Woods can equal Sam Snead's tour record of eight victories in the same event with a win next week at Firestone.

UPDATED: 7 p.m.

Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer Tiger Woods after sinking a birdie putt at last year's Bridgestone Invitational.

AKRON, Ohio -- Tiger Woods on Wednesday committed to play in next week's World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club.

The tournament received an unexpected boost, though, when flamboyant Anthony Kim also announced his intentions to play in the $8.5 million event on the famed South Course.

The Bridgestone will be Kim's first event since he withdrew from The Players Championship in May with a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb. The 25-year-old from Los Angeles underwent surgery a short time later.

Before that, the three-time winner on the PGA Tour was having a solid season, with a victory in the Shell Houston Open, a solo runner-up finish at the Honda Classic and two other top-10 finishes. This will be Kim's third straight appearance at Firestone, where he finished in a tie for 36th in each of his first two starts.

A tournament official said Carl Pettersson, the winner of last week's RBC Canadian Open, will not play at Firestone, citing a previous commitment.

Woods, whose appearance is a blessing for any tournament, has won seven times on the South Course, including last year's four-stroke victory over Padraig Harrington and Robert Allenby. In 10 previous starts at Firestone, the No. 1-ranked player in the world is a cumulative 103 strokes under par, with 29 rounds in the 60s. The Bridgestone will be his first tournament since he finished in a tie for 23rd in the British Open two weeks ago. He has taken more than $9 million out of Akron.

Woods, whose troubles have been well documented since November, can climb to within one victory of tying Jack Nicklaus on the all-time list. Woods has 71 career wins and trails only Nicklaus (73) and Sam Snead (81). In seven starts in 2010, Woods has two top 10s, with his best result a tie for fourth at the Masters. Eligible players have until 5 p.m. Friday to officially commit to playing at Firestone.

Alabama running back Mark Ingram will try to become the second two-time Heisman Trophy winner. Ohio State back Archie Griffin won it in 1974 and 1975. Buckeyes quarterback Terrelle Pryor is a top candidate this season,

Associated PressAlabama running back Mark Ingram stands with the Heisman Trophy after being named the 75th Heisman winner last Dec. 12 in New York.

The biggest team prize in college football is, of course, the national championship.

And the biggest individual honor is the Heisman Trophy, the award that has made football legends of, even, some players who never played in the NFL or did so with little success. The Heisman Trophy owns more tradition and assures a greater legacy than any individual honor at any level of the sport.

Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor goes into the 2010 season as one of the favorites to win the trophy. Running back Mark Ingram of Alabama was the 2009 Heisman winner, and will try to become the second player to claim the award twice. Ohio State running back Archie Griffin won the Heisman Trophy in 1974 and 1975.

Plain Dealer Ohio State beat writer Doug Lesmerises wrote last week about this season's top Heisman Trophy candidates.

The Heisman Trophy is named after John Heisman, who was born in Cleveland in 1869 and played college football before becoming one of the sport's most notable coaches. Heisman was a college coach for 36 years (1892 through 1927), with his first two stops at Oberlin College and Buchtel College, which became the University of Akron.

Get your questions ready and talk Indians baseball with The Plain Dealer's Paul Hoynes in a live chat.

Hoynsie answers your Indians questions today at noon.

Jump in the chat room below and ask your Indians questions or just listen. Can't make the chat? An archive will be made available in mp3 format shortly after the chat's completion.

A fan wearing a Miami Heat jersey of LeBron James drew the ire of the crowd at the Indians-Yankees game and was escorted out of the ballpark.

A fan wearing a LeBron James Heat jersey didn't get a warm welcome at Progressive Field on Wednesday night.

"Keep in mind, the fans who still pay attention were raving about a 22-year old (Gomez) and a 25-year old (Josh Tomlin) pitcher the past two weeks. Let's not bury a 19-year old without seeing him pitch." - mchamr

View full sizeOctavian Cantilli | The Grand Rapids PressGiovanni Soto is the Indians' newest addition to their farm system.

