A dozen is 12. A baker's dozen is 13.

Senior Joe Belford placed third at the Ashland district tournament last week.

A dozen is 12.

A baker's dozen is 13.

In wrestling, an Eagles dozen is 14.

This year, one fell out of the box, but St. Edward had a fresh glazed replacement at the ready.

St. Edward begins today's state wrestling tournament in Columbus with a remarkable 14 state qualifiers — its entire lineup — for the second time in the Division I tournament's history. It also qualified 14 in 2007.

The Eagles barely skipped a beat when heavyweight Greg Kuhar, a returning state runner-up, blew out his knee in late December.

Senior Joe Belford stepped in and placed third at the Ashland district tournament last week, completing the Eagles' state lineup.

Belford was not an unknown. He qualified for the freestyle national championships in Fargo, N.D., last summer. Yes, St. Edward is so deep it has national qualifiers on the bench.

"Greg has beat him in the wrestle-offs for four years, but that did not put a sour face on him," St. Edward coach Greg Urbas said. "He's kept his attitude good for four years. Even when he didn't start the last three years, Joe was right there pushing Greg, trying to make him better. This has all paid off."

Urbas said the Eagles are ready to make a run at wrestling history. They have an excellent chance to surpass Cleveland West's 1951 big-school division mark of six individual champs. They also could break records for scoring (229) and place-winners (13), both set by St. Edward in 2007.

"All 14 are in real, real good shape," Urbas said. "They have smiles on their faces. It's a tough schedule and they have come out pretty healthy."

Price increase: Ticket prices for the state tournament increased as much as 25 percent for the best seats. All-session booklets for entry-level and club-level seats went up from $60 last year to $75 this year. Terrace-level booklets increased $5 to $55 and individual finals session seats are $15, a $2 increase.

A sign: Solon coach Tony DiGiovanni's disagreement with this season's new weight classes will be clear to see at the state tournament. During the tournaments, he and his assistant coaches have been wearing dark blue shirts with large block white letters on the back that read, "COACHES DESERVE A VOICE."

DiGiovanni believes coaches' opinions were not taken into consideration when the Ohio High School Athletic Association adopted new national weight classes. "I still have to do what I feel is right," he said at the Mentor district tournament. "I've had so many coaches come up to me and say, 'Good, good. Keep it up.' "

Mended Bengal: Benedictine senior Brian Smith's state berth comes after a long comeback. He suffered a badly broken leg during a match his freshman year that required surgery and resulted in a rod and nine screws being implanted. He rebroke the leg playing football as a sophomore. He was a district alternate as a junior, and he placed fourth at 170 pounds at the Division II Alliance district last week. "He has really been kind of fearless through the whole thing," said his father, Brian Sr.

Blind wrestlers: Coventry senior Jesse Gunter is not the first blind wrestler to qualify for the state tournament. Charles Bartee of the Ohio School for the Blind placed sixth in 1966. Longtime tournament observers say Euclid had a blind wrestler, Deral Euretig, who placed fifth in 1970.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

twarsinskey@plaind.com, 216-999-4661

If the Indians are to contend, they will likely need help from unexpected sources.

Chuck Crow, The Plain DealerWill any players whom the Indians aren't really counting on -- such as outfielder Trevor Crowe (photo) -- have solid seasons to help the Tribe attain its goals?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Indians finished last season 80-82, second to the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central Division.

The Indians have made it clear that they believe they can contend for a playoff spot this season.

Cleveland's roster, though, includes a few players who have dealt with multiple injuries in recent seasons. Center fielder Grady Sizemore, for instance, has already been ruled out for Opening Day -- and maybe for some time beyond -- with an aching back that delays his rehabilitation from knee surgery.

Closer Chris Perez has generally been healthy while an Indian, but he is currently sidelined with a strained oblique. It's possible he'll be ready for the season opener on April 5 against the Toronto Blue Jays at Progressive Field. The Indians could probably cover for Perez's absence for a while thanks to the depth of their bullpen.

The Tribe, though, lacks depth among its position players. Not necessarily in numbers -- after all, they have 22 non-roster spring training invitees, many of them outfielders, infielders or catchers.

Rather, the Indians are short in position players who are somewhere near their prime, have achieved big-league success and could be counted to step in and be productive in a key role.

There's not much big league-ready, young talent available at the upper levels of the Cleveland farm system, either.

