Indians bask in the glow of a four-game winning streak.

View full sizeAmy Sancetta,
Associated PressJeanmar Gomez gets the traditional pie in the face for doing well. The Tribe rookie, now already back with his Columbus Clippers teammates, shut down the Detroit Tigers in his first (and thus far only) Major League start with the Indians.

Cleveland, Ohio -- Since the All-Star break ended, three of the six AL Central teams have lost three games or more; and only one team has won more than three games. The biggest surprise: The Indians are not in the former category and ARE the latter one.

It took a four-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers, featuring a gem by pitcher Jeanmar Gomez on what Plain Dealer beat writer Paul Hoynes called "a day pass from the Columbus Clippers" and an inside-the-park home run by Jhonny Peralta, to do it.

The 7-2 win meant the Indians started the second half of the season 4-0 for the first time since 1995.

And yet, Commissioner Bud Selig has not yet granted permission for the Tribe to print World Series tickets yet. What's up with that?

Steve Kornacki, writing for mlive.com, put it this way:

"They outplayed us and outmanaged us," Detroit manager Jim Leyland said of Manny Acta's club. "It was a hell of a sweep for them, and shame on us. A lot of credit goes to them. But if you are not playing well, you get beat.

"It's a manager's responsibility to get the team ready to play, and we weren't ready to play. So, I take full responsibility. It fooled me. I'm shocked, really."

Really? Jimbo, if you think it was a shock for the 48-42 Tigers, think how much of a shock it must have been for the 38-54 Tribe . . . and their fans.

But Pat Lackey of mlb.com, quoting another blogger, put it perfectly:

With just one stolen base since the beginning of the 2005 season, Peralta's hardly a speed demon. In fact, Larry Granillo of WezenBall.com, who's been tracking the speed with which batters round the bases for every home run hit in 2010 on his Tater Tot Tracker, said that Peralta's inside-the parker was actually slower than five home run trots on balls that left the park.

Personally, Starting Blocks has to identify – and appreciate – someone who is timed with a calendar instead of a stopwatch.

Oh, and here's a youtube version of the video:





Another good thing
Peralta was in the lineup for the first time in the series on Sunday because he'd been out for the previous three games with a fever. Bad for Jhonny, but good for Andy Marte. Witness this passage from waitingfornextyear.com:

. . . Marte started the first three games of the series. His defense Saturday afternoon as we said earlier saved the game for (Fausto) Carmona. With two on and nobody out in the third and the Indians trailing 3-0, Marte started a spectacular double play. "Andy saved the game for us with that double play," (manager Manny) Acta said. "It could have been 5-0 with (Justin) Verlander on the mound, which is not a good situation."

Peralta, who missed the first three games of the series because of a fever, drove a pitch off the center-field wall in front of the Indians bullpen. The ball bounced into left-center field, but Ryan Raburn couldn't give chase because he was stuck on the bullpen door. Left fielder Brennan Boesch was slow to react as Nix and Santana scored and Peralta gained speed.

Before Peralta even reached third, third base coach Steve Smith was waving him home.

"I wasn't expecting that," said a smiling Peralta.

He slid home as the relay throw came in high. It was Peralta's first inside-the-park homer, the Indians' sixth at Progressive Field and 271st in franchise history.

Peralta had to sprint again in the seventh when he scored from first on Matt LaPorta's double.

"We told Jhonny he sweated that fever out of him with all the running he did," Acta said.

If the Indians are serious about increasing the attendance numbers, maybe they should install a turnstile in the clubhouse. In Hoynesie's Indians Insider column, he covers the comings and goings of players from the bigs to the minors. Shoot, the Indians alone could justify the expense of that oft-dreamed-of rail corridor between Cleveland and Columbus.

And finally, columnist Terry Pluto talks Tribe . . . AND NOT LEBRON JAMES! Terry turned his column into a LFZ (LeBron-Free Zone) today and instead focused on Peralta (trade him) and rookie sensation Carlos Santana (praise him).

"I like Jake and am not ready to trade him for little in return, but there may be a team out there in the pennant race that may be willing to overpay for a veteran who keeps the ball on the ground. If they can get value for him and have a couple months to look at guys like Carrasco, Gomez or Tomlin, then do it." - sadsamjones

View full sizeAP Photo | Nam Y. HuhJake Westbrook is drawing some interest from contenders looking for back-of-the-rotation help.

In response to the story Cleveland Indians' four-game sweep offers a brief, cherished respite from less-pleasant topics: Terry Pluto, cleveland.com reader sadsamjones doesn't want to see Jake Westbrook traded just for the sake of making a trade. This reader writes,

"I like Jake and am not ready to trade him for little in return, but there may be a team out there in the pennant race that may be willing to overpay for a veteran who keeps the ball on the ground. If they can get value for him and have a couple months to look at guys like Carrasco, Gomez or Tomlin, then do it."

Jim Tressel stuck to his tradition of sending seniors to Chicago, though his junior QB is the conference's best Heisman candidate.

Ohio State junior quarterback Terrelle Pryor will not represent the Buckeyes at the Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon in early August.

Three seniors - defensive lineman Cameron Heyward, receiver Dane Sanzenbacher and offensive lineman Bryant Browning - will speak for Ohio State during two days of interviews.

Each team is bringing three players to the event, in Chicago on Aug. 2 and Aug. 3, and seven of the 11 Big Ten quarterbacks will be there, including Iowa's Ricky Stanzi of Lake Catholic, Wisconsin's Scott Tolzein and new Purdue quarterback Robert Marve, a transfer from Miami.

Marvin Fong / The Plain DealerSenior All-American candidate Cameron Heyward will be one of three Buckeyes speaking for the team at the Big Ten meetings.

According to the Big Ten release, since 1970 every Big Ten Heisman winner - Archie Griffin, Desmond Howard, Eddie George, Charles Woodson, Ron Dayne and Troy Smith - has attended the Kickoff Luncheon. Pryor is the most talked-about Heisman candidate in the Big Ten this year, as a third-year starter for the conference favorite.

Pryor's accessibility to reporters has been an issue during his time in Columbus, as his interviews were very limited during his freshman year. That included Ohio State not bringing Pryor to a mandatory bowl interview at the 2009 Fiesta Bowl.

Pryor gradually did more interviews last season, and he was made available for two lengthy interview sessions before the Rose Bowl and handled himself well.

However, Jim Tressel has a history of sending seniors to speak for the Buckeyes at this event. Dating back to 2004, including this year, 20 Ohio State players have been selected to go to Chicago, and only two of them were juniors. They were Marcus Freeman and Vernon Gholston in 2007, when the Buckeyes were short of senior leadership.

Neither linebacker James Laurinaitis nor running back Beanie Wells were chosen to attend by Tressel when they were already stars as juniors.

Still, this exclusion, for a junior quarterback and third-year starter, is a bit of a surprise, even though the Buckeyes have an impressive senior class returning. Pryor is clearly the biggest story in the conference, and Tressel spoke a lot around bowl time about how Pryor and his teammates from the Class of 2008 weren't young guys any longer.