In response to the story Cleveland Indians trade Jhonny Peralta to injury-plagued Detroit Tigers for pitching prospect Giovanni Soto, cleveland.com reader mchamr doesn't think fans should be critical of Soto until they've seen him pitch.. This reader writes,

"Keep in mind, the fans who still pay attention were raving about a 22-year old (Gomez) and a 25-year old (Josh Tomlin) pitcher the past two weeks. Let's not bury a 19-year old without seeing him pitch."

"How about building a team instead of looking for another 'superstar?' Cleveland and its sportswriters need to get off of the mentality that the Cavaliers need another 'Chosen One' to be successful." - dmsdzinr

View full sizeTracy Boulian | The Plain DealerThe Cavaliers won't have the star power they did in '09-'10, but some fans are OK with that.

In response to the story For the Cavaliers, playing fast may have to replace playing well: Bud Shaw's Sports Spin, cleveland.com reader dmsdzinr thinks the opportunity is right for the Cavaliers to build things the right way. This reader writes,

"How about building a team instead of looking for another 'superstar?' Cleveland and its sportswriters need to get off of the mentality that the Cavaliers need another 'Chosen One' to be successful."

"I would not be very excited about some friend of the team president standing behind the huddle while my coaches and I are trying to coach. I think it sends the wrong message to the players and the coaches. The president should be concerned about results, not methodology. Otherwise, he's micro managing and that never works." - AndyTaylor

View full sizeJohn Kuntz | The Plain DealerMike Holmgren brought in Gil Haskell to advise the Browns' coaching staff.

In response to the story With Cleveland Browns camp at hand, Mike Holmgren says he's comfortable with letting coaches run the show, cleveland.com reader AndyTaylor doesn't like the idea of Gil Haskell looking over the coaches' shoulders. This reader writes,

"I would not be very excited about some friend of the team president standing behind the huddle while my coaches and I are trying to coach. I think it sends the wrong message to the players and the coaches. The president should be concerned about results, not methodology. Otherwise, he's micro managing and that never works."

"While the O-line is important, I feel in order to contend to a national championship, the D-line has to be dominant. That hasn't happened since 2003 and that's why the Bucks have not gotten it done in games against the SEC." - ronpbuckeye

View full sizeMarvin Fong | The Plain DealerOhio State has seen its share of dominant defensive lineman, like Vernon Gholston. Will anyone on this year's team step in to that role?

In response to the story Ohio State Comment of the Day: Offensive line could be great, cleveland.com reader ronpbuckeye thinks it's the other side of the ball that needs to dominate. This reader writes,

"While the O-line is important, I feel in order to contend to a national championship, the D-line has to be dominant. That hasn't happened since 2003 and that's why the Bucks have not gotten it done in games against the SEC."

Being the best player on a title-contending team puts Pryor in a good place, says Plain Dealer's Ohio State beat writer.

Marvin Fong, The Plain DealerTerrelle Pryor will make a run for the Heisman Trophy in 2010.

Today's guest, Plain Dealer Ohio State beat writer Doug Lesmerises, talks about his Saturday package about how Terrelle Pryor of OSU can win the Heisman Trophy in 2010. Doug says it's all laid out there for Pryor, and that it's hard for a player to repeat, as Alabama's Mark Ingram will try to do this season. Who is your pick for the Heisman Trophy? Vote in today's Starting Blocks poll.

Doug also talks about Mike Adams and the left tackle spot, Jermale Hines' role at safety, and whether Painesville Harvey grad Chris Fields can make a difference at receiver.

Starting Blocks TV will return Friday morning with Plain Dealer Browns beat writer Tony Grossi as the guest.He will answer questions from his weekly Hey, Tony! feature, so be sure to get your questions in. We'll pick the best ones to ask Tony during Friday's show.

New Cavs guard Ramon Sessions is ready to compete against good friend Mo Williams for the starting point guard job.

Gus Chan, The Plain Dealer Ramon Sessions, left, and Ryan Hollins were introduced by the Cavaliers at a press conference this morning.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- When Ramon Sessions' heard he was traded to the Cavaliers, the point guard's first call was to his agent.

His second was to his best friend, Cavs guard Mo Williams.

