Indians righty Corey Kluber gave up five runs in 2 2/3 innings of a 12-1 loss to the Tigers on Monday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians played the Detroit Tigers in the opener of a four-game series Monday. Here is a capsule look from The Plain Dealer reporter Dennis Manoloff:

Game: 135.

Opponent: Tigers.

Location: Progressive Field, Cleveland.

Time of day: Afternoon.

Time elapsed: 3 hours, 31 minutes.

Attendance: 23,296.

Result: Tigers 12, Indians 1.

Records: Tigers 75-62, Indians 70-65.

Streak snapped: The Indians had won three in a row.

Solace for Cleveland: The Tribe was routed but still leads the season series (7-6).

Motown mashers: The Tigers amassed 20 hits, including five homers. They scored multiple runs in five innings.

Detroit Nos. 3-4 batters Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez combined to go 6-for-8 with three homers, five RBI and six runs.

Klubot malfunction: Indians ace right-hander Corey Kluber allowed five runs on seven hits -- including three homers -- in 2 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out two.

The start was the shortest of the season for Kluber, who threw 57 pitches. He had not exited this quickly since April 2 at Oakland when, in his first outing, he worked 3 1/3.   

Kluber (13-9, 2.72 ERA) had given up three runs or fewer in eight straight starts. He allowed five earned runs for just the second time (April 2).

Kluber is 0-3 in his past three starts. The first two of those losses came despite quality starts; against the Tigers, Kluber simply didn't have it.

Kluber had given up one homer in his previous eight starts. He has allowed 14 long balls in 29 starts.

Living up to his end: Tigers lefty and former AL Cy Young Award winner David Price, shaking off an awful performance against the Yankees, handled the Tribe for seven innings. He allowed the run on eight hits, walked two and struck out eight.

On Aug. 27 against the Yankees in Detroit, Price was rocked for eight runs on 12 hits in two-plus innings. The first nine Yankees to bat in the third notched hits before Tigers manager Brad Ausmus hooked Price.

Against the Indians, Price (13-10, 3.25 ERA) overpowered with a high-octane and well-located fastball. Tribe batters periodically swung as if their plane had arrived from Kansas City, Mo., in the middle of the night.  

As to what, exactly, resided on the bill of Price's cap -- Twitter was abuzz -- only Price knows for sure. It undoubtedly was nothing. He is too good of a pitcher to rely on anything but natural talent.   

Negative, Ghost Rider, the pattern is full: Aircraft from the Cleveland National Airshow buzzed the ballpark in the first inning.

Quick strike: The Tigers took a 2-0 lead three batters into the game. Cabrera, as expected, was the fulcrum.

Ian Kinsler led off with a pop fly to right that drifted away from Mike Aviles, whose face-plant dive came up far short. By the time Aviles recovered and threw to the infield, Kinsler had secured a triple.

Kluber struck out Torii Hunter with a 1-2 cutter off the outside corner. Cabrera stepped in.

Cabrera has been bothered by a sore right ankle, which sidelined him Sunday against the White Sox in Chicago. The ankle had been responsible for a power outage; he hit one homer last month (Aug. 2). No matter: Cabrera could have two bad ankles and two bad wrists and still be productive against the Indians, in general, and Kluber, specifically. In his career against the Tribe ace, he was 15-for-28 with three homers and seven RBI.

Kluber got ahead, 0-1, with a pitch that Cabrera thought was high. The next pitch appeared to be a changeup that didn't get down or inside far enough, and Cabrera whistled it over the left-field wall to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead.

Cabrera hobbled around the bases. Once in the dugout, Miggy did what Miggy does, calling maximum attention to himself. He preened for, and talked to, the ESPN camera.  

Detroit kept pressing. Former Indian Martinez walked and J.D. Martinez singled sharply to left, putting runners at first and second. Nick Castellanos, in a 1-2 count, grounded into a 6-4-3 double play.

Zeke to the rescue: Tigers center fielder Ezequiel Carrera's mistimed jump helped the Tribe answer with a run in the first. With two outs and Michael Brantley on first, Carlos Santana flied high and deep to left-center. If Carrera had remained grounded, he could have made the catch at the wall, but the jump led to the ball bouncing off his glove. Santana was credited with an RBI double.

Detroit chases Kluber: The Tigers, thanks largely to a misplay by Aviles, scored three in the third to make it 5-1.

With two outs, Cabrera hit a first-pitch fly to shallow right. Aviles approached and essentially whiffed on the ball as it dropped for a "single.''

Victor Martinez, down in the count, 0-2, drilled a high fastball into the right-field seats. Former Indian Vic needed approximately five minutes to round the bases -- but that's perfectly acceptable because he is a great hitter and a pro's pro.

J.D. Martinez stayed on a 2-2 fastball and sent it over the right-field wall. After  Castellanos singled, Tribe manager Terry Francona signaled for lefty Kyle Crockett.

For the Indians, most of the remainder of the game amounted to a countdown to sleep.

Notable: Aviles exited after three innings because of illness.

Ex-Tribe pride: Third baseman Luis Valbuena hit his 16th homer as the Cubs defeated the Brewers, 4-2.

The loss was the RubberDucks' fourth straight and they have lost 10 of their last 11 as they head into the playoffs.

Dean Green's two-run homer in the sixth inning off RubberDucks starter Cole Sulser carried the Erie SeaWolves to a 4-2 victory Monday and completed a four-game series sweep in a Class AA Eastern League game at Akron.

The loss was the RubberDucks' fourth straight and they have lost 10 of their last 11, including seven of eight at home. Still, Akron begins the postseason at 6:35 p.m. Wednesday when it hosts the Richmond Flying Squirrels at Canal Park.

Akron's hitting woes continued on Monday: The RubberDucks had only three hits against four SeaWolves pitchers. Erie starter Warwick Saupold (8-11, 5.01 ERA) got the win, giving up two runs, one earned, on three hits in six innings. He struck out five.

Green's homer, part of a three-RBI day, proved costly for the RubberDucks in more ways than one. Not only did it snap a 2-2 tie and lead the SeaWolves to the win, but Sulser was injured on the pitch and left the game with what was described right elbow discomfort.

Sulser (0-1, 3.27 ERA) was added to the RubberDucks roster on Monday from Class A Carolina when scheduled starter Nick Maronde was called up to Class AAA Columbus.

