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Cleveland Indians will have no trouble adjusting to new hitting coach Bruce Fields, says Dennis Manoloff (SBTV)

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Plain Dealer reporter says veteran Fields, who is replacing the fired Jon Nunnally, already has the players' respect. Watch video


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


The Cleveland Indians are coming off a weekend sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates in interleague play. On Sunday came the news that the team fired hitting coach Jon Nunnally. Was that a good move? That's the question in today's Starting Blocks poll.


Today's guest on SBTV is Plain Dealer sports reporter Dennis Manoloff. He talks about the Nunnally move; what he knows about new the new hitting coach, veteran Bruce Fields; how Justin Masterson is reacting to the lack of run support he's received over the last month; and what his impressions are of rookie Cord Phelps, who hit the game-winning homer in Sunday's 5-2 win.


SBTV will return Tuesday with a special golf edition as Chuck will report in from the fairways as he plays 72 holes of golf as part of The Plain Dealer's Summer Solstice Golf Challenge. You can follow the challenge all day long tomorrow at cleveland.com/golf.


P.M. Cleveland Indians links: Asdrubal Cabrera offers up a page from Omar Vizquel's book

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From cover to cover, Cabrera has been the American League's best shortstop this season.

asdrubal-cabrera-crow.JPGView full sizeAsdrubal Cabrera is continuing the tradition of outstanding shortstops for the Indians.

Cleveland, Ohio -- Books have been my friend since I learned to read at the age of 3.

They've taken me to different solar systems and different eras, witnessed real history and possible futures. I've met heroes and villains, fallen in love and lust, been angered and hurt, soothed and inspired.

There is nothing a book cannot do.

I'm beginning to wonder if the same is true for Asdrubal Cabrera at shortstop, especially after that barehanded grab he made yesterday

I was in Cleveland during the Omar Vizquel years. Vizquel was, without a doubt, the best defensive SS I've ever personally seen play the game. There were times I'd watch him make plays and be grateful that I was able to see a player whose feats will be lunchroom gab fare for sports fans 100 years from now. The Vizquel-Robby Alomar tandem just made a great thing better.

Whether Cabrera will rise to that level, I don't know. But I do know that watching him in the field has been one of the great joys of the current Tribe season. Yesterday's barehanded grab deep in the hole was just one example. That ball was already past him when he reached out and got it, then pegged it to Carlos Santana at first to retire the Pirates' Brandon Wood.

I half-expected a Dennis Eckersley "Wow" to come from Wood. It didn't come, but that's OK. I bellowed it a few times myself.

One of the things I like best about books is rereading 'em. I'm on my sixth copy of "Stranger in a Strange Land" and my third of "Time Enough for Love" (I'm a huge Robert Heinlein fan). You pick up a book and you can be back in that moment any time.

Now, I've finally broken down and gotten the television version of that, aka DVR. I must've watched that play a dozen times. It gets more impressive every time I see it. I'm not quite ready to turn the page on Vizquel, but Cabrera is a pretty good sequel, and I can't wait for the next book in the series.

Right now, Cabrera is trailing the Yankees' Derek Jeter in voting to start the All-Star game at short. Jeter is injured, and is scheduled to come off the DL in time for the game. Cabrera is having a better year than Jeter in every category, which is pretty clear if you watch this Indians' highlight video.

Do that, and it's a pretty safe bet you'll want to go to mlb.com and click on the All-Star Ballot and vote. Because every book should have a happy ending.

Around the horn
* -- Waiting For Next Year, a Cleveland blog, gushes over the Tribe's play during the weekend sweep of the Pirates.

* -- T.J. Zuppe of examiner.com takes a look at the struggles of Grady Sizemore and Fausto Carmona.

* -- The Pirates' Jeff Karstens was a victim of the weather and his teammates' lack of hitting, says the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

* -- Pittsburgh DH hates designated hitter role after going hitless in 5-2 Tribe win, Warren Tribune-Chronicle reports.

*-- Pirates ponder moves -- trades or call-ups -- to bolster sagging offense, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

*-- Fausto Carmona, on the hill against Colorado tonight, has an 8.33 ERA over his  last seven starts, CBSSports.com says.

From The Plain Dealer
Cord Phelps' first homer of his Major League career, the walk-off blast for a 5-2 Fathers Day win, is a special gift for his own dad, reports writer Dennis Manoloff.

In his Indians Insider column, Dman talks about the season-long dazzling play of shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera.

The Indians' offensive woes prompt the firing of hitting coach Jon Nunnally. He's been replaced by minor league hitting instructor Bruce Fields, say Tribe beat writer Paul Hoynes and Dman in a joint-bylined story.

Also, don't miss Dman on today's Starting Blocks TV, as he talks about Bruce Fields, Justin Masterson and other Tribe topics.






MLB Realignment: Could Indians-Pirates ever "rival" Browns-Steelers?

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WFNY discusses the potential for a rivalry between the Cleveland Indians and Pittsburgh Pirates, wondering if it could ever reach that of the Browns and Steelers.

Indians Pirates 2.PNGGiven time, WFNY asks if the Indians and Pirates could ever be MLB rivals

They came, they watched, they witnessed a sweep.

More than 100,000 fans of the Cleveland Indians converged to watch their team - despite being in the midst of a rough patch of play relative to the months of April and May - take all three games from the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates.  Undoubtedly aided by fireworks, interleague intrigue, one-dollar hotdogs and a cameo by all-city rock star Michael Stanley (he did sell out back-to-back nights at Blossom), the Indians-Pirates series ended in an 11-inning walk-off win capped with brooms by those who endured the rain delay.

Now back in first place with a one-game lead over the Detroit Tigers, the question is worth asking: With the largest three-game attendance total since September of 2008, could the Cleveland Indians actually have a true MLB rival in the Pittsburgh Pirates?

Amidst last week's reports regarding a potential MLB realignment that would move one National League team to the American League in order to form two 15-team leagues, Jim Bowden, former executive for the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals, recently made a pitch for a geographic-based version of what current owners are pondering. Bowden's realignment would aim to increase region-based attendance and excitement and, ultimately, revenue. Similar to the NFL's directionally-based divisions that have been a part of the league's rise to prominence, Bowden's proclamation provides undeniable appeal.

In what would be the Central Division within the American Conference, the Indians would still go to battle against the Tigers and Minnesota Twins, but in addition to the other team from Ohio - the Cincinnati Reds - the Wahoos would have a new division rival in the Bucs. A fellow mid-market team that has been handcuffed by salary constraints, Pirate fans have also seen their fair share of big-name players move on to have successes while donning a different jersey. 

