The Lake Erie Monsters have a 2-0 lead over the Hershey Bears in the best-of-seven Calder Cup series.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Lake Erie Monsters lead their best-of-seven 2016 Calder Cup series over the Hershey Bears, 2-0.

The series will now switch to Quicken Loans Arena for Games 3, 4 and, if necessary, Game 5. Games 6 and 7 would be back in Hershey.

The Monsters and Bears play Game 3 tonight at 7 in The Q. The Monsters are on a seven-game winning streak.

The Monsters will try to become the first professional hockey team from this city to win a title since the Cleveland Barons won the Calder Cup in the 1963-64 season.

Lake Erie is an affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Hershey is an affiliate of the Washington Capitals.

See below for the schedule, ticket information and more:

Recap

The Monsters won Game 1 of the series 4-1, thanks to goalie Anton Forsberg who stopped 26 shots. Trent Vogelhuber scored a goal with 14:21 left to snap a 1-1 tie.

In Game 2, the Monsters took a three-goal lead into the third period and held on for a 5-3 victory over the Bears.A 

Schedule

Game 3, Monday -- Hershey at Monsters, 7 p.m.
Game 4, Saturday -- Hershey at Monsters, 7 p.m.
Game 5, Sunday -- Hershey at Monsters, 6 p.m., if necessary
Game 6, June 14 -- Monsters at Hershey, 7 p.m., if necessary
Game 7, June 17 -- Monsters at Hershey, 7 p.m., if necessary

TV/Radio

Fox Sports Ohio; ESPN 850 WKNR with the exception of Game 4 on Saturday, which can be heard on 99X FM.

AHL LIVE

Free streaming for all 2016 Calder Cup Finals games available by logging onto www.ahllive.com and creating an account.

Tickets

Available at lakeeriemonsters.com.

The Lake Erie Monsters defeated the Hershey Bears 3-2 on Monday and now are one victory away from becoming first Cleveland pro hockey team to win title in 52 years.

This story was updated at 10:45 p.m. with player reaction

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Oliver Bjorkstrand took only 80 seconds in overtime to put the Lake Erie Monsters one victory away from history.

Bjorkstrand's rebound goal at 1:20 in overtime gave the Monsters a 3-2 victory over the Hershey Bears on Monday night at The Q and a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven Calder Cup Finals.

It was the eighth straight postseason victory for the Monsters and they're 4-0 in overtime. It was Bjorkstrand's ninth goal of the postseason.

The Monsters are the first pro hockey team from Cleveland to advance to the finals since the 1965-66 Cleveland Barons. The Barons, however, lost in six games to the Rochester Americans. The Cleveland Barons last won a Calder Cup championship in 1964.

But a potential celebration will have to wait. Game 4 is not until 7 p.m. on Saturday at the Q.

How they scored

The Bears came out quickly and Ryan Stanton scored an early goal at 2:07 of the first period. But the Monsters, who outshot the Bears 11-6 in the first period, tied the score behind Bjorkstrand's goal in just under seven minutes.

Daniel Zaar snapped the tie on a power-play goal from the left circle for a 2-1 lead at 18:13 in the second period. Zaar scored his seventh goal of the playoffs.

But it didn't take the Bears long to respond. Dustin Gazley came down the middle and tied the score when he slapped the puck past Anton Forsberg at 19:00.

Numbers

Forsberg stopped 17 of 19 shots to get the win. Hershey's Justin Peters faced 28 shots and stopped 25. ... The Monsters were 1-for-3 on the power play, Hershey was 0-for-1. ... The official attendance was 12,935.

• Game 3 summary

They said it

"You don't think about it that much, we'll just try to get ready for another game. You can't think about if it's the last game of the series. You just go shift to shift and try to win [the next] game," -- Monsters center Lukas Sedlak on the possibility of winning championship on Saturday.

"We won the faceoff, he made a hard shot on net. I'm not sure what it hit but [the puck] came right in front of me and I was lucky that I could hit it toward the net and then it went in. It was a great feeling." -- Monsters right wing Oliver Bjorkstrand on winning goal.

"We've got a real special group here. We've got different guys stepping up every night. We're finding different ways to win, and we're getting a lot of special performances from a lot of our players on any given night and that's what it takes this time of year." -- Monsters coach Jared Bednar.

Mystery

Monsters right wing Josh Anderson missed his second consecutive postseason game on Monday. The team said his status is day to day. Anderson is tied for third league-wide with seven goals in the playoffs and he's tied for eight in the AHL with 12 points in the postseason and second with 12 minor penalties.

Good news

Left wing Brett Gallant returned to action on Monday for the first time since April when he collapsed on the bench during a TV timeout in the second period of a Monsters game in Toronto. After several minutes on the bench, he was placed on a stretcher and taken from the ice.

The other side

Bears wingers Chris and Ryan Bourque are the sons of NHL legend Raymond, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004, his first season of eligibility. His jersey No. 77 has been retired by the Boston Bruins and the Colorado Avalanche.

Next game

Game 4 is 7 p.m. Saturday at The Q.

Slice had been hospitalized for an undisclosed reason.

CORAL SPRINGS, Florida -- Kimbo Slice, who became famous with his backyard fighting videos and in MMA fighting, has died after being admitted to a hospital Monday. He was 42.

TMZ.com first confirmed the death of Slice, whose real name was Kevin Ferguson.

Bellator MMA released a statement on Slice's death late Monday night.

"We are all shocked and saddened by the devastating and untimely loss of Kimbo Slice, a beloved member of the Bellator family," the statement says. "One of the most popular MMA fighters ever,  Kimbo was a charismatic, larger-than-life personality that transcended the sport.

"Outside of the cage he was a friendly, gentle giant and a devoted family man. His loss leaves us all with extremely heavy hearts, and our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Ferguson family and all of Kimbo's friends, fans, and teammates."

Multiple reports said Slice was admitted to the hospital Monday night for undisclosed reasons.

The Coral Springs Police Department tells ESPN.com there had been no police or medical call prior to Slice being taken to the hospital and that there is no criminal investigation.

Slice had been scheduled to fight James Thompson in London on July 16 as the headline bout at Bellator 158. He last fought in February, winning a three-round decision over Dhafir Harris in Houston.

The ATT Family and South Florida community lost a legend today. RIP Kimbo. pic.twitter.com/sjs8ctyJMd

-- American Top Team (@AmericanTopTeam) June 7, 2016

The Indians won their sixth straight game Monday night and increased their lead in the AL Central to 2 1/2 games over Kansas City.

