Manager Terry Francona on third base: "I don't think there's anybody who would argue that Lonnie (Chisenhall) deserves to be playing third base."

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The cat-and-mouse game is over.

Lonnie Chisenhall is the Indians' third baseman and there's no telling when Carlos Santana will get another shot at the hot corner. Along those same lines, it seems like Santana is the first baseman and there's no telling when Nick Swisher will get a chance to reclaim that job on a full-time basis.

"To be honest with you, we're trying to put the best team out there that we can," said manager Terry Francona, before Sunday's 10-4 loss to Detroit. "I don't think there's anybody who would argue that Lonnie deserves to be playing third base.

"We don't do the positions based on what guys want to do. Lonnie has done a great job."

The chronology among Santana, Chisenhall and Swisher is interesting.

-Santana ended last season as the full-time DH/backup catcher after losing the starting catcher's job to Yan Gomes. He spent all winter working out at third base and won the job in spring training. Santana opened the season as the starting third baseman and backup catcher, but still spent time at DH and first base.

Today Santana is the regular first baseman and sometimes DH. He has not played third since May 22 and has not caught since suffering a concussion on May 25 at Camden Yards.

Of course, if Santana didn't get off to the worst start in his career at the plate, he'd probably still be the regular third baseman. After Sunday's game, he's hitting .202 (47-for-233) with 15 doubles, one triple, 11 homers and 29 RBI. It's just the second game in which Santana has been above .200 since April 10 when he had only 32 at-bats.

-Chisenhall ended last season in a platoon at third base with Mike Aviles. He made the team out of spring training as an extra player. While Santana couldn't buy a hit in the first two months of the season, Chisenhall is hitting .355 (71-for-200) with 18 doubles, eight homers and 33 RBI despite going 0-for-4 Sunday. Since June 7, he's started 14 straight games at third base.

As to who's the better third baseman, Chisenhall made his 11^th error Sunday. Santana has six.

-Swisher ended last season as the regular first baseman, a job he kept this season until going on the disabled list with a hyper-extend left knee on May 27. Before going on the DL, Swisher made 46 starts at first, but he's made only one in the last nine games since being activated.

He received cortisone shots in both knees during his DL stay and is still moving gingerly. Francona said it's best that he stays at DH for now.

Santana, for his part, might be a better defensive first baseman than Swisher as this stage of his career. Swisher, whose knee problems have limited his range, has made six errors at first. Santana hasn't made an error in 18 starts at first.

"What is kind of cool about all the work Carlos put in at third base is that I think it has made him a better first baseman," said Francona. "He's more active. He's more agile. So we'll see where it goes."

As always, performance drives a manager's lineup card. Santana and Swisher have struggled at the plate. Chisenhall, 5-for-22 (.227) during the homestand, has flourished overall.

Swisher is 4-for-37 (.108) since coming off the DL. Overall, he's hitting .194 (43-for-222) and has not had his average above .231 since the first day of the season.

"Players dictate how you write the lineup out by the way they play," said Francona.

Check-up: Outfielder Nyjer Morgan (right knee) will come to Cleveland on Monday for a check up. He's been rehabbing in Goodyear, Ariz., and his eight to 12 week timetable for recovery has not changed.

Finally: The three-game series with the Tigers drew 100,280 fans to Progressive Field. The last time the Indians drew over 100,000 for a three-game series was Aug 26-Aug. 28, 2011 against Kansas City. . .Jason Kipnis went 1-for-14 against Detroit this weekend and 3-for-26 (.115) for the homestand.

Bryan Shaw usually doesn't pitch in lopsided losses like Sunday's 10-4 thrawing by the Tigers, but he needed the work.

CLEVELAND, Ohio. – Seen and heard Sunday at Progressive Field.

Clubhouse confidential: There's a pecking order in every bullpen. Some relievers pitch when the game is closer. Others pitch when the score is lopsided.

Bryan Shaw recorded the final two outs Sunday in the Indians' 10-4 loss to the Tigers. Shaw pitches when the game is on the line, so what was he doing out there in the ninth inning?

"That's a tough balancing act," said manager Terry Francona. "If he didn't pitch Sunday, with the day off Monday, it would be four days where he wouldn't pitch. He kind of gets sluggish.

"As much as we use our relievers, we try to communicate with them enough, so we know what's in their best interest. Having him make that short appearance is what he needed."

Shaw's 37 appearances tie him for the second most in the AL.

He's back: Michael Brantley returned to the lineup Saturday for his first start since suffering a concussion on June 16. He took a 0-for-5 in a 5-4 loss to the Tigers.

The Indians lost again Sunday, but Brantley was more like himself. He went 3-for-5 and drove in three runs of the Tribe's four runs.

"His presence in the order helps all the times," said Francona.

Stat of the day: The Tigers hit .323 (10-for-31) with runners in scoring position in their three-game sweep of the Tribe over the weekend. The Indians hit .250 (6-for-24) with runners in scoring position.

Four-star linebacker Justin Hilliard of Cincinnati St. Xavier, Ohio State's top remaining linebacker target in the 2015 class, will announce his college decision July 2 at his high school.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Four-star linebacker Justin Hilliard of Cincinnati St. Xavier, Ohio State's top remaining linebacker target in the 2015 class, eluded that he's close to making a decision earlier this week. 

