Hey Tony: Tony Grossi answers your Browns questions.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain DealerWith a veteran quarterback like Jake Delhomme (17) on the roster in front of him, the Browns will not rush Colt McCoy, back, into the starting spot.

Q: Hey, Tony: The way I see it, the season will hang on Weeks 1 and 2. Win those games and we have chance to win seven or eight games, which I will be happy with. Lose those two or even win only one and it could be another long season. What are your thoughts? -- Ryan F., South Euclid

A: Hey, Ryan: I think a 2-0 start is doable and would shed a positive light on the first half of the season. I don't think 1-1 would guarantee anything bad. Now, 0-2 . . . let's not even think about it.

Q: Hey, Tony: I haven't heard much news on Colt McCoy's progress during practices and OTAs -- how is he progressing/meshing with the team? What do you think it would take to see McCoy under center in 2010-11? -- Dustin S., Washington, D.C.

A: Hey, Dustin: McCoy shared snaps with Brett Ratliff with the third team in OTAs and minicamp. There is no rush to get him acclimated because of the presence of two veterans ahead of him also new to the team -- Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace. I think the chances of seeing McCoy as the starting quarterback this year or even in 2011 are slim. It would take a series of injuries or complete breakdowns by Delhomme and Wallace.

Q: Hey, Tony: What do you make now of Jim Brown's comments regarding LeBron James? Did this have anything to do with his change in status with the Browns? -- Steve Cornelius, Avon Lake

A: Hey, Steve: Brown has been outspoken his entire adult life. He lost his executive adviser role with the Browns months before the comments about James. It just happened to come out around the same time.

Q: Hey, Tony: You wrote in your article (July 18) that Montario Hardesty -- a rookie who never played an NFL down -- will start ahead of Jerome Harrison. I don't see how that is possible given Harrison's late surge last year. I think this sends a lack of confidence message to Harrison and veteran players. -- Harry Eighmy, Erie, Pa.

A: Hey, Harry: I shouldn't be surprised at the volume of response in regards to this position battle, but I am. Harrison had three terrific games at the end of last season. At that point, the coaches were committed to running the ball because they had no confidence in the passing game. That doesn't detract from what Harrison accomplished, but helps to explain it. Nobody in the organization expects Harrison to do that over 16 games. Now, what's the biggest change since Harrison's surge? The addition of Mike Holmgren and Tom Heckert. Heckert was the person who drafted Brian Westbrook for the Eagles. He considers Westbrook his favorite draft pick because he overachieved from what people expected of him. Heckert also saw Westbrook wear down -- over a season and over a career -- because of his undeniable physical limitations. Heckert drafted Hardesty as a feature back. He and the coaches expect him to fill that role. As for any messages sent or received by the rest of the team, it should be this: Just win.

View full sizePDBrowns linebacker David Veikune.

Q: Hey, Tony: Do you still feel David Veikune is likely a bust or does he have a chance to start some day? Has Mike Holmgren privately felt, or actually told Eric Mangini, to finish at least 8-8 or Jon Gruden will be coaching? Do you feel Jake Delhomme has to go at least 2-2 after four games, or Seneca Wallace will start Game 5? Is Wallace or Colt McCoy more likely to finish the season than Delhomme? -- Fran Vella , Lubbock, Texas

A: Hey, Fran: Lots of questions. 1. Veikune has to show big improvement in year two to escape the bust label. 2.-3.-4. No, Delhomme is more likely to start and finish all 16 games.

Q: Hey, Tony: I've lived in Cleveland my entire life and am an avid Cavs and Indians fan. Although, I am a diehard Steelers fan. I can't understand why you are so arrogant. You don't know sports all that well in my opinion, so I don't know where this arrogance comes from. It makes your articles and telecasts quite painful to read and watch. And no . . . it has nothing to do with being a Steelers fan. This is to hoping you can come back down to earth a bit. Although its highly doubtful. -- Frank Calarco, Strongsville

A: Hey, Frank: I will try to do better.

Q: Hey, Tony: With NT Shaun Rogers possibly facing a suspension, why not sign a proven veteran like Ted Washington to contribute during Rogers' absence? -- Jack Williams, Rocky River

A: Hey, Jack: Funny. Contact Mike McIntyre of The Plain Dealer. He writes about standup comics in our Friday magazine.

Q: Hey, Tony: I was wondering what your assessment is of Eric Wright right now. It seems to me that Wright doesn't get his due as a very effective corner. I think with a dominant pass rush, he would be a Pro Bowler for sure. I say Wright and Sheldon Brown as starting corners this season, and Haden working as nickel. What says you? -- Joshua Jones, Fullerton, Calif.

A: Hey, Joshua: I had high hopes for Wright, but they haven't been met, as yet. He's OK as a coverage corner, not great. I like his hands when he gets them on the ball. But his lack of desire as a tackler in the running game is evident and hurtful to the defense. Haden would have to be pretty good right away to unseat Wright, though.

Q: Hey, Tony: I understand many people's low expectations since the Browns have been nothing less than terrible since their return, but this year, in my opinion, is different from all others because: 1. Seasoned and competent front office. 2. A coach and his system in its second year. 3. The QB position has been upgraded/veteran leader. 4. A solid offensive line. 5. A solid running game. 6. Receivers in their second year (positive reports from OTAs) 7. An upgraded secondary 8. A much improved defense over the last four games of the season. 9. A great special teams unit. 10. They beat Pittsburgh.

Everyone says it each year that there will be a "surprise" team that defies the odds and makes the playoffs. So with all that, my gut tells me they'll stun the masses and win at least 10 games, will be better than Pittsburgh and sneak into the playoffs as a wild card. We've "witnessed" some pretty crazy things already this year, so why not it be our beloved Browns, now seemingly under the radar be that surprise team? I know you'll have a much better read some weeks from now but what does your gut tell you even now since you cover the team, I value your opinion above all others. -- David Dobson, Wrightsville Beach, N.C.

A: Hey, David: Don't let anyone curb your optimism. My gut tells me they will be better than last year for all the reasons you point out. How much better depends on what I see in training camp and preseason. In my opinion, the size of improvement depends on the quarterback position more than anything else.

Q: Hey, Tony: Could you do a piece on our two long shots, the raw physical beasts Kwaku Danso and Joel Reinders? They have interesting stories; both physical specimens who started playing football at an older age, each born outside the U.S. Perhaps you, or a staffer, could provide a periodically updated piece called "The Long Shots" (like the movie) chronicling their status with the team? -- Robert Benjamin Jr., Crestview, Fla.

A: Hey, Robert: I did write a story on long shot defensive linemen Danso and Clifton Geathers at the conclusion of minicamp in June. I'm sure we will be updating their development, along with that of Reinders, at training camp in coming weeks.

Q: Hey, Tony: You've said that you hope every playoff game this year goes to OT to show how stupid the rule is, but I think it's just the opposite. This rule will be used as often as a traffic light at two dirt roads in Kansas. If it actually gets used this year, or even next, that will only be used to justify its existence, no matter how the results on the field end up. If it doesn't get used, it's likely the rules committee will change it again (though it's no lock that another change will be any improvement). With that in mind, isn't a lack of use (no OT playoff games this year) . . . 1) more likely, especially since it's been seven years since a playoff game that would have invoked the rule, and . . . 2) a better way to point out that the rule is not the best solution to OT? -- Jeff Miller, Columbus, Ohio

A: Hey, Jeff: The impetus for the rule was the New Orleans-Minnesota NFC Championship Game in January. You help to make my point, actually. If there are so few postseason games affected by overtime, why change its rules? The answer is: The NFL is horrified at the thought of a Super Bowl being decided by a coin toss. So just use it in a Super Bowl, no?

Q: Hey, Tony: What NFL teams voted against the Browns' move to Baltimore? -- Karl Dietz, Pepper Pike

A: Hey, Karl: Buffalo and Pittsburgh voted against it. Oakland and St. Louis abstained. The final vote was 26-2-2 in favor.

Q: Hey, Tony: OK, so I am finally going to have the opportunity to see my team (the Browns) play for the first time in person! I'm going to try to land tickets for me and my friend (a diehard Patriots fan) to go down to Cleveland for the game Nov. 7. My question is this: Can you give me any advice on where I should be trying to get tickets for the best seats while at the same time not putting my friend's life at risk as I am sure he will be wearing his Patriots jersey to the game? -- Matthew, Maine

A: Hey, Matthew: Any seat in Cleveland Browns Stadium is a good one, except for the ones in the top three rows encircling the seating bowl. Your friend might want to avoid sitting in the Dawg Pound wearing a Patriots jersey.

Q: Hey, Tony: Why aren't NFL players required to wear thigh and knee pads? I seen tons of players who neglect to wear them and it would seem logical that wearing these pads would help decrease injuries. -- Brian M., Cleveland

A: Hey, Brian: I don't know why they are not required to wear them, but there is a movement in the league to make them requirements for safety's sake.

