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Carlos Carrasco's slider, Tyler Holt's towering homer, Bruce Chen's jokes and other batting practice observations: Zack Meisel's musings

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Chen toed the rubber during Saturday's live batting practice session. He said it went ravishingly well. "I had to call the trainer because my changeup was sick," he quipped.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- "Did you hear about the actress who was stabbed?" Bruce Chen asked. "I think her name is Reese?"

"Witherspoon?" a reporter replied.

"No, not with a spoon," Chen said. "With a knife."

Chen toed the rubber during Saturday's live batting practice session. He said it went ravishingly well.

"I had to call the trainer because my change-up was sick," he quipped.

He'll be here all spring.

Here are more observations from Saturday, the first day of live batting practice.

1. Lift off: Tyler Holt launched an opposite-field home run off of Danny Salazar. The ball landed in a bed of stones beyond the right-field fence. It was retrieved and given to Holt, who then joked that he was going to hand it to Salazar.

"It's also good to have 40-mph winds behind you," Holt said. "I'm just trying to do what I do and get the barrel on the ball and time some stuff up."

2. Too soon: Hitters mostly use the first couple of days of live batting practice to work on timing. Some take a few hacks, but many of the pitchers' heaves go unchallenged. Carlos Carrasco threw Holt a sharp slider that zipped through the strike zone and into Yan Gomes' mitt. Holt walked away from the plate shaking his head.

"It was a strike," Holt said, "and I'm like, 'Yeah, I'm not ready for this yet.'"

Carrasco left quite an impression on Saturday.

"I was telling [general manager Chris] Antonetti that he looks like where he left off last year," Holt said. "I didn't face him last year, but watching him, that's electric. I'm excited to keep watching him."

3. Plenty of 'pens: Pitching coach Mickey Callaway said Carrasco looked to be in midseason form. He's certainly in at least mid-spring form. Manager Terry Francona estimated that Carrasco had thrown about 12 bullpen session prior to Saturday's outing, "which is a lot."

"Everybody needs different [routines] to feel where they want to be," Francona said. "He's pretty well prepared."

4. That'll leave a mark: Michael Bourn sliced a soft liner toward shortstop on his first swing against Carrasco. He immediately shook his hand after connecting on the right-hander's two-seam fastball. The pitch left a smear near the top of Bourn's lumber.

His hand stinging, Bourn walked away from the plate. Gomes told him he had one more pitch in his session.

"I can't take one more," Bourn said.

So, Holt stepped in. A right-handed hitter, Holt stood in a left-handed stance to resemble Bourn. Carrasco whizzed a fastball past him. Holt was never going to swing lefty.

Said Michael Brantley: "If I had to step in right-handed, I'd be paranoid."

5. Hush puppy: Holt said his teammates still call him T-Hush, a play off of the nickname for former Tribe outfielder Nyjer Morgan, T-Plush. Holt, who will turn 26 on March 10, appeared in 36 games with the Indians last season. This marks his first spring training with the big-league group.

"I believe getting there with this group of guys has made this spring training a lot easier," Holt said. "I come in here and I'm comfortable and I'm not worried or walking on eggshells, and I'm working hard. It put me in a good place to know what to expect coming into this season."

Holt began last season at Double-A Akron, before ascending to Triple-A Columbus and, ultimately, Cleveland.

"I think it's a lot like other guys who are in that same position," Francona said. "They show up the next year and look a little stronger, like they belong a little bit more. You see more confidence and I think that definitely helps."


Purdue Boilermakers at Ohio State Buckeyes basketball preview box breakdown

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The Ohio State Buckeyes host the Purdue Boilermakers on Sunday night at Value City Arena. Watch video

Purdue Boilermakers (19-9, 11-4) at Ohio State Buckeyes (20-8, 9-6)

When: Sunday, 7:36 p.m.

Where: Value City Arena (18,809)

TV: Big Ten Network

Announcers: Joe Davis (Play-by-Play) and Shon Morris (Expert Analysis)

Breaking down the Buckeyes: Ohio State snapped a two-game losing streak with an 81-57 win over Nebraska on Thursday night ... The Buckeyes have won six straight Big Ten home games, all by at least 12 points ... Freshman Jae'Sean Tate scored a career-high 22 points in the win over the Cornhuskers, his third 20-point game of the season. All three have come in Big Ten play ... Tate has averaged 13 points and 5.8 rebounds since becoming a permanent fixture in the starting lineup against Northwestern on Jan. 22 ... D'Angelo Russell had 11 points, six assists and three rebounds against Nebraska, missing the last 13 minutes of the game while dealing with leg cramps ... Buckeyes forward Anthony Lee missed his fourth straight game on Thursday and is unlikely to play against Purdue ... The Boilermakers beat Ohio State 60-58 on Feb. 4 in West Lafayette, Ind. ... Russell scored 20 points and Amir Williams scored 10 in that loss to Purdue ... The Buckeyes are tied for fourth in the nation in field goal percentage at 49.8 percent ... After beating Nebraska, ESPN's Joe Lunardi had the Buckeyes as a No. 8 seed in the Midwest Region in his NCAA Tournament projections.

Breaking down the Boilermakers: Purdue beat Rutgers 92-85 on Thursday to earn its fourth straight win and eighth in the last nine games ... The Boilermakers are in a second-place tie in the Big Ten with No. 14 Maryland ... Purdue guard Rapheal Davis scored 20 points and center A.J. Hammons had seven points, seven rebounds and seven blocks in the win over Ohio State on Feb. 4 ... Hammons leads Purdue with 11.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game ... Davis averages 10.9 points per game ... The Boilermakers lead the Big Ten in field goal percentage defense in conference play (.393) ... Lunardi has the Boilermakers as a 11-seed in the Midwest Region.

Bill's prediction: Ohio State 73, Purdue 69

Josh McCown's 3 year deal worth $14 million, including $6.25 million fully guaranteed and $6 million in incentives

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Josh McCown will make $5.25 million in his first year with the Browns, with a chance to make $2 million more his first year.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns are paying Josh McCown like they're counting on him to start games this season.

His three-year deal, agreed upon on Friday night, is worth $14 million, with incentives that could max the deal out at $20 million, a league source told the Northeast Ohio Media Group.

It includes $6.25 million in fully guaranteed money, including $5.25 million in year one.

His $4.66 million average is in line with other "bridge'' quarterbacks who come in and start for a team for a year or two while they find their quarterback of the future.

His signing likely means the end in Cleveland for hometown favorite Brian Hoyer.

McCown's $6 million in incentives are tied to playing time and the team reaching the playoffs, meaning year one could top out at $7.25 million.

If Johnny Manziel or another young quarterback is unable to win the starting job this season, McCown will step in and hold down the fort until the Browns can groom another quarterback for the job.

"I just want to serve our team and help everybody in that locker room, do my best to help everybody in the locker room be better at their job and they're going to help me, too. It's a two-way street," McCown said in a Browns news release Friday. "I'm just excited about coming in and being a part of a team.

"Year 1 was a solid first year for coach (Mike) Pettine, and to see the vision with what he's got going on is exciting to me. In my room, I want to be able to help those young guys and pass along my knowledge and experiences I've had and help them grow. (I'm) going to compete at the best level I can to help our team get better."

McCown told Sirius XM radio on Friday night that he relishes the opportunity to help make Manziel a better quarterback. He also plans to compete aggressively for the starting job and is excited about playing behind the Browns' premier offensive line.

"As a quarterback, it starts off with the offensive line,'' he said. "You look at the guys they have there, namely, Joe Thomas and Alex Mack, it's a rare opportunity. Between meeting with the coaches and having a good connection with Coach Pettine and the offensive coaches, and those pieces on offense, that's kind of what drove the ship for me."

McCown noted the Browns have the components all quarterbacks love.

"We're going to be good at running the football and playing defense and being smart with the football at quarterback," McCown said. "Those are the things I know are going to be stressed. Those are the things I'm going to be focused on as we compete.''

At $5.25 million for 2015, with a chance to make $2 million more this year, McCown comes to town as the current leading candidate to start this season. 

But his signing won't preclude the Browns from signing another veteran or drafting a top prospect.