While Heyward is an All-American candidate worthy of plenty of coverage, and Browning and Sanzenbacher are long-time starters and leaders who have always handled themselves with maturity, they're all going to come to Chicago and get a lot of questions about Terrelle Pryor. 

Previous Ohio State players who have attended the Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon

 2004 - Sr Dustin Fox, Sr Lydell Ross
 2005 - Sr A.J. Hawk, Sr Nick Mangold, Sr Nate Salley
 2006 - Sr Troy Smith, Sr Doug Datish, Sr Quinn Pitcock
 2007 - Sr Kirk Barton, Jr Marcus Freeman, Jr Vernon Gholston
 2008 - Sr James Laurinaitis, Sr Malcolm Jenkins, Sr Todd Boeckman
 2009 - Sr Jake Ballard, Sr Doug Worthington, Sr Kurt Coleman
 2010 - Sr Cameron Heyward, Sr Bryant Browning, Sr Dane Sanzenbacher

"Only time will tell if we're better off with the new quarterbacks, free agents and draft picks. But I do know we're a better team without the childish, self centered 'professional athletes' who cared far more about themselves than being Cleveland Browns." - rod330

View full sizeChuck Crow | The Plain DealerBrowns fans never embraced Braylon Edwards - or his attitude.

In response to the story Mike Holmgren accepts, welcomes Cleveland's hunger for a winner: 'I'm optimistic', cleveland.com reader rod330 loves the attitude change that has swept the Browns' locker room. This reader writes,

"Only time will tell if we're better off with the new quarterbacks, free agents and draft picks. But I do know we're a better team without the childish, self centered 'professional athletes' who cared far more about themselves than being Cleveland Browns."

Mike Lombardi's criticism of top pick Joe Haden gets the heat up under some Browns fans collars.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz,
The Plain DealerFirst-round pick Joe Haden's camp work this summer apparently has disappointed a lot of NFL execs from around the league, says ex-Browns official Mike Lombardi.

Not, apparently, among some Cleveland fans, and particularly those who post on the Orange and Brown Report, cle.scout.com, and one its forums: The Watercooler.

Writing for nfl.com, Lombardi had this to say:

According to coaches around the league, Browns first-round pick Joe Haden has not been very impressive in camps and might not have enough speed to play corner. Maybe all that talk about some in the organization wanting to pick Kyle Wilson, and some favoring Haden are true.

The nicest comment on The Watercooler comes from BrownsBot:

"It's Mike Lombardi. The next time he reports correctly on the Browns will be the first time."

And waitingfornextyear.com carried this post from Browns blogger Scott (WFNY doesn't use last names):

For full site disclosure, Lombardi's report may want to be taken with a grain of salt given his recent track record with specific regard to the Browns. It was the same columnist who stated that Jamal Lewis was at risk of not making the Browns' 53-man roster last fall, and was also was the victim of a pretty large swing-and-miss with regard to the Browns and head coach Eric Mangini. It is also worth noting that Lombardi was considerably anti-Haden leading up to the draft basing a lot of his thoughts on "what he had heard" and the players much-discussed 40-time.

Um, it might be worth noting that Lombardi left Cleveland as part of the Bill Belichick regime. Being professionally associated with guys who basically stink while here learning the head-coaching craft, then go elsewhere and win Super Bowls are not exactly popular in the Dawg Pound.

The gunner position (the two players whose job is to go straight to the ball on a punt or kickoff) is the first one to highlight, because the Browns do have one of the best special teams units in the NFL. They also have other strong gunners with Blake Costanzo and Ray Ventrone, both of whom should be able to make the final roster based on their special teams play as gunners.

Cribbs would obviously play a gunner in high pressure situations when the game is on the line, because he has been one of the best gunners in the last few years, but that may be the only time Browns fans see him darting through blockers to nail an opposing returner.

Also, Cribbs may see less work in the punt return game, since he is a much stronger kick returner anyway.The Browns may have to find another player to occasionally return punts in place of Cribbs . Who the other player will be remains to be seen and will hopefully be clearer once training camp practices begin.

At the end of the day, Cribbs will be an offensive weapon from many different positions and formations on offense as well as returning kicks. But with the added offensive snaps, don't expect to see Cribbs as a punt returner as much as he has been in the past, but much more than you will see him as a special teams gunner.

That's all well and good. Starting Blocks is all for resting Josh Cribbs so he can do what he does best. Right after he finishes leaping all those tall buildings in a single bound, etc.

"It's really Jake's job to lose, and he did a great job during OTAs," Mangini said. "I couldn't have been happier with him, not just in terms of the way he learned the information but the way he ran the offense."

Still, Mangini says he's also impressed with Wallace and that he wants to make sure Wallace gets time working with the first-string offense.

"Seneca did a good job too," Mangini said. "I think it's important that Seneca gets some reps with the ones, so that if he goes in he does have some time with that group."

Wallace can also threaten opposing defenses with his feet, so it might make sense for the Browns to use Wallace at times in the wildcat formation. But the Browns are heading into training camp expecting Delhomme to be their starter.

The invective against their former quarterback by Panthers fans in the comments section is pretty frightening. But there is a really nice balance because Browns fans rallied to Delhomme's defense. Of course, that may be because Delhomme has yet to burn Cleveland fans by exhibiting his greatest gift ("throwing to the other team," according to one clearly razor-sharp wit). Regardless, it's nice to see Cleveland stick up for the guy and essentially give him the benefit of the doubt.

At least until that first INT.

But to sum up, the site suggests that football fans learn the name Clifton Geathers.

"(The defensive end), sixth-round pick of South Carolina, brother of Bengals' Robert and nephew of former NFLer Jumpy. Described as "a monster" physically by GM Tom Heckert, Geathers, a rangy 6-7 and 300 pounds, is very green but will have the opportunity impress because there is a lot of age on the D-line and questions (Rogers and Robaire Smith perhaps facing NFL suspensions for carrying guns at airports).

(The site also suggests Browns fans have) "lots of optimism because of: 1. Four wins to close out 2009, 2. More understanding of the demanding Mangini, 3. Better QB situation with Delhomme and Seneca Wallace. Third-round pick Colt McCoy is not expected to compete for much playing time as a rookie."

Starting Blocks isn't expected to get much playing time, either, so there's an even BETTER reason to be optimistic.

Cleveland Naps pitcher Cy Young won his 500th baseball game 100 years ago today, a feat that was 21 years in the making. Read The Plain Dealer's game-day coverage of this historic event.

Library of CongressCy Young in Chicago in 1908 as a pitcher for Boston. Two years later he would win his 500th game with the Cleveland Naps.

Five Hundredth Game Is Finally Won By The Great Veteran, Cy Young

Battle Goes Eleven Innings Before the Famous Pitcher Walks Off With the Greatly Sought Victory to His Credit

WASHINGTON, July 19-"Uncle" Cy Young breezed home a winner today, his 500th big league victory, and was as happy over the triumph as a child with a new toy. It took Cy eleven heart rending innings to do it, but the veteran was equal to the task and deserves all the glory in sight. The battle wound up, Naps 5, Senators 2.

