A lineup change has led to increase production from Giovanny Urshela and Jesus Aguilar in the middle of the Columbus Clippers lineup: Cleveland Indians Minor League Report 2016.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A lineup change seems to have paid off for Columbus Clippers third baseman Giovanny Urshela.

Since being moved from fifth to third in the batting order, Urshela is hitting .361 with two homers and 18 RBI in 83 at bats over 20 games. He has lifted his season average to .273 after a horrendous start.

On Monday he had his consecutive plate appearance without a walk or HBP
streak snapped at 241, drawing his first walk since June 11.

The lineup shuffle also seems to be helping Jesus Aguilar. The first baseman has remained in the fourth spot in the order, but now has Urshela in front of him instead of behind him.

In the 20 games since, he has hit .278 with 4 HR and 17 RBI. In 11 games with Urshela behind him, Aguilar hit .163 with 1 homer and six RBI.

In 20 games with Urshela third and Aguilar fourth, the Clippers are 14-6 and averaging 5.2 runs per game. Aguilar had a game-winning double in the eighth inning on Tuesday vs. Durham.

Zimmer update: Outfield prospect Bradley Zimmer has been held hitless in three of five games since missing a couple games with a finger injury suffered when he was hit by a pitch. In 20 games since being promoted from Class AA Akron, Zimmer is hitting .290 with a homer and six RBI.

Who's hot: Since being returned from the Indians, shortstop Erik Gonzalez is hitting .311 with 5 HR and 8 RBI over 12 games and 45 AB. His slugging percentage is .756. He now has a career-best 11 HR on the season and is batting .298 (career high is .309 with Carolina and Akron in 2014). He is the first shortstop for Columbus to reach 10 HR since Luis Valbuena hit 13 in 2011.

Who's not: Yandy Diaz is hitting just .167 over his last 10 games and has not had a multi-hit game since August 5. He's still hitting .351 over the last 60 games since being moved to the outfield.

Merritt roll: Clippers southpaw Ryan Merritt (10-7) was nothing short of spectacular Wednesday, allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out two in six scoreless innings. 

Clippers update: Columbus is 72-54 and owns a nine-game lead over Indianapolis in the International League West Division. ... The Clippers are home for a three-game set against Toledo this weekend, then play three games at Indianapolis, beginning Monday.

• Clippers stats
• Clippers schedule

The Falcons have asked the NFL to review Browns linebacker Tank Carder's blindside hit on punter Matt Bosher that knocked him out of the game with a chest injury.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Falcons coach Dan Quinn sent video of Tank Carder's hit on punter Matt Bosher that knocked him out of Thursday night's game -- but Carder defended the play.

The Falcons believe that Carder should've been penalized for the blindside hit, but no flag was thrown.

"We'd like to ask the league their opinion on if it was a defenseless hit or not," coach Dan Quinn told reporters Friday. "We sent it in. The main thing is Bosher is OK. He's taken a big hit and he was shaken up but I talked to him today and he's definitely better. I'm not sure he will be available (to practice) this week. He will be limited."

The blind side hit on @MattBosher5. not cool. pic.twitter.com/qW21qqMUhJ

-- Brian Bocek (@brianbocek) August 19, 2016

One league source said he believes the NFL will side with the Falcons and fine Carder. They play occurred in the first quarter of the Browns' 24-13 loss.

For his part, Carder defended himself.

"Controversy about me hitting the punter, I leaned on him, I could of made that hit a lot worse but I pulled off and gave him a shoulder,'' Carder tweeted Friday.

Browns punt returner Taylor Gabriel was also shaken up on the play, but returned to action.

Coleman, Haden have 'a huge week' coming up vs. Bucs

Should Danny Salazar have made a rehab start prior to his underwhelming return to the rotation? It's a fair question, Francona said Friday, a day after Salazar lasted only one strenuous inning. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Terry Francona and Mickey Callaway gave it some more thought on Thursday.

Should Danny Salazar have made a rehab start prior to his underwhelming return to the rotation? It's a fair question, Francona said Friday, a day after Salazar lasted only one strenuous inning.

It's a question that was presented to both Francona and Salazar during the right-hander's 16-day stint on the disabled list. Both parties insisted that Salazar's right elbow was healthy, that the reprieve was so short-lived that he could step back onto the big-league mound and rediscover his command, his heavy heater and his deceptive change-up.

"It's fair to ask," Francona said. "Maybe we should have. I don't think Danny wanted to and that didn't sway it, but I think we thought with the two weeks down, and his bullpen [session] was really good -- but it's a fair point."

When faced with the question after Thursday's 5-4 comeback victory, Salazar hesitated before he said: "I don't think that makes a difference."

Salazar surrendered three runs on one hit and three walks. Francona said he seemed "rusty." Salazar said he was merely "wild." He could have been both, as he threw only 16 of 34 pitches for strikes.

"You could tell that right from the very beginning, he couldn't really find the plate," Francona said Thursday.

After his one-inning cameo, Salazar ventured to the bullpen and simulated three more frames. Francona said he hoped that the extra work has Salazar better prepared for his next start, scheduled for early next week in Oakland.

"At least he has a certain number of pitches under his belt," Francona said.

Danny Salazar's one-inning blunder

Bullpen swap: Kyle Crockett was optioned to Triple-A Columbus on Friday, but he'll be making the trip north on I-71 before long. Teams can expand their rosters on Sept. 1.

"He's going to be down for [about] 10 days," Francona said. "If there's an injury, it'll be less. And he knows that."

Shawn Armstrong claimed Crockett's spot on the active roster, but he'll likely return to Columbus on Saturday when Josh Tomlin rejoins the club. Tomlin has spent the last few days on the Family Medical Emergency List, and is scheduled to start on Saturday. Initially, the Indians planned to option Crockett to create a spot for Tomlin.

"We've talked to that group of Crockett and [Austin] Adams and those guys and tried to explain it as much as we can that, when you have a team that's trying to win, there's a segment of guys that have options that it can be [a] revolving [door]. And they've handled it really well."

Armstrong up, Crockett down

The rookie: Francona said Mike Clevinger is a "wild card" whose role in the bullpen is "evolving." The rookie right-hander logged four solid innings of relief in Thursday's win. For the time being, he'll remain in the bullpen, where he can provide some length.

"He came out and really pitched well, kept our bullpen in order and gave us a chance to win," Francona said.