Sulser gave up two first-inning runs but held Erie scoreless for the next four innings. In the sixth, he gave up a leadoff single to Jason Krizan just prior to Green's home run to center.

Susler's status for the playoffs is uncertain.

The RubberDucks (73-69) tied the game, 2-2, in the fifth with outfielder Ollie Linton's RBI double.

Jason Giambi says he's ready to help the Indians going down the stretch.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Manager Terry Francona said the three trips to the disabled list and all the roster manipulation that kept Jason Giambi off the field for much of the season had to be hard on him.

"He's never once uttered a frustrating word to anybody, but I don't think for one minute this has been easy on him," said Francona.

It probably hasn't, but as Francona said Giambi hasn't complained. Especially on Monday when he came off the disabled and joined the Indians on the first day rosters could be expanded. Not only was Giambi activated, but Austin Adams, Bryan Price and Jesus Aguilar were recalled from Class AAA Columbus and Chris Gimenez was reinstated from the paternity list.

"G had a little bounce in his step," said Francona before Monday's 12-1 loss to Detroit. "I think this means a lot to him.

"I respect him more now than I used to and that's hard to do. What 43-year-old, who has almost 20 years in the big leagues, goes to Double-A to get at-bats? Nobody but G."

Giambi played six games with the Class AA Akron RubberDucks and hit .118 (2-for-17) with two doubles. He'd been on the disabled list since June 12 with a sore left knee.

"The best thing is I feel great," said Giambi. "I hit a couple of doubles and was able to run fine.

"It was fun to be down there with the Double-A kids. They were in the playoff hunt and. It was fun to be a part of it."

Giambi, who pinch-hit in the loss to Detroit and struck out, said he handled not playing by concentrating on other things.

"I have other duties on this team," he said. "I help the young kids play. I help them learn. That's why I came here and I never lost sight that."

Francona said Giambi just doesn't help younger players.

"It's everybody, including me," he said. "He has a way of talking to you that's a pretty calming influence. He doesn't force himself on people, people gravitate toward him, including me.

"He has a way of walking by me in the dugout when things are going haywire and says something to me that makes a lot of sense. If I want to accomplish something with somebody I may grab him and say, "Handle that."

Price, Adams and Aguilar appeared in Monday's game along with Giambi. Price made his big league debut and pitched the eighth and allowed two runs. Adams got knocked around in the ninth, giving up three runs. Aguilar started at DH and went 0-for-2 with a walk.

The Indians, as they did last year when they won the AL's first wild card spot, are making a move late in the season.

"This is exciting," said Giambi. "I'm proud of those guys. They've played incredible baseball."

Last year Giambi played in 71 games and hit .183, but that .183 included eight doubles, nine homers and 31 RBI. On Sept. 24, he hit what might have been the biggest homer of the season, a walk-off, game-winning, pinch-hit homer off White Sox closer Addison Reed.

It came in the midst of a season-ending 10-game streak that the Indians used to clinch a wild card spot. Does that kind of thunder still exist in Giambi's bat?

"I think I'm ready to hit big league pitching," he said. "If I get an opportunity to play, it's going to be as a pinch-hitter or in a matchup that the skipper thinks is a good matchup. More or fewer at bats aren't going to hurt or help me because the way I get my at bats up here is so sporadic."

Corey Kluber has lost three straight starts for the first time in his career. He hasn't pitched all that well, but he needs much better support from his offense and defense.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – So what's wrong with Corey Kluber?

He's lost three straight starts at a time when the Indians can't afford to have their No.1 starter in a funk. Loss No.3 arrived Monday, a 12-1 beating at the hands of the Tigers.

Is he tired as he approaches 200 innings for the first time in his career?

"I told you five days ago that I feel fine," said Kluber.

He allowed three homers in 2 2/3 innings to the Tigers. It was his shortest start of the season and the first time in his career he's allowed three homers in one game. Detroit's Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez each hit a two-run shots off him. J.D. Martinez hit the other.

Cabrera and Martinez are hitting a combined .464 (26-for-52) with seven homers and 14 RBI against Kluber.

Why does that keep happening?

"They're good hitters. When you make mistakes to them, they usually take advantage of it," said Kluber.

Kluber walked two more batters Monday, giving him eight in his last three starts. It matches a season high for walks in a three-start stretch for Kluber.

When asked if his command has been a factor recently, Kluber said, "I said it last time out. I feel fine."

Kluber (13-9, 2.72) is a long way from fine. After winning six straight decisions, and logging more innings than he ever has before, he looks like an arm-weary pitcher. It happens, no matter how hard you train and that's what Kluber does.

Monday he also looked like a pitcher working hard to control his emotions as he talked to reporters.

Kluber could easily be 2-1 instead of 0-3 in these three games if he received more support from his offense and defense. The Indians have scored four runs in his three-start losing streak. Clayton Kershaw isn't going to win that way.

On defense, Mike Aviles didn't help him Monday. Aviles started in right field because he's a right-handed hitter with decent numbers against Detroit's David Price.

Defensively it was only his second start in right field this season and he not only hurt himself, he hurt Kluber. Aviles dove for Ian Kinsler's leadoff triple in the first. He missed, but not before his face slammed into the ground.

He was nauseated and dizzy, but kept playing until he came up empty on another play, this time in the third inning when he failed to catch Cabrera's two-out liner to right.

Each play cost him four runs as Cabrera hit a two-run homer in the first and Martinez hit a two-run homer in the third followed by J.D. Martinez's homer.

"Mike didn't really say anything until after the second play," said manager Terry Francona. "So we took him out."

Francona said Aviles passed his concussion tests, but is suffering from whiplash.

"I don't think it helped," said Francona, when asked if Aviles' condition prevented him from catching Cabrera's liner. "Again, I don't think any of us knew quite how sick he was feeling because he didn't say anything.

"That was tough because that was a one, two, three inning for Klubes. I know a lot happened after that, but when you're going through the middle of their order you never want to give them anything."

At the time of Martinez's homer, the Tigers led, 2-1.

One more thing that may have been stirring inside of Kluber is that Francona lifted him with two out in the third and Detroit leading, 5-1. No pitcher likes to get an early hook.

Francona was thinking about Kluber's next start and the start beyond that in this run of 30 games in 30 days.

"Klubes could have stayed out there and battled and done just fine," said Francona. "But we were down and there are no days off. It allowed us to stretch out Zach McAllister and get Bryan Price and Austin Adams in the game.

