Meyer has an idea of what things are going to look like Sept. 3 when the Buckeyes host Bowling Green. We list it out inside. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- This past week of Ohio State's preseason was always going to determine the Buckeyes starting lineup. Urban Meyer basically said that before fall camp started. 

So it was no surprise that Meyer was basically able to rattle off what Ohio State's starting lineup is going to look like when he met with the media on Monday morning. 

Meyer always makes a distinction between actually being named a starter and running with the first team. When you're officially a starter at Ohio State, there's a ceremonial phone call home to the parents to deliver the news. 

That hasn't happened yet with a lot of Ohio State's players, but Meyer has an idea of what things are going to look like Sept. 3 when the Buckeyes host Bowling Green. 

Here are those updates: 

* Let's start with linebacker: Meyer said that Dante Booker and Chris Worley are going to be Ohio State's starters and that those ceremonial phone calls are going to be made this week. Worley was an intense battle with Jerome Baker to be the lockout backer. 

* At safety, Malik Hooker and Damon Webb are running with the first team. 

* One of the unresolved position battles is the cornerback opposite of Gareon Conley. Marshon Lattimore, Denzel Ward and Damon Arnette are all still in the mix. Cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs saidn they anticipate rotation at that spot. 

* Meyer announced Sam Hubbard got the phone call as a starting defensive end. That's not a surprise, but now you know officially. 

*  A freshman starter on the offensive line? Looks like Michael Jordan is close to making that a reality. Meyer said Jordan is leading the race at left guard, ahead of Demetrius Knox. 

* Isaiah Prince and Jamarco Jones are Ohio State's starting offensive tackles. 

* The wide receivers are kind of a mess, but that was anticipated because that position can rotate unlike any other position and there's a ton of talent. Meyer said he doesn't know how Parris Campbell isn't a starter, but then he said Terry McLaurin is right there. Basically, there will be rotation. 

Here's a complete look at the starting lineup: 

OFFENSE:

QB: J.T. Barrett

RB: Mike Weber

WR: Noah Brown 

WR: Parris Campbell/Terry McLau

H: Curtis Samuel

TE: Marcus Baugh

LT: Jamarco Jones

LG: Michael Jordan

C: Pat Elflein 

RG: Billy Price

RT: Isaiah Prince 

DEFENSE: 

DE: Sam Hubbard

DT: Tracy Sprinkle

DT: Michael Hill 

DE: Tyquan Lewis 

LB: Dante Booker

LB: Raekwon McMillan 

LB: Chris Worley 

CB: Gareon Conley 

CB: Marshon Lattimore/Denzel Ward/Damon Arnette

S: Malik Hooker 

S: Damon Webb 

Receiver Austin Mack was the first from the 2017 class to have his removed back as an early enrollee in the spring, and they've been coming off ever since.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Urban Meyer announced Monday that three more Ohio State freshmen lost their black stripes at the Buckeyes practice. 

Those three freshmen were defensive back Jordan Fuller, linebacker Keandre Jones and defensive lineman Joshua Alabi. Watch the video of it happening below: 

Congrats Keandre, Jordan and Josh! Well-deserved! Go Bucks! pic.twitter.com/y8xpcbDHAr

-- Urban Meyer (@OSUCoachMeyer) August 22, 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 the 2017 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

Keandre Jones, LB, Aug. 22

Jordan Fuller, DB, Aug. 22

Joshua Alabi, DL, Aug. 22 

Another attempt at answering Ohio State's most burning question.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State (insert position here) Curtis Samuel took his place on the turf field inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.

The media surrounded him, and it was time to play America's favorite game.

OK, it's more like Ohio's favorite game: Curtis Samuel, what position do you play?

Samuel has been labeled the Buckeyes most dynamic offensive playmaker since the spring. Urban Meyer doubled-down on that on Monday.

"He's our No. 1 playmaker on offense right now," Meyer said. "He's gotta stay healthy. I just love his skill set."

That's something we've heard before. Perhaps a bit stronger.

When you have a guy like that, you have to be creative about how you get him the ball. So it was assumed that Samuel would see most of his time at receiver (where played last year) and some at tailback (where he played as a freshman.)

Mike Weber is Ohio State's presumed tailback, Meyer said they're close to naming him a starter. So that would mean touches for Samuel at that position could be hard to come by.

It might be more of a balance, though.

Samuel said he would alternate between receiver and tailback every other day during training camp. If he was a running back on Monday, he was a receiver on Tuesday. That's different.

"We had some talks about it, I'll be splitting time at receiver and tailback -- even amount of catches, even amount of carries," Samuel said. "I'll be doing both."

The formula for getting Samuel the ball in 2016

If Samuel is what Meyer says he is, then that's how it should be broken down. They moved him to receiver as a sophomore to get him more touches than he got as a backup running back as a freshman, and that didn't happen.

So Samuel kind of still doesn't have a position, unless you want to label "playmaker" a position.

However he's getting the ball, Samuel is ready to take on a role unlike any he's had in his first two seasons.

"Freshman year I knew I was probably gonna get a couple plays, so my mindset wasn't really to go out there and be the star player. Last year I had a different mentality, I knew I was gonna have more opportunities to go out there and show my talent. This year I gotta have a mindset of a starter, I feel like I'm more mature this year."

