More and more Cavs' fans say they're over LeBron James. Will that change when the Heat wins the NBA title in June?

View full sizeRick Wood, Milwaukee Journal-SentinelYeah, LeBron James keeps doing his thing for the Miami Heat ... and one of these summers is going to put Cavaliers fans' emotions to the test once more with a trophy ceremony, says Bud Shaw.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The name sounds familiar, but just can't place it...

Good thing everybody's over LeBron James. That's what I keep hearing.

It's perfect timing really. Must mean Friday night will be one of those quiet, well-mannered affairs where the mention of James' name goes unnoticed in the buzz over Semih Erden's next start.

Cleveland is the class of the nation in two categories connected to sports. Resiliency and holding a grudge. They might seem mutually exclusive but, here, they feed each other. So if you say you couldn't care less about James and the Heat because the Cavaliers are on the upswing, okay. Totally believable.

Sort of. OK, not very.

The next regular-season chance to stack evidence high behind that claim comes tomorrow when Miami makes its sole appearance at The Q. (Dan, Dan, step away from that Twitter app).

My guess, though, is we really won't find out anything definitive about the relationship between The Ex and Cavs' fans until James wins his first NBA championship. Those truly over James might want to bet on it happening in June.When it does, I don't suspect it will quite hit home like Art Modell dancing a jig with Ray Lewis. But then again Art didn't have the young wheels James has.

Knowing James' penchant for putting on a show he may force his way into "Dancing With the Stars" and choose either Dwyane Wade or the Larry O'Brien Trophy as his arm candy.

Just know, Miami looks even more capable than last season, when it lost in six games to Dallas. No more so than this week as the Heat come into The Q off four double-digit wins in five games and a back-to-back-to-back road sweep by scores of 107-87, 114-96 and 105-90.

The Heat are 10-2 since Wade rejoined the lineup. Tuesday, they led the Pacers, 90-58. Miami is built to win it all, especially so in a truncated season. No other team can defeat the fatigue factor by replacing one tired star with two more.

Watching the Heat off a turnover is like watching the Olympic 100 meters. If James commits to the idea of the low post in the playoffs and forsakes the tryin-one three-pointer, Miami can be almost as lethal in the halfcourt.

So Spin feels safe in repeating a pre-season prediction that James will get his first NBA title, but only because you're over it.

View full sizeCharles Krupa, Associated PressMetta World Peace (otherwise known as Ron Artest in his own third-person conversations), caught displaying some statistically poor defense against Boston's Paul Pierce.

It's not me, or the other me, he's the problem...

Metta World Peace isn't all in with former Cavs' coach Mike Brown.

"Right now, coach is a stats guy," the Lakers' forward told reporters in L.A. "His background is video coordinator or whatever. So he's all stats. But Ron Artest is all feel."

So it is possible to talk about yourself in the third person without coming off as conceited. Brown's response?

"I talked to him about it," Brown told reporters. "I said, 'Metta, I don't take anything personally ... but if I was a stats guy, Metta, you wouldn't be playing at all. Because look at your stats offensively, and then Synergy says you're the 192nd best defensive player in the league.'"

Ouch. No word on how that "felt" to Ron Artest.

If only people had to pass a concussion test to use Twitter...

Boxer Floyd Mayweather tweeted that if Chinese-American sensation Jeremy Lin were black, he wouldn't be getting as much publicity.

Being a Chinese-American kid from Harvard, a school that hasn't produced a NBA player since the 1940s is part of the Lin-sanity storyline. So is where it's happening -- New York. The headline, though, isn't just about his road to the Knicks' starting lineup. It's that he's come out of the D-League and off two waiver wires and the end of the bench to score 20-plus in six straight wins, including a 38-point Disney movie against the Lakers at Madison Square Garden.

"Other countries can support/cheer their athletes and everything is fine," said Mayweather. "As soon as I support Black American athletes, I get criticized."

(Yes, yes, because Black Americans are under attack in the NBA.)

"It's OK for ESPN to give their opinion but I say something and everyone questions Floyd Mayweather."

You mean the Floyd Mayweather who told Manny Pacquiao to "make some sushi rolls and cook some rice" and who later said of Pacquiao, "we're going to cook him with some cats and dogs."

Yes. People do have a tendency to question that Floyd Mayweather.

SPINOFFS

So Yankees pitcher A.J. Burnett has the Angels on his no-trade list but not the Indians? Finally a major leaguer with an appreciation for 37 degrees in April and a modest payroll...

Anxious to know if Mayweather thinks an 11-pound ball of fur named Malachy only won the Westminster Dog Show because he's a Pekingese...

View full sizeGary W. Green, Orlando SentinelShaquille O'Neal isn't wearing anyone's team colors any more, but he's still enjoying the chance to foul Dwight Howard whenever he gets the chance.

Shaquille O'Neal says his departure from the Magic in 1996 can't be compared to Dwight Howard wanting out because players couldn't make more money by staying with their teams back then. Shaq likes to pretend he left Orlando because of a better salary offer from L.A. But two members of his advisory team -- Kazaam and Shaq-Fu -- refute that contention...

I'm no longer getting letters from my alma mater asking for alumni donations. Instead I'm now getting offers for discounted long-term nursing care insurance...

I suspect if they get the NBA package in the alumni office of Arkansas-Little Rock, Lakers' guard Derek Fisher is getting the same kind of mail...

Atlanta Falcons' wide receiver Roddy White tweeted his outrage that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will command a $20 million salary by the end of the decade. If Goodell dropped the ball as often as White does, the NFL would've gone the way of the XFL and pro cricket...

Jose Canseco, 47, will try out for the Quintana Roo Tigers of the Mexican League. Fully 85 percent of Mexican League players just vowed to never say anything to Canseco they didn't want to see published in a book...

Steve Nash's tweet after another Knicks win Tuesday: "It's crazy! I'm watching Lin-sanity hoping every shot goes in. Hope I never grow up."

Conversely, Carmelo Anthony hopes every Jeremy Lin shot becomes a pass to him...

HE SAID IT

"You know hopefully he stays, because that arena there is one of the best arenas in the country. If he leaves, it'll be a travesty." -- Shaquille O'Neal, who left the Magic for L.A. in 1996 calling Orlando "a dried-up little pond," on the audacity of Howard wanting out.

YOU SAID IT

(The Expanded Midweek Edition)

"Bud:

"If Gisele Bundchen is not happy with the Patriots receivers, what would she have said if she was married to Colt McCoy?" -- JJ

That he can't &%$# throw it, catch it and long snap it at the same time.

"Hey Bud:

"Should I cancel all my appointments so I can fully enjoy Chris Antonetti's two-year contention window?" -- Ron

Easy now. If the Browns ever provided a two-year contention window, there'd be four parades held and eight statues commissioned.

"Bud:

"How does Sergio Garcia rate a golf commercial?" -- Joe S

Jean Van de Velde was unavailable?

"Bud:

"Have you ever accepted a refrigerator, TV, Vegas trip or special services in exchange for picking a reader's comment as a 'You Said It' winner?" -- Chas K, Cleveland Heights

No. But, I will do anything for food or elastic waist pants.

"Bud:

"You ever get the impression that because of this year's tight NBA schedule, players seem to be on the verge of exhaustion?" -- Jim D, Richmond Heights

In watching the NBA this year, it's hard to tell exhaustion from disinterest.

"Bud:

"When Mike Holmgren seems bored and yawns at his press conferences, do you think he will follow former Browns' president Carmen Policy and open a winery next year in California?" -- Michael Sarro

Seems bored?

