Elyria DB Michael Church heads to Indianapolis for national camp in the July 31 in 31 football series.

ELYRIA, Ohio – When you talk to Elyria’s cornerback Michael Church, his coach and his mom, you get the same vibe. The senior earns every snap that he’s out on the field. 

“When he enjoys something, he puts everything into it,” Church’s mom, Tracy, said. “He’ll set a goal and do everything he can to reach it, and he does. It’s so impressive to me.”

Every day in July, check out a profile featuring one of the many standout football players in Northeast Ohio as part of the 31 in 31 series.

Church even throws energy into things he doesn’t enjoy as much, like running track.

As a middle school kid, Church played basketball and football and ran track. His freshman year of high school, he gave up track, but then later found his way back to the sport his sophomore year at Elyria.

He joined for a purpose, and that purpose was that he wanted to get faster on the football field.

“Mike came to me and said, ‘Coach, what can I do to get a little faster?’ I said, run track,” Elyria’s football coach Kevin Fell said. “You get stronger, you get better, and he did. And then he had some success (on the track), so it’s worked out for him.”

In fact, Church made it to state in June for track. It was a goal of his this year. The fact that track is individual-based makes it easier to get to state than football, Church said, and is a reason the sport isn’t so bad at times. 

“You can mess up your time (with one misstep). It’s a lot of pressure – one and done, there’s no other chance. With football, you get another snap,” Church said about his feelings for track. “(But) I liked track when we made it to state. That helped a lot.”

Once summer came, though, it was back to football. Church has been spending his time at camps for colleges, and then decided to go to Avon’s seven-on-seven camp – a camp that is a path to the NFL national camp held in Indianapolis. The camps started with 1,500 kids trying out in Ohio.

After the Avon camp, where Church snagged eight interceptions, he was picked to advance to the FirstEnergy Stadium camp. From that camp, 12 kids were picked to advance to nationals, which was his goal this year, he told his mom. 

At that camp, Church had seven interceptions, including THE one. 

“Michael told his camp coach he was going to get an interception, and then the next play he went out there and got his interception,” Tracy said. “The guy (who invites kids to Indianapolis) went up to him and said, ‘You just got your invitation to nationals.’”

With the invitation in hand, Church left with his family on Sunday for the experience. 

There is an entire camp playbook that Church has been studying for, just another example of his dedication. And though there won’t be college coaches in Indianapolis watching, Church is just worried about doing well at something he wanted and put the work in for.

“I don’t know where I’m going to go yet (for college). I’m trying to find a home,” Church said. “Indianapolis is what I’m worried about right now.”

More about Michael Church:

Height: 5-foot-8

Weight: 170 pounds

Position: Defensive back

Grade: Senior

2013 stats: 34 tackles, two interceptions.

College commitment/offers: Akron, Eastern Michigan.

Awards/Honors: N/A.

Contact high school sports reporter Lexi Pluym by email (apluym@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@LexiPluym). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – From local kid and backup quarterback fans chanted for to an unprecedented trade that kick-started the Browns' best season since 1999, Charlie Frye certainly had a rollercoaster ride in Cleveland. But it turned out to be a short ride, lasting just two seasons and a game. Frye is No. 9 on our list as we look...

CLEVELAND, Ohio – From local kid and backup quarterback fans chanted for to an unprecedented trade that kick-started the Browns' best season since 1999, Charlie Frye certainly had a rollercoaster ride in Cleveland.

But it turned out to be a short ride, lasting just two seasons and a game.

Frye is No. 9 on our list as we look back at all the Browns' starting quarterbacks since 1999. Here is a look at his career highlights and lowlights and what he's been doing since his Cleveland days.

Charlie Frye, 2005-2007

6-13 as a Browns starter

Before the Browns

Frye, from Willard, Ohio, set 54 school records at the University of Akron, where he threw for 11,049 yards and 64 touchdowns. He became the third Mid-American Conference quarterback throw for at least 2,000 yards in four consecutive seasons. He was also MVP of the Senior Bowl.

How he came to the Browns

Team chose him as the No. 67 overall pick (third round) in the 2005 draft.

Browns highlights

Frye's best performance as Browns quarterback may have come in his first career start, a Week 13 loss to Jacksonville. Despite the 20-14 final score, Frye finished 13-of-20 for 226 yards, two touchdowns passes to Braylon Edwards and no interceptions. The 136.7 quarterback rating would remain the highest of his career.

After starting the final five games of 2005 (the team went 2-3), Frye was named starter the following season. He completed 22-of-32 for three touchdowns and two interceptions in a 24-21 comeback win over Oakland in Week 4, when the Browns erased a 21-3 second-quarter deficit.

The Browns were 3-8 when they faced Kansas City at home. Frye was in sync in the first half, completing 11-of-13 passes for 122 yards and a touchdown. He had a 131.4 rating at halftime. But an injury sustained on the first series of the game sidelined Frye at halftime, allowing Derek Anderson to lead the team to the 31-28 overtime win.

Browns lowlights

With just six wins in 19 starts for Frye, the bad times far outweighed the good times. But two lowlights from Frye's career with the Browns are hard to forget.

The first came in a 30-0 home loss to Cincinnati in Week 12 of the 2006 season. After throwing the third of his four interceptions that day against the NFL's lowest-ranked defense, Frye and Edwards had a confrontation on the sideline. At one point, running back Reuben Droughns stepped in to separate them. Frye finished 18-of-29 for 186 yards and a passer rating of 40.9.

The second lowlight came in what would become Frye's final game with the Browns. After going 4-for-10 with an interception and five sacks, he was pulled in the second quarter of the 2007 opener against Pittsburgh, a 34-7 loss. Anderson replaced Frye and started the rest of the season as the Browns won the most games (10) since their return in 1999, a mark that still stands.

How he left the Browns

In a stunning move, Frye was traded to Seattle for a sixth-round pick two days after the 2007 season opener. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Frye was the first quarterback since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger to start Week 1 and be traded before Week 2.

After the Browns

Frye played in just five more NFL games, starting four, after being traded. He signed with Oakland in 2009 and faced the Browns, led by Anderson, in Week 14. Frye threw for 333 yards but was picked off three times in the 23-9 Browns win. A wrist injury ended his season, and career, in 2010.

What he's doing now

Frye is a physical education teacher and assistant football at Wekiva High School in Florida. Frye is on the staff of former Browns defensive end Kenard Lang.

The seven-year veteran is heading into the final year of his deal with the Browns.

BEREA, Ohio – The final day of Browns' spring practice dawned muggy and cloudless.

Hours from the start of a six-week vacation, veterans were afforded no escape from the heat. Not that Ahtyba Rubin sought one. While almost all his teammates trained in shorts, the versatile defensive lineman wore brown sweatpants, allowing him to baste in his juices.

Asked about the uncomfortable sight, linebacker Barkevious Mingo shook his head and told how Rubin has been known to wear a hood underneath his helmet on warm days.

"That's the way I work, man," Rubin said on June 12. "Gotta get that sweat, that lather going. That's the way I kind of practice.

"For me, it's work hard, weight room and come out here and bust my butt."

Rubin isn't the flashiest or most decorated Brown, but only perennial All Pro left tackle Joe Thomas is more tenured in the locker room.

A sixth-round draft pick from Iowa State in 2008, Rubin has survived roster purges and franchise upheaval with a relentless approach to his craft. New coaching staffs always want their own players and yet Rubin, 27, has earned his place with Mike Pettine just as he did with Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, Pat Shurmur and Rob Chudzinski.

"He's a guy who you can count on every play to give his all," Mingo said. "I remember (former defensive coordinator Ray Horton) pointing out on film how Rubin was running past defensive backs down field to make tackles. He never quits on a play."

The 6-foot-2, 325-pounder leads by example on a defensive line that remains the team's best and deepest unit. Known primarily for his hustle and run-stopping prowess, Rubin recorded 52 tackles and two sacks in 14 games last season while leading all Browns defensive linemen with 632 snaps.

But entering the final season of a four-year, $26.5 million deal, his long-term future with the club is uncertain. The Browns have youngsters in their line rotation – John Hughes, 25, Billy Winn, 25, Armonty Bryant, 24, and Ishmaa'ily Kitchen, 24 – still on their rookie contracts.

Pro Football Focus rated Rubin as the Browns' third "most overvalued" player behind Desmond Bryant and D'Qwell Jackson last season. In February, Pro Football Talk cited a league source saying Rubin, due $6.6 million this year, could be released or asked to take a pay cut. Neither has transpired.

"It's business and I know there are decisions that need to be made," he said. "All I can control is how hard I work . . . One of my goals is to finish my career with the Cleveland Browns, but you never know."

Rubin became the longest-serving member of the Browns defense after the organization released Jackson in February. The inside linebacker was the undisputed locker-room leader, but the club balked at paying him a $4.1 million roster bonus.

The voices of cornerback Joe Haden and safety Donte Whitner likely will replace Jackson's, particularly on defense. Rubin, meanwhile, does his best work quietly mentoring the young linemen who someday soon could replace him.

Armonty Bryant said Rubin frequently checked with him before practice last season to see if the then-rookie had questions or wanted to hone techniques off to the side.

"I do what I can to talk to the young guys if they need any advice," Rubin said. "I'm here if they need me."

Since joining the Browns he's played virtually every line position in the 3-4 and 4-3 alignments. He's expected to line up at end again this fall with a focus on stuffing the run.