District wrestling pairings, schedules for Northeast Ohio 2015

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Here’s a look at district wrestling schedules and first-round pairings for wrestlers from Northeast Ohio.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — District wrestling tournaments begin Friday across Ohio. By Saturday, 672 high school wrestlers will have a spot in the OHSAA individual state tournament, which is March 12-14 at Ohio State. 

Here’s a look at district schedules and first-round pairings for wrestlers from Northeast Ohio:


DIVISION I


Cleveland State District


When: Friday, 4 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.


Where: Woodling Gymnasium, Cleveland State University, 1983 E. 24th St., Cleveland. Call 440-724-9036.


Click here for brackets and first-round pairings


Mentor District


When: Friday, 5 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.


Where: Mentor High, 6477 Center St., Mentor. Call 440-974-5300.


Click here for brackets and first-round pairings


DIVISION II


Alliance District


When: Friday, 3 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.


Where: Alliance High, 400 Glamorgan St., Alliance. Call 330-829-2245.


Link to brackets and first-round pairings will be added when they are posted.


Mansfield District


When: Friday, 4 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.


Where: Mansfield High, 125 North Linden Rd., Mansfield. Call 419-525-6369.


Click here for brackets and first-round pairings


DIVISION III


Garfield Heights District


When: Friday, 5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.


Where: Garfield Heights High, 4900 Turney Rd., Garfield Heights. Call 216-662-2800.


Click here for brackets and first-round pairings


Follow our high school sports Twitter account @NEOVarsity and tag your related Tweets and score updates with the #NEOVarsity hashtag. Contact high school sports reporter Scott Patsko on Twitter (@ScottPatsko) by email (spatsko@cleveland.com) or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Carlos Carrasco's mask, Corey Kluber's first outing, Jason Kipnis' wayward hit and other batting practice observations: Zack Meisel's musings

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The 6-foot-3 right-hander, wearing a black and white KISS mask and shaggy, black wig, looked in for a sign from an imaginary catcher. Watch video

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Carlos Carrasco walked into the dugout, placed the mask on his face and started to head out toward the Indians' complex.

Then, he stopped. He turned around and struck a pose.

The 6-foot-3 right-hander, wearing a black and white KISS mask and shaggy, black wig, looked in for a sign from an imaginary catcher.

Just another day in spring camp.

"As long as they aren't breaking the law, they can have a little fun," said manager Terry Francona. "As long as they show up on time and aren't getting arrested. It can get a little monotonous."

Here are five observations from Sunday's action in Goodyear.

 1. Sunday morning live: Francona approached Roberto Perez and asked the backstop who he was catching first. Perez replied: "Cy Young." Kluber threw to hitters for the first time on Sunday.

Tyler Holt, who slugged a Danny Salazar offering over the right-field fence a day earlier, tagged Kluber with a shot off the wall in right-center. Overall, though, Kluber said he felt good.

"It's about getting that comfort level with a guy in the box," he said. ... "To me, it's more normal to have a hitter stand in there than throwing six-wide bullpens."

2. Money matters: Kluber stands to make near the league minimum again in 2015. He earned $514,000 last season, when he won the American League Cy Young Award. The hardware also merited him a $10,000 bonus. Indians president Mark Shapiro said if the team were to negotiate a long-term extension with any player, it would do so around this juncture in the calendar. Kluber, though, isn't concerned.

"It's not for me to worry about," he said. "My job is to go out there and pitch. ... I'd rather just talk about pitching and not contract stuff."

Kluber finished last season with an 18-9 record, a 2.44 ERA and 269 strikeouts in 235 2/3 innings. His standards remain just as lofty this season.

"I don't think that adds any pressure to me, what other people are expecting," Kluber said. "I hold myself to a higher standard than the outsiders do anyway."

3. Wrong way: Jason Kipnis lined a Cody Allen pitch to the opposite field and then jokingly strolled out of the batter's box as if he were proud of his base knock. One player yelled out, "Swing that bat, JK." Kipnis then admitted, with a laugh: "I was trying to pull it."

There weren't many productive swings against Allen on Sunday.

"I thought he threw the ball well," Francona said. "With Cody, it's, 'Let's get his mechanics in order.' Obviously, he has his arm strength."

4. Another brick in the wall: Gavin Floyd pitched to live hitters for the first time since last June. He said it was "encouraging."

"It felt really good," Floyd said. "I just have to continue to progress and build up strength. That'll happen by doing it over and over again."

Floyd posted a 2-2 record and 2.65 ERA in nine starts for the Braves last season, but suffered a fractured elbow, which ended his season. A year earlier, he underwent Tommy John surgery.

5. Getting defensive: Bench coach Brad Mills conducted a defensive drill with all of the contenders for the Opening Day roster. He hit balls to the outfield and the players practiced relays, cutoffs and covering and throwing to particular bases. During the drill, Brandon Moss and Nick Swisher, on the mend from surgery, sat in the dugout and chatted about hitting and playoff experience.

LeBron James' missed free throws sink Cavaliers: Joe Vardon's Instant Analysis

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LeBron James missed two free throws with 4.2 seconds left in overtime that could've lifted the Cavaliers over the Houston Rockets in an intense, drama-filled game.

HOUSTON -- LeBron James missed two free throws with 4.2 seconds left in overtime and the Cavaliers dropped a 105-103 thriller to the Houston Rockets.

Struggles at the foul line ruined James' game. He scored 37 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out four assists, but was 3-of-11 from the foul line (and 15-of-35 from the field). He was 1-of-4 from the field in overtime.

James Harden, the Rockets' star, scored 33. James and Harden collided on more than one occasion in this unusually chippy affair for James.

Here is an instant, quarter-by-quarter briefing on James' performance against the Rockets.

1st Quarter

Stats: 6 PTS, 2 RBS, 1 AST, 3-5 FG, 0-0 FT

Highlight: James was off and running after he poked away a Rockets pass, skying high above the rim for a ferocious right-handed slam at 1:49.

Briefing: It's a sign James' back is feeling a little better. He had the same play Thursday night against Golden State and slowed on his way to the rim. Not this time. James' return helps, obviously, but it remained apparent that Kyrie Irving's absence hurts. With Matthew Dellavedova out there, the Rockets felt free to double James in the post late in the quarter. What resulted was a small series of bad passes, ill-fated shots and rushed plays by the Cavs.

2nd Quarter

Stats: 9 PTS, 3 RBS, 1 AST, 4-10 FG, 0-0 FT

Highlight: James spun into the lane and lifted a one-hander (shotput style) that feel through at 7:06.

Briefing: The last two minutes did not go well for James. He drove to the basket four times, missing three layups and getting whistled for a charge. On the three he missed -- one was blocked -- there appeared to be contact and James didn't get the call. He was furious. Trevor Ariza also pressured him into throwing a bad pass that Harden intercepted and turned into two free throws. After all of that, Houston led 50-47.

3rd Quarter

Stats: 14 PTS, 1 RB, 1 AST, 5-9 FG, 2-7 FT

Highlight: Tangled up for a loose ball, Harden kicked James directly in the groin with 2:08 left.

Briefing: James, as you might imagine, was not at all happy about this. But there's a back story. Already a little frustrated from a physical first half, James had Patrick Beverley pinned down after the two collided early in the quarter. Double technical were awarded, but James clearly pushed Beverley back to the ground. A little later, Trevor Ariza was called for a technical for being mean to Timofey Mozgov, and James missed the free throw. So, when Harden kicked James in a place where a man out not to be kicked, James was furious. He missed both free throws. Now, you might argue the Rockets were in James' head, and at any rate Houston had built an 82-74 lead. But James scored 14 in the quarter, better even than Harden's 13.

4th Quarter

Stats: 5 PTS, 1 RB, 1 AST, 2-7 FG, 1-2 FT

Highlight: Once both players were back on the court, James guarded Harden and forced an airball for a shot-clock violation at 6:29.

Briefing: Overtime. James' stepback jumper with a second left could've ended it, but clanked off the iron. James missed one of two free throws with 1:32 to go, and in hindsight a make there would've been enough. The Cavs roared back with James on the bench to tie the score early in the quarter, and were only down a point when James came back. A stepback jumper from James put Cleveland ahead 91-90. Harden also missed a free throw late that could've won it. James checked Harden for most of the fourth.

Overtime

Stats: 3 PTS, 1 RB, 0 AST, 1-4 FG, 0-2 FT

Highlight: A pretty three-ball from James splashed with 43.5 seconds left, trimming Cleveland's deficit to 104-103.