"Hey Bud:

"Don't you think halfway through the Grammys they should've stopped and played a football game?" -- Brian D, Richmond Heights

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

"Hey Bud:

"When Mike Brown claimed he kissed players in Cleveland, he was talking about LeBron's rear end, right?" -- Jon, Independence

Repeat winners receive a left-handed compliment.

On Twitter: @budshaw

With the win, the Zips moved one step closer to a Mid-American Conference regular-season title.

AKRON, Ohio -- A dominating performance off the bench for Euclid High product Demetrius Treadwell paved the way for the workmanlike Akron Zips to roll to a comfortable 74-59 victory over the Miami RedHawks Wednesday night in Rhodes Arena.

With the win, the Zips moved one step closer to a Mid-American Conference regular-season title.

"The little prize is winning the regular season," Akron head coach Keith Dambrot said. "We've never won the little prize. We want to win the little prize and the big."

The "big" would be the MAC Tournament title and automatic NCAA Tournament berth, which the Zips have won two of the last three seasons. But that opportunity does not begin until early March. A homecourt win next Tuesday over Bowling Green would secure one of the four byes to the MAC quarterfinals.

"We're close to that next level," Dambrot said.

Treadwell delivered 13 points and eight rebounds to pace Akron, which 51.0 percent and cooled Miami's 3-point shooting after halftime. Spin moves on the baseline, one-dribble pull-ups along with his ability to dunk, Treadwell put his repertoire on display as he supported a 14-point night from Chauncey Gilliam, Akron's only other double-figure scorer.

"It was just in the flow of the game," Treadwell said. "I saw some openings and I took it. It's stuff I have in my game. Some of the plays we ran they fit my style of play."

Akron turned a 33-33 halftime tie into a 46-35 lead with a 13-0 run. Miami closed within 46-40, but a 9-2 Akron run followed and the Zips were never challenged again.

The Zips (19-7, 11-1) extended their winning streak to eight, with all but two games won by double digits. The victory maintains Akron's two-game lead in the East Division with four games left.

From the outset, Miami's best shot was the 3-pointer, as injuries and defections have depleted the RedHawks roster. Freshman guard Brian Sullivan stepped up and delivered 17 of his 19 points in the opening half, making five of six 3-pointers and a pair of free throws.

Semih Erden adds 18 points in his best game as a Cavalier, five players in double figures.

View full sizeScott Shaw, The Plain DealerKyrie Irving scored 22 points in his return to the court Wednesday night, and got plenty of help from Semih Erden (18 points) in the Cavaliers' victory over the Indiana Pacers at The Q.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Kyrie Irving played his first game in eight days Wednesday at The Q after recovering from a concussion. Center Semih Erden hasn't suffered any knocks to the head recently, but his poor play has provided Cavaliers coach Byron Scott with a headache or two this season.

By the end of Wednesday's surprising 98-87 victory over the reeling Indiana Pacers, however, Irving, Erden and Scott were all of clear mind and pleasant thoughts.

Irving made a terrific return, scoring 22 points and contributing five assists, while showing no hesitation or fear of playing in traffic. It's the kind of performance fans have come to anticipate from their 19-year-old difference maker. As for Erden, they've come to dread the worst and rarely had seen evidence to expect better.

But the 7-foot Turk, starting in place of an injured Anderson Varejao (fractured wrist), tallied a career-high 18 points, grabbed eight rebounds and played on even terms with Pacers All-Star center Roy Hibbert.

In one of the Cavaliers' best all-around efforts -- at least through the first three quarters -- the only downer was the loss of guard Daniel Gibson, who sprained his left ankle in the third quarter and left the arena in a walking boot. But after the contest the focus was trained on Irving and Erden, who were a combined 15-of-20 from the floor.

"I thought they were both fantastic," Scott said. "Kyrie came out there and it didn't look like he missed a beat. It didn't look like he missed [eight days]. He looked fresh and rejuvenated.

"Semih played with the energy that we have been talking about. He played a lot more efficient on the offensive end and the defensive end."

Irving received medical clearance on Wednesday morning and was eager to play. The Cavaliers, who were 1-2 in his absence, were delighted to get him back. They looked deflated and drained in Saturday's 99-84 defeat to Philadelphia, playing without Irving and learning just hours before tipoff that Varejao would be lost for weeks with the fracture.

But three days rest did wonders for their bodies and outlook. They also watched as their budding star got progressively closer to playing as he passed the NBA-mandated exertion tests.

Anyone who expected to see a tentative Irving was proven wrong moments into the game as he drove right at the 7-foot-2 Hibbert for a bucket. He made five of six shots in the first quarter and had 12 points as the Cavs raced to a 32-20 lead.

"I'm 100 percent and just because I had a prior concussion doesn't mean my game is going to change in any way," said Irving, who played 37-plus minutes. "Same aggressiveness, that's all. I've gone through the season attacking the basket."

The point guard said the only thing he didn't do as frequently was going into the lane among "the trees" to fight for rebounds.

Irving made it a point to try to involve Erden early in the game. The center was scoreless in his first start on Saturday and when a reporter suggested he didn't play well, the coach interjected: "that's an understatement."

But Scott wanted Erden's height against Hibbert, who appears to have inherited his mobility from Bernie Kosar. Erden scored his first basket on his first attempt, finishing a nice pick-and-roll with Irving. He gained confidence by the quarter. The center didn't look like a player lacking aggression and effort, charges that have been levied against him by Scott.

"I know [Hibbert] is a good player, he is an All-Star," said Erden, who was 7-of-8 from the field. "I just [hustled] and helped my teammates. I do a good job and we won the game so I'm happy."

The Cavaliers (11-16) built their lead to 21 points midway through the second quarter against the Pacers, losers of five straight and playing without leading scorer Danny Granger. Indiana never led against an opponent they had beaten in their previous six meetings.

How bad are things going for the Pacers? They were blown out by Miami on Tuesday -- Indiana trailed by as many as 35 points -- only to check into a Cleveland hotel occupied by the Heat, who play here Friday.

The Pacers managed just two first-half assists and trailed, 56-38, at the break. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, finished with 24 assists and shot 46.8 percent. Five Cavs scored in double figures.

Gibson suffered his ankle injury as he landed on the foot of Indiana's Paul George. He was helped from the floor and did not return. X-rays were negative.

Erden scored a career-high 18 points, grabbed a season-high eight rebounds and played on even terms with Pacers All-Star center Roy Hibbert.

Scott Shaw, The Plain DealerSemih Erden had a career-high 18 points along with 8 rebounds against the Pacers.

CLEVELAND -- Semih Erden speaks in broken English, sometimes butchering the syntax and using the wrong phrases to explain his feelings.

In other words, his English is a helluva lot better than my Turkish.

I have loads of respect for Internationals who play here and have to answer questions from reporters whose familiarity with foreign languages end at kebab, Chalupa and sauerkraut.

On Tuesday, the Cavaliers center said this about his season-long struggle: “This is my impression. On the inside I am really like how I can say hustle, but my impression is kind of like I don’t care, but that’s not true. That is my impression.”

Translation: Erden thinks he’s playing a lot harder than his statistics and output would indicate. Coach Byron Scott, who’s questioned his effort more than once this season, was asked if there’s any merit to the premise.

“You can play hard and it just doesn’t happen for you,” Scott said. “But more times than not, if you’re going out there and putting forth the effort every single night and playing every game like it’s your last game, it’s going to show up.”

