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Inside story of how Cleveland Indians drafted Tyler Naquin -- Terry Pluto (photos)

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The Cleveland Indians surprised most experts when they took Tyler Naquin at No. 15 in the 2012 draft. Here's how it happened.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Tyler Naquin could swing a broom stick at a rock and hit a line drive.

That isn't why the Cleveland Indians made him their first-round pick in 2012. But the story stuck with Tribe scouting director Brad Grant when he was deciding who to pick in the first round of the 2012 draft.

The Indians had the No. 15 selection, so they had no chance at prime prospects Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton and Mike Zunino -- the first three selections in the draft.

Naquin was 21 years old. He had just finished his junior year at Texas A&M, leading the Big 12 with a .380 batting average.

"He was just a pure hitter," said Grant. "But some people in the (baseball) industry thought he was a 'Tweener.' They didn't think he'd hit for a enough power to play a corner outfield position.

"They wondered if he'd be good enough (defensively) to play center. I think that's why a lot of people had him rated lower than we did."

Tribe fans know Grant did indeed draft Naquin in 2012. They also know that the rookie is one of the biggest surprises of this surprising season for the first-place Indians, batting .314 (.969 OPS) with 10 HR and 23 RBI heading into Tuesday night's game in Kansas City.

But it was a gutsy pick by Grant and his staff. Not because Naquin was viewed as a high-risk prospect. Just the opposite. He seems solid. Very, very sold.

Baseball America rated him the 25th-best prospect, calling him the draft's "best pure hitter."

MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo put a No. 30 ranking on Naquin.

ESPN's Keith Law had Naquin at No. 42.

As Baseball America wrote: "Naquin has as good a pure bat and outfield arm as any college player this year. From what scouts tell me, center field might be a stretch and he's never going to have a ton of power. Could wind up as a 'tweener.'"

That was the general scouting report on Naquin. Very few people seemed to think there would be anything special about him as a Major Leaguer.

THE BAT, THE BOTTOM LINE

Tyler Naquin could always hit.

In 2011, his father (Ken Naquin) told Brent Zweeneman of the Houston Chronicle: "Tyler would go down to Spring Creek with these sawed off broom sticks and hit rocks all the time."

His father also said the family had sweet gum trees in their backyard and "I'd pitch those sweet gum balls to him."

Scouts love stories like that. They echo back to a time where a scout found Bob Feller pitching in his barn to his father during the winter.

But there's far more to Naquin than being perhaps one of the all-time greats hitting sweet gum balls.

"I never saw him hit a sweet gum ball, but I'd tell you this -- Tyler could flat-out hit," said Kyle Van Hook, the scout who signed him.

It was during Naquin's junior year at Klein Collins High (Spring, Texas) that Van Hook first scouted him.

"He played center back then," said the scout. "Klein Collins plays at the top level of high school baseball in Texas. And Tyler was one of the best high school players in the Houston area."

Naquin batted .442, .441 and .439 in his last three years of high school.

He was a 33rd-round pick by the Baltimore Orioles, but decided to go to Texas A&M instead. The 6-foot-2 Naquin was very skinny in high school.

In his last two seasons at Texas A&M, he batted .380 and .381. But he had only 5 HR in 515 at bats in those final two seasons.

"We thought his power would eventually come," said Tribe general manager Mike Chernoff. "He had outstanding bat-to-ball skills. He was such a consistent hitter. He had a great throwing arm, and was incredibly driven."

THE SCOUTING, THE ARM

Naquin played right field for Texas A&M. The Aggies had a quicker player named Krey Brasten in center.

"But we thought Tyler could play center," said Grant. "He was scouted by Kyle Van Hook, who saw Tyler player center in high school. He said Tyler could do it."

Van Hook said over and over, the Indians asked him about Naquin's future as a center field.

"I was convinced he could be at least average," said the scout. "His arm was special."

Grant remembered his first scouting trip to College Station, Texas, to see Naquin. It was a rainy day, so there was no formal batting practice.

"I found him in the batting cages," said Grant. "He was hitting off a tee, then he was hitting some soft-toss (drills). He had the kind of serious pre-game hitting routine you found in big leaguers. He knew exactly what he wanted to do to prepare for a game."

Early in that game, Grant saw a ball hit deep to right field for a single.

"Tyler ran it down near the wall and threw a rocket to third base," said Grant. "That arm just jumped out at you."

The Indians started with the obvious. The bat was real.

"We rated him the best college hitter in the draft," said Grant.

But would he hit for power? If not, could he play well enough to handle center field?

The arm would help. If he had to play right field, it would make him very good at that position.

MAKING THE CALL

Grant thought back to the 2009 draft. He had his eye on Jason Kipnis, who batted .384 at Arizona. He was an outfielder, the PAC 10 Player of the Year.

But some scouts thought Kipnis would not hit for enough power to play a corner outfield spot. They doubted he could play center, or convert to the infield.

So they passed on perhaps the best pure college hitter in that 2009 draft. The Indians grabbed him in the second round -- the 63rd pick.

"Sometimes, you just take the guy because you know he can hit," said Grant. "We felt that way about Tyler, too."

Van Hook's job was to check out Naquin's work ethic and character.

"He had no problems off the field," said the scout. "He's a tremendous worker, going back to high school."

Van Hook said Naquin lives about 45 minutes away from Texas A&M. He often works out at the school in the off-season.

"He's there 12 hours some days," said Van Hook. "His coaches have always loved him."

Did the Indians know he'd have 10 home runs by the middle of July?

No way. Not after he came into the season with only 21 HR in 1,296 career minor league at bats.

But as Chernoff said, "He had the kind of swing that can develop and produce power. It takes time."

Michael Brantley is an example. A lefty hitter with a smooth swing like Naquin, Brantley never hit more than 10 HR in a season until he was 27 years old.

Naquin turned 25 on April 24. He spent most of the off-season at the Tribe's training facility in Goodyear, Ariz. working on his strength.

He has had some defensive problems in center field, but the Indians believe he'll improve. If not, the way he swings the bat -- the Tribe will find somewhere for him to play.

"Tyler believes he can hit anyone," said Van Hook. "He has that kind of arrogance you find in really good hitters, and he backs up with work ethic. That's why I was always sure that no matter where he'd play -- he'd hit."


Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals lineups for Tuesday night's game

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The Indians have lost four straight games to Kansas City at Kauffman Stadium this season entering Tuesday night's game.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Here are the lineups for Tuesday night's game between the Indians and Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

INDIANS

CF Rajai Davis.

2B Jason Kipnis.

SS Francisco Lindor.

1B Mike Napoli.

DH Carlos Santana.

LF Jose Ramirez.

3B Juan Uribe.

C Chris Gimenez.

Rf Erik Gonzalez.

RHP Danny Salazar, 10-3, 2.75.

ROYALS

SS Alcides Escobar.

3B Cheslor Cuthbert.

1B Eric Hosmer.

DH Kendrys Morales.

C Salvador Perez.

LF Alex Gordon.

RF Paulo Orlando.

2B Whit Merrifield.

CF Jarrod Dyson.

LHP Brian Flynn, 1-0, 2.39.

UMPIRES

H Doug Eddings.

1B Ryan Blakney.

2B Cory Blauser.

3B Jeff Nelson.

Live chat, updates: Cleveland Indians vs. Kansas City Royals on Tuesday, Game 93

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Indians right-hander Danny Salazar makes his first start since the All-Star break Tuesday night when he faces the Royals. KC lefty Brian Flynn will be making his first start since 2014.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. --The Indians and Royals play the second game of a three-game set Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium. Get scoring updates and participate in a live chat as the clubs square off.

Game 93: Indians (54-38) vs. Royals (47-45).

First pitch: 8:15 p.m.

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

Pitching matchup: RHP Danny Salazar (10-3, 2.75) vs. LHP Brian Flynn (1-0, 2.39).

