The Cleveland Indians hit two homers and three doubles and righty Danny Salazar was superb again in an 8-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Monday at Fenway Park.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Right-hander Danny Salazar allowed one run in seven innings and Lonnie Chisenhall went 2-for-4 with a two-run double and solo homer as the Cleveland Indians defeated the Boston Red Sox, 8-2, Monday night at Fenway Park in Boston.

The Indians improved to 55-62; the Red Sox slipped to 52-66.

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

Bat men: The Tribe socked two homers (Carlos Santana, Chisenhall) and three doubles (Michael Brantley, Chisenhall, Mike Aviles) for half of their hits. The Tribe rebounded from back-to-back poor performances in losses at Minnesota (combined two runs and 10 hits).

Welcome back: Designated hitter Brantley went 2-for-5 with an RBI and run in his return after missing three games because of a left-shoulder issue.

Brantley could have been 3-for-5 if not for a diving catch by center fielder Mookie Betts in left-center. Brantley getting robbed is nothing new.

Brantley owns multi-hit games in seven of his past eight starts.

On a roll: Salazar (11-6, 3.16 ERA) gave up four hits, walked one and struck out five. He threw 74 of 108 pitches for strikes.

Salazar secured his seventh straight quality start. Here are the lines (team result in parentheses):

July 10 vs. Athletics: 8.2 IP, 5 H, R, 0 ER, BB, 8 K (W, 5-1)

July 21 @ Brewers: 6 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 8 K (L, 8-1).

July 26 vs. White Sox: 6.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 8 K (L, 2-1).

July 31 @ Athletics: 8 IP, H, R, 0 ER, BB, 4 K (W, 2-1).

Aug. 5 @ Angels: 6 IP, 3 H, R, ER, 2 BB, 7 K (L, 4-3).

Aug. 12 vs. Yankees: 7.1 IP, 4 H, R, ER, 5 BB, 8 K (W, 2-1).

Aug. 17 @ Red Sox: 7 IP, 4 H, R, ER, BB, 5 K (W, 8-2).

Totals: 49.2 IP, 25 H, 10 R, 8 ER, 16 BB, 48 K (4-3)

In each of Salazar's past three starts, the only run against him came via homer from a left-handed batter: Kole Calhoun, Angels; Brian McCann, Yankees; and Travis Shaw, Red Sox.

Based strictly on the subjective eyeball test, Salazar's performance against the Red Sox ranks among the best of his three-year career. Here are several reasons:

* He handled a lineup that had been on fire.

In a three-game home series against Seattle over the weekend, the Red Sox amassed 45 runs and 60 hits in winning two of three. Yes, it's true: They had 45 runs and 60 hits -- 27 for extra bases.

The vast majority of the damage was done by those in the lineup against Salazar.

* He excelled in a ballpark that can be a bandbox.

It is one thing for a visiting pitcher to face hot hitters in certain venues. It that much more difficult given the dimensions of Fenway Park, where decent-to-good pitches can turn into doubles off the Green Monster or homers down the left- or right-field lines.

* He did not have his best stuff.

Make no mistake: Salazar's fastball/split-changeup/slider combination was plenty good. But each of the three pitches has been better at various points this season. The changeup, in particular, did not feature its typical dive; it was more of a slide.

When a pitcher can excel against a dangerous lineup in a challenging ballpark without his 'A' stuff, he is doing serious work.

The Salazar of not too long ago would have been in trouble Monday. The new and improved Salazar, who knows how to pitch instead of just throw, was unfazed.

Sequences of the year: In two seasons of watching every inning of every Indians game, DMan's Report has not enjoyed consecutive batter-pitcher matchups any more than that of Salazar vs. Shaw in the fifth and seventh innings.

Left-handed batter Shaw's first plate appearance came leading off the third. Salazar threw a fastball (93 mph) for a called strike and fastball (95) outside. Then he guided a changeup and left it over the plate at the knees, and Shaw smoked the ball high over the right-field wall to give the Red Sox a 1-0 lead.

As Shaw trotted around the bases, he could not have imagined the steely resolve of  Salazar and catcher Yan Gomes. If Shaw was going to go deep again, or even if he was going to dump a single into left field, it wouldn't come against a hanging changeup.

Here is the pitch sequence in Shaw's next plate appearance (none on, one out in fifth):

93 fastball called strike; 93 fastball swinging strike; 96 fastball foul; 96 fastball high and away; 93 fastball outside; 94 fastball up and in; 97 fastball foul; 97 fastball, swinging strikeout (letters).

The heat kept coming in Shaw's third plate appearance (runner on second, two outs in seventh):

94 fastball called strike; 96 fastball called strike; 95 fastball inside; 95 fastball foul; 95 fastball high and away; 94 fastball high and away; 96 fastball foul; 97 fastball foul; 96 fastball foul; 84 changeup, swinging strikeout (outside corner below the knees).

Salazar and Gomes picked the perfect time to end the run of 17 fastballs, and Salazar happened to unleash his best change piece -- and perhaps best pitch overall -- to sign off on his outing.

Bottle it: The Indians put together a stellar seven-batter stretch in the fourth inning. The result was five runs and a 5-1 lead.

(Francisco Lindor led off with a seven-pitch strikeout looking against righty Matt Barnes.)

1. Michael Brantley -- double to right (1-0 fastball on inner third).

Skinny: Brantley ripped the ball down the right-field line; it one-hopped into the seats. Brantley notched his 36th double, extending his American League lead.

2. Carlos Santana -- single to right (0-0 curve).

Skinny: Santana punished Barnes for a get-me-over curve. The swing generated tremendous topspin, enough that the ball barely eluded right fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. Brantley was forced to stop at third.

3. Abraham Almonte -- RBI drag bunt toward second (0-0 fastball).

Skinny: Fantastic idea and execution by Almonte. No Red Sox was able to make a play on it as Brantley scored and Santana moved to second.

4. Yan Gomes -- walk (3-2 fastball outside).

Skinny: Tremendous discipline by Gomes, who has been struggling. Barnes was ahead, 1-2. Gomes took a fastball outside and a curve down and away. He fouled a fastball over the plate, then spit on the fastball that looked like a strike for 40 feet.

5. Lonnie Chisenhall -- two-run double to left (2-2 curve on outside corner).

Skinny: Indians entered at 3-for-22 with bases loaded since the All-Star break. This AB was delicious on numerous levels, beginning with the fact that Barnes was ahead, 0-2. After a fastball high and a fastball outside, Chisenhall was tardy against a fastball over the plate and fouled it. Barnes tried the backdoor curve and put it in a decent spot, but Chisenhall wasn't fooled, stayed compact and drove the ball off the Monster. Chisenhall and the Indians were helped that Hanley Ramirez was playing left field: A good defender might have made the catch (carom was waist-high), but Hanley had no chance.

6. Jerry Sands -- RBI grounder to first (1-1 fastball off outside corner).

Skinny: Sands, demonstrating good plate coverage, did well to put the ball in play.

7. Mike Aviles -- RBI single to left (0-2 fastball).

Skinny: Barnes flat-out disrespected Aviles by throwing three straight fastballs, the first two resulting in fouls. Aviles drilled the third.

(Jose Ramirez flied to center.)

"I know what I can do," the former Glenville star said. "I know I can bring some excitement to the team." Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Frustration drenched Marshon Lattimore. It coated every word, every breath, every explanation about a second preseason camp with a second hamstring injury.

Left hamstring last year. Right hamstring this year. Both on the third day of practice. Both keeping the Glenville grad from the place he wants to be.

"I showed it," he said wistfully on Sunday. "I showed it."

What Lattimore felt he showed last Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were the skills to play corner at this level. Those skills made him a darkhorse pick for playing time this fall though he'd missed all of last year. Eli Apple returns at one starting corner, and Urban Meyer repeatedly has stated that Gareon Conley has locked down the other corner spot.

But Lattimore, the No. 52 recruit in the country in 2014 according to 247sports.com, figured to take his shot. With his speed and size, anyone ahead of him on the depth chart would have to earn it.

Except maybe he's too fast and too big, at least in combination.

Lattimore blew out his left hamstring last August, tried to come back too quickly in his mind, reinjured it and required surgery that ended his season. This time, it was the right hamstring that popped while covering receiver Terry McLaurin on a go route.

The solution? Don't rush back. Lattimore said he expects to take at least 10 days off, which would keep him out through the weekend. That's a tough break, because this week of two-a-days is when coaches get a real read on players. The other plan is to drop some weight. Lattimore said he played at 190 pounds at Glenville and is 198 now, and the training staff suggested a lower playing weight might help the hamstrings.

When he gets back on the field, he'll have sophomore Damon Webb and true freshman Eric Glover-Williams to contend with in the battle to make the two-deep at cornerback. But his future isn't all right now. He learned that last season.

"I didn't want to redshirt at all," Lattimore said. "Handling it mentally, I wasn't ready for that. I just wanted to play last year and show what I can do."