Q: Hey, Tony: I really hate the fact that Browns fans have turned Art Modell into this awful villain who decided to sneak our beloved Browns out of town in the middle of the night. What will it take for Browns fan to forgive, and point the finger where it really belongs . . . at the city of Cleveland. The city got the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Jacobs Field, etc., and nothing for the only winning sports team in the city. The city knew that even if the Browns played in the city dump, they would still sell out. Art gave us a team that made us proud to be Browns fans for many years, and when he asked for a new venue . . . too bad, Art. The truth is the Sunday afternoon league is a business, I for one can't blame Art anymore. Thank you for the memories, I for one hope you get into the Hall of Fame where you deserve to be. -- Leo Smyth, Gulfport, Miss.

A: Hey, Leo: You forget three important points: 1. Modell's lease at Cleveland Stadium ran for three years, so the city prioritized its sports projects based on that timeframe. 2. Major League Baseball flatly stated the Indians would move without addressing its horrible stadium situation. 3. Modell promised privately and publicly he would never move the Browns.

Q: Hey, Tony: There is a lot of chatter amongst fans regarding Eric Mangini's immediate future being tied to his win-loss record. And there is the obvious comment by Holmgren that he is 61 and doesn't want to go through several years of rebuilding before another championship. Yet as one blogger put it in a recent post, "The Browns eight 2010 draft picks were not all in the first round and teams don't let young star players go just so the Browns can sign them as free agents and rebuild in one year."

My point is that I agree with the general belief that the Browns need at least one more draft and free-agent period and more probably two before they can become respectable. If I can see this you know that Holmgren does too. So just how much substance is there to this whole "Mangini must win this year or he is gone" thing or is it all just more hopeful wishing and blogging by all of the Mangini haters? And does Holmgren's "not wanting to wait for his next championship" comment ring a bit like the Dan Gilbert book of the expectation cart getting ahead of the reality horse? -- Fernando Fernandez, Parma

A: Hey, Fernando: I believe Holmgren has a realistic approach to his plan to rebuild the team into a winner. At the same time, the team needs to instill confidence in its fans, ticket-holders and corporate customers, during the rebuild process. A five- or six-win season is not going to do it, I believe. I use this line a lot but it's the truth: NFL teams can rebuild in two or three years. It is not a five-year process anymore.

Q: Hey, Tony: Here we go again it's a short time before training camp and still no significant rookie signings. Have there been substantial talks between the top picks and the Browns? Do you expect them to be at camp on time? -- S.C., Youngstown

A: Hey, S.C.: The true deadline for getting in the rookies is July 30. I expect them to be at camp for the first practice July 31. There may be one or two stragglers, but I don't anticipate any holdout lasting a week. As of this weekend, Dez Bryant of Dallas was the only first-round pick in the NFL under contract. They all come to terms a day or two before their teams' first practice.

Q: Hey, Tony: I don't think any entire draft class has ever made the final roster (practice squad included) before, but this class might do that. Does that make it a great draft or is the Browns' roster that weak? Give me your run down on each of the rookies and their chance of making it. -- Rod Sauer, Athens, Ohio

A: Hey, Rod: The only reason the 2009 draft class did not accomplish what you say is because the team stupidly waived cornerback Don Carey a week too soon and he was claimed despite being injured. I would expect every rookie draft pick to make the final roster or practice squad. The roster is that weak, plus GM Tom Heckert now is in charge of the final roster and I would expect him to favor a draft pick over another player -- all things being equal.

Q: Hey, Tony: On July 20, Yahoo Sports ran a story about how fast kicker David Buehler of the Cowbows is. In that article they also reported that he is now a member of the Browns. Any truth to the story? I haven't seen it anywhere else. -- Stephen Myers, Elyria

A: Hey, Stephen: Buehler is not on the Browns' roster.

-- Tony

Plain Dealer beat writer Doug Lesmerises answers questions about the Ohio State Buckeyes.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain DealerIt's easy to forget how good Ted Ginn Jr. was as a returner during his time with the Buckeyes.

Q: Hey, Doug: Ohio State under Jim Tressel has always counted on special teams as a key component to victory, yet for the last few years, after Ted Ginn Jr., the kickoff return unit has been near the bottom of the NCAA rankings. What can be done to get this back up to the levels that are needed to get us to another national championship game? -- Mike Brusky, Omaha, Neb.

A: Hey, Mike: For as great as Ginn was as a Buckeye, he may be the OSU player I've most learned to appreciate in his absence. You knew he was fast, but watch his highlights on YouTube sometime, and you'll realize just how much more explosive he is than any of the Buckeyes who have followed him.

In 2005 and 2006, when Ginn handled the kick returns, the Buckeyes ranked 18th and 34th in the nation, with Ginn returning one kick for a touchdown each season. In the past three years, Ohio State has ranked 117th, 108th and, last season, 45th in kick returns. Have the Buckeyes forgotten how to block under a coach who emphasizes special teams so much? No, though there were too many missed assignments in 2007 and 2008.

What the Buckeyes really need is another returner with the instincts and speed of Ginn. Ray Small had his moments, but he wasn't quite Teddy. Going into camp, running backs Brandon Saine and Dan Herron are at the top of the depth chart in the return game, but I'm hoping some potentially more explosive guys, such as Devon Torrence, Chris Fields or James Jackson, get a shot.

But the Buckeyes didn't rank higher than 41st in any aspect of special teams -- kick or punt return, or kick or punt coverage -- last season, and all aspects of the special teams need to improve.

-- Doug

Kevin Houser was a popular athlete at Westlake High School in the early 1990s who went on to a successful NFL career. Now he finds he's not too popular with several former Saints teammates, who are accusing him of leading them into investments that cost them thousands of dollars.

View full sizeMichael DeMocker / New Orleans Times-Picayune Kevin Houser, a Westlake graduate and former member of the New Orleans Saints, is being accused by several former teammates of leading them in late 2008 and early 2009 to buy a combined $1.9 million in Louisiana state income-tax credits they never got, according to court documents.

Kevin Houser, Westlake High class of '96, was the all-American cliche.

Three-sport star. Homecoming king. National Honor Society.

Classmates voted him "Best Personality" and "Most Likely to Succeed," the latter accompanied by a photo of him playfully clutching a wad of bills.

For his senior yearbook entry, Houser used a quote credited to Howard Cosell: "Stand for something. Don't quest for popularity at the expense of morality and ethics and honesty. Daniel Webster taught this country that what is popular is not always right, and what is right is not always popular."

At the moment, Houser, 32, who played football at Ohio State and spent 10 years in the NFL, all but one of them in New Orleans, isn't too popular with some of his former Saints teammates and coaches.

Head coach Sean Payton, Super Bowl MVP quarterback Drew Brees and retired Saints legend Archie Manning are among the current and former Saints who contend Houser, a licensed securities broker, led them in late 2008 and early 2009 to buy a combined $1.9 million in Louisiana state income-tax credits they never got, according to court documents.

The documents reveal that former Saints defensive end Charles Grant lost the most, $425,000. Former Saints punter Mitch Berger lost $250,000. Payton lost $144,000. Brees was out $100,000. Manning and mercurial Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey dropped $80,000 each.

View full sizeTimes-PicayuneKevin Houser played 10 seasons in the NFL, nine with the Saints.

Shockey was reportedly so peeved that he unloaded his disgust on his Twitter account: "thx chad houser our long snapper for losing my coaches, teamates, and me around 2mill$..what a dumb ass."

Grant, Shockey, Berger and Payton and his wife filed a civil lawsuit against Houser, citing unfair trade practices and unjust enrichment, among other claims. More plaintiffs could be added to the suit. (A request to try the case as a class action is pending.) No trial date has been set, although the cases could be heard later this year.

That Houser is tangled in such a mess is unthinkable to those who know him. Houser was advised by his lawyers not to speak on the record for this story.

"The Kevin Houser I know, that's not even in his makeup," said retired NFL center LeCharles Bentley, a teammate of Houser's at Ohio State and with the Saints.

But Houser's association with a man named Wayne Read has made him the target of pending civil lawsuits. And after 10 seasons, he was cut by the Saints, who went on to win their first Super Bowl.

Big plans for Louisiana studio

Wayne Read was the self-described visionary, founder and chief executive officer of Louisiana Film Studios, a massive film studio reconstruction project in suburban New Orleans. His company bio contends he was a business and marketing consultant to the film industry, with a diverse production background. It describes his involvement with the sound and design work for the Brad Pitt film "The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons" (sic) as a career highlight.

Read, a married father of three who lives in a 115-year-old farmhouse in northern Illinois, listed volunteering at his community church and "launching global compassion initiatives" as his nonbusiness activities.