Fact du jour: Carlos Santana's 15-game hitting streak came to an end in Monday's 7-3 loss to the Royals.

Can Robert Griffin III run the Browns' offense without relying on his legs?: Hey, Mary Kay!

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Can Robert Griffin III run the Browns' offense without relying on his legs? Why did rookie pass-rusher Carl Nassib sit out minicamp? These and other questions answered in Hey Mary Kay!

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Hey Mary Kay!

Hey, Mary Kay: Is Robert Griffin III looking good enough to start and is he the type of quarterback that can run a offense without depending on his legs? -- Anthony Davis , Toledo , Ohio

Hey, Anthony:  Robert Griffin III has worked hard on his pocket presence over the past several years, including during this spring under Hue Jackson and Pep Hamilton. He'll need to be able to function effectively from within the pocket to be successful in the NFL. Defenses have caught up to the read-option and he has to diversify. Some experts doubt he can do it, but Jackson and Hamilton are convinced he can. In spring practices, he worked inside and out of the pocket. He also worked with quarterback guru Tom House in Los Angeles this summer to improve his mechanics. It will be interesting to see how he's improved when camp opens July 29th.

Hey, Mary Kay: Why didn't Carl Nassib play in OTAs and will he be ready for training camp? --Bruce @Fatkat52 Kimbrough, Tracy, Calif.

Hey, Bruce: Nassib sat out the mandatory minicamp in June with a calf injury, but is expected to be ready for the start of training camp. Rookies report on Monday and camp opens to the public on July 29th. The Browns will need Nassib healthy even more now that the Desmond Bryant will likely miss the entire season with a torn pectoral muscle. Nassib, who's slated to work some inside, set the Penn State record with 15.5 sacks last season.  

Hey, Mary Kay: If Josh Gordon is reinstated, do you think the club keeps him or will try to immediately trade him because he can't be trusted? -- Richard Hitt, Casselberry, Fla.

Hey, Richard: If Gordon is reinstated after he's eligible to apply on Aug. 1, the Browns will sit down with him and assess where he's at. Hue Jackson has said everyone will begin with a clean slate and that includes Gordon. Jackson will look him in the eyes and try to determine if he's as committed as he needs to be. I'm guessing that Jackson will be surprised by Gordon, who's nothing like his public personna. Jackson just has to decide if he thinks Gordon can stay clean and not test positive again, which would result in another indefinite suspension. Jim Brown told cleveland.com that Gordon's been in rehab, which should help his case with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. But no one knows yet if it will be enough for reinstatement, or enough for the Browns to trust him.

Hue Jackson says it's too soon to name RG3 his starter coming out of minicamp

Hey, Mary Kay: What do you think the fans' reaction will be to Isaiah Crowell once training camp opens? -- Angelo Costanzo, Cleveland, Ohio

Hey Angelo: I think most fans will be supportive of Crowell in light of the steps he's taken to atone for his anti-police Instagram post that was quickly deleted. However, I'm sure there will be some that will never forgive him for the disturbing photo. Crowell has received death threats for the post and many fans have called for the Browns to cut him, which they have no plans to do. The Browns are monitoring the situation closely, and are encouraged by the positive steps Crowell has taken, including attending the funeral of a slain Dallas police officer and spending a day with the president of the Dallas Fallen Officers Foundation. Crowell has more things planned to be part of the solution. 

Isaiah Crowell attends the funeral of a slain Dallas police officer


Michael Brantley's latest setback won't radically change how Cleveland Indians explore trade market

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Chris Antonetti, Indians president of baseball operations, says taking on a big contract will not stop him from making a trade to improve his team's postseason chances.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Outfielder Michael Brantley's return to the Indians has been delayed again after he developed soreness in his surgically repaired right shoulder during his latest rehab assignment at Class AA Akron.

Brantley with undergo an MRI on the shoulder Wednesday.

"He had a number of at-bats the other night (Sunday at Akron) and felt his shoulder again," said manager Terry Francona. "We convened and the way he phrased it to me, and he didn't seem terribly concerned about it, is he just feels like he's having a tough time pushing through the last little bit (of his swing)."

This is Brantley's second rehab assignment of the season after opening the year on the disabled list.

"He'll have an enhanced imaging (test) Wednesday morning," said Francona. "We feel an obligation to him to try and do everything correctly. The one thing that's hard about that is that you're looking at a shoulder that has been operated on twice. A lot of times they show wear and tear so it's difficult.

"Hopefully, we get an answer where it gives him some peace of mind. It's better than not doing anything."

Brantley had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder in November. At the end of the 2005 season, while playing for Milwaukee in the minors, Brantley had a similar surgery on the same shoulder. He spent time on the disabled list in 2006.

"It's easy to understand (the difficulty of finding the source of the pain) in a small joint like the shoulder unless you go in and look," said Francona. "I guarantee if you went into every pitcher's elbow or shoulder, they'd never pitch. You'll find something on everybody. So you go on symptoms . . .but he's hurting."

Right now the Indians are at a crossroads with Brantley over just how much he'll be able to play this season.

"It's difficult to plan for," said Chris Antonetti, Indians president of baseball operations. "We need to work off Michael and how he's feeling and adjust from there."

Brantley, before this latest setback, was encouraged by how his shoulder felt and his ability to return to the field. He received a cortisone shot last month for a case of right biceps tendinitis and was feeling better.

Tribe's Brantley gets shot for biceps tendinitis

"Michael was feeling healthy and strong until the other day when he felt a little bit of soreness," said Antonetti. "Now we have to hit the pause button and see what the next steps are."

When does the pause button turn into a wait-until-next-season button?

"We're not at that point yet," said Antonetti. "I think first we want to understand what's going on. What's causing him to have the little bit of soreness he's experiencing now and how do we help him through that."

Antonetti's said Brantley's current condition won't have a big affect on what he's trying to do on the trade front.

Tribe needs to trade for bullpen help

"What we've tried to do is plan for a lot of different scenarios," said Antonetti. "We've had different scenarios with Michael being back vs. Michael not being ready on Aug. 1 or later on in the season.

"The one thing I think that's important not to lose sight of is the group of guys who have gotten us to this point are still here and have done a really good job."

The Indians entered Tuesday night's game with a 51/2 game lead in the AL Central and a 54-38 record.

Antonetti's main areas of concern are the bullpen and the offense. The starting rotation has the lowest ERA in the AL. In fact the entire pitching staff leads the AL in ERA. As for catching, he feels confident that Roberto Perez and Chris Gimenez can do the job despite losing starter Yan Gomes on Sunday to a separated right shoulder.

Tribe puts Gomes on DL with separated shoulder

When it comes to making deadline trades, there is the popular belief that the Indians will not take on a big salary to improve the club.

"I don't think economics will have an impact on which players we acquire," said Antonetti. "We'll have the flexibility that we need to acquire a player. Our difficult decisions will come down to what level of talent are we willing to part with to acquire players and is the right fit out there."

The Indians put a high price on their prospects because they know they can't afford to go out and sign a building-block free agent. Their building blocks have to come from their minor league system.

Antonetti added that he is looking for consistency out of the bullpen. The Indians, not counting Gimenez and his two-inning relief outing against Toronto, have used 18 different relievers to try and find the right mix.

"It's an area where we are working to get some level of consistency," he said.

Pro golfer Natalie Gulbis speaks in support of Donald Trump at Republican National Convention (video)

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See video of pro golfer Natalie Gulbis' speech in support of Donald Trump at the 2016 Republican National Convention. Watch video

Natalie GulbisGolfer Natalie Gulbis speaks during the second day of the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. 

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Professional golfer Natalie Gulbis talked of the "gracious," "generous" and "inspiring" Donald Trump in addressing delegates Tuesday at the Republican National Convention.

View her entire speech in the video above.