The former young protege is now 24 and eager to rejoin his one-time mentor, Williams, in Cleveland. But Sessions also made clear that he isn't going to sit back and watch his best pal take the job he'd like to play.

"Me and Mo are best friends, but we're gonna compete," Sessions said during a talk with media this morning at the Cavaliers practice facility. "It's not going to be something where I just come in and let him get off easy since he was my mentor coming up. I'm going to come in and compete and play hard."

Both Sessions and 7-foot Ryan Hollins said they are excited to join the Cavaliers and fit in with new coach Byron Scott's up-tempo offense.

"When we did research and were watching film on both these guys we saw a lot of good things, some of the extreme positives of guys running and playing with energy," Cavaliers general manager Chris Grant said.

The trade deadline is only two days away. Will the Indians make any more moves? Paul Hoynes talked Indians baseball in his weekly chat earlier today.

• How desperate were the Indians to move Jhonny Peralta?

• Who will get the most time at 3rd base for the remainder of the season?

• Will Jake Westbrook or Fausto Carmona be moved by the deadline?

• Even with the PEDs admission by Alex Rodriguez, is 600 home runs still significant?

• Should the Indians just make Chris Perez their closer, whether they can trade Kerry Wood or not?

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

Berea, Ohio -- The "real" Mike Holmgren era for the Browns begins on Saturday, when the team takes the field at its Berea practice facility to start training camp. Those last four wins of the 2009 season? Forget 'em. Those really were a bunch of guys fighting for jobs, including the head coach. Holmgren, who took over as team...

View full sizeGus Chan,
The Plain DealerBrowns President Mike Holmgren's head may be in his hands, but the coaching duties are in Eric Mangini's.

Berea, Ohio -- The "real" Mike Holmgren era for the Browns begins on Saturday, when the team takes the field at its Berea practice facility to start training camp.

Those last four wins of the 2009 season? Forget 'em. Those really were a bunch of guys fighting for jobs, including the head coach.

Holmgren, who took over as team president just in time to watch those wins last year, talked to reporters about what to expect. Since we KNOW you read what Plain Dealer beat writer Tony Grossi wrote, Starting Blocks will just move ahead with a bit of Mark Podolski's version of events in the Lorain Morning Journal.

Negativity isn't part of Holmgren's vocabulary. The only topic off limits was when he was asked a win total for the Browns in 2010.

"Nice try," he said. "I'd rather not ... I'd rather not, but I believe we'll be improved."

Perhaps, just perhaps for one moment reality set in for Holmgren. In this new era of the NFL, it seems any and every team can go from worst to first in any season, and Holmgren is a big believer in quick turnarounds, pulling off the feat in Green Bay and Seattle.

Still, somewhere in the back of his mind, he has to be realistic.

This is after all a team that ranked near the bottom of the NFL in total offense and defense in 2009.

. . . This is after all a team that "upgraded" its quarterback position with a player Holmgren admitted on Wednesday is near the end of his career, that being 35-year-old Jake Delhomme and his eight touchdowns and 18 interceptions last season.

Look, SB isn't a Pollyanna. But neither do we suffer from long-term memory loss (short-term, yeah; STILL can't find those dang glasses). Not too awfully long ago Jake Delhomme was a Pro Bowl, Super Bowl quarterback. The secret to repeating that success involves a good tight end, and the Browns have a pair of decent ones in Ben Watson and Evan Moore; a good running game, which should come from Jerome Harrison and Montario Hardesty; a good line, thank you, Joe Thomas and Alex Smith; and a good corps of wideouts.

A good corps of wideouts?

Uh-oh.

Et tu, T.O.?


Adam Stokes, blogging on brownsmix.com, knows wide receiver isn't exactly a Browns strength. So he asks, why not T.O? Yeah, he's agreed to terms with Cincinnati, so is pretty much off the table. That doesn't ease Stokes' mind.

Why did the Browns not go after T.O? Is it because of the off the field issues, or even the on the sideline issues? WHO CARES! He is a good football player at a position that we really need a veteran player with some talent. Instead, now we have to play against him 2 times this year, along with Ocho and Antonio Bryant. That should be entertaining. I say you have to fight fire with fire and Cleveland always seems to fight fire with lollipops and cotton candy.

