Also, Canton woman accused of stabbing boyfriend over salsa; Willowick residents hold robbery suspect for police; Warren woman target of weekend gunfire; man dies after crashing his car on Cleveland's East Side; faulty wiring blamed for Amherst house fire; and White Castle burgers are coming to Canal Park.

Top stories:

A case involving a Youngstown-area man charged with raping a 10-year-old girl was halted today because prosecutors said the victim was among three people who died in an early morning fire in Youngstown. (cleveland.com)(Youngstown Vindicator)

The NFL today suspended Cleveland Browns general manager Ray Farmer four games for "Textgate" and fined the Browns $250,000, but did not dock the club a draft pick. (cleveland.com)(WKYC Channel 3)

A Cleveland man is charged with felonious assault after a melee at an East Side bar ended with three people shot in their legs. (cleveland.com)(WOIO Channel 19)

Area crime news:

A Canton woman is accused of stabbing her boyfriend because he ate all of their salsa. (cleveland.com)(WJW Channel 8)

A group of citizens helped catch a robbery suspect and held him until officers arrived, Willowick police said. (cleveland.com)(WEWS Channel 5)

A 55-year-old Warren woman was one of the targets of two gunfire incidents in the city over the weekend. (Youngstown Vindicator)

Ravenna police are looking for someone who robbed the Huntington Bank on West Cedar Street on Friday afternoon. (AkronNewsNow.com)

A Wayne County man was able to save his ATV and two dirt bikes by shooting out the tires of the suspect's pickup truck. (WEWS Channel 5)

A Green woman charged with theft was in Barberton Municipal Court Friday after being indicted for stealing from her elderly aunt. (Akron Beacon Journal)

Local news - east:

A man who died after crashing his car on Cleveland's East Side early today was driving at a speed well above the posted 30 mph limit, police said. (cleveland.com)(WKYC Channel 3)

Mentor-on-the-Lake City Council is considering rezoning 54 parcels along Andrews Road to a Business District classification. (News-Herald)

Lake and Geauga counties continue to be among the most healthy in the state, according to a new report unveiled Friday. (News-Herald)

Local news - west:

Faulty front porch light electrical wiring is believed to have caused a fire that badly damaged an Amherst home Sunday, according to Assistant Fire Chief Jim Wilhelm. (Elyria Chronicle-Telegram)

Every single one of the 138 bridges overseen by the Erie County engineer's office is in good, standing condition, according to an annual report. (Sandusky Register)

If county boards of elections are mandated by the state to use electronic pollbooks as part of future elections then most elections officials want the state to provide funding to purchase the equipment or provide reimbursement for previously purchased systems. (Lorain Morning Journal)

Akron-Canton area news:

Northeast Ohioans had to say goodbye to several White Castle restaurants last year, but they're making a comeback -- at Canal Park. (cleveland.com)(AkronNewsNow.com)

The Ohio Department of Agriculture plans to deny a Lodi couple's request for a permit to keep their 41-year-old black bear. (cleveland.com)(Medina Gazette)

Indians right-hander Trevor Bauer will make his fifth Cactus League start of the spring Monday when he faces the White Sox. Bauer's last start was a B game against the Angels in which he pitched six innings. The opposition is hitting .329 against Bauer this spring.

GLENDALE,, Ariz. -- Get scoring updates and analysis as the Indians take on the White Sox join Indians reporters Zack Meisel and Paul Hoynes in the comments section.

Where to watch/listen: Indians.com will carry the game.

Pitchers: Right-hander Trevor Bauer faces White Sox right-hander Hector Noesi on Monday.  Indians.com will carry the game.

Marc Rzepcznski, Scott Atchison and Anthony Swarzak are scheduled to follow Bauer.

Chris Beck, Javy Guerra and Matt Albers are scheduled to follow Noesi.

Indians lineup:

SS Jose Ramirez.

2B Mike Aviles.

LF Michael Brantley.

1B Carlos Santana.

DH Brandon Moss.

RF David Murphy.

CF Bradley Zimmer.

C Brett Hayes.

3B Ryan Rohlinger.

RHP Trevor Bauer.

White Sox lineup:

CF Adam Easton.

LF Melky Cabrera.

DH Adam LaRoche.

RF Avisail Garcia.

SS Alexei Ramirez.

1B Connor Gillaspie.

3B Gordon Beckham.

C Tyler Flowers.

2B Micah Johnson.

RHP Hector Noesi.

The punishment for 'Textgate' has come down. What do you think? Watch video

The punishment for Ray Farmer and the Browns for what has become known as 'Textgate' wasn't quite as harsh as some expected. Farmer was suspended for four games and the team was fined $250,000.

It appears the Browns may have gotten less than what most thought would happen. There was talk of the team losing one of its mid-round draft picks. Instead, they keep all their picks, an important break for a team that, at least in Farmer's words, considers itself one that builds through the draft.

Now we want to know what you think. Did the NFL's punishment fit the crime? Should the league have come down harder on Farmer? Do you think it's a silly rule that needs to go away?

Take our poll and sound off in the comments.

Ray Farmer's crime seems fairly insignificant, but it is just a part of the football follies here in Cleveland.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- So if a general manager screams down at the field, "Play Manziel!" it's OK, but if he texts: "Shanahan, get a clue!" it's a cool quarter-million in fines and a quarter of the season off?

Not that playing Johnny Unready was the answer either, but apparently, to the NFL, the medium is the message. Therefore, Browns general manager Ray Farmer's in-game texts, which helped chase offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan out of here, mean the GM gets a "timeout."

That's what they called it when you were a kid, remember? Mom would give you a timeout if you had done something naughty, tease your sister maybe, or cheer for the Steelers.

Ray Farmer's crime seems pretty small, insignificant really, compared to the legal problems of Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson.

Of course, if "stupid" is a crime, and if Farmer knew the rules -- I mean, he did know the rules, right? -- then stupid is as stupid does.

