Ohio State lost one player from its defense early to the NFL Draft in each of the past two days. Make it three in a row. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State lost one player from its defense early to the NFL Draft in each of the past two days. Make it three in a row. 

Middle linebacker Raekwon McMillan announced his intention to forgo his remaining year of collegiate eligibility at Ohio State to enter the NFL Draft on Wednesday. Defensive backs Malik Hooker and Gareon Conley also declared for the draft this week. 

A former five-star prospect, McMillan said after Ohio State's loss to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl that he hadn't made up his mind. But he's a projected first- or second-round pick, which made his decision to go to the NFL a no-brainer. 

Though some felt as if McMillan was having an underwhelming junior season, he finished with 102 tackles, which was 19 more than any other Ohio State defender. When the Buckeyes needed him the most -- in the Michigan and Clemson games -- McMillan swarmed all over the field for a combined 31 tackles. 

"Exactly three years ago, I was packing my clothes in my room getting ready to begin my journey at The Ohio State University not knowing what was in store for myself, and how many people I would meet and encounter along the way that would make my journey special and unique," McMillan wrote on Twitter. 

"First off, I would like to thank God, as he has been my foundation and never left my side through everything at OSU, my family for sacrificing and making sure that I stayed the course every step of the way, the entire Ohio State coaching and support staff for allowing me to become captain and leader of this program. My teammates at OSU, especially the 2014 class that I came in with, because without you guys none of my accomplishments would have come to be. My brothers of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. lots Psi Chapter and the entire NPHC at Ohio State. Everyone around me molded me to become who I am today. 

"That is why it was a difficult decision, but I have chosen to forgo my senior season and enter the 2017 NFL Draft. Thank you for the incredible experience. I wish we could have got the job done for you Buckeye Nation." 

Why McMillan was the perfect Buckeye -- almost

Thank You !! pic.twitter.com/ucRsP47buI

-- Raekwon McMillan (@Kwon_daTRUTH) January 4, 2017

After a great year for Cleveland sports, what moment won the award for what went wrong? Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The temptation is to write the entire introduction with the sentences rearranged in confusing ways, but we figured you get that enough whenever you read Bud Shaw's stories.

This is our "Only in Cleveland" Sports Moment of the Year, a category that may have been filled to the rafters with nominees in the past, but for 2016 warranted just four nominees.

On the other hand, the award for the actual best sports moment in Cleveland in 2016 had more than twice as many nominees.

Again, nice year, Cleveland sports.

All week we're rolling out the 2016 cleveland.com Sports Award winners that you, our faithful readers, voted on. Most of them celebrate the best of a year fans will never forget.

This particular awards deals with the other side -- the unintentional safeties, drone accidents and giant misspellings for the whole world to see.

Who were the nominees for Only in Cleveland Sports Moment?

Keep up all week with the awards.

Here's what has been revealed so far in the 2016 cleveland.com Sports Awards:

Welcome to the red carpet for the 2016 cleveland.com Sports Awards

Villain of the Year

Impact Decision of the Year

Best Moment of the Year

Now, onto the winner of the "Only in Cleveland" Moment of the Year. Watch the video above for the presentation.

Before acting on those new year's resolutions, you might be better served by first having a professional evaluate your fitness strengths and weaknesses.

BEACHWOOD, Ohio - Resolve will only get you so far. To reach your fitness goals in 2017, you'll also need the facts.

By facts, of course, I mean data. Cold, hard assessments of your strengths and weaknesses. Sans figures of this type, you can't even properly begin acting on new year's resolutions.

Luckily, there's no need to linger in the dark. To his menu of private training, Stephen Cerne of Fully Functional Fitness (fffitnesss.com) recently added detailed fitness evaluations, tests of everything from core and upper-body strength to posture, flexibility, and balance. Now, before embarking on any regimen, you can see exactly where (and how) you stand.

It's a thorough and tough exam, believe me. I went through the process last month and learned almost more than I wanted. Along with my scores on a battery of tests and Cerne's evaluation and recommendations, I took home startling evidence of the slouch and lower-leg misalignment that haunt me like the ghost of Christmas past.

Fundamentally, and encouragingly, I'm in decent shape. On the day I visited Cerne, my hip-to-waist ratio, body fat percentage, and body mass index all fell well within healthy ranges. Likewise, I performed well above average on tests of upper- and lower-body muscular strength and endurance.

If only I could say the same about my balance and flexibility. Sadly, however, I cannot. So poorly did I perform balancing on one foot and touching my toes in a seated position that if these had been scholarly exams, I wouldn't even have passed. Not by a wide margin. In his summary, Cerne urged me to devote several minutes each day to stretching and balancing.

But I digress. This article is for your benefit, not mine. You need to know more about the tests and what to expect if you go in for Cerne's exam or any similar test offered by a large gym or hospital.

A few words of advice: Wear athletic clothing, go light on (or skip) the coffee, and be prepared to work. Think of this as that day in gym class when instead of playing dodge-ball, you had to take the Presidential Physical Fitness Test.

Start with the caffeine thing. I wish I'd opted out of my usual morning espresso. Even after lying still on a table for several minutes, my resting heart-rate tested higher than I would have liked. Still within the normal range, but less than ideal. Ditto my blood pressure.

The upside to this was that my heart-rate barely rose after three minutes of stepping exercise. That's what I get from all my years of running and cycling.

