Sometimes it's best not to slide even when your teammates are telling you to hit the dirt.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerTravis Hafner sat out the start of Thursday's game with the Royals in order to rest a sore right ankle.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Clubhouse confidential: Sometimes it's best not to slide even when your teammates are telling you to hit the dirt.

Travis Hafner, off to a great start, was scratched from Thursday's lineup with a sore right ankle. Hafner injured the ankle sliding home as he scored the third and final run on Orlando Cabrera's three-run double in the first inning of Wednesday's 7-2 victory. Hafner could have scored easily standing because the throw came in high.

He's hitting .342 (26-for-76) with five doubles, four homers and 11 RBI. hit has a .566 slugging percentage and a .393 on-base percentage.

End of the line: It took two Indians pitchers to do it, but Alex Gordon's 19-game hitting streak ended Wednesday night. The Royals outfielder hit .383 (31-for-81) and scored 19 runs with 15 RBI during the streak.

Stat of the day: The Indians entered Thursday's game with a 15-8 record. They didn't win their 15th game last season until May 16.

Get complete pick-by-pick coverage of the NFL Draft First Round right here tonight starting at 8 p.m. Join our Cover it Live blog with Dan Labbe and Dennis Manoloff, including interactive polls, prospect profiles, instant analysis of every pick, rumors, trades and more. You'll also get Tweets from Plain Dealer beat reporters Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot and links to complete Plain Dealer coverage, including video from press conferences in Berea.

Chuck Crow, The Plain DealerWho will the Browns take in tonight's NFL Draft?

Get complete pick-by-pick coverage of the NFL Draft First Round right here tonight starting at 8 p.m. 

Join our Cover it Live blog with Dan Labbe and Dennis Manoloff, including interactive polls, prospect profiles, instant analysis of every pick, rumors, trades and more. You'll also get Tweets from Plain Dealer beat reporters Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot and links to complete Plain Dealer coverage, including video from press conferences in Berea.

2011 NFL DRAFT FACTS AND FIGURES

What: 76th Annual National Football League Player Selection Meeting.

Where: Radio City Music Hall, 1260 Avenue of the Americas, New York City (Between 50th and 51st Streets).

When: Thursday, 8 p.m., Round 1; Friday, 6 p.m., Rounds 2-3; Saturday, Noon, Rounds 4-7.

Television: NFL Network and ESPN/ESPN2 all three days.

Time limits:

- Round 1, 10 minutes per selection.
- Round 2, sevenminutes per selection.
- Rounds 3 through 7, five minutes per selection.

Browns picks:

Notable: In 2010, the first round lasted three hours and 28 minutes. The second and third rounds took four hours and six minutes in 2010. Rounds 4 through 7 took seven hours and eight minutes in 2010. ... There will be 254 selections, including 32 compensatory choices that have been awarded to 16 teams that suffered a net loss of certain quality unrestricted free agents last year. ... New England (Nos. 17 and 28) has two selections in the first round. Oakland does not have a first-round pick. All other teams have one first-round selection.

Sports Illustrated's Peter King thinks Browns general manager Tom Heckert and president Mike Holmgren aren't afraid to make a deal.

Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer(Left to right) Browns president Mike Holmgren, coach Pat Shurmur and general manager Tom Heckert -- here during Shurmur's first press conference as Browns coach on Jan. 14 -- hope the draft will help the Browns move toward contender status.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The NFL draft is about to begin.

Unfortunately, except for maybe the two games every season against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the draft has become the year's marquee event for Cleveland Browns fans.

Peter King writes about the draft for Sports Illustrated's SI.com. He writes a segment on the Browns, after calling them ....

The hot team: Cleveland.

