The Browns are now just waiting on first-round cornerback Joe Haden before getting all draft picks signed before camp opens Saturday.

UPDATED: 9:06 p.m.

John Kuntz / The Plain DealerBrowns safety T.J. Ward agreed to terms on a four-year deal, ensuring he -- and running back Montario Hardesty, who also agreed to a contract Monday -- will be in full-squad camp on time.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns wrapped up both of their two second-round picks to four-year deals Monday, signing safety T.J. Ward and running back Montario Hardesty. Now they can focus their attention on getting their lone unsigned draftee -- first-round cornerback Joe Haden -- into full-squad camp on time.

Veterans and rookies will begin practicing Saturday in Berea, a two-a-day session that's open to the public.

The Browns announced the signing of Hardesty, the 59th overall pick out of Tennessee, but have yet confirm the signing of Ward, the 38th choice from Oregon. A league source told The Plain Dealer that Ward agreed to the four-year deal, financial terms of which were not disclosed.

Hardesty's contract is worth a maximum of $3,372,750 with $1.572 million guaranteed, including a $1 million signing bonus. The Browns thought so much of Hardesty during the draft that they traded a third-round pick and two fifth-rounders to move up to get him.

During OTAs and minicamp, Hardesty, working mostly with the first-team offense, continued to flash featured-back ability. Of course, a true test won't come until the preseason games, when full contact takes place.

"I like a lot of things about [Hardesty]," Browns coach Eric Mangini said during minicamp. "I like the fact that I don't notice him on tape and he's been running with the first group and what I mean by that is missing an assignment, lining up in the wrong spot those type of things where often times you look out and some rookie is supposed to be in one spot and he's just not even in the right galaxy.

"He's gotten a lot of reps with the [first team] and he just seems comfortable there. It doesn't faze him. He's got a great approach."

Ward, hampered by a tight muscle during minicamp, will compete for playing time with veteran safeties Abe Elam and Mike Adams. With Elam unsigned and absent, Ward and fifth-round safety Larry Asante both took reps with the first-team defense.

"When I looked at [Ward] and spent time with him, he reminded me a lot of [former Patriots safety] Lawyer Milloy," Mangini said during the draft. "He's got outstanding instincts in the running game. He can navigate through traffic and it's almost like blockers don't exist. Very rarely does he miss tackles."

Haden's agent, Malik Shareef, did not return messages, but said earlier this month that he was determined to get Haden in on time and that "it's not in anyone's best interests" for him to be late. Haden will compete for a starting job with Sheldon Brown and Eric Wright.

Matt Garza tossed Tampa Bay's first no-hitter Monday night in a 5-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers, becoming the fifth big leaguer to turn the trick during a season of mastery on the mound.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Matt Garza raises his arms to celebrate the final out of his no-hitter against the Detroit Tigers in a baseball game Monday, July 26, 2010, in St. Petersburg, Fla. The Rays won 5-0. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

The VH-1 reality TV stars could team up in Cincinnati, plus the Titans sue Lane Kiffin and Seattle's CEO resigns all in today's NFL Newswatch

Associated PressCould Terrell Owens join his fellow VH-1 realty TV star Chad Ochocinco on the Bengals?

"That game was a heart breaking loss and it shouldn't have happened. Go with Tony Sipp and Chris Perez in the eight and ninth and win the game." - denfair

View full sizeThomas Ondrey | The Plain DealerJake Westbrook pitched well Monday night against the Yankees, but some Indians fans think he should have never been out there in the 8th inning to give up the go-ahead home run.

In response to the story Curtis Granderson's two-run homer in 8th lifts Yankees past Cleveland Indians, 3-2, cleveland.com reader denfair thinks Monday night's loss rests squarely on the shoulders of Manny Acta. This reader writes,

"That game was a heart breaking loss and it shouldn't have happened. Go with Tony Sipp and Chris Perez in the eight and ninth and win the game."

Pete Rose, Alex Rodriguez, Jim Thome and Barry Bonds have all had Hall Fame careers. Rose, however, had issues with gambling. Bonds and Rodriguez have had issues with PED's and Thome broke the hearts of Cleveland fans when he took his talents to South Philly in 2003. So whom would you vote for to make the Baseball Hall of...

APJim Thome

Pete Rose, Alex Rodriguez, Jim Thome and Barry Bonds have all had Hall Fame careers. Rose, however, had issues with gambling. Bonds and Rodriguez have had issues with PED's and Thome broke the hearts of Cleveland fans when he took his talents to South Philly in 2003.