The real message as I see it is: When does this ever stop?

The Browns have an owner in Jimmy Haslam, who replaced an utterly unpopular owner in Randy Lerner, then Haslam wasted the honeymoon when the Feds busted his company headquarters, looking for evidence that his chain of truck stops had bilked smaller truckers who weren't very smart businessmen.

Haslam knew nothing, he says, but he seems so hands-on here, his fingerprints on everything from the new uniforms and (very slightly) changed colors to, at least by not so difficult inference, the pick of Manziel. It's odd he would so completely neglect the family business, is all I'm saying.

The Browns have in Farmer a GM whose top two draft picks -- yeah, I know, you have to wait a couple of years to really tell -- in their first go-rounds looked like Flop (Justin Gilbert) and Super-Mega Flop (Manziel.)

They probably had a better coordinator in Norv Turner than Shanahan anyway, but Hotspur Haslam drove him off when he fired Rob Chudzinski, the coach who in his one year at the helm had to play Joe Bauersman (at least by the results) at quarterback.

Actually, I think we're missing chances for quantum improvement by not allowing front-office communication with the coaching staff during the games.

Someone could've told Sam Rutigliano to kick the field goal.

Or told Butch Davis to junk the prevent defense in the Steeler playoff game.

Or told Pat Shurmur that Colt McCoy at the moment was residing on the rings of Saturn and should not go back into the game.

Instead, the Browns coaches thrashed blindly through the night, their ignorance indistinguishable from their ability to make judgments.

They say ignorance is bliss, though, so I guess these are happy days in Browns Town.

The NFL has botched its share of disciplinary cases lately but the league acted fairly in handing Browns' GM Ray Farmer a suspension and fining the organization $250,000 -- Bud Shaw's Sports Spin.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The NFL acted fairly in punishing the Browns for improper in-game texting.

We don't know what the league knows. We don't know the evidence it accumulated or how wide it cast its net in determining Ray Farmer was the lone texter.

What we can say is if there was no evidence the Browns attempted to gain a competitive advantage, the league would've been out of line in docking the Browns a draft pick.

Piping in artificial noise in a dome is an attempt at a competitive advantage that cost the Atlanta Falcons $350,000 and a fifth-round pick.

Likewise, if it's proven New England deflated footballs to quarterback Tom Brady's specifications -- the Pats strongly deny it -- the NFL almost certainly will hand down punishment aimed at turning the tables and putting the Patriots at a competitive disadvantage. (Provided that investigation is completed one of these years.)

The league's four-game suspension of Browns' GM Ray Farmer and the organization's $250,000 fine speak to what the league termed "multiple" violations.

Was Farmer the only one who texted? Did he text even once with owner Jimmy Haslam's knowledge?

The league says no evidence exists beyond Farmer's participation. If true, the NFL took appropriate action.

We can only assume the league wondered why Haslam wasn't curious enough to ask Farmer about the exact content of the texts - that is his claim after all - and that his answer made some sense to investigators.

While the punishment seems to fall short of last week's ESPN report suggesting "severe" penalties to come, it's a little like the definition of "minor surgery."

If it's not your paycheck, your money, or your reputation, it's nothing major.

But it will cost Farmer and the Browns significant cash. Farmer can't conduct business or be around the facility or present at games during the first month of the season.

Those are big numbers. More difficult to assess is the residual damage to the Browns that comes with a front office executive second-guessing the coaching staff on game day.

Coaches only put in about 80-hour weeks to prepare for a three-hour game that decides their job security. They must love in-game criticisms and advice from on high, whether it's the GM, owner or executive from another department.

Mike Pettine has handled the situation with his usual mix of honesty and aplomb.  He admitted he wasn't thrilled. He said he addressed it with Farmer, accepted his GM's apology and moved on.

The proof of a lesson learned isn't an apology for breaking the rules and costing the organization money and embarrassment.

It takes more than that. It takes the front office deciding to let the coaches, you know, coach.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Now that the NCAA Tournament is down to the Final Four, the Celebrity Bracketology Challenge on cleveland.com is down to the final two. Browns wide receiver Andrew Hawkins and former Ohio State lineman Corey Linsley remain the only two Northeast Ohio sports celebrities with a chance to win the ninth annual contest. Hawkins continues to lead...

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Now that the NCAA Tournament is down to the Final Four, the Celebrity Bracketology Challenge on cleveland.com is down to the final two.

Browns wide receiver Andrew Hawkins and former Ohio State lineman Corey Linsley remain the only two Northeast Ohio sports celebrities with a chance to win the ninth annual contest.

Hawkins continues to lead with 455 points, followed by Linsley (430), Cavaliers forward Mike Miller (380) and Indians manager Terry Francona (375).

Hawkins has three of his Final Four teams intact - Kentucky, Wisconsin and Michigan State. He can score a total of 150 points in the final two rounds if Kentucky wins the title. His other finalist, Iowa State, is long gone.

Linsley also has three of his Final Four teams in the hunt - Kentucky, Wisconsin and Duke. He can score a total of 200 points in the final two rounds, and win the contest, if Wisconsin defeats Duke in the final.

Miller managed to move past Francona into third, and has three of his Final Four teams alive - Kentucky, Wisconsin and Duke. But he can't win the contest. He trails Hawkins by 75 points and has Kentucky winning.

Francona is also mathematically eliminated after a rough Elite Eight round. Kentucky is his last remaining Final Four team. He picked Arizona to defeat Gonzaga in the final.

About the Celebrity Bracketology Challenge: Some of Cleveland's biggest sports stars are competing in the eighth annual Celebrity Bracketology Challenge. See all the brackets at cleveland.com/marchmadness. The 2014 winner, Browns receiver Josh Gordon, did not respond to invitations to participate again and try to defend his victory. Standings will be updated weekly.