Louisiana, and especially New Orleans, has become a kind of Hollywood of the South through an aggressive tax-credit program that rewards investment in film production because the industry creates jobs, spurs real estate development and supports existing businesses.

Houser and his wife, Kristen, who were high school sweethearts at Westlake, considered pursuing a studio project in New Orleans for 47 Construction, their general contracting company.

At the same time, Read was spearheading the conversion of a 525,000-square-foot former Winn-Dixie grocery warehouse into film studios.

In April 2008, the Housers and Read were introduced by Walter Boasso, a former Louisiana state senator and gubernatorial candidate, who recognized their mutual business interests.

Over coffee, Read asked the Housers if they would be interested in investing in his project, according to one of the Housers' lawyers. When they weren't, he told them he had state tax credits for sale to help back the project. For every dollar spent, buyers could receive about $1.33 in credits to lower their state taxes.

The Housers agreed to buy $125,000 in tax credits. 47 Construction, named after Houser's Saints jersey number, was also hired as the project's contractor.

Through Kevin Houser, 26 other current and former Saints players and coaches ponied up nearly $2 million in tax credits for Louisiana Film Studios from late 2008 through early 2009.

"They weren't looking for the investment. Houser came to them," said Daniel Becnel Jr., the Louisiana lawyer representing Payton, the Saints head coach, and his wife, Elizabeth.

View full sizePD fileKevin Houser (51) was a three-sport star at Westlake.

One of Kevin Houser's lawyers said his client wasn't acting as their broker; rather, discussions about the chance to buy tax credits for the project were informal "locker room talk."

It wasn't unusual for Houser, a business-finance major at Ohio State and one of several NFL players who enrolled in workshops at the Harvard Business School, to offer financial guidance.

Bentley, his former Ohio State and New Orleans teammate, said Houser would explain to rookies and even some NFL veterans on the team like himself how the players' 401(k) retirement plan works and why they should invest in it.

"That was an invaluable service that he provided," Bentley said. "Kevin would do it because he knew it was the right thing to do."

The tax-credit buyers -- the Housers included -- said they thought their money would be secure in an escrow account until the tax credits were issued by the state in March 2009.

Had they examined Read's recent history, they might have thought otherwise.

In late 2007, an Illinois radiologist had lent Read $400,000 for another New Orleans film project, this one called Armada Studios. The doctor was to be repaid $440,000, plus a 4 percent stake in the film company, but Read defaulted. The doctor sued. Read settled the case for about $450,000 in January 2009, according to court documents.

The Housers and their Saints contacts weren't as lucky.

Housers seek answers on credits

Approaching the 2009 tax-filing deadline, their credits still had not been issued. Investors were naturally antsy. The Housers sought answers from Read and access to the escrow account to confirm the money was safe.

In an e-mail exchange with Read in early April 2009, Kristen Houser requested a lawyer's name and phone number to call about the escrow account.

"We are very concerned and have been asking for answers to our questions concerning the Saints coaches and players tax credit agreements with you," she wrote, according to reports. "So far, your answers to us have been inconsistent."

By Easter, the Housers were worried about the money and met with Read at the studio to discuss their concerns.

"Our big thing this whole time has been to be transparent with you and to be totally honest in saying, 'This is who we are, this is what we can bring to the table, this is what we can do,' " Kevin Houser told Read in the meeting, according to information obtained by The Plain Dealer. ". . . There just seems to be so many secrets and so many things that you either say we're going to get, for example, like a copy of where the money is. That was supposed to be on my desk Monday, and we still haven't seen that. I can't help but to be skeptical."

Read offered explanations for the delays and why access to financial records was limited.

Dissatisfied with his answers, Kristen Houser pressed for proof.

"I'm just trying to figure out why it's so difficult to get a document that says what's in the account," she said. ". . . So once that money went into First National Bank, nobody was able to touch it, correct?"

"Right," Read said, except for $25,000 he insisted the Housers had contributed for architectural designs and a property appraisal for the studio project.

The Housers argued the point.

"No, it was only for [tax] credits," she said. "Everything in the escrow was for credits."

Read then agreed.

"As long as there is no issue," she said, sounding somewhat relieved. "Everybody else gets their money."

"Everyone's getting their money back," Read said, promising to produce financial documents. Read joked that he wasn't some sort of Bernie Madoff, the infamous New York investment adviser who was sentenced to 150 years in prison for stealing $65 billion from his clients.

"I've not disappeared, trust me," Read said. "Everybody will get their full checks back . . . and they'll be able to cash them."

Read is sued for repayment

Two weeks later, the Housers' lawyer was corresponding by e-mail with Read's lawyer about distribution of the money.

In July 2009, when they still hadn't been paid, Kevin Houser, 47 Construction and other creditors sued Read for repayment in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New Orleans.

It turned out that Read's application for tax credits was approved by the state based on a specific budget for the project. But he never reached the amount required to receive the credits, according to court documents.

"He never went through our paperwork process to even claim credits," said a spokeswoman for the Louisiana Office of Film and Television.

The money was gone. Read had opened bank accounts in Louisiana that only he had access to, court documents reveal. He had spent the victims' money to cover personal debts, such as preventing a sheriff's sale of his house and settling the radiologist's lawsuit.

In September, Read's Louisiana Film Studios filed for bankruptcy protection. The top 20 creditors were owed a combined $2.8 million, including $700,000 claimed by 47 Construction.

Last March, Shockey and Grant, and then the Paytons, filed a civil lawsuit against Kevin Houser and Securities America Inc., the investment firm that he has a broker's license with, for unfair trade practices and unjust enrichment, among other claims. Berger filed his suit earlier this month. A spokeswoman for Securities America said the company doesn't discuss legal matters.

In May, after a federal investigation of Read, he pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property in U.S. District Court in New Orleans. He could serve up to 30 years in prison and a $500,000 fine. Sentencing is Aug. 11.

Housers involved in several charities

Meanwhile, the Housers await their legal fate in Westlake.

New Orleans lawyer Fred Herman, who represents Houser's former Saints teammates Shockey and Grant, doesn't buy the excuse that the Housers were victims, too.

"My only response to that is that, even assuming he was a victim, which I don't accept, that's no excuse for victimizing others," he said.

"He could have easily been defrauded himself, but we don't know," said Becnel, the Paytons' lawyer. "People say things publicly that are not true."

Maybe. But maybe not the Housers, if their extensive charitable activities are any indication.

They've raised tens of thousands of dollars and supplies for victims of Hurricane Katrina and continue to make significant contributions to children's health initiatives, especially through their Life's a Snap Foundation that supports programs for children with life-threatening injuries.

For instance, the Housers, who have two young children, were the chief donors to MetroHealth System for a new Ronald McDonald Room, a refuge for families of hospitalized kids.

And in 2009, Houser donated $5,000 to the Westlake High football program, which the NFL matched.

"He never forgot where he came from," said retired Westlake athletic director Ken Krepop.

From Ohio State, where former football coach John Cooper remembered him as a solid, intelligent player who never presented him problems, Houser was picked by New Orleans in the seventh round of the 2000 college draft. He was the Saints' long snapper on punts, field goals and extra points in all 144 regular-season and four playoff games over nine seasons, ranking 11th in team history in games played.

A month before the start of summer training camp in 2009, in the heat of the tax-credit deal, the Saints cut him. At a pre-training camp news conference, Payton said the fumbled deal had nothing to do with the decision.

"That's the thing we tried to emphasize," the Saints coach said, according to a transcript of the news conference on the team's website, "and I talked with Kevin about that when I contacted him on the night we released him."

Houser signed with Seattle, where he played 14 games until a collapsed lung sidelined him for the final two games of the 2009 season. The Saints went on to win their first Super Bowl last season -- without him. He is currently an unsigned free agent.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: blubinger@plaind.com, 216-999-5531

Rays lead Indians, 4-2, through six innings.

Cleveland, Ohio -- This is a daily briefing of the Indians' 2010 regular season. The Indians play the Rays today in the final game of a three-game series at Progressive Field.

In-game updates:

The Rays led the Indians, 4-2, through six innings.

The Tribe pulled ahead, 1-0, on Carlos Santana's sacrifice fly that drove in Michael Brantley. Brantley had led off with a four-pitch walk.

Wade Davis's first six pitches were balls.  

Tampa Bay scored three in the second. With two outs, Willy Aybar walked and raced to third on John Jaso's single. Reid Brignac lifted an elevated,  spinning slider from Justin Masterson over the right-field wall.

The Indians made it 3-2 in their half of the second. Travis Hafner led off with a single and eventually scored on Andy Marte's fielder's choice. Marte grounded into the hole at short, where Jason Bartlett made a diving stop and threw to third to erase Jayson Nix for the second out. If Nix doesn't leave second, Marte has an infield single and the Indians are in business.

