Forget the injuries. Coach needs to find a way to make players compete harder, starting tonight, says PD columnist. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, hosted by Branson Wright and Chuck Yarborough.

The NBA's All-Star Break is this weekend. If you had to choose a player today to be named the league's MVP, who would it be? Cast your vote in today's Starting Blocks poll.

Chuck says Orlando's Dwight Howard is his choice; and Branson picks Derrick Rose of the Bulls.

Today's guest, Plain Dealer columnist BIll Livingston, says Rose also is his choice. Livy is recently back from a cruise vacation, and he says he can't understand why the Cavaliers are competing like they're on vacation. Livy says he hopes to see more effort from the Cavs tonight when they take on the L.A. Lakers at The Q. And he adds that coach Byron Scott has to be held accountable for the inconsistent effort by the players.

SBTV will return Thursday.

The draft analyst likes UNC's Robert Quinn, too, but questions his development after missing 2010 because of an NCAA suspension.

AP fileAlabama's Marcell Dareus, shown making a play against Texas

CLEVELAND -- Some of the NFL Draft analysts are coming to the conclusion the Browns will focus on defense with their first pick in the April 28 draft.

ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay's latest mock draft has them taking Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus with the No. 6 overall pick.

Dareus, 6-2 3/4 and 309 pounds, was suspended the first two games in 2010 for accepting inappropriate benefits from an agent.

"(He) has a little durability concern, and he had the two-game suspension," McShay said on a conference call. "But when this guy's going and he's 100 percent, he's as disruptive as any player in this draft.

"He's strong, a lot stronger than people think . . . has great awareness. He's not as big or athletic as (projected No. 1 tackle Nick) Fairley (of Auburn), but he might be a more complete player when he's 100 percent. He can play the 3-4 or a 4-3 for teams going back and forth ... like Cleveland, that want to do different things up front.

"He's a good fit. Bottom line, he can get after the quarterback, he can disrupt and is a lot stronger than people give him credit for."

McShay originally pegged North Carolina defensive end Robert Quinn for the Browns. Quinn was suspended for the entire 2010 season, and McShay believes Quinn remains a year behind what he could have been as a player entering the NFL.

"But you keep getting tugged back in by the physical tools," McShay said of the 6-5, 268-pound Quinn. "There's only so many guys that has his frame and his athleticism that can get after the quarterback in the NFL and legitimately become that double-digit sack guy. I think he has that potential."

Kenny Lofton, Indians all-time leader in stolen bases, will instruct baserunners and outfielders from Feb. 22 to Feb. 28.

 GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- This is a daily briefing of the Indians in spring training in Goodyear, Ariz.

 It's official. The Indians have signed infielder Orlando Cabrera to a one-year contract. The deal is worth $1 million plus incentives. He made just over $2 million last season in Cincinnati.

Cabrera, 36, took his physical today and went through an informal workout at the Indians training site.

He worked out at second base alongside shortstop Asdrubal Carbrera.  He was scheduled to meet reporters later today.

Cabrera will compete for the second base job this spring. The 14-year veteran has played primarily at shortstop. In his 14 years in the big leagues, he's played only 33 games at second.

The Indians feel confident he can play second. Manager Manny Acta was a coach with Montreal when Cabrera played there and feels he'll have no problem playing second base.

Cabrera is also scheduled to see action at third and shortstop. 

The Indians must drop a player from the 40-man roster to make room for Cabrera. They said the move will be announced in the next few days.

Countdown, Day two:  Indians pitchers and catchers will meet with manager Manny Acta and GM Chris Antonetti to find out where they stand in spring training and where they stand for the regular season.

 "It's a great process," said Acta. "This way the players know exactly what's expected of them. They're not blindsided at the end of camp."

 Pitchers and catchers will get their physicals today.

 Good move: The Indians made it official today when they announced that Kenny Lofton, inducted into the Indians Hall of Fame last year, will be a guest instructor in camp from Feb. 22 through Feb. 28.

 Lofton is the Indians all-time leader in steals with 452. In his career, he stole 622 bases, ranking 15th in history. He was a .299 (2,428-for-8,120) career hitter with 1,528 runs over 17 seasons.

