What's going on in Baltimore as the Ravens prepare for training camp.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Welcome to the real NFL off-season, that dull period between OTAs and training camp when not a whole lot happens (except for putting rookies to work). So while we're waiting for the Browns to return, let's take a look around the AFC North and see what's going on.

Today: Baltimore Ravens.

1. Can Joe Flacco recover?

Flacco, who was the NFL's highest-paid QB until Andrew Luck took that title on Wednesday, is coming off a 2015 season ended by injury. A torn ACL and MCL knocked him out in Week 11. He was one of about two dozen Ravens sent to injured reserve last season, but is easily the most important to the team's 2016 season.

Flacco hopes to be ready for training camp, and that's good news for the Ravens, especially after watching backup Ryan Mallett remind everyone during OTAs of all the bad things that can happen when one throws a football.

2. Will Marc Trestman's familiarity breed success?

The Ravens have stability at offensive coordinator for the first time since Cam Cameron was fired midway through the 2012 season. That led to one-year runs by Jim Caldwell and Gary Kubiak, who each left for head coaching jobs.

Last season, Trestman mostly tried to keep Kubiak's system in place, which led to one of the league's top passing offenses, but struggles in the run game.

"But now the system is more his than it was last year. I think it's more ours than it was last year," head coach John Harbaugh told reporters during OTAs. "Collectively, we've spent a lot of time building the offensive system. We have a lot of confidence in what we're doing."

3. Is Trent Richardson writing his comeback or epilogue?

Browns fans might be interested to follow the progress of Richardson, the team's 2012 first-round pick (third overall). The Ravens are Richardson's third stop since being traded in 2013, and he's working with a one-year, non-guaranteed contract. A hamstring injury kept him out of OTAs in June, although he is near the bottom of the depth chart.

Richardson has admitted that off-the-field stress led to the downward spiral of his career. Now, though, he's having fun again.

If you've been following along at home, you know that the draft pick acquired in dealing Richardson to the Colts was used by the Browns to land Johnny Manziel in 2014. And that creates quite a hindsight debate for Browns fans, especially if Richardson is able to contribute to the Ravens this season.

Three Pittsburgh Steelers storylines to follow

Mom was indeed alive for the city's last major championship in 1964, but was too young to appreciate it. Yet her unwavering allegiance to all three major sports teams has been consistent through good times and bad.

MOM
"Even if Love is cleared, they shouldn't start him. They can't mess with this chemistry. They should start Richard Jefferson and bring Love off the bench. He won't complain, he's a big boy."

ME
"I couldn't agree more, Peg."

MOM
"Don't call me Peg. I'm your mother. Show some respect."

***

It's June 14th, and as usual, my mother's analysis is on point. The Cavaliers have just managed to win Game 5 in Oakland and the series is now 3-2. Mom still considers our championship prospects dubious, but unlike many, she has not given up hope. She never does.

My mother is easily the most knowledgeable and consistent sports fan in our family. If Cleveland is playing and she's at home, the game is on. Every game.

She falls into an unfortunate chronological window occupied by many Clevelanders, in that she was indeed alive for the city's last major championship in 1964, but was far too young to appreciate it. These are the people who have waited longest of all. Yet her unwavering allegiance to all three major sports teams has been consistent through good times and bad.

Consider a few of her bona fides:

* She was a Browns season ticket holder through most of the '80s and up until the departure. She witnessed firsthand both "Red Right 88" and "The Drive." She then endured nine seasons upon the team's return until finally relinquishing her seats in frustration. She told us it was cheaper and warmer to be disappointed while watching at home.

* When watching Indians games, she mutes the TV because she prefers hearing Tom Hamilton call games on the radio. She considers him worth what can often be a disorienting time delay between media.

* She manages to form complicated and often quite visceral one-sided relationships with most Cleveland athletes, and doesn't hesitate to vocalize her discontent should you fall out of her favor. The heroic string of vulgarities that my mother bellowed on any given evening in an effort to express her outrage regarding Dion Waiter's lackadaisical effort would make Quentin Tarantino blush.

SOME ADVICE FOR PROFESSIONAL CLEVELAND ATHLETES WHO WISH TO AVOID MY MOTHER'S WRATH:

* Don't have so many tattoos that it makes you look like "some sort of carnival person."

* Don't show up for the post-game press conference dressed like you're "about to go to the Kentucky Derby or outer space or something."

* She is often willing to look past questionable athletic ability if you openly support charitable organizations. Despite a declining skill set, Josh Cribbs probably bought himself two extra years of irrational Peggy Polk support due primarily to his engagement in the community.

* CRUCIAL! If it's late in the game and your team is down by an insurmountable margin, remember to maintain a consistently disappointed facial expression. DO NOT SMILE OR LAUGH. Precedent suggests redemption is all but impossible following this infraction.

* EXTRA CRUCIAL! Definitely DO NOT BE Manny Ramirez or Drew Gooden!

Beyond that, just don't stink.

It's now the evening of Sunday, June 19, and I am downtown.

Moments ago, LeBron James defiantly ignored both national expectations and statistical precedent by willing his team to the first Cleveland sports championship in 52 years.

I'm standing dumbstruck on Euclid Avenue, surrounded by 30,000 of my closest friends. I've barely walked eight feet but already have exchanged roughly 400 hugs and 800 high-fives with an insanely eclectic array of euphoric strangers.

There is no longer any distinction between sidewalk and street, public and private property, comrade and stranger. For one night, the entire downtown is our collective backyard and we are all old friends.

Fans drink openly on the street, having been granted temporary leniency by an observant but permissive police presence that's looking the other way. They are Cleveland sports fans as well, after all.

We celebrate knowing full well that this title doesn't negate lingering memories of "The Shot" or "The Fumble," but it renders those moments toothless and almost charming. When our infamous losing streak died, the power and relevance of those dark milestones died with it. Our demons have been officially exorcised and it is now a new day.

I maneuver through the jubilant crowd until I find a side alley offering enough relative quiet to attempt my first phone call. I can hear the smile in my mom's voice when she answers:

MOM
Well, Michael, we finally got one, didn't we?

ME
We sure did, Ma.

MOM
I assume you're downtown in all that mess?

ME
I am indeed.

MOM
I figured. Please be careful. Don't be a smart-ass to the wrong person and get yourself killed.

ME
Wise counsel, Mom. Thanks.

MOM
Well, I'm happy for you. And for the guys (she's referring to the Cavs here, as if they're friends of mine from high school). And for the city. They deserve this.

ME
Hey, don't forget about yourself there, Mother. You've earned this more than most.

MOM
Yeah, I've sat through some pretty awful stuff over the years, haven't I? You're right, I do deserve this. Thank you.

ME
You're welcome. I'm happy for you, Peg.

MOM
Don't call me Peg. Show some respect.

Mike Polk, Jr., is a Cleveland humorist who writes a column every other week for The Plain Dealer and for cleveland.com. Contact him on Twitter at @mikepolkjr.

In the latest Cleveland Indians Q&A, we asked Tribe pitchers to name the toughest hitter they have ever faced. Detroit's Miguel Cabrera was a popular answer. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Tribe pitchers have made their craft look awfully simple of late.

The club's starters, for instance, have posted a 1.83 ERA during Cleveland's franchise-record 14-game winning streak. The relievers have been dynamite as well, having allowed only three earned runs in 34 innings.

The Indians limited Toronto to one run on 11 hits in Friday's 19-inning victory.

It isn't as easy as it appears at times, though. Some hitters pop up in pitchers' nightmares.

In the latest Cleveland Indians Q&A, we asked Tribe pitchers to name the toughest hitter they have ever faced. Detroit's Miguel Cabrera was a popular answer, but some of the responses were a bit more obscure.

We also asked the pitchers to identify the one pitch that a teammate throws that they wish they had in their own arsenal. Watch the video above to see answers to both questions.

Who was your favorite player growing up?

Which Tribe player dresses the best?

NASCAR's Sprint Cup series runs the Coke Zero 400 tonight at Daytona and here is the TV schedule, as well as a link to NASCAR's live scoring.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Greg Biffle is on the pole for tonight's Coke Zero 400 in Daytona, Fla. as NASCAR tips off the holiday weekend.

The green flag on Saturday is scheduled to drop at 7:45 p.m. with coverage on NBC starting at 7. You can follow along all weekend at NASCAR's Race Center.

Several story lines as Biffle is currently not on the projected grid for The Chase at the end of the season, so a race victory will go a long way toward putting him there.

Also, retiring Tony Stewart is back in the spotlight. His victory last week at Sonoma makes a potential slot in The Chase a more realistic possibility.

Stewart has to make it into the top 30 of the standings, but there is time for that. The more elusive race victory is now in hand. He is the only driver outside the top 11 in the NASCAR standings, with a race win.

The other point of interest will be to see if teammate Danica Patrick is next in line to get that first victory.