It did Wednesday at The Q in the Cavaliers’ 98-87 win over the Indiana Pacers in front of 12,712 fans. Erden scored a career-high 18 points, grabbed a season-high eight rebounds and played on even terms with Pacers All-Star center Roy Hibbert. Entering the game, it was a matchup that appeared to heavily favor the Pacers, but Erden was focused and aggressive. He set good picks for point guard Kyrie Irving in place of an injured Anderson Varejao (fractured wrist) and scored several times rolling to the basket.

Erden finished the night 7-of-8 from the field.

“I thought he was a little bit more aggressive tonight,” Scott said. “On both ends of the floor, he was more aggressive and that’s the one thing we want him to be. We want him to try to be assertive when he’s out there on both ends of the floor. I thought tonight he was a little bit more comfortable and confident in doing that. We found him a couple of times where he could just go up and just dunk it and lay it in and I think that gives you confidence as well.”

What will the Cavaliers get from Erden on Friday night as the Heat and LeBron James raise the emotional temperature in Cleveland a degree or two? Who knows? The backup center position has frustrated Scott all season. Now, with Varejao gone for weeks, the coach’s concerns are elevated.

Erden was brutal on Saturday night against the Sixers. Irving knew he wanted to get his center involved early and he was able to do it. The duo worked the pick and roll pretty well. Erden wasn’t Varejao, but he managed. Irving drew defenders to him and found the Turk for some easy buckets. Erden had seven first-quarter points and finished the half with 11 points.

“I feel great. I’m happy because this was one of the first (starts) for me,” Erden said. “It’s not easy. I tried to do my job and I did. I want to keep working hard and just want to be a good teammate.”

The Heat doesn’t have a lumbering center like Hibbert. They are quick and athletic and could cause Erden lots of trouble. For now, he’s armed with a little confidence and a point guard who knows where to get him the ball.

Erden has taken a beating from many precincts this season. For one night, anyway, he deserves to take a bow.

NOTES, QUOTES, OBSERVATION

--- X-rays were negative on Daniel Gibson’s sprained left ankle, but it’s hard to imagine him playing against the Heat. “It’s frustrating, first of all,” Gibson said. “I felt like I was getting back into the groove and was feeling good and then something like that happens.” With the club’s top two shooting guards out of the lineup, Scott likely will turn to Alonzo Gee. The versatile swingman has started just one other game – against Miami two weeks ago.

--- Gee finished with eight points, five boards, three assists and a steal, but he also took some uncharacteristically bad shots. He finished 2-of-11 from the field.

--- The Cavs 32 first-quarter points were a season high. The Pacers’ 38 first-half points were a season low for a Cavs’ opponent.

--- The Pacers are a disaster right now. They have lost five consecutive games and they never held a lead against the Cavs. Midway through the third quarter, Gee took a corner 3-point attempt that clanged off the iron, but pin-balled off the hands of Indiana’s Paul George and David West before going out of bounds. That was a snapshot of the Pacers’ evening. “This season, this is the first time (we’re) facing adversity and it hurts, it really hurts,” Darren Collison. “Then again it’s a long season and some of the veterans told me that you have to have a short-term memory and the next game is its own opportunity.”

--- Ramon Sessions’ stat line: 5-of-5 from the floor, four assists, two steals, two turnovers in 29-plus minutes.

--- We will have reports from Cavs and Heat practice on Thursday.

Texas A&M quarterback might be available when the Browns make their second first-round pick, at No. 22 overall. Links to more Browns stories.

Associated PressSome analysts believe that Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill would fit nicely into the Browns' West Coast offense since he is a pocket passer.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Many, if not most, observers would be surprised if the Cleveland Browns begin the 2012 season with the depth chart at quarterback as it now stands.

That would be Colt McCoy the starter, backed up by Seneca Wallace and with Thaddeus Lewis in reserve at No. 3.

Maybe McCoy will retain the starter's role, maybe not. Maybe Wallace will remain a Brown, maybe not. Ditto Lewis, and if he stays, might he be a candidate to move into the backup role?

Jamison Hensley writes for ESPN.com a draft scenario that would change the Browns' situation at quarterback, bringing Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill to Cleveland:

Tannehill, a 6-foot-4, 222-pound prospect out of Texas A&M, is expected to be on the Browns' radar with their second first-round pick (22nd overall) if they choose to pass on Robert Griffin III with their first one.

He has been rated as the third-best quarterback in this draft despite missing the Senior Bowl with a foot injury. He also plans to skip the on-field drills at the NFL combine. His first workout for NFL teams will come at his pro day in late March, when he is expected to be 100 percent healthy.

Hensley writes more about the possibility of the Browns drafting Tannehill:

Tannehill appears to be a great fit for the Browns' West Coast offense because he is a traditional pocket passer. Drafting a quarterback late in the first round or early in the second would reduce the pressure of starting him right away.

If the Browns took Tannehill, the plan would probably be to sit him and let Colt McCoy start this season. Team president Mike Holmgren's track record with quarterbacks has been to sit them for a season before elevating them to a starting role.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage includes Mary Kay Cabot's story that NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock thinks the Browns should trade up in the draft for the second overall pick and take Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III; a Starting Blocks report linking to several mock drafts; and, more.

Post patterns

What the Browns should try to do in free agency. By Steve Doerschuk of the Canton Repository.

The free agency outlook at wide receiver, and what the Browns might think of it. By Dave Kolonich for Scout.com's Orange and Brown Report.

NFL free agent running backs, and what interest the Browns might have in any. On the blog "WaitingForNextYear."

NFL Network's Mike Mayock talks about Robert Griffin III. By Matt Florjancic for clevelandbrowns.com. 

Ten points on the NFL, including the Browns' uncertainty on whether they should try to keep free agent running back Peyton Hillis. By Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com.

ESPN's Mel Kiper hasn't changed his thinking on what he thinks the Browns will do in the first round of the draft. By Chris Pokorny for the blog "Dawgs By Nature."

Don't be surprised if the Browns try to acquire more former Philadelphia Eagles. By Bob Evans for the National Football Authority.

Predicting some of the 2011 Browns who might not be with the team in 2012. A Bleacher Report slideshow.

Randy Lerner, who owns both teams, asked Alex McLeish to visit with the Browns to spend two days shadowing coach Pat Shurmur.

AP PhotoAlex McLeish has gone 8-10-11 as manager of Aston Villa.

BIRMINGHAM, England — Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish is visiting his Cleveland Browns counterpart to pick up coaching tips amid mounting fan protests as the club battles against relegation from the Premier League.

Randy Lerner, who owns both teams, asked McLeish to go to the NFL team to spend two days shadowing coach Pat Shurmur.

Villa says "Lerner believes there are universal transferrable methods both clubs can employ."

A 1-0 loss to Manchester City on Sunday left Villa three places above the Premier League relegation zone.

Villa chief executive Paul Faulkner says McLeish "is always looking for any advantage he can get and he felt this was an ideal opportunity to exchange ideas with his American counterparts at the Browns."

Have we seen the emergence of Semih Erden? Is Anderson Varejao's injury good for the Cavaliers? Plain Dealer Cleveland Cavaliers beat writer Tom Reed answered those questions and more in his weekly podcast.

Tom Reed takes your questions live every Thursday at 10:30 A.M.

Have we seen the emergence of Semih Erden? Is Anderson Varejao's injury good for the Cavaliers?

Plain Dealer Cleveland Cavaliers beat writer Tom Reed answered those questions and more in his weekly podcast.