SEATTLE (AP) -- Trevor Bauer pitched 7 2/3 strong innings and Rajah Davis homered to lead the Cleveland Indians to their sixth straight victory with a 3-1 win over the Seattle Mariners on Monday night.

Bauer (4-2) gave up one run while scattering five hits. He walked one and struck out 10 to earn his first victory since May 10. Bryan Shaw got the final two outs in the eighth and Cody Allen worked the ninth to pick up his 12th save in 13 opportunities.

It's the longest win streak for the Indians since Aug. 25-31 and extended their lead over Kansas City in the AL Central to 2 1/2 games.

James Paxton (0-2) took the loss for the Mariners, who have dropped four straight. He allowed all three runs -- just one earned -- on five hits. He walked one and struck out 10 in six innings.

After the Mariners jumped ahead 1-0 in the third on Nori Aoki's two-run, RBI single, the Indians rallied for two unearned runs in the fourth. Paxton yielded a one-hit single to Carlos Santana followed by a Jose Ramirez double into the left-field corner.

Santana, waved home, was beaten by the relay throw but catcher Chris Iannetta dropped it for an error. Ramirez, who advanced to third on the throw, scored on Juan Uribe's sacrifice fly.

Davis hit his sixth home run in the fifth.

Robinson Cano had his career-best on-base streak to 34 consecutive games ended with an 0-for-4 evening.

Mariners reliever Edwin Diaz, called up from Triple-A Tacoma Saturday, made his major league debut in the seventh. He retired the side in order.

INFIELDER FOR OUTFIELDER

The Mariners, carrying 12 pitchers, juggled their thin position-player personnel by adding an infielder, shortstop Ketel Marte off the DL, and returning an outfielder, OF Stefen Romero, to Triple-A. "With the four right-hand starters and a prominent right-hand bullpen," manager Scott Servais said, "there was not a great opportunity (for right-hand-hitting Romero) to get any starts or impact the game much."

ROTATION JUGGLING

The Indians are shifting their rotation a bit this week to help rest some nagging injuries. RHP Cody Anderson will start Tuesday to give RHP Carlos Carrasco, who came off the DL June 2, an extra day. He'll start Wednesday, replacing RHP Danny Salazar, described to have some "shoulder fatigue." Salazar will skip his turn and is scheduled to return Sunday in Anaheim.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Indians: RHP Joba Chamberlain (intercostal strain), eligible to return from the DL Monday, will be activated Wednesday, as Anderson will be optioned out after his Tuesday start.

Mariners: OF Leonys Martin (strained left hamstring) ran the bases before the game and appears on schedule to return Friday. Felix Hernandez (strained right calf) has not started running yet. His DL end date is Saturday.

UP NEXT

Indians: Anderson (1-3, 6.81) had his best outing -- and only win -- of the season in his previous outing May 23. He lasted seven innings, allowing five hits, one run, no walks, and nine strikeouts in a 5-1 win over the White Sox.

Mariners: Despite LHP Wade Miley (5-2, 5.84) giving up 12 hits and nine runs Thursday to San Diego he had a no-decision. The Mariners rallied for a 16-13 victory. Miley has had just two career starts against Cleveland. He is 0-1 with an 8.22 ERA.

Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor opened Week 10 with an 0-for-4 against the Seattle Mariners on June 6 in Seattle. The Tribe won, 3-1.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor's MLB arrival in June of last season came with considerable hype. He lived up to it -- and then some.

Lindor had an .835 OPS and 4.6 WAR in 99 games. He finished second to Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa in AL Rookie of the Year voting.

What will Lindor do next? Here is a week-by-week recap of his 2016 season:

Week 1: 4 G, 17 PA, 5-for-15 (five singles), four runs, two walks, three strikeouts. 10/17 Quality Plate Appearance (subjective).

Summary: Even though he had no extra-base hits, Lindor swung the bat well overall. He took what the pitchers gave him and totaled three hits against two good lefties (David Price, Chris Sale). Issues were with cutter under hands and splitters. Solid defensively.

Week 2: 6 G, 26 PA, 6-for-25 (three singles, two doubles, homer), four RBI, three runs, two steals, seven strikeouts. 9/26 QPA. One error.

Summary: Not one of Lindor's better six-game stretches. Uncomfortable too often against off-speed, particularly changeups. Seven strikeouts/zero walks was noticeable. OK defensively.

Week 3: 6 G, 27 PA, 9-for-22 (eight singles, double), five walks, RBI, five runs, steal, caught stealing. 16/27 QPA.

Summary: Once again, Lindor took what the pitchers gave him and settled for singles en route to a strong six-game block. Finished with one walk in four straight games. Excelled defensively.

Week 4: 6 G, 27 PA, 5-for-23 (four singles, one double), three walks, three RBI, steal, sacrifice fly. 12/27 QPA. Good defensively.

Summary: Lindor did not swing well. Too eager/anxious numerous times. Missed plenty of pitches to hit.

Week 5: 6 G, 25 PA, 10-for-23 (eight singles, double, homer), walk, hit-by-pitch, three RBI, seven runs, steal. 13/25 QPA.

Summary: Good bounce-back from Week 5. Turned decent pitches into hits. Plus-defense.

Week 6: 6 G, 27 PA, 5-for-26 (five singles), walk, two RBI, three runs, steal. 10/27 QPA.

Summary: Rarely seemed comfortable during rough week, the nadir being 0-for-7 in a 16-inning loss at Houston.

Week 7: 7 G, 35 PA, 14-for-32 (10 singles, three doubles, homer), three walks, five RBI, six runs, two steals. 19/35 QPA.

Summary: Outstanding. One of his best weeks offensively as an MLB player.

Week 8: 6 G, 27 PA, 6-for-24 (four singles, double, homer), two walks, three RBI, five runs, two steals. 10/27 QPA.

Summary: Good for most second-year players, so-so for Lindor.

Week 9/Summary: Closed with excellent series against Royals.

Week 10 (ongoing):

SEASON GAME No. 56 at Seattle Mariners (W, 3-1)

First inning vs. LHP James Paxton (runners on first and second, none out) -- 97 fastball, chopper to second.

Quality plate appearance: Yes, because both runners advanced.

Third inning vs. Paxton (runner on first, two outs) -- 98 fastball called strike; 89 slider swinging strike; 99 fastball, grounder to third/FC 5-4.

Quality plate appearance: No.

Fifth inning vs. Paxton (none on, two outs) -- 99 fastball foul; 84 breaking pitch foul; 98 fastball called strikeout.

