Agent Joel Segal says Moss was considering offers from several teams, but made the decision to retire.

Associated PressRandy Moss has caught 954 passes for 14,858 yards and 153 touchdowns during his NFL career.

Randy Moss is calling it a career after 13 seasons in the NFL as one of the most dynamic and polarizing players the league has ever seen.

Moss's agent, Joel Segal, said Monday that the receiver was considering offers from several teams, but made the decision to retire. Segal declined to comment specifically on the offers, instead saying his client felt the time was right to step away.

Moss caught 954 passes for 14,858 yards and 153 touchdowns in a career spent with Minnesota, Oakland, New England and Tennessee.

The 34-year-old Moss bounced around the league in his final season, getting traded from the Patriots to the Vikings last season before he was cut and signed with the Titans.

Brodrick Bunkley, whom the Browns supposedly traded for on Saturday, has not shown up for training camp and it's unclear what the outcome will be.

NFL Broderick Bunkley has been a no-show at Browns and Eagles camps.

CLEVELAND -- The Eagles announced Saturday that they traded  defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley to the Browns for a fifth-round pick in 2012, but Bunkley has not shown up for training camp.

The trade was turned into the NFL office and appeared on Sunday's official list of transactions.

But the Browns are being vague about what happened and won't confirm that the trade ever took place.

Browns general manager Tom Heckert said today he had "absolutely nothing'' to report on Bunkley. When pressed, he declined to provide any information and said "You'll have to talk to Philadelphia.''

So for now, it's unclear whether the trade is falling through or whether or not Bunkley will ever show up here.  Bunkley was the 14th overall pick of the Eagles out of Florida State when Heckert was general manager there in 2006.

Injuries, a major league workload, not enough of a repertoire...various matters can de-rail the career path of a young pitching prospect. Yet, it's a risk to deal them.

Chuck Crow, The Plain DealerAlex White pitching for the Indians earlier this season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Indians, losers in 37 of their last 60 games and desperately trying to stay in the American League Central Division race, begin their most challenging week of the season tonight when they visit the Boston Red Sox.

The Tribe, in second place, 2 1/2 games behind the Detroit Tigers, 1 1/2 ahead of the Chicago White Sox and 5 1/2 up on the Minnesota Twins, will play four games in Boston and then three in Texas against the AL champion Rangers.

The buzz around the Indians continues to center on their trade of prime pitching prospects Drew Pomeranz and Alex White, minor league pitcher Joe Gardner and minor league outfielder-first baseman Matt McBride to the Colorado Rockies for star pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez.

Jeff Passan writes for Yahoo! Sports that many among baseball's inner circle think the Rockiers got the best of the deal. Passan disagrees, and documents how the prospects for a gifted young pitcher to eventually excel at the major league level are somewhat underwhelming.

Among Passan's points:

In sabermetric circles, the acronym TINSTAAPP – there is no such thing as a pitching prospect – isn’t intended for literal interpretation. It’s more a warning that kids in their late teens and young 20s are doing something very unnatural with their arm, and that some arms – a lot of them, actually – aren’t up to throwing 100 pitches every five days. Some even fall apart, at the elbow or the shoulder, and require surgery that necessitates painful and strenuous rehabilitation that’s as much a mental test as it is physical. And if the pitcher can come back then, often he becomes a new pitcher, because an arm with a scar just ain’t the same as one unscathed.

Maybe Drew Pomeranz and Alex White are different. Perhaps the velocity Pomeranz lost late last year as a junior at Ole Miss was an aberration and he’ll throw 10 healthy seasons. It’s possible the middle-finger injury that has kept White on the disabled list since May is nothing more than a fluke at which he’ll laugh when the Rockies are celebrating another World Series that came from the Jimenez trade. Luck could well be on their side.

It’s just that history says it isn’t.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Indians coverage includes Paul Hoynes' report on the Jimenez trade being finalized; Tim Warsinskey's game story on the Indians' 5-3 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Sunday; Bud Shaw's column about the trade; reporter Dennis Manoloff's interview on Starting Blocks TV, and a Starting Blocks poll about whether the Indians have enough hitting to stay in the race; and, much more.

Around the horn

An Indians-Red Sox preview, by Jason Mastrodonato for MLB.com.

Indians trade deadline thoughts, by Tony Lastoria for Indians Prospect Insider.

The Indians are confident the trade with Colorado will work out long-term, writes Sheldon Ocker for the Akron Beacon Journal.

The Indians and Rockies are both taking risks by making their trade, Jim Ingraham writes for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal.

The Indians take a chance with the trade for Ubaldo Jimenez. By Jayson Stark for ESPN.com.

Both the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox bolstered their starting rotations with deals at the trade deadline to strengthen their playoff chances. If Josh Tomlin and John Lackey continue their recent pace, both teams may be in pretty good shape.

AP FileJosh Tomlin starts for the Indians tonight in Boston.

BOSTON -- Both the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox bolstered their starting rotations with deals at the trade deadline to strengthen their playoff chances.

If Josh Tomlin and John Lackey continue their recent pace, both teams may be in pretty good shape.

The right-handers oppose each other Monday night when Cleveland visits Boston to open a four-game set.

The Indians (53-52), 2 1/2 games behind AL Central-leading Detroit, traded four minor leaguers - including two of their top pitching prospects - to Colorado for Ubaldo Jimenez, a deal which became official after Jimenez passed his physical Sunday.

Jimenez is scheduled to make his first start for the Indians on Friday against the Texas Rangers.

The Red Sox (66-40), leading the East by two games over the New York Yankees, acquired Seattle left-hander Erik Bedard in a three-team trade on Sunday to help make up for the loss of Daisuke Matsuzaka and the injured Clay Buchholz, who hasn't pitched since June 16.

Lackey (9-8, 6.20 ERA), though, has been solid of late. He's won his last four starts with a 2.52 ERA, including a 12-5 victory over Kansas City on Wednesday when he allowed four runs in 5 2-3 innings. He's lowered his ERA more than a full run from the 7.47 mark after a loss to Toronto on July 4.

During his current run, Lackey has benefited from baseball's best offense while receiving 26 runs of support in 25 innings.

"I don't think anybody would complain about sitting around and watching guys score runs," Lackey said after Wednesday's win.

He hasn't been as lucky in his last two starts against Cleveland, however. Lackey gave up six runs in 5 1-3 innings in each loss - Aug. 20, 2009, and Aug. 2, 2010 - while receiving one run of support in each contest.

Tomlin (11-5, 4.01) will try to make that trend continue as he looks for his second win over Boston this season. He beat the Red Sox 3-1 on April 5, allowing one run and three hits in seven innings.

