"Sorry, but Jayson Nix does not appear to be the future at third base - unless he stops swinging at bad pitches, gets a lot better at situational hitting, cuts down on his strikeouts and plays a better third base." - joetribe

View full sizeChuck Crow | The Plain DealerWill Jayson Nix be the Indians' third baseman in 2011?

In response to the story Hot corner finally cooling off a little bit for Jayson Nix: Indians Insider, cleveland.com reader joetribe is pretty sure Jayson Nix isn't the answer at third. This reader writes,

"Sorry, but Jayson Nix does not appear to be the future at third base - unless he stops swinging at bad pitches, gets a lot better at situational hitting, cuts down on his strikeouts and plays a better third base."

"The Indians still have a major problem: the lack of talent. The 25-man roster has maybe five to six MLB level players. The wins and losses confirm that. Coaches don't hit, pitch, field or run. And the other 19 on the roster are only on an MLB roster because the Indians are a really bad MLB Team and organization." - HardPanther

View full sizeAP Photo | Ted S. WarrenManny Acta's record in his first year as Indians manager has been bad, but so has the talent he's had to work with.

In response to the story Cleveland Indians manager Manny Acta happy with performance of his coaching staff: Cleveland Indians Insider, cleveland.com reader HardPanther thinks it's hard to judge Manny Acta because he doesn't have much talent to work with. This reader writes,

"The Indians still have a major problem: the lack of talent. The 25-man roster has maybe five to six MLB level players. The wins and losses confirm that. Coaches don't hit, pitch, field or run. And the other 19 on the roster are only on an MLB roster because the Indians are a really bad MLB Team and organization."

Shin-Soo Choo wins his second American League Player of the Week award this season.

 MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Indians right fielder Shin-Soo Choo was named American League Player of the Week today. Not much of a surprise after his hot weekend in Kansas City.

 It's the second time this season Choo has won the award.

 Choo hit .500 (10-for-20) last week. Over the weekend, he went 8-for-12 with four homers and 10 RBI in a three-game series against the Royals. He hit three homers and drove in seven runs in Friday's 11-4 victory.

 He homered and stole a base Sunday to reach 20-20 for the second straight season.

 In six games last week, Choo reached base safely in each game. He finished the week with 11 RBI, a .615 on-base percentage, a 1.150 slugging percentage and seven runs scored.

The Big Ten announced today that the conference opener for the teams will kick off at 11 a.m. Champaign, Ill. time — noon Eastern. It will be televised by the Big Ten Network.

Ohio State University

Columbus, Ohio — The Buckeyes will be placing a wakeup call at the front desk of their hotel in Champaign, Ill., because of an early game time.

The Big Ten announced today that the Ohio State at Illinois football game will kick off at 11 a.m. local time — noon Eastern — on Saturday, Oct. 2.

The contest at Memorial Stadium will be televised by the Big Ten Network. It will be the 2010 Big Ten opener for both teams.

The second-ranked Buckeyes are 3-0 while the Illini are 2-1.

Voting has begun in the Week 5 You Pick the Game high school football contest.

Voting has begun in the Week 5 You Pick the Game high school football contest. Vote to decide where you want us to send one of our reporters Friday night. Voting is open until noon Thursday. The winner is announced in Friday's Sports section.

Throwing a penalty flag in scribbles about the Browns...

John Kuntz / The Plain DealerThese Browns fans saw plenty of penalty flags thrown in the direction of the home team on Sunday as the home team fell to 0-2 on the season.

BEREA, Ohio -- Throwing a penalty flag in scribbles about the Browns...

1. After two games (both losses), the Browns have been flagged for 15 penalties -- ranking them eighth (out of 32 teams) in drawing flags. That comes after last season, where they ranked 29th. It comes after a preseason where they drew the fewest penalties. It comes after Eric Mangini and his coaches preached disciplined football and avoiding penalties from the moment they arrived in 2009, when players had to run laps after penalties in practice.

2. All this makes what has happened so far even more baffling. Mangini never blames officials for the flags; he demands his players shape up and do it right. But this year, 14 players have been flagged. Only John St. Clair (two holds in Tampa) is a repeat offender. So it's not just a few guys, it's nearly everyone.

3. We'll never know if Alex Mack's unnecessary roughness penalty at the end of the first half of Sunday's 17-14 loss to Kansas City is why Phil Dawson missed a 42-yard field goal. That late hit (and it was real, real late) cost the Browns 10 yards. They gained back 12 on the next play, then Dawson missed his kick. In the last three years, he has failed to convert only three times between the 40-49 yard lines. But today, Mack should feel as much remorse as Dawson over that play.

4. According to the Dallas Morning News and some internal stats in Berea, the Browns had the best special teams in the NFL last season. Big returns on offense, avoiding them on defense, punting, field goals and avoiding penalties were all a part of that ranking. But the Browns already have three special-team penalties -- holding by Jason Trusnik and Kaluka Maiava, and a ridiculous unnecessary roughness by Blake Costanzo.

5. Mangini's formula is to get smart, tough guys who pay attention to detail -- and won't give away yardage. So it has to be especially galling that among the Browns' nine penalties against Kansas City were three offsides/false starts. That means a player isn't paying attention, especially on offense -- when they know the snap count -- and at home -- when crowd noise is not against them. Yet, Ben Watson and Peyton Hillis had false starts. On defense, Marcus Benard lined up offsides. The Browns also were flagged for 12 men on the field in Tampa. These may be the worst of what Mangini calls "self-inflicted wounds."

6. Some penalties happen in the speed of the game. Sheldon Brown was nailed for what seemed like an iffy pass interference in Tampa. Kenyon Coleman was called for unnecessary roughness against Chiefs' quarterback Matt Cassel. Coleman arrived a split second late for a sack. These are not what Mangini is angry about.

7. Lawrence Vickers and Joe Thomas are two of the Browns' best blockers -- both have been called for holding. Thomas and Vickers have not made the same impact as a year ago. Mack also has had some rocky moments at center. While fans have been complaining about the right side of the line with Porkchop Womack and St. Clair, the center and left side has not been nearly as dominant as was the case at the end of last season.

