Three OSU seniors will head to Chicago at the end of July.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Big Ten is announcing which three players from each conference school will attend the Big Ten media days in Chicago on July 30 and July 31. 

No, Ohio State isn't sending its three quarterbacks. In fact, not surprisingly, the Buckeyes aren't sending any quarterbacks.

Senior left tackle Taylor Decker, senior linebacker Joshua Perry and senior defensive tackle Adolphus Washington will speak for the defending National Champions, along with coach Urban Meyer.

The players chosen to serve as the team spokesmen for this event often are indications of eventual captains, and it's easy to see Decker and Perry filling those roles. Washington is a bit of a surprise, but he could be one as well.

None of the OSU star non-seniors, from running back Ezekiel Elliott to defensive end Joey Bosa to safeties Vonn Bell and Tyvis Powell to linebacker Darron Lee to receiver Michael Thomas, were selected.

Player attendees from the #CFBPlayoff champion @OhioStAthletics are Taylor Decker, Joshua Perry & Adolphus Washington pic.twitter.com/o8reDW187X

-- Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) July 9, 2015

Braxton Miller was in Chicago as one of the Buckeyes talking about the upcoming season in both 2013 and 2014. Now Miller, J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones will stay home. Decker, Perry and Washington know they will have to answer a lot of quarterback questions.

When asked for comment, the Indians replied: "Slider had no comment, because he doesn't speak. Indians spokesman Joel Hammond said that "ESPN's choices for this year were fine selections; we just wanted to remind ESPN that mascots, especially our furry, fuchsia one, are beautiful too."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A furry, fuchsia creature wanted to follow in Kevin Love's footsteps.

The Cavaliers' forward posed in ESPN The Magazine's "Body Issue," which features athletes' sculpted figures and a noticeable lack of clothing.

Slider, the Indians' mascot, decided to audition for the magazine issue as well. He posed with a baseball bat and a glove while wearing nothing but red-and-white sneakers. He flaunted his pink fur -- with yellow polka dots -- in the Indians' offices. ESPN opted to pass on Slider's advances.

When asked for comment, the Indians replied: "Slider had no comment, because he doesn't speak. Indians spokesman Joel Hammond said that "ESPN's choices for this year were fine selections; we just wanted to remind ESPN that mascots, especially our furry, fuchsia one, are beautiful too."

Hey @ESPNMag -- @kevinlove looked great, but did you lose the pics @SlidertheMascot sent you? http://t.co/ug3MbYZTna pic.twitter.com/7BFfYIoSjk

-- Indians/#Tulo (@Indians) July 8, 2015

Yep -- @SliderTheMascot did his own "Body" issue shoot, since ESPN lost our number. PHOTOS >> http://t.co/OrlEcWcooB pic.twitter.com/lk8s9lJ9Ty

-- Indians/#Tulo (@Indians) July 8, 2015

Here is more from Slider's shoot.

Beggars can't be choosers. The Indians, as currently constructed, don't have an ideal No. 2 hitter -- or No. 4 hitter or No. 5 hitter, for that matter. So, Francona must arrange the batters he has at his disposal.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Terry Francona liked Carlos Santana in the No. 2 spot in his batting order. Santana wasn't crazy about the switch.

Francona has considered slotting David Murphy behind leadoff hitter Jason Kipnis, but the thought of three straight lefties atop his lineup makes the manager uneasy.

So, rookie shortstop Francisco Lindor resides in the No. 2 spot, though Francona admits "he's not knocking the cover off the ball."

Beggars can't be choosers, though. The Indians, as currently constructed, don't have an ideal No. 2 hitter -- or No. 4 hitter or No. 5 hitter, for that matter. So, Francona must arrange the batters he has at his disposal.

"It's not like we're hot all the way through," he said. "We're trying to have some balance."

Thus, Francona has placed the switch-hitting Lindor between Kipnis and Michael Brantley, both lefties. Lindor, 22 games into his big-league career, owns a .207 batting average and .239 on-base percentage. Those aren't good enough numbers for someone hitting near the top of the lineup. Francona said he likes Lindor's ability to "get a runner over and things like that."

"At some point, if he's not hitting, we might make a change," Francona said, "but again, when you make a change, there has to be a reason and there has to be another guy to fit in there."

Therein lies the problem. Who else would bat second?

Santana made a month-long cameo in the No. 2 spot. His propensity to draw walks and reach base make him a sensible candidate, but he posted a .198/.333/.371 slash line in 31 games while batting second.

"He wasn't comfortable there," Francona said.

Since he returned to the middle of the lineup, Santana has compiled a .189/.294/.311 clip in 22 contests.

"When you're hitting in the middle -- a switch-hitting power bat in the middle at some point really helps us -- [but] when you're struggling so much, it's kind of glaring," Francona said.

Murphy has been batting clean-up against right-handed starters in recent weeks. When a southpaw toes the rubber, Ryan Raburn steps into that slot. Murphy is hitting .333 with an .875 OPS. He would seemingly fit into the No. 2 spot, but Francona isn't too fond of penciling a trio of lefties into the top three vacancies in the order.

"I've thought at times about having Murphy hit second and just running our lefties out of the gate," Francona said, "but that would also open it up for relievers and we're going to have some holes throughout the order."

While true, Francona typically pinch-hits for Murphy or Raburn when either is set to face a same-handed pitcher, so that wouldn't seem to be an issue when opposing teams turn to their bullpens. It would, however, force Francona to insert Santana or Yan Gomes or Brandon Moss into the Nos. 4 and 5 spots.

Overall, Santana is batting .210 with a .702 OPS. Francona said he "has really had a tough time." Gomes sports a .221/.238/.331 slash line. Moss leads the team with 14 home runs and 46 RBI, but he reaches base at a .302 clip.

It's certainly no secret that the Indians could use another middle-of-the-order bat.

So, for now, Francona will deploy Lindor in the No. 2 spot and lengthen out his lineup with Murphy or Raburn in the No. 4 hole and Santana, Gomes and Moss -- in some order -- trailing behind. The skipper hopes that hitting between Kipnis and Brantley will make life a little easier for the rookie.

"Being in front of Brantley is not a bad place to hit," Francona said.

Someone has to do it.

While most fishermen avoid the messy floating mats of green slime, suspended algae has been common around the Western Basin for years.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The experts released a very dismal report on this year's sliming of Lake Erie from toxic algal blooms. Anglers are already calling to ask if it's safe to eat walleye caught from the wide waters of the Walleye Capital of the World.

It's the same question that has been asked since the monstrous harmful algal blooms (HABs) of 2011, the worst on record. And this year's bloom is being forecast as almost as bad.

Lake Erie fishermen have been eating walleye fillets caught from algae-laden Lake Erie waters for years without a problem. Most anglers avoid fishing areas where the blooms are thick, but suspended algae or a surface slime have been visible in Western Basin waters most every summer.

The bloom can be a major problem for the Western Basin of Lake Erie, algal bloom specialist Rick Stumpf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration told The Plain Dealer's Jim McCarty on Thursday. Stumpf also emphasized the bloom should not be a problem for the rest of Lake Erie, and it was unlikely to spread to the Cleveland area.

With Lake Erie's walleye population on the rise, including a very good hatch expected this year, Lake Erie Program Administrator Jeff Tyson of the Ohio Division of Wildlife said fishermen should have little trouble finding algae-free Lake Erie waters and plenty of walleye and yellow perch.

"Yes, the blooms are bad," said Tyson. "No, they shouldn't stop people from fishing. The majority of Lake Erie will still be a great place to catch fish, and for people to eat the fish they catch."

Thursday's HAB forecast predicted a bloom of 8.7 this year on a scale of 10, the level of the 2011 bloom. This year's bloom has a potential of 9.5, say the experts.