Gulbis was one of a series of speakers on the second day of the convention in Quicken Loans Arena.

Gulbis, 33, has one LPGA tour victory and $4.9 million in earnings to her credit. She is also well known outside her play. Gulbis appeared on the second season of "Celebrity Apprentice," Trump's reality television show.

Other television appearances have included the "Natalie Gulbis Show" on the Golf Channel.

She appeared in the Sports Illustrated 2012 swimsuit issue and released her own calendar in 2005.

Bryan Shaw, Cleveland Indians bounce back with 7-3 win over Kansas City Royals

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The Indians stretched their lead in the AL Central to 6 1/2 games over Detroit on Tuesday night with a 7-3 win over the Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Watch video

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- For five innings Danny Salazar looked fine on a steamy Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium. He had a 6-0 lead and it looked like the decision not to let him pitch at the All-Star Game to preserve his right elbow worked.

Then the Royals, who rallied to beat the AL Central-leading Indians on Monday with a seven-run eighth inning, started to make inroads. They scored twice in the sixth and once more in the seventh.

Salazar was gone with two outs in the seventh, and manager Terry Francona called for lefty Kyle Crockett, who struck out Eric Hosmer. Then, drum roll, please, came Bryan Shaw.

Shaw, Monday's loser, retired the Royals in order in the eighth as the Indians stretched their lead in division to 6 1/2 games with a 7-3 win. Shaw needed only eight pitches to get through the eighth.

"It felt good to have a good bounce-back inning after Monday," said Shaw. "I went out there and tried to forget what happened Monday, throw strikes and get ahead of guys. When I get ahead of guys, it's a lot better outcome than when I don't."

The Indians ended a five-game losing streak at Kauffman Stadium -- four this year and one last season -- with the win. They are 22-16 after a loss and 50-0 when leading after the eighth inning.

Salazar (11-3, 2.75) improved to 3-0 against the Royals this season. He's 7-0 in his last nine starts. Tuesday he allowed two earned runs on eight hits. He struck out seven and walked one.

"The All-Star break was a really good break for me," said Salazar. "I went to the All-Star Game and really didn't do much besides play catch. My elbow felt fine tonight."

Brian Flynn, the Royals' 6-7 lefty, took the loss. Flynn (1-1, 3.14), making his first start since 2014, allowed three runs on four hits in 2 1/3 innings.

Power surge

The Indians received homers from Mike Napoli and Francisco Lindor. Napoli got the Indians started in the first inning. Lindor provided insurance against the scrappy Royals with a homer in the ninth.

It was Lindor's 12th homer of the season, four of them coming against the Royals.

Napoli gave the Indians a 2-0 lead with a moon-shot homer just inside the left field foul pole in the first. It was his 21st of the season and second since the All-Star break.

It's the most homers he's hit since ended the 2013 season with 23. Lindor, who reached on a fielder's choice, scored in front of Napoli.

"Coming on the heels of Monday night, Nap gives us the two-run homer and that's a great way to play," said Francona. "For the most part Danny did a really good job and kept them off the scoreboard for the most part. Like I said, we needed a bounce-back win."

The Indians made it 3-0 in the third on Lindor's sacrifice fly. The Indians had the bases loaded with no out against Flynn, but could squeeze just one run out of the inning. Dillon Gee relieved Flynn after the sacrifice fly and retired Napoli and Carlos Santana.

If the fifth the Indians stretched the lead to 6-0 with three more runs. They loaded the bases with one out as Jason Kipnis doubled, Lindor singled off Gee and Napoli walked. Santana, who had his 15-game hitting streak broken Monday, hit a two-run single to right. 

Juan Uribe followed with a two-out single to score Napoli. It was Uribe's third RBI in the last two games and 25th of the season.

What it means

The Indians own the best record in the AL at 55-38. In the AL Central, they're 29-22, the best intra-division record in the big leagues.

The pitches

Salazar threw 104 pitches, 68 or 65 percent for strikes.  Flynn threw 43 pitches, 28 or 65 percent for strikes.

The first time

Rookie Erik Gonzalez, making his first big league start Tuesday, collected his first big league hit in his first at-bat. Gonzalez, playing right field, singled to center in the third.

He came around to score his first big-league run on a sacrifice fly by Lindor. It was Lindor's ninth sacrifice fly, the most on the team.

Thanks for coming

The Indians and Royals drew 31,144 fans to Kauffman Stadium on Tuesday night. First pitch was at 7:15 with a temperature of 91 degrees. The heat index was 101.

What's next?

Right-hander Carlos Carrasco (6-3, 2.49) will face Royals right-hander Ian Kennedy (6-7, 3.86) Wednesday at 2:15 p.m. SportsTime Ohio, WTAM 1100 and WMMS/FM 100.7 will carry the game.

Carrasco, 4-1 in his last five starts, is 0-1 in two starts against the Royals this year. Hosmer is hitting .333 (7-for-21) with three RBI against him.

Kennedy, coming off two straight no-decisions, is 2-1 against the Indians this year. Lonnie Chisenhall is hitting .556 (5-for-9) against him.

RBI triple from Todd Hankins keys Akron RubberDucks' victory

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Pitcher Julian Merryweather earns the win for Akron at Richmond.

Todd Hankins.pngTodd Hankins 

RICHMOND, Virginia -- Todd Hankins had a two-run triple as part of a three-run sixth inning, helping to rally the RubberDucks from a 2-0 deficit and leading to a 5-2 win Tuesday night over the Flying Squirrels.

Akron was held scoreless through the first five innings by Richmond starter Dan Slania. But with two outs in the sixth and Richmond leading, 2-0, Jordan Smith doubled, and he was brought in by another double from Joe Sever off Richmond reliever Christian Jones (1-4, 4.53 ERA).

Mike Papi drew a walk, then Hankins drove in two runs with his triple to give Akron a 3-2 lead.

An RBI single from Jeremy Lucas and a fielding error by the Flying Squirrels on ground ball by Clint Frazier allowed two insurance runs in the ninth. 

Akron right-hander Julian Merryweather (2-2, 6.33 ERA) gave up two runs on five hits in six innings. He struck out six. Cole Sulser pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his third save.

The RubberDucks (52-45) are in third place in the Class AA Eastern League Western Division, 1.5 games behind first-place Altoona.

Go here to see a box score from the game.


Danny Salazar, Kyle Crockett, Mike Napoli among standouts as Cleveland Indians topple Royals: DMan's Report, Game 93

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The Cleveland Indians defeated the Kansas City Royals, 7-3, Tuesday night in Kansas City, Mo. Danny Salazar pitched well and Mike Napoli and Francisco Lindor homered.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Right-hander Danny Salazar allowed two earned runs in 6 2/3 innings and Mike Napoli and Francisco Lindor homered as the Cleveland Indians defeated the Kansas City Royals, 7-3, Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. Tribe lefty reliever Kyle Crockett recorded a ginormous out to end the seventh.

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

Nick Camino Scoreboard Watch: The first-place Indians (55-38) bumped their lead back up to 6.5 games over Detroit (49-45) in the AL Central. Finesse lefty Tommy Milone and the lowly Minnesota Twins handled the Tigers, 6-2, at Comerica Park in Detroit.

The injury-plagued Royals (47-46) are in third place, 8.0 back.

Breaking through: The Indians won at "The K'' for the first time in five meetings this season. The Royals slipped to 30-14 at home.

Plenty good enough: Salazar (11-3, 2.75 ERA) allowed three runs, walked one and struck out seven. He threw 68 of 104 pitches for strikes.

Salazar is 3-0 in three starts against the Royals, having allowed three earned runs in 22 1/3 innings.

On Tuesday, Salazar leaned on his usual fastball/changeup combination. He peppered the edges with the fastball. He mixed in a slider; an 0-2 slide piece on the outside edge at the knees that caught lefty Alex Gordon looking to end the fourth inning arguably was his best pitch of the game.