He's 4-1 with a 3.81 ERA over his last eight starts, suffering his first defeat since June 12 in possibly his best outing of the season Tuesday. Tomlin gave up two runs and four hits in eight innings of a 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.

Cleveland's offense struggled through most of its 2-6 homestand, capped with a 5-3 loss to Kansas City on Sunday. The Indians scored three or less runs in seven games, including getting no-hit by the Angels' Ervin Santana on Wednesday.

They'll hit the road for seven games in Boston and Texas, two of the three best offenses in baseball.

"We didn't swing the bats very well this homestand," said Travis Hafner, who went 3 for 27 over the eight games. "We're going to have to score more runs on this trip because we're playing good offensive teams."

The Red Sox lead the majors with 586 total runs and have scored 15 over their last two games after beating the Chicago White Sox 5-3 on Sunday. Dustin Pedroia hit a two-run single in the seventh inning to give Boston the lead for good. Pedroia has hit safely in 45 of his last 48 games, batting .386 during that span.

"We've been playing good ball. We just have to keep it rolling," Pedroia said. "We don't have that big of a lead in the division, so we have to play good baseball."

Cleveland has won four of the first six meetings this season - all at home - despite being outscored 25-19. The Indians have lost 10 of 13 at Fenway Park.

Got a prediction for the Browns this season? Want to be part of an interactive fan show on cleveland.com debuting in a few weeks? We'll be taking your Skype calls Tuesday from noon-1 p.m.

We'll be taking your Skype calls live from 1-2 p.m. Tuesday. Add clevelanddotcom to your Skype contacts.

Got a prediction for the Browns this season? Want to be part of an interactive fan show on cleveland.com we plan on debuting in a few weeks?

If you're answered 'yes' and 'yes,' then we want to hear from you!

Get your thoughts together about the upcoming season, fire up your webcam, make sure you have Skype on your computer and then give us call Tuesday from noon-1 p.m.

We'll ask you for your name, your hometown and, in under 30 seconds, to give your expectations for Colt McCoy, Pat Shurmur and your 2011 Cleveland Browns.

We'll include the Skype calls as part of a new weekly Browns interactive fan show set to debut before the start of the season.

Once again, lines will be open Tuesday from noon-1 p.m.

Here's what to do:

1. Log into your Skype account. Don't have one? Create one and download the software here.

2. Add "clevelanddotcom" to your contacts list and place a video call to us.

3. A cleveland.com producer will answer your call and record it. All videos will be posted later on cleveland.com.

4. Once again, we'll be taking calls from noon-1 p.m. today. If the line keeps ringing or your call is rejected, that means it's busy. Try again in a few minutes.

Chris Antonetti's bold move in acquiring Ubaldo Jimenez invites criticism -- and hope.

View full sizeAP photoIf the Ubaldo Jimenez trade is a gamble by Chris Antonetti and the Indians, at least it's a gamble to obtain greatness, says Bill Livingston. A fan base often immersed in negativity and cynicism shouldn't be allowed to weaken that resolve.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In this frustrated town with big longings and little fulfillment, boldness invites suspicion.

That goes for whether the Indians are buying, as in the Ubaldo Jimenez trade at the expense of the farm system's two best pitching prospects, or selling, as in the recent past.

Selling is a reality with small-market teams in the only major sport in this country with no salary cap. It has also twice signaled the end of victory fireworks and horns honking in the night downtown.

"The [Bartolo] Colon deal was terribly received," said Indians General Manager Chris Antonetti.

That was true because it was the end of the wonder years, when the Indians had a big-market payroll because gate receipts, not cable revenue, made the difference in who swung for the fences and who swung on the front porch. The Indians had been in the playoffs six times in seven years when Colon was traded.

The sour reaction was also true because no one knows what the true value of prospects will be. Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee and Brandon Phillips were all good players, although Sizemore turned out to be brittle, Lee eventually became too expensive and Phillips was inexcusably chased out of town by Eric Wedge, with the acquiescence of former GM Mark Shapiro.

"The Victor [Martinez] deal was terribly received," said Antonetti.

That was true too because it came during the Summer Sell-a-thon that sent an Indians Cy Young winner packing (Cliff Lee in 2009, preceded one year earlier by CC Sabathia). In 2007, the Indians had come within one game and perhaps one botched decision by their third-base coach of reaching the World Series.

The bitterness was deep in the fan base because Martinez had been described many times as the heart and soul of the team. So many Indians were going so many places that it looked less like rebuilding and more like saluting a white flag.

"How many people know Justin Masterson [acquired from the Red Sox in the Martinez deal] has a lower ERA than CC Sabathia?" said Antonetti.

Masterson, pitching for a team so offensively challenged that he has only an 8-7 record despite a 2.56 ERA, is almost a run per game to the good of Sabathia, who is 15-5 with a 3.50 ERA. CC, apparently standing for "Copious Clouts," has benefited from a Yankee lineup that five times has scored 12 or more runs for him.

Run support is not so free and easy here, nor are all trades as good as that for Martinez. It looks like no impact players came from the Sabathia and Lee deals, unless Matt LaPorta, who was rated highly, develops into one.

But some of the little deals netted Asdrubal Cabrera, the best regular in the lineup, and Shin-Soo Choo, a darling in scouting circles as a five-tool player. Carlos Carrasco will join that list if he ever grows up and learns better strategies for coping with adversity than a bean ball.

The record of Shapiro, with Antonetti his right-hand man, is more mixed -- featuring patches of sunlight along with the shadows -- than the Indians' critics say. Many seem to think Shapiro did nothing good after the Colon trade.

Antonetti's debut as GM was the very big Jimenez trade. Small-market teams do not often get a chance at a top-of-the-rotation starter and recent (2010) Cy Young candidate. After a bad start, Jimenez has been good this year, not great.

Fans wonder what Jimenez has done lately to be such a Tribe imperative. But what Alex White, who, along with Drew Pomeranz made up the top-gun prospects who were shipped to Colorado, has done lately is suffer a middle finger injury. The same injury has relegated Adam Miller to pitching out of the bullpen in the farm system.

"Our fans would be happy if Drew Pomeranz or Alex White ever became a top-of-rotation pitcher who was third in the Cy Young voting," said Antonetti. "That's what we're getting with Ubaldo [third in 2010] and what we will have for two-plus years."

Antonetti said he would not have made the deal if it were only for the rest of this season. He would have been ripped for going all out for one playoff season then, and he knew it. The Jimenez contract is club-friendly, the pitcher is only 27, and the young, promising staff will be together for a while. So will Cabrera and Choo, and, if he ever gets his body back in one piece, Sizemore.

The right-hand bat the offense needs was not there in a feasible deal. Still, as Antonetti said, "What do you think the [fan] reaction would have been if we had done nothing?"