NASCAR
SPRINT CUP
COKE ZERO 400
Site: Daytona, Florida.
Schedule:  Saturday, race, 7:45 p.m. (NBC).
Track: Daytona International Speedway (oval, 2.5 miles).
Race distance: (400 miles, 160 laps)
Last year: Dale Earnhardt Jr. won from the pole for his second victory of 2015.
Last week: Tony Stewart snapped an 84-race winless stretch by taking first at Sonoma Raceway.
Fast facts: Despite winning last weekend, Stewart remains nine points shy of the top-30 point position cutoff. It was the 49th career win for Stewart -- but the first for crew chief Mike Bugarewicz. ... Stewart-Haas Racing will return to Daytona with the top two cars in the series, Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch. Joe Gibbs Racing has three cars in the top 10, led by Carl Edwards in third.
Next race: Quaker State 400, July 9, Kentucky Speedway, Sparta, Kentucky.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report)

Despite turning 37 on July 4, the Cleveland Browns still need Josh McCown in the quarterback mix.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Now, there are four.

That's the Cleveland Browns quarterback situation after Connor Shaw was waived. He was later claimed by Chicago.

Some fans have been intrigued by Shaw, who started the final game of the 2014 season. He played with a lot of poise in a 20-10 loss in Baltimore. He completed 14 of 28 passes for 177 yards (55.2 rating) and one interception.

Shaw missed all of 2015 because of thumb surgery. He had a 27-4 record as a starter for South Carolina, but went undrafted because of his lack of arm strength.

Being waived is best for Shaw, who was not going to make the team. Not with Robert Griffin III, Josh McCown, Cody Kessler and Austin Davis ahead of him.

Unless there is a surprise, Griffin will open the season as the starter. Coach Hue Jackson has not made any decision public, but Griffin has been working with the starters in all the spring minicamps.

The interesting question surrounds McCown. Do the young Browns keep a quarterback who turns 37 on July 4?

The answer should be ... absolutely.

As I wrote last weekend, Griffin's knee, which has twice been surgically repaired, has been sound and strong. Of course, no one is being tackled. But the Browns have closely watched how he runs, makes sharp cuts and changes speed and directions.

All is well.

But the Browns also know Griffin gets hurt. Griffin suffered a major concussion in the 2015 preseason. In 2014, he suffered a dislocated ankle in the second game of the season and missed seven games.

The Browns don't want Griffin to sustain a injury early in the season. Without McCown available, they'd have to turn to Kessler too soon in his rookie season.

My guess is the only reason they'd trade McCown would be if they received a tremendous offer (in terms of a draft pick), or they suddenly became convinced Davis could do a respectable job.

The Browns have been extremely pleased with McCown's attitude and willingness to mentor Griffin and the other quarterbacks. McCown's salary for this season is $4.4 million. It appears about $1.5 million of that is guaranteed.

It's just my opinion, but in the few practices that I watched, McCown was the best quarterback on the field. He can still play. McCown had a 1-7 record as a starter last season, but not all of that was his fault. His stats were strong: 12 TD passes, 4 interceptions, 93.3 rating. He lost six fumbles.

McCown had a concussion, bruised ribs, and a dislocated shoulder as he missed eight games.

The fact is Griffin and McCown both have significant injury histories. Kessler clearly was No. 3 in the practices, and he still needs work.

Some fans and media people want McCown to start. That makes no sense, given where the team is in terms of trying to find players. Jackson thinks Griffin has a chance to to be an effective starter. They need to put the 26-year-old in position to show if he can revive his career.

Nothing is to be gained by starting the McCown, but keeping him on the team makes a lot of sense. For more on the Browns QBs and other stuff, check with Dawgs By Nature, one of my favorite websites.

ABOUT DANNY SHELTON

When the Browns talked to Danny Shelton after last season, the 2015 first-rounder wanted to play more. He was on the field for 48 percent of the defensive snaps as a rookie.

The Browns told Shelton he was not in good enough shape to do so, and said it was evident he was wearing down in the second half of games. Start by losing some weight, they told Shelton, who was listed at 339 pounds. That was a myth.

Shelton said his goal for this season was a real 335 pounds, and that's what he weighed when he arrived for minicamps this spring.

"It's close to 30 pounds," Shelton said of his weight loss. That means he weighed about 369 pounds at some point last season!

"Just being at that weight will be better for being on the field more," he said. "It will be better for my knees and my health."

"He can do so many more things at the weight he's at right now," said defensive line coach Robert Nunn a few weeks ago. "He's got to keep that (weight off). He's the one that controls that. I can only help so much. The strength coaches can only help so much. Coach Jackson can only help him so much."

Nunn coached the defensive line for the last six years with the New York Giants, where the line was a strength. He became available when the Giants and head coach Tom Coughlin parted ways.

"The guy has special talent," said Nunn. "To be that big and to move as quick as he can, all he has to do is stick with the process ... the sky is the limit for Danny."

 
ABOUT JOE HADEN

It's imperative the Browns find a way for Haden to regain his health and play something like a Pro Bowl cornerback. Haden is only 27. He made two Pro Bowl teams, most recently in 2014. He has the personality to be a team leader for a team that will desperately need those in 2016.

Haden had ankle surgery on March 18. He originally hurt his ankle in a Nov. 1 loss to Arizona. He re-injured it during off-season workouts, requiring surgery. He says he plans to be ready for training camp, but no one sure if that's the case.

Haden had a miserable to 2015, playing in only five games. He had two concussions, a rib injury and a broken finger -- along with the ankle.

Here's what Haden has left on his contract:

• 2016: $10.1 million, all guaranteed.
• 2017: $11 million, $4 million guaranteed.
• 2018: $11 million, not guaranteed.
• 2019: $10 million, not guaranteed.

As ESPN wrote, "With his $10.1 million salary for 2016 guaranteed, Haden will have earned more than $40 million in the first three years of his five-year, $67.5 million extension."

ESPN said it was the most "player-friendly" contract on Browns. No doubt about that.

ABOUT MIKE LOMBARDI

The Boston Globe's Ben Volin gives this update on the former Browns GM's departure from the New England Patriots.

Volin wrote:

"The Patriots created a new position to bring aboard Lombardi, whose relationship with Belichick dates to their days with the Cleveland Browns in the 1990s. Lombardi was given an assortment of tasks from Belichick, from scouting college players to attending workouts, compiling projects, and doing whatever odd jobs the team needed done.

"But from what we're told, the decision to split wasn't so mutual, as has been reported elsewhere. One league source characterized the move as the Patriots choosing not to renew Lombardi's contract, as Lombardi very much enjoyed working for the organization. The Patriots and Lombardi declined requests for comment.

"The Patriots were happy to have Lombardi the past two years ... most of his salary was still being paid by the Browns, who fired him as general manager in February 2014 after just one year. But now that Lombardi's contract has expired, the Patriots opted not to renew it and let Lombardi pursue opportunities elsewhere.

"It is believed Belichick was Lombardi's only real ally inside the building..."

Tyronn Lue is the latest who will cash in by coaching LeBron James. Hey, Lue delivered a title to the Cleveland Cavaliers -- so good for him.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Another coach is about to discover it pays off to coach LeBron James.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are in contract talks with Tyronn Lue, who took over for head coach David Blatt at midseason and led the Cavs to the NBA title.

General manager David Griffin made the gutsy move to replace Blatt with Lue, who was Blatt's top assistant. The Cavs had an Eastern Conference-best record of 30-11 when Blatt was fired. Griffin announced Lue as the coach, not "interim coach." There were reports the two sides shook hands on a contract extension worth about $3 million annually over three years.

But Lue never signed it. He wanted to wait until after the season to finalize a contact, which now looks like a very wise move.

Don't worry about Lue leaving. He is still under contract for next season. In 2014, he signed a four-year, $6.5 million contract, making him the highest-paid assistant in the NBA. They did it to convince Lue to leave the L.A. Clippers, where he worked for Doc Rivers.

I hear the fourth year of Lue's assistant deal (2017-18) is not guaranteed. Doesn't matter. He's working on a new deal, and both sides want to make it happen.

Luke Walton just signed a five-year, $25 million deal to coach the Lakers. The first four seasons are guaranteed. It would seem Lue would end up with a deal in this range. Walton had a 39-4 record coaching the Warriors this season when Steve Kerr was recovering from back surgery.

Some other coaching deals:

1. Scott Brooks signed a five-year, $35 million deal to coach Washington.

2. Dwane Casey signed a three-year, $18 million extension to stay with Toronto.

3. David Joerger signed for four years and $16 million to coach Sacramento. The fourth year is a team option.

4. Tom Thibodeau signed a five-year, $50 million contract to be coach, GM and ruler of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

So coaches are getting paid, along with the players.

Lue's situation led me to look at how some of the other coaches have fared who had LeBron James.

1. Mike Brown was hired by the Cavs in 2005. In 2007, he signed a four-year, $8 million deal. He was fired in the summer of 2010.

2. Coaching James helped Brown secure a job with the Lakers in 2011, signing a four-year, $18 million contract. He lasted one full season (41-25) and was fired after a 1-4 start in 2012-13.

3. The Cavs gave Brown a four-year deal worth at least $5 million annually in 2013. He was fired after a 33-49 record in 2013-14. I'm not sure of all the details of what Brown was paid, because the Lakers paid part of it.

4. In 2013 after winning two titles with James, Miami's Erik Spoelstra signed a four-year extension worth at least $4 million annually.

5. Coaching James enhanced Blatt's already sparkling reputation in Europe. As I recently wrote, he signed two-year, $3.5 million deal to coach in Turkey. It could be worth even more, and it makes him the highest-paid coach in Europe.

ABOUT JAMES JONES

I've been told James Jones will definitely be back next season, probably on another veteran minimum contract.