Clevinger has made seven appearances for the Tribe this season. His last two outings have been his strongest.

"[I'm] getting more comfortable [every] time I get out there," he said. "It's all kind of coming together."

Behind the scenes of Clevinger's MLB debut

Welcome back: Former Indians Jaret Wright and Marquis Grissom tossed out ceremonial first pitches prior to Friday's series opener. 

Stat of the Day: The Indians became the third team in major-league history to notch a walk-off win by scoring once, and only once, in each of the final five innings in which they batted, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The 1961 Red Sox and 2014 Orioles also accomplished the feat.

Danny Shelton ran into a brick wall named Alex Mack during the second preseason game, and will need to be productive in future games.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Alex Mack's homecoming to FirstEnergy Stadium was a resounding success for the three-time Pro Bowler, and not so much for Browns nosetackle Danny Shelton.

Shelton, the Browns' first-round pick (No. 12) last year, was stonewalled by Mack. He failed to pop on the TV screen or on the stat sheet, even against Mack's backup. When his almost three quarters of play were over, he had one tackle to show for it. Mack, when on the field, not only prevented Shelton from penetrating, he drove him back several times.

Shelton, who says he shed 30 pounds this year, played with his usual high motor, but the effort didn't result in any big plays or tackles for loss. Former Browns guard Jason Pinkston tweeted "Mack did whatever he wanted to Shelton.''

When asked about that on his conference call Friday, head coach Hue Jackson said "(Pinkston's) entitled to his opinion. And I respect it, but I don't get into what everybody else says.''

Shelton was still playing when many of the starters were finished, but Jackson said it wasn't because he's disappointed in the Washington product.

"Naw, that was truly about just looking at different combinations,'' he said. "As I've said all training camp, we're going to continue to look at different combinations of guys out there playing with different players to see what gives us a good look."

Jackson stressed that the woeful run defense wasn't all on the man in the middle -- especially not against a wide-zone blocking scheme.

"It's about our defense, our unit," he said. "Our unit needs to play better. We need to tackle better. We need to make sure we get in the right spots and everybody do their job better. I don't think it's just about one guy."

The Browns surrendered 78 yards rushing in the first half, 224 overall. They allowed TD runs of 19 and 32 yards.

"I'm not going to say it's a consistent problem, but obviously it's a sore thumb right now,'' Jackson said of the tackling. "We need to work through it.''

Pryor on his 50-yard TD: 'I knew I was going to beat him'

He was asked if all the mixing and matching on defense isn't a detriment. The Browns haven't yet settled on their starting base defense.

"Some of that is true, but at the same time, this is the time to evaluate and find out what's going to be the best for us as we get ready for the season and I think our first defense early in the game there are some things we did better,'' he said. "In the second half obviously with some of the younger guys it wasn't as good as it could be, but again, overall we've got to tackle better. We've got to do some of the fundamental things better and that's going to be our charge this week.''

He said the 'everything goes' siren periods in camp have still been beneficial.

"I'm glad I did have them because it showed me some things that I know we need to continue to work on and that was needed at that time,'' he said. "We just need to do a better job of taking the proper angles and wrapping up and finishing our tackles.''

Rookie pass-rusher Carl Nassib impressed, and the Browns will play their best tacklers.

As for Shelton, most nose tackles struggle again Mack, one of the NFL's premier centers. But if he continues to get stonewalled, the Browns will have to roll other players in to make more of an impact.

Mack did whatever he wanted to Shelton

-- Jason Pinkston (@JasonPinkstonOL) August 19, 2016

The Browns are looking for big things from Shelton, and hope he can be an every-down player.

"I told Danny he could change the way we play defense himself just by buying in, getting himself in great condition and playing with a hot motor,'' defensive line coach Robert Nunn said recently. "He's got a different skill set than most people in this league. He's such a powerful man. He's a big body who has a lot of quickness and power.''

He just has to translate that into production.

The United States women's 4x100 relay team nearly didn't make the finals, but wound up winning the gold medal Friday at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The United States women's 4x100 relay team captured the gold medal Friday at the 2016 Rio Olympics, giving Allyson Felix her record fifth gold medal.

Elyria, Ohio native Tianna Bartoletta ran the leadoff leg, collecting her second gold medal of the Games after winning the long jump earlier in the week.

Jamaica was second in 41.36 and Great Britain third in 41.77.

The win was impressive as the U.S. ran out of the first lane after nearly being disqualified in the preliminaries for a dropped baton. But a protest was upheld because another runner had bumped Felix, causing the baton to drop.

The U.S. then had to rerun a qualifier alone on the track to make the final.

Bartoletta gave the U.S. the lead on the first leg and handed off to Felix who ran the second leg for the Americans, the same section as 100- and 200-meter gold medalist Thompson, and passed to English Gardner, who ran a powerful curve to give her team the lead.

Tori Bowie ran the anchor leg and held off Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce as the Americans only narrowly missed the world record.

The 30-year-old Felix entered the games as one of six women with four Olympic gold medals in track and field. 

Allyson Felix continues to make history. pic.twitter.com/Eb6mVgAV2P

-- SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 20, 2016

More #gold for #USA!

They win the women's 4 x 100M relay #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/ylxjzlBFN8

-- Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 20, 2016

(The Associated Press contributed)

Usain Bolt won his third gold medal at the Rio Olympics on Friday, anchoring Jamaica in the men's 4x100 relay.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil -- Usain Bolt has completed his triple-triple, anchoring the Jamaica 4x100-meter relay to victory in the final to ensure three gold medals at three consecutive Olympics.

The U.S. team was disqualified -- again.

Bolt waved the baton to the crowd after coasting across the finish in a winning time of 37.27 seconds for his ninth Olympic gold medal.

Japan took silver in 37.60, with Aska Cambridge holding off American Trayvon Bromell by 0.02.

The U.S. team was later disqualified for exchanging illegally outside the zone at the first change, and Canada was elevated to the bronze-medal position in a national record 37.64.

It was the ninth time since 1995 that the U.S. men have been disqualified or failed to get the baton around at an Olympics or world championships.

The Japanese team was technically flawless and had the lead going into the last baton change, but Bolt pulled away, as he has done so often, in what is most likely to be his last run at the Olympics.