A lot uglier than getting pitching that should give fans hope.

On Twitter: @LivyPD

Flyers founder Ed Snider and announcer Mike Emrick also become Hall of Famers.

Associated PressChris Chelios, here celebrating a goal by a Detroit Red Wings teammate in a 2002 game, holds the NHL record for most games played by a defenseman (1,651).

Longtime NHL players Chris Chelios, Keith Tkachuk and Gary Suter were selected for induction into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday.

They were joined by Philadelphia Flyers founder and current owner Ed Snider along with play-by-play announcer Mike Emrick. The formal induction will take place this fall.

Chelios played 26 NHL seasons with Montreal, Chicago, Detroit and Atlanta. He left after the 2009-10 season as the all-time leader in games played by a defenseman (1,651). He also was part of three Stanley Cup championships.

Suter spent most of his 17 seasons with Calgary and helped the Flames to a Stanley Cup crown in 1989.

Tkachuk played nearly two decades and is one of just four American-born players to score 500 career NHL goals.

Unused in the former 3-4 system, Mitchell now is being counted on to lead the pass rush of the new 4-3 defense. Watch video

View full sizeScott Shaw, The Plain Dealer"When he signed, I walked in, he was sitting down and he stood up and I said, 'Oh my goodness.' He just kept getting taller," head coach Pat Shurmur (left) says of defensive end Jayme Mitchell (right). "He's a terrific looking guy."

BEREA, Ohio -- The story goes that shortly after he arrived in a trade from the Minnesota Vikings last October, a bewildered Jayme Mitchell asked a club official what everyone else was wondering.

Why would a team playing a 3-4 defensive alignment trade for a player who has only lined up as a 4-3 defensive end in his career?

"Just be patient. You'll see," was the reported response.

So now the Browns are playing a 4-3 and Mitchell is projected as the starting left end.

"Nobody ever said there was a plan," Mitchell said on Monday. "But I could sense it."

How so?

"Just the way some of the assistant coaches used to hint, or whatever," Mitchell said. "I don't know, man, I could just sense it was in the air."

Mitchell labored through 12 weeks of the 2010 season, never so much as suiting up for a game. After the season, General Manager Tom Heckert said Mitchell was the best pass rusher on the team. But it looked like the Browns essentially gave away a seventh-round draft pick when Mitchell became an unrestricted free agent. They targeted him as a high priority and were able to re-sign him to a two-year contract.

"In fairness to Eric [Mangini], he's not a fit for a 3-4 end," Heckert said on Monday. "We talked about that. I'm not putting blame on Eric. I wish we would've had the chance to see him [last year]. We knew it wasn't a fit and we made the trade anyway. If we had lost him, then it would have been a stupid trade."

Mitchell won't take the field until Thursday because of legalese of the new labor agreement. When he does, Heckert said he'll be the starting left defensive end.

"That was a big signing. We feel like he is a terrific pass rusher," coach Pat Shurmur said.

In parts of four seasons in Minnesota, Mitchell had five sacks in spot duty behind a very good starting defensive line. Now, in the span of one coaching change, Mitchell has gone from almost laughably out of place to the forefront of the new pass rush being assembled by Shurmur and new defensive coordinator Dick Jauron.

"Get to the quarterback, put him on his back. And win," Mitchell said of his goals. "I'm going to live up to it. That's why I'm here, most definitely."

The defensive line remains a work in progress, particularly in the interior where rookie No. 1 pick Phil Taylor remains a holdout and reported trade pickup Brodrick Bunkley went back to Philadelphia after a Saturday physical and was officially dealt on Monday to Denver. 

The end positions now appear to be firming up. Besides Mitchell, there's rookie No. 2 draft pick Jabaal Sheard, the projected starter at right end; two holdovers from last season, Brian Sanford and Derreck Robinson; and two conversions from outside linebacker, Marcus Benard and Austin English.

Like Mitchell, Benard must wait for Thursday to participate. He played outside linebacker in Mangini's 3-4 but will be moved full-time to end. In anticipation, he showed up about 20 pounds heavier than his listed playing weight of 256.

"He got a little heavier, but he really didn't have to because we're looking for speed there," Jauron said.

English, 6-3 and 250, played defensive end at Oklahoma and then with Hartford of the United Football League. The former coaches tried to convert him to outside linebacker. Jauron said English has had "a few good days." Benard had 11 sacks in 21 games and was one of the "finds" of the two-year Mangini era. English never appeared in a game.

"Defensive ends come in different sizes, but they fit our model of the pass rusher-type guys," Shurmur said. "They're used to playing on the end of the line of scrimmage. All we're telling them now is to put your hand down all the time."

The point of the new defense is to downsize the ends in the name of quickness off the edge.

"Well, if you could get a 300-pounder that could speed rush somebody, you'd like to have that," Jauron said. "As big and fast as you can get."

Sheard is 6-2 and 255 pounds. At 6-6 and 285, Mitchell hovers over all the pass rushers.

"When he signed, I walked in, he was sitting down and he stood up and I said, 'Oh my goodness.' He just kept getting taller," Shurmur said. "He's a terrific looking guy."

"He looks like a true defensive end," Heckert said. "The tape I saw [when Mitchell played for the Vikings], I thought he was a real good player. He better prove me right."

On Twitter: @TonyGrossi

Commissioner David Stern says he doesn’t feel players are bargaining in good faith. Players argue that although owners insist they are committed to making a deal, their proposals say otherwise.

Associated Press(Left to right) NBA Players Association chief Billy Hunter, NBAPA vice-president Theo Ratliff and president Derek Fisher arrive at a hotel in New York today for talks with NBA owners' representatives.

NEW YORK, New York -- NBA talks have started again and are apparently going nowhere.

A downcast Commissioner David Stern said “nothing” gave him reason for encouragement after a 2 ½-hour meeting Monday between owners and players, the first to include leadership from both sides since the lockout began exactly a month ago.

“I don’t feel optimistic about the players’ willingness to engage in a serious way,” Stern said.

Stern added nothing had changed since the last meeting on June 30, held hours before the old collective bargaining agreement expired, and said he doesn’t feel players are bargaining in good faith.

Players argue that although owners insist they are committed to making a deal, their proposals say otherwise.

Neither side offered a new proposal Monday, exactly three months before the Nov. 1 scheduled opening of the regular season that seems more in doubt than ever.

Stern and Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver were joined by San Antonio owner Peter Holt, who heads the labor relations committee, and Board of Governors chairman and Minnesota owner Glen Taylor represented ownership.

Players’ association Executive Director Billy Hunter, and President Derek Fisher and Vice President Theo Ratliff, both of the Lakers, attended along with union attorneys.