The 35-year-old Jones has been with James for the last six seasons, four in Miami and two with the Cavs. The men are close friends. Jones can still make a 3-pointer, he shot .447 from long range during the 2015-16 season. He played in only 48 games, averaging 3.7 points.

Griffin prizes veteran leadership, especially on a team that can be as emotionally volatile as the Cavs.

It was James and Jones who were studying videos of the Game 4 loss to Golden State on the flight to San Francisco for Game 5. Soon, other players gathered around. The coaches believe that was one of the Finals' turning points. James and Jones were locked in trying to find a way to win -- and other players joined it.

Jones is a player who can give James advice, because of their long friendship.

Kevin Love posted this tribute to Jones on Instagram:

"I'd like to tribute the best teammate I've ever had, James Jones aka Champ. You taught me more than you know the past 2 years -- what it takes to win, how to be a better teammate, how to balance the good/bad off the court, and most importantly ... putting team first.

"Sacrifice for the better of the team, and in order to lead sometimes you have to learn to follow. You've been to 6 straight Finals. You've been the constant presence we needed in the locker room. You're the ultimate work horse. The lessons you taught me will stay with me for the rest of my career and life after basketball.

"No one can avoid the ups and downs of the Playoffs, and when many wrote me off after a tough stretch in the Finals... you and the team stuck by me allowing me to flourish and make plays when it mattered most. Like you told me not too long ago, "don't be afraid to be yourself." And now I'll never be -- thanks for everything. Keep being you Champ. "

ABOUT THE CAVS

1. It was no surprise the Cavs have lost Matthew Dellavedova and Timofey Mozgov to free agency. The shocker is the two signed contracts worth a combined $102 million. Dellavedova's four-year, $38 million offer sheet from Milwaukee was expected. The Bucks, Pistons and Kings all had serious interest in the guard. Several teams were scouting him during the playoffs.

2. Most basketball people told me that Dellavedova would receive close to $10 million a year -- the offer sheet was high enough so the Cavs would not match it. I heard Sacramento offered a four-year deal in the $32 million range. Not sure what Detroit did. But Milwaukee came up with the most cash. He can sign the deal on July 7 and the Cavs have three days to match.

3. It is possible they could try to work out some type of sign-and-trade deal with the Bucks for Dellavedova, but I've not heard much about that happening. It's still early.

4. The Cavs really like Dellavedova, especially for his versatile play in the regular season. The 6-foot-3 guard is loved by the coaches and his teammates because of his hustle and physical defense. Opponents hate him, calling him a dirty player. Dellavedova is a point guard, but strong enough to defend most shooting guards. His 41 percent shooting from 3-point range makes him valuable in the modern NBA.

5. While the Cavs have Kyrie Irving, Mo Williams and rookie Kay Felder as point guards, they will miss Dellavedova's defense and long-range shooting. The shooting guards are Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith -- assuming they re-sign Smith.

6. I'm starting to think Smith will receive a three-year contract worth close to $15 million annually. Backup point guard Jeremy Lin signed a three-year, $36 million deal with Brooklyn. New Orleans signed backup small forward Solomon Hill to a four-year, $48 million deal. He averaged 4.2 points in 15 minutes a game for the Pacers, shooting 41 percent from the field (32 percent on 3-pointers).

7. With the salary cap expanding from $70 million to $94 million, lots of players are becoming incredibly rich. Even more important, the labor agreement demands teams spend at least $85 million on their payroll. So some teams are just tossing money around to reach that level.

8. The Lakers are counting on Mozgov to bounce back to his 2014-15 form when he was a very good defensive center. Maybe it will happen. He battled knee problems early last season. But as I wrote, this is an incredible deal for the 7-foot-1 Russian, especially because the Lakers agreed to it within 45 minutes after free agency opened.

Cleveland Indians are winning with more than pitching. They are among baseball's best when it comes to running the bases and catching the ball.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- For some fans, it's hard to understand how the Indians are dominating the American League Central Division.

I confess to being shocked by their 14-game winning streak and 49-30 record heading into the weekend.

The obvious answer is the pitching. The Indians lead the American League with a 3.43 ERA, far in front of Seattle's second-best 3.89.

If the pitching wasn't outstanding, we could forget the rest of the discussion. So the pitching is the foundation, but it's not the entire house.

Start with defense. The Tribe catches the ball. The Tribe really catches the ball. Fangraphs ranks the Indians as the No. 3 defensive team in the American League -- behind Texas and Kansas City.

The website recently did a story on Francisco Lindor. Jeff Sullivan's article is very complex, unless you are deep into baseball analytics.

Here's his main point:

"As much as Lindor is phenomenal, the Indians contain other defenders and defenders are not in control of their shifts. This is a team thing, more than a player thing ... but shortstop is the true difference maker. With Lindor at the center of it, this year's Indians have welcomed opposing ground balls. ... it's not out of the realm of possibility that Lindor could win himself an MVP."

THE RANKINGS

Here's how Fangraphs ranks the Tribe's infield defense by position in the American League:

• First base - ninth
• Second base - first
• Shortstop - first
• Third base - second
• Catcher - second

The surprise is the high ranking at third for Juan Uribe and Jose Ramirez. I don't see them as outstanding, but that's the ranking. However, after his early defensive troubles, Uribe has settled down and played well at third.

Ramirez does a good job anywhere he plays -- or bats in the lineup.

The outfield defense is ranked No. 8 overall.

In 2014, the Indians had the worst defense in baseball. That was according to the Tribe's internal stats and those of several other analytic websites. They were terrible early last season until Lindor took over at short and Gio Urshela started at third in June. In August, the defense became even better when Lonnie Chisenhall (right field) and Abraham Almonte (center) moved into the lineup.

The only really below-average spot this season has been center field, where rookie Tyler Naquin has had problems running down deep fly balls. But his hitting has offset that. Ramirez has been solid in left, his first exposure to playing the outfield. A year ago, Chisenhall was an elite right fielder. He's now simply above average, but that's still pretty good.

So defense is part of the story, led by Lindor.

THEY RUN THE BASES

One obvious stat is the Tribe leads the American League with 38 stolen bases, but that's only a small part of the story. The Tribe is 38-of-47 in stolen bases, and run more than any other team.

Just as important is how the Tribe runs the bases, period. Do the players score from second base on singles? Do they go first-to-third on singles? Do they put pressure on the defense by turning singles into doubles?

The answers are: Yes... YES... YES!!!

Fangraphs ranks teams for overall base running, and the Indians are No. 1 in the American League. The analysis takes into account all these things and more.

The Indians have a far more athletic team than they've had in years. Davis, Lindor, Ramirez, Kipnis, Naquin and Chisenhall all are above average base runners, especially when it comes to taking the extra base.

Carlos Santana and Mike Napoli are average in the extra-base department. Only Uribe and catcher Yan Gomes would be considered slow.

They lead the American League with 19 triples. They are eighth in doubles. They keep putting pressure on opposing defenses.

Rajai Davis is 35, but he can still run. He's 21-of-24 in stolen bases. Davis was only 18-of-26 in steals last season with Detroit. The Indians thought he could run more, but the Tigers wanted to avoid baserunning outs because they have so many power hitters. The previous three years, Davis averaged 42 steals.

Lindor has stolen 13 bases, Ramirez has 10. Nacquin has five triples, Jason Kipnis and Chisenhall each have four. Ramirez leads the team with 19 doubles.

When you add it all up in the American League, you find the Indians rank:

• No. 1 in pitching.
• No. 1 in baserunning.
• No. 3 in defense.
• No. 6 in runs scored.

Put all that together and you have a playoff caliber team.

ABOUT THE INDIANS

1. The Indians are cautiously hopeful about Michael Brantley returning in the next few weeks. They believe they'll have a much better idea about Brantley's comeback from shoulder surgery during the All-Star break (July 11-14).

2. Abraham Almonte is batting .458 (11-of-28) with 1 HR and 4 RBI at Class AAA Columbus. He is now eligible to return to the Tribe after serving his 80-game suspension for PEDs. The Indians really like Almonte, who batted .264 (.776 OPS) with 5 HR and 20 RBI in 51 games for the Tribe last season. He also was above average in center field.

3. Here is when good things are happening: Almonte's suspension opened the door wide for Naquin, who hit .397 with 4 HR in Arizona to win the center field job. As the Tribe juggled roster spots, he went to minors for a few weeks -- and kept hitting. Almonte's suspension allowed the Indians to fast-track Naquin, who had played only 50 career Class AAA games before 2016.

4. Then there was my dumb idea. When the Indians were bringing Michael Brantley off the disabled list, I suggested the Indians trade Chisenhall rather than send Naquin to the minors. At that point, Chisenhall was coming off a miserable spring training, a forearm injury and a slow start to the regular season. His trade value was about zero. It would not have been a wise move.

5. Chisenhall batted .227 in April. Since May 1, he's a .308 hitter (.860 OPS) with 5 HR and 21 RBI. He plays primarily against right-handed pitching. Maybe at 27 and having moved from third base to the outfield, Chisenhall is finding his spot in the majors.

6. Since moving to right in the middle of last season, Chisenhall is a .299 hitter (.817 OPS) with 8 HR and 44 RBI in 350 plate appearances.

7. Gio Urshela is having a hard time finding his swing at Columbus. The smooth fielding third baseman is batting only .245 (.589 OPS) with 3 HR and 26 RBI.