Now the Browns could sit where they are in the first four rounds -- at overall picks 6, 37, 70 and 102 -- but I'd be very surprised. I'm told GM Tom Heckert has an itchy trigger finger this morning, and is looking forward to dealing out of number six if the Browns' preferred pick is not there. If Gabbert's there, as Mayock and Gosselin project he will be, there's a chance the Browns could get a good extra pick (from Tennessee, moving up two spots) or more (from a QB-needy team down in the round). Cleveland could be the team that thinks it could turn its first-round pick into a good second-rounder in this draft, a first-rounder next year, and something else.

Remember a couple of things about Cleveland: Heckert learned from working under Trader Andy Reid, and he's not scared of losing out on a player by moving a few spots. Club president Mike Holmgren, from observing Bill Walsh and Ron Wolf and from his own beliefs, loves to wheel and deal too. Heckert and Holmgren strongly trust their gut about players. Say they want a pass-rusher and franchise receiver badly. They're the types who's say, "We'd rather have Titus Young and Brooks Reed this year, and an extra one next year, than Robert Quinn or Julio Jones this year.'' The Browns could end up sitting tight, but if their guy or guys aren't there, they'll move.

Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer continue our Browns coverage, including stories throughout the draft and its aftermath. Included among numerous reports are PD Browns beat writer Tony Grossi's final mock draft.

Around the draft web

On USAToday.com, draft needs for AFC teams and draft needs for NFC teams.

On ESPN.com, a point system for six mock drafts determines a top 40 players ranking.

Inside draft day, by Greg Gabriel on the National Football Post.

FoxSports.com's mock drafts.

The 100 top players, and comments about them, by Rob Rang on CBSSports.com.

AFC North team reports as the draft nears, on SportingNews.com.

Browns have traded their pick to Atlanta, which selected wide receiver Julio Jones. In return, Browns get picks including first-rounders in this draft and next year's.

Associated PressNo. 2, Cam Newton, was taken with the first pick in the draft by the Carolina Panthers.

The Cleveland Browns have traded their first pick, the sixth pick overall in the NFL draft, to the Atlanta Falcons for several draft picks, as Plain Dealer Browns beat writer Tony Grossi reports.

Atlanta then picked Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones.

The draft began with a pick that doesn't surprise, the Carolina Panthers taking Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton, the quarterback who led Auburn to the national championship.

Texas A & M linebacker Von Miller was taken by the Denver Broncos with the second pick, and the Buffalo Bills followed by tabbing Alabama defensive lineman Marcell Dareus.

The Cincinnati Bengals took Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green with the fourth pick.

The Arizona Cardinals then selected Louisiana State cornerback Patrick Peterson.

Browns, after a trade with the Atlanta Falcons, wait on No. 27 pick in first round. Browns acquired several picks in the transaction.

Associated PressWashington quarterback Jake Locker was drafted by the Tennessee Titans.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns are waiting to make the 27th overall pick in the NFL draft after a trade with the Atlanta Falcons, as Plain Dealer Browns beat writer Tony Grossi reported.

The draft moves on with the San Francisco 49ers using the seventh pick to land Missouri defensive end Aldon Smith; the Tennessee Titans taking Washington quarterback Jake Locker with the eight pick; the Dallas Cowboys taking USC offensive tackle Tyron Smith at No. 9.

The Washington Redskins traded the No. 10 pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars, who tabbed Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert.

With the 11th pick, the Houston Texans selected Wisconsin defensive end J.J. Watt.

Shin-Soo Choo, Carlos Santana, Grady Sizemore and Shelley Duncan homer to give Fausto Carmona the victory.

View full sizeThomas Ondrey / The Plain DealerCarlos Santana's homer in the first inning followed just moments after Shin-Soo Choo's blast and gave the Indians a quick 2-0 lead over Kansas City Thursday night at Progressive Field.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians hit four homers off Kyle Davies on Thursday night on the way to a 8-2 victory over Kansas City at Progressive Field.

The power display gave the Indians a three-game sweep and extended their home winning streak to 10 games.