Now the date is official – July 2 at his school. 

Rated by Rivals.com the No. 1 inside linebacker in the country, Hilliard narrowed his choices down to Alabama, Notre Dame, Iowa, Ohio State and Michigan in May. 

Announcing my decision July 2nd at St. Xavier High School (Time has not been set) pic.twitter.com/ZPeIdT2MBI

— Justin Hilliard (@JHilliard47) June 22, 2014

Last week Hilliard Tweeted that he hopes to bring top talent with him to wherever he goes – including five-star running back Damien Harris Berea (Ky.) Madison Southern, four-star tight end Chris Clark of Avon (Conn.) Old Farms and defensive end Jashon Cornell of St. Paul (Minn.) Cretin-Derham Hill. 

Clark, who visited Ohio State early last week, committed to the Michigan on Thursday. But Hilliard could help Ohio State continue on its recent momentum on the recruiting trail. 

After landing a commitment from three-star offensive lineman Kevin Feder of Ramsey (N.J.) Don Bosco on Sunday, Ohio State has now earned seven oral commitments in the month of June. 

A win would have put the U.S. into the second round.

MANAUS, Brazil -- Cristiano Ronaldo set up Varela for a late equalizer on a hot and humid night in the jungle Sunday to give Portugal a 2-2 draw with the United States and hope for a spot in the second round of theWorld Cup.

Ronaldo, who has been playing despite a left knee injury, sent in a cross in the fifth minute of stoppage time and Varela scored with a diving header in the last seconds of the match.

Nani had scored first for Portugal, shooting past a sprawling Tim Howard in the fifth minute, but the Americans responded in the second half as Portugal seemed to wilt in the stifling heat.

Jermaine Jones made it 1-1 with a curling shot in the 64th minute after a cross from Graham Zusi made its way through the Portugal defense.

Clint Dempsey, playing with a broken nose, then put the Americans ahead in the 81st. The United States captain used his stomach to direct the ball into the net from a cross by Zusi.

The last-second draw denied the Americans a spot in the second round, but it kept Portugal alive in the tournament.

"Obviously we're disappointed, but at the end of the day you've got to look at the positives, we got a point," Dempsey said. "It's going down to the last game and hopefully we get the job done."

The United States now has four points in Group G, the same as Germany. Both Portugal and Ghana have one point. The Americans will face Germany on Thursday in Recife, while Portugal takes on Ghana at the same time in Brasilia.

"Now we have to go out and beat Germany, that's what we have to do," U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann said. "We have to play Germany, we have one less day to recover, we played in the Amazon, they played on a place with less travel. We have to do it the tough way."

It was all Portugal for much of the first half, with Ronaldo in the starting lineup but getting less involved as the match progressed. The Americans, however, started to get more and more chances and even had a shot from Michael Bradley cleared off the line by Ricardo Costa in the 55th.

The heat in the Amazon rainforest, however, seemed to slow the Portuguese as the match wore on.

In the 39th minute, referee Nestor Pitana on Argentina called for a cooling break, the first such decision to be taken at the World Cup.

At the start of the match, FIFA listed the temperature at 30 degrees C (86 degrees F) with 66 percent humidity. FIFA uses the "Wet Bulb Globe Temperature" to determine when official cooling breaks should be added, and says the WGBT must be above 32 degrees C (90 degrees F) for them to be considered.

The breaks are supposed to occur in the 30th and 75th minutes.

Dempsey's goal was his fourth at a World Cup and second at this year's tournament. Jones scored his third goal for the United States national team and first in almost two years.

Three-star cornerback Darrell Miller of Cedar Hill, Texas, visited Ohio State last week and picked up an offer. Then he included the Buckeyes in his top five Sunday evening.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Three-star cornerback Darrell Miller of Cedar Hill, Texas, announced his top five on his Twitter account Sunday evening, and the Buckeyes were one of the schools listed. 

Joining Ohio State were Boise State, Tennessee, Michigan State and Iowa. 

I'm so blessed & thankful for all the colleges that have recruited me & I appreciated so much [?] 5[?] @DamonSayles pic.twitter.com/BAn6mFFn1r

— Darrell Miller (@_dmill9) June 22, 2014

Though Miller has yet to be rated by Rivals.com, he has an impressive offers list that also consists of ones from Iowa State, Kansas State, Utah, Wake Forest, Wisconsin and others. Miller just recently earned his Ohio State offer while on a visit in Columbus on Wednesday. 

Blessed to say that The Ohio State University has offered me today #B1G #GoBucks #Buckeyes [?] [?] [?] [?] pic.twitter.com/v6owVVvA1h

— Darrell Miller (@_dmill9) June 18, 2014

The loss to the Senators was the second in a row for the RubberDucks.

Second baseman Joe Wendle had a home run and double but the Akron RubberDucks couldn't hold a late lead and lost Sunday to the Senators, 7-5, in a Class AA Eastern League game in Harrisburg, Pa.

The RubberDucks (44-32) were up, 4-3, heading into the bottom of the seventh inning after a two-run homer from Wendle in the fourth inning and an RBI single in the seventh from third baseman Justin Toole. Toole scored moments later after a single from center fielder Tyler Naquin and an error by Senators center fielder Caleb Ramsey.