Only two hours east, the Pirates' home facility of PNC Park is widely considered one of the best in the game.  Nestled along the infamous three rivers, the scenic surroundings coupled with excellent amenities all within walking distance provides Clevelanders with a worthwhile Plan B when it comes to catching a baseball game.  If the two teams were to play more often than twice per season, PNC Park would be the closest "rival" stadium; Neil Zurcher's dream come true. 

**

When one thinks of rivalries in baseball, it is tough to ignore the Yankees-Red Sox battle that gets force-fed to the nation by the likes of ESPN. Big money, big cities, big win totals.  All intriguing story lines, but these are not the must-have ingredients for choice conflict. The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants have a storied rivalry despite the latter housing nearly 10 million fewer people; The Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals are thorns in each other's sides despite the Cubs spending $20 million more on their 2011 payroll and still finding themselves 10 games behind their red-topped rivals.

While the numbers do not always have to line up, what the abovementioned have to support their cause for disdain is history.  Let's not forget: the Pirates have five World Series titles to their name to go with nine National League pennants. Surely, an Indians-Pirates rivalry would not grab headlines in Year One, but given time and hopefully aligned windows of contention, the Wahoos could have themselves their own Browns-Steelers once a few chapters are penned. 

The NFL is understandably its own entity when it comes to the pantheon of American professional sports. With regional alignment, almost every team in football has a rival as each successful franchise has unabashed interest. Every year, regardless of single-digit win totals, loyal fans of the Orange and Brown file into Cleveland Browns Stadium; even more so when those wearing Black and Yellow come to town. Unfortunately, the Pirates have become saints of circumstance, falling below the beloved Steelers (winners of Super Bowl XL and XLIII) and the NHL's Penguins (winners of the 2009 Stanley Cup).

A rivalry of any sort would be tough to breed in the event of apathy.  Fans of the Washington Wizards considered the Cavaliers rivals when both teams were in the playoffs year after year; the 2010-11 season provided a bit of a different story, something that would not occur in the event of true rivals. Prior to December 10, 2009, the Browns had dropped 12 straight games to their bitter rivals.  Despite bitter winds - the coldest game in the history of the rivalry - and a woeful record, Cleveland Browns Stadium was electric after a 13-6 victory.

Naturally, the odds are against are stacked against diehard Tribe fans searching for that one team to pin on their collective dart boards.  Sure, we can all loathe the big-spending Detroit Tigers or mentally recall Ozzie Guillen and his infamous "choke" sign, but these two teams are still a long way away from becoming the Steelers to our Browns.  Will it require a continued resurgence in attendance totals? A wholesale economic rebound?  

What it will undoubtedly take is time, something that flies smack in the face of the need-it-now information age. But if the stars align and history can start to journal itself, Browns-Steelers could have their ball-and-bat brethren. But without much of a rivalry to tear down in favor of another, geographic realingment could be the easiest and most efficient step to creating what could be the series' all Tribe fans look forward to each and every season.   After all, more than 100,000 of them took in the most recent one.

NBA Draft P.M. Links: Jimmy Butler rises; who will be a bust; playing at home; trade rumors

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Jimmy Butler, of Marquette, has one of the best stories in the draft.

Jimmer Fredette.JPGBYU's Jimmer Fredette

Here is a heart-warming story about Marquette small forward Jimmy Butler, who recently worked out for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

It isn't likely the Cavs will draft Butler with the No. 1 or No. 4 pick in the draft, but Butler has a touching story worth the attention of any player selected on Thursday night.

Butler, writes ESPN's Chad Ford, was on his own at the age of 13 after his mother kicked him out. Shortly after that, another family took him. His story will certainly become a film.

"His story," one GM said. "is one of the most remarkable I've seen in all my years of basketball. There were so many times in his life where he was set up to fail. Every time, he overcame just enormous odds. When you talk to him -- and he's hesitant to talk about his life -- you just have this feeling that this kid has greatness in him."

 Boom or busts

CBSSports.com has this article about five players who could potentially become busts on the NBA level. The candidates include Jimmer Fredette, Kemba Walker and Bismack Biyombo.

When Walker measured in at 6-1 vs. the 5-11 many scouts had him pegged at, the phrase "See, he's not short at all!" was used. This despite the fact that he's still short, he just plays and seems shorter than he actually is. Walker has a tremendous scoring ability, but defensively there are going to be questions. There have been plenty of players of diminutive stature to make it in the NBA and even become borderline stars. But few of them have been drafted at Walker's projected position or with his expectations.   

 Hometown

Here's an article in The Salt Lake City Tribune on how Jimmer Fredette would live in a fishbowl if he's drafted by the Utah Jazz.

The article takes a look at two former BYU players that played for the Jazz after their college careers ended.

In a small market, where rabid fans closely monitor players and coaches, the Fishbowl Factor for locally produced players is something BYU’s Jimmer Fredette would face if the Jazz draft him Thursday night.

"He’s much [better] than I ever was," said Roberts, another ex-BYU star. "Jimmer is going to be a high pick, so he’ll feel pressure and expectations anywhere he goes.  
 

Rudy Gay to Cleveland?

There are rumors that the Cavaliers are looking into making a deal to acquire Memphis forward Rudy Gay.

Pau Gasol to Minnesota?

This latest rumor has the Timbewolves sending Kevin Love of the No. 1 overall pick to the Lakers for Pau Gasol.

P.M. Cleveland Browns Links: Can Greg Little be the answer to Browns' receiver woes?

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Is Greg Little the Browns' salvation at wide receiver?

greg-little-bob-donnan-us-presswire.JPGView full sizeIs draft pick Greg Little the receiver the Browns have been seeking?
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- North Carolina wideout Greg Little, the Browns' second pick of the second round in the 2011 NFL draft, won't have to jump too high of a bar to best the last few decades' worth of Cleveland wide receivers.

Steve Doerschuk of the Canton Repository and discovered the statistical evidence to back up the lament heard in every bar along the Cuyahoga during football season:

The last time the Browns received consistently strong play from a top-flight wideout was the 1960s. It was feast, not famine — there were two.

In 1964, Paul Warfield ranked fifth in the league in receiving yards, and Gary Collins caught three touchdown passes in the NFL championship game.