Shin-Soo Choo and Carlos Santana started playing muscle beach in the first inning by hitting consecutive homers with two out for a 2-0 lead. It was the second time in three games that the Indians hit consecutive homers. They hit consecutive homers twice in 162 games last year.

In the sweep of the Royals, the Indians hit nine homers.

Grady Sizemore made it 3-0 with a leadoff homer in the third. Sizemore hit his fourth homer in 10 games 416 feet over the wall in center field.

Shelley Duncan started the fourth with the Tribe's fourth and final homer, a drive over the 19-foot wall in left field, for a 4-0 lead. The Indians added four more runs in the inning, finally knocking Davies out of the game following Asdrubal Cabrera's RBI double past first.

Jack Hannahan, following Duncan's first homer of the season, hit a two-run double to right. Sizemore followed with an RBI double and scored on Asdrubal Cabrera's double for a 8-0 lead.

Davies allowed eight runs on nine hits in 3 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out four. It was the second time in his career he allowed four homers in a game.

In his first five starts this season, Davies (1-3, 7.98) allowed one homer in 26 innings. He's 3-6 lifetime against the Indians.

Fausto Carmona, meanwhile, worked his way through six scoreless innings before giving up two runs in the seventh. Working with the big lead had to seem strange to Carmona (2-3, 5.15).  In three starts from April 7 through April 17, they scored four runs when he was on the mound.

Carmona allowed two runs on five hits in seven innings. He struck out two and walked two.

The Royals have lost a season-high six straight games.

The Indians finished with 10 hits, including seven for extra bases. The nine-game home winning streak is the longest since they won nine straight in June of 2005. They won 10 straight at home in April and May of 1996.

Trading the No. 6 pick in the draft to Atlanta not only is a gutsy move by the Browns, but it's the right one.

View full sizeAPTom Heckert knows the Browns need plenty of fresh talent, and the team's trade Thursday spoke to that fact, says Terry Pluto.

BEREA, Ohio -- When it came to having to pick between Alabama receiver Julio Jones -- or defensive linemen Robert Quinn, Aldon Smith or Nick Fairley -- the Browns decided they'd wait.

Actually, they traded their No. 6 pick in this draft to Atlanta for five picks over the next two years. Yes, they are lower picks, the Falcons' first rounder is No. 27. They added the No. 59 and No. 124 picks from Atlanta this year -- along with a first- and fourth-rounder in 2012.

This is the kind of trade that New England makes -- piling up the picks when the player you want is gone.

My guess is the Browns targeted Patrick Peterson, Von Miller and possibly A.J. Green and Marcell Dareus as players who'd make an immediate impact. When those players were selected, the Browns made the decision to trade down.

Some fans won't like it because it's a trade that says, "We're building, not contending." But on a team with so many needs, so many losing seasons and so many older players, the deal makes sense.

It relies upon the ability of General Manager Tom Heckert and his staff to find players outside of the first round. They did it last season with T.J. Ward in the second round and Colt McCoy in the third -- both became starters. Ward led the Browns in defensive snaps and brought some needed grit to the safety spot. McCoy has become the quarterback of the present ... and hopefully the future. They believe Shawn Lauvao (a third rounder) will start at right guard this season.

After the trade was announced, the Browns had the 27th pick in the first round and the 37th and 59th pick in the second rounds. They also have picks number 70, 102, 124, 137, 168, 170 and 248. That's 10 picks this season.

And it's two first rounders (their own and Atlanta's) and an extra fourth rounder next year.

This trade also says the Browns were nervous about paying millions of dollars for a player who is not projected as a star. There is some consideration that the NFL will operate under 2010 rules in 2011, and that means no rookie salary cap. A huge paycheck to a rookie could be a salary cap killer in the future, whenver the NFL straightens out its labor situation.

Yes, the Browns looked at Robert Quinn, the defensive end from North Carolina who was suspended all season for taking gifts from an agent and lying about it to the NCAA. They looked at Nick Fairley, who went to Detroit. Auburn's gifted defensive tackle has sleep apnea and there is some concern about his breathing problem. He played only 35-45 snaps per game for Auburn last season as the national champs tried to keep him rested and fresh.