Among other topics discussed:

• Cavs' win over the Indiana Pacers last night.

• Despite injuries, will the Cavs make any moves before the trading deadline?

• Could we see Ramon Sessions and Kyrie Irving on the court together more?

• With Derek Rose injured, could Kyrie Irving make the All-Star team?

You can download the mp3 or listen with the player to the right. The live chat with Tom is live every Thursday at 10:30 AM.

Be sure to also like Tom Reed on Twitter.

Roberto Hernandez, the pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona, is touring baseball camps in the Dominican Republic to warn young players about the dangers of changing their age and identity.

Manuel Diaz, Associated Press Roberto Hernandez, the Indians pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona, with Dominican authorites following his arrest in January.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- "In Truth, There is Triumph."

That is the message, written in Spanish, on the front of the T-shirts that Roberto Hernandez Heredia is handing out to young prospects at the many independent baseball academies in the Dominican Republic that he's been visiting since Feb. 7.

Hernandez is the Indians pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona. He was arrested on Jan. 19 outside the U.S. Consulate in Santo Domingo, D.R. for using a false identification to try and obtain a visa to join the Indians in spring training in Goodyear, Ariz.

"Roberto is telling the young players about what he's experienced and gone through," his agent, Jorge Brito, told The Plain Dealer. "He's telling them that if you're 18 or 19 not to let anyone convince you that you have to change your identity or age so that you can realize your dream of becoming a major league player.

"He tells them you don't have to lie. He's telling them not to listen to the people who are trying to convince you to do that. Those people are trying to take advantage of you."

Brito would not say if this is part of the process Hernandez must go through to regain a waiver that would allow him to join the Indians sometime this year in the United States. As of now he can't leave the Dominican Republic and has been placed on the restricted list by the Indians. That means he can't receive his $7 million contract.

"This is Roberto's campaign," said Brito. "He tells the kids about the dangers of being victimized twice by this process. First, you have to change your name and your age to sign. Then you can get caught. Roberto has paid a large and costly price for that. I would think all parties involved in this would welcome that message with open arms."

When Dominican authorities arrested Carmona they reported that he was really Roberto Hernandez Heredia and that he was 31 instead of 28.

The Indians were officially informed recently that indeed Fausto Carmona is Roberto Hernandez. On the back of the T-shirts Hernandez has been handing out is his real name: Roberto Hernandez with his No. 55.

"Roberto makes it clear to the kids that the door is open," said Brito. "He's willing to help anyone of them who want it if they want to talk about this."

Hernandez, meanwhile, has been working out daily at the academies he speaks at.

"He's throwing a bullpen right now," said Brito, as he talked to The Plain Dealer.

When they Indians signed Hernandez on Dec. 28, 2000, they believed he was 17. He was actually 20.

In five years with the Indians, he's 53-66 with a 4.59 ERA. His best season was 2007 when he went 19-8 with a 3.06 ERA.

Last year, Tribe starters were 10th in the American League in ERA at 4.51.

Chuck Crow, The Plain DealerThe Indians will need some big performances from Ubaldo Jimenez, whom they acquired in a trade last season with the Colorado Rockies.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cleveland Indians are just days away from the start of spring training. Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to open camp Monday in in Goodyear, Ariz.

The Indians are counting on a solid spring from Ubaldo Jimenez, helping him rebound from a disappointing 2011 in his first full season with the Tribe.

Last year, Indians starters went 53-61 and finished 10th in the American League in ERA at 4.51. They used eight different starters and finished 10th in innings pitched at 961 1/3. Tampa Bay led the AL with 1,058 innings.

The Indians were 11th in strikeouts with 631 and batting average against at .272. They showed improvement in walks, going from the second-worst in the league in 2010 at 362 to 10th last year at 287. (You can read Paul Hoynes' breakdown of the 2012 rotation here.)

With the uncertainty surrounding Roberto Hernandez, the pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona, do you think the Tribe's starting rotation will be better, worse or about the same when compared to 2011?

Tribe will have at least 10 outfielders trying to make the cut as insurance in case Brantley, Choo, Sizemore struggle in return from injuries. Watch video

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

The Cleveland Indians open spring training Monday in Goodyear, Ariz. With the uncertainty surrounding the pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona, do you think the Tribe's starting rotation will be better, worse or about the same compared to the 2011 rotation? That's the question in today's Starting Blocks poll.

Today's guest on SBTV is Plain Dealer Indians beat writer Paul Hoynes, who will be in Arizona starting this weekend. Hoynsie talks about the rotation, which he previewed in a previous story; and also has thoughts on what the Tribe needs out of free-agent acquisition Casey Kotchman at first base. He also discusses whether Trevor Crowe has a chance to make the team.

SBTV will return Friday with Mary Kay Cabot talking Browns.

The Plain Dealer's Bud Shaw and Mary Kay Cabot talked Mike Mayock's comments about the Browns selecting Robert Griffin III in the draft and about if they would sign a free agent receiver like Randy Moss. They also previewed the NFL Combine. Watch video

Is Robert Griffin III the answer to the Browns' offensive woes? Would you take either Randy Moss or Terrell Owens? What are you looking for at the NFL Combine?

On today's 'PD Sports Insider', Bud Shaw, Dennis Manoloff and Glenn Moore were joined by Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot. Bud, Dennis, and Mary Kay discussed Mike Mayock's comments about why the Browns should draft Robert Griffin III and if they should mold the offense to Griffin's game and not force the West Coast system on him.

Other topics discussed:

- If you had to choose between Randy Moss, Terrell Owens and Hines Ward, who would you take?

- Do the Browns take a chance on drafting Trent Richardson early?

- What are the big storylines going into next week's NFL Combine?

Click on play to watch the video.

About the show: "PD Sports Insider" airs live every Monday and Thursday at noon. Co-hosted by Bud Shaw and Dennis Manoloff, the show features a timely and lively debate of the biggest sports topics of the day and gives readers a chance to interact directly with PD sportswriters and columnists.

Viewers have to the opportunity to ask questions and post comments in a live chat room during the show. They can also Skype in or email their video questions during the week.

LAKEWOOD, Ohio - When former Cavaliers coach Mike Brown left town and became coach of the Los Angeles Lakers he promised his son, Elijah, that he had not seen the last of St. Edward. Mike Brown has made good on his promise.

Former Cavaliers coach Mike Brown, pictured on the right with his son Elijah last February, played a role in St. Edward hosting California power Mater Dei next season. - (Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer)

LAKEWOOD, Ohio - When former Cavaliers coach Mike Brown left town and became coach of the Los Angeles Lakers he promised his son, Elijah, that he had not seen the last of St. Edward.

Mike Brown has made good on his promise.

St. Edward coach Eric Flannery said national power Mater Dei, from Santa Ana, Calif., will play at St. Edward on Martin Luther King Day, Jan. 21, next year.

Elijah Brown transferred from St. Edward to Mater Dei after his father accepted the Lakers' job. He had started at St. Edward as a sophomore. He will be a senior next year and currently plays for the Monarchs.

"Mike always promised Elijah that he would return to St. Edward one day," Flannery said. "He set the wheels in motion for this game with the Mater Dei people and we were able to work things out."

The game will be part of a day-long basketball extravaganza at the all-boys school in Lakewood. The day will include youth games and a girls varsity game, tentatively between Magnificat and Hudson, Eagles athletic director Paul Michalko said.

Mater Dei, with an enrollment of approximately 2,100 coed students, has won eight California state basketball championships under veteran coach Gary McKnight, the winningest high school coach in state history.