Triple Gold Winners

Male sprinters who won the 100-, 200-meter races and were part of the 4X100 relay gold medal team in a single Olympics:

• 1936 -- Jesse Owens, United States
• 1956 -- Bobby-Joe Morrow, United States
• 1984 -- Carl Lewis, United States
• 2008 -- Usain Bolt, Jamaica
• 2012 -- Usain Bolt, Jamaica
• 2016 -- Usain Bolt, Jamaica

Usain Bolt's 9th Olympic gold medal puts him among an elite group of track & field athletes. pic.twitter.com/9YiwYOBxRu

-- SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 20, 2016

Sunday's showdown, which will take place on Sunday afternoon at 2:45 p.m. ET, is a rematch from one week ago in pool play. Team USA survived a late surge and held on for the 100-97 win against the No. 6 team in the world.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Team USA is one win away from its third straight gold medal, with only Serbia standing in its way.  

The Americans were tested once again, but held off rival Spain on Friday afternoon, 82-76, extending the Olympic win streak to 24 games. Sharpshooter Klay Thompson scored a team-high 22 points on 4-of-8 from 3-point range. Kevin Durant added 14 points to go with eight rebounds. Kyrie Irving also reached double figures, scoring 13 points in 25 minutes. 

For the second straight game, defense was at the center of the United States' victory, holding Spain to 28-of-72 (38.9 percent) from the field.

DeAndre Jordan set the tone on that end, swatting four shots and tying a Team USA single-game record with 16 rebounds. 

"We knew when we first started training camp that there was a great, great chance that we were going to play Spain at some point," USA head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "We've had some great, great games against Spain, some unbelievably competitive games. We expected the same today, and we got it. It was a different type of a game. It was a very hard game and it wasn't easy flowing, and both teams had to make big plays. I thought our guys did that a little bit more than they did, and that's why we won."

Serbia (5-2) shattered Australia's dream of playing for gold, cruising to the 87-61 victory. Point guard Milos Teodosic, who has one year remaining on his overseas contract before possibly coming to the NBA, scored a game-high 22 points to go with five assists.

Teodosic has dished out 40 assists, which is the third most in the Olympics.

Serbia also features Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic, who finished third in Rookie of the Year voting.    

Sunday's showdown, which will take place at 2:45 p.m. ET, is a rematch from one week ago in pool play. Team USA survived a late surge and held on for the 100-97 win against the No. 6 team in the world.

"It should be fun," Durant said. "It's going to be electric in the building for the opportunity to grab all the marbles. Everybody here wants that. That's our main goal since we got together is to win the gold. So we're looking forward to playing."

It's also the same two teams from the 2014 FIBA World Cup final, a convincing win for the United States, 129-92. There are four players (DeMarcus Cousins, DeMar DeRozan, Thompson and Irving) remaining from that Team USA roster. Irving scored a game-high 26 points in the title game and was named tournament MVP. 

The bronze medal game features Spain and Australia. It will take place earlier, with tipoff scheduled for 10:30 a.m. ET on Sunday. 

The Indians pulled off an unthinkable feat. Naquin and Jose Ramirez produced an unforgettable finish. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A frenzied mob nearly reached the plate before Tyler Naquin's face did.

The outfielder kept running and running until he ultimately plunged, head-first, into the plate. The Indians pulled off an unthinkable feat. Naquin and Jose Ramirez produced an unforgettable finish.

The Indians turned a one-run, ninth-inning deficit into a 3-2 victory on Friday night with two swift swings of the bat. Ramirez tied the game with a one-out solo shot to right off Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna. Naquin won it with an inside-the-park homer that caromed off the top of the right-field wall.

Naquin said he told himself: "'Keep running. Don't fall.' I almost fell down there for a second. 'Just keep on running. Just keep on running.'"

Center fielder Melvin Upton finally retrieved the loose baseball, but slipped as he reached it in right center. He threw from a desperation spin as Naquin -- who didn't get into gear until he was several feet past first -- sprinted around third as his helmet flew off. He stumbled a bit but easily beat the relay home as his crazed teammates engulfed him after the most frantic finish in what continues to progress into a memorable season.

Naquin's dash around the bases was the Indians' first walk-off inside-the-park homer since Braggo Roth turned the trick in August 1916.

"I don't even really know what to say about that," said Tribe pitcher Trevor Bauer. "That was one of the craziest finishes I've been a part of." 

The back-to-back homers prevented Bauer from receiving a tough-luck loss. After all, it became so routine, that slow saunter back to the Toronto dugout.

The sight of a Blue Jays batter completing the short, miserable walk away from home plate was so common that it nearly erased any memory of Bauer's one and only mistake on Friday night. It wasn't wiped from the scoreboard, though.

That mistake, which Russell Martin planted in the left-field bleachers, nearly proved to be the difference.

When Edwin Encarnacion waywardly waved at an 82-mph curveball that plunged into the dirt near home plate, Bauer pumped his fist as he spun around on one foot and retreated to the home dugout. Encarnacion was Bauer's 13th and final victim on Friday, as the right-hander established a new career high for strikeouts in a game.

All 13 strikeouts came after Bauer's lone gaffe. Martin tagged Bauer for a two-run shot with two outs in the first inning. A throng of Blue Jays fans seated behind Toronto's dugout roared in approval. Bauer kept them as hushed as possible for the ensuing seven frames. He racked up 11 of his strikeouts after the third inning. He fanned five straight at one point.

The Indians couldn't muster much against Toronto southpaw Francisco Liriano, though. The veteran limited the Tribe to one unearned run on four hits over six frames.

Cleveland scratched across its first run in the sixth. Jason Kipnis singled to right and advanced to second on a passed ball. Martin might have nabbed Kipnis on a throw to second, but the baseball skipped away from second baseman Devon Travis and Kipnis scampered to third. Mike Napoli followed with a two-out RBI single to left.

The Indians didn't mounted another serious threat until the ninth. They had chances in the first and fifth innings, but Liriano dodged harm. With two aboard and one out in the fifth, Abraham Almonte chased a pitch in the dirt for a strikeout. Roberto Perez bounced out to short to end the frame.

What it means

The Indians improved to 7-2 on their 11-game homestand. They are 3-2 against Toronto this season.

Digging the long ball

Bauer allowed eight home runs in his first 107 innings this season. He has allowed seven in his last 32 1/3 innings.

Look out

With Kipnis on third base with one out in the sixth, Francisco Lindor struck out swinging. His bat soared into the Indians' dugout, and sent Bauer scurrying up the steps and onto the field.

They came, they saw

An announced crowd of 30,665 attended the series opener. Cavaliers forward LeBron James watched the game from a suite.