The Senators took the lead with three runs off RubberDucks reliever Toru Murata in the bottom of the seventh. Matt Skole doubled in two runs and Ramsey drove in Skole with a single.

Murata (5-3, 4.73) took the loss for the RubberDucks, giving up three runs on four hits in 1-2/3 innings. Starter Duke von Schamann went five innings, giving up three runs on five hits and getting one strikeout.

Bryan Harper (1-0, 2.45) pitched just 2/3 of an inning, surrendering four hits and two runs, one earned, for the Senators but got the win. Tyler Herron earned his third save of the season.

The loss was the second in a row for Akron, which still holds a half-game lead in the Western Division over the Richmond, Va., Flying Squirrels.

Portugal's goal in the final five seconds pulled them to a 2-2 draw with the United States in a fantastic, wild game that epitomized the best of a dramatic 2014 World Cup.

It came down to the last kick. 

In the final minute, the United States stood Sunday on the verge of a historic victory: Their first ever comeback World Cup victory, which would have sent them onto the next round. 

Then Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo stuck a dagger in their hearts.

An unbelievable cross from Cristiano Ronaldo and Varela makes it 2-2 in the final few seconds - https://t.co/DSDuHpGVJ1

-- World Cup 2014 (@WorldCupPosts) June 23, 2014

Perfect cross. 

Silvestre Varela goal. 

The clock said 94:58 when the ball hit the net. The game was set to end at 95:00. 

Draw. 2-2.

Portugal, ranked No. 4 in the world, still alive.

Victory stolen from the Americans, who now face powerful Germany on Friday. 

It's been that kind of World Cup, the kind where you're beginning to almost expect these kind of displays. Back and forth. Goals. Comebacks. Constant action and drama. USA-Portugal certainly had it all. 

Portugal started the scoring with an early goal. 

Then the U.S. came back and improbably took the lead, thanks to two improbably fantastic goals by Jermaine Jones and Clint Dempsey. 

JONES! https://t.co/jw2PrUt2le

-- SB Nation GIF (@SBNationGIF) June 22, 2014

AMERICA LEADS https://t.co/bkz4jl8S92

-- SB Nation GIF (@SBNationGIF) June 22, 2014

In the end, a memorable game, but one the Americans could have had. 

And both teams live to fight another day. 

Sunday's World Cup scores

Belgium 1, Russia 0

Algeria 4, South Korea 2

USA 2, Portugal 2

The soccer world turned upside down

One thing has become clear in this World Cup: Anything is possible. Throw the common wisdom out the window.

The reigning champs are already out.

Three teams from CONCACAF, the confederation of North and Central American teams, could make it to the knockout round for the first time ever. 

In Group C, the supposed group of champions, three teams ranked in FIFA's top 10  -- former World Cup champions Italy, England and Uruguay -- were supposed to fight it out for two spots in the knockout stages. Instead, unheralded Costa Rica is through, England is out, and Uruguay and Italy face off for the right to move on.

The four tournament favorites have all looked beatable. Brazil drew with Mexico, Germany drew with Ghana, Argentina needed a stoppage time goal to beat Iran, and Spain is out of the tourney. Mexico, Ghana and Iran are ranked No. 20, 37, and 43, respectively, by FIFA.

Yes, all but one of the early teams to clinch advancement are highly ranked teams. But so much remains open that it feels like a different sort of tournament. Goal-scoring is up. Games are wild. This kind of thing doesn't often happen. 

Qualification scenarios

Every team has one game left to play in the group stage, so every team knows what must happen for them to move on. Here's a breakdown:

Eliminated: England, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Australia, Spain, Cameroon.

Advanced to second round: Netherlands, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia, Argentina, Belgium.

Several groups feature matches between two teams fighting for the same spot in the second round, notably Mexico-Croatia on Monday and Italy-Uruguay on Tuesday. 

There is even the unlikely but possible scenario that one second-round spot could be decided by a coin flip between Nigeria and Iran. 

For full tiebreaker rules -- and they definitely matter, certainly for Team USA -- click here. 

Player of the day: Jermaine Jones. Born and raised in Germany, Jones scored an absolute stunner of a goal that came from nowhere to put the U.S. back on even terms against Portugal. He has shown in this World Cup that he can play with the world's best. 

Goat of the day: Geoff Cameron. The U.S. center back was directly at fault on both Portugal goals. On the final goal, it was his weak clearance attempt that allowed Varela to blow past him for the winner. Even worse, his shanked clearance absolutely gifted the Portuguese their first goal. Cameron is one of the best American players, but this is the defenders' curse: Everyone remembers your bad plays more than your good ones, because they become goals. 

Excellent pass by the US on Portugal's goal. https://t.co/Jyg5ZrX0gy

-- SB Nation GIF (@SBNationGIF) June 22, 2014

Off-field news of the day: Ghanaian midfielder Sulley Muntari reportedly walked through Maceio, Brazil, where the Ghanaian is based, handing out cash to poor Brazilians.

Then Brazilian police put an end to it: 

Best match to watch Monday: Croatia-Mexico at 4 p.m. ET. Chile-Netherlands may seem the sexier match at noon, but Croatia-Mexico is do-or-die. One of these two teams will move on to the second round. The other will go home. Croatia is a good team, and Mexico has a hot goalkeeper in Guillermo Ochoa.