8. It could be that Yandy Diaz is playing himself into the picture. The Cuban third baseman is batting .309 (.848 OPS) with 4 HR and 18 RBI for the Clippers after opening the season at Akron. Diaz is 24 and in his third pro season. He's a career .301 hitter in the minors. He also has been learning the outfield.

9. Mike Clevinger is 8-0 with a 2.70 ERA for the Clippers. He is a prospect several teams have asked about in possible trades. With Cody Anderson recovering from arm problems, Clevinger is the first starter who will be promoted if the Indians need someone to help in the rotation because of a doubleheader or injuries.

10. Adam Plutko was promoted from Akron and is 2-1 with a 1.93 ERA in his first three starts at Columbus. Plutko was on the same UCLA pitching staff with Trevor Bauer. The 24-year-old right-hander entered the season with a 20-17 record and a 3.16 ERA in his minor league career.

The Indians will start Zach McAllister on Saturday after playing 19 innings on Friday against Toronto. They also recalled lefty Shawn Morimando from Class AA Akron to give them a fresh arm after going through their entire bullpen plus Saturday's starter Trevor Bauer in Friday's 2-1 victory.

TORONTO -- The Indians will start right-hander Zach McAllister on Saturday after playing 19 innings Friday in a 2-1 victory over the Blue Jays.

McAllister, who threw one inning Friday, will be making his first start of the season. He made one start last year before joining the bullpen fulltime.

In another move, the Indians recalled lefty Shawn Mormando from Class AA Akron. Utility man Michael Martinez was designated for assignment to make room.

The Indians used their entire bullpen in Friday's game. After going through the pen, manager Terry Francona used Trevor Bauer, Saturday's scheduled starter, and he pitched five scoreless innings for the win.

Morimando, 23, is 10-3 with a 3.09 ERA in 16 starts at Class AA Akron. In 93 innings, he struck out 73, walked 36 and allowed 32 earned runs. The opposition is hitting .225 against him. Morimando was a 19th round pick in 2011 draft.

Martinez played in 32 games for the Tribe. He hit .283 (17-for-60) and scored 10 runs. He played all three outfield positions as well as second and third base.

In two other moves, the Indians purchased the contract of right-hander Joe Colon from Class AAA Columbus and optioned him to Columbus. Outfielder Abraham Almonte, on a rehab at Columbus after serving an 80-game suspension for performance enhancing drugs, has officially ended his rehab assignment. The Indians must determine where Almonte will play by Sunday.

In January, MLB announced that Colon had to serve a 50-game suspension at the start of the season for a PED violation.

McAllister started for the Tribe in 2011, 2012 and 2013. He started moving to the bullpen in 2014 when he made 15 starts in his 22 appearances. McAllister is 2-2 with a 3.20 ERA in 28 appearances this season.

Following Friday's 19-inning game between the Indians and Blue Jays, the two teams meet against Saturday for the third game of the four-game set at Rogers Centre.

TORONTO -- The Indians and Blue Jays play the third game of a four-game set Saturday at Rogers Centre. Get scoring updates and participate in a live chat as the clubs meet.

Game 79: Indians (49-30) vs. Jays (43-39).

First pitch: 1:07 p.m.

Broadcast info: SportsTime Ohio, WTAM 1100, WMMS/FM 100.7, Indians Radio Network

Pitching matchup: RHP Zach McAllister (2-2, 3.20) vs. RHP Marco Estrada (5-3, 2.81).

Fact du jour: Lonnie Chisenhall has a modest five-game hitting streak, but in four of those games he has two or more hits.

Get up to date on the latest free agency news and rumors, as the marketplace moves into Day Two.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- NBA free agency has been as wild as many anticipated thus far.

There's been a pile of stunning contract agreements, an abundance of money spent and many of the bigger names staying put, choosing instead to to take the extra year and extra cash that the incumbent team can offer. 

While the money being thrown around has raised eyebrows, it's pretty easy to understand thanks to simple economics. The salary cap exploded from $70 million to $94 million and the labor agreement demands teams spend at least $85 million on their payroll to reach the floor. The money has to go somewhere. 

Still, after a busy first day, there's plenty to be worked out.

Will Dwyane Wade leave Miami? Where will Kevin Durant end up after numerous meetings? What will the Cavs do, if anything, to add outside help? 

Here are the latest rumors and nuggets on NBA free agency:

Hawks busy on Day One

After the Atlanta Hawks had their season ended by the Cavaliers for the second year in a row, the Hawks appeared committed to make some changes.

It started around the NBA Draft when Atlanta sent point guard Jeff Teague to Indiana as part of a three-team trade. The changes continued on the first day of free agency.

The Hawks made a free agent splash, agreeing to a deal with center Dwight Howard, who will get a three-year contract worth around $70 million. They also re-signed Kent Bazemore, who was garnering plenty of interest around the league. Bazemore will also make $70 million, but his contract goes four years as opposed to three. 

That's a lot of money for the Hawks to spend and it leads to numerous questions about Al Horford's future in Atlanta.

The 30-year-old big man has received plenty of interest on the open market and the Hawks would have to make some other moves to create enough cap space to bring Horford back for his 10th season.

Would the Hawks really be willing to trade Paul Millsap, the team's best player? Our Chris Haynes indicates that has been discussed.

How will Horford view the signing of Howard, who has been a disruptive locker room presence in the past?

If Atlanta wanted Horford back then why not offer him the max right away since they were in the driver's seat?

Perhaps this weekend is when those answers come, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see Horford become the top name to change teams this off-season. His decision could shake things up in the East, especially if he goes to Boston or Washington. 

Dwyane Wade to schedule meetings? 

This summer has been a repeat of last year for Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat. Contentious conversations and a reported low offer have sent Wade looking for other options outside of Miami.

According to ESPN, Wade is intensifying talks with the Knicks and Bucks, and could set up meetings next week when he returns from his European summer vacation with LeBron James and Chris Paul. 

Initial reports from The Vertical point to Miami offering Wade a salary around $10 million per year, which is small compared to some of the bigger money deals handed out to lesser players -- Bazemore, Evan Turner, Timofey Mozgov, Evan Fournier and Jermey Lin, among others.

How could he not feel anything but disrespect?

He's a three-time NBA champion. He has already sacrificed plenty during the Big Three era. He's coming off a strong year. He's the face of the Heat and arguably the most important and influential athlete in Miami sports history. 

According to ESPN, Wade doesn't want to take less than the $20 million he made this past season. The Vertical adds the Denver Nuggets and Chicago Bulls as two other teams that could meet with Wade next week if the Heat don't increase their offer and show the future Hall of Famer the respect he believes he has earned and certainly deserves. 

Kevin Durant 'blown away' by Clippers pitch

Durant's Friday at The Hamptons started with a sit-down meeting with the Golden State Warriors. That meeting included Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala and Klay Thompson along with the Golden State brass. Tough to beat that crew if it becomes primarily a basketball decision. 

According to USA Today's Sam Amick, the chat with Golden State went "very well."

That's hardly breaking news. It's rare to see a free agency report about a meeting going poorly, unless it's the Lakers trying to pitch LaMarcus Aldridge about the glitz and glamour of L.A. as opposed to actual basketball while trying to recruit last summer's top prize.

After Durant's meeting with the Western Conference champs, the Clippers took their place at the table. Durant was "blown away" by the Clippers' pitch after a four-hour meeting.

While the Clippers don't have much cap room and would likely have to unload one of their top players -- unless they plan on fielding a four-player team -- Durant was impressed by the vision and direction of the team, led by owner Steve Ballmer.

Durant still has meetings with the San Antonio Spurs, Boston Celtics and Heat this weekend. His current team, Oklahoma City, is trying to get the final pitch.

Dudley goes back to Phoenix

After spending four and a half seasons with the Phoenix Suns early in his career, versatile swingman Jared Dudley has bounced around with three teams (Clippers, Bucks and Wizards) the last three seasons.

But after not getting an offer from the Wizards, Dudley is going back to where his career started to take off, agreeing to a three-year, $30 million deal with the young Suns.

He will serve as a veteran mentor while also giving the team's 3-point shooting a boost.

Lakers continue to spend

The Lakers and Timofey Mozgov agreed on the first deal of free agency, striking something shortly after midnight.

Mozgov gets early call, agreement from Lakers

Los Angeles hasn't slowed down, re-signing restricted free agent Jordan Clarkson to a four-year, $50 million deal. Early Saturday morning, the Lakers' spending spree continued, as they agreed to a deal with Luol Deng. The 31-year-old forward will receive a four-year deal worth $72 million dollars.

Deng averaged 12.3 points, six rebounds and 1.9 assists in 74 games for Heat last season. He was moved to power forward in a small-ball lineup while Chris Bosh was sidelined because of an illness. At that point, Deng showed his versatility and potential at that position, increasing his value around the league.

Deng will give the Lakers another veteran to pair with a young core, led by Clarkson, D'Angelo Russell, Julius Randle and No. 2 pick Brandon Ingram.

It's far from the flashy summer the Lakers once envisioned, hoping to get a face-to-face with Durant, but adding pros and winners to a group that has become too familiar with failure is a start.

The turnaround needs to start somewhere.

Browns games, with full network broadcasts, are headed to YouTube in August.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Browns fans can watch three of the team's classic games on the NFL's YouTube channel beginning in August. The games are among the 96 full network broadcasts selected in a recent fan vote on Facebook.