I also fared well - thank you, CrossFit - on four tests of upper- and lower-body strength and endurance. These consisted of timed sit-ups and presses, a wall sit, and a marathon plank pose.

What to make of all this data? In my case, aside from a renewed sense of urgency to correct my posture, not much. Balance and flexibility have been nemeses of mine for years, and I'd have been shocked if I hadn't scored at least decently in strength and cardio.

But I'm the exception, not the rule. If I were new to fitness, or just embarking on a quest to get in shape, I'd regard all of this as critical information.

I'd take the numbers from Cerne's evaluation and set about addressing the issues they raise, one by one. I'd do research. I'd talk to experts. I'd form strategies. The first steps to a solution, after all, are identifying and understanding the problem.

Wade did not take part in Wednesday's morning shootaround because of a swollen left knee. He is officially a game-time decision.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers might not be the only team shorthanded in Wednesday's game, as the Chicago Bulls could be without starting shooting guard -- and LeBron James' good buddy -- Dwyane Wade.

Wade did not take part in Wednesday's morning shootaround because of a swollen left knee. He is officially a game-time decision.

The 13-year veteran sat out Monday's 118-111 win against the Charlotte Hornets -- his third missed game this season. He is averaging 18.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists in his first year with the Bulls.

Chicago already won't have rookie swingman Denzel Valentine, who backed up starter Doug McDermott on Monday in Wade's absence. Valentine suffered a sprained left ankle in the team's most recent victory and stayed back in Chicago for treatment.

Wednesday's game, which will be broadcast on ESPN, is the second meeting of the season between the teams. Chicago won the first on Dec. 2, 2016, the Cavs' third straight loss at the time.

Since then, Cleveland is 13-2 and both losses were without James, who is questionable.

"We don't think about it too much," said Tristan Thompson when asked about Cleveland's 4-18 record without James since 2014. "We just want to approach the game at hand. LeBron is definitely a big part of our team and he's a big focal point in terms of our offense and even defensively he's able to cover for so much of our mistakes. We definitely miss him out there, but at the same time we've just got to go out there and compete and put ourselves in position to win."

James, who admitted to being under the weather following Monday's win against the New Orleans Pelicans, was told not to attend morning shootaround because of the illness.

Kyrie Irving (hamstring) and Kevin Love (sick) are also questionable for tonight. 

A former Ohio State linebacker who played directly under Fickell from 2004-08, Freeman spent the last four years as the linebackers coach at Purdue.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Marcus Freeman was in attendance for Luke Fickell's introductory press conference as Cincinnati's new head coach.

It was clear he was going to be on the Bearcats staff. On Wednesday, his actual position was revealed: Defensive coordinator. The announcement came on the same day Fickell hired Doug Phillips to be special teams coordinator. 

"When I talked to our team on the day I was hired, I promised them I would hire an outstanding staff who were not only great motivators and teachers of football, but also great men off the field," Fickell said in a statement. "Marcus and Doug are the first two steps in making that promise a reality.

"They're both great men and coaches. I coached Marcus at Ohio State and he was later a part of our staff and I've coached with Doug and known him for a long time and they are great fits for Cincinnati. Their recruiting and coaching ties to the state of Ohio are very important to me because this is our home. This is our backyard where we can make the most impact on our roster and give our fans and supporters a team they can be proud of."

A former Ohio State linebacker who played directly under Fickell from 2004-08, Freeman spent the last four years as the linebackers coach at Purdue. 

It's a big step forward in Freeman's career, but he has proven to be a solid coach despite limited experience. Freeman even made our list for potential replacements for Fickell on Ohio State's staff. 

But being a coordinator at Cincinnati is arguably a better job.  

Marcus Freeman and the business side of college sports

How the NBA's 3-point revolution has paved the way for smaller players and resurrected the mid-range jump shot.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio - Kay Felder, like those who preceded him and couldn't reach 6 feet on a tape measure without standing on tiptoe, is a little big man.

Dustin Hoffman survived the Battle of the Little Bighorn in the movie of that name. A 5-9, 175-pounder like Felder surviving in the NBA is seemingly a triumph against only slightly shorter odds.

Little giants

Occasionally, such players become big stars, even in the NBA, in which coaches often jovially say, "You can't teach height," and in which such lumbering hulks as 7-4 Mark Eaton and 7-7 Gheorghe Muresan were gainfully employed.

Nate "Tiny" Archibald at 6-1 is the only player ever to lead the NBA in both assists and scoring in one season.

Isiah Thomas, 5-9, a current Boston Celtics player, scored 52 points the other day. But he is four inches shorter than the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame's Isiah Thomas of the Detroit Pistons.

Usually, the mighty mites are more like Cleveland Central Catholic's Earl Boykins, a 5-5 journeyman who had two tours with the Cavaliers and played for a decade with several teams in the NBA as a change-of-pace player.

Five-foot-three Tyrone "Muggsy" Bogues was the shortest player ever to play in the NBA. Although Bogues once stripped the ball from 7-foot Patrick Ewing as Ewing went up to shoot and was credited with a blocked shot, it was unclear whom Bogues, in tribute to his nickname, could mug.

Possible victims include the "Brownie" mascot of the allegedly professional tackle football team in Cleveland, or maybe Will Ferrell in the movie "Elf."

Bogues supposedly dunked in warmups a few times, although it is undocumented.