I guess in the end, maybe someday, we will realize that you need to do what all the other teams do to win a championship, obviously, because everyone else finds ways to win while we sit back and wonder, why not, Cleveland?

Adam, Adam. We buy you books and buy you books and still the lessons go unl'arned. Why not T.O., as in Terrell Owens? Because THIS incarnation of the Browns front office has some smarts. Owens has poisoned every locker room he's been in. And, just to add a cherry to the creamy meringue, he's so reliable that he missed his flight to Kentucky and the Bengals training camp today.

Of course, it may not be his fault; he might have had visa issues, coming from his world into the real one.

A quick aside


Yeah, Starting Blocks knows this is the Browns links, not the Bengals, but we just had to add this little tidbit relative to the Terrell Owens pickup, especially in light of Mr. Stokes' blog:

According to DJ Gallo's Offseason Pigskinpalooza blog, Cincy's experiment with Owens is doomed to success. And yes, we meant doomed. Here's why:

Carson Palmer will continue to struggle with accuracy and Owens and Chad Ochocinco will continue to drop passes. All of this is great news for tight end Jermaine Gresham. Between the balls Palmer accidentally throws to his area and the passes he can catch deflecting off the hands of Owens and Ochocinco, Gresham may have 200 receptions this season.

See? We TOLD you a good tight end was essential.

From The Plain Dealer OK, OK, here's what beat writer Tony Grossi had to say in today's paper based on Mike Holmgren's press conference on Wednesday: The Browns will go undefeated and for good measure, after winning the Super Bowl in Dallas, they'll head to Miami and sweep a seven-game series with the Miami Cheat.

Oh, all right. What the Browns president really said is that he's leaving the coaching in coach Mangini and his staff.

Not nearly as much fun, is it? But it's true.

Fan wearing a James Heat jersey drew the ire of the crowd at the Indians-Yankees game last night and was escorted out of Progressive Field.

Associated PressLeBron James showing off his Yankees hat during an Indians-Yankees playoff game on Oct. 4, 2007. Too bad, James. The Indians won, 12-3, and won the series.

Cleveland, Ohio -- The young man who wore a LeBron James No. 6 Miami Heat jersey to Wednesday night's Indians game at Progressive Field against the Yankees learned well from James.

James, the lifelong Akron-area resident who signed with Miami as a free agent after playing seven years with the Cavaliers, angered Cavs fans with the well-documented and egotistical manner in which he conducted his departure -- let alone his poor, seemingly detached performance in the ill-fated playoff series against Boston.

James set an example for the fan who wore the jersey to Wednesday night's Tribe game. An example in agitating. In 2007, James wore a Yankees hat when he attended an Indians-New York playoff game at Progressive Field. Not only did it annoy Tribe fans, but it was disrespectful to Indians officials who had graciously arranged his attendance.

Nearly a year later, James showed up at the Browns' season-opener against the Dallas Cowboys at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Again donning a Yankees hat, and wearing a blue-and-silver (Cowboys' colors) shirt, James spent the pregame along the Cowboys sideline, warmly embracing fellow showboats such as Dallas owner Jerry Jones and players Terrell Owens and Adam "Pacman" Jones.

Later, then-Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards commented, prophetically:

“As I’ve gotten to know LeBron, LeBron isn’t a Cleveland guy. LeBron only plays for the Cavaliers, and who knows if he even likes the Cavaliers? He doesn’t like the Indians. He doesn’t like the Browns. He’s a guy from Akron who likes everybody but his hometown.”

Edwards was criticized for the comment, but who turned out to be right? James has proven to be the ultimate front-runner, with his much-hyped loyalty little but myth.

Cleveland.com earlier posted an Associated Press report (including a NewsNet5.com video, separate from the one below) of Wednesday night's incident, explaining:

A fan wearing a Miami Heat jersey of LeBron James drew the ire of the crowd at the Indians-Yankees game last night and was escorted out of Progressive Field.

Fans in the left-field bleachers chanted obscenities and pointed at the man Wednesday night during the sixth inning of the game between the Indians and New York Yankees. Hundreds of fans joined in before security led the man out of the ballpark.