Briefing: And then, the two missed free throws. James turned the corner on the play and appeared he'd have a chance at the rim before he was fouled. After James' two misses, Harden made just 1-of-2 free throws with .6 remaining, giving the Cavs another chance. With .3 to shhot, James inbounded to James Jones, to no avail. James missed two layups earlier in overtime.

Totals: 37 PTS, 8 RBS, 4 AST, 15-35 FG, 3-11 FT, 42 MIN

Gallery preview 

James Harden out-duels LeBron James as Cleveland Cavaliers lose to the Houston Rockets, 105-103, in overtime

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In an intense and physical playoff-type affair, LeBron James and James Harden put on an offensive clinic for the ages, but it was the Houston Rockets who beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in overtime 105-103 at Toyota Center Sunday afternoon.

HOUSTON -- In an intense and physical playoff-type affair, LeBron James and James Harden put on an offensive clinic for the ages, but it was the Houston Rockets who beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in overtime 105-103 at Toyota Center Sunday afternoon.

After sitting out Friday's loss to Indiana for rest purposes, James returned with a vengeance and went for 37 points, eight rebounds and four assists. However, with the Cavaliers down one with five seconds remaining, James had an opportunity to put his team up but missed two free throws, sealing the game for Houston.

James was 3-of-11 from the line and 15-of-35 from the field. Much of his time in the second half was the familiar 1-4 set with James initiating every play -- to varying degrees of success.

Rockets coach Kevin McHale said the plan was to make James work for his shots.

"It's a tough duty," McHale said. "I always say with those guys, you're not holding them scoreless. You just have to hope that you can make him take a lot of shots and make him be as inefficient as you possibly can to get his numbers."

Harden registered 33 points (on just 18 shot attempts, he was 15-of-18 from the free-throw line), eight rebounds and five assists for Houston (41-18). Their duel will go down as an instant classic.

The atmosphere had the feel of the postseason. Players were hacking and pushing one another and for the most part, the referees swallowed their whistles. The non-calls led to a feisty third quarter.

Two minutes in, James and Patrick Beverley received double technicals after James collided with Beverley in the paint. A tussle between the two ensued on the floor before the refs intervened to separate them.

Moments later Trevor Ariza tried to get in the face of Cavs center Timofey Mozgov after he felt Mozgov was too aggressive with one of his teammates after the play was over. Ariza was hit with a technical for instigating the confrontation.

Soon after, Harden and James were wrestling for the ball and Harden kicked James where the sun doesn't shine. James was infuriated and had to be held back by teammates. After reviewing the play, Harden was hit with a Flagrant 1 foul.

Cleveland's Kevin Love scored 21 points and pulled down six rebounds -- but didn't score (only three shots) in the fourth quarter and overtime. Tristan Thompson was huge off the bench, providing 14 points and a season-high 19 rebounds in 37 minutes.

James had a chance to win the game in regulation, but missed a fadeaway 3-pointer at the buzzer over the outstretched arms of Ariza.

Cleveland (37-24) was 0-2 on this road trip.

What this means

The Cavaliers have lost two straight and failed to make up ground on the Chicago Bulls, who lost earlier on Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers, 96-86. The Cavs are fourth in the Eastern Conference, a half-game behind Chicago. 

Who's on deck?

Cleveland will return home to face the Boston Celtics on Tuesday. Blatt says "barring any unforeseen circumstances," he expects to have guard Kyrie Irving back in the starting lineup.

Cleveland Indians' Corey Kluber is a good bet and a better bargain -- Bud Shaw

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Cleveland Indians' starter Corey Kluber is trying to stick to the routine that brought him 18 wins and the Cy Young Award in 2014. One thing hasn't changed (yet). He's still underpaid -- Bud Shaw. Watch video

GOODYEAR, Ariz. - Corey Kluber is the best bargain in baseball, a fact even harder to dismiss when he's breaking off a slider at Michael Bourn's shoe tops.

"I wasn't ready for that one," Bourn said, jumping back a safe distance during Sunday's live batting practice, or what manager Terry Francona calls "pitcher's practice."

Some hitters don't swing during live BP this early in camp, especially against pitchers like Kluber. Often when they do, they wish they hadn't. 

Kluber was on the mound for the first time since winning the Cy Young Award last season. He faced Nick Swisher, Bourn, Michael Brantley and Tyler Holt, drawing a litany of "Attaboys" from catcher Roberto Perez.

"His two-seamer...I can't even explain how good it is, " Perez said. "I have never had to hit against him. Thank God."

The latest definition of misplaced optimism in Cleveland:  asking Kluber about possible contract negotiations this spring and expecting anything other than the Klubot stare and an economy of words that would make Bill Belichick proud.

"It's not for me to think about," Kluber said Sunday. "I'd rather just talk about pitching and not talk about contract stuff."

Kluber's bonus for winning the Cy Young was standard for a Indians' pitcher under organizational control: a whopping $10,000.

He turns 29 in April. C.C. Sabathia was 27 when he won his Cy Young in 2007. Cliff Lee turned 30 in August 2008 when he matched Sabathia. Both were traded the next season.

That Kluber is a late bloomer and can't go anywhere isn't nearly as good a story as Kluber not needing to go anywhere would be. An organization still getting criticized for trading back-to-back Cy Young winners could blunt that by tying up Kluber long-term.

The Indians may want to see him stack another dominant year on top of 2014. Nobody doubts he can, barring injury.

"He's confident now," said Swisher. "That's a crucial thing, when you have confidence. It's the same stuff that he had back when I was facing him in 2012. (Now) He knows he's the man. That's a good thing to have.

"With a No. 1 starter you have to have something everybody else doesn't have. With him, the thing that sticks out for me is his work ethic. (And) he's strong. He's a big dude. You don't really appreciate how big until you stand next to him."

Kluber was 2-5 with a 5.14 ERA as a late call up in 2012, so if he had the same stuff he has now, as Swisher contends, it certainly wasn't translating.  He didn't even make the rotation out of spring training in 2013.


 

Getting called up had more to do with Brett Myers' flameout but that season was a hint at what was to come: 11-5  with double digit strikeout games against Boston and Detroit in the first half of the season.

His 18 wins a year ago tied for the league lead. Even before he joined a rather illustrious crowd in New York last month for his Cy Young presentation, he'd taken his place with Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez by winning that many games with more than 260 Ks (269) and an ERA of under .250 (2.44).

Will that be tough to match? Sure? But Kluber isn't deflecting expectations.

"I probably hold myself to a higher standard than anyone else does," said Kluber, who is 29-14 over two seasons.

All those dominating performances in 2014 have led to two superlatives in particular:

Best pitcher in the league last year. And, until further notice, the best bargain.

Gallery preview 

Closer Cody Allen mature beyond his experience: Cleveland Indians quick hits (photos, video)

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Closer Cody Allen faced hitters for the first time in spring training on Sunday at the Indians training facility in Goodyear, Ariz. Watch video

GOODYEAR, Ariz. --  Manager Terry Francona just finished watching closer Cody Allen on Sunday morning throw to hitters for the first time in spring training.

To say he threw hard is like saying the desert is dry.

"With Cody it's lets get his mechanics in order," said manager Terry Francona. "He obviously has his arm strength. Then just get him revved up for the season."

Francona sounded like he was talking about a veteran closer, but he caught himself.

"The guy has two years of experience and that's what we're saying about him," said Francona. "That's pretty amazing."

Last year Allen went 6-4 with 2.07 ERA with 24 saves in 28 chances.

"He's a pleasure," said Francona. "I don't know if a kid with his experience can be as good and mature and competitive as he is. The game never speeds up on him. Every once in a while, he'll be a little over amped and throws a longer inning that expected, but he has a pretty good grip on things."

Allen, 26, is entering his third full season.

Start me up: Zach McAllister and Josh Tomlin start Tuesday and Wednesday's Cactus League games against Cincinnati. Trevor Bauer will follow Thursday against the Reds and Danny Salazar on Friday against the Royals.

Corey Kluber, who will throw a B game Tuesday, will make his Cactus League debut Saturday against the Dodgers. Kluber is scheduled to go three innings followed by McAllister, who is also scheduled for three innings.