Read and download the game-day coverage by The Plain Dealer by clicking the link below.

CyYoungWins500th19July1910.pdf.

Rumors of a trade surround Indians pitcher Jake Westbrook, but he would like nothing better than to stay in Cleveland and fulfill the final year of his three-year contract after battling back from Tommy John surgery.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerJake Westbrook bypassed free agency by signing a contract extension with the Indians in April 2007, one year before his contract expired. But shortly after the new deal kicked in during 2008, he began having serious arm problems.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Before dealing with the question of the Indians trading Jake Westbrook, we need to hear a bit from the Tribe right-hander.

"Five starts," Westbrook said.

It was five starts to open the 2008 season. It was five starts into a three-year, $33 million contract extension he had signed a year earlier that he knew something was very wrong with his right arm.

Then came 18 months of surgery, rehabilitation and frustration.

Five starts in two years, none after May 28, 2008.

This from a guy who averaged 30 starts a season for the previous four years. This from a pitcher who believed his job was to chew up 200 innings, to be "a guy the team can count on."

"When you sign a contract like I did, you want to honor it," said Westbrook. "I know it's not supposed to bother you. If you signed a contract, then do the best you can. That's all you can do. But I knew I wasn't able to do what they paid me to do -- taking the ball every fifth day."

Westbrook had reconstructive elbow surgery on June 12, 2008. He set a personal deadline of June 12, 2009, to be back in the Majors. After the operation, commonly called "Tommy John surgery," most pitchers are able to return to game action in 12 to 15 months.

For a few, it is 18 months.

Westbrook always has been a superbly conditioned athlete. He has had some minor injuries over the years, but usually came back faster than expected.

Not this time.

"I just came back too soon," he said. "I wasn't fully healed. I was a little older, and sometimes it just takes longer."

Now 32, Westbrook speaks from experience. And also from a sense of gratitude and emotional relief, as he was the Tribe's Opening Day starter this season. He is 6-5 with a 4.67 earned-run average.

Before this season, there were times when he wondered, "What if I can't come back?"

Would those five starts early in 2008 be his last in the majors? Would he be a "mistake," a guy who signed the big contract and then never paid any dividends?

He was determined to do everything possible to see if he could -- as he said a second time -- "honor the contract."

Westbrook tried pitching again in the Puerto Rican winter league last November. For the first time in years, his elbow didn't throb the next day after he pitched.

He began to think, "Maybe I will be OK."

He went to spring training, and he realized, "Other than being a little tired the day after I pitched, my arm was great. I go out to play catch and my arm was ready to go."

He began to believe the elbow had indeed been reconstructed -- that stories he heard from other pitchers about how their arms actually were stronger after Tommy John surgery could indeed be true.

In April, he was a shaky 0-2 with a 5.53 ERA. Since May 1, he is 6-3 with a 4.47 ERA. Compared to his pre-surgery days, Westbrook's sinker isn't quite as sharp. But he is still a solid major-league starter in an era where the average ERA is about 4.25.

"It means so much for me to be back on the mound," he said. "I didn't just want to come back, but to be at the level that I was before."

Westbrook is in the final year of his contract, and he knows he could be traded to a contender.

"It's a business and I have no control over that," he said. "But I've been here since [2001]. My family likes it here, and so do I. I want to pitch in big games again, and I hope one day that happens to me here."

So what should the Indians do?

If they can make a trade for significant prospects -- as they did for infielder Casey Blake in 2008 -- they have to consider it. But dumping Westbrook just to save what is left on his contract would be a mistake.

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

After soaking Cavaliers fans, LeBron James decides to head to the Bahamas for some relaxation and to display his now meaningless tattoo.

TMZ.com, Sportsgrid.com and other celebrity and sports blogs are publishing a picture of LeBron James in a swimsuit during vacation in the Bahamas. No big deal, except for the prominent "Loyalty" tattoo running down his left side.

No doubt that Cavaliers fans believe he should have "Dis" added to the front of that.

The Indians bullpen has been getting its act together. It's too late to save the season, but it's been fun to watch.

. Minneapolis, Minn. -- This is a daily briefing of the Indians 2010 regular season. The Indians play the Twins tonight in the first of a three-game series at Target Field.

 Target Field's dimensions: Left field 339, left field power alley 377, CF 407, right field power alley, 386, right field line 328.

 Pre-game notes:

 Game 93: Manager Manny Acta says a key to the resurgent Indians bullpen has been sidearmer Joe Smith. He's given Acta an effective counter to the opposition's big right-handed hitters late in games.

 In the Tribe's four-game sweep over Detroit, Smith was particularly effective against Magglio Ordonez and Miguel Cabrera.

 "Smitty has been a huge part of our pen," said Acta.

 Smith, since being recalled from Class AAA Columbus, is 1-0 with a 2.70 in 14 appearances. He' struck out 10, walked five and allowed three earned runs. He has not allowed a run in his last 11 appearaces, spanning seven innings. In that stretch, he has six strikes, three walks and two hits.

 When Smith was promoted from Columbus, he altered his delivery. He went back to the way he threw in college and during a quick rise through the Mets minor league system. It's led to more movement and increased velocity on his pitches.

 The bullpen went into tonight's game against the Twins having allowed 10 runs in the last 53 innings for a 1.70 ERA.

 Indians (38-54): CF Michael Brantley (L), 2B Jayson Nix (R), C Carlos Santana (S), RF Austin Kearns (R), DH Travis Hafner (L), 3B Jhonny Peralta, 1B Matt LaPorta (R), LF Trevor Crowe (S), SS Jason Donald (R) and LHP Aaron Laffey (1-3, 5.12).

 Twins (49-43): CF Denard Span (L), 2B Orlando Hudson (S), C Joe Mauer (L), 1B Michael Cuddyer (R), RF Jason Kubel (L), LF Delmon Young (R), DH Jim Thome (L), 3B Danny Valencia (R), SS J.J. Hardy (R) and RHP Scott Baker (7-8, 4.87). 

 Umpires: CB Bucknor, 1B Doug Eddings, 2B Dana DeMuth, 3B Kerwin Danley. DeMuth, crew chief.

 Quote of the day: "One curve I'll always remember was when I was pitching for Pittsburgh. Terry Kennedy was a young player with St. Louis. I threw him an 0-2 curve and it snapped. Terry's reaction was to swing straight down, like he was chopping the plate with an axe. It was the last out of the inning. After I ran off the mound, I looked over at the St. Louis' dugout. There were players rolling around on the floor, laughing. Poor Terry. I'll have to admit that was a hell of a curveball," former big-league pitcher Bert Blyleven, whose best pitch was a curveball, courtesy of the Baseball Alamanac.

 Next: RHP Justin Masterson (3-8, 5.31) vs. RHP Kevin Slowey (8-5, 4.95) at 8:10 p.m. EST Tuesday.

Despite winning the AFC North Division last season, few prognasticators give them a chance of repeating in 2010. That could serve as motivation in Cincinnati.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter / The Plain DealerThere is some evidence that quarterback Carson Palmer (9) is in a decline after injuries in 2005 and 2008, but he'll get a chance to prove doubters wrong this season with a new group of receivers that includes former Brown Antonio Bryant.