2014 Celebrity Bracket Challenge Participants

See your best responses from our follow-up stories to Central Catholic boys basketball's controversial loss in the OHSAA Division II state championship.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – By now you've seen the controversial end of regulation in Saturday's OHSAA boys basketball Division II state championship game between Central Catholic and Defiance.

Central Catholic's Antwon Lillard dunked the ball to give the Ironmen a four-point lead in the final minute of regulation, and after swinging on the rim, an official assessed Central Catholic a technical foul, giving Defiance two free throws and allowing them to send the game to overtime. Defiance pulled away in overtime, winning 49-45.

Since the game ended, USA Today, ESPN.com and Deadspin have all picked up the story.

Fast forward to :33 second mark for dunk and technical foul call.

Follow-up stories posted by cleveland.com both explained the rule as it pertains to a player hanging on the rim after a dunk, in addition to a story where Lillard said he indeed hung on the rim. As a community, you reacted to these two stories with more than 100 total comments. Here is an assemblage of some of the best ones.

Some fans were not in support of the call, citing safety reasons and how much time was left in the game.

– jziggy: "It is preposterous to suggest this kid was defending himself for safety reasons.... his speed somehow made this necessary... Ha!

He actually put himself in more danger by kicking his legs up like that - if he lost his grip he would have landed on his head - maybe knocking some sense into him."

– pollen: "Horrible call by the ref.  Let them play out and talk to the kid at time out or after the game about it.  We are talking state final here.  Did the best team win???"

– punit: "He said it himself, he attacked hard and tried to protect himself, I take that as he was not in control of himself. He earned the tech with out of control play. You have to maintain control of your body , not just go flying in haphazardly. No different than driving in deep and passing off yet running into defender and getting an offensive foul called- player control"

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Cleveland State University's wrestling program, in existence since 1962, will not be funded starting in the fall 2016. It will be replaced by men's lacrosse - the fastest growing college sport in the last decade.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland State University will discontinue funding its 52-year-old wrestling program in fall 2016.

The world's oldest sport will be replaced by men's lacrosse - the fastest growing college sport in the last decade. Its first season will start in the spring of 2017.

The moves are a result of a "program prioritization process" led by Athletic Director John Parry that explored factors including funding, competitiveness and national trends, the university said in a statement.

The 25 members of the wrestling team were told the news at 3:30 p.m. Coach Ben Stehura, in his fifth season at CSU, wasn't immediately available for comment.

"The decision to no longer fund wrestling at CSU was a very difficult one," Parry said in a news release. "The athletes, coaches and support staff have shown exceptional dedication to their sport and the university."

CSU will seek external funding to continue the program, officials said.

Wrestlers competed at Fenn College, which in 1964 became CSU. Its team competes in the Eastern Wrestling League.

Redshirt senior Ben Willeford and junior Riley Shaw recently competed in the NCAA tournament in St. Louis. They led the Vikings to 7-3 overall and 4-2 in the league, and the team finished fourth at the league championships.

CSU did not want to drop a sport but cannot afford the additional cost of about $900,000 a year to add two sports, because if it added lacrosse it would have to add a women's sport to meet federal Title IX requirements, officials said Monday.

CSU would become only the second public university in Ohio to offer lacrosse. Ohio State University has men's and women's teams.

The team will play at Krenzler Field, and games are expected to attract students and community members, the university said.

The university began discussing adding lacrosse in fall 2014 and had hoped its first team would be on campus this fall and compete in the spring of 2016.

At that time it had planned to add a women's sport, either lacrosse or indoor/outdoor track and field, said Parry and President Ronald Berkman.

Public colleges are following the lead of their private counterparts in adding lacrosse, which in recent years has become the latest recruitment tool.

Relatively inexpensive to start, the sport has grown in popularity at high schools, especially those with middle-class students.

By offering the chance to play at the next level, colleges hope to attract students who otherwise wouldn't have considered those campuses.

CSU added men's lacrosse as a club sport in 2013.

No sport has grown faster at the NCAA level over the past decade than lacrosse, said US Lacrosse, the national governing body of the sport.

It said a record 170 teams played NCAA Division I lacrosse (67 men's, 103 women's) in 2014. It said nearly 30,000 players are playing collegiate lacrosse each year.

A Division I men's team has about 45 members.

Parry played lacrosse while at Brown University and completed football and lacrosse coaching stints at Brown while working as the assistant athletic director between 1975 and 1979.  

He served two stints on the NCAA men's lacrosse committee. His wife, Candis, is an assistant women's lacrosse coach at Baldwin Wallace University.

The Browns would be perfect for 'Hard Knocks,' Alex Mack is rehabbing slowly and the NFL is considering a suggestion from Bill Belichick it once scoffed at.

Try to sit down and write a TV show as compelling and ridiculous as the Cleveland Browns. I dare you.

Training camp is still four months away and, even without the usual drama of a coaching change and a front office shakeup, the offseason has been a non-stop thrillfest -- or something -- for fans and observers alike. All of this has happened before even arriving at the part about the draft -- or the new uniforms.

Naturally, this makes the team an intriguing prospect for HBO's "Hard Knocks," the annual series that follows NFL teams around during training camp, offering fans an inside look at the team. 

John DeMarzo of The New York Post thinks the Browns are the perfect candidate:

"The drama starts all the way at the top. The team's owner, Jimmy Haslam, is the CEO of a truck stop empire that engaged in fraudulent activities for "many years," according to the FBI. Court documents filed two years ago implicated Haslam, saying he knew about the fraud."

From an entertainment perspective, absolutely. There might not be a more interesting team, at least among those available. There is even an argument to be made that it could be good for a team struggling to find relevance. That being said, a quiet training camp -- free from the hysteria that came last season with the arrival of Johnny Manziel -- is probably more what the team needs (and would prefer). Of course, it would again be Manziel at the center of a potential appearance. More from DeMarzo: 

"Last -- and far from least -- is quarterback Johnny Manziel, who struggled mightily during limited action as a rookie, then checked into rehab just after the Super Bowl. Manziel, who has a reputation for fast living off the field, was allegedly MIA and then found hungover the morning before the team's final game of the season when he was scheduled to show up for a therapy session on his injured hamstring."