So whom would you vote for to make the Baseball Hall of Fame?

"You know what's nice now that Mike Holmgren is here? No drama. Everything is in order. No crybabies. No nonsense. Business is getting taken care of." - 30yrBrownsFan

View full sizeJoshua Gunter | The Plain DealerIt appears Mike Holmgren has brought some order to the Browns.

In response to the story Cleveland Browns reach contracts with second-round draft picks T.J. Ward, Montario Hardesty, cleveland.com reader 30yrBrownsFan can see a difference in how the Browns are run. This reader writes,

"You know what's nice now that Mike Holmgren is here? No drama. Everything is in order. No crybabies. No nonsense. Business is getting taken care of."

Get your questions ready and join Terry Pluto today at noon as he talks Cavaliers, Indians and Browns.

Terry Pluto tackles your questions live every Tuesday at noon.

Hear Terry's thoughts on Browns training camp, the Cavaliers acquisition of Ramon Sessions and what the Indians will do before the trade deadline.

You can jump in the chat room and ask your questions as well as interact with other users and respond to Terry's remarks, or you can just listen. The chat will also be made available shortly after its completion in mp3 format.


You can jump in the chat room below to ask your questions or just listen. An mp3 of the chat will be made available shortly after its completion.

"Picked up two quality players without giving up much. Also collected another 2nd rounder. Would've liked to have seen Telfair get one more shot, but he was another 'no-defense' guy. Bottom line is Grant and Scott are getting guys who want to play and want to play here." - larryscheap

View full sizeAP photoRamon Sessions, here trying to defend LeBron James, will now be wearing wine and gold.

In response to the story Cleveland Cavaliers deal Delonte West, Sebastian Telfair to acquire Minnesota guard Ramon Sessions and center Ryan Hollins, cleveland.com reader larryscheap likes the deal for the Cavaliers. This reader writes,

"Picked up two quality players without giving up much. Also collected another 2nd rounder. Would've liked to have seen Telfair get one more shot, but he was another 'no-defense' guy. Bottom line is Grant and Scott are getting guys who want to play and want to play here."

Saints Super Bowl title QB Brees has signed more than 20,000 copies of his memoir, "Coming Back Stronger," since its July 6 release, writes the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Julie Jacobson, Associated PressDrew Brees after throwing a touchdown pass to Jeremy Shockey during the New Orleans Saints' 31-17 Super Bowl win over the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 7.

By Rachel Whittaker

New Orleans Times-Picayune

New Orleans, La. -- New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees has signed more than 20,000 copies of his memoir, "Coming Back Stronger," for fans in Louisiana and around the country since the book's release July 6.

But on the final day of his signings Monday, Brees said he's focused on getting back on the field at New Orleans' training camp, which begins Friday with two practices open to the public at 8:50 a.m. and 4:20 p.m.

Brees said the book signings and his numerous other appearances have not interfered with his training to defend the Saints' Super Bowl title.

"Everything has been structured around my workout time. That has been priority No. 1," Brees said at his book signing at Octavia Books. "Everybody wants to see another great season, so we have to make sure we give them that, too. I am ready."

Octavia Books sold approximately 1,200 vouchers for the book to fans who arrived in droves to the Uptown bookstore. Octavia Books owner Tom Lowenburg said the crowd to meet Brees was easily the longest line the store has seen, topping signings by CNN personality Anderson Cooper and former LSU coach Nick Saban.

"This is the greatest number of books we've ever sold at one time," Lowenburg said. "And (Brees) is only here for an hour and a half. Just think if he could be here for three hours."

Octavia Books, the first bookstore in New Orleans to reopen after Hurricane Katrina, offered a unique lagniappe for fans who braved the humidity to obtain Brees' coveted signature -- free watermelon courtesy of Jack and Jake's, an organic market scheduled to open in New Orleans later this year.

Lowenburg and his wife, co-owner Judith Lafitte, spent the afternoon opening books at a rapid pace for Brees to sign, and Lowenburg distributed bookmarks to fans as they left the store.

"It's a whole different feeling here," Lowenburg said. "We know half the people coming through the line."

Brees has traveled to seven states on his book-signing tour, and he said it has been rewarding to experience the dedication of Saints fans and well-wishers at each location.

"You know the Who Dat Nation is represented everywhere," Brees said. "You always wonder how people will receive (the book), but it's just blown me away how motivating and inspiring it's been to people."