As NFL training camps prepare to open next week, Plain Dealer pro football and Browns beat reporter Tony Grossi takes a closer look at Cleveland's rivals in the AFC North division.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cincinnati Bengals head to training camp on July 28 in an enviable position.

They're the defending champions of the Browns' division and are not the favorites to repeat. Most preseason prognosticators have greater respect for Baltimore. That sentiment removes a small burden from the team and replaces it with a convenient motivating chip.

Why do few believe in the Bengals?

The previous time the Bengals won the division in 2005, they followed with an 8-8 season and missed the playoffs. In fact, the Bengals have not made playoff appearances in back-to-back seasons in 28 years. Somehow, they will self-destruct, goes the thinking.

There's also the perception that quarterback Carson Palmer, 30, is on a decline that began with his knee injury in the 2005 playoffs and worsened with an elbow injury in 2008. The statistics support the contention.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter / PDAntonio Bryant, who played for the Browns in 2004 and 2005, is the new go-to receiver for the Bengals.

But even if Palmer has seen his better days, here are some reasons not to count out the Bengals:

• The additions of free agent Antonio Bryant, and rookies Jordan Shipley and Jermaine Gresham, give Palmer more receiving weapons than he's had in his career in Cincinnati.

• The defense under coordinator Mike Zimmer rose to fourth in overall yards, seventh against the rush and sixth against the pass -- a top-10 hat trick it hadn't accomplished since 1983.

• They're getting back pass-rush specialist Antwan Odom, who had eight sacks in three games last year before suffering a season-ending Achilles tendon injury.

The Bengals play in the first NFL preseason game Aug. 8 in Canton. It would not surprise themselves, at least, if they're also playing in the last postseason game, Feb. 6, in Dallas.

Cincinnati Bengals

Full camp opens: July 28, Georgetown College, Georgetown, Ky.

2009 result: 10-7, lost to Jets in wildcard.

2009 vs. Browns: 2-0; 23-20 in Cleveland, 16-7 in Cincinnati.

2010 outlook: Playoff contender.

2010 uncommon opponents: San Diego and Indianapolis.

Rookie to watch: WR Jordan Shipley, third round. Colt McCoy's favorite receiver at Texas will battle Andre Caldwell for the team's key slot receiver role. Coaches envision him as a Wes Welker type.

Veteran to watch: WR Antonio Bryant. The one-time Brown hit the jackpot in free agency with a four-year contract for $28 million. He's the new go-to guy for Carson Palmer.

Training camp issues: Is Adam (nee Pac Man) Jones ready to put his troubles aside and contribute as a nickel cornerback and return specialist? Will defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer assimilate 2009 draft picks Michael Johnson and Rey Maualuga into a 3-4 look? Will former Ohio State standout Mike Nugent or Dave Rayner replace kicker Shayne Graham, who gagged twice in a playoff loss against the Jets?

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: tgrossi@plaind.com, 216-999-4670

Tight end Joel Gamble spent the final four weeks of the 2009 season with the Philadelphia Eagles on their practice squad.

View full sizeJohn Russell / Associated PressTitans running back Chris Johnson (28) will report for training camp after reaching a revised deal with the team. The running back will continue to negotiate for a long-term deal.

The Browns signed free-agent tight end Joel Gamble on Monday, the team announced.

Gamble, 6-2 and 260 pounds, spent the final four weeks of the 2009 season on the Philadelphia Eagles' practice squad. He also spent time in 2009 with the DC Armor of the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA), and has played arena football with the Tennessee Valley Vipers (2007), Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz (2007) and Bossier-Shreveport BattleWings (2008).

At Shippensburg University (2001-04), Gamble, 27, appeared in 43 games, recording 46 receptions for 631 yards with five touchdowns.

Titans, Johnson agree to deal: Chris Johnson's agent says the running back and Tennessee have agreed on a revised deal that will ensure he reports with the rest of the team for training camp.

Agent Joel Segal confirmed the deal to the Associated Press. Segal would not say how much of a raise Johnson is getting, but did say the running will get a pay increase. Johnson reportedly will earn $2.5 million this season under the revised deal.

It's not the minimum $30 million in guaranteed money the AP 2009 Offensive Player of the Year had been saying he wanted after becoming just the sixth back to run for at least 2,000 yards. However, he no longer will be the lowest-paid running back on the Titans roster with a base salary of $550,000.

Johnson still wants a long-term deal, but for now he can focus reaching his next goal -- Eric Dickerson's NFL rushing record of 2,105 set in 1984.

Rookie signings: Bills rookie defensive end Alex Carrington, a third-round draft pick out of Arkansas State, signed a four-year deal with Buffalo. . . . The Oakland Raiders have signed receiver Jacoby Ford, their fourth-round pick.

Dolphin charged: Miami defensive end Phillip Merling has been formally charged in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., with felony battery against his pregnant girlfriend. The 6-5, 305-pound Merling was arrested May 27 in Weston, Fla. If convicted, the 25-year-old could face up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Kennison to retire as Chief: Wide receiver Eddie Kennison has signed a contract with Kansas City so he can retire as a member of the Chiefs. Kennison played in 91 games for Kansas City, from 2001 through 2007. He ranks seventh in team history with 5,230 yards receiving and eighth with 321 receptions.

Bengals release Shirley: Cincinnati released guard Jason Shirley, who tore an Achilles tendon while playing in a charity basketball game in April. If nobody claims Shirley off waivers, he will revert to the team's non-football injury list.

Some Indians players are rethinking their use of Internet social websites after David Huff lost a chance for a spot start because of a tweet.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerIndians pitcher Jensen Lewis is shutting down his Facebook page, but he still maintains a Twitter account.

Clubhouse confidential: Following the tweet heard round the Indians' locker room Friday, players are distancing themselves from their social media devices.

"I shut down my Facebook," said reliever Jensen Lewis. "I don't want any false rumors out there about me."

Lewis also has a Twitter account, but hasn't discontinued it.

David Huff was scheduled to get promoted to make Sunday's spot start against the Detroit Tigers. The promotion news appeared on Huff's Twitter account before the team made an announcement and team officials were not happy. So Jeanmar Gomez made Sunday's start against the Tigers and Huff started in Class AAA Columbus.

Second home: Carl Pavano, who rekindled his career last season with the Indians, has landed on his feet with the Minnesota Twins. Pavano went 5-4 in 12 starts for the Twins last season after the Indians traded him. This year he's leading the Twins' rotation with an 11-6 record with a 3.48 ERA in 19 starts.

Stat of the day: The Indians entered the Twins series Monday night on pace to lose 95 games, but they were 18-17 in American League Central Division.

-- Paul Hoynes

Ayers Ratliff has the best view in the house for watching thoroughbreds circle the Thistledown track in the afternoons. In the evening, it's just as good while watching the trotters and pacers go round and round at Northfield Park.

View full sizeD'Arcy Egan / The Plain DealerAyers Ratliff has a great view of the races at Thistledown in the afternoon — and at Northfield Park in the evenings.