Anglers should keep their fingers crossed the big rains of the last month finally go away, and cooler-than-normal temperatures hang around. The torrential rains push phosphorus into Lake Erie from farm fields and sewage treatment plants and, combined with hot, relatively calm weather, result in the thick, green slimy mats on the surface of Lake Erie.

Ballville Dam battle: The fight to bring down the dilapidated Ballville Dam on the Sandusky River hit another major more roadblock this week. Sierra Club Ohio, a proponent of bringing down the dam and returning the Sandusky to a free-flowing river, has filed a federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Toledo to stop the deconstruction this fall.

Sierra Club Ohio is worried that a long list of toxic materials in the sediment behind the dam will be released into the watershed.

"We think the sediment should be removed before the dam comes down," said Director Jen Miller of Sierra Club Ohio. "There are dozens of ways to do it. The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have underestimated the risk of the sediment."

The lawsuit contends that releasing the sediment downstream "could exacerbate water quality and drinking water . . . disrupt spawning habits of walleye and white bass . . . and cover up or completely eliminate wetlands rich with biodiversity."

"As a cooperating agency in the EIS, I think it is well-founded and the preferred way to remove the dam," said Tyson, who was the Ohio Division of Wildlife's top official in the dam removal project. "We wouldn't have endorsed or moved forward with the dam removal if we didn't think it would benefit the resources we manage."

A challenge by local writer and naturalist Ray Grob Jr. of Fremont and Sierra Club Ohio missed the mark. Grob charged spawning areas will be covered in silt and walleye, with a life cycle of three to five years, won't be able successfully spawn and will soon disappear. Today's trophy Lake Erie walleye are 12-year-olds from the class of 2003.

Howard Calhoun dies: The legendary chairman of the Ohio Wildlife Council, attorney Howard L. Calhoun, 88, of Akron died Sunday of complications from Parkinson Disease. Calhoun was a member of the OWC, the governing body of the Ohio Division of Wildlife, for a record 46 years and was its chairman for 19 years.

Calhoun was appointed by Gov. James A. Rhodes in 1963 and retired in 2010. An avid hunter and angler, he also worked diligently for the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, Ducks Unlimited, and the National Rifle Association. Calhoun was a founding member of the Akron Chapter of Ducks Unlimited.

The family will have a private graveside ceremony for Calhoun. Contributions can be made to the U.S Sportsmen's Alliance.

Baby walleye in abundance: If you're wondering how well Lake Erie's walleye have reproduced this spring, ask Philip Bartell, who works for St. Clair Bait in northwest Ohio. Bartell is out on Lake Erie most nights with floating lights, trying to attract emerald shiner minnows the company can net and sell to northern Ohio bait shops from Toledo to Sheffield Lake.

"I had to pull the lights the other night around the Bass Islands because there were too many small walleye mixed in with the emerald shiner minnows," said Bartell. "You definitely don't want to have any walleye in with the shiners delivered to the bait shops."

Dan Labbe and Chris Fedor chat about sports memorabilia and how to sell it during this week's Sports Insider. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Hunt Auctions sees a lot of interesting sports memorabilia, including a Pete Rose crown, Johnny Bench rings and... a frog baseball team.

Dan Labbe and Chris Fedor talk with David Hunt of Hunt Auctions about sports memorabilia, what people should know about selling it, and more. Hunt Auctions will be in Cincinnati for the All-Star festivities and to host a live auction at the T-Mobile All-Star Fan Fest on Tuesday. 

The Indians will try to win their second series at home this season when the play Houston on Thursday night. They lead the four-game set, 2-1.

CLEVELAND -- Get live updates and chat with Indians beat writer and Paul Hoynes as the Indians and Astros end their four-game series Thursday night at Progressive Field. The Indians will start RHP Cody Anderson (1-1, 0.76) vs. LHP Brett Oberholtzer (2-1, 4.32).

Game 85: Indians (40-44) vs. Astros (49-38)

First pitch: 7:10 p.m. ET at Progressive Field.

TV/radio: STO; WMMS FM/100.7; WTAM 1100.

Jason Kipnis has spent much of his career proving his critics wrong, and he's done it again this season. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There are so many reasons to be impressed with Jason Kipnis this season, starting with how he came back from his frustrating 2014 season to be an All-Star now.

But on the day that the Tribe's second baseman made the All-Star team, he said this: "I'm glad to being back to where I need to be, being part of the solution -- not the problem."

That sounds very good, but what came next was even better: "Last year, you could write me off as part of the problem."

Kipnis was haunted by injuries last season, ranging from an oblique strain to hamstring problems. He missed 32 games and probably played in at least 30 more where he should have rested and healed. He batted .240 (.640 OPS) with only six homers and 41 RBI. It was a major collapse compared to his 2013 All-Star season (.284, .818 OPS, 17 HR, 84 RBI, 30 steals).

Kipnis had many sleepless nights last season. He signed a 7-year, $55 million contract extension right before the home opener. He believed he owed it to the team to prove worthy of that contract.

Instead, he had the injuries. Part of the problem was his off-season weight program. After the 2013 season, he wanted to add bulk and strength to hit for more power. Did that lead to the injuries? No one can be sure. But he had less range at second base. And he did pull those muscles.

After the season, the Indians put Kipnis on a conditioning program that emphasized flexibility. It's paid off. At the plate, he entered Thursday night hitting .335 (.914 OPS) with 6 HR and 36 RBI. In the field, he has only three errors and a variety of baseball websites indicate that his range has improved.

Why he's better

Part of the reason that Kipnis has returned to his All-Star form is that he admitted "being part of the problem" in 2014. He refused to excuse his poor season on injuries. He had to get better, and that meant changing his body at the age of 28.

He also had to tinker with his swing. Manager Terry Francona and the coaches kept urging the left-handed batting Kipnis to hit the ball up the middle and to left field. Quit trying to pull it. Don't worry about hitting for power.

Francona also put Kipnis into the leadoff spot on April 26. Micheal Bourn was slumping, so the manager dropped Bourn to No. 9. He turned to Kipnis, believing it would encourage him to take pitches, hit singles and doubles. His role is to reach base, not hit home runs.

As a leadoff batter, Kipnis is hitting .354 (.995 OPS).

"He's a force," said Francona. "He plays the game with such vengeance. He has not taken his foot off the gas. ... Not ever."

The 2008 draft

Kipnis has long been driven to prove himself. "He is a hyper-competitive person," said Tribe General Manager Chris Antonetti. "He wants to win and play his best, and he takes it personally when that doesn't happen."

Kipnis was a three-sport star athlete at Glenbrook High in the Chicago suburb of Northbrook. He was lightly recruited and went to Kentucky on a baseball scholarship. A redshirt his first season, he batted .377 with six homers as a sophomore. He had a dispute with the coaches and transferred to Arizona State.

Kipnis became a big-time player at a big-time baseball school in a major conference, making All Pac-10 first team as a center fielder.

He was picked in the fourth round of the 2008 draft by San Diego. Kipnis said they offered him less than the $400,000 slotted for fourth-round picks. He went back to Arizona State, and batted .384 with 21 HR and 77 RBI in 63 games as a senior.

"Jason always believed he was good enough to be a first-round pick," said Tribe scouting director Brad Grant.

The 2009 draft

Here was the MLB.com scouting report on Kipnis in 2009: "It's hard to argue with the statistical success Kipnis has had at ASU, particularly in his junior season. But projecting him is a little more difficult. He's got average tools across the board and does tend to play above them. But he doesn't profile as an everyday guy at any one outfield position, making him more of a tweener or fourth-outfielder type. Still, he's tightened up his swing and his on-base ability should appeal to those teams who really value those skills."

