47.34. 800: 1. Parks (United) 2:21.14; 2. Gesicki (Independence) 2:21.25; 3. Dalea (Hudson) 2:26.88. 200: 1. Butler (Solon) 24.83; 2. Richardson (Warren G. Harding) 25.26; 3. McCoy (Solon) 25.71. 3,200: 1. Wentworth (Garaway) 11:08.61; 2. Wise (Solon) 11:19.33; 3. Lovett (Twinsburg) 11:31.86. 4x400: 1. Warren G. Harding (Stroud, Hill, Jackson, Bercheni) 4:12.52; 2. Austintown-Fitch 4:16.98; 3. Twinsburg 4:17.53.

Both Michael Bourn and Jason Giambi exited Saturday's affair against the White Sox prematurely because of finicky leg muscles. Bourn's bothersome left hamstring again barked. Giambi couldn't get his right calf to cease cramping.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The number of bodies on the Indians' bench continues to dwindle.

The quantity of walking wounded in the Tribe clubhouse continues to increase.

Both Michael Bourn and Jason Giambi exited Saturday's affair against the White Sox prematurely because of finicky leg muscles. Bourn's bothersome left hamstring again barked. Giambi couldn't get his right calf to cease cramping.

Bourn felt his hamstring tighten as he extended one step before reaching first base on a bunt single in the third inning. He didn't head out to his center field position in the fourth, as Michael Brantley shifted over from left and Mike Aviles entered the game in his place.

Bourn guessed that he would miss between one and five days. He said he doesn't think he'll need a stint on the disabled list, but he hesitated to etch that estimate in stone.

"It feel like it's something that's tight and wants to release," Bourn said. "When it does, it will be fine."

Bourn underwent surgery on the same hamstring over the offseason. He opened this season on the DL because of a similar, yet unrelated, injury to the area.

"They tested it and it was stronger than when I did it the first time in spring training," Bourn said. "I have my strength. Now, it is tight. … Other than that it feels pretty good. I have my strength and that's what I was worried about. It's not in the same spot."

Bourn is batting .266 with a .299 on-base percentage, two triples and two stolen bases in 15 games.

"I don't think it's anything devastating," said manager Terry Francona. "We'll see how he shows up [on Sunday]. I don't think he thinks it's bad. I don't think the trainers do, either."

Ryan Raburn entered the contest for Giambi in the sixth inning. Giambi surmised that he wouldn't start on Sunday, though he suggested that he might be able to pinch-hit.

Giambi also began the regular season on the DL after a pitch from Cubs hurler Edwin Jackson struck him in the side during spring training and left him with a fractured rib.

"I'll be fine," Giambi said. "It's fine. They worked on it. I couldn't get it to stop cramping. It's fine, though."

Without Bourn and Giambi, the Indians would be down to 10 hitters. Reserve catcher George Kottaras is the only offensive player who did not see action on Saturday. The Indians are currently carrying 13 pitchers, including nine relievers. Second baseman Jason Kipnis landed on the DL on Friday with a strained right oblique muscle.

This time closer John Axford retired Chicago shortstop Alexei Ramirez to secure a win for the Indians and a save for himself.

Clubhouse confidential: The last time closer John Axford faced White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez, he was one of the hottest hitters in baseball. The date was April 13 and Ramirez hit a game-winning walk-off two-run homer off Axford for his only blown save of the season.

Axford faced Ramirez again Saturday night with two out in the ninth. He needed one more out to secure the Indians’ 2-0 victory and his ninth save in 10 chances. Ramirez was still red hot, entering the game leading the AL in batting with a .356 average.

This time Axford prevailed, retiring Ramirez on a pop up to first.

“I made one bad pitch to a hot hitter who is still hot right hot,” said Axford, recalling the game in Chicago. “I just made sure that I didn’t throw it in the same spot and if I did I was going to throw it 105 mph so he couldn’t hit it out of the park.”

By the way, Axford’s post game attire included a Ricky Vaughn wild thing T-shirt. It was gift from catcher Yan Gomes.

Lead the way: It’s unlikely Michael Bourn will be in the lineup on Sunday after leaving Saturday night’s game due to tightness in his left hamstring.

Who might manager Terry Francona hit in the leadoff spot? It just might be rookie Jose Ramirez.

“He’s a real confident kid,” said Francona.

Stat of the day: Justin Masterson has won six straight decisions against the White Sox dating back to May 3, 2012.

The Indians made a flurry of roster moves before Satiurday's game against the White Sox.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians’ roster was spinning Saturday with real and future moves.

Manager Terry Francona said Josh Tomlin will join the club from Class AAA Columbus and start Tuesday against Twins in Carlos Carrasco’s spot in the rotation.

Catcher Yan Gomes was placed on the paternity list after his wife, Jenna, gave birth to daughter Brooklyn Mae on Saturday morning. The contract of catcher George Kottaras was purchased from Class AAA Columbus.

Lefty Nick Hagadone was recalled from Columbus and utility infielder Elliot Johnson was designated for assignment. Johnson was designated to make a spot for Kottaras on the 40-man roster.