The school, regarded as the largest non-public school west of Chicago, was ranked several years ago by Sports Illustrated and several online outlets as having one of the best athletic programs in the nation. It has 24 varsity sports, including girls wrestling. McKnight's teams have won approximately 900 games during his 30-year career, according to the school's website.

The school's list of alumni is diverse, ranging from Jessica Bowlin, winner of season five of "The Bachelor," to Juan Zarate, former assistant secretary of the treasury and anti-terrorism czar under President George W. Bush. In between are a number of notable athletes, including Heisman Trophy winners Matt Leinhart (2004) and John Huarte (1964). The school has sent several players to the NBA, including former Cav Reggie Geary, Jamal Sampson and LeRon Ellis.

This will be the second time a school from Northeast Ohio played Mater Dei. St. Vincent-St. Mary beat Mater Dei at UCLA during LeBron James' senior season in 2003.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

trogers@plaind.com; 216-999-6163

On Twitter: @TimRogersPD

LeBron James says he made a mistake in the way he left the Cavs and could see a return to Cleveland some day in the future.

APLeBron James says he could a day that he'd return to play for the Cavs. But would Cavs fans have that same vision?

Updated at 3 p.m.

CLEVELAND -- LeBron James said he made a mistake in the way he left Cleveland and could see himself playing for the Cavaliers again.

"I think it would be great,'' James said, responding to a question after the Miami Heat's practice at The Q on Thursday afternoon. "It would be fun to play in front of these fans again.

"I had a lot fun times in my seven years here. You can't predict the future, and hopefully I continue to stay healthy. I'm here as a Miami Heat player, and I'm happy where I am now, but I don't rule that out in no sense.

 "And if I decide to come back, hopefully the fans will accept me."

 Although he has hinted at this in the past and at other venues, for the first time in Cleveland, James said he erred in the way he left. That admission came in response to a question about whether he'd tried to patch things up with Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, who blasted James in an open letter to Cavs fans -- in comic sans type -- after James' defection.

"I don't have any hard feelings,'' James said. "He said what he said and I've moved on. But there's been no attempt to patch things up .... I don't hold grudges. I hold them a little bit, but I don't hold them that long.

"He said what he said out of anger and he would probably want to take that back. But I made a mistake, too, and there are some things I would want to take back as well. You make mistakes and move on."

Asked specifically if he could play for Gilbert again, James said, "Would I play for Dan again? Dan is not the coach. I can play for any coach. We'll see what happens.''

This will be James' third visit to The Q with the Heat, and he senses that fans have mellowed a bit.

"There's nothing like the first time I visited,'' he said of the vicious reaction he elicited in his first game here Dec. 2, 2010. "I didn't expect it to be as hostile as it was before, the first time. I understood, time has definitely moved on.''

He said he has moved on as well, admitting that the move was more difficult than he'd expected.

"I'm back to how I was in Cleveland, having fun with the game, appreciating the game, loving the game and playing at a high level,'' said James, who is under contract to the Heat through 2014, with options for two more seasons. "I got away from that last year. It was a difficult year for me last year, making the whole transition, on and off the floor, going through everything I went through. I just got back to how I got to this point, back to playing the way I know how to play.

"I am comfortable. I feel good. This is the best I've felt on the court in about 14 months. I feel great, trying to play at a high level, trying to help this team every night to win ball games. Love the game, appreciate the game, don't take it for granted.''

His goal remains the same.

"No matter where my career ends up, my goal is still the same and that's to win an NBA championship,'' he said. "It hasn't changed. I've accomplished everything you can as an individual ... I've got all the awards. That stuff don't matter to me. All I want to do is win a championship. I want to do it in Miami. that's the team I'm with. Hopefully I can finish my career ... if it's in Cleveland, I make it to Cleveland, I want to win a championship here. That's my goal .... make it happen this year.''

As James finished his interview and walked away, teammate Dwyane Wade stepped into the void. Could he ever imagine James returning to play in Cleveland? "

Anything is possible,'' Wade said. "Hopefully I'm retired.''

Bigger than Shaq? Larger than LeBron? The Knicks as NBA champions? Nothing seems too Lin-possible now after Jeremy Lin's incredible first week as an NBA starter, and the story keeps getting better.

New York Knicks' Jeremy Lin items are on sale before the basketball game between the Sacramento Kings and the New York Knicks, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

NEW YORK — Bigger than Shaq? Larger than LeBron? The Knicks as NBA champions?

(Don't laugh too hard at that last one. The odds are getting better, according to one online sports book.)

Nothing seems too Lin-possible now after Jeremy Lin's incredible first week as an NBA starter, and the story keeps getting better.

The undrafted player from Harvard made a 3-pointer with five-tenths of a second left Tuesday night to give the Knicks a 90-87 victory at Toronto.

Lin and the Knicks returned home Wednesday night and ran their winning streak to seven games with a 100-85 victory against Sacramento that got them back to .500 after an 8-15 start.

Lin has only started the last six games, so hold off on making him a Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal or LeBron James just yet. But the Knicks have seen enough to believe this ride may last a while.

"I don't know when there's an ending, maybe there won't," coach Mike D'Antoni said.

Lin's story has blown straight past the New York sports pages and all their cute headlines such as "Va-Lin-tine's Day," all the way to a basketball-crazed continent on the other side of the world.

Lin also has done wonders for shares of Madison Square Garden Inc., the company that owns the Knicks, the Garden and the namesake sports network. The stock has surged 9 percent since Lin began his heroics Feb. 4, reaching an all-time high of $33.18 earlier this week before retreating slightly to close at $31.91 Wednesday.

"Rangers and Knicks fans do tend to buy the stock when the teams are doing well," Miller Tabak analyst David Joyce said.

Linsanity reaches the White House

And Linsanity has reached America's most powerful basketball fan, with President Barack Obama talking about Lin's winner Wednesday.

White House spokesman Jay Carney called Lin "just a great story, and the president was saying as much this morning."

Lin arrived in New York in December with no guarantee he'd last more than a few weeks. Already cut by Golden State and Houston this season, he was so hesitant to get comfortable in his new home that he refused to even get his own.

Instead, he slept at his brother's place in the city, and had crashed on teammate Landry Fields' couch the night before his breakout game against New Jersey on Feb. 4.

Even an Ivy League education couldn't help Lin explain what's happened since — the most points in any player's first five games as a starter since the NBA merged with the ABA in 1976, and a contract that's guaranteed for the rest of the season.

"No, but I believe in an all-powerful and all-knowing God who does miracles," Lin said.

If that sounds familiar, yes, Lin has been frequently compared to Denver quarterback Tim Tebow. Both relied on their faith as much as their previously overlooked skills to guide them through hot streaks that made them sensations even beyond their sports.

Tebow carried the Broncos right into the playoffs, and now there are some who believe Lin can do the same with the Knicks.

The Knicks were 40-1 odds to win the NBA championship on Bovada.lv before Lin's run began. Now, they're down to an 18-1 shot and conjuring up memories of another New York team.

"A guy like this is great for the game and has drawn a lot of interest from bettors on the Knicks games also," Kevin Bradley, the sports book's manager, said in a statement. "I am having visions of how the public was treating the Giants going into the Super Bowl being the hottest team in the NFL and costing us a mint, and right now the Knicks are by far the biggest loser for the book."

You Lin some, you lose some

Not everybody is convinced. Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. played down Lin mania on Twitter, saying that Lin is just doing what plenty of black players do but is getting more attention because of his Asian heritage.