Just as concerning as position player questions are those regarding the starting pitching: Josh Tomlin's return from an elbow injury; Ubaldo Jimenez's inconsistency the last season and a-half; Derek Lowe's age; the uncertainty about the return of Roberto Hernandez, the pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona who was ineffective last season, anyway.

Many observers feel the Tribe has a solid team if most things go right. Realistically, for the Indians to contend, they will probably need help from some players they might have hopes for, but players who aren't being counted on for much as March begins.

NOTE: No players who probably have Indians' roster spots locked up are included in our poll.

ESPN story also says Browns have ruled out using the franchise tag for Hillis in 2012.

Joshua Gunter, The Plain DealerCleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis celebrates with fans.

Running back Peyton Hillis may have played his last game with the Cleveland Browns. The Browns made the decision not to use their franchise tag him. So there's a good chance Hillis will leave via free agency.

ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter writes how throughout the past season, Hillis has wavered about whether he wants to continue playing football, and even considered joining the CIA, according to team sources.

It is unclear if he actually pursued a career with the CIA.

Hillis told Browns coaches as recently as the end of the season that he was contemplating retirement, though it now looks as if he will continue playing, the sources said.

Browns general manager Tom Heckert told ESPN's Josina Anderson on Wednesday that the team would like to keep Hillis if the contract is reasonable.

Grady Sizemore will miss eight to 12 weeks following back surgery in Miami on Thursday morning.

Chuck Crow, The Plain DealerThe Indians get more bad news about Grady Sizemore on the injury front.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Grady Sizemore, the Indians oft-injured center fielder, underwent back surgery this morning in Miami.

The surgery was called minimally invasive and it should take him eight to 12 weeks to recover. Dr. Barth Green of the University of Miami School Medicine performed the operation.

The surgery is called a microdiscectomy.

The Indians announced Feb. 24 that Sizemore probably would not start the season opener after straining his back while fielding ground balls in the outfield three weeks ago.
Sizemore had to stop baseball activity, which meant he couldn't rehab his right knee, which was surgically repaired in October.

Sizemore has been undergoing tests on the back for the last few days.

The Indians re-signed Sizemore to a one-year $5 million contract in December after they failed to exercise his $9 million club option for 2012 on Oct. 31. Sizemore's new contract contained $4 million in incentives based on plate appearances.

In the last three years, Sizemore has averaged just 70 games per season as he underwent five operations -- one on his left elbow, two sports hernia surgeries and surgeries on his left and right knee.

At his peak, Sizemore was a two-time Gold Glove winner and a three-time All-Star. From 2005 through 2008 he never played fewer than 157 games in a year. In 2006 and 2007, he played every game on the schedule.

Sizemore's best season came in 2008 when he hit .268 (170-for-634) with 39 doubles, five triples, 24 homers, 78 RBI and 38 steals. He became just the second 30-30 man in club history.

Michael Brantley is expected to replace Sizemore in center field. Manager Manny Acta already said Brantley will be his lead-off hitter.

To guard against Sizemore breaking down again, GM Chris Antonetti loaded his spring training roster with outfielders. There are 12 outfielders in camp not counting Sizemore. Now all the Indians have to do is find a replacement for Brantley in left field when he does make the move to center.

Paul Hoynes also tells us which Tribe player he thinks will have a breakout season in 2012. Watch video

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

Spring training is here and the Cleveland Indians are in Arizona preparing for the upcoming season. And of course, there are plenty of questions when it comes to the Indians this coming season.

The guest on today's SBTV is Plain Dealer Indians beat Paul Hoynes (who celebrates his birthday on Saturday). Hoynsie doesn't expect great news today when it comes to an update on Grady Sizemore's back.

Hoynes also talks about Albert Belle's visit to camp this week, and which player will be a surprise this coming season.

SBTV will return on Friday with Mary Kay Cabot answering questions from her weekly Hey, Mary Kay! feature.

The Indians love Nick Hagadone's arm, but want the left-hander to throw more strikes. In Wednesday's intrasquad game he pitched himself into a bases-loaded mess before extracting himself from trouble.

Chuck Crow, The Plain DealerNick Hagadone is trying to win one of two open spots in the bullpen.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Manager Manny Acta said no one gets judged on how they perform in the two intrasquad games the Indians play before the Cactus League season starts Saturday against the Reds. The games, said Act, are played to get players back into the flow of the game.

Still, it's never too early to make a good impression.

Rookie left-hander Nick Hagadone played it right down the middle in Wednesday's four-inning game when it came to making an impression. He pitched a scoreless third inning, but a leadoff walk to Chad Huffman led to a bases-loaded situation. Hagadone struck out Lonnie Chisenhall and retired Shelley Duncan on a pop to second to escape.