Collins ranked in the top 10 in 1965 and ‘66. Warfield did so in 1968 and ‘69, with Collins as a sidekick.

In the subsequent four-plus decades, a Browns wideout has ranked in the top 10 just three times.

That would be Reggie Rucker in 1978, Webster Slaughter in 1989 and -- you're not going to like this -- Braylon Edwards in 2007.

Mohammad Massaquoi was the top wide receiver on the squad last year, but his 483 yards didn't even make the top 50 leaguewide.

Yeah, it's a low bar awaiting Little. A REALLY low bar.

Hut! Hut!
Bleacher Report blogger Randy Chambers' "bold" predictions include a 1,000-yard season for TE Ben Watson, continued success by RB Hillis and vindication for QB Colt McCoy.

• New Browns defensive coordinator Dick Jauron tells Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal that he wants his D to fit the personality of an AFC North defense: tough and physical.

• Youtube has a Go Browns-type clip from contributor sjjvikings72:



 

• Three of USA Today's top 10 outside linebackers in 2011 came from the AFC North ... and none of them is a Brown.

• Browns coach Pat Shurmur works with kids at Browns Youth Football Camp, which opened today, WOIO Channel 19 reported.

• Wideout Greg Little has the early lead in an ESPN.com poll asking which AFC North draftee will be the happiest surprise of the season.

Kyrie Irving will go No. 1 to the Cavaliers, reports ESPN

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Shocking news: The Cleveland Cavaliers will select Kyrie Irving with the top pick, according to ESPN.

irving-shoot-ncaa-squ-ap.jpgKyrie Irving

Despite all of the rumors and possible deals, the Cleveland Cavaliers will use the number one overall pick on Kyrie Irving.

That's because ESPN says so.

The Cavaliers, after taking the temperature of the Timberwolves and Jazz to see if Kyrie Irving could somehow fall to No. 4 in Thursday's NBA draft, are now committed to the former Duke guard as the No. 1 pick and are fielding offers for the fourth pick, league sources said Monday.

Of course the Cavaliers are going to select Irving, a point guard out of Duke, because he is the best player available in the draft.

 

  

Cleveland Heights expected to hire Euclid's Andy Suttell as its new boys basketball coach

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CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio - Cleveland Heights is expected to hire Euclid coach Andy Suttell as its next boys basketball coach at the next regularly-scheduled school board meeting. If his hiring is approved, Suttell, 41, will replace Barry Egan, whose supplemental coaching contract was not renewed after last season.

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio - Cleveland Heights is expected to hire Euclid coach Andy Suttell as its next boys basketball coach at the next regularly-scheduled school board meeting.

If his hiring is approved, Suttell, 41, will replace Barry Egan, whose supplemental coaching contract was not renewed after last season.

Suttell, a graduate of John Carroll, has been the head coach at Euclid for the past three seasons. His teams compiled a record 38-27.

Cleveland Browns coach Pat Shurmur says he has the foundation for a good team

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Browns coach Pat Shurmur hasn't met most of his players yet, but after studying them on film, thinks his first NFL roster is the start of something good.

Pat Shurmur named Browns' head coachPat Shurmur can't wait to meet his new players.

CLEVELAND -- After watching more film of his first NFL roster than he ever anticipated, Browns coach Pat Shurmur likes what he has to work with so far.

 "I feel good about what we have to start with, I feel good about the coaches we have in place and I'm anticipating when we can put it all together,'' Shurmur said today after working with kids at the Clevland Browns Youth Football Camp at the Stadium. "I feel like the systems that we're teaching are time-proven. I'm not going to be predicting, but I feel like we've got the foundations of a good team.''

 Shurmur isn't crying "woe is me'' over trying to install a new offense and new defense without any offseason practices.

 "I don't feel like we're at more of a disadvantage,'' he said. "We're one of 32 teams. New teams, old teams, every year you re-create the chemistry that makes you a good team. I guess naturally there should be some anxiety going into a new season without preparation to this point with the players, but once we get up and running, we'll get it all taught.''

 Shurmur addressed a number of other topics this morning:

 * On whether or not the Browns would be interested in former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor in the supplemental draft: "I can't comment on that situation.''

 * On Bucs coach Raheem Morris admitting he's talking to his players: "We're making an effort to follow all the rules to the 'T' and we realize what the rules are. We know it's a little bit restrictive. As coaches you want to be in a coaching setting, but we're making every effort to follow the rules.''

 * On running back Montario Hardesty's availability for training camp: "To the best of my knowledge, he's progressing well and will be ready to participate (fully) once training camp starts. That's my understanding. We'll see when we finally get to training camp.''

 * What's the most important thing after the lockout ends: "To get the players in. That will be the focus. Get the  players in and start to communicate with them and get them up to speed so that we can really compete and play well this season.''

 * On priorities in free agency: "Filling our roster with some good young talent as well as some of the guys that are currently in the league. They're equally important.''

 * On plans for training camp: "We've planned a full training camp and we'll adjust accordingly. I was in there this morning proofreading some of the stuff, but it's ready to go. We'll just get it up and running when the players get here.''
 


Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals' 3-time MVP, out 4 to 6 weeks with forearm fracture

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Pujols, injured in a collision while playing first base, had at least 32 homers, 103 RBI and .312 batting average in each of his first 10 seasons going into 2011.

albert-pujols.jpgAlbert Pujols (left), just after injuring his left arm during a play at first base on Sunday. Tests have disclosed a forearm fracture that will sideline Pujols for 4 to 6 weeks.

ST. LOUIS, Missouri -- St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols will be out for 4-6 weeks with a fractured left forearm, a devastating blow for a franchise hit hard by injuries this season.

The team announced the results of an MRI and CT scan Monday, one day after Pujols was injured during a home game against Kansas City. The team said Pujols has a non-displaced fracture of his left radius and his arm is in a splint.

General manager John Mozeliak was scheduled to discuss the situation Monday afternoon.

Pujols is hitting .279 this year, starting to heat up after a slow start. The team said his left shoulder was sore, but no structural damage was found.

The three-time NL MVP was hurt after Wilson Betemit hit a chopper up the middle off Cardinals starter Jamie Garcia.

Second baseman Pete Kozma backhanded the ball and made a jump-throw to first, pulling Pujols off the bag toward home. As the slugger tried for a tag, Betemit ran into his glove hand and Pujols went down to the ground in pain.