Here's the reality of days like Monday: The Buckeyes, as things stand now, don't have room for the 6-foot-5, 210-pound wide receiver.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- You may have heard by now, but Ohio State added 10 stars to its already-dominant 2017 recruiting class Monday morning. Ten more stars. 

The Buckeyes earned commitments from five-star wide receivers Trevon Grimes of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas and Tyjon Lindsey of Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman. 

"It's nice," wide receivers coach Zach Smith said of Ohio State's big morning, "but Urban Meyer always is pushing for what's next." 

Perhaps that's why Ohio State is assembling perhaps the deepest and best recruiting class in program history, one that has 11 of the top 74 players in the country, according to the 247Sports composite team rankings. 

Meyer's attitude makes it fair to ask this, though: What's next? 

Let's look specifically at the wide receiver position in the 2017 class. The Buckeyes were -- and still are -- recruiting four-star wide receiver Jaylen Harris of Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Meyer and Smith both love his game. Harris is a top prospect nationally. He's got huge size, and he's getting better every day.

But Here's the reality of days like Monday: The Buckeyes, as things stand now, don't have room for the 6-foot-5, 210-pound wide receiver. If everything stays the same with Ohio State's class, Harris won't be a part of it. 

Ohio State's drastic numbers problem 

That doesn't mean that there's no chance room can be found. Harris' timeline makes him an interesting prospect to follow because he's planning on taking his official visits and may not announce a decision until January or later. 

That gives Ohio State some breathing room. Recruiting and numbers are constantly in flux, so if the Buckeyes have unanticipated departures on its current roster or lose a commitment, they may prioritize Harris again. He's good enough to be a Buckeye. 

Harris understood the score from the beginning. Smith doesn't need to explain that Ohio State's pushing the envelope numbers-wise and may not have room. That's been explained during the entire recruiting process. 

Jaylen Harris and the race against the ticking clock

Rated the No. 27 wide receiver in the 2017 recruiting class in the 247Sports composite rankings, Harris has plenty of options, including Alabama, Michigan State, Penn State and Tennessee. Don't feel bad for him. 

Big days like the one Ohio State had on Monday are just a reminder that for every national prospect that wants to join the Buckeyes class -- which, lately, has been a lot -- there's less room for an Ohio stud. 

This time, Harris is on the wrong side of the equation. 

Rated the No. 13 tight end in the 2018 recruiting class in the 247Sports composite rankings, Taylor earned an Ohio State offer after committing to Michigan. The Buckeyes want him. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State had a big recruiting day Monday when it picked up verbal commitments from two five-star wide receivers in the 2017 class: Trevon Grimes of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas and Tyjon Lindsey of Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman. 

The day got even better for the Buckeyes. 

That's because four-star tight end Leonard Taylor of Springfield, Ohio -- a top-rated player in the 2018 class -- announced his decommitment from Michigan. 

"I would like to thank the whole UM family of fans and coaches for the wonderful opportunity in this recruiting process," Taylor wrote on his Twitter account. "After much discussion with my family, I have decided I will back off my commitment to the University of Michigan. I truly feel this is the best course of action in order to make the right decision for me. #NoQuestions #Comments." 

Rated the No. 13 tight end in the 2018 recruiting class in the 247Sports composite rankings, Taylor earned an Ohio State offer after committing to Michigan. The Buckeyes want him. 

Though the 6-foot-6, 258-pound tight end was committed to Michigan for months, he never shied away from the idea that he was going to visit the in-state Buckeyes. On Monday, Taylor decided to reopen his recruitment entirely. 

Linebacker Antwaun Johnson from Dayton Dunbar and Taylor were two of Jim Harbaugh's first building blocks in the 2018 class, but they had a bigger purpose: They were the prospects who were sending the message that Michigan can come into Ohio and get top-rated players with Ohio State offers out of the state. 

Taylor told cleveland.com in May that he was looking forward to helping Michigan. 

"I'm looking forward to it, I'm going to love it," Taylor said. "I'm an Ohio kid going against my hometown. That's going to be fun."

That ship isn't completely sailed, but Taylor's decision to reopen his recruitment shows it's still hard for Michigan to recruit Ohio. 

Meet Jim Harbaugh's two recruiting building blocks in Ohio

Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers earned a gold medal with Team USA in the 2016 Rio Olympics, putting himself in some elite company. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Has Kyrie Irving risen to a new level?

The Cleveland Cavaliers guard won a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics on Sunday when the U.S. men defeated Serbia, 96-66. Irving had four points in the final.

He is one of four players to win an Olympic gold medal and an NBA championship in the same season, joining Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Cavaliers teammate LeBron James.

Playing for the Olympics and coach Mike Krzyzewski has been a big part of Irving's growth in the last two years. He played for Coach K. and Team USA in 2014 in the FIBA World Cup Championship and was MVP.

It's been fun to watch his growth.

The Calder Cup champion Cleveland Monsters open their 2016-17 season at home against the Rockford IceHogs on October 14.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Calder Cup champion Cleveland Monsters will open the 2016-17 season on Friday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. in Quicken Loans Arena against the Rockford IceHogs.