A photo posted by LeBron James' wife, Savannah, on Instagram late Sunday night set off a frenzy on social media.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — LeBron James returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers? This time the speculation has been set off by a surprising source.

A photo posted by James' wife, Savannah, on Instagram late Sunday night drew a quick reaction on social media:

Along with the photo, Savannah James says "Home sweet home!! The countdown is real! #330"

So what does it really mean?

So Savannah James just opened Pandora's box...

— Christian Petrila (@TheOtherCP3) June 23, 2014

Exactly.

It was revealed last week that James and Savannah are expecting their third child, a girl. They already have two boys, LeBron Jr. and Bryce Maximus. There also was a report last week that James had enrolled his sons in an Ohio school for the upcoming year, but it has been debunked.

So is Savannah James' Instagram photo a reference to LeBron and the Cavs, or somehow about the upcoming birth of their child? That's what folks on Instagram and Twitter are trying to figure out. Check out some comments below, and offer your own thoughts at the end of the story.

Max Schezer holds the Indians to one run over six innings for his ninth victory. He improved to 9-4 lifetime against the Indians.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – June is nearing its end. The Indians have swept and been swept by the Tigers, who are once again atop the AL Central.

Last season Detroit dominated the Indians, winning 15 of the 19 games between them. The Indians still managed to register for the postseason by winning the first wild card spot and finishing one game behind the first-place Tigers despite being treated like a bothersome little brother by the team from the Motor City.

So where do the Indians stand today in regards to the Tigers, who beat them in two tight games Friday and Saturday before completing the three-game sweep Sunday with a 10-4 thumping in front of 26,023 fans at Progressive Field?

"They're a good team," said Josh Tomlin. "We're capable of beating them, we just didn't this series. We swept them the first time they came here and they sweep us coming in here again.

"When we face them again, we've got to do a better job. That starts with what happens on the mound."

Tomlin (4-5, 4.39) was on the mound Sunday and the Tigers worked him over. Miguel Cabrera, who has 33 homers and 109 RBI in his career against the Indians, started it with a two-out homer in the first, an RBI single in the third and a RBI fielder's choice in the fifth that lit the fuse to a seven-run, six-hit inning.

"I thought we competed with them last year and this year," said Tomlin. "We're a good team. We can compete with anybody.

"We didn't necessarily play our best baseball this series, but we're good enough to compete with anybody who steps on the field with us."

The season series between the Tribe and Tigers stands at 4-4. When the Indians swept Detroit in May at Progressive Field, it shook them awake and got them back in the AL Central race.

The Tigers came to Cleveland looking for the same kind of jolt. The Tribe's May sweep sent them on a skid in which they lost 20 of 30 games. Last week Kansas City took three of four games from them to temporarily move into first place. The Tigers responded with 6-4, 5-4 and 10-4 victories over the Tribe.

This much is clear when comparing the two teams; the Indians can't handle the middle of Detroit's lineup. It doesn't matter if Cabrera is protected by Prince Fielder and Victor Martinez as he was last year or Victor Martinez and J.D. Ramirez as he is thing year -- the Indians have no way to neutralize them.

"With Cabrera and Victor the key is to not have anyone else on base when you face them," said manager Terry Francona. "But that's easier said than done."

In the three-game series, Cabrera hit .385 (5-for-13) with one homer and four RBI; Victor Martinez hit .273 (3-for-11) with two homers and four RBI and J.D. Martinez hit .385 (5-for-13) with one homer and three RBI. Combined they hit .351 (13-for-37) with four homers and 11 RBI.

The Tribe's middle of the order hit .250 (10-for-40) with two homers and five RBI: Michael Brantley .300 (3-for-10) with three RBI, Jason Kipnis .071 (1-for-14), Carlos Santana .385 (5-for-13) with two homers and two RBI and Lonnie Chisenhall .333 (1-for-3).

"Just because Prince is gone, doesn't make them any easier to pitch to," said closer Cody Allen. "They traded Prince for (Ian) Kinsler and he's doing a great job from the leadoff spot setting the table for the monsters that are Miggy and Victor.

"I think we're equipped to compete with them. They have a lot of pieces, but so do we. I think this is going to be a battle for the division all the way to end of the season with a lot of teams."

The Tigers' formula for the sweep was a familiar one: power and good starting pitching. Detroit's three starters, Rick Porcello, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer (9-3, 3.71) combined to go 2-0 with 1.42 ERA (three earned runs in 19 innings).

Porcello, Justin Verlander and Scherzer combined to strikeout 19, walked four and allow 11 hits. The Royals did a number of Verlander and Scherzer in their last starts, but they recovered quickly, holding the Indians to three earned runs in 13 innings with 18 strikeouts and three walks.

The Indians' defense, which had played well recently, committed three more errors Sunday. Two of them, one each by Asdrubal Cabrera and Michael Bourn, came seven-run fifth.

It's just one more worry for an Indians' team as it tries to stay close to the Tigers and Royals in the Central.

At the World Cup yesterday, the United States and Portugal went back and forth for more than 90 minutes. With the US leading 2-1 and the game coming to a close, Portugal had one last shot.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- At the World Cup yesterday, the United States and Portugal went back and forth for more than 90 minutes. With the US leading 2-1 and the game coming to a close, Portugal had one last shot.