The Indians love Hagadone's arm, but they want to see him throw more strikes and control the strike zone. He made nine appearances with the Tribe last year, striking out 11 and walking six in 11 innings.

"That's what I worked on this winter," said Hagadone, acquired from Boston in 2009 as part of the Victor Martinez deal. "I was trying to work on being consistent with my fastball and slider and throwing a lot of strikes."

Hagadone, 6-5 and 230 pounds, is trying win one of two open spots in the bullpen. The competition is thick and heavy including Frank Herrmann, Jeremy Accardo, Hector Ambriz, Chris Ray, Chris Seddon, Robinson Tejeda and Dan Wheeler.

"There are a lot of guys competing for two spots," said Hagadone. "The way I look at
it is if I worry about those guys and how they're doing, it's going to take away from what I do.

"I try to focus on doing something every day to make myself better. Then let everything else take care of itself."

Hagadone underwent Tommy John surgery in June of 2008 when he was still with Boston.

"I feel like I have a new arm," said Hagadone. "There are no restrictions on me. I think I'm throwing as hard as I did before the operation, but it took a long time.

No word, yet: The Indians are expected to give an update on Grady Sizemore's strained lower back after Thursday's five-inning intrasquad game.

Lineups for today's intrasquad game:

-Mike Sarbaugh's visitors: 2B Jason Donald, SS Cristian Guzman, 1B Russ Canzler, LF Shelley Duncan, DH Jose Lopez, 3B Andy LaRoche, RF Thomas Neal, CF Trevor Crowe, C Michel Hernandez, 1 Kevin Slowey.

-Steve Smith's homers: CF Michael Brantley, SS Asdrubal Cabrera, RF Shin-Soo Choo, 1B Casey Kotchman, DH Matt LaPorta, 3B Jack Hannahan, 2B Cord Phelps, LF Nick Weglarz, C Matt Pagnozzi.

On today's "PD Sports Insider", Bud Shaw, Dennis Manoloff and Glenn Moore, along with Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot in studio, gave us their opinion on the Peyton Hillis situation and whether the Browns should still bring him back. Watch video

Was D'Qwell Jackson worthy of such a big contract? Does Peyton Hillis changing agents effect the Browns and their chances of re-signing him? What other players have improved their stock during the NFL Scouting Combine?

On today's "PD Sports Insider", Bud Shaw, Dennis Manoloff and Glenn Moore, along with Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot in studio, gave us their opinion on the Peyton Hillis situation and whether the Browns should still bring him back.

Among the other topics discussed:

- Most impressive player at the combine?

- Most surprising player at the combine?

- Who are some players the Browns might pick up in the later rounds?

- D'Qwell Jackson's new contract and being a team leader.

Click on play to watch the video

Watch today live at noon.

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.

"Based on this report, it's unclear whether this guy is committed to the game or not. It also doesn't square that he'd tell us he'd consider a CIA career while at the same time playing out a contract escapade for almost a year......asking for the moon when a contract could have been easily done long ago." - randyosu

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerWhile Peyton Hillis has had his highs and lows, one cleveland.com reader believes the Browns should offer him one last contract or let him go.

"Based on this report, it's unclear whether this guy is committed to the game or not. It also doesn't square that he'd tell us he'd consider a CIA career while at the same time playing out a contract escapade for almost a year......asking for the moon when a contract could have been easily done long ago.

Give him a final offer and cut bait if he doesn't sign it."

The Cavaliers’ Kyrie Irving repeated as the Eastern Conference rookie of the month, winning the award for February after also winning it in January.

View full sizeScott Shaw, The Plain DealerCavs guard Kyrie Irving was named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for February. This is the second time he has won the honor.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers’ Kyrie Irving repeated as the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month, winning the award for February after also winning it in January. The Kings’ Isaiah Thomas was named the Westrern Conference rookie of the month,

Irving led all rookies in scoring (19.3 ppg), free throw percentage (.953) and minutes (35.3 mpg), while leading Eastern Conference rookies in assists (5.6 apg), 3-point field goal percentage (.444) and fourth-quarter scoring (6.8 ppg). He scored 20 or more points in six games in February, shooting .500 or better four times and notching a season-high 11 assists on Feb. 22, against the New Orleans Hornets.