This marks the 10th season for the Monsters franchise in the American Hockey League and the second season as an affiliate of the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets.

This season's schedule features 23 weekend home games -- 12 Friday night games, eight Saturday games and three Sunday afternoon games.

Some of the notable games on the home schedule include:

• Nov. 11 - Veterans Day vs. Chicago Wolves, 7 p.m.
• Nov. 26 - Thanksgiving Day weekend game vs. Grand Rapids Griffins, 7 p.m.
• Dec. 28, 30 - A pair of post-holiday games against Grand Rapids, both at 7 p.m.
• March 17 -- St. Patrick's Day showdown vs. the Texas Stars at 7 p.m.

The Monsters will play 68 of 76 regular season games against Central Division opponents, 12 each vs. Grand Rapids, Iowa Wild and Chicago, and eight each against the Manitoba Moose, Charlotte Checkers and Rockford.

The only games outside the division are four each against the Pacific Division's Texas Stars and San Antonio Rampage.

Promotional events will be announced. For complete schedule, click here.

The OSU coach, with a last week of preseason camp before game-week prep begins, is all about the Buckeyes getting game ready. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Urban Meyer held the green marker in his hand Monday as he spoke about his team.

He's been checking guys off. The green mark next to the name of each Buckeye that the Ohio State coaches discuss indicates whether that player has gone through enough reps, has been healthy for enough practices, has prepared himself for the start of the season the right way.

Get a green line through that box, and you're ready to roll. 

Game ready.

It sounds like Meyer is checking enough of those boxes to feel good about this young roster, with just six starters returning and 16 to replace, as the Buckeyes prepare for their Sept. 3 opener against Bowling Green.

We've heard about about so many different ways that Meyer graduates his players from level to level. There are champions dinners and the removal of black helmet stripes for freshmen and the rating of players blue (low), red (middle) and gold (high) in a total evaluation of their on-field and off-field performance that leads to various levels of perks.

The green check was a new Meyer line of demarcation.

Game ready, or not.

"It's all about game ready. That's what this week is all about," Meyer said, as the Buckeyes finished their camp portion of preseason work last weekend.

Instead of focusing on two-a-days and practicing at fields away from their main facility, the Buckeyes are back home this week. But they are still fighting for jobs and fighting to learn what they don't know. Meyer has said this stretch 29 practices before the season is when young players have to get better and show what they can do. The 24 practices during the season (just two full practice days a week in a 12-game schedule) are about game-planning and maintenance.

Now is when moves can be made and skills increased.

Meyer reveals projected starters

"Our last week has been good," Meyer said. "I don't know how good we are, but the attitudes are good."

Meyer said he likes how the OSU assistants have made it clear to the players what it takes to get game ready. There have been times when Meyer said he has taken teams into a season that weren't ready, or when he was forced to put players on the field who weren't ready.

Audio: Urban Meyer on game ready

"If the issue is he's not good enough to play, you're stuck," Meyer said. "That won't happen here. We have good enough players."

So the issue for Meyer is ensuring the position coaches get their guys in line. He said he'll adjust practice schedules if he needs to in order to make it happen.

"My job is to press that with the coaches. 'Is this kid not game ready? Why?' And let's make sure we get him to that. It's our job to get him ready," Meyer said.

Curtis Samuel: What position do you play?

They're getting there, Meyer said. That is, at least with the first group of 22 guys, the 11 starters on each side.

"I think our ones are pretty solid," Meyer said. "For example, the offensive line, our twos are not good enough. If a two goes in the game, right now, he's not good enough."

So he'll keep that green marker out.

The Indians start a seven-game trip Monday night when they open a three-game series against the A's at O.co Coliseum.

OAKLAND -- Here are the lineups for Monday night's game between the Indians and Athletics. First pitch is scheduled for 10:05 p.m.

INDIANS

1B Carlos Santana.

2B Jason Kipnis.

SS Francisco Lindor.

DH Mike Napoli.

3B Jose Ramirez.

RF Lonnie Chisenhall.

CF Tyler Naquin.

LF Abraham Almonte.

C Roberto Perez.

RHP Carlos Carrasco, 8-6, 3.34.

ATHLETICS

DH Coco Crisp.

CF Jake Smolinski.

C Stephen Voigt.

LF Khris Davis.

1B  Yonder Alonso.

3B Ryon Healy.

RF Brett Eibner.

2B Max Muncy.

SS Chad Pinder.

RHP Andrew Triggs, 0-1, 4.98

UMPIRES

H Brian Gorman, crew chief.

1B Mark Carlson.

2B Clint Fagan.

3B Alan Porter.

Okudah announced on Twitter on Sunday evening that he set his first official visit, and it's an Ohio State game. It's just on the road.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Earning one of the final spots in Ohio State's recruiting class is going to be tough. You better be elite. 

But you can bet there will always be a spot for five-star safety Jeffrey Okudah of Grand Prairie, Texas, who is rated the No. 1 safety in the 2017 recruiting class in the 247Sports composite rankings. 

Okudah announced on Twitter on Sunday evening that he set his first official visit, and it's an Ohio State game. However, it's a road game for the Buckeyes. That official is to Oklahoma on Sept. 17. 