I won't lecture one way or the other. Maybe HBO's prying cameras would be good for Manziel, leading to a little more accountability. Then again, his teammates would see through any fake attempt at being reborn as a football junkie. Besides, the vast majority of viewers would tune in to rubberneck -- to see the potential car wreck. Manziel turning around his life and career would be a fantastic story, but that's a longform piece, not the story that would put eyeballs on TV screens.

DeMarzo's not wrong about the must-see TV part. That doesn't mean putting the Browns on "Hard Knocks" would be right.

(New York Post: Disastrous Browns would turn 'Hard Knocks' into must-see TV)

More Browns links

Browns' QB chase slowing; time to brace for Johnny Manziel-Josh McCown combo (ESPN.com)

Browns' Alex Mack on very cautious rehab schedule (NFL.com)

How military commissions are like the Cleveland Browns (Washington Post)

NFL links

NFL Considers That Maybe It Was Wrong And Bill Belichick Was Right (Deadspin)

Ex-coach Heupel talked Sam Bradford out of quitting (Philly.com)

NFL Draft Enigma Lynden Trail Has Seen It All and Can Do It All (Bleacher Report)

Bragg is the only McDonald's All-American player in all three events.

CHICAGO -- Just two days after winning his second state title with Villa Angela-St. Joseph, senior Carlton Bragg will compete in the Powerade Jam Fest on Monday. Bragg, a Kansas commit, will be the only player to compete in the dunk contest, 3-point contest and skills contest, which begins at 8 p.m.

It kicks off an exciting week in Chicago for Bragg, who will play in the McDonald's All-American game on Wednesday. Reporter David Cassilo (@dcassilo) will be at the game Wednesday, so make sure to check back for updates.

In the meantime, this post will be updated all night with Bragg's progress at the Powerade Jam Fest so check back for updates all evening:

4:30 p.m.: I'll be back around 8 p.m. to get the live blog started, but until then, check out this picture of Bragg in his McDonald's All-American game threads.

Tune in ESPN tonight at 7 😜 #dunkcontest #skillschallenge #3pointcontest 😈

A photo posted by Carlton Bragg (@xcarl_b) on Mar 30, 2015 at 12:55pm PDT

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

Dennis Manoloff on the punishment levied by the NFL against the Browns.

The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff and CineSport's Noah Coslov talk about the Browns penalty for GM Ray Farmer's texting coaches during games and what Jimmy Haslam needs to do.

BEREA, Ohio - The Browns' offseason has been so miserable that word of Ray Farmer's four-game suspension for sending illegal in-game texts was greeted with joy and relief among fans. Losing your general manager for a month never qualifies as good news, but Farmer's transgressions did not cost the club draft picks as many feared. The final tally --...

BEREA, Ohio - The Browns' offseason has been so miserable that word of Ray Farmer's four-game suspension for sending illegal in-game texts was greeted with joy and relief among fans.

Losing your general manager for a month never qualifies as good news, but Farmer's transgressions did not cost the club draft picks as many feared. The final tally -- the NFL fined the club $250,000 and banned Farmer for the first four games without pay next season.

Although vice president of football operations Troy Vincent offered no specifics in his statement, it's safe to assume the league believed Farmer's texts didn't rise to the level of a competitive advantage. The NFL took a dimmer view of the Falcons artificially manufacturing crowd noise at the Georgia Dome, fining them $350,000, docking them a 2016 fifth-round picks and suspending team president Rich McKay from the competition committee until at least June 30.

Bottom line: The league got it right and it's time for the Browns to make it right. It's time for everyone in the organization to focus on his job and not worry about anyone else's. That should be the lesson of Text-gate. Coaches and players often say it's important to "stay in your own lane." Someone should tack that phrase up in every corner of the Berea complex.

There's simply been too much talk of organizational "friction" and whispers of inter-department meddling. When a franchise lacks success and an established leader it becomes fertile ground for everyone trying to do more than what's asked. It doesn't have to be a malicious act or power play to make it wrong.

The dreadful offseason started with offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan resigning in part because of issues with the front office, sources told Northeast Ohio Media Group. Among the problems, according to the report, were front-office personnel texting to the sidelines regarding play calling. Farmer admitted to illegally texting and apologized for it. According to the NFL investigation, there was no evidence that "Browns ownership or any other team executives had knowledge of the prohibited conduct."

Text-gate is an embarrassing episode and its damage goes well beyond the punishment levied. Short of penalizing the Browns a high draft pick, the league couldn't have hurt the Browns any more than the Browns already hurt themselves. It's been a constant theme of this offseason from Josh Gordon's latest suspension to Johnny Manziel's off-field saga - Browns sabotaging their own careers and the franchise's cause.

The consequences could become far-reaching. Can Farmer rebuild his trust with Mike Pettine and the coaching staff? How does Haslam prove to prospective free agents and people around the league that Cleveland is a desirable destination? How about to prospective future coaches and managers?

Just a guess, but the past three months have validated center Alex Mack's decision to structure his five-year contract in a way that gave him an out after the 2015 season.

Monday's ruling from the league brings a bit of closure to Text-gate in that the Browns know the penalty. Hopefully, the importance of working together within the organization was addressed a few weeks back at a team summit that included owner Jimmy Haslam, team president Alec Scheiner, coach Mike Pettine and Farmer.

And, lets give Haslam some credit here. It would have been easy and maybe justified to fire Farmer once the scandal was uncovered. Instead, the owner maintained continuity and perhaps realized, "Who would want this job given the current climate?"

Farmer can reward Haslam's faith with a solid draft, which starts in a month. The Browns have 10 picks, including the Nos. 12 and 19 overall. It's difficult to see beyond the mistakes committed in last year's first round, but Farmer made some good choices in the later rounds and in the 2014 free-agent period preceding and following the draft. Granted, the quarterback situation remains a mess, but it was that way long before he inherited the post.