His only order of business now is to stay healthy. He still has four full seasons of eligibility ahead of him. He faced that a year ago. He's facing it now.

"I know what I can do," Lattimore said. "I know I can bring some excitement to the team."

He just needs to get his hamstrings to cooperate.

Cleveland sports fans wonder about the Indians at the box office, whether "Play Like a Brown" takes on new meaning this season and whatever happened to Tiger Woods -- 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

Hey Bud: Now that Major League Baseball has dynamic ticket pricing will the Indians have a Nickel Ticket Night? -- Mike Sterba

True enough, in the category of fan interest, the Indians are paying the price for their .466 winning percentage. Or what the Browns would call a breakthrough season.

Bud: My grandfather was telling me about this great golfer named Tiger Woods. Do you know anything about him? -- Jay Shulman

Yes. The best player in the game at one point. Now, a Top 250 golfer who occasionally still wears red but only to hide self-inflicted wounds.

Bud: Wasn't the Washington Generals' motto, "Play Like A Brown"? - Michael Sarro

That kind of negativity will not be tolerated here. More than twice a week.

Yo, Bud: Have you ever said, "other than that dangling participle, today's 'You Said It' was flawless"!! - Neil, Sagamore Hills

No. But I have thought, "Other than the six reader submissions, today's You Said It isn't half bad."

Bud: Is it time for Jordan Spieth to rework his swing? - Joe S

You Said It winners are always tinkering to achieve success.

Bud: Is a Browns fan's (B.A.C.) higher when he buys season tickets or when he enters the stadium? - Bad Rick

Repeat winners are over the legal limit.

The football Preseason Top 25 countdown continues today with the Stow Bulldogs who come in at No. 10.

STOW, Ohio – The cleveland.com high school football Preseason Top 25 countdown continues today with the unveiling of Northeast Ohio's No. 10 team, the Stow Bulldogs.

Check cleveland.com/hssports daily as the Top 25 is revealed one team per day, leading up to the announcement of the area's top-ranked team on Aug. 27.  

Here is more on Stow's football team as it enters the 2015 season, which begins at home against Green on Aug. 28. 

5 keys for making deep playoff run

1. Solid rushing: Stow senior running back Jayson Gobble is well suited to have a another good year at running back, coming off an 1,800-plus-yard season and with returning junior linemen like Matt Esterle and Mike Miranda back to lead the blockers. The Bulldogs should be able to establish the run early to set up their passing game. 

2. Aerial attack: Junior quarterback Kyle Vantrease had a lot of success as a sophomore and look to build on that in his junior season with the likes of senior wideout Monte Board and junior Joe Andrassay to throw to again. Stow should be able to rack up significant yardage through the air. 

3. Linebackers: The Bulldogs don't have a particularly seasoned defensive line but make up for it with linebackers like Gobble and senior Jacob Madgar, a couple of the best in the area. They will need to be able to be ready to make big plays consistently should the line struggle. 

4. Year of the juniors: Stow has 10 returning starters, which include seven juniors. A couple others of notes include Logan Ford and Joe Gibbs who will join the mix at linebacker this season. These players bring a decent amount of playing experience and hold untold potential for next year as well. 

5. Adjust to the Suburban: With a new league comes some new opponents to learn and play against. Stow can take comfort, however, being one of the largest school's in the conference. The Bulldogs will meet a familiar rival Hudson which beat them 38-7 last year. 

MORE ABOUT STOW 

Click here to see 2015 schedule

OHSAA division, region: Division I, Region 1. 

Conference: Suburban League, National Division.

2014 record: 7-3. 

Coach: Mark Nori. 

Coach’s record at school: 28-24 in five seasons

Coach’s career record: 28-24. 

Returning starters: 

Joe Andrassay, Jr., 5-10, 175. 

Monte Board, WR, Sr., 6-0, 180.

Matt Esterle, OL, Jr., 6-0, 250.

Jayson Gobble, RB, Sr., 6-1, 185.  

Logan Lindsay, WR, Jr., 6-2, 180.

Jacob Madgar, LB, Sr., 5-9, 220.

Mike Miranda, LT, Jr., 6-4, 275.

Kyle Vantrease, QB, Jr., 6-2, 210.

Other key players:

Noah Fisher, OL/DL, Sr., 6-1, 225.

Logan Ford, LB/C, Jr., 5-9, 210.

Joe Gibbs, LB/RB, Jr., 6'0", 160.

Scout report

Strengths: The Bulldogs the great advantage of being able to run the ball as well as they throw it. Vantrease and Gobble are among the best in Northeast Ohio at their positions. Gobble is also a solid linebacker who alongside Madgar for a great foundation for the team's defense behind the line while in the secondary Andrassay can defend against passes as well as he can catch them. 

Concerns: While the linebacking unit is strong, the guys up front will need to step up and take the pressure off the guys behind them. The D-line is where Stow lacks the most varsity experience. 

Key stats from 2014: Gobble (1,800-plus rushing yards, 22 TDs).

Bottom line: Stow's offense will be as balanced and potent as any Suburban League team with junior quarterback Kyle Vantrease at the helm and senior running back Jayson Gobble leading the ground game. Veteran receivers Monte Board, Joe Andrassay and Logan Lindsay will challenge defenses, while LT Mike Miranda and G Matt Esterle lead the line. Look for Andrassay to have a huge impact at defensive back as well and for Gobble senior Jacob Madgar to make some noise in the linebacking unit. 

Follow Stow all season

Bookmark the team’s cleveland.com webpage to see every post pertaining to Stow. 

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

Today's featured athlete, with the debut of his player page, is Elyria defensive end Simeon Lawrence.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Welcome to the latest edition of cleveland.com's summer-long series of interactive and multimedia football player profile pages covering NCAA recruiting and high school careers.

The series – Top Targets: NEO’s Best NCAA Recruiting Prospects – will feature 50 dynamic player pages on the biggest football recruits in the region. Look for recruiting profile pages on elite boys and girls basketball players later in the school year, too.

Today's featured athlete, with the debut of his player page, is Elyria defensive end Simeon Lawrence.

Player pages include many separate posts. Content includes photo galleries, videos, college offers, career stats, key content about the player by cleveland.com and other media outlets and much more about the prospect on and off the football field.

These pages are rolling out with one posted every Monday through Saturday continuing until Thursday, Aug. 27, the first night games will be played.

Each day there also will be a post like this one with links to find all of the player profile pages that have been published to date. Click on the player’s name below for a direct link to his page. You can also see the most recent football news on the cleveland.com football page. 

Simeon Lawrence, Elyria: One of Lawrence’s favorite players is Lawrence Taylor. And like Taylor, the Elyria standout is all about getting to the quarterback. His rushing ability is the strength of his game. He had 11 sacks and 21 tackles for loss as a junior in 2014. Lawrence is still waiting for his first offer entering the 2015 season, but he has interest from some Mid-American Conference schools, including Bowling Green and Eastern Michigan.

Jaylen Harris, Cleveland Heights: Harris was highly regarded as a basketball player during his freshman campaign, but he has shown the past two years that he is going to be a star on the football field. His football offers include Ohio State and Alabama. With a 6-foot-5 frame, he creates mismatches that opposing defenses just can't guard. He only played five games last season, but he finished with 10 touchdowns. Look for Harris to have a monster junior campaign.

Dontez Rash, Benedictine: The Ohio University commit rushed for 1,800 yards and 17 touchdowns in helping lead the Bengals to their seventh state title in 2014. Known for his speed and ability to make tacklers miss, Rash has added a power dimension to his running in 2015 and hopes to lead the Bengals back to Columbus.

Marcus Drish, Glenville: Drish has some tremendous arm strength and he'll have an opportunity to show it off again this season as the Glenville starting quarterback. Last season, Drish made his debut on the varsity team, but was sidelined after a few weeks into the season after a 19-12 win against Cleveland Heights. Before sitting out, Drish threw 15 passes for 141 yards and ran for 73 yards on 26 carries.

Jordan Overton, Brush: The Buffalo commit has speed and athleticism that enables him to play all over the field. He specializes as a slot receiver and a return man for Brush and is also an effective pass protector at defensive back. While not particularly big at 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, Overton is deceptively strong, enabling him to break tackles when needed, though he prefers to use his quickness to speed by people when he has the ball. 

Zach Bycznski, Berea-Midpark: A Cincinnati recruit, Bycznski is the anchor of the Berea-Midpark offensive line, which helps protect senior QB Nick Gassman. Bycznski is a physical lineman with the strength at almost 300 lbs to be a strong run blocker in the interior of the Titans' offensive line. With the help of Bycznski, the Titans made the playoffs in only their second season after the merger of Berea and Midpark.

Kyle Tomshack, St. Edward: Smart, big and strong is a good way to describe Tomshack. Not only is he ranked No. 1 in his class academically, he’s perhaps the team’s strongest player. Combine that with great footwork - and his 6-foot-3, 305-pound frame - and you have the makings of a superb lineman. He was a key member of the Eagles' offensive line during last season's state championship drive. Entering 2015 he had Division I offers from Cornell and Davidson, among others.