What's next

The Indians and Blue Jays will reconvene Saturday for another 7:10 p.m. ET first pitch. Cleveland is expected to activate Josh Tomlin from the Family Medical Emergency List in order for the right-hander to oppose Toronto's Aaron Sanchez. Tomlin (11-6, 4.14 ERA) has served up a league-high 29 home runs. Sanchez, an All-Star this season, is 12-2 with a 2.84 ERA.

Cleveland Indians are more than a first-place team, they are a fun team to watch with a new investor in the ownership group.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I'm not going to pound on Indians fans about the attendance.

The reason for that is obvious: As a sportswriter, I go to the games to work. I'm a member of the Baseball Writers Association of America. I have a pass. I get in for free.

But I can say this -- the Indians are a very, very fun team to watch.

I wrote the first draft of this story before the Friday's 3-2 victory over Toronto. Winning a game on back-to-back homers in the ninth? And the game-winner an inside-the-park shocker by Tyler Naquin?

You can't make this stuff up. That was their seventh walk-off victory of the year.

For years, the Indians and other franchises have been studying team chemistry. How does it happen? What can you do to keep it? There are not any real definitive answers. But this much is certain: The Indians have it. That's part of the reason they have stayed out of long slumps and why there has been zero controversy this season.

Yes, the Indians are a team with a strong pitching staff, but they aren't simply winning a bunch of 2-1 games.

As they entered the weekend, they are second in the American League in runs scored. And second in batting average. And second in doubles. A respectable No. 7 in homers. And they lead the league in stolen bases.

Francisco Lindor is growing into a superstar and he plays the game with such joy -- along with being an elite shortstop. Mike Napoli hits monster homers and this bear of a man looks like an old-time cleanup hitter. Jason Kipnis is a tough, productive second baseman. At the age of 35, Rajai Davis leads the league in stolen bases and he's another guy who seems to just love being on field.

Then there's Jose Ramirez, Mr. Clutch (batting .386 with runners in scoring position). He has that Mohawk haircut popping out when his helmet flies off.

The Indians have an impact manager in Terry Francona and one of the game's top pitching coaches in Mickey Callaway.

The Tribe is 33-17 in the Central Division, a key stat to making the playoffs. They are 38-22 at home. Their lead over Detroit is seven games heading into Saturday's action.

Even if you limit your baseball to television, you should tune in. These guys are worth your time.

ABOUT ANDREW MILLER

Not often does a player obtained at midseason come as advertised, especially when the player had glowing credentials. But Andrew Miller is delivering for the Tribe.

One of the reasons the Indians loaded up the truck with four prospects for Miller went beyond his strong left arm and incredible control. Miller has the reputation of being an unselfish reliever, not obsessed with piling up saves and being a closer.

Miller can close and would love to do it. In 2015, he had a 3-2 record with 36 saves and a 2.04 ERA. Miller also had nine saves when the Tribe traded for him. So he can close, something that has to be reassuring to Francona.

But just as important, he can come into a jam in the sixth or seventh inning, and pitch the Tribe out of it. He can pitch two innings. Lefties or righties, it doesn't matter. He gets them both out.

In 9 2/3 innings with the Tribe, Miller has allowed four hits and one walk. He's struck out 13. His presence has taken some of the burden off Bryan Shaw, who led the majors in appearances from 2013-15. Shaw has thrown six scoreless innings in August. Since the All-Star break, he's 1-1 with a 2.35 ERA.

Francona now has three outstanding choices in the bullpen: Cody Allen, Miller and Shaw. He also has Dan Otero, who is 3-1 with a 1.44 ERA.

Miller's presence also takes pressure off the starters. One Tribe goal was to turn every game with a lead into a 6-inning affair -- because the bullpen can lock down the last three innings.

As Kipnis recently mentioned, that's how Kansas City went to the World Series the previous two years. It's a formula that can really be effective in the playoffs.

ABOUT JOHN SHERMAN

The Indians have been looking for a minority investor for years. The reason it took so long to find Kansas City entrepreneur John Sherman is the Tribe wanted the investor to be an equity partner, but not have a large say in running the franchise.

That remains with majority owner Paul Dolan, who trusts his baseball people (starting with team president Chris Antonetti) to be in charge of that part of the operation.

It's doubtful the presence of Sherman will suddenly means a significant rise in the payroll or how the Tribe does business. It does bring more cash to the franchise, and it also allows Sherman a chance to take a look at how the business of baseball works. He is a guy who has an excellent reputation for his work in the Kansas City community. He has developed a solid relationship with Dolan.

Being from Kansas City, he also knows how mid-market baseball works. The Indians plan to call upon his business experience for that side of the operation.

ABOUT THE TRIBE

1. A catcher available is Kurt Suzuki, who is batting .282 (.751 OPS) with 6 HR and 38 RBI for the Twins. He's 32 years old and makes $6 million. He has an option for $6 million next season, but he needs 485 plate appearances for it to kick in. That won't happen. He's a solid pro.

2. The downside is his defense has been slipping. In the last two years, he has thrown out only 25 of 151 base runners. Not only can't he throw, teams tend to run wild when he's behind the plate. He is considered OK as a game-caller. But he is a decent hitter.

3. Roberto Perez has thrown out six of 10 base runners. Even more important, teams just don't run when he's behind the plate. Chris Gimenez is 3-of-15, 20 percent. It's surprising more teams don't run when Gimenez catches. Yan Gomes (injury) was throwing out 37 percent of stealing base runners. Anything over 30 percent is considered very good.

4. The ability to throw out runners, work with a pitching staff and hit was why the Tribe made a big push for Jonathan Lucroy. You know how that trade fell apart. Lucroy ended up being traded to Texas, where he's been hot. Entering the weekend, he has 7 HR and 14 RBI in 15 games, batting .273. Lucroy is throwing out 40 percent of attempted steals this season.

5. It was a little trade, but Brandon Guyer has really helped. Entering the weekend, he was batting .428 (12-of-28) since being picked up from Tampa Bay. Guyer is a .345 hitter vs. lefties, and he forms a nice platoon with Lonnie Chisenhall in right field.

6. Clint Frazier was in the Miller deal with the Yankees. He is hitting .259 with 1 HR and 4 RBI in 85 at bats for Class AAA Scranton since the trade. Ben Heller has allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings for Scranton. At Class A Tampa, Justus Sheffield has a 1.04 ERA in three starts. The Indians did give up real prospects for Miller -- but they correctly believe Miller can be a major factor in the pennant race.