Video of the fan wearing a LeBron James Miami Heat jersey at Wednesday night's Indians-Yankees game:

Rodriguez is 8-for-26 (.308) since his last homer. Not bad, but he's 2-for-13 vs. the Indians in this series. Tigers give up pitching prospect, but they like getting Peralta.

Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer Indians rookie Mitch Talbot takes the mound tonight against the Yankees and Alex Rodriguez.

Cleveland, Ohio -- Tough enough for a pitching staff to shut down a potent offense once or twice, as the Cleveland Indians did in a 3-2 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday night and a 4-1 win over the Bronx Bombers one night later.

Eventually, guys like the Yankees' hitters are going to bust loose, as they did in New York's 8-0 pasting of the Indians on Wednesday night. Throw in a strong outing by formerly struggling starting pitcher A.J. Burnett, and it was a comfortable evening for the defending World Series champions.

The teams close their four-game series tonight as Progressive Field. Right-handers Mitch Talbot (8-9, 4.08) for the Tribe and Dustin Moseley (0-0, 4.02) for New York will start on the mound. Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez needs one home run to become the seventh player in major league history to hit 600 in a career.

Rodriguez was 2-for-5 with a double on Wednesday night after going 0-for-8 in the first two games of the series.

Tonight's game is previewed on cleveland.indians.mlb.com.

A-Rod vs. Frank Herrmann

Rodriguez hasn't homered in his last 26 at bats, but he's not in a slump, getting eight hits during the stretch for a .308 batting average, with just three strikeouts.

Indians right-handed relief pitcher Frank Herrmann has been impressive since being promoted from Class AAA Columbus. Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News writes about Herrmann and Rodriguez facing each other on Wednesday night:

His final crack at 600 came in the eighth, as he engaged in a 10-pitch battle with righthander Frank Herrmann. After working the count full, A-Rod fouled off three straight pitches, the third of which he thought he could have driven out of the park.

Herrmann won the battle in the end, getting Rodriguez to fly out to shallow right field, delaying history for at least one more day.

"I felt really good about my at-bats today," Rodriguez said. "I got in some deeper counts, saw more pitches, and my swing overall was a little shorter. That's all good."

Got it covered

Plain Dealer Indians coverage includes Dennis Manoloff's game story on the Yankees' win over the Indians; Manoloff's report on the Tribe's trade of veteran third baseman Jhonny Peralta to the Detroit Tigers for minor league pitcher Giovanni Soto; Manoloff's Indians Insider.

Giovanni Soto

Anthony Castrovince writes about the Indians' trade of third baseman Jhonny Peralta to the Detroit Tigers on cleveland.indians.mlb.com. Included on the page is a profile of left-handed pitcher Giovanni Soto, 19. The Indians get him from the Detroit organization in the deal. Jonathan Mayo writes:

Soto's success comes more from pitchability than pure stuff. He throws his fastball 86-89 mph along with a 75-mph changeup. His cutter is his most effective pitch. All of his offerings play up because of his ability to command them with plenty of deception.

Jhonny Peralta

The Tigers are 3-12 since the all-star break and besieged by injuries to key position players. Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press, quoting Tigers president and general manager Dave Dombrowksi, writes that Detroit is expecting Peralta to help:

He's having possibly his worst season -- .246, seven home runs, 43 RBIs -- but has some extra-base pop. Figure he will fill in for Brandon Inge immediately at third base and then possibly move to shortstop when Inge returns in about a month from a broken left hand.

"I was trying to do something to help our ballclub and do something to stay in this," Dombrowski said. "We think this helps our ballclub with a solid big league player. We've got a lot of young players. Right now it gives us another veteran in our lineup."

Josh Tomlin 

Indians right-handed pitcher Josh Tomlin made his major league debut on Tuesday night, holding the Yankees to one run on three hits in seven innings. Jim Ingraham of the News Herald and Lorain Morning Journal writes that Tomlin remained a topic of conversation on Wednesday, and:

Asked what impressed him the most about Tomlin's performance, Indians manager Manny Acta didn't hesitate.