Max Potokar, St. Edward: Potokar has terrific size for a lineman, as he stands at 6-foot-6, 315 pounds. St. Edward is bringing in a new quarterback to go along with a brand new group of receivers. However, all-state running back Cole Gest is back, which means that the Eagles are going to rely heavily on the ground game. Look for Potokar to play a huge role this season, and look for him to garner a lot more attention from colleges throughout the season.

Michael O'Malley, St. Edward: The Eagles had a lot of stars on the team last season, but it was O'Malley who really showed up in the biggest games. This season, he will have an expanded role, especially on the defensive side of the ball. He has great athleticism for a defensive lineman, and his play will help a team bringing in many new players in the back seven.

Dakari Carter, Streetsboro: With his reputation for being one of the fastest athletes in Northeast Ohio, the junior Rocket perfectly represents his school's mascot. His speed gives college scouts cause to overlook his small stature. Carter is a versatile two-way player -- an impact player at wide receiver, cornerback and on kickoff and punt returns. He holds five Division I offers heading into the 2015 season and will likely get several more before his senior year. 

Lance Billings, Clearview: The Clearview senior has been an impact player in each of the last two seasons, where he earned All-Ohio honors twice as a wide receiver. Billings, an Iowa recruit at defensive back, is very capable on the defensive side after recording three interceptions in 2014 and returning two for touchdowns. At 5-11, Billings is a fast athlete with the ball skills to excel on both sides of the ball.

Alex Mathews, Mentor: Mathews has offers from Air Force, Colgate and Harvard, and with Cardinals coach Steve Trivisonno saying the senior will carry the load this season, expect him to give recruiters an eyeful. He has been a mainstay of the Mentor offense the last two seasons, and as a junior  in a pass-first offense rushed for 938 yards and 15 TDs. He was second-team All-Northeast Lakes District last season. Expect Mathews rushing numbers, district placement and number of Division I offers to all rise this season.

DeMann Wilson, Glenville: The senior Tarblooder could make for a interesting story this season with no offers on the table, but talent to show. According to Scout.com, Ohio State, Purdue and Pitt have expressed interest in having Wilson. The senior linebacker and defensive end has given opposing quarterbacks and linemen problems standing at 6-3 and weighing in at 215-pounds.

Jonah Morris, Archbishop Hoban: The Knights senior ranks among Northeast Ohio's tallest top targets at 6-foot-4, with quickness and elusiveness to match his stature. Morris had a breakout season in 2014 and committed earlier this year to Michigan State. He stands to put up even more impressive numbers in 2015 with the addition of quarterback Danny Clark (an Ohio State commit) to the Hoban lineup.

Joey Johnson, John Adams: The senior athlete plays on both sides of the football and remains a player still under the radar. Johnson is projected to do really well this season and has attracted interested from a handful of MAC schools so far. Last season he threw for 510 yards as a quarterback, but on defense had 17 total tackles. Johnson is quiet on the field, but his play on the field speaks loudly.

Niko Lalos, St. Vincent-St. Mary: The 6-foot-5, 230-pounder impressed in his first full season on varsity last season. The senior did some of his best work on defense where he recorded 61 tackles, including a couple of sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery. In addition to defensive end and and linebacker, Lalos is also likely to see a fair amount of playing time at wide receiver and tight end this year. 

Joey Bachie, Berea-Midpark: The senior linebacker and Michigan State recruit is the anchor of Berea-Midpark's defense with the speed to be a disruptive force. Bachie attacks the play well defensively and makes sure to finish each play effectively. With a 4.5-second 40-yard-dash time, Bachie is very athletic and is a true playmaker on defense.

Javonte Richardson, Maple Heights: At 6-foot-4, Richardson is a big target with great hands at receiver. He helped Maple Heights reach the postseason last year. Although his future is at receiver, he can play all over the field for the Mustangs. He has three Division I offers and Big Ten interest.

John Todd, Parma: The 6-foot-3, 305-pound offensive tackle is touted as the best lineman from Parma in more than 30 years by coach Bruce Saban. He received his first Division I offer from Davidson, but after doing the summer camp circuit following his junior season, Todd is hopeful more offers come in. Excellent athleticism and footwork are Todd’s strengths. He graded out at more than 95 percent each game of his junior year.

Logan Bolin, Midview: The Middies' senior wide receiver has had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and was the top target of QB Dustin Crum in 2014 where he caught 87 passes for 1,410 yards and 18 touchdowns. At 6-foot-2, Bolin has the ability win one-on-one battles against most defensive backs, particularly in jump ball situations. Bolin has offers from Air Force and Davidson.

Tyrone Chambers, Brush: The Arcs' enormous defensive tackle has been on the recruiting radar since his sophomore season. He registered seven sacks and 35 tackles in 2014 and has drawn offers from Akron, Bowling Green and Toledo. Chambers, who has been scouted by nearly every Big Ten school, says he plans to visit Michigan State and Ohio State soon.

Terek Zingale, Nordonia: An overpowering tackle, Zingale was one of the reasons why Nordonia's offense clicked all the way to reaching the Division II state championship game last December. Colleges took notice of Zingale, and during the off-season, he verbally committed to Maryland.

Jatairis Grant, Akron Garfield: The rising senior is a back-to-back all-district member selling voters on his explosiveness as defensive back. The 6-foot-1 Toledo commit is quick and gives coaches a versatile player on the field. He received offers from Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Cincinnati, James Madison, Kent State, Miami (OH) and Ohio University. He also plays receiver, punt returner and punter for the Rams.

Zach Corrigall, St. Vincent-St. Mary: Corrigall is a Kent State commit who prides himself on his relentless work ethic and willingness to always look for ways to improve various aspects of his game. His strength and dedication to his craft of protecting his quarterback and opening up holes for his running backs make him a cornerstone of the Irish's offense as the team looks to make another deep playoff run after a state semifinal appearance last year and state titles in 2012 and 2013. 

Dustin Crum, Midview: A sophomore in 2014, Crum helped lead Midview to a 12-1 record and had almost 4,500 yards of total offense. He threw for 3,323 yards and 39 touchdowns, and rushed for 1,175 yards and 17 scores. Crum is the type of quarterback who is just as capable of making plays with his legs as he is with his arm. With the Middies moving into the Southwestern Conference, Crum will be one of many top quarterbacks in the 10-team league.

Anthony Johnson Jr., Euclid: The transfer from Cleveland Heights is one of the top defensive back prospects in Ohio and holds nine Division I offers. Rated three stars by multiple recruiting services, Johnson is a tall defender able to cover man-to-man and make the big hit. He’s expected to make his college choice before the end of July, with his finalists narrowed down to Cincinnati, Kentucky and Toledo. He has offers from most Mid-American Conference schools.

Kierre Hawkins, Maple Heights: An Ohio State commit, Hawkins is the focal point of the Maple Heights offense. Although he is projected as a tight end or a receiver in college, Hawkins sees the majority of his work out of the backfield for the Mustangs. He helped take the team to the playoffs last season.

Carlos Chavis, Lorain: Now the focal running back on the team, Chavis could be in store for a huge junior year. In a limited role last season, he rushed for 836 yards and 10 touchdowns. He has the ability to read the hole, while also taking it the distance at any given moment. Look for Chavis to start to get some offers during his junior campaign.

Cameron Odom, Bedford: The Ohio University commit is a speedy runner both on the track and on the football field. He can also catch the football. With Odom having such Bedford alumni members and pro football receivers such as Chris Chambers and Lee Evans, he's in good company to blossom as a wide out.

Tyler Tupa, Brecksville: Tupa, an Ohio commit, is a senior receiver with a knack for hauling in passes and finding the endzone. Tupa also has received scholarship offers from Kent State and Bowling Green. He's part of the Tupa family, which has experienced a lot of football success, including his father, Tom, who played in the NFL as a punter. Last season, Tyler Tupa had 17 receiving touchdowns for Brecksville.

Nick Sokolowski, Brecksville: The senior is a cornerstone of the Bees' defense and has begun to catch the attention of more college scouts but still is regarded as somewhat underrated. The 6-foot-5, 265-pound defensive end possesses quick feet and agility in addition to size and strength. He has a Division I offer from Bowling Green and has taken unofficial visits to Toledo and Cincinnati. Other big name schools such as Purdue also have expressed interest in what Sokolowski has to offer. 

Jack Wohlabaugh, Walsh Jesuit: Wohlabaugh, an Ohio State commit, is a heady and athletic interior lineman who finishes off every play. He is the son of former Browns center and nine-year NFL veteran Dave Wohlabaugh, and last season he displayed the savvy and leadership that comes with having a father who started 128 professional games. Wohlabaugh is nasty and aggressive, smart and strategic.

Tony Butler, St. Edward: The senior is the main holdover from a defensive backfield that dominated opponents during last season’s Division I state championship season. Originally a Pitt commit, he recently decommitted to pursue other offers. A rarity as a 6-foot-2 defensive back, Butler is a three-star prospect and likely to be the Eagles defender opposing quarterbacks try to avoid most this season.