Quality plate appearance: No.

Eighth inning vs. LHP Mike Montgomery (none on, one out) -- 94 fastball called strike; 77 breaking pitch swinging strike; 80 breaking pitch down and in; 86 changeup, swinging strikeout.

Quality plate appearance: No.

Totals: 0-for-4. 1/4 QPA.

The Indians won their sixth straight game Monday night by defeating Seattle, but were dark clouds gathering because of injuries to Danny Salazar and Michael Brantley?

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Indians are rolling, but the dark clouds are never far away.

Trevor Bauer pitched his best game of the season Monday night as the Indians beat Seattle, 3-1, for their sixth straight victory. Before the game, however, manager Terry Francona told reporters at Safeco Field that Danny Salazar, their most dynamic starter through the first nine weeks of the season, will have his turn in the rotation skipped and isn't scheduled to pitch until Sunday against the Angels in Anaheim.

Francona said Salazar has a tired right shoulder. He beat Kansas City on Friday at Progressive Field, pitching eight innings with nine strikeouts and five walks. Salazar isn't just being pushed back a day or two, he'll go eight days between starts, which is an indication of the Indians' concern. If their concern was any greater, he'd probably be headed to the disabled list.

While every game is a test during the season, some are more important than others. Bauer beating the Mariners for the first time in his career Monday was encouraging. More important will be how Cody Anderson pitches Tuesday night in place of Salazar.

It will be Anderson's second spot start since he was sent down after an unsuccessful start to the season. If it goes as well as the first one, the Indians can take a deep breath should Salazar's tired right shoulder need more rest than they anticipate.

The Tribe's current run of good play - 13 wins in the last 20 games - began on its last trip against Cincinnati, Boston and Chicago. They went 6-3 and Anderson contributed a big victory as he struck out nine and allowed one run over seven innings in the nightcap of a doubleheader against the White Sox on May 23.

Anderson was sent back to Class AAA Columbus after that game as he will be Tuesday night after facing the Mariners. But the knowledge that he's put together three good starts, one in the big leagues and two at Columbus, should give him confidence Tuesday night. What's more, it reinforces the Indians belief in the depth of their starting pitching.

Tribe's Anderson fans 9 in doubleheader split

Before the announcement on Salazar, it was reported that the Indians were concerned that Michael Brantley might miss a significant part of the season as he recovers surgery on his right shoulder. Since Brantley has already been on the disabled list twice and that the Indians have refused to name a timetable for his latest return, it seemed like sensationalizing the obvious. For their part the Indians said nothing has changed regarding Brantley's return. They are letting him set the pace.

Michael Brantley needs time to heal

Brantley's replacement, Jose Ramirez, meanwhile, continued to hit a lot like Brantley. Ramirez ignited a two-run rally in the fourth Monday night against lefty James Paxton, who hit 100 mph several times during his six innings of work. After a single by Carlos Santana, Ramirez doubled into the left field corner as Santana scored from first on an error by catcher Chris Iannetta. Ramirez, who took third on the error, scored on a sacrifice fly by Juan Uribe for 2-0 lead.

After the inning, the Indians were celebrating in the dugout when the SportsTime Ohio cameras caught Santana slapping Uribe on the batting helmet. The always- smiling Uribe was not smiling as he turned and moved toward Santana. Francisco Lindor got between the two and guided Uribe to the far end of the dugout.

Ramirez is hitting .315 (52-for-165) with 15 doubles, three homers, 20 RBI and 27 runs in 50 games. Here's where Brantley stood after 50 games in 2014 and 2015:

2014: .307 (59-for-192) with 11 doubles, nine homers, 39 RBI and 31 runs.

2015: .304 (59-for-194) with 15 doubles, three homers, 20 RBI and 27 runs.

Ramirez came into the season as a utility player, but before Monday's game, Francona told reporters, "he's not a utility player for us, he's a weapon."

Bauer has mostly been an enigma in parts of four seasons with the Indians. Monday night, he looked like the best pitcher on the staff. He allowed one run on five hits in 7 2/3 innings against a good Seattle team that has hit a bad patch. His 10 strikeouts started in the fourth inning and extended into the eighth.

He struck out 10 of the last 18 Mariners he faced. Bauer showed 95 mph heat and a devastating curveball. Every pitch he threw moved like it was getting a hot foot.

The fact that Bauer opened the year in the bullpen is another sign of the Tribe's pitching depth. So is the fact that if he keeps pitching like he did Monday night, going back to the bullpen will never be a concern.

The Cleveland Cavaliers will try to become the fourth team to win The Finals after trailing 2-0 in the series.

Trevor Bauer struck out 10 in 7 2/3 innings to lead the Cleveland Indians to a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Monday night in Seattle.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Right-hander Trevor Bauer allowed one run and struck out 10 in 7 2/3 innings and Rajai Davis homered as the Cleveland Indians defeated the Seattle Mariners, 3-1, Monday night at Safeco Field in Seattle, Wash. The Tribe has won six in a row, outscoring the opposition, 33-11.

Here is a capsule look at the game, which was televised by Fox Sports Time Ohio:

Nick Camino Scoreboard Watch: The Tribe (32-24) leads the AL Central by 2 1/2 games over Kansas City (30-27). The Royals lost in Baltimore.

Slumping: The Mariners (31-26) have lost four straight and five of six.

Dominant: Pitching from both teams at Safeco on Monday was as nasty as any in recent memory for a game involving the Indians.

Cleveland's Bauer, Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen and Seattle's James Paxton, Edwin Diaz and Mike Montgomery combined for the following line:

18 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 27 K

They threw 184 of 265 pitches for strikes.

The Mariners entered ranked second in the American League with 5.1 runs per game. The Indians were third 4.9. As those rankings indicate, the teams feature plenty of dangerous hitters, but most looked bad on multiple occasions Monday. The pitchers' power stuff was that good.

Dealing: Bauer gave up five hits and one walk. He threw 73 of 109 pitches for strikes.

I have watched every Bauer start since he made his Cleveland debut in April 2013, and charted the vast majority of them. Monday's was arguably the best dovetailing of nasty repertoire and superb command/control. Bauer consistently put pitches with movement in the optimal spots, whether on the borders of the zone or off the plate with a purpose.

Bauer relied on a fastball/curveball/changeup combination. He mixed in a cutter. That Bauer has settled on 3-4 pitches and continued to refine them instead of sifting through 9-10 is a testament to his maturation as an MLB pitcher.A 

Of the numerous plus-pitches Bauer threw against Seattle, one stood out -- a 94-mph fastball to Kyle Seager in the sixth.