Thomas led Western Conference rookies in February in scoring (12.2 ppg) and was second in assists (4.4 apg). He recorded his first five career starts last month, scoring 96 total points, enough to match Otis Birdsong’s franchise record for most points scored in a player’s first five starts, set during the 1970-71 season.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month were Charlotte’s Kemba Walker, Denver’s Kenneth Faried, Detroit’s Brandon Knight, Houston’s Chandler Parsons, Minnesota’s Ricky Rubio and New Jersey’s MarShon Brooks.

"Honestly, the way the Cavs lost this game was pretty disheartening. It seemed like the lead the Cavs had vanished and turned into a deficit in the blink of an eye. I will say though that this Knicks team is pretty stacked with talent. If they can get it together quickly, they are probably the one team that can give the Heat a run for it." - indianscavsbrowns89

View full sizeAP Photo/Kathy WillensWatching the Cavaliers get beat by Steve Novak and the New York Knicks last night was disheartening to watch says one cleveland.com reader.

"Honestly, the way the Cavs lost this game was pretty disheartening. It seemed like the lead the Cavs had vanished and turned into a deficit in the blink of an eye. I will say though that this Knicks team is pretty stacked with talent. If they can get it together quickly, they are probably the one team that can give the Heat a run for it."

A fourth-year junior to be, eligibility wise, he must sit out 2012 season because of the transfer, and will have just one season of playing time at Louisville. Whiting was suspended for last season's first game due to his involvement in the memorabilia for tattoos/cash scandal.

Photo by Jay LaPrete for The PDLinebacker Jordan Whiting says he is transferring from Ohio State to his hometown university, Louisville.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Linebacker Jordan Whiting has confirmed via Twitter that he will transfer from Ohio State to his hometown university, Louisville.

Whiting tweeted about his planned move:

I will be attending University of Louisville and will be a Cardinal for the remainder of my college career as a student and athlete!

Whiting was a backup for the Buckeyes. He was suspended for the first game of the 2011 season because of his involvement in the memorabilia for tattoos/cash scandal.

Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch writes about Whiting's intended switch from Ohio State to Louisville:  

A fourth-year junior to be, eligibility wise, he will have to sit out the 2012 season because of the transfer, and thus will have just one season of playing time at Louisville. He had indicated to the OSU student newspaper The Lantern a little while ago he was contemplating such a move after having a troubled last couple of years at OSU.

He also tweeted today, “Thank you all for (your) support and love. I thank (former head coach Jim) Tressel and Mr. Gene Smith (athletic director) for the opportunity, however my time here has come to an end. … Buckeye nation these last few years have been the most memorable years of my life. It was truly a blessing to have been a part of this city!”

Kyrie Irving learned from one of the best --- his dad.

PD FileCleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving goes up high.

Dave D'Alessandro of The Star-Ledger writes on how rookie point guard Kyrie Irving is among some of the top young point guards in the game.

In this interview with Irving's dad, Dred, the senior Irving talks about expectations when it comes to his son.

“I’m not going to say Kyrie has surpassed expectations, but he’s playing at a level that meets the consensus of what people thought he’d do,” says one expert on the subject named Dred Irving.

“He worked very hard this past summer. So I’m pretty content where he is now, as far as contributing and being an integral part of his team. And whether he contributes to wins or losses,” — pause for a short chuckle here — “well, that’s part of the growth process.”

Kyrie says in the interview that his dad taught him everything he knows about the game. Irving is only 19, so he's packed in plenty of knowledge in a short time span.

More Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers blew 12-point lead in loss to New York Knicks (Cleveland.com).

New York Times article on Kyrie Irving and his father Drederick Irving.

Thanks to Steve Novak, the Knicks defeat the Cavaliers, writes The New York Post.

"As frustrating as this is for the fans I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for Sizemore. Of course, he is still going to get a minimum of $5M this year so that should take some of the sting out of this. I understand that this back surgery is considered "minimally invasive" but the reality is that back surgery can be very unpredictable... here's hoping Grady makes a fast and full recovery." - puffdamagicd

View full sizeChuck Crow/The Plain DealerWill Tribe fans ever see the old Grady Sizemore roaming the outfield again? One cleveland.com reader wishes Sizemore well in his recovery.

"As frustrating as this is for the fans I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for Sizemore. Of course, he is still going to get a minimum of $5M this year so that should take some of the sting out of this. I understand that this back surgery is considered "minimally invasive" but the reality is that back surgery can be very unpredictable... here's hoping Grady makes a fast and full recovery."

