Highland girls basketball player Marlee Profitt will play her college basketball at Valparaiso.

 MEDINA, Ohio -- After a stellar junior campaign, Highland girls basketball player Marlee Profitt has committed to Valparaiso to play college basketball.

Profitt averaged 17 points and nine rebounds, while helping the Hornets to a 10-12 record in the final year of the Suburban Leauge.

At 6-foot-1, Profitt is a mismatch on floor with her ability to play like a guard, as well as a forward.

While she still has a year remaining at Highland, Profitt will be part of a rebuilding process at Valparaiso, as the Crusaders finished the 2014-2015 campaign with a 6-24 record.

Get live updates and analysis as cleveland.com's reporters bring you the latest on the game between the Cavs and Heat.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers will attempt to win their 17th straight game at Quicken Loans Arena.

Get live updates and analysis as cleveland.com's reporters bring you the latest on the game in the comments section below.

Make sure you're following Chris Fedor, Chris Haynes and Joe Vardon on Twitter.

Game 76: Cavs (48-27) vs. Heat (34-40)

Tip off: 8 p.m. at The Q

TV/radio: TNT; WTAM AM/1100, WMMS 100.7 FM

Cavs probable starting lineup: Kyrie Irving, J.R. Smith, LeBron James, Kevin Love and Timofey Mozgov.

Heat probable starting lineup: Goran Dragic, Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng, Michael Beasley and Hassan Whiteside.

FREQUENTLY REFRESH this page to get the latest updates. If you're viewing this on a mobile app, click here to get updates and comment.

LeBron James said he's called plays for 11 of his 12 NBA seasons. So why is it a big deal he calls them for the Cavaliers now?

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- If LeBron James calling plays for the Cavaliers is a controversy now, then it should've stirred up trouble last year in Miami, in 2010 in Cleveland, and for all but one of his 12 seasons as an NBA pro.

"I've done it every game for probably the last 11 years," James said after shootaround this morning, ahead of tonight's home game against the Miami Heat. "My rookie year I didn't have the freedom, I wasn't smart enough to do it. The last 11 years, I've done it every game."

Late Tuesday evening and all day Wednesday, James' on-court playcalling duties became a major talking point in NBA circles and across the sporting world. It began with one of many observations from ESPN's Brian Windhorst during a 45-minute podcast, which was cherry-picked by the sports blog Deadspin and spread like wild fire.

The particular observation, more or less, was that James often calls a play, and his coach, Cleveland's David Blatt, parrots James' call.

In the blogosphere, the scenario may sound a little strange, if you envision the NBA as your average high school league where the coach calls every play, every defense, and every timeout. But pro basketball doesn't work that way, nor does the NFL, for that matter.

"Why wouldn't you give me the freedom for playcalling? That's like telling Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, don't give them the freedom to change in the huddle," James said. "I'm a smart, cerebral basketball player, my basketball IQ is very high, and I take that very seriously, so I know what best suits our team and our coaching staff does as well.

"But, you don't allow me to call plays throughout the course of a game, then that's not good for our team."

When the Cavs returned to practice Wednesday after two days off, both James and Blatt acknowledged that James has the "freedom" to call plays. So does point guard Kyrie Irving. Blatt calls plays, too.

There were numerous occasions this season when it was obvious James and Blatt were not on the same page, especially early. Blatt, who is in his first season coaching in the NBA after decades overseas, has had to fight to shed the "rookie coach" label that James placed upon him.

But James calling out sets with the ball in his hands isn't one of those examples. He did the same thing playing for Miami's Erik Spoelstra, Cleveland's Mike Brown, and Paul Silas. And it's not just James.

For instance, the Los Angeles Clippers' Chris Paul -- who plays for NBA-renowned coach Doc Rivers -- calls his own plays. In Miami's last game on Tuesday night, Dwyane Wade took over a huddle during a timeout. Spoelstra was a bystander.

James, an 11-time All-Star, four-time MVP, and two-time champion, has earned the right to dictate the flow of the offense when he sees fit. And he has demonstrated the necessary skills to be a floor general -- with a career average of 6.9 assists to go with 27.4 points per game.

"I can come down the floor and know what happened two possessions ago, or three possessions ago or a quarter ago and know how we can exploit a defense," James said. "It's just my knowledge of the game. I know how defense works, how they play me, and I can call a set to get my teammate an open shot every time, just knowing how the defense plays me. So being able to have that mind frame and that basketball IQ benefits our team."

Cleveland Indians relievers in 2014 held the lead 68 percent of the time when they entered games with one-run leads. See the breakdown by pitcher, and by lead margin at the time each pitcher entered the game.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona, in setting a league record for using relievers, went to the bullpen 63 times to protect one-run leads in 2014.

And usually, those relievers held on to the lead at least until the next of Francona's many pitching changes.

More than two-thirds of the time, Indians relievers who were called upon with Cleveland up be one run were able to hold the lead through the next pitching change or when the game ended.

When relievers entered with two-run leads, the success rate - as defined as holding on to the lead at least long enough until the next reliever was called - was 95 percent.

Cody Allen was 10 of 14 (71 percent) in protecting one-run leads, leaving once with the Indians down and three times with the game tied.

Bryan Shaw had the most chances in such situations (16). He held leads 64 percent of the time, exited with the Indians behind four times and left with the game tied twice.

The breakdown for each pitcher can be found below. Keep in mind that, especially in games with big leads, a pitcher may have given up some runs and still left with the lead.

Some pitching situations are tougher than others, such as when a pitcher enters a game with two runners in scoring position. But their job is to not allow those runners to score.

Other bullpen stats in series:

• Bullpen use trends up in American League, 1973-2014
• Grading bullpen on what happened after starters left
• Tribe relievers average just 14.7 pitches; breakdown by pitcher
• When Francona most often goes to the bullpen
• Most common Indians bullpen combinations

Indians bullpen holding the lead

When Indians pitchers entered games ahead, here's the status of the games when they left in 2014.

Source: cleveland.com/datacentral calculated these statistics, based on season stats published by SportsReference LLC.

Who was best in holding the lead?

Here's how the relievers did when they entered with the lead; status when they left or the game ended.

Source: cleveland.com/datacentral calculated these statistics, based on season stats published by SportsReference LLC.

Rich Exner is the data analysis editor for the Northeast Ohio Media Group.

"It's just a big relief to see that my brother is doing good," Fields, a Painesville native, said. "I didn't want to put the helmet down too easy or too soon. So I wanted to start over and give it a second go on Pro Day. I didn't want to give up on myself and give up on my dream. My brother told me to do it again. And I did it for my family." Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Seventy-six NFL personnel men watched Chris Fields, but they weren't the eyes that carried him through the day. The NFL eyes would determine his future. It was the eyes of his family that had seen him through this far.

And if this was it, if Ohio State's Pro Day three weeks ago was a final push in the game he has played his whole life, then Chris Fields wanted those eyes on him. His mother. His father. His grandfather. His sister. His nephew.

His brother.