So everybody take a deep breath, exhale a sigh of relief and do your own job. You also can chuckle at the fact Shanahan joined an organization that just got docked a draft pick for breaking rules.

The Indians 2015 payroll has increased slightly from last year, but they will start the season last in the AL Central.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. - The 2015 Cleveland Indians will have a slightly bigger payroll than last year's team that won 85 games and finished third in the AL Central.

With 24 of the 25-man roster spots filled, the Indians payroll is $85,679,633. It will rise to slightly over $86 million when the 25^th player is selected.

This season's payroll represents the largest for the Indians since the 1991 team opened the year at just over $93 million. Overall, however, they will rank last in the AL Central and have one of the smallest payrolls in the big leagues.

Here's how the website sportrac, which tracks professional team's payrolls, breaks down the payrolls of the Tribe's four divisional rivals: Detroit $166,675,000 million, Chicago $122,782, 977, Kansas City $116,475 and Minnesota $108,718,000.

The Indians opened the 2014 season at $82,593,466 and ranked 26^th among MLB's 30 teams.

This year's payroll is based on players expected to open the season April 6 in Houston. Players on the big-league disabled list are also included.

The Indians biggest expenditure in 2015 comes in the outfield. Headed by Michael Bourn's $13.5 million salary, they are paying five players $34.375 million. After Bourn, newcomer Brandon Moss is making $6.5 million followed by David Murphy at $6 million, Michael Brantley at $5.875 million and Ryan Raburn at $2.5 million.

For comparison's sake here is what some of the highest paid outfielders will be making this year: Josh Hamilton, Angels, $23 million, San Diego's Matt Kemp $21 million and the Dodgers' Carl Crawford $20.5 million.

The Indians next biggest expenditure is for players on the disabled list. Nick Swisher, Gavin Floyd and Zach Walters account for $19,509,600.

Swisher, recovering from surgeries on both knees is the highest paid Indians player at $15 million for this season. Floyd, making $4 million, is out indefinitely following right elbow surgery earlier this month. Walters is recovering from a strained right oblique muscle.

The Tribe's infield is owner Paul Dolan's next most expensive investment. Headed by Carlos Santana's $6.2 million, the Tribe's five infielders will make $16,961,300. After Santana comes second baseman Jason Kipnis at $4,166,667, third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall at $2.25 million, shortstop Jose Ramirez at $511,300 and utility man Mike Aviles at $3,833,333.

Again for comparison sake here is what some of the highest paid infielders in MLB are making this year: Seattle's Robinson Cano $24 million, Minnesota's Joe Mauer $23 million, Boston's Pablo Sandoval $17 million and Washington's Ryan Zimmerman $14 million.

The Indians bullpen, which set an AL record last season with 573 appearances, is next at $7,331,500. Marc Rzepczynski leads the relievers at $2.4 million followed by Bryan Shaw at $1.55 million, Scott Atchison at $900,000, Anthony Swarzak at $900,000, closer Cody Allen at $547,000, Nick Hagadone at $517,600 and Kyle Crockett at $516,900.

How big a bargain is the Tribe's pen? Philadelphia closer Jonathan Papelbon will make $13 million this season, David Robertson, the White Sox's new closer, $10 million and Cincinnati closer Aroldis Chapman $8.05 million.

Next comes the Tribe's blue light special - the starting rotation. Prognosticators predicting great things for the Indians this year point to the rotation as one of the main reasons. Not only is it young and talented, but it works cheap.

The Tribe's five starters, including last year's AL Cy Young winner Corey Kluber, will make a total of $5,910,300 this year. Carlos Carrasco at $2.337 million and Bauer at $1.94 million are the only starters topping six figures.

Kluber, who won 18 games last year, comes in at $601,000 followed by Zach McAllister at $520,400 and TJ House at $511,900.

Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke, the top two starters for the Dodgers, will make a combined $53 million this year -- $30 million by Kershaw and $23 million by Greinke.

Last, but not least come Indians catchers Yan Gomes and Roberto Perez. They'll make a combined $1,591,933 with Gomes leading the way at 1,083,333. Gomes signed a six-year $23 million extension just before the start of the 2014 season.

While Gomes won the AL Silver Slugger award for catchers last year, he's hardly in the upper tax bracket among his peers. Yankee catcher Brian McCann will make $17 million this year followed by San Francisco's Buster Posey at $16.5 million and Yadier Molina at $15 million.

Salaries were gathered from MLB sources. When a player's contract involved a signing bonus, the signing bonus was prorated over the length of the contract.

Cleveland Indians salaries for 2015

1. Nick Swisher, $15 million.

2. Michael Bourn, $13.5 million.

3. Brandon Moss, $6.5 million.

4. Carlos Santana, $6.2 million.

5. David Murphy, $6 million.

6. Michael Brantley, $5.875 million.

7. Gavin Floyd, $4 million.

8. Jason Kipnis, $4,166,667 million.

9. Mike Aviles, $3,833,333 million.

10. Ryan Raburn, $2.5 million.

11. Marc Rzepczynski $2.4 million.

12. Carlos Carrasco $2.337 million.

13. Lonnie Chisenhall, $2.250 million.

14. Trevor Bauer $1.94 million.

15. Bryan Shaw, $1.55 million.

16. Yan Gomes, $1,083,333.

17. Scott Atchison, $900,000.

18. Anthony Swarzak, $900,000.

19. Corey Kluber, $601,000.

20. Cody Allen, $547,000.

21. Zach McAllister, $520,400.

22. Nick Hagadone, $517,600.

23. Kyle Crockett, $516,900.

24. TJ House, $511, 900.

25. Jose Ramirez $511,300.

26. Zach Walters, $509,600.

27. Roberto Perez, $508,600.

Total: $85,679,633.