"But the most important thing is to allow Klubes to come back in five days and not have to work harder than he already has . . .Hopefully, it pays off in his next start."

It's too bad Francona couldn't do that for the rest of the team because they've been hurting Kluber as much as he's been hurting himself on the mound.

A glitch in the video game makes Browns linebacker Christian Kirksey only 14 inches tall.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — OK, who does the scouting for the Cleveland Browns?

Rookie linebacker Christian Kirksey is listed at 6-2, 235 pounds on the team's roster. 

That appears to be a gross exaggeration ... at least on the "Madden NFL 2015" video game.

In the new game, Kirksey measures only 14 inches tall thanks to a glitch in the programming. But the tiny version of Kirksey has a big heart and still manages to make plays, as shown in the video below, bringing down runners five times larger than him and breaking up passes.

And he's doing it all for the Tennessee Titans ... another goof in the video game. The Browns can't be happy about that.

Actually, it appears the glitch has become a hit with gamers:

And Kirksey doesn't seem to mind, either:

This glitch of me on madden is hilarious might I say! #lol #laughitsgood

— Christian Kirksey (@chriskirksey20) September 2, 2014

No matter how small you are, have big dreams, and live big! #madden #glitch #1'2 #reallyLOL #goodmessagetho

— Christian Kirksey (@chriskirksey20) September 2, 2014

Here's hoping that Kirksey is at his normal size and on the Browns roster for Sunday's season opener against the Steelers.

Tigers pound out 20 hits, including five homers, to humble Indians.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Corey Kluber, who in winning six straight decisions from July 6 through Aug. 9 looked like he'd never lose a game, now looks like he might never win a game.

Kluber allowed three homers in his shortest start of the season as the Tiger spanked the Indians, 12-1, Monday afternoon at Progressive Field. Kluber (13-9, 2.72) has lost three straight starts.

Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez worked Kluber over. Cabrera hit a two-run homer in the first and Martinez added a two-run homer in the third.

Cabrera is hitting .567 (17-for-30) with four homers and nine RBI lifetime against Kluber. Martinez is hitting .409 (9-for-22) with three homers and five RBI against him.

While the Tigers ripped Indians' pitchers for a season-high 20 hits, including five homers, left-hander David Price took care of the Tribe's hitters. Price (13-10, 3.25) allowed one run on five hits in seven innings. He struck out eight and walked two on 105 pitches.

Price, acquired by the Tigers from Tampa Bay on July 31, is 6-1 in his career against the Indians. This was the first time he faced them this season.

He was coming of a 5-0 loss to the Yankees in which he allowed eight runs on 12 hits in two innings. 

What it means

Is it time to raise a red flag on Kluber? He's lost three straight starts for this first time this season. In his first two losses, he threw quality starts and received just three runs of support from his offense.

Monday the Tigers beat him up, while the offense once again stayed silent in his defense. Kluber allowed seven runs on five hits in 2 2/3 innings.

Kluber has thrown a career high 195 1/3 innings and appears to have hit a wall. Besides being 0-3 in his last three starts, Kluber has a 6.19 ERA (11 earned runs in 16 innings).

The Tribe is receiving strong starting pitching from the other four spots in the rotation. Entering September, however, they need their ace if they're going to stay in the race.

Tough day in right

Mike Aviles left the game in the fourth inning because he was dizzy and nauseated after hitting his face on the ground in the first when he made a futile diving try for Ian Kinsler's leadoff triple.

Manager Terry Francona said after the game that Aviles passed his concussion tests, but could be suffering from whiplash.

Aviles, making just his second start of the season in right field, botched two plays that led to big innings for the Tigers.

Kinsler started the game with a triple that Aviles dove for and missed. Miguel Cabrera followed with a two-run homer for a 2-0 lead.

In the third, with two out, Cabrera sent a liner to right that Aviles charged and missed. It went for a hit and Victor Martinez turned it into a run and a 4-1 lead with a two-run homer to right.

One stinking run

The Indians scored their one and only run when Michael Brantley singled and Carlos Santana doubled him home in the first inning.On stinking run?

Big league debut

Rookie right-hander Bryan Price, added to the roster before Monday's game from Class AAA Columbus, made his big league debut for the Tribe in the eighth. Cabrera, who hit a two-out homer to right, baptized him to the big time.

Price faced eight Tigers and allowed two runs. He allowed three hits, hit a batter and walked another after two outs.

What's the problem with Miggy?

Coming into the game, Cabrera had not homered since Aug. 2. Turns out reports of his demise were greatly exaggerated.

Cabrera, with homers against Kluber and Price, has 29-multi-game homers in his career. He has 35 career homers against the Tribe.

Homer central.

The Tigers finished with five homers: two by Cabrera and one each by Victor Martinez, J.D. Martinez and Tyler Collins. Victor Martinez has hit five homers against the Tribe this year to give him 10 overall against his old club.

What's next?

Tribe right-hander Carlos Carrasco (6-4, 3.01) will face Tiger left-hander Kyle Lobstein (0-0, 3.09) at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday at Progressive Field for Game 2 of this four-game series. SportsTime Ohio, WTAM and WMMS will carry the game.

In four starts since rejoining the rotation, Carrasco is undefeated and has allowed two runs in 24 2/3 innings. He's struck out 24 and walked three in that stretch.

Lobstein will be making his second start and third appearance for the Tigers. He has three strikeouts and five walks in 11 2/3 innings. The opposition is hitting .195 against him.

The rule reduces clock stoppages when a team's lead reaches 30 points in the second half.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – About a third of Ohio high school football fans and teams went home a little earlier than normal in Week 1. The Ohio High School Athletic Association’s new point differential rule led to running clocks in 114 of 375 season-opening games. 

The rule - often referred to as the "mercy rule" - goes into effect when the point differential reaches 30 points after the first half. After that, the clock will only be stopped during an official’s timeout, a charged timeout, the end of a period or after a score. After the 30-point difference has been met, if the margin drops below 30 points, the clock reverts to regular timing.

The OHSAA adopted the rule in May. Already in use in many states, the National Federation of State High School Associations allows it to be adopted at a state association’s discretion.

“All the feedback I’ve gotten has been very positive,” said Beau Rugg, OHSAA assistant commissioner. “I was standing at a game in Upper Arlington on Friday and it went to a point differential. I was standing with the superintendent and he said, ‘Oh my, this really takes the tension out of the end of the game.’ I said, ‘Yeah, it does. It’s a good thing.’”