A year earlier, James Fields wasn't there to watch his younger brother's first Pro Day experience at Ohio State in 2014. The brain tumor prevented that.

For this Pro Day, on March 13, the tumor was gone and James was there. For the Fields family, that made for a beautiful day.

"Everybody is happy and here," James said. "What a story. What a story."

James is 11 months into remission.The Fields family made one last push together. If the game is to be gone now, Chris is ready for that.

"It's just a big relief to see that my brother is doing good. That takes a lot of weight off my shoulders, seeing him doing good, and that motivates me to work hard," Fields said. "I didn't want to put the helmet down too easy or too soon. So I wanted to start over and give it a second go on Pro Day. I didn't want to give up on myself and give up on my dream.

"My brother told me to do it again. And I did it for my family."

Growing up in Painesville, along with their brother John, James and Chris were especially close. James, now 28, is three years older, which meant playing war in the woods together and every sport their mother, Kathy, signed them up for.

"We always had each other's backs, all the time, when we needed each other the most," James said.

They were close enough to know what the other wanted, and for Chris, that was a football life as a Buckeye.

From his arrival in Columbus in 2009, through his final season as fifth-year senior in 2013, his family watched that. Chris graduated with a degree in sociology in 2014, but during his first Pro Day last year something was missing.

James spent that day at University Hospitals. 

Headaches early in 2014 he had attributed to his decision to stop smoking were caused by a far more serious issue. After passing out, James was taken by ambulance to the emergency room and a cancerous tumor he said was the size of a lemon was discovered in his brain. Two surgeries removed the tumor but kept the Fields brothers apart on Chris's big day a year ago, each worrying about the other.

"That killed me to not be there for Christopher," James said.

So Chris did it again.

This is Pro Day season, NFL personnel traveling the country after the NFL Draft Combine in February to watch players work out at their colleges. At Ohio State's Pro Day, 14 players off the 2014 team ran through drills hoping to be drafted at the end of this month. Four other former Buckeyes, including Fields, took another shot, though their draft eligibility is exhausted. Their hope is to get a camp invite once teams sort out their needs after the draft.

Fields worked out in Columbus for four months to prepare for his second Pro Day, finding out just two weeks before it happened that he'd be allowed to participate. He booked hotel rooms for his family, and then they watched from the metal bleachers along the wall of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center just like they'd done inside Ohio Stadium for game after game.

"Just to watch me do a 40 and some position drills," Fields said. "That was awesome, for sure."

Chris Fields (80), a Harvey High grad, redshirted in 2009 then caught 31 passes and seven touchdowns for Ohio State from 2010 to 2013. Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer 

Fields ended his Ohio State career after the 2013 season with 31 career catches for 384 yards and seven touchdowns. He emerged as a goalline go-to option as a senior, catching six of his touchdowns in his final year. Without his first career touchdown, against Purdue in 2012, the banner for that undefeated season wouldn't be hanging in the Woody.

The way Fields slid his hands under a low pass from backup quarterback and friend Kenny Guiton with three seconds left against the Boilermakers, the touchdown setting up the game-tying two-point conversion and overtime win - the Fields family was still talking about that catch at Pro Day.

Just like years from now, they may talk about Chris out on that field in front of the scouts.

"It couldn't get any better," Brian Fields said after Pro Day, talking about one son's health and another son's dream.

One more open tryout on April 11 with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League is ahead for Fields. He's still waiting to hear from any NFL teams. But as he caught passes from former Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith three weeks ago, running through receiver drills with draft hopefuls Devin Smith and Evan Spencer with nerves running through him as he feared embarrassing himself, Fields had another great day of football.

"I wanted to leave the game with no regrets," Fields said. "That's my biggest thing. To be able to go out here and perform again, that's a blessing."

For a player. And for a family. James even brought his son, Tyrese, who wore an Ohio State jersey to watch his uncle.

"I live through him and we live through each other," Chris said of his brother.

From a hospital to a tryout, the last year reminded them of what they already knew. Football may end. Family does not.

Eight teams will compete in the International Federation of American Football Senior World Championship tournament July 9-18 in Canton.

CANTON, Ohio -- USA Football is bringing international competition back to Northeast Ohio this summer when the fifth International Federation of American Football Senior World Championship tournament arrives in Canton July 9-18.

Games will be played at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium (formerly Fawcett Stadium), which hosted the World Junior Championship tournament in 2009, won by the U.S.  

This year's senior-level competition includes eight national teams comprised of men age 20 and older, who will play four rounds of games in pursuit of a gold medal.

The field includes Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Japan, Mexico, South Korea and the United States, the two-time defending champion.

Dan Hawkins, former coach at Boise State and Colorado, will lead the 2015 U.S. men's national team.

"I am excited about being part of the program," Hawkins said. "Representing our country and USA Football while further strengthening our game internationally is a unique and special opportunity."

All games will be played at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Round robin matchups are July 9, 12 and 15 with consolation games and the medal round on Saturday, July 18.

U.S. assistant coaches, players, groupings and game times will be announced at a later date.

The IFAF Senior World Championship has been held every four years since 1999. The United States defeated Canada, 50-7, in Vienna, Austria, for the 2011 gold medal. The U.S. beat Japan, 23-20, in double overtime in Kawasaki, Japan, to win the 2007 tournament, the first that included Team USA.

Prior to the United States' participation, Japan earned gold medals at the first two IFAF Senior World Championships played in Palermo, Italy (1999), and Frankfurt, Germany (2003).

Though Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona set a league record by going to his bullpen 574 times in 2014, he usually waited until late in the game. See the breakdown.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- No manager in the history of the American League went to the bullpen as often as Terry Francona did in 2014.

In all, he sent relievers into games 574 times in 2014, breaking the record he set of 540 relievers in 2013.

But it's not like Francona was a quick hook early in the games. Seventy percent of his pitching changes occurred in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings. Here's the breakdown by inning in 2015.

And the longer he waited to go the bullpen, the better the Indians records in those game -- no doubt in part because the starter was doing a good job.

Other bullpen stats in series:

• Bullpen use trends up in American League, 1973-2014
• How Indians relievers did in holding leads
• Grading bullpen on what happened after starters left
• Tribe relievers average just 14.7 pitches; breakdown by pitcher
• Most common Indians bullpen combinations

Inning of pitching changes

Note: Game ended before Indians pitchers completed 9 innings 41 times.

Dennis Manoloff needed reasons to believe. We tried to find them on today's podcast.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Will the Indians win the A.L. Central? Will the Cavaliers win the Finals?

The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff tackled those questions and more in his weekly podcast on Friday.

Among the other topics discussed:

- Why should we believe in the Indians?

- Why should we believe in the Cavaliers?

- Why should we believe in the Browns?

You can download the MP3 or listen with the player above.

Be sure to follow DMan on Twitter.

Here is a look at the fan voting for the girls basketball season awards.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The opportunity to vote for your favorite area girls basketball players has ended. From freshman of the year to the best shooter, we have recognized the area players who stood out during the 2014-2015 campaign.