Testing, testing: Shaun Marcum went through an entire spring training last year without pitching in a Cactus League game for the Tribe as he recovered from surgery to correct Thoracic Outlet Syndrome in his right shoulder.

He is scheduled to follow Salazar to the mound Thursday against the Royals.

"It's nice to see Marcum out here," said Francona. "Early on, just from talking to the pitching guys, he's been fighting his mechanics in the bullpen. I think that's to be expected.

"But the more reps he gets when he's feeling healthy is a good thing. The object is seeing him at his best. Then you can start to make evaluations.

"In fairness to him we probably have to let him pitch a little bit."

Marcum, 33, hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2013.

"He was in the AL East for a number of year and never threw 95," said Francona. "He knew how to pitch and was a good athlete. He doesn't need to light up the radar gun."

Marcum was 1-0 with a 2.35 ERA in eight appearances, including one start at Columbus last year.

Finger in the news: Jason Kipnis said his surgically repaired left ring finger has not hampered his swing.

"It feels good," said Kipnis. "You can't overload it right away. You don't want to risk damaging it so we're just building it up right now."

Francona said Saturday that Kipnis might miss the first two or three Cactus League games.

"No one is in a rush to play the opening day of spring training," said Kipnis. "We're more worried about being ready for opening day in April. If we miss a week, we miss a week."

Shifting D: The Indians worked on their defense from shifted formations Sunday. It involved throws from the outfielders, cutoff and relays to different bases.

"What you want the players to do is react," said Francona. "If you don't have them in that position, they have to think about it. If we do it enough, they can react and be a step or two quicker."

Francona added, "To be totally honest, we tell them, "If you don't know where you're supposed to be, go somewhere. Help. Don't get just stand there. You might be able to help.'"

The Indians finished last in the big leagues in errors last year.

James Harden's Houston Rockets top LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers in OT: DMan's Report, Game 61

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The Cavs have dropped two in a row for the first time since Jan. 11-13.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers lost to the Rockets, 105-103, in overtime Sunday afternoon at Toyota Center in Houston. Here is a capsule look at the game after a dvr review of the ABC telecast:

Cooled: The Cavs (37-24) have lost two in a row for the first time since the final two of a six-game slide, Jan. 11-13.

Locked in: Houston (41-18) has won five straight.

Brooms out: The Rockets swept the season series, 2-0. On Jan. 7 in Cleveland, they won, 105-93.

For the Cavs, injuries sidelined LeBron James in the first meeting and Kyrie Irving in the rematch. But the Rockets were without Dwight Howard on Sunday.

That MVP candidate James Harden was available for Houston on both occasions  doomed the Cavs. On Jan. 7, he had 21 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in 33 minutes. On Sunday, he had 33 points, eight rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks in 42 minutes.

The Cavs helped hold Harden below 50 percent from the field in each game -- combined: 14-of-36 -- but he made 22-of-25 free throws.

Bring the hard hats: The Cavs were involved in their most physical and chippy contest of the season. Both teams bumped and hacked and scratched and clawed their way to the finish. The teams took turns being upset with referee Dan Crawford's crew for its interpretation of the rulebook.

Crawford, Tony Brown and Michael Smith were in "let 'em play'' mode for most of the afternoon -- and that was with 49 fouls called. The physicality laid the groundwork for five technicals and one flagrant foul.

Proponents of old-school NBA would have approved.

Among the highlights/lowlights: LeBron tangled with Rockets guard Patrick Beverley and was kicked in the groin by Harden. The literal crotch Rocket, Harden is fortunate he was not ejected.

Cavs backup center/enforcer Kendrick Perkins is made for this type of game, even for just five minutes. Cavs coach David Blatt never summoned him.

King giveth: MVP candidate LeBron's stuffed stat sheet included 37 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three steals and three blocks in 42 minutes. He played solid defense, especially against Harden late.

However, LeBron's team lost. And it lost in part because of him.     

King taketh: LeBron needed 35 shots from the field and 11 from the line to get his points. He made 15 field goals and three free throws.

Yes, it's true: LeBron went 3-of-11 from the line. He was more accurate from  3-point range (4-of-12, 33 percent) than from the line (27.3 percent). The free-throw percentage is the lowest of his career in one game, minimum 10 attempts. 

Houston's top-10 defensive ranking had something to do with LeBron going 15-of-35, but it had nothing to do with LeBron going 3-of-11.

Un-King-like: LeBron held the ball at the end of regulation and near the end of overtime with the opportunity to deliver a victory, only to come up small.

With the score tied, 98-98, and 23.1 seconds remaining in regulation, the Cavs had possession with no shot-clock concerns. LeBron received the inbounds pass from Matthew Dellavedova and was guarded closely inside the timeline by Trevor Ariza. LeBron failed to shake Ariza and settled for a stepback jumper from the top of the key that hit the back of the rim in the final second.

With the Cavs trailing, 104-103, with 4.2 seconds left in overtime, LeBron drew a shooting foul against Josh Smith on a drive. LeBron clanged both free throws.

ABC play-by-play voice Mike Tirico said: "Are you kidding me?''

Tirico was not reading an ad for Nissan of North Olmsted.

The Cavs fouled Harden, who split two free throws to account for the final margin.

Not creative enough: With Irving and Uncle Drew absent, the Cavs needed LeBron to score at a high rate. But they also needed more than four assists from their point-forward. LeBron simply wasn't nearly as effective as usual at probing the defense and facilitating. He settled for too many 1-4 sets, which are considerably more difficult to execute against a long, physical defense.

LeBron's decisions with the ball were interesting. One stood out:

With 9:13 left in the third quarter, LeBron drove from the right wing and drew 2 1/2 Rockets as the shot clock ticked below six seconds. LeBron had Kevin Love wide-open topside for a 3-point attempt or, perhaps, Timofey Mozgov for a lob; instead, he passed to J.R. Smith in the left corner. Smith was open for a 3-pointer, but he also was ice cold and Harden was nearby. Harden blocked the attempt, and the ball landed in Smith's hands as the shot clock expired.

Not enough support: LeBron did not score efficiently, and he failed in the clutch. But if he had received a tad more support -- specifically, from his guards -- the Cavs would have prevailed.

Cleveland's guard trio of Smith, Dellavedova and Iman Shumpert combined to shoot 4-of-21 from the field and score 12 in 117 minutes.

Smith was 3-of-13, including 1-of-8 from 3-point range, for eight points in 51 minutes. Shumpert was 0-of-4 and scored one in 24 minutes. Smith and Shumpert were forced to work hard at the other end because one or the other often drew Harden, but they still should be able to produce more.

Dellavedova, again over-exposed as Irving sat for a second straight game, scored three in 42 minutes and struggled defensively. Memo to Blatt: No mas.

GPS needed: The Cavs relied far too much on the 3-pointer. They tried to steal a page from Houston's playbook, and it backfired.

The Cavs shot 12-of-40 (30 percent) from beyond the arc. As underwhelming as the percentage was, the volume was much more indicting. They entered the afternoon averaging 26.1 3-point attempts per game, and 9.3 successes.

Yes, the Cavs have increased their 3-point attempts since LeBron returned from   injuries and Smith and Shumpert were acquired from the Knicks in January. Still, the Cavs can't expect to defeat a quality opponent when they shoot 41 of them -- unless it unquestionably was the best option to score.

Against the Rockets, the Cavs seemingly had various low-block opportunities available all afternoon against a Howard-less interior. Yet they kept opting for long jumpers. 

Late in the second quarter, ABC analyst and basketball legend Hubie Brown wondered why. He said: "Sometimes what happens is, it's the easiest thing to do whenever things get difficult, rather than continuing to make things happen with the movement of the ball. You've been wearing them out on the post-up. You've been getting good looks at the basket. Please go down inside until they start double-teaming. You don't have to force up the 3's.''

The Cavs finished the first half at 3-of-18 from 3-point range. They trailed by three (50-47) when, with more commitment to exploit Houston's suspect middle, they could have been ahead by 8-10.

Blatt told ABC reporter Lisa Salters at intermission that he didn't want his team to stop shooting from distance, and that a number of the 3-point shots came from open looks. Blatt's players turned the vote of confidence into a much-improved 9-of-22 in the second half -- but it didn't cover for the overall lack of attention to detail inside.