The Browns finished ninth in total defense last season, surrendering 332.4 yards per game, but the stat is misleading given their 4-12 record. The unit struggled on third downs and in the red zone while also failing to protect leads in the season's second half.

Rubin believes Whitner and inside linebacker Karlos Dansby, a pair of free-agent acquisition with Super Bowl experience, should not only improve the defense, but make it more physical.

"They're both very smart and respected in the league," Rubin said. "I've been here for seven years and this is the biggest group of heavy hitters we've had in a long time.

"We've just got to find a way to finish. The additions that we made with some of the older guys I think we're going to eliminate some of that not finishing in the fourth quarter. We've got guys who know how to close out games."

With another coaching staff to impress and an eye toward a future contract, Rubin seemed to take an almost monastic view of his summer break.

"I'm just going to open up this playbook and make sure I stay out of trouble," he said. "I can't wait to get back at full go."

That's Ahtyba Rubin for you -- never afraid to let people see him sweat.

Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer has a Hokies team that is one of Ohio State's biggest challenges in 2014. How good Virginia Tech turns out to be could be resting on Texas Tech quarterback Transfer Michael Brewer's shoulders.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Our series breaking down the 12 Ohio State regular-season opponents for 2014 is really getting serious, especially now that we've reached the top two. 

Though Virginia Tech has had a few down years, the Hokies have been a traditional power under head coach Frank Beamer and will be one of the toughest tests for the Buckeyes in 2014. We give Virginia Tech an 11 percent chance to beat Ohio State. 

Virginia Tech Hokies

2013 record: 8-5, 5-3, second place in the ACC's Coastal Division.

Bowl: Defeated by UCLA, 42-12, in the Sun Bowl. 

Returning starters: 11 (seven offense, four defense).

Vs. Ohio State: Sept. 6, 8:00 p.m., at Ohio Stadium, game 2 for the Buckeyes.

Week before the OSU game: Ohio State's biggest nonconference matchup of 2014 comes in week two for both teams, but the Buckeyes have a harder test in their opener with a road in Baltimore's M&T Stadium against Navy. Virginia Tech won't be challenged in its opener when it hosts William & Mary on Aug. 30. 

Chances to beat Ohio State: 11 percent. Though Virginia Tech probably has as much raw talent as any of the Buckeyes' 2014 opponents, there are just too many questions for the Hokies on both sides of the ball to expect them to come in and knock off the Buckeyes in Columbus in week two. It likely won't be as lopsided as Virginia Tech's 35-10 loss to Alabama during last season's nonconference schedule, but the Hokies haven't come far enough since last year to expect different results in this year's premier nonconference matchup. 

How they could compete with Ohio State: Virginia Tech isn't the only one going through change, but the one thing the Hokies cannot afford are catastrophic mistakes like they had against Alabama last year. Though the score seemed like a blowout, Virginia Tech allowed two special teams touchdowns and a defensive touchdown - 21 points that made the game seem much more of a reach than it actually was. Ohio State has some defensive questions, so if Virginia Tech can come in and sustain some early drives and avoid mistakes, it could be a close game. 

On their offense: Last season Virginia Tech's offense is what kept them from being a team that competed at the highest level, averaging a total of 356.0 yards per game (101st nationally) and 22.5 points (99th). Perhaps that's because it's been a while since Virginia Tech has had a reliable quarterback, and there will still be a battle at the position heading into fall camp. However, the burden to perform will likely be on the Hokies' strong running backs - Trey Edmunds and JC Coleman. 

Offensive player to watch: Quarterback Michael Brewer, a transfer from Texas Tech, has given Virginia Tech some hope under center. Redshirt sophomore Brendan Motley and fifth-year senior Mark Leal didn't do much to take the job in the spring, so there's opportunity for Brewer to come in during the fall and change the culture of the Hokies offense. At Texas Tech last season he threw only 10 passes, but his strong arm and history in a strong passing offense could make for a big difference. 

On their defense: With a porous offense, Virginia Tech punched its ticket to the postseason a year ago because it had a defense that ranked No. 4 nationally in total defense with (283.6 yards per game) and No. 11 in scoring defense (19.3 points per game). Here's where it gets tricky - Virginia Tech only welcomes back four starters to that unit, and the front seven lost six starters. 

Defensive player to watch: Cornerback Kendall Fuller had an outstanding true freshman season a year ago, and now returns as one of the most integral pieces to the Hokies defense. A player who has a chance to be one of the best defensive backs to come through Blacksburg under head coach Frank Beamer, Fuller is on the preseason watch lists for the Bednarik (defensive player of the year), Nagurski (D-POY) and Thorpe (top defensive back). Last season he led Virginia Tech with six interceptions and, was a second-team All-ACC pick and the ACC's Defensive Freshman of the Year.

Projection: Virginia Tech had eight consecutive 10-win seasons, but the program could be headed in a negative direction as Beamer's career hits the final run. In the last two seasons Virginia Tech has managed to win only 15 total games. So it's hard to imagine that the Hokies, though a bowl team again in 2014, is going to come into Columbus and hand a deep and talented Ohio State team a loss. Everything is riding on the quarterback position for Virginia Tech, and with it still unproven, that's not a great place to be. 

Ranking the Ohio State 2014 opponents

No. 12 Kent State, 0.5 percent chance: Breakdown -- 5 expert questions 

No. 11 Rutgers, 2 percent chance: Breakdown -- 5 expert questions

No. 10 Illinois, 2 percent chance: Breakdown -- 5 expert questions

No. 9 Minnesota, 3 percent chance: Breakdown -- 5 expert questions

No. 8 Indiana, 3 percent chance: Breakdown -- 5 expert questions

No. 7 Maryland, 3 percent chance: Breakdown -- Expert questions 

No. 6 Navy, 4 percent chance: Breakdown 

No. 5 Cincinnati, 5 percent chance: Breakdown -- 5 expert questions

No. 4 Penn State, 9 percent chance: Breakdown -- 5 expert questions

No. 3 Michigan, 10 percent chance: Breakdown -- 5 expert questions

No. 2 Virginia Tech, 11 percent chance: Breakdown -- 5 expert questions 

Jeff Samardzija can't play in this year's All-Star game, but he's an All-Star nonetheless.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Jeff Samardzija is like a lot of us. He doesn't really know where he belongs.

The National League Chicago Cubs traded him to the American League Oakland A's on July 5 along with Jason Hammel. The next day the All-Star teams were announced with Samardzija making the NL team.

At a time of celebration, Samardzija was a man without a country or league. He was no longer a National Leaguer and he was not an All-Star in the eyes of the American League even though six of his new teammates were going to the All-Star game.

"It's a unique situation," said Samardzija.

MLB ruled that 6-5 right-hander was ineligible for the All-Star game. Tony Clark, executive director of the players association, contacted him and told him the situation had never happened before, but that he should go to the game and enjoy himself.

So that's what he's trying to do.

"I know I'm not going to pitch so my anxiety level is at an all-time low," said Samardzija. "I'm going to try to get to know the guys and enjoy some big league baseball."

Samardzija said he would start by talking to the National League players he's competed against for the last 6 1/2 years and thank them for voting him onto the All-Star team.

"I'll show my respect to the players who brought me to the All-Star game," he said. "I do owe them. I'll be sure to shake their hands. Once the ball starts flying and home field advantage is on the line Tuesday night, it's pretty clear who I'll be rooting for."

Asked if he would be willing to pitch the top half of one inning for the AL and the bottom half of the same inning for the NL, Samardzija said, "Do I get warm up pitches in between is the question?"

As for joining the AL West leading A's, Samardzija said, "I kind of walked into a buzz saw in that dugout and clubhouse. They're fun. They're gamers. They come to play every day and their main goal is that day.

"They're not worried about what happened the day before or who they're facing the next day. It's all about that day and doing what they can do to win that game."

Right on: Ask any GM and they'll tell you that a right-handed power hitter is one of the hardest kind of players to find.

Yet in the starting All-Star lineups, there are only one two left-handed hitters, Seattle' Robinson Cano for the AL and Philadelphia's Chase Utley for the NL.

"It's a surprise," said AL manager John Farrell. "As much talk within our industry as right-handed power is so hard to find, there are eight in each lineup.  It's a pretty unique set of circumstances."

Lead the way: Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter, playing in his last All-Star game, will leadoff for the AL.

Farrell did not do it by accident.

"We are able to celebrate a player who is not only a champion, but a guy that sets the bar that I think all players should aspire to," said Farrell. "No doubt he's a Hall of Famer."

This will be Jeter's 14^th All-Star game. He is retiring after this season.

Positive thoughts: Closer Aroldis Chapman rejoined the Reds on May 11 after being hit in the face by a line drive in a spring training game. Chapman needed surgery, but he went into the All-Star break with a 0-2 record, 2.12 ERA, 21 saves and 60 strikeouts and 10 walks in 29 2/3 innings.

"One of the big things I had to have was a positive mind," said Chapman, through an interpreter. "I always think positive things. I always say, 'It is going to be impossible for this to happen to me again.' Every single thought was positive. My mind always said, 'This is going to be OK.'"