Much appreciated: The Royals scored two in the sixth to pull within 6-2 and continued to pressure a tiring Salazar in the seventh.

Whit Merrifield led off with a five-pitch walk. Jarrod Dyson lined a single to center, Merrifield stopping at second. With Alcides Escobar batting, Tribe catcher Chris Gimenez's passed ball on an 0-1 pitch enabled both runners to advance 90 feet.

Escobar took two more balls to push the count to 3-1. Salazar was one ball from loading the bases with none out, and he threw a ball -- fastball, near the letters. Fortunately for Salazar and the Indians, Escobar is the ultimate free-swinger. Escobar tossed Salazar a lifeline by popping the pitch into foul territory on the right side, where first baseman Napoli made the catch.

A replay showed Escobar asking the ball to get into the seats. When it didn't, Escobar slammed the bat. He appeared to be headed into the dugout tunnel to do more damage to something.

Cheslor Cuthbert's sacrifice fly made it 6-3 and pushed Dyson to third. Thanks to Escobar, though, the Indians were one out from still leading by three.

Cold-blooded Crockett: After Cuthbert's sacrifice fly, Indians manager Terry Francona signaled for Crockett to face ultra-dangerous lefty Eric Hosmer. Those of us who asked Monday for a matchup lefty against Hosmer did not necessarily think it would be Crockett on Tuesday.

In 11 MLB appearances this season, Crockett had allowed six runs on seven hits and two walks in 3 2/3 innings. 

Crockett and Gimenez opened with a fastball (89 mph) on the inside edge above the knees. Hosmer took it for a strike. Hosmer probably was caught off-guard, figuring Crockett would not dare challenge with an 0-0 fastball expected to max out in the low-90s.

Crockett threw a fastball (91) over the plate at the belt, and Hosmer swung through it. Hosmer must have been shocked to see another heater. In this case, Crockett having missed his spot -- Gimenez wanted the pitch in -- worked out.

Crockett and Gimenez continued to play with Hosmer's mind, opting for an 0-2 fastball (91). No way does Kyle Crockett throw Eric Hosmer an 0-2 fastball....except tonight. The pitch narrowly missed the inside edge above the knees. Crockett began walking off and Hosmer shot him a look as plate umpire Doug Eddings called it a ball. FoxTrax showed that Eddings was correct.

Crockett and Gimenez finally went with the slider (80). It was a ball out of the hand and never tempted Hosmer while sweeping down and away.

Crockett recalibrated for a 2-2 slider (80). This time, he kept it on the plate and at the knees long enough to entice Hosmer, who swung and missed. The ball hit the dirt beyond the outside edge of the plate and Gimenez picked it cleanly with the backhand.

If Crockett had failed to do his job, there is no telling where the game might have gone.

Locking them down: Bryan Shaw, rebounding from a rough appearance Monday, took the baton from Crockett and pitched a 1-2-3 eighth. He struck out two and threw 8-of-8 strikes.

Tribe closer Cody Allen, in a non-save situation that felt like a save situation, retired all three in the ninth. He struck out one and threw 9-of-12 strikes.

Party at Napoli's hotel room in Kansas City, Mo.: Napoli hit a two-run homer off lefty Brian Flynn in the first. Flynn missed his spot badly with a 2-0 fastball, and Napoli punished him for it.

Napoli finished 1-for-4 with the homer, one walk, two RBI and two runs. For the season, he has 21 homers, 65 RBI and 60 runs in 87 games.

Lindor being Lindor: Lindor went 2-for-4 with two RBI and three runs. He homered off Chien-Ming Wang in the ninth (hanging 2-1 changeup).

Cleveland Indians' Trevor Bauer and friends recover treed drone in dead of night

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A late night search and rescue mission by Indians right-hander Trevor Bauer and two clubouse workers retrieved his drone from a tree near the team's hotel.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Sleep easy, Cleveland. Trevor Bauer's treed drone has been rescued.

Under the cover of darkness early Tuesday morning, Bauer and two workers from the visitor's clubhouse at Kauffman Stadium retrieved a drone that Bauer crashed into a tree during a Monday afternoon flight in a park behind the Indians' team hotel.

The tree wasn't cut down. No ladders were used. Instead Bauer and his buddies used a fishing rod, fishing line, heavy-duty flashlights and baseballs. The rescue started at 12:30 a.m. and ended about 2 a.m. following the Indians 7-3 loss to the Royals.

"First we were casting up in the trees, but the hook kept getting stuck and we had to cut the line," said Bauer. "Then we screwed the fishing line into a baseball and were throwing the ball up there at the branch.

"But we got two baseballs stuck up there. We had one ball left and on the second throw we hit the drone, literally, in the perfect spot and knocked it down."

Bauer said the drone suffered minor damage, but he could repair it.

Earlier in the season, MLB sent a memo to all teams forbidding anyone from flying drones at big league ballparks. Bauer, who liked to fly his drones at the ballpark, while it took video, felt the memo was directed at him.

Tribe's Bauer up a tree without a drone

"If they're going to target it at me, I wish they'd name it after me -- the Trevor Bauer rule," said Bauer. "I want my pound of flesh.

"In spring training, I talked to MLB security about it and they told me as long as I was under 400 feet, not within three miles of an airport and not within an hour before or after a game, that was fine.

"But every ballpark I went to, they said I wasn't allowed to fly my drone."

Bauer takes two droves with him on the road. But right now both are grounded and in need of repairs.

Oh, oh: When Corey Kluber waved to the Tribe's dugout at the start of the eighth inning Monday, manager Terry Francona knew what he wanted.

Kluber, who had thrown seven scoreless innings, had a cramp in his right calf and couldn't push off the rubber to deliver his pitches.

"I saw him waving into the dugout," said Francona. "I told him I thought he was waving at me because I didn't want to come out (and take him out of the game). That's why he was laughing when I took him out."

Kluber left with a 2-0 lead, but the Royals scored seven runs in the eighth for a 7-3 victory.

KC makes life miserable for Tribe's Shaw

Finally: Chris Gimenez, a Golden State Warrior fan, lost a bet when the Cavs won the NBA championship. To payoff the bet, Gimenez, who shaves his head, had to let his hair grow. He was finally able to shave his head again on Tuesday. . .Right-hander Tommy Hunter, who was placed on the disabled list Sunday with a fractured vertebra, is scheduled to see a back specialist in Cleveland in the coming days. . .Zach McAllister started his rehab assignment Monday at Class AAA Columbus by pitching a scoreless innings. McAllister is on the disabled list with a sore right hip.

Kings Mills, Mayfield football: Meet two cleveland.com Ohio Super Top 25 contenders (poll)

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Should Mayfield and Kings Mills football be in the cleveland.com Ohio Super Top 25?

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Cleveland.com’s high school football coverage is expanding in 2016, and a highlight of that expansion will be a weekly statewide Top 25 ranking.

The preseason countdown to the Ohio Super 25 will begin Aug. 1, with a new team profiled each day through Aug. 25. To get you ready, we’re presenting 50 contenders for the Top 25 throughout July. Each day through July 29 we will provide a brief look at two of the 50 contenders. Today’s teams: Kings Mills and Mayfield.


Kings Mills




2015 record: 11-2 (Division II, Region 6 finalist)


About the Knights: Graduation took a hit to the football squad as linebacker Jared Dorsa (Ohio University) and defensive lineman Black Bockrath (East Tennessee) leave two vacancies on the defensive side of the football with only six starters returning. Three-year starter Tyler Knecht (1,773 passing yards and 12 TDs) returns at quarterback, but will be without his weapons: wide receivers Matt Huhn (Birmingham Southern), Evan Guckenburger (Taylor) and running back Avery Koller. Senior Matt Sichterman, who committed to Nebraska, returns to anchor the offensive line for his final season as wide receiver Justin Wise (308 receiving yards and 2 TDs) is expected to emerge as a top target for Knecht.