The Rockets entered Sunday averaging an NBA-high 33.8 3-point attempts, with 11.7 successes. They finished 11-of-30 (36.7 percent).

LeBron James not happy about James Harden's kick

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James Harden's kick of LeBron James accentuated a chippy third quarter Sunday.

HOUSTON -- Houston's James Harden kicked LeBron James in an area where a man ought not be kicked Sunday, and James expects the NBA to review the play for possible discipline against the Rockets' star.

With 2:08 remaining in the third quarter of the Rockets' eventual 105-103 win over the Cavaliers in overtime, Harden fell to the floor after James wrestled him for the ball.

As the two began to separate, Harden kicked James directly in the groin, in front of referee Michael Smith. Harden was called for a Flagrant One foul, which meant the Cavs were awarded two free throws in the ball but Harden was allowed to stay in the game.

"Obviously that's not a basketball play," James said. "Obviously the league will probably take a look at it. I have no idea why he would do that, but you know, just two competitors trying to go at it and he won this one."

The league could review the play and change the call to a Flagrant Two, which could mean a suspension for Harden.

Harden called his kick "a reaction."

"They called a flagrant," Harden said. "The next play we moved on."

James led all players with 37 points, but missed two key free throws late in overtime. Harden scored 33.

The third quarter was chippy in its entirety. James tangled with Houston's Patrick Beverley (double technicals were assessed) and the Rockets' Trevor Ariza was also whistled for a technical.

"I don't know if it was a physical game, but it was very chippy," Cleveland's Kevin Love said. "A couple of plays there kind of got out of hand, but that's just the way it goes sometimes."

Ohio State basketball: Behind D'Angelo Russell, Buckeyes rally for 65-61 win over Purdue -- Instant recap

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Ohio State came back to beat Purdue on Sunday night in Value City Arena.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- March continues to be kind to the Ohio State Buckeyes in Value City Arena.

D'Angelo Russell drove on Purdue 7-foot center A.J. Hammons, laid it off the glass and in to give the Buckeyes a 60-59 lead with just under a minute to play. Amir Williams blocked a shot from Purdue guard Jon Octeus on the other end and Ohio State held on to beat the Boilermakers 65-61 on Sunday night.

Russell finished with a game-high 28 points to help the Buckeyes to their second straight win. Ohio State has never lost at home in March under Thad Matta.

The Buckeyes erased a 12-point halftime deficit to earn their sixth straight home win. Sam Thompson added 14 points and five rebounds for Ohio State. Amir Williams had six points and six rebounds.

Hammons led Purdue with 16 points.

Crucial run: The Buckeyes cut into Purdue's halftime lead with a 10-2 run that saw the Buckeyes take a 47-46 lead when Russell came off a screen and hit a mid-range jumper with 7:25 left. That run helped Ohio State erase a 12-point halftime deficit.

Trailing at the half: Ohio State, which has shot the ball well at home all season, shot just 27 percent in the first half and entered the break trailing for the first time at home since beating Illinois on Jan. 3.

Lee sits again: Buckeyes forward Anthony Lee missed his fifth straight game with a groin injury that's sidelined him since a win at Rutgers on Feb. 8.

When it was over: When Purdue guard Jon Octeus drove on Amir Williams and Marc Loving, one of them got a hand on it (it was credited to Loving) and Ohio State kept a one-point lead with 25 seconds left.

What it means: Ohio State (21-8, 10-6) moves into a three-way tie with Michigan State and Iowa for third place in the Big Ten with two games left. Both the Spartans and Hawkeyes would hold the tie-breaker over the Buckeyes.

What's next: The Buckeyes play their final Big Ten road game on Wednesday at Penn State (15-14, 3-13). Tip-off in State College, Pa., is at 6 p.m.

LeBron James elevating his game in MVP matchups and Tristan Thompson earning playing time late: Fedor's five observations

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With Kyrie Irving nursing a shoulder injury in Cleveland and MVP candidate James Harden on the other side, LeBron James came out with the same aggressiveness he displayed in Thursday's win against the Golden State Warriors.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- With Kyrie Irving nursing a shoulder injury in Cleveland and MVP candidate James Harden on the other side, LeBron James came out with the same aggressiveness he displayed in Thursday's win against the Golden State Warriors.

Only Sunday afternoon yielded a different result for James and the Cavaliers, who lost their second straight game to the Houston Rockets, 105-103, in overtime.

The Cavs are now 37-24 and failed to overtake the Chicago Bulls, who lost earlier on Sunday, in the Eastern Conference standings. The Cavs are still fourth, a half game back of the Bulls.

Here are five observations from the loss:

MVP matchup - James and Harden are two of the four most talked about MVP candidates. Golden State's Stephen Curry, who has led his team to the league's best record, and Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, who has recorded a triple-double in three consecutive games, are the other two.

James has always been aware of his place in history and adding a fifth MVP trophy would put him with Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only players with at least five MVP awards. While he has hasn't admitted as much, James would love to be in that company.

Sunday gave him another opportunity to go head-to-head with one of his competitors. He was aggressive from the beginning, which was the right approach with Houston missing Dwight Howard in the middle, as James finished with 37 points.

But his usual efficiency eluded him, shooting 15-of-35 from the field His 35 field goal attempts are the most he has taken since 2006, his fourth season in the NBA. Of his 35 shots, 12 came from three-point range. The Cavs tied a franchise record with 40 attempts from beyond the arc, too many against a team missing its better defender.

Then when the fourth quarter arrived, James turned the game into a personal showdown with Harden, rarely letting anyone else on his team get involved in the offense, which made Cleveland easier to guard.

James outperformed Curry and Klay Thompson on Thursday night, but Harden got the better of him on Sunday. 

"The Beard" scored 33 points on 8-of-18 from the field to go with eight rebounds and five assists in the same number of minutes. His dribble penetration and parade to the layup line (18 attempts) was the difference in the game. 

In three games against the trio of MVP candidates, James is averaging 37.6 points, shooting 48 percent (41-of-85) and 37 percent from three-point range (10-of-27). He is also averaging 4.6 assists, 8.6 rebounds and 4.0 turnovers. 

Free throw issues - After the Cavs and Rockets battled for 50-plus minutes, the game came down to the free throw line, James' nemesis.

The four-time MVP has tried a few different routines at the stripe this year, but still doesn't look comfortable. He is shooting 72 percent this season, which is his worst percentage since 2007-08.

With the Cavs down by one, James attacked the basket and was fouled after missing the shot. He stepped to the line with four seconds, hoping to give the Cavs the lead once again and possibly for the final time. Instead, James missed both free throws and Harden collected the rebound.

James finished 3-of-11 from the foul line and took blame for the loss. He needed to make the free throws and will likely be in that situation again in the future.

The bright side: It would've been easy for James to settle for a jumper late, just as he did at the end of regulation, instead of attempting to drive past Trevor Ariza.

There have been times in the past where James has been hesitant to take it to the basket, looking to avoid being at the free throw line late. Not Sunday. It took courage to drive, take contact and be willing to go to the line in a pressure-packed situation.

No minutes for Mozgov - Timofey Mozgov, who finished with 10 points, four rebounds and a block, played 18 minutes and sat the entire fourth quarter.

That raised questions from some fans. Some believed his size would've kept Harden out of the paint and off the free throw line. Others believed Mozgov could've helped the Cavs' offense score inside instead of settling for three-pointers.

But Mozgov didn't belong on the floor late and Blatt made the right call. Thompson was playing too well. He earned those crunch-time minutes.

One of the best players for either team Sunday, Thompson finished with 14 points and a season-high 19 rebounds. He grabbed 11 offensive boards, was active on offense and defense, made all of his free throw attempts and was better equipped than Mozgov to defend the Rockets, who like to use a quick, athletic and small lineup with Josh Smith or the versatile Donatas Motiejunas playing center.

Playing Mozgov would've meant sitting Thompson because the Cavs can't afford to play the duo together. What makes the offense so challenging is the spacing. It puts pressure on the opponent. That spacing is not possible with Mozgov and Thompson on the court at the same time. It's why Blatt uses Kevin Love and James Jones, capable three-point shooters, when Thompson is on the court.

The Cavaliers traded for Mozgov because they were looking for more size on the interior and better defense at the rim. There are plenty of matchups where Mozgov will play extended minutes and close the game, but Houston, minus Howard, isn't one.