Coombs has coached Cincinnati's defensive backs since 2007.

Lynn Ischay, The Plain DealerUrban Meyer has completed his first Ohio State coaching staff by hiring Kerry Coombs to tutor the defensive backs.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- First-year Ohio State Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer has completed his coaching staff, hiring Kerry Coombs as the defensive backs coach.

Coombs has been working not only as a position coach, but also as an associate head coach for the University of Cincinnati Bearcats and their head coach, Brian Kelly.

Brian Bennett of ESPN.com writes about Ohio State's hiring of Coombs:

...it's a really good move.

Coombs has coached defensive backs for the Bearcats since 2007, and has worked with some good players there, including eventual NFL draft picks Haruki Nakamura, Mike Mickens, DeAngelo Smith, and Buckeyes transfer Brandon Underwood. The 2008 secondary was a big reason why Cincinnati won its first Big East title. While it's true that Meyer's Florida team led by Tim Tebow tore apart the Bearcats' pass defense in the 2010 Sugar Bowl, Coombs has done solid work during his tenure at Cincinnati.

Here's another reason why hiring Coombs is smart: Before Brian Kelly gave him his first college job in 2007, Coombs was an extremely successful high school coach at Cincinnati's Colerain High School. His connections to the high schools in that city have made him a strong recruiter in that talent-rich area. Cincinnati should be a major pipeline for Ohio State, but the Buckeyes have had more success in the northern part of the state. Coombs should give them even more recruiting inroads.

Meyer first planned to retain defensive backs coach Taver Johnson from Ohio State's 2011 coaching staff. Johnson, though, left OSU for Arkansas to be the Razorbacks' assistant head coach/linebackers coach.

Meyer then hired Bill Sheridan to oversee the DBs, but soon after, Sheridan accepted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offer to be their defensive coordinator.

Lake Erie's walleye population might be just vibrant enough to allow Ohio's daily bag limits to remain the same in 2012.

Getting back on the road might not be a bad thing for the Cavs, who have played with more focus away from The Q.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerCavs guard Daniel Gibson says the team is going to have to take advantage of its home games during the final stretch of the season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cavaliers had been home for so long that Ramon Sessions drove to Tuesday's shoot-around forgetting they were flying to New York later that night after their game at The Q against Boston.

"I got a text message from someone who told me they would see me in New York," Sessions said. "I was like, 'Oh, man, I got to go home and pack.' "

Getting back on the road -- the Cavaliers play seven of their next 11 games away from The Q -- might not be a bad thing. While the Cavaliers blew their biggest lead (17 points) of the season in a 120-103 defeat against New York on Wednesday, at least they had a large advantage to squander.

That was rarely the case during the recent nine-game homestand in which the Cavaliers went 4-5 and found themselves trailing by 12 points or more six times. Most young teams play more consistently at home, but the Cavaliers' efforts have been more steady on the road this season. They are even shooting slightly better from the field -- 42.8 percent compared with 42.2 percent.

They are 5-10 away from The Q and 8-10 at home, where the Cavaliers host the Chicago Bulls today.

"There was only one road game where we didn't play for a [darn] this season, and that was in Atlanta," said coach Byron Scott of a 121-94 loss Jan. 21.

"Our focus has been good on the road. At times, you can get too relaxed at home."

Neither Scott nor any of his players wants to give the impression they don't like playing at The Q. Just the opposite is true. The Cavaliers' most exciting games have been played in Cleveland, the site of last-minute victories against Dallas, Sacramento and Detroit and near-miraculous, fourth-quarter rallies against Boston and New Jersey.

"I don't think there is anything bad about being at home," said Daniel Gibson. "But we are going to have to take advantage of our home court down the stretch."

What the Cavaliers need at The Q is better starts. Recent games against Philadelphia, Miami and Boston saw them trail by substantial first-half margins. Injuries to Kyrie Irving (concussion) and Anderson Varejao, who remains out with a broken wrist, must be considered, but the Cavaliers incurred similar deficits against Chicago and New Jersey when both were in the lineup.

Scott doesn't believe his team overstayed its franchise-record homestand, a byproduct of the lockout and leaguewide arena availability.

But the Cavaliers, who don't play more than two consecutive home games for the remainder of the season, could benefit from some variety. The nine straight home games, which included a pair of back-to-backs, even seemed to put a strain on fans, as the Cavs drew less than 14,000 three times.

Irving wins again: Irving repeated as the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month, winning the award for February after capturing it in January. The Kings' Isaiah Thomas was named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month.