7. Miller also is under contract for the next two seasons, making him even more attractive. The idea behind the trade for Miller was to help the team contend in the next few seasons, not just in 2016.

LeBron James says he misses not being in Rio with Team USA. If he returns to the Olympics in 2020, he would do so at age 35 and his "Ultimate Warrior" T-shirt would be appropriate for the occasion.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- LeBron James told Business Insider he wasn't trolling his NBA Finals opponent when he showed up wearing an "Ultimate Warrior" T-shirt following the Cavs' Game 7 win.

James says his wife gave him several wrestling T-shirts after asking him to name his favorite wrestlers growing up.

He said after getting sprayed with champagne in the celebration and throwing away one T-shirt, the "Ultimate Warrior" tee was the only one in his bag when the team came home.

"Nobody believes ... everybody thinks it was set up that way," James said.

He's right. For as calculated as he is about everything, nobody believes him.

* James says he hasn't retired from the Olympics.

"Every time I watch 'em I wish I was out there," James said in an interview with ESPN's Rachel Nichols. "I did not retire from Team USA. I just did not play this summer. So I still left the door open."

He would be 35 during the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. There's no question Team USA would take him at any age.

The only question is his NBA status by then. Will he be player/coach or player/owner?

* Former WWE wrestler CM Punk, who will debut at UFC 203 when Stipe Miocic defends his heavyweight championship in Cleveland Sept. 10, had this to say about the wrestlers who got into a Twitter exchange with UFC's Conor McGregor.

McGregor had called "new age" wrestlers "absolute dweebs." You can imagine the response.

"It's embarrassing fighting with anyone on Twitter," Punk said. "You can fight with the idiots on Twitter but from the outsiders perspective somebody looking at that can't tell the difference between who the idiot is so don't respond."

Pretty much covers it.

* Derrick Rose thought he had to say it because it seemed so obvious to him. The Knicks are a super team.

"With these teams right now, they're saying us and Golden State are the super teams, and they're trying not to build that many super teams, and (Commissioner) Adam Silver came out with the statement and this and that," Rose said during a recent interview with NBA.com.

"And the expectations I think of us, we just want to win. Talking to (Carmelo Anthony) and all the guys who've been around. You've got Brandon (Jennings) who just signed for one year, he's got to show why he's there. I've got to show why I'm there. Joakim (Noah) has to show why he's there. Everybody's trying to prove themselves."

Everybody is trying to prove themselves? Now that's the definition of a super team.

* Rose didn't back off the comment in a recent interview. He just managed to make it sound even more crazy.

"Like I said, with that super team term, you have to be very careful, I guess, if you're in the United States," Rose said during a promotional tour in South Korea.

"But I feel like if you're in any team in the NBA -- it don't have to be the NBA, it could be the college level, high school level -- you should believe in yourself and have the confidence in yourself that you're playing on a super team anywhere. So I have a lot of confidence, and I'm not taking that back."

That could not be any less clear if he'd said it in Korean.

* It doesn't get much better than the Twitter pic of Tyler Naquin leading Usain Bolt on the final leg of the 4x100 Olympic relay.

Unless he were running with Jose Ramirez on his shoulders.

@Indians @Reflog_18 @CLEsportsgirl_ @SirFranksnBacon pic.twitter.com/Y7SW1YtoqM

-- Adam King (@Adam419King) August 20, 2016

* James Harrison is clearly going into his interview with the league with an open mind.

"If it leads to the hands of that crook - I mean Roger Goodell - he can do whatever he wants," Harrison said.

In a 2011 Men's Journal interview, Harrison called Goodell a "dictator" and a "puppet." That was a little confusing. Can you be a dictator and still have someone else pulling your strings?

Good to see he's cleared things up.

* Charles Barkley is critical of (fill in the blank).

If you guessed the construction of the Team USA basketball roster in Rio, you win today's prize.

Check back tomorrow to see what Barkley identifies something else as ridiculous as his golf swing.

* DeAndre Jordan says winning Olympic gold trumps winning a NBA title.

"I may get in trouble for saying that, but I believe that," Jordan told ESPN. "I feel like this is more special. You're not just playing teams in the U.S.

"You're playing teams from all over the world. And this is even more special because there's an NBA champion crowned every year, but this is every four years.

"You've got to really think about that, man, because it's extremely special."

Spoken like a man who hasn't won a NBA title and suspects he might never.

* Yes, you're playing teams from all over the world.

With a roster so stacked that it makes many of them look like jayvee squads.

* Britney Griner, center for the U.S. team, says she could beat Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins one-on-one.

"I'm glad she's that confident in her abilities, but she's also a little delusional" Cousins told ESPN.

Here's what we know. Had the Kings drafted Griner instead of Greek big man Georgios Papagiannis or Kentucky forward Skal Labissiere, Cousins could not have been any more mystified.

* Ryan Lochte may have cost himself some endorsements after the incident at a gas station in Rio following a night of partying.

Especially if a truth serum company considered him as a spokesman.

* The dead giveaway that Lochte's story didn't quite add up came when he described his reaction to having a gun put against his head and the trigger cocked.

"Whatever," he said.

If you don't swallow hard in that situation, you're Cool Hand Luke.

* Brazilian authorities didn't much care for Lochte's version of being held up at gunpoint by fake cops. The city is fighting for its good name during an Olympics when several issues, crime chief among them, have made headlines.

So you can see why they'd be upset and want retribution for a bogus story of a sidewalk robbery.

In other news, The Guardian reported a British athlete was held up at gunpoint on his return to the Olympic village Thursday.

* The NFL reduced Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell's suspension from four games to three. Missed drug tests are considered positive drug tests. Bell had claimed he lost his cell phone and didn't receive notification.

After missing games due to suspension in consecutive seasons, he might want to wait on making the argument that's he's worth $15 million a year. Bell originally made reference to that in a rap song. He then backed away from that number, saying, "I'm not a real greedy guy."

Or a real dependable guy.

* All the times I've been anxious to reach the end of this column, I never considered diving across the finish line.

An account calling itself the official Twitter account of Michigan football tweeted a graphic riddled with errors on Friday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh has sent a lot of players to the NFL during his college coaching career.