 Defensively, Lofton won four Gold Gloves for his play in center field.

 The Indians have worked hard the last few years to build a link with their past. They've brought back Mike Hargrove, Sandy Alomar Jr., Charles Nagy, Eduardo Perez, Jason Bere, Lofton and others.

 If the current Indians can't learn from those guys, they're not listening.

 Lofton will also be at Progressive Field for two weekends during the season as an alumni ambassador to meet fans.

 New backstop: The Indians promoted catcher Chun Chen to big league camp. Chen, 22, hit for a combined .315 (123-for-390) last year at Class A Kinston and Lake County. He scored 58 runs with 38 doubles, three triples, 12 homers and 69 RBI in 110 games.

 His 38 doubles led all Tribe minor leaguers last year.

 Chen lives in Hulian County, Taiwan.

 Slowly, but surely: Anthony Reyes, who didn't make it back last year from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow after several false starts, wasn't surprised at the roadblocks he encountered.

 "I knew it was going to take some time," he said. "I've been pitching with my elbow like that since high school. That's about 10 years ago."

 Reyes says he felt good at the end of the year in Instructional League. He'll compete with David Huff, Jeanmar Gomez, Josh Tomlin and Aaron Laffey for the fifth spot in the rotation.

 "Four or five guys for one spot," said Huff. "It's going to be good competition."

 Huff lost 11 games with the Indians last year, but then went 8-2 at Class AAA Columbus in 12 starts.

 "I went down and started pitching like I need to," he said. "I was throwing my fastball and change up. I've really worked hard on the change up. I can throw it inside to lefties and righties."

 Empty feeling: Still can't believe Hall of Famer Bob Feller is gone. I keep waiting for him to walk into the press room to give us a rundown on the day's current events.

 Finally: The Indians first official workout is Thursday.

Check out this video submitted to cleveland.com from Midpark girls JV coach Brandon Stewart. Midpark comes up with a steal and, on their ensuing possession, comes up with two points that they'll never be able to duplicate. The officials ended up waving off the basket, but it's still a bizarre play.

Check out this video submitted to cleveland.com from Midpark girls JV coach Brandon Stewart. Midpark comes up with a steal and, on their ensuing possession, comes up with two points that they'll never be able to duplicate.

The officials ended up waving off the basket, but it's still a bizarre play.

You can submit your high school sports videos by uploading them here or you can upload them to your school's high school sports home page or send them to us at sports@cleveland.com.

Byron Scott will be honored

Scott Shaw / The Plain DealerCleveland Cavaliers head coach Byron Scott.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are the worst team in the NBA and there hasn't been much for coach Byron Scott to smile about.

But maybe this, in azcentral.com:

Arizona State will honor former standouts Byron Scott and Lionel Hollins during Thursday's home game against Washington.

The jerseys of each former player will be raised to the rafters of Wells Fargo Arena, joining Joe Caldwell's No. 32 jersey. Caldwell, the first Sun Devils player recognized, had his jersey honored Nov. 20.

Both Scott and Hollins are expected to attend. Scott is in his first season as coach of the Cleveland Cavilers. Hollins coaches the Memphis Grizzlies.

"If Patrick Peterson is there at No. 6, you take him. No way to you let a physically gifted cornerback out of your reach. Peterson and Haden would make the best tandem since Dixon/Minnefield." - FenderJazzMan

View full sizeAP Photo | The Oklahoman, Nate BillingsPatrick Peterson was recognized as the best defensive back in college football this past season.

In response to the story NFL Draft 2011: Cleveland Browns will take Alabama tackle Marcell Dareus, says ESPN's Todd McShay, cleveland.com reader FenderJazzMan thinks the Browns would be crazy to pass on Patrick Peterson. This reader writes,

"If Patrick Peterson is there at No. 6, you take him. No way to you let a physically gifted cornerback out of your reach. Peterson and Haden would make the best tandem since Dixon/Minnefield."

"Defense in basketball is more about effort than anything else. Mike Brown certainly understood that. There is no excuse for this team's lack of effort night after night. It's an embarrassment to the city. I hold Scott equally accountable as his players, maybe more so for tolerating it this long." - joel blumenthal

View full sizeGetty ImagesByron Scott.