Brees said he has received gifts of all kinds from eager fans in line at bookstores, from paintings and pictures to notes and wedding invitations.

"We've been able to focus on the book for the last couple of weeks as well as training and preparing for the season," Brees said. "Once training camp starts though, it will be very much locked in and focused on how we can go in and win another championship."

Fans will have the opportunity to line up and await the release of another Brees item in August, as the Madden NFL 2011 video game with Brees on the cover goes on sale at midnight Aug. 10.

Brees has been giving away one free advance copy of the video game to the 99th person in line at each of his book signings, and he said the release of the game will be a great event in New Orleans.

"They're doing this big thing called 'Madden Gras' downtown," Brees said.

PD reporter says A-Rod's aloof personality and admitted use of performance-enhancing drugs are among the reasons.

Alex Rodriguez in the on-deck circle during Monday night's game against the Indians.

Today's guest, Plain Dealer reporter Dennis Manoloff, talks about Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, his chase for his 600th career home run, and why fans don't seem to be excited about it. Also, Dman talks about the Hall of Fame possibilities of Jim Thome, first on the Indians' career homer list, who left Cleveland as a free agent after the 2002 season. Now with Minnesota, he has 576 career homers.

Would you vote for Thome or A-Rod for the Hall of Fame? Cast your vote in today's Starting Blocks poll.

Starting Blocks TV will return Wednesday morning with Plain Dealer Browns writer Mary Kay Cabot as the guest. Have a question about the Browns you would like to ask her? Post it in the comments below and we'll pick the best ones for Wednesday's show.

Talented but troubled guard West and backup guard Sebastian Telfair sent to Minnesota for quick guard Sessions and backup big man Ryan Hollins.

Jim Mone, Associated PressRamon Sessions will likely get extensive playing time at both guard spots for the Cavaliers.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have traded talented but troubled guard Delonte West and reserve point guard Sebastian Telfair to the Minnesota Timberwolves for guard Ramon Sessions, center Ryan Hollins and a second-round pick in the 2013 draft.

Sessions, 6-3, can play both guard spots, and whether he starts or not, he will probably play as many minutes as most starters. The 7-foot Hollins will almost certainly be a backup.

West was a key player during the 2008 and 2009 playoffs for the Cavaliers, but he played poorly in the Cavs' last three losses to Boston in this spring's conference semifinal series. By trading West, the Cavaliers rid themselves of his $4.5 million contract that would become fully guaranteed on Aug. 5. West's personal problems -- including having to plead guilty to gun charges in Maryland and being sentenced to eight months of house arrest -- were also a major factor in the Cavaliers' desire to trade him.

Plain Dealer Cavaliers beat writer Brian Windhorst reports on the trade.

Tell us what you think of the trade:

What's the most interesting camp battle this year for the Browns? What does Ramon Sessions bring the Cavaliers? Plain Dealer sports columnist Terry Pluto was online, tackling those questions and more in his weekly chat

Terry Pluto tackles your questions live every Tuesday at noon.

What's the most interesting camp battle this year for the Browns? What does Ramon Sessions bring the Cavaliers?

Plain Dealer sports columnist Terry Pluto was online, tackling those questions and more in his weekly chat on cleveland.com earlier today.

Among the other topics discussed:

- What kind of difference does having quarterback stability make heading into camp?

- Will Joe Haden be in camp on time?

- Do the Cavs make any more moves before camp opens in October?

- Did Jake Westbrook make his final start with the Indians last night?

- And much more!

Click on the play button below to listen or download the MP3 podcast here to listen on the go.

Florida's Coghlan, the 2009 NL Rookie of the Year, might need surgery after hurting his knee while putting a pie in the face of a game-winning teammate. This season, it's the second significant injury to a player celebrating.

Lynne Sladky, Associated PressMarlins teammates surround Wes Helms (obscured) after his RBI single gave Florida a 5-4, 11-inning win over the Braves on Sunday. Moments later, the Marlins' celebrating Chris Coghlan injured a knee while putting a pie in Helms' face.

San Francisco, Cal. -- Chris Coghlan is the latest player to become seriously injured while celebrating.

The Florida Marlins left fielder is headed for the disabled list with a torn meniscus in his left knee and might need surgery.

The reigning NL Rookie of the Year's injury was revealed in an MRI exam Monday. He was hurt Sunday while delivering a pie in the face to teammate Wes Helms following the pinch hitter's bases-loaded single in the 11th inning of a 5-4 win over Atlanta. There will be no more such celebratory antics by Florida, manager Edwin Rodriguez said.