At 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, Kipnis didn't look like a prime prospect. So much of his success seemed to be the product of sheer desire, racing around the bases, making diving plays in the field. He was not a "pretty player" who made the game look easy.

But Grant absolutely loved Kipnis as a hitter and valued his relentless hustle. The Indians grabbed him in he second round ... the 63rd pick. He signed for $550,000.

Here is a scouting report from Baseball America: "Kipnis doesn't have one standout tool, but can do a little bit of everything. He has a patient approach and a line-drive swing. He has shown he can hit quality pitching, though he doesn't profile for big power with a wood bat, making him a potential tweener. While his defense in center field has improved, he doesn't have the range to stay there long-term -- yet he might not hit enough to man a corner spot. He may also get a chance to try second base."

Thursday afternoon, I read that report to Grant. "That was how most of the (baseball) industry viewed Jason," the scouting director said. "They didn't think he had speed to play center, or the power to be a corner outfielder. It's also very hard for most prospects to go from an outfielder in college to an infielder (in the pros)."

The Indians had another opinion. West Coast scout Paul Gogan believed in Kipnis and first brought him to Grant's attention. The pair didn't worry about the conventional wisdom. Their eyes told a different story.

"He was an elite hitter," Grant said. "We thought the game was changing, that you didn't need to hit 25 homers to be a corner outfielder. So if Jason had to change positions, we thought his bat was good enough to make him valuable."

The position change

Grant said the Tribe interviewed Kipnis in the Arizona State dugout before a game. They videotaped it to be shown to the top people in the front office.

"He had presence and confidence," said Grant. "All these guys will say they can make it in the majors, but there was something about Kipnis that made you just know he could do it. His interview reflected how he played. You listened to him and you wanted him on your team."

It's also why the Tribe believed Kipnis could learn to play second. After signing, Kipnis played center in 2009, batting .306 at Class A Mahoning Valley. That winter, he was switched to second. He worked with former Tribe infielder Travis Fryman.

"He was determined to make it work," said Grant. "It's not easy. We tried it with Trevor Crowe, (who) couldn't do it."

The Indians convinced Kipnis that second base was an interstate highway to the majors. He learned the position. By the end of the 2011 season, he was in Cleveland.

History means something

The reason for this background is to reveal the character that helped him bounce back from 2014. He knew that some people doubted him.

"Jason plays with a bit of a chip on his shoulder," said Antonetti. "He likes to prove people wrong. Look at how hard he runs out routine ground balls. He takes nothing for granted."

In spring training, Francona occasionally reminded the media, "People forget how good Kip is. ... He can beat you in so many ways."

Kipnis can steal bases. He can bunt. He can hit for power. "A year ago, it hurt him because he was beat up (physically)," said Francona. "He couldn't do what he normally could do, and that made him angry."

And determined.

"He's worked so hard," said Antonetti. "We're so proud of him. He deserves to be an All-Star."

Hot-hitting David Murphy made his first start of the season against a left-handed when he faced Houston's Brett Oberholtzer on Thursday night. Murphy has only 10 at-bats against lefties this year.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here are the starting lineups for the Indians game against the Astros on Thursday night at Progressive Field.

INDIANS

2B Jason Kipnis.

SS Francisco Lindor.

CF Michael Brantley.

DH Ryan Raburn.

1B Carlos Santana.

C Yan Gomes.

RF David Murphy.

3B Giovanny Urshela.

LF Mike Aviles.

RHP Cody Anderson, 1-1, 0.76.

HOUSTON

2B Jose Altuve.

RF Preston Tucker.

SS Carlos Correa.

3B Luis Valbuena.

DH Eva Gattis.

LF Colby Rasmus.

C Hank Conger.

1B Jon Singleton.

CF Jake Marisnick.

LHP Brett Oberholtzer, 2-1, 4.32.

UMPIRES

H Ed Hickox.

1B Mike Estabrook.

2B Dana DeMuth, crew chief.

3B Paul Nauert

Third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall and shortstop Jose Ramirez, who opened the season with the Indians, are being used at different positions at Class AAA Columbus to increase their versatility and, perhaps, their trade value.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The deposed left side of the Indians' infield, exiled to Class AAA Columbus on June 7, is trying to spread its wings in the bushes.

Third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall played right field for the Clippers on Wednesday night. Manager Terry Francona said Chisenhall requested the move.

Regarding shortstop Jose Ramirez, Francona said he's going to start playing other positions, including the outfield. Managers love players who can play shortstop and center field and Ramirez looks like he has the talent to do that.

"Lonnie actually wanted to do that," said Francona. "That was his idea. He wants to play some first base and the outfield to make himself more valuable. I don't want to speak for him, but I think he said playing third base was weighing on him a little bit.

"That's a unique skill set. A guy who can play the corner outfield, who can play first and third, that's a pretty unique skill set. I think we're going to start moving Jose Ramirez around, too, maybe even to the outfield."

Francona compared Ramirez to San Diego's utility man Alexi Amarista.

"Amarista has had a pretty damn good career because he can play center, too," said Francona. "We're trying to find ways to make our guys more valuable to us."

Along the way, they're also making them more valuable assets in potential trades.

Chisenhall is hitting .296 (29-for-98) with seven doubles, three homers and 15 RBI at Columbus. He's played 22 games at third and one in right field.

Ramirez is hitting .360 (36-for-100) with 17 runs and nine RBI in 26 games since being demoted. He's stolen 11 bases in 14 attempts, while playing 15 games at second, nine at shortstop and one in the outfield.

Chisenhall and Ramirez were relaced by rookies Giovanny Urshela at third and Francisco Lindor at shortstop.

Take a break: Early in the season Brandon Moss warned reporters, "I'm going to strike out."

Moss has proved to be a man of his word. He leads the Indians with 89 strikeouts, six coming Tuesday and Wednesday against the Astros. He was not in the lineup Thursday as David Murphy, in his first start against a left-hander this season, replaced him in right field.

"I wanted to give Mossie a day off," said Francona. "We've got Oakland coming in and I didn't want to sit him because they've got three righties going.

"Mossie has had a tough time against this guy (Houston starter Brett Oberholtzer) and I think this will be good for Murphy. Seeing some lefties is really good for Murph. It helps him stay on the ball."

Murphy, platooning with Ryan Raburn, had 10 at-bats against lefties this year before Thursday.

As for the strikeouts by Moss, Francona said, "He's going to have those stretches. We knew that. That's why we try not to hit him fourth because that can be glaring when a guy is swinging and missing.

"But if you bat him sixth or seventh, he might end up driving in 100. He might end up hitting 30 homers. You just have to live with the swing. That's part of it."

Finally: Mark Duncan, retired AP photographer, was honored before the game with an Indians jersey. A plaque was placed at the first base photographer's pit at Progressive Field naming it "The Mark Duncan Photo Pit." ... ESPN's Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg threw out the first pitches. They will do their show from Progressive Field on Friday morning. ... Josh Tomlin (right shoulder) will make a rehab start Friday night for Class AA Akron.

Other schools came after Miller, but he's around for a fifth year to fight for the quarterback job.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Braxton Miller didn't stay in Columbus to sit.

He can't imagine that. And neither should you.

His confirmation of the status quo Thursday changed nothing for anyone who didn't try to read too much of what was never there. Miller's not "back" -- he never left; he isn't returning because he's always been here.

Miller told the Columbus Dispatch on Thursday that "schools reached out, they reached out hard," to gauge his interest in a transfer. And it seemed for a while that people just didn't ever believe he'd stay, just like many didn't believe Cardale Jones would turn down the NFL to come back to Ohio State.

Both did.

(Check out this 17-step Miller process that led him from Ohio State to ... still at Ohio State to relive all that never was.)