Irving led all rookies in scoring (19.3 ppg) and minutes (35.3 mpg), while leading Eastern Conference rookies in assists (5.6 apg), 3-point field-goal percentage (.444) and fourth-quarter scoring (6.8 ppg). He scored 20 or more points in six games in February, shooting .500 or better four times and notching a season-high 11 assists Feb. 22 against the New Orleans Hornets. He also trimmed his turnovers per 48 minutes from 5.6 to 3.8.

Irving made 41-of-43 free throws in February, giving him the highest foul-shooting percentage (95.3) in a month for a rookie since Chauncey Billups sank 41-of-41 in March 1998, according to Elias Sports Bureau. A minimum of 40 free throws was required.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western conference rookies of the month were Charlotte's Kemba Walker, Denver's Kenneth Faried, Detroit's Brandon Knight, Houston's Chandler Parsons, Minnesota's Ricky Rubio and New Jersey's MarShon Brooks.

Rare double: The Cavaliers had been good at holding second-half leads this season, but the past two games saw them lose leads to Boston and New York.

They were 9-3 in games in which they led or were tied at halftime. They were also 11-1 in games in which they led or were tied after three quarters. The Cavs blew one of each against the Knicks and Celtics.

Eyenga cuts toe: Christian Eyenga required three stitches to close a cut on his right little toe, an injury he suffered in the Cavs locker room before Tuesday's game, a team spokesman said.

The reserve guard was scheduled to be inactive for Tuesday's game anyway. Eyenga slipped and suffered the cut on a metal door, the team spokesman said. He didn't make the trip to New York and wasn't listed among the injured players for Wednesday's game.

In the wee hours of Thursday morning, the club issued a release, saying the guard suffered a toe laceration before Tuesday's game that required stitches.

The fact the second-year player was Tweeting back home during the loss to the Knicks didn't compel the club to release the injury information in the wee hours, the spokesman said.

Eyenga has appeared in just six games this season, averaging 1.5 points and 2.0 rebounds. He also played a stint in the Development League.

Plain Dealer reporter Mary Schmitt Boyer contributed to this story.

Sizemore has always been one of the best conditioned and hardest workers on the team. But he can't stay healthy. And this latest news has given Tribe fans the blues.

View full sizeChuck Crow, Plain Dealer file photoGrady Sizemore's promising career has been undone by a steady stream of injuries.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — It's reasonable to assume the Indians know that what happens in the winter does impact how their fans feel about the team.

That's why Grady Sizemore's back surgery is like showing up at a wedding and finding out the dessert is a bag full of stale doughnuts.

Most fans were against re-signing Sizemore for the same reason that I opposed the move. The 29-year-old had missed more games in the past three years than he has played.

But fans were still hopeful. Maybe the Indians knew something. After all, they had more medical information on Sizemore than anyone else.

In the past three years, he's had wrist surgery, major microscopic knee surgery, minor surgery on the other knee and two sports hernia surgeries.

Now, it's a "minimally invasive low back procedure. . . . a micro discectomy . . . recovery from such an operation is eight to twelve weeks," according to the Tribe's press release.

Exactly when has any surgery with Sizemore gone as expected, at least in terms of him being able to stay on the field for several months?

That's no knock on Sizemore, who has always been one of the best conditioned and hardest workers on the team.

But he can't stay healthy.

And this latest news has given Tribe fans the blues, even if they feared another injury was a real possibility.

That's because the winter and spring training is more than preparing a team physically for the season. It's giving fans a reason for improvement next year partly by adding players to the roster.

The Tribe made three significant moves.

They picked up the $7 million option on Fausto Carmona. It turns out that his real name is Roberto Hernandez and he's in trouble with the government because he has been coming from the Dominican Republic to the United States under a false identity. Hard to know when he will be cleared to rejoin the team, or how he will pitch when he returns without a spring training.

They traded for Derek Lowe, a 38-year-old coming off the worst season of his career. I like the Lowe deal, and believe he will help the rotation.

Finally, they signed Sizemore for $5 million, gambling he could stay healthy.

He didn't, and many fans are mad. Others are just discouraged because they just don't see how the team can better its 80-82 record of 2011.

It's not a futile situation.

The Indians' chances of competing with Detroit for the Central Division title will depend upon bounce-back seasons from starters such as Ubaldo Jimenez, Kevin Slowey, Lowe and Hernandez (if he ever joins the team). It will also be determined by Shin-Soo Choo returning to his .300 form, Asdrubal Cabrera having another big season at short, Carlos Santana maturing into a major power hitter along with Jason Kipnis and Lonnie Chisenhall developing into viable big-league infielders.