In response to the story Byron Scott's mantra for Cleveland Cavaliers: To improve, defense is the key, cleveland.com reader joel blumenthals thinks Scott should be held accountable for his team's effort. This reader writes,

"Defense in basketball is more about effort than anything else. Mike Brown certainly understood that. There is no excuse for this team's lack of effort night after night. It's an embarrassment to the city. I hold Scott equally accountable as his players, maybe more so for tolerating it this long."

"It will be interesting to see how this plays out. If Sizemore is only able to participate in half of spring training, it would be stupid to start him on Opening Day. Rushing him would be unfair to him and the team. What's going to happen if Grady sucks in spring training and some other outfielder hits .400? Start Sizemore anyway? That would be asinine." - nomeboy

View full sizeChuck Crow | The Plain DealerGrady Sizemore is trying to get ready for Opening Day this season.

In response to the story After months of rehab, Grady Sizemore ecstatic to be back with Cleveland Indians, cleveland.com reader nomeboy wonders what will happen if Grady struggles in spring training. This reader writes,

"It will be interesting to see how this plays out. If Sizemore is only able to participate in half of spring training, it would be stupid to start him on Opening Day. Rushing him would be unfair to him and the team. What's going to happen if Grady sucks in spring training and some other outfielder hits .400? Start Sizemore anyway? That would be asinine."

Wickliffe graduate Marce Porcello is expected to be named the school's new football coach at tonight's school board meeting. His recommendation for hire from the school's administration is on the board's agenda. He replaces P.J. Insana, who was fired in January after consecutive 1-9 seasons.

The Blue Devis are coming off consecutive 1-9 seasons. - (Courtesy Wickliffe High School)

Wickliffe graduate Marce Porcello is expected to be named the school's new football coach at tonight's school board meeting.

His recommendation for hire from the school's administration is on the board's agenda. He replaces P.J. Insana, who was fired in January after consecutive 1-9 seasons.

Porcello is a teacher and assistant boys basketball coach at Wickliffe. He was not on the Blue Devils' football staff last fall.

Wickliffe Principal Vicki Wheately declined comment until after the meeting.

Cleveland believes it's a good baseball town with cash-strapped owners. It's half right, sports columnist Bud Shaw writes in his Spin column.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerIndians fans have made their unhappiness with the team's recent struggles apparent with their absence from games. But Bud Shaw wonders why that same strategy isn't employed against the Browns, who have been far more futile over the last decade.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Baseball and complaints about ownership are in the air again...

Cleveland thinks of itself as a good baseball town plagued by cash-strapped owners. The truth is it's a cash-strapped football town.

With spring training signifying open season on how the Dolans do business, not much can change the public perception except winning.

The Indians probably need to get to the World Series to change the sentiment in a town with a cast-iron stomach for annual displays of ineptitude if it's dressed up in brown and orange; and with no tolerance for poor performance and modest spending in a sport without a salary cap.

The Indians, after all, have been a lot better than the Browns a lot more recently. When they won 93 games in 2005, the Indians' attendance bumped 11 percent from the previous year. In 2006, it grew by a couple fans a game. You'd think more people than that would've wandered in by mistake.

When they won 97 games in 2007, attendance spiked 19 percent. It quickly declined the next season. Could that many fans have held a grudge against Joel Skinner for his stop sign? By 2009, attendance was down 19 percent.

This is not to suggest the Indians haven't earned some apathy. Or to blame fans for what they do with their discretionary income in a bad economy (but as far as that goes, this isn't the Roaring '90s that Dick Jacobs enjoyed. And if you know anything about Dick Jacobs, you know he made it a point to never outspend his revenues).

I'm not a season ticket holder. I don't pay my way into the ballpark or stadium. I didn't invest financially and emotionally in CC Sabathia or Cliff Lee only to see them traded away. It's just to say it's never been as simple as the we-got-cheap-owners rant used to blame ownership for many factors that are out of its control (Travis Hafner, Jake Westbrook, Kerry Wood). And other factors that owners in the NFL and NBA don't face.