When Mozgov, who had the worst plus minus of any player (minus 13), wasn't getting spun around in the post, he was having a difficult time closing out to the three-point line.

The Cavs played their best defensive quarter in the final 12 minutes, holding the explosive Rockets to 16 points, their lowest in any quarter since Jan. 30 against when Houston played the Celtics.

It wasn't a coincidence that Mozgov was sitting on the bench wearing warm ups at that time. Sunday was Thompson's game. 

Defensive challenge - Playing against the Rockets isn't easy. Houston, which averages 103 points per game on the year, scored 29 points in the first quarter, had 50 points at halftime and stormed out of the break with 32 points in the third. But as has been the case recently, the Cavs made a few adjustments, changed the lineup and picked up the defensive intensity in the fourth quarter.

By the end of regulation, the Cavs had held another opponent under 100 points. In the last 20 games, only three teams (Lakers, Pacers and Bulls) have reached the century mark against the Cavs' improved defense.

Forgetting Love - Love had a poor shooting night in the loss against Indiana on Friday. Trying to atone for that, he came out firing.

Love scored eight points in the first quarter and had 21 points on 8-of-16 from the field through three quarters. But then came the fourth quarter, one that has rendered him ineffective for the majority of the season.

Love went 0-for-3 in the fourth quarter and overtime, scoring zero points. He is now averaging 2.5 points on 35 percent shooting in the fourth quarter. On Friday night, his ineffectiveness had nothing to do with usage. He just missed a bunch of shots that night and was bullied by tough and rugged Indiana.

Sunday, he was ignored by his teammates.

The Cavs need to come up with a better way to keep him involved, especially late. James resorted to hero ball, but Love's lack of involvement wasn't just a one-game problem against Houston. It's now a nasty trend.

David Blatt's devotion to Matthew Dellavedova not paying off for Cleveland Cavaliers -- Chris Haynes analysis

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Dellavedova is a coach's player, willing to challenge that proverbial brick wall. But maybe it's time Blatt decided that Dellavedova is better in smaller doses.

HOUSTON -- Sunday's duel between LeBron James and James Harden should go down as an instant classic. Those two put on a magnificent show that forced millions to stay glued to the television.

The only thing that prevented the game from being 100 percent appealing is David Blatt's infatuation and overuse of point guard Matthew Dellavedova.

This isn't a knock on Dellavedova. He works tirelessly and is a loyal teammate and diligent professional. He tries to avoid mistakes and is extremely coachable, but that shouldn't equate to 42 minutes (on Sunday) or 18 field goal attempts (on Friday).

This has nothing to do with Kyrie Irving being out with a left shoulder strain. Dellavedova has been over-utilized for quite some time now. And if you dare ask Blatt about Dellavedova's usage rate and lack of productivity, prepare to get an earful.

"Delly, you know. Let's talk about Delly, an undrafted player. He had 14 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a high-level NBA game," Blatt said after Friday's loss to Indiana in which Dellavedova was 5-of-18 from the field with a plus-minus of -15.

"What more can you ask? And he fights his behind off on defense like he does everyday, so nothing but good words for him."

The scrappy guard does provide perimeter toughness and full-court defensive pressure. But in truth, his defense looks better than it actually is. He's constantly moving, which makes it appear like he's locking someone up. Once opponents realize it's an act, they tend to go right past him.

He doesn't have the foot speed to stay with high-level NBA point guards, of which there are so many. He'll create a hard foul at a moment's notice, but usually it's because he's about to get beat.

One reason Blatt loves him some Delly is probably because he sees himself in him. I asked Blatt before the Houston game how he would describe his own basketball game during his playing days at Princeton and overseas.

"I was a guy who loved to play," Blatt said. "I played hard everyday, played for the team and put winning above and beyond all. I valued and trusted my teammates and my coaches."

I asked Dellavedova the same exact question.

"I'm a competitor and a team player," he said. "I try to bring energy defensively, move the ball and knock down those open threes when they're out there. I love playing the game and winning."

Does that ring a bell?

The Cavaliers surveyed the landscape for an upgrade at the backup point guard spot, but were unsuccessful in part due to not having enough assets to land one. Over the last couple of games Iman Shumpert has taken some of the ball-handling responsibilities, with mixed results.

His decision-making skills are a bit rusty, but he's capable of creating quality shots for teammates. But it doesn't sound like Blatt sees a point guard future in Shumpert.

"Iman in the past has played a little bit of point. It's not his natural position. It's not what you want go to the bank with but in a moment of need, he can do the job," Blatt said.

Shumpert disagrees.

"Like I tell everybody, I've played point my whole life," he said. "But in this league, they need you to do certain things. I guess they don't need me to play point right now."

I'm not sure that's accurate. Cleveland needs someone to step in and spell Irving when Dellavedova is ineffective.

It's obvious that Blatt has taken a liking to Dellavedova and that's fine and understandable. He's a coach's player, willing to challenge that proverbial brick wall. He won't change that style if he's playing fewer minutes, so maybe it's time Blatt decided that Dellavedova is better in smaller doses.

But hey, what do we know?

"The three main differences between being a professional player and being a professional coach are as follows," Blatt says. "As a coach, No. 1, you sleep a lot less. As a coach, No. 2, you worry a lot more.

"As a coach, No. 3, and most significant particularly in the company to all those I'm speaking to, the moment you become a coach, suddenly everyone knows more than you do."

Ohio State basketball remains unbeaten at home in March under Thad Matta, where will it go from here?

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Ohio State moved to 13-0 at home in March under Thad Matta with Sunday's comeback win over Purdue. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State freshman D'Angelo Russell arched back in his chair a bit, exhaling and stretching one last time as if in a final recognition of a job well done. He scored 28 points in a much-needed win. He can take some time to admire his work.

But that's not what caught Russell.

"I can get used to this," Russell said.

"This" being the feeling of earning a big conference win on your home floor in March.

Apologies, D'Angelo, but no you can't.

The next time you win a big game on March 1, it will just mean you have another month-plus of regular season basketball left while you're playing in New York, Philadelphia, Minnesota, Los Angeles or whichever NBA city you're in that night.

If Russell wasn't a sure-fire one-and-done, that feeling is something he could chase for another year or two, because it's become the norm at Ohio State under Thad Matta. Sunday's 65-61 comeback win over Purdue the latest in a string of Big Ten home triumphs in March.

Under Matta, the Buckeyes are 10-0 in Big Ten home games in March, 13-0 at home in March if you include the three wins Ohio State earned in the 2008 NIT (one of those came at St. John Arena).

It's a streak that started with an upset of then-No. 1 and undefeated Illinois in 2005. It's a stat not even Matta was aware of.

"Is that right?" he said. "That's an amazing deal in March, to say the least."

It is. Winning in March, no matter where it is, is important. For the Buckeyes right now it means jockeying for position in the Big Ten standings and trying to earn a double-bye for the conference tournament, which kicks off in 10 days in Chicago.

The Buckeyes (21-8, 10-6 Big Ten) moved into a three-way tie with Iowa and Michigan State for fourth place in the conference with Sunday's win. They've already assured they'll miss the first day of the tournament, but earning that double-bye would be huge. More rest for a team that relies heavily on Russell, a freshman who joked after Sunday's win that he was "hitting the freshman wall."

Two games stand between the Buckeyes and the tournament: Wednesday night at Big Ten bottom-feeder Penn State, and next Sunday at home against No. 5 Wisconsin. It's there where Ohio State will put that unblemished home March record under Matta on the line.

A win then would be huge, obviously, but what's more important is Ohio State keeping the form it's somehow managed to find every year at this time at home. Sunday's second half against Purdue would be a good blue print.

The Buckeyes erased a 12-point halftime deficit, shot the ball 30 percent better in the second half than they did in the first (finishing 39.6 percent), defended well and rode the hot hand of their freshman star to a must-win.

"It's big," senior forward Sam Thompson said. "This is the type of win that we have to get, especially in the month of March. It's too late for us to be taking steps backwards now. It's our time to really hit our stride, to really get going and really put together a run. This is a step in the right direction."

Right now, that's all it is.

Matta has always had Ohio State winning at home in March. But you know that sometimes that's led to deep NCAA tournament runs, and sometimes that just means setting yourself up for the NIT.