“It’s a tough position to be in,” Fisher said. “I think Peter, Glen Taylor, Commissioner Stern, Adam Silver are articulating certain things in the room, expressing their desire to get a deal done, but where their proposal lies makes it hard to believe that.

“So we’re continuing to try to work around what’s been said and really focus on the deal on the table, and right now we’re still a very, very long way from getting a deal done.”

Fisher said the sides would try to meet at least two or three more times in August. Stern said there is always reason to have meetings, yet made it clear owners feel not enough is happening during them.

“Right now we haven’t seen any movement,” he said, adding “there’s still a very wide gap between us.”

Allow me to introduce myself as the grand poobah of what I shall call the National Friday Night Lights Players Association, or NFNLPA. Look for the union label.

View full sizeGus Chan, The Plain DealerSolon's Riley Thompson runs through drills during an abbreviated practice on Monday, the first official day of prep practices in Northeast Ohio. The workout was cut short because of thunderstorms.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A victory for one is a victory for all.

Now that the NFL work stoppage is over for a measly 2,000 pro football players, the time has come to organize America's real fighting footballers, our 1.1 million high school gridiron heroes.

Allow me to introduce myself as the grand poobah of what I shall call the National Friday Night Lights Players Association, or NFNLPA. Look for the union label.

Listen up. We have certain demands.

You may have noticed the NFL owners' primary negotiating tactic was to lock out players and threaten their paychecks. Have you also noticed that, in high school, our players are locked out if they don't pay the owners, i.e., the school board, pay-to-participate fees?

What's wrong with that picture? From now on, football is free.

The boss needs you. You don't need him.

The NFL's new labor agreement bans two-a-day football practices, which high school coaches expect to begin next week.

Think that's a good idea? Think again, Ted Ginn.

And what's with outdoor workouts in the weather? It's been 90-odd degrees all summer. As our NFL brethren have demonstrated, it is improper to rehearse the art of football outdoors if there's a threat of rain, snow or double rainbows. Every football team should have a place to perfect themselves indoors, closer to the players lounge and cafeteria. Geneva and Massillon have indoor fields, why not Garfield and Midpark?

Not to go all Upton Sinclair on you, but these conditions make The Jungle look like Dante's Paradiso.

We're all in this together.

The NFL players and owners agreed to keep their season at 16 games in part because there aren't enough quarterbacks to get the Browns through 18 games. Last year, state finalists St. Edward, Maple Heights, Buchtel and Chagrin Falls played 15 games and averaged 13.5 wins while attending school full-time. The Browns won five games with no apparent other responsibilities.

Either the Browns should do our players' homework, or our players should get Tuesdays off from school.

Which side are you on, boys?

How many schools have 50-50 raffles that benefit the marching band? The band? Seriously? The band plays the Doobie Brothers for 10 minutes dressed like palace guards and they get to take up a collection? And there are our heroic linemen and linebackers fighting for leftover concession-stand pizza after the game.

The NFNLPA demands every cent of the 75-25 (no more 50-50), go to the players postgame spread from Morton's Steakhouse.

No Porterhouse, no peace!

The NFL and players union negotiated a 50-50 split of a $9 billion revenue pie. The OHSAA has an annual budget of about $12 million. Know what its largest source of revenue is? Football. The playoffs alone generate about $4 million annually, to say nothing of television revenues.

And they expect our boys to go to work in a yellow school bus? Do you think OHSAA Commissioner Dan Ross rides a bus?

Labor creates all wealth.

Finally, the NFL contract locks up rookies for four years. That, of course, is unrealistic for our boys who have just four years of high school to maximize their worth. We're going to leverage Boss Ross for free agency after two years. Just imagine the bidding wars between Eds and Iggy, or Maple and The Ville.

Solidarity forever!

Stallings waited until the last possible instant -- and then some -- to earn his spot in the Bridgestone.

View full sizeSteve Helber, Associated Press"To say I'm excited doesn't do it justice," first-time winner Scott Stallings said Monday after winning the Greenbrier Classic over the weekend. "I'm ecstatic. It's hard to put into words."

AKRON, Ohio -- Scott Stallings grew up a huge fan of Tiger Woods. Having met him earlier this year at a tournament only raised the level of appreciation.

Now Stallings gets to play in an event that Woods has owned.

Stallings joins Woods in a field of 77 for the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational this week at Firestone Country Club's South Course. Woods is a seven-time champion, but has not played on the PGA Tour since mid-May, when he withdrew from The Players because of injury.

"Tiger is the guy I looked up to; he's the guy who made golf cool," said Stallings, 26, a rookie. "To have him back is awesome. Any place you can be where he's been successful must be a great venue, and he's been unbelievably successful at Firestone, so I can't wait to get out there."

Woods practiced in Atlanta on Monday and is scheduled to be on the Firestone grounds Tuesday morning. Maybe Stallings will have caught his breath by then.

Maybe.

Stallings waited until the last possible instant -- and then some -- to earn his spot in the Bridgestone. Sunday in West Virginia, Stallings won the Greenbrier Classic on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff. He became the 10th first-time winner on tour this year, the sixth rookie.

"To say I'm excited doesn't do it justice," he said. "I'm ecstatic. It's hard to put into words."

Stallings spoke by phone Monday from the South Course to a reporter on the South Course. This particular interview did not happen in-person because Stallings moved too fast. He was right there, in plain sight, then he vanished.

Not unlike Woods on most days.

"I had the worst night of sleep I've ever had, and I'm exhausted," he said. "I haven't had five minutes to myself. But I'm not complaining."

• Bridgestone fan facts | Tournament field

Stallings needed a birdie on the 72nd hole just to qualify for the playoff against Bob Estes and Bill Haas. Stalling put his 9-iron shot to 4 feet, 9 inches, and drilled the putt. What happened next already is the stuff of legend on tour. After Stallings finished his obligations in the scoring facility, he skipped briefly, then ran most of the way to the first playoff hole, which happened to be the 18th.

"A lot of people thought it was great, but I've been getting a lot of grief about it, too," he said. "It was very impromptu. That's my personality."

The skip-and-run might have been triggered by the loud ovation he heard.

"I'll never forget that feeling," he said. "The noise, the amount of people screaming and yelling when I went out there. ... It was incredible."

Stallings rode the positive vibe to a near-carbon copy of his final shot in regulation. This 9-iron landed 6 feet, 9 inches away. After Haas and Estes missed much longer birdie attempts, Stallings curled in his from left to right. He dropped the putter as if it had been shocked out of his hands.

"After I made that putt, the next 30 minutes were a blur," he said, adding that he much preferred scurrying to the playoff tee box over relaxing and hitting balls on the range beforehand.