The Indians optioned starting pitcher Zach McAllister to Triple-A on Tuesday, though the right-hander might not be down for long. The team has not made a corresponding move to fill the 25th spot on the active roster.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians optioned starting pitcher Zach McAllister to Triple-A on Tuesday, though the right-hander might not be down for long. The team has not made a corresponding move to fill the 25th spot on the active roster.

The Tribe's rotation is unsettled at the moment. Trevor Bauer is slated to start the series opener Friday in Detroit. Corey Kluber is scheduled to start one game of Saturday's double header.

Josh Tomlin is a good bet to start Sunday's series finale. T.J. House, who will pitch for Class A Mahoning Valley on Wednesday, has already been announced as Monday's starter by manager Terry Francona.

If Danny Salazar pitches the second game Saturday, as had been hinted by Francona, that would leave the Indians without a rested starter for next Tuesday. Justin Masterson, sidelined with a sore right knee, is not eligible to return from the disabled list until next Wednesday. McAllister is not permitted to be recalled for 10 days, unless it is to replace an injured player on the roster.

However, McAllister could pitch one of Saturday's games as the 26th man without violating the 10-day rule. That could place Salazar in line to toe the rubber on Tuesday.

McAllister limited the White Sox to three runs on four hits and two walks over seven innings in Saturday's 6-2 loss. He has compiled a 3-5 record and 5.63 ERA in 11 outings this season.

Commissioner Bud Selig talks Chief Wahoo and the Indians' poor attendance.

MINNEAPOLIS – Commissioner Bud Selig said any decision about the Indians changing their Chief Wahoo logo will have to be made by the team itself.

"The club has to make that decision," said Selig, on Tuesday at his annual All-Star Game press conference with the Baseball Writers Association of America. "I have never had anyone call me to raise an issue.

"I know that for years the Indians have done polls and studies and they kept telling me there was no problem (with the logo). The Atlanta Braves have done the same thing. That's a situation where you have to have faith in the people on the club who are making the decision. "

Native American groups annually protest during the season against the Indians' name and use of Chief Wahoo. It has been more persistent this season in connection with protests against the NFL's Washington Redskins.

Indians owner Paul Dolan is on record as saying the team will continue to use Chief Wahoo as one of its logos.

On another Cleveland issue, Selig was asked about the Indians' poor attendance at Progressive Field. They went into the break ranked 29^th out of MLB's 30 teams at 864,896. Tampa Bay was the only team to draw fewer fans.

Last year when the Indians won 92 games and won the first wild-card spot in the postseason, they finished second last in attendance as well, drawing 1,572,926. Tampa Bay was the only club below them.

"I love Cleveland and I am aware of their attendance," said Selig. "Cleveland has a wonderful history and I have a lot of memories there.

"I know they're working hard. I have faith in the Dolans and I certainly have faith in Mark (Shapiro, team president). They're still in contention so hopefully they'll pick up."

The Indians went into the break at .500.

"They've had some tough years and sometimes it takes a while to come back," said Selig. "But they're optimistic and hopefully their optimism is well founded."

Selig was much more critical of the Rays' situation.

"The demographics there are good," he said. "It's obvious what they need ... a new ballpark."

In an interesting twist, Selig was asked about Montreal drawing 90,000 fans for two exhibition games between the Mets and Blue Jays at the end of spring training this year. The Montreal Expos, who turned into the Washington Nationals, played in Montreal from 1969 through 2004.

"Montreal made a great impression," said Selig, "but there's still much work to be done. I have no hard feeling toward Montreal."

This could be the year that the Big Ten, Pac-12 or ACC overtakes the SEC as the nation's elite college football conference.

HOOVER, Ala. -- During Mississippi State's summer workouts, returning starting quarterback Dak Prescott was one of a handful of veteran Bulldogs who helped run daily sessions he said the entire team has embraced.

"There's a feeling that we want to get better, we are accountable to each other and nobody wants to be the reason we don't do well," Prescott said Tuesday at SEC Media Days.

It's the kind of proven, established leadership one would think a team would need from a quarterback whose credibility comes from the fact that he's been through the wars, and with some success.

For a coach, having a proven starter back at the position is "relieving," the word of choice for Florida coach Will Muschamp, who has a senior starter back in Jeff Driskel.

With the SEC having lost seven of its top eight starting quarterbacks from last season in terms of both pass efficiency (all but Auburn's Nick Marshall) and passing yards (all but Ole Miss' Bo Wallace), one might think the league could be ready to take a tumble from its perch as the country's best conference.

Braxton Miller gives Ohio State something that most SEC teams don't have this season -- a returning starter at quarterback. (AP Photo/Jeff Haynes, File) 

After all, the Big Ten (Braxton Miller of Ohio State and Christian Hackenberg of Penn State), the Pac-12 (Marcus Mariota of Oregon and Brett Hundley of UCLA), the ACC (reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston), and the Big 12 (Bryce Petty of Baylor) all have established stars back at the most important position.

But how important is it, really?

Maybe not as important as you think. Take Auburn, which would laugh at the notion that you need a veteran quarterback to win big. The Tigers' two trips to the BCS championship game in the last four years have been with junior college transfers in their first (and in Cam Newton's case, only) year with the team.

"Some of the (current SEC quarterbacks) haven't put up the numbers or won the championships some of these guys in the past have," Driskel said. But there's always been talent in the SEC, it's just a matter of who's going to make plays this year. You get guys that end up being household names that weren't at the beginning of the year."

So, for now, Vanderbilt linebacker Adam Butler thinks Driskel, with a modest 14 career touchdowns and 10 interceptions in a season-plus as a starter (he missed most of last seasons after breaking his leg) is the best quarterback in the league. And while that's a little surprising, considering Marshall and Prescott both had good seasons last year as starters, is it also a reflection of a poor state of SEC quarterbacking?

Maybe not.

Consider these facts:

1. Auburn's Nick Marshall not only had not started a game for the Tigers prior to leading Auburn to the SEC championship in 2013, he did not practice in the spring.

2. Alabama's AJ McCarron won a national championship as a first-year starter as a sophomore in 2011, but did not win either a national title or an SEC title as a senior in 2013.

3. Johnny Manziel won the Heisman Trophy as a redshirt freshman, first-year starting quarterback in 2012. He did not win the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore before leaving for the NFL.

4. The player who beat Manziel for the 2013 Heisman was Jameis Winston, another freshman.

5. Of the nine SEC teams that reached the BCS championship game during the league's streak of eight straight years of placing at least one team in the title game, four had first-year starting quarterbacks, including three national champions (Newton, McCarron and LSU's Matt Flynn in 2007).

Following the addition of LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers knew they needed two things to boost the roster: shooters and veterans. With the reported addition of Mike Miller, the Cavs have found a player who checks both boxes.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- Following the addition of LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers knew they needed two things to boost the roster: shooters and playoff-tested, experienced players. With the reported addition of Mike Miller, the Cavs have found a player who checks both boxes.

Multiple reports say the sharpshooter will sign with the Cavs, turning down more money from the Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks and other teams that were interested in him this off-season. ESPN first reported the deal. It's reportedly a two-year contract worth $5.5 million, which includes a player option following the first season.

Miller, 34, will be reunited with James. The two friends arrived in Miami together in 2010, and Miller gutted through injuries to help the Heat win two titles before being released prior to the season in a salary-related move.

Miller averaged 7.1 points in 82 regular-season games with the Memphis Grizzlies this past season. He made nearly 46 percent of his three-point attempts and is 40 percent behind the arc for his career while averaging 11.8 points in 15 seasons.

It didn't take long for Miller to show his excitement on Instagram, with a message for Cavs fans. 

"Thanks to Memphis for a great year!! But I'm so excited to be a part of the Cleveland family and their fans," Miller posted. The only thing you can expect from me is everything I have! Thanks for the opportunity."

For the sixth straight year Foiled Again, the grand old man of harness racing and the richest standardbred in the history of the sport, will lead a premier field of eight older pacers in Northfield Park's 29th annual $150,000 Battle of Lake Erie on Saturday night.

NORTHTFIELD, Ohio – For the sixth straight year Foiled Again, the grand old man of harness racing and the richest standardbred in the history of the sport, will lead a field of eight older pacers in Northfield Park's 29^th annual $150,000 Battle of Lake Erie on Saturday night.

A member of Pennsylvania's powerhouse Burke Racing Stable and trained by Ron Burke, Foiled Again will chase his third victory in the Battle of Lake Erie. The 10-year-old bay gelding won it in 2009 and 2011 with Matt Kakaley at the helm. Foiled Again has 80 career wins and more than $6.3 million in earnings.

While the veteran pacer has somehow managed to keep racing at a premier level – he has been favored in the Battle of Lake Erie for five straight years – Burke isn't sure he's the horse to beat this time around. Foiled Again's stable mate, Clear Vision, has been having a terrific season, said Burke, and drew a much better post position. Clear Vision has the No. 4 post, while Foiled Again has the No. 7 slot.

"The No. 7 hole wasn't the spot I was looking for," said Burke by telephone from The Meadows Racetrack in Washington, Pa., his home base. "Clear Vision is a great horse, too, and driver Brett Miller gets the most out of him. Brett's won this race a couple of times, and he's having a breakout year as a driver."

Once a Northfield regular, Miller captured the Battle of Lake Erie in 2005 and 2007 with Maltese Artist. Hall of Fame driver Yannick Gingras will fly to Northfield on Saturday to handle Foiled Again after racing at The Meadows in the afternoon in The Adios elimination races.