Freakish athleticism

It is part of the mystique of Felder, who played in the Horizon League for Oakland University in suburban Detroit, that he has a 44-inch vertical leap and ran the three-quarters court sprint in a time somewhere between a hand clapped to forehead in dismay and the time-keeper saying, "There must be something wrong with this watch."

Felder's recent success as a Cavaliers' rookie is yet another effect of basketball's 3-Point Revolution.

The post-up man rarely rings

"The game has changed so much now to where teams don't concentrate on posting guys like Kay up a lot," said Cavs TV analyst and distinguished former player Austin Carr before Wednesday's game against the Chicago Bulls. "Back in my day we'd start the game out posting them up right away."

When Felder is in the game, as the backup point guard to Kyrie Irving, opponents who distort their offense by trying to victimize him in the paint lose fluidity and ball movement.

The emphasis on a quick tempo is as high in the NBA as it is in the spread offenses of college football. The idea is to get a good shot before the defense is organized. This is perfect for waterbugs like Felder,

Layups and mid-rangers

The threat of the 3-pointer lures the defense away from the rim and opens the driving lanes.

For his part, Irving is the best finisher for a player who does not often dunk that I've ever seen, and I've seen players in person in the NBA since 1974.

In common slang, a "layup" is a synonym for something easy. "Always take the layup" is, like water taking the path of least resistance, usually a good game plan.

It is easier said than done at 6-2 for a player like Irving, whose craftiness is excelled by no one. It's even tougher among the trees at Felder's 5-9.

"Kay gets into you, making contact, and then he can use his jumping ability," said Carr.

An unintended consequence of being quick enough to fool the giants who contest layups is the return of the often neglected mid-range jump shot of 15-18 feet.

Defenders are so concerned about the quickness of Irving or Felder that just the threat of their penetration on the pick-and-roll often gets defenders back on their heels and leaves them vulnerable to the pull-up jumper.

"Michael Jordan when he came back (from his first retirement) won three championships with the mid-range game," said Carr, who himself was a master of it.

Carr listed Irving, Felder, the Clippers' Chris Paul and J.J. Redick as players whose games are dramatically enhanced by the pull-up shot.

Small ball's time is now

Felder is solidly built, compared to Boykins, and is not as elfin-sized as either Boykins or Bogues. The Cavs' rookie seems to have come along at a confluence of inherent ability, learned skill and great opportunity.

As Carr's broadcast partner Fred McLeod punned, perhaps egregiously, "Every bliss begins with Kay."

Barrett has had two-plus years as Ohio State's starting quarterback

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The biggest question looming over Ohio State football heading into preparations for the 2017 season was whether or not Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett would come back for a fifth season.

Barrett answered the question on Wednesday.

Barrett, who just graduated, announced on his personal Instagram account that he's coming back to Ohio State. No inspirational message, just a few simple words from the player who's been Ohio State's starting quarterback for the last two-plus seasons. 

"I'm coming back for my senior year," Barrett wrote. "Much love to Buckeye Nation and thank God for the blessings."

Barrett completed 233-of-379 passes (61.5 percent) for 2,555 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also rushed 205 times for 845 yards and nine touchdowns in leading Ohio State to the College Football Playoff. 

His completion percentage has dropped each year since 2014, when he started as a redshirt freshman and finished No. 5 in the Heisman Trophy voting.

Urban Meyer said after Ohio State's loss to Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl that the Buckeyes would become a better passing team in 2017. Barrett and the offense will try to accomplish that with a new quarterbacks coach in Ryan Day, and reportedly a new offensive coordinator in Kevin Wilson. 

By no means did Barrett's 2016 season meet what anyone envisioned when he came into the spring as the clear-cut No. 1 quarterback for the time in his career. Some of that is on him, some of it is on the development of the players around him and the positions in which Ohio State's coaches put the offense. 

The Buckeyes are trying to remedy the coaching issues, which were glaring for most of the season and came to a head when they were shut out in the Fiesta Bowl. 

We talked extensively about Barrett several times in our Buckeye Talk Podcast during this season, including a deep dive into his legacy and why he's the quarterback Ohio State needed this season with deficiencies on the offensive line and at receiver. 

Barrett was a co-winner of the Silver Football Award, given to the Big Ten's best player, and the Big Ten Quarterback of the Year for the second time in his career.

He'll enter the 2017 season as a three-time team captain with a career record of 26-4 as a starting quarterback. He holds 18 individual Ohio State records, and is six touchdowns away from matching Drew Brees' Big Ten record for touchdowns responsible for.

You can see Barrett's Instagram post below:

I'm coming back for my senior year. Much love to Buckeye Nation and thank God for the blessings.

A photo posted by JT Barrett (@jt_theqbiv) on Jan 4, 2017 at 12:32pm PST

I expect quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers to play well enough to cover against the Miami Dolphins as part of NFL Wild Card Weekend 2017.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Houston Texans, Detroit Lions, Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants will win against the spread on NFL Wild Card Weekend 2017.

At least that is how I see it -- for entertainment purposes only, of course.

I am picking NFL ATS for the second straight year. In 2015, I went 122-127-7 in the regular season and 4-6-1 in the postseason. I did manage to win the Super Bowl (Denver +5 1/2).

In this space, I decline to take the easy route when picking ATS. I pick all of the games, not a select few "hot ones'' each week. Leave that to a video. At the same time, I am realistic. I think batting .500 is an accomplishment, and I make no guarantees. (And don't yell at me too loudly when I have a bad week(s) because this is, after all, for entertainment purposes only.)