Cristiano Ronaldo set up his teammate beautifully for a header that tied the game at two and kept the United States out of the knockout round, at least for now.

The way pool play is set up, ties can happen and they earn each team one point. That will change as the tournament goes on.

I give my thoughts on why a tie should not be an acceptable result in sports, especially the World Cup.

You can download the MP3 or listen with the player to the right.

Be sure to follow Fedor on Twitter.

Cavaliers coach David Blatt's transition to the NBA may be eased a bit by his first preseason opponent -- Maccabi Tel Aviv, his former team.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cavaliers coach David Blatt will have a decided advantage in his first game.

When his new team opens the preseason on Oct. 5 at The Q, the Cavs will be facing Blatt's former team -- Euroleague champions Maccabi Tel Aviv. Though there have been references to the game in the past week or 10 days since Blatt left Israel, the formal announcement came Monday.

The Cavs complete preseason schedule, along with ticket information, will be released at a later date.

"I couldn't think of a better-scripted story than starting this new chapter in my life with a friendly game against my Maccabi Tel Aviv family," Blatt said in a press release issued by the Euroleague U.S. tour.

"It will definitely be an interesting game,'' said Guy Goodes, Blatt's former assistant coach who has taken over for him. "David obviously knows Maccabi's playbook inside and out, but the team is geared up to face our friend and mentor and will be coming out there to win. Knowing David, it's what he would demand of us."    

It will be the fifth time in nine years that Maccabi Tel Aviv represents the Euroleague during NBA preseason festivities. Maccabi Tel Aviv also will play at Brooklyn on Oct. 7 as part of the tour.

Maccabi has played 20 games against NBA clubs, including one in Cleveland in 2006. Maccabi was the first European club to play against an NBA team, edging the 1978 NBA champion Washington Bullets in Tel Aviv, 98-97.

In 2005, Maccabi became the first European team to beat an NBA squad on its home court by defeating the Toronto Raptors, 105-103, in the Air Canada Center.

In 2007, Maccabi set a Madison Square Garden record by being the first team to sell out a preseason NBA or NHL game.

Maccabi has gone 15-5 against the NBA teams.

A report released Monday detailing the handling of the Jerry Sandusky child molestation case faults police and prosecutors for long delays in bringing charges against the former Penn State assistant coach but found no evidence that politics affected the investigation.

HARRISBURG, Pa. — A report released Monday detailing the handling of the Jerry Sandusky child molestation case faults police and prosecutors for long delays in bringing charges against the former Penn State assistant coach but found no evidence that politics affected the investigation.

The report, commissioned by Attorney General Kathleen Kane and written by former federal prosecutor Geoff Moulton, blamed a three-year lapse in filing charges on communication problems, an expungement of a 1998 complaint about Sandusky and a failure to take certain investigative steps early on.

From PennLive.com:

• No political influence, but lousy investigating, report says

• Corbett responds to Kane's investigation

In this Jan. 10, 2013, file photo, former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky arrives at the Centre County Courthouse for a post-sentencing hearing in Bellefonte, Pa. The Associated Press 

"The facts show an inexcusable lack of urgency in charging and stopping a serial sexual predator," said Kane, a Democrat who had vowed to conduct a review of the investigation while running for office. "The report documents that more investigative work took place in just one month in 2011 than in all of either 2009 or 2010."

Then-Attorney General Tom Corbett, a Republican, was in the midst of his successful 2010 gubernatorial campaign during the Sandusky investigation.

Moulton said his review "revealed no direct evidence that electoral politics influenced any important decision made in the Sandusky investigation."

As a candidate in 2012, Kane said Corbett may have had a political motive to slow down the investigation, an assertion Corbett denied. The arrest of Sandusky led to the firing of longtime Penn State coach Joe Paterno while Corbett was serving as a university trustee.

"This investigation was never about politics," Corbett said in a statement Monday. "It was always about the people victimized by this man."

Sandusky was convicted in 2012 of sexually abusing 10 boys and is serving decades in prison.

At a news conference, Kane said her office knows of two young men victimized in the fall of 2009, after the attorney general took the case. But the lead prosecutors at trial disputed that claim, which was not part of Moulton's report.

"It is completely false," said Frank Fina, now with the Philadelphia district attorney's office.

One of those who testified at trial, described as Victim 9, said his contact with Sandusky ended in 2008 or 2009.

As for the time delay, the report said the lead prosecutor at the time, Jonelle Eshbach, hectored her bosses about the case during a stretch in 2010 when the probe was largely dormant.

Fina told reporters Eshbach agreed with others that the case would not succeed with just one victim.

Her lawyer disputed that.

"If that was true, why would her supervisors ask her to revise the (grand jury report) twice? Why would she repeatedly ask for permission from her supervisors to charge?" said her attorney, Ed Paskey.

Eshbach drafted a grand jury report in March 2010 based on the claims of a lone victim, but she spent much of the ensuing months — as Corbett won the primary — trying to get approval for the report.

"In the interim, no witnesses were interviewed, no witnesses testified in the grand jury and no grand jury subpoenas were issued," Moulton wrote. He said the basis for that decision was that one accuser's testimony wouldn't be enough to convict Sandusky and an acquittal would make it harder to file more charges later.