They looked at Da'Quan Bowers, who was an outstanding defensive end at Clemson but has questions about his knee.

These players may be appealing lower in the draft, but not at No. 6.

The same is true of Julio Jones, taken by Atlanta with the Browns' pick. He is known for both his speed, and his knack of dropping passes. As Ourlads.com Dan Shonka said, "With Jones, you have to figure on one drop a game."

The Browns don't want top figure on that, so they moved down.

Now, the spotlight is really on Heckert. Can he make these picks count? Can he perhaps package some of them to move up? If nothing else, having all these picks does give them trade options.

Browns pick at No. 27 after trade with the Atlanta Falcons.

Associated PressThe Detroit Lions hope to bolster their defensive line with Nick Fairley.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns are waiting to make the 27th overall pick in the NFL draft after a trade with the Atlanta Falcons, as Plain Dealer Browns beat writer Tony Grossi reported.

The Minnesota Vikings, drafting 12th in the first round, picked Florida State's Christian Ponder, the fourth quarterback selected so far.

The Detroit Lions took Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley and the St. Louis Rams followed by tabbing North Carolina defensive end Robert Quinn.

Florida's Mike Pouncey, who could be a guard or center, was taken at No. 15 by the Miami Dolphins. Purdue linebacker Ryan Kerrigan was then picked by the Washington Redskins at No. 16.

Big Ten's Jim Delany says coaches must be held to higher standards than suspended players.

View full sizeNati Harnik / Associated Press"I'm concerned about it," Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said Thursday about the investigation into Ohio State coach Jim Tressel. "I think it's a serious situation."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany added to the seriousness of Jim Tressel's situation on Thursday by making it clear that the Ohio State football coach helped his six suspended players be ruled eligible for the Sugar Bowl by staying quiet in December about his previous knowledge of their NCAA violations.

Delany, Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith and Sugar Bowl representatives had asked the NCAA to follow a rule that allowed quarterback Terrelle Pryor and five other players to face Arkansas while taking their suspensions at the start of 2011.

"But I don't think anybody had the knowledge that we have now," Delany told The Associated Press and other reporters at BCS meetings in New Orleans.

Only Tressel had that knowledge, having known about those potential violations for eight months, a fact that wasn't revealed until a week after the Buckeyes beat Arkansas when Ohio State discovered emails sent to Tressel in April of 2010.

Also, Ohio State on Thursday released the original letter from the United States Department of Justice that it received on Dec. 7 that first alerted other university officials to the potential memorabilia sales. That letter contains 36 items exchanged between Ohio State players and Columbus tattoo parlor owner Edward Rife, when half that many were reported in the Notice of Allegations the NCAA sent to Ohio State on Monday.

The other items, including 12 pairs of football gloves, three helmets and a 2010 Rose Bowl plaque, may not be further NCAA violations, because many were labeled as being gifts to Rife. An OSU spokesperson told the Columbus Dispatch that the NCAA was already aware of what the letter contained.

But it does indicate more connections to Rife, a suspected drug trafficker who had the memorabilia seized in a raid last May, when Ohio State in a December news conference referred to the memorabilia sales as an isolated incident. However, the Department of Justice letter makes clear that "there is no allegation that any of these players were involved in or had knowledge of Mr. Rife's drug trafficking activities."

However, the NCAA has said that the ruling on the players has been completed. Tressel's case is still pending, with an NCAA Committee on Infractions hearing scheduled for Aug. 12 and the court of public opinion open every day.

Delany has said previously that the Big Ten would not sanction Tressel while waiting on the NCAA ruling. But Delany's words still carry weight. He has spoken sparingly on the Tressel issue since the violations were revealed in early March, but on Thursday said, "I'm concerned about it. I think it's a serious situation."