Former Ohio State Buckeye and Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier isn't one of them. Neither are Oakland Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski or Dallas Cowboys teammates Jason Witten and Sean Lee.

Harbaugh has coached at Western Kentucky as an assistant, then the University of San Diego, Stanford and Michigan as a head coach.

Shazier was a Buckeye, Janikowski went to Florida State, Witten went to Tennessee and Lee went to Penn State.

So how did they all end up on this recruiting graphic, posted on Friday and since deleted by the official Michigan football recruiting Twitter account? It touts all of the NFL talent cultivated under Harbaugh:

Michigan football 

A closer look the players we're talking about. These three look a whole lot like Shazier, Witten and Lee:

Bill Landis, cleveland.com 

Even Shazier thought so:

Why am I in this picture? There is absolutely no connection with him or tTUN. @OhioStFootball #GoBucks
[?] [?] [?] [?] [?] https://t.co/3UZ7qXPgXL

-- Ryan Shazier (@RyanShazier) August 20, 2016

And this looks like Janikowski:

Bill Landis, cleveland.com 

Harbaugh is a good coach. Michigan has done a lot of good things in recruiting.

This isn't one of them.

A look at all four regional slideshows previewing teams in Division II.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cincinnati La Salle football has won the last two Division II state championship teams.

Teams like Hudson, Copley and Midview are among Northeast Ohio's teams to beat in Division II.

Hudson is fresh off its second-straight state semifinal appearance. Copley has one of Ohio's best running backs in Michigan State commit Weston Bridges, and Midview QB Dustin Crum is one of the best QBs in the state.

To read more on these teams as well as teams from all four regions, check out our regional previews.

Division II, Region 5

Division II, Region 6

Division II, Region 7

Division II, Region 8

Also, check out regional previews from Divisions III-VII.

Division III, Region 9

Division III, Region 10

Division III, Regions 11-12

Division IV: Regions 13-16

Division V: Regions 17-20

Division VI: Regions 21-24

Division VII: Regions 25-28

Division I previews will be released on Sunday.

According to Ohio State football's official snapchat account, running back Damario McCall and defensive end Rashod Berry were the latest Buckeyes to earn the honor.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Two more black stripes came off Saturday, as running back Demario McCall and defensive end Rashod Berry were the latest Buckeyes to earn the honor. 

Per usual, Urban Meyer called up McCall and Berry in front of the team for the ceremonial announcement. You can watch the video of that below: 

Awesome way to end fall camp! Demario and Rashod welcome to the Bucks! pic.twitter.com/I4LEzOKILt

-- Urban Meyer (@OSUCoachMeyer) August 20, 2016

Losing the black stripe is a tradition Urban Meyer started at Ohio State that signifies a player has assimilated well into the program and has earned the right to be called a Buckeye. Receiver Austin Mack was the first from this class to have his removed back as an early enrollee in the spring, and they've been coming off ever since. 

Here are all the freshman Buckeyes who have lost their stripes to date:

Ohio State freshmen to lose black stripes

Austin Mack, WR, March 31

Michael Jordan, OL, Aug. 7

Damon Arnette, CB, Aug. 13

Tuf Borland, LB, Aug. 13

Joe Burrow, QB, Aug. 13

Jonathon Cooper, DE, Aug. 13

Davon Hamilton, DT, Aug. 13

Joshua Norwood, CB, Aug. 13

Dwayne Haskins, QB, Aug. 17

Rodjay Burns, CB, Aug. 17

Binjimen Victory, WR, Aug. 18

Jordan Leasure, RB, Aug. 18

Joe Schroer, DL, Aug. 19

Demario McCall, RB, Aug. 20

Rashod Berry, DE, Aug. 20

No, not Tyler Naquin. We're talking about Braggo Roth, the party responsible for Cleveland's last walk-off inside-the-park home run prior to Naquin's mad dash around the bases on Friday night. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The outfielder in his first, full season with the Indians accomplished the feat during a mid-August affair in the year '16.

No, not Tyler Naquin. We're talking about Braggo Roth, the party responsible for Cleveland's last walk-off inside-the-park home run prior to Naquin's mad dash around the bases on Friday night.

Naquin and Roth are the only two players in Tribe history to end a game with an inside-the-park homer. They turned the tricks almost exactly 100 years apart. 

Naquin's teammates spilled out of the home dugout at Progressive Field as the rookie center fielder bolted around third base and scampered toward the plate. The second he popped up from his head-first slide, a mob of frenzied teammates swallowed him whole to celebrate Cleveland's 3-2 victory.

A similar scene unfolded at Dunn Field (later League Park) on Aug. 13, 1916, as the Indians topped the St. Louis Browns. 

Here's how the Plain Dealer described it in the next day's newspaper.

(Via Jeremy Feador/Indians) 

"A veritable riot of enthusiasm ensued. Almost the entire tribe rushed to the plate to greet the great pinch hitter and slap him on the back as he rushed to the dugout. The joy of the Indians was but a sample of that displayed by the 18,000 rooters who were present. All they did was to cheer themselves hoarse, tear up their scorecards, toss their hats in the air and then go away forgetting wraps, canes, etc., in their excitement.

"It was a wonderful climax to a game that had been full of thrills and had provided more excitement than half a dozen ordinary contests. Time and again one team or the other had had opportunities to score that were circumvented either by sterling pitching or brilliant fielding. Both teams were up on their toes, as might be expected of clubs that are battling for the pennant."

Naquin keeps running and running and running

Roth went 4-for-4 in the game, which the Indians won, 4-3. Here's the PD's account of the final play.

"He tensed every muscle and with his bat drawn back he swung with every ounce of his strength. Away sailed the ball. Center fielder [Armando] Marsans gave one look and then dashed for the score board. The Cuban is fleet of foot, but even his speed would not allow him to catch up with the ball, which traveled like a bullet and never stopped until it bounced against the score board. Roth was well past second when the Cuban picked it up. He never hesitated in rounding third and dashed home standing up as Marsans' throw to one of his mates who rushed into the field to ace as relay man went astray."

(Via Jeremy Feador/Indians) 

LeBron James is obsessed by the NBA, its history and its future. It's hardly a stretch to imagine him owning a team and chasing titles for years to come. Why not the Cavs?

CLEVELAND, Ohio - LeBron James saying his dream is to own a NBA team is hardly a shocking revelation.

The only question is when. And maybe whether it will start off as a minority interest in the Cavs or a majority interest.