Here is a look at how the fans voted, as well as how Mark Kern and Nathaniel Cline voted.

Freshman of the year

Fan Winner:Wadsworth guard Sophia Fortnier won with 112 votes, more than 95 votes above the second place finisher.

Our Winner: Naz Hillmon, Gilmour. The Lancers have one of the brightest futures among local teams, and Hilmon is one of the biggest reasons. She finished her season by averaging 18 points and 13 rebounds.

Sophomore of the year

Fan Winner: Dee pulls the sweep off, as she finished with 66 votes to win the fan vote.

Our Winner: Dee Bekelja, Solon. Bekelja averaged 15.3 points to help lead the Comets to an appearance in the Division I state tournament. While Solon fell in the semifinals, Bekelja has the talent to help the Comets get there the next two years.

Junior of the year

Fan Winner: Wadsworth's Jodi Johnson won the fan vote with 37.

Our Winner: Deja Winters, Richmond Heights. Winters capped off her junior season with an upset victory against Gilmour to help her team advance to a regional semifinal game. She averaged 20 points, and with Monique Evans graduating, she will have to burden more of the scoring load next season.

Senior of the year

Fan Winner: Cuyahoga Heights senior Jenna Stegmaier is winning with 47 votes, winning one of the closest votes over North Royalton's Alison Smolinski, who finished with 40.

Our Winner: Hallie Thome, Chagrin Falls. You name the award this year, and Thome won it. She was named the Gatorade player of the year and Ms. Basketball in Ohio. The Michigan commit was a double-double nearly every night for the Tigers, helping Chagrin Falls to a 26-1 record.

Coach of the year

Fan Winner: Cuyahoga Heights coach Al Martin won the vote with 41, while Andy Booth had 37.

Our Winner: Trish Kruse, Solon. Kruse took a very young team to its first state tournament since 2006. Kruse did a great job of allowing every player on the team to play to her strengths.

Top post player of the year

Fan Winner: Hallie Thome won the vote by five votes over Naz Hillmon.

Our Winner: Hallie Thome, Chagrin Falls. Thome played a huge role in the Tigers incredible 2014-2015 season, as she averaged a double-double to help lead her team to the regional semifinals.

Top point guard of the year

Fan Winner: Sophia Fortnier of Wadsworth won with 49.

Winner: Anna Hall, Walsh Jesuit. Hall did everything for the Warriors as she averaged 22.3 points to help Walsh Jesuit make it to a district final.

Best scorer of the year

Fan Winner: Jenna Stegmaier won the vote with 42.

Our Winner: Anna Hall, Walsh Jesuit. Hall’s season high was 37, and she also made all 25 of her free throws in the game, which is second all-time in OHSAA history.

Best 3-point shooter of the year

Fan Winner: North Ridgeville guard Alyssa Riley won the vote with 49.

Our Winner: Emily Kelley, Gilmour. When Kelley catches fire, she can single-handedly take over a game. Defenses can not leave her open, because if they do, it will be three points.

Best dribbler of the year

Fan Winner: Jenna Stegmaier won with 35 votes.

Our Winner: Jenna Stegmaier, Cuyahoga Heights. Defenses knew during the career of Stegmaier that she was going to have the ball the majority of the time, but they could still not stop her. She does a very good job of getting by her defender, and she can score off the bounce.

Josh Tomlin will undergo surgery on Wednesday at Cleveland Clinic for inflammation of the AC joint in his right shoulder. He'll be sidelined three to four months.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Indians' depth of starting pitching has been dealt another setback.

Josh Tomlin will undergo surgery on his right shoulder Wednesday at Cleveland Clinic after experiencing shoulder pain following a minor-league start Monday. Tomlin could be sidelined for three to four months.

Tomlin missed a March 9 appearance against Texas early in the Cactus League season because of shoulder pain. He received a cortisone shot, took a week off and began throwing in games again as he continued to compete for one of the two open spots in the rotation.

The Indians optioned Tomlin to Class AAA Columbus on Sunday, but the option is expected to be rescinded with Tomlin being placed on the major-league disabled list.

"It's something that kind of crept up in the off-season and lingered on through the spring," said Tomlin. "It's something I don't think was going to go away so we had to do something to make it go away."

Tomlin is suffering from inflammation of the AC joint in his right shoulder. An MRI revealed the inflammation following his minor-league start. Dr. Mark Schickendantz, Indians medical director, will perform an arthroscopic debridement of the AC joint in Tomlin's shoulder.

Tomlin joins Gavin Floyd on the disabled list. Floyd came to camp expecting to win a spot in the rotation, but fractured his right elbow before the start of the Cactus League season. It was the same injury Floyd suffered last season with Atlanta and he's not expected to pitch this season.

Last season Tomlin went 6-9 with a 4.76 ERA in 25 appearances, including 16 starts with the Indians. He missed most of the 2013 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.

"Three to four months (rehab) is the goal," said Tomlin, who said there's still a chance he could pitch after the All-Star break.

Tomin, Floyd, Nick Swisher and Zach Walters will open the year on the disabled list. Their combined salary, including Swisher's $15 million for 2015, is just over $20 million.

The Cleveland Browns lose games, lots of them, but they never completely lose the fan base no matter how often people say they're done investing in the brown and orange -- Bud Shaw's You Said It.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- You Said It is based on the premise that the only thing Cleveland sports fans need more than a championship is a sense of humor...

YOU SAID IT

(The So-So Friday Edition)

Hey Bud: So I hear the Browns are 90% through with Johnny Manziel. What a coincidence, 90% of the people I talk to are through with the Browns -- Nate J, Brunswick

Yes. And those people can be expected to stand their ground right up until the Browns look good on Family Night at the stadium.

Bud: Did the NFL decide that Ray Farmer's texts did not provide a "competitive advantage" after they remembered who he drafted in the 1st round last year?  -- Tony Supan, Beachwood

I believe it was his confusing use of emoticons.

Bud: In their efforts to speed up the game, I'm glad MLB isn't meddling with the pitchers' thrilling repeated lobs to first base to hold a runner - Chas K

As long as they keep the classic step-off, fake throw to third, hard wheel to catch the runner off first, you'll get no complaints from me on pace of game.

Bud: New logo, better WiFi, bigger scoreboards and ticket increases = 4/12 season -- Letthemeatcake

C'mon now. It's April. Usually that kind of pessimism doesn't set in until May.

Bud: Kevin Love was left out of one of LeBron's Instagram pictures. Oh the pain! He must have felt like a Spin reader on the day the High School Yearbooks came out - Vince G, Cincinnati

First-time You Said It winners are hardly noticed. Repeat winners are part of the in-crowd.

With two weeks remaining in the NBA regular season there's plenty left to sort out.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- With two weeks remaining in the NBA regular season there's plenty left to sort out.

The final playoff spots in both the West and East are still up for grabs and will likely come down to the last few days as a number of teams still remain in contention. Then, on Thursday, the league sent out the end-of-season awards ballot. Due on April 16, all the individual accolades will be voted on by NBA writers, both local and national.