Cole Gest, St. Edward: The three-star running back is undersized, but the Indiana commit has impressed talent evaluators with his speed and physicality. Heading into last season, it was the passing game of St. Edward that had opponents' focus, and Gest exploited them. This year, it will be the opposite as opposing defenses will add another defender in the box to try and stop the talented senior.

Jake Sopko, Avon: The senior quarterback committed to Cincinnati in May. He led the Eagles to a 10-2 record and the Division II regional semifinals last season, throwing for 2,864 yards and 25 touchdowns. He was a first-team All-Northeast Lakes District selection.

Chawntez Moss, Bedford: The senior running back committed to Pittsburgh in April. Moss led the Bearcats in rushing last season, with more than 2,000 yards and 25 touchdowns, and was selected as a cleveland.com All-Star. Moss helped lead Bedford to a perfect regular season and playoff run that ended with a 34-32 loss to Mayfield in a Division II regional final.

Nik Urban, Willoughby South: The senior offensive guard committed to Northwestern in April. He opened eyes during a dominant junior season in which the cleveland.com All-Star selection's play helping allow teammate D.J. Greene to rush for 1,900 yards and 26 touchdowns. Urban has 10 offers in all, including fellow Big Ten members Illinois and Maryland. He is a consensus three-star prospect among the main national recruiting services. 

Luke Farrell, Perry: The senior TE has 14 Division I offers after three spectacular seasons for the Pirates. As a junior, Farrell caught 43 passes for 730 yards and six touchdowns, upping his career totals to 91 catches for 1,544 yards and 12 touchdowns. As a DE, he recorded 19 solo tackles and 21 assists last season as well as 10 sacks. He has 198 total tackles in over the last three seasons including 68 as a sophomore, of which 40 were solo tackles. Imposing size, speed and strength and the will to continue to improve on those aspects make Farrell a promising collegiate prospect. 

Demario McCall, North Ridgeville: The senior RB is an Ohio State commit after two outstanding full seasons for the Rangers. As a junior, McCall rushed for 2,302 yards and 35 touchdowns, and caught 14 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown. He has 60 touchdowns in two seasons. McCall is a game-breaker because of his speed and elusiveness in the open field. Any time he touches the ball, he is a threat to get into the end zone.

A.J. Rose, Garfield Heights: The senior QB/RB holds more than 13 Division I offers, including Minnesota and Syracuse. Rose committed to Kentucky in February. Scouts like Rose's size and speed, combined with his ability to run through tacklers at the line of scrimmage. Last year, Rose rushed for more than 700 yards and 12 touchdowns while passing for more than 600 yards and 10 scores.

For more high school sports news, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Contact Mark Kern on Twitter (@Markkern11), by email (mkern@cleveland.com) or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

It's something to do with a show this week.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- He played a neo-Nazi on "Oz," a psychiatrist on "Law & Order" and a music teacher in the film "Whiplash," the role that won him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

J.K. Simmons also happens to be an Ohio State fan, and his latest role includes the phrase, "The potential is tantalizing," in reference to Braxton Miller.

Simmons serves as the narrator for the Big Ten Network's Scarlet and Gray Days, which premieres Wednesday at 7 p.m. There will be several episodes on Ohio State's preseason training camp, with the opener featuring Cardale Jones, Joshua Perry, Taylor Decker and Urban Meyer in the first team meeting of camp.

* Explaining Scarlet and Gray Days

That clip is featured at the bottom of the post and needs no narration beyond Meyer. Here's the Miller clip with Simmons' voice, and his Oscar acceptance speech from earlier this year.

Braxton Miller clip from BTN's Scarlet and Gray Days http://t.co/Y3OTDXbu39 via

-- Doug Lesmerises (@DougLesmerises) August 18, 2015

Urban Meyer: "We will not go into Game 1 in Blacksburg, VA not 'nine strong' ... That's absolutely not negotiable." http://t.co/y39urFk7T6

-- Land-Grant Holy Land (@Landgrant33) August 17, 2015

Can the Cleveland Browns have the 2013 model of Josh McCown driving their offense?

PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- Josh McCown knows most fans have doubts about him ... and about the Browns.

He understands that.

"You just look back at what happened last year," he said. "The Browns didn't finish the season the way they wanted."

He meant how the Browns were 7-5 in 2014, then lost their final five games to end up at 7-9.

"And I didn't have the season that I wanted," he said.

McCown meant his 1-10 record as a starter for the Tampa Bay Bucs.

After all the media members had left, I asked McCown why this season will be different for him.

McCown had just finished another solid practice. This time, he was facing the Buffalo defense as the two teams are working out together at St. John Fisher College.

McCown had delivered an excellent 47-yard touchdown pass to Taylor Gabriel during 11-on-11 drills. He hit Travis Benjamin for a 50-yarder in the 7-on-7 drills. He consistently threw well in medium and short range passes.

ABOUT LAST YEAR

That wasn't the case last season in Tampa Bay, where McCown threw 14 interceptions compared to only 11 touchdowns. He completed only 56 percent of his passes for a 70.5 rating.

By comparison, Brian Hoyer had a 76.5 rating with 12 touchdowns compared to 13 interceptions for the Browns. He completed 55 percent of his passes as the Browns were 7-6 when he started.

"A lot of things happened last season," said McCown.

He didn't want to elaborate. The veteran knew it would sound as if he's making excuses.

Right before the season, Tampa offensive coordinator Jeff Teford developed heart problems and had to leave the team. He was replaced by Marcus Arroyo, who had not coached in the NFL before 2014.

The Bucs also had major problems on the offensive line. And McCown struggled.

I asked Mike Pettine if McCown problems last year bothered him?

"Not at all," said Pettine.

REASON TO BELIEVE?

So why can things be different for McCown this season?

He first mentioned the Browns offensive line, considered one of the better units in the NFL.

Then he talked about offensive coordinator John DeFilippo. They were together in 2007 when DeFilippo was Oakland's quarterback coach. McCown started nine games that season, the Raiders having a 2-7 record.

So why be encouraged?

"Flip knows me," said McCown. "He also has put in a lot of things that we did in 2013."

McCown is talking about how he played for Chicago in 2013 when he stepped in for the injured Jay Cutler. McCown played eight games (starting five) and was outstanding. He threw 13 touchdown passes compared to one interception. His rating was an eye-popping 109 and he completed 66 percent of his passes.

DOING RESEARCH

Before the Browns signed McCown to three-year, $14 million contract ($6.2 million guaranteed), they studied every snap he took for the Chicago Bears in 2013. And they did the same for how he played with Tampa Bay in 2014.

To the Browns, it was obvious that McCown throws much better out of the play action -- something used regularly by Chicago. That was not the case in Tampa Bay.

Here are some differences:

1. Tampa Bay used the play-action only 9 percent of the time. Chicago did it 21 percent with McCown. Last season, the Browns used it 29 percent. While DeFilippo has replaced Kyle Shanahan, the Browns will still use the play-action a lot.

2. Tampa Bay often had McCown in an empty backfield, not a good idea with a poor offensive line.

3. Tampa Bay ranked 29th in rushing. The Bucs scored only seven touchdowns on the ground, and McCown ran for three of those. The Browns are planning on a strong running attack. Chicago had star Matt Forte in the backfield and that made McCown much better.

THE AGE FACTOR

McCown turned 36 on July 4th.

"But he's like that car with low mileage kept in the garage and only driven to church on Sunday by an old lady," said Pettine on August 5. "He's still got a lot left."

This is his 13th season. McCown has started only 49 games. So he hasn't taken the hits that most quarterbacks endure if they have been starting for most of their careers.

Of course, part of the reason that McCown failed to start often was a lack of production when he did play.

McCown believes that 2013 was a breakthrough season, and he can approach that level with the Browns in 2015.

"He has such an advanced level of quarterback knowledge," said Pettine. "(He) understands NFL defenses, understands our system and what each play is designed to do... just all the little things of quarterback play you pick up over the years."

McCown displays a strong arm. In the preseason opener and in some practices, he also showed the ability to move around in the pocket, giving receivers time to get open.

"We didn't bring him in here to coach," said Pettine. "He can still spin it."

That means McCown can throw the deep passes.

"This is such a good situation for me," said McCown. "I'm really pleased with the personnel that we have and the coaches. It's a good locker room. It's a good place to be."

On his first day at Ohio State, Willoughby parked in Meyer's spot. And paid for it. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- You probably saw the picture floating around in June:

A silver Jeep Cherokee parked in Ohio State coach Urban Meyer's assigned parking spot outside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. Meyer's black Mercedes-Benz blocking it in, practically parked bumper-to-bumper.

How could that possibly happen?

"It was an honest mistake," new Buckeyes kicker Jack Willoughby told Northeast Ohio Media Group at Ohio State's media day on Sunday.

Willoughby was new. That's how it can happen.