8. In their 4-game winning streak last season, the Browns averaged 4.5 penalties per game, not much less than what they averaged for the entire season. In their worst moments -- and they seemed endless during that 1-11 start -- the Browns never had more than eight penalties in a game. So the nine against Kansas City is especially agonizing. No doubt, the coaches thought they had penalty part handled heading into this season.

Eric Mangini said he should have used the wildcat formation (and Josh Cribbs) more often. To paraphrase a rude remark, "No fooling, Sherlock."

Joshua Gunter / The Plain DealerJoshua Cribbs got some love from the fans on Sunday after his TD catch and run against the Chiefs. But Cribbs received precious little affection from the Browns' game plan, with only six touches. What happened to the wildcat, asks Bill Livingston.

BEREA, Ohio -- The only Browns player who can win a game from anywhere at anytime is Joshua Cribbs, a kick returner. Josh sees more "pooches," high, short kickoffs and punts designed to minimize returns, than your average kennel.

Cribbs is also easily the team's best pass receiver. He caught a 65-yard touchdown pass Sunday.

Yet the team's game-breaker touched the ball six times in all in the Browns' second straight loss to a bad team. Tampa Bay one week, Kansas City the next. Tweedlebum and bummer.

Cribbs had one punt return for five yards and one kickoff return for 19. Quarterback Seneca Wallace threw for him five times. Three were complete. The second-quarter bomb reminded you that the Browns' quarterbacks can make big plays for their own team with their arms and not just for the opposition.

Other than Cribbs, Wallace connected with second-year wideouts Brian Robiskie and Mohamed Massaquoi twice in nine passes to them. In baseball, such a .222 average in the batter's box is a flirtation with the players' definition of incompetence, the Mendoza Line.

On the Browns, it is what happens when character defects led to the exile of the only receivers who could get open, Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards. Neither played on anything approaching the plane of glory they projected for themselves, but they did have to be respected, at least by the other team, albeit strictly in an on-field sense.

Thomas Ondrey / The Plain DealerAfter a Browns offseason which seemed to have all sorts of preparations for Josh Cribbs and the wildcat, two inoffensive efforts by the offense would suggest the team might want to revive those plans.

Striking with something less than all their fury, the Browns used the wildcat formation against the Chiefs just once. The wildcat is a scheme in which the ball is snapped directly to a running back. It attempts to bring single wing blocking and power to the point of attack.

It seems hard to believe at first that a team with such impoverishment in playmakers would ignore the chance to be creative with the few they do have.

Some NFL coaches feel the defenses have caught up to wildcat. But with athletes on the field at the same time who are the caliber of Cribbs, a former quarterback at Kent State, and Wallace, a veteran quarterback who can make plays with his legs, the Browns have at least the chance to create uncertainty on the defense. The formation is supposed to be a way of seizing the initiative, a surprise move, quick in tempo.

The Browns have turned it into a repetitive exercise in risk aversion. When the ball is snapped to Cribbs, he either runs (most of the time) or throws a pass to a receiver running a fly pattern because that is what they trust him to read. The other team knows this and stacks the box. Cribbs gained one yard on his lone rush.

The thought seems not to occur of a double-pass or of putting one of them in motion for the full-speed-ahead sweep Miami has used to good effect with Ricky Williams.

Coach Eric Mangini admitted Monday the team needs to get the ball to Cribbs more often and that the wildcat should have been used more. He said he came to that conclusion Monday morning.

Last year, Mangini almost never admitted mistakes. This is a step in the right direction, but only if he makes good his vow to fix the growing disrepair. In the 12th year of the fixer-upper in Berea, with the schedule toughening up quickly and fans beginning to wonder if there will be a new coach after the bye week, it should not take 24 hours to realize Cribbs needs the ball more.

"I had hoped we were hurling a wildcat on to the shore, but all we got was a stranded whale," Winston Churchill once said, referring to the stalled Allied landings at Anzio in World War II.

Works for the Browns' offense, too.

Was former Brown lineman out of bounds with his actions against second-year center?

UPDATED: 10:12 p.m.

Thomas Ondrey / The Plain DealerAlex Mack says Shaun Smith incited him during the game by grabbing his private parts.

BEREA, Ohio -- Alex Mack accused former Browns defensive lineman Shaun Smith Monday of foul play during the Chiefs game, specifically grabbing his genitals during a play near the end of the first half.

The reason it's significant is because the Browns' center got into a verbal spat with the trash-talking Smith and may have still been steamed about it a minute later when he jumped over the pile on a short pass to Jerome Harrison and drilled linebacker Derrick Johnson late. The move drew a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty, one that moved the ball back to the Chiefs' 37.

Two plays later, Phil Dawson missed a 42 field goal, which proved to be the difference in 16-14 loss.

"I don't think he should be able to do that," said Mack of Smith. "I'm still fired up about it."

The incident took place after a one-yard run by Josh Cribbs with 1:21 left in the second quarter. After that play, a number of Chiefs players ended up on the Browns' sideline and punches were thrown.

Smith told the Associated Press Monday: "I don't have no comment. I don't recall doing anything like that. I'm not known for being a dirty player or anything like that, so I don't know what that was all about."

According to Mack: "I'm trying to hustle to the ball. I'm trying to help [Harrison] and he's a shifty guy. I'm trying to rush there and get a block and move things, be fired up, play the game with passion. A little too much passion. I probably should've pulled off that. It hurt my team and I feel bad for it, but I'm trying to play the game fast."

Mack didn't say if the Smith grab led to the penalty but acknowledged that "there's things I can do better. You want to be aggressive and attacking. You just can't have penalties."

Smith, who was released in training camp last season, once reportedly punched Brady Quinn and was let go after a few run-ins on the field with defensive line coach Bryan Cox. Despite a mouth that sometimes got him in trouble, coach Romeo Crennel liked him and brought him to Kansas City.

Bad call? The Browns will send a tape of Harrison's fumble to the NFL office for further review.

After watching the film Monday, teammates agreed that it wasn't a fumble, that Harrison was already down when Akron native Mike Vrabel stripped the ball out.

The Browns challenged, but the fumble stood. The Chiefs converted it into a field goal for a 3-0 lead.

"That fumble we had on Sunday was unfortunate," said Peyton Hillis. "It wasn't a fumble. But the refs have their own deal with that. They made the call so we have to live with it."