Though the official visit is technically a huge weekend for Oklahoma, a program Okudah is closely considering, it gives Urban Meyer's team a rare chance to make an impression on a top prospect on the road. 

Ohio State has long been considered a leader for the 6-foot-2, 190-pound Okudah, so any face time has to be considered a bonus. The Buckeyes are likely going to land an official visit of their own from the talented defensive back. 

The Buckeyes picked up commitments from two five-star wide receivers on Monday, Trevon Grimes of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas and Tyjon Lindsey of Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman. That gives the Buckeyes six five-star pledges out of their 18 commitments in the 2017 class, which is absurd. 

If Ohio State can add Okudah into the mix, there's a chance Ohio State has an argument for best recruiting class -- on paper -- in the modern age of recruiting. 

Solomon told 247Sports that the Michigan gaffe played a role in his decision to reopen his recruitment.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Michigan sent a thank you card to four-star defensive tackle Aubrey Solomon of Leesburg (Ga.) Lee County for attending its big barbecue event in the Big House. 

That's a nice gesture. Only one problem: Solomon didn't go to that event. 

So when Solomon, a U.S. Army All-American, got the card, he didn't like it. Now, he's no longer committed to the Wolverines. 

Solomon told 247Sports that the Michigan gaffe played a role in his decision to reopen his recruitment. 

"A day or two ago, they sent my mom a card thanking us for going to the Michigan bbq, but we never went," Solomon said. "I do not know which recruit they were talking to, but it was not me.

"It was just a little heartbreaking, for me to supposedly be so high on their list, for them to confuse me with someone else. Plus they spelled both of my names wrong after I told them, but that was not the main issue. I guess they do not have tabs on me."

Rated the No. 5 defensive tackle in the 2017 recruiting class in the 247Sports composite rankings, Solomon is the second player to decommit from Michigan on Monday.

The other was four-star 2018 tight end Leonard Taylor of Springfield, Ohio, an elite prospect who also holds an offer from Ohio State. 

Ohio State's big day got better when Leonard Taylor decommitted from Michigan

The other 10 teams are Clemson, Florida State, Miami (Fla.), Notre Dame, UCLA, USC, Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Texas A&M.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Monday has been a big recruiting day for Ohio State.

And it won't end. 

The latest is with four-star cornerback Christian Tutt of Thomson, Ga., an elite 2018 cornerback who released a final 11 that included Ohio State.

The other 10 teams are Clemson, Florida State, Miami (Fla.), Notre Dame, UCLA, USC, Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Texas A&M.

Rated the No. 14 cornerback in the 2018 recruiting class in the 247Sports composite rankings, Tutt has more than 30 offers.

But according to his recruiting profile, Ohio State, Alabama and Georgia are the three teams standing out the most. 

The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Tutt unofficially visited Ohio State in April. Buckeyes cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs made a follow up visit to the prospect in Georgia in May. 

See Tutt's highlight tape below: 

The Terrific Trio of Josh Gordon, Terrelle Pryor and Corey Coleman are set to debut during Friday night's Browns-Bucs preseason game, providing Coleman and Gordon are healthy. Watch video

TAMPA, Fla. --The Josh Gordon-Corey Coleman-Terrelle Pryor Air Show will debut Friday night against the Bucs in the third preseason game if all goes as planned.

As long as Coleman (hamstring) and Gordon (quad) are healthy enough to make their preseason debuts, the Three Amigos will serve notice to NFL defensive backs to be afraid. Very afraid.

"That's a really, really solid receiving corps,'' cornerback Joe Haden said Monday. "You know, each one of them running under 4.3, they can take you vertical. Those are really, really good deep threats. Teams don't have two players like that and we have three of them.''

At the very least, the three will be on display during joint practices against the Bucs on Tuesday and Wednesday here. The rest is up to the medical staff, who will help Hue Jackson decide whether or not to play Coleman and Gordon.

"I'm looking forward to potentially having them all for a game,'' Jackson said. "It would be fun to watch all those guys and see the different pieces, but we have to get them there. I just want to make sure. I'm going to be cautious.''

Coleman acknowledged it's vital for him to experience his first preseason game, especially considering it's the "dress rehearsal'' for the regular season. The starters generally don't play in the preseason finale.

"That's the plan,'' said Coleman, the No. 15 overall pick. "I haven't played in an NFL game so it's important this week to practice against Tampa, play in the game and do what I need to do. I got released by the trainers to do everything."

But Jackson will defer to trainer Joe Sheehan, who might not want Coleman and Gordon to play the full three quarters customary for starters in this game.

"He's helped me and taught me that these guys with these soft tissue injuries, you don't want to bring them back too soon because you could lose them for more time afterwards if they all of the sudden pull something,'' said Jackson.

But the three have already shown glimpses the last three practices of just how explosive this offense can be when they're on the field together.

"Just being able to challenge people vertically, not being able to put an extra safety in the box because you need to have two safeties deep to make sure the corners don't get beat, that just stretches out the field for us in ways that we haven't had before,'' Haden said.