Ratliff is the announcer at both tracks, the only person in history to fill both posts at the same time. The announcing positions are more than just jobs for Ratliff, and far from his only ones. You have to wonder how many hats the guy can wear.

"I found what I wanted to do with my life," said Ayers. "And I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time. There aren't too many announcing jobs around. In fact, there are only seven horse tracks in Ohio that need announcers. I've got the announcer's jobs at two of them, and I think they're the best two tracks."

Ratliff, 33, also is the announcer at six county fairs around Ohio; and will pick up a seventh, the Ross County Fair near Chillicothe, in September.

In 2009, he called more than 3,800 races. This year, Ratliff expects to close in on the 4,000 mark. No one in horse racing can match him.

That must not keep him busy enough. He's serving a third term as a councilman in Marion, Ohio; works part-time at the law offices of his uncle, J.C. Ratliff; and was recently appointed the assistant racing secretary at Northfield Park.

Ratliff's hobbies are "family and politics," he said. Wife Heidi is expecting a baby girl in September, and she is due on the same day as The Jugette is raced at the Delaware Fairgrounds. They're naming her Annie Jo, a little girl to go with Ratliff's stepsons Dusty, 12, and Del, 11.

Ratliff grew up around standardbreds. His father, Ayers Ratliff Sr., races a couple of horses at Northfield Park.

His first big-time job was at Scioto Downs in Columbus in 2005. He left to become the announcer at Northfield Park in 2007, and was approached by Thistledown in summer 2008. He had never announced a thoroughbred race and had his doubts.

"It was more difficult for me," Ratliff said. "It's not easy to mention every horse in the race more than once in your call when there are 12 thoroughbreds in a short 5-furlong race. With trotters and pacers, it's a standard mile race, and I try to include every horse in the call at least four times during a race."

He doesn't memorize the names of horses in a race and link them to the driver's colors or jockey's silks. "I look to the program to identify the horses when I call a race," he said. "It works best for me."

Looking out over Thistledown's mile oval, he needs binoculars to identify the runners. At Northfield Park, on a smaller half-mile track, sharp eyesight does the job. Horse names seldom trouble him -- but not always. He dislikes horse names that are jammed together into a single moniker.

"I was calling a county fair race and called a horse, 'Lookslikemildred,' " he said, with a laugh. "I broke it down to 'Looks Like Mild Red.' On the way home, I asked my wife, Heidi, which horse she liked best. Heidi said she really liked 'Looks Like Mildred.' "

Ratliff still calls county fair races because, he says, they're low-key, fun days at the fair for both him and his family.

"I can take Heidi and the boys along, work the races for about three hours, and the whole family can have fun when I'm done," he said. "It's a very different atmosphere than you'll find at the big race tracks. The crowd is there for many different reasons. I can cut loose and kick back a little."

His father, Ayers Ratliff Sr., had little doubt his son was destined to be a track announcer.

"When Ayers was 5 or 6 years old, we'd be driving down the road, and Ayers would make up the names of horses and write them down on a tablet," said Ratliff Sr., whose horse, Currently Flying, has a couple of wins this year at Northfield. "He'd make up a race, and he'd be the announcer. It's what he has wanted to do since he was a little boy."

While a student at Ohio State University, Ratliff told his father that race announcing was in his blood.

"He told me it would make his life complete if he could announce horse races," said his father. "Ayers has so much respect for the horses, and what they can do. He's studied the history of thoroughbreds and standardbreds. He doesn't call races as an occupation, but because he has a love for the sport that is simply unbelievable.

"As a youngster, he jogged horses, cleaned stalls and helped with our horse-breeding operation. He's always been so positive about horse racing. He has respect for what the horsemen do and what the tracks do to make racing successful."

Ratliff keeps his voice in tune. He doesn't smoke or drink and, though he loves horse racing, seldom bets. And never at Northfield Park, where he's now part of the racing secretary's office under Executive Vice President of Racing and Simulcasting and Director of Racing Dave Bianconi.

The long drives from Cleveland's race tracks to Ratliff's Marion home can be tiresome. With 122 days of racing at Thistledown and 213 nights of racing at Northfield, there are lots of 216-mile round trips.

Ratliff still takes heed of former Northfield park announcer Greg Young's sage advice.

"Greg told me: 'Remember, kid. When you're announcing, you're the elevator music, and the horses are the show.' "

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: degan@plaind.com, 216-999-5158

Dennis Miller of Mill Creek Park near Youngstown tops a leaderboard at Quail Hollow in Concord Township that is a mixture of 40-somethings, 20-somethings and even a few teenagers.

CONCORD TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Golf is not age discriminatory, at least in prestigious tournaments played in Northeast Ohio in July.

The leaderboard after the first round of the 87th annual Minute Men Staffing Ohio Open at Quail Hollow Country Club was a mixture of 40-somethings, 20-somethings and even a few teenagers. Last week, 16-year-old Michael Bernard became the youngest player ever to win the Ohio Am, and they've played that 104 times.

The man leading at Quail Hollow is Dennis Miller, the 40-year-old head pro at Mill Creek Park Golf Course near Youngstown, who shot a bogey-free, 6-under 65 on the Weiskopf Course.

Miller, the 1996 champion, had a two-shot lead over seven players, including Pepper Pike pro and three-time champ Rob Moss, 41, and two-time winner and former PGA Tour player Bob Sowards, 42.

Also in the mix, however, are teenagers Matt Gerard, 16, and Andrew Bailey, 18, as well as Fairlawn's Ryan Gutowski, 24, Harpster's Trevor Bowman, 23, and Highland Heights' Zach Glassman, 21, who will be a senior at William & Mary.

Gerard, who will be a junior at St. Ignatius, was one of those in at 67, and Bailey, who just graduated from St. Ignatius and will be a freshman at Cleveland State, was one of five players in at 68. Both are from Rocky River.

Miller, who finished in a tie for sixth last year, missed just one green in regulation and could have gone lower had he not missed six putts within 12 feet. Still, the Canfield resident was satisfied.

"I'm not playing my best, so a 65 feels good," he said. "I'll take the same score for two more days. I hit the ball close all day."

Gutowski, a high school state champ for Copley in 2003 and now on the Hooters Tour, is aiming to make up for last year when he had a two-stroke lead heading into the final round but shot 74 to finish third.

"It feels good," said Gutowski, who had six birdies and two bogeys on the Devlin Course. "I really want to win. I choked in the final round last year."

Moss, who has qualified to play in the PGA Championship next month at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin, birdied three holes in a row on the front nine of the Weiskopf course and added another on the back.

"I've had a solid year, but I've yet to win individually in the [Northern Ohio PGA] section," said Moss, who has recovered from a knee injury that required five surgeries in 2008. "My game's showing signs of life, and I feel that I'm close to shooting some low scores. I've worked at it."

Gerard, who figures to be one of the top players at St. Ignatius this year, made putts of 20, 25 and 30 feet en route to posting six birdies and two bogeys on the Weiskopf Course. One of his bogeys was a startling 6 on the 609-yard 13th hole. He took two penalty strokes for unplayable lies but knocked his sixth shot into the hole from 115 yards with a pitching wedge.