But coach Eric Mangini stressed that it wouldn't be an issue if the ball didn't come out in the first place.

Added Mack, "the defense makes some good plays and gets lucky with some calls. It's bad luck."

Whatever the case, it was the Browns' 14th fumble in six games, including preseason.

Delhomme progressing: Mangini said quarterback Jake Delhomme is getting better, "but in terms of his status, I'll have further information on Wednesday."

Delhomme was inactive for the game with his ankle injury and stood on the sidelines in his walking boot. A source said he's week to week.

Strategy in question: Mangini explained that he thinks the Browns are making halftime adjustments as well as anyone, but the team is committing too many penalties and mistakes.

The Browns have been shut out in the second half of each of the first two games. Against the Chiefs, the Browns possessed the ball for a little more than nine minutes in the second half.

"You go in, you have a certain amount of time and by the time you get in, guys get a drink, use the bathroom, you get on the board, it's pretty quick," Mangini said. "I've seen a lot of different ways that it's handled and I'd say ours is pretty consistent with the way it's handled across the league."

Linebacker David Bowens said changes at the break aren't overrated.

"Halftime adjustments are what win or lose a game," he said. "You can obviously see the difference in statistics."

Why more Moore? Should tight end Evan Moore have gone back in the game in the third quarter after getting drilled in the head by a Chiefs defender? Moore went to the sidelines but trotted out two plays later on third down.

After a punt, he walked into the locker room and confirmed afterwards that he had a head injury. New research has shown that players should not go back in immediately after head trauma.

"With all of that stuff, I really let [head trainer Joe Sheehan and the doctor] handle it," said Mangini. "It's a medical issue. I've never pushed to get a guy back in who's not cleared medically."

"I have no respect for a player who won't talk when he has a bad game. I'll guarantee you if he had gained over 100 yards and not fumbled, he would have talked." - cursedfan

View full sizeJoshua Gunter | The Plain DealerJerome Harrison struggled on Sunday and didn't talk to the media after.

In response to the story Jerome Harrison mute with frustration after poor results vs. Chiefs: Browns Insider, cleveland.com reader cursedfan thinks Jerome Harrison needed to talk after the game. This reader writes,

"I have no respect for a player who won't talk when he has a bad game. I'll guarantee you if he had gained over 100 yards and not fumbled, he would have talked."

Browns players were given a stern warning: turnovers and penalties will lead to benching.

John Kuntz / The Plain DealerEric Mangini said his patience is wearing thin. "If it becomes a pattern, then we can't play the people who create turnovers or penalties because it hurts our chances," he said Monday.

BEREA, Ohio -- Eric Mangini issued a stern warning Monday to his players: Turn the ball over or commit costly penalties and you'll be watching from the sidelines.

"Whether it's turnovers or penalties, if it becomes a pattern, then we can't play the people who create turnovers or penalties because it hurts our chances," said Mangini.

The Browns had two turnovers -- a Seneca Wallace interception and Jerome Harrison fumble -- that cost them 10 points, and nine penalties that led to the 16-14 loss to the Chiefs.

"I don't really see it as me benching anybody," said Mangini. "I see it as either hold onto ball and get carries or you don't hold onto the ball and you don't get carries. And I'm not limiting it to the running backs. This isn't just about Jerome [Harrison], let me make that clear.

"The same thing with penalties. Either you stay onsides or you don't. If you jump offsides on third down, then we're not going to play you on third down. That's it. We'll put somebody else in and if they beat us on the play, they beat us on the play. If that person's maybe not exactly who we'd want on that play, it's going to be better than giving away a first down. We've got to do it. There's no alternative."

If Mangini yanked everyone who was making mistakes these days, he'd have to start calling up practice squad players and scouring the waiver wire. But based on fumbles by Peyton Hillis and Harrison over the past two games, one thing he could do is give some carries to James Davis.

"It depends on the week of practice and things like that," said Mangini. "But I have confidence in James. And I'm not lacking confidence in Jerome or Peyton. Make sure that's clear."

Davis said he'll be ready if his number is called Sunday in Baltimore.

"If my opportunity comes, I'll try to make the most of it," he said. "When the coach calls on you, you better be ready to make a big play."

While everyone on the team insists that Harrison was down when Chiefs linebacker Mike Vrabel stripped him of the ball on the Browns' second drive, Mangini said it shouldn't have come to that. The Browns challenged, but the fumble held. The Chiefs converted it into a field goal. Harrison was so frustrated after the game he wouldn't talk.

"Whether you agree with it or disagree with it, whether you think his arm was down or not, if you put it into someone else's hands to make that decision, then you live with the results," said Mangini. "The ball shouldn't be on the ground."

Hillis, who fumbled in Tampa and false-started in the third quarter against the Chiefs, understands Mangini's warning.

"I don't expect anything less," said Hillis. "If you turn over the ball over, you should probably get less reps until you hang onto the ball. Those mistakes lead to losses. We could just as easily be 2-0."

As for Wallace's interception, which was returned or a touchdown, Mangini attributed it to the offense still jelling.

"This was Seneca's first start in a while," said Mangini. "Even though we have veteran guys at a lot of spots, this is a group playing together for the first two times."

Mangini also lamented the lack of deep completions. Mohamed Massaquoi, who had only one catch for nine yards, missed two, one when he couldn't keep both feet inbounds and one when the ball came out on a late third down play when he hit the ground. The Browns were forced to punt and never got the ball back.

"The receivers are running the right routes," said Mangini. "There's been chances both ways -- times they've been open and haven't gotten the ball, and times where we've gotten the ball but haven't been able to keep our feet in. So I'm looking for them to continue to improve."

Explained Massaqoi: "I watched both of them. The sideline one, I'm just still trying to get used to being more aware of the sideline, trying harder. The other one, when he landed on top, the ball squirted out. It's one of those things. It wasn't a matter of not catching the ball."

Mangini attributed the anemic running game -- 73 yards and a 2.8 average -- to a missed read here, a missed block there.

"I want to be able to run the ball well," he said. "I want to be able to run the ball consistently and I want to be able to run the ball well against any front that we face, in any weather conditions we're in."