And now the three-way quarterback battle is real, because Miller won't be going anywhere else on the field as long as he has a chance to serve as Ohio State's starter. I think the fifth-year senior, provided he remains healthy (a caveat that must be included for any QB coming off two shoulder surgeries) has a strong chance to win that job.

Because he believes, and I believe, that if Miller is healthy and here, he can't be the No. 3 quarterback and that's it. If he's No. 3, he'll be something else. During Ohio State's spring football practice, as Miller walked through the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, we discussed that idea for a while. 

If he's healthy and here, Urban Meyer must find a way to get Miller on the field. The two-time Big Ten Player of the Year cannot watch his final season. With that idea, Miller strongly agreed. So as you contemplate a position switch for Miller, do it with that in mind.

First, he will fight for the quarterback job. And I believe that fight will be real. Trying to predict a winner is only a guess. Meyer has said the Buckeyes will chart everything to determine the winner systematically. The only way they can really lose in this situation is if the team would somehow feel that the winner wasn't determined fairly.

There will be some hurt feelings, unless Meyer splits the ball into three pieces. Barrett will be the easiest to sit, because he has a future as the starter in 2016 and 2017 either way. Barrett also is the most natural leader of the group, and Meyer can trust him to handle whatever happens.

Jones is playing with house money already, everything in the life of the former third-stringer a bonus he never could have expected. Jones has soaked in every moment. And he best fits the NFL model of a quarterback. He doesn't need to play this season to intrigue the NFL.

Knowing the potential of his future, Jones will be more locked in than ever before, even if he's not the starter. Every rep in practice will make him better. Once the season ends and he gets to the NFL Combine, what teams see there will determine his draft status as much, if not more, than what happens with the Buckeyes this season.

Could Jones be Ohio State's No. 3 quarterback this fall and a first-round draft choice in the spring? I think so.

So Miller's case is the most complicated. The tale of this quarterback battle gains intrigue with the losers, not the winner. Because the Buckeyes can win with any of them. 

That may be Miller as the starter. That may be Miller as a change-of-pace second quarterback behind the No. 1 guy. But if neither of those come around, then think about Miller somewhere else, maybe more as an H-back than a receiver. But as something. On the field.

Miller is as aware of his pro future as he is of his OSU legacy. He confirmed he probably would have turned pro after the 2013 season if he hadn't been injured. He wants to make some money for his family. He won't be blind to a position switch, at some point, if he knows for sure that's the best way to make the NFL. It won't happen four years later, like it did for Terrelle Pryor.

But he didn't rehab his shoulder for the last 10 1/2 months to give up passing now. He'll take his shot. Miller is as supremely confident in his own abilities as any player in the nation. The offense Barrett directed last season, as a point guard getting the ball to his playmakers, is an offense that Miller believes he can operate as well.

That's what he'll try to be. That's what he's here to try to win, the right to be a quarterback that we've never seen him be before. If he's not, then Miller will be something. 

In a poll from January laying out Miller's five options, with more than 9,000 votes, 49 percent said Miller should stay at Ohio State but switch positions. Nearly 20 percent said he should transfer to another power. Staying to fight for the quarterback job received just over 14 percent of the vote.

Take a bow, 14 percenters. Miller is ready to fight. But if he loses that battle, he won't just be watching.

The Indians used the pitching of Cody Anderson and a three-run sixth inning to beat Houston on Thursday night at Progressive Field. The Indians took three out of four games from the AL West-leading Astros.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Manager Terry Francona said Cody Anderson made a mistake in his off-season training program following the 2013 season.

"He's always worked hard, but he was kind of like the lumberjack swinging the ax," said Francona. "He was kind of bulky and didn't have a lot of flexibility."

Anderson changed his training methods following a poor 2014 season in the minors, but you'd have a hard time convincing the Houston Astros that he wasn't Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox rolled into one Thursday night at Progressive Field.

The legend of the 6-4, 235-pound rookie right-hander with the lumberjack-chic beard continued to grow as he pitched the Indians to a 3-1 victory over the Astros on a rain-splattered night. Anderson, boosted by a three-run rally from the offense in the sixth, won for the second time in four starts by holding the Astros to one run on three hits in 6 2/3 innings.

In the early going, Anderson (2-1, 0.89) used every inch of Progressive Field because he was up in the zone and the Astros were hitting long fly balls all over the place. The only one that cleared the fence belonged to Hank Conger to start the third inning to give Houston a 1-0 lead.

Anderson, however, continued to make pitches when they meant something. The opposition is just 1-for-15 with runners in scoring position against him in his four starts. The Astros, leading the AL in homers and second in runs, went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position against Anderson.

The Indians did all their scoring in the sixth. Lefty Brett Oberholtzer (2-2, 4.46), after five scoreless innings, gave up a leadoff homer to rookie Francisco Lindor to tie the score. Lindor hit a 3-1 pitch just over the 19-foot wall in left for his second big-league homer.

Michael Brantley and Ryan Raburn followed with consecutive doubles for a 2-1 lead. Josh Fields relieved and Carlos Santana greeted him with a triple off the wall in left center for a 3-1 lead.

Francona removed Anderson with two out in seventh and the bullpen secured the victory. Marc Rzepczynski and Bryan Shaw retired four straight to get the ball to closer Cody Allen, who pitched around a single by Jose Altuve and a two-out walk by Luis Valbuena to record his 18th save.

Indians pitchers held the powerful Astros to five runs in the last three games of this four-game series. The Astros have lost five of their last six.

Anderson opened the season at Class AA Akron where he went 3-2 with a 1.73 ERA in 10 starts. He was promoted to Class AAA Columbus in June and went 1-1 with a 2.33 ERA in three starts before getting called to Cleveland.

What it means

The Indians (41-44) are showing a strong finishing kick toward the All-Star break. They've won eight of their last 11, while improving to 18-24 at home.

The Astros (49-39) lost three out of four to the Indians in this series to drop their lead over the Angels in the AL West to one game. The Indians finished 5-2 against the Astros this year and are 16-5 since Houston joined the American League in 2013.

Thanks for coming

The Indians and Astros drew 11,496 fans to Progressive Field. Their attendance for 42 home dates is 710,222.

The Indians drew 748,276 through 42 home dates last year.

What happens next?

Oakland arrives Friday for its first and only visit to Progressive Field. Right-hander Danny Salazar (7-4, 4.10) will face Oakland RHP Kendall Graveman (6-4, 3.16) on Friday at 7:10.

It will be Salazar's first career start against the A's. This year Salazar is 3-1 with a 4.41 ERA in six starts at Progressive Field.

LeBron James, Kevin Love, and Iman Shumpert signed for combined $200 million on Thursday, and the Cavaliers aren't done fortifying their future.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cavaliers fortified their probably bright, certainly expensive future on Thursday by finalizing contracts with players worth $200 million, punctuated by LeBron James agreeing to another short-term deal with Cleveland.

James told the Cavs he would sign a one-year, $23 million contract with a $24 million player option for 2016-17. Kevin Love (five years, $113 million) and Iman Shumpert (four years, $40 million) actually signed contracts, while the Cavs were hopeful to get James' contract signed and shipped to the league office by Thursday's end.

If the process wasn't complete for James by then, it would likely be completed Friday.

Due to his travel schedule, Mo Williams is expected to sign his one-year, $2.1 million deal with a player's option for 2016-17 (worth $2.3 million) to rejoin the organization on Friday. He last played for Cleveland in 2011, and was here during the franchise's two best regular seasons with James from 2008-10.

Cavs owner Dan Gilbert is spending to make sure those days stick around for quite a while. Add in Kyrie Irving's five-year, $94.3 million extension that kicked in last week, and Gilbert has committed nearly $300 million to a core group that dominated the NBA in the second half last season and won two games in the Finals. He's not done spending.