According to the report, prosecutors told Moulton they waited until 2011 to search Sandusky's home computer and subpoena child protective services records because they "believed that they were unlikely to be productive and would have risked publicly revealing the existence of the investigation."

The report said the investigation picked up steam two days after Corbett was elected governor in November 2010, when the Centre County prosecutor received an anonymous tip directing investigators to assistant football coach Mike McQueary, whose testimony eventually helped convict Sandusky.

Additional victims were identified, and on June 21, 2011, Sandusky's home was searched, producing photos and typewritten lists of children who participated in events at Sandusky's charity, The Second Mile, with some names highlighted.

More resources early on, including additional investigators, may not have speeded up the case, Moulton said, because the best leads in 2010 and early 2011 were not related to how many detectives were devoted to the matter.

He said decisions not to bring charges based solely on one accuser or, in June 2011, after three more witnesses had testified before a grand jury, "fit within acceptable bounds of prosecutorial discretion."

Moulton noted that if authorities had put together a broad-based team early on, it's possible someone may have known about or turned up a 1998 police investigation of Sandusky prompted by a mother's complaint that the coach had showered with her son.

Corbett said "electoral politics did not enter his thinking in any way," Moulton wrote, concluding the campaign donations Corbett received from people associated with The Second Mile do not appear to have affected the investigation.

The Moulton report cost the state about $180,000, Kane's office said.

Walsh Jesuit baseball team raised $40,000 for Ohio State's James Medical Center by hosting Showcase for the Cure.

CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio -- Walsh Jesuit's 2014 baseball campaign added one more piece of history.

There was already the fact that the Warriors finished the baseball season 26-1, including a North Coast League Championship and the Warrior's first Division I State Poll Championship in school history.

In their ninth annual Showcase for the Cure, which featured 125 of the top area prospects with 60 of the nation's top college coaches and scouts looking on, Walsh Jesuit raised its largest showcase donation in the event's history: $40,000.

That raises the nine-year grand total for cancer research to more than $200,000 to six different cancer-fighting charities. The $40,000 raised this year will go to Ohio State's James Medical Center.

The event also honored Walsh Jesuit baseball family member Chad Crawford, who passed away last fall after a battle with sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer.

Instead of players being charged to attend the showcase, which average about $150 per showcase, Walsh Jesuit coach Chris Kaczmar asked each attendee to make a donation toward cancer research. Donation also came from a corporate fair.

Ohio State baseball coach Greg Beals addressed the Showcase, giving a speech that encouraged all to look ahead to "the next pitch" and "the next challenge."

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.

As the Cavs were working on a contract with David Blatt to be the team's new head coach on Friday, they were also busy working out Duke's Jabari Parker.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As the Cavs were working on a contract with David Blatt to be the team's new head coach on Friday, they were also busy working out Duke's Jabari Parker.

The forward, who led Duke in scoring (19.1 points) in his one season, has been gaining steam lately as the possible No. 1 pick for the Cavs on Thursday night, especially after Kansas center Joel Embiid broke his foot. However, Parker's workout on Friday didn't go very well, according to ESPN.com's Chad Ford.

In his latest mock draft, Ford has a few nuggets about the workout and some information about the Cavs' draft plans.  

"Sources close to the Cavs told ESPN.com this weekend that the Cavs are now leaning toward taking Parker with the No. 1 pick. However, it's far from a lock. Parker came in to work out on Friday in front of the Cavs front office and ownership. Parker wasn't great. He was a bit heavy (he weighed in at 255 pounds), didn't shoot the ball well and got winded at times. Furthermore, two different sources told ESPN.com that Parker seemed a bit indifferent. One source said he thought Parker 'tanked' the workout.

Why? A source says he strongly prefers to play in Milwaukee. The Cavs appear to be aware of this. 'Jabari wasn't himself,' one source said. 'It was clear we weren't his first option."

Ford went on to say that Kansas' Andrew Wiggins, another player who will get consideration for the top pick, nailed his workout. According to Ford, Wiggins also made it known that he wants to be the top pick and he would like to play for the Cavs.

With Embiid's health likely taking him out of the mix, it could come down to Parker, who Ford has the Cavs selecting in his mock, or Wiggins.

The Cavs could also trade the top selection for a proven player given that the team's stated goal is to make it back to the playoffs for the first time since LeBron James left for Miami during the summer of 2010.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Indians are once again in the thick of a playoff race as they battle the Tigers, Royals and others for the AL Central crown or a wildcard spot. But are they contenders or pretenders? All summer, we're tracking your faith in Tribe in our 2014 Indians Believe-O-Meter. Today's average so far Here's how it works:...

William Neff

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Indians are once again in the thick of a playoff race as they battle the Tigers, Royals and others for the AL Central crown or a wildcard spot.

But are they contenders or pretenders?

All summer, we're tracking your faith in Tribe in our 2014 Indians Believe-O-Meter.

Here's how it works:

• Use the two sliding bars to rate how much you believe in the Indians with your heart and with your head.


• The average of the head and heart numbers provides your Believe-O-Meter score. You can also leave a comment.


• Your score and comment will be plotted on the chart below, along with those of the 99 fans who voted right before you.


• If you're on a mobile device, you'll need to tap the bars rather than slide. App users click here first.