You can blame the Indians for not getting more out of the Sabathia and Lee deals, especially if the payoff isn't apparent by season's end. You can find fault for dealing Lee earlier than necessary. They did it to maximize the value of the deal after all, so, again, have at it where applicable.

But railing against those trades for going down at all ignores what's happening most everywhere else in baseball.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerWhether or not Indians fans are front-runners -- and Bud Shaw has a pretty obvious opinion on that -- the Indians will have a early season opening to win back some fans thanks to the collapse of the Cavaliers.

• Milwaukee couldn't keep Sabathia either. Now he's likely to opt out of the deal he signed with the Yankees in search of even bigger riches.

• Philadelphia traded Lee to Seattle, which traded him to Texas. The Phils got him on the rebound for the discounted price of $24 million a season.

• In St. Louis, a great baseball town, Albert Pujols and the Cardinals can't reach an agreement. Pujols supposedly wants a 10-year deal at approximately $30 million. He's 31. St. Louis won the World Series in 2006. The Cardinals were eighth in attendance in 2010.

If St. Louis can't keep Pujols, that's a bad sign. But hardly a first bad sign around baseball.

No matter, the Indians must win to get fans to come back. Fair enough. Attendance valleys can happen in a good baseball town.

But last in the league in attendance three seasons after a Game 7 loss in the ALCS? Sorry, that's not a good baseball town. That's a football town with a double standard.

That said, the Indians have a chance in April and May to turn sentiment their way, what with the only other distraction in town the roaring ambulance siren at The Q.

They need to make the most of it.

Math problem: If a ESPN motor home leaves San Antonio at 50 miles an hour headed for the Final Four in Houston, how soon before somebody points the DVD remote at Dick Vitale and presses "mute"...

The NCAA is once again changing geographical names for NCAA Basketball Tournament regional locations. New Orleans will be the "Southeast" and San Antonio the "Southwest" as opposed to "South" and "Midwest" designations.

OK, fine. But that's not going to help the 94 percent of American college kids who still can't find Egypt on the map but believe the Pyramids are somewhere outside a casino in Vegas.

SPINOFFS

Grady Sizemore spent eight hours a day rehabbing his knee in a Passive Motion Machine after undergoing microfracture surgery. I believe that's also another name for the Princeton offense...

Quarterback Nate Montana, son of Hall of Famer Joe Montana, announced he will leave Notre Dame. You'd like the poor kid's chances of escaping the pressure of carrying the family name if not for his transfer school: the University of Montana...

As negotiations continue between the NFL and irate fans displaced at the Super Bowl in Dallas, a victimized Pittsburgh couple estimates spending $8,000-$10,000 to attend the Super Bowl. Who knew bib overalls and two Iron City beer drinking helmets could cost that much ...

View full sizeAP photoOhio State's sparkplug guard, even as a freshman.

HE SAID IT

"We break down at times." -- Mo Williams on the Cavs' defense.

Or Edsel owners, circa 1957.

HE SAID IT

(In the Third Person)

"If you look at Trump's record, he is only interested in things he can control." -- Donald Trump, on why the man he most admires would only become a partner in the New York Mets franchise if he could call the shots.

SEPARATED AT BIRTH

Aaron Craft and Grady Sizemore. -- Jack E.

View full sizePD photoWithout this outfielder, the Tribe has been missing its spark.

Johnny Knoxville and Aaron Boone. -- Thom, Bay Village

YOU SAID IT

"Bud:

"Do you ever get negative comments about Cleveland sports?" -- Joe S.

Yes. But I've only been here 20 years.

"Bud:

"Since one of the primary knocks on Shaun Rogers was his 'questionable work ethic,' do you think there's any chance the Browns released him when they did so he could [catch on] with the Cavs?" -- Jeff Bing, Westlake

Dunno. Do the Cavs need a Spinning instructor?

"Bud:

"Now that we've had time to reflect, how will Danny Ferry be remembered? For being the stud we traded Ron Harper for or the GM who mustered-up Antawn Jamison and Mo Williams as the second and third players to support LeBron after seven years of trying?" -- Jim, Shaker Heights

Did Larry Hughes pay you to leave his name out?