The OHSAA cited late-game safety concerns in lopsided games and reducing the tension for players and coaches among the reasons for adopting the rule.

Brunswick’s 36-0 win against Medina on Friday included a 67-minute first half as the Blue Devils built a 27-0 lead. A field goal two minutes into the second half created a 30-point lead and got the clock moving. The second half took 32 minutes to play.

“I understand the rule change in some situations, but in situations like tonight, where it’s not like it’s really one-sided, I don’t know if you needed it,” said Brunswick coach Luke Beal. “If it’s a situation where someone’s really running away with it, then maybe. It was a situation where we wanted to get our seniors in, but once that clock started running, it went fast.”

Madison’s 36-0 win against Chagrin Falls on Friday reached the point differential in the first minute of the fourth quarter.

“I am not a big proponent of it just because I am a competitor and I never want to say the game is over and you quit,” said Madison coach Tim Willis. “I was glad tonight because we got a situation where the clock kept running. It worked to our advantage tonight, but I am an old-school guy. Everyone thinks they have to change the rules all the time. We can’t turn into a soft society. What they need to do is get better I guess. If we were losing like that we would need to get better. That is what I think.”

St. Edward kick-started the running clock with 2:59 left in the third quarter of its 38-7 win against Gilman (Md.) on Sunday. The first half took 71 minutes to complete and was slowed by commercial delays due to ESPNU’s broadcast.

Take out the 10 minutes of commercial delays, and the final 14:59 of the game took 17 minutes to play.

“It’s hard to kind of manage it and get seniors in,” said St. Edward coach Rick Finotti. “With our program, we’re so senior-laden. We like to try and get them in as much as we can. I understand why (the OHSAA) did it. It is what it is.”

Benedictine led Normandy 48-0 at halftime of their game on Thursday, causing the clock to run the entire second half.

"If you're in that kind of situation it's a good thing," Benedictine coach Joe Schaefer said. "All those kids who were on the field on both sides of the ball (in the second half) have to come back on Saturday and play (JV), too. It's safer that way."

The proposal was recommended by the OHSAA staff after more than a year of consultation with the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association. Unlike changes to the bylaws and constitution, which require a vote of the membership, changes to sport-specific regulations and the general sports regulations need only approval from the board of directors.

Rugg said the rule will be reviewed after the season, and that changing the 30-point threshold could be discussed.

Freelance reporters Brad Bournival and Zachary Dzurick, and Northeast Ohio Media Group reporter Joe Noga contributed to this report.

Follow our new high school sports Twitter account @NEOvarsity and tag your high school sports Tweets and score updates with the #NEOVarsity hashtag.

Contact high school sports reporter Scott Patsko by email(spatsko@cleveland.com) or Twitter(@ScottPatsko). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Northeast Ohio Media Group announced Tuesday the hiring of Joe Vardon as its new LeBron James beat reporter. Vardon spent the last three years covering Gov. Kasich for the Columbus Dispatch.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- John Kasich's loss is LeBron James' gain.

Joe Vardon
 

Northeast Ohio Media Group announced Tuesday the hiring of Joe Vardon as its new LeBron James beat reporter. Vardon spent the last three years covering Gov. Kasich for the Columbus Dispatch.

Kasich didn't express an opinion when asked about Vardon's new assignment by OhioCapitalBlog.

"The real question for me is, 'Can LeBron hit the three as well as I can?' So it'll be a question Vardon has to answer," Kasich said.

cleveland.com could not find any evidence of Kasich's alleged marksmanship from beyond the arc, so we'll just have to take his word for it.

Vardon joins Chris Haynes and Chris Fedor on the new team covering the Cavaliers and LeBron James on cleveland.com and in The Plain Dealer.

So @joevardon going from covering the governor to covering the most powerful guy in Ohio. http://t.co/fqc9Mwo2bR

— Doug Lesmerises (@DougLesmerises) September 3, 2014

The President's Award is given to someone who has given "extraordinary service to the sport of tennis in the public's interest."

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Cleveland resident and U.S. Fed Cup Captain Mary Joe Fernandez received the 2014 USTA President's Award on Monday, the association announced. 

The President's Award is given to someone who has given "extraordinary service to the sport of tennis in the public's interest." Past recipients of the award, which first was presented in 1999, include Billie Jean King, Lindsay Davenport and former New York City Mayor David Dinkins. 

Fernandez, 43, received the award in a presentation Monday in New York. 

"It's such an honor to be recognized with the President's Award," Fernandez told the USTA. "Tennis has been in my life for 40 years now and I am so lucky to be able to stay involved in this great sport." 

As a player, Fernandez was ranked as high as No. 4 in the world in both singles and doubles, and won seven WTA singles titles – including the 1996 French Open and the 1991 Australian Open. She also won three Olympic medals: two golds in women's doubles (1992 and 1996), and one bronze in singles (1992). 

Since retiring from play in 2000, she has been an analyst for ESPN and CBS, and has served as U.S. Fed Cup team captain since 2009. 

Fernandez lives in Cleveland with her husband, sports agent Tony Godsick, and their two children, Isabella and Nicholas.

Notre Dame College's football team was picked to finish seventh in the Mountain East Conference.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Notre Dame College is the first among Northeast Ohio's Division II and III schools to kick off the 2014 football season Thursday night when then Falcons travel to Fairmont (W.Va.) College for a 7 p.m. game.

Here's a quick preview of NDC's upcoming season.

NOTRE DAME COLLEGE FALCONS

Division: NCAA Division II

Conference: Mountain East Conference

2013 record: 5-6, 4-5 MEC

Coach: Adam Howard, fifth season, 15-29.

Conference outlook: Defending champion Shepherd (11-1, 9-0) was picked to repeat in an MEC coaches poll, followed by Concord, Charleston and Glenville State. NDC was tied for seventh in the 11-team poll. Shepherd advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals and is ranked 14^th by D2football.com. It returns five starters on defense and seven on offense, including its entire backfield. Shepherd has led Division II in rushing defense in each of the past three seasons. Concord (8-3, 7-2) returns 11 starters on offense and seven on defense.