Foiled Again has surprised the competition yet again this season in winning four of 12 races this year against the toughest older pacers in the country.

"Foiled Again is a very sound horse, but a very light horse," said Burke. "That he is so small in stature has helped him to stay sound. And he still acts like a young colt, jumping around and enjoying himself. Foiled Again very much into racing, enjoys being out on the track and gets excited before a race."

Burke doesn't have to warn the competition that Foiled Again likes the tight confines of a half-mile racetrack such as Northfield Park's banked Flying Turns. Or that Gingras is in full control when they team up behind the starting gate.

"Yannick knows he can ask things of Foiled Again that other people don't believe he can do," said Burke. "He's a horse that always seems to rise to the occasion."

Burke is the country's leading trainer by a wide margin with 551 wins this year and almost $10.7 million in earnings. He was the first trainer to win more than $20 million in a season, reaching an astronomical $23.23 million last year with a stable of more than 250 horses, including a few racing at Northfield Park.

"Northfield is a wonderful track and, with the new racino and increased purses, Ohio has become a viable place to race our better horses," he said. "Northfield has the most exciting racing in the country. There is no other track where they race as hard as they do at Northfield, and compete every step of the mile."

Completing the Battle of Lake Erie field are Night Pro, Beach Memories, Bolt The Duer, Fool Me Once, Twilight Bonfire and Apprentice Hanover. Bolt The Duer won the Cleveland Classic for three-year-old pacers at Northfield Park in 2012 and Apprentice Hanover won it last year.

"The Battle field is a really good group of horses from top to bottom," said Dave Bianconi, executive vice president of racing and simulcasting. "It's also part of a very rich card of races, with $545,500 in purses on Saturday. We have nine Ohio Sires Stakes races for three-year-olds and two-year-olds, each with a $40,000 purse.

Foiled Again is a 10-year-old pacer that still acts like a young colt, said trainer Ron Burke of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.U.S. Trotting Association 

The 29^th Battle of Lake Erie

What: The 29th $150,000 Battle of Lake Erie is a 1-mile stakes race for older pacers. The field is limited to the top eight money-winners in 2013-2014.

When: Saturday at approximately 10:50 p.m. It is the 12^th race on a 15-race program. First race post time is 6 p.m.

Where: Northfield Park, 10705 Northfield Rd, Northfield.

Race history: A Rocknroll Dance broke the world record for four-year-old horses on a half-mile track with 1:49.1 mile in the 2013 Battle of Lake Erie. Four horses have won the Battle of Lake Erie twice: Foiled Again (2009, 2011); Maltese Artist (2005, 2007); Peruvian Hanover (2002, 2003) and Jaguar Spur (1988, 1989).

The Field

PP       Horse                          Driver                         Trainer                       Odds

1.         Night Pro                    Peter Wrenn              Dale Decker                 4-1

2.         Beach Memories         Josh Sutton                Brian Brown               15-1

3.         Bolt The Duer             Mark MacDonald         Peter Foley                  7-2

4.         Clear Vision                Brett Miller                Ron Burke                   9-2

5.         Fool Me Once             Aaron Merriman          Mark Austin                6-1

6.         Twilight Bonfire           Tony Hall                   Rick Gillock               12-1

7.         Foiled Again               Yannick Gingras           Ron Burke                  3-1

8.         Apprentice Hanover     Benjamin Wallace       Jody Jamieson            10-1

The undercard: There are nine $40,000 Ohio Sires Stakes races on the program. Three are for two-year-old trotting colts. Two each are for two-year-old pacing colts, three-year-old trotting colts and three-year-old pacing colts. Also featured are the $12,500 George Verban Memorial Pace and a $12,500 Open Trot.

Gilbert felt the burden of needing to apologize to LeBron James, then see if he could convince James to come home.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Dan Gilbert felt it -- "the burden," as he now calls it.

On his jet headed to Florida on July 6 to talk to LeBron James, Gilbert knew he had to make it right.

"There was this 'thing' out there about us," said the Cavs owner. "When you have a problem with someone, it usually doesn't end up in public like this."

The "thing" was the ugliness over the way James left the Cavs in 2010, followed by the volatile letter from Gilbert.

The "thing" was how they hadn't spoken for four years after that. The "thing" weighed on Gilbert for years, because he knew he'd played a major part in the division.

"When we had some preliminary meetings with (James' agent) Rich Paul, I said I really wanted to talk to LeBron -- even if he wasn't interested in playing for us," said Gilbert. "We needed to talk."

Then Gilbert waited. A few days later, Paul called. A meet was arranged at what Gilbert calls "a private residence" in Florida.

"We sat down at the kitchen table and talked it out," said Gilbert. "I apologized for some of the things I said. We spent about 20 minutes on that last night (in 2010)."

Gilbert has been using the line that he had "five good years with LeBron, then one really bad night," but that's not quite true. The final season was very frustrating for the owner and the player. The Cavs finished the 2009-10 season with a 61-21 record, but lost in disheartening fashion to Boston in the second round of the playoffs.

"The last two years were rough," said Gilbert. "We won 66 and 61 games, but couldn't even get to the NBA Finals. You get knocked out of the playoffs, and it happens so quick. It's really painful."

There also was the issue of James refusing to sign an extension. A lot of things built up and boiled over the night of The Decision Show on ESPN.

Dan Gilbert made his apology to LeBron James at a kitchen table.PD file 

THE TABLE TALK

As they sat at the kitchen table, Gilbert was surprised at how James was willing to move to the future. His attitude reflected what James wrote in the Sports Illustrated story: "Who am I to  hold a grudge?"

Suddenly,  Gilbert had another "burden," as he called it.

"I've only been involved in Cleveland for nine years, so I'm not like someone who has lived their entire life here," he said. "But I feel the frustration of the city not having won a championship (since the 1964 Cleveland Browns).

"I was with LeBron, and I knew that this was a big moment. He wanted to know about our team. Not just about winning it right now, but did we have the assets to put together a championship team."

James grew up in Akron. He spent his first seven pro seasons (2003-10) with the Cavs. Gilbert was the owner for the last five of those years. In that span, they went to the Finals in 2007. They lost in the 2009 Eastern finals. They lost in the second round in 2006, 2008 and 2010.

If James could feel comfortable enough to return to the Cavs, the franchise would soon be good enough to at least dream about a title. It would immediately become a playoff team.

And it was up to Gilbert to make a strong case for James to try the Cavs once more.

"I'm from the Midwest (Detroit)," said Gilbert. "I understand how this area of the country sometimes feels beaten down. LeBron is from here. Him coming home would make such a difference for everyone in Northeast Ohio."

Gilbert said it was clear that James and his people had researched new coach David Blatt. James knew there was a risk in playing for a man who had never coached a moment in the NBA, but James also was aware of his success in Europe.

"I talked to more than 100 people about David (Blatt) and not one had a bad thing to say about him," said Gilbert. "I sensed (James and Paul) also had heard good things about him. They were very impressed that (assistant coach) Tyronn (Lue) had joined his coaching staff. LeBron really likes Tyronn and talked about him."

The Cavs didn't know about that respect when they made Lue one of the league's highest-paid assistants. But James made them glad they had relentlessly recruited Lue.

THE INEVITABLE?

Gilbert thought about how many things had fallen into place.

1. It was a rough NBA Finals for James, as the Heat suddenly seemed old and helpless against San Antonio. No one expected Miami to be so soundly defeated.

2. Blatt became available as head coach, and they were able to convince Lue to the leave the Clippers and join Blatt's staff.

3. They had less than a two percent chance to win the NBA lottery, but did and drafted Andrew Wiggins.

4. Kyrie Irving signed a 5-year, $90 million extension.

5. James really wanted to come home. He and his family missed Northeast Ohio. Four years was more than enough time away.

"I even told LeBron to look at how all this was coming together," said Gilbert, who paused.

"So many things happened that you never could make it up," he said. "I checked my phone every day for a week, looking at the text of when we got the first pick. The meeting with Kyrie went great. There was not one silver bullet that interested LeBron, it was so many things."

THE WAITING

Gilbert left that July 6 meeting hopeful that James would return. "But he made no commitments. "I talked to (General Manager David Griffin), and we decided to clear the salary cap space for LeBron. But if we didn't get LeBron, Griff had some other players in mind. Either way, we were going for it."

The Cavs made a complicated three-way deal, giving up Tyler Zeller, Sergey Karasev, Jarrett Jack and a future No. 1 pick in 2016 (top 10 protected) for some marginal overseas players. It was about salary cap room.

"We made the trade and waited," said Gilbert. "And yes, we were anxious. When was (the announcement) coming?"

Three days after his kitchen table meeting, James met with Heat president Pat Riley. That was last Wednesday.

"We were sitting around reading media reports about how long the meeting lasted, things like that," said Gilbert. "We had talked to Rich Paul a few times that week, but really had no news.

"We heard the meeting with Riley was only an hour so -- and thought, maybe that's a good sign. But we really didn't know."

In the meantime, the Cavs were not able to pursue free agents such as Gordon Hayward, Spencer Hawes and Channing Frye. They were waiting for James -- and players were signing elsewhere.

Dan Gilbert found out about the James decision about 20 seconds before the Sports Illustrated story appeared. SI.com

THE CALL

Friday morning, Rich Paul called Gilbert.