Some of the honors are easier to figure out than others. Golden State's Steve Kerr and Atlanta's Mike Budenholzer will battle for Coach of the Year. Rookie of the Year will be awarded to promising youngster Andrew Wiggins or Chicago's Nikola Mirotic, who has made a late charge.

The MVP, on the other hand, isn't so simple, and the final two weeks will bring plenty of debate.

Stephen Curry of the Warriors, Houston's James Harden, Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul of the Clippers all have a strong case. New Orleans' Anthony Davis, despite missing time due to injury, is having a historically brilliant season. Then there's LeBron James, the four-time MVP, who has vaulted back into the conversation thanks to renewed health and a two-month run that has seen the Cavs move up four spots in the East standings.  

James' case doesn't seem to be as strong as the other candidates, but ESPN.com's Dave McMenamin writes about why he shouldn't be overlooked.

"Not only is he competing with Curry, Westbrook and Harden, but he's competing with the standard he set for himself in his four MVP seasons in the past.

"James is averaging 25.7 points this season (compared to 28.4 in 2008-09, 29.7 in '09-10, 27.1 in '11-12 and 26.8 in '12-13) on 48.9 percent shooting (compared to 48.9, 50.3, 53.1 and 56.5 in the MVP years), 5.9 rebounds (compared to 7.6, 7.3, 7.9 and 8.0) and 7.3 assists (compared to 7.2, 8.6, 6.2 and 7.3) while averaging a career-high 4.1 turnovers per game and missing 11 games because of injury. (Coincidentally, when I was looking up James' career stats for that previous paragraph on Basketball-Reference.com, a banner ad for LG phones popped up with the tagline, 'Same is not sexy,' which is exactly the sentiment James is battling this season, competing against a trio of potentially first-time MVPs.)"

James has spoken this season about being evaluated based on his team's record, which would seem to help his case. The Cavs are 30-8 since he returned from a two-week hiatus, as McMenamin points out. 

"The only argument that could push James over the top comes down to intangibles. How can you really overstate the challenge James overcame this season, coming into a team that was No. 10 in the East last season and taking it to No. 2? And doing it with a coach in David Blatt with no previous NBA experience and a roster that was dramatically overturned halfway through the season? How does that even compare to the relatively stable situations that Curry, Westbrook and Harden were in? How do you measure the value in establishing a team's culture from scratch?

"James is widely accepted as the league's best overall player not just because of his 6-8, 250-pound frame, his exceptional court vision or his long list of accomplishments to this point, but also because of the total package he brings to a team."

More Cavs links

James is happy for David Blatt after winning Coach of the Month (cleveland.com)

Other fits for Kevin Love besides Cleveland (Bleacher Report)

Blatt vs. LeBron is much ado about nothing (ESPN.com)

Cavs are East's best team (NBA.com)

NBA links

Andrew Bogut responds to Mark Jackson saying Harden is the MVP (CBS Sports)

Jared Sullinger cleared to return after being ruled out for the season (ESPN.com)

The Clippers are the second-best team in the NBA (Grantland)

Florida head coach Billy Donovan will listen to NBA offers (ESPN.com)

Carlos Carrasco will make his third Cactus League start Friday when he faces the Brewers at Goodyear Ballpark. Carrasco, who will pitch the second game of the regular season on Wednesday in Houston, has a 2.70 ERA this spring.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Get scoring updates and chat with Paul Hoynes and Zack Meisel as the Indians take on the Brewers at Goodyear Ballpark.

Where to watch/listen: 99X-FM and Indians.com will carry the game.

Pitchers: Carlos Carrasco will start for the Tribe against Milwaukee's Wily Peralta. Bryan Shaw, Cody Allen, Marc Rzepczynski and Anthony Swarzak are scheduled to follow Carrasco.

Jimmy Nelson will follow Peralta.

Indians lineup

CF Michael Bourn.

2B Jason Kipnis.

LF Michael Brantley.

1B Carlos Santana.

DH Brandon Moss.

C Yan Gomes.

RF David Murphy.

3B Lonnie Chisenhall.

SS Jose Ramirez.

RHP Carlos Carrasco.

Brewers lineup

CF Carlos Gomez.

C Jonathan Lucroy.

1B Adam Lind.

3B Aramis Ramirez.

LF Khris Davis.

SS Jean Segura.

2B Scooter Gennett.

RF Gerardo Parra.

DH Martin Maldonado.

RHP Wily Peralta.

Cleveland State wrestling supporters say the school's plan for external funding is "set up to fail.'' A non-binding student referendum next week asks students if they will support new fees to fund wrestling and a new women's sport.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland State wrestling supporters are urging the school to join a partnership to keep the sport alive in the wake of what they say are unrealistic financial requirements, while students will vote next week on whether to support a fee to fund wrestling and a new women's sport.

In a meeting with Athletic Director John Parry on Thursday, key wrestling supporters and boosters asked CSU to partner with them instead of leaving the program to find its own funding.

"We want to partner with CSU, but we don't want to partner in the way they have communicated, which is to create an entirely externally funded program,'' said Aaron Grossman, President of Cleveland-based Wrestlers in Business Network. "We hope we can retract some of the things that were done this week and work toward a better solution.''

Grossman said supporters want to create a three-way partnership with the university, alumni and community boosters each playing a role in keeping the program funded. Parry met with Grossman, Lou Joseph and former CSU wrestler Jason Effner of WIBN, and National Wrestling Coaches Association Executive Director Mike Moyer.

"If there's a way to get a partnership, that would be great,'' Parry said. "They were enthusiastic and really want to help, and if there's a way to tap into that, that would be great.''

Parry announced Monday the wrestling program will be defunded after the 2015-2016 season to make room for a new men's lacrosse team. He said the wrestling team can buy two more seasons (2016-17 and 2017-18) if it raises $800,000 by March 31, 2016. The team and its supporters have until 2018 to raise $5 million to endow the program in perpetuity.

"To suggest to you can raise $5 million in two years, we don't see that as a feasible plan. To set that up, it's set up to fail from the beginning,'' Moyer said. "Everyone has to believe this is a partnership as opposed to the wrestling program (raising) all the money.''

• POLL: Should Cleveland State cut wrestling, add lacrosse?

Grossman and Parry said the meeting was productive and not adversarial, and they plan to meet again next week.

"We hope to have a different proposal from the one that's on the table right now,'' Moyer said.

Both sides appeared hopeful about wrestling's future at CSU.

"I would give it a 60-40 it will continue in some format,'' Parry told Mat Talk Online's Jason Bryan this week in a podcast.

"I'm cautiously optimistic,'' Moyer said.

Students to vote on funding wrestling

Cleveland State students will vote Monday-Thursday next week on a non-binding referendum calling for a $4-6 per credit hour fee that would fund wrestling and pay for a new women's sport. 