Mayfield




2015 record: 11-2 (Division II, Region 3 finalist)


About the Wildcats: Mario Monastero (1,956 passing yards and 23 TDs) leaves a big void after graduating and signing with Lake Erie College. However, rising senior running back Michael Canganelli (1,442 rushing yards and 18 TDs) returns to join new head coach Ross Bandiera who replaces Larry Pinto as the head coach after 30 seasons. The Wildcats will also be without All-Ohioans Zach Rodman and Luciano Bican, and All-District receiver Gage Bican. Mayfield returns All-District honorable mentions Izzy Watson and Bailey Rotsky.


Cleveland.com Ohio Top 25 contenders


Fairfield, Steubenville


Week 2: Archbishop Hoban, Benedictine, Canton Central Catholic, Centerville, Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller, Cincinnati La Salle, Columbus Bishop Hartley, Glenville, Hilliard Davidson, Hilliard Darby, Huber Heights Wayne, Hudson, Lewis Center Olentangy, Midview, Massillon Perry, New Albany, Perrysburg, Pickerington Central, Solon, St. Edward, Toledo Whitmer, Trotwood-Madison, Westerville Central and Worthington Kilbourne.


Week 1: Benedictine, Cincinnati La Salle, Glenville, Huber Heights Wayne, Hudson, Massillon Perry, Midview, Pickerington Central, Toledo Whitmer and Worthington Kilbourne.


For more high school sports news, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter


Contact sports reporter Nathaniel Cline on Twitter (@nathanielcline) by email (ncline@cleveland.com) or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Kyrie Irving: 'Having a chance for a gold in the Olympics is a dream come true'

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After winning the NBA championship, something Kyrie Irving termed "the hardest thing" he's ever done, the Cleveland Cavaliers dazzling young point guard has his sights set on another piece of shiny hardware.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- After winning the NBA championship, something Kyrie Irving termed "the hardest thing" he's ever done, the Cleveland Cavaliers dazzling young point guard has his sights set on another piece of shiny hardware.

"Having a chance to go for a gold in the Olympics is a dream come true," Irving said following Tuesday's practice with Team USA. He made the comments during an appearance on NBA TV.

Irving picked up a gold medal at the 2014 FIBA World Championships. He was also named MVP and USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year. But this is different. It's his opportunity to play alongside the best players in the game, to represent his country at the Olympics where he will likely be a starter and one of the team leaders thanks to his international experience in 2014.

"It's prepared me a great deal," Irving said. "Understanding the process of being together for a certain amount of days and there's nothing more beautiful than seeing a bunch of great stars come together and we flourish in a tournament against other countries. There's nothing more beautiful than that for me. The ball movement, the game film and when we go to our respective teams I don't forget that stuff. It's just such an awesome experience and I just love beautiful basketball with great players. This is the cream of the crop, USA basketball, and we just have to prove it every night."

The National Team, made up of 12 players, opened practice on Monday and will play a few exhibition games before heading to Rio de Janeiro. The road to gold begins against China in August.

"I would say this is just a little step below winning a championship for me," Irving said. "This is just an exciting time to be with the guys every single day. I enjoy seeing great players in a setting like this because they're not in their team atmosphere, they're away from their norm and they get to really open up and get to know each other."

Irving isn't taking this experience granted.

He watched Paul George highlights on YouTube -- something Irving has made a customary practice -- before lacing his signature sneakers alongside Indiana's cornerstone during a workout. He's participating in one-on-one drills against Jimmy Butler, DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry and numerous other All-Stars. He's been reunited with his longtime friend Harrison Barnes, who is no longer playing for Cleveland's biggest rival. Irving even gets to talk a little trash, as Golden State's Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are Irving's teammates this summer. 

Kevin Durant is on the roster as well. But there haven't been any jabs at the newest Warrior. Only admiration.

"I've been a fan of his since he's come into the league," Irving said of Durant, pointing to the former MVP as the player he's most excited to play with this summer. Durant sat out the 2014 FIBA World Championships. "It feels like I've been watching him for a while. He's accomplished so much so I'm just a huge fan of his and watching how maniacal he is about his work -- his footwork, his jump shot. I'm telling him every time he shoots the basketball how pretty his jump shot is. I don't get to see it live all the time. I get to see him in this setting and it's awesome."

For Irving, his own lost is long. No. 1 overall pick. Rookie of the Year. All-Star MVP. FIBA World Cup MVP. Three-time All-Star. NBA champion.

In a matter of weeks, he could be adding Olympic gold. Few have accomplished so much in such a short time. And yet it feels like he's just getting started.

Irving seems ready for this next step, groomed long ago to shine on the biggest stage. He showed it two years ago during his first stint with Team USA -- a summer that catapulted him to a new level -- and reinforced it with his dagger 3-pointer in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, ending Golden State's dream season while two-time MVP Stephen Curry watched helplessly.

"I feel like my dad has prepared me for these moments," Irving said. "I try to live and enjoy the moment. Understanding that it's a process to be where you want to be, seeing players that have come before me and reaching out to guys and understanding relationships and connections that will propel me to be the best player I can be. I'm really thankful for that.

"I've had a tremendous opportunity to go to a great university that Coach K is the head coach of the Olympic Team and that connection there. I'm trying to put into words what it really means because I didn't really expect it to happen this quick."

Cleveland Indians set-up man Bryan Shaw and his reliability: Crowquill

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The Cleveland Indians' set-up man Bryan Shaw has his reliability in question after Monday night's loss to the Kansas City Royals

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- So far this year, the Cleveland Indians bullpen has been good enough to help stake them to a multiple-game lead in the American League Central Division.

As their set-up man, Bryan Shaw has been a big contributor to the Tribe's success but he and the bullpen have also struggled enough to give manager Terry Francona pause to consider bringing in a proven reliever.

Shaw had been pretty good over the last month and until Monday night hadn't allowed a run in over 13 innings. But the loss to Kansas City made it clear that the Indians need some help in the bullpen if they are to be considered true contenders.

Crowquill, by Plain Dealer artist Ted Crow, appears three times a week on cleveland.com.

Cleveland Indians outfielder Abraham Almonte knows he can't 'put [his] head down'

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"Sometimes things happen that you don't expect. But I know one thing: I have a family and I have to keep my head up for my kids and my family. If I put my head down, who's going to take care of my family?" Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Last year, Abraham Almonte mentioned it as often as he could. He was enjoying baseball more than he had at any point in his career.

He was playing regularly. The Indians were playing well. Everything was playing out how Almonte had envisioned. The outfielder, acquired in a trade at the end of July, had launched himself into the Indians' future plans.

Then, he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Like nearly every other player slapped with a steroids suspension, he'll forever vow that he has no idea how the banned substance entered his system.

When Almonte's 80-game ban expired, the Indians added him to the major-league roster. In the few weeks since, he has played sparingly. Almonte batted .444 with a 1.249 OPS in seven games at Triple-A on a rehab assignment, but he has collected only three hits in 20 at-bats with the Tribe.

Almonte says he is in a good place, though. The team provided him with iPad software that allowed him to keep tabs on every pitcher the Indians faced during his suspension. He studied their tendencies so he wouldn't be behind the curve when he ultimately returned.

Spring Training, Day 5, Goodyear, ArizonaCleveland Indians center fielder Abraham Almonte comments on his suspension for 80 games for violating MLB's drug policy, at the Indians spring training complex in Goodyear, Arizona on Feb. 27, 2016.  

When he did rejoin the big league club, the Indians had recently completed a 14-game winning streak. Their first-place standing has made it easier for Almonte to cope with a lack of consistent playing time.

Here is a Q&A with Almonte about his suspension and his return.