"Dan, congratulations," said Paul. "LeBron is coming home."

"How are we going to announce it?" asked Gilbert.

"It's already done," said Paul. "We'll handle it."

"How?" asked Gilbert.

"Go to the Sports Illustrated site in about 20 seconds," said Paul. Gilbert did and there was the story written with Lee Jenkins -- James explaining why he was coming to Cleveland.

Gilbert is still amazed how James and his people kept it quiet.

"They were determined that there would be no leaks," said Gilbert. "Rich Paul and (chief negotiator) Mark Termini are class acts. They are real pros. What a great letter from LeBron! What a great way to handle the announcement. Rich Paul is as good as they come."

Gilbert paused, thinking about how much has changed for the team in the last few weeks.

"When there were first rumors of us going after LeBron, some fans wondered how we could do that after all that happened," said Gilbert. "But after the Sports Illustrated letter, every fan is thrilled to have him back. That was so heartfelt."

THE FUTURE

James will be 30 on Dec. 30. He has played 11 seasons, won two titles.

"Our goal is a title," said Gilbert. "With LeBron, we are in 'win now' mode. You look at the East, the window is open in the next few years."

He didn't want to talk about Kevin Love trade rumors, stating only that the team would make more moves to improve the roster. Tuesday evening, reports surfaced that former James teammate Mike Miller would be bringing his 3-point accuracy to Cleveland.

In the four years that James has been gone, the Cavs had the worst overall record in the NBA. Last season, they were 33-49. Gilbert wasn't surprised that James signed a 2-year contract, with only one year guaranteed. The 2015-16 season is a player option.

"At our meeting, (James' agents) said they may go short-term," said Gilbert. "In 2016, there is a new television contract and revenue will increase. That will raise the cap, and the maximum salary will go up. It's a smart business decision. It's not like he wants to turn around and leave. He wants to be in position to capitalize if the cap goes up significantly -- as is expected to happen."

Now Gilbert knows the pressure is on him.

"We are driven to win a title," he said. "We want to see that day when everyone celebrates because we finally brought a title home to Northeast Ohio. It's what we want, what LeBron wants, what all of us want."

Join NEOMG Indians beat writer Paul Hoynes from the Target Field press box for live chat during tonight's game.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Major League Baseball's All-Star Game 2014 will be held tonight at Target Field starting at 8 (FOX), and if recent history is any guide, the pitchers will have the upper hand.

St. Louis' Adam Wainwright, with a 12-4 record and a 1.83 ERA, will start for the National League. The Seattle Mariners' Felix Hernandez (11-2, 2.12) will start for the American League.

In the 2013 game at the Mets' Citi Field, NL batters managed just three hits in a 3-0 loss. A year earlier in Kansas City, the AL had just six hits in an 8-0 defeat. Never before had consecutive All-Star games ended in shutouts.

Will there be another shutout tonight? Northeast Ohio Media Group Indians reporter Paul Hoynes will be in the press box and chatting during the game. Join him in the comments below, and check cleveland.com/tribe for full coverage after the game.

St. Edward football linebacker Troy Henderson announced on Tuesday that he would be playing his college football at St. Edward

 LAKEWOOD, Ohio – Troy Henderson, an incoming senior and linebacker for the St. Edward football team, verbally committed to Syracuse on Tuesday.

For Henderson, when it came to making his decision, something about Syracuse just felt right.

"They have been after me for a long time, and just throughout the process, I have developed a nice comfort level with all of the coaches," Henderson said. "I plan on having marketing as my major at college, and they have a great program. When looking at Syracuse, me and my family felt they were the place that would allow me to reach my full potential as a player, as well as a man."
 
Henderson, 6-foot-1, 210 pounds, is the seventh member of the Eagles’ Class of 2015 to commit. He joins quarterback Brett Kean (South Florida), defensive back/running back Shaun Crawford (Notre Dame), linebacker Troy DiPre (Kent State), running back Andrew Dowell (Northwestern) and wide receiver David Dowell (Northwestern) and Alex Stump (Kentucky).
 
The Eagles, ranked No. 7 in MaxPreps.com’s preseason Top 25, are coming off an 11-2 season in which they reached the Division I state semifinals. The linebackers should be a strength for the Eagles this season, as Henderson joins fellow returners Matt Caradang and Dipre.

Henderson, rated a three-star linebacker by Rivals.com, also received offers from Cincinnati, Nebraska, Rutgers and most Mid-American Conference schools, including Kent State and Akron.

Contact high school sports reporter Mark Kern by email mkern@cleveland.com or Twitter (@Markkern11). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have wrapped up the preliminary round of summer league. Sitting at 3-0, they now wait to see where they will be seeded for the tournament, which is set to begin on Wednesday.

LAS VEGAS -- The Cleveland Cavaliers have wrapped up the preliminary round of summer league. Sitting at 3-0, they now wait to see where they will be seeded for the tournament, which is set to begin on Wednesday. The Cavs' could start tourney play on Thursday, depending on their seed.

Cleveland has received a lot of attention this week. Fans have packed Cox Pavilion, hoping to get a glimpse of former UNLV star Anthony Bennett as well as June's No. 1 pick, Andrew Wiggins. There has also been plenty of buzz about the direction of the team now that LeBron James has returned.

If the Cavs win the summer league title, they will have played seven games. Here are seven observations as the team eyes the crown, which will be awarded next Monday.

1. The highs and lows of Wiggins: I think it will be important for fans to remember that he's only 19. He could be entering his first year in college if not for a reclassification ruling.

If summer league is a preview of what's to come, count on many incredible plays mixed with growing pains. Wiggins is full of bounce and potential; talent is dripping off him. He has shown the ability to ignite a crowd. He did it once in pregame with an insane, behind-the-back 360-dunk prior to a matchup against San Antonio. He did it again -- a few times -- against the 76ers on Monday night. Add a block against Nerlens Noel and the highlight of the week was a spinning dunk after a baseline drive.

Whoa...@22wiggins with the amazing spin & slam! @cavs #VINElight #NBASummer @nbatv https://t.co/APhkrCgAna

— NBA (@NBA) July 15, 2014

While fans erupted on Twitter, it overshadowed the bigger storyline: it was the second quarter of the game against Philly and that was Wiggins' first bucket.

Up until that play, he had one point, which came when he split a pair of free throws. K.J. McDaniels, the 76ers' second-round pick, was on him like a Snuggie. Through three games versus NBA players, D-Leaguers and guys soon to be playing overseas, Wiggins is averaging just a shade less than 14 points on 38 percent shooting.

He's full of potential. He will excite the crowd at least once per game. But he's raw, and has a lot of work to do. Summer league has been just another indicator that his rookie season is likely to be a mixed bag. Expecting him to be more than just a role player early on is asking a lot.

2. Basketball is fun again for Bennett: Last year's top pick has arrived in the city where he played his college ball with a new body and, most importantly, a new mindset. His weight loss has helped him move up and down the court without huffing and puffing. A new attitude has helped him regain the confidence lost during his rookie season when the word "bust" was being tossed around. Bennett is visibly happy. He's laughing and smiling on the bench. He's trying to fire up the crowd when he makes a positive play.

"I just want to go out there and prove to everybody I can play," Bennett said following Sunday's win against the Spurs. "Last year was a setback for me with the shoulder stuff. Just trying to put that in the past. Just trying to come out here and have fun."

There will still be uneven play. He's 2-of-11 from three-point range, and averaging three turnovers. But he has shown flashes. At this point, any progress is a good sign.

3. Will it be Delly's time? Matthew Dellavedova was an afterthought prior to last year, but by the end of the season Delly was averaging more than 17 minutes per game. Delly impressed the previous coaching staff with his toughness and defensive mentality. After fighting so hard to earn playing time, Dellavedova is trying to prove himself to a new coaching staff.

"You always have to prove yourself and try to show that you're improving," Dellavedova said following Monday's win over Philadelphia. "I'm appreciative of the opportunity from Coach (Mike) Brown. I learned a lot from them and so far I've learned a lot from Coach (David) Blatt."

The departure of Jarrett Jack has opened the backup point guard spot, and Dellavedova has been working on honing his game.

"I've been working on my point guard skills and leadership skills," he said. "Played a little more off the ball last year than I did in college, so getting back to (being a point guard). Also, working on my three-point shot and then working on my body to get quicker and stronger."

He led the Cavs in scoring Monday night with 19 points. 

View full sizeMike Miller has agreed to a two-year deal with the Cavs.Michael Conroy, Associated Press 

4. It's Miller time: Word spread in Las Vegas just after 2 p.m. local time that the Cavs had agreed to a deal with Mike Miller.

The sharpshooter turned down more money from Denver and Dallas to reunite with LeBron James, his good friend. It's exactly the move the Cavs had to make and it makes sense that he was priority No. 1. Not only is Miller a lethal shooter, but also he's a champion who performed well on the biggest stage in Miami. Prior to his agreement, the Cavs had just three players with playoff experience -- James, Anderson Varejao and newly acquired Brendan Haywood.

It was no secret how upset James was when the Heat made a financial decision to make an amnesty release of Miller, signed the same off-season the Big 3 of James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade joined forces. It hurt Miami's bench, which was thoroughly outplayed in the NBA Finals.