"To have about 10 minutes from the birdie on 18 to having it all be over is awesome," he said.

Stallings received numerous goodies in addition to the Bridgestone invite. Among them: a berth in The Masters and $1.08 million. Even with so much riding on a victory, Stallings said he was eager, not anxious, in the moments before both 9-iron shots.

"A really good friend of mine once sent me a text that said: Pressure is what you feel when you don't know what you're doing," he said. "I felt like I was the best-prepared out there. I couldn't wait to hit those shots, so I could see how I would react.

"Those are the situations you want to be in. You see what you're made of. That feeling is addictive, and I can't wait to get into that kind of environment again."

In the Firestone locker room early Monday afternoon, as Stallings darted away to another appointment, highlights of his Greenbrier victory were being replayed on a flat screen.

"It was kind of surreal going into the locker room and having guys congratulate me who didn't have any idea one week ago that I was a player," he said.

Ubaldo Jimenez will join the Indians on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Carlos Carrasco's head-high pitch earns him a six-game suspension and fine.

Chuck Crow, The Plain DealerCarlos Carrasco is appealing his six-game suspension, which will allow him to start against Boston on Wednesday.

BOSTON -- Ubaldo Jimenez will join the Indians on Wednesday at Fenway Park and make his first start Friday against Texas at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

When Jimenez joins the team, manager Manny Acta's revamped rotation should come into focus. A space must be created for Jimenez, acquired Saturday from Colorado in a five-player trade, when he arrives. His arrival means the Indians will have six starters for five spots, which means someone has to go.

This much is clear -- Jimenez will start Friday followed by Josh Tomlin on Saturday and Fausto Carmona on Sunday. The Indians have an off day Monday before a three-game series with Detroit starting Tuesday, which would be Justin Masterson's day to pitch.

So it comes down to David Huff or Carlos Carrasco. Huff is starting Tuesday night and Carrasco on Wednesday. Carrasco was suspended for six games and fined $2,500 for throwing at Billy Butler's head on Friday in a 12-0 loss to Kansas City. He's appealing the suspension and will make his start Wednesday.

Huff and Carrasco both have options.

Jimenez, who will wear No. 30, told Acta that he could start against the Red Sox. "He offered to pitch on Thursday, but we didn't want to move Masterson," said Acta. "He's pitched well against the Red Sox. He's a guy we want to keep on his five-day routine."

Masterson is 2-0 with a 1.25 ERA in three starts against his old team.

Let's talk: Acta held a team meeting Monday to try and get his struggling ballclub turned around. They were 30-15 on May 23 with a seven-game lead in the AL Central. They've gone 23-37 since. They entered Monday's game at 53-52 and 2 1/2 games behind the first-place Tigers.

They've lost outfielders Shin-Soo Choo and Grady Sizemore to injury, but that does not explain why they've stopped hitting -- completely.

"We have a lot of kids who have never been to Fenway Park," said Acta. "It's a different ballpark. I just wanted them to really take advantage of it in extra hitting and batting practice."

But Acta had more on his mind than introducing his players to the Green Monster. "I wanted to take the team's temperature," he said. "I wanted to let them know that this is fun. I want them to focus and look at it like this, 'Hey we're a couple of games out with two months of baseball to play. Let's enjoy it.'"

The Indians are coming off a 2-6 homestand and a 11-15 July, during which hit .235 (202-for-861) and averaged 3.8 runs per game. Since the All-Star break, they're hitting .219.

"In a way, I felt like I needed to let them know that we're still in it," said Acta. "That we needed to get back to what got us here. ... I also wanted to point out that we believe in them. That's why our front office continues to work to try and make this club better because we feel we can do it."

Suspended: When asked what he thought of Carrasco's suspension, pitching coach Tim Belcher said, "It's a bit surprising, I guess they figured they had to do something. It sets a precedent for Jered Weaver. He did the same thing."

Weaver, the Angels' No. 1 starter, threw at Detroit catcher Alex Avila's head Sunday in the seventh inning after Carlos Guillen homered and showboated his way around the bases. Weaver was immediately ejected, as was manager Mike Scioscia because warnings had been issued after Guillen's homer.

MLB has yet to make a ruling on Weaver.

"It's standard when something like that happens," said Acta, regarding Carrasco's suspension. "He's appealing. He'll be able to pitch here on Wednesday. Then we'll go from there."

Finally: Choo (left thumb) should take batting practice at sometime during this trip, but Acta doesn't want any big risks. "He should take one step at a time," said Acta. ... The Indians signed infielder Argenis Reyes and sent him to Class AAA Columbus. The former Tribe farmhand was playing independent ball.

On Twitter: @hoynsie

Nine quick questions with Westwood, second in the world golf rankings.

View full sizeAP fileAll in all, Lee Westwood would just as soon be at Pebble Beach.

AKRON, Ohio -- Nine quick questions with Westwood, second in the world golf rankings.

Q: Favorite course ever played?

A: Pebble Beach. Just spectacular. There are great holes, great stretches of holes. Take everything into account, including the views over the Pacific Ocean.

Q: Biggest difference between European Tour and PGA Tour?

A: Variety of cultures and courses. China is very different from Germany or England or France. The PGA Tour is predominantly in the U.S.

Q: How would you describe European Tour legend Miguel Angel Jimenez?

A: Unique. Not many people understand what he's saying. I actually do get what he says -- most of the time.

Q: What makes Jimenez so popular?

A: He's not your stereotypical golfer. He likes a cigar, he likes a glass of red wine -- as we all do. He likes a Ferrari -- as most of us do.

Q: Preferred activities away from golf?

A: I own a few horses, so I like to do things with horse racing. I have horses in Europe, Dubai and South Africa.

Q: Caddyshack or Tin Cup?

A: Caddyshack is much better.

Q: Advice to parent(s) of young, talented golfer(s)?

A: Don't try to live your dreams through your children. Don't put too much pressure on them. Let them enjoy it.

Q: Favorite club in bag?

A: Driver.

Q: Wildest thing you've witnessed on a course?

A: When I was playing in an amateur boys championship in Norway, an elk came running across the fairway. It made a heckuva noise.

Jason Kipnis lashes three hits, including a homer, as Indians snap out of their offensive funk.

BOSTON -- Manager Manny Acta told his young players Monday afternoon to go out and explore the quirkiness of Fenway Park. He wanted them to get used to taking balls off The Green Monster and checking out the triangle in center field.

He may have even mentioned Pesky's Pole, the right-field foul pole named after Red Sox legend Johnny Pesky. It seems to stand about 10 feet behind first base, but it's actually 302 feet from home.