Hagadone and Kottaras are not expected to be here long. Hagadone will probably be optioned to Columbus when Tomlin joins the club. Kottaras, who is out of options, will probably be designated for assignment when Gomes returns.

A player can stay on the paternity list for three days.

Francona said the Indians discussed three candidates to make Tuesday’s start – Tomlin, Trevor Bauer and lefty T.J. House.

“There were three guys throwing the ball well at Columbus,” said Francona. “Josh’s last two outings have been really good. It’s his day to pitch and we wanted to keep our guys on their day.

“Josh pitched so well in spring training. I think it will be good for him and he’ll help us. I think at some point Trevor will, too.”

In his last two starts, Tomlin threw 17 scoreless innings, struck out 16, didn’t walk a batter and allowed nine hits in victories over Gwinnett (Atlanta) and Durham (Tampa Bay). He’s 2-1 with a 2.06 ERA with 28 strikeouts nine walks and eight earned runs in 35 innings.

GM Chris Antonetti said Friday that whomever made Tuesday’s start would stay in the rotation for more than one turn.

Carrasco got the nod over Tomlin for the fifth spot in the rotation at the end of spring training. Now Carrasco is one of nine relievers in the bullpen.

“We’ll have it for about three days,” said Francona. “It can never hurt to have an extra arm. It’s three days and it may help us in a game.”

Forget me not: Bauer threw seven scoreless innings against Durham on Friday night for Columbus. He has a 1.10 ERA for the Clippers.

Tough parting: Francona went out of his way to tell reporters that Johnson was not designated for assignment because he made two errors at second base in Friday’s 12-5 victory over the White Sox.

Johnson dropped two relays at second base when he was in the process of turning potential double plays.

“We told him the truth, that last night had nothing to do with it,” said Francona. “We explained that we were going to need a starter Tuesday. Then when Gomer’s wife had the baby, it moved it up a couple of days.

“I think all along we hoped we would keep Elliot whether he hit or not. He can play every position. He can run. We never got into where we could utilize him a lot. But we also knew at some point we might not be able to carry him.”

Johnson, who made the club out of spring training as a non-roster player, hit .105 (2-for-14) with two doubles in seven games.

Replacement: Center fielder Michael Bourn left the game after the third inning with tightness in his left hamstring.

Bourn started the third with a bunt single. He did not come out for the fourth as Michael Brantley moved from left to center and Mike Aviles came off the bench to play left.

At the end of last season, Bourn had surgery on his left hamstring. In spring training, he strained it running the bases and opened the regular season on the disabled list. He was activated on April 15.

Finally: Jose Ramirez, called up Friday to replace injured Jason Kipnis, started at second base on Saturday.

Justin Masterson, Cody Allen, John Axford combine on five-hitter in 2-0 win over White Sox.

CLEVELAND, Ohio --  Manager Terry Francona said it would have been three runs. Nick Swisher said it would have been two.

It turned out to be none, which is a big reason why the Indians beat the White Sox, 2-0, Saturday night at Progressive Field

Justin Masterson, who combined on a five-hitter with Cody Allen and John Axford, had another description for the play Swisher made in the fifth inning with the bases loaded, one out and the Tribe leading 1-0.

"Incredible," said Masterson, who won his first game of the year after seven starts. "Swish came off the field screaming, 'I'm back.' It locked him in because he made a couple of other nice plays as well."

Masterson (1-1, 4.01) was facing Marcus Semien with the bases loaded. Semien sent a liner toward first. Swisher, who has had his problems defensively, made a diving catch and slapped the bag for the inning-ending double play.

"We just needed that play at that time," said Swisher. "Masty was doing such a great job. It's nice to make that play at that time.

"Absolutely a play like that can get us on a roll. That ball goes through and two runs score. Then we're down, 2-1."

The Indians have won two straight, matching their longest winning streak of the season.

"Swish made the play of the night," said Francona. "If it's not caught, probably all three runs score on that play." 

The victory may have been an expensive one as center fielder Michael Bourn (left hamstring) and DH Jason Giambi (right calf) were forced to leave early. Bourn has already been on the disabled list once with his troublesome hamstring.

The Indians took a 1-0 lead in the second against rookie right-hander Scott Carroll (1-1, 0.68). Lonnie Chisenhall opened with a double to left. Asdrubal Cabrera lined out to left center as Chisenhall tagged and went to third.

Carroll retired Giambi on a pop to catcher Tyler Flowers. He then induced David Murphy to pop up on the infield. Carroll should have been out of the inning, but Semien, charging in from third base, dropped the ball as Chisenhall scored.

The Indians made it 2-0 in the fifth as Carroll's defense hurt him again. Jose Ramirez, just up from Class AAA Columbus to replace injured Jason Kipnis, started with a bunt single that Flowers fielded but threw down the right-field line as Ramirez went to second.

Bourn's sacrifice bunt advanced Ramirez to third and Swisher delivered him with a sacrifice fly to center.

"That little bleep is all over the place," said Francona. "When he got called up, we were joking, that it looked like he should have been called up to a higher league. He looks like he belongs and he can help us win." 