You were a starter last year on a team that finished strong, but had all but fallen out of the race. Now, after a suspension, you're playing less frequently, but the team is in first place. How are you handling the change?

AA: The most important thing right now is the team is winning. It's better to be on the bench on a team that is winning than be on the bench with a team that is losing every day. I just have to be ready for whenever they give me the chance. It's always better being on a team that's winning daily. Trust me.

What was the team's message once front office learned of the suspension?

AA: They trusted me and believed in me. They still wanted me on the team. Even though I'm not playing right now, there's something that I [offer] that they feel that they needed. I feel excited about that.

Did that make it easier to be away from the team for 80 games?

AA: Yeah. I know everybody was expecting that I was frustrated in Arizona. It was not like that. They made it so easy for me. They gave me all of the stuff that I needed. They took care of me. They tested me once in a while to make sure that I'm good. They got a great plan together for me. Everything worked out the same way that they told me [it would]. They didn't tell me one lie. Whatever they told me, that's what they did.

So you never felt down while you were biding your time in Arizona?

AA: Because of the short time that I was with Cleveland last year, what they did for me surprised me. They told me, 'We don't want you to go back to the Dominican Republic. We want you to stay here. We want you to work and be ready for after those 80 games.' They have all of my respect. This is a tough business. Sometimes you have to look at it as a business when they make a move. I know they had a lot of options with me after my suspension, but they still stuck with what they told me. That was huge for me.

Did you think they'd just tell you to go back to the Dominican or possibly even cut ties with you?

AA: You don't know how people are going to react after things like that. It's hard to know if they believed me or not. The truth for some people is not everything. It's not what you say, it's what you can prove. They said, 'We're going to take care of you. You are part of [this team] and we want to fight through this together.' I feel excited about that.

How Almonte ditched a life of lies, anger, alcohol

For how long did you know about the failed test before the team knew?

AA: A long time. [I found out] when I was in the D.R. in the offseason.

Was it stressful, knowing the situation and knowing you couldn't do anything about it?

AA: I didn't know how it was going to end. Thank God it's over. I hope I don't have to pass through that anymore. I don't want to see any of my teammates go through that. I don't want to see any baseball players go through that. I don't know how other players would handle that. Personally, I don't want to see anyone in those shoes.

I'm a really calm person. I know things aren't always going to work out the way that you want. Sometimes things happen that you don't expect. But I know one thing: I have a family and I have to keep my head up for my kids and my family. If I put my head down, who's going to take care of my family?

What was your family's reaction to the ordeal?

AA: When people know who you are, they take things the same way you take it. They know how you're going to handle it. They know you're going to be OK. They know you're going to get through it.

I have an unbelievable family, an awesome family. The three months I was out, I couldn't help my team, but I spent quality time with my kids and my family. During the season, we don't have time together. It's not the way that you want to have time off to spend with your kids, but now that it happened, let's do something good.

Tyler Naquin's Cleveland Indians blast Royals; AL Central lead swells to 7.5: DMan's Report, Game 94 (photos)

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Tyler Naquin hit two of the Cleveland Indians' five homers in an 11-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday afternoon in Kansas City, Mo. Carlos Carrasco allowed one hit in six shutout innings.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Tyler Naquin went 3-for-4 with two homers and six RBI and right-hander Carlos Carrasco allowed one hit in six shutout innings as the Cleveland Indians hammered the Kansas City Royals, 11-4, Wednesday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. Jason Kipnis, Carlos Santana and Mike Napoli also homered for the Tribe.

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

Nick Camino Scoreboard Watch: The Indians (56-38) stretched their lead in the AL Central to 7.5 games over second-place Detroit (49-46). The Tigers lost their second straight game to the last-place Twins, who hit three homers and one single and won, 4-1, at Comerica Park in Detroit.

Superb recovery: The Tribe won the final two of a three-game series against the defending world champions in their house. The third-place Royals (47-47) are 9.0 back.

In order to secure the series, the Indians needed to overcome sweltering heat and a solid-to-good pitcher. They rocked righty Ian Kennedy (4 1/3 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 7 ER).

Kennedy entered having allowed a total of nine runs in his previous five starts. He possessed good enough stuff on Wednesday to strike out eight and walk one, but he gave up four homers.

In Kennedy's first start against the Indians this season, May 7 in Cleveland, he allowed four hits in seven innings of a 7-0 victory. In his next three starts against them, he has given up a combined 16 runs on 19 hits in 17 innings (1-2).

Overall, Kennedy is 6-8 with a 4.28 ERA in 19 starts.

Spotlight on....Tyler Naquin: Why not? He did just a bit of damage.

Naquin, who reached safely four times, is the first Indians rookie since at least 1913 with three extra-base hits and six RBI in one game. The previous Indians rookie to drive in six in one game was Turner Ward in 1990. The previous Indians rookie with two homers and six RBI was Cory Snyder in 1986.

The previous Indian of any service time to drive in six from the No. 8 spot in the order was Paul Sorrento on May 3, 1995, in Detroit.

Here is a pitch-by-pitch breakdown of center fielder Naquin's plate appearances:

Third inning vs. RHP Ian Kennedy (none on, none out) -- 91 fastball foul; 76 curve, homer to left.

Pitch was over the plate and stayed up enough, amounting to a get-me-over curve. Naquin turned it into a Jensen Lewis Oppo Taco Supreme. Indians led, 2-0.

Fourth inning vs. Kennedy (runners on first and third, two outs) -- 92 fastball low....

Royals catcher Salvador Perez visited the mound.

Fox Sports Time Ohio analyst Rick Manning said: "I guarantee you, Perez is talking to Kennedy: 'Don't give in here and give this guy anything. We've got the right-handed (Roberto) Perez on deck. We'll take our chances if you walk him.' They'll be very careful and probably try to prey on the aggressiveness of Naquin. Situations like this are how you learn as a young hitter. He might not see much in this at-bat.''

....84 changeup, two-run double into right-field corner.

Pitch was supposed to be on outside edge and down. It tailed to the inner third at the knees, essentially onto Naquin's swing plane. Perez having gone to the mound after the fastball miss might have tipped off Naquin that a breaking pitch or changeup was next. Indians led, 4-0.

Fifth inning vs. RHP Peter Moylan (runners on first and second, one out) -- 91 fastball called strike; 79 breaking pitch swinging strike (inner third); 91 fastball inside (barely); 91 fastball foul; 79 breaking pitch, three-run homer to center.

Naquin hammered a cement mixer over the plate at the knees and sent it an estimated 443 feet. He bought himself a breaking pitch by fouling the fastball. Indians led, 11-0.

Manning said: "I mean to tell you: You don't hit balls in batting practice where he just hit one. ... It is straight-away central, and it is deep.''

Seventh inning vs. RHP Chris Young (none on, none out) -- 87 fastball outside; 83 changeup down and away; 87 fastball high; 87 fastball low, walk.

Young wanted no part of Naquin.

Ninth inning vs. RHP Kelvin Herrera (none on, none out) -- 98 fastball called strike; 98 fastball swinging strike; 98 fastball foul; 91 changeup foul; 97 fastball, grounder to third.

Naquin kept the at-bat alive, then used speed and hustle to almost beat the throw.

This season against the Royals, Naquin is 11-for-29 with five homers and 11 RBI.

In the run-up to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, potential partners no doubt have asked about Naquin. Repeatedly.

I can imagine the Indians' response going something like this: "We'll get back to you when he stops cranking out extra-base hits, or, no longer is a candidate for AL rookie of the year.''

Naquin is batting .324 with a 1.023 OPS in 63 games with the Tribe. He has 12 homers, nine doubles, five triples, 29 RBI and 32 runs.

MLB analyst Tom Verducci said Wednesday night: "Everyone's talking about Cleveland getting a bat. Naquin might be the bat.''