OK, so that's jumping to conclusions.

But certainly James isn't short on long-term planning. And if his interest in ownership wasn't mentioned in his discussions about coming back to Cleveland, it's probably because it didn't need to be mentioned.

It was either too soon. Or too obvious. Or both.

James talked about possible ownership in 2015, saying he "wasn't there yet," when asked if he wants to follow Michael Jordan's lead in moving from the locker room to the board room.

Jordan became a minority partner in the Charlotte in 2006 and put together a group that acquired majority ownership of the franchise four years later.

James is too busy chasing "the ghost in Chicago" on the court, as he said not long ago, to think about chasing him in the executive suite.

Prediction: It won't be nearly as daunting.

You'd have to like his chances of beating Jordan at the ownership game than matching his six rings. James seems more obsessed with everything NBA related. Jordan was viewed as a true ghost in running the basketball operation in Charlotte and has become more involved as a majority owner in team and league matters.

James addressed his interest in the podcast Uninterrupted.

"I feel like my brain as far as the game of basketball is unique and I would love to continue to give my knowledge to the game," James said. "And I would love to be a part of a franchise, if not at the top. My dream is to actually own a team and I don't need to have fully hands on.

"If I'm fortunate enough to own a team, then I'm going to hire the best GM and president that I can.

"But I have a feel like I have a good eye for not only talent, because we all see a lot of talent, but the things that make the talent, the chemistry, what type of guy he is, his work ethic, his passion, the basketball IQ side of things, because talent only goes so far."

His latest contract, $100 million over three years, is hardly the reason he's positioned to someday own a chunk of a team. Like Jordan, his worth away from basketball is soaring. It remains to be seen if he'll have Jordan's staying power. Forbes ranked Jordan No. 1 among retired athletes in 2015. Twelve years after he retired, Forbes estimated his annual income at $110 million. Next was David Beckham at $65 million.

Forbes estimated James' income at $77 million in 2016. He watched when Jordan dominated the NBA as a player. You can guess he's familiar with the path Jordan has taken to ownership.

And, going out on the limb here, I'm pretty sure he thinks he could do it better.

See reaction to Tyler Naquin's inside-the-park home run to lift the Cleveland Indians to a 3-2 win at home against the Blue Jays.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cleveland Indians 3-2 win against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night continues to be a trending topic.

With the Blue Jays up 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth inning last night, Indians third basemen Jose Ramirez tied the game with a home run. Then in the following at bat, centerfielder Tyler Naquin ended the game with an inside-the-park home run giving the Indians their 70^th win.

See below for some of the reaction to Naquin's base running on the same night NBA Finals MVP LeBron James was in attendance at Progressive Field and Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt won his ninth gold medal after finishing first in the 4x100-meter relay at the Olympics in Brazil.

The Indians will host the Blue Jays for Games 2 and 3 on Saturday at 7:10 p.m. and Sunday at 1:10 p.m.

Whoever did this Tyler Naquin - Usain Bolt pic is the real gold medalist. #Windians #RollTribe @Indians @TyNaquin pic.twitter.com/NwYOwGlKwr

-- TMK (@ManAmongGods) August 20, 2016

Tyler Naquin, more like John Bender! Right guys? pic.twitter.com/umwi7O6saN

-- Dave Jack (@DaveJacked) August 20, 2016

Unbelievable finish for the @Indians!! WOW. wonderful atmosphere in there tonight. #Windians #StriveForGreatness #TheyreNext

-- LeBron James (@KingJames) August 20, 2016

MLB: .TyNaquin hits just the 5th inside-the-park #walkoff homer in this century. https://t.co/SfWFhGOE9Y #MLBmemo... https://t.co/Dynnh2vFEC

-- glennt1975 (@glennt1975_) August 20, 2016

"USAIN NAQUIN...FLYING AROUND THE BASES!!!" - Tom Hamilton pic.twitter.com/SXXnIr9vgH

-- Cleveland SportsTalk (@CLEsportsTalk) August 20, 2016

Naquin, on the pose: "Always. Just rockin' out. That was a pretty cool moment, so I'm gonna get into it." pic.twitter.com/WXYtJlflKf

-- Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) August 20, 2016

Stop what you're doing.

Hammy.#RallyTogetherhttps://t.co/tnhu59b7Fy

-- Cleveland Indians (@Indians) August 20, 2016

Gotta be quicker than that with @TyNaquin. #Indians pic.twitter.com/Mmv9UmAyTs

-- Glenn Moore (@GlennMooreCLE) August 20, 2016

This @Indians team is magical.

-- Dustin Fox (@DustinFox37) August 20, 2016

Tonight's threads brought to you by last night's walk-off hero [?] [?] [?] pic.twitter.com/6NC6qPbWFq

-- Cleveland Indians (@Indians) August 19, 2016

See related stories

Naquin: "Just keep on running"

Indians walk-off Blue Jays in a manner fit for a King

The legend of Braggo Roth

Five football players were arrested after police said a trooper found marijuana and a loaded handgun in their car, while a sixth player was arrested in a separate incident and accused of punching an officer.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Notre Dame cornerback Devin Butler was jailed Saturday after a police officer said the player punched and slammed him to the ground outside a bar, and five teammates were arrested in a separate incident when a trooper found marijuana and a loaded handgun inside their car during a traffic stop.

Officers had to use a stun gun to subdue Butler in the altercation outside the Linebacker Lounge in South Bend, according to a probable cause affidavit.

South Bend police spokesman Lt. Joe Galea said that after officers broke up a fight inside the bar they saw two women fighting outside when Butler allegedly shoved one of the women. Butler was agitated and when officers told him to back away he allegedly pushed the officers and then attacked one of them.

The affidavit says Butler tackled an officer to the ground, punched him several times in the side and stomach and pulled off his duty belt.

"He shouted profanities at the officers and started swinging his fist," Galea said of Butler.

The St. Joseph County prosecutor's office said Butler faced possible charges of resisting law enforcement and battery to a police officer, both felonies. Butler was being held at the county jail on $10,000 surety bond.

But Prosecutor Kenneth P. Cotter said in a statement Saturday that he's seeking court approval for additional time to investigate the case so that his office can "determine whether formal charges are appropriate."

The officer Butler allegedly attacked was taken to a hospital for treatment for minor injuries, including a sore wrist, South Bend police spokesman Galea said.

According to the affidavit, Butler apologized while he was being taken to jail, "stating that he had been incredibly emotional and intoxicated."