Each of the NFL's 32 teams will have three games - wins, actually - uploaded to YouTube. A fourth Browns game (1986 AFC Championship) will be listed under the Broncos' classic games.

Browns fans chose from five games. The winners were the 1986 playoff win vs. the Jets, the 1989 playoff win vs. the Bills and the 2014 Week 5 win against the Titans, which was the largest comeback in NFL history by a road team.

Games that didn't get enough votes were the 1980 Week 7 win against the Packers (Dave Logan caught a late touchdown pass) and the 2002 Week 17 win against the Falcons, which earned the Browns their first playoff appearance of the expansion era.

Visit NFL.com to see the complete list of NFL games headed to YouTube.

The Indians extended their franchise-record winning streak to 14 games, but it took a while.

TORONTO -- Streaks are not built on blowouts alone. There have to be a few nail-biters along the way just to keep things interesting. But this was above and beyond.

The Indians ruined Canada Day for the Blue Jays on Friday, winning a franchise-record 14th straight game with a 2-1 triumph in 19 innings at Rogers Centre. The Jays, who had manager John Gibbons and two players ejected, lost for the eighth time in their last 12 games.

The 6-hour, 13-minute affair was the Indians' longest since they played 21 innings against the Twins on Aug. 31, 1993.

Carlos Santana won it with a leadoff homer in 19th against Toronto second baseman Darwin Barney -- the second Toronto position player to take the mound after the Blue Jays ran out of pitchers.

Trevor Bauer (7-2), Saturday's scheduled starter, came out of the bullpen and threw five scoreless innings for the victory. Closer Cody Allen, the only Tribe reliever who didn't pitch, was unavailable after throwing three days in a row.

After the game, manager Terry Francona said "we're still working through" the decision on who will start Saturday's 1:08 p.m. game.

The 14-game streak surpasses the franchise's previous high of 13 and is the longest in the big leagues since Atlanta won 14 straight in 2013. It's the longest streak in the American League since the A's won 20 straight in 2002.

Bauer, the ninth Tribe pitcher to work, allowed two hits and three walks, while striking out three. After the Blue Jays went down in order in the 19th -- yes, Bauer thought Josh Donaldson's rocket to right was gone -- he just stood on the mound.

"I didn't know what to do," said Bauer. "I was like, 'It ended? We won?'''

Said Francona, "What Trevor did was above and beyond. We're pretty fortunate that he can do it and that he's willing to do it. Because one slip up and we go home.

"You get so invested in a game like that. It shocked everybody. It feels good to win. It's the kind of game you wish you were playing at home because you're one bad pitch or slip up from going home with a loss after a long day."

The first part of the game was spent in a pitcher's duel between Josh Tomlin and Marcus Stroman. They pitched to a 1-1 standoff. Tomlin allowed one run on seven hits in six innings. He struck out eight and walked two. Stroman, who had lost four of his last six decisions, allowed one run on five innings in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out six and walked one.

The game started in an angry place and the ill will kept building. 

After the Indians went quietly in the first, plate umpire Vic Carapazza ejected DH Edwin Encarnacion when he slammed his bat and argued a called third strike to end Toronto's half of the inning. Gibbons arrived on the scene and was promptly ejected as well.

It was the beginning of a long day for Carapazza as the Blue Jays had problems with his strike zone. In the 13th, Carapazza ejected catcher Russell Martin after he struck out to end the inning.

The Indians took a 1-0 lead in the third on Santana's leadoff double and a single by Jason Kipnis. Stoman retired the next 12 batters before Lonnie Chisenhall singled to start the seventh. The game was so long that Chisenhall ended the day with five hits after being hitless through the sixth.

Tomlin held the Blue Jays scoreless through the first five innings, but not without some turmoil and a little help from Carapazza's strike zone. He pitched out of bases-loaded jams in the fourth and fifth and had two out in the sixth when Justin Smoak hit a first-pitch homer over the left field fence. Smoak came into that at-bat 0-for-7 against Tomlin.

It was the 19th homer Tomlin has allowed in 95 1/3 innings this year.

"The character we have in here, the never die, the never give up attitude was awesome," said Tomlin. "We played great defense, swung the bats well. We hung in there until we have a chance to win a ballgame."

Happy Canada Day pic.twitter.com/l73YbwskT8

-- paul hoynes (@hoynsie) July 1, 2016

Tomlin was especially impressed with Bauer.

"What TB did today was pretty spectacular," said Tomlin.

The Indians finally mounted a threat against Stroman in the seventh. Chisenhall singled to left, but Stroman retired the next two batters. Rajai Davis reached on Smoak's error at first and Santana walked to load the bases. Lefty Brett Cecil, just off the disabled list, relieved and retired Kipnis on a fly ball to center.

The Indians were denied a chance to take the lead in the 10th when Kevin Pillar robbed Jose Ramirez with diving catch in left center with two out and Kipnis on second. Kipnis was hit by a pitch and went to second on Mike Napoli's two-out single.

The Tribe bullpen, which had pitched just 21 innings during the streak before Friday, retired 13 straight before Zach McAllister walked Devon Travis to start the 11th. McAllister, making his first appearance since Sunday, complicated matters by walking Troy Tulowitzki after Travis stole second and took third on a wild pitch. The threat ended when Smoak fouled out to third.

For the day, including Bauer's performance, the pen pitched 13 scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts, six walks and four hits.

Chisenhall opened the 14th with a single. Pinch-hitter Michael Martinez advanced him to second on a ground out, but the Indians couldn't get him home.

Toronto loaded the bases in the 14th, but Joba Chamberlain retired Donaldson on a grounder to first to end the inning. It appeared the inning had ended earlier when Pillar hit into a double play, but the Blue Jays challenged the out call at first and it was overturned.

The Indians missed a chance to take the lead in the 15th when Napoli hit into an inning-ending double play with runners on first and third.

They had an even better chance in the 16th. Ramirez hit a leadoff single and went to third on Chisenhall's single to left. But Bo Schultz popped up Martinez, struck out Tyler Naquin and retired Chris Gimenez on a liner to third.

Bauer turned the Jays away in the 16th by striking out Carrera with runners on first and third.

Toronto ran out of pitchers in the 18th and put infielder Ryan Goins on the mound. Ramirez and Chisenhall opened with singles to put runners on first and third, but Martinez hit a grounder to second and Ramirez got caught in rundown between third and home as Chisenhall went to third and Martinez to second.

Naquin was intentionally walked to load the bases, but Gimenez hit into double play to end the inning.

The pitches

Tomlin threw 99 pitches, 64 (65 percent) for strikes. Stroman threw 96 pitches, 65 (68 percent) for strikes.

Bauer threw 83 pitches, 47 (57 percent) for strikes.

What it means

The Indians, who have not lost since June 15, have won 23 of their last 29 and are 19 games over .500 at 49-30. They have not had this much of a cushion over breakeven since ending the 2013 season 22 games above .500.

Early exit

Gibbons' ejection was his sixth this season as Toronto's manager. Editorial comment: Three ejections, in this day of replay, is a ton. Just saying.

Thanks for coming

The Indians and Blue Jays drew 45,825 fans to Rogers Centre on Friday afternoon. First pitch was at 1:20 p.m. and the temperature was 68 degrees. The roof was closed.

What's next?

Toronto scored three runs in the eighth inning Saturday to end the Indians' 14-game winning streak at Rogers Centre. Watch video

TORONTO -- Team Streak was ushered into the cold pages of history by the cutting edge of MLB technology -- replay.

An overturned out call at the plate in the eighth inning Saturday helped end the Indians' franchise-record 14-game winning streak in a 9-6 loss to the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.

Ezequiel Carrera, the former Indian, was called out at the plate on a throw from center fielder Tyler Naquin on a Josh Donaldson single. It would have been the second out of the inning, but the Blue Jays challenged the call by plate umpire D.J. Reyburn. After a review of 3:21, Carrera was called safe to break a 6-6 tie.

MLB's replay center announced after the game that Chris Gimenez's tag on Carrera's right heel didn't come before Carrera's hand had touched the plate.

Manager Terry Francona said he was "shocked' that the out call was overturned.

"I went and looked at it six or seven times and I don't know how you can overrule that," said Francona. "I mean, I couldn't tell if he's safe or out. If he would've called him safe, I don't know how they would've overruled it to call him out.

"I don't how you overrule that. I know they keep telling us it has to be conclusive. I will look forward to an explanation that I understand from the league, because as of now, from what I've seen, I don't know how they did that. I was shocked."

Michael Saunders added a two-run double off Tommy Hunter to complete the victory.

If the out call stood, Hunter's strikeout of Edwin Encarnacion could have ended the inning with the score still tied at 6.

"He called him out," said Hunter, who was backing up the plate when Carrera scored. "That's the only thing I could see. The umpire is never wrong.

"This team put together a helluva winning streak. Unfortunately it came to a close today, but there's nothing like starting a new one tomorrow."

The Tribe started its streak on June 17. Saturday was the Tribe's first loss since June 15.

The Indians took a 1-0 lead in the first on a leadoff homer by Rajai Davis, who became the eighth Indians player to hit for the cycle -- and only the sixth in MLB history to accomplish the feat in reverse fashion (HR first, then triple, double and single). It was Davis' ninth homer of the season, a career high. It was the Tribe's fourth leadoff homer of the year.