Goodness, Bauer. Ridic tailing action for 94 mph. #indians @SportsTimeOhio pic.twitter.com/SN46TCVf5n

-- Dennis Manoloff (@dmansworld474) June 7, 2016

The tailing action was incredible. As Fox Sports Time Ohio play-by-play voice Matt Underwood said: "That looked like a left-handed pitcher throwing a slider.''

Bauer once again was assisted by catcher Chris Gimenez, who called a great game. Bauer trusts Gimenez to put down the correct fingers. The synergy has resulted in Bauer increasing his tempo, which has put batters on the defensive.

Whiff king: Bauer notched all of his strikeouts after the third inning.

*Fourth -- (L) Robinson Cano, swinging (0-2 fastball up/97 mph); Nelson Cruz, called (0-2 comeback fastball/96); Chris Iannetta, swinging (1-2 curve off outside edge/80).

*Fifth -- (L) Ketel Marte, called (2-2 comeback fastball/94); (L) Shawn O'Malley, called (2-2 curve/78).

*Sixth -- (L) Robinson Cano, swinging (1-2 curve down and in/79); (L) Kyle Seager, swinging (2-2 curve inside edge/78).

*Seventh -- (L) Adam Lind, swinging (0-2 fastball at letters/94); (L) Ketel Marte, called (3-2 fastball outside edge/94).

*Eighth -- (L) Shawn O'Malley, called (2-2 comeback fastball inside edge/91).

Finding a way: The Indians scratched three runs against lefty Paxton, who reached triple-digits with his fastball.

With the Tribe trailing, 1-0, in the fourth inning, Carlos Santana hit a one-out single. Jose Ramirez dropped the barrel on a 1-0 fastball (98) and shot it down the left-field line. When the ball rattled around the base of the wall, third-base coach Mike Sarbaugh opted to pinwheel Santana.

Left fielder Seth Smith threw to shortstop Marte, who relayed on-target to catcher Iannetta before Santana arrived at the plate. Problem for Seattle is, Iannetta whiffed on the catch. Santana scored and Ramirez alertly scooted to third.

Iannetta was charged with an error. Yes, Santana should have been out -- but I still applaud Sarbaugh's aggressiveness there. He knew scoring opportunities were at a premium because Paxton was dealing, and he forced the Mariners to make two good throws and one good catch. In this case, two out of three was bad.

The next batter, Juan Uribe, checked on a 1-2 breaking pitch. Paxton thought he had a strikeout, but first-base umpire Bill Welke disagreed on appeal. The non-call became huge when Uribe dug out a 2-2 fastball (100) and sent it to right for a sacrifice fly to make it 2-1.

Both of the runs were unearned.

With one out in the Tribe fifth, Davis took a 2-2 fastball (98) over the plate and down. Paxton thought he had a strikeout at the knees, but plate umpire D.J. Reyburn disagreed. K-box showed the pitch to be a hair low.

Paxton came back with a cutter (91) below the knees, and Davis flicked it over the left-field wall for a homer. Paxton thought it was going to be a flyout.

Paxton allowed five hits and one earned run. He walked one and struck out 10, including Mike Napoli three times.

Napoli finished 0-for-4 with four strikeouts but saw a game-high 25 pitches.

An Akron man charged with trying to extort former Ohio State football star Chris "Beanie" Wells will stand trial this week.

Franklin ConleySummit County Sheriff's Office 

AKRON, Ohio -- An Akron man charged with trying to extort former Ohio State football star Chris "Beanie" Wells will stand trial this week.

Franklin Conley, 28, and another man targeted Wells because they thought they had a chance at recouping their losses from a drug deal that Wells' brother help set up, according to federal prosecutors. Conley called and texted Wells threats demanding between $65,000 and $175,000.

Conley faces charges of Hobbs Act extortion, four counts use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug offense, possession with intent to distribute heroin and interstate communication with intent to extort. He is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Jury selection for the trial is scheduled to begin Tuesday in front of U.S. District Judge Sara Lioi. The trial is expected to last through the week.

Patrick Griffin, Conley's co-defendant, pleaded guilty in December to Hobbs Act extortion.

Wells, 27, played for the Buckeyes for three years and was named the team's MVP in 2008. He scored 30 touchdowns during his college career.

He was drafted in the first round in 2009 by the Arizona Cardinals but was released in 2013. He tore his Achilles tendon in October 2013 while practicing with the Baltimore Ravens and he has not played since.

He now co-hosts a morning sports show at a radio station in Columbus.

A criminal complaint says that Conley and Griffin began making threatening phone calls to Wells in February 2015. They said they would hurt or kill Wells if he did not give them money.

Wells, referred to in the complaint as a "Franklin County, OH businessman," indicated that he knew both men were drug dealers with violent reputations, and the complaint makes reference to Conley's 2012 acquittal on a Summit County murder charge.

A motion filed by Conley says that Wells and Conley have been friends since childhood.

Click here to read more about the case.

If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Tuesday's court and crime comments section.

Cleveland fans wonder if LeBron James can stop the Warriors' momentum and what the postseason says about Tristan Thompson's value to the Cavaliers.

I feel sorry for the younger fans who simply have never known a time when braggadocio was not commonplace, and when grace and class prevailed in athletics. They can thank Ali for that, writes Ted Diadiun.

"The Greatest," said the headline on the front page of The Plain Dealer (along with who-knows-how-many-other publications and websites), above a story about the passing of Muhammad Ali last Friday.

The headline did not need Ali's name.

Muhammad Ali dead at 74 after years battling Parkinson's

That's the way we've known him since 1964, when he announced it to the world without waiting for witnesses to assess his defeat of the fearsome Sonny Liston for the heavyweight boxing championship: "I am the greatest!" he crowed. "I'm king of the world!"

He announced it, and then he proved it, over and over. Many of the stories written in the wake of his passing have called him "one of the" best boxers ever. I'd remove the qualifier. He was the greatest in the ring. You will never make me believe that Ali in his prime would not have taken apart any boxer who ever lived.

I write not in praise of Ali today, however. There are plenty of others to do that, and the adulation being heaped on him over the past few days requires more perspective than the fawning stories have provided.

In addition to his indisputable boxing skills, his instinctive showmanship, his inspirational role as a confident young black man and the warm fuzzies that his eventual turn as the kindly old gentleman of sport have produced, Ali's legacy includes a few other things.