The referendum states: "In order to maintain Division 1 wrestling and create an additional women's team to maintain Title IX compliance, a fee would be implemented to cover staff salaries, equipment, travel, insurance, and medical care. Would you be willing to pay a fee of $4-$6 per credit hour (per semester) to maintain a Division 1 wrestling program and create an additional women's team?''

"I think that's great coming from the students,'' Parry said.

CSU spokesman Kevin Ziegler said the referendum is non-binding, but the administration would "take note of that and would have to consider it.''

Parry's initial plan had been to add lacrosse and a women's sport and pay for it with a similar fee, but the university decided not to implement the fee, and Parry chose instead to add lacrosse and defund wrestling.

Cleveland State wrestling coach Ben Stehura.CSU 

Fundraising takes off.

CSU coach Ben Stehura said he was "extremely encouraged" by early response as fundraising begins.

A website has been set up for donations: www.crowdrise.com/SaveCSUWrestling, and as of Friday afternoon, $5,210 had been donated.

"It's very early,'' Stehura said. "You're not going to see big dollar figures. You're gauging interest at this point. A lot of people that are supporting us that were not previously known to us from across the country who have reached out to us, not just CSU alumni.''

Serious side effects

If the team is successful in raising the money, two serious side effects could result:

* Other men's sports at CSU could lose scholarships. CSU officials said if wrestling stays while men's lacrosse is added, it will either trim scholarships from other men's sports or add a women's sport such as track or lacrosse to keep the university compliant with Title IX.

Wrestling supporters have suggested an easier solution would be to add women's wrestling.

"We can make that (women's wrestling) part of the discussion,'' Parry said on Mat Talk Online.

* Also, other colleges could consider CSU a model for their Olympic sports, telling them, "Find your own funding like Cleveland State did, or you're gone.''

"The wrestling community does not want to endow $800,000 or $5 million because every school will line up to do that,'' Grossman said.

Moyer said none of the 77 NCAA Division I wrestling programs is fully endowed. Many have partial endowments, including CSU, which has two of its 9.9 wrestling scholarships endowed.

Asked why it was not more appropriate to have lacrosse boosters raise money to start a team, Parry told Mat Talk Online: "The irony in some ways is an existing sport with alumni base has more opportunity to raise money than a sport that doesn't exist.''

Attracting wealthier students

Parry said adding lacrosse dovetails with the university's goal of recruiting students from wealthier suburbs.

"There's a ring around Cleveland of primarily private or well-to-do suburbs that have lacrosse, and some of those same schools also have wrestling, and as institution, we desire to recruit the ring around Cleveland, the ring around Columbus and the ring around Cincinnati. The feeling among the enrollment people is that lacrosse will help that,'' Parry told Mat Talk Online.

Stehura said that was no different than the wrestling team's goals.

"We want to recruit those same kids,'' Stehura said.

Creating an elite program

Parry said this week the lacrosse budget will be $475,000 compared to wrestling's $384,000. Grossman said he argued in their meeting the additional nearly $100,000 could have been better spent to create an elite wrestling program that would help attract the same students a lacrosse program might.

Cleveland State is coming off its best season in about 10 years. It was 7-3 overall and 4-2 in the highly regarded Eastern Wrestling League, and had two national qualifiers.

CSU announced Monday it will defund the team after the 2015-16 season, and supporters this week asked the school to consider a partnership to keep it alive.Cleveland State University 

Stehura said his program is on the upswing after years of development and said the loss of CSU wrestling would hurt the Greater Cleveland wrestling community on many levels because Cleveland State has been a USA Wrestling regional training center that has begun to attract recruits while also focusing on the development of younger wrestlers.

Elyria Catholic coach Erik Burnett, one of the nation's most highly regarded developmental coaches, co-coaches the Cleveland program along with former Kent State All-American Danny Mitcheff.

Current CSU freshman Andrew Coghill is among the wrestlers who came up through that program.

In addition, Cleveland State had the second-highest Academic Progress Rate in the EWL last season with a team accumulated grade-point average of 3.1.

Reaction continues

Reaction from around the country continued to pour in.

Former world champion, and Chardon High grad, Lee Kemp said he thought it was a bad joke when he heard the news. Kemp often trained at Cleveland State.

"Unfortunately, because it was so close to April first, I thought it wasn't true, because if any program embodies Division I wrestling, it's Cleveland State right there in Cleveland,'' Kemp said in a phone interview from his home near Chicago. "It not always been the greatest teams over the years, but it's a sincere, serious program with wrestlers who care about wrestling and maybe didn't want to leave the state.''

Cleveland State grad and Olympic silver medalist Matt Ghaffari said he was saddened because students whose fees help pay for athletics did not have a voice in the initial decision.

"There's justification for it,'' he said. "It's not a Title IX issue. It's not anything the wrestling team or coach did negatively. It's been 52 years of positive things for Cleveland State and the student body.''

Ghaffari, an Avon Lake businessman, was among those who campaigned to bring the NCAA Wrestling Championships to Quicken Loans Arena in 2018. The Mid-American Conference is the official host.

"The most embarrassing part for me is we fought to get NCAA Wrestling here in three years and my school, Cleveland State, won't have wrestling,'' he said.

On this week's Cavs Insider we preview Sunday's game against the Bulls and talk about Kevin Love's back and the relationship between LeBron James and David Blatt. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The playoffs are almost here. The Cavaliers beat the Miami Heat on Thursday night following a win over the Sixers on Sunday and a loss to the Nets last Friday. This week it's on the Bulls and a road game against the Bucks.

Chris Terzic from BlogaBull.com joined me to talk about the state of the Bulls as they approach the postseason. He talked about the possible return of Derrick Rose and what it means in the playoffs. He also talked about the future of head coach Tom Thibodeau.

Our Cavaliers beat reporter Chris Haynes also joined me to talk about the win over the Heat. He talked about Kevin Love's back and if it would be a serious problem moving forward. He also talked about whether the team was ready for the playoffs and the relationship between LeBron James and David Blatt.

Watch the video above and make sure to check out Cavs Insider every week on Cleveland.com.

Lerner's plight could serve as a cautionary tale for future American billionaires interested in buying European soccer teams.

BEREA, Ohio -- When Randy Lerner sold the Browns to Jimmy Haslam three years ago there were variables that contributed to the final price tag of roughly $1 billion.

The threat of being demoted to the Canadian Football League wasn't among them.

No matter how poorly the Browns performed or were managed, their place in the NFL was guaranteed. As were draft picks, often high, and an annual revenue-sharing check that totaled $187.7 million in 2013, according to ESPN.

Three years later, Lerner reportedly has found a buyer for his English soccer club, Aston Villa. The sale price, however, will be determined on the field over the next two months, demonstrating again how European soccer is the ultimate high-limit table in the sports world's casino.

The former Browns majority owner could make $222 million on the transaction after buying the team for $94 million nine years ago. He also could walk away with half that sum ($111 million), according to reports, if Villa is relegated from the Premier League and forced to play in English soccer's second tier. The Birmingham-based side sits a precarious three points above the drop zone -- the bottom three teams are annually sent down -- with eight games remaining.