Masterson gave up two hits but threw 59 pitches through three. Seven of his nine outs came via the grounder.

Santana snapped an 0-for-9 with a two-out single in the third.

Davis allowed four hits through three.

Nix twice threw out Carlos Pena from shallow right as part of a shift.

Masterson, thanks to first baseman Matt LaPorta, escaped a jam in the fourth. With runners on first and third and none out, John Jaso chopped to LaPorta, who looked back the runner at third and fired to second. Asdrubal Cabrera's relay was in plenty of time for the double play. Brignac lined to short.

The Indians squandered an opportunity in their half of the inning. With runners on second and third and one out, Marte struck out and Brantley flied to left.

Tampa Bay pushed the advantage to 4-2 in the fifth on Carlos Crawford's sacrifice fly, which drove in Bartlett. Bartlett had reached on Marte's fielding error to open the inning.

 Pre-game notes:

 Game 98:  Manager Manny Acta says he's going to announce who will make
make Tuesday's start against the Yankees after Sunday's game against Tampa Bay.

 Carlos Carrasco and Josh Tomlin are the leading candidates if the Indians stay in-house for the move. They're in the rotation at Class AAA Columbus.

 Carrasco left his last start with a right forearm cramp, but appears to be OK. Tomlin is pitched well for the Clippers, but would have to be added to the 40-man roster.

 Acta said the Indians would take an extended look at Carrasco in the second half. This could be the chance if Carrasco is healthy. The Indians have an opening in the rotation after Aaron Laffey was placed on the disabled list Friday with a tired left shoulder.

 David Huff and Jeanmar Gomez would also be considered, but they won't be ready to pitch Tuesday. Huff pitched seven innings Saturday to improve to 5-0 at Columbus. Gomez started Friday.

 Lineups:

 Indians (41-56): CF Michael Brantley (L), SS Asdrubal Cabrera, RF Shin-Soo Choo (L), C Carlos Santana (S), 1B Matt LaPorta (R), DH Travis Hafner (L), 2B Jayson Nix (R), LF Trevor Crowe (S), 2B Jayson Nix (R), 3B Andy Marte (R) and RHP Justin Masterson (3-8, 5.25).

 Rays (58-38): CF Ben Zobrist (S), LF Carl Crawford (L), 3B Evan Longoria (R), 1B Carlos Pena (L), RF Matt Joyce (L), DH Willy Aybar (S), C John Jaso (L), Reid Brignac (L), SS Jason Bartlett (R) and RHP Wade Davis (7-9, 4.41).

 Umpires: H Adrian Johnson, 1B Mike Muchlinski, 2B Andy Fletcher, 3B Mike Everitt.

 Quote of the day: "The more self-centered and egotistical a guy is, the better ballplayer he's going to be," former relief pitcher Bill Lee, Baseball Almanac.

 Next: Yankee right-hander Javier Vazquez (8-7, 4.68) vs. RHP Jake Westbrook (6-6, 4.74) Monday night at 7:05.
 
 
 

Yahoo! Sports columnist Adrian Wojnarowski wrote that James, his confidante Maverick Carter and power-broker Wes Wesley are tugging Paul in the wrong direction, harming a reputation that was once admirable.

Karen Schiely, Akron Beacon JournalLeBron James (left) with Chris Paul (right) at the University of Akron's Rhodes Arena on July 5, three days before James left the Cavaliers for the Miami Heat.

Cleveland, Ohio -- LeBron James had every right to go to whatever team could fit him in as a free agent signing.

It's become cliche, but remains true, that the biggest complaint with James' move from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Miami Heat was the way he conducted it. Those particulars have been well-documented, and when combined with James' questionable effort in some 2010 playoff games and also his dismissive treatment of most people over the years, his image has become quite tarnished.

Still, James and his real "Team," composed of associates such as adviser Maverick Carter and NBA back-channels operator William "Worldwide Wes" Wesley, aren't satisfied with the orchestration of James' union with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami.

They want to dictate some of the other significant movement among players, coaches and executives around the league.

Now, one of James' "friends" -- largely an exclusive group of superstars in whatever field -- is unhappy. Star point guard Chris Paul is pouting about being only two years through a four-year, $68 million contract with the New Orleans Hornets. He wants to be traded to a team that has players that he feels -- and James and Co. feel -- approach him in magnitude.

Adrian Wojnarowksi of Yahoo! Sports has been spot-on about James' priorities -- beginning with himself -- through the free agency process. Wojnarowski wrote that James and his crew are now in the process of spoiling Paul's reputation by encouraging, and even trying to facilitate, Paul's desired departure from New Orleans.

Wojnarowski wrote:

Bad enough that LeBron James damaged his own standing in the sport this summer, he wants to take down Chris Paul with him too.

James, his business manager Maverick Carter and powerbroker William Wesley have far too much influence over Paul’s career, and they’re running it right out of the sunshine and into darkness. They’re using Paul as a commodity to elevate their clout, to show how they can take a player with no contractual leverage and muscle him out of New Orleans.

What they don’t care about – and maybe don’t understand – is that Paul built such a beautiful, unique relationship with the city of New Orleans. He’s been so truly invested there, a beacon and ambassador in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Yet, the James gang see these bonds as disposable and they’re convincing Paul of it, too.

Wesley and James' agent, Leon Rose, are connected to Creative Artists Agency (CAA), which Wojnarowksi refers to. James this week tweeted -- probably for public consumption, since he and Paul can directly contact each other at any time -- Paul that Paul should "Do what's best for You and your family."

Wojnarowksi wrote his opinion:

What’s best for Paul’s family is best for everyone’s family in the NBA. It needs James to restrict the polluting onto others of his own warped value system. James plays for the Miami Heat, but somehow he wants control of transactions elsewhere, too. He wants the building of these so-called super teams to protect his own legacy, to make it look like he isn’t the only superstar searching for the easy way to championships.

Wesley has been running around for months trying to orchestrate a trade for Paul, and the packages he proposes are beyond comical. He doesn’t even know half the names of players on the rosters. CAA should take a long look in the mirror, and ask itself what kind of outfit it’s turned into with Wes running basketball operations. 

Wojnarowski recently wrote a column detailing how Team USA was put off by James' behavior within the team in the past.

Now, in this latest column, Wojnarowski writes:

In Paul’s earliest days with Team USA, officials preferred Deron Williams to him because they believed Williams was far more his own man. No one liked the way Paul was so eager to follow James, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade. These changes haven’t come overnight with Paul, but over time. James, Carter and Wesley embarked on a long, orchestrated campaign to work Paul over, unfasten him from past loyalties and trusts, and transform him into a creation of their own.

And he’s let them, for no other reason than it seems Chris Paul believes this is somehow the path that will convince people that he belongs with the sport’s biggest stars. He could’ve stayed true to himself and elevated his standing, and now they’re dragging him down with them. Everyone else embraced Paul for an All-American image, for a wholesomeness, and it feels like he’s rejected it all now.

Chris Paul doesn’t need LeBron and Maverick and Wes. They need him. For their operation, Paul represents credibility. He’s always been better than this, and he needs to be again. As much as ever, the NBA needs Chris Paul to be true to his upbringing and character. Commitment always mattered to him, and it still should with the Hornets.

The Indians will promote righty Josh Tomlin from Class AAA Columbus to start Tuesday against the Yankees at Progressive Field.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Right-hander Josh Tomlin will be promoted from Class AAA Columbus to start Tuesday against the Yankees, Indians manager Manny Acta announced after Sunday's game.

The Indians have an opening in the rotation after lefty Aaron Laffey was placed on the disabled list last Friday because of shoulder fatigue.

 Tomlin and Carlos Carrasco were the leading in-house candidates. Both are in the Clippers' rotation.

 "Tomlin deserves to be up here to get a shot,'' Acta said. "He's earned it.''

 Tomlin, 25, a 19th-round pick by Cleveland in 2006, needs to be added to the 40-man roster. Acta did not say who will be dropped to make room.

 Tomlin is 8-4 with a 2.68 ERA in 20 appearances, including 17 starts. He has allowed 83 hits in 107 1/3 innings, walked 33 and struck out 80.

 On June 3, Tomlin and Class AA Akron Aeros players Beau Mills and Jerad Head were involved in an altercation inside an Akron nightclub. They were accused of assaulting Theodore Zeman III of Seven Hills and charged with felonious assault, but a Summit County grand jury recently reduced the charges to disorderly conduct.

 Carrasco exited his most recent start because of a forearm cramp, but he did enough in a side session to be cleared. Acta has said the Indians will take an extended look at Carrasco in the second half.

 Carrasco is 9-4 with a 3.98 ERA in 19 starts.

 Columbus lefty David Huff and righty Jeanmar Gomez would not have been ready to pitch Tuesday. Huff worked seven innings Saturday to improve to 5-0 at Columbus. Gomez started Friday.