The Cavs will re-sign Tristan Thompson at some point, for something likely above $80 million over five years, with additional roster decisions to make.

James' camp hinted that negotiations wouldn't begin until Thompson (who is represented by James' agent, Rich Paul) had an agreement in hand. Instead, James signed on the first day allowable for free agents under NBA rules.

"There was no need" for James to wait for Thompson, according to a source close to the two players. "LeBron is LeBron and Tristan is Tristan. Tristan earned his positioning."

When contract negotiations stalled between Thompson and the Cavs shortly after July 1 - when the two sides were reportedly close on a five-year, $80 million deal - it appeared James would use his own leverage to get the best deal for Thompson.

As expected, James will come back on a one-year deal with a player's option to maintain contract flexibility for the years ahead when his earning potential will explode. A nine-year, $24 billion TV deal kicks in for the NBA next summer, and it's believed James could become the NBA's first $200 million player if he signs a five-year deal in the summer of 2017-18.

James, 30, has said he wants to finish his career in Cleveland. The Cavs will be able to pay him more than any franchise, and he's said he's "happy" to play and raise his family here.

News of his new contract came two days shy of the one-year anniversary of when he shocked the league by announcing his decision to leave the Miami Heat for the Cavs, and on the eve of his first feature-length film -- "Trainwreck" -- debuting in a red-carpet event in Akron.

James posted near-career lows in points (25.3 points per game) and rebounds (6.0) during the regular season in 2014-15, but averaged 30.1 ppg, 11.3 rpg, and 8.5 assists in the playoffs.

The salary cap is set for a record-high $70 million next season and could increase by $40 million over the next three years.

Love announced his decision to return to the Cavs on July 1, and said in a video posted to the Players' Tribune website Thursday that he had long discussions with Griffin, Cavs coach David Blatt, and James before ultimately deciding to return.

Love has been open about his sometimes tumultuous first season with the Cavs and with James in particular, but was sold on the chance to return to the Finals. He averaged 16.4 points and 9.7 rebounds during the regular season and played just three full playoff games before suffering a serious shoulder injury that required surgery.

"We talked a lot of stuff out," Love said of James, with whom he met near a Los Angeles-area pool on June 28. "It was very honest. We came to a really good place and agreed on a lot of things."

Griffin said "(f)rom the moment Kevin arrived, he has shared our plan for winning in Cleveland. Today confirms our mutual belief in that vision." Griffin traded eventual Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins to Minnesota to bring Love here last summer.

Shumpert was acquired via trade from the Knicks along with J.R. Smith on Jan. 5. He averaged 7.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 38 regular-season games, and 9.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.3 steals as a starter in the Finals.

"He is evolving as a playmaker on both ends and his impact on our group was enormous throughout our Finals run," Griffin said.

Cleveland still needs to resign restricted free agent Matthew Dellavedova and determine whether to bring back J.R. Smith, and wants to move the non-guaranteed, $10.5 million contract of Brendan Haywood for a veteran guard or wing.

The Indians have won three straight after losing three straight.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Right-hander Cody Anderson allowed one run in 6 2/3 innings and Francisco Lindor homered as the Cleveland Indians defeated the Houston Astros, 3-1, Thursday night at Progressive Field.

Here is a capsule look at the game after a DVR review of the Fox SportsTime Ohio telecast:

Streaky: The Tribe's past 14 games are as follows:

L, L, L, W, W, W, W, W, L, L, L, W, W, W.

Quality work: The Indians (41-44) won the season series against the Astros, 5-2. They opened the season by winning two of three in Houston and bagged three of four in Cleveland. Both of the losses came against Cy Young contender Dallas Keuchel.

Struggling: The Astros (49-39) have lost five of six. They remain in first place in the AL West, but the LA Angels (46-38 entering Thursday night) almost have run them down.

Extra, extra: The Indians strung four extra-base hits in the sixth to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 lead.

*Lindor led off against lefty Brett Oberholtzer with a homer to left. Lindor flipped the hips on a 3-1 fastball running in and snuck it over the 19-foot wall for his second MLB homer. He finished 2-for-4.

*Michael Brantley drove in Lindor with a double to right. Brantley pounced on an 0-1 breaking pitch that stayed up just enough on the inner third. He finished 2-for-4. In the final three games of the series, he was 6-for-11.

*Ryan Raburn drove in Brantley with a double to left. Down in the count, 1-2, Raburn spit on a sweeper down and in. Before the 2-2 pitch, Oberholtzer stepped off and drew a visit from catcher Conger. Oberholtzer attempted to throw a fastball in -- an effective pitch/location earlier in the at-bat -- but Raburn had none of it.

Raburn finished 2-for-3.

Righty Josh Fields relieved Oberholtzer.

*Carlos Santana fell behind, 1-2, before driving in Raburn with a triple to center. Producing with runner(s) on base has been a problem for Santana this season, so Tribe faithful had a right to be thrilled.

Santana finished 2-for-3.

Power of the beard: Anderson gave up three hits, walked two and struck out one. He threw 49 of 79 pitches for strikes.

Since being promoted from Class AAA Columbus on June 21, Anderson has made four superb starts. Each has lasted at least 6 2/3 innings, with no more than one run allowed. The combined line: 30 1/3 IP, 17 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 11 K (2-1, 0.89 ERA).

On Thursday, Anderson relied on a fastball/changeup/cutter combination and sprinkled in curves.

Anderson benefitted early from Progressive Field playing big. Within the first three innings, four Houston batters flied out to the track and another, Hank Conger, homered. Conger led off the third with a blast to right-center that made it 1-0.

Anderson did a better job of getting pitches down as the game unfolded.

Here is a pitch-by-pitch breakdown of Anderson's start:

FIRST INNING

(R) Jose Altuve -- 94 fastball, fly to center.

Skinny: Altuve's attempt to ambush Anderson failed because the fastball ran downhill.

(L) Preston Tucker -- 93 fastball outside, 94 fastball low and in; 94 fastball foul; 94 fastball foul; 88 cutter high; 94 fastball, fly to left (track).

(R) Carlos Correa -- 92 fastball inside; 85 changeup, grounder to third.

(9 pitches)

SECOND INNING

(L) Luis Valbuena -- 92 fastball swinging strike; 92 fastball foul; 93 fastball inside; 86 changeup foul; 92 fastball, liner to left (track).

Skinny: Running catch by Mike Aviles denies former Indian Valby extra bases.

(R) Evan Gattis -- 89 cutter called strike; 93 fastball swinging strike (down and in); 93 fastball inside; 78 curve high; 85 changeup low; 95 fastball foul; 93 fastball, pop to second.

Skinny: Big fella Anderson jammed even bigger fella Gattis.

(L) Colby Rasmus -- 93 fastball, grounder to first.

(13 pitches)

THIRD INNING

(L) Hank Conger -- 92 fastball foul; 84 changeup swinging strike (in dirt); 94 fastball inside (barely); 83 changeup, homer to right-center.

Skinny: Right idea, wrong execution. The second change piece was a hanger.

(L) Jon Singleton -- 94 fastball called strike; 93 fastball high; 94 fastball low; 83 changeup swinging strike; 83 changeup, fly to center (at wall).

Skinny: Singleton kept the hands back on a pitch that was down. Michael Brantley made the catch.

(R) Jake Marisnick -- 92 fastball, fly to left (track).

Skinny: Marisnick missed a hittable pitch. Anderson was doing the rope-a-dope.

(R) Jose Altuve -- 93 fastball low; 84 changeup swinging strike; 93 fastball, grounder to third.

Skinny: Giovanny Urshela easily fielded the chopper on the grass.

(13 pitches)

FOURTH INNING

(L) Preston Tucker -- fastball high; 86 cutter down and in; 83 changeup foul; 93 fastball in; 91 fastball high, walk.