The first is his creation of the preening, prancing, unapologetically boastful demeanor that has become such a familiar plague on the world of sports. Every batter who hits a home run and stands at the plate for long moments admiring it, every basketball player who taunts the other team after sinking a three-pointer, every football player who breaks into a foolish dance after making a tackle - all of them are Ali's progeny.

The "Greatest," has become such a familiar part of the Ali persona that the meaning of the word no longer even registers.

Muhammad Ali was 'The Greatest' -- and he was more than that

That was not the case when he burst into the national consciousness in the early '60s, however. A lot of us, accustomed to modest athletes who let the fans do the cheering, were appalled at the self-indulgent bombast.

My dismay has diminished over time, but I still prefer athletes who follow Vince Lombardi's advice and "act like they'd been there before" when they score a touchdown. And I feel sorry for the younger fans who simply have never known a time when braggadocio was not commonplace, and when grace and class prevailed in athletics. They can thank Ali for that.

Also being celebrated this week is Ali's refusal to submit to the military draft and the ensuing court battle that sidelined him for three and a half years in the prime of his athletic life.

He is praised for taking a principled stand, and there's little doubt about that. He was opposing the war, not trying to avoid going to battle: What he avoided was a cushy two-year hitch of publicity appearances and exhibition matches; no way was Muhammad Ali ever going to be handed an M-16 and sent into the Vietnam jungle.

But I'll let others applaud him for sacrificing those years of his career in an antiwar protest.

I'll save my admiration for people like baseball great Ted Williams, who lost almost five full seasons as a fighter pilot in World War II and Korea, and Cleveland's Bob Feller, who enlisted in the Navy right after Pearl Harbor and spent three of his prime years on the battleship USS Alabama in both oceans. And of course Pat Tillman, who lost his life in Afghanistan after walking away from a pro football career and enlisting in the Army after 9/11.

"I ain't got nothing against them Vietcong," Ali famously said at the time.

"Them Vietcong" killed 58,000 of his fellow Americans -- black and white, young and old, rich and poor -- while Ali was helping give them a reason to fight on.

Ali, self-proclaimed minister of peace and champion of black pride, was ruthless and cruel to many of his black opponents.

He deliberately prolonged fights against Floyd Patterson and Ernie Terrell long after he could have put them away, because they had continued to call him Cassius Clay following his conversion to the Muslim religion. He battered away at them while shouting "What's my name? What's my name?"

He taunted the valiant but slow-witted Joe Frazier by calling him a gorilla, using a rubber toy as a humiliating prop. Imagine anyone, black or white, doing that today.

And before his "Rumble in the Jungle" fight with George Foreman in Zaire, Ali arrived early enough to charm the crowds and teach them to chant, "Ali boma ye!" ("Ali, kill him," in Congolese).

 "Ali stood his ground," said President Barack Obama over the weekend, praising him for his antiwar stand. "And his victory helped us get used to the America we recognize today."

The irony hangs heavily over his statement. Sadly, the president was sure right about that.

Ted Diadiun is a member of the editorial board of cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer.

"He's like my son," Uribe said. "A lot of the guys, they'll say, 'Oh, look at him. He's your son. You're like a dad and his son.' It's good."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Jose Ramirez occupies the black, leather chair at his locker. He points at a nearby teammate and yells the words over and over.

"El Pavo. El Pavo. El Pavo."

Ramirez learned about the nickname minutes earlier. It didn't take long for him to start spreading the word.

Juan Uribe's belongings reside in a locker only a couple of spots from Ramirez's dwelling. It's about as far apart as the two have been since Uribe joined the Indians in spring training.

Uribe strolled into the Indians' clubhouse on this particular Sunday morning, as he always does, wearing sunglasses, a bright plaid dress shirt with the top few buttons undone, tight jeans and unblemished white loafers, with an unlit cigar dangling from his mouth and with an earbud attached to his right ear.

As Uribe settled in to his corner locker, Ramirez pointed at his teammate -- the one he calls "papa" and the one who calls him "hijo" -- and shouted the newly discovered moniker.

"El Pavo. El Pavo."

The Turkey. The Turkey.

In the Dominican, Uribe said -- from where both he and Ramirez hail -- it's common to attain a nickname for one's appearance or one's style of walking. Ramirez's teammates routinely mimic his walk, a proud, brash strut, in which he bounces from left foot to right foot.

Uribe earned his nickname in a similar fashion.

"Look at that body," Carlos Santana says, gazing at his teammate's build.

All Uribe can do is laugh. He has been poking fun at major-league teammates for 16 years, a long-time clubhouse ringleader. He can take a joke, especially one delivered by the player many Indians refer to as "Mini Me," a nickname Ramirez received because "he's too short," Santana said.

"He's like my son," Uribe said through team translator Anna Bolton. "A lot of the guys, they'll say, 'Oh, look at him. He's your son. You're like a dad and his son.' It's good."

Ramirez returns the favor.

"I always mess around with him and call him Dad," he said, via Bolton. "I respect him a lot."

Juan Uribe's build and walking style earned him the nickname, 'El Pavo,' or 'The Turkey.'Tony Dejak/AP 

Uribe broke into the big leagues with Colorado in 2001, when Ramirez was 8. The Indians -- his seventh team -- signed Uribe in February to give third baseman Giovanny Urshela more time to progress at Triple-A. Uribe hasn't exactly tormented opposing pitchers; he owns a .232/.296/.324 slash line, with two home runs and 13 RBI in 159 plate appearances.

He has, however, provided what manager Terry Francona termed "a very calming influence."

"He's always smiling," Francona said. "He goes, 'Hey, play me when you want. Just tell me where to go.' He's been there and done it many times. I know that when he talks, they listen. Everybody enjoys him. I mean, how could you not?"

What about when Uribe walks into the manager's office and snags one of Francona's cigars? Francona welcomed the veteran infielder to take one, but his arsenal quickly dwindled to four cigars.

"He's made [almost] $60 million [in his career]," Francona quipped. "Buy your own cigars. But no, he'll come in and say something in broken English, [something] funny. When you're always smiling, it's a nice way to go through life."

Uribe needs the cigar to complete his wardrobe. It offers another element when he walks into the clubhouse and yells, "What's up, baby?"

"There are days that he dresses better," Ramirez said. "There are days that I dress better."

Cleveland Indians' Jose Ramirez, lower-center, and Juan Uribe, upper center, are greeted in the dugout after Uribe scored Ramirez with a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Monday, June 6, 2016, in Seattle.Ted S. Warren/AP 

Uribe heads to his locker, sits in his chair and waves a thick wad of cash next to his ear. He hasn't noticed that Santana moved his No. 4 uniform to Ramirez's locker.