The five other players were arrested Friday night after Indiana State Police said a trooper stopped a car in Fulton County about 35 miles south of South Bend for speeding. The trooper detected the odor of marijuana and with the help of a drug-sniffing dog, he found the marijuana and handgun, police said.

The university confirmed that those arrested were: cornerback Ashton White, starting safety Max Redfield, wide receiver Kevin Stepherson Jr., linebacker Te'von Coney and Dexter Williams, who's one of three running backs expected to play regularly for the Irish this season.

All five were released Saturday afternoon from the Fulton County Jail in Rochester, where they had been held on a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge. Redfield, Stepherson and Williams face an additional misdemeanor charge of possession of an unlicensed handgun.

It was not immediately clear if any of the six players had attorneys who could comment on their behalf.

Notre Dame also confirmed the arrest of Butler, who Irish coach Brian Kelly said in June would miss the beginning of the season with a broken left foot and could be out until October.

University spokesman Paul Browne said in a statement that "any student arrested on a felony charge also faces dismissal from the university."

"The university will determine if additional sanctions should apply to any or all of the students charged," his statement said.

The Indians and Blue Jays meet for the middle game of their three-game set Saturday night at Progressive Field.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians and Blue Jays will play the middle game of a three-game series at Progressive Field on Saturday evening. Get scoring updates and participate in a live chat as the clubs square off.

Game 121: Indians (70-50) vs. Blue Jays (69-53)

First pitch: 7:10 p.m.

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

Pitching matchup: RHP Josh Tomlin (11-6, 4.14) vs. RHP Aaron Sanchez (12-2, 2.84).

Fact du jour: Tribe third baseman Jose Ramirez has reached base in 25 straight games.

The Indians and Blue Jays, in what could be a preview of a postseason matchup, will meet in the second game of this three-game series Saturday night at Progressive Field.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here are the starting lineups for Saturday night's game between the Blue Jays and Indians at Progressive Field. First pitch is 7:10 p.m.

INDIANS

DH Carlos Santana.

2B Jason Kipnis.

SS Francisco Lindor.

1B Mike Napoli.

3B Jose Ramirez.

RF Lonnie Chisenhall.

CF Tyler Naquin.

LF Abraham Almonte.

C Chris Gimenez.

RHP Josh Tomlin, 11-6, 4.14.

BLUE JAYS

2B Devon Travis.

LF Ezequiel Carrera.

1B Edwin Encarnacion.

C Russell Martin.

DH Troy Tulowitzki.

RF Michael Saunders.

CF Melvin Upton.

3B Darwin Barney.

SS Ryan Goins.

RHP Aaron Sanchez, 12-2, 2.84.

UMPIRES

H Greg Gibson.

1B Ramon De Jesus.

2B Dana DeMuth, crew chief.

3B Mike Estabrook.

"I couldn't imagine a better scenario for this juncture of the season," says the former Indians GM and president about this weekend series between the Jays and Indians.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Mark Shapiro, the man in the middle, couldn't make it to Cleveland this weekend. His family just made the move to Toronto from their long-time home in the Cleveland area, so there is much to do in the new Shapiro household.

But the two baseball teams he's been associated with for a quarter of a century reported to Progressive Field on Friday for a three-game series between first-place teams that could well be a sneak peek to a postseason meeting.

The Indians entered the series in first place in the AL Central, while Toronto did so as the top team in the AL East. They were still on top of their respective divisions going into Saturday night's game despite the earth moving Friday night from the force of Tyler Naquin's footsteps as he rounded the bases with his game-winning, walk-off, inside-the-park homer. (Tell the truth, you're still watching the replays, right?)

A wild finish carries Indians past Jays

"I couldn't imagine a better scenario for this juncture of the season and I couldn't imagine a better scenario for the end of the season," said Shapiro on Friday before the start of the series. "There's a long way to go. The Tribe is in a little better position than we are, but at this time of year no one takes anything for granted. Looking at the Indians from a distance, they certainly have a lot to be proud of because of where they are and a lot of reasons to feel good about where they're going."

Shapiro spent 24 years with the Indians, working his way from an assistant in the baseball operations department to general manager and then team president. He joined the Blue Jays late last year as president and CEO.

While he inherited a playoff-tested team in Toronto, his imprint runs deep with the Indians.

"I certainly feel, overall, happiness about the people that are there because I care so deeply about so many of them," said Shapiro. "On every rung, and every type of operation in the organization, starting with Chris (Antonetti, president of baseball operations) and going so many different places in the organization on the baseball and business side.

"To see the hard work and perseverance rewarded with the way they play is gratifying for me."

Now Shapiro is trying to beat the team that the organization he put together has put on the field. The Indians hold a 3-2 lead in the seven-game series.

He says there are no divided loyalties when it comes to wins and losses.

"It's amazing just having gone through the four games in Toronto," said Shapiro. "When you play, you want to win. It's like a sibling rivalry, competing against a sibling you might want to win even more. But to have a level of profound respect for who you're playing across the field, it makes you feel gratified regardless of the outcome."

Still, the Indians have left a mark.

"The nature of the schedule is we only play each other six or seven times a year so I pull for those guys," said Shapiro. "When I look at the box scores, one of the first places I look every day is the Tribe box score and every night as the games are going on.

"If you worked 24 years in one place, you remain invested in that organization and those people. I feel connected. The great nature of this game, the ultimate meaning of your work, usually relies in the relationships you build. So you're ability to gain joy from someone else's success lives on no matter where they go. Whether that's Neal Huntington, John Farrell, Buddy Black or an entire organization of people with the Indians, you feel happiness for their success."

Shapiro feels good about the Blue Jays' chances in the highly competitive AL East. He says they've won games in a different manner than people predicted coming out of spring training.

"We certainly haven't won the way people expected us to," he said. "It hasn't been a team that has won just through mashing. It's been a team that has won largely with great starting pitching, great defense, and some incredibly talented hitters in the middle of the lineup. And obviously, an elite close as well."

The Indians have taken a similar path in reshaping their preseason projections. They were expected to ride the starting rotation to success this year. The rotation has had its moments, but their offense has been much better than expected, especially with Michael Brantley playing just 11 games before his season officially ended Monday with a second surgery on his right shoulder.

"They're a team that has grown up together and is hitting their stride," said Shapiro of the Indians.

That stride just might take them to Toronto sometime in October.