Skinny: The 3-1 count was the fifth against Anderson in his MLB starts.

(R) Carlos Correa -- 87 cutter outside; 91 fastball, single to center (Tucker to second).

Skinny: Correa's soft single was his first hit of the series.

(L) Luis Valbuena -- 91 fastball called strike; 93 fastball inside; 89 cutter swinging strike; 84 changeup foul; 92 fastball foul; 87 off-speed down and in; 92 fastball low and away (Tucker caught stealing third; Correa to second); 84 changeup, fly to center (Correa to third).

Skinny: Tucker appeared to have thought the pitch came in a 3-2 count. Tribe catcher Yan Gomes erased him easily.

(R) Evan Gattis -- 83 changeup down and away; 92 fastball, grounder to second.

Skinny: Gattis jammed himself.

(17 pitches)

FIFTH INNING

(L) Colby Rasmus -- fastball, single to right.

(L) Hank Conger -- 88 changeup called strike; 90 fastball foul; 86 changeup foul; 84 changeup, grounder to catcher.

Skinny: Anderson learned his lesson from previous Conger AB: Keep the changeup down.

(L) Jon Singleton -- 92 fastball up and in; 82 changeup inside (barely); 92 fastball up; 92 fastball called strike; 91 fastball down and in, walk (Rasmus to second).

Skinny: Rare wildness from Anderson, against a struggling batter who will chase.

(R) Jake Marisnick -- 85 changeup called strike; 90 fastball, GIDP 5-3.

Skinny: Arguably Anderson's pitch of the game. Marisnick reached for the fastball down and away and chopped to Urshela, who fielded the ball as he stepped on the bag.

(12 pitches)

SIXTH INNING

(R) Jose Altuve -- 89 cutter high; 82 changeup, pop to short.

Skinny: Pesky Altuve reached for a nasty pitch.

(L) Preston Tucker -- 81 changeup, grounder to second.

Skinny: Great call by Gomes, who anticipated Tucker would be aggressive.

(R) Carlos Correa --86 cutter outside; 83 changeup called strike; 83 changeup foul (hanger); 91 fastball, called strikeout.

Skinny: Correa has only himself to blame for missing the hanging change piece.

(7 pitches)

SEVENTH INNING

(L) Luis Valbuena -- fastball high (Anderson checked at mound for possible injury); 91 fastball called strike; 86 cutter inside; 91 fastball high and away; 91 fastball foul; 92 fastball, grounder to pitcher.

(R) Evan Gattis -- fastball foul; changeup, grounder to third.

(8 pitches)

(Lefty Marc Rzepczynski relieves and retires Rasmus on a grounder to short.)

LeBron James had opted out of his player option for the 2015-16 season but it was expected he would be back with the Cavaliers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Last but by no means least, LeBron James is back in the fold with the Cavaliers.

James and team agreed to a one-year, $23 million contract for next season with a player's option for 2016-17 worth $24 million, multiple sources told the Northeast Ohio Media Group.

Though players can now sign free agent contracts, James hasn't actually signed his, according to a source. But he has notified the team he is indeed coming back, and a second source said he would sign "as soon as they are able to print the contract."

James' name will almost certainly be signed to a contract by the time he walks the red carpet in Akron for the local premiere of his first feature-length film "Trainwreck" on Friday.

He'll sign just ahead of the one-year anniversary of his return to Cleveland as a free agent, which is Saturday. On July 11, 2014, he shocked the world with his "I'm Coming Home" essay in Sports Illustrated, sending a jolt through the city and the organization.

James' latest agreement with the Cavs is no surprise; his intention was always to return and he wants contract flexibility so he can maximize his earning potential after the NBA's nine-year, $24 billion TV deal explodes league revenues starting next summer. The salary cap for next season is $70 million, but could jump by $40 million over the next three seasons.

James made it known he wouldn't negotiate until the Cavs made other roster moves first. Cleveland General Manager David Griffin took away some of the suspense in short order, but stalled negotiations between the team and Tristan Thompson (who is also represented by James' agent, Rich Paul) kept James on the sidelines.

On July 1, the first day of free agency in the NBA, the Cavs landed Kevin Love on a five-year, $113 million max contract and Iman Shumpert to a four-year, $40 million contract. Love already announced his signing today, and the Cavs confirmed Shumpert's signing this afternoon.

The team could announce Mo Williams' free-agent contract -- worth $4.3 million over two years -- as early as today.

Thompson was close to a reported five-year, $80 million deal with the team last week, but there is still no agreement. A source said there was "no need" for James to continue to wait for Thompson's deal to be finished.

Cleveland still needs to resign restricted free agent Matthew Dellavedova and determine whether to bring back J.R. Smith, and must also move the non-guaranteed, $10.5 million contract of Brendan Haywood for a veteran guard or wing.

James, 30, has said he wants to finish his career in Cleveland. But his desire to remain on short-term contracts, at least for a few years, gives him great leverage to hold over the Cavs, to the point where he could leave if he felt the proper steps weren't being taken to keep the team a contender.

Now that the Cavs have Love, Shumpert, Kyrie Irving and soon Thompson locked up for years, at a cost of about $330 million. Owner Dan Gilbert has opened his wallet and surrounded James with a core group that is likely the best in the NBA (when James is included) -- points that are not lost on him.

James posted near-career lows in points (25.3 points per game) and rebounds (6.0) during the regular season in 2014-15, but averaged 30.1 ppg, 11.3 rpg, and 8.5 assists in the playoffs, which ended with a 4-2 loss in The Finals to Golden State.

This story was updated with additional information.

Pitcher Shawn Armstrong leads the Clippers with 10 saves.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Consistency has been Columbus Clippers relief pitcher Shawn Armstrong's calling card since he left spring training.

Pitcher Shawn Armstrong 

That approach has helped him collect 10 saves. He has not allowed an earned run since June 8. He has not given up a home run since last August.

His owes it all to his routine and aggressive outlook on the mound.

"The pitching coaches have been working on my delivery and I've been getting ahead with the fastball," said Armstrong, a prospect for the Cleveland Indians. "Going after hitters and not trying to pitch around them has also helped. I've tried to attack hitters and get outs as quick as I can."

Armstrong has not had much trouble in that department. He has nine strikeouts and allowed only two hits and one walk in his last five innings.

But Armstrong did have some struggles prior to the streak that he was able to correct.

"You're going to have some inconsistencies through a season, and I had some being inconsistent with the strike zone," said Armstrong, selected by the Tribe in the 18th round of the 2011 draft out of East Carolina University.

"I've been focusing on getting ahead in the strike zone," he said. "I don't pay attention much to the scoreless streak because I'm about trying to get the job done and give us a chance to win every time I get the ball."

Big stick

Jesus Aguilar is tied with Toledo's Jefry Marte for most RBI in the International League (55). Dating to the start of the 2014 season, nobody has driven in more runners in the league than Aguilar (132, Matt Hague has 129). This year, Aguilar is hitting nearly 100 points higher with men on than with the bases empty (.307 to .214) and he is at .351 (13x37) with runners in scoring position and two outs.

Inside pitch

When Jose Ramirez was held hitless earlier this week it was just the fourth time in 26 games, but the second game in a row (last time with consecutive hitless games in the IL was from 7/5-7/7/14, three straight) ... Lefty Michael Roth (7-4) gave up five hits, one walk and had four strikeouts in Thursday's victory over Toledo ... Jerry Sands is one of only four batters in the league with as many walks as strikeouts (minimum 200PA, 102 qualifiers). Sands has 32 of each and his 12 home runs are more than those other three batters combined. Among all 102 qualifiers, his 15.6 percent walk rate ranks 2nd (Durham's Allan Dykstra leads at 20.3 percent).
 