Then the Tribe's pitching plan following Friday's 19-inning marathon came into play. The Indians recalled rookie Shawn Morimando from Class AA Akron, but they weren't sure if he'd get to the park on time. So they decided to start reliever Zach McAllister for the first couple of innings or so.

McAllister made it through the first, but not before surrendering a three-run homer to Encarnacion as Toronto took a 3-1 lead. Jeff Manship pitched a scoreless second and the Tribe made it 3-2 on a triple by Davis to right as Naquin scored from first.

Morimando made his big-league debut in the third and the Indians gave him the kind of support a rookie needs. In the fourth, Carlos Santana homered to right to make it a 3-3 game. It was Santana's team-high 18th homer and second in as many days.

After pitching scoreless ball in the third and fourth innings, Morimando retired the first two batters in the fifth. Russell Martin sent a bouncer to third that Juan Uribe gloved and threw to first for what should have been the third out. The throw handcuffed Santana, but he momentarily had the ball, but couldn't hold it.

"I wish we would make every play," said Francona. "But it was in the dirt and didn't come out clean."

Martin was credited with a single and Troy Tulowitzki made the misplay hurt. He hit a two-run homer on Morimando's 3-1 pitch.

The Indians once again worked their way back into the game. Joe Biagini, with the bases loaded, hit Uribe in the hand with a pitch to make it 5-4 in the sixth. Uribe left the game after the inning.

In the sixth, Jose Ramirez and Mike Napoli came through with two-out RBI hits to put the Tribe in front, 6-5. Ramirez, batting third, singled through the middle to score Davis, who reached on a double. Napoli doubled off the fence in left to score Ramirez.

Dan Otero (2-1), however, gave up a first-pitch leadoff homer to Donaldson to start the seventh and retie the game at 6.

The pitches

McAllister threw 31 pitches, 16 (52 percent) for strikes. Estrada threw 96 pitches for strikes, 58 (60 percent) for strikes.

Morimando threw 75 pitches, 40 (53 percent) for strikes.

Cycle alert

Davis homered, tripled, doubled and singled in his five at-bats to become the eighth Indian to hit for the cycle. Travis Hafner was the last to do it, on Aug. 14, 2002 at the Metrodome.

In the ninth inning, Davis singled to right to complete the cycle. He received a standing ovation from the Rogers Centre crowd.

"That was awesome," said Davis, a former Blue Jay. "You couldn't have asked for anything better than that."

Thanks for coming

The Indians and Blue Jays drew 46,197 to Rogers Centre. The first pitch was at 1:08 p.m., the temperature was 76 degrees and the roof was open.

What's next?

Tribe right-hander Corey Kluber (8-7, 3.50) will face Toronto lefty J.A. Happ (10-3, 3.70) on Sunday in the fourth and final game of this series. SportsTime Ohio, WTAM 1100 and WMMS/FM 100.7 will carry the game.

Kluber is 4-1 in his last five starts. He's 1-2 with a 4.82 ERA against the Blue Jays. Donaldson is hitting .273 (3-for-11) with one homer and four RBI against him.

Happ has won his last four starts. He's 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA against the Tribe. Mike Napoli is hitting .375 (6-for-16) against him.

Timofey Mozgov will get $16 million a year in L.A. Matthew Dellavedova has been offered $9.5 million a year to play in Milwaukee. Why begrudge players? Owners are paying big money because owners are making big money in the NBA.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Golf has its silly season. Now, so does the NBA. It's just not what you think.

It's not the salaries offered this latest crop of free agents that are so nonsensical and laughable. It's the reaction to the salaries, a reaction most kindly described as begrudging.

First, be happy the Cavs mostly got their best players under contract. And that Dan Gilbert probably isn't going to ask you for a loan anytime soon.

Also, don't be these guys:

To all @NBA teams: myself and @wilsonmjca11 are available for much lower annual salaries! And we can make free throws! #NBAFreeAgency

-- Arron Brown (@MrBrown4thGrade) July 1, 2016

I love NBA free agency. Love love love it. But every now and then I stop and think about the salaries, and it gets a little depressing.

-- Robert Price (@RobertPriceTV) July 1, 2016

With many Americans and others around the globe suffering financially, these #NBA salaries are ridiculous #greed #NBAFreeAgency

-- Tim Brown (@tbrown221) July 1, 2016

OK, so here's the thing. You'd have to make a team before you could make those free throws you think you'd swish while grabbing your shorts and hyperventilating.

And what exactly would depress you about Matthew Dellavedova getting offered $38 million? Good for him. As for global suffering, I'm pretty sure there's no more suffering now that Timofey Mozgov is going to make $64 million than there was this time last month.

If you believe under a different salary structure that Dan Gilbert and other NBA owners would lower their ticket prices for a game that commands an increasingly lucrative TV deal, a game that put fans in his seats even when LeBron was in Miami, you're the one being silly.

The NBA salary cap jumped from $70 million to $94 million because of TV money. Players get a percentage of that. Experienced players (Mike Conley) get better raises than inexperienced players. It's all part of the collective bargaining agreement.

Gilbert is widely seen as the best owner in town, even though his team was one of the NBA's worst between 2010-14. James had one major question when he was considering his return: Was Gilbert willing to take on the luxury tax as a repeat payer?

You bet he was. Why? To get James back in Cleveland. And because the explosion of TV money provided the means to do it.

NBA players get a percentage of league revenue. The owners get their percentage. When the revenues go up, everybody gets richer.

When you see Mozgov and Dellavedova guaranteed a combined $112 million, it's startling. But the conversation shouldn't be about how unworthy they are. It shouldn't even be about how rich the owners are. It's just part of the business arrangement.

The NBA gets what TV and its advertisers and customers are willing to pay. The players do the same. The owners aren't exactly losing money.

In mid-May -- the halfway point of the NBA's marathon postseason tailored for TV -- we heard of Gilbert (along with Warren Buffett) making a play to purchase Yahoo. In the middle of the NBA Finals, that bid was reported as a $5 billion offer.

That was right about the same time the Cavs fell behind 2-0, then 3-1 to Golden State. I received lots of correspondence griping about the Cavs "$82 million dollar man" Tristan Thompson and questioning Kevin Love's status as a "max" player. I didn't hear from anyone bemoaning Gilbert's expanding portfolio and his (to that point) inability to win a title, or even be competitive in the LeBron Miami years.

Cavs fans should look at the 2016-17 free agent market and feel good that Thompson and Love are under wraps, along with Kyrie Irving (5 years, $90 million). Luol Deng just got offered $18 million per season by the Lakers, after all.

When Memphis offered Mike Conley $150 million over five years, some Twitter trolls tore him up. One said no way he should make more than Portland's talented point guard Damian Lillard.

To which Lillard Tweeted:

Be happy for a brother and never count another mans bread... #hello ... Congrats https://t.co/SkVOpV5fta

-- Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) July 1, 2016

That's not always easy to do but it sounds about right.

Fans do have recourse. They can stop watching. They can stop buying tickets.

Or they can work on their vertical and practice their free throws.

Dustin Johnson's impressive front nine at Firestone South on Saturday put him into good position for Sunday's final round of the 2016 Bridgestone Invitational.

AKRON, Ohio -- Dustin Johnson battled back into contention at the 2016 Bridgestone Invitational on Saturday with four birdies on the front nine enroute to a 4-under for a 66 in Round 3.

Despite a bogey on No. 14, Johnson got back into contention for Sunday with several impressive shots. His 45-foot putt for birdie on No. 11, his wedge shot for birdie on No. 6, and his birdie on No. 9 with a 7-iron were all impressive.

"I did everything pretty well today," Johnson said. "I felt like I was driving it really good, hit a lot of great iron shots and rolled the putter pretty nicely, too. It was just an all-around good day."

The day was especially good for Johnson compared to Friday. Johnson, like many of the golfers in Round 2, battled a cross wind on Firestone South. Johnson had six bogeys (three birdies) and finished three over.

Saturday's mild weather made for a much better day.

You've still got to play really good because the golf course is firm," Johnson said. "It's tough to get it in the fairways, and then the greens are firm, too, so it's tough to get it close to the flag. Yesterday, I just didn't play good yesterday. It was pretty simple. It was windy. It made it a little tougher, but I played terrible."
 

The Cleveland Indians' winning streak ended at 14 on Saturday afternoon when the Toronto Blue Jays prevailed, 9-6, in Toronto. The game was wrapped in controversy.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Edwin Encarnacion, Troy Tulowitzki and Josh Donaldson homered and the Toronto Blue Jays were helped by an overturned call en route to defeating the Cleveland Indians, 9-6, Saturday afternoon at Rogers Centre in Toronto. The Tribe's franchise-record winning streak ended at 14 -- but not before left fielder and leadoff man Rajai Davis hit for the cycle.

Here is a capsule look at the key aspect(s) of the game, which was televised by Fox Sports Time Ohio:

Quite a run: The first-place Indians (49-31) had not lost since June 15 against the Royals in Kansas City, Mo.

The Streak began with three-game sweeps of the White Sox and Tampa Bay at Progressive Field. It continued with three-game sweeps in Detroit and Atlanta and victories in the first two of a four-game series at Rogers Centre.

The Indians forced Toronto (44-39) to work for the spoil. They rallied from deficits of 3-1 and 5-3 and grabbed a 6-5 lead in the seventh.