He did blame the coaching staff for one mistake: not using the wildcat more. Josh Cribbs took one direct snap and ran for a yard. But he caught the 65-yard TD pass from Wallace and was the only one to manage a big play.

"I would have used it more yesterday," said Mangini. "With him, they may load box, they may do a lot of different things, but he's got a chance on any play."

Can one among us win Mr. Football? Early returns reveal some promising candidates.

Joshua Gunter / The Plain DealerLake Catholic's Richie Sanders has been overpowering in the first month of the season and is deserving of Mr. Football consideration, says Tim Warsinskey.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The calendar never flips faster than during high school football season. Week 5 already is upon us and even though temperatures Tuesday could be in the 80s, before we know it, we'll be fighting through holiday shopping traffic around Byers Field during the playoffs.

So, let's stop and think. We've seen some amazing performances from outstanding players. Can one of them win Mr. Football?

Before the season, The Plain Dealer ranked the top 40 players in our coverage area, and 10 of the top 15 were linemen or linebackers. Sadly, a linemen has never won Mr. Football and only one linebacker has.

It's is a flaw in the system. One can easily argue, for example, that Lake Catholic tackle Chase Hounshell, St. Edward linebacker Deonte Gibson, or Glenville linebacker Andre Sturdivant are the area's most dominant players. But the award almost always goes to a running back, sometimes a quarterback and occasionally a wideout.

So, with that in mind, here are Greater Cleveland and Akron's most intriguing potential nominees:

Doran Grant, St Vincent-St. Mary: He's too talented to win. Because of team needs, he has been spread thin at running back, quarterback and wideout and has 274 total yards and five TDs. A lockdown corner, he has two interceptions. His odds: Long.

Chris Humphrey, Solon: The quarterback/safety/return man is a big reason Solon is 4-0 and ranked second in The Plain Dealer Top 25. But his 470 yards and four touchdowns total offense aren't enough at the moment. Odds: Long.

DeVonte Ransom, Maple Heights: My preseason Mr. Football pick was Maple QB Shaq Washington, who hasn't played since the opener because of a knee injury. Tailback Ransom has responded with 777 yards on 71 carries (10.9-yard average) and 10 TDs on a team that could return to the Division II state final. Odds: Even.

Richie Sanders, Lake Catholic: A missile on both sides of the ball at tailback and linebacker, he has 758 yards on 85 carries (8.9 average) and seven TDs -- including 239 yards against St. Ignatius and 290 against Walsh. He has two interceptions for touchdowns and one forced fumble. Odds: Excellent.

Ray Russ, Willoughby South: It doesn't get much better than his 17 touchdowns and zero interceptions. Russ has completed 63 percent of his passes for 1,114 yards. South has played one strong defense -- Euclid, which Russ shredded. How he fares against Mentor on Friday will be telling. Odds: Even.

Shane Wynn and Cardale Jones, Glenville: Jones has passed for 617 yards and five TDs with two interceptions, and he has shown great poise on the field. Wynn has 367 all-purpose yards and five TDs on offense and special teams. Glenville has too many weapons for either player to compile huge numbers. Also, Wynn and Jones were among 17 players benched Week 3 against Rhodes because they were late for practice. By week 10, that may be forgotten, but it sticks out today. Odds: Long.

Many more roam football fields statewide, and there's a chance Mr. Football will reside in Stark County for the third straight year. GlenOak junior tailback Bri'onte Dunn, who last week received an offer from Ohio State, has rushed for 1,088 yards and 12 TDs. The 2008 and 2009 Mr. Football winner, Erick Howard, was from North Canton Hoover.

If I were to vote from that group today, I'd pick Sanders for major contributions on both sides of the ball against a challenging schedule while playing for a state contender. But there's much football remaining, even if it will be over before we know it.

Preston Guilmet's three no-hit innings earned the save as Lake County -- an Indians Class A team -- won the best-of-five series, 3-2.

Jeff Forman / The News-HeraldThe celebration was underway as the Lake County Captains clinched the Midwest League title Monday night at Classic Park.

The Lake County Captains, playing their first season in the Midwest League, won the league’s championship with a 3-1 victory over the Clinton (Iowa) LumberKings on Monday night at Classic Park in Eastlake.

Captains starter Giovanni Soto pitched 5 2/3 dominating innings and reliever Preston Guilmet hurled three no-hit innings for the save as Lake County clinched the best-of-five series, three games to two.

The Captains are a Class A affiliate of the Indians. Cleveland's Class AAA team, the Columbus Clippers, won the International League championship last week.

Soto, a 20-year-old left-hander acquired from the Detroit organization in the July 28 Indians trade that sent Jhonny Peralta to the Tigers, allowed one run on three hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out nine and walked two.

Right-hander Jeremy Johnson relieved Soto after Clinton tied the game, 1-1, with two outs in the top of the sixth inning. Johnson retired the one batter he faced, and got credit for the win when the Captains scored in the bottom of the inning.

Center fielder Delvi Cid drew a one-out walk, then stole his sixth base of the postseason. Shortstop Casey Frawley lined a two-out single to center to score Cid and give the Captains a 2-1 lead.

Guilmet, a right-hander, struck out five and walked one. He pitched 11 2/3 scoreless innings and got five saves in six playoff appearances. He struck out 18, walked three and gave up three hits.

Left fielder Jonathan Burnette singled, went to third on a single by catcher Roberto Perez and scored on first baseman Jason Smit’s double play grounder for a 1-0 Captains lead in the fifth inning. Burnette singled and scored in the seventh inning, too, with the help of sacrifice bunts by Perez and Smit, a Clinton error and right fielder Greg Folgia’s sacrifice fly.

Notes: The Captains won two best-of-three playoff series to get to the championship series. They bested the West Michigan Whitecaps, two games to one, in the first round, and the Great Lake Loons, two games to one, in the second round. ... The Captains' starting pitcher on Monday, LH Giovanni Soto, was 3-2 with a 3.77 ERA in six regular season starts with the Captains. The Indians acquired him from West Michigan, a Detroit Tigers farm team, in exchange for Jhonny Peralta on July 28. ... Going into Monday night's game, the Captains' leaders in batting average during the playoffs were SS Casey Frawley, .310 (13-of-42); OF Jason Smit, .286 (10-of-35); RF Greg Folgia, .286 (10-of-35); 2B Argenis Martinez, .280 (7-of-25); OF Jonathan Burnette, .278 (10-of-36); OF Tyler Holt, .268 (11-of-41). ... RH reliever Francisco Jimenez was 2-0 with a 1.74 ERA in five playoff games, striking out 10 while allowing 11 hits and three walks in 8 2/3 innings.