"Bud:

"With Jayson Nix, Jason Donald and Jason Kipnis all competing for spots in the Indians' infield, will the 2011 season resemble the movie 'Major League' or the movie 'Friday The 13th?'" -- Kevin Prendergast

First-time "You Said It" winners receive a T-shirt from the Mental Floss collection.

"Bud:

"Isn't it sad that the closest thing we have to a pro basketball team is OSU? The same goes for a pro football team. How's OSU's baseball team looking this year?" -- Doug, Westlake

Repeat winners need to make better use of their time.

Veteran broadcaster still plans to return to the microphone by the end of the season.

PD file"Some of the early goals I set for my return to the airwaves were premature," Joe Tait said Wednesday. "But I still very definitely plan to be back before the season is over."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cavaliers Hall of Fame broadcaster Joe Tait said Wednesday that he still plans to return to the microphone by the end of the season.

Tait, talking by phone with Jeff Phelps and Campy Russell on the Cavaliers Live pregame show on Fox Sports Ohio before Wednesday's game against the Lakers, said he was recovering slowly but surely after heart surgery early this season.

"Some of the early goals I set for my return to the airwaves were premature," said Tait, who has missed the entire season with a variety of health problems. "But I still very definitely plan to be back before the season is over."

He did say this season would be his last.

"When this season is over, I'm hanging it up," said Tait, who could be back for the Orlando game on March 21 if his doctors approve. "For me it will be time to go when the season is over. I just wish that I could have worked the entire campaign. But those things happen. There's not much you can do except try to battle through it."

Tait likes what he has seen and heard from coach Byron Scott.

"I always find his comments interesting," said Tait, who did his first radio interview last week with WTAM. "All in all, I think he is a breath of fresh air and a man who will take this team to much, much greater heights. I really like him as a coach, and I like him as a man, too."

Though his voice wasn't quite as strong as normal, Tait's sense of humor is intact. When talking about following the team on television and radio, he said, "You have to realize that when you're watching a ballclub that's 9-46, you do have the luxury of turning it off. But I've hung in there with you guys. If you can stand the whole trip, so can I."

Numbers game: Scott will have his No. 11 retired by Arizona State Thursday night.

"That's an unbelievable honor," said Scott, who will be honored with Lionel Hollins. "Now every time I go back to Arizona, I can just walk in the building and see my number up there and remember that I was here and did pretty good. As I told them yesterday in a radio interview, I'm very humbled by it. I never expected anything like that."

Scott wore No. 11 in his amateur career in honor of Bob McAdoo, his favorite player growing up. Then he went to the Lakers, McAdoo was there. So Scott switched to No. 4, to commemorate being the fourth pick in the draft by the Clippers, who traded him to the Lakers.

Lots of losses: Lakers coach Phil Jackson seems to have some empathy for the Cavs, in light of the loss of LeBron James and the NBA-record 26-game losing streak.

"What, seven years he was here, right?" Jackson said of James. "That's a noticeable period of time. This town really feasted on his ability. They were 'the witness' as they had the big sign over against the building and they witnessed his leaving.

"Now it's a real hole. It's unfortunate for the town and for the team."

As for the losing streak, Jackson said, "You never want to see a team go through that kind of a period. You don't want anybody else to have to suffer the loss, but still in all, it's demoralizing for a team, it's demoralizing for the players and for the coaching staff.

"Byron's been a good coach in this league and to suffer all the pains of self doubt, you don't want to see that."

A glimpse at one of the Indians' infield prospects in big-league camp.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerStanford's Cord Phelps opened some eyes with an impressive finish to his 2010 minor-league season with Columbus and is a prime infield candidate in the near future with the big club.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Here's a glimpse at one of the Indians' prospects in big-league camp. A different player will be profiled daily until the start of Cactus League games Feb. 27.

Name: Cord Phelps.

Age: 24.

Hits: Switch.

Throws: Right.

Ht./Wt.: 6-2, 200.

Position: 2B, 3B.

How acquired: Third-round pick in 2007 out of Stanford University.