 Huff led the Tribe with 11 victories last year. He broke camp in the rotation, struggled and was sent down June 21. Gomez made a spot start July 18 against Detroit and performed superbly, giving up two unearned runs in seven innings.

Kindle, a linebacker and second-round pick in the 2010 draft, reportedly fell down two flights of stairs on Thursday night.

Associated PressSergio Kindle (49) during a Ravens' minicamp practice.

The Baltimore Sun reports that Baltimore Ravens rookie Sergio Kindle is in stable condition and continues to be tested and observed after suffering a head injury.

Kindle is believed to have fallen down two flights of stairs while visiting a house in Austin, Texas on Thursday night.

Jamison Hensley writes for the Baltimore Sun:

Kindle, who played linebacker at the University of Texas before being a second-round pick, will not report to McDaniel College with other rookies this Monday when the team’s training camp starts.

“Members of our medical staff, including Bill Tessendorf and Dr. Andy Tucker, have spoken with doctors in Texas. We understand Sergio is stable at this time and that he is being tested and observed,” said Ozzie Newsome, the Ravens’ general manager.

Indians fail in clutch, lose to Rays, 4-2.

View full sizeAssociated PressTampa Bay Rays' Reid Brignac, center, is congratulated by teammates Willy Aybar, left, and John Jaso Sunday afternoon after hitting a three-run home run off Cleveland Indians pitcher Justin Masterson in the second inning.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Suddenly, the Tampa Bay Rays are invincible at Progressive Field.

The Rays made it two in a row over the host Indians on Sunday afternoon, riding a three-run homer by Reid Brignac to a 4-2 victory.

Paid attendance on a weekend date in the summer with a quality opponent in town: 13,410.

Before a victory Saturday, the Rays had lost 18 straight in Cleveland.

Tampa Bay is 59-38, including 33-18 on the road. It went 7-2 in the season series against the Tribe.

The Indians (41-57) have lost three of four after winning their first six coming out of the All-Star break.

Failure to deliver in the clutch proved costly for the Tribe, which had 11 hits, one walk and a hit-by-pitch. It was 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

Tampa Bay overcame four hits by Tribe designated hitter Travis Hafner -- three singles and a double. Hafner's output tied a career-high. 

Rays righty Wade Davis (8-9, 4.32 ERA) gave up the two runs on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Tribe righty Justin Masterson (3-9, 5.19) allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits in 6 2/3 innings.  

The Tribe pulled ahead, 1-0, on Carlos Santana's sacrifice fly that drove in Michael Brantley. Brantley had led off with a four-pitch walk.

Davis's first six pitches were balls.  

Tampa Bay scored three in the second. With two outs, Willy Aybar walked and raced to third on John Jaso's single. Brignac lifted a spinning slider over the right-field wall.

Later in the game, Brignac made a diving stop of Santana's grounder to end a threat. Brignac hopped to his feet in shallow right field near the line. He had moved because of a shift.

The Indians made it 3-2 in their half of the second. Hafner led off with a single and eventually scored on Andy Marte's fielder's choice. Marte grounded into the hole at short, where Jason Bartlett made a diving stop and threw to third to erase Jayson Nix for the second out. If Nix doesn't leave second, Marte gets an infield single and the Indians are in business.

Santana snapped an 0-for-9 with a two-out single in the third.

Second baseman Nix twice threw out Carlos Pena from shallow right as part of a shift.

Masterson, thanks to first baseman Matt LaPorta, escaped a jam in the fourth. With runners on first and third and none out, John Jaso chopped to LaPorta, who looked back the runner at third and fired to second. Asdrubal Cabrera's relay was in plenty of time for the double play. Brignac lined to short.

The Indians squandered an opportunity in their half of the inning. With runners on second and third and one out, Marte struck out and Brantley flied to left.

Tampa Bay pushed the advantage to 4-2 in the fifth on Carlos Crawford's sacrifice fly, which drove in Bartlett. Bartlett had reached on Marte's fielding error to open the inning.

It didn't seem possible, but the Miami Heat has replaced the New York Yankees as the Evil Empire in the world of sports, Bud Shaw writes.

CLEVELAND - The first sign of LeBron James' intentions was his Yankees hat.

Since his cluelessness in considering people's feelings here begat even more with "The Decision," someone in his camp probably should caution him not to show up -- hat or no -- at Progressive Field, where the Yankees play the Indians over the next four days.

You'd think he'd figure that out on his own, but who can really say?

We know now the Yankees hat wasn't just evidence that he saw himself separate from things Cleveland. Along with his appearance on the Dallas Cowboys sidelines for a Browns game, it stamped him as the ultimate front-runner.

When things got tough, the guy who never missed a chance to extol his own hard edge as a "football player" grasped for Dwyane Wade's shooting star just as he had reached for the Yankees' star-studded cast and "America's Team" as a kid.

His introduction in Miami alongside Wade and Chris Bosh -- the one that made Charles Barkley roll his eyes and liken it to a rap show -- took the concept of "SuperTeam" and made it feel more villainous than normal.

What it did in effect was take the late George Steinbrenner's team-stacking recipe and spice it with pure conceit.

You probably never thought you'd see anything that could make the Yankees look almost collegial in their efforts to build a championship team. But there were James, Wade and Bosh "rising up" in Miami, rock stars staging a concert for the benefit of their own egos.

There was James, who cashed his chips here with the Boston series still in progress, predicting the Heat would win multiple titles. Six, seven, eight. He couldn't decide.

However it turns out -- and sorry, Dan Gilbert, the Heat will win and probably soon -- "The Diff" between James and Wade will always be one.

(Twenty-second column timeout: Here's another reason I prefer baseball. After the entrance James, Wade and Bosh made in Miami, all three would be picking themselves up out of the batter's box in their first game together. For his one-hour special, for the hubris of the "taking my talents to South Beach" line, for his title predictions, James in particular would be dusting off more than talcum powder.)

Miami is the new SuperTeam in sports, which might be good for NBA ratings and road attendance but not much else.

Ratings and road attendance don't sustain hometown fans in so many cities that have almost no chance to win. This city now has two teams fighting the dogged but doomed fight. The Yankees outspend the Indians by a gross national product of a small country. And now bottom-feeding in free agency is once again in vogue for the Cavs.

James, Wade and Bosh together is good for them, good for the Heat and terrible for the league.

At least with the Yankees, the nature of baseball is a mitigating factor. A superstar in the NBA almost always has the ball in his hand when it matters most.

Something else about the Yankees. Say this for them. Going back to Joe Torre's tenure, they stamped themselves as a class organization that makes good baseball decisions.

After the introduction of James, Wade and Bosh in which they came off as the guys on the playground who not only stack the teams but want to rub your face in it, the Heat is the new Evil Empire.

On deck: Indians vs. New York Yankees When: Tonight through Thursday. Where: Progressive Field. TV/radio: SportsTime Ohio today-Wednesday and with WKYC Channel 3 on Thursday; WTAM AM/1100. Series: Yankees lead, 3-1, this season. They lead, 1,068-845-12, all-time. Pitching matchups: Indians RHP Jake Westbrook (6-6, 4.74 ERA) vs. Yankees RHP Javier Vazquez (8-7, 4.68) tonight at 7:05; RHP Josh Tomlin...

On deck: Indians

vs. New York Yankees

When: Tonight through Thursday.

Where: Progressive Field.

TV/radio: SportsTime Ohio today-Wednesday and with WKYC Channel 3 on Thursday; WTAM AM/1100.

Series: Yankees lead, 3-1, this season. They lead, 1,068-845-12, all-time.

Pitching matchups: Indians RHP Jake Westbrook (6-6, 4.74 ERA) vs. Yankees RHP Javier Vazquez (8-7, 4.68) tonight at 7:05; RHP Josh Tomlin (first appearance) vs. LHP CC Sabathia (13-3, 3.18) on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m.; RHP Fausto Carmona (10-7, 3.51) vs. RHP A.J. Burnett (8-8, 4.77) on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m.; RHP Mitch Talbot (8-9, 4.08) vs. RHP Sergio Mitre (0-2, 3.99) on Thursday at 7:05 p.m.

Indians update: They lost the last two of a three-game series against Tampa Bay at Progressive Field. They are 22-24 at home. . . . DH Travis Hafner went 4-for-4 in Sunday's 4-2 loss. . . . OF Trevor Crowe is hitting .310 (22-for-71) in July. . . . RF Shin-Soo Choo is hitting .354 (52-for-147) with seven homers and 27 RBI in 40 home games. . . . Indians are 1-for-27 with runners in scoring position in their past four games. . . . They were outscored, 37-20, in dropping three of four in the Bronx (May 28-31). Carmona, Talbot and Tony Sipp suffered the losses. The victory, 13-11, on May 29, resulted from a comeback from six down after four innings. . . . Tribe is 11-16 against AL East.