Home schedule

The Clippers host Indianapolis tonight, Saturday and Sunday.

"The human element is dangerous," Meyer said. "If it's about them, it can be very bad. If it's about the team (it's fine), and I think our culture right now wouldn't support something about them." Watch video

SANDUSKY, Ohio -- On some level, Urban Meyer admitted Friday, the Ohio State quarterback battle will be terrible.

"The only bad thing I see right now is there are one or two of those individuals that aren't going to play a lot. And that's terrible," Meyer said. "Because all three of those guys have done major things. They're not like freshmen or rookies. All three have made a major impact on this program. MAJOR impact. You go down in Ohio State history, those three names are going to be there.'

As the reality of the looming three-man fight among Braxton Miller, Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett to lead the defending National Champions grows even more real (yes, they're all really back), Meyer knows he has two parts to manage.

The battle. And the people.

"The human element is dangerous," Meyer said. "If it's about them, it can be very bad. If it's about the team (it's fine), and I think our culture right now wouldn't support something about them."

Meyer spoke Friday after an appearance at a fundraiser sponsored by the Ginn Academy and also attended by Ted Ginn Sr., Ted Ginn Jr. and Jones. So he had one of his QB choices in the room with him.

In many ways, this will be about Meyer. He must choose the quarterback, and then deal with the others. If you'll notice, he mentioned one or two quarterbacks who won't play. Just one who won't play? There was an opening for a question about a two-quarterback system or position switch that would allow two guys to play and it was not taken, so apologies for that. It's on the list for next time.

But he can't play three. So someone will be disappointed. He agreed with that idea that the battle may be defined more by how the non-starters handle it than by who gets picked as No. 1.

"I just have enough confidence in the character of the people involved, including their families, that it's going to hurt, but I don't think it's going to be detrimental," Meyer said. "And if it is, then that's my job to stop it."

First he has to pick a winner. And as much as he must deal with the people after the decision, he even more strongly stated his stance from spring, that hard measurements of August performance will make this call for him. That decision won't be personal.

"I'm going to try to go in with blinders on and watch practice and evaluate and chart everything and do a good job, because I owe that to the families," Meyer said.

The start of the competition with preseason camp is less than a month away. All three quarterbacks are in, with Jones passing on the NFL and Miller turning down transfer interests from other schools. 

Meyer said again he's not surprised it will be a three-man fight. He thinks players don't want to leave Columbus, that instead players "fight to stay here."

"I really believe the reason Braxton came back and Cardale came back and J.T. is fighting so hard, they love each other," Meyer said. "Not to say they're always best friends all together, but they have been through so much together, they don't want to let each other down. You get that kind of culture, you can move mountains."

He doesn't have to move anything. All he needs to do is pick a quarterback. That may be just as tough.

"It's much harder if they aren't good players," Meyer said. "Trying to move the football with a bad quarterback, you've got a bad deal. That's real difficult."

LeBron James is officially signed as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- LeBron James' signature is on the piece of paper keeping him a Cavalier for at least one more season, with many likely to follow.

The NBA superstar signed his one-year deal with a player's option for 2016-17 Friday with the Cavaliers. He informed the team Thursday that he was ready to sign, and the Cavs announced the signing Friday afternoon.

The team did not disclose the terms of the deal, but multiple sources told the Northeast Ohio Media Group the contract calls for James to make nearly $23 million in 2015-16 with a $24 million option the following season.

James, 30, has said he wants to finish his career in Cleveland, where he played his first seven seasons before leaving for Miami for four years. In his first season back with the Cavs, he led them to the NBA Finals, only to lose in six games with a depleted roster to the Golden State Warriors.

"LeBron's re-signing today is a reflection and continuation of his strong, personal commitment to help deliver championships to northeast Ohio and Cavs fans everywhere," Cleveland General Manager David Griffin said in a statement. "We share this deep level of commitment with him. His impact upon this team, his community and the game are impossible to overstate and we look forward to continuing on our mission together."

James was widely expected to return after last season despite opting out of the contract he signed last July, and the short-term contract he signed Friday is no surprise, either.

To maximize his earning potential and maintain contract flexibility, James wants to sign short-term deals until the time is right financially for him to sign a long-term extension. That time could be the 2017-18 season, when he could sign a five-year deal worth more than $200 million.

By the summer of 2017, the Cavs could pay him more than any other team.

James posted near-career lows in points (25.3 points per game) and rebounds (6.0) during the regular season in 2014-15, but averaged 30.1 ppg, 11.3 rpg, and 8.5 assists in the playoffs.

He also missed a career-high 13 games, mostly due to injury, and was one of only three players in the NBA to accumulate 1,700 points, 500 assists, 400 rebounds and 100 steals (James Harden, Russell Westbrook).

The Cavaliers also announced the signing of Mo Williams to a contract Friday, and on Thursday signed Kevin Love and Iman Shumpert.

Williams' deal is for one year and $2.1 million with a player's option for 2016-17; Love's contract is for five years and $113 million and Shumpert's is for four years and $40 million.

Among those three and James, Cavs owner Dan Gilbert has agreed to pay out more than $200 million, with more spending to come.

To whatever degree James was focus on his contract before he signed, he can now fully turn his attention to some of his offcourt commitments.

Tonight he's hosting a red-carpet event for his new movie "Trainwreck" in Akron.

He's up for three awards and will be a presenter at the ESPYs next week in Los Angeles, and next weekend will attend the NBA players' union's first summer meetings as executive vice president.

Two All-Star Games! Expanded rosters! New rules! A-Rod, too!

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The All-Star Game, which rolls into Cincinnati next week, became inconsequential when it stopped being the only meeting of players from the American League and National League until the World Series.

Interleague play killed the novelty.

A tie game in 2002, in which both managers ran out of players, showed how participation ribbons meant as much as winning.

That contest had the contradictory effect of trying to restore consequence by making home-field advantage in the World Series depend on the exhibition game. This was silly, and it showed how far the "Midsummer Classic" had declined since Pete Rose ran over Ray Fosse at home plate, possibly because "Charlie Gamble" had a dime on the National League.

Two games

The All-Star Game needs some fixing up, so let's think farther "outside the box" than Albert Belle was when he would smudge out the back line of the batter's box. Some of this stuff is so far out of the box, you would need the proverbial "wagon tongue" to hit it.

We change the All-Star game by making it bigger.

It's to be a Monday through Thursday, two-game, two-city extravaganza. Two games revives an old idea, two All-Star Games, early- and late-season, from 1959-62, only we do it in the same week.

The weekend following the Thursday game would be free of games to give All-Star participants three days off.

Different rosters

On Monday, the players work out in, say, Cincinnati. The rosters grow for the new, improved "All-Star Week" with the extra game.

The Tuesday opener features starters made up solely of fan selections in national voting. The starters for the second game on Thursday have to be players selected by their peers and by league managers. Let's see how Kansas City's ballot  box-stuffed Omar Infante really compares to the Tribe's Jason Kipnis and Houston's Jose Altuve at second base.

The delay from Sunday to Thursday lets pitchers participate who were named to the All-Star Game, but who pitched on the last day before the break.

If there is some overlap in the rosters, so what? This way, enough additional players are available to avoid another 2002 debacle.

We use natural rivalries to determine the All-Star cities -- Cleveland and Cincinnati, San Francisco and Oakland, Baltimore and Washington and so on. (Seattle? We'll figure something out. The Mariners' natural rivals might be the Nippon Ham Fighters.)

A Home Run Derby with a difference

Wednesday, a travel day, concludes with the Home Run Derby. We need the derby more than ever in a defensive era. In case the leagues split the two games and the run differential is the same, the derby becomes the tiebreaker for home-field advantage in the World Series.