"A lot of people would like to be here, playing in the major leagues," Uribe said. "I have this opportunity to be here that so many others want. I should be happy."

The Indians are happy with the influence Uribe has had on Ramirez, who has provided constant production in the lineup. The 23-year-old boasts a .315/.384/.461 slash line, with 15 doubles. He has walked as many times as he has struck out (17) and he has filled in for Michael Brantley in left field, despite a lack of experience at the position.

"I'm really proud of Jose," Uribe said. "I told him in spring training that he has a chance to play every single day. I told him, 'You have a lot of talent and now that you're young, take advantage of this moment and work hard.' He has the chance to make money and be a ballplayer. Show the coaches and manager that you have a hunger to play."

There's nothing like fatherly advice.

"He has so much experience and he wants to transmit that to the younger players," Ramirez said.

Of course, Uribe supplements his wisdom to his "son" with some humor. He mocks Ramirez's confident, swagger-filled stride, as he spreads his shoulders wide and walks toward his locker. He also laughs about Ramirez's frequent helmet losses. Ramirez's helmet has slipped off of his head on the basepaths on 13 occasions this season.

"I always laugh every time his helmet falls off," Uribe said. "It's because of all of the hair that he has, that it falls off. The same thing used to happen to Hanley Ramirez [when we were] on the Dodgers. Every time he would swing, his helmet would fall off and I would say, 'Come on, how can this happen?' That would never happen to me."

Uribe especially enjoyed Ramirez's demonstration in Houston last month, as his helmet slipped off of his head, struck his foot and then landed on his back as he slid into second base.

"I was laughing really hard at that," Uribe said.

Many times, it's Ramirez laughing at "El Pavo."

"They look like father and son," Santana said. "Uribe is good to have around. He gives the team good energy."

Jose Ramirez and the flying helmet trick

Get updates from Berea as the team wraps up its off-season program.

BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns will wrap up their off-season program this week with three practices. The minicamp will run Tuesday through Thursday and will be open to the media all three days.

Follow along today beginning at noon with select players available to kick things off. Practice will run from 3-5 p.m., with media allowed to photograph, film and report on approximately the first 20 minutes. Head coach Hue Jackson will meet with the media following practice. Get updates in the Twitter widget below.

Follow Mary Kay Cabot on Twitter. Follow me, too.

Tweets from https://twitter.com/dan_labbe/lists/browns-updates  

Love has been one of the targets for some media and fans. Does he deserve it? Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Prior to leaving Game 2 of the NBA Finals to enter the league's concussion protocol, Kevin Love had been having an up-and-down series. Following Game 2, despite the news of the concussion, Love became one of the objects of criticism from some media and fans.

Is that criticism warranted or does Love deserve credit for being one of the players who, at least, is showing a maximum level of effort? Bud Shaw and Michael Reghi answered that question as part of our weekly series of sports videos. See what they had to say above.

The Cleveland Cavaliers lost the first two games by a combined 48 points to Golden State. That's the biggest deficit for the first two games in NBA Finals history.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Many years ago, Wes Unseld was coaching the old Washington Bullets.

I was sitting at the press table, not far from the Washington huddle. His team was being out-hustled by the Cavs.

A timeout was called.

The players gathered around Unseld. The former NBA center ... a wide mountain of a man ... was handed a clipboard by the trainer.

Unseld started to draw up a play, then he slammed the board down.

"If you don't want to rebound and get on the floor to get the ball, ain't no Xs and Os gonna help us tonight," he bellowed.

Then he glared at his players.

I don't recall who won the game that night, but I do remember Washington playing with more intensity after that.

What does this old story from an aging sportswriter have to with the NBA Finals in 2016?

Everything.

If the Cavs want to make this a series against Golden State, it doesn't start with Xs and Os.

It begins with the hearts and souls of the players.

In the world of pro basketball, Game 3 at Quicken Loans Arena is a test of the Cavaliers character.

They are behind 0-2 in the best-of-seven series. Lose this game, there is zero chance of a title. No team in NBA playoff history has ever come back from a 0-3 deficit to win four in a row.

There's talk of a Warriors sweep.

The last time a team was swept in The Finals? The 2007 Cavaliers, who were completely overmatched by San Antonio. That team's starting backcourt was Larry Hughes and Sasha Pavlovic!

Since 1990, only three teams have been swept in The Finals: Orlando by Houston in 1995, the New Jersey Nets by the L.A. Lakers in 2002, and the 2007 Cavs.

So it rarely happens, and the Cavs certainly have far too much talent to join that list of being wiped out in four games.

IT'S NOT JUST THE RESULTS

Maybe Golden State is such a superior team, the Cavs have no chance in this series.

As ESPN'S Brian Windhorst reports, not only have the Cavs lost seven games in a row to the Warriors -- they have failed to score at least 100 points in their last 10 games against Golden State.

Only once have the Warriors lost two games in a row this season.

They are the defending 2015 champs. Their 73-9 regular season record is the best in NBA history. They came back from a 1-3 deficit to win three in a row and knock off Oklahoma City in Western Conference Finals.

But how the Cavs played in Oakland was an embarrassment to themselves and their fans.

No team has ever lost the first two games of The Finals by a combined 48 points.

I repeat, NO team EVER has lost the first two games of The Finals by a combined 48 points.

No team until the 2016 Cavaliers.

IT'S NOT ALL ON LEBRON

But it does start with LeBron James if the Cavs are to make Golden State sweat.

He is the team captain, the true leader.

When he becomes discouraged and his shoulders sag, the players see it. When he fails to hustle back on defense, it impacts the entire team.

When he hits the floor for a loose ball...

When he runs down an opponent from behind and blocks a shot...

When he plays as he did in the 2015 Finals with so much determination...

His teammates respond and follow his example -- even if it's not enough to win.

Several players have been extremely soft in the first two Finals games. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love head the list. Tristan Thompson has not rebounded with the same ferocity as he did in the 2015 Finals. J.R. Smith's jumper is once again MIA in The Finals.

So much more is wrong with the Cavaliers than some of the understandable shortcomings of rookie head coach Tyronn Lue and what tactics are being used.

It comes down to desire. It comes drown to grit. It comes down to rebounding and defense.

It comes down to all the sports cliches that turn out to be so true in situations such as this -- things the Cavs showed in the 2015 Finals when they lost in six games, most of them very competitive games.

Get mad. Play hard. Back your teammates.