*The salaries of Nick Swisher, Gavin Floyd and Zach Walters are included in the big league payroll even though they'll open the year on the disabled list.

Cleveland State University's wrestling program will survive only if northeast Ohioans who love the sport step up, its coach said Monday.

Ben Stehura Cleveland State University 

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland State University's wrestling program will survive only if Northeast Ohioans who love the sport step up, its coach said Monday.

Coach Ben Stehura discussed how to save the program shortly after he told his athletes that CSU would discontinue funding after next year's season.

The university will use the money to offer men's lacrosse, which would have its first season in the spring of 2017.

To survive, the wrestling program needs to raise $800,000 by March 31, 2016, which would fund the program for 2016 and 2017, Stehura said.

"All of this would give us time to reach a $5 million endowment to then secure the program," he said.

He is turning to the legions of wrestling supporters in Northeast Ohio.

"There has always been strong wrestling support and honestly this is up to the community," he said. "If they value everything that comes along with having a wrestling program at Cleveland State, it would be a validation of several people's life's work."

The reach of CSU's 52-year-old wrestling program extends well beyond the university, he said. It has offered free wrestling camps for 30 years, which led to many youths continuing the sport in school, he said.

Stehura, who learned about the funding decision shortly before he told his athletes, said everyone was stunned and disappointed.

"They were very upset but we took a team vote and all of them are going to come to lift tomorrow," he said. "They are very dedicated young men and very admirable."

He does not know if students will seek out other programs.

"We have told them 'Hey guys let's think about it. Talk to your parents and let's talk about what you want to do come Monday,'" he said.

CSU had talked about adding men's lacrosse as a varsity sport in the fall of 2014 but to do so it would have to add a women's sport to meet federal guidelines.

But officials said Monday they decided the university could not afford the additional cost of about $900,000 a year to add two new sports. So it opted to use the funding from the wrestling program for lacrosse.

"So why add something if you don't have the funding for it?" said Stehura, who has coached at CSU for six years. 

He said he has been fielding calls of support since word got out. People can reach him at b.stehura@csuohio.edu.

Cleveland Browns general manager Ray Farmer has been suspended and the Browns have been fined, but did not lose a draft pick for their illegal texting during games. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns will have to do without general manager Ray Farmer for the first four games of the season and they've been fined $250,000 by the NFL, but they won't lose one of their 10 draft picks as a result of "Text-gate.''

Originally, the NFL contemplated docking the Browns a  mid-round pick -- most likely a fourth-rounder -- for Farmer's impermissible texting during games, a source told Northeast Ohio Media Group. But it gave the NFL a break on that front, possibly because the texts to coaches were opinions and not designed to give the team a competitive advantage, and the fact that Farmer acted alone.

The NFL came down harder on the Falcons for pumping crowd noise into the Georgia Dome, fining them $350,000, docking them a fifth-round pick in 2016 and suspending club President Rich McKay from the competition committee from April 1st through at least June 30th.

Text-gate lead investigator Troy Vincent, NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations, said in a statement that Farmer used a cell phone on multiple occasions during games, which is in violation of the league's policy on the use of electronic devices. A source told Northeast Ohio Media Group that he texted coaches during at least four games.

The suspension will start on midnight of the Sunday before the Browns' first regular-season game and will end immediately after the Browns' fourth regular season game, meaning Farmer can be involved in the final roster decisions at the end of August. However, he will absent for the many key acquisitions that take place in the first month of the season, and he will miss a key month of the trading period, which ends in late October. chances to make trades before the deadline in October. the be gone for much additions to the roster that take place a lot of the additions

During the suspension, Farmer, who broke the rules in his rookie year as Browns' GM,  can't be involved in any club matters and is not permitted at the Browns' offices, practice facility, or games. Some of the texts went to former Browns quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains, who was not fined by the NFL.

"There was no evidence in the NFL's review that Browns ownership or any other team executives had knowledge of the prohibited conduct,'' Vincent said in the statement. "Once the violation was discovered, Browns management implemented new processes to ensure future compliance. We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation the Browns organization extended during our inquiry.''

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, who vowed last month to stand by Farmer, said in a statement that the Browns' will grow from the ordeal.

"We accept the league's ruling,'' Haslam said. "Ray made a mistake and takes full responsibility for his role in violating the policy. It is critical that we make better decisions. Ray has tremendous integrity and I know has great remorse for what occurred. We are all committed to learning from this and making the Browns a stronger and better organization.''

During Farmer's absence, his top personnel lieutenants Bill Kuharich, Executive Chief of Staff, Morocco Brown, Vice President of Player Personnel,  will most likely handle all personnel matters.  Kuharich was a long-time personnel executive with the Chiefs, and Brown spent seven seasons as assistant director of pro personnel with the Bears.

"I respect the league's decision and understand that there are consequences for my actions,'' Farmer said in a statement. "Accountability is integral to what we are trying to build and as a leader I need to set the right example. I made a mistake and apologize to Jimmy Haslam, Mike Pettine, our entire organization and our fans for the ramifications. Learning is a big part of who I am and I will certainly be better from this situation."

At the NFL Annual Meeting last week, Farmer braced himself for the sanctions he knew were coming soon. 

"I know I did something wrong and I answered to that and again at the end of the day every trial I face or every circumstance that's not positive or whatever, it'll make me better,'' he said. "I saw this at a buddy's office. He had a saying on a little rock. It said that 'thunderstorms come in everybody's direction. Those that really get it learn to dance in the rain.' So that's one of the things I've kind of taken away from it. Even though it's not a positive, it's not something I'm proud of, it's not a badge or something I'm wearing, but I'm definitely trying to take the positive out of it.''

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said during the closing press conference at the annual meeting that the NFL would take the matter seriously.

"It affects the integrity of the game,'' he said. "All 32 teams need to be operating under the same rules. I think our clubs expect that and our fans expect that. So any violation of that is treated seriously.''