This makes the derby more meaningful and puts more emphasis on the offense in the actual games, too.

Run differential

I'm not crazy about using run differential as the first tiebreaker, but it's been a staple of European soccer playoffs for years. A best two-out-three All-Star format is one game too many. Players would never agree to it.

A-Rod

Alex Rodriguez makes our game. I know players and fans hate him. He still has historic numbers and was, behind Barry Bonds, the best of the steroid era. He's also having a good year at DH, as is the rejuvenated Albert Pujols. So it's not like adding Willie Mays when he couldn't play anymore.

New rules

We do away with any pretense that it's just another game and use All-Star Week as a rules laboratory.

Let's give a trial run to Charlie Finley's old idea of a "designated runner."  It didn't work for Herb Washington (the original), but a fast player, substituted once per game, never playing in the field, would be an interesting twist to a team trailing in run differential.

Only one pitching change is allowed per inning, unless the reliever allows a run. We don't want to be here all night.

We also give a look-see to the revolutionary idea of the "bonus at-bat," a concept championed by Sports Illustrated's Tim Verducci as a cure for the ailing offenses. Once a game, a manager can change his batting order and move a player into a new slot with a run-scoring opportunity at hand.

OK, maybe we just give the last one a frightened glance, like rubberneckers passing a traffic accident, and move on.

I know. All this is as nonsensical as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and pitchers batting in one league and permanent pinch-hitters for them in the other.

And now Urban Meyer knows about his quarterback's joke tweet about an Akron transfer as well.

SANDUSKY, Ohio -- Nearly three months ago, Cardale Jones set Ohio State set social media on fire for a bit. Or maybe Jones thought it was four months ago.

Jones has been having a summer to remember on Twitter, but his words on May 1 are the ones that fans may remember most. He joked he was transferring to Akron. He wasn't.

Why'd he do it?

"OK, OK," Jones said Friday at a Ginn Academy event in Sandusky. "I really thought it was April 1. I'm serious. I realized it wasn't April 1, I was like, 'ooooo, May Fools' then I guess.'" I honestly thought it was April 1."

Jones said he caught some heat for the tweet prank, but when asked if Urban Meyer said anything, he said he didn't think Meyer knew about it. But Meyer knows about it now, because he was asked about it by a reporter at the same event.

"I didn't even see that," Meyer said. "Was that recently?"

No, it's been a while since your title-winning QB joked about leaving for the MAC.

"Tell him I'll go sign his papers right now," Meyer said with a smile.

Told Meyer had been asked about it, Jones said, "Oh, y'all told him, huh?" before muttering "that's messed up," three times with a smile on his face.

Jones, thankfully, remains an interesting follow on Twitter. But he probably won't try any more pranks. Or at least he'll double-check his calendar first.

Here's a reminder of Jones' activity from May Fool's

It was a rough decision but I think it's best for me, like to thank OSU for this amazing opportunity but my time here has came to an end [?]

-- Cardale Jones (@CJ12_) May 1, 2015

#NewBeginning #FreshStart

-- Cardale Jones (@CJ12_) May 1, 2015

#ZipNation

-- Cardale Jones (@CJ12_) May 1, 2015

MAY FOOLS [?]

-- Cardale Jones (@CJ12_) May 1, 2015

I don't tweet to entertain or humor you, if you didn't find my joke funny, SUCKS TO BE YOUUUUU [?] May Fools

-- Cardale Jones (@CJ12_) May 1, 2015

It's been a busy week, chronicling the most bizarre outdoor news of the day.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's been a busy week, chronicling bizarre outdoor news of the day. Spotted Lake Erie catfish, iguana hunts and rats that help beleaguered bobwhite quail lead the list.

Spotted Lake Erie catfish

Playing stump the experts, I sent a photo of a weird Lake Erie channel catfish caught recently to Ohio Division of Wildlife fisheries experts. I was out on the big lake with guide Jerry Abele of Head Hunter Fishing Adventures when Chet Peters, whose dad Jim had booked the walleye fishing trip, hooked and landed the strange creature.

The catfish had a smattering of black spots on its sides and small, distorted black whiskers.

Chris Vandergoot, head of the Lake Erie Fisheries Unit, was puzzled and sent the photo to Ohio Division of Wildlife fisheries biologists. The best answer came from Doug Sweet, superintendent of the London State Fish Hatchery.

It is probably a genetic mutation, but might be a melanoma, said Sweet. The lumpy spots on the barbels, or whiskers, could be melanoma. But the black spots on the side of the fish would be bumpy, as well, and they are not.

Iguana for dinner?

It seems unlikely an outdoor magazine would feature air gun hunting for iguanas in Puerto Rico. Editor-in-Chief Andrew McKean made the trip last spring, though, and posted the story and slide show on outdoorlife.com this week.

The U.S. hunters were carrying Hatsan BT Big Bore Carnivore air rifles in .35 and .38 caliber. The local fruit farmers welcomed the hunters. Iguanas are an invasive species in Puerto Rico and growing numbers prey on fruit farms after dark. Farmers have lost up to a quarter of their crop to hungry reptiles.

The biggest iguanas weighed about 20 pounds. The locals prepared them for dinner. McKean likened the taste to alligator meat.

Disclaimer: Having eaten iguana in Costa Rica, the taste was akin to chicken.

Will the Ballville Dam ever come down?

The controversial saga of the Ballville Dam on the Sandusky River has gone on for years. It appeared the decrepit dam would finally be notched this fall and brought down over the next year. Sierra Club Ohio supported the removal, but now the group is worried about toxic sediment behind the dam.

That prompted a lawsuit in U.S. District Court and the possibility of a long, expensive delay in removing the dam, ruled a safety hazard.

The Ohio Division of Wildlife, that helped the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers create the Environmental Impact Statement, is flummoxed. The lawsuit cites the destruction of spawning habitat. The ODOW points out removal of the dam would improve walleye spawning habitat along a river where walleye spawning production has plummeted the last two decades.

Want quail? More rats are needed

Who would have thought rats and mice were beneficial to bobwhite quail?

Quail numbers are down all around the southern U.S. The 4,270-acre Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch in Texas has analyzed the situation for nine years, including small mammal trapping surveys.

Turns out Rolling Plains researchers found that the greater number of rats and mice that are around, the more quail. During years when there are lots of rats, the habitat was better and could support more animals. Predators focused on the abundant four-legged animals, giving coveys of quail a big break.

Alaska, British Columbia clash over mines

The tailings dam at the Mount Polley mine in south central British Columbia collapsed less than a year ago, releasing 6.6 billion gallons of toxic waste that included arsenic, lead and nickel into the salmon lakes and streams of the Fraser River watershed.

Despite outrage from native Alaskans, commercial fishing interests, business owners and community leaders, British Columbia will allow the Mount Polley mine to re-open without recommended engineering, operational and safety changes.

Imperial Metals Corporation, which owns Mount Polley, recently opened the Red Chris mine in the headwaters of the Stikine River. It will be bigger than Mount Polley mine and, says critics, has greater potential to unleash acid mine drainage into pristine salmon waters.

Helping Ohio manage deer

State Rep. Margaret Ann Ruhl, a Republican from Mount Vernon, wants to help the Ohio Division of Wildlife manage Ohio's white-tailed deer. She sponsored HB 267, pie-in-the-sky legislation to establish a deer sanctuary license, allowing people to raise deer. It would also establish a permit to allow people to rehabilitate deer.

The bill would set protocols for law enforcement officers responding to accidents involving injured or dead deer and require officer training in humane procedures for euthanizing injured deer.

In an era of frequent deer-vehicle collisions, nuisance deer and Chronic Wasting Disease, wouldn't it be best to leave deer management to Ohio's wildlife officers? And to not encourage people to adopt what they think are abandoned fawns?