The Believe-O-Meter gauge at the top of this page measures fan sentiment today, and will update every day throughout the season.

So, tell us: Do you believe?

Jabari Parker is the most polished scorer right now, but what is his best position? Andrew Wiggins is a natural small forward, but really needs work on offense.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- With the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft, the Cavaliers should select Andrew Wiggins...I think.

I know, what kind of opinion is that?

It's what happens when I finally decided that Joel Embiid was the right pick for the Cavs, but the Kansas center came down with a broken navicular bone in his foot.

Say No-No to anything having to do with a fractured navicular, especially when it's attached to a 7-footer who already has some questions about a cranky back.

So Embiid is out.

That leaves Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker.

I can make the case for ... and against ... both players.

Early in the season, I thought Parker was the best player in the draft. He is the safest bet to come into the NBA after a season, put up big scoring numbers and win the Rookie of the Year Award.

PARKER'S POSITION?

So what's wrong with Parker?

There's his size. He's listed at 6-foot-8 and 241 pounds. He supposedly weighed in at least 250 pounds at some workouts. He has a wonderful 7-foot wing span, but may battle weight problems.

Ideally, Parker should be a small forward. But Parker had lots of defensive issues at Duke, where he often played power forward -- and some center. It had to do with his lack of lateral quickness, not strength.

Jabari Parker scored 20 percent of his points in the low post, another 10 percent on offensive rebounds.AP 

This guy is a bull inside. He can post up and score. He has good hands. According to Draftexpress.com, about 20 percent of his points were when he had inside post position. Another 10 percent came when he snared offensive rebounds and put them back in the basket.

Parker is not the typical NBA small forward. He is a more talented Anthony Bennett, who had trouble finding a position, getting in shape and defending last season.

Parker's best position for the Cavs may be power forward for a team that plays uptempo and moves the ball.

Yes, the Cavs already have Tristan Thompson, Anderson Varejao and possibly Bennett as power forward candidates.

But Varejao will probably play center again, even if the Cavs re-sign 7-foot Spencer Hawes.

Thompson is a year away from restricted free agency. He is a role player, an energy guy with limited offensive skills.

At this point, not sure what to say of Bennett. Everything went wrong for the rookie from UNLV last year.

Parker as a power forward is a possibility, but the Cavs still would have a hole at small forward.

PARKER'S PROBLEMS

If the Cavs pick Parker, they must realize he's not the standard small forward. And he'll need a lot of defensive help, regardless of where he plays.

Take some time to study the 16-minute scouting videos of Parker and Wiggins on Draftexpress.com.

Parker often is lost when defending the pick-and-roll, and just gives up on the play. He's a force when getting the ball inside, but seems a bit soft when defending players in the low post.

He really struggles understanding some basic defensive concepts, something a few NBA executives have told me.

But he is a dynamic scorer, and does have a bit of Carmelo Anthony to his game.

But I'm very worried when a forward doesn't have a natural position. Another issue is that Parker is a "high usage" player, meaning he needs the ball to be effective.

If the Cavs do draft him, they may have to trade either Kyrie Irving or Dion Waiters. Both guards also are "high usage," and they struggle to play together. Add in a forward who needs the ball, and that will be real challenge for new coach David Blatt.

WIGGINS POSITION

Meanwhile, the 6-foot-8, 200-pound Wiggins is a natural fit at shooting guard or small forward. Check out these Draftexpress.com scouting videos.
He can do about everything on defense that troubles Parker. He's an excellent one-on-one defender. He seems to understand the basic concepts of team defense.

Seldom is a one-and-done college player (not a big man) near the top of the draft known for his defense -- but that's Wiggins. That also says something good about him, given how he's been hyped for years as the The Next Great Thing, the "Best prospect since LeBron James."

Others put him in the same sentence as Kevin Durant.

"Don't even think it," as my father used to say.

In his one season at Texas, Durant averaged 25.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, shooting .473 from the field and .404 on 3-pointers.

No college player could hope to defend him, and few have been able to do that in the NBA. He was a Hall of Fame caliber scorer from the moment he stepped on a pro court.

When James left Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary, there was only one question about him: Would he be a very good pro, or one of the All-time greats? No one doubted he was the best pick in the draft in 2003 -- and no one doubts it now.

It's unfair to put Wiggins in the same discussion with James or Durant.

Andrew Wiggins has more physical gifts than Parker in terms of speed and leaping ability.AP 

At Kansas, Wiggins  averaged 17.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, shot .448 from the field, .341 on 3-pointers.

Wiggins is at his best in the open court. He glides. He takes huge steps. He soars. He scores on the fast break.

But in the half-court offense, there are some glaring flaws. He rarely goes to his left. Parker can drive with either hand.

Of course, Wiggins can practice and develop his ball handling -- especially the left hand -- but it's shockingly sad at the moment. Overall, his ball handling skills are iffy. He is quick when driving in a straight line, but change of direction (and hands) while dribbling is a concern.

He tends to fade away and/or not always have his feet set when taking his jump shot. His outside shot is not hopeless, but needs serious improvement.

Parker is far more polished, averaging 19.1 points and 8.7 rebounds, shooting .472 from the field, .358 on 3-pointers. But the fact that Hall of Fame Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski couldn't coax him into better defense is a concern.