"He hit me on my wrist and my shoulder," Pujols said afterward. "He kind of jammed me back. It's the toughest play to make as a first baseman. It's a bang-bang play. I saw the replay a couple of times, but I didn't really want to look at it."

The 31-year-old Pujols is due to enter free agency this fall after rejecting a multiyear contract extension at the start of spring training. He will be placed on the 15-day disabled list for only the third time in his career and the Cardinals said they would announce a roster move prior to Tuesday night's game against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Pujols is hitting .279 this year, starting to heat up after a slow start.

Betemit said there was no way to avoid the collision.

"I was running hard and the ball arrived at the same time I got to the base," Betemit said. "I couldn't do anything about it. He hit me on my left arm, that's why he dropped the ball. I hit him and then I saw him on the ground. That's part of the game. I couldn't do anything about it."

St. Louis was tied for first place in the NL Central despite the latest in a string of injuries. Pujols was hurt three days after cleanup hitter Matt Holliday returned from a quadriceps injury that landed him on the 15-day disabled list, and Holliday also missed time following an appendectomy.

Third baseman David Freese, second baseman Skip Schumaker and pitcher Kyle McClellan also have missed significant time for a franchise that early in spring training lost 20-game winner Adam Wainwright for the season.

Lance Berkman took over at first base after the injury and could serve as the long-term fill-in at the position. He began the year as a full-time outfielder for the first time since 2004.


 

Guessing game continues at Cavs near draft day

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NBA sources have denied an ESPN report on Monday morning that claimed the Cavaliers had committed to take Duke point guard Kyrie Irving with the No. 1 pick in Thursday's draft. The report came out while Kentucky point guard Brandon Knight and Turkish center Enes Kanter were working out for the team. Kanter, in his second trip here, also met Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, Kanter's agent said.

Cleveland, Ohio -- NBA sources have denied an ESPN report on Monday morning that claimed the Cavaliers had committed to take Duke point guard Kyrie Irving with the No. 1 pick in Thursday's draft.

The report came out while Kentucky point guard Brandon Knight and Turkish center Enes Kanter worked out for the Cavs. It was Kanter's second visit to Cleveland, and this time he met Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, according to Kanter's agent, Max Ergul.

The Cavs also watched Czech forward Jan Vesely work out on Sunday in New Jersey.

The Cavs have said nothing on the record about their plans for Thursday, in part because they are trying to keep all their options open. While they currently own the No. 1 and No. 4 picks in the first round, and Nos. 32 and 54 in the second round, there has been talk about them moving up or moving down. They also will be trying to use the $14.5 million trade exception they picked up in the LeBron James trade last summer.

New hitting coach Bruce Fields welcomes 'awesome' challenge: Indians Insider

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Bruce Fields can think of worse assignments than attempting to turn around the struggling offense of a first-place club on the fly. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Bruce Fields can think of worse assignments than attempting to turn around the struggling offense of a first-place club on the fly.

Fields, the Indians minor-league hitting coordinator since 2007, assumed the position of big-league hitting coach on an interim basis after Jon Nunnally was fired Saturday. Fields' first day in the dugout was Monday, when the Tribe opened a three-game series against the Rockies at Progressive Field.

"Coming into this situation, to be where we are. ... Man, that's awesome," Fields said. "Being in this position is a great position. This is a challenge, but it's a challenge I welcome."

Early Monday, Fields spoke with his hitters as a group and individually.

"I said, 'Hey, let's move on from here; what's done is done,'" Fields said. "I have to earn their respect. I'm not here to change anything. I'm here to move forward with what's been put in place and, hopefully, we can enhance it even more."

The Indians were 30-15 through May 23, but sputtering bats largely were responsible for a 9-16 record from May 24 through Sunday. The Tribe, atop the AL Central by one game over Detroit entering Monday, averaged 3.04 runs in that span -- and that includes three straight five-run games in a weekend sweep of the Pirates.

"We faced some pretty tough pitchers in that stretch when we struggled as a club," Fields said. "We battled through it and we're beyond it."

At the time of Nunnally's firing, the Indians were hitting .251 overall with 61 homers and 497 strikeouts. They were averaging 4.4 runs.

"It wasn't so much that they told me anything was wrong," Fields said. "They just told me they wanted me to come in and finish out the season. Nothing was said about something being wrong with 'Nuns.' What happened, I don't know. That's not my job. My job is hitting coach of the Cleveland Indians, and we'll see what happens from here.

"From the outside looking in, it was hard to tell exactly what the problem was and what caused it. I'm a guy who likes to see it for myself. I think I have to take it day-by-day and get a feel for what each individual guy needs to work on. Obviously, collectively we need to score more runs."

It's a new experience: Orlando Cabrera made his first major-league start at third base Monday night. Other than perhaps winter ball, Cabrera said, he could not recall playing even an inning at third.

Cabrera's previous 60 starts this season came at second base. A natural shortstop, Cabrera debuted in 1997 with Montreal. He won Gold Gloves at shortstop with the Expos in 2001 and Angels in 2007.

In the clubhouse Monday afternoon, Cabrera was asked what would be different at third. "I have no idea," he said with a chuckle. "I expect people to hit that [expletive] hard at me. Then we'll see where I stand."

When the Indians signed Cabrera in February, they told him there could be some situations where he would be asked to play third.

"I didn't have a chance to do it in spring training because I wanted the second-base job," he said. "But when I saw the moves they were making. ... I want to play. I want to be in the lineup."

When Cord Phelps was promoted from Class AAA Columbus on June 8, Acta said the switch-hitting Phelps and Cabrera effectively would platoon at second until further notice.

Cabrera began taking grounders at third when the Tribe was in New York, June 10-13.

"Once we called up Phelps, we brought up [third] to him and he was open to it," Acta said. "This gives us some flexibility. We want to see how he can handle it."

Acta said nothing was wrong with regular third baseman Jack Hannahan.

Finding success: Right fielder Shin-Soo Choo went 3-for-5 on Sunday -- his first three-hit game since Sept. 29, 2010, against Detroit.

"I was shocked when I found that out," said Choo, who played his 69th game Monday. "I can't believe it took so long."

Choo entered Monday hitting .244 with five homers and 25 RBI, but he has shown signs of busting loose in recent days. He is finally pulling the ball with authority.

"I'm not 100 percent, I don't feel great, but I feel a lot better than I did early this season," he said. "It's a lot different. I've been hitting line drives. Some have turned into outs, but that's baseball."

In each of the previous two seasons, Choo hit .300 with 20-plus homers and 85-plus RBI.