NDC outlook: The Falcons begin their fifth season. Last year's five victories equaled their previous best (2011). Stellar RB Pedro Powell graduated, but QB Ray Russ is one of six returning starters on offense. Russ, a senior from Willoughby, completed 59 percent of his attempts for 2,504 yards, 21 TDs and 10 interceptions. Also back are first-team All-MEC picks Doniel Gambrell at tackle and Ray Brown at tight end (39 catches, 371 yards), as well as veteran WR Colton Wallace (24 catches, 348 yards). A young defense allowed 31.6 points per game. Eight starters return, led by junior LB Hayden Davis, whose 121 tackles led the league, and junior DE Derrick Bavol (71 tackles).

There's no amount of work in an empty gym that can lead to the experience Irving is gaining this summer.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It was April 17, 2014; the day after the Cleveland Cavaliers finished the season. The Cavs had just beaten the Brooklyn Nets, 114-85, giving the crowd at Fan Appreciation Night a reason to celebrate after a season dotted with frustration, hollow proclamations and more changes.

A few months earlier General Manager Chris Grant was fired, paving the way for David Griffin to take over. As the team was set to embark on a critical summer, little was certain.

Head coach Mike Brown was on the hot seat despite arriving just one year earlier. The team had to decide whether Griffin would stay as GM.

This was all going on as the Cavs were preparing their plan for free agency, with LeBron James likely to be at the center of the loaded class.

An important summer was also on the horizon for Kyrie Irving. The reigning All-Star MVP was forced to answer questions about his leadership, defense, a dip in stats and an unimpressive win-loss record. He became the target of criticism, something that comes with the territory of being a franchise's face. He was labeled a "coach killer" by some. Other called him "overrated." Some of the biggest detractors pointed to unfavorable analytics.

His frustrating season even featured a spat with Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon on Twitter after Gordon made comments about a supposed rift between Irving and backcourt mate Dion Waiters. Rumors hinted at a desire to leave Cleveland. His attempted refutes on social media didn't satisfy a fan base suffering through its fourth straight losing season.

The Cavs had to decide whether the one-time franchise building block was worthy of a maximum contract extension. The young point guard had to figure out if he would accept. Irving said all the right things, but the upcoming summer was the first time he would be allowed to back up those words and commit to the franchise.

That day, the players cleaned out their stuff, wrapped up interviews with members of the front office and left.

"I finished the season strong, we all finished the season strong with one another, and it's a brotherhood here," Irving told the assembled media that day. "That's the only thing I'm worried about – taking my game to the next level with my teammates."

Some players went to summer league. Others went to hone their craft elsewhere or took a brief vacation, escaping from basketball. The summer schedule is different for everyone, but Irving's featured an opportunity to play for Team USA.

His spot on the roster, however, was far from a guarantee.

A few months later, Irving, with his future in Cleveland solidified thanks to a five-year extension, flew to Las Vegas for tryouts with USA Basketball. He was surrounded by some of the NBA's biggest stars and was part of a talent-rich group of point guards. Derrick Rose, who boasted valuable experience on the National Team, was likely to get a spot -- provided his cranky knees would cooperate. Golden State's Stephen Curry was considered a lock because of his lethal shooting stroke. That left one spot for either Irving, Washington's John Wall, who was coming off a breakout season, or Portland All-Star Damian Lillard.

Irving's memorable summer continued as he made the team. Since then, he has spent his time gaining valuable experience playing overseas at the FIBA World Cup of Basketball.

"Kyrie Irving's getting the most important game action of his life right now," Griffin said following a press conference to introduce Kevin Love on Aug. 26. "He's getting better literally every day. He showed up trying to make that team and he appears to be at least the part-time starter now. He's earning his stripes when it matters. It's going to be enormously valuable to us."

Griffin knows the importance of playing for Team USA. Not only is it a chance to play for the country and win a gold medal, but Irving is playing in pressure-packed games for the first time since the 2011 NCAA Tournament. He's coached by some of basketball's best teachers and is practicing against some of the league's best.

An one-time unclear role has turned into a starting gig and Irving is thriving, averaging 10.7 points, 3.6 assists and 2.3 steals while shooting 52 percent in three games.

NBA players in the past have used the Team USA experience as a springboard for the upcoming season, and Irving looks poised to do the same.

Back in 2010, Rose, 22 at the time, parlayed a strong campaign on the FIBA stage into an MVP season. That year, he looked ready to challenge James for the title of NBA's best player before injuries robbed him of two full seasons and left many questioning whether he can regain his superstar form.

It's the same experience that led to a breakout season for Russell Westbrook. In his first two seasons, Westbrook's high in points was 16.1 while shooting 41 percent. Like Rose, he got the invite to participate on the world stage and came back a different player. The following season he averaged 21.9 points while dishing out career-high 8.2 assists and was named to the All-NBA Second Team.

The same thing happened to Kevin Love, who became the NBA's Most Improved Player, and Tyson Chandler, who became Dallas' anchor on defense, helping it win the NBA title after competing for the Stars and Stripes.

James Harden was Oklahoma City's sixth man when he got a Team USA call during the summer of 2012. He had averaged 16.8 points and 3.7 assists the season before. After helping the U.S. bring the gold back from London, he was traded to Houston and catapulted to a career year, averaging 25.9 points.

It's possible that all these things could've happened naturally. It could all be a coincidence. But playing against the game's elite and matching up with them in practice brings out the best in guys.

It's happened before and it may happen again. Perhaps as soon as this season.

Irving's off-season started on April 17, as the No. 1 option on a lottery staple. Now, after a contract extension and the arrivals of James and Love, his role has changed. But so, too, has his attitude and game.

There's no amount of work in an empty gym that can lead to the experience Irving is gaining this summer. Thanks to his stint with Team USA, he is ready to make the same leap that others have. 

It's right on time, as the Cavs are months away from starting their championship journey.

Browns coach Mike Pettine won't reveal if he'll install a package of plays for Johnny Manziel Sunday in Pittsburgh. He also acknowledged that the rivalry with PIttsburgh isn't much of one and that it's time to flip it.

BEREA, Ohio -- Quick hitters from Browns coach Mike Pettine's press conference:

• On if Johnny Manziel will play in Pittsburgh: "Once we get to the point where we formulate a game plan, anything that would put us at a competitive disadvantage, any of the game-plan stuff, feel free to talk about it afterward.''
 
• On if he's being baited by the Steelers into playing Johnny Manziel: "I just think they were asked their opinion, and if that's their motivation, that's their motivation. We have our game plan set for how we'll play this game, and we'll see how it plays out. I don't get into the gamesmanship or whatever you want to call it. I know that gets read into. Somebody makes a comment, whether it's heaping praise on someone, you interpret it a certain way, but I didn't see it that way at all.''