2010 stats: Hit .317 (77-for-243) with 20 hits, six homers, 31 RBI at Class AAA Columbus; .296 (59-for-199) with eight doubles, two homers, 23 RBI at Class AA Akron; and .367 (29-for-79) with four doubles, three homers and 10 RBI in 19 games in the Arizona Fall League. Before going to the AFL, he played for Team USA in the Pan American Games qualifying tournament.

2011: Expected to start the season at Columbus.

The skinny: An overachiever, Phelps played third base in the AFL, but his future is at second. Gets on base and makes hard, consistent contact. He's in camp to get big-league exposure.

Personal: Graduated summa cum laude with a 4.83 GPA from Santa Barbara (Calif.) High School in 2005. Made Stanford's team as a walk-on and hit .307 (165-for-537) in three years there.

In-game updates from The Q as the Cavaliers play their last game before the All-Star break.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter / The Plain DealerRamon Sessions had a strong first half replacing an injured Mo Williams as the Cavaliers built a five-point halftime lead on Pau Gasol and the Lakers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Notes and observations from Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers at The Q:

Third quarter update: Cavs 74, Lakers 71. The Cavs were in the process of wasting their 70-61 lead when Christian Eyenga slammed the ball through the hoop so hard it actually hurt.

Kobe Bryant's 3-pointer capped a 10-2 run and got L.A. within 72-71 before Eyenga emphatically kept the Cavs in control.

Halftime update: Cavs 51, Lakers 46. Lakers woke up and opened the second quarter on 17-7 run for a 38-36 lead with 6:13 left. A pair of baskets by former Cav first-round pick Shannon Brown gave L.A. a 46-43 lead, but the Cavs scored the final eight points of the period on a J.J. Hickson slam, two layups by Antawn Jamison and a 23-footer by Anthony Parker at the buzzer.

Ramon Sessions leads with 16 points, and Jamison has 13. Pau Gasol has 20 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers, but no other player is in double digits in either category. Kobe Bryant has six points, six assists, four turnovers and a technical.

First quarter update: Cavs 29, Lakers 21. OK, it was only 12 minutes, but it was a better 12 minutes than the Cavs played at any time in the previous matchup with the Lakers in Los Angeles.

Ramon Sessions, called upon when Mo WIlliams picked up two fouls in the first 3:18, had 11 points, including seven free throws, to lead the Cavs. Pau Gasol had 14 points and eight rebounds for the Lakers, who were shooting a miserable 25 percent (6 of 24) in spite of a clear edge in the paint.

Cavs starters: F Christian Eyenga, F Antawn Jamison, C J.J. Hickson, G Anthony Parker, G Mo Williams.

Lakers starters: F Ron Artest, F Pau Gasol, C Andrew Bynum, G Kobe Bryant, G Derek Fisher.

Injuries: Anderson Varejao (torn tendon, right foot) is out for Cavs. Matt Barnes (right knee surgery) and Theo Ratliff (left knee surgery) are out for Lakers.

Inactives: Manny Harris, Leon Powe and Varejao for Cavs. Barnes and Ratliff for Lakers.

Officials: Bill Kennedy, Kane Fitzgerald and Michael Smith.

Three things to watch

1. Can the Cavs get within 55 points this time?

2. Can they score more than 57?

3. How will the Lakers respond to two straight sub-par performances?

After a frightening collision on Aug. 2 in Boston last season, Carlos Santana has recovered in time to take part in Thursday's first official workout of spring training.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain Dealer"My knee right now is very strong," Indians catcher Carlos Santana said Wednesday. "Everything is fine. I can run, hit and catch in the bullpen. Everything is OK."

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- It's a funny thing about knee injuries. They're never what they appear to be.

Grady Sizemore injured his left knee sliding into a base over 10 months ago. It didn't seem serious. Just a bruised knee, but he still can't run the bases or play center field as the Indians open spring training Thursday with their first official workout for pitchers and catchers.

Then there's catcher Carlos Santana. On Aug. 2, at Fenway Park, Ryan Kalish slid into Santana's left knee at the plate. Santana was waiting on a throw from right fielder Shin-Soo Choo as Kalish tried to score from second on a single.

Catching is a difficult job. Taking a throw from right field with a runner trying to score from second ranks high on a catcher's list of hard tasks. It's hard because the catcher can't see the runner coming as he waits for the ball.