I have researched each team/matchup, but I plan on relying more on gut than anything else this season. 

For continuity's sake, each week I will use the MGM Mirage lines from vegasinsider.com as of Wednesday afternoon unless noted. Games are listed as I came upon them, not by order of certainty. I do not adjust picks even if injuries occur and/or lines change between Wednesday afternoon and Sunday.

• Week 1: 9-6-1
• Week 2: 8-8
• Week 3: 7-9
• Week 4: 8-7
• Week 5: 7-6-1
• Week 6: 5-10
• Week 7: 10-5
• Week 8: 6-6-1
• Week 9: 6-6-1
• Week 10: 5-9
• Week 11: 11-1-2
• Week 12: 9-6-1
• Week 13: 9-6
• Week 14: 9-7
• Week 15: 6-9-1
• Week 16: 8-8
• Week 17: 7-9

Week 17 recap: I should have gone at least 8-8 (I was 15-1 outright). I suffered several close losses and was stung by one of the baddest bad beats in the history of bad beats.

*I had @ Atlanta -6 1/2 over New Orleans. The NFC South champion Falcons led the going-nowhere-but-home Saints by 25 -- twenty-five -- entering the fourth quarter. The Falcons proceeded to shut it down, the Saints scored three touchdowns en route to 19 points, and the Falcons won, 38-32. Thanks for nothing, Falcons.

I recovered from the pain of 7-9 quickly, though, because I finished 130-118-8 for the regular season. I will take 130-118-8, especially given the sub-.500 showing in 2015. A friend said he ran the numbers and told me that, if someone put $100 in Monopoly money on every one of my picks, the person would have "earned'' $20 in Monopoly money. I got a kick out of that. Win or lose, entertainment purposes only ultimately is designed for fun.      

Wild Card Weekend predictions (MGM Mirage lines as of late Wednesday night):

(For the record: All of the following spreads make me extremely uneasy.)

SATURDAY

@ Houston -3 1/2 over Oakland

Skinny: It pains me to go against the Raiders and edge-rushing sensation Khalil Mack. I simply trust Raiders third-string QB Connor Cook less than I do Texans starter-turned-backup-turned-starter Brock Osweiler. And the Texans owe me for last year's home playoff debacle against the Chiefs. Texans, 20-16.

Detroit +8 over @ Seattle

Skinny: My (somewhat) rational mind says the Seahawks are giving too many points to a quality opponent, and that these Seahawks can't be trusted. My gut tells me the Seahawks finally get serious and stop bobbing and weaving through a game. Mind wins by a whisker. Seahawks, 22-15.

SUNDAY

@ Pittsburgh -10 over Miami

Skinny: Vegas sure was impressed that the Dolphins beat the Steelers in the regular season in South Beach. The Dolphins can rush effectively, but they won't be able to keep up with the well-rested key pieces of the Steelers offense. Steelers, 27-16.

N.Y. Giants +5 over @ Green Bay

Skinny: I got burned picking against one of my all-time favorites, Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, in Week 17 at Detroit. I don't know why I'm doing it again. Packers, 24-20.

The Cleveland Indians are hoping for a boost in attendance after making it to the World Series last season. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In 2014, the Kansas City Royals ranked 24th in attendance and went to the World Series.

In 2015, their attendance rose to No. 10.

The Cleveland Indians ranked 28th in attendance last season and made it to the World Series, before falling in seven games to the Chicago Cubs.

Will the Indians have a rise in attendance like that of the Royals?

In some ways, the Tribe is counting on it. The team's payroll will rise from $95 million to about $135 million. Edwin Encarnacion has been signed.

The Indians are picked to win the AL Central Division.

There are signs of Indian fever as the team is over 10,000 season tickets for the first time in about 10 years.

We talk about it in this video.

Did LeBron James' exultation, "Cleveland! This is for you!" after the Cavs won Game 7 of the NBA Finals win him the cleveland.com sports award? Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's a simple task to come up with a memorable Cleveland sports quote.

Cavaliers fans can picture LeBron James in that red-and-white checkered shirt as he said he was taking his talents to South Beach.

Browns fans can share a laugh as they remember Mike Holmgren's line: "Don't come to me for extra tickets for a playoff game." Or, they can recall Carmen Policy's line after BottleGate in 2001: "Those bottles are plastic. They don't pack much of a wallop."

Larry Dolan rubbed some Indians fans the wrong way when he said the organization would only spend when the time was right. Mark Shapiro did the same when he suggested fans don't attend games if all they care about are wins and losses.

In 2016, there were some more of those quotes that make you smack your palm against your forehead. But in a year in which Cleveland ended a half-century-long hex, some memorable -- and uplifting, even -- one-liners rose to the surface.

James atoned for his prior talent relocation when he shouted in celebration, with tears dripping down his face, after Game 7. It's hard to top that, given the previous 52 years of Cleveland sports results (at the major professional level).

Nominees for Quote of the Year

Ah, but what about those quotes that will have us shaking our heads for years?

Golden State guard Klay Thompson tweaked James after the Warriors grabbed a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals. The Warriors didn't win another game in the series. Paul DePodesta, the Browns' chief strategy officer, claimed there was no signal-caller in the NFL Draft who would develop into a top-20 quarterback in the league. Hue Jackson implored fans to trust him after the team selected Cody Kessler a few rounds earlier than where many had projected the quarterback to be drafted. Christian Kirksey proved prophetic (or something) when he declared in November that the Browns would not go 0-16. Of course, he said nothing about 0-14 or 1-15.