And Lin is certain to cool off. It's one thing to beat teams such as the Nets and Wizards when they've barely had time to learn your name. It's another when NBA defenses are prepared to stop you.

"He's a marked man now, he's not going to sneak up on anybody, and every night's going to be tough," D'Antoni said.

Then again, Kobe Bryant had said he wasn't familiar with Lin's game and would have to study up on him. The next night, Lin burned the Lakers for a career-high 38 points in a nationally televised victory.

Wearing their homemade caps with the Chinese name character "Lin" and team number "17" of NBA Knicks' Taiwanese-American Jeremy Lin, Tsai Shu-fan, left, and Huang Wan Fen, both 22, watch him play against the Sacramento Kings at a local sports bar in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012.  (AP Photo/Wally Santana)

Linternational Sensation

That was a huge moment in Taiwan, which Lin's parents left in the 1970s. Asia lost its biggest basketball star when Yao Ming retired last summer, but ratings are up in China, and TV stations around the continent have rushed to add Knicks games to their broadcasts.

"I like Jeremy Lin (more than Yao Ming) because Yao Ming was already famous (when he started playing in NBA). For Lin, it's like nobody had heard of him before. Kobe gave an interview saying he did not know who Lin was. So this is truly a rising star," Taiwanese university student Zhang Gan-yu said.

Lin, the NBA's first American-born player of Chinese or Taiwanese descent, has been gaining followers on social media and had the NBA's top-selling jersey online in the first week it was available. With Knicks games blacked out to many New Yorkers because of a local cable dispute, the Knicks held their first viewing party in Chinatown on Wednesday night.

Their hero had a relatively quiet game, scoring only 10 points with a career-high 13 assists in a 100-84 victory at home against Sacramento. Still, when it was over, the adoring Garden fans chanted "M-V-P" as he was doing a postgame interview on the court.

But Lin will have to have lasting success to be just a short-term phenomenon, even to Asians. Yao was beloved because he proved to be an All-Star. Yi Jianlian, drafted in 2007 and now with his fourth NBA team, has seen his popularity wane because he is a journeyman.

Not to worry, D'Antoni says. Lin's the real thing.

"He's going to be a good player," D'Antoni said.

"LeBron made his choice....he is right, we have moved on. We no longer need his diva "all me" attitude. Let Miami keep him and watch him choke when it counts, as he always does." - TonyP001

John Kuntz / PDMany cleveland.com readers hope to never see LeBron James in a Cavs' uniform again. Would you welcome him back?

"LeBron made his choice....he is right, we have moved on. We no longer need his diva "all me" attitude.

Let Miami keep him and watch him choke when it counts, as he always does.

He does have considerable talent, too bad his ego is bigger than his talent.

Not that I have a vote, but my choice would be to let him play anywhere, just not for the Cavaliers."

See a thumbnail gallery of this week's Players of the Week.

See a thumbnail gallery of this week's Players of the Week.

Saivon Jefferson
John F. Kennedy
Sport: Basketball
Class: Senior
Age: 17
Ht: 6-2
Wt: 280
What Saivon did last week: Forward led the team to the Senate Athletic League championship, combining for 37 points and 35 rebounds in a semifinal win against John Hay, 68-57, and against East Tech, 65-50, in the championship game.
About Saivon: Will play football at Findlay. Wants to work as an FBI agent. Favorites include the Miami Heat, "8 Mile" movie, "Martin" TV show, "Imma Boss" song, Twitter.com, TGI Friday's restaurant and math class. Wants to try playing tennis.
David Linane
Gilmour
Sport: Basketball
Class: Junior
Age: 17
Ht: 5-9
Wt: 150
What David did last week: In an 83-70 win against Cornerstone Christian, guard had 30 points - going 7-for-8 on 3-pointers - four rebounds, four assists and one block. In a 62-55 win against Hawken, had 20 points, six rebounds, three steals and seven assists.
About David: Also plays golf. Wants to play college basketball.
Favorites include the New York Knicks and Carmelo Anthony, "The Hangover" movie, "Burn Notice" TV show, "Song of Solomon" book, Chipotle restaurant and math class.

Lynsey Englebrecht
Eastlake North
Sport: Basketball
Class: Sophomore
Age: 15
Ht: 5-6
What Lynsey did last week: In wins against Geneva, West Geauga and Willoughby South, guard combined for 44 points, 17 rebounds, eight assists and seven steals. She was 14-for-16 on free throws.
About Lynsey: Also plays soccer and AAU basketball. Wants to become a sports psychologist. Favorites include Ohio State, "Bridesmaids" movie, "Pretty Little Liars" TV show, "Hold On" song by Wilson Phillips, Twitter.com, and "Nineteen Minutes" book.
Hannah McCue
Rocky River
Sport: Basketball
Class: Senior
Age: 17
Ht: 6-0
What Hannah did last week: In a win against Elyria Catholic, post player had 13 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and six blocks. In a loss to Magnificat, had 20 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and three blocks.
About Hannah: Also plays soccer. Will study education at Miami (Ohio). Favorites include Celtics guard Ray Allen, "The Shawshank Redemption" movie, music by The Fray, Chipotle restaurant and algebra class. Wants to visit Greece. Will always remember making the Elite Eight as a sophomore.
Dylan Kager
Crestwood
Sport: Wrestling
Class: Junior
Age: 17
Ht: 5-6
Wt: 132
What Dylan did last week: Won his third straight Portage Trail Conference title last week with three pins and a technical fall. He was a district qualifier as a freshman, a state qualifier as a sophomore and is 32-0 this season.
About Dylan: Enjoys snowboarding, fishing and running. Favorites include the Browns, Olympic snowboarder Shaun White, "The Hangover"
movie, "Pawn Stars" TV show, "Look at me Now" song by Chris Brown, Google.com and science class.
Peter Simcox
St. Ignatius
Sport: Swimming
Class: Sophomore
Age: 17
Ht: 6-4
Wt: 200
What Peter did last week: Won the 100 butterfly at the Lakewood Sectional in 53.16 seconds. Was on all three winning relays: the butterfly leg in the meet-record 200 medley relay, the meet-record 400 free relay and the 200 free relay.
About Peter: Hopes to swim in college. Favorites include the Cavaliers, "Remember the Titans" movie, "The Office" TV show, Swimmeet.com, "The Catcher in the Rye" book, Nick's Diner restaurant and biology class. Would like to try kitesurfing.
Matt Kovesdy
St. Ignatius
Sport: Hockey
Class: Senior
Age: 18
Ht: 6-1
Wt: 205
What Matt did last week: Goaltender had consecutive shutouts in the Baron Cup tournament, shutting out Lake Catholic in a semifinal, 4-0, and Shaker Heights in the title game, 2-0. Has 10 shutouts for 36-0 Wildcats.
About Matt: Enjoys lacrosse, boating, skiing and drawing. Hopes to play club hockey or lacrosse in college. Favorites include the New York Rangers, "Happy Gilmore" movie, "How I Met Your Mother" TV show, Pier W restaurant and physics class.
Nicole Rozsa
Cuyahoga Falls
Sport: Gymnastics
Class: Sophomore
Age: 16
Ht: 5-8
What Nicole did last week: Excelled at sectional gymnastics and diving meets, qualifying for district in both sports. In gymnastics, placed ninth in vault (8.6), 11th in bars (8.3) and 12th in all-around (33.475). Placed seventh in diving at the Akron Sectional.
About Nicole: Member of Gymnastics World, Akron Rippers Diving and Over the Top pole vault club. Plans to study nursing or physical therapy. Favorites include the Steelers, "Pretty Little Liars" TV show, her purple sequin Ugg boots and science class.