In case any of Acta's students weren't listening to his lecture, Asdrubal Cabrera gave them a real-life lesson when he bent a line drive around the pole in the eighth inning for a two-run homer to lead the Indians to a 9-6 victory over the red-hot Red Sox.

The homer, which never seemed to get more than six or seven feet off the ground, hooked around the pole and into the first row of seats before bouncing back onto the field. It was originally ruled a single, but the Indians asked for the umpires to review it.

"I don't think the human eye could actually tell what happened," said Acta. "We thought it may have hit the foul pole and bounced back on the field. ... That's what we have replay for."

After a lengthy wait, the umpires emerged from the Indians dugout and reversed the call. The drive off Daniel Bard (1-5) broke a 5-5 tie, and the Tribe added another run in the inning on Matt LaPorta's double to left.

"This is a place with a lot of character. There's a lot of stuff out there," said Acta. "We talked about the angle of the [right field grandstand]. If the ball hits it, it can wind up in right center field.

"I think all were aware of Pesky's Pole. They were all watching it when a left-handed hitter came to the plate."

Rookie second baseman Jason Kipnis started the eighth with a single before Cabrera's homer. Kipnis, who added a ninth-inning homer of his own to fall a triple short of the cycle, enjoyed his introduction to Fenway.

The win went to Rafael Perez (4-1), who pitched a scoreless seventh in relief of starter Josh Tomlin, who allowed five runs on eight hits in six innings. Vinnie Pestano and Chris Perez closed out the game.

"Raffie threw a huge inning for us in the seventh," said Acta.

After a two-month fall from their lofty perch atop the AL Central, maybe -- just maybe -- the Indians offense is starting to find its way again. They had 10 hits in Sunday's 5-3 loss to the Royals and finished with 13 Monday. It was just the fifth win in the last 15 games. The Red Sox were coming off a 20-6 performance in July.

"This might be our toughest road trip of the season. To start it with a win, against a team like this, is big," said Acta, referring to a seven-game trip against division leaders Boston and Texas.

Trailing 3-2 in the sixth, the Indians took a 5-3 lead on consecutive homers by Cabrera and Travis Hafner against starter John Lackey. Cabrera's homer followed a Kipnis double for a 4-3 lead. Hafner drove a Lackey pitch deep into the seats in right center.

Cabrera has hit 37 homers in his career, 19 coming this season. It was Hafner's 10th homer.

The Red Sox came right back to tie the score on a broken-bat homer by Jarrod Saltalamacchia in the sixth. Carl Crawford doubled off the Green Monster with one out and Saltalamacchia curved his two-run shot around Pesky's Pole.

"I've never given up a homer on a broken bat," said Tomlin. "I guess he's a strong kid."

Boston took a 1-0 lead in the second when Marco Scutaro singled with one out to score Saltalamacchia from third. The Indians tied the score in the third on Michael Brantley's double. Ezequiel Carrera singled with two out and took second on Josh Reddick's throwing error from right field.

Boston stretched its lead to 3-1 with two runs in the third. Adrian Gonzalez opened with a single and scored when Kevin Youkilis tripled off the center-field wall. Carrera, playing center, overthrew his relay man and just about everyone else as the ball bounced toward the Tribe's dugout. Youkilis tried to score, but Tomlin, backing up the play, grabbed the ball and threw to catcher Carlos Santana, who made a lunging tag of Youkilis.

The Indians made it 3-2 in the fourth as Cabrera scored from third when Kosuke Fukudome ran his way out of a potential double-play on a grounder to second.

The Class AAA Columbus Clippers began Monday night with a 9 1/2 game lead in the International League West Division, while Advanced A Kinston and short-season A Mahoning Valley were in tight races.

MINOR LEAGUE NOTES

AAA Columbus Clippers

Notes: Going into Monday night’s home game against the Norfolk (Va.) Tides, LH reliever Nick Hagadone (4-1, two saves, 3.71) was 2-0 with one save and a 1.59 ERA in his last 10 games, striking out 21 and walking three in 16 innings....3B Jared Goedert (.209) was 8-for-20 (.400) with two home runs and one double in his last six games....RH reliever Chen Lee (2-0, 0.52) had struck out 26, walked four and allowed 12 hits in 17 1/3 innings with the Clippers. Going into Monday, Lee was a combined 4-1 with a 1.89 ERA for Columbus and Akron this season, fanning 82 and walking 15 in 57 innings, while holding hitters to a .198 batting average, including just one home run....IF Luis Valbuena (.298) was in a 4-for-27 (.148) mini-slump over his last seven games.

AA Akron Aeros

Notes: The Aeros, off on Monday, begin a three-game series at Trenton (N.J.) against the Thunder on Tuesday night....CF Jordan Henry (.258) is 3-for-19 (.158) in his last six games, but has drawn six walks, boosting his team-high total to 59. He leads the Aeros with 28 stolen bases (in 37 attempts)....Catcher Chun Chen (.272) was 6-for-36 (.167) in his last 10 games, but had two homers and two doubles....RH reliever Matt Langwell (4-1, three saves, 2.66) was 2-0 in his last six games, allowing one run and striking out 11 in 9 1/3 innings....RH reliever Bryce Stowell had pitched in three games since joining the Aeros, giving up one run on two hits and two walks while fanning seven in five innings. In a combined 22 1/3 innings for Lake County and Akron, Stowell has struck out 33, walked 12 and given up just 10 hits.

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Notes: The Indians, off on Monday, host the Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Pelicans to begin a three-game series on Tuesday night....RH reliever Toru Murata (0-2, two saves, 3.28) has pitched 10 scoreless innings in his last seven games, allowing just two hits while fanning 13 and walking four. Murata, 26, is from Japan, and was signed by the Indians as an international free agent in Feb., 2010. He is pitching in the minor leagues for the first time this summer....OF Anthony Gallas (.203), of Strongsville High School and Kent State, was 0-for-5 in his last two games, after going 8-for-22 (.364) with six doubles and eight RBI in his last six games....OF Tyler Holt (.261) was 1-for-12 (.083) in his last three games, after going 7-for-12 (.583) with two doubles and one triple in his previous three games. Holt has 25 stolen bases in 30 attempts....3B Adam Abraham (.245) was 1-for-14 (.071) with seven walks in his last five games....OF Delvi Cid (.176) was 0-for-13 in his last four games.

A Lake County Captains

Notes: Going into Monday night’s game in Lansing (Mich.) against the Lugnuts, OF Brian Heere (.267) was 17-for-39 (.436) with two doubles and one home run in his last 11 games....3B Giovanny Urshela (.247) was 8-for-17 (.471) with three doubles and a homer in his last four games....RH reliever Clayton Ehlert (1-2, 13 saves, 1.67) has allowed one earned run on 10 hits in his last 18 innings....OF Carlos Moncrief (.245) was 15-for-52 (.288) with five homers, two triples, one double, 14 runs and 11 RBI in his last 12 games....SS Ronny Rodriguez (.246) was 9-for-27 (.333) with two doubles, one triple and one homer in his last seven games.