That day, June 15, was Willoughby's first as a Buckeye after the former Duke kickoff specialist transferred from the Blue Devils football program. Buckeyes running back Warren Ball tweeted out a picture of Meyer's car blocking in Willoughby's.

"It's an unmarked spot," Willoughby said. "I pulled in on my first day and thought, 'Man, this is a good-looking spot.' So I took it. When I got in the locker room everyone was just kind of laughing. I learned that I had parked in his spot, so I went to his office to tell him I was sorry, and we had a chuckle about it."

What happens when you park in Coach Meyer's spot lol blocked in until he leaves pic.twitter.com/ujU6ufMvnX

-- Warren Ball Jr. (@WarrenB_) June 15, 2015

Some investigation by Elevenwarriors.com got a close look at the Jeep. Stickers from Duke and The Lawrenceville School, Willoughby's high school in New Jersey, outed him before he had a chance to deny it.

Not exactly the best start for Willoughby and his position coach, but Willoughby said there's no hard feelings.

"It's great. He wants the best for us and he pushes us," Willoughby said. "I think everything you look for in a kicking coach, he's got locked down."

Meyer didn't exactly let Willoughby off easy, though. A couple of jokes in the team meeting were one thing. What's funny is that there appears to be plenty of empty parking spots Meyer could've used, but Willoughby had to stay as long as Meyer did that day.

"I have my car now," Willoughby said. "He had to leave at some point."

Coach Terry Bowden says the first week of practice went well as the focus was on the younger, and unproven players.

AKRON, Ohio -- The optimism of preseason football practice for the Akron Zips is shown best by Coach Terry Bowden. He left the field after a recent scrimmage, all smiles.

"I feel great,'' he said. "My health is good. My hip is good. What else could there be?"

Well, how about that football team? Judging from the scrimmage, where none of the front-line skill position players participated, all is going well there, too. With the exception of wide receiver, where injuries are mounting, it was by design for starting quarterback Kyle Pohl and tailbacks Conor Hundley and backup Donnell Alexander to sit out.

"We know what Kyle can do,'' Bowden said of the starting quarterback, who is seven yards short of 5,000 passing yards for his career and has an upset win over Pitt on his resume.

So the focus at that spot was on a pair of transfers, Tra'Von Chapman (Pitt/Ashland) and Troy Jones (Western Kentucky).

Chapman is expected to push Pohl. The product of Kent Roosevelt High is clearly much better with his feet than his arm as Bowden cited poor throwing decisions in the scrimmage. At the same time, Chapman was arguably the best runner on the field as the Zips ran right, ran left, ran up the middle most of the period against their veteran defense.

As for Jones, he is in a battle for No. 3. "We needed to see if (Tommy) Woodson is going to be the guy or is he (Jones) going to be the guy,'' Bowden said. "So we wanted (to see) plenty of him.''

Woodson is a known product, considering he received the bulk of playing time last season when Pohl was hurt.

As for the tailback spot, the challenge there was also to see who could step in should one of the top backs not be able to play. "We didn't play our top two tailback because we can't afford to get them hurt,'' Bowden said.

"We wanted to see the freshmen, and see them compared to Manny Morgan and Hakeem Lawrence, and find out which one of these guys will be our third back."

While the lack of front line receivers available limited the offense, Bowden did say, "I was pleased with our emphasis on running the football. We tried to physically run the football, and had two or three scores because of it."

That points directly to the offensive line. If there is one position on the team that says both 'veteran' and 'homeboys' it is this starting unit of all seniors from Northeast Ohio. Andrew Bohan (Avon Lake), Dylan Brumbaugh (Green), Tommy Brown (Akron), Quaison Osborne (Hudson) and Isaiah Williams (Cleveland). Only Brown is a transfer (Ohio State), the rest are original Zips.

"That's pretty solid right there,'' Bowden said. "That's five seniors that can play."

The Zips, particularly when the receiving unit regains health, will now start to laser in on the start of the season, which begins Sept. 5 on the road at Oklahoma.

Participation trophies are a hot topic of discussion after Steelers' linebacker James Harrison made public his decision to return the awards given to his young sons -- Bud Shaw's Spinoffs.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Pittsburgh Steelers' linebacker James Harrison won't let his sons keep their participation trophies.

His sons are 6 and 8.

 "I came home to find out that my boys received two trophies for nothing, participation trophies," Harrison posted to Instagram. "While I am very proud of my boys for everything they do and will encourage them till the day I die, these trophies will be given back until they EARN a real trophy."

Sounds like a guy who walked on at Kent State.

"I'm sorry I'm not sorry for believing that everything in life should be earned and I'm not about to raise two boys to be men by making them believe that they are entitled to something just because they tried their best...cause sometimes your best is not enough, and that should drive you to want to do better...not cry and whine until somebody gives you something to shut u up and keep you happy."

Yes, because if you don't learn about the perils of entitlement at age 6, you'll only have the rest of your life to do so.

* Wonder if it gets a little awkward when Harrison takes his kids to McDonald's and insists on ordering the "Happy Meals without the prizes inside, dammit."

* It's a parent's prerogative to teach children life lessons at whatever age they deem appropriate.

Just so nobody gets confused and blames participation trophies for the problems in grown-up America.

So hold off  giving James Harrison a trophy for taking away his kid's trophies.

* Harrison certainly is a man of strong convictions. He did not travel to the White House with the Steelers after they defeated the Arizona Cardinals in the Super Bowl.

"This is how I feel -- if you want to see the Pittsburgh Steelers, invite us when we don't win the Super Bowl," said Harrison. "As far as I'm concerned, he [Obama] would've invited Arizona if they had won."

True.

You have to, you know, earn that trip to the White House.

Why invite the losing team just because it participated in the Super Bowl?

* Bubba Watson had a lengthy exchange with a rules official Sunday at the PGA Championship over an ant hill.

Bubba wanted relief. The official told him he had to play it as it lied.

This led to Bubba suggesting ants are burrowing animals, which would've allowed him to take a drop. Yahoo recounted the conversation:

Watson: OK, but I have a question for you. The animal ... it is an animal, you agree with that? It's burrowing, it's digging a hole. So how would it not be? It's either an ant bed or it's an animal digging hole. It's either one or the other. It can't be both.

Official: They're not [classified] as a burrowing animal.

Watson: So even though they dig in the ground, they're not considering burrowing?

Official: No.

Watson: Ok, so they're tunnelmaking. That's what we're calling them this week. I mean, the grass is a loose impediment. No, I got you. So if some guy was allergic to ants and he got an ant on him, you could care less?"

For the record, Bubba's allergy record to date includes: rules officials, PGA Championship long drive contests and Steve Elkington.

* In the next ESPN PGA Players Poll, 74 percent of respondents can be expected to say if they saw Bubba Watson in a parking lot fight with fire ants, they'd help the fire ants.

* Headline: "Beth Mowins gets NFL announcer shot."

Thought this was a crime story when I first read it.

* After signing a new deal, Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers will make $37.5 million.

This season.

Whether the team stays in San Diego or eventually moves, Rivers says, "I'm going to be a Charger."

Pretty bold suggesting he can make it living in L.A. on that kind of money.

* The Jets limited quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who is replacing the injured Geno Smith, in a preseason loss to the Lions.

That's temporary.

In the regular season, Fitzpatrick can once again be counted on to limit himself.

* The Jets reprimanded Smith for playing catch so soon after surgery to fix his broken jaw.

Some players have come to Smith's defense and said that he didn't instigate the fight with IK Enemkpali.

Unless your definition of fighting words is refusing to reimburse a teammate (making much less money than you) $600 for purchased and unused air.

Then telling them they can't do anything about it.

Other than that, Smith 's new nickname should be "Gandhi."

 * Wide receiver Percy Harvin, now with Buffalo, blamed receivers Doug Baldwin and Golden Tate for their immaturity and said it led to problems in Seattle.

Being blamed by Harvin for causing problems is like being chastised for arrogance by Donald Trump.

* Robert Griffin III didn't exactly say he believes he's the best quarterback in the NFL. What he said is that he has to believe he's the best quarterback in the NFL.

Give him some credit. That's not easy to do when you leave practice some days unable to distinguish your play from that of Kirk Cousins or Colt McCoy.

* A friend recently told me how good he was hitting his irons. We were walking down a fairway together. He shanked his next iron shot out of bounds.

Mike Pettine said of Justin Gilbert's "flawless" comment that Gilbert "obviously hadn't watched the film."

But it's also proof that he's never played golf.

* Pettine after Gilbert's rough day in New York Monday practicing against the Bills: "He's good in the meeting room. He understands his mistakes. He wants to get better."

 Gilbert is good in the meeting room. And Johnny Manziel was recently praised for having a good mental day.

That's not a low bar.

That's two low bars.

* If we find out Gilbert received participation trophies as a kid, I'll jump to James Harrison's side of the argument so fast it will make Bob Beamon look like he was playing hopscotch.

Talk all things Cleveland sports with Terry Pluto during his weekly podcast today at 11.