None of those, however, carried the emotion and significance of James' exultation after Game 7. So, did James take home the cleveland.com sports award for Quote of the Year? Watch the video above, as Doug Lesmerises and Zack Meisel present the hardware.

Award for 'Best Moment of the Year'

Award for 'Impact Decision of the Year'

Award for 'Memorable Villain of the Year'

Maybe Cleveland Indians fans hate the New York Yankees, but it's nice to feel like them right now with the Edwin Encarnacion signing.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - This must be what living large like the New York Yankees feels like.

Never mind that little moue of distaste you just made with your lips when you read that sentence. Hate is closely related to envy when the subject is the Yankees and their ability to buy championships.

The Cleveland Indians would look good in pinstripes today.

It's not really the '90s again

This is what a perfect storm of circumstances whipped up for the Indians, defending American League champions and new employers of the top prize on the free agency market, former Toronto Blue Jays slugger Edwin Encarnacion,

Scheduled to be introduced at a Thursday morning news conference, Encarnacion is the Indians' biggest acquisition since Roberto Alomar came over from the Baltimore Orioles to play with his brother Sandy and form a dream double-play combination with Omar Vizquel in the 1990s.

The Indians were able to conduct themselves as a big market team at the time, because the opening of Progressive (nee, Jacobs) Field heralded an era when ballpark revenue and not cable television money separated the have's and have-not's.

Those days are not back again, for all that it feels as if they are.

All factors were aligned

First of all, Encarnacion's defense is no more than adequate. Alomar was a future Hall of Famer for both his glove and bat.

The Encarnacion deal got done because the Indians had the cash after reaching the World Series, although they needed a fife, drum and a few bloody bandages for the team picture.

The best position player, Michael Brantley, was out, effectively, for the season. Two starting pitchers (Danny Salazar and Carlos Carrasco) were down. Another, Trevor Bauer, was injured while playing with his toy firetruck.

Scratch that. While playing with his drone. But it's pretty much the same thing.

Almost no one thought the Indians would sign Encarnacion, but they took the plunge when the market declined for sluggers, in part because of Tribe manager Terry Francona's magisterial use of a deep bullpen in the playoffs.

The fixed costs were controlled with young players such as Francisco Lindor, Jason Kipnis and Jose Ramirez under contract. The nearly unhittable reliever, Andrew Miller, will be here for two more seasons, too.

While Encarnacion will be 34 this Saturday, the deal makes sense at $60 million for three years because it is a relatively short one. For his part, Encarnacion is coming off the best run of his career as a run producer.

His acquisition makes the Indians huge favorites in the weak AL Central Division, which the Tribe treated as their personal speed bag last season with a 49-26 record within it.

His bittersweet October

The only worry might be like his predecessor, Mike Napoli, at first base and designated hitter, he cools off in October.

Encarnacion hit only 4 for 19, .211, against the Indians in the American League Championship Series, with only one extra base hit, a double. But before that Encarnacion homered in three of his first four playoff games against Baltimore and Texas.

The loser in the Toronto-Baltimore wild-card game on a three-run walk-off home run in the 11^th inning was erratic former Indians starter Ubaldo Jimenez. Indians fans got to know the ka-booms and busts of Jimenez all too well.

The guy who hit the homer was Encarnacion. Fans here are happy to make his acquaintance.

The Cleveland Indians are set to introduce free agent signee Edwin Encarnacion at 10:15 a.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Indians officials will announce the signing of free agent slugger Edwin Encarnacion today during a press conference from Progressive Field slated for 10:15 a.m.

Encarnacion, regarded as one of the top power hitters on the free agent market this offseason, has reportedly agreed to a three year deal worth $60 million with a club option for $25 million in 2020.

Get live updates and chat with cleveland.com Indians beat writers Paul Hoynes and Zack Meisel as the Tribe introduces Encarnacion to the Cleveland media.

Last season, Encarnacion hit .263 (158-for-601) with 42 homers and 127 RBI. He tied David Ortiz for the AL lead in runs batted in and finished tied for fourth in the AL in home runs.

Post your thoughts on the signing in the comments section below, and follow along with updates from the press conference.

Make sure to vote in the poll below and tell us what you think the Tribe's most pressing need is now that Encarnacion's bat is in the fold.

Encarnacion, Indians hammer out final details

Follow us on Snap, Facebook and Twitter as the Indians introduce slugger Edwin Encarnacion to Cleveland.

CLEVELAND, Ohio-- You're not dreaming, Cleveland. Edwin Encarnacion is officially a member of the Indians and he will be introduced as such Thursday morning. 

After passing a physical, the 30-year-old slugger signed a deal reportedly worth $55 million over three years with a $5 million signing bonus. The club option for a fourth year is worth another $25 million, if the Indians exercise it. If not, Encarnacion can receive a $5 million buyout.

All in all, the Indians matched the offer Encarnacion turned down from Toronto. The Tribe reached an agreement with Encarnacion in December, but it became official Thursday morning.

Encarnacion's is the largest contract ever given out by the Tribe.

Need some stats on the Tribe's newest slugger? Over the last three seasons, Encarnacion batted .269, averaging 38 HR and 112 RBI.