BOTTOM LINE

Wiggins is better suited for the current Cavs roster. He can take over at small forward. His pressure defense will be a blessing to new coach David Blatt, who will use it wisely. He doesn't need to dominate the ball because he can score in transition.

But when the game slows down, so will Wiggins' production on offense.

Some scouts see Wiggins as passive on offense, just as some scouts see Parker as lazy on defense.

Can Andrew Wiggins become another Paul George with some patience? Here is George, now a 21-point scorer with the Pacers. But he averaged only 7.8 points as a rookie.AP 

New Cavs General Manager David Griffin loves to talk about "fit." One of his biggest concerns is how Irving and Waiters can blend together, because their games have so much in common in terms of needing the ball.

If the Cavs draft Parker and realize that he may need to play at least some power forward each game -- and then also trade one of their guards, it may work.

But just to grab Parker and put him at small forward on this team could be a significant mistake.

That's why I lean in the direction of Wiggins. He may not be the better player than Parker this season, but he could an excellent addition to the Cavs now and a very productive player (much like Indiana's Paul George) in a few years.   

George averaged 7.8 points as a rookie, followed by 12.1, 17.4 and 21.7 this past season. If Wiggins can do anything approaching that, the Cavs will have made the right decision with the young man from Kansas.

Chris Fedor anchors the news for June 23, 2014.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Chris Fedor anchors the news for Monday, June 23.

Here are links to the stories mentioned in the video above:

• Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument vandalized; culprits could face federal charges (video, slideshow)

• First of two men found shot dead in car Sunday identified

• Couple jumps from window to escape flames in Bedford house fire (video)

Plus, get more sports updates and the weather for today when you hit play.

It's Monday. And here are 5 Moore Observations from cleveland.com's Glenn Moore.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Monday, Monday.

Johnny Manziel had a quiet weekend. (PD photo)

So good to meet you Juan Pablo[?] [?] [?] [?] day is made[?] [?] @JuanPaGalavis pic.twitter.com/voZ42QuqKn

— Amber Panik (@AmberPanik) June 22, 2014

Defensive end Shane Simmons of Hyattsville (Md.) DaMatha posted an interesting split photo of him wearing Ohio State and Penn State jerseys. He visited both schools this week.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State already has an oral commitment from a product of Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic in the 2015 recruiting class in safety Tyler Green. Urban Meyer would like to add another for 2016. 

That prospect is defensive end Shane Simmons, a junior prospect with nearly 25 scholarship offers, including ones from Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Maryland, Miami (Fla.), Ohio State, Penn State, Texas A&M and others. 

Though Simmons hasn't yet been rated by Rivals.com, it's clear that he's already one of the most coveted players in the 2016 recruiting classes. 

He took a visits to Ohio State and Penn State this week and posted an interesting split picture of him in both Buckeyes and Nittany Lions jerseys. 

???[?] ??? pic.twitter.com/SFgJ9z2JNa

— [?]Shane enahS[?] (@Shizzeee_) June 23, 2014

The Cavaliers have hired Tyronn Lue as associate head coach to David Blatt. The two were the finalists for the Cavs head coaching job that went to Blatt on Friday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers coaching search came down to finalists David Blatt and Tyronn Lue. Three days after naming Blatt their head coach, the Cavaliers named Lue associate head coach on Monday.

"Over the past several weeks, it became clear that Ty could play a key role in our team's future success,'' general manager David Griffin said in a press release issued by the team. "Ty fits our culture and vision for the franchise. His successful experience as both a player and coach is going to help us tremendously.''

Lue, 37, played 11 seasons in the league, appearing in 554 career games with the Los Angeles Lakers, Washington, Orlando, Houston, Atlanta, Dallas and Milwaukee. The former University of Nebraska star played on the 2000 and 2001 Lakers teams that won NBA championships in 2000 and 2001. While Blatt has had a successful coaching career in Europe, he has never coached in the NBA so building a staff full of experienced assistants will be key.

"I could not be happier that Ty will be joining the Cavaliers coaching staff as my top assistant,'' Blatt said in the release. "I look forward to leveraging all of his experiences and expertise into our team's development. This is a character guy and winner himself who played and worked with some of the greatest talents and successful leaders in NBA history. I am thrilled to have him by my side as we get to work in Cleveland.''

Lue has worked with coach Doc Rivers for five seasons, including four in Boston.

"First, I wouldn't be in the position to make this career move and advancement without the deep support, mentorship and friendship that I have received and enjoyed from Doc Rivers,'' Lue said in the released. "I want to thank Doc for helping prepare me so well for this next step and challenge.

"Cleveland is a great opportunity. I am looking forward to joining coach Blatt, David Griffin and the entire Cavaliers organization at a very exciting and promising time for the franchise. Through numerous discussions with David and Griff, I felt Cleveland is a great situation for me. I believe my background will help me play a key part in helping achieve the vision that the leadership of this franchise has for its team. I can't wait to get to work with Coach Blatt and our players.''

No announcement has been made on the status of any of the team's current assistant coaches. But as the coaching hierarchy comes into the shape, the Cavs also are focusing on the 2014 NBA draft on Thursday. They have the No. 1 pick and, if they keep it, they likely are deciding between Kansas forward Andrew Wiggins and Duke forward Jabari Parker.