Santana caught Choo's throw and turned to block the plate by putting his left leg in front of it. Kalish almost jumped into Santana's leg with his own legs, knocking him head over heels. The force of the collision was so great that Santana was literally knocked out of one of his shoes.

Somehow Santana held the ball. Kalish was out, but so was he. At worst, the injury seemed to be career-ending, at best career-altering.

Surgery followed both injuries. Sizemore underwent microfracture surgery on June 4. Santana had surgery on Aug. 6 to repair a torn lateral collateral ligament on the outside part of his knee. Sizemore, who looked like he hardly mussed his hair, sustained the most damage. Santana, literally run over, is scheduled to go through Thursday's workout without restrictions.

View full sizeAP File"The ball is coming. The runner is coming. It's bang bang," Santana said in recalling his collision with Boston's Ryan Kalish last summer. "For me, I'm thinking I just want to get the out at the plate."

"God bless modern medicine," said manager Manny Acta.

The only thing Santana hasn't done is slide. "When he does that, he'll be just another guy in camp," said Acta.

Acta means that in the best way possible. Santana will never be just another face in the crowd for the Indians. He's their switch-hitting, middle-of-the-order run producer of the present and future. Acta put him into the No.3 spot in the lineup when he made his big-league debut on June 11. That doesn't happen to most rookies, but most rookies don't hit .290 (518-for-1,787) with 122 doubles, 75 homers and 360 RBI in 526 minor-league games.

"Carlos was born to hit in the middle of the lineup," said Acta during the off-season.

Santana did not get his easy in the collision. Except for two weeks during Christmas when he went home to the Dominican Republic, he spent the rest of the winter at the Indians' spring training site in Goodyear working on the knee.

"My knee right now is very strong," said Santana. "Everything is fine. I can run, hit and catch in the bullpen. Everything is OK. I've hit from both sides of the plate. Everything is great."

Santana has already been working on blocking the plate with Sandy Alomar Jr., the Indians' catching coach.

"I've watched that play sometimes," said Santana. "My positioning at home plate will improve as I get more experience.

"The ball is coming. The runner is coming. It's bang bang. For me, I'm thinking I just want to get the out at the plate."

Santana hit .260 (39-for-150) with 13 doubles, six homers and 22 RBI in 46 games before the injury. He started the year in Class AAA Columbus, where he hit .316 (62-for-196) with 14 doubles, 13 homers and 51 RBI in 57 games.

"He just flat-out made an impact on our lineup," said Acta. "That was in a year when we didn't have Grady Sizemore getting on base in front of him and causing chaos. Where Asdrubal Cabrera wasn't 100 percent."

Santana still needs work. He hit only .146 (7-for-48) against lefties. He was in a 6-for-34 slump when he was injured, so the Indians didn't get a chance to see if he could hit his way out of it.

Not surprisingly, they're willing to wait.

Who is this runnin' and gunnin' basketball team extending maximum effort, and what have they done to the Cavs?

View full sizeAmy Sancetta,
Associated PressChristian Eyenga's monster dunk, which teammate J.J. Hickson said was one of the best he's seen all year, helped the Cavs to a 104-99 win over the Lakers at The Q Wednesday night.

The Cavaliers beat the Lakers on Wednesday night. Just how did they pull it off? Can they build off the win? Mary Schmitt Boyer will answer those questions and more in a live chat today at noon.

Chat with Mary Schmitt Boyer at noon.

Mary Schmitt Boyer will answer those questions and more in a live chat today at noon.

You can jump in the chat room and ask your questions as well as interact with other users and respond to Mary's remarks, or you can just listen. The chat will also be made available shortly after its completion in mp3 format.

Remember, you can also send her questions to Hey, Mary! Those answers will appear in the newspaper and online every Sunday.

Could this be the season when the prospects received in exchange for "name" players start to pay off?

View full sizeChuck Crow,
The Plain DealerIs this the year when "prospects" like catcher Carlos Santana start to pay off?

Starting Blocks remembers sitting in the upper deck of what was then known as Jacobs Field, freezing his kiester off as the Indians and Braves were battling it out in the 1995 World Series.