"It was the best bogey ever," he said.

Burton's David Ludlow, who played at Berkshire and Kent State, had the shot of the day when he made a hole-in-one on the 130-yard 11th hole on the Devlin Course.

The rehabbing Cleveland Indians stars both contribute as the Aeros get a Class AA win over the Altoona Curve.

AAA Columbus Clippers

Clippers 8, Bulls 3 Columbus used a five-run fourth inning to take control of the game, then added two more in the sixth to clinch the victory at Durham, N.C.

Clippers first baseman Jordan Brown (.293) was 1-for-5 with a bases-clearing double in the big fourth inning. In the sixth inning, left fielder Nick Weglarz (.286) had an RBI double and catcher Lou Marson (.161) an RBI single.

Columbus scored six runs in 3 1/3 innings off Durham starter Jeremy Hellickson (11-3, 2.56 ERA), but five were unearned because of a fielding error by first baseman Chris Richard.

Clippers starting pitcher Yohan Pino (8-5, 5.54) gave up three runs on five hits in six innings, striking out two.

AA Akron Aeros

Aeros 4, Curve 1 Cleveland Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera was 2-for-4 with an RBI and right fielder Shin-Soo Choo was 1-for-3 as Akron defeated Altoona, Pa., at Canal Park. Cabrera and Choo are in Akron on a rehab assignment and are expected to rejoin the Indians on Friday. Aeros second baseman Jason Kipnis (.336) was 3-for-4 with a double, and right fielder Matt McBride (.280) was 3-for-4 with a double, a homer and two RBI.

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Dash 7, Indians 3 The K-Tribe found itself down, 7-0, after five innings and was unable to rally against Winston-Salem in Kinston, N.C. Indians designated hitter Nate Recknagel (.234) had a three-run homer in the fifth inning as Kinston mustered only six hits for the game.

A Lake County Captains

Kernels 5, Captains 1 Designated hitter Chris Kersten's home run in the ninth inning prevented Lake County from getting shut out at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Kernels starting pitcher Fabio Martinez Mesa (6-2, 3.73) held the Captains to four hits over seven innings and struck out nine.

A Mahoning Valley Scrappers

Crosscutters 3, Scrappers 0 Three Williamsport, Pa., pitchers combined on a four-hitter to get the victory at Niles, Ohio. Mahoning Valley right fielder Carlos Moncrief (.214) had two hits, including a double.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers Beach Bums 4, Crushers 2 Andrew Davis had two hits for Lake Erie in the loss to Traverse City, Mich., at All-Pro Freight Stadium.

Updated at 12:29 a.m.   CLEVELAND - It appears the Cavaliers are close to missing out on another free agent. But it's not official yet. Forward Matt Barnes intended to turn down a multi-year offer from the Cavs on Monday and agreed in principle to a deal with the Toronto Raptors, sources said. ESPN reported the deal was worth two...

CLEVELAND - It appears the Cavaliers are close to missing out on another free agent.

But it's not official yet.

Forward Matt Barnes intended to turn down a multi-year offer from the Cavs on Monday and agreed in principle to a deal with the Toronto Raptors, sources said. ESPN reported the deal was worth two years and $10 million. According to a league source, the Raptors' offer was significantly higher than what the Cavs offered.

However, the deal would require a sign-and-trade with Barnes' old team, the Orlando Magic. The mechanics of that deal weren't finished Monday night. There is a possibility it could fall through and Barnes could reconsider the Cavs' offer.

If Barnes can get his deal done with the Raptors, it will be the second time in the past several days that the Cavs have been outbid on a free agent. On Saturday, center Brad Miller turned down an offer from the Cavs to take a three-year, $15 million deal from the Houston Rockets. It is believed to be more than the Cavs were willing to offer Miller.

Last week, the Cavs signed restricted free-agent guard Kyle Lowry to an offer sheet that started around $5 million per season before the deal was matched by the Rockets.

The major reason the Cavs aren't able to complete deals at the moment is they are unwilling to outbid other teams. After losing LeBron James, the team likely will have to pay a premium to get mid-level free agents such as Miller and Barnes.

With an eye toward restructuring over the next several seasons, that doesn't appear to be something General Manager Chris Grant is ready to do.

The Cavs continue to have trade talks involving Delonte West, who has a partially guaranteed contract. League sources indicate the Cavs are beginning to get some traction with several teams in trade talks for West.

Cabrera's return means manager Manny Acta must make a decision on whether Jason Donald or Jayson Nix will be the regular second baseman.

View full sizeThomas Ondrey / The Plain DealerShin-Soo Choo is expected to hit third when he returns to the lineup on Friday.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Manager Manny Acta says shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and right fielder Shin-Soo Choo will be ready to rejoin the Indians' lineup Friday against Tampa Bay at Progressive Field.

Cabrera and Choo are scheduled to finish a three-game rehab stay at Class AA Akron on Wednesday. When they return, they'll be in different spots in the lineup.

Until he broke his left forearm on May 17, Cabrera was the Indians' leadoff hitter. Acta said Cabrera will hit second when he returns.

Choo, when he sprained his right thumb July 2, was hitting second. He's expected to hit third, the spot he started the season at when Cabrera and Grady Sizemore were hitting first and second.

With Choo hitting third, that means rookie catcher Carlos Santana probably will go to the cleanup spot. Acta wouldn't confirm that, but said, "If I wasn't afraid to hit him third, I'm not going to be afraid to hit him fourth."

Santana has been hitting third since he joined the Indians from Class AAA Columbus on June 11.

The leadoff spot offers more intrigue. When Choo injured his thumb, Michael Brantley was promoted from Columbus. He replaced Trevor Crowe in center field and the leadoff spot.

Brantley has struggled. He went into Monday's game against the Twins hitting .167 (8-for-54) with four runs, one homer and three RBI in 12 games since his recall. Overall, he's hitting .151 (13-for-86) with eight runs, two doubles, one homer and six RBI.

View full sizeChuck Crow / PDThe return of Asdrubal Cabrera, above, at shortstop will force the Indians to make a decision with Jayson Nix and Jason Donald.

Crowe has started 43 games in center and led off 41 times. He's hitting .251 (46-for-183) with 24 runs, nine doubles, two triples, one homer and 19 RBI from the leadoff spot.

Shift in power: When Cabrera returns, Acta said he'll be ready to play shortstop every day. That means Jason Donald or Jayson Nix will be the second baseman.

If the job goes to Donald, Acta believes Nix is versatile enough to be the utility infielder. If the job goes to Nix, Donald will be headed back to Columbus.

"Donald won't be here to be the utility infielder," Acta said. "We want him getting the majority of at-bats wherever he plays."

Is eight enough? Right-hander Jess Todd joined the Indians on Monday at Target Field to give them an eight-man bullpen. Todd took Jeanmar Gomez's place. Gomez beat Detroit in a spot start Sunday.