Sure, Miller is 34, but he can pay dividends in May and June if healthy. Cavs GM David Griffin and Blatt have repeatedly spoken about fit. With Irving and James drawing so much attention, open looks will be there for someone, and Miller will once again be the beneficiary. Having someone like him to space the floor with his unlimited range will also create driving lanes unseen last season.

5. Dion Waiters is not interested in coming off the bench: Before James arrived, the Cavs drafted Wiggins. The immediate thought was that Wiggins would be starting in the backcourt alongside Irving. That would have Waiters coming off the bench, the same role he excelled in while at Syracuse. Waiters has repeatedly stated that he sees himself as a starter. That's going to be Blatt's call, but Waiters has voted on the issue while responding to a fan on Twitter.

NowWww RT @saudansari: @dionwaiters3 so would you be okay coming off bench until your time came then? Or is it now?

— Dion Waiters (@dionwaiters3) July 15, 2014

6. Aaron Craft is making the most of his opportunity: After playing for Philadelphia in Orlando, Craft is on the Golden State roster here. As was the case at Ohio State, Craft's numbers don't jump out -- he's averaging seven points, about two steals and two assists. But his contributions have never been well-measured by a box score. According to Diamond Leung of the Bay Area News Group, Craft has caught the attention of Warriors head coach Steve Kerr.

Kerr on Craft: "People have their opinions of him in terms of he doesn't shoot it well enough, he doesn't do this...He competes & he wins."

— Diamond Leung (@diamond83) July 15, 2014

The Golden State head coach is not the only one impressed.

Aaron Craft has looked terrific in summer league. Maybe he really will surprise us all.

— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) July 15, 2014

7. Never a doubt: Remember the 2011 draft? Remember the laughable debate on whether the Cavs should take Irving or Arizona's Derrick Williams?

Well, both guys are in Vegas this summer, but in two completely different capacities. Irving was at the game last night. He did a little coaching, but mostly was a spectator. Lots of proven players are doing the same. Michael Carter-Williams, DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay have been in the stands. Irving, the new $90 million man, will be back later this month competing for a spot on Team USA's World Cup team.

As for Williams, he's trying to revive a career which is beginning to slip away. In his fourth year in the league, the No. 2 pick from 2011 is still playing summer league, looking for a true position. He says it's because he's bored and it will help him get into shape. The first three games haven't done him any favors. The only 2011 lottery pick playing here -- one of only four first-round selections participating, the 6-8 Williams is giving little effort and his jumper is back in the Arizona desert somewhere. It never did come to the NBA with him. 

He's averaging 12.3 points on 42 percent shooting with Sacramento. Sometimes potential and upside don't all come together. 

Indians All-Star Michael Brantley brought his whole family to Minneapolis to share in his big moment.

MINNEAPOLIS – Tuesday night was Indians outfielder Michael Brantley's first All-Star Game and he kept getting asked about Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter, who was playing his last.

Brantley had no problem playing along. What was his favorite memory of the Yankee shortstop?

"It has to be all those jump throws he made from the hole at shortstop," said Brantley.

Did Brantley try to copy it when he was growing up?

"I'm left-handed so it was tough," he said.

If Brantley had to ask Jeter a question what would it be?

"I'd ask him how he's done it for so long and how he always stayed in tune with himself," said Brantley. "He's been a great person in this game for so many years. The way he's played the game and handled himself every year, I think it's phenomenal."

Brantley said he's talked to Jeter when the Indians have played the Yankees.

"I've talked to a couple of times at second base and before batting practice," said Brantley. "He always treated with me the utmost respect, even as a rookie. That meant the world to me."

Brantley and manager Terry Francona were the only Indians representatives Tuesday. Brantley's AL peers selected him to the team. Boston manager John Farrell added Francona to his coaching staff.

"I'm just having fun, enjoying it," said Brantley, whose family made the trip to Minneapolis with him.

"My mom, my father, my wife, my kids and my sister are all here," he said. "I think when you go through an experience like this, the people that helped you get here should be here to enjoy it, too."

Brantley's father, Mickey, played parts of four seasons with Seattle. In his best year, 1988, he hit 15 homers with 56 RBI. His son went into the break hitting .322 (113-for-351) with 15 homers and 63 RBI.

Francona is in his second year managing Brantley and can't say enough good things about him.

"His stats are good to begin with, but he's better than his starts and that's a big compliment," said Francona. "He's a very good baserunner, outfielder, teammate and leader.

"If you had to have a model, he's kind of what you're look for. You don't manage him, you just send him out to his position and let him play."

Rear view mirror: Texas All-Star third baseman Adrian Beltre entered the break leading the AL with a .337 (104-for-309) batting average, but says it's way too early to start thinking about a batting title.

The competition is packed closely behind him with Houston's Jose Altuve .335 (130-for-388), Seattle's Robinson Cano .334 (118-for-353), the Indians' Lonnie Chisenhall .328 (86-for-262) and Detroit's Victor Martinez .328 (99-for-302) rounding out the top five.

But the hitter that has caught Beltre's eye just happens to be Brantley.

"He's a real good hitter," said Beltre of the man who is sixth in the batting race at .322 (113-for-351).

Thumbs up for replay: MLB's expanded use of replay made it to the All-Star break and the game is still intact. In fact, from most corners people couldn't be happier.

"I was talking to Tony La Russa a while ago," said Commissioner Bud Selig, "and he said, "We had no right to think it would go this well this early.'"

La Russa and Joe Torre were two of the driving forces behind the implementation of more replay.

Said Francona, "It's actually been pretty good. I think the umpires have been really patient with the managers on the replay. It's probably the reason you don't hear much complaining.

"You have to put themselves in their shoes. They're getting questioned and getting questioned in front of a lot of people. The idea is to get the call right, but we're all the same. We don't want to make mistakes. I think they've handled it really well."

Wounded Tiger: Detroit's Miguel Cabrera, appearing in his ninth All-Star game, told USA Today that he hasn't fully recovered from the torn groin muscle that slowed him at the end of the 2013 season.

Injury or no injury, Cabrera hit .306 (105-for-343) with 14 homers and 75 RBI in the first half. He homered off Adam Wainwright in the first inning Tuesday.

Cabrera, batting cleanup for the AL, added that teammate Justin Verlander is feeling the affects of off-season surgery following a groin injury.

Finally: There are five Cuban-born players in the All-Star Game – Aroldis Chapman, Yasiel Puig, Jose Abreu, Yoenis Cespedes and Alexei Ramirez. The most Cubans to play in an game is six in 1968 -- Joe Azcue, Bert Campaneris, Leo Cardenas, Tony Oliva, Tony Perez and Louie Tiant. ... Twins Hall of Famer Rod Carew threw out the first pitch to Twins manager Ron Gardenhire.

Michael Milner, currently awaiting sentencing in the Erie County Jail, has his nose broken during an argument about LeBron James' return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to a news report.

A jailhouse fight between two inmates over LeBron James' return to the Cleveland Cavaliers left a confessed killer with a broken nose, according to a news report.

Michael Milner, 25, of Sandusky, is in the Erie County Jail in Sandusky awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty in May to aggravated murder in the 2012 beating death of his girlfriend's 3-year-old child.

According to the Sandusky Register, Milner and another inmate, Bryce Stokes, 19, began arguing about James' return to the Cavaliers shortly after it was announced on Friday.

Stokes said he initially brushed off Milner's comments and ignored attempts to fight, police told the Register.

Later, the two were playing basketball in the jail's recreation area when they again began arguing and Milner again challenged Stokes to fight. Milner reportedly began chasing Stokes around the court.

The Register reports Stokes landed a solid punch, lifting Milner off his feet and breaking his nose. Despite this, Milner regained his feet and again started chasing Stokes.

Guards ended the fight after being alerted by other inmates, the Register reports.

Stokes likely will face charges in connection with the fight after incident is reviewed by a grand jury, the Register reports.

Milner is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 7. He pleaded guilty to the July 30, 2012, killing of 3-year-old Owen Barker, who died from a fatal blow to the chest. The Register reports Milner is facing four sentencing possibilities: life without parole or life with the possibility of parole after 20, 25, or 30 years.

Stokes is in jail on rape and gross sexual imposition charges for the alleged assault of a 13-year-old girl at Kalahari Resorts, according to the Register.

Derek Anderson is the only Browns quarterback since 1999 to win 10 games in a season and play in the Pro Bowl.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Derek Anderson holds some of the most notable distinctions among Cleveland Browns quarterbacks since the franchise returned to Cleveland in 1999.

He is one of only two to have double-digit wins (16) and lead his team to a winning season, with Tim Couch being the other.

Anderson is the only Browns quarterback since 1999 to win 10 games in a season, and he is the only Browns quarterback to play in the Pro Bowl.

Anderson is No. 10 on our list as we look back at all the Browns' starting quarterbacks since 1999. Here is a look at his career highlights and lowlights, what he's been doing since his Cleveland days, and where he'd like to go in the future.

Derek Anderson, 2006-09

16-18 as a Browns starter

Before the Browns

Anderson's journey to the NFL started in Scappoose, Oregon, which is near the border between Oregon and Washington.

He won three consecutive state championships in high school before he moved onto Oregon State. With the Beavers, Anderson threw for more than 11,000 yards with 79 touchdowns and 57 interceptions.

In his senior season in 2004, Anderson completed a career-best 54.7 percent of his passes for 3,615 yards with 29 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.