• On Steelers week: "This is an exciting time for us. This is a lot of time we've put in to come down to this week, and when I got hired, I talked about being back in the AFC North and what that meant. We were excited when the schedule came out. I know people say, 'Hey, be careful what you ask for,' but I don't think there's any better test to see where we are as a team, as a program than to go down and play at Heinz Field. It's a challenge that we're looking forward to. I have a great deal of respect for Mike Tomlin and his staff. I know those guys will be well prepared. It's going to be a big challenge for us, but we're looking forward to it.''
 
• On his first regular-season game: "It'll be special. I've been in that stadium a bunch, and probably haven't had the result that I've wanted most of the time. I've been a part of some wins there, and there's nothing like going there and competing. I think Pittsburgh's a great football town. I lived there, was part of it for a while. Whether it was for the college or the Steelers, I just see the passion, the loyalty. To me, it reminds me a lot of our fan base as well. It's a crowd when they get behind a team and they're rocking and rolling. It makes it very difficult on a visitor, but as far as I'm concerned, I'm excited, but that can't be a part of it. I think a big part of coaching is getting those nerves to settle down and just settle into the game and stay focused, and then, hey, whatever happens, happens.''
 
• On what he'll be like on the sidelines: "Hopefully, the only thing I'll throw is a challenge flag if need be. I try to stay reasonably calm during games. I can't promise that. Going back to when I was a high school coach, I didn't probably have as good of control of my emotions as I wanted to, and I blamed my dad. I tell him I learned from the best. The players will reflect the personality of their leadership, and we want our guys to be focused, intense and competitive. I think it's tough when a coach kind of loses his mind a little bit. It's hard to tell the players, 'Hey, keep it together,' but at the same time, if something happens that I felt one of our players was put at risk, then, I'll respond accordingly.''
 
• On how important it is to start 1-0: "I've never been one to sit and try to predict wins and say, 'This is our plan to go 10-6,' or 'This is our plan to go 12-4.' We've put all our effort and energy into going 1-0, and if that works out, then, we'll put all of our energy into going 2-0. This is a long season. I know what the stats are about the opener, but I don't think you can get consumed by that. I think more importantly for us, it's a division game. When people say it's worth one-and-a-half or it's worth two, I truly believe that. For us to accomplish what we want to accomplish, it goes through the division.''

"I think most people would agree, maybe Baltimore and Cincinnati would disagree, but the road through the AFC North travels through Pittsburgh. It's an important game on a lot of fronts. I think more gets put into it because it's that one game you're looking forward to that entire offseason. You do a little bit more work on it. You probably over-prepare for it, but we don't want to have the smoke clear from it and just be spent. It is a long year, and we'll be ready. We just have to get in that good rhythm of we play on Sunday, and find a way to regroup by mid-week and it's onto the next one.''
 
• On the rivalry with Pittsburgh: "It's not pretty. I'll be honest with you. I put it up on a slide to kind of talk our young guys through it, the guys that don't know the history. I put 'rivalry' and I put '?'

"From a Steelers standpoint, it's not much of a rivalry. When you look at one win at Heinz Field in 14 tries, two wins in the last seven years, five wins in the last 36 times against them, it's brutal when you truly look at it, but that's something that's a big part of our prep, understanding that has nothing to do with us, nothing to do with this game, nothing to do with us moving forward. That was our message back in the spring, when we said, 'Hey, recognize the history, but break off the rearview mirror.' This is just another way to prove that.''

• On Manziel putting some heat on Brian Hoyer: "I think it was good to put both those guys in pressure situations. That if you go through the preseason and everything's easy, I've seen teams that have gone through an easy preseason, whether 4-0 or 3-1 and they're never really challenged, and all of a sudden you get into the brutal reality of the season, things are very different.

"These guys were in pressure situations in practice, they were in pressure situations in the preseason games and those are all learning experiences. And we're looking forward to taking that next step, not just with Brian, but with everybody else, to go out against one of the elite defenses in the NFL, playing in their stadium.

"We understand that's a tall task, but being successful in the NFL, you have to be poised, you have to be confident and you have to be able to handle adversity. There's going to be plays that clearly don't go our way on Sunday, how do we respond to those? 'Hey, is it same old browns and we just curl up in a ball?' Or is it, 'Hey, we're going to get up and we're going to come back swinging.' ''
 

You think getting on to the field for a football player is just putting one foot in front of the other? You're probably right. But the Buckeyes' entrance will have a new look.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State has a new tunnel. That means the Buckeyes must have a new way of coming out of the tunnel.

Sure, it's basically still just walking. But that shouldn't be taken for granted, should it?

One of the renovations for Ohio Stadium for this season included expanding the tunnel from the OSU locker room to the field. Previously, there was a wide, open ramp, with a small tunnel on the side that the team walked down. Maybe two or three players could fit across the tunnel.

Now the whole ramp is a covered entrance (as seen in the photo above). All the Buckeyes need to do is make sure they don't trample themselves on the way on the field.

"I think it'll be pretty cool, with a covered tunnel, so I'm excited for that. I haven't been in it, so the first time running out of it will be the first time of me seeing it, too," left tackle Taylor Decker said.

Shouldn't they be practicing something?

Asked about tunnel prep, linebacker Joshua Perry mentioned that a field entrance is not a given. He saw the moments last week of Eastern Michigan players knocking down a cinder block wall to get on the field, and Baylor students falling over each other during a mad rush onto the field.

"I think that's something we're not too worried about," Perry said. "We'll just go out there. Everyone will be jacked up anyway, so if we come out of the tunnel a little bit funny I think it'll be all right. We saw some mishaps this past week."

See, the tunnel thing can be a deal.

"It is a deal," Perry agreed. "But I think we'll be fine."

That's what everyone always says. Be careful out there, Joshua.

The new tunnel the Buckeyes will run through at the Shoe pic.twitter.com/H2vkiw4kaV

— Matt Barnes (@Matt_NBC4) September 3, 2014

Some people didn't appreciate some of the shots Eastern Michigan took for its entrance.

Meanwhile, the Baylor entrance just looked a little scary.