A Mahoning Valley Scrappers

Notes: RH starter Joseph Colon (4-2, 3.48) is 4-0 with a 2.25 ERA in his last five games, striking out 20 while allowing five walks and 19 hits in 28 innings....Going into Monday night’s game at Aberdeen (Md.) against the IronBirds, OF Jordan Smith was third in the New York-Penn League with a .341 batting average (47-for-138), first with 15 doubles and second with 30 RBI, despite not having any home runs....SS Tony Wolters (.296), despite going 0-for-8 in his last two games, was 15-for-40 (.375) with three doubles, eight runs, five walks, five stolen bases and four RBI in his last 10 games....Catcher Alex Lavisky (.194), a 2010 Lakewood St. Edward graduate and the Indians' eighth-round draft pick that June, was 0-for-9 in his last two games, after going 9-for-32 (.281) with four doubles and two home runs in his previous eight games....2B Todd Hankins (.246) was 12-for-37 (.324) with two doubles, one homer and seven RBI in his last 10 games....RH reliever Cody Allen (3-1, 2.27) was 1-0 with 8 1/3 scoreless innings in his last four games, striking out 14, walking two and allowing five hits....RH reliever Nathan Striz (2-2, one save, 2.21) was 2-1 with one save in his last eight games, striking out 15 while allowing 11 hits and 11 walks in 16 innings.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

Notes: Going into Monday night’s home game against the Washington (Pa.) Wild Things, 3B Andrew Davis (.309) was hitting .406 (41-for-101) in his last 25 games, with 10 doubles, three triples, two homers and 21 RBI....OF Kellen Kulbacki (.293) was hitting .336 (40-for-119) in his last 31 games, with eight doubles, one triple and one homer.
 

New U.S. coach Juergen Klinsmann believes his mix of international experience and American knowledge will allow him to improve the national team.

Juergen Klinsmann, of Germany, right, smiles after being introduced as the head coach of the U.S. men's soccer team by U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati, left, at a news conference in New York, Monday, Aug. 1, 2011. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

NEW YORK — New U.S. coach Juergen Klinsmann believes his mix of international experience and American knowledge will allow him to improve the national team.

The former Germany striker and coach, who has lived in the United States for 13 years, was introduced Monday and he spent much of the time talking about how to mold future American stars, not managing current ones.

"It all starts down to develop the next Landon Donovan," Klinsmann said of the U.S. one day becoming a serious contender for World Cup titles.

And "one day" is the key phrase — he believes "we still are quite a long way away from that."

"You need maybe 10 Landon Donovans at different positions with different characteristics in order to one day be there," Klinsmann said in an interview.

Perhaps it's partly a way to temper expectations as he takes over from Bob Bradley, whose firing was announced Thursday. The U.S. reached the round of 16 at last year's World Cup, but blew a two-goal lead in the Gold Cup final loss to Mexico in June.

For more Cinesport video on cleveland.com, go here.

Still, Klinsmann makes it clear he views his charge as bigger than just preparing Donovan and his teammates for major tournaments.

"It also is vital I am involved in all the discussions with a lot of coaches out there, how we improve the grass-roots level," Klinsmann said. "I'm fascinated by that approach."

He contends his background of international experience plus American savvy is the perfect blend to accomplish that. He won a World Cup title as a player and starred for elite European clubs, then coached Germany to a third-place finish at the 2006 World Cup.

But he has also lived in the United States for 13 years and sounds right at home talking about Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane's statistical analysis of baseball.

"I'm not coming in here to play the European guy," Klinsmann said.

His wife is American and he concedes his two football-playing kids consider themselves more American than German. Klinsmann feels fluent in his adopted country's culture, that he'll know which parts of the European system will work here and what must be uniquely American.

"It took me years to understand how important this whole education path for people is in this country," said Klinsmann, who just turned 47.

That means college level will remain a piece of the development pipeline, as different as that is from other countries. Klinsmann plans to consult with college coaches as he hones his approach.

He repeatedly mentioned MLS teams' growing youth academies as hugely positive development. And he can influence the future of the sport in the United States in a more indirect way, as well. The marketing and success of the national team have the power to inspire young players to spend more time working on their sport.

If there's one area Klinsmann fears the U.S. lags behind the rest of the world, it's in the amount of time kids spend kicking the ball around — especially on their own. Basketball has a thriving pick-up culture in America; football doesn't.

"That has been the difference even on the highest level when you have a men's national team," Klinsmann said. "What are their technical capabilities? What is their vision on the field? What is their spontaneous decisions — are they making the right calls? Can they deal with emotions on the field?"

Then there's the puzzle of adopting a universal style of play in the U.S. In the best countries at the sport, there's an identity all the way from the national team down to kids first kicking a ball.

"You have such a melting pot in this country," Klinsmann said, "so many different opinions and ideas floating out there."

But he also believes a national team style that reflects the country's culture can filter down to the youth level.

"You don't like to react to what other people do," he said of Americans, and that suggests a strategy of imposing a style on opponents.

Addressing the great interest in the U.S. women at the World Cup final last month, he said: "I think this is how America wanted to see their girls play that game."

By the way, U.S. Soccer does have a youth technical director in former U.S. national team captain Claudio Reyna, and Klinsmann plans to work closely with him.

Long linked to the job, Klinsmann finally was announced as the U.S. coach Friday.

Klinsmann said he had several opportunities in the past year to coach big European clubs or national teams, but didn't want to leave his home in California. He and U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati insisted that control was not the issue when they failed to come to an agreement in the past.

"I reached a comfort level with Sunil where I really think it's not about a paper anymore," Klinsmann said of not being able to get a deal done in writing last summer.

Gulati said the firing of Bradley wasn't simply a reaction to the Gold Cup disappointment.

"It's not a single game or a single result," he said. "It's where the program is, how comfortable we feel in the direction that it's going — based partly on results, partly on looking at the last year."

Klinsmann spoke to five or six players over the weekend and plans to get in touch with the rest Tuesday. The U.S. team has just nine days before its next game, against Mexico in Philadelphia on Aug. 10. Klinsmann expects to announce the squad Wednesday.

He plans to take a few months before picking his staff to see who's available and what the squad needs.

Gulati looked around the packed news conference Monday and felt good that Klinsmann was inheriting a strong foundation.

"It's also frankly a reflection of where the sport is that there's been so much interest in this," he said, "in this announcement, in the fate of the national team."