In the immediate aftermath of Nunnally's firing, Choo questioned the move, especially given that the Tribe was in first. He spoke highly of player-favorite Nunnally. Choo made it a point Monday afternoon to say he did not mean his support of Nunnally as any knock on Fields.

"I'm really close to Bruce Fields, too," Choo said. "I worked a lot with him in spring training. He's a great guy and he knows hitting. I have no problem with Bruce being here, but that doesn't mean I won't miss Jon."

On Twitter: @dmansworldpd

Carrasco helping make the Lee trade look better - Indians Comment of the Day

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"As I've said over and over, trades involving multiple players and, especially, young prospects take years before we know the true results, and the Cliff Lee trade is looking better for the Tribe. Not saying I wouldn't love to have Lee or that Carrasco is in Lee's league, but still it's looking better all the time." - sadsamjones

Cleveland Indians beat Twins, 1-0View full sizeCarlos Carrasco has been dominant in his last three starts.

In response to the story Carlos Carrasco sharp again as Cleveland Indians defeat Pirates, 5-1, cleveland.com reader sadsamjones thinks Carrasco is easing the pain of trading Cliff Lee. This reader writes,

"As I've said over and over, trades involving multiple players and, especially, young prospects take years before we know the true results, and the Cliff Lee trade is looking better for the Tribe. Not saying I wouldn't love to have Lee or that Carrasco is in Lee's league, but still it's looking better all the time."

To respond to sadsamjones' comment, go here.

For more comments of the day, go to blog.cleveland.com/comments-of-the-day.

P.M. Ohio State links: Michigan ready to turn the tables; Michigan State landing Ohio recruits

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In the wake of OSU's football scandal, other Big Ten teams are poised to take advantage. Also, basketball and hockey links.

jordan-hall.jpgOhio State's Jordan Hall (7) returns a kickoff for a touchdown during the Buckeyes' 39-7 rout of Michigan last season. It was OSU's ninth win in the last 10 games against the Wolverines.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ohio State's football rivals are sensing that now is the time to get back at the Buckeyes.

OSU, for instance, with Jim Tressel as its coach, won nine of 10 games against Michigan. That is the ultimate insult for a Wolverine.

Now, with Tressel's coerced resignation in the wake of the Buckeyes' football program scandal, Michigan is confident of restoring its pride as half of the storied rivalry.

The Bleacher Report features a slideshow of 11 reasons why Michigan will beat Ohio State, including a reference to a legendary Michigan coach, and the Wolverines' new field leader:

Like Bo Schembechler, first-year coach Brady Hoke also points to the importance of beating Ohio State and winning the Big 10 championship. The upcoming season could be very similar to 1969 when Michigan used the revenge card to upset the Buckeyes 24-12.

Back in 1968, Ohio State coach Woody Hayes was chastised by Wolverine fans for running up the score in a 50-14 victory. Hayes was asked why he went for a two-point conversion during the game. "Because I couldn't go for three," he quipped.

Schembechler posted little number 50s all over the locker room and constantly reminded his players of the importance of the game.

When Hoke was an assistant under Gary Moeller and later Lloyd Carr, Schembechler had an office down the hall. At the time, Hoke was willing to soak up just about anything from the living legend.

Now, when you hear the new coach speak about Michigan and its traditions, there's a bit of Bo speaking too.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Ohio State coverage includes Doug Lesmerises' report that a third northeast Ohio recruit has turned down OSU to make an oral commitment to another school; a report by Karen Farkas that NCAA sanctions -- which OSU's football program will almost certainly be assessed -- can impact more than just athletics at a school.

Buckeyes links

Are Ohio State's problems starting to affect the Buckeyes' 2012 recruiting class? From Rivals.com and Yahoo! Sports.

Michigan State gets an oral commitment from highly-recruited Se'Von Pittman. The Canton McKinley High School defensive end turned down Ohio State. On StateNews.com.

From SB Nation Detroit, Michigan State's 2012 recruiting class now includes commitments from five Ohio high school standouts.

A new group of players about to form the nucleus of Ohio State's team, by Brandon Castel for the-ozone.net.

Ohio, led by future Ohio State players, routs Pennsylvania in the Big 33 game. On ESPN.com.

Plans for an Ohio State vs. Michigan ice hockey game at the Cleveland Indians' Progressive Field have not been finalized, reports Sean Yuille for SB Nation Detroit.

Work lies ahead for Ohio State's incoming freshman basketball players, writes Bob Baptist of the Columbus Dispatch.

The largest scouting service employed by NFL teams ranks former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor's draftability as that of a sixth- or seventh-rounder, writes Aaron Wilson for the National Football Post.

Se'Von Pittman third Northeast Ohio prospect to turn down Ohio State

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The Buckeyes still have four in-state players ranked among the top 250 in the nation pledged for 2012.

pittman.jpgCanton McKinley defensive end Se'von Pittman

COLUMBUS - Three Northeast Ohio football prospects with Ohio State offers have chosen other Big Ten schools in the last two weeks. In the final years of the Jim Tressel era, that kind of recruiting run didn't usually go against the Buckeyes. 

It can't be a surprise now, not with Luke Fickell less than a month into his tenure as OSU's interim head coach and NCAA sanctions of some kind still ahead. But with all this uncertainly around Ohio State, early oral commitments could mean less than they usually do, because the Ohio State program that high schoolers are considering will vastly change before National Signing Day next February.

The change could be for the worse, if severe sanctions are leveled this fall. But in a major way, the change will have to be for the better. By January, the Buckeyes will have a full-time head coach with a long-term contract and a stable staff, whether that coach is Fickell or someone else. And that will help.

Then prospects, whether they are orally committed to Ohio State or not, will evaluate whether they want to be a Buckeye under those circumstances.

For now, the recruiting news for Ohio State hasn't been great. On June 10, Mentor defensive end Tom Strobel gave an oral commitment to Michigan, on June 13 Cleveland Heights offensive lineman Kyle Dodson picked Wisconsin and Sunday, Canton McKinley defensive end Se'Von Pittman chose Michigan State. Pittman's decision came a week after his private audience with Fickell at an OSU camp.

All three players are ranked among the 250 prospects in the Class of 2012 by Rivals.com, with Strobel at 231, Dodson at 152 and Pittman at 61.