It might not be enough to beat Golden State, but it should prevent another Finals debacle -- this time, on their home court.

Over the winter many felt the Indians needed to trade a starting pitcher to improve their offense. The Indians listened to offers, but stood pat. So far it's paid off this season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Indians have played only 56 games this season and already the point has been driven home twice. Given a choice between having more or less starting pitchers, always pick more.

Over the winter many thought it was imperative for the Indians to trade one of their starters to improve a weak offense. As manager Terry Francona has said many times since, the Indians listened to one offer after another, but never came close to making a deal.

The reason was evident Monday night at Safeco Field.

"I'm pretty happy that we had Trevor Bauer pitching," understated Chris Antonetti, Indians president of baseball operations.

When No.2 starter Carlos Carrasco strained his left hamstring on April 24, Bauer came out of the bullpen and into the rotation. Carrasco is back, but Bauer is still in the rotation and Monday night it didn't take Cy Young to see why.

Bauer, facing the second highest scoring team in the American League, allowed one run on five hits in 7 2/3 innings in a 3-1 victory. He struck out 10 and walked one. Bauer's 10 strikeouts were condensed into his final 4 2/3 innings, meaning 10 of his last 14 outs came on strikeouts.

Monday's start followed Bauer's seven-inning, no-decision start against Texas. In that start, Bauer held the third highest scoring team in the AL to three runs on four hits. He struck out six and walked three.

Tuesday night the Indians once again will dip into their pitching depth when Cody Anderson makes a spot start because Danny Salazar has a sore right shoulder. Salazar's start has been pushed back to Sunday against the Angels in Anaheim.

"Danny was just a little bit more sore than normal after his last start," said Antonetti. "We had an opportunity to give him a few extra days rest, so we thought it made sense to do that."

In his last start, Salazar pitched eight innings in Saturday's 6-1 win over Kansas City. He struck out nine, walked five and threw 113 pitches. It was the first time Salazar has thrown eight innings this season and his second highest pitch count.

Salazar hit 98 mph on his last pitch and if this was late October instead of early June, he'd almost assuredly be making his scheduled start.

"There are times through the year where we try to give some of our guys a bit more time to recover because it's a long season," said Antonetti. "We want to do what we can to keep guys healthy for the balance of the season.

"He had some soreness. At this point in time we don't think it's significant. If we did, we would have put him on the disabled list."

What about Danny Salazar's shoulder?

Anderson opened the season in the rotation, but couldn't keep the ball in the park. Through seven games, including six starts interrupted by a quick trip to the minors, he went 0-3 with a 7.99 ERA and 10 homers allowed in 32 2/3 innings.

On May 23, Anderson was recalled to make a spot start in the second game of a doubleheader against the White Sox. He allowed one run on five hits with nine strikeouts in a 5-1 win. Anderson returned to Columbus after that game and he will do the same after Tuesday's start.

"He's pitched great in the minors," said Antonetti. "He's built off that start he had at the major league level (White Sox). Some of the small delivery adjustments he's made, he's stayed consistent with. We've seen that play with both his command and stuff as well as the quality of his pitches."

If the reason for Salazar's missed start turns out to be more than soreness, Anderson will be the pitcher who replaces him.

The Indians took a 2 1/2 game lead in the AL Central with Monday's win and Kansas City's loss to Baltimore. They are eight games above .500 at 32-24.

"If you look at where we are in the standings, we prefer to be in first place than anywhere else" said Antonetti, "but it's a long season with a lot of it still in front of us. We need to continue to play well.

"The thing that's most encouraging is that all areas of our team have contributed - our offense, our defense, out pitching, both starters and relievers. That's what we need to be successful."

On another subject, Antonetti said there was nothing too the apparent dugout spat betweeen Carlos Santana and Juan Uribe in the fourth inning Monday night.

"They were just fooling around," said Antonetti. "You could see (Francisco) Lindor kept between them. He was laughing when he did it."

Manziel's celebrity status was the least of the Browns' problems. It was Manziel's partying that was the issue.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Former Browns general manager Ray Farmer blamed the club Monday for mishandling Johnny Manziel's rock star status, but he missed the point.

It wasn't Manziel's celebrity status that was the issue; it was his drinking and substance abuse.

"In Johnny's case, I truly feel like a lot of people piled on the young man," Farmer said in a guest appearance Monday on ESPN's NFL Insiders. "He's done his share of helping everybody get on top of that bandwagon, but the reality is that the responsibility is borne by both the club, and the player. And when the club doesn't follow up on its end, it makes it that much easier for players to get off track."

Farmer, who stressed last month that Manziel's drafting was a group decision but that he has to accept his role in it, didn't point the finger at any particular front-office member. He just suggested that the organization wasn't equipped for the Johnny Football experience, which was an unmitigated disaster from the start.   

"This player had unique celebrity that I don't think the league has seen in a lot of different players,'' Farmer said. "A lot of guys come to the NFL and make their celebrity there. This young man came in with a Rolling Stone magazine cover-type of persona. That brings a whole new element of how you try to handle the quirks that comes with it."

The thing is, Manziel's celebrity status was the least of the Browns' problems. There are plenty of larger-than-life NFL stars who manage just fine, including Cam Newton, Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady.

It was Manziel's partying that was the issue. The Browns' previous regime didn't recognize it early enough -- despite the fact it was well-documented before the 2014 draft -- and therefore let it get out of hand.

In the days after he was drafted, he was photographed partying hard frequently, and had a wild weekend in Las Vegas over Memorial Day weekend, two weeks after the draft.

Mike Pettine's advice? "Have fun.'' What's more, it was the first of many times he admonished the media for making too much of Manziel's non-stop partying.

"Personally, I think it's overblown,'' he said. "It's really a non-issue.''

A little more than a month later -- and just weeks before the start of his first training camp -- a disturbing photo of Manziel in a bar surfaced that had the Browns alarmed. At that point the team and league should have stepped in and taken action. It was evident right then that Manziel had deep-rooted issues that needed to be addressed.

Browns minicamp starts today: preview video

He already had a team of handlers in place, and measures should've been taken by someone for an intervention. Instead, the party was allowed to continue to the point where Manziel is currently out of football, looks emaciated and has friends and family who fear for his life.

He finally went to rehab after last season, spending 73 days in an addiction-treatment center. But upon his discharge, he went immediately back into organized team activities and the fishbowl of his Johnny Football life. One substance-abuse counselor suggested that Manziel, who was 22 at the time, would've been better served with some time in a halfway house where he could learn to live sober.