Northfield Park dominates Ohio trotting and pacing scene with year-round racing. The other three harness tracks have developed 2015 schedules that make sure they don't compete with each other, as well as the track up north.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Northfield Park dominates Ohio's trotting and pacing scene with year-round racing. The other three harness tracks have developed 2015 schedules that make sure they don't compete with each other, as well as the track up north.

The racing dates recently presented to the Ohio State Racing Commission have minimal overlaps in the 100 racing dates at Scioto Downs in Columbus and the 75 racing dates each at Miami Valley Gaming & Racing in Lebanon and Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway.

"We can't have harness tracks within a 50- or 70-mile radius of each other also racing on top of one another," said OSRC Chairman Robert Schmitz. "Creating a racing circuit for those tracks makes a lot of sense."

Northfield Park upped its schedule by one racing program, asking for 214 dates from Jan. 1-Dec. 30. Scioto Downs applied for May 1-Sept. 26 race dates. Miami Valley plans to be in action Feb. 1-May 3, while Dayton Raceway wants to race from Sept. 9-Dec. 30.

Schmitz was very unhappy at the OSRC meeting on Aug. 28 that Northfield Park and the Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association have not hammered out an agreement on the horsemen's share of revenue from video lottery terminals, or slots.

There was supposed to be an agreement in place two months ago to award between 9 percent and 11 percent of the slots revenue for purses. In the interim, Northfield has been contributing 9 percent to the purse fund while most Ohio tracks kick in 10 percent.

Tom Aldrich, vice chairman of Milstein Entertainment, and General Manager Jerry Knappenberger of the OHHA both said Wednesday they felt they could hammer out an agreement over the new two or three weeks. Aldrich said Northfield Park should get a higher percentage of slots revenue because it has made the largest investment of any other track in building its Hard Rock Rocksino.

"We want to make sure the 9 percent remains at Northfield Park," said Aldrich. "We race more than double the programs of any other Ohio (harness racing) track and need to maintain competitive purses for our overnight racing that we simulcast all over the country."

Aldrich said the OHHA and other tracks have agreed 30 percent of the slots revenue should go to the Ohio Sires Stakes, county and state fairs, breeders programs and OHHA promotions. The OSRC recently gave the nod to an OHHA request to transfer $1.3 million in purse money from Northfield, Miami Valley and Scioto Downs to fund the Ohio Sires Stakes Super Night at Scioto Downs on Sept. 27. The program includes eight OSS championships, each with a $200,000 purse.

Jug gets interesting: Lyonssomewhere upset the apple cart on Monday as the 19-1 shot beat He's Watching by a half-length in 1:49.1 to win the $437,325 Cane Pace at Tioga Downs in Nichols, N.Y. Owner Geoffrey Lyons Mount of Brantford, Ontario paid a $35,000 supplement to race in the Cane Pace, the first leg of harness racing's Triple Crown. He needs to fork over another $45,000 to race in Thursday's $650,000 Little Brown Jug at the Delaware (Ohio) County Fairgrounds, the second leg.

Completing the Triple Crown is the Messenger Stakes on Oct. 25 at New York's Yonkers Raceway.

McWicked, who lost at Northfield Park to All Bets Off in the $400,000 Milstein Memorial on Aug. 15, is still at the top of the Jug list after winning a Pennsylvania Sires Stakes race in 1:48.3 on Aug. 29. He's Watching is second on the Jug list, followed by Somewhere in LA, Sometimes Said and Lyonssomewhere.

Sbrocco's rising star: Brecksville's Joe Sbrocco won the $667,000 Metro Pace for two-year-olds at Mohawk Raceway near Toronto with Captaintreacherous, who went on to become Horse of the Year in 2013. On Saturday, Sbrocco's freshman pacer Artspeak scored an easy win in the Metro Pace. The colt is undefeated in six starts after the easy win in 1:50.2 with Scott Zeron in the sulky.

Modern Legend and driver Dave Miller notched the big upset of the night at Mohawk, beating heavily-favored Sweet Lou in the $634,000 Canadian Pacing Derby, ending his 10-race win streak. Modern Legend's stellar 1:47.2 mile was almost two seconds faster than his previous best.

Jug at Northfield: Northfield Park will simulcast the Delaware County Fair racing on Wednesday, which features the Jugette for three-year-old fillies, and the Little Brown Jug card on Thursday. The simulcast action begins at 11 a.m.

Northfield debuts its Pigskins & Ponies contest on Monday night, challenging fans to pick Monday Night Football scenarios and live harness racing. Saturday and Sunday handicapping contests begin this weekend with registration opening at 11 a.m. both days.

OSS at Northfield: The fillies will chase nine $40,000 purses in Friday night's Ohio Sires Stakes divisions for two- and three-year-old trotters and pacers. The 15-race program will offer more than $400,000 in purses.

Check out a preview capsule for the Week 2 football matchup between No. 1 St. Edward and No. 10 Glenville.

LAKEWOOD, Ohio - Check out a preview capsule for the Week 2 football matchup between No. 1 St. Edward and No. 10 Glenville. 

What: Nonconference game.

When: Saturday, 7 p.m.

Where: Lakewood Stadium, 14100 Franklin Boulevard, Lakewood. Call 216-221-3776.

Records: St. Edward 1-0; Glenville 0-1.

TV/Radio: sehs.net; Time Warner Cable SportsChannel.

About St. Edward: The Eagles had a convincing Week 1 win over Gilman in front of an ESPNU audience. Junior RB Cole Gest had a breakout performance, rushing for 194 yards and three TDs. Senior QB Brett Kean was efficient, and the new-look offensive line (five new starters) looked impressive. Defensively, LB Troy Dipre led a unit that held Gilman to 87 yards of offense.

About Glenville: The Tarblooders lost 21-6 to Cathedral Prep (Pa.) in Week 1. They came up empty twice on fourth-and-goal, and had three turnovers. Junior QB Marcus Drish ran for a touchdown in his first varsity start, but had two INTs. RB Christopher Lavette was featured in the backfield, and WRs Trevon Story and Ralph Davis were Drish’s top targets. Defensively, the Tarblooders had trouble stopping the run game in Week 1, but are led by LB Justice Hart. 

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With Bowling Green quarterback Matt Johnson out for the season with a hip injury, the MAC football race takes on a different look.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Five things I think about the Mid-American Conference divisional football races after coach Dino Babers confirmed Wednesday that defending MAC champion Bowling Green has lost sophomore starting quarterback Matt Johnson for the season to a hip injury.