Cookie Express: Carrasco (7-3, 2.31 ERA) allowed one double, walked two and struck out six. He exited after 84 pitches and with the Tribe leading, 11-0.

Carrasco has given up two or fewer earned runs in eight straight starts (5-2).

Carrasco relied on a fastball/curve/changeup combination. The knuckle-curve was as nasty as it has been all season.

With one out in the bottom of the fourth and the Tribe ahead, 4-0,  Cheslor Cuthbert doubled. Carrasco fell behind lefty Eric Hosmer, 2-0. Carrasco threw a fastball (93) on the insider edge at the thighs, and Hosmer ripped it foul near the right-field line. Then came a terrific five-pitch stretch:

* 2-1 curve (84) swinging strike. Pitch began at knees and dived to dirt.

* 2-2 curve (84) swinging strikeout. Pitch began at shins and dived in dirt. Good block by catcher Roberto Perez.

Manning said: "I love that Carrasco doubled-up on that pitch. He knew Hosmer wanted to hit that ball so hard.''

Lefty Kendrys Morales stepped in.

* 0-0 changeup (89) swinging strike. Serious tilt to shoe-level.

* 0-1 curve (86) swinging strike. Pitch was inside and dived to dirt. Morales thought he had checked, but third-base umpire Doug Eddings disagreed. Replays showed it was borderline.

* 0-2 curve (86) swinging strikeout. Pitch dived to dirt.

Full-service El Oso: First baseman and leadoff batter Santana went 1-for-3 with the homer and three walks. He saw a game-high 33 pitches. He also made a five-star defensive play.

Santana's solo shot ignited a seven-run fifth inning. Santana fouled Kennedy's 2-1 fastball (91) before lining his 2-2 fastball (92) into the right-field seats to make it 5-0. The ball traveled an estimated 450 feet.

Santana has hit 14 homers at Kauffman Stadium in his career.    

With runners on first and second and two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Hosmer scorched a 1-0 fastball down the first-base line. Santana dived to glove it far behind the bag and flipped to Carrasco to deny Hosmer an extra-base hit and possibly two RBI.

Not this time, pal: Kennedy disrespected Napoli in the fifth. Napoli punished him with a two-run homer to push the Tribe's advantage to 7-0.

After Santana's blast, Kipnis struck out and Lindor was hit by a 1-2 pitch. Napoli stepped in.

Kennedy had been successful against Napoli with fastballs on the outer half and outside, but he got greedy in this confrontation. Napoli swung and missed at a fastball (91), took a fastball (91) outside and took a fastball (91) for a strike.

Ahead in the count, 1-2, Kennedy had Napoli set up for multiple changeups or breaking pitches away. Instead, Kennedy threw a fourth consecutive 91-mph fastball -- above belt, outside edge -- and Napoli blasted it an estimated 422 feet to center.

Napoli is slugging .496 with 22 homers and 67 RBI.


Ohio State basketball officially announces return of Alan Major, final additions to Thad Matta's staff

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Major will serve as Director of Player Development, while Kyle Davis will serve as the program's video coordinator.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Thad Matta is shaking things up a bit with the way he handles his Ohio State basketball coaching staff.

The Buckeyes officially announced the return of former assistant Alan Major as the Director of Recruiting and Player Development, and announced Kyle Davis as the program's new video coordinator.

These moves fill the vacancies left over on Matta's staff.

The change is in the title for Major, and the way Matta will handle the video coordinator position. In the past he's given that spot to a young, up-and-coming coach, as he did with current assistant Greg Paulus and Jake Diebler, who left this spring to be an assistant at Vanderbilt.

Davis, who briefly held the title of recruiting and operations coordinator this offseason, doesn't have any coaching experience but served four years as an undergraduate manager and last season as a graduate manager. He's a two-time graduate of Ohio State.

It seems the recruiting operations jobs will now fall more under the purview of Major.

"Alan has many skills and talents above and beyond those he's utilized as a coach over the years," Matta said in a statement, "I want him to help us develop a complete and well-rounded student-athlete. Alan is the perfect fit for this position."

According to the release, Major's new role includes developing plans for player development and assisting in recruiting activities from arranging official visits to updating the Buckeyes recruiting board.

Major was an assistant at Ohio State under Matta from 2004-2010. He also worked with Matta at Xavier. He most recently was the head coach at Charlotte, stepping down from the position after the 2014-15 season due to health concerns.

In Davis' role, he'll oversee video operations as well as assist in recruiting, camps, travel logistics and administrative duties.

See video game versions of Joey Bosa, Ezekiel Elliott: Where Buckeyes rank in Madden NFL 17 rookie ratings

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Both Bosa and Elliott are ranked among the 10 best rookies in the Madden NFL 17 video game.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Former Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa hasn't signed his contract with the San Diego Chargers yet. But he does already have a video game version of himself made up.

EA Sports, creators of the "Madden" football video game franchise, announced on Wednesday the top-10 highest-rated rookies in this year's game, "Madden NFL 17."

Bosa and former Buckeye Ezekiel Elliott both made the cut for the top 10.

Bosa, the No. 3 overall pick in the draft by Chargers, will be rated at a 79 overall, which ranks fifth among rookies in the game. Elliott, the No. 4 overall pick by the Dallas Cowboys, did a little better, coming in second with an overall rating of 80. Those are both high marks for rookies in the video game franchise.

Former Florida State defensive back Jalen Ramsey, now with the Jacksonville Jaguars, is No. 1 with a rating of 82. Cleveland Browns, and former Baylor, receiver Corey Coleman is No. 8 with a 78 overall rating.

You can see the full top 10 from EA Sports here.

Video game ratings obviously mean nothing in terms of how a rookie will translate to the NFL in real life, but this is at least important in some way to the players who grew up playing these games.

Ezekiel ElliottA video game version of Ezekiel Elliott from Madden NFL 17 

Cardale Jones, a big gamer, was one of a handful of players interviewed by EA Sports about their ratings. You can see that video below. Jones guessed that his throw power would be rated at 103. It was rated at 96.

"They need to re-do that game. I think it's a glitch," Jones said.

See the full video here, which also includes Elliott and Braxton Miller.

Browns' Desmond Bryant 'absolutely hopeful' he can make it back in 2016: 'I'm used to overcoming'

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Browns' defensive end Desmond Bryant is hasn't ruled himself out for the 2016 season despite the fact he's facing a 4-6 month recover from surgery to repair a torn pec.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns defensive end Desmond Bryant was working out in Manhattan earlier this month when he felt something pop in his chest.

At first, he didn't think much of it. The pain wasn't horrible and he moved okay.

But when the area began to turn blue, he knew something was wrong.   

He called the Browns and his own doctor in New York and was rushed in for an MRI the next day. The test confirmed his worst fears: a torn pectoral muscle.

"I saw multiple doctors and they all said the same thing, that it was torn,'' Bryant, the Browns' 2015 sack leader told cleveland.com.

He underwent surgery in New York last Tuesday and the Browns announced the next day that he'll likely miss the 2016 season.

But Bryant, no stranger to adversity, hasn't ruled himself out for the year. At the earliest, he'll be cleared by mid-November with six or seven games remaining.

"Absolutely, I'm hopeful that I can (come back this season),'' he said. "The timetable for rehab is 4-6 months, so it's possible. I'll do everything I can to get back as soon as I can.''

Bryant, 30, is hoping that this hiatus from the game will be as beneficial as the last one.

It was 2007 and Bryant was heading into his senior year at Harvard. With the academic demands of an Ivy League school weighing on him, he took a leave of absence and headed back home.

"I had been kind of struggling with my course work and stuff and and I decided to take some time and re-evaluate where I am in life and what I wanted to be doing,'' he said.  "I spent time at home doing some manual labor and things, and it really humbled me. It became very clear to me that being at school at Harvard and playing football was what I wanted to do. So I worked my butt off to get back to that.''