Instead, word began to surface less than a month after he was out of rehab that he was back to some of his old behaviors. All the signs of a full-blown relapse were evident, but not enough was done by anyone to address it.

If Manziel wasn't in the NFL's substance-abuse program by then, he certainly should have been -- and someone needed to call a timeout on his life before it went as far as it did.

He's lucky to be alive after some of his recent incidents, including a high-speed argument with Colleen Crowley on Interstate 90 and a bad accident on the Sunset Strip in April.

His friends tried an intervention recently and were rebuffed. His family has tried and failed repeatedly to get him back into rehab.

So while it may be true that the Browns didn't handle Manziel's celebrity properly, it was his substance-abuse problem that didn't get the attention it needed.

"Not only do you want to win a championship, but in a place like this, it'd be awesome to be the first one," Kipnis said, "because that would be the breaking of the ice, crossing the finish line. That'd be the most celebrated one.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Every so often, Jason Kipnis catches himself daydreaming about a championship celebration.

He chats with teammate Mike Napoli about his experience with Boston's World Series triumph in 2013. Kipnis then parlays that conversation into his own vision of a Cleveland title.

How many fans would attend the parade? For how long would he and his teammates be revered? How would such an achievement alter the identity of the Cleveland sports scene?

Kipnis grew up about an hour north of Wrigley Field, home to the Chicago Cubs, a team that has failure woven into the fabric of the franchise.

"It's their nature that they don't have a championship [since 1908]," Kipnis said. "That's their thing. I'm wondering how it'll be once they get one."

He has also considered the same scenario for Cleveland, a city without a title from any of its three major professional sports entities since 1964. The Cavaliers could dismiss the hex with four wins in five games against the Golden State Warriors.

"Not only do you want to win a championship, but in a place like this, it'd be awesome to be the first one," Kipnis said, "because that would be the breaking of the ice, crossing the finish line. That'd be the most celebrated one.

"It's the championship that broke the curse. You have to start the clock back over. You can't say, 'the city hasn't had a championship in this many years.' That'd be the first one. Regardless of the sport, the first one would mean the most."

Cavs can rewrite Cleveland's sports history

Kipnis watched bits and pieces of ESPN's recent "Believeland" documentary, which highlights the grandest missteps in Cleveland sports lore. The second baseman has played for the Indians since 2011, so he feels confident in his understanding of the city's place along the nation's sports landscape.

"I think they'll take any one, regardless of the sport," he said.

The Indians made a three-hour cameo in the postseason in 2013.Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com 

Kipnis remembers the packed house at Progressive Field on Oct. 2, 2013, when the Indians hosted the American League Wild Card Game.

"That was the coolest thing I've ever seen," he said.

Of course, it probably pales in comparison to a clinching game of the World Series or a celebratory march down E. 9th Street. That's why Kipnis picks Napoli's brain and asks him to describe the championship scene.

"It just sounds amazingly epic," Kipnis said. "Especially in a city like this, where they've been waiting so long -- I think it would be insane."

Will the Cavs be hoisting the most coveted trophy this summer?Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com 

The Cavaliers have the next crack at snapping the streak of futility, though. The Indians will have to wait their turn. Tribe manager Terry Francona, a Cavaliers season-ticket holder, has wished the city's basketball team well. Kipnis said he is "all in." Some Tribe players would prefer that the Indians are the team that puts the drought to rest.

Everyone knows the stakes.

"We've always said it, even when I was here in '09 -- whoever wins the first championship in this town, they will be immortalized," said Chris Gimenez, a lifelong Warriors fan who grew up 45 minutes from Golden State's arena. "They really will."

In the end, though, beggars can't be choosers.

"We wish it could be us to be first," Kipnis said, "but I don't think we'd be mad if there's more than one parade here."

The summer Olympics are taking place during Rio de Janeiro's winter. August is the driest month of the year, meaning fewer mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The summer Olympics are happening during Rio de Janeiro's winter, since the city in the southern hemisphere. And that means fewer mosquitoes carrying the scary Zika virus.

Video: Zika virus threat is real, but this isn't the Hot Zone

The pinnacle of international athletic competitions takes place Aug. 5-21, during Brazil's driest, least humid month. It's the first Olympics games in South America.

Here is a quick climate summary of both August and September for Rio de Janeiro.

Climate summary of Rio-de-Janeiro during August and Septemberrio-de-janeiro.climatemps.com 

Since hot and humid weather conditions are perfect mosquito breeding grounds, Rio de Janeiro's proximity to the oceans, marsh lands, and many rivers, may pose a threat. This coupled with calm weather such as low winds, and a well-known water pollution problem which attracts mosquitoes, the threat increases.

Zika is a rapidly spreading, mosquito-borne virus that is linked to severe birth defects, including microcephaly, or small heads, in infants born to women with Zika. The virus has spread throughout the region.

In this Sept. 11, 2012 file photo, toxic foam forms as trash accumulates against a floodgate along the Sarapui River in Nilopolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, one of the main rivers that flows into Rio de Janeiro's Guanabara Bay. Victor R. Caivano 

Mosquitoes love to lay their eggs in still water. So areas where there is rapid movement of the water should be okay, but try to stay away from areas of very calm or stagnant water.

Remember, bug spray is your key ally.

Keep checking cleveland.com/weather for twice daily weather updates for Northeast Ohio, and don't forget to submit any weather questions you may have!

Kelly Reardon is cleveland.com's meteorologist. Please follow me on Facebook and Twitter @kreardon0818.

Juan Uribe didn't have a chance at the foul pop-up. He did have a chance at the hot dog. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Juan Uribe didn't have a chance at the foul pop-up. He did have a chance at the hot dog.

Uribe stood against the railing along the third-base line and watched Adam Lind's pop fly sail into the seats during the fourth inning of the Indians' loss to the Mariners on Tuesday night at Safeco Field. As the baseball plunged toward the seats, Uribe jokingly grabbed at a fan's hot dog.

As Uribe started to retreat to his position, the fan actually offered him the hot dog. Uribe, 37, smiled as he jogged back toward third base.

Uribe is known for his light-hearted attitude in the Indians' clubhouse. He has spent 16 seasons in the majors. This year, he is batting .228 with a .607 OPS.

"He's always smiling," said Tribe manager Terry Francona. ... "He's been there and done it many times. I know that when he talks, they listen. Everybody enjoys him. I mean, how could you not?"

Juan Uribe and Jose Ramirez: father and son

Never change, Juan. pic.twitter.com/vZYwMTX5ud

-- #VoteTribe (@Indians) June 8, 2016