He noted that the fact the texts did not give the Browns a competitive advantage was a factor.

"There are of course mitigating factors that you have to consider,'' he said. "But the violation of the rule and the integrity of the rule is not necessarily whether you got an advantage or not. It's the fact that you broke the rule. We don't want people breaking the rules. There are 32 clubs who are going to be operating under the same rules.''

Browns coach Mike Pettine defended Farmer at the AFC coaches breakfast last week, saying he understands the feeling behind it.

"I just think if you talk to a lot of GMs, that those three to four hours are among the most frustrating,'' he said. "There's going to be questions, just like 'why are we doing this?' Fortunately Ray owns it and he chose that way as his outlet, but we get the opportunity to talk each week and we have our post-game audit and those questions get raised as well and we're not going to agree on everything 100%. But from a philosophy standpoint, we are very much on the same page. Just like any other GM-head coach, it's not going to match perfectly. You're constantly in the process of educating each other. But we both feel like we're very much on the same page and we're moving forward to make this team better.''

Haslam, during a meeting with Browns reporters at the annual meetings, continued to stand behind his now second-year GM.

"We, myself, the organization, Ray have accepted responsibility and whatever the penalty is we'll accept it and move on,'' he said. "I've encouraged Ray, 'Listen, whatever it is, it is. Don't worry about it. Go ahead right now figuring out how we can put the best draft together we can.' And I think he's done a good job of that."

The timing of the suspension will enable Farmer to prepare for the NFL draft without interruption and will his full complement of picks. The Browns draft 10 picks are as follows: 1st round (12 and 19 from Buffalo); 2nd (43); 3rd (77); 4th (111, 115 from Buffalo); 5th (147); 6th (189, 202 from Baltimore); 7th (229).

If the Browns has lost a fourth-rounder, it could've been costly. Some recent Browns' fourth-rounders include former Pro Bowl tight end Jordan Cameron, receiver Travis Benjamin, and cornerback Pierre Desir, who will challenge for significant playing time this season.

Northeast Ohio Media Group first reported that the texting took place in a Jan. 6 story outlining some of the reasons that former Browns offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan wanted out of his contract. Sources said the texts contained opinions on Shanahan's playcalling and use of personnel, among other things.

At the NFL combine, Farmer apologized profusely for breaking the rules.

"I would like to first extend an apology to the Cleveland Brown fans,'' Farmer said. "So that everybody hears it from my mouth, it was me. To that degree I have apologized to the people in the building, coach (Mike) Pettine, Jimmy Haslam, the rest of the football staff and everybody that was involved from our side, as far as football-wise.''

Despite Farmer's rookie mistake, Haslam fully supported his new GM, one who was thrust into the role prematurely after Joe Banner and Mike Lombardi were fired.

"Ray Farmer knows and has (said to the Browns) he made a mistake in sending those texts,'' Haslam said Feb. 11. "Ray feels terrible about it. Ray's a guy who has utmost integrity. I think it is important for you all to know that Ray has the organization's and my full support and despite the fact that he made a mistake here it does not affect his standing with the Browns.

"He is totally focused on doing whatever we are going to do in free agency and more importantly getting the organization ready for the draft. He's had his entire scouring team in this week and they are solely focused on getting ready for the draft."

Haslam said he doesn't know exactly what was in the texts, but stressed, "I don't think Ray intended to gain any unfair advantage and he's learned from his mistakes."

Haslam said the texts haven't diminished his opinion of Farmer, who acquired key players in the offseason such as receiver Andrew Hawkins, safety Donte Whitner, and linebacker Karlos Dansby, and secured a second first-round pick in the draft.

"I think you have to look at the individual's body of work and we're comfortable with Ray's body of work,'' he said. "Very comfortable. Ray's smart. He works hard. I think he understands football. He's been in football all his life. He relates extremely well to players. He knows it not only from a personnel standpoint but how a game should be managed.

"He's an exceptional human being. As bad as I hate this (text situation) for the organization, I hate it more for Ray Farmer. I can tell you it eats him up every day. I'm very comfortable with the job he's doing."

Pettine admitted at the combine that he wasn't 'thrilled' about the texting scandal and that it took him some time to trust Farmer again after he became aware of the texts.

"I would say that (the trust) had to rebuild,'' said Pettine. "I understood the root cause of it. Ray is very competitive. He's a former player and has his opinions that he voices. He made a mistake in trying to share them. It wasn't one of those where we're cursing at each other. There was no blindsiding. It was all very much out in the open, and he and I met like men and looked each other in the eye and moved on from it.''

Farmer acknowledged during the combine that Textgate had been difficult on him.

"Anytime you make mistakes it's humbling,'' he said. "My wife's reading a book called 'The Power of a Praying Wife' and her comments to me were that, 'greatness is not the absence of flaws, (it's) the ability to overcome them.' I feel that's what it's about. For me to get really where I want to go, I'm not going to be perfect. I'm going to make mistakes and I'm going to learn from it.''

Farmer stressed that he acted alone in sending the texts and wasn't urged by anyone to do it.

"This was solely me,'' he said. "This was a decision that I made and I'm owning that mistake.''

Unfortunately for the Browns, they also have to pay the price in the form of the hefty fine and no GM for the first month of the season.

Plain Dealer columnist talks all things Cleveland sports.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- How many games will the Indians win? What were Terry's thoughts on Ray Farmer's punishment?

Plain Dealer sports columnist Terry Pluto answered those questions and more in our weekly podcast. Among other topics discussed:

* How will the Indians' pitching hold up?

* Should we put any stock in the Cavaliers' performance against Philadelphia on Sunday?

You can download the mp3 or listen with the player to the right.

Be sure to also like Terry Pluto on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.

Follow @dan_labbe

A source close to Ohio State told Northeast Ohio Media Group that the program expects a secondary violation with no eligibility lost and a letter of education for Miller to be the punishment.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Since Ohio State started looking into a potential NCAA rules violation committed by quarterback Braxton Miller about a week ago, there hasn't been any new light shed on the situation. 