It's unlikely the Indians will stay with eight relievers, not with the roster moves they have to make, but after the Twins they have a seven-game homestand against the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees.

Todd was 3-2 with a 2.75 ERA in 34 games at Columbus. He had four saves in five chances, struck out 46, walked 12 and allowed 38 hits in 391/3 innings. His WHIP was 1.27.

"I've just been more consistent throwing strikes," Todd said. Key arm: Acta says a key to his resurgent bullpen has been sidearmer Joe Smith. He's given Acta an effective counter to the opposition's big right-handed hitters late in games.

In the Tribe's four-game sweep over Detroit, Smith was particularly effective against Magglio Ordonez and Miguel Cabrera.

"Smitty has been a huge part of our pen," Acta said.

Smith, since being recalled from Class AAA Columbus, is 1-0 with a 2.70 in 14 appearances. He has not allowed a run in his last 11 appearances, spanning seven innings. In that stretch, he has six strikeouts, three walks and two hits.

The bullpen went into tonight's game against the Twins having allowed 10 runs in the previous 53 innings for a 1.70 ERA. Changes: Acta on Santana: "It's amazing how one guy has changed our whole lineup."

He added it's time for Santana to start playing the adjustment game.

"Once we left Texas [July 7], you could see people started pitching him differently," Acta said. "One team [Tampa Bay] used a shift. Another team [Detroit] wouldn't pitch to him. They made Austin Kearns and Travis Hafner beat them.

"So far he's done a nice job. He's taking his walks." Finally: The Indians went into Monday's series with a 4-0 record since the All-Star break. It's just the third time, according to Elias, that they've been 4-0 since the break in club history. They have never been 5-0.

To reach this Plain Dealer Reporter: phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158.

The Indians used a season-high 20 hits to trounce the Twins on Monday night for their fifth straight victory. It matched their longest winning streak of the season.

View full sizeJim Mone / Associated PressThe Indians' Travis Hafner returns to the dugout Monday after scoring on a double by Trevor Crowe during the second inning in Minneapolis.

Updated: 1:19 a.m.

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Indians haven't had a winning record since the third game of the season when they were 2-1. Put them in their own back yard and it's a different story.

The Tribe's back yard is the American League Central Division. It's the division they used to rule many years ago and they still feel comfortable there.

On a humid Monday night, the Indians won their fifth straight game since the All-Star break with a 10-4 pounding of the Twins at Target Field. All five of the victories have been against division foes to make them 19-17 in the Central.

This is the first time in club history the Indians have been 5-0 following the All-Star break. The five-game winning streak equals their longest of the season.

"Our offense picked us up tonight," said manager Manny Acta. "We swung the bat very well, especially with two out. That was the key.

"At the other end of it, I think we got a way with a lot. Aaron Laffey's control wasn't sharp and either was our bullpen. We walked way too many guys. I've seen the Twins enough to know we got a way with a lot tonight.": 

Left-hander Aaron Laffey (2-3, 4.62 ERA) barely touched 87 mph as he threw below hitting speed for the second straight start. He allowed one unearned run on five hits in five innings to improve to 5-2 lifetime against the Twins.

The Indians won this with a season-high 20 hits, including four by Trevor Crowe and three by Jayson Nix. Their big inning was the fifth.

View full sizeJim Mone / APTrevor Crowe, left, was 4-for-5 on Monday, while Jayson Nix, right, was 3-for-6.

They scored five runs to take a 7-1 lead and knock Scott Baker out of the game. After Carlos Santana doubled and Shelley Duncan singled, Jhonny Peralta started the scoring with a line-drive sacrifice fly to left. Crowe, Jason Donald, Michael Brantley and Nix followed with two-out RBI singles.

Crowe ended Baker's night with his third straight hit of the game. Crowe doubled home the Tribe's first run in the second and reached on a bunt hit in the fourth. Crowe singled in the ninth for his career-high fourth hit.

"All I'm trying to do every single at-bat is get on base," said Crowe. "To do it four times tonight feels awesome."

Baker (7-9, 5.15) was making his first start in 11 days. He had a cortisone shot in his right elbow after his previous start on July 8. He allowed six runs on 10 hits in 4 innings.

"They're a good team," said Crowe. "We've got to score runs to beat them. What happened in the fifth inning happens to teams when they're playing well. We had a lot of guys have good at-ats with two out."

The Indians took a 2-0 lead in the second. After Travis Hafner singled and Peralta walked, Crowe doubled to left center to make it 1-0 with one out. Donald brought home Peralta with a grounder to short for a 2-0 lead.

Laffey, making his third start since being recalled from Class AAA Columbus on June 25, allowed his only run in the fourth. Jason Kubel scored from third on a passed ball by Santana to make it 2-1.

Kubel opened the inning with a double past first. Delmon Young followed with a long single off the left-field wall that Crowe almost caught. The play was reviewed to see if it was a home run, but it wasn't even close to leaving the park.

With runners on first and second, Laffey struck out Jim Thome on an 81 mph fastball for the first out. He walked Danny Valencia to load the bases. After Santana's passed ball, J.J. Hardy grounded to first. Matt LaPorta, playing shallow, froze the runner at third before stepping on first for the second out.

Denard Span tried a surprise bunt, but Santana pounced on it and threw him out to end the inning.

Laffey said his lack of velocity is because of a tired arm. He opened the year in the bullpen, but was sent down on May 30 to convert to the rotation. It has taken a toll on his arm.

"I'm going through the dead arm period that most guys go through the first couple of weeks of spring training," said Laffey.

As for the 81 mph fastball to Thome, Laffey said, "That doesn't happen very often. He probably thought it was a change up. I keep telling everybody that sometimes it feels like a pitch that has a parachute attatched to it."

Laffey says it's worked to his advantage at times.

"It's probably thrown guys time off," he said. "They're used to seeing me throw a little harder than that. I've tried to ramp it up a little bit, but it's just not there right now." 

Acta took an eight-man bullpen into the game as Jess Todd joined the team from Columbus before the game. It was a good move.

After Laffey did his five and fly, Acta needed four relievers to go the final four innings.

Jensen Lewis started the sixth and immediately gave up a 444-foot homer to Thome. He hit the ball over the bleachers in right field for his 11th homer of the season and the 575th of his career.

Orlando Hudson added an RBI double to make it 7-3 and send Lewis to the bench. Tony Sipp relieved to face Joe Mauer. The Twins All-Star catcher was 4-for-6 lifetime against Sipp, but Sipp threw a called third strike past Mauer to end the sixth.

Sipp worked his way through the seventh, ending it by retiring Thome on a chopper in front of the plate with two on. Frank Herrmann started the eighth by giving up consecutive singles, but ended it by getting Mauer to hit into a double play.

Todd pitched the ninth.

The Indians, meanwhile, made it 8-3 in the eighth on consecutive doubles by Duncan and Santana. Duncan replaced Austin Kearns in right field. Kearns left the game with a sore right knee.

They added two more runs in the ninth on four hits. Nix had an RBI single and Santana a sacrifice fly.