Lerner's plight could serve as a cautionary tale for future American billionaires interested in buying European soccer teams. Owners of the Buccaneers (the Malcolm Glazer family), Rams (Stan Kroenke), Jaguars (Shahid Khan) and Red Sox (John Henry) all have EPL teams. Cavaliers superstar LeBron James has a small piece in Liverpool. Another U.S. consortium runs Derby County, which is fighting for promotion into the Premier League.

Beyond the emotional attachment, investment in English soccer presents global marketing opportunities and brand enhancement. But when a team flirts with relegation, as Villa has the past few seasons, the consequences can be dire -- loss of television money, sponsorships, prestige and quality players.

"Promotion and relegation is the greatest and worst idea in all of sports," ESPN sports business analyst Darren Rovell said. "It's the greatest because you have to earn your way every year and it's the worst because you are never guaranteed anything. Anyone who buys a sports team (in America) today lives on guarantees."

The concept of relegation is foreign to most Americans fans and athletes. James told NEOMG Thursday he couldn't comment on it because he doesn't understand its workings.

Each year, three teams from a lower-tier gain promotion, while three sides from the higher division are dispatched. Imagine the Big Ten and Mid-American Conference operating in this capacity. Envision a school such as Northern Illinois having a chance to move up and play against the big boys while also collecting Big Ten Network revenue checks.

The specter of relegation eliminates the thought of tanking and significantly reduces the number of meaningless late-season games. Browns punter Spencer Lanning, a former star soccer player, follows the English league and knows the pressure Aston Villa is under.

"From a player's standpoint the heat is on and from a coach's standpoint the heat is on and I'd have to imagine the entire organization, including Mr. Lerner, are on edge right now," Lanning said. "As a fan, it represents the epitome of competition. You have to truly try to win every game ... As a player no one wants insecurity. Everyone wants a sure thing."

'He ran out of ambition'

On the day news broke that Lerner was relinquishing controlling interest in the Browns three years ago, Aston Villa announced it had agreed to a $5 million transfer fee for a Dutch defender.

The juxtaposition of events likely amused cynical Browns fans who believed Lerner cared more about his football team across the pond. That narrative has proven false.

After a bright start to his Villa reign -- fans wrote songs in his honor -- the team has languished in the bottom quarter of the 20-team Premier League. In a league without a salary cap, Lerner stopped pumping big money into payroll. His appearances at Villa Park have been few and, in some ways, he's become the absentee owner he was during his final years with the Browns.

"I think he ran out of ambition," wrote ESPN soccer commentator Ian Darke in an emailed response regarding Lerner. "Funds for new players dried up. That meant Villa had no hope of repeating the top six finishes achieved under (former manager) Martin O'Neill when the club splashed out on players ... 

"Perhaps Randy realized that in this era, Villa could never be challenging seriously for the Premier League title or indeed a top-four Champions League place."

A year ago, Lerner admitted to his waning interest as he put the club on the market.

"I owe it to Villa to move on, and look for fresh, invigorated leadership, if in my heart I feel I can no longer do the job," he said in a statement. "I have come to know well that fates are fickle in the business of English football. And I feel that I have pushed mine well past the limit."

Lerner, 53, developed a passion for soccer while attending the University of Cambridge. The financial landscape of the EPL, however, has changed dramatically since he purchased Villa in 2006. Teams such as Manchester City and Chelsea spend lavishly on payroll, and the disparity between deep-pocketed and frugal franchises is stark.

Unlike American pro sports, there is no amateur draft affording teams a chance to rebuild with promising newcomers. Villa manager Paul Lambert reportedly twice told Lerner to fire him this season rather than oversee the club's plunge to the bottom. Villa finally replaced Lambert last month with Tim Sherwood, and the side has played better in recent games.

Villa has reached the semifinals of the FA Cup -- a single-elimination tournament featuring squads from every level of English soccer -- yet relegation remains a possibility for a club that's played in the top flight since 1988.

Similar to the Browns, Villa is steeped in history and lacking in recent glory. The club has won the fifth-most trophies in English soccer, but no major ones in three decades. Lerner has been described as well-intentioned but naive. In 2012, he ignored fans and hired Alex McLeish, a manager who had led hated crosstown rival Birmingham City to relegation in 2011. McLeish lasted one season at Villa.

Is there a lesson to be gleaned for Americans considering the purchase of European teams?

"Possibly the message is the commitment needs to be total or the fans will become disillusioned," Darke wrote. "Villa have effectively been for sale for a while without any takers. (That's surprising) for a club with their fan base, history and tradition."

Big money, big risk

The NFL and Premier League typify the sporting desires to expand footprints in a global economy.

American pro football continues to make inroads in England, as the NFL sends teams to play in London three times a season. Basing a franchise there remains a possibility.

Browns owner Randy Lerner sold majority interest in the club to Jimmy Haslam in 2013. He's now getting ready to unload his English soccer team. Mark Duncan, Associated Press 

Meanwhile, European soccer powers tour the United States each summer. Usually five EPL games per week are broadcast live on NBC networks from August through May and all matches are available free online.

Any wonder the average value of the 20 most successful European clubs now tops $1 billion, a 36 percent jump over the past two years, according to Forbes. Henry, the majority owner of Liverpool, puts it another way.

"When we play our rival Manchester United the audience on television is about a billion people," he told Forbes. "That's about nine times the audience of the Super Bowl."

Lerner reportedly had invested more than $300 million in equity and loan notes as of 2013. Last season alone, however, Villa earned $113.7 million in international television and commercial revenue sharing.

David Carter, executive director of the USC Sports Business Institute, calls the EPL the "most prominent sports league in the world." Despite the inherent risks, he understands why the exclusive fraternity appeals to American billionaires.

"I don't know many owners who don't believe their ownership won't lead to revenue growth and franchise value growth," Carter said. "These guys are often very competitive. Nobody is buying a team and saying, 'This is going to suck.' Nobody believes there team is the one going to be demoted."

If relegated, some believe Lerner should retain ownership until the club returns to the EPL, thus bolstering the asking price. But once down, there's no guarantee of resurfacing. Fabled sides such as Nottingham Forest and Leeds United have been unable to regain a place at the top-tier table. All the television money is gone. So is access to top-level players.

The season's final weeks will produce drama at both ends of the standings. Lerner's sale price and legacy can be damaged on one spot foul or poorly-defended corner kick.

As the former Browns owner backs away, Rovell figures others will step forward to assume the risk.

"I think there is something that draws people to it, but you have to be realistic, which some of these guys aren't," Rovell said. "They have been captains of their industry for so long that they are confident they can do it. The funny thing is that in American sports the stakes aren't nearly as high."

Just ask Randy Lerner.

The Woods and Waters Club of Cleveland, once the premier outdoor sportsmen's group in Northern Ohio, is shutting down after 66 years.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Anglers or hunters somehow finding themselves in Cleveland a half-century ago had little trouble connecting with kindred spirits, or finding the premier locations to enjoy their outdoor sports.