Coaches' nominations for Players of the Week will be taken Mondays between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. The toll-free number for coaches to call for the seven-county coverage area is 1-800-388-4370.

"They can add critical pieces with two 1st round picks, a DB, a RB, or a WR...and still pick up a developmental QB in late rounds if they want....I think it's a huge mistake to mortgage this years picks or any of next years to move up to take RG3" - rynoncbus

AP Photo/Bill HaberOne cleveland.com reader wants the Browns to use their high draft picks on other positions than quarterback, like Trent Richardson from Alabama.

"They can add critical pieces with two 1st round picks, a DB, a RB, or a WR...and still pick up a developmental QB in late rounds if they want....I think it's a huge mistake to mortgage this years picks or any of next years to move up to take RG3....That seems crazy to me that fans are clamoring to do this when we could add some much needed play makers to this roster. The Browns will be taking a step or two back by bringing in the rookie QB. I'd rather see Richardson or Blackmon, or Claiborne, and then a Mike Adams at pick 22 or something we need quantity and quality. I want see this teams depth grow. See this team grow. How does drafting RG3 immediately improve this team at all? I don't see it. Seems like a huge risk."

Buckeyes and Michigan State each have three Big Ten losses, while Michigan and Wisconsin have four each. Links to more Buckeyes basketball stories.

Plain Dealer, Neal C. LauronOhio State's Jared Sullinger emphatically finishes a dunk during the Buckeyes' 64-49 win over Michigan on Jan. 29 in Columbus. Ohio State visits Michigan on Saturday night.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Ohio State Buckeyes haven't played quite the caliber of basketball they'd like in several recent games -- even though they've lost just once in their last eight contests.

Still, the Buckeyes, the nation's sixth-ranked team, are 22-4 and own the Big Ten's best record, 10-3. Best by a bit. Ohio State's next game is at No. 17 Michigan (19-7, 9-4) on Saturday night.

Both the Buckeyes and Wolverines may find some interest in a key Big Ten game tonight, when No. 15 Wisconsin (19-6, 8-4) visits No. 7 Michigan State (20-5, 9-3).

Besides those top four conference teams, every other Big Ten team has at least four league losses.

Ohio State will be greeted by an energetic crowd at Michigan. Nick Baumgardner of AnnArbor.com describes what the atmosphere will be like, in part:

When the Michigan basketball program welcomes Ohio State and a national television audience into the Crisler Center on Saturday (9 p.m., ESPN), Big Ten title implications will be at stake on the floor.

In the stands?

Well, the crowd will apparently be having plenty of fun.

Michigan has called for a "Maize Out", encouraging all fans attending the game to wear maize-colored attire. Additionally, each fan will receive a maize-colored pom pom.

The game has already been declared a sellout, giving Michigan seven sellouts in its last eight games.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Ohio State coverage includes a Starting Blocks TV interview of PD Buckeyes beat writer Doug Lesmerises; a Starting Blocks poll asking how many Big Ten teams will make the NCAA Tournament; and more. 

About the Buckeyes

Where Ohio State stands in the new ESPN.com power rankings.

A very important player for each of the Big Ten championship-contending teams, by Nick Baumgardner for AnnArbor.com. 

"Player of the Year straw poll update," with Buckeyes forward Jared Sullinger in third place, by Mike Rothstein for ESPN.com. 

Observations about the Buckeyes following Tuesday night's 78-68 win at Minnesota. By Tony Gerdeman for the-Ozone.net.

Teams that will compete with Ohio State for a No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed. A Bleacher Report slideshow.

College basketball fans are going to be given more information on how the 68-team NCAA Tournament field is picked, seeded and bracketed. By Todd Jones of the Columbus Dispatch.

Ohio State women's freshman forward Kalpana Beach continues to come back from a concussion. By Jim Massie of the Columbus Dispatch.

Previewing tonight's Indiana (5-20, 0-12) at Buckeyes (22-3, 9-3) women's basketball game. By Jim Massie of the Columbus Dispatch.

Carter, nicknamed "The Kid," was an 11-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner and slugged 324 home runs. He was the MVP of the 1981 All-Star game at Cleveland Stadium, hitting two homers.

Associated PressThe Mets' Gary Carter celebrates his 12th-inning game-winning hit against the Houston Astros in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series on Oct. 14, 1986 in New York.

NEW YORK, New York -- Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter, whose single for the New York Mets in the 1986 World Series touched off one of the most improbable rallies in baseball, died Thursday. He was 57.

Carter was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor last May, two weeks after finishing his second season as coach at Palm Beach Atlantic University.

"I am deeply saddened to tell you all that my precious dad went to be with Jesus today at 4:10 p.m.," Carter's daughter Kimmy Bloemers wrote on the family website. "This is the most difficult thing I have ever had to write in my entire life but I wanted you all to know."

Carter was an 11-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner. His bottom-of-the-10th single in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series helped the New York Mets mount a charge against the Boston Red Sox and eventually beat them.

Carter played nearly two decades with the Mets, Montreal, San Francisco and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He led the Expos to their only playoff berth and was the first player enshrined in Cooperstown wearing an Expos cap.

Carter was known as much for his effervescent personality as his talents at the plate and behind it. He earned the nickname "Kid" as an eager teen in his first major league camp and the label stuck for the rest of his career, and beyond.

"An exuberant on-field general with a signature smile who was known for clutch hitting and rock-solid defense over 19 seasons," reads his Hall plaque.

The bronze plaque shows him with a toothy grin, too, forever the Kid.

"Gary was one of the happiest guys in the world every day," Mets teammate Mookie Wilson once said.

With curly, blond locks flaring out from beneath his helmet, and a rigid, upright batting stance, Carter was immediately recognizable at the plate.

He was especially enthused during the biggest moment of his career. The powerful Mets were down to their last chance in the '86 Series when Carter stepped up with two outs. No one was on base and New York was trailing Boston 5-3 in the bottom of the 10th inning in Game 6.

Carter said he had just one thought in mind: "I wasn't going to make the last out of the World Series."

True to his word, he delivered a clean single to left field off Red Sox reliever Calvin Schiraldi. Kevin Mitchell followed with a single and when Ray Knight also singled, Carter scampered home from second base.

As Carter crossed the plate, he clapped his hands, pointed at Wilson on deck and clapped again. Moments later, Bill Buckner's error scored Knight for an amazing 6-5 win. Carter rushed from the dugout to join the celebration at home plate, catcher's gear already on.

Overshadowed by the rally was the fact that Carter had tied the game with a sacrifice fly in the eighth. Then in Game 7, Carter drove in the tying run in the sixth inning, and the Mets went on to win their most recent championship.

Carter homered twice over the Green Monster at Fenway Park in Game 4 and totaled nine RBIs in that Series. Since then, only one player has gotten more in a World Series (Sandy Alomar Jr. had 10 for Cleveland in 1997).

Overall, Carter hit .262 with 324 home runs and 1,225 RBIs with the Expos, Mets, San Francisco and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He set the major league record for putouts by a catcher, a testament to his durability despite nine knee operations.

Carter twice was the MVP of the All-Star game. He won the award in 1981 by homering twice in baseball's first game, played at Cleveland Stadium, after a players' strike that lasted two months. He remains the lone player to have a two-homer performance in an All-Star game and a World Series game.