Training camp starts in just a week, but the Cavaliers are still looking at adding to their roster.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Training camp starts in just a week, but the Cavaliers are still looking at adding to their roster.

According to multiple league sources, the team has been in contract talks with restricted free agent center Kyrylo Fesenko. The developing 7-1, 300-pound Ukrainian has played the last three seasons with the Utah Jazz, who would have matching rights to any offer Fesenko receives.

Fesenko, who owns one of the biggest bodies in the league, played in 46 games last season for the Jazz and averaged 2.6 points and 1.8 rebounds. Utah has been hoping he would accept their one-year qualifying offer of $1 million and have reportedly grown frustrated with him in recent days.

The Cavs seem to be searching for an extra big man after losing both Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Shaquille O'Neal to free agency. The team traded for center Ryan Hollins in July but is still looking for depth.

Monday the team took a look at some other free-agent centers in a workout at Cleveland Clinic Courts, hosting Earl Barron, Chris Hunter and Greg Stiemsma.

Indians infielder Drew Sutton has family coming and going so they can share his big-league experience.

Mark Duncan / Associated PressDrew Sutton hasn't always gotten the best of the play (Bobby Abreu stole second on this play last week), but he's making sure to enjoy his time in the big leagues.

INDIANS CHATTER
Clubhouse confidential: Mitch Talbot came through Monday’s bullpen session in good health and will start Thursday against Kansas City. There was no problem with the right shoulder that knocked him out of his last start Sept. 12, but he was upset with his control.
Said pitching coach Tim Belcher, “I told him, “You haven’t been on the mound in seven or eight days. You can’t expect to hit a gnat in the butt on your first day back. Mitch said he’d be happy to hit a elephant in the butt.”

Don’t fear the K: Shin-Soo Choo smiled after finding out he won the AL Player of the Week on Monday.
“I was only hot for three games last week ... all against Kansas City,” said Choo. “I did nothing against the Twins and Angels. I was afraid of the strikeout. Then I just went back to keeping it simple. I’m not a contact hitter. I drive the ball. If I strike out, I strike out.”
Choo entered Monday’s game with 104 strikeouts and 75 walks. He finished last year with 151 strikeouts and 78 walks and went into this season with the goal of striking out less.

Stat of the day: The opposition is hitting .277 against the Indians rotation and .251 against the bullpen.
— Paul Hoynes

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Drew Sutton is trying to make time for everyone. He knows a chance to play in the big leagues is rare and should be shared with those close to him.

Over the weekend, Steve Sutton made the seven-hour drive from Arkansas to Kansas City to watch his son play against the Royals. Drew responded with a big-league high three hits Sunday.

His wife, Staci, is in Minneapolis for the Twins series. His mother, Pam, and brother, Tyler, will be in Cleveland when the Indians return home Thursday.

"I'm trying to fit everyone in," said Sutton, who started at second base Monday for the Indians in his 48th big-league game.

If Jason Donald hadn't injured his right thumb Sept. 11, Sutton would still be with Class AAA Columbus preparing to play Tacoma on Tuesday in a one-game showdown to decide the Class AAA championship.

"I figured I'd be down there until the end," said Sutton. "Getting called up makes a big difference, especially in your pay. It's the difference between thinking about playing winter ball or having to play winter ball or getting a job at the Y to make ends meet."

Improvement: The Indians' ERA since the All-Star break is 3.83 (235 earned runs in 555 1/3 innings) entering Monday game. It's a big improvement over the first half when Tribe pitchers came in at 4.64 (398 in 771 1/3 ).

Pitching coach Tim Belcher explained it this way, "Most of the guys going out there are half a year older ... a half a season older, essentially. When you're sending young guys out there, you can't really expect stellar results.

"I think the bullpen has been much better. They've been great, much more consistent. CP [Chris Perez] has solidified that closing role that Kerry [Wood] seemingly never had a handle on. That settles everything down ... it puts everyone in their proper role."

The bullpen has lowered its ERA to 3.92, seventh lowest in the American League. The pen had a 4.69 ERA (127 in 243 2/3) at the break. They have a 3.00 ERA (68 earned runs in 204) since.

Belcher pointed to Jake Westbrook's early season inconsistencies as he came back from nearly a two-year absence because of Tommy John surgery on his right elbow as a factor in the staff's performance in the first half.

"Jake wasn't himself the first two months," said Belcher. "He was up and down and walking too many people. David Huff walked a lot of people. Take those numbers out and add guys who have been better at throwing strikes like [Jeanmar] Gomez and [Josh] Tomlin and that will improve things."

Player of the Week: Right fielder Shin-Soo Choo was named American League Player of the Week today. It's the second time this season Choo has won the award.

Choo hit .500 (10-for-20) last week. Over the weekend, he went 8-for-12 with four homers and 10 RBI in a three-game series against the Royals. He hit three homers and drove in seven runs in Friday's 11-4 victory.

"He should have been player of the week for that one game," said manager Manny Acta. "He drove in seven runs in one game. That's an RBI for every day of the week."

He homered and stole a base Sunday to reach 20-20 for the second straight season.

Streaking: Michael Brantley's 19-game hitting streak has drawn the attention of the Society for American Baseball Research. SABR points out that the streak would be at 27 games entering Monday if not for an 0-for-1 Brantley took Aug. 29 as a defensive replacement.

Brantley hit .286 (29-for-91) during the streak, which ended with an 0-for-5 Monday against the Twins. SABR's Trent McCotter says there have only been four streaks of 20 or more games in which the batter hit below .300: Tommie Agee, 20 games, Mets, .288, 1970; Eddie Foster, 21 games, Washington, .295, 1918; Jimmy Wolf, 31 games, Louisville (American Association), .299, 1885-1886 and George Case, 20 games, Washington, .299, 1941.