How Ohio State responds on Wednesday and Sunday will decide what this latest home March win means.

"To get a win like this, because we hadn't done that, going down double digits, we hope gives us a shot in the arm as we move forward here," Matta said. "I was very proud of their effort and composure because we didn't panic. Tonight was really a great team win. Everybody contributed."


Houston Rockets take another shot at LeBron, call Harden the new 'King James'

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The rockets send out a tweet declaring James Harden the new 'King James'.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Rockets apparently are feeling a little chipper both during and after their 105-103 overtime win against the Cavaliers on Sunday in Houston.

First, the Rockets' James Harden delivered a kick to the groin of LeBron James after a scuffle for the ball in the third quarter. Harden received a flagrant 1 foul but stayed in the game and finished with 33 points.

 

That certainly didn't sit well with James and he says he believes the NBA will review the call.

"Obviously that's not a basketball play," James said afterward. "Obviously, the league will probably take a look at it. I have no idea why he would do that, but two competitors just trying to go at it and he won this one."

Yeah, if a kick below the belt is considered a victory, then Harden definitely won that battle.

But the Rockets delivered another shot later on social media:

So LeBron has been dethroned, at least in Houston.

The Rockets' tweet brought plenty of response on Twitter. Go below to seem some of the online reaction, including to Harden's kick of James.

The Cleveland Indians' chatterbox: Mike Aviles never quits yapping, and his team is fine with that

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During a pitcher's fielding practice drill earlier in the week, Aviles proved he's the team's top talker with a never-ending commentary.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Some call him Chatterbox.

The Indians split up onto three or four fields when conducting drills or batting practice each day. It isn't difficult to determine which field Mike Aviles is on. He's always talking.

"I don't think it's just [during] drills," joked manager Terry Francona.

Lonnie Chisenhall said he's never had to tell Aviles to quit yapping. The Indians appreciate the constant blabber from the utility player.

"It's just energy," Chisenhall said. "He has it all year long."

During a pitcher's fielding practice drill earlier in the week, Aviles proved he's the team's most tireless talker with a never-ending commentary.

"Stretch, Zep!" As Marc Rzepczynski covered first base, he had to maximize his wingspan to corral a wide throw. Aviles playfully got on his teammate for being tough to throw to.

"Nice, Z. Show the young pups how it's done." Zach McAllister successfully fielded a ground ball and tagged first himself.

Throughout the morning, Aviles poked fun at Josh Tomlin for his long, curly locks.

"Atta boy, B." Bryan Shaw fielded a ball. The next time around, when Shaw covered first base, Aviles threw a bit wide. Or so said Shaw. "We have replay now," Aviles said, adding that a video review would prove his throw was on target.

"I got it, Chick." Aviles reached for a low throw from closer Cody Allen, then held up his glove to show his teammate he salvaged the play.

"Not everybody has long arms." In one fell swoop, McAllister scooped up a grounder and took it himself to first base.

"Just think, Lonnie: If Kip can do it, anyone can." After Jason Kipnis fielded a grounder and threw to first for an out, Aviles threw barbs at his fellow infielders.

"I got you." Allen made another low throw. Aviles still snagged it and pointed his glove at the closer. Allen threw his glove down to the ground in anger.

"If you're not gonna do it right, Atch, then go home." Aviles got on his 39-year-old teammate after the pitcher fielded a bunt.

"What field are you hitting on, Mike?" "All of them." Kipnis asked his teammate where he was headed for batting practice. Aviles replied in typical fashion.

Aviles didn't even hit the mute button as he jogged to the outfield during a defensive drill on Sunday. As he ran out into the grass to position himself as a cutoff man, he continued to talk.

"What are you doing, Millsie, trying to kill them? The season hasn't even started yet." Bench coach Brad Mills was spraying fly balls to the outfield during the fielding practice. He clubbed a ball well over the heads of David Murphy and Ryan Raburn in right field as they gave chase.

"Way to do it, Jose [pronounced HOE-zee]." Aviles applauded Jose Ramirez after the shortstop made a pinpoint relay throw.

"I threw it like you." After Aviles made a relay throw, Carlos Carrasco yelled out "changeup," making fun of the oomph on Aviles' toss.

The Indians exercised a $3.5 million option on Aviles in late October. The 33-year-old's enthusiasm factored into the decision.

"That's part of what he brings," Francona said. "We told him that in our one-on-one. That's part of his responsibility. We love what he does as a player, because he plays all over the place and he can play every position professionally. But when he's not playing, he needs to be in a leadership role. We need that out of him. He understands that."

Francona doesn't mind his players having fun on the field. Aviles embraces that.

"I never quite understood why you had to be out there and be stern," Francona said. "If the guys are doing what you want them to do, that's the whole object."

White Sox legend Minnie Minoso gone, but not forgotten: MLB news, updates, links

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Minnie Minoso died Sunday and he will be missed throughout baseball, but mostly in Chicago where he was beloved and among all Latin players for whom he blazed a trail to the big leagues.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- I can't remember if I saw it on TV or my father took me to old Cleveland Stadium to watch him play.

What I remember is seeing Minnie Minoso diving head first into first base for a base hit. The thought of reaching base that way, with such flair and daring, had never occured to me. I thought it was the coolest thing I'd ever seen.

Minoso played for the Indians twice. After Bill Veeck signed him as an amateur free agent in 1948 following his days in the Negro Leagues, Minoso played for the Indians in parts of the 1949 and 1951 seasons before being traded to the White Sox. The Indians brought him back for the 1958 and 1959 seasons and he hit .302 in consecutive years with a combined 45 homers, 186 runs and 187 RBI.

The Indians traded him back to the White Sox after the 1959 season.

IN 2001 Minoso was named one of the 100 greatest Indians in history. I talked to him at Progressive Field the day the players were honored. Minoso was listed at 5-10 and 170 pounds, but he looked so much smaller to me.

Herb Score, one of Minoso's teammates in Cleveland, once told me how tough he was.

"Minnie Minoso was as hard as that wall over there," said Score. "The trainers had to drain blood out of his knees for him to play."

The wall finally crumbled Sunday as Minoso died at the age of 89 or 92, depending on who you believe.

Minoso, a seven-time All-Star and the first black man to play in the big leagues in Chicago, had his best years as a White Sox and that's where he'll be missed the most. He loved the White Sox and they loved him.

Phil Rogers, who covered the White Sox and Cubs for years for the Chicago Tribune, captured Minoso's essence in a column he wrote Sunday for mlb.com. Here's his lead.

"Minnie Minoso is gone, and it is silly to say he'll be missed. That's a huge understatement.

His death on Sunday leaves holes everywhere. No one alive knew better what it was like for Latin-American players to come to the Major Leagues, Cuban players, in particular. But that's just the very tip of a legacy that includes tremendous love of family, love of the American way and a devotion to the White Sox organization that Jerry Reinsdorf lovingly returned, in keeping an eye out for him all these years.

Reinsdorf once told me that Minoso "radiates happiness,'' and it's safe to say that never changed, even when he was bypassed by the Hall of Fame's Veterans Committee in votes held in 2011 and '14."

On Jan. 23 Ernie Banks, Mr. Cub, died. Now Minnie Minoso, Mr. White Sox, is gone. It is not only Chicago's loss, but all of baseball's.

AROUND THE MAJORS

First step: Miami's Jose Fernandez, one of the top pitchers in the game before he underwent Tommy John surgery last year, threw off the mound for the first time since injuring his elbow on May 9. (miami herald).

Worst foot forward: White Sox ace Chris Sale suffered a broken right foot Friday while reportedly unloading his truck. He'll miss at least three weeks. (espn.com)

More power: Toronto, a team with plenty of power, added more in signing Dayan Viciedo to a minor league deal. (sportsnet).

Roster addition: Former Indians closer John Axford received some good news from the Rockies on Sunday. (espn.com).

Progress: Baltimore catcher Matt Wieters took another step Sunday in his recovery from Tommy John surgery. (mlb.com).

AROUND THE INDIANS

What a bargain: Bud Shaw says AL Cy Young winner Corey Kluber is the best bargain in baseball. (cleveland.com).

Masked man: Carlos Carrasco wore a KISS mask to workouts Sunday morning. "Just having a little fun," he said. (cleveland.com).