Get ticket, parking and schedule information for the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron.

Chuck Crow, The Plain DealerHunter Mahan won the 2010 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

• Where: Firestone Country Club, South Course, East Warner Road, Akron. Call 330-644-2299
  
  
• Format: 72 holes, stroke play. No cut.
  
  
• The course: Par 70; approximately 7,400 yards.
  
  
• The field: Approximately 75 players.
  
  
• The purse: $8.5 million.
  
  
• Winner’s share: $1.4 million.
  
  
• FedExCup points: Winner receives 550 points.
  
  
• Defending champion: Hunter Mahan, who shot the lowest final round in tournament history — 6-under 64 — to win by two shots over Ryan Palmer at 12-under 268. Jim Furyk also shot 64 but finished five shots back.
  
  
• Tickets: Practice-round gallery tickets are $25. Daily tickets, Thursday-Sunday, $45. Tickets can be purchased at the gate, by calling 330-644-2299 or on worldgolfchampionships.com. Save $10 by placing order before Tuesday. A five-day grounds ticket book, valid Wednesday-Sunday, $85 per person, if purchased in advance.
  
  
• Military tickets: Sponsored by Lockheed Martin, all active and retired military personnel — as well as accompanying spouse and children 18-and-under — will be admitted free with valid military identification.
  
  
• Children ticket policy: Children 18-and-under are admitted free if accompanied by a ticketed adult.
  
  
• Public parking I: Free parking, with shuttle service, is located at the Meggitt Aircraft Braking Systems & Lockheed Martin, 1204 Massillon Rd., near the intersection of State Route 224 and Waterloo Road. Follow the signs. The shuttle will drop off and pick up spectators at the welcome pavilion at the golf course. Shuttle service in operation, 7 a.m., Tuesday-Friday and 6:45 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Service will last for one hour after play ends each day.
  
  
• Public parking II: Residents along East Warner Road and some adjacent streets also sell reasonably-priced parking spots in their yards within walking distance of the entrances. No shuttle provided.
  
  
• Hospitality parking: Follow signs off all major highways for the designated lot number.
  
  
• Handicap parking: Available at 2234 Arlington Road. Follow posted signs for directions. A state-issued handicapped sticker must be displayed. Special needs carts staffed by volunteers will be available. Concession stands, restrooms and viewing areas are accessible on the grounds.
  
  
• Will call: The will call office is located in the Metroparks parking lot on Warner Road, less than one-quarter mile from the main entrance. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday.
  
  
• You can bring: Following PGA Tour policy, cell phones will be permitted for the first time in designated areas only. Phones must be turned to silent. And, you are not permitted to use your phone to take pictures once the tournament begins. You can also bring cameras during practice rounds, fanny packs and small folding chairs.
  
  
• Prohibited items: Coolers, signs, periscopes, banners, radios, stepladders, weapons, food and beverages, bags and backpacks larger than 6x6x6. Cameras are not permitted once the tournament begins.
  
  
• Just suggesting: Depending on the weather, drink plenty of fluids before you arrive and while you are on the course. Use suntan lotion. Do not wear high heels. Wear comfortable, light and appropriate clothing. Concession stands will accept cash and credit cards.
  
  

Television coverage

• Golf Channel: Thursday and Friday, 2-6 p.m. Saturday, 12-1:30 p.m.
  
  
• WOIO Ch. 19/CBS: Saturday and Sunday, 2-6 p.m.
  
  

Schedule

• Tuesday: Course closed. Acme Fresh Market Cup, Firestone Public 9 course. First Tee participants (ages 8-18) from Cleveland, Akron and Canton will compete, 8:30 a.m., followed by Dennis Walters Golf Clinic.
  
  
• Wednesday: Gates open, 7:30 a.m. Practice rounds.
  
  
• Thursday: Gates open, 7:30 a.m.; First round, 8:40 a.m. Twosomes off first and 10th tees.
  
  
• Friday: Gates open, 7:30 a.m.; Second round, 8:40 a.m. Twosomes off first and 10th tees.
  
  
• Saturday: Gates open, 7:30 a.m. Third round, 8 a.m. Twosomes off first tee; Military Recognition Ceremony, 14th green, 9 a.m.
  
  
• Sunday: Gates open, 7 a.m.; Final round, 8 a.m. Twosomes off first tee; Closing ceremony, 18th green.

Here is Tuesday's essay by Joe Ravagnani of Broadview Heights.

This spring, we asked readers to tell us their best memory at an Indians game. More than 600 of you responded. All season, The Plain Dealer will publish fan memories -- one each day the Indians are scheduled to play. Here is Tuesday's essay by Joe Ravagnani of Broadview Heights:

Sunday, Sept. 19, 1999. Indians vs. Yankees. Section 186 (auxiliary bleachers), row F, seats 5-8. That is the exact spot where myself, my wife, my mother and my father were sitting when my father suffered a massive heart attack 50 minutes before game time. He was rushed to Lutheran Hospital where he, unfortunately, could not be revived.

As a Cleveland native, my father always loved the Indians. He took my mother, my two brothers, my two sisters and myself to many games when we were growing up in the '70s and '80s. Even when our team was losing, as it often did back then, he and my mom would defend our guys. It amazed me that he could so passionately root for the underdog. The way he championed for them, you would have thought they were members of our family as well.

So it is ironic, yet totally appropriate, that my father left this world on a picture perfect Sunday afternoon at Jacobs Field. And although the Indians lost to the Yankees that day, he was buried with his ticket in his shirt pocket.

We have a family brick paver in Heritage Park, not far from where the auxiliary bleachers once stood -- a place that will forever hold special meaning in the hearts of our family.

Tiger Woods is in Akron now, getting ready for the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on Thursday. It will be his first tournament appearance in in 3 months. Get Twitter updates below from The Plain Dealer's Bud Shaw or follow the Starting Blocks Crew at @sblocks.

Marvin Fong, The Plain DealerTiger Woods tees off the 4th hole at Firestone Country Club in Akron, OH, Tuesday, August 2, 2011.

Tiger Woods is in Akron, getting ready for the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on Thursday. It will be his first tournament appearance in more than 3 months.

Woods began his practice round at 6:58 a.m. and was finished by 8:20 a.m.

Get Twitter updates below from The Plain Dealer's Bud Shaw or follow the Starting Blocks Crew at @sblocks.

"Huff has looked solid and is sporting a 0.71 ERA after 2 games. Plus he's a lefty. It's a no-brainer to me who should be sent down(Carrasco, duh)." -Scott Player

Plain Dealer file photoCarlos Carrasco's recent pitching problems, combined with his latest meltdown, make him the perfect candidate for a trip to Columbus.