View full sizeTerry Pluto talks Cleveland sports at 11 a.m.Allison Carey/The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Get your questions ready and join Terry Pluto today at 11 a.m. as he talks Cleveland sports.

Terry will talk about Josh McCown, the first preseason game and Justin Gilbert's struggles. He will also talk about what he expects to happen with the Cavs and J.R. Smith and what he has seen from the Indians recently.

You can jump in the comments section below and ask your questions as well as interact with other users and respond to Pluto's remarks, or you can just listen. The chat will also be made available shortly after its completion in MP3 format.

Cook, 22, was not drafted in 2015 coming out of Duke. Cunningham, 24, was a first-round pick by the Cavs in 2012 out of Oregon State.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - It's not the signing of Tristan Thompson or J.R. Smith, but the Cleveland Cavaliers are filling out the roster all the same. Free-agent guards Quinn Cook and Jared Cunningham have agreed to join the Eastern Conference champions for training camp.

Their non-guaranteed deals have yet to be signed.

The chances of them making it past camp are low, but that could change if the Cavaliers are unable to work out a deal with Smith.

Cook, 22, went unselected out of Duke in the 2015 NBA Draft. The 6-foot point guard was a heralded prospect coming out of high school as he received McDonald's All-American honors.

He averaged 16.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists his senior year in college and played NBA Summer League with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Orlando tournament and for the Cavaliers in the Las Vegas tournament.

Cunningham, 24, was a first-round pick in the 2012 NBA Draft out of Oregon State. The Cavaliers drafted the 6-4 combo guard, but they traded his rights to the Dallas Mavericks on draft day.

He has since bounced around the league on minimal stints that include the Atlanta Hawks, Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Clippers. He's only appeared in 40 NBA games. Most of his productivity has been at the NBA Development League level.

The Cavaliers are expected to sign a few more players for camp purposes.

--

Cook's Summer League highlights with OKC.

The top four starters in the Indians' rotation have been quite effective this season, but the fifth spot has been a nightmare. So how does the Tribe's rotation stack up against the rest of the league?

The strikeouts used to come in torrents for Danny Salazar, which led to high pitch counts and early exits. This year Salazar has been working hard to tame his right arm and the results are evident on the mound. Watch video

BOSTON -- The strikeouts are still there, but they no longer erupt like water from an open fire hydrant.

Danny Salazar is learning to tame the untamable - his right arm.

It was only last year that Salazar struck out 10 batters in fewer than four innings in a game against the White Sox. It was the first time in baseball's modern era, going back to 1900, that one pitcher had unleashed such a cascade of swing-and-miss stuff in so short a period of time.

The downside was that Salazar lasted just 3 2/3 innings and the Indians lost the game, 7-3.

On Monday night at Fenway Park, Salazar struck five and walked one in seven innings in a 8-2 victory over the Red Sox. Four times Salazar has struck out 10 or more batters this season, but he hasn't done it since June 6.

He's 3-0 in his last four starts while throwing six or more innings each time out and striking out no more than eight batters in one game.

"That's really good," said Salazar. "Strikeouts are going down and the innings are going up. That's what we're trying to do. We're trying to attack the game, get quick innings. That's it."

The fastball is still Salazar's best pitch, which means strikeouts will always be part of his resume. In 22 starts this year, he's averaging 10.1 strikeouts per nine innings. Last year he averaged 9.8 strikeouts in 20 starts.

A strikeout can get a pitcher out of almost any jam, but it increases his pitch count which can lead to shorter, and bullpen-draining, starts. Salazar has countered that this year by allowing fewer hits and walks. His walks are down from last year (2.9 per nine innings to 2.6), but the biggest improvement has been in hits allowed.

Last year Salazar allowed 9.6 hits per nine innings. This year he's allowed 6.9. Salazar's batting average against is .210, second lowest in the AL next to Oakland's Sonny Gray.

"Right now, I feel like I'm just growing up instead of going out and just trying to strike everybody out," said Salazar.

Salazar is 11-6 with a 3.16 ERA. In each of his last four starts, he's allowed one or fewer runs and pitched six or more innings. The only other Indians pitchers to do that since 1951 are Cliff Lee in 2008 and Bob Feller in 1946. Lee won the Cy Young in 2008.

The Indians and Boston are in last place in their respective divisions. It should be noted, however, that the Red Sox came into Monday's game having scored 45 runs on 60 hits in a three-game weekend series against Boston.

"In our meeting before the game we talked about them getting a lot of hits off breaking balls (against Seattle)," said Salazar. "So I stayed with the fastball."

On July 5, Salazar had a 3-0 lead against Pittsburgh at PNC Park. He was cruising against one of the top five teams in the big leagues when he stumbled and gave up five runs in the fifth. The Pirates won, 5-3, with Salazar taking the loss.

"I think that Pittsburgh game kind of upset him a little bit," said manager Terry Francona. "Since that day, he's been a lot more steady."

Said Salazar about the loss to the Pirates, "Sometimes you make good pitches and they get a couple of soft base hits. When that happens sometimes you get down a little bit. But that's something as a pitcher you can never do.

"You have to stay focused and get ready for the next pitch. I just keep my head up and attacking them."

Salazar is 4-2 with a 1.45 ERA (eight runs in 49 2/3 innings) in seven starts since the loss to Pittsburgh.

Regarding the strikeouts, Salazar has 156 in 139 2/3 innings. On a pitching staff that has led the AL for much of the year in strikeouts, he's third behind Corey Kluber with 193 and Carlos Carrasco with 162.

In the AL, Kluber is third, Carrasco is tied for fourth, Salazar is sixth and Trevor Bauer is 10^th with 137 strikeouts. It's not like Salazar's has changed his personality as a pitcher, he's just trying to do it in a more responsible fashion.

Like he said earlier, he's growing up.

Seven starters have combined for a 5-13 record and 6.57 ERA, having surrendered nearly 11 hits and two homers per nine innings. The lack of dependability out of the fifth spot in the rotation has helped to prevent the Indians from enjoying any sustained periods of success this season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Danny Salazar has posted a 1.45 ERA over his last seven starts. Corey Kluber has tossed consecutive complete-game gems. Carlos Carrasco has limited the opposition to a .367 OPS over his last four outings, while logging a 1.36 ERA in the process.

With pitching like that, what can go wrong?

Well, for the Indians, the offense has fueled the club's downfall. So, too, has the revolving door of a fifth spot in the rotation. Kluber, Carrasco, Salazar and Trevor Bauer have banded together as one of the league's better quartets, but the team has yet to settle on a steady No. 5 starter. Josh Tomlin is the club's latest entry. Aside from the four reliable starters, seven other hurlers have taken the hill for the Tribe this season.

Zach McAllister: 0-1, 11.25 ERA, one start, four innings, 13 hits, five runs, one homer, one walk, five strikeouts

TJ House: 0-4, 13.15 ERA, four starts, 13 innings, 21 hits, 19 runs, one homer, 12 walks, seven strikeouts

Bruce Chen: 0-1, 12.79 ERA, two starts, 6 1/3 innings, 17 hits, nine runs, three homers, one walk, four strikeouts

Shaun Marcum: 3-2, 6.00 ERA, six starts, 30 innings, 29 hits, 20 runs, eight homers, eight walks, 26 strikeouts

Toru Murata: 0-1, 8.10 ERA, one start, 3 1/3 innings, four hits, three runs, two homers, one walk, two strikeouts

Cody Anderson: 2-3, 4.31 ERA, eight starts, 48 innings, 46 hits, 23 runs, six homers, eight walks, 20 strikeouts

Josh Tomlin: 0-1, 2.84 ERA, one start, 6 1/3 innings, five hits, two runs, two homers, zero walks, five strikeouts

In all, those seven starters have combined for a 5-13 record and 6.57 ERA, having surrendered nearly 11 hits and two homers per nine innings. The lack of dependability out of the fifth spot in the rotation has helped to prevent the Indians from enjoying any sustained periods of success this season.

Core four: 39-36, 3.60 ERA, 9.52 strikeouts per nine, 1.00 homers per nine, 2.40 walks per nine, 7.53 hits per nine

The other guys: 5-13, 6.57 ERA, 5.59 strikeouts per nine, 1.86 homers per nine, 2.51 walks per nine, 10.95 hits per nine

Offense will be the chief priority for the Indians this offseason. It's no secret that the club needs several productive bats injected into the lineup. Starting pitching depth, however, is another must.

The Indians' top four starters have avoided injury this season. Otherwise, who knows who the club would have called upon to fill the void? There isn't much starting pitching talent in the upper ranks of the minors, which might make it difficult for the club to deal one of its effective starters for a bat.

The organization recently promoted Ryan Merritt, last year's minor league Pitcher of the Year, to Triple-A Columbus. The diminutive southpaw posted a 3.51 ERA in 22 starts at Double-A Akron.