Finally: Jordan Taylor will succeed Dave Smith as general manager of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, the Indians' Class A team.

The Twins scored nine runs with two out as they routed the Indians on Monday night at Target Field.

UPDATED: 12:36 a.m.

Jim Mone / Associated PressIndians catcher Lou Marson has no play as the Twins' J. J. Hardy scores on a single by Jason Repko in the fourth inning of Monday's game at Target Field in Minneapolis.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Jeanmar Gomez has learned many things in his first taste of the big leagues this year. One thing he still needs to learn is how to finish an inning.

For the pitchers who learn this vital lesson, good things await them. The ones that don't are doomed to ride the yo-yo between the big leagues and the minors.

The Twins beat the Indians, 9-3, Monday night at Target Field to reduce their magic number to three to clinch the AL Central championship. All their runs came with two out, including eight against Gomez.

Gomez (3-5, 4.96) allowed eight runs on 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings. In two starts against the Twins this season, he has allowed nine runs on 14 hits in 11 innings.

"We've stressed finishing innings a lot to these kids," said manager Manny Acta. "But sometimes when they get two out, they tend to lose focus and concentration.

"When you have two out, you're three-fourths of the way there. You need to zero in, make a pitch and get out of there."

Said Gomez, "It was a tough day. I gave up all those runs with two out. I need to be more focused with two out."

Gomez, 0-5 with a 7.67 ERA in his last six starts, had trouble getting big and little outs. It started in the first and continued until he was knocked out of the game.

The Twins, 44-18 since the All-Star break, took a 1-0 lead in the first after Gomez opened with two quick outs. He walked Michael Cuddyer and Jim Thome and gave up a double to Delmon Young.

Minnesota did it again in the fourth. With the score tied, 1-1, Gomez retired Thome and Young on grounders. But in a rookie vs. rookie matchup with Danny Valencia, Gomez finished second. Valencia, who has filled a hole for the Twins at third, hit a 2-0 pitch for into the second deck in left for a 2-1 lead. Gomez had retired nine straight before Valencia hit his fifth homer.

The Twins added another run in the third as J.J. Hardy singled and Jose Morales walked. Jason Repko followed with an RBI single.

The pattern continued in the fifth. Gomez struck out Orlando Hudson to start the inning, but Cuddyer reached on an infield single to shortstop. Asdrubal Cabrera made a diving stop for the ball, but sprained his left wrist and was replaced by pinch hitter Luis Valbuena in the seventh.

It was a frightening moment for Cabrera, who broke his left forearm in May in a collision with departed Jhonny Peralta.

"I was really scared, but it's not connected to the forearm," said Cabrera. "I had X-rays on the wrist and everything is all right."

Gomez retired Thome on a grounder, but not before Cuddyer stole second. After taking third on Thome's ground out, Cuddyer scored on Young's single behind second base for a 4-1 lead. Cabrera made the stop on that as well, but had no play.

The Indians scored twice in the sixth to cut the Twins lead to 4-3. Andy Marte and Drew Sutton hit consecutive singles with the bases loaded. Left-hander Brian Duensing (10-2, 2.19) stopped the rally by striking out Lou Marson and retiring Michael Brantley on a liner to third.

Brantley took an 0-for-5 to end his 19-game hitting streak. The liner to third was his best chance for a hit.

"I didn't even think about it," said Brantley, who hit .286 (26-for-91) during the streak. "We're interested in team goals in here. That's an individual goal."

It was the longest streak by an Indians rookie since Hall of Famer Larry Doby hit in 21 straight in 1948. It was the fourth longest streak in the American League this year.

The Twins completed their beating of Gomez with four two-out runs in the sixth. Acta tried to get him through the inning, but couldn't.

Denard Span's triple high off the wall in right center started the two-out assault. Hudson followed with a RBI single and Cuddyer homered to left for a 8-3 lead.

"We gave him two extra hitters (Hudson and Cuddyer) in the sixth to see if he could get through it, but it backfired," said Acta. "We figured he had to work through at some point to pitch effectively up here."

The Twins scored their final run on Span's two-out single in the seventh off Frank Herrmann.

Browns didn't begin a season 0-2 until 1967, their 22nd season as a franchise. They rebounded from 0-2 that season and in 1980 to make the playoffs, but the other 0-2 starts began losing seasons. A look at the previous 0-2 starts.

Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer Browns coach Eric Mangini reacts to a call during the fourth quarter of Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Browns became 0-2 with the 16-14 loss.

By Mike Peticca

Plain Dealer Reporter

Cleveland, Ohio -- Counting their four seasons (1946-49) in the All-America Conference and, of course, not counting the three seasons (1996-98) after the original team's move to Baltimore, the Cleveland Browns are in their 62nd season.

The Browns are 0-2 after losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 17-14, and the Kansas City Chiefs, 16-14.

Remarkably, the Browns began each of their first 21 seasons (1946-66) with at least one win in their first two games. Not coincidentally, it was during that era that the team established its winning reputation -- a reputation that has diminished over, almost, the last four decades.

This is the 12th season in which the Browns have lost at least their first 12 games.

A capsule look at the first 11:

     1967

Final record: 9-5, won NFL Century Division, lost at Dallas Cowboys, 52-14, in divisional playoff game.

Coach: Blanton Collier 

Quarterback: Frank Ryan

First-game loss: 21-14 to Dallas. Browns' running backs Leroy Kelly and Ernie Green were held to 15 combined yards in 16 carries, while the Cowboys' Dan Reeves ran for 114 yards in 18 carries.

Second-game loss: 31-14 at Detroit Lions. Detroit quarterback Milt Plum -- the Browns' starter from 1957-61 -- completed 16 of 27 passes for 229 yards and a touchdown.

First win: After 0-2 start, 42-7 win at New Orleans Saints. Browns QB Frank Ryan threw two touchdown passes to Paul Warfield and one to Ernie Green, and Leroy Kelly ran for 110 yards and a TD.

     1975

Final record: 3-11 

Coach: Forrest Gregg

Quarterback: Mike Phipps

First-game loss: 24-17 at Cincinnati Bengals. Gregg's first game as Browns coach, going against the team he would coach to the 1981 AFC title. Bengals QB Ken Anderson was 17 of 27 for 287 yards and a TD. 