The Baltimore Ravens drafted Anderson with the 213th pick in the 2005 NFL Draft.

How he came to the Browns

Anderson's time with the Ravens was very short as the team released him on Sept. 20, 2005. The next day, the Browns claimed him off of waivers.

Anderson cited a relationship with former Ravens' Director of Player Personnel Phil Savage, who became the General Manager of the Browns following the 2004 season, as a reason why he came to Cleveland.

"I didn't have any real expectations. I didn't really know how everything worked," Anderson said. "I was just looking for somewhere where I could come and play ball."

Browns highlights

Anderson did not play in 2005, but got his first chance in 2006 when then-starter Charlie Frye suffered an injury in a game against Kansas City.

Anderson stepped in and helped rally the team from a 14-point fourth quarter deficit to beat the Chiefs in overtime, 31-28.

The highlight of Anderson's NFL debut came in overtime, when he scrambled for 33 yards to help set up Phil Dawson's game-winning field goal.

"It wasn't a question of whether or not I could do it," Anderson said. "It was just getting the opportunity. I think that kind of goes for a lot of guys in this league. It's about right time, right place, not always about what they can actually do."

Anderson started 2007 as a backup to Frye. But after the Browns' 34-7 opening week loss to the Steelers, Frye was traded to Seattle following the loss, leaving Anderson as the starter.

From then on, Anderson led the Browns on an impressive run to finish the season 10-5, starting with a 51-45 win at home against Cincinnati. In the game, Anderson threw for five touchdowns.

"When you get into those games sometimes where it's the type of game it is, nobody's playing much defense, guys are making big plays, you just kind of keep going with the flow," Anderson said.

In 2007, Anderson completed 56.5 percent of his passes for 3,787 yards and 29 touchdowns, all of which are career-bests in years where he threw more than 100 passes.

Anderson had a pair of 1,000-yard receivers that season in Braylon Edwards, who caught 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns, and tight end Kellen Winslow, who had 82 catches for 1,106 yards.

Browns lowlights

The Browns had a 9-5 record heading into a Week 16 game in Cincinnati against the Bengals, with a playoff berth just one win away.

It did not start well after the Bengals took a 19-0 lead at halftime. Anderson threw four interceptions and the Browns lost, 19-14.

The Browns won against San Francisco in Week 17, but did not make the playoffs.

With optimism high following the season, Anderson and the Browns were expected to be even better in 2008.

But Anderson suffered a concussion in the preseason that caused him to miss three weeks before the start of the 2008 regular season. His first game back was in Week 1 against the Cowboys, and the Browns offense struggled in a 28-10 loss.

"It's hard to just go from standing around, throwing balls to playing live action games on one week's preparation," Anderson said. "That was a bit of a struggle, but it was a little bit of everything."

The Browns started the season 0-3 before winning at Cincinnati, 20-12. They got to a 3-4 record but won just one game the rest of the season, finishing the year 4-12.

Anderson was benched on November 3 following a loss at home to Baltimore. He returned to the lineup in Week 13 against Indianapolis, but suffered a torn MCL and missed the rest of the season.

Due to injuries at the quarterback position, the Browns did not score an offensive touchdown in the final six games of the season.

In 2009, Anderson started seven games for the Browns, but threw for 888 yards and three touchdowns, completing a career-low 44.5 percent of his passes.

He started the final two games of 2009 and won both, including a 23-9 win on Dec. 27, against Oakland and former teammate Charlie Frye.

How he left the Browns

On March 9, 2010, the Browns terminated Anderson's contract, making him a free agent after five years with the team. In his time with the team, Anderson threw for 7,083 yards with a 52.9 percent completion percentage. He had 46 touchdowns to 45 interceptions.

Arizona signed him for the 2010 season, but he struggled in nine starts for the Cardinals. He went 2-7 as a starter in 2010, throwing just seven touchdowns.

"We had some guys down there, and it just didn't work out," Anderson said. "It was a little bit of everything. It wasn't entirely me. It wasn't entirely one person. We just didn't put things together."

What he's doing now

The Cardinals released Anderson on July 28, 2011.

Carolina picked up him three days later to be the backup quarterback to then-No. 1 overall draft pick Cam Newton. Newton, who won the Heisman Trophy and National Championship at Auburn, has started every game for the Panthers since he was drafted in 2011.

Anderson said he and Newton have gotten along well during their time together in Carolina.

"The conversations are great," Anderson said. "I think it's awesome. We have a great time in our room and we're very open, critical of each other, making sure each of us grow and learn from each other. I think that's part of the reason I've continued to get better and part of the reason he's gotten better."

Best memories of being a Brown

2007 was full of memorable wins for Anderson and the Browns, from scoring 51 points in Week 2 against the Bengals to overtime wins in Baltimore and home against Seattle.

But for Anderson, nothing compares to the Week 15 game against Buffalo. Behind two field goals from kicker Phil Dawson, the Browns overcame unrelenting snowfall to beat the Bills, 8-0.

"Phil kicked it great in those conditions," Anderson said. "It was a fun game to be a part of. It was one of those games where all my family was there, one of those deals. You never forget those moments."

Worst memories of being a Brown

The Browns entered 2008 with a great deal of momentum following their 10-6 season. Anderson was one of six Pro Bowlers from the 2007 team that missed the playoffs on the last day of the regular season.

But Anderson's preseason concussion and an 0-3 start to the season were bad signs for the Browns, who finished 4-12 and have never won more than six games since.

"I was very optimistic, thought we could pick up where we left off, winning games," Anderson said. "The way we finished, we were going to play some tougher teams. It wasn't going to be as easy as it was the year before. But we got in a rut early on and never recovered."

Anderson started only nine games and threw for more than 200 yards just three times, compared to 11 games of 200 yards passing or more.

He never regained his form from 2007, throwing just three touchdowns in 2009 before being released after the season.

Columbia's Brandon Heidecker is believed to be the first football player from Columbia to play college football at a Division I school.

COLUMBIA STATION, Ohio — Columbia offensive lineman Brandon Heidecker goes through two different types of adrenaline.

Heidecker, one of the top offensive linemen on a Columbia team that has gone 19-1 in its last 20 regular season games, enjoys the thrill of deer hunting as well as the thrill of playing football.

But his approach is different in those two ventures. He said that while football is about coming off of the line to make a block, deer hunting requires more patience and quick reflexes.

"You know you're going to go off real fast," Heidecker said. "Deer hunting is just unexpected."

The biggest deer Heidecker ever got was a 9-point, which weighed 275 lbs.

While he enjoys the outdoors and activities like deer hunting and fishing, Heidecker also enjoys working his craft on the field as a strong offensive tackle. His prowess and strength on the edge of the line have made him the first player in Columbia football history to play Division I college football according to Columbia head coach Jason Ward.

Heidecker committed to Toledo on April 26. At 6-foot-6, 305 pounds, Heidecker has the size to be a good offensive lineman in the Mid-American Conference.

He said his coaches want to start him at tackle but he would have no problem if they want to move him to guard later on.

Heidecker knows he's in a privileged position to extend his football career past his senior season.

"Most kids after Week 10, or even after the playoffs, they're not going to ever put pads on," Heidecker said. "I'll be lucky enough, where I've worked hard enough, to play at the next level. I want these younger kids to see what they can accomplish and be in the same position that I am now."

Every day in July, check out a profile featuring one of the many standout football players in Northeast Ohio as part of the 31 in 31 series.

He admitted that he never knew if he was capable of being a Division I talent until he attended a camp at Northwestern prior to his junior season. That is where he learned that he can compete with plenty of top talent.

"I felt like I can bring it more than I could do going into my junior year," Heidecker said. "I figured after a while going to these camps in my junior year could be one of the biggest things in my career to start separating myself from the other kids that are around."

Heidecker has seen nothing but success during his first three seasons with Columbia. In particular, his team has had unprecedented success in the last two years.

In 2012, Heidecker's sophomore year, Columbia went 9-1 in the regular season and won its first playoff game. As a junior in 2013, Heidecker helped the Raiders complete their first undefeated regular season. But Columbia fell to Chippewa, 62-28, in the Division V, Region 16 quarterfinal.

"We found out how big we can be, and how great we can be," Heidecker said. "Then the playoffs hit us and we didn't think we played as a team. That hurts a lot."

As a senior, Heidecker will try to lead his team to its third straight Patriot Athletic Conference Stripes Division championship. He will have to be one of the leaders after losing a great amount of talent offensively, including quarterback Jay Banyasz.

"From an offensive line standpoint, everything should be set higher. The bar should be set higher than it was last year," Heidecker said.

More about Heidecker:

Height: 6-6.

Weight: 305 lbs.

Position: OT.

Grade: Senior

College: Committed to University of Toledo.

Awards/honors: 2nd-team All-Ohio in Division V, 1st team All-Lakes District, 1st team All-Lorain County, 1st team All-Patriot Athletic Conference.

We thought we knew LeBron James before he left and again before he returned. It was a surprise to many both times. So how can people think they know the Browns' Johnny Manziel?

CLEVELAND, Ohio –- Thinking outside the box is a coveted ability in sports today. It certainly applies to the rise of the Cavaliers' LeBron James in civic esteem and the potential of the Browns' Johnny Manziel either to rise or fall.

In tactical terms, there is a "box" in both basketball and fooball, both designed to constrict the space in which a great player can do great things.