Yankees update: They lead the AL East. They are 28-19 on the road. . . . Yankees have won 10 of their past 13 at Progressive Field and are 44-25 all-time at the ballpark -- best winning percentage (.638) of any AL club. . . . Burnett beat the Indians on May 30. . . . Sabathia, AL Cy Young winner with Cleveland in 2007, has won nine straight decisions. He has not lost since May 23 at the Mets. He started on May 29, giving up five runs in six innings.

Injuries: Indians -- RHP Anthony Reyes (elbow), LHP Aaron Laffey (shoulder), RHP Kerry Wood (right finger) and OF Grady Sizemore (left knee) are on disabled list. Yankees -- LHP Andy Pettitte (groin), LHP Damaso Marte (shoulder), RHP Alfredo Aceves (lower back) and DH/1B Nick Johnson (right wrist) are on disabled list.

Next for Indians: Seven-game trip begins Friday in Toronto.

University of Mississippi baseball coach Mike Bianco says Drew Pomeranz, the Indians No.1 pick in the June draft, is ready for pro ball and wants to sign. All the Indians have to do is make the right offer before the Aug. 16 deadline.

CLEVELAND - Mike Bianco, head baseball coach at the University of Mississippi, has coached Drew Pomeranz for the past three years. He believes the Indians' No. 1 pick in the June draft is prepared to play pro ball.

"I think he's ready," said Bianco. "He wants to sign. That's fair to say. Now it becomes a business. He's been here playing baseball, but now it becomes a career."

The Indians have until Aug. 16 to sign Pomeranz, a 6-5, 230-pound left-hander. He was the fifth player drafted.

The Tribe has yet to sign any of its top five picks. This is usually when the pace of negotiations increases.

Here's a scout's look at Pomeranz: "He's a big, strong, physical pitcher, who is poised and competitive on the mound. He's deceptive and throws a fastball, curveball and change. He throws between 90 mph and 95 mph, but sits at 92 mph to 93 mph. He changes speed with the curveball, throwing it 78 mph to 81 mph and 81 mph to 84 mph when he's ahead and going for the strikeout. Changeup needs work."

Said Bianco: "When the stage is biggest, he raises his game. He's very competitive, but he doesn't do a lot of a lot of fist pumping. I think the scouts like that."

Outfielder LeVon Washington was the Indians' second pick. Negotiations are expected to go to the deadline with him. The Rays drafted him last year in the first round but didn't sign him. Scott Boras represents him.

High school shortstop Tony Wolters from Vista, Calif., was the Indians' No. 3 pick. He's committed to attending the University of San Diego and currently is playing in the world tournament in Thunder Bay, Canada, for Team USA's 18-and-under team.

Wolters is expected to make a decision after the tournament ends Aug. 3.

The Indians' fourth- and fifth-round picks are college right-handers Kyle Blair (San Diego) and Cole Cook (Pepperdine). The Indians are on record as saying they will not comment on negotiations with draft picks.

New arm: Josh Tomlin, not Carlos Carrasco, will start against the Yankees and CC Sabathia on Tuesday night.

The Indians will have to clear space on the 40-man roster to make room for Tomlin. He's 8-4 with a 2.69 ERA in 20 appearances, including 17 starts, at Class AAA Columbus. He has 80 strikeouts and 33 walks in 1071/3 innings.

Tomlin's WHIP is 1.08 and the opposition is hitting .212 against him.

"Josh Tomlin deserves to be up here and get the shot," said manager Manny Acta. "He's done nothing but pitch effectively throughout his career in the minor leagues, and he's pitching better than anybody at Triple-A."

Carrasco suffered a right forearm cramp in his last start at Columbus, but Acta says he's fine and will make his next start.

Tomlin was one of three Indians minor-leaguers arrested for felonious assault on June 3 in an Akron night club. Beau Mills and Jerad Head of the Class AA Akron Aeros were the other two players. The charges were recently reduced to disorderly conduct.

The Indians drafted Tomlin in the 19th round in 2006 out of Texas Tech University.

Arms in the news: Anthony Reyes, who hasn't pitched in the big leagues since May 22, 2009, because of reconstructive surgery on his right elbow, will make a rehab start Tuesday at Class AA Akron.

He made two previous starts for the Indians in the Arizona Rookie League.

"I'm relearning how to pitch again," said Reyes. "I'm making progress, but not as fast as I'd like."

Kerry Wood tested his tender right index finger in a bullpen session Sunday. He's scheduled to throw again Tuesday.

Wood has been on the disabled list since July 17 with a blister on his finger.

Finally: Jason Knapp, the key to the Cliff Lee deal who had surgery on his right shoulder last year, made his first start of the season Saturday for the Indians' team in the Arizona Rookie League team. He pitched one scoreless inning with one strikeout.

Dawson totaled 438 homers, 2,774 hits, 1,591 RBI and 314 stolen bases. Herzog managed St. Louis to three World Series, including 1982 title. Harvey umpired 31 seasons.

Mike Groll, Associated PressWhitey Herzog (left), Andre Dawson (center) and Doug Harvey today before they were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Cooperstown, New York -- Former Montreal and Chicago Cubs star Andre Dawson and former Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame along with umpire Doug Harvey.

The 56-year-old Dawson, an All-Star eight times and one of only three major league players to hit 400 homers and steal more than 300 bases, is the 203rd player to make the Hall of Fame.

Dawson had 438 homers, 2,774 hits, 1,591 RBI and 314 stolen bases in his 21-year major league career.

Dawson poked fun at several Hall of Famers before getting serious, warning players not to be lured to the dark side of using performance-enhancing drugs.

"It's a stain on the game, a stain that's being gradually removed," he said.

The 78-year-old Herzog, who played eight seasons as a first baseman and outfielder before moving to the front office, is just the 19th major league manager to be inducted.

Herzog managed for 18 seasons, 11 with the Cardinals after stints in Texas, California and Kansas City. He guided the Royals to three consecutive playoff appearances in the 1970s and guided the Cardinals to the 1982 World Series title just two years after he was hired.

The Cards also made World Series appearances in 1985 and 1987 under Herzog, who finished his managing career in 1990 with a record of 1,279-1,123, a .532 winning percentage.

"Ever since I was elected in December, people have asked, 'What's it feel like to be a Hall of Famer," Herzog said. "Now I can tell you what it feels like. It feels like going to heaven before you die."

The 80-year-old Harvey, who worked in the National League from 1962 to 1992, was one of the last major-league umpires who didn't attend umpiring school. He called 4,673 regular-season games during his major-league career and also umpired five World Series, six All-Star games and nine National League championship series.

Harvey, the ninth umpire to be inducted and the first living umpire inducted since Al Barlick in 1989, has been battling throat cancer and tape-recorded his speech in the spring.

Harvey, nicknamed "God" because of his no-nonsense demeanor on the field, spoke during a rain shower that abruptly ended in the middle of his speech.

"I want you to notice that I stopped the rain," he deadpanned in closing.

 

 

 

Indians will host Rodriguez and the Yankees on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights. Rodriguez, who doubled and singled in NY's 12-6 win over the Royals Sunday, needs one homer to become the seventh player to hit 600 in a career.

Kathy Willens, Associated PressAlex Rodriguez hitting his 599th career home run on Thursday night off Kansas City reliever Robinson Tejada.

New York -- Curtis Granderson hit a pair of homers, Alex Rodriguez drove in three runs -- the last when he was hit with a pitch on the hand -- and the New York Yankees waited out a lengthy rain delay to beat the Kansas City Royals 12-6 on Sunday and finish another successful homestand.

Rodriguez will take his pursuit of 600 home runs on the road, after failing to reach the milestone for the third straight day. New York plays four games in Cleveland beginning Monday, then three more at Tampa Bay before returning home to face Toronto on Aug. 2.

A-Rod grounded out in the second inning, hit an RBI double in the fourth and grounded out again in the fifth -- moments before heavy rains drove off most of the crowd, along with the oppressive heat and humidity that has hovered over New York City lately.

The few thousand fans who waited out a delay of 2 hours, 32 minutes, watched Rodriguez drive in another run in the seventh, then come to the plate with the bases loaded in the eighth. A-Rod fell behind in the count against reliever Blake Wood and, with the crowd on its feet, wound up getting hit near the left wrist and falling to the dirt in the batter's box.

Manager Joe Girardi and a team trainer ran out to check on him, and Rodriguez was replaced by a pinch runner as the Yankees pushed across five extra runs in the inning.

Phil Hughes (12-3) didn't return after the rain delay but still earned the win, despite needing 95 pitches to get through 5 1/3 innings in another shaky start.