Second-game loss: 42-10 to Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota QB Fran Tarkenton threw for two TDs and ran for another.    

First win: After 0-9 start, 35-23 win over Cincinnati. Bengals came into Cleveland with an 8-1 record, but Browns QB Mike Phipps was 23 of 36 for 298 yards and two touchdowns.

     1980

Final record: 11-5, won AFC Central Division, lost to Oakland Raiders, 14-12, in divisional playoff game.

Coach: Sam Rutigliano

Quarterback: Brian Sipe

First-game loss: 34-17 at New England Patriots. QB Steve Grogan was 17 of 26 for 277 yards and three Patriots TDs. 

Second-game loss: 16-7 to Houston Oilers. QB Ken Stabler was 23 of 28 passing and Earl Campbell pounded 106 rushing yards as Houston controlled the football.

First win: After 0-2 start, 20-13 win over Kansas City Chiefs. Browns QB Brian Sipe was 23 of 36 for 295 yards and two TDs, including the 31-yard game-winner to RB Charles White, who totaled 159 receiving and rushing yards.

     1981

Plain Dealer file photoBrian Sipe and the Browns rallied from an 0-2 start in 1980, but couldn't duplicate the feat a year later.

Final record:

Coach: Sam Rutigliano

Quarterback: Brian Sipe

First-game loss: 44-14 to San Diego Chargers. Browns had no chance at stopping Chargers QB Dan Fouts (19 of 25, 330 yards, three TDs), RB Chuck Muncie (161 rushing yards) and wide receiver Charlie Joiner (six catches, 191 yards).

Second-game loss: 9-3 to Houston. Browns defense held Houston to 222 yards, but Brian Sipe was 25 of 53 passing.

First win: After 0-2 start, 20-17 win at Cincinnati. Sipe bounced back to complete 24 of 35 passes for 259 yards and a TD to Ozzie Newsome. 

     1984

Final record: 5-11 

Coach: Sam Rutigliano (with a 1-7 record, replaced by Marty Schottenheimer)

Quarterback: Paul McDonald

First-game loss: 33-0 at Seattle Seahawks. With Sipe nudged out of town and to the United States Football League, replacement Paul McDonald was 8 of 27 with two interceptions. 

Second-game loss: 20-17 at Los Angeles Rams. McDonald was 18 of 35 for 263 yards and a TD, but Rams rallied for 10 fourth-quarter points.

First win: After 0-3 start, 20-10 win over Pittsburgh Steelers. McDonald (15 of 28, 293 yards, two TDs) easily won the QB dual over Pittsburgh QB David Woodley (9 of 25).

     1992

Final record: 7-9 

Coach: Bill Belichick

Quarterback: Bernie Kosar (replaced because of injury for several games by Mike Tomczak)

First-game loss: 14-3 at Indianapolis Colts. Behind poorly-conceived offensive line, Browns QB Bernie Kosar was sacked 11 times, including four times by controversial former Browns linebacker Chip Banks. 

Second-game loss: 27-23 to Miami Dolphins. Browns overcame 20-3 deficit and went ahead, 23-20, on 3-yard Kosar to tight end Mark Bavaro touchdown pass with 1:18 left. Dolphins QB Dan Marino then led an 84-yard drive, capped by Mark Higgs' 1-yard TD plunge with seven seconds left. 

First win: After 0-2 start, 28-16 win at Los Angeles Raiders. Kosar had broken an ankle in the Miami game. RB Eric Metcalf scored all four Browns touchdowns, including three on passes from QB Todd Philcox -- Kosar's short-term replacement.

     1999

Final record: 2-14 

Coach: Chris Palmer

Quarterback: Ty Detmer (replaced by Tim Couch late in season opener) 

First-game loss: 43-0 to Pittsburgh. The first game for the new Browns franchise. Steelers totaled 460 yards and 32 first downs to the Browns' 40 yards and two first downs.

Second-game loss: 26-9 at Tennessee Titans. QB Tim Couch, the first college draft pick of the expansion Browns and making his first start, was 12 of 24 for 134 yards and a TD, but Titans QB Neil O'Donnell was 31 of 40 for 310 yards and a TD. 

First win: After 0-7 start, 21-16 win at New Orleans. Tim Couch, who finished 11 of 19 for 193 yards and three TDS, threw the football as far and high as he could, he said, on the game's final play, and after two Saints deflected it, Browns WR Kevin Johnson caught it in the end zone for the game-winner.

     2003

John Kuntz, The Plain DealerEnd Courtney Brown (right) and the Browns defense contained Colts quarterback Peyton Manning (left), but the Browns offense failed in a 9-6, 2003 season-opening loss.

Final record:

Coach: Butch Davis

Quarterback: Kelly Holcomb/Tim Couch

First-game loss: 9-6 to Indianapolis. Colts QB Peyton Manning and Browns QB Kelly Holcomb both threw two interceptions and no TD passes. Mike Vanderjagt's 45-yard field goal with one second left won it for Indianapolis. 

Second-game loss: 33-13 at Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore running back Jamal Lewis shredded the Browns defense for 295 yards and two touchdowns in 30 carries, the second-best yardage total in NFL history. 

First win: After 0-2 start, 13-12 win at San Francisco 49'ers. Holcomb endured ankle and leg injuries to complete 17 of 20 passes on two fourth quarter touchdown drives, throwing the game-winning TD pass of 11 yards to WR Andre Davis with 29 seconds left.

     2006

Final record: 4-12 

Coach: Romeo Crennel

Quarterback: Charlie Frye/Derek Anderson

First-game loss: 19-14 to New Orleans. QB Charlie Frye was sacked five times, fled for his safety several other times and led the Browns with 44 desperation rushing yards.

Second-game loss: 34-17 at Cincinnati. Bengals QB Carson Palmer was 24 of 40 for 352 yards and two TDs, and Rudi Johnson ran for 145 yards and two TDs.

First win: After 0-3 start, 24-21 win at Los Angeles. Browns overcame a 21-3 lead against the winless Raiders, as Charlie Frye threw TD passes to Darnell Dinkins, Kellen Winslow and Joe Jurevicius. 