According to Rivals.com, the state of Ohio has 14 players among the best 250 prospects in the country. Eleven have OSU offers, with those three saying no and four saying yes - offensive lineman Kyle Kalis (18), running back Bri'onte Dunn (124), linebacker Josh Perry (131) and running back Warren Ball (212). Four others remain uncommitted.

How does that compare? In the Class of 2011, the current incoming freshmen, there were 14 Ohio players in the top 250. Nine had Ohio State offers and seven picked the Buckeyes.

In 2010, 12 Ohio players were in the top 250. Seven had OSU offers and only two picked the Buckeyes, which caused a lot of hand-wringing among OSU fans.

In 2009, 14 Ohio players were in the top 250. Nine had OSU offers and eight picked the Buckeyes.

So at its best, in 2011 and 2009, Ohio State went 15 for 18 among top 250 in-state players. Right now, they are 4 for 7. Ohio State losing three offered players so far isn't catastrophic. But amid this uncertainty, clamping down Ohio like a year ago just isn't going to happen for the Buckeyes.

CLASS OF 2011: Ohio State has enrolled 22 of its 24 players that it signed for the Class of 2011, which was ranked No. 14 in the nation according to the average player rating by Rivals. Pittsburgh-area linebacker Ejuan Price asked for and was granted a release from his scholarship. And Glenville quarterback Cardale Jones will head to prep school, as planned, which means he's not a member of this class right now. But his plan all along has been to enroll at Ohio State in January.

Pryor and Gruden: Former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor filmed a session with ESPN analyst Jon Gruden in Florida on Saturday what will be turned into the latest installment of Gruden’s “QB Camp.” Gruden grilled several quarterbacks, like Auburn’s Cam Newton and Washington’s Jake Locker, before April’s NFL Draft and now did the same with Pryor, who is preparing for the NFL’s supplemental draft in July.

The Pryor episode will air on ESPN on Thursday, June 30, at 9 p.m.

NFL lockout 2011: team owners meet on Tuesday to discuss negotiations with league's players

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New labor deal with the players must be reached soon for training camps to begin as scheduled next month.

ralph-wilson-stadium.jpgRalph Wilson Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills, and other NFL team facilities are off-limits to players during the league's lockout.

CHICAGO, Illinois -- One day of owners' meetings could turn into two. Whether that's a sign of progress toward the end of the lockout and labor peace is debatable.

NFL owners will gather Tuesday, and perhaps into Wednesday, to discuss the status of negotiations with the players for a new collective bargaining agreement. This is the first meeting called by the league strictly for labor matters, and the 32 team owners and representatives who will be on hand were advised last week to prepare to stay an extra day.

That's how complex — and perhaps contentious — some of the issues are.

In the last three weeks, groups led by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith have made enough progress toward a CBA that it sparked optimism training camps could open on time late next month.

But no one is saying a deal is imminent, and several owners are known to have strong questions about proposals being discussed with the players.

Each side is eager to get something done before the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis rules on the league's request to permanently block an injunction that originally lifted the lockout. That injunction had been on hold while the three-man appeals panel considers the case, but one of the judges warned the owners and players they both wouldn't like the decision.

Fearful of a ruling in which both sides lose — for example, the lockout could be allowed to continue, but only until it reaches six months, which would be four days after the regular season opens — Goodell, lead negotiator Jeff Pash and a handful of owners have met with Smith and a group of players over the past three weeks. Out of those talks has come word of movement and an atmosphere of cooperation, a far cry from the rhetoric and court actions of the previous months.

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay has said a deal needs to be in place by July 4 in order to have a normal training camp and preseason. The Minnesota Vikings announced they could wait until July 18 to determine if they will hold any of their training camp in Mankato, as they usually do, but that certainly is cutting things close.

No talks with the players are scheduled until after the Chicago owners' meeting. Instead, the owners will be briefed on recent negotiations, including such topics as prospective salary caps; a rookie wage scale; free agency requirements; health benefits; and, most significantly, how much revenue from the $9.3 billion business they are willing to share with the players.

Of chief concern on the owners' side could be keeping a united front if some teams, particularly the lower-revenue or small-market franchises, are not satisfied with the numbers presented in Chicago.

The first preseason game, at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, is scheduled for Aug. 7. That makes these meetings, over 24 hours or more, critical in the NFL's first work stoppage since 1987.


 


Are sports too high a price for financially strapped schools? Tim Warsinskey's Take

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It's time to check our priorities, and sports are not at the top of the list. One way to save high schools, and high school sports, is to separate sports from school.

buchtel-playoff-football-horiz-cc.jpgView full sizeFor all the attention given to high school sports, Tim Warsinskey wonders how close to the tipping point we are when schools desperately trying to make ends meet must finally cut loose their athletic programs.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It is time to ask difficult questions about high school sports.

Budget cuts, some devastating, are a fact of life at the vast majority of public schools. Good people are losing good jobs. It is time to ask, what priority should high school sports have? Is football more important than teachers?

Ohio school districts are slashing teachers and staff at an alarming rate -- 800 in Cleveland, 226 in Cincinnati, 70 in Medina and 29 at Painesville Riverside.

I understand fully the value of high school sports and how they lay foundations for future success. I've reported it for more than two decades, story after story about student-athletes learning and displaying values that will guide them throughout their lives. I've seen it in my own son, a former hockey and baseball player now striving to be a cop.

That's what makes this so difficult.

Sports is an ever-increasing part of American culture at the expense of our society as a whole. Art, music, literature, film and theater are pushed aside too often. The endless barrage of sports on TV, Internet, radio and newspapers about every imaginable sports nuance is drowning out other things that enrich our lives.

Yes, I know I am part of that machinery. No need to point that out. At times, I also feel over-run by sports. I spend too much time talking about sports with my brothers and not enough time talking about us.

So, I wonder, is it the same with schools, from administrators to parents to students? Is sport part of the language as much as English? Is sport so engrained in our culture we assume schools should offer it no matter what? Has it lost the "extra" qualifier in front of "curricular?"

We see this played out at football games, where 75 beautifully adorned and fully equipped football players and a dozen coaches leave the field at the end of the second quarter only to be replaced by the saddest-sounding, 25-member marching band and one lonely conductor. It says a lot about priorities at that school.

I wonder, what would happen if football stopped? Would the music stop, too?

Given economic times, would our kids be better off or worse?

Which kids? How many?

Thirty kids can be just as fulfilled for three months building sets, rehearsing and producing a school play for a lot less money that it takes to rent a natatorium, pay coaches, and transport a swim team.