Right-hander Adam Plutko has fashioned a 2.21 ERA in 23 outings between High-A Lynchburg and Akron. Justus Sheffield, a first-round pick last summer, owns a 3.98 ERA with more than a strikeout per inning in 22 starts at Class A Lake County.

The Indians hoped that Gavin Floyd would solidify the rotation this season. That didn't happen, as the unit -- despite impressive performances from the front four -- has been leaking a little oil ever since the veteran's elbow malfunctioned again in the spring.

Welcome to a gateway to lots of content about Avon football player Gerett Choat including pictures and videos.

AVON, Ohio — Welcome to a gateway to lots of content about Avon football star Gerett Choat, including pictures and videos.

Choat is among dozens of Northeast Ohio football players with his own personalized cleveland.com player page, which will be updated by Northeast Ohio Media Group reporters throughout his career with all the latest news on his college recruiting and high school performance.

Also be sure to check out one webpage where you can access every player’s individual page.

Check out the photo gallery above, including some pictures the player shared with us from his cell phone, and look for the slideshow to be updated throughout the season.

Below is a compilation of content about Choat by NEOMG reporters, as well as other media outlets in the region and state and the national recruiting services. Look for it to grow rapidly when the season begins.

Bookmark this page and check back often for the latest on Choat. The most recent content appears first.

Choat and the Eagles were featured in a spring football look at Avon.

An injury to Choat forced Avon to test its depth in the middle of the 2014 season.

Choat makes a big impression in Indy (BeAFanatic.com)

Gerett Choat provides a boost for Avon in multiple ways (Elyria Chronicle-Telegram)

Here is a compilation of videos featuring Avon football standout Gerett Choat.

AVON, Ohio – Here is a compilation of videos featuring Avon football standout Gerett Choat.

Look for the amount of videos to grow rapidly when the season begins and to include action as well as feature footage and postgame interviews. The most recent video appears first.

Lawrence is among dozens of Northeast Ohio football players with his own personalized cleveland.com player page, which will be updated by Northeast Ohio Media Group reporters throughout his career with all the latest news on his college recruiting and high school performance.

The 50 player pages are rolling out one per day, Monday through Saturday, through the season openers on Aug. 27. Check out the latest post with links to all the player pages that have been published to date.

Have you seen additional videos featuring Choat? If so we invite you to paste a link to the video in the comments section at the bottom of this post. 

Junior highlights

Sophomore highlights

A lot has changed in baseball players' equipment over the years. Here's a look at the array of equipment and accoutrements at their disposal, for protection and for show (including one interesting technique).

CLEVELAND, Ohio - A hundred years ago, baseball players had a pair of woolen uniforms (home whites, road grays), spikes and a cap. No helmets, no batting gloves, not even jersey numbers. (The latter didn't appear in Major League Baseball until 1916, when Jack Graney of the Cleveland Indians wore a number pinned to his sleeve.) They'd wipe dirt on their palms and were good to go.

Times have changed. While equipment don't resemble a football player's protective layers, ballplayers have an array of parts - some (like elbow guards) are for protection, others (sweat bands) for show. Still others (helmets) have undergone an evolution over the years for safety reasons. Many things -- including one very unique technique -- aim to improve grip.

We spoke with Shad Gross, director of player facilities for the Akron RubberDucks, about the parts of a baseball player's total uniform.

"Some go out there really armored," he said.

When it comes to players' equipment requests, Gross said, "They're pretty self-sufficient. They usually go to their agents."

Akron outfielder Jordan Smith uses or wears a variety of accoutrements, and sticks to certain brands for specific items. He wore an Adidas T-shirt before a recent game, his glove is Rawlings, his 33-and-a-half-inch, 32-ounce bat is from MaxBat, and he never wears sunglasses. "It bugs me to have them on my face," he said.

Part of the protection that baseball players use is meant for safety reasons. Part of it provides a habitual routine to make a player comfortable.

"Baseball is a game of failure," said Adam Liberman, Akron's media- and public-relations director. "You fail 70 percent of the time and you're great at it. So it's a game that lends itself to superstitions and habit."

Here are assorted accompaniments in a ballplayer's life:

Uniforms: They have become a fashion statement within the sport. Akron uses five pairs - batting-practice, home whites, gray roads, blue alternate and off-white Sunday home. They have evolved from incredibly baggy to very tight, with varying lengths (ankle, shin and knee) over the years. The late columnist Lewis Grizzard once wrote "In the old days, baseball pants were made of flannel and were so baggy that a player could put a cat in his britches and never notice it."

Shad Gross, director of player facilities for the Akron RubberDucks, shows how players use a thumb guard.Marc Bona, Northeast Ohio Media Group 

Thumb guard: "It takes vibrations, gives a little less sting," Gross said. At least half the players have been using them since 2009, he said. Players insert their thumb into this chunky little piece of padding and then grip the bat.

Finger impact sleeve: Like most protective items, you can buy these at sporting-goods stores. It gives a bit of extra padding on the glove hand.

Batting gloves: Used for gripping, but players can go through them by the gross. Some have padding, some don't. Good ones are used at the plate. Worn gloves are meant for hand protection while sliding into bases. Virtually every player wears them, Gross said. Joey Wendle, a sixth-round draft choice of the Indians who spent the 2014 season in Akron, was the only player in recent years who did not, he said. Smith goes through about 100 pairs a year.

"They get pretty beaten up," said Smith, who gives away used ones that aren't in too bad of shape, but tosses others that have become ragged.

Eye black: Sticker or grease smear that cuts down glare. One of the earliest players to smear soot under his eyes for this purpose was Ty Cobb, according to his latest biographer, Charles Leerhsen.

Wristbands: For show, sweat and feel. Mizuno and Nike are two companies that send them to players. (Sometimes, players have incentives with companies that give monetary bonuses if they are shown wearing their product on, say, a baseball-magazine cover. Players can be cognizant to turn a bat to show the maker's insignia in photographs.)

Elbow guards: These protect primarily against getting beaned but are not as popular as lower-body guards, Gross said.

Shoulder guards: Like elbow guards, they protect players from getting hit by pitches. Generally, protection above the waist guards against getting hit by pitches. Protection below the waist is to ward off injury from foul tips.

Ankle/shin/foot guards: Foul-ball protection, for players who have a tendency to slice the ball downward into their lower body. Pretty popular nowadays, Gross said.

Bats: In "The Natural," Roy Hobbs cuts and carves a bat from a tree. Hobbs would not be allowed to do that today. Major League Baseball identifies 32 companies approved to produce bats, which must come from one of only eight types of wood. Four colors are permitted: White, black, gold and gray (though pink is an exception at times). Many players have gone to using yellow birch, Gross said.

Helmets: Helmets that RubberDucks players use have a stamp of approval from NOCSAE - National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment. It means they are meant to withstand 100-mph pitches. However, if out of frustration a player slams one to the ground, they break. Padding is definitely an increase over the old, cheap, worn foam-rubber lined helmets of Little League. Thick padding meets the forehead area, with cushioning near the ears and near the back. Also, helmets are not one-size-fits-all; they are fitted by size, just like hats. "Everyone has their own," Gross said.

Cups: Obviously all catchers wear them. Most infielders wear them, but no outfielders, Gross said.

Socks: Two pairs, so feet don't slide around in cleats.

Cleats: About three-quarters of the RubberDucks team wears metal spikes. Some wear molded - plastic - ones. Some players wear molded for batting practice and metal for the game.

Pine tar: Meant to help grip the bat. This dark, thick, sticky substance -- often used outside baseball for weather-proofing purposes -- has been around for years. But it was a 1983 game that brought it to a pop-culture consciousness.

George Brett's home run off Goose Gossage was disqualified after manager Billy Martin objected to the excessive amount of tar on the Royals hitter's bat. (The highlight film of Brett racing out of the dugout remains an indelible image.) Pine tar, or something, is needed, though, since bats are kind of "slick" to begin with, said Liberman, who added he once had a player's bat in his car, and the pine tar got all over his seat. It took a scrubbing with Goo Gone to get it out, he said.

"That stuff is so messy. I can't believe in 2015 they haven't come up with something less messy."

Seeds vs. gum: The ubiquitous shots of a player's chaw-filled cheek are becoming a thing of the past, in part because of the stories surrounding the health of players like the late Tony Gwynn and Curt Schilling. Now, it's sunflower seeds or bubble gum. "We go through a ton of both," Gross said. Posted rules warn that players will be fined if caught with smokeless tobacco. Baseball officials make annual checks in clubhouses. Even a tobacco tin spotted in a locker can draw a fine.

"I really like our linebackers," Urban Meyer said when asked about freshmen on the first day. "It's early to say that, but I could see those three guys competing at some point." Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- On the first Monday morning at the first practice of Ohio State's preseason camp, the future lined up together, as the future often does when upperclassmen aren't around.

Urban Meyer always starts camp with a practice for just the new guys. 

"It's just the anxiety, it's not fair to throw a freshman out there with the older guys yet," Meyer said.