"It's very humbling when the game is taken away and you don't realize it because you play every day," Coghlan said. "If you ever get injured, you want to do it while you're out there competing, not when you're celebrating. Emotions get the best of you, you're excited. There's nothing wrong with that but be a little smarter when you're celebrating a win."

If he needs surgery, Coghlan said, he likely will be sidelined six to eight weeks. Coghlan was batting .268 with five home runs and 28 RBI.

He was replaced in the lineup in Monday night's 4-3 win at San Francisco by Emilio Bonifacio. The Marlins planned to call up outfielder Logan Morrison from Triple-A New Orleans Tuesday.

Angels first baseman Kendry Morales was lost to a season-ending broken left leg May 29 when he leapt onto home plate during a celebration following his game-ending grand slam against Seattle.

Morales was leading the team with 11 homers, 39 RBIs and a .290 average at the time of his injury.

Coghlan's injury is a big blow for the surging Marlins, who, with a 4-3 win at San Francisco Monday night, moved over .500 for the first time since June 3. Florida has won eight of 10.

"It's tough to swallow," Marlins pitcher Ricky Nolasco said. "He's a very important part of this team. All we can do is hope for a speedy recovery. It's just unfortunate something like that happens after your spirits are so high. It's an unfortunate freak accident that happens."

Tatum won a national title with Ohio State in 1968 and a Super Bowl with the Oakland Raiders in 1976.

postersguide.comJack Tatum (32) after one of his rattling tackles as an Oakland Raider.

Columbus -- Former Ohio State defensive back Jack Tatum, who helped lead the Buckeyes to the 1968 national championship as a sophomore and was the named the nation's best defender as a senior in 1970, died today at age 61.

"We have lost one of our greatest Buckeyes," OSU coach Jim Tressel said in a statement. "When you think of Ohio State defense, the first name that comes to mind is Jack Tatum. His loss touches every era of Ohio State players and fans."

Tatum was known as one of the hardest hitters in football history, and the Buckeyes currently honor the best hit of each game with the Jack Tatum Hit of the Week. He served as Ohio State's honorary captain for the USC game last season.

Tatum was drafted by Oakland in the first round of the 1971 NFL Draft and was a three-time Pro Bowler with the Raiders and part of their 1976 Super Bowl team. He was inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1981 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

He had battled health issues related to diabetes in recent years, and his former teammate, John Hicks, said Tatum died at a hospital in California.

"He endured a lot of problems, and it's unfortunate he passed away so young," Hicks said. "He was a tremendous athlete and a great person."

Tatum was involved in one of the most unfortunate accidents in NFL history. During an exhibition game between the Raiders and New England Patriots on Aug. 12, 1978, Tatum and star Patriots receiver Darryl Stingley collided as they went after a pass. The impact of the collision caused spinal injuries and a broken neck to Stingley, leaving him paralyzed. He lived the rest of his life as a quadriplegic.

Stingley died at age 55 on April 5, 2007 from the after-effects of his injuries, doctors said.

"I am deeply saddened by the death of Darryl Stingley," Tatum then said in a statement released by the Raiders. "Darryl will be forever remembered for his strength and courage. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family."

Michael Brantley optioned to Class AAA Columbus for the second time this season, while Wes Hodges is designated for assignment.

View full sizeChuck Crow | The Plain DealerMichael Brantley is headed back to Columbus after struggling during his second go-around with the Indians in 2010.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Josh Tomlin has arrived to start against the Yankees tonight at Progressive Field. Michael Brantley was optioned to Class AAA Columbus to make room, while first baseman Wes Hodges was designated for assignment to clear a spot for Tomlin on the 40-man roster.

Tomlin was a non-roster player and had to be added to the 40-man.

In 20 games at Columbus, Tomlin went 8-4 with a 2.68 ERA. He made 17 starts and three appearances in relief. He allowed three or fewer runs in 16 of his 17 starts.

Tomlin was a 19th round pick by the Indians in 2006 out of Texas Tech Univeristy. He went 14-9 with a 4.16 ERA last year at Class AA Akron.

He has the daunting task of facing 13-game winner CC Sabathia and one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball tonight in his big league debut. The Yankees have the best record in the big leagues.

Not to mention Yankee third baseman Alex Rodriguez needing one homer to reach 600.

Tomlin was called up because Aaron Laffey was placed on the disabled list Friday with a tired left shoulder.