Asked what the NCAA standard for rules compliance is for coaches compared to players, Delany said, "Higher."

"Just because they're the adults, teachers," he said. "They're very different than kids."

Browns pick up five extra picks, including a first- and fourth-rounder in 2012. Then they move up and select Baylor defensive tackle Phil Taylor.

View full sizeMichael Conroy / Associated PressBaylor defensive tackle Phil Taylor will add considerable beef to the Browns' front line after being selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.

BEREA, Ohio -- After a busy day of trading, the Cleveland Browns drafted defensive tackle Phil Taylor from Baylor.

The Browns dropped 21 spots in the first round when they completed a trade of their No. 6 spot to the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons used the pick on Alabama receiver Julio Jones. The Browns received five picks -- Atlanta's first (27th overall), second (59th) and fourth-rounder (124th) and also Atlanta's first- and fourth-round selections in 2012.

The Browns then moved up from No. 27 to No. 21 and took Taylor. To move up six spots, the Browns gave up their third-round pick, No. 70 overall, to Kansas City.

In the throes of a league labor dispute, NFL officials have said teams can deal for future picks "at your own risk." The future of the draft is no guarantee at this point of the labor war.

But the trades assure the Browns nine picks in this year's draft.

 Their overall remaining selections in this draft now are Nos. 37, 59, 102, 124, 137, 168, 170 and 248.

The trade was more seismic in one fell swoop than the three made in the first round of the 2009 draft by former coach Eric Mangini.

Mangini traded the fifth overall pick that year to the New York Jets for three players and the Jets' first- and second-round picks. Mangini then moved down from No. 17 two notches in exchange for a sixth-round pick from Tampa Bay. He completed his spree by moving down another two notches to No. 21 for a sixth-round pick from Philadelphia.

The Jets used the No. 5 pick on quarterback Mark Sanchez. The Bucs used the No. 17 pick on quarterback Josh Freeman. The Eagles used the No. 19 pick on receiver Jeremy Maclin.

The Browns wound up using the No. 21 pick on center Alex Mack.

Taylor was picked at No. 21.

Associated PressThe New England Patriots drafted Colorado offensive tackle Nate Solder.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns drafted  Baylor defensive tackle Phil Taylor with the 21st pick in the first round after making a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs, as Plain Dealer Browns beat writer Tony Grossi reports.

The New England Patriots selected Colorado offensive tackle Nate Solder with the 17th pick in the first round. Illinois defensive tackle Corey Liuget then went to the San Diego Chargers.

The New York Giants selected Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara at No. 19, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers went with Iowa defensive end Adrian Clayborn at No. 20.

"How can anyone judge anything until we see these guys play ball? I do think the Browns added big, physical players that have a bit of nastiness on the field. Whether or not they will be above average players is completely unknown. Personally, I think the Browns finally have a GM that knows what he is doing." - Killbuzza

View full sizeAP Photo | Jason DeCrowWho knows when we'll see Phil Taylor take the field, but it will be tough to judge him until we do.

In response to the story Mike Holmgren makes it clear: Cleveland Browns' draft day trade was 'the right thing', cleveland.com reader Killbuzza thinks it will take time to judge this draft. This reader writes,

"How can anyone judge anything until we see these guys play ball? I do think the Browns added big, physical players that have a bit of nastiness on the field. Whether or not they will be above average players is completely unknown. Personally, I think the Browns finally have a GM that knows what he is doing."

Cleveland Brown President Mike Holmgren, General Manager Tom Heckert and Head Coach Pat Shurmur share their thoughts about their draft. They picked DL Phil Taylor with their first pick after trading down from the 6th pick to 27th and then back up to the 21st.

Rust Belt cities like Cleveland, Detroit, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati are fighting population losses.

APWill fans pack Progressive Field like they did when it was Jacobs Field in the 1990's?