As those freshmen become older guys, the linebackers could be very interesting. It felt like you could maybe pick up that first day of practice in 2015, drop it in 2017, and the same three linebackers could line up together.

"Yeah, definitely, and that definitely makes us closer, too," Justin Hilliard said, "especially at three different (linebacker) positions. Whenever we go in we have to help each other out. It's made us a really close group."

There's Central Ohio's Nick Conner, from Scioto Dublin, at middle linebacker.

There's Northeast Ohio's Jerome Baker, from Benedictine, at the strongside or walkout linebacker.

And there's Southwest Ohio's Hilliard, from St. Xavier, at weakside linebacker.

"Almost every time we go out there, we're almost always together," Hilliard said of not just that the first day but the entire first week of camp. "It's kind of cool whenever we go out there, we all run together."

Hilliard was the No. 34 recruit in the Class of 2015 according to 247sports.com, Baker was No. 61 and Conner was No. 215.

Meyer didn't have to see much to see that group stand out.

"I really like our linebackers," Meyer said when asked about freshmen on the first day. "It's early to say that, but I could see those three guys competing at some point."

Competing together. The Buckeyes have 10 scholarship linebackers and two more veteran walk-ons, Joe Burger and Craig Fada, who are like scholarship guys. Of that group, four are seniors, none are juniors and redshirt sophomore Darron Lee might have a chance to leave for the NFL after this season.

That leaves sophomores Raekwon McMillan, Dante Booker and Chris Worley, redshirt freshmen Kyle Berger, who is still recovering from a second ACL tear, and the three true freshmen. 

Hillard said there have been the natural adjustments to the college game. Hilliard knows there are plenty of players ahead of him that can show him something.

"When I came here I knew we had a bunch of older guys and knew it was a great chance to learn from those guys," Hilliard said.

They've also learned the three of them could be together for a long time. Linebackers must contribute early on special teams, and Hilliard heard what Meyer said about the three of them maybe getting that chance right away. In 2016, 2017, 2018, they may get a lot of chances to be together on defense.

Ohio State's linebackers

Seniors

Joshua Perry

Camren Williams

Craig Fada

Joe Burger

Juniors

None

Sophomores

Darron Lee

Raekwon McMillan

Chris Worley

Dante Booker

Freshmen

Kyle Berger

Jerome Baker

Justin Hilliard

Nick Conner

Check out a preview of the Mayfield Wildcats football team for the upcoming 2015 season.

MAYFIELD VILLAGE, Ohio – The cleveland.com high school football Preseason Top 25 countdown continues today with the unveiling of Northeast Ohio's No. 9 team, the Mayfield Wildcats.

Check cleveland.com/hssports daily as the Top 25 is revealed one team per day, leading up to the announcement of the area's top-ranked team on Aug. 27.

PREVIOUSLY: No. 25 Madison, No. 24 Elyria, No. 23 Wadsworth, No. 22 Highland, No. 21 North Olmsted, No. 20 Cleveland Heights, No. 19 Hudson, No. 18 Lorain, No. 17 Nordonia, No. 16 Maple Heights, No. 15 Brecksville, No. 14 St. Vincent-St. Mary, No. 13 Archbishop Hoban, No. 12 Solon, No. 11 Berea-Midpark and No. 10 Stow.

Here is more on Mayfield's football team as it enters the 2015 season, which begins at home against Nordonia on Aug. 28.

3 keys for winning a state championship

1. Super Mario: Third-year starting quarterback Mario Monastero needs to put his stamp on every game, according to Mayfield offensive coordinator Ross Bandiera. When asked about Monastero's growth from his sophomore year until now, Bandiera said: "We had a pretty strong running back his sophomore year, but we also had a good receiver, and he threw a little more downfield. Obviously last year we were able to move the ball on the ground with (Andy) Isabella, so that took some of the pressure off Mario to drive the team down the field. The capability is there. We've seen it. (This) season the pressure is going to be back on."

2. Develop line depth: Tradition, technique and fundamentals are trademarks of Larry Pinto's Mayfield teams throughout the years. Size up front? Not so much. Pinto admits that while the team features above-average speed at the skill positions, the Wildcats will have to work extra hard to develop depth along both the offensive and defensive fronts. Pinto will have good anchors in senior OL Dan Evans (5-9, 230) and senior DL Zach Rodman (6-2, 260). Both should be among the top players in the WRC at their positions. How far the Wildcats go could be determined by players such as junior DE Izzy Watson (6-2, 200) and senior OT Jake Steffens (6-4, 215) and how quickly they can develop into mainstays at the varsity level.

3. Dominate a new conference: Entering the new Western Reserve Conference, Mayfield will be one of the bigger schools on the block. But opponents such as Madison, Willoughby South, Chardon and Kenston - all playoff teams from 2014 - should give the Wildcats a tough test before the playoffs get underway. The Wildcats will be familiar with former Northeast Ohio Conference foe Brush, which joins the WRC along with the Wildcats this year. And circle the Week 8 showdown at Madison, where the Blue Streaks will be looking to avenge last year's playoff loss to the visiting Wildcats.

MORE ABOUT MAYFIELD

Click here to see 2015 schedule

OHSAA division, region: Division II, Region 3.

Conference: Western Reserve Conference.

2014 record: 12-2, lost Division II state semifinal to Nordonia, 52-14.

Coach: Larry Pinto (18th season).

Coach’s career record: 127-62.

Returning starters: 7 offense, 6 defense.

Key players:

Player, POS, Yr., Ht, Wt.

Koby Berry, WR/DB, Sr., 6-0, 170.

Gage Bican, WR, Sr., 6-1, 190.

Luke Bican, WR, Sr., 6-1, 190.

Michael Canganelli, S, Jr., 5-10, 175.

Tim Carlile, OL, Sr., 6-0, 250.

Nick Crouch, OL, Sr., 5-10, 225.

Jared Dostal, LB, Sr., 6-2, 215.

Dan Evans, OL, Sr., 5-9, 230.

Joey Favazzo, CB, Sr., 5-10, 175.

Noah Fredrickson, LB, Jr., 5-10, 205.

Jason Hughes LB/WR, Jr., 6-0, 180.

Jordan Jones, LB, Sr., 5-10, 200.

Jack Longo, WR, Sr., 6-0, 175.

Mario Monastero, QB, Sr., 6-1, 190.

Brian Nolan, LB/RB, Jr., 6-2, 190.

Zach Rodman, DL, Sr., 6-2, 260.

Kyle Ross, OT, Jr., 6-0, 245.

Bailey Rotsky, WR/S, Jr., 5-10, 175.

Bobby Snyder, DB/WR, Jr., 5-9, 165.

Jake Steffens, OT, Sr., 6-4, 215.

Carl Stacey, LB, Sr., 5-10, 215.

Izzy Watson DE, Jr., 6-2, 200.

Scouting report

Strengths: Pinto's crew will be among the fastest in the area, with both Bicans, Canganelli and junior sprinter Bailey Rotsky on the perimeter. It's hard to imagine that a team could lose arguably the fastest back in the state in Andy Isabella and actually be a faster team than last season (Isabella won the Division I 100 meter dash title last season). But the Wildcats could do just that. Monastero will have plenty of deep options in the passing game. The other area of strength Pinto identified was his team's "Football IQ." "I think our kids could go out right now and run an offense and a defense," he said in a preseason interview. "I think the kids are smart and they're football savvy."

Concerns: Mayfield loses an All-Conference defensive player of the year in Brian Hunter, but returns nose tackle Zach Rodman (5 QB sacks, all-conference honorable mention) and experience in its linebacking corps with Jared Dostal, Carl Stacey and Noah Fredrickson. According to Pinto, the Wildcats will need to rebuild the offensive and defensive lines. "We always seem to be a little undersized," Pinto said. "My staff does a great job with basic fundamentals like blocking, tackling, pursuing and reading coverages. I think we get a lot more out of the kids we have."

Key stats from 2014: Monastero was 119-for-215 passing for 1,493 yards, 20 TD, 8 INT last season; Canganelli is the top returning running back with 98 carries for 456 yards and 6 TD as a backup to All-Ohioan Andy Isabella last year. Gage Bican is the top returning receiver with 32 catches for 283 yards and 3 TD; Luke Bican added 17 catches for 255 and 3 TD. Gage Bican averaged 23 yards per punt return in 2014, including a 61-yard touchdown against Madison in the playoffs. Canganelli averaged 25 yards per kickoff return, including a long of 50.

Bottom line: Third-year starting QB Mario Monastero will have his pick of deep threats in twins Gage and Luke Bican, while junior RB Michael Canganelli got meaningful carries during last season's state-semifinal run. Zach Rodman (DL) and Jared Dostal (LB) will anchor a tough, quick defense that could drive the Wildcats all the way to Columbus.

Follow Mayfield all season

Bookmark the team’s cleveland.com webpage to see every post pertaining to Mayfield.

For more high school sports news, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Contact high school sports reporter Joe Noga on Twitter (@JoeNogaCLE), by email (jnoga@cleveland.com) or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.