Robinson Cano drove in a pair of runs with two hits, giving him 1,000 for his career, while Derek Jeter added three hits and an RBI. Mark Teixeira and Brett Gardner also drove in runs.

Scott Podsednik was the bright spot for Kansas City, not only Sunday but throughout the series. He hit a pair of two-run homers for his third career multihomer game, and finished 9 for 19 over the four games with six RBIs and four stolen bases.

The Kentucky Derby has the mint julep. What does the Ohio Derby offer as a signature drink? Get ready to sip the Black Gold.

View full sizePEGGY TURBETT / THE PDThe Black Gold contains rum, tequila -- and a pretty good story.

The Kentucky Derby has the mint julep, the Preakness has the Black-Eyed Susan cocktail and the Belmont Stakes has the Belmont Breeze.

But what about the Ohio Derby?

Sounds like a setup for a bad joke, perhaps with the punch line of the "No-Win Fizz" or "Socks on the Beach" or "the Flaming Cuyahoga."

The folks at Thistledown have tried over the years. Most of the attempts at an official race drink have been served, sipped and forgotten, even by veteran bartenders at the track in North Randall. A few years back, a Derby daiquiri debuted -- and then disappeared. Then came the Ohio Derby Royale, but that had to be scrapped on race day because a key ingredient, coconut rum, was never delivered.

"Most of them were experiments, and I think they didn't do very well because most people are used to a Kentucky Derby drink," said Doris Organ, Thistledown's food and beverage operations manager. "Even the Black-Eyed Susan doesn't go over well here because people are just indoctrinated with the mint julep."

This year is different. Thistledown believes it might have hit the libation perfecta.

Meet the Black Gold.

Named after the only horse to win the Kentucky Derby and the Ohio Derby, the drink is an "explosion of tastes," said Organ.

Rum and tequila mixed with grenadine and Sierra Mist, a lemon-lime soda, give it a tart-yet-sweet flavor, not too strong, yet not too fluffy, either.

"I think it's great. It identifies with the horse," added Organ. "He had a bittersweet life."

At a tasting last week, first-time track visitor Tasha Fuller, visiting Cleveland from Alabama, sipped a Black Gold in the clubhouse.

"It's spiffy," she said, sitting back and running her fingers over the moisture on her glass. "It's good. I was expecting it to be strong. It's mild. It's smooth."

If the public likes it, Black Gold might become an annual tradition at the track, said Organ.

"Hopefully, people will catch on," she said, "and we'll give Kentucky a run for its money."

The introduction of the new Ohio Derby drink might also correspond with the rebirth of the track itself.

The Ohio Derby -- once a $300,000 race televised live on ESPN and with a weekend of festivities, including a swanky ball and a 5K race -- is now a $100,000 race with no ball, no race, no ESPN. Last year, the Derby was nearly canceled.

But barring any snags, by Saturday, Derby Day, casino-giant Harrah's will have taken over ownership of the track, which was sold in bankruptcy court earlier this year. And last week, the Ohio Lottery Commission revived plans to place video slot machines at Thistledown and other Ohio horse tracks.

So the future of the race looks bright.

Looks even brighter if you're holding a Gold.

(The Black Gold will be available for $6 at Thistledown on Saturday for the Ohio Derby.)

More on Black Gold

• Historic PD page of Kentucky Derby win ( Black-Gold-wins-Roses.pdf)
• Historic PD page of his arrival in Maple Heights ( Black-Gold-arrives.pdf)
• Historic PD page of Ohio State Derby win ( Black-Gold-wins-Ohio-Derby.pdf)
• The story of the champion colt

The Indians did some good things Sunday against the Rays, but mostly they were bad. It was a recipe for a 4-2 loss to the AL East powerhouse Rays.

CLEVELAND - When a manager goes out to the mound to remove a pitcher, several things can take place. The pitcher, if he follows protocol, waits to the manager get to the mound, hands him the ball and walks to the dugout after a slap on the back from the manager.

If a pitcher doesn't follow protocol, which can happen when said pitcher hasn't pitched well, he may leave the mound before the manager arrives and flip him the ball as they pass each other. Double secret probation usually follows.

In the Indians' 4-2 loss to the Rays on Sunday at Progressive Field, when manager Manny Acta went out to get starter Justin Masterson in the seventh inning, he put his hands on the 6-6 Masterson's shoulders and talked to him. Then he talked some more before Masterson headed to the dugout with a slap on the back.

"I said, 'I know you're not trying to walk a guy,' " said Acta. "There's a lesson to be learned. When there are two out and nobody on, we need to start smelling blood and go after a guy. He understood that. That pretty much cost him the great outing he had today."

In the second, with the Indians leading, 1-0, Masterson (3-9, 5.15) retired the first two batters on ground balls to second. It was five Rays up and five Rays down.

Then Masterson walked switch hitter Willy Aybar. John Jaso singled and No. 8 hitter Reid Brignac hit a three-run homer to right for a 3-1 lead.

For Acta, it was deja vu all over again.

In Saturday's 6-3 loss to the Rays, a loss that ended the Indians' 18-game home winning streak against manager Joe Maddon's club, Mitch Talbot had a 3-0 lead entering the fifth. He retired the first two batters, gave up singles to Kelly Shoppach and Jason Bartlett and a three-run homer to Ben Zobrist.

"The last two games were pretty much the same," said Acta. "We lost the game in one inning where we gave up three runs after two outs and nobody on."

There were plenty of other factors involved in the Tribe's 57th defeat of the year.

The Indians went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position, which negated the fact that they out-hit the Rays, 11-7.

"We had one hit with runners in scoring position, that's why we lost," said right fielder Shin-Soo Choo.

Added Acta, "Offensively, we were horrible."

In the past four games, the Indians are 1-for-27 with runners in scoring position.

The base running left something to be desired as well. In the second, with Travis Hafner on third, Jayson Nix on second and one out, Andy Marte sent a grounder to the hole at short. Hafner scored to make it 3-2, but Nix was thrown out trying to advance to third.

In the seventh, Michael Brantley reached on a fielder's choice. Asdrubal Cabrera singled to right, but Brantley stopped at second. If he had continued to third, Choo's grounder to second would have scored him.

"We thought we had a chance to take another extra base and we didn't," said Acta. "That's what we're trying to do here. We want to be aggressive. . . . Anytime we can get a guy on third base with less than two outs, we've got to go for it."

Hafner had four straight hits out of the No. 6 spot. It was his first four-hit game since April 23, 2007. None of them came with a runner on base.

Acta needs Hafner to keep hitting to give rookie cleanup hitter Carlos Santana protection. It was Santana's sacrifice fly that gave the Indians a 1-0 lead in the first.

"We need Hafner in the middle of our lineup," said Acta. "We just need the consistency."

The Indians missed a chance to tie in the seventh. With Brantley on third and Cabrera on second following a ground out by Choo, Santana sent a ball between first and second at the Tampa shift. Brignac, playing short right field, made a nice play on the ball and threw Santana out to end the inning.

"We got beat with pitching and defense," said Acta.

Wade Davis (8-9, 4.32) went 61/3 innings for the win. Rafael Soriano pitched the ninth for his 26th save.

Brown, the International League's 2009 batting champion, drove a bases-loaded triple to lead AAA Columbus to a 5-4 win over Pawtucket. Brown, who is 10-for-13 with the bases loaded, is driving in one run per every 4.5 at bats.

Chuck Crow, The Plain DealerJordan Brown in spring training with the Indians.

FARM REPORT

Updated at 11:38 p.m.

AAA Columbus Clippers

Clippers 5, Red Sox 4 DH Jordan Brown's (.304) bases-loaded triple gave Columbus a 5-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning and RH reliever Vinnie Pestano (1.72) escaped a bases-loaded jam to pitch a scoreless ninth inning for his ninth save in the International League game. LH reliever Jeremy Sowers (2-6, 6.53) pitched two hitless innings for the win. Brown is 10-for-13 (.769) with 26 RBI with the bases loaded this season.

Notes: Jordan Brown's 56 RBI are tied for seventh in the International League, despite his missing 39 games. He began the season on the disabled list following arthroscopic knee surgery, then was sidelined with a sore back. Brown, who led the International League with a .336 batting average last season, has one RBI per every 4.5 at bats. He also has 25 doubles; one per every 10.1 at bats....2B Cord Phelps (.373) was 1-for-3 to extend his hitting streak to 13 games, during which he's gone 20-for-49 (.408) with three doubles, one triple and two home runs....LF Nick Weglarz (.287) doubled and had an RBI single, making him 14-for-33 (.424) with five doubles and three homes in his last nine games....RF Jose Constanza (.307) was 3-for-5.