(From Baseball-Reference.com, the boxscore and play-by-play of the 1981 All-Star Game, won by the National League, 5-4, at Cleveland Stadium)

He set the NL record for games caught, but spent his first full season in the majors primarily as Montreal's right fielder. His first All-Star appearance came that year, in 1975, as a defensive replacement in left field for Pete Rose.

Carter was recognized, too, for his contributions off the field when he was honored with the Roberto Clemente Award.

He hit his first major league homer in September 1974 off future Hall of Famer Steve Carlton as a 20-year-old rookie — Carter homered 11 times against the ace lefty, his top victim.

Carter spent his first 11 years with the Expos and was part of a solid core that put them into the 1981 playoffs. They beat the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies in a new first round created after the strike split the season into two halves, but lost to the Dodgers in the NL championship series.

A perennial fan favorite, Carter returned to Montreal in 1992 for one final season. His last swing was a memorable one — he hit an RBI double in the seventh inning at Olympic Stadium, left for a pinch-runner to a huge ovation from the home crowd and walked away after that 1-0 win over the Cubs.

Carter was elected to the Hall in 2003 on his sixth try. He had joked that he wanted his Cooperstown cap to be a half-and-halfer, split between the Expos and Mets. The Hall makes the ultimate call on the logo.

Carter pleased Canadian fans by delivering part of his induction speech in French. Born and raised in California, he took a Berlitz course to help him learn the language after the Expos drafted him.

The Expos traded him to the Mets after the 1984 season for Hubie Brooks, Mike Fitzgerald, Herm Winningham and Floyd Youmans. Carter turned out to be one of the last missing pieces on a New York team that already had the likes of Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden and Keith Hernandez.

He made an immediate impression — it just took a little extra to get it right in his Mets debut in 1985. In the season opener at Shea Stadium, Carter took strike three, had a passed ball that gave St. Louis a run and watched Cardinals pitcher Joaquin Andujar steal a base against him.

But in the bottom of the 10th inning, Carter hit a home run that won the game and drew a standing ovation plus chants of "Gary! Gary! Gary!"

"What a way to start," Carter said with a grin afterward. "Hit by a pitch, strike out looking, a stolen base, a passed ball and then the home run."

"There's not enough words to describe what it feels like," he said. "I'll certainly remember this the rest of my life."

It wasn't the only time he bounced back from a rugged start. Slumping badly in the 1986 NL championship series, Carter hit a winning single in the bottom of the 12th to beat Houston in Game 5, putting the Mets within one win of the World Series.

A two-sport athlete as a boy, Carter won the 7-year-old national division of the NFL's first Punt, Pass & Kick skills competition in 1961. He was a pitcher and shortstop in Little League and switched to catching in high school after a scout suggested it was the fastest path to the big leagues, turning down a chance to play football at UCLA.

Carter stayed in baseball after his playing days ended. He became a broadcaster for the Florida Marlins, coached and managed for the Mets in the minors, managed two independent minor league teams and coached in college.

The only hint of negative publicity Carter drew came a few years ago when he appeared to be campaigning for the Mets' managing job though it was already filled.

Carter, however, always had a winning touch. At the ballpark or away, he greeted fans with a hearty handshake — many marveling at how his big right hand had swallowed up theirs.

After his diagnosis, the Mets began playing a highlight reel of Carter's accomplishments on the video board during games at Citi Field and posted this message: "Our thoughts are with you Gary. From your millions of fans and the New York Mets."

At the Hall ceremonies in July, new inductee Bert Blyleven mentioned Carter. "Gary, keep battling the way that you always have," he said to the crowd.

Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt said Carter continued to inspire him in later years. In a 2006 column for The Associated Press, the former Phillies star recalled the pure elation that enveloped Carter when he was voted into Cooperstown.

"No player ever appreciated that call to the extent he did. The joy it brought him, his family, and friends, especially me, was so real and pleasantly genuine, I ate it up and still do," Schmidt wrote.

"He does not take it for granted. He will wear his emotion, from this election, on his sleeve the rest of his life," he wrote. "His induction actually made me appreciate mine all the more."

James has never been in a better position to win a title as he has been teamed up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh with the Heat. If he is unhappy in Miami, whose fault is that?

View full sizeDavid J. Phillip, Associated Press file photoDwyane Wade, left, and Chris Bosh, center, might be perplexed by LeBron James saying he could see a return to the Cavaliers someday ... especially since they're worried about winning a title this season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Wonder what the Miami Heat thinks about LeBron James talking about playing for the Cavs.

James is still with the Heat, right? Hasn't even been there for two full seasons. Under contract in Miami at least until the summer of 2014.

So why is he talking about playing for the Cavs? Simply because he was asked?

The easy answer to the question is: "I play for Miami, and I want to win a title for the Heat. That's all I'm thinking about."

Of course, that's what current Cavs coach Byron Scott called "old school."

While Scott refused to discuss James' remarks about playing again for the Cavs, the coach clearly has a hard time understanding why James and so many other players of this generation talk about jumping teams in the middle of the season.

And you can imagine that Scott's coaching mentor -- Heat President Pat Riley -- must be just as confused (and five times as angry) when it comes to James and his tease about coming back to the Cavs.

Remember how James said he wouldn't win only one or two titles with the Heat, but there would be "five . . . six . . . seven."

That was July 2010, after he bolted the Cavs for the Heat, when the team held a celebration for the fans as if these guys deserved championship rings on their fingers simply for scheming to play together.

How about talking about winning that first title?

Instead, at Thursday practice, James said: "I had a lot fun times in my seven years [with the Cavs]. You can't predict the future, and hopefully I continue to stay healthy. I'm here as a Miami Heat player, and I'm happy where I am now, but I don't rule that out in no sense. And if I decide to come back, hopefully the fans will accept me."

Maybe he wants to swing some fans back to his side as James and the Heat play tonight at The Q. Maybe he just wants people talking about him, because he can sometimes come across as an attention addict.

How else could anyone explain the ego-oozing "The Decision" special on ESPN? Yes, he admitted that was a mistake in his interview, but was that genuine?

But have we really gone from "I'm taking my talents to South Beach" to "I left my heart in South Euclid"?

James has never been in a better position to win a title as he has been teamed up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

If he is unhappy in Miami, whose fault is that? Is it because it's Wade's team and he's not the sun that the rest of the Heat revolves around?

No one forced James to leave the Cavs. The mistakes made by owner Dan Gilbert and others were giving James too much power leading to an outrageous sense of entitlement -- not a refusal to make him and his family happy.

None of this is to diminish James the player. He may be the most physically gifted athlete to ever step on a court. He has won two MVP titles and countless other individual awards. Nor has he ever been in trouble with the law.

But there is something strange about him these days.

Consider how James played in Miami's most important games of the season, the Finals against Dallas when his first title was so near. It was a rerun of how he checked out on the Cavs in the final games of the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals against Boston.

No matter what he said, he wilted under the pressure in those two playoff appearances. He didn't want to shoot and played so passive, it was as if his mind were elsewhere.

Perhaps he now prefers to be back in Cleveland, where postseason flops could always be blamed on not having good enough talent and coaching around him. No one says that in Miami.

And if he wants to come back . . . let's talk about it in 2014, when he has the option of being a free agent.

Today, I refuse to play the "What if LeBron wants to come back" game.

Because that's what it is at this point, just a game -- and an unfair one to the fans of both the Heat and Cavs.

To reach Terry Pluto: terrypluto2003@yahoo.com; 216-999-4674