"I banged up the knee diving for a ball in the second game of the doubleheader on Saturday," said Kearns. "Usually as I go along in the day, I feel better. But this kept bugging me. So I figured I better get out of the game before something happens."

Kearns said he's day to day.

The Indians five-game winning streak has come against Detroit and the Twins.

"What's impressive about the streak is knowing what's ahead of us," said Acta. "The schedule is a tough one. Right after we play the Twins, we go play Tampa Bay, the Yankees, Red Sox and Toronto.

"We have a tough schedule ahead of us and we've done well winning the first five games."

To reach this Plain Dealer Reporter: phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158

PD sports writer says pressure from endorsement companies to win championships may have led LeBron to join Heat.

Associated PressMichael Jordan says joining rivals like Larry Bird and Magic Johnson is not something he would have done.

Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, our Web video show about what's going on in Cleveland sports. Today's show is hosted by Chuck Yarborough and Branson Wright. Let's go to the highlights:

• Michael Jordan said in an interview at a golf tournament that when he played, he never would have thought of joining Larry Bird and Magic Johnson on the same team - similar to what LeBron James has done by joining Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. What do you think of Jordan's comments? Vote in the Starting Blocks poll posted now in the blog.

• Plain Dealer sports writer Dennis Manoloff, today's guest, says on the show that Jordan's comments have to hurt LeBron, who grew up idolizing Jordan and wore his number for his entire career so far. Also, Manoloff talks about endorsements, and whether the demands for championships causes athletes to go "ring chasing" to validate their multimillion-dollar contracts with the products they endorse.

Dman also says he's eager to see the Indians play tonight against the Twins (8:10 p.m. on STO), and has enjoyed watching the progress of Michael Brantley and the other young Tribe prospects.

Starting Blocks TV will return Wednesday morning with Plain Dealer columnist Bill Livingston as the guest. Have a question you'd like to ask Livy about the Browns, Cavs or Tribe (or LeBron)? Post it in the comments below and we'll pick the best ones for Wednesday's show.

The five-game winning streak following the all-star break helps provide hope for the future. Also, Choo and Cabrera; trade deadline; Ray Fosse and Pete Rose; more.

Jim Mone, Associated PressTravis Hafner is greeted in the Indians' dugout after scoring on Trevor Crowe's double during Monday night's 10-4 win over the Twins.

Cleveland, Ohio -- The Cleveland Indians are not going to play their way into contention in the American League Central Division even if they double -- probably not even if they triple -- their current five-game winning streak.

The players who aren't too young are too mediocre, in the long run, and the Tribe is significantly behind not one, but three better teams.

The reality doesn't dampen the cautious optimism that some of the young players could become impact players, and the recognition that numerous prospects in the Cleveland farm system are making meaningful advances.

And, simply, it's fun to watch some good baseball, like the Indians played in their 10-4 victory over the Twins on Monday night in Minnesota. It's the first time in Indians history that they have won their first five games following the all-star break. The All-Star Game began in 1933.

Twice before, the Indians had won their first four games after the all-star break. Baseball-reference.com details those teams. Click here for a breakdown of the 1970 Indians, and click here for a look at the 1995 Indians.

Cleveland plays at Minnesota again tonight, with Indians right-hander Justin Masterson and Twins righty Kevin Slowey the starting pitchers.

Plain Dealer Indians beat writer Paul Hoynes is in Minnesota. He writes the game story of Monday night's Indians win, the Cleveland Indians Insider and Indians Chatter. The Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto writes a column about Indians pitcher Jake Westbrook.

Getting ready

Indians right fielder Shin-Soo Choo (sprained right thumb) and second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera (broken left forearm) could return to the Tribe lineup this weekend. Both are on rehabilitation assignments with the Class AA Akron Aeros. Stephanie Storm of the Akron Beacon Journal writes about Choo and Cabrera, and the parts they played in Akron's 4-1 win Monday night over the Altoona Curve. She quotes Aeros manager Joel Skinner:

''It's always nice when you have big league guys around the clubhouse because it gives the young guys someone new to talk to and pick their brains,'' Aeros manager Joel Skinner said. ''Plus, it means [the major leaguers] are close to returning to the big leagues.''

Maybe moving

As the July 31 trade deadline approaches, Jon Heyman lists for Sports Illustrated's SI.com some position players who might be available to teams in trade, such as:

22. Jhonny Peralta, Indians 3B. Lacks power for a third baseman. Very little value. 

Heyman also analyzes what pitchers could be moved. Three of them are Indians, including:

6. Fausto Carmona, Indians, SP. All-Star pitcher has had a nice turnaround, from 5-12 with a 6.32 ERA last year to 8-7 with a 3.64 ERA this year. "They like their rotation,'' said one GM who envisions Cleveland holding on to Carmona. Another noted that the club has three option years for 2012, '13 and '14 on Carmona, and said, "They have to figure they'll be a factor within four years.'' Probably will stay.

Just one game, Howie

Howard Sinker of the Minneapolis Star Tribune was not pleased with the Twins' play against the Indians on Monday night. He writes, referring to Twins starting pitcher Scott Baker:

Baker was brutal. Fourteen outs, 13 baserunners. Dick’n’Bert, who were almost making Cleveland’s last-place staff of 5+ ERA guys and minor-league call-ups into legends on the game (Aaron Laffey? Gimme a break.), were rightfully apoplectic about Baker’s work.

Treat them alike

The Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins are the contending teams in the American League Central Division. Monday's night's win over the Twins followed Cleveland's four-game sweep of the Tigers, and Sheldon Ocker notes for the Akron Beacon Journal:

For the second time in a month, the Indians have put together a five-game winning streak. They have tried to be fair to all of the Central Division contenders in that they are 8-4 in the season series with the White Sox.

40 years (and a few days) ago

The previously mentioned four-game winning streak by the 1970 Indians following the all-star break is notable for an unfortunate reason. Ray Fosse caught and hit cleanup for the Indians in all four of the games, even though he had been injured when Cincinnati Reds star Pete Rose barreled into Fosse at home plate and scored the winning run in the National League's 5-4, 12-inning All-Star Game win.

Fosse and the Indians did not know his left shoulder had been fractured in that July 14 collision, as X-rays did not reveal the injury. That he continued playing, instead of letting the injury heal, affected the rest of his career.

In 1999, the San Francisco Chronicle's Ron Kroichick wrote one of the most informative articles about the infamous play, one that many considered unnecessarily aggressive on Rose's part. Kroichick wrote:

Fosse played nine more years in the majors -- and won two World Series rings with the A's in 1973 and '74 -- but was never quite the same. The injury forced him to develop a less powerful swing; he never hit more than 12 homers in a season.

``If the play had not occurred, who knows what direction my life would have taken?'' Fosse says. ``I had 16 homers at the break. Could I have hit 25 to 30 consistently every year?''

Fosse is a commentator for telecasts of Oakland Athletics games. Rose, baseball's all-time hits leader, is banned from baseball for gambling on games.

Also

On MLB.com, Anthony Castrovince writes his Indians notes, and tonight's game is previewed.

The Indians' four-game sweep of the Tigers over the weekend moved them up a bit in ESPN.com's power rankings.