AA Akron Aeros

Aeros 5, Phillies 5 (suspended) The Eastern League game in Reading, Pa. was suspended with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning after a 31-minute rain delay. It will be resumed on Aug. 17 prior to the regularly scheduled game. Aeros RF Jerad Head (.299) slugged his 11th homer, a two-run clout. CF Jordan Henry (.265) was 3-for-3, and 2B Jason Kipnis (.338), 1B Beau Mills (.239) and C Miguel Perez (.289) were each 2-for-2.

Notes: Head is batting .484 (15-for-31) with four homers, five doubles, 10 RBI and 10 runs in his last 10 games....Kipnis is 20-for-40 (.500) in his last 10 games....LHP Kelvin De La Cruz (5.56) started and allowed five runs on five hits and six walks in 3 1/3 innings, with three strikeouts....RHP Alex White, the Indians' first pick in the 2009 draft, is 6-4 with a 1.48 ERA in 12 starts at Akron. He has won his last three outings, posting an 0.90 ERA and striking out 21 while walking one in 20 innings. White is 4-1 with an 0.94 ERA in his last six starts, striking out 29 and walking three in 38 1/3 innings. Counting his eight starts with Kinston to begin the season, White is 8-7 with a 2.00 ERA and is holding hitters to a .204 batting average. In 117 innings, he has fanned 90 while giving up 87 hits and 35 walks.

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Blue Rocks 10, Indians 4 Catcher Chun Chen (.255, two homers) and 1B Nate Recknagel (.225, five homers) both hit solo homers and 2B Karexon Sanchez (.263) drilled two triples, but it wasn't enough for the host Indians as Wilmington scored six runs on seven hits in four innings off RHP Joseph Gardner (8-5, 3.14) in a Carolina League game.

Notes: Gardner gave up two homers, after allowing just four homers in 104 innings this season. In his last eight starts, Gardner had been tagged for one homer in 45 1/3 innings. Gardner is a combined 9-5 with a 3.17 ERA this season for Kinston and Lake County. He has struck out 115, walked 44 and yielded just 76 hits in 108 innings, holding batters to a .197 average....Chen was 3-for-15 with no extra base-hits or walks in his first four games with the Indians, but is 9-for-32 (.281) with three doubles, two homers and nine walks in 10 games since. Chen hit .312 with 21 doubles, three triples, six homers and 39 RBI in 218 at bats at Lake County before being promoted to the Indians....DH/3B Jeremie Tice (.294) doubled singled and drove in a run. He was 2-for-19 in his first five games with the Indians, but has hit in eight straight games since, going 13-for-32 (.406) with five doubles. Tice was leading the Midwest League with 51 RBI when promoted from Lake County to Kinston, and was batting .282 with 19 doubles, one triple and nine homers in 245 at bats.

A Lake County Captains

Chiefs 4, Captains 3 Peoria 1B Justin Bour grounded a two-run single off Captains RH reliever Jeremy Johnson (3-2, 4.18) in the top of the eighth inning for the Chiefs' final margin in a Midwest League game. Captains LH starter Vidal Nuno (4.88) got no decision, but held Peoria to one run on five hits and no walks, with eight strikeouts, in six innings. Lake County 1B Jason Smit (.248, six homers) slugged a two-run home run and 3B Adam Abraham (.232, eight homers) delivered a solo homer.

Notes: Nuno has struck out 58 and walked eight in 55 1/3 innings....Abraham is on a nine-game hitting streak, going 15-for-36 (.417) with four homers, four doubles and 10 RBI....20-year-old SS Argenis Martinez (.192) is 13-for-36 (.361) with three strikeouts in his last nine games. In his first 57 games of the season, Martinez hit .157 with 52 strikeouts in 157 at bats....Johnson has struck out 29 and walked seven in 28 innings.

A Mahoning Valley Scrappers

Spikes 1, Scrappers 0 RHP Alex Kaminsky (4-2, 1.96) held State College (Pa.) to one run on four hits and one walk in six innings, but the Scrappers couldn't score off three Spikes' pitchers, despite getting eight hits. LF Brian Heere (.216), SS Kevin Fontanez (.202) and 3B Giovanny Urshela (.267) had two hits each for the Scrappers. Mahoning Valley relievers James Reichenbach (3.66) and James Ehlert (2.41) combined to pitch three perfect innings in the New York-Penn League game: the LH Reichenbach striking out three in two innings; the RH Ehlert fanning one in an inning.

Notes: Kaminsky's 1.96 ERA ranks fifth in the New York-Penn League....Ehlert has struck out 26 and walked four in 18 2/3 innings.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

ThunderBolts 8, Crushers 5 Dom Duggan had a two-run single, but Lake Erie lost an independent Frontier League game against Windy City in Crestwood, Ill.

Notes: RHP Josh Roberts (6-1, 1.96) leads the Frontier League in ERA and RHP Matthew Smith (7-4, 3.62) is tied for the league lead in wins....Going into Sunday night's game, 3B Andrew Davis (.338) was fourth in the league in batting.

Dallas Cowboys rookie receiver Dez Bryant does not have any room for the old school or for sports tradition. Bryant, who plays for LeBron James' favorite football team, refused to participate in an NFL rite of passage. Bryant refused to carry the shoulder pads of veteran receiver Roy Williams following a recent practice. On ESPN.com: "I'm not doing it," Bryant said....

APFormer Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant.

Dallas Cowboys rookie receiver Dez Bryant does not have any room for the old school or for sports tradition.

Bryant, who plays for LeBron James' favorite football team, refused to participate in an NFL rite of passage. Bryant refused to carry the shoulder pads of veteran receiver Roy Williams following a recent practice.

On ESPN.com:

"I'm not doing it," Bryant said. "I feel like I was drafted to play football, not carry another player's pads."

"If I was a free agent, it would still be the same thing. I just feel like I'm here to play football. I'm here to try to help win a championship, not carry someone's pads. I'm saying that out of no disrespect to [anyone]."

It's a common duty for rookies to participate in some sort of hazing. Rookies often have to sing their alma mater's fight song during training camp.

 "Everybody has to go through it," Williams said. "I had to go through it. No matter if you're a No. 1 pick or the 7,000th pick, you've still got to do something when you're a rookie.

"I carried pads. I paid for dinners. I paid for lunches. I did everything I was supposed to do, because I didn't want to be that guy."

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. ― Cleveland Cavaliers guard Delonte West is scheduled for his first day of home detention after pleading guilty to weapons charges. West will begin eight months of electronic monitoring Monday as a result of his plea deal. A spokesman for his legal team and a spokesman for the Prince George's County State's Attorney's office have not...

Joshua Gunter / PDDelonte West will serve home detention on gun charges.

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. ― Cleveland Cavaliers guard Delonte West is scheduled for his first day of home detention after pleading guilty to weapons charges.

West will begin eight months of electronic monitoring Monday as a result of his plea deal.

A spokesman for his legal team and a spokesman for the Prince George's County State's Attorney's office have not provided details about the electronic monitoring.

Prosecutors said that the sentence would allow West to attend practices and travel to NBA games as his team's schedule requires, if the league allows it.

A Prince George's County Circuit Court judge also sentenced West to two years of unsupervised probation, 40 hours of community service and psychological counseling.

Come on, Cleveland. Who do you hate most?

View full sizeTracy Boulian,
The Plain DealerBrowns defensive back Mike Adams wraps up Steelers receiver Hines Ward during a game last year. LeBron James' move to Miami has raised a question: Have the Heat replaced the Steelers as the rival most despised by Cleveland fans?

As columnist Bud Shaw noted in today's Plain Dealer, James made no secret of his allegiances -- appearing on the Cowboys' sidelines during a Browns-Pokes game, wearing a Yankees cap and finally blowing town for the glitz and glamor of a beach that doesn't abut ice four months out of the year.

Clearly, fan vitriol has been directed first at the Ex-Cavalier, then at his new team. So we have to know, have the Heat surpassed the Steelers as the team Cleveland sports fans most love to hate? Somehow, Starting Blocks doubts it, but in situations like this, it's always best to ask.

And hey, if you have a particular story about just why you hate a certain team, share it in the comments section.

Browns agree to terms with second-round running back Montario Hardesty.

John Kuntz / The Plain DealerThe Browns have agreed to terms with second-round running back Montario Hardesty today.

CLEVELAND -- The Browns have agreed to terms on a four-year deal for second-round running back Montario Hardesty, a league source told the Plain Dealer.

Terms were not immediately available. That leaves only two unsigned Browns draft picks, first-rounder Joe Haden and second-rounder T.J. Ward. Rookies reported Friday but the first full-squad practice is not until Saturday.

Hardesty, who worked primarily with the first-team offense in OTAs and minicamp, started 19 of his 49 games at Tennessee. In his final season, he rushed for 1,345 yards and 13 touchdowns. The Browns felt so strongly about Hardesty's ability that they traded a third-rounder and two fifths to move up to draft him.

He'll challenge Jerome Harrison for the starting job, but the two will likely split time.