When the Browns needed a big play downfield last season, it was all Gary Barnidge all the time. Now, Big Gar' has plenty of company and Griffin will sometimes have his choice of four dangerous weapons when he drops back and surveys the field.

"It's hard not to imagine it,'' Griffin said after Thursday night's 24-13 loss to the Falcons. "It brings a smile to your face, but we have to make that a reality. Everyone can have potential but you have to actually make it happen. When we get those guys back, I know they'll be excited. They're itching to play, and we're itching to have them.''

Terrelle Pryor realizing his dream of playing with Josh Gordon

Jackson has already begun draw up new and exotic ways to hurt a defense with the Terrific Trio -- and the Fab Four, including Barnidge. In addition to Pryor streaking down the field and plucking the ball away from shorter defensive backs, he can line up at quarterback and run the read option.

"There are a lot of thoughts that go through my mind,'' Jackson said. "I can't tell you all of them, but they are a talented trio. We have some other guys, too, but they are [talented]. Those guys have size, they have speed, they have length, they have the ability to make plays on the ball. That's exciting.''

What's more, the quartet of deep threats have a big gun in Griffin to get them the ball.

"He throws one of the best deep balls I've seen,'' said Haden. "He throws a very catchable ball. He's running the offense really well, so I think he's going to be a very good part of our offense, especially when we have it Terrelle Pryor, JG, and Corey, the way that they can get vertical and he throws those balls, just really good deep passes, so I think that's going to help us out a lot.''

Haden is big believer in Pryor, who caught a 49-yard pass from Griffin in Green Bay and a 50-yard TD against the Falcons when he got behind speedy Pro Bowl cornerback Desmond Trufant.

"I'm all in with Pryor,'' said Haden. "I'm completely sold. He's been getting better and better. The improvement he's had from last season of just trying it out to this season being a legitimate receiver that's starting in the NFL, it's incredible to show the work he's put in with his route-running, hand placement, (etc.).''

The fact he played quarterback for Jackson has helped ease the transition.

"You know the offense probably came a little bit easier to him and now he's literally just making plays every single day,'' said Haden. "He put that work in and he deserves a lot of credit.''

As for Gordon, he won't be able to play until week five and won't be able to practice with the team once the season starts, but Jackson is giving him valuable reps with the starters so he can 'hit the ground running' when his suspension is up. In the meantime, he's making difficult catches in camp, sometimes with one hand.

"He still looks the exact same and it's just crazy,'' said Haden. "He looks a little bigger. I don't know how that happened, but he's still out there running around, looking the same, running his routes, floating, it still looks effortless.''

Coleman, who caught three big passes from Griffin in an intrasquad scrimmage before tweaking his hamstring Aug. 5, is eager to get in a game and match Pryor's production.

"It's real exciting,'' he said. "Our offense is going to be real explosive and Terrelle - TP - he's done a great job making the transition from quarterback to receiver. He's done a great job. He's put in the time and he tries to do everything right. He knows our whole offense already and he helps the rookies out.''

He's also learned a lot from his fellow former Baylor Bear Gordon, and can't wait to get on the field with both of them.

 "It can be something special but we gotta to work and we gotta take the next step,'' Coleman said.

If Jackson has his druthers, that next step will be onto the field Friday night at Raymond James Stadium.

 

Catcher Yan Gomes, who could soon go on a rehab assignment as a DH, doesn't blame the Indians for pursuing catcher Jonathan Lucroy.

OAKLAND - Catcher Yan Gomes doesn't blame the Indians for trying to acquire All-Star catcher Jonathan Lucroy from Milwaukee before the Aug. 1 trading deadline.

"That had no affect on me at all," said Gomes, who is traveling with the Indians on this trip. "How much can you say when you're a guy on the DL? "

For a moment the Indians thought they had a deal with Lucroy and the Brewers. They were ready to send four prospects to Milwaukee, including catcher Francisco Mejia, but Lucroy vetoed the trade because the Indians were on his no-trade list.

"We had talked about it, " said Gomes. "I respect the fact the guy is a great player. He's a two-time All-Star so why not go after a guy like that? Especially for a team that's making a playoff push -- any kind of good caliber guy would have helped. But I guess he didn't want to come here."

Milwaukee did trade Lucroy to Texas and if there is no big change among division leaders in the American League, the Indians and Rangers could meet in the postseason. If that happens, Gomes is confident he'll be able to help the Indians.

Gomes separated his right shoulder on July 17 on a bad tumble at first base against the Twins. He's been making steady progress on his rehab.

Monday afternoon, before the Indians opened a three-game series against Oakland, Gomes played catch with strength coach Joe Kessler, maxing out at 105 feet. He's already been hitting in the cage and could take batting practice on the field with the rest of the team on this current trip.

The tricky part of this equation is finding a way to get Gomes enough at-bats to get him game ready. Time is of the essence because the Indians minor league affiliates end their regular seasons Sept. 5.

"I don't want to get too far ahead, but from talking to James (Quinlan, Indians' head athletic trainer), Gomes is going to be able to DH probably well ahead of when he could catch," said manager Terry Francona. "So, that's where we would probably try to use that to our advantage. He he could get some games under his belt, and just try to make sure we getting his arm (in shape)."

It appears a rehab assignment is in the near future for Gomes.