We'll be live Thursday at 10:15 a.m. from Encarnacion's introductory news conference at Progressive Field, providing coverage on Snap, Facebook and Twitter. 

Want to follow along as the Indians officially introduce Encarnacion?

Add us on Snapchat (username: clevelanddotcom) and follow us Twitter and Facebook by clicking each highlighted link. 

RELATED: Edwin Encarnacion, from E5 to Steady Eddie

Encarnacion, who turns 34 on Saturday, spent the last 12 playing for the Cincinnati Reds and the Toronto Blue Jays. He'll wear the #10 jersey for the Tribe.

Watch live as the Indians introduce Encarnacion at Progressive Field:

Indians, Edwin Encarnacion make their three-year $60 million deal official. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians and and free agent Edwin Encarnacion are officially an item. The team announced its three-year $60 million deal with the veteran power hitter on Thursday morning.

The two sides agreed to terms on Dec. 22, but Encarnacion still had to pass a physical. He did that on Wednesday.

Encarnacion spent the last 7 1/2 seasons with Toronto. In the last five years, he became one of the most consistent power hitters in the big leagues. Last year he hit 42 homers and tied for the AL lead with 127 RBI.

The Indians and Encarnacion agreed on a three-year $60 million contract with an option for a fourth year. The option is worth $25 million. If the Indians don't exercise it, Encarnacion will receive a $5 million buyout.

Encarnacion cost the Indians their No.1 draft pick in the first-year player draft in June. He is expected to play first base and DH and hit cleanup in the Tribe's lineup.

The right-handed hitting Encarnacion will wear No.10, his old Toronto number. Tribe catcher Yan Gomes, a former teammate of Encarnacion's, agreed to give up his number. Gomes will wear No.7.

The Indians dropped lefty Edwin Escobar to make room for Encarnacion on the 40-man roster.

Youngstown State coach Bo Pelini really is at home in Youngstown, and he's winning by doing it his way.

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- I like Bo Pelini.

There,  I said it.

I like the Youngstown State football coach without condoning everything he does.

His sideline actions with officials can be embarrassing.

I prefer a coach on the sidelines more like Jim Tressel. He is the former Ohio State and YSU coach who is now the president at YSU. Tressel was "The Vest," and his motto seemed to be, "Never let them see you sweat."

But as Pelini told me, "I have seen (Alabama's) Nick Saban or (Michigan's) John Harbaugh do it, and it's not that big a deal.

"I get mad one time and that's the thing they're going to show. Once you get that reputation, it won't go away."

Pelini says "I understand," but you can tell it bothers him.

That's because it's unfair to put Pelini in the box of being just a whack job on the sidelines.

The man is an excellent coach, as he has proved with Youngstown State.

In his second season, he has the Penguins in the NCAA Division I Football Championship game. They will play James Madison on Saturday at 12:05 p.m. in Brisco, Texas.

YSU has not even been to the playoffs since 2006.

The team had an 18-22 record in the Missouri Valley Conference in the previous five seasons before Pelini arrived in 2015.

This year, the team was picked fifth in the Missouri Valley, the same conference where national power North Dakota State has ruled for years.

It's amazing they are in position to win their first national title since 1997, when a guy named Jim Tressel was the coach.

BEFORE YOUNGSTOWN

Things ended ugly for Pelini in Nebraska, despite his 83-36 record at the school. He never was worse than 9-4 with the Huskers.

But Pelini didn't enjoy the spotlight of being the football coach in a state where there are only two real sports that most people care about -- fall football and spring football. You also can toss in recruiting as a third season, only the speculation lasts year round.

After he departed, a profane tape was released of him attacking the school's athlete director.

I don't like that, either.

But I do like the fact that in his seven seasons at Nebraska, 122 of 132 of his seniors graduated.

I like the fact the Huskers had 11 Academic All Americans, second most in Division I during his seasons.

I like the fact that his team had a 3.0 grade point average in his final season, and that Nebraska consistently ranked in the 80 percentile in the country in APR (Academic Progress Rate). Some seasons, it was 90 percent.

I like the fact there was no trouble with the NCAA.

I like the fact his YSU team had a 2.7 GPA this season. Several players on the field have already graduated.

"That's the best GPA we've had since I've been here," said Pelini. "But it's not good enough."

This is not to say every kid who has played for Pelini is a scholar. But it's obvious Pelini cares about academics. One of his goals is to upgrade the academic support system at YSU.

"We won at a high level at Nebraska, and academically we were pretty good," said Pelini. "Nine wins was the lowest total we had. I can look myself in the mirror and know I've done it the right way."

COMING HOME

After he was fired, Pelini still had a contract worth about $3 million annually from Nebraska.

He was a former NFL assistant for the 49ers, Patriots and Packers. He was a defensive coordinator at Nebraska, Oklahoma and LSU. He's always coached at the elite levels of football.

He was worn down emotionally after leaving Nebraska. He wanted to coach, but wasn't sure where.

A Youngstown guy and Cardinal Mooney graduate, he was talking to a friend in his hometown when he heard the YSU job was coming open. The friend asked if Pelini would be interested.

Even before learning of the opening, Pelini and his wife of 21 years had been talking. He had met Mary Pat at Cardinal Mooney. They were already considering a move home to Youngstown. Then the YSU job came open.