Brantley was optioned for the second time this season. He's hitting .157 (16-for-102) in two tours with the Tribe this year.

Hodges, the Indians second round pick in 2006, had a great spring with the big league club in Goodyear, Ariz. He had a good start at Columbus this year, but was hitting .269 (96-for-357) with nine homers and 46 RBI.

Cleveland's sports bloggers are talking about the Cavaliers' deal for Ramon Sessions, saying goodbye to Delonte West, talking more about Browns' running backs and more.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter | The Plain DealerJosh Cribbs has been embraced by Browns fans over the last two seasons and interacts with them regularly on Twitter.

Who has the best Twitter account in Cleveland sports? WaitingForNextYear ranks them. Be sure to vote for your favorite athlete Twitter account as well.

Cavaliers

Cavs: the blog: "The Cavs desperately needed a playmaker to make this uptempo offense work, and now they have one. The Cavs have athletes on the wings, but it's not about how fast the players move — it's about how fast the ball moves. Sessions is also comfortable playing full-court basketball; 48% of his shot attempts came in the first 10 seconds of the clock last season. If the Cavs put Sessions, Mo Williams, Jamison, and two athletes out on the floor together, they'll have some serious offensive firepower going." » Read more

Cleveland Frowns: "Whatever else about the Cavaliers' organizational failure to pick up on another obvious sign, we Cavs fans are left to remember that 'the crazy one' was the only one who spoke to us real people. Or at least spoke to us in a way that none of the others did, and in a way that consistently brought us joy. Pour out your raspberry ice tea and sing along. Delonte West will be missed in Cleveland. Here's hoping that wherever he lands, he lands on his feet." » Read more

Stepien Rules: "This isn't a blockbuster trade. This is a trade for Ramon Sessions. It is a significant move, in part, though, because it's not like the transactions we've seen over the last few years. As compared to acquiring a big name player with a huge contract on the downside of his career, this time the Cavaliers landed a solid young player, with a moderate price tag on the upside of his career - hopefully." » Read more

Land Loyalty: "As long as he owns the team, Dan Gilbert will do his very best to make the Cavs competitive. Part of the motivation to do so this season is unquestionably the heavy volume of season tickets that were sold last season as a way for fans to receive postseason priority. With this in mind, the common thought that the Cavs should tank and go immediately into rebuilding mode does not seem likely. I would agree with this strategy if LeBron had left after his first contract, but there is still young talent on the team and a complete overhaul is not completely necessary in my mind." » Read more

Browns

Cleveland Reboot: "Talk about some hype – I just lumped Hardesty's potential in with the ghosts of Madre Hill, Ben Gay, James Jackson, William Green and countless others. Not exactly the most effective use of hype – this must explain the reason why I'm a terrible salesman. As for that hype – it's already firmly entrenched in Berea and around Browns Nation, as there are two main reasons why Hardesty has become the next chosen one. 1. He's a running back who shows some promise. 2. He's a running back who shows some promise who happens to play for the Browns." » Read more

Two long balls sully a good Jake Westbrook outing.

View full sizeAP FileMidges made Joba Chamberlain's life miserable in Cleveland on Oct. 5, 2007. And it seems the Yankee pitcher remains bugged by the events of that night.

For example, in the Yankees' 3-2 over the Tribe at Progressive Field Monday night, the big question was not who would close, but who would set the stage for lights-out closer Mariano Rivera: Joba Chamberlain or David Robertson? Tribe fans will remember Chamberlain; he's the pitcher who suffered "The Night of the Midges" here against the Tribe in 2007. He's not really recovered from that. And now, though Joe Girardi denied it, he's apparently lost the Yankees skipper's confidence in him to be the eighth-inning set-up guy, according to espnnewyork.com's Wallace Matthews.

Two hours before the first pitch of Monday night's New York Yankees-Cleveland Indians game at Progressive Field, a direct question was put to Yankees manager Joe Girardi: All things being equal -- meaning both guys are healthy, well-rested and ready to pitch -- who is your eighth-inning guy, Joba Chamberlain or David Robertson?

"I'd probably lean towards Joba right now," he said. "We'll look at matchups and how it equates to certain guys, but I'd probably lean towards Joba."

Approximately four hours later, in the eighth inning of a game in which the Yankees led by one run -- thanks to Curtis Granderson's third homer in two games -- but still needed to get six more outs, it was time for Girardi to make his biggest decision of the night.The Indians had a runner on first, no one out and shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera -- a .280 hitter with all of one home run and seven RBIs -- coming up. Girardi was about to take the ball from Javier Vazquez, who had pitched seven fine innings, and hand it to whom?