USA Today's Bob Nightengale reports on how baseball teams in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Detroit are struggling to bring fans into the stands.

It's especially interesting since the Cleveland Indians are the best team in baseball but you wouldn't know that if you looked into the stands at Progressive Field, because the fans are just not coming.

Why?

Is it because of the population decline in this city?  Detroit (25%), Cleveland (17%), Cincinnati (10.4%) and Pittsburgh (8.6%) suffered the largest population declines among the 28 Major League Baseball cities in the 2010 Census.

Unfortunately, all rank in the top eight for population loss nationwide.

Now, they are searching for ways to reunite with their fan base — or at least retain what remains — while enduring the nation's worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

"We have to reinvent ourselves as a business and look at ourselves differently," says Indians President Mark Shapiro, whose team's season-ticket base has gone from 27,000 fans at its peak from 1995 to 1998 to about 7,700 today. "We can't just seek to attract the same fans, because there's less of them. We have to get some new people in the stands here. Really, we have no choice."

The Indians and Pirates rank 30th and 27th, respectively, in major league attendance this season. Despite being the best team in baseball, Nightengale writes how the Indians are averaging a paid attendance of 13,536. 

The decline in attendance, according to the article, is also because of the joblessness and how nearly one in every four Cleveland homes, according to the 2010 Census, are vacant or no longer exist. Most of the abandonment is on the east side, where vacancy rates have soared by 65%.

"The deterioration that has taken place is shocking," says former Indians pitcher Brian Anderson, a Cleveland-area native. "I love it there. But if you're a kid and go to college, unless you're in the medical field, why are you going to stick around?

"Look at what happened to The Flats. That was the place you wanted to go to have a good time. Now it's a place you go if you want to get shot."

  

Dorian Bell is suspended for the season.

 
The Columbus Dispatch reports that linebacker Dorian Bell was suspended for the 2011 season because of a violation of team rules.

Tressel did not offer specifics. But sources said it's believed to be because of a third breach of the athletic department's drug and alcohol abuse policy.

Bell, a third-year sophomore from Monroeville, Pa., did not play in the Sugar Bowl in January for undisclosed reasons. That makes it likely that Bell is a repeat offender and drew a stiffer penalty for this violation.

Bell appeared in eight games last season.  He made nine tackles, including half a sack, and also forced a fumble.

Bell was a highly touted recruit. Rivals.com rated him a five-star prospect in the class of 2009, and he was ranked the third-best outside linebacker nationally and the No.33 overall prospect. He redshirted his freshman year because of personal issues.

 

Gotcha

Since Michigan can't beat Ohio State on the football field, those guys up north came up with another way to get at Buckeye Nation.

Check out the billboard some Michigan fans put up about coach Jim Tressel on I-94.

Tight and tangled

Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter Doug Lesmerises writes that separating coach Jim Tressel from Ohio State would not be easy.

Plain Dealer columnist says Browns already had one of the league's best fullbacks in Lawrence Vickers.

Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, hosted by Chuck Yarborough, who will be on assignment the rest of this week, and Branson Wright,

Now that the 2011 NFL Draft is over, what grade would you give to the Browns picks? Cast your vote in today's Starting Blocks poll.

Today's guest on SBTV, Plain Dealer columnist Bud Shaw, gives the Browns a B. He talks about the mega-trade with Atlanta that dropped the Browns down in the first round; and whether moving up to take Baylor's Phil Taylor was a good move.

He also discusses the Browns' drafting of Stanford two-way fullback-linebacker Owen Marecic, and whether that was a good pick given that Lawrence Vickers is one of the best fullbacks in the NFL.

Bud also talks about why the Browns only selected one wide receiver; and why he's not concerned with some of the off-the-field issues of some of the team's draft picks.

SBTV will return Tuesday with Plain Dealer reporter Dennis Manoloff talking about the first-place Indians.

Science explains the Indians' hot start.