He called and the Penguins were surprised. They were immediately interested. They assumed he'd be coaching at a higher level, or be an assistant in the NFL.

Pelini had a few offers at the Division I level, but Youngstown is special. Youngstown is the place to raise his kids. Two are at Mooney now and a third is expected to follow.

"My father (Anthony Pelini) raised eight kids," said Pelini. "All eight of us went to Catholic schools. All of us graduated from college. He was a pharmaceutical sales man, very hard working and disciplined."

Someone who knows Pelini well told me, "Bo is a pure coach."

I think of him as an old-school coach, but in a good way.

I talked to two of his players -- quarterback Hunter Wells and defensive back D.J. Thomas. Both said, "Most of the time, Coach Bo is pretty laid back."

I watched him at Monday's practice, no big explosions. He calls himself "a teacher," and he was in that mode with his players.

NO HIDDEN AGENDA

In Youngstown, he's not a celebrity. He's Bo. He's the native son who came home.

"Probably the biggest difference here is you don't have people shooting pictures," he said. "You go out to eat in Lincoln (Nebraska), and sometimes it was like a photo shoot."

Pelini knows that's a part of a big job such as Nebraska.

"I try to never pay attention to what people say," said Pelini. "My job isn't to worry about what the boosters are saying or anyone else. My job is to do what's best for the football program."

So he won't confirm that several of his players were suspended in the postseason, reportedly for failing drug tests. James Madison ran into the same issue, seven of its players were also suspended.

"I've suspended players several times since I've been here," he said. "I don't talk about it."

You can like it ... or not.

But it's pure Pelini, doing the job his way.

"This is a good situation for me," he said. "I've always been about family and Youngstown is a big part of who I am."

"I don't even think about the knee injury anymore," Grimes said. "I feel better than ever and my knee is back to normal." Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Fiver-star wide receiver Trevon Grimes of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas watched the Fiesta Bowl like the rest of the world and he saw Ohio State's passing game struggle in a 31-0 blowout loss to Clemson.

Grimes digested all of it. 

But what you have to understand about a five-star prospect like Grimes is that he doesn't see something like that and want to run away. He wants to dive in and help. 

Rated a five-star prospect and No. 5 receiver in the 2017 recruiting class in the 247Sports composite rankings, Grimes saw Ohio State's deficiencies and immediately mentally inserted himself into the lineup. There's potential there. 

"People had been saying all year that Ohio State needed a deep threat, and that's basically what I specialize in and what I feel like I can bring to the table," Grimes told cleveland.com on Wednesday. "I feel like once I do get to Ohio State and get acclimated with the program, I think me being able to stretch the field and go deep could really help the passing game." 

So don't worry about Urban Meyer, Ohio State's recruiting and holding onto players like Grimes. The Buckeyes may have lacked a little in the passing game this year, but there are reinforcements coming. 

A 6-foot-3, 202-pound receiver, Grimes is one of two five-star receivers committed in Ohio State's 2017 recruiting class. The other is Tyjon Lindsey of Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman. And Meyer may add another receiver to the class like four-star Jaylen Harris of Cleveland Heights, Ohio. 

There's so much talent in Ohio State's class, which makes it easy to forget how valuable Grimes' commitment is. It also hurts Grimes that he tore his ACL during and saw his senior season cut short. 

But he was a purely-dominant wide receiver before the injury. Don't forget that. 

Some wonder if Grimes is going to return as dominant as he was before the injury. Grimes even wondered that himself. But 11 weeks removed from surgery, Grimes is squatting, lunging and doing band work. He'll will begin running next week. 

"I don't even think about the knee injury anymore," Grimes said. "I feel better than ever and my knee is back to normal. The only difference between now and before the injury is the fact that my knee and leg aren't as strong. 

"I feel like I've come back actually stronger than what I was before. I feel like this knee injury, it sounds kind of weird, but it helped me out because it matured me a lot and helped my work ethic and my ability to get better before I do get off to college and become a better player." 

There's a lot of irony with Grimes' injury. It occured on a televised game against Bishop Gorman, a team with three Ohio State commits, and he scored an exciting touchdown before it happened. The injury also happened the same exact week in the season that former five-star defensive end and Aquinas product Nick Bosa tore his the previous season. 

That has given Grimes strength. He saw Bosa go through it and play as a freshman at Ohio State. 

"It helped me a lot in the first couple of weeks, but now it doesn't even cross my mind that I'm not going to recover," Grimes said. "Now that I'm in week 11, my whole mindset has changed. I know I'm going to come back better than ever and I'm looking forward to it. I don't have any doubt in my mind that this ACL surgery will have an impact on me at all." 

Grimes had a different surgeon than Bosa but has been working with the same therapist, and the receiver said the trajectory of his recovery has been very similar to Bosa's. 

Though Grimes isn't going to enroll early, he feels he'll be able to practice -- at least on a limited basis at the beginning -- when Ohio State opens up fall camp. Grimes feels as if he'll be able to play. 

"I'll be ready," he said. 

Inside Aquinas: A South Florida football juggernaut

See what Edwin Encarnacion said at a news conference Thursday. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Newly signed Cleveland Indians player Edwin Encarnacion has given $100,000 to Cleveland and Dominican baseball programs.

When asked about it he said "I believe that when God blesses you with something that you should pass along the blessings to other people."

The team announced its three-year $60 million deal with the veteran power hitter, a free agent coming from the Toronto Blue Jays, on Thursday morning.