The box in football is the area five yards behind the line of scrimmage, which can be packed with seven or eight players in certain situations. It teems with peril for a quarterback like Manziel. The defensive ends form the sides of what amounts to a pass-rushing box, each tasked with not letting a mobile quarterback like Johnny Football slip outside the box. LSU and Missuori executed the gameplan brilliantly last season in victories over Texas A&M and Manziel.

More often, Manziel burst his boundaries, made thrilling plays with his feet or his arm, and broke the box into kindling.

In basketball, a "box-and-one" is a defensive scheme, in which two players guard a zone near the basket and two more patrol a zone near the foul line, each ready to slide over and give support to the team's best defensive player, who is playing the opponents' best player man-to-man. Designed to stop a team with a single dominant scorer, the tactic was executed beautifully by Bruce Bowen and the San Antonio Spurs in their sweep of the Cavs and James in the NBA Finals of 2007.

James has progressed so far since then, and will have such marksmen available here as Kyrie Irving and the signing, as reported by Yahoo Sports of sharpshooter Mike Miller, that such plans could be risky and such boxes collapsible.

The real boxes, however, are the perceptions of each player. They make up a joinery of the preconceptions brought to Manziel before he has played a down that means anything and the stereotypes James has apparently made obsolete.

James was the Chosen One before he chose Miami in "The Decision." He was the savior here, then the false savior and now a basketball messiah again. The villain's role never suited his personality, but many people in Cleveland, including me, felt he had put himself in those confines with his self-absorption and entitlement and deserved the boos.

We left James entombed in the amber of ego, not realizing that experience and maturity, in addition to the suffering he had brought on himself, had enabled him to become a chastened and wiser man. James stepped outside the box, away from a life centered on self and, at least in the words of the essay in which he announced he was coming home, became again a member of the community and thought more deeply about others.

With Manziel, the discussion seems to be about which narrow box he will be put into – a rehab program, a squad car or worse? This is a lot to lay on a player who has only shown the personality the Browns knew he had.

Will he be Johnny Football, who took Texas A&M to heights it had not experienced in decades? Or will he be Johnny Goofball, a player who wasted his talent and whose clock is ticking down on his quarter hour of fame even now? Will he leave behind anything more permanent than eternal notoriety on Instagram?

The way Manziel's unconventional behavior should be judged is simply as the most visible manifestation of a trend followed by any newly drafted college player with money. Although Manziel is from Texas oil money and has been to VIP rooms before, he is still only 21. Many of us would hate to be judged by our lamer decisions at that age,

At worst, critics can only put Manziel – again, based only on conduct in his off-days in the offseason – in a box with partitions.

On one side is Berea Johnny, well-liked by teammates; quiet, because he knows he is unproven, in the locker room; serious on the practice field. On the other side is Road Trip Johnny, the last of the Delts from "Animal House."

We thought we knew James too and had locked him securely in a box, but he took us by surprise.

Many critics think they know Manziel, but anyone who plays, thinks and lives outside the box on the scale he does defies categorization.

It's easy to guess, given how vast is the difference in the stages of their careers, how James and Manziel will rank as players this season. It could be much harder to see how the boxes stack up.

The Spartans beat the Buckeyes in Indianapolis in 2013 and now will try to beat the Buckeyes in East Lansing for the first time since 1999.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Our series breaking down the 12 Ohio State regular-season opponents for 2014 comes to an end with the toughest game of the season for the Buckeyes. No. 1 on this list is the Nov. 8 showdown in East Lansing that will be a rematch of last season's Big Ten Championship Game between the Buckeyes and Michigan State.

Michigan State Spartans

2013 record: 13-1, 8-0, winners of the Legends Division, Big Ten champions after beating Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game.

Bowl: Defeated Stanford 24-20 in the Rose Bowl to finish No. 3 in the final AP and coaches polls.

Returning starters: 12 (7 offense, 5 defense).

Vs. Ohio State: Nov. 8, 8 p.m., at Spartan Stadium, game nine for the Buckeyes.

Week before the OSU game: The Spartans will play their two rivalry games both at home, but with a week in between. Michigan State hosts Michigan on Oct. 25, then gets a week off before hosting the Buckeyes. That's no small thing. The Buckeyes will be playing their third consecutive week in primetime by the time they get to East Lansing, following a road game at Penn State and a home game against Illinois with their most important game of the regular season.

Chance to beat the Buckeyes: 50 percent. Ohio State is favored by most to win the Big Ten, has better odds in Vegas of winning the national title (tied for the third favorite at 10-1) than Michigan State (11th at 30-1) and will be ranked higher than the Spartans to start the season. But it's hard to view this game right now as anything but a tossup.

The Spartans took a major psychological step beating the Buckeyes in Indianapolis last season when some OSU fans were expecting Michigan State to shrink in a big game. Michigan State does have a tougher national title road with a far tougher nonconference game than anything the Buckeyes face - the Spartans travel to Oregon in week two. But with Connor Cook at quarterback, Mark Dantonio as the head coach and a still formidable defense led by coordinator Pat Narduzzi, there's no reason to expect much different from the Spartans than what they offered a year ago.

How they could compete with Ohio State: Michigan State hasn't beaten Ohio State at home since 1999, losing four times in East Lansing since then. The last was a 17-16 loss during Ohio State's undefeated 2012 season that could have gone either way. But the Spartans could be looking at one of the great homefield advantages in program history for this one.

This game was just set for primetime, with the 8 p.m. kickoff the first November night game in Spartan Stadium history. Michigan State is 9-5 all-time in night home games, with wins in five of the last six games. MSU fans have to be up for this one, either to keep a great season rolling for the Spartans or to spoil a great one for the Buckeyes.

On their offense: Quarterback Connor Cook, the Walsh Jesuit grad, is back for a junior season with his stock on the rise after he threw for 2,755 yards with 22 touchdowns and six interceptions last season. He'll also have back six of his top seven pass-catchers from last season's balanced attack. (Second-leading receiver Macgarrett Kings Jr. was suspended for the spring but should return for the fall.)

The big jump could come from No. 1 running back Jeremy Langford, who ran for 1,422 yards and 18 touchdowns a year ago. He didn't have his first 100-yard game until week six, and then he ripped off eight straight 100-yard games down the stretch. Imagine if he gets rolling early.

Offensive player to watch: Center Jack Allen has made 24 starts in two seasons and was named to the preseason Outland Trophy watch list. He'll be joined by returning starters Jack Conklin and Travis Jackson (the guy who yells yes) on a line that should have some depth but also enters with some questions. The Spartans rotated a group of players last season, so the remaining starters will have some experience. Injuries on the offensive line helped the 2012 season fall apart, as the Spartans lost several close games on the way to a 7-6 record. So Michigan State has an idea of what can happen if the line isn't good enough.

On their defense: Defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi is back as one of the most respected assistants in college football. Some big-time players are gone from last year's unit that was the best in the Big Ten and one of the best in the nation. But defensive lineman Shalique Calhoun, linebacker Taiwan Jones and cornerback Trae Waynes were all named preseason first-team Big Ten by Phil Steele.

Defensive player to watch: Jones is moving from outside linebacker to middle linebacker and is expected to take over as the leader of the defense with Max Bullough and Denicos Allen, his fellow starters at linebacker last season, having departed. 

"We want to prove everybody wrong that says we can't be the No. 1 defense in the nation since we lost six guys (from 2013),'' Jones said during the spring. "We're going to come out hungry at every practice and every game and show everybody that we're still the same defense."

Projection: The defense, which finished No. 2 in the nation a year ago, won't be as good. It can't be. But it might be close. The offense, with Cook, Langford and that group of receivers, could be a lot more dangerous from the start. If the offensive line can come together, the Spartans could be more balanced than a year ago.

But the test will be what the Spartans can do as a big dog. Expectations are high for now. But what happens in week two at Oregon could determine a lot. The Spartans lost early in the nonconference last season, at Notre Dame, and that may have actually helped them. That game helped Michigan State fix some mistakes, it took off some pressure, and it added a chip. Ohio State very well could be undefeated going to East Lansing (it will be something of an upset if the Buckeyes aren't), and that means the Buckeyes will be playing to stay in the four-team postseason playoff picture.

If Michigan State has a loss at Oregon, the Spartans may not be thinking about that. They might only be thinking about beating the Buckeyes. And that might not be good for Ohio State.

Ranking the Ohio State 2014 opponents

No. 12 Kent State, 0.5 percent chance: Breakdown -- 5 expert questions 

No. 11 Rutgers, 2 percent chance: Breakdown -- 5 expert questions

No. 10 Illinois, 2 percent chance: Breakdown -- 5 expert questions

No. 9 Minnesota, 3 percent chance: Breakdown -- 5 expert questions

No. 8 Indiana, 3 percent chance: Breakdown -- 5 expert questions

No. 7 Maryland, 3 percent chance: Breakdown -- Expert questions 

No. 6 Navy, 4 percent chance: Breakdown 

No. 5 Cincinnati, 5 percent chance: Breakdown -- 5 expert questions

No. 4 Penn State, 9 percent chance: Breakdown -- 5 expert questions

No. 3 Michigan, 10 percent chance: Breakdown -- 5 expert questions

No. 2 Virginia Tech, 11 percent chance: Breakdown -- 5 expert questions 

No. 1 Michigan State, 50 percent chance: Breakdown -- 5 expert questions