Well, he might have been leaning toward Chamberlain before the first pitch was thrown, but now, with the game on the line, he called for Robertson.

"I looked at the charts and I looked at everything and I liked the matchup," he said. "So I thought I'd go to Robby there."

Never mind that the numbers actually said Chamberlain was the way to go -- that Cabrera was 0-for-5 lifetime against him with two strikeouts, but was an entirely unknown quantity against Robertson, never having faced him. Maybe along with the numbers and the charts and the matchups, Girardi read the tea leaves and the tarot cards. But something made him go with Robertson, and chances are it had very little to do with Cabrera, very little to do with Robertson and everything to do with Chamberlain.

. . . "I still have my job," Chamberlain said, sitting placidly in a folding chair after the game, either blissfully oblivious or willfully in denial. "I'm still ready to come out and help this team win. It doesn't matter what day it is or what the situation is. You gotta be ready from the sixth inning on for any situation that may happen."

Yeah, like when Luke made a remarkable recovery from the amnesia he got in the car crash on the way home from the hospital where he'd been recovering from near-fatal toe fungus came in and caught Laura kissing this other guy . . . oh, wait. That was the other soap opera with New York roots.

Never mind.

"I'd rather not hit a home run and win than hit a home run and lose," Rodriguez said (in a New York Daily News account).

"It was a great win for us."

It took 28 at-bats for Rodriguez to go from 499 to 500, so while his 17 at-bat stretch is his sixth-longest this season, he's still a few days away from reaching the length of his milestone trek from 2007. A-Rod has endured homerless skids of 34, 39, 46 and 59 at-bats this season, the longest coming during a 15-game stretch from April 21-May 8.

"I'm not really concerned about it," Rodriguez said. "It's going to come, whether it's this week, next week or next month. At some point, it will come. The important thing for me is to stay within the game."

It is great to have Choo back in the lineup every night. He showed off a few of his five tools last night with his bat and with his glove. In the fifth, Choo fired an absolute bullet on a Granderson ball off the wall, nailing the speedster at second. The fact that he came over as a player to be named later for Ben Broussard still stuns me to this day. Choo seems to get better and better, while Broussard now plays the guitar.

Hey, WFNY, thanks for the reminder. Check out Broussard's home page to follow his musical career. And as a public service, we provide a youtube sample of the former Tribe utilityman's musical gift. You haven't really lived till you've heard and/or seen Broussard beat-boxing to "Take Me Out to the Ballgame."

 


From The Plain Dealer
Beat writer Paul Hoynes has seen more losses than a Jenny Craig counselor. The one last night, though, had to hurt. Jake Westbrook pitched a great game . . . right until Westy surrendered Curtis Granderson's two-run, game-winning homer.

And in his Indians Insider column, pleasantly illustrated by Dennis Manoloff's camera-phone picture of 'em, Hoynesie talked about the specially marked baseballs used only during A-Rod's at-bats as he pursues that elusive No. 600.

View full sizeDennis Manoloff,
The Plain DealerThese specially marked balls will help baseball ensure that the ball someone claims to be Alex Rodriguez's 600th homer really WILL BE Alex Rodriguez's 600th homer.

Also Bill Livingston opines on CC Sabathia's return to where it all started. A strong contender for the AL Cy Young Award, with a 13-3 mark, and a 3.18 ERA, Livy says it'll be easier for the Yankees' ace to return to his Progressive/Jacobs Field roots than it will for LeBron James to return to his. Being traded, as CC noted, tends not to make you the pariah that announcing your "Decision" to leave your hometown team on national television does.

"It will all depend on how much Pryor progresses in reading defenses. The offense never did open up until the Rose Bowl. The offensive line is another major factor. They were not consistent at all, which resulted in Pryor getting sacked a ton of times. Pryor must also cut down his interceptions this season." - Pryor4heisman

View full sizeWally Skalij | Los Angeles Times | MCTWe know Terrelle Pryor can run. Can he take his passing game to the next level in 2010?

In response to the story Ohio State Comment of the Day: Not buying the Pryor Heisman hype, cleveland.com reader Pryor4heisman knows what the Buckeyes quarterback has to do to get to the next level. This reader writes,

"It will all depend on how much Pryor progresses in reading defenses. The offense never did open up until the Rose Bowl. The offensive line is another major factor. They were not consistent at all, which resulted in Pryor getting sacked a ton of times. Pryor must also cut down his interceptions this season."