Ragin' Rajai: Davis homered to left in the first; tripled to right in the third; doubled to center in the seventh; and singled to right-center in the ninth. He became the eighth player in franchise history, and first since Travis Hafner on Aug. 14, 2003, to secure the cycle.

He is the first Indian ever, and sixth in MLB history, with a reverse-order cycle.

Davis narrowly missed a fifth hit. With two outs in the fifth inning, Davis grounded to shortstop Tulowitzki, whose throw to first beat Davis by a cleat.

Davis, a former Blue Jay, received a loud ovation after the single. Then Davis stole second -- his 22nd steal this season.

Rough beginning: The Tribe's scheduled starter Saturday was Trevor Bauer, but he became unavailable when manager Terry Francona needed him Friday. Bauer pitched the final five innings and threw 83 pitches in a 2-1 victory in 19 innings. The first 14 innings had been covered by Josh Tomlin and seven relievers.

Even though the rubber-armed Bauer said he would be ready Saturday if asked, he clearly was not an option. Instead, Tribe current relievers and newcomer Shawn Morimando were tasked with piecing together the outing. Lefty Morimando was recalled from Class AA Akron as utility man Michael Martinez was designated for assignment.

Francona opted to "start'' Zach McAllister. It did not go well. McAllister gave up the lead provided by Davis in a hurry.

McAllister overcooked his first pitch, a fastball, and plunked former Indian Ezequiel Carrera on the leg. McAllister struck out Devon Travis and got ahead of 2015 AL MVP Josh Donaldson, 0-2.

Donaldson fouled an 0-2 fastball. McAllister missed with two breaking pitches and two fastballs -- all outside -- for the walk.

Edwin Encarnacion took a fastball (94 mph) up and away and a fastball (94) on the outer edge for a strike. In the 1-1 count, catcher Chris Gimenez appeared to give McAllister the option of breaking pitch or fastball inside before they settled on a fastball away. The pitch looked too much like the previous one, and Encarnacion hammered it to center as Toronto surged ahead, 3-1.

Encarnacion, who has hit 22 homers and leads the American League with 73 RBI, no doubt had been itching to take out his frustration on a baseball for what happened in the first inning Friday. He was ejected by plate umpire Vic Carapazza for reacting angrily after being called out on strikes.

Jeff Manship replaced McAllister to begin the second.

Here they come: The Tribe pulled within 3-2 on Davis' RBI triple in the third and tied the score, 3-3, on Carlos Santana's homer in the fourth. Santana hit an elevated 1-2 fastball for his 18th of the season.

Costly mistake: Tulowitzki's two-out, two-run homer off Morimando in the fifth pushed the Blue Jays back in front, 5-3. Tulowitzki never should have gotten the chance to bat.

With none on and two outs, Russell Martin chopped weakly toward third near the line. Juan Uribe moved in and fielded cleanly but threw low to first baseman Santana, who was unable to scoop the short hop.

Incredibly (or not, given the home-cooked official scoring that occurs in certain venues), Martin was credited with a single. It absolutely was not a single. Uribe did not require extraordinary effort to get to the ball; he simply short-armed a throw into the dirt. As pointed out by Fox Sports Time Ohio analyst Rick Manning, Santana could have helped with better scooping technique -- but because the ball struck the ground, Uribe ultimately is responsible. Martin is not a speedster, so it is not as if he pressured Uribe into rushing the throw. Basic defensive execution would have gotten Martin with room to spare.

Morimando fell behind Tulowitzki, 3-1. Morimando opted for a changeup on the outer half but it stayed up, and Tulowitzki ripped it over the left-field wall.

Morimando finished with the two runs allowed on six hits in 3 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out four. Hopefully, MLB will overrule the Blue Jays' scorer and change Martin's hit to an error, thereby making both runs unearned.

Her they come again: The Tribe scored once in the sixth (Uribe bases-loaded HBP) and twice with two outs in the seventh (Jose Ramirez RBI single, Mike Napoli RBI double) for the 6-5 lead.

So much for that: Donaldson tied the score in a blink. He led off the seventh with a first-pitch homer (No. 20) to center off Dan Otero.

We've got controversy: The Blue Jays, assisted by replay, scored three in the eighth to put them in front to stay.

Carrera drew a one-out walk against Otero. Tommy Hunter replaced Otero and allowed a single to Devon Travis, Carrera stopping at second. Donaldson blooped a single to center, where Tyler Naquin fielded and made a terrific throw home as Carrera attempted to score. Gimenez received the ball in front of the plate and made a swipe-tag at Carrera, who was diving head-first. Umpire D.J. Reyburn, in excellent position to see everything, called Carrera out.

As expected, Carrera was convinced he was safe. The Blue Jays challenged. After a lengthy delay, crew chief John Hirschbeck removed the headset and signaled that MLB replay command had overturned the call. So instead of runners on first and second, two outs and the score tied, 6-6, the Blue Jays led, 7-6, with one out and runners on first and second.

In real time, Carrera appeared to be safe. But replays showed that it was entirely possible for Gimenez's mitt to have clipped Carrera's flapping pants at the right shin a frame before Carrera's left batting glove touched the plate.

At the very least, the replays were inconclusive, which should have meant the call on the field stood.

Francona had every right to be upset.

"I looked at (the play) six or seven times,'' Francona calmly told reporters in Toronto, via Fox Sports Time Ohio, after the game. "I came in and looked at all the angles. They're supposed to have the same angles we do. I don't know how you can overrule that. If they called him safe, I don't know how you overrule it. If they called him out, I don't know how you overrule it. I know they keep telling us: 'It has to be conclusive.' I will look forward to an explanation from the league that I understand, because, as of now, from what I've seen, I don't know how they did that. I was shocked.''

With Encarnacion at bat, Travis and Donaldson executed a double-steal. Encarnacion struck out. Lefty Michael Saunders ran into a 1-1 fastball -- his reaction immediately after having made contact spoke volumes -- and lined a two-run double to left.

Jason Day and Scott Piercy share the lead heading to the final round of the 2016 Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron.

AKRON, Ohio -- Scott Piercy's consistency in the first three rounds of the 2016 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational has put him into position to challenge for a title on Sunday at Firestone Country Club.

And that's all he can ask for in his goal to earn his fourth PGA Tour victory.

"If the putter is solid, I keep driving it well, then I'll have a good chance," Piercy said.

But Piercy must first manage to squeeze past Jason Day. Pierce and Day are the co-leaders at 5-under 205. They hold a one-stroke lead over David Lingmerth and a two-stroke lead over Brian Stuard.

Piercy got into his current position with three sub-70 rounds (69, 69 and 67). His runner-up finish in the U.S. Open may have contributed to his confidence. That was his best finish in a Major.

"It definitely helps the confidence," Piercy said. "Trying to hit those fairways at the Open and these fairways don't seem quite as hard. But knowing that I drove it well there, and you need to drive it here to play well is part of the confidence you gain."

That confidence helped on Piercy's chip-in eagle on No. 2 and a couple of tap-in birdies on holes 11 and 17.

"That kind of kept the momentum going," Piercy said.

But the momentum slowed a bit when Piercy finished with a bogey at 18. He wanted that one back.

"I missed my angle there," Piercy said. "I missed it left. I could miss it in the right tee and have an angle. I really only did that twice today. The only one was on 14. My putter saved me. But other than that, I played clean, solid, and I didn't really have a lot of stress today."

Stuard recovered from a bogey on No. 1 with five birdies (and one additional bogey) to shoot 3-under for Round 3.

Stuard, a native of Jackson, Michigan, has enjoyed his experience so far at Firestone.

"It's been awesome," Stuard said. "I love the golf course. You don't play too many that are kind of tree-lined like this, and I think it really fits my game. It's kind of nice it being a Midwest golf course, too. It's been great."

They said it

"I did everything pretty well today. I felt like I was driving it really good, hit a lot of great iron shots and rolled the putter pretty nicely, too. It was just an all-around good day. -- Dustin Johnson on his round of 66.

"It was a tough start, but I don't feel like I hit too many bad shots on the golf course. It's playing difficult. Each day I feel like hang in there and get one better as the round goes on." -- Charl Schwartzel on his round 67.

Local talent

Jason Dufner, born in Cleveland, had three birdies, three bogeys and one double bogey to finish 2-over in Round 3. He's nine over for the tournament.

Wins

Jason Day has the most PGA Tour wins (seven) since July 26 of last year. Jordan Spieth is second with three and Adam Scott has two.

Big shots

Dustin Johnson (see video below) smacks a solid 179-yard shot with an 8-iron on hole 5. ... Nathan Holman and Yosuke Tsukada each had an eagle on No 2. ... Patrick Reed made three consecutive birdies followed by a bogey and then another birdie.

Bigger shot

Scott Piercy holes his 47-foot bunker shot for an eagle on the par-5 second hole. The ball circled the cup and dropped in.

Way off

Jordan Spieth struggled so much on No. 16 that he finished with a snowman -- a triple-bogey 8. Spieth, however, quickly rebounded with a birdie on hole 17.

"I was in the dead center of the fairway and I landed it in the right first cut carrying 295," Spieth said. "In my opinion, it's just how firm the course is, it would be a better hole if it were moved up a good 50 yards and guys could potentially go for it, and if you hit a good drive, you have a decision to make."