Apples and oranges you say? Future budgets may not afford choice of fruit. Such are the seeds sewn by politicians from both parties who have failed to do the right thing and make public school funding fair and equitable across the state. Meanwhile, formerly great public school systems in Akron and Cleveland are shadows of what they once were. While political inaction is not entirely to blame for those declines, the effect has been to sprinkle acid on urban decay.

For years, high school sports have limped along in struggling districts with pay-to-participate fees as much as $1,000 per sport. That is not a sustainable funding model.

I see a tipping point on the horizon where parents eventually decide a better option is a year-round sports program outside the school. It's already a fact of life to varying degrees in soccer, gymnastics, golf, basketball, tennis, swimming, ice hockey, softball, baseball and volleyball. In those sports, the high school season is almost seen as an interruption of the non-school teams' schedules and activities, which are aimed at catching the eyes of college recruiters.

We are one of the few countries that expect schools to provide kids a place to play as well as learn. Separating sports from schools is a common international model.

Given the status of school funding and the diminishing quality of education in many districts that are purging teachers, this is not just where we're headed, it may be the answer to difficult questions.

Web gems only hint at the all-around brilliance of Cleveland Indians' Asdrubal Cabrera: Bill Livingston

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Nobody can really be another Omar Vizquel, right? Current Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera is giving it a run, though.

acabrera-fielding-squ-cc.jpgView full sizeA penchant for the spectacular has made Asdrubal Cabrera the most watchable of the surprising Indians this season, says Bill Livingston.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Racing into the hole, the number on his back proof that he would make his own luck, was No. 13, Asdrubal Cabrera.

As the one-hopper of Pittsburgh's Brandon Wood headed for left field in the 10th inning Sunday at Progressive Field, Cabrera reached out and perhaps murmured "Abracadabra." Then he snatched the ball with his bare hand, pivoted on outfield grass that had been slickened by a nearly two-hour rain delay, and threw Wood out off his back foot while falling away from the infield.

Carlos Santana helped with his stretch at first base, but the dominant impression the play left was the almost unthinkable one that the new number 13, Cabrera, is the same, or close to it, as the old number 13. And he was none other than Omar Vizquel.

Vizquel is a wonder, still playing in the big leagues at the age of 44, a certifiable future Hall of Famer and the best defensive shortstop, along with the St. Louis Cardinals' Ozzie Smith, that most of us ever saw.

Cabrera, a Venezuelan who wears No. 13 in tribute both to Vizquel and another countryman, former Reds shortstop Dave Concepcion, is emulating Vizquel's penchant for making spectacular plays look easy. Vizquel's 11 seasons of hocus-pocus in the middle of the infield made him one of the best-loved players in Indians history. On a team of often sullen sluggers, he was the smiling defensive marvel.

Watching batting practice wasn't as thrilling as watching Vizquel take infield practice. He didn't need a glove, and he didn't even need hands. He would field some grounders with his feet, like a soccer player trapping a pass. When the laces broke on the web of his glove during the 1995 World Series, he fielded a ball barehanded and flawlessly made the play.

It was a habit with Omar. He barehanded a high chopper over Seattle pitcher Chris Bosio's head and threw out Boston's Ernest Riles for the final out of a no-hitter in 1993.

Maybe Vizquel's best play ever was a diving backhand stop in the hole in the sixth game of the 1997 World Series, followed by an adroit, feline scramble to his feet to throw out the batter, lumbering Marlins catcher Charles Johnson. Vizquel did not have to rush the throw, as did Cabrera, but because he made the play on the World Series stage, it took on eternal luster.

Cabrera, however, has tricks not even Omar possessed.

With Detroit's Miguel Cabrera on first and Brennan Boesch on second and the Tigers pounding Mitch Talbot for an 2-0 lead in the first inning last Thursday, Asdrubal leaped to stab Magglio Ordonez's screaming liner, then doubled up Boesch, who was running on the play, with a behind-the-back flip to second baseman Cord Phelps. It looked like Showtime, and someone please cue up "Sweet Georgia Brown" for the Harlem Globetrotters' warmups. Except it wasn't. The throw might have hit Boesch if Asdrubal had used a normal motion.

Vizquel, for all his flashy plays, seldom booted a routine one. His three errors in 2000 in 156 games almost seem like a typo in the record book.

Now that steroid-testing has shrunk baseball's power numbers to levels not seen since the early 1990s, defense has a greater value, although it was never negligible. The rise of Cabrera, acquired as a Triple-A prospect for Eduardo Perez in 2006, comes at a critical time. He stands in particularly instructive contrast to Jhonny Peralta, who played shortstop in Cleveland for years for mystifying reasons, none of which involved his range.

The most startling thing about Asdrubal Cabrera has been when he is not in the field. Recovered from a broken left arm, which, even after healing, hampered his swing and his ability to go into the hole last year, Cabrera has 12 home runs and 11 stolen bases this season, the latter without being caught a single time.

Vizquel stole many more bases, although his career success rate of just under 72 percent was not outstanding. His best home run season was 14 in 2002. Otherwise he never hit more than nine.

With reasonable consistency in the second half of the season, Asdrubal Cabrera will be a 20-20 man. The reference is to homers and stolen bases, but it could also be to the eyesight required to believe what you just saw him do.

On Twitter: @LivyPD

Bullpen cranking out the outs for Tribe: Indians Chatter

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The Indians' bullpen entered Monday night having not given up a run in the previous seven games, covering 22 2/3 innings.

sipp-relief-vert-2011-cc.jpgView full sizeTony Sipp has allowed runs in just three of his 32 appearances this season entering Monday night.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Clubhouse confidential: The Indians' bullpen entered Monday night having not given up a run in the previous seven games, covering 22 2/3 innings.

Here is a look at the hot streaks of six of the seven members through Sunday:

Frank Herrmann -- zero earned runs in 5 2/3 innings; Chris Perez -- one run in 11 appearances; Rafael Perez -- two earned runs in 14 innings; Vinnie Pestano -- one run in 13 appearances; Tony Sipp -- zero runs in eight appearances; Joe Smith -- zero earned runs in 16 appearances.

"I've been saying since spring training that our bullpen has talent," Chris Perez said. "I get the accolades as the closer, but the other guys have been throwing better than I am."

Perez said the key to a good bullpen is ability, but intangibles such as chemistry should not be undervalued.

"We're a bunch of guys who know their roles and get along," Perez said. "Nobody complains. We all pull for each other. That's not always the case in bullpens."