View full sizeTony Dejak,
Associated PressThe Indians Shin-soo Choo scores on a single by Orlando Cabrera as Tigers catcher Alex Avila waits on the throw. The Indians swept their three-game series with the Tigers with a 5-4 win Sunday.

Pitching, with the exception of (Joaquin) Benoit in this series, has not been the problem. Detroit has received a quality start in 17 of its past 24 games, but is just 11-13 in those contests. The offense has been the problem. But, specifically, it’s been the inability to capitalize on big innings when the situations present themselves. The Tigers have not been able to score more than two runs in one inning in seven consecutive games.

On Sunday, it was shortstop Ramon Santiago hitting into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded in the second.

"We’re missing that," Santiago said of the big inning. "We need to take advantage of the situations so we are not in a tight game all the time. We just have to keep our heads up and have a long way to go. We can turn this team around if we trust ourselves and stay focused.

An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.

Facing budget cuts, CSU athletic director John Parry says move will save department $450,000.

Cleveland State University, faced with budget cuts, has made the difficult decision to cut its baseball program at the end of this season.

Athletic director John Parry said the decision was not an easy one.

"Anytime you drop a sport, it's tough," he said. "You are taking away a draw for 25 young men."

Parry said the main reason for the cuts was a lack of facilities for the existing team, which practices and plays 25 miles off campus in Avon at All Pro Freight Stadium. But the fact the Vikings have not had a winning season since 1989, and are currently 9-32 this season, can't be ignored.

According to Parry, dropping baseball will save the athletic department $450,000. It will not affect CSU's membership in the Horizon League, as baseball is not a required sport for membership; and it will not impact CSU's NCAA status, as the Vikings still sponsor 16 varsity sports, two above the NCAA Division I minimum of 14.

Cleveland State athletics likely could have had a comparable savings by taking from every sports budget, but Parry said, "our instructions were not to nickel and dime cuts, but make strategic decisions."

The AD said CSU will honor any baseball player's scholarship if he chooses to finish his studies at CSU. Any player who transfers will be eligible to play at his new school immediately.

Nobody expected the Cleveland Indians to have the best record in baseball after April. CineSport's Noah Coslov asks Sporting News MLB writer Stan McNeal how the Indians have surprised everyone through the first month of the season.

Nobody expected the Cleveland Indians to have the best record in baseball after April. CineSport's Noah Coslov asks Sporting News MLB writer Stan McNeal how the Indians have surprised everyone through the first month of the season.

 

Former International League batting champ who played briefly with Indians in 2010 goes to Nashville for cash considerations. Also, Travis Hafner will make Indians' West Coast trip.

Chuck Crow, The Plain DealerJordan Brown with the Cleveland Indians last season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Outfielder-first baseman Jordan Brown, who was playing for the Cleveland Indians' Class AAA team, the Columbus Clippers, has been traded to the Milwaukee Brewers organization for cash considerations.

Brown will be assigned to Milwaukee's Class AAA team, the Nashville Sounds. The trade of Brown allows Columbus to make room on its roster for infielder Josh Rodriguez.

The left-handed hitting Brown, 27, was batting .278 in 72 at bats for the Clippers, with three doubles, one triple, three home runs and 13 RBI.

Brown played in 26 games for the Indians last season, including games at designated hitter besides first base and the outfield. He hit .230 in 87 at bats, with seven doubles and two RBI.

Brown, a fourth-round draft pick of Cleveland in 2005, led the International League in 2009 with a .336 batting average.

Also, Indians trainer Lonnie Soloff says designated hitter Travis Hafner is making the Indians' trip to the West Coast, which begins Tuesday night in Oakland against the Athletics.

Soloff says Hafner is making progress after missing the Indians' last four games with a strained tendon in his right foot. It's possible he could play at some time during the six-game trip.

Hafner is hitting .342 in 76 at bats, with five doubles, four homers and 11 RBI.

The Indians, 19-8, own the best record in the major leagues.