Dustin Johnson.
179 yard.
8-iron.
Wow.
[?] https://t.co/K8px7kqCa0

For many reasons, long-hitting U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson simply fits the national mood, on the course and off: Bridgestone Invitational 2016.

AKRON, Ohio -- On the brink of Independence Day, Dustin Johnson has arrived at the confluence of style, celebrity, scandal, comebacks and national chauvinism just in time.

Johnson is tied for fifth after three rounds of the 2016 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational after a 4-under-par 66 Saturday at Firestone South. It was the day's best round and left him three shots behind co-leaders Scott Piercy and Jason Day at 5-under.

What happened a fortnight ago at the U.S. Open has only enhanced Johnson's story.

Johnson and the governors of golf 

The court of public opinion, as well as the opinion of most other players on the PGA Tour, have freed Johnson from the suspicious minds of United States Golf Association officials.

The USGA  plagued him at the Open and even assessed a one-shot penalty after his round was over.

But what's more American in these politically charged times than a wronged man at the mercy of uncaring  elitists from the government, even if it's only of golf?

Length

It is time to embrace golf's one-time bad boy, at least the one who can actually play -- sorry John Daly, but it's been forever -- as the inheritor of the national fascination with power and distance.

This dates at least from Babe Ruth in baseball through the dunks and three-balls of basketball to Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Long John and Tiger Woods.

Time to blow the bugles for a charge out of the days when Arnie was young and had an Army behind him. 

Time to deck Johnson out as some Trumpian figure, making American golf great again, amid the challenges of a leaderboard dotted with players whose countries' flags never flew over Fort McHenry.

In the last seven World Golf Championship events, Johnson is the only American to win.

Other flag-bearers

Piercy, who plays well on the tough courses, witness a second at the U.S. Open, is ahead of DJ of course. But, do they call him SP? I ask you that.

Brian Stuard, alone in fourth place at 3-under, won a rain-shortened event this May in New Orleans, making him 1-for-120 in PGA Tour starts at the time.

He can be cast as the underdog, another Rocky Balboa, although he's not Italian and didn't go the distance.

Masters all over again

For much of Saturday, it appeared that Jordan Spieth would course-manage and par-save himself into the lead or close to it, but then he dunked his fourth-shot approach to the 667-yard 16th hole. 

The "Monster" is over four times longer than the 12th at Augusta National, and Spieth only dunked one ball in the guardian pond, instead of the two he drowned in Rae's Creek at Amen Corner.

But his triple-bogey 8 in the third round here was almost as costly as his quadruple-7 in the final round at the Masters.

Spieth is tied for 10th an even-par.

Style

Not even Spieth's four closing birdies on Thursday were as thrilling as Johnson's sudden Strategic Air Command bombing run Saturday.

Johnson had four birdies in his previous 35 holes before he banged out five in eight holes.

He drove 313 yards to the left side of the fairway on 4, 337 yards to the left side on 6, 365 yards to the right side on 8, 324 yards to the right side on 9. 

That is 1,339 yards of boomers into the short grass, which set up birdie putts of  15 feet and 17 feet and two gimmes of 1 1/2 feet each.

On 11, he had 45 feet to the hole on the green and bottomed the putt.

Celebrity

Johnson and Wayne Gretzky's daughter, Paulina, have a son, Tatum.

Johnson might have scant chance to replace Gretzky as the greatest player in the family who used a stick to hit an object in a game, but Gretzky said Johnson's Open win was "one of the greatest things" he had ever seen.

Scandal

Johnson took a six-month leave of absence in 2014 for "personal challenges." Golf magazine said he was suspended for drug violations. The PGA Tour said he took the time off voluntarily.

Sports Illustrated recently called him a "skirt chaser" in the past who was given to "partying to excess."

Apparently, he was sort of a golfing Johnny Manziel, except he cared enough to stop.

Comebacks

Infamously, Johnson was penalty-stroked out of the 2010 PGA Championship playoff because he committed a violation in a bunker that wouldn't have been considered a bunker anywhere else. It took him six years to get his first major after that.

"I did everything pretty well today. I felt like I was driving it really good, hit a lot of great iron shots and rolled the putter pretty nicely, too. It was just an all-around good day." Johnson said.

On the Fourth of July, Americans will shoot off fireworks.

On the Third at Firestone South, they will watch Johnson launch some too.

Jason Day did not have a great day in Round 3 Saturday, but he expects to improve in time for Sunday's final round of the 2016 Bridgestone Invitational.

AKRON, Ohio -- Adjustments are so much a major part of golf that it comes in handy when your game is just a little off. And that was the case for Jason Day in Saturday's third round of the 2016 Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club.

Day went from a one-shot lead after Round 2 to a tie at the top with Scott Piercy after three rounds.

Day started off Round 3 with a birdie on the first hole. But after a couple of bogeys and a few mild adjustments, Day was able to savor the top spot heading into Sunday.

"I said it on CBS that I felt like Mr. Haverkamp out of "Caddyshack" trying to find his golf ball and not knowing where the golf hole [is]," Day said. "I started off great, confident, and probably looked confident starting off with a birdie, and then from there kind of lost everything a little bit right."

Enter the adjustment.

"Obviously I'm trying to hit a draw," Day said. "I'm standing out there with my driver and trying to hit a draw and started seeing it go right and then leak. It kind of caught me off guard a little bit, and from there I'm just saying, 'okay, if I aim down the left and try and aim for it, I might turn it over and go in the left stuff.'"

Day's change was a further example of why he's No. 1 in the world.

"I found my ball and hit it again and tried to get it in the hole with the least amount of strokes, and it turned out to be 69 today," Day said. "Which was great. So anything under par today with the positions that I was in today was obviously a positive."

Day had several positives on the course Saturday. Besides his opening birdie he also had a birdie at 6 and 15.

Day is thankful.

"Obviously the short game saved me," Day said. "But mentally I just was trying to grind and grind and grind. I showed a lot of mental toughness today with regards to the positions I was in, and obviously the short game, with the 10-footers on 13 and 14 to really save myself, and then the birdie on 15."

Day and Piercy will play together on Sunday. Piercy is a golfer that Day says has really good length off the tee and is a good ball striker.

"He's not scared to go up against the best and play well," Day said. "I can't worry about him. I've got to worry about myself and try to hit fairways and greens tomorrow, so that's the biggest thing for me is to really find something there and hopefully be there by the end of the day."

The Indians' 14-game winning streak came to an end Saturday with an assist from an out call that turned into a safe call and the go-ahead run in the eighth inning. Watch video

TORONTO - The Indians' 14-game winning streak is over and manager Terry Francona is shocked.

He's not shocked that the streak ended. Good teams do a lot of losing during the course of a season. It's the play that put the loss in motion that shocked him.

Ezequiel Carrera was called out at the plate in the eighth inning when he tried to score from second on Josh Donaldson's single. Tyler Naquin made a long throw from center and catcher Chris Gimenez appeared to tag Carrera on the leg on his headfirst slide with the score tied, 6-6.

Toronto challenged plate umpire D.J. Reyburn's call and it went to replay. After a review of 3:21, the call on the field was overturned and Toronto had a 7-6 lead. Edwin Encarnacion's two-run double off Tommy Hunter made it 9-6 and spelled the end for the longest winning streak in Tribe history.

Francona told reporters he watched the play six or seven times and still couldn't tell if Carrera was safe or out. He said he watched it from every available angle.

"And we're supposed to have the same angles they (replay central) have," said Francona.

Francona's point was there was no conclusive evidence to overturn Reyburn's call. If the evidence isn't overwhelming, a call is not supposed to be overturned.

"I went and looked at it six or seven times and I don't know how you can overrule that," he said.

MLB's replay headquarters released this statement, "The replay official definitively determined that the runner touched home plate prior to the catcher applying the tag."

That's why Francona is shocked.

"If he would have been called safe, I don't know how they would've overruled it to call him out," said Francona. "I know they keep telling us it has to be conclusive. I will look forward to any explanation that I understand from the league, because as of now, from what I've seen, I don't know how they did that. I was shocked."

Gimenez felt Carrera couldn't have tagged the plate before he tagged him.

"I thought we had him out," said Gimenez. "Nake (Naquin) made a pretty good throw on a pretty high hop, but I definitely thought I had him on the leg. The explanation they gave us was that his arm got in there before I tagged him."

Tommy Hunter, who gave up the single to Donaldson, was backing up the plate.

"He called him out," said Hunter. "That's the only thing I could see. The umpire is never wrong. It was just one of those things. It goes out to New York and they said he was safe. You take what is given in this game."

The streak ended after the Indians beat Toronto in 19 innings on Friday. In the process, they used Saturday's starter, Trevor Bauer, the last five innings. But that left the Indians scrambling for pitching Saturday.

"We knew it was going to be a grind from the get go," said Hunter.

The Indians rallied from a 3-1 deficit to take a 6-5 lead in the seventh. But that was as close to a win as they got on Saturday.

"The streak was going to end at some point," said Gimenez. "We weren't going to go 100-0. I think today, especially, we showed a lot about who we are. We got down a few times and were able to claw back. Especially after Friday night, it would have been easy to say let's get 'em tomorrow.

"Tito kind of told the team the same thing. Essentially, he told us that he was proud of us and what we did for the last 15 days. He said we have something special going on here."