     2008

Final record: 4-12 

Coach: Romeo Crennel

Quarterback: Derek Anderson

First-game loss: 28-10 to Dallas. Browns WR Braylon Edwards set the tone for the season, dropping an early would-be touchdown pass from QB Derek Anderson. The Cowboys' offense totaled 487 yards.  

Second-game loss: 10-6 to Pittsburgh. Steelers held Browns RB Jamal Lewis to 38 yards in 19 carries. Trailing, 10-3, with 3:21 left and a fourth-and-seven play loomingat the Pittsburgh 21, Browns coach Romeo Crennel had Phil Dawson kick a 38-yard field goal, leaving the Browns still in need of a touchdown. They got the ball back with 26 seconds left on their own 26.

First win: After 0-3 start, 20-12 win at Cincinnati. Browns caught a break, as Bengals QB Carson Palmer was sidelined with an inflamed throwing (right) elbow. His replacement, Ryan Fitzpatrick, was 21 of 35 passing, but for just 156 yards with three INTs.  

     2009

Associated PressThe Vikings' Adrian Peterson (28) on his way to a 64-yard TD run during Minnesota's 34-20, 2009 season-opening win over the Browns.

Final record:

Coach: Eric Mangini

Quarterback: Brady Quinn/Derek Anderson

First-game loss: 34-20 to Minnesota. Vikings RB Adrian Peterson rambled for 180 and three touchdowns, including a 64-yard romp over, through and past an embarrassed Browns defense.

Second-game loss: 27-6 at Denver Broncos. Browns were outgained, 449 yards to 200.

First win: After an 0-4 start, 6-3 win at Buffalo Bills. Browns won despite Derek Anderson completing just 2 of 17 passes for 23 yards. His receivers had nine drops. Buffalo was whistled for nine false start penalties. A seven-play, 15-yard Browns drive was capped by Billy Cundiff's game-winning 18-yard field goal with 23 seconds left.

What's going on at your high school? Go to cleveland.com/yourspace to send your pictures of varsity teams from your school. We'll publish the best picture each Tuesday in The Plain Dealer, and the entire photo gallery is featured on cleveland.com.

What's going on at your high school? Go to cleveland.com/yourspace to send your pictures of varsity teams from your school. We'll publish the best picture each Tuesday in The Plain Dealer, and the entire photo gallery is featured on cleveland.com.

The Indians' bullpen collapses as the Twins scored four in the eighth inning, then later claim AL Central when Oakland tops White Sox.

UPDATED: 1:04 a.m.

Jim Mone / Associated PressMinnesota's Orlando Hudson revels in his run-scoring double during the Twins' four-run rally in the eighth inning Tuesday night against the Indians at Target Field.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- A good baseball team in a big game late in the season is like a human vise. A bad team in the same situation is like a watermelon caught in that vise.

The Twins tightened the vise in the eighth inning Tuesday night at Target Field. When the jaws tightened as far as they could the Twins had a 6-4 victory over the Indians that reduced their magic number to one to clinch the American League Central division.  A little more than an hour later they began spraying champagne when Oakland finished off the White Sox, 7-2, to give the Twins their six division championship in the last nine years.

The Indians, on the other hand, were reduced to a pile of broken rinds and a sea of seeds spewed all over the Twins new ballpark.

The Twins, trailing 4-2, scored four runs in the eighth inning to win it. The Indians made every mistake a sacrifical watermelon is supposed to make in that situation.

"We're a young team," said manager Manny Acta. "We're here to learn."

The vise started to close on Justin Masteron when Jim Thome opened the eighth with a single through the empty shortstop position against an over-shifted defense. Trevor Plouffe pinch ran and scored as center fielder Michael Brantley turned Delmon Young's single into a double by diving for the ball instead of playing it on the bounce to make it 4-3.

"I know I can't leave my feet on that play," said Brantley. "We were playing no-doubles defense. I got excited and thought I had a chance to make a catch. I take full responsibility."

Danny Valencia singled to put Young at third, but Masterson retired Nick Punto on a shallow fly ball to left, and was replaced by Tony Sipp. Jose Morales greeted him with a sacrifice fly to right to tie the game. Shin-Soo Choo tried to get Young at the plate, but the throw was ill-advised because Valencia, the tying run, went to second.

"When you have a great arm, you think you can throw everyone out," said Acta. "He'll learn to keep the tying run on first or at least keep his throw low enough so it can be cut off."

Denard Span singled to left to score Valencia with the go-ahead run. Trevor Crowe's throw beat Valencia to the plate, but catcher Lou Marson couldn't make a clean pick on the ball.

"That's the play I know I can make," said Marson.

Orlando Hudson's double made it 6-4. The vise was closed.

"The whole inning happened so fast," said Marson. "I should have recognized that and gone to the mound and tried to slow it down."

Masterson (6-13) allowed three runs in two thirds of an inning in his first "high leverage" relief appearance after 29 starts. The win went to Glen Perkins (1-1), while Matt Capps earned his 15th save for the Twins and 40th overall.

"That's real baseball," said Masterson, who pitched in similar situations with Boston when they went to the postseason in 2008. "That's why I loved being out there."

Masterson was not surprised that the Twins came back. His experience with the Red Sox taught him that.

"When you're on the other side (in games like this), it seems like somehow, some way things lineup for you," said Masterson. "No matter what the other teams does, this happens, which leads to that and someone pulls something out of his bag and you go, 'Where the heck did that come from?'"

The victory gave Twins manager Ron Gardenhire 800 wins in his career.

The Indians took a 4-1 with two runs in the sixth off reliever Jose Mijares. One run scored on Crowe's single and Luis Valbuena doubled the other run in.

Fausto Carmona started and went 5 2/3 innings for the Tribe. He's pitched 199 1/3 innings and will go over the 200-inning mark for the first time since 2007.

Drew Sutton gave the Indians a 2-1 lead in the fifth with a two-out single to left.

The Indians took a 1-0 lead on Travis Hafner's bloop double in the first off Scott Baker. Thome tied it 1-1 with a leadoff homer in the second. It was Thome's 25th homer of the season and 589th of his career.

It did not work out the way she wanted, but Cleveland’s Cashmere Jackson took home a bronze medal at the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in Bridgetown, Barbados.

Read today's Boxing Insider from Joe Maxse.