"That part of it is not a problem," said Gomes, when asked about hitting. "After the first five swings or so, and getting the shoulders loose, it feels really good."

Gomes said he was initially hesitant to test his shoulder when it came to throwing.

"When you're on the DL, any kind of progress is big," said Gomes. "If one day you're able to use weights, it helps the mental part of it. When I heard I was throwing, as much as I wanted to feel perfect, you know you're going to hesitate. But after five or 10 throws I was fine. Now it's just a matter of building strength and go from there."

Gomes said he wasn't just "flicking the ball' Monday.

"I actually had to put something behind it," he said. "It felt pretty good. I'm making some progress."

Gomes, since his injury, has been at Progressive Field for all the home games. He's watched the road games, until this trip, on TV and did not enjoy the experience.

"I don't think I'm ready to be a fan just yet," he said. "I try not to yell at the TV. I know exactly how that feels like when people are yelling at me."

When the Indians are on the road, Gomes said it's hard to feel a connection with his teammates. It's better when the Indians are at home, but Gomes is smart enough not to feel too connected until he's 100 percent.

When Tyler Naquin hit his game-winning inside-the-park-homer in the ninth inning against Toronto, Gomes threw both arms up in celebration. He said his shoulder felt fine. But when his teammates started piling on Naquin at the plate, he stayed on the outside.

"I said maybe I should stay out of that," said Gomes.

Play by play on Naquin's mad dash around the bases

Testing, testing: Francona said Danny Salazar is in a better spot than he was Thursday when he lasted just one inning against the White Sox in his return from the disabled list.

Salazar will start against the A's on Tuesday night.

"He feels pretty good about moving forward," said Francona.

How worried is the Tribe about Salazar, Tomlin?

Salazar, who will be on a pitch count Tuesday, hopefully doesn't have to repeat his performance from Thursday. After getting knocked out of the game in the first inning, he went to the bullpen and threw three more innings.

"That was a little bit unique," said Francona. "It wasn't ideal, but we didn't want to just have it be a wasted started. We tried to be a little creative."

Finally: The Indians have told right-hander Tommy Hunter that he won't join the club from his rehab assignment at Class AAA Columbus until the rosters expand on Sept. 1.

Jordan Smith has three hits and three RBI.

Jordan SmithAkron RubberDucks 

AKRON, Ohio -- Jordan Smith had three hits and three RBI, and starter D.J. Brown earned his eighth win of the season Monday as the RubberDucks defeated Reading, 5-2, at Canal Park.

The RubberDucks (66-60), who struggled in June and July, have won eight straight and are in second place in the Class AA Eastern League Western Division. They trail Altoona by 3.5 games.

Smith gave the Ducks a 1-0 lead in the first inning with an RBI single, then made it 3-0 in the second with a two-run single.

Brown made one of his few mistakes in the third, giving up a solo homer in the third inning to the Fightin' Phils' Mitch Walding. Brown (8-6, 4.32 ERA) would hold the Phils scoreless over the next four innings.

He went 7 1/3 innings, giving up five hits and two earned runs.

Reading closed to 3-2 in the eighth, but the RubberDucks scored twice in the bottom of the inning with an RBI double from Eric Stamets and an RBI triple by Greg Allen. Allen, who is hitting .308, was 3-for-4.

Go here to see a box score from the game.

The Indians and A's open a three-gamer series Monday night at O.co Coliseum in Oakland.

OAKLAND -- The Indians and Oakland open a three-game series Monday night at O.co Coliseum. Get scoring updates and participate in a live chat as the clubs square off.

Game 122: Indians (71-51) vs. Athletics (53-71).

First pitch: 10:05 p.m.

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

Pitching matchup: RHP Carlos Carrasco (11-4, 3.57) vs. RHP Andrew Triggs (0-1 4.98).

Fact du jour: The Indians, in sweeping a three-game series from the A's in July, outscored them, 19-6.

The Cleveland Indians are leading the American League Central Division and rolling in good times right now. But there is some cause for concern, namely starting pitchers Josh Tomlin and Danny Salazar. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Do the Indians have reason to worry?

Yes, they do. But it's not what you think.

Since the All-Star break, Josh Tomlin and Danny Salazar are 3-6 with a 7.42 ERA.

The starting pitching is the strength of this ballclub and Tomlin and Salazar keyed the staff for much of the first half of the season. Salazar was selected to the American League All-Star team, although he didn't play because of a tender elbow that has since put him on the disabled list.

Tomlin is a guy who has missed much time with various arm injuries through the years, but has seemingly stayed healthy this season.

Is Tomlin wearing down? Is Salazar ready to come back? Do the Indians need to think about someone else in the rotation?

Cleveland Indians young star Jose Ramirez was no one's top prospect when he signed with the Tribe in 2009.

The Cleveland Indians found Jose Ramirez playing on a field that looked much like this in the Dominican Republic, according to Tribe Senior Director of Scouting John Mirabelli.John Mirabelli, Cleveland Indians  

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- John Mirabelli sent me a photo of a baseball field in the Dominican Republic.

The grass is haunted with weeds. The dirt is sandy with rocks. There is a donkey grazing near second base.