Take a look at the video above from Encarnacion's news conference.

Cleveland Indians three-year $60 million deal with Edwin Encarnacion is official

All this year, we're going to step back in time and share some of that history with added coverage devoted to the role the Plain Dealer has played, kicking off with a special "Milestones" section in Sunday's newspaper. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Plain Dealer has been telling Cleveland's story for 175 years now.

In celebration, all this year we're going to step back in time and share some of that history with added coverage devoted to the role the Plain Dealer has played, kicking off with a special "Milestones" section in Sunday's newspaper.

At various times throughout the rest of 2017, we will explore Cleveland's rich sports history, share stories of founding innovation and industry and take a look at the leaders who shaped this city.

We are proud to have been an integral part of telling Cleveland's story for the past 175 years, and we're looking forward to sharing those stories with you starting this Sunday.

Are you wondering why there is a parrot on Edwin Encarnacion's new Cleveland Indians emoji? We've got answers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When the Cleveland Indians signed Edwin Encarnacion to a three-year contract worth $60 million, the club apparently also adopted a colorfully feathered (figurative) pet.

Encarnacion's notorious "walking the parrot" home run celebration was a fan sensation during his playing time in Toronto, and the slugger confirmed it will make the transition to Cleveland after his signing was officially announced this week.

When asked if the parrot would be crossing the Canadian border with him, Encarnacion laughed and replied "I have to ask immigration."

Immediately, the Tribe's social media accounts began sharing a new Encarnacion emoji that includes a parrot on the infielder's shoulder.

Edwin Encarnacion's new Cleveland Indians emoji includes a parrot on his right shoulder. (Image via @Indians on Twitter)
 

But where did "walking the parrot" come from? Does the parrot have a name? (Yes, it's Eddie) How soon before we see parrot paraphernalia at Progressive Field? 

According to parrot lore, Encarnacion crushed a grand slam during an April 2012 game in Seattle, and celebrated by holding his bent right arm parallel to the ground as he rounded the bases.

His teammates and Blue Jays fans picked up on it, and the signature move stuck. He's hit more than 170 home runs since then, and the #Edwing has been a part of every trot.

Eventually more and more Blue Jays fans caught on, creating GIFs and memes featuring a parrot perched on Encarnacion's bent right wing. Stuffed parrots made their way into the dugout and the stands at Rogers Centre, and the slugger's following started to resemble more of a Jimmy Buffet concert crowd than one could reasonably explain.

Just reminded of how great Edwin Encarnacion's walking the parrot is: pic.twitter.com/WSe9QH1w4m

-- Laura Mitchell (@medieval_laura) August 27, 2015

Indians Assistant Director of Communications, Joel Hammond, said Encarnacion's official Tribe emoji comes straight from Major League Baseball's customized keyboard app, MLB Clubhouse.

The app gives fans the ability to share custom keyboard emojis, GIFs and stickers of their favorite teams and players via social media and text.

Here's what you need to know about Edwin Encarnacion

Cleveland.com's 2016 Sports Awards recognizes the winner of the Top Trolling Moment of the Year. That it happened during a season in which the Cavs brought a NBA title to town and the Indians almost delivered a World Series makes it even more memorable. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Here's LeBron James' story (and he's sticking to it):

Remember that "Ultimate Warrior" T-shirt he modeled when he came home from bringing the city its first major championship in 52 years?

 A coincidence, he says.

Bought by his wife.

Pulled from his bag after the shirt he wore to Vegas following the Game 7 win over the Golden State Warriors was sprayed with champagne.

"The only other shirt I had in my bag was my Ultimate Warrior t-shirt," he told Business Insider in August.

You don't have to believe that it was all a coincidence. In fact, we're pretty sure you didn't based on the voting for our 2016 Sports Awards Top Trolling Moment of the Year.

 James is a wrestling fan. Earlier in the series he sported an "Undertaker" shirt. Just after the Cavs got dirt shoveled on them in a series they trailed, 3-1.

Whatever James' intent, the Warriors and their fans no doubt felt trolled when it was all over.

Worse than even Toronto fans, who watched Trevor Bauer troll them despite leaving Game 3 of the American League Championship Series with a bloody finger suffered in a drone repair accident. 

Bauer was front and center at another moment when he took to Twitter and led the blast of cleveland.com baseball writer Paul Hoynes after Hoynes threw his own shovel of dirt on the Indians' playoff chances in mid-September.

I notice @hoynsie wasn't at the game today doing his job like the rest of us were. To say what he did then not show up for work? #coward

Increasingly motivated, the Indians made it all the way to Game 7 of the World Series. 

Wherever injury collides with insult, it goes without saying that you'd find the Browns. They're also included on the list of nominees for the top trolling moment of 2016. In the role of victim, of course.

That happened when Steelers' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, whom the Browns passed over for Kellen Winslow Jr. in the 2004 draft, shared his surprise - OK, astonishment - that the Browns passed over Carson Wentz in the 2016 draft.

Watch our video (complete with laugh track because Doug Lesmerises isn't that funny on his own) as we reveal the winner of the Top Trolling Moment of the Year.

It's part of our inaugural 2016 Sports Awards. Look for Ricky Gervais to replace Doug next year.

One final thought. if the sight of two red-carpet worthy stud sportswriters still won't dislodge the indelible and disturbing image of Paul Hoynes emerging from a dip in Lake Erie, we apologize.