* Everything you need to know about Miller and AdvoCare 

Though coach Urban Meyer said at a banquet in Northeast Ohio on Monday afternoon that everything is good, he couldn't firmly say Miller is completely out of the NCAA woods the following day. 

"I shouldn't comment on things I don't know about," Meyer said Tuesday. "I don't know, other than they are telling me they think it's good. I think it's going to be OK. People are asking me -- 'It's all good, it's done?' I don't know. 

"It's been told to me that everything looks to be OK. They are just doing their due diligence and making sure." 

Miller posted a photo of himself with a local trainer with which he has been working next to AdvoCare nutritional products on his Instagram account. Miller also had links on his Instagram to where people could buy the products through him. 

Here's where it gets muddy. Miller is technically allowed to sell the products, but he can't use his status as an NCAA athlete to push the merchandise. But Miller is a big name, so how can he separate himself from who he is if he's allowed to sell it? That's the Catch 22 of the situation. 

And perhaps why it's taking a while to get an answer for what's ahead. 

However, a source close to Ohio State told Northeast Ohio Media Group that the program expects a secondary violation with no eligibility lost and a letter of education for Miller to be the punishment. 

But it's still an ongoing process. 

"We (compliance) are seeking clarification on some issues from the NCAA," an Ohio State spokesperson told NEOMG. "Hope to hear back in a week or so." 

Ohio State wide receiver Michael Thomas has been slowed by a sports hernia since the national title game and will undergo surgery soon, coach Urban Meyer said Tuesday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State wide receiver Michael Thomas has been slowed by a sports hernia since the national title game and will undergo surgery soon, coach Urban Meyer said Tuesday. 

Though any injury involving surgery is worth noting, Meyer made sure to downplay what Thomas is facing. 

"It's not that serious," Meyer said. "But it's been bothering him, since, I think, the bowl game." 

It's the same procedure that former Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier and safety Tyvis Powell underwent. The recovery time is anywhere between three-to-six weeks. 

After accounting for 54 receptions for 779 yards and nine touchdowns last season, Thomas is a lock to be the Buckeyes' No. 1 wide receiver in the fall. 

While he's out with the injury, that'll give youthful wide receivers like Johnnie Dixon, Noah Brown, Terry McLaurin, Parris Campbell and James Clark more reps as the Buckeyes try to replace veterans Devin Smith and Evan Spencer. 

Urban Meyer said Tuesday that he's thought about a two-quarterback system that would involve using a "specialty quarterback."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Who could be Ohio State's Tim Tebow?

It's a fair question given what Urban Meyer talked about on Tuesday after the Buckeyes' sixth practice of the spring. Meyer lamented the looming quarterback decision last week, so a simple solution would be to just play two, right?

"I don't know about that, but you might have a specialty quarterback. That's kind of what we did in 2006 (at Florida)," Meyer said. "That was kind of two different skill sets, a very unique situation, a very ego-less approach to the game. One quarterback drives them down, the other guy comes in and is the goal-line quarterback, but it worked."

The two Meyer had at Florida were Chris Leak and Tim Tebow, who both saw time leading the Gators to their first national championship under Meyer. Leak was the passer, Tebow the runner who could be used as a human battering ram in the right situation.

It obviously worked for Florida then. Could it work for Ohio State now?

The topic came up in November when Meyer was asked on the Big Ten conference call by a Wisconsin reporter for his take on using a two-quarterback system. The Badgers had just started using Joel Stave and Tanner McEvoy in tandem, and Meyer had the experience to talk about such things.

It was interesting then because J.T. Barrett was playing well and everyone knew Braxton Miller was coming back for a fifth season. Nobody envisioned Cardale Jones would be winning a national championship two months later.

But that's where Ohio State stands now -- three quarterbacks. And if Meyer wants to go with the "specialty quarterback" route he used at Florida, that would still leave an odd man out.

So, who could be Leak? Who could be Tebow? Who could be on the sideline?

Jones seems like the most likely candidate to be the "goal-line quarterback" if it came to that. He's by far the biggest of the group at 6-foot-5, 250 pounds. Tebow was 6-3, 229 as a freshman in 2006. But Jones is a more polished passer than Tebow, and could be more of a weapon in the short field.

Or here's another scenario: Miller's arm isn't healthy enough for him to throw by the time the season starts, but you want to have your best playmaker on the field, so perhaps he can be the speedier, shiftier version of the "goal-line quarterback."

Barrett could be the passer, the Leak. He did break just about every single-season Ohio State quarterback record possible last year. 

Or Jones could be the passer, and Miller the runner. Or Miller the passer and Jones the runner. Or Barrett the passer and some combination of Miller and Jones as runners.

That's what makes Meyer's decision so tough. Don't expect an answer any time soon.

"I've thought about that a little bit," Meyer said. "I think it's one day at a time right now. That's get Braxton healthy, get J.T. as many reps as he can, and Cardale, he's only played three games."

Bragg will play in the game on Wednesday.

CHICAGO -- It's been a fun few days in Chicago for Villa Angela-St. Joseph senior Carlton Bragg. The Kansas commit is in the Windy City for the days leading up to the McDonald's All-American Game.

Above, see pictures from his photo shoot, which took place on Monday. Bragg can be seen modeling the new uniforms.

On Monday, Bragg took part in the dunk contest, 3-point contest and skills contest at the Powerade Jam Fest. Check out a rundown of his night here.

Wednesday, Bragg will be playing in the McDonald's All-American Game. Reporter David Cassilo (@dcassilo) will be at the game and have a rundown of Bragg's night in Chicago.

It's been a busy month for Bragg. He and his Villa Angela-St. Joseph teammates won a state title on Saturday.

Contact high school sports reporter David Cassilo by email (dcassilo@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@dcassilo). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.