Something good for Cavs fans to hear: The versatile guard acquired from Minnesota thinks he's going to a "good situation," agent says. Also, more warning for Chris Paul to ignore LeBron James.

NBA.comRamon Sessions' agent says the talented guard is happy to join the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Cleveland, Ohio -- It's about time that the Cleveland Cavaliers and their fans get to hear that someone appreciates them.

The Cavs have traded talented but troubled guard Delonte West and backup point guard Sebastian Telfair to the Minnesota Timberwolves for quick, versatile guard Ramon Sessions, 7-0 reserve center Ryan Hollins and a 2013 second-round draft pick.

Chris Tomasson writes for NBA FanHouse, quoting Sessions' agent, Chubby Wells:

"I talked to Ramon and he's ecstatic,'' Wells said in an interview with FanHouse. "He's really, really excited about going to what he thinks is a good situation."

Minnesota, which signed Sessions to a four-year, $16 million contract last summer as a free agent, was not a particularly good one for Sessions, a combo guard. He wasn't able to play effectively alongside point guard Jonny Flynn, and averaged 8.2 points and 3.1 assists over 21.1 minutes.

"I don't want to say anything bad about them,'' Wells said of the Timberwolves. "But it just wasn't a good fit. I'm happy they were able to move Ramon.''

The trade is the first made by the Cavaliers since LeBron James left them on July 8 to sign as a free agent with the Miami Heat. Since then, the Cavaliers have signed their 2009 first-round draft pick, guard-forward Christian Eyenga, and signed undrafted free agent power forward Samardo Samuels of Louisville.

Cavs covered

Plain Dealer Cavaliers coverage includes beat writer Brian Windhorst's report on the Cavaliers-Timberwolves trade; and a Starting Blocks poll on the trade.

Problems

West was one of the Cavaliers' best players when focused on the game. Bob Finnan of the News Herald and Lorain Morning Journal writes about some of West's problems:

The 6-foot-3, 180-pounder dragged the Cavs through much drama during the 2009-10 season.

It started with his arrest in September 2009 on six weapons charges, which included a loaded shotgun in a guitar case, an 8 1/2-inch Bowie knife and .357 Magnum strapped to his leg, according to reports.

A Prince George's County (Md.) Circuit Court judge last week sentenced West to eight months of home detention, two years of unsupervised probation, 40 hours of community service and psychological counseling.

By then, however, the Cavs were dead set on moving him. He missed practices, games and flights this season, much of it stemming from being bipolar.

What a guy

Cavaliers fans remain unhappy with the insulting, egotistical way in which James conducted his departure from the Cavaliers. James, from Akron's St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, has lived his entire life in the Akron area, including his current home in Bath Township.

Stephanie Warsmith writes for the Akron Beacon Journal that the Akron City Council has passed a resolution in support of James:

Council unanimously passed a resolution Monday night thanking James for ''his extraordinary basketball accomplishments and his continuing involvement in the Akron community.''

Council President Marco Sommerville said he thought the gesture was important because some have the impression that Akron no longer supports James.

''No matter what his decision was, he's still from Akron, Ohio,'' he said. ''He's a hometown person who we need to support.''

Influence

One of James' pals, star New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul, has indicated his concerns about the direction of his team, and reportedly wants to be traded.

Paul met with Hornets officials on Monday. He and the team both made positive remarks after the session, but Ken Berger writes for CBSSports.com that the spin was, for one thing, meant to maintain Paul's market value, and that Paul would still like to be traded.

Paul is known to be heavily influenced by James and his associates. Gregg Doyel writes for CBSSports.com that following James' advice and example would tarnish Paul's reputation:

With James' help, he is trying to one-up James for the biggest horse's ass in the NBA. And it's a crying shame, because Chris Paul is better than this. Or he was. He was the classiest young college athlete I've ever spoken to, and I spoke quite a bit to Shane Battier when Battier was at Duke. Since college, Paul has been a godsend to New Orleans, working with Drew Brees of the Saints to give that city, post-Katrina, some sports heroes they can believe in.

And now LeBron James is screwing it up. This isn't all on LeBron, though, because Chris Paul is letting it happen. He's a natural-born follower, like I said, but that doesn't absolve him of responsibility. He's 25. He's smart, he's financially independent and he's athletically wondrous. He doesn't hold as many cards in NBA circles as James, but he's in the top five. He's a power broker unto himself, but rather than use his power for good -- forcing the Hornets into surrounding him with talent -- he's using his power to force himself onto another team where he can win easier.