Mature closer: Manager Terry Francona believes closer Cody Allen is mature beyond his years. (cleveland.com).

First things first: Gavin Floyd threw to hitters for the first time Sunday since he fractured his right elbow last year with Atlanta. (mlb.com).

Impressive: Two hours after throwing to hitters for the first time in spring training Sunday, Cy Young winner Corey Kluber was still training. (fox sports).

LeBron James: "I failed my teammates"

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LeBron James blamed himself and his poor free-throw shooting in Cleveland's 105-103 overtime loss to the Rockets. A bad night at the foul line canceled out 37 points for James.

HOUSTON - This one hurt LeBron James, and not just because James Harden kicked him in the nether regions.

The Cavaliers' 105-103 overtime loss to the Houston Rockets Sunday would seem to come down to two missed free throws from James.

Cleveland was down by one at the moment -- 4.2 seconds were left in overtime -- and James was fouled on a drive with a chance to put his team ahead.

First free throw...clang. Same for the second.

"I tricked the game up at the free throw line," James said afterwards, clearly upset with himself.

This happens sometimes in the NBA. The star player pours in points, pours out his heart, but misses some foul shots or an open three at the buzzer in a loss.

James finished with 37 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three steals, and three blocks. He spent most of his time handling the ball because Kyrie Irving was out with a shoulder injury, and guarded Harden, one of just two players in the NBA averaging more points than James.

And, yes, Harden kicked James in the groin. More on that later.

The 35 shots James took were the most he's heaved in a game since Jan. 21, 2006 and were just one off his career high. Fifteen went in. Had a 16th gone in - with one second left in regulation - James would have been the hero.

Instead, it came down to those two free throws. Or, really, the eight free throws James missed. He was 3-of-11 from the foul line.

"I just didn't have a rhythm," James said. "It's no excuse, no excuse. I missed free throws, I missed the two biggest ones of the game to put us up with seconds on the clock. I failed my teammates."

James' colleagues weren't buying it. James Jones, whose two three-pointers early in the fourth quarter helped erase an eight-point deficit with James on the bench, said "that's just how he is, who he is.

"If he's not performing elite, if it's ever, if there's ever someone to blame he's going to take the blame, even if he doesn't deserve it," Jones said. "You look at his stat line, he willed us to an overtime game."

Tristan Thompson, who scored 14 points and grabbed 19 rebounds off the bench, said "if we had anyone who was supposed to shoot free throws, it would be our leader and our general, so I'd want him on the line.

"He's going to knock it down the next time," Thompson said.

Harden scored 33 points, his last one a free throw with .6 to go. He missed the second, and the Cavaliers had a chance for one last shot with .3 remaining, but Jones couldn't get a good look after catching the inbounds from James.

Kevin Love scored 21 points for the Cavs, but none after the 6:43 remark of the third quarter. Part of that was because Cleveland's offense turned into a high-screen set for James on nearly every possession, but Love also missed a key layup late.

With no Irving, Matthew Dellavedova played 41 minutes and scored three points. J.R. Smith was sound defensively and contributed 10 rebounds and four assists, but his eight points came on 3-of-13 shooting. Iman Shumpert score a point in 24 minutes.

Thus, in a tight game against a playoff-bound Rockets club on their court, almost any change on the periphery for any Cavalier and the contest probably would've gone their way.

And it was chippy out there, too.

It started in the second quarter late, when James drew contact on four drives to the basket. He didn't get any calls on three of them and was whistled for a charge on the fourth. None of those trips resulted in points.

Then in the third quarter, Houston's Patrick Beverley was called for a blocking foul against James, but after the two collided James appeared to pin him down as he pushed off him to get to his feet. Beverley responded and both players were assessed technical fouls.

Moments later, the Rockets' Trevor Ariza was hit with a technical. And then, the Harden kick.

With 2:08 left in the third, James tied Harden up for a jump ball. As the two wrestled and began to separate, Harden booted James in the privates, which as you might imagine was not received warmly by James.

Harden was assessed a Flagrant One foul - which means two free throws and the ball back for the Cavs but no ejection for Harden.

"It was a reaction," Harden said. "They called a flagrant. The next play we moved on."

They seemed to move on together -- James and Harden -- with James guarding him exclusively in the fourth quarter and overtime. It only heightened the drama in an already nip-and-tuck game, two of the NBA's biggest stars and two MVP frontrunners in direct confrontation.

Kick or no kick.

"Obviously that's not a basketball play," James said. "Obviously the league will probably take a look at it. I have no idea why he would do that."

Irving normally shoots foul shots on technicals. Without him, it's James. He missed one after the Ariza technical and both after the Harden flagrant.

After shooting no free throws in the first half, James suddenly was shooting them in a hostile environment with emotions running high on the court. As he rightly said, he never found a rhythm.

"Guys put us in position to win the game and I didn't come through for them," he said. "It won't happen again."

Terry Francona reveals starting lineup for first spring game: Cleveland Indians quick hits

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Zach McAllister will toe the rubber. He'll be followed by Charles Brewer, Michael Roth, Bryan Price, Nick Hagadone and Dustin Molleken.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Mother Nature forced the Indians indoors on Monday morning as rain and chilly temperatures -- not quite Cleveland chilly -- invaded the desert.

Instead of live batting practice on the fields in back of the Tribe's complex in Goodyear, the team used the indoor facility. That meant no pop-ups practice.

"We can do that tomorrow," said manager Terry Francona. "If somebody drops a pop-up tomorrow, you can blame it on the rain today."

Order, order

The Indians' lineup for Tuesday's Cactus League opener is as follows:

SS Jose Ramirez

C Yan Gomes

3B Lonnie Chisenhall

1B Carlos Santana

RF David Murphy

2B Mike Aviles

DH Tyler Holt

LF James Ramsey

CF Tyler Naquin

Zach McAllister will toe the rubber. He'll be followed by Charles Brewer, Michael Roth, Bryan Price, Nick Hagadone and Dustin Molleken.

Francona said Ramsey, starting in left field on Tuesday, will play all three outfield positions during spring training. He did the same with the Cardinals last spring.

Zach Walters is expected to work out at first base and shortstop early on in camp. He'll eventually see some time in the outfield.

"I don't think that's really fair to have a guy play seven positions the first week," Francona said.

Scheduling quirks

Absent from Tuesday's lineup are Michael Bourn, Michael Brantley, Jason Kipnis, Brandon Moss and Nick Swisher.

Francona said Bourn will face the Reds on Wednesday. Brantley will make his spring debut on Thursday against Cincinnati.

"You'll see Kipnis pretty soon after that," Francona said.

As for Moss and Swisher, both recovering from surgery, it could be until early to mid-March.

"Moss might be a little ahead of Swish," Francona said. "That's going on some of the reports. I don't want those guys to feel like there's a deadline. When they're ready to play, they'll play."

Getting defensive

As a result of a suggestion from Double-A Akron manager Dave Wallace, the Indians have incorporated stopwatches into certain defensive drills. When practicing turning double plays, the team has set a timer at 4.2 seconds, which Francona identified as "an average to above-average runner" dashing from home plate to first base.

"You put a little pressure on them and see guys start to rush and bobble it," Francona said. "That's the idea.

"You put a clock on them and all of a sudden, there's another gear. Some guys go quicker. Some guys start fumbling it. It just shows you some of the work that needs to be done."

What to watch for

Francona said he'll be watching how much arm strength the pitchers have built up during the first week of games. He won't be paying much attention to ERA or batting average or other statistics.

"You always see those 21-18 games," Francona said. "If you're a part of that, if you're a hitter, your average is going to go up. If you're a pitcher, you're ERA is going to go up. So we don't look at that very often. I look to make sure they're getting consistent at-bats and not playing too many days in a row. Same with the pitchers -- make sure they're on the right schedule so we don't skip somebody or leave them out."

Great expectations

Several outlets have placed lofty expectations upon the Indians this spring. Francona has ignored the hype.

"I don't think it makes much sense for us to alter our game dependent on other people's expectations," Francona said. "I never did understand that. That'll have no bearing on the outcome of our season, how other people view us. It changes from week to week, anyway. We're the ones who can't let that change. When we're up or down, our goal has to stay the same. We have to be strong enough to get through it. That's the nature of the game. If we lose seven in a row, how do you write that we look great? If we react to that, that doesn't make much sense."

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