The Indians need Michael Brantley to take over in center and become the .300 hitter that he was in the minors when the Indians traded for him in the CC Sabathia deal.

But Sizemore's injury hurts because fans know the team is on a limited budget. The $5 million guaranteed him is $5 million they can't use for another player. The Tribe has several other outfielders such as Shelley Duncan, Aaron Cunningham, Russ Canzler and Ryan Spilborghs competing for Brantley's spot in left field -- if he moves to center.

Maybe it will all work out.

But for the next few weeks, I would hate to be someone trying to sell Tribe tickets.

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

The championships are today through Wednesday at Hoover Arena in Strongsville.

What: The American Collegiate Hockey Association Men's Division I National Championships, featuring the nation's top college nonvarsity men's teams.

Where, when: Hoover Arena, 15381 Royalton Road, Strongsville, today through Wednesday.

Tickets: $15 for a day pass, $10 for students. Multiday passes also available.

Notable seeds: 1. Penn State, 2. Lindenwood (Ill.), 3. Delaware, 4. Arizona State, 6. Ohio, 18. Kent State.

Last time: In 2011, Davenport (Mich.) won the title over Lindenwood. This tournament was most recently held in Cleveland in 2009, when Lindenwood won.

More info: achacleveland.com

Schedule: Today -- Oakland vs. Mercyhurst, 11:30 a.m.; Davenport vs. Drexel, 5:30 p.m.; Rutgers vs. West Virginia, 5:30; Central Oklahoma vs. Kent State, 8:30. Saturday -- 10 and 11 a.m.; 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 and 8 p.m. Sunday's second round -- 11 a.m., 2, 5 and 8 p.m. Tuesday's semifinals -- 5 and 8 p.m. Wednesday's championship -- 7:30 p.m.

Area athletes competing: Adrian -- Alex Norman, F, North Olmsted. Arizona State -- Ryan Clark, D, Wadsworth. Kent State -- Ryan Bauman, F, Parma; Andrew Gazdak, F, Mentor; Jeremy Hein, F, Canton; Brandon Hein, D, Canton; Bobby Lyle, F, Hudson; Max Norman, D, Olmsted Township; Zachary Nowak, G, Concord; Miles Radosevic, D, Strongsville; Kyle Weissberg, F, Parma; Justin Wisniewski, G, Strongsville. Mercyhurst -- Bryan Danczak, G, Macedonia; Eric Engel, G, Mentor; Brad Rosser, F, Kirtland. Ohio -- Zack Barbis, D, Mentor; Alex DiMassa, F, Westlake; Zander Dover, F, Broadview Heights; Brendan Madden, G, Cleveland; Jay Mazzarella, F, Cleveland; Craig Myeroff, D, Akron; Michael Schultz, F, Aurora; Ian Smith, G, North Olmsted; Justin Stemler, G, Chagrin Falls. Penn State -- Ryan Seibolt, D, Westlake.

-- From staff reports

BEDFORD, Ohio — It's not always about how you start. Rather, it's how you finish and the Shaker Heights girls put on a finish for the ages during Thursday's 58-45 Division I district semifinal basketball-game victory over rival Cleveland Heights at Bedford.

Jordyn Peck of Shaker Heights.

BEDFORD, Ohio — It's not always about how you start.

Rather, it's how you finish and the Shaker Heights girls put on a finish for the ages during Thursday's 58-45 Division I district semifinal basketball-game victory over rival Cleveland Heights at Bedford.

"There's a lot of reasons we didn't win the game," said Heights coach Kim Hansen, whose Tigers edged the Raiders, 59-58, on Feb 4. "We didn't take care of the ball, we shot a horrible percent from the free-throw line that could have helped us early on and we couldn't defend [Jordyn] Peck."

The victory sets up Saturday's 1 p.m. title game against top-seeded Solon (20-3), an 80-45 winner over No. 7-seeded Maple Heights (8-14) in the other semifinal.

Second-seeded Cleveland Heights (18-4), ranked No. 11 in The Plain Dealer and Lake Erie League champion, raced to a 21-8 lead midway through the second quarter before the third-seeded Raiders (15-7) began chipping away.

Four points each by Peck and freshman Natalie Hill keyed a 10-3 run to cut Shaker's deficit to 26-20 by intermission.