They joined the Woods and Waters Club of Cleveland.

All of the local movers and shakers of outdoor scene were members. The club's monthly luncheons were popular, often bringing together a couple of hundred sportsmen. The centerpiece was the Woods and Waters Club's annual winter banquet, a rowdy affair attracting 600 to 700 outdoorsmen.

For a guy who was new on the outdoors beat for The Plain Dealer in the late 1970s, the club was an informational gold mine. Three of the club founders in 1949 were media guys: Al Simmons of The Plain Dealer, Hank Andrews of the Cleveland Press and radio voice Pat Patterson.

After 66 years, and for a variety of reasons, the curtain has come down on the venerable club. Membership had dwindled and, as a last hurrah, the old-timers are gathering May 17 at the South Cuyahoga Sportsmen's Association grounds in Chatham Township to toast the good, old days.

"There were only two big winter outdoorsmen's banquets in our earlier years," said Jim Faddoul of North Olmsted, a former club president. "The local members of Ducks Unlimited, which included national president Lee Howley Sr. of Vermilion, had a sellout crowd at the old Sheraton-Cleveland Hotel on Public Square in January. We filled the ballroom at the Hotel Statler at East 12^th and Euclid Avenue in February.

"They were both awesome parties. Many of the sports stars in town were there, rubbing shoulders with hunt club members, fishermen, politicians eager to shake a few hands and Columbus leaders from the wildlife, watercraft and natural resource departments."

The Woods and Waters Club banquet was open to the public and considered a guy's night out. Raffle girls toured the overflow crowd and sold thousands of tickets for the hundreds of raffle prizes, many donated by members who owned outdoor shops.

The loot ranged from guns, knives, hunting gear and fishing tackle to all-terrain vehicles, canoes and fishing and hunting trips.

The crowds were raucous and post-banquet parties at the old Hotel Statler often lasted long into the night. One year, the winner of a bright red, three-wheeled all-terrain vehicle decided to take his new toy for a spin. He fired up the engine, raced out of the Statler ballroom, down the hotel steps and out the door.

The lucky winner was last seen touring the downtown nightclubs.

Banquet profits funded college scholarships, conservation organizations, the Boy Scouts and fishing or hunting groups mentoring kids. The late Harry L. Davis Jr. created the club's Cleveland Presidents Scholarship Foundation in 1986.

To keep costs down, the monthly downtown luncheons and annual banquet eventually moved to the suburbs. Club membership slowly began to dwindle, banquet ticket sales declined and competition for sportsmen's dollars increased.

Ducks Unlimited swapped its Cleveland gala for smaller chapter banquets in almost every hamlet in America. Conservation groups popping up all over the landscape followed the Ducks Unlimited model of banquets and raffles, including the National Wildlife Turkey Federation, Safari Club International, Whitetails Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, National Rifle Association and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

"Times change," said Mike Samsel of Samsel Supply Company in Cleveland. "These days, guys grab a quick lunch and go right back to work. They don't have time for luncheons. And no one seems to want to volunteer any more. An army of volunteers is needed to make the banquets happen."

Every year, noted Lakewood outdoorsman Bill Kirkpatrick volunteered the services of his young sons, Terry, Bill and Kevin, to haul prizes and help set up the banquet. They brought their close buddy Samsel along for the ride.

"There were so many raffle prizes it took all night to give them away," said Samsel. "But after lugging all of the stuff to the ballroom, at least we could tell everyone, 'If you won it, you've got to get it out of here.' "

The right-hander's 80-game suspension will be served without pay after he tested positive for Stanozolol, a performance-enhancing substance.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota Twins pitcher Ervin Santana has been suspended for the first 80 games of the 2015 season for a violation of Major League Baseball's substance-abuse policy.

The Office of the Commissioner said Friday that the right-hander's 80-game suspension will be served without pay after he tested positive for Stanozolol, a performance-enhancing substance.

Santana is the Twins' second highest-paid player after inking a four-year, $55 million contract in December. There are incentives in place that could add a fifth year to that. He was penciled in as the Twins' No. 2 starter behind Phil Hughes.

Last season, Santana went 14-10 with a 3.95 ERA.

This is the third penalty for a positive Stanozolol test reported by MLB in the last eight days, following Seattle pitcher David Rollins and Atlanta pitcher Arodys Vizcaino.

Santana will lose $5,901,639 of his $13.5 million salary this season.

Santana said in a statement released by the players' union he "can't pinpoint" how the substance entered his body.

Cleveland Cavaliers'coach David Blatt is proving he belongs in this league and with this team, and LeBron James says he is excited for him.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When the ship sinks, the captain is typically the one to blame. When the ship is sailing peacefully and making it to its destination without delay or quandary, the captain receives the bulk of the praise.

That's why it's imperative to give credit where credit is due.

The Cavaliers' David Blatt was named the Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for March after leading his team to an 11-4 record. Since Jan. 15, Blatt's schemes and strategic methods have equated to an NBA-best record of 30-7.

It's a testament to his prevailing through the scrutiny and criticism endured in one of the most difficult situations imaginable for a first-year NBA head coach.

There's a certain level of constant dissecting and over-analyzing that comes with coaching the best player in the world in LeBron James. I have been guilty of that as well as other media. It's no easy task for any NBA coach.

Blatt and James granted Northeast Ohio Media Group a brief one-on-one interview on the topic of growth, the handling of adversity and validation.

No matter the turmoil, dysfunction, or tuning out, Blatt was repeatedly forced to respond. But he's still standing tall, and his latest honor represents how he persevered and overcame when some didn't think he would make it this far.

"I don't think so much about that. I'm thankful that I got the opportunity to work with these group of players and have the kind of talent to work with," Blatt told NEOMG. "We obviously as a team have come together and our record reflects that, and if I'm part of that and I get recognition for that, then that's the message I'm sending out everyday anyway.

"It's not about what you do individually; it's about what the team does. And in return, everybody gets part of the glow. That's what it's about."

People tend to mention James' return from his two-week hiatus as being the turning point of the season. Others say Timofey Mozgov bringing a defensive presence; some have said it was J.R. Smith's catch-and-shoot ability that triggered the emergence.

Not many, if any, have credited Blatt for integrating the new pieces flawlessly while continually placing James and Kyrie Irving in positions to play at such a high level. Not only did he have his own learning curve to deal with, but also he had to impart his philosophies into the new players on the fly and in the process, win basketball games.

It has been a rocky road, but one that has since smoothed out.

Have James and Blatt always seen eye-to-eye? No. That's not reality. It never is between a coach and star player, but James says he respects his head coach to the fullest and he couldn't be happier for him.

"I just think he continues to learn every single day, and I'm so excited that I can be a part of his transition from the Euro Basketball League to now the NBA," James told NEOMG. "All the hard work he put into coaching, this is a dream of his and for him to be Coach of the Month, I know it's a validation.