Step forward 

Former Cavaliers great and current television analyst Austin Carr made some interesting observations about the Cavaliers offseason -- just hours before the trade -- for the CavFanatic blog. Carr wrote that it will be interesting to see what player(s) assumes a leadership role:

Naturally, you’d think it’s going to be Antawn Jamison, Mo Williams and Anthony Parker – although Jamison’s kind of a laid-back guy. Right now, they don’t have a vocal leader. They have guys who are going to lead through example. A lot of the maturity level hasn’t been recognized because of LeBron. So now we’ll see who steps up and becomes the vocal leader.

LeBron squashed so much of that because of his dominance, so we’ll see who has the ability and who wants it. (Because a lot of guys don’t want it.) We’ll see who wants that role because that’s a lot of pressure to perform on a nightly basis and be consistent with your actions on and off the court.

Along the baseline

Rick Noland writes about the Cavaliers-Timberwolves trade for the Medina County Gazette and Elyria Chronicle-Telegram.

Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal details the trade.

Jerry Zgoda writes about the trade from a Timberwolves perspective for the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune.

It sounds like a yawner of a deal, but adding point guard Ramon Sessions is exactly the kind of trade the Cavaliers should be making in the post-LeBron James Era.

Stephen Chernin / Associated PressA determined and skillful penetrator and distributor of the ball, Ramon Sessions was an emerging talent with Milwaukee (here in 2008 driving against New York's Malik Rose and Nate Robinson) before a move to Minnesota stalled his career, says Terry Pluto.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers have traded for a 24-year-old point guard who had some success early in his career, but was trapped in a system that underlined his main weakness while erasing his greatest strength.

Ramon Sessions is exactly the type of player the Cavs should be adding at this stage of their life without LeBron James. That's especially true because the price for Sessions was minimal, in terms of contract ($12 million left over three seasons) and cost in the trade. Delonte West and Sebastian Telfair were shipped to Minnesota, where both are expected to be cut for salary cap purposes.

Meanwhile, Sessions could start, or at least be the Cavaliers' first substitute in the backcourt.

So why is a Minnesota castoff someone the Cavs need?

Because Sessions is the point guard who loves to motor the ball down the court on the fast break. He is very effective in the pick-and-roll, and he has the quickness to drive to the basket.

Minnesota runs the triangle offense, the same used by the Lakers and the Bulls in the Michael Jordan Era. Both teams prefer point guards who can shoot from long range -- Derek Fisher in L.A. while the Bulls had 3-point specialists such as John Paxson, Steve Kerr, Craig Hodges and B.J. Armstrong.

The Cavs' Daniel Gibson would be very productive in the triangle.

But not Sessions, which is why it was strange that Minnesota signed him to a 4-year, $16 million offer sheet last summer. He was a restricted free agent, and Milwaukee refused to match the offer because it was headed to the luxury tax and didn't want the added expense.

Sessions has started 47 games in his pro career, averaging 14.7 points, 8.4 assists and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 45 percent in 35 minutes per start. With the Bucks in 2008-09, it was 38 starts, 15.2 points, 7.5 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 45 percent shooting.

When given a chance, he delivers impressive numbers. He is the type of guard that new coach Byron Scott loves, because of his tendency to play in high gear, but not throw the ball all over the gym. He is a terrible 3-point shooter (10-of-56 for his career), but smart enough to know not to shoot often from that range.

The Cavs have a backcourt jammed with guards who love to fire away from long distance -- Anthony Parker, Mo Williams and Gibson. They don't have a pure point guard such as Sessions.

Some Cavs fans were hoping West would make a comeback. Perhaps he will. But he is facing a suspension of several games by the league for his arrest on gun charges. He was late for some team meetings and practices last season, and he missed a few team flights. He is in a major battle with his emotional problems.

While the Cavs opened the doors to lots of professional help for West, he didn't always take advantage of it.

At this point, Sessions is a better bet to consistently produce. He may resemble the Delonte West who showed up with the Cavs in 2007. He had a so-so career on some bad Boston teams, then played little for Seattle -- before joining the Cavs and being significant contributor for 11/2 seasons until he struggled last season.

The Cavs also picked up 7-footer Ryan Hollins in the trade, but he's a backup. This deal is about Sessions, and it could be a very good one for the Cavs.