Bryant returned to Harvard not only a stronger football player, but a better student.

"The level of competition up there is second to none academically and so I honestly I needed to focus more and I was able to do that when I came back,'' he said.

Bryant parlayed that year off into an eight-year NFL career that began when the Raiders signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Harvard in 2009. The Browns signed him as an unrestricted free agent in 2013.

"That time really helped me develop not only as an athlete but as a man,'' he said. "It helped me out mentally.''

It also carried him through the rough times in the NFL, including his first season with the Browns when he underwent an ablation to correct an irregular heartbeat and sat out the final four games of the season.

"A lot of people around me seemed to be more scared than I was,'' he said. "To me it was a little bit of time away and it never really crossed my mind that I wouldn't be back out there playing football again.

"I just focused on being ready to go when I could come back. I'm used to having goals and working my butt off to attain those goals. That situation was no different and neither is this one.''

Desmond Bryant expected to miss 2016 with a torn pec

Bryant, who led the Browns with six sacks last season, has already texted back and forth with former Browns defensive lineman Phil Taylor, who came back strong from a torn pec suffered in 2012. In 2013, his first full season back, Taylor amassed 57 tackles, two sacks and 12 quarterback harassments, tied for second among Browns' defensive linemen.

"My first year here he was playing well at high level,'' Bryant said. "I know that not only Phil but in talking with doctors and trainers at the Browns, the success rates on this are very high. A lot of guys are getting back to 100%. Some guys feel better than they did prior to surgery, so that's what I'm counting on, that's what I'm working for, and I'm excited to see the results.''

In the meantime, Bryant intends to fulfill his mission of being a more vocal leader this season.

"Nothing has changed,'' he said. "Obviously I won't be on the field, but I'll still be involved as a leader and an athlete as much as I can. I intend to be around as much as possible, every day if that's what it calls for, which I'm sure it will, to kind of help those guys.

"We've got a lot of young guys, especially in the d-line room. I'll try to show those guys the right way to do things, give them pointers and hints wherever I can, on the sidelines, during games, during practice, and off the field.''

The injury came a little more than a month after Hue Jackson and Ray Horton called on Bryant to step up his game this season. The Browns finished 28th in the NFL with 29 sacks last year, and they urged Bryant to attack more aggressively.

 "They had higher expectations of me as did I have for myself,'' he said. "They wanted to see that improvement as well as I wanted to see that improvement.''

Bryant will be in Cleveland next week and "looking forward to working as much as possible.''

Browns defensive line preview for training camp

As soon as the incision heals, he'll begin running and doing lower body work. Soon after, upper body work will follow.

"These times away from football, as an athlete, I just try to focus on everything I can as if I were playing, and trying to elevate everything to the next level,'' he said. "I'm used to overcoming. When I get back, I'll be good as new.''

And if history repeats itself, he'll be even better.

Desmond Bryant embraces role as elder statesman

Rookie Tyler Naquin's power has shown up big time for Cleveland Indians

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When the Indians drafted Tyler Naquin out of Texas A&M with their No.1 pick in 2012, they were criticized for selecting a left-handed hitting outfielder with no power. May how things have changed. Watch video

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - When the Indians drafted Tyler Naquin out of Texas A&M with their first pick in the 2012 draft, people criticized them for taking another left-handed hitter with no power.

This spring, when Naquin was invited to big league camp ahead of prized outfield prospects Bradley Zimmer and Clint Frazier, draft publications called him the ideal fourth outfielder.

Well, the Aggie with no pop hit two home runs and drove in six runs Wednesday afternoon as the Indians beat Kansas City, 11-4, at Kauffman Stadium. The six RBI tied a club record for rookies.

Naquin has hit 12 homers since being recalled from Class AAA Columbus on June 1. He had never hit more than 10 in any of his minor league seasons.

"Some people say people don't have power," said Naquin. "And some people say it will show up. More often than not it does."

Manager Terry Francona says the Indians are watching a young player get better at the big league level. It's the second year in a row that's happened. Francisco Lindor did the same thing in 2015 when he finished second in the AL Rookie of the Year voting. Now Naquin is drawing rookie of the year consideration as well.

It seems somebody must be doing something right in the Tribe's minor league system.

"He's playing with a lot of confidence as he should," said Francona. "Sometimes you see guys who continue to get better because they believe that not only do they belong, but they can start to thrive. That's what he's doing."

Naquin made the opening day roster after a great spring. He was optioned to Columbus on May 7 and sent down again on May 17. Since his last recall, Naquin is hitting .327 (37-for-113) with seven doubles, three triples, 12 homers and 27 RBI. His OPS (slugging percentage + on base percentage) for the season is 1.023 OPS.

Tyler Naquin's power tour

The 12 homer Naquin's hit in 113 at-bats -- one homer for every 9.4 at-bats - have not surprise him.

"I believe that if you put in the right work, and it happens, you shouldn't be surprised at all," he said.

Naquin hit his first home run Wednesday to left field to start the third inning. In the fourth, he hit a two-run double down the right field line. In the fifth, he hit a three-run homer to center field. Three swings and he covered the whole field.

"I've been able to take my routine from the cage out to the plate," said Naquin. "I'm trusting my hands and just staying behind the baseball and swinging at strikes."

Naquin said his swing hasn't changed since he rejoined the Indians in June. He says it's more about feeling like he belongs.

How did the Indians land Tyler Naquin

"Confidence has a lot to do with everything," he said. "I think the confidence has always been there, but feeling confident in the box at the next level (is the big thing)."

Said Francona, "He's been sitting down in that No.8 hole for the most part and giving us a ton of production. "

Naquin's big game caused some pages in the Indians' record book to be examined. Take a look at some information from Elias Sports Bureau.

He's the first Indians rookie to drive in six runs since Turner Ward did it against the Royals on Sept. 15, 1990.

He's the first Indians rookie to hit two homers and drive in six runs in a game since Cory Snyder on Sept. 4, 1986 against Milwaukee.

He's the first Indians player to drive in six runs from the No.8 spot since Paul Sorrento on May 3, 1995 against Detroit.

No Indians player has ever hit two homers with six RBI from the No.8 spot until Naquin did it Wednesday.

Naquin ranks first among AL rookies with a .636 slugging percent (minimum of 150 at-bats). Jeff Heath set the Tribe's rookie record for slugging percentage at .602 in 1938.

Zimmer, Lucas lead Akron RubberDucks past Richmond

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Akron starter Michael Peoples earns his eighth win of the season.

bradley zimmer.jpegBradley Zimmer 

RICHMOND, Virginia -- Bradley Zimmer had four hits and two RBI, and Jeremy Lucas had three hits and two RBI to lead the RubberDucks to a 7-3 Class AA Eastern League victory over the Flying Squirrels on Wednesday.

The RubberDucks piled up 14 hits in a game that remained scoreless until the sixth inning.

Akron is now tied for first with the Altoona Curve and Harrisburg Senators in the Western Division. Altoona has lost six straight, while 

With one out in the sixth, Ivan Castillo and Zimmer both singled off Richmond starter Matt Gage (5-6, 3.66 ERA). Lucas then made it 1-0 with his single.

Clint Frazier walked to load the bases, and Nellie Rodriguez made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly.

Richmond tied the game in the bottom of the inning with two runs off Akron right-hander Michael Peoples (8-4, 3.80 ERA).

The RubberDucks regained the lead with three runs in the seventh. With one out, Daniel SaltersTodd Hankins and Castillo all singled off Gage. Zimmer singled off reliever Tyler Mizenko to bring in two runs, and Lucas followed with a single to make it 5-2.

Richmond made it 5-3 in the eighth, but Akron scored two times in the ninth to secure the win.

Peoples pitched 7 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on eight hits.

Go here to see a box score from the game.

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