Interleague fun: Major League Baseball drew 1,646,000 fans for 45 games last weekend -- the largest attendance weekend for 45 games since the end of 2008. The Indians contributed with 100,437 for three games against the Pirates at Progressive Field.

Stat of the day: The Indians entered Monday leading the American League with 10 homers out of the leadoff spot (Grady Sizemore, six; Michael Brantley, four).

Cleveland Browns doing their research on Terrelle Pryor for NFL supplemental draft

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Will the Browns take a chance on former Ohio State quarterback Terrell Pryor? They're doing their homework on him, a league source told The Plain Dealer.

Terrelle Pryor leaves OSUView full size"Terrelle Pryor can run and he can throw and he's a hell of a competitor," former NFL coach Jon Gruden says. "You might have to cater your offense, to a degree, towards his strengths, but I think this guy can develop his passing."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns are intrigued enough by former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor to do their due diligence on him for the supplemental draft, a league source told The Plain Dealer.

Whether or not the Browns submit a bid for Pryor remains to be seen. Because Pryor hasn't yet officially entered the draft -- which could take place in mid-to-late July -- the Browns can't comment on him.

Coach Pat Shurmur, speaking Monday at Cleveland Browns Stadium after working with kids at the team's youth football camp, declined to say whether or not the Browns would make a pitch for the controversial quarterback. Teams can submit bids in the round they wish to draft the player and are awarded the player if he's still there. The team then forfeits the corresponding pick in next year's draft.

The Browns will start camp with Colt McCoy as their starting quarterback and Seneca Wallace as the backup. Jake Delhomme, currently under contract at $5.4 million for next season, will only return if the two sides agree to a reduced salary. But Delhomme might want a chance to go somewhere as a No. 2.

If the Browns deem Pryor a worthwhile project, they could draft him and use him as their No. 3. But opinions on him vary.

NFL Network's Mike Mayock recently said "I would set the over-under line on the fourth round. Can somebody take him in the third round? Absolutely."

Mayock said Pryor can be used in wildcat packages in his rookie year "while you develop his skill set."

ESPN's Jon Gruden -- a protege and close confidante of Browns President Mike Holmgren -- thinks Pryor has tremendous potential. Gruden, who highly recommended McCoy to Holmgren, has already filmed a Terrelle Pryor QB Camp special to air on ESPN June 30.

"This is a freak of nature," Gruden said in April at Ohio State's annual football clinic. "This guy is really something with the ball in his hands."

Gruden disagreed with colleague Mel Kiper Jr., who thinks Pryor would make a better NFL tight end.

"Terrelle Pryor can run and he can throw and he's a hell of a competitor," Gruden said. "You might have to cater your offense, to a degree, towards his strengths, but I think this guy can develop his passing."

Extra points: Shurmur said running back Montario Hardesty should be ready for full participation in training camp after recovering from surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

NBA Draft 2011: Big men carry big questions

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The top five big men in this year’s draft bring a variety of skills to their positions, but none qualifies as an old school, back to the basket, post-up center.

jonasv-lithun-horiz-ap.jpgView full sizeAfter getting record-setting production from Zydrunas Ilgauskas over the last decade, are the Cleveland Cavaliers willing to pursue another Lithuanian, 19-year-old Jonas Valanciunas (with ball), in Thursday's NBA draft?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- According to Wayne Embry, the question is not who is the best center in the 2011 NBA draft.

Instead, it's whether there is an actual center.

"It has become more and more difficult to define the position because of how the game has gone forward," said Embry, the former Cavaliers general manager who was a five-time All-Star center and is now a consultant to the Toronto Raptors. "There are 6-10 and 7-footers playing on the perimeter more and more. You don't see that many post players any more and you don't see that many post offenses any more."

The top five big men in this year's draft bring a variety of skills to their positions, but none qualifies as an old school, back to the basket, post-up center.

"In my mind there is really only one pure center in this draft, and it might be the young kid from Lithuania, [Jonas] Valanciunas, who I think is a long-term prospect that has tremendous potential," ESPN's Fran Fraschilla said in a conference call with reporters last week.

Added ESPN's Chad Ford, "Every year, the NBA teams reach for size. I'm not sure why the world isn't producing more seven footers who are coordinated to play basketball, but every year it seems we have to stretch a little bit to find those guys with size. Teams are willing to project more.

"So Valanciunas is not ready, but he might be [developed into a solid center]. He's got a 7-4 wing span. He's 7-feet tall and he's played pretty well in Europe. And Enes Kanter is another guy. A guy that's really risen, in my mind, the last month is Nikola Vucevic out of USC. And I think some of that, frankly, had to do with that he measured to be a legitimate NBA center at the Chicago pre-draft camp. He was 6-11, 7-4 wing span, and he had the standing reach of an NBA center.

"And there are so many teams [needing] size that those guys can rise on draft day."

Franschilla referred to Kanter as "Bigfoot."

"There have been a couple of sightings, but not many," he said of the Turkish center who was ruled ineligible to play at Kentucky last season because he'd been paid while playing in a pro league in his native country.

Franschilla likened Kanter to Atlanta's Al Horford, and said Kentucky coach John Calipari thought Kanter would have been to the Wildcats what Jared Sullinger was to Ohio State.

In all likelihood, if the Cavaliers do not trade the No. 4 pick, their choice will be between Kanter, who worked out twice in Cleveland, and Valanciunas, who reportedly is close to obtaining a buyout although it likely won't allow him to play in the NBA next season.

"I would probably take Kanter because of his size and strength," Franschilla said. "There are a lot of things I love about Valanciunas. The one thing that bothered me, and again, he was only 18 when he played this year in the Euro League. He was very much manhandled by strong, physical, European centers.

"I like a lot about both of them. There are things I don't like about each's game. But I've got a sneaky suspicion that because of Kanter's combination of size, athleticism and skill level, and I do think he's a little bit at this stage more skilled than Valanciunas."

Enes Kanter's NBA combine workouts



ESPN's Jay Bilas also learned toward Kanter in the conference call.

"They're both 19," he said. "Kanter is bigger, he's stronger, he's more physical. He's not afraid to stick his nose in there. He's got the NBA body now. You don't have to wait on him as far as his physical stature is concerned.

"If everybody's got risks, then there is not much risk. Everybody's looking at the same risk. I don't see how it's risky, but I wouldn't hesitate to take Kanter."

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