Masterson gave up a leadoff single to Flowers in the eighth. After he struck out Semien, Allen relieved. Allen retired Alejandro De Aza, but Gordon Beckham doubled off Murphy's glove in the right field corner to put runners on second and third.

"That was a great effort by Murph," said Allen. "I thought he caught it. I was almost in the dugout. That ball was going away from him the whole time."

Allen ended the threat by striking out AL home run and RBI leader Jose Abreu on three breaking balls, the third in the dirt but scooped out by Carlos Santana.

"Cody was amped up," said Masterson. "It looked like he was throwing a million. He's throwing 99 mph curveballs. That's disgusting."

Grandstaff is friends with fellow Texan and Ohio State pledge Mickey Mitchell, and this may be good news for the Buckeyes when it comes to keeping Mitchell on track for Columbus.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – It wasn’t always easy for Ohio State to score last season. The Buckeyes figure they’ll start to make things easier on offense in 2014 with freshman guard D’Angelo Russell and the debut of guard Kam Williams, who redshirted last season. But Thad Matta didn’t want to stop the fix there.

Austin Grandstaff, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from the Dallas area, gave an oral commitment to Matta during a campus visit on Sunday. The junior, ranked as the No. 30 prospect in the Class of 2015 by Rivals.com, averaged 27 points per game last season at Rockwall High School, shot 50 percent from the floor and threw in a 51-point game late in the season.

That should help.

“I can shoot off the dribble, I can catch and shoot, I’m really a scorer and a playmaker,” Grandstaff said by phone from the Columbus airport on Sunday afternoon while waiting to board his flight back to Texas. “I’m a competitor and I hate to lose.”

Grandstaff was aware of the Buckeyes’ scoring issues last season. There wasn’t a pure shooter on a roster that featured point guards, defensive stars and athletic wings.

“He told me there was a need for me here,” Grandstaff said of Matta. “They weren’t recruiting me to come and play my junior year. They recruited me to come and play right away.”

Grandstaff’s decision also may be viewed as good news for the Buckeyes when it comes to current pledge Mickey Mitchell, another Texas native. Mitchell has been pledged to the Buckeyes since August, but there were reasonable questions about his status after the news that his older brother Mike, a linebacker on the Ohio State football team, was planning a transfer. The 6-foot-7 Mitchell is another play-making wing and is one of Grandstaff’s best friends.

Shooting guard Austin Grandstaff, a Texas native, announced on Sunday that he'd be playing his college basketball at Ohio State.Rivals.com

 They played together in sixth grade and “we’ve been really good friends since then,” said Grandstaff, who has heard nothing from Mitchell about changing his mind on Ohio State. “He was one of the people really recruiting me to come here.”

That’s quite a double-dip for the Buckeyes out of the Lone Star State, after also getting in the Texas mix for top five recruit Myles Turner in the Class of 2014. Turner just announced his pledge to Texas this week.

With Dayton point guard A.J. Harris the third player in the fold, the Buckeyes are off to a strong start for a 2015 class that could be big. Ohio State has the scholarship numbers to take up to three more players.

After watching Dayton-area shooting guard Luke Kennard, the No. 13 prospect in 2015 according to Rivals, pick Duke in March, the Buckeyes went a longer distance to grab similar potential.

Grandstaff originally gave an oral commitment to Oklahoma State but he pulled that back in February. He said Ohio State was the first team to call him after that move, but he also had interest from schools like Florida, Iowa State, Oklahoma and Arizona.

“I always told everybody that the big thing for me is relationships, and the thing that was going to get me the most was the relationship with the coaches,” Grandstaff said. “That’s what really did it with Ohio State. I have a really good relationship with Coach Matta.

“We have real similar personalities. We’re kind of laid-back people."

But when he told Matta of his decision on Sunday, that changed for moment.

“He was pretty excited,” Grandstaff said.

That’s what happens when a coach gets something that he knows his team needs.

Getting to catch up with old friends on the bus which took former Pittsburgh Steeler Dermontti Dawson and several other Hall of Famers on this year's Fan Fest tour was something he really enjoyed.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Dermontti Dawson enjoys taking any opportunities that present themselves to see friends he's made during his time as an NFL player and since he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012. 

Getting to catch up with old friends on the bus which took Dawson and several other Hall of Famers on this year's Fan Fest tour was something he sincerely enjoyed. 

"It's a big reunion with all the guys," Dawson said. "I met most of the guys already last year at the 50th reunion of the Hall of Fame. It's always nice to kind of reconnect." 

The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Dawson in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft. He earned the first of his seven Pro Bowl appearances in 1992 as the team's long-snapper and was named the NFL Alumni’s Offensive Lineman of the Year in 1996. 

During his 13-year career, Pittsburgh led the NFL in rushing twice as Steelers’ ball carriers amassed 2,180 yards in 1994 and 2,479 yards in 1997.

After returning from a knee injury suffered in his rookie year, Dawson played 170 consecutive games, which ranks second in Steelers history. 

He was named a center on the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1990s. He also earned six consecutive All-NFL honors.

Dawson started in three AFC championship games and in Super Bowl XXX against the Dallas Cowboys.

Contact 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.