1. Down and out: Coming on the heels of BG's defense giving up a stunning 708 yards and 40 first downs in a 59-31 upset loss to Western Kentucky, one has to wonder why Johnson was still on the field at the end of the game to take the hit/sack that apparently ended his season.

2. Easy street: The Akron Zips now have an easy stroll to the MAC East title. With the Falcons declawed, and the likes of Eastern Michigan, UMass and Miami joining BG as home turf cupcakes, even if the Zips lose an Oct. 18 game at Ohio University, it is doubtful they will lose another league game this season.

3. Big benefactors: The Toledo Rockets also reap some benefits. The rivalry home game with the Falcons that once looked daunting -- one week after playing at MAC West favorite Northern Illinois -- now appears much less threatening. Now, combined with UMass, this gives the Rockets a pair of easy crossover games to match the Kent State and Miami crossovers for NIU.

4. Biggest loser: Without Bowling Green handing out its expected number of losses in the MAC East, Northern Illinois' chances at the MAC West title slimmed down a bit. The Huskies have a late-season crossover game with OU, which could have major title implications on both division races, along with a division game against fast-improving Western Michigan -- both on the road -- to end the season.

5. The wildcard: The Bobcats, already with one conference win in the books, will probably not have to wait to the end of the season to figure out their title hopes. Back-to-back home games Oct.11 with Bowling Green and Oct. 18 with Akron can put OU in the drivers seat with a pair of wins, or in the back of the bus with a pair of losses.

Check out a preview capsule for the Week 2 football matchup between Berea-Midpark and Garfield Heights.

GARFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio - Check out a preview capsule for the Week 2 football matchup between Berea-Midpark and Garfield Heights. 

What: Nonconference game.

When: Friday, 7 p.m..

Where: Garfield Heights High, Blaugrund Field, 4900 Turney Road, Garfield Heights. Call 216-475-8075.

Records: Berea-Midpark 1-0; Garfield Heights 1-0.

About Berea-Midpark: The Titans opened with a 47-7 win over North Royalton in Week 1. They scored 26 points in the second quarter to decide things. QB Nick Gassman had three TD passes and WR Matt Owens set a school record with a 97-yard punt return for a score. The Titans’ offensive line features Steve Bachie (6-3, 245) and Zach Bycznski (6-4, 295).

About Garfield Heights: The Bulldogs were leading Collinwood 26-6 in the third quarter last week when the game was stopped due to fighting on and off the field. The Bulldogs were eventually declared the winner. Seven Bulldogs are suspended for the Berea-Midpark game, including five starters. The team was already dealing with the loss of senior QB/S Jameel Miller, who suffered a leg injury sustained in a scrimmage and could return in a few weeks. Defensively, they feature All-Northeast Ohio Conference Lake Division Defensive Player of the Year Anthony Kastelic, who had 127 tackles and nine QB sacks last season.

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Check out a preview capsule for the Week 2 football matchup between No. 13 Brecksville and North Royalton.

NORTH ROYALTON, Ohio - Check out a preview capsule for the Week 2 football matchup between No. 13 Brecksville and North Royalton. 

What: Nonconference game.

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Where: North Royalton High, Serpentini Chevrolet Stadium, 6579 Royalton Road, North Royalton. Call 440-582-7801.

Records: Brecksville 1-0; North Royalton 0-1.

About the rivalry: This is the 78^th Battle for the Golden Shoe. The Bees have the trophy after last season’s 28-0 win.

About Brecksville: With new starters in 20 of 22 positions, the Bees opened with a win against Holy Name. Senior WR Tyler Tupa had seven catches for 73 yards and three TDs. Junior Dan Shirilla and sophomore Luke Strnad split time at QB, with each throwing two TD passes. Junior RB Josh Underwood helped balance the Bees attach with 18 carries for 66 yards.

About North Royalton: The Bears suffered a 47-7 defeat to Berea-Midpark in Week 1. A 26-point second-quarter did them in. Sophomore TJ Hoffman won the team’s QB competition and was 13-of-20 for 91 yards last week. Junior Shane Tyson had 19 carries for 57 yards. Bears coach Nick Ciulli recently shared his thoughts about the rivalry with the Northeast Ohio Media Group as part of a new video feature. Watch the video here.

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Contact high school sports reporter Scott Patsko by email(spatsko@cleveland.com) or Twitter(@ScottPatsko). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below

Here are the starting lineups and the pitching matchup for Wednesday's contest between the Indians and Tigers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here are the starting lineups and the pitching matchup for Wednesday's contest between the Indians and Tigers.

Pitching matchup: Danny Salazar (5-6, 4.23 ERA) vs. Justin Verlander (12-11, 4.68 ERA)

Lineups

Indians

1. CF Michael Bourn

2. SS Jose Ramirez

3. LF Michael Brantley

4. 1B Carlos Santana

5. 2B Jason Kipnis

6. 3B Lonnie Chisenhall

7. C Yan Gomes

8. DH Jason Giambi

9. RF Zach Walters

Tigers

1. 2B Ian Kinsler

2. RF Torii Hunter

3. DH Miguel Cabrera

4. 1B Victor Martinez

5. LF J.D. Martinez

6. 3B Nick Castellanos

7. SS Eugenio Suarez

8. C Bryan Holaday

9. CF Rajai Davis

Watch Sports Insider on cleveland.com live Thursday at 11:30 a.m. as we talk about the Indians playoff chase, the start of Cavaliers training camp in a few weeks and the Browns season opener vs. the Steelers on Sunday.

Live streaming video by Ustream

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Watch Sports Insider on cleveland.com live Thursday at 11:30 a.m. as we talk about the Indians playoff chase, the start of Cavaliers training camp in a few weeks and the Browns season opener vs. the Steelers on Sunday. 

Indians starter T.J. House joins Chris Fedor and Dan Labbe Thursday at 11:40 a.m. on Sports Insider.Associated Press File 

Hosts Chris Fedor and Dan Labbe will be joined by new Cavaliers beat reporter Chris Haynes at 11:30 a.m. to talk about any more potential moves by the Cavs.

Indians starting pitcher T.J. House talks about his season thus far and the push for the postseason at 11:40 a.m.

Finally, Mary Kay Cabot calls in to preview the opener at arch-rival Pittsburgh at 11:50 a.m.

Click play above to watch live at 11:30 a.m. Post your questions and remarks in the comments section below.