"Even though he talks about that he doesn't need a validation to be a part of this league, it gives him even more of validation to say 'I belong here.' I'm a part of his first Coach of the Month, so it's pretty cool."

Following the Cavaliers winning their 17^th straight game at home on Thursday by disposing of the Miami Heat, Blatt was reluctant to speak of his first NBA award and instead redirected the commendation.

"That's just the result of having a lot of good players to coach."

Blatt is right. He does have some pretty good players. Nonetheless, the way in which he has evolved and adapted shouldn't go unnoticed. Despite his accomplished coaching resume, he's not a finished product. There are still some nuances of the NBA game, and everything that comes with the NBA game, that he's still picking up on.

Slowly but surely, for those that remain skeptical, he's legitimizing his place in this league.

"You have to understand that it's still his first year," Cavs big man Kendrick Perkins said. "Making that transition from overseas to the NBA ball is night and day. Even though people say it's still basketball, but it's still night and day. He's still learning a few things, but I love his approach to the game, his preparation to the game and I think he will be fine."

Cleveland is close to locking up the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and will be entering the playoffs for the first time in four years. The landscape of the league has certainly changed. The Cavaliers will be popular favorites to represent the East in the NBA Finals.

General Manager David Griffin along with James and company have been integral in transforming the team's culture into one that exemplifies winning above all. They deserve the acclaim, but so does Blatt.

Game by game he's justifying his place, and doing it his way.

"He took a lot of flak from you and everyone else. Everybody," center Tristan Thompson said. "But you know that's part of being new to the game and winning everybody's confidence. He's developed so much over the season. He's come a long way and I think you guys see it and we see it. As the leader of our team, and the head, he's come a long way and I think he's definitely showed everyone that he belongs."

Injuries in the starting rotation are reason for concern about the Cleveland Indians.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Talkin' to myself about the Indians.

Question: So how many wins this season?

Answer: They'll finish 87-75.

Q: That's it, 87 wins?

A: That also may sneak them into the playoffs. But if they make it, they won't last long.

Q: Wait a minute, Sports Illustrated has them winning the World Series.

A: Oh, please, not that again.

Q: OK, how many games did you say they'd win last season?

A: How about 85-77?

Q: That was their record. You really predicted 85-77?

A: Look, I've been guessing their record every year since Tris Speaker was player/manager, so I finally got one right. I was due.

Q: What about some other years?

A: In 2011, I said they'd be 74-88 ... they were 80-82. In 2012, I picked 76-86 .... they were 68-94. And in 2013, I was at 82-80 ... and they were 92-70.

Q: You record doesn't look all that good to me.

A: Is that a question?

Q: OK, so why so down on the Tribe?

A: I'm not "down" on the Tribe. I just returned from a week in Goodyear. I spent 13 days there, including a trip earlier in camp. When spring training began, I had them as a 92-win team.

Q: So what happened?

A: Gavin Floyd blew out his elbow again. Then Danny Salazar blew up his chances for the rotation. He was awful. He's at Class AAA, and maybe he'll put it together, but Salazar and Floyd were penciled into the rotation at the start of training camp.

Q: Didn't they have a lot of starting pitchers?

A: They did, as in past tense. Josh Tomlin was sent to Class AAA, and now he's out for several months with shoulder surgery.

Q: What's in the minors?

A: The rotation at Class AAA Columbus will be Bruce Chen, Shaun Marcum, Michael Roth, Nick Maronde and Salazar. Only Salazar is a top prospect. Chen is 37. Marcum is 33 and coming off major arm problems in the last two years. I kind of like Roth, a soft-tossing lefty who was once with the Angels. The Indians also picked up Maronde from Angels.

Q: What happened to all the young starters?

A: That group of arms (other than Salazar) is with the Tribe. You have Trevor Bauer, T.J. House, Zach McAllister, Carlos Carrasco and Corey Kluber. None (not even Kluber) have been with the Indians for the last two full seasons. Kluber opened 2013 in Class AAA.

Q: Why are you dwelling on the rotation?

A: Because that's what can take the Indians to the top of the Central Division. But the injuries and Salazar's failure make it harder for that to happen.

Q: So you don't like anything?

A: First of all, 87-75 is better than last season. Yes, I liked a lot of what I saw with the Tribe. In the rotation, everyone was throwing well. I wrote about Bauer's outing Monday against the White Sox, and he was sensational. Kluber and Carrasco look very good. McAllister was extremely strong. We'll see if his breaking pitch continues to be effective in the regular season. House looked solid.

Q: Didn't Carrasco just give up six runs?

A: That was Friday. He flew between Arizona and Florida for the birth of his child this week, I'm not going to read much into this last start.

Q: So what's the problem?

A: Pitchers get hurt. Pitchers slump. You need lots of pitchers. The Indians desperately need Salazar to pull himself together and return to the rotation like he did last season when he had a 3.50 ERA.

Q: What about the rest of the team?

A: Here's the good news: Jason Kipnis, Michael Bourn and Brandon Moss all look healthy. And if they stay that way, the lineup looks much healthier than a year ago. I know Kipnis has a low spring batting average (.227), but I'm not worried about that. Moss has 25-home run power. Bourn has done everything but steal bases. His bat is quick. He has cover a lot of ground in center. I'm encouraged.

Q: What about Nick Swisher?

A: Two knee operations still have him several weeks away from being ready. It was nice to see him in a big-league game. His swing is short and smooth, and he's been making good contact. But he still needs to prove that his knees will hold up. His leg problems have probably helped his swing because he's not trying to kill every pitch.

Q: What about the rest of the lineup?

A: Michael Brantley has the same smooth swing as always. Carlos Santana and Yan Gomes could combine with Moss and Brantley to give the Tribe four guys with at least 20 homers. Jose Ramirez has been good at shortstop.

Q: How about Lonnie Chisenhall?

A: It's just been a so-so spring. He had two errors on Friday, five in 29 spring chances. I'm concerned. He is hitting .302. Remember, batting averages are high in the desert with the dry, hard infields and the windy conditions.

Q: What about the defense?

A: Other than Chisenhall, the infield has been good. Ramirez, Kipnis and Santana have combined for only one error. Ramirez has fielded 53 chances cleanly. Kipnis is showing more range than a year ago. Santana is comfortable at first.

Q: When will they bring up Francisco Lindor?

A: Not sure, but he had an excellent camp. It should be at some point this summer. Then it will be interesting to see what they do with Ramirez, who is a good player. I also think Jesus Aguilar could be ready to help in a few months. It would be nice to have a right-handed power bat.

Q: How about the bullpen?

A: They are opening with eight relievers. Terry Francona would love to have 80. I have a lot of confidence in the manager and pitching coach Mickey Callaway to use the bullpen wisely.

Q: You can't do better than 87-75?

A: I can't, but the Indians can ... if the rotation holds up. I will be talking Tribe and other sports at the Bay Village Library, Wednesday at 7 p.m. It's free, and you can learn more by calling 440-871-6293.

• Terry's Talkin' Browns.
• Terry's Talkin' Cavs.