"This is not the exact field where we found Jose (Ramirez), but it looks just like it," said Mirabelli, the Indians senior director of scouting operations.

Mirabelli said he couldn't remember if any donkeys were around when the Indians scouted Ramirez in 2009, but they do sometimes show up on the baseball fields in poorer areas.

"Jose was not close to being a top prospect," said Mirabelli. "I don't think he had any other offers except the one from us. I think Jose has surprised everybody."

Ramirez is the biggest shock of this stunning Tribe season. He entered Tuesday's game in Oakland batting .308 (.818 OPS) with 10 HR and 57 RBI.

Ramirez has started 54 games at third base, 47 in left field and three each at shortstop and second base. Despite all that moving around, he has made only seven errors.

Ramirez does so many things well. He has 20 stolen bases. He is a switch-hitter -- batting .303 vs. righties, .319 vs. lefties. Most of all, he's superb in the clutch -- batting .381 with runners in scoring position.

"He is an amazing story," said Mirabelli.

NOBODY'S PROSPECT

Mirabelli takes no credit for finding Ramirez.

"It was our scout, Ramon Pena," he said. "All of the scouts (in the Dominican) saw Jose, but no one else liked him. That was true for me, too."

There are events called the "Prospect League Games" in that country. It's a place to scout the elite players.

"Jose was not one of those guys," said Mirabelli. "He was a fill-in when someone else couldn't play and they needed another guy. I was watching this game with Ramon Pena, and Jose was playing second base."

Mirabelli said that was a concern.

"The best Dominican players are at shortstop," he said. "The Dominican is known for their great shortstops. Jose was a small, stocky kid at second base. He didn't look like a ballplayer. He wasn't fluid. He didn't have a great arm. He didn't look that fast."

He was just another guy playing on a lesser field.

"But he got three hits that day," said Mirabelli.

Ramirez was not in any of the big all-star games for prospects. Nor did he have a buscon, men who serve as trainers and maybe a form of street agent for kids wanting to sign major league contracts. Some are very good-hearted men and former big leaguers, such as Cesar Geronimo Jr. Yes, he is the son of Cesar Geronimo, who played 15 years in the majors.

Geronimo Jr. brought Danny Salazar to a Tribe tryout camp and that led to them signing the 16-year-old to a $200,000 bonus.

There was no one pushing Ramirez.

"If Jose did have a buscon, we never met him," said Mirabelli. "They will start training kids as young as 8 or 10 to play baseball. Jose seemed to be on his own."

GETTING ATTENTION

After getting three hits the first day, Ramirez was on the field the next. Once again, he was filling in for a "real" prospect.

"He got three more hits," said Mirabelli. "They were singles, but he hit the ball hard. He was a switch hitter with a very natural swing from both sides of the plate."

But he just didn't look like a player.

"And he was older," said Mirabelli.

Ramirez was 17. Most Dominican players are signed by the time they are 16.

Pena kept telling Mirabelli that he liked Ramirez. The next day, there were two more games. Ramirez had a total of five hits.

"We should sign this kid," said Pena. Mirabelli started to think he was right.

THE DOMINICAN SYSTEM

Major league teams have baseball academies in the Dominican Republic. They often hold tryouts, where players are timed in the 60-yard dash. Their arms are tested. There are radar guns to check velocity. There is some batting practice and fielding practice.

"Jose would not stand out in that setting," said Mirabelli. "He was not a natural athlete in terms of size."

Ramirez was listed at 5-foot-9, 165 pounds in 2010.

The largest bonus given to a Dominican player by the Tribe was $1 million to Dorssys Paulino in 2012. He is listed at 6 feet and 175 pounds at 16. He is batting .268 (.735 OPS) with 4 HR and 21 RBI in 43 games at Class A Lynchburg. Signed as a shortstop, he has been converted to the outfield.

Paulino is in his fifth pro season, but he's only 21.

Because the MLB player draft does not apply to the Dominican Republic, players sign younger and the bidding can go high for a talented 16 year old.

While Mirabelli and Pena talked about other prospects, they kept coming back to Ramirez.

"Go ahead, sign him," said Mirabelli.

The Indians offered a $50,000 bonus. That's a lot of money to most Dominican families, but a small bonus for a ballplayer -- even in 2009 when Ramirez was signed.

The average bonus back then was in the $200,000 range.

HITTING HIS WAY UP

"From the moment Jose signed with us, he hit," said Mirabelli. "A lot young players have trouble with breaking balls, especially sliders. Not Jose."

In 2011, Ramirez batted .325 for the Tribe's Arizona League rookie team. In 2012, he batted .354 at Class A Lake County.

"He also knew how to play," said Mirabelli. "He can steal a base. He can bunt. He did a very good job with the glove at second base. He may not have been a big-time athlete, but he's a baseball player."

Ramirez reached the majors late in the 2013 season at 21. He split the 2014 and 2015 seasons between Class AAA Columbus and Cleveland, struggling a bit at the plate. It all came together this spring, when he belted the ball all over Arizona. It continued this season.

The guy who was considered too small, too slow and even too old to sign a big-league contract has become a big-time player for the Tribe.

And he won't be 24 until Sept. 17.