It was the 5-10 Hill who kept Shaker in striking range by scoring 10 of her 14 points, grabbing five of her 13 rebounds and mustering one of her four blocks in the first half.

"Natalie had a real good game because she plays defense," said Shaker Heights coach Mike Coreno.

The 20th-ranked Raiders put on a defensive clinic in the third quarter. Mixing a little zone with man-for-man, Shaker forced 13 turnovers and, aided by a 9-0 run, trailed by a mere 39-37 margin heading into the fourth quarter.

A 3-pointer by Peck with 3:11 left in the game gave Shaker Heights the lead for good at 47-45. Danae Rock followed with a pair of transition buckets and the Raiders sprinted ahead, 51-45.

"We played a little more zone this time but the key was we doubled down on [Jasmine] Harper," said Coreno.

The Tigers, who finished with 26 turnovers and an 11-of-24 performance in free throws, had Harper lead the way with 12 points and 15 rebounds. Shaker committed five of its 18 turnovers in the second half and made 15-of-23 from the free-throw line for the night.

Peck, a Wagner recruit, scored 14 of her game-high 26 points in the final 16 minutes, which included a 7-of-8 effort from the foul line as part of a fourth quarter that saw Shaker Heights own a 21-6 scoring advantage.

"Coach told me this is a big game and I'm a big-game player," said Peck, who felt her team's zone defense proved the difference. "We keep our composure better in the zone, it's easier to get steals off the zone and you don't get as tired playing a zone."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: bfortuna@plaind.com, 216-999-4665

On Twitter: @BobFortuna

When not playing, Newton likes to hang out with his wife and listen to music.

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Born: Sept. 22, 1988, San Jacinto, Calif.

Ht/Wt: 6-3, 200.

How acquired: Assigned by Colorado on Oct. 12, 2011.

PD: Preferred activities away from rink?

JN: Hang out with my wife, hang out with guys from the team, play Xbox, listen to music. And I like to sing; even though I'm not very good at it, I tell myself I am.

PD: What do your teammates say about your singing?

JN: I think my teammates actually would say I'm decent.

PD: Favorite movie?

JN: Right now, my favorite movie is "Law Abiding Citizen."

PD: Favorite TV show?

JN: Even though it's not on anymore, I'd say, "24." I think it's the all-time greatest TV show. People have told me they stayed up until 4 a.m. watching hour after hour because it's so addictive.

PD: Incredibly, Jack Bauer got in tons of fights but his face rarely had a scratch.

JN: That's because he was the baddest guy in the world. At one point, he was more famous, in my mind, than Chuck Norris.

PD: Did you watch every season?

JN: Oh, yeah. I watched seasons one to seven, then, because my wife hadn't seen any of them, I watched one to seven again with her. We watched No. 8 together. In season eight, Bauer finally does what everybody wants him to do and starts killing everybody. He doesn't care anymore. I emailed Fox last season, once we were done watching season eight, and I said it would be an epic failure if they stopped shooting "24" as a TV show.

PD: They did stop shooting, though.

JN: I know. I don't understand. They didn't listen to the people.

PD: Favorite sports movie?

JN: Being a hockey player, you hear about "Miracle" a lot. But I really like "Invincible" with Mark Wahlberg or "We Are Marshall" with Matthew McConaughey.

PD: Speaking of hockey and Hollywood: What is the most misrepresented aspect of the game on the big or small screen?

JN: People think there's more fighting than there actually is. True fans know the art of the game, how much skill it takes. A lot of the "enforcer" players don't even like to fight, but they know it's their job and it keeps them in the lineup.

PD: Toughest part about playing pro hockey?

JN: It's a lot harder to play consistently. In the lower levels, the guys are good, but typically only the first and second lines are really good. In the professional ranks, there's so much more quality depth, and you're going against those guys every night.

PD: Smartest person ever met?

JN: George Parros, fighter for the Anaheim Ducks. He's super-smart. He went to Princeton. Super-nice guy, too.

PD: A fighter who's nice?

JN: When he needs to fight, he fights. Otherwise, he's a nice guy.

PD: What about your coach, David Quinn?

JN: He's really smart. And a very good coach. He definitely knows what he's talking about.

PD: One thing about Quinn he wouldn't want us to know?

JN: Is this going in the paper?

PD: Yes.

JN: He wears a pair of black sneakers with his suits at home games. But I'm sure fans have noticed.

PD: They have.

JN: The shoes are hard to miss.

-- Dennis Manoloff