Our thought then was it doesn't get any better than this ... except for that whole freezing your kiester off thing. Though the Tribe lost the series, 4-2, we coudn't wait for next season. It's kind of like kissing your first girl: Once you do it the once, you can't wait to do it again.

So we've patiently (and sometimes, not so patiently) bided our time and watched and hoped for a return engagement (let's not resurrect the memories of 1997 and the Florida Marlins). Is it going to happen this year? Probably not.

Stranger things HAVE happened (i.e. 104-99, Cavs over Lakers), so it's not impossible. Then again, Starting Blocks still believes in the tooth fairy, so ...

One of the things that makes it possible to have hope, aside from the usual euphoria of Spring Training and the warmth of near springlike weather gracing Northeast Ohio today, is a piece from Jorge Ortiz of USA Today. Ortiz talks about some of the names the Tribe has lost, and the prospects the Indians got for them, and whether now is THEIR time:

In exchange for trading key veterans CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee, Victor Martinez and Casey Blake in the past three years, the Cleveland Indians received a number of prospects who were supposed to eventually get them back on the road to prosperity.

There hasn't been much evidence of that so far, but this could be the year when the Indians get a substantial payoff on those deals -- or confirmation they were busts.

As many as six players acquired in those swaps -- Carlos Santana, Matt LaPorta, Justin Masterson, Michael Brantley, Carlos Carrasco and Jason Donald -- are expected to play prominent roles this season as the Indians try to bounce back from losing at least 93 games each of the past two years.

Maybe 15 years ago, when Jacobs Field was selling out every night and the Indians were perennial contenders, they might have had a go. But the Indians have hit lean times. Way, way too rich for their blood.

"The difference between the Browns and the Indians is that the Browns organization wants to win. They've made bad choices, but they do want to win. The Dolans show no interest in winning. For them it's about doing the bare minimum. And that's not a way to get fans." - kramer392

View full sizeDavid I. Andersen | The Plain DealerRandy Lerner has made some big mistakes, but it's hard to question the effort he's put in to trying to build a winner.

In response to the story Cleveland Indians fans' complaints reflect the double standard of a Browns town: Bud Shaw's Sports Spin, cleveland.com reader kramer392 thinks Browns' ownership, despite some missteps, at least appears to want to win. This reader writes,

"The difference between the Browns and the Indians is that the Browns organization wants to win. They've made bad choices, but they do want to win. The Dolans show no interest in winning. For them it's about doing the bare minimum. And that's not a way to get fans."

"Sessions has played at a high level of late. Now he's had a 32-point game against the Lakers in which he essentially willed the team to victory. Can he use it as a springboard to a sustained level of excellence? If so, the Cavs will have come up with a gem." - The I Team

View full sizeScott Shaw | The Plain DealerCavs fans are hoping the team found a steal in point guard Ramon Sessions.

In response to the story That's something to shout about! Cleveland Cavaliers deliver an improbable 104-99 victory over Lakers, cleveland.com reader The I Team hopes Wednesday night was a sign of things to come for Ramon Sessions. This reader writes,

"Sessions has played at a high level of late. Now he's had a 32-point game against the Lakers in which he essentially willed the team to victory. Can he use it as a springboard to a sustained level of excellence? If so, the Cavs will have come up with a gem."

PD Indians beat writer says team will play Santana at first base early in his career, as they did with Martinez later in his. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, hosted by Chuck Yarborough. His usual partner, Branson Wright, is off celebrating his birthday.

How about those Cavs? They got a measure of revenge on the Lakers last night at The Q. So, why did it happen? Cast your vote in today's Starting Blocks poll.

Today's guest, Plain Dealer Indians beat reporter Paul Hoynes, called in from spring training in Goodyear, Ariz.. He said he expects that some of the Indians will be talking about the Cavs' win today.

Hoynsie also talks about how many games Carlos Santana will catch this season; the fact the Indians want to work him in some at first base, as they did later in the career of Sandy Alomar; and what would make successful seasons for Grady Sizemore and new second baseman Orlando Cabrera.

SBTV will return Friday with Plain Dealer Browns reporter Tony Grossi answering fan questions from his weekly Hey, Tony! feature.