"He is very determined," said Mirabelli. "He never listened to those who said he couldn't play. What he's done so far in his career -- considering where he came from -- is just amazing."

Should the Indians reach their first World Series in 19 years, it would give Cleveland two premier sporting events in the same night, separated only by the small, grassy Gateway Plaza.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The sports world was fixated on Cleveland in June, when the Cavaliers captured the city's first major professional championship in 52 years.

Cleveland figures to garner plenty of additional attention in October, especially if the Indians make a postseason splash.

The Cavs will host the Knicks for their regular-season opener on Oct. 25. The encounter will kick off the NBA season and the Cavs will receive their championship rings at Quicken Loans Arena.

Next door, the Indians could host Game 1 of the World Series at Progressive Field on the same night.

Major League Baseball released its 2016 postseason schedule on Tuesday. Some American League club -- by virtue of the league's triumph in the All-Star Game in July -- will host the first tilt of the Fall Classic on Oct. 25. Should the Indians reach their first World Series in 19 years, it would give Cleveland two premier sporting events in the same night, separated only by the small, grassy Gateway Plaza.

Cavs to raise banner before opener vs. Knicks

The AL World Series representative will host Games 1 and 2 on Oct. 25 and 26 and, if necessary, Games 6 and 7 on Nov. 1 and 2. The last day of the regular season is Oct. 2. The AL Wild Card Game will take place on Oct. 4 and the AL Division Series will begin on Oct. 6.

The Indians, who at 72-51 boast the AL's best winning percentage (.585), lead the AL Central by 7 1/2 games over Detroit. Only the Cubs (12 1/2) and the Nationals (eight) hold larger advantages in their respective divisions. Should the Indians hang on to capture their first Central crown since 2007, they would guarantee themselves at least a five-game series in the playoffs. In 2013, the Tribe qualified for the AL Wild Card Game, which ended up being merely a three-hour October cameo.

Baseball Prospectus' projection system gives the Indians a 98.5 percent chance of making the playoffs. It gives the club a 16.6 percent chance of winning the World Series; only the Cubs received better odds (21.7 percent).

Following the Cavs' opener against the Knicks, the team will oppose the Raptors in Toronto on Oct. 28 and the Orlando Magic in Clevleand on Oct. 29.

'Only in Cleveland' has a sweet, new meaning

Josh Gordon doesn't want to be traded and is grateful the Browns aren't interested in doing so.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Josh Gordon didn't fight his way back into a Browns uniform just so he could say goodbye again.

He enjoys being with friends such as Robert Griffin III, Terrelle Pryor and Joe Haden, so it was a relief to him to hear Tuesday that the Browns have no intention of trading him.

Multiple teams have reportedly inquired, but a Browns source told cleveland.com the team isn't interested.

"I haven't heard too much about it,'' Gordon said after a hot, steamy practice against the Bucs. "Cleveland is my team. That's where I want to be, everything like that. That's not even in the ballpark for me. I'm not sure how that works.''

After being welcomed back despite the looming four-game suspension to start the season, he's grown close to Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, who's always taken a special interest in him.

"It works out perfectly then for me,'' Gordon said. "Mr. Haslam, the organization, Coach [Hue] Jackson, I think the world of those guys, this city, this organization. Apparently they're showing the love and respect back to me by allowing me to stay here up to this point. I expect to move forward with that and I'm excited about it. This is where I want to be and I'm happy to be with Cleveland.''

Josh Gordon loves being with #Browns and doesn't want to be traded pic.twitter.com/3W2ny3j2QP

-- Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) August 23, 2016

Haden, for one, would hate to see him go. The two have been close since Gordon was drafted in 2012. Gordon has spent many evenings hanging out on Haden's couch as the guest of Haden and his wife, Sarah.

"The business is so crazy, but as far as my personal opinion, I really, really like JG,'' said Haden. "I'm really happy for him. He got a chance to be back. I'm just talking to him and (hearing) how really excited and how blessed and how much he feels like this is an opportunity for him.

"He's definitely a player that can help out our team in many ways. I'm happy that he's here right now and I'm happy that he's a part of the team."

The Gordon-Pryor-Coleman Air Show set to debut in Tampa

Former Browns CEO Joe Banner had a chance to trade Gordon to the 49ers in 2013 after he had been suspended the first two games of the season for violating the substance abuse policy. The Browns would've received a second-round pick and a player in exchange.

But fans were still irate over the trade of Trent Richardson to the Colts -- for a first-round pick -- and Haslam also took into the account that coach Rob Chudzinski and offensive coordinator Norv Turner wanted Gordon. They felt they had the right support system in place. They were right, at least for that season. Gordon led the NFL with 1,646 yards and made the Pro Bowl.

But he was suspended the first 10 games of the 2014 season for a positive marijuana test, and for all of 2015 after being caught drinking alcohol on a plane after the season.

Gordon, 25, will be suspended indefinitely if he violates the substance abuse policy another time.  But he's determined not to do that, and isn't allowing the four-game ban to frustrate him.

"I'm really just happy just to be back,'' he said. "All things considered, I'm grateful to be back at practice. Every day, I get to wake up with the team. Play or not, I'm glad just to be here.''