"His poise,'' said Acta. "He shocked me. There were some times when he was behind in the count, 2-1, and I figured he'd throw a fastball because you don't want to go down, 3-1, but he threw some 2-1 changeups. That shows you the confidence he has in his stuff. He wasn't afraid to fall behind, 3-1. The confidence he has in his pitches is tremendous.''

Indians, etc.

Sheldon Ocker's Indians-Yankees game story, and his report on the Peralta trade.

George A. King III writes about the Yankees' win over the Indians.

Maybe the Indians will make another trade or two prior to Saturday's non-waiver trade deadline. Stephanie Storm writes about the possibility for the Akron Beacon Journal.

Tribe notes and a story on the Peralta trade, both by Chris Assenheimer of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram and Medina County Gazette.

"I made the call," Rob King, editor in chief of ESPN Digital Media, said. "I just plainly felt it was wrong to gather information in this way, so we would not publish the information in any fashion."

Courtesy: ESPNESPN continues to answer questions in the wake of airing 'The Decision' special on July 8.

UPDATED: The Browns didn't change coaches this year, but the roster never stays the same.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain DealerBrowns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, left, and head coach Eric Mangini will be working with plenty of new players this season.

Updated with fans guide to training camp graphics below

CLEVELAND — The Browns may not have changed coaches this year, but the roster never stays the same.

When Eric Mangini leads his players onto the field Saturday for the first practice of training camp, they will include 40 -- exactly half the roster -- who were not with the team during the 2009 summer camp.

That figure includes several players who joined the Browns during the 2009 season, such as Matt Roth, Jason Trusnik, Chansi Stuckey, Blake Costanzo, Evan Moore and others.

The large turnover is attributable to other factors.

The team Mangini inherited in 2009 needed ample upgrading and it is natural for roster turnover to continue in a coach's second year. Plus, the addition of President Mike Holmgren and General Manager Tom Heckert resulted in an overhaul of the team's college and pro personnel departments. New men in charge results in new players.

How many will take on prominent roles in the 2010 season remains to be seen. As camp begins, we are projecting as many as 10 new starters among the 22 on offense and defense.

Defensive line

Coach: Bryan Cox.

Currently on roster (12): Titus Adams, Kenyon Coleman, Kwaku Danso (r), Clifton Geathers (r), Swanson Miller (r), C.J. Mosley, Shaun Rogers, Ahtyba Rubin, Derreck Robinson, Brian Sanford (r), Brian Schaefering, Robaire Smith.

Projected starters: Coleman, Rubin, Rogers.

Questions: How long, if at all, will Rogers and Smith be suspended by the NFL for recent gun-related incidents at airports? . . . Will Rogers be moved to end to make room for emerging run-stuffer Rubin at nose tackle? . . . Could raw prospects Danso and Geathers develop quickly enough to make the final roster, or are they bound for the practice squad?

Linebacker

Coach: Matt Eberflus.

Currently on roster (12): Eric Barton, Marcus Benard, David Bowens, Titus Brown, Blake Costanzo, Scott Fujita, Chris Gocong, D'Qwell Jackson, Kaluka Maiava, Matt Roth, Jason Trusnik, David Veikune.

Projected starters: Roth, Bowens, Gocong, Fujita.

Questions: Have the acquisitions of Gocong and Fujita pushed Jackson down the depth chart? . . . Will Barton play again or will last season's neck injury end his career? . . . Will Veikune improve enough to make the impact expected from a second-round pick? . . . Has Roth put his demand-to-be-traded attitude behind him? . . . How will the coaches mix and match the inside-outside combinations available to them?

Secondary

Coach: Jerome Henderson.

View full sizeLynn Ischay, The Plain DealerHow soon before first-round draft pick Joe Haden is starting at cornerback?

Currently on roster (15): Mike Adams, Larry Asante (r), Sheldon Brown, Chris Chancellor (r), Abram Elam, Coye Francies, Joe Haden (r), Gerard Lawson, Brandon McDonald, Chris Roberson, DeAngelo Smith, Nick Sorensen, Ray Ventrone, T.J. Ward (r), Eric Wright.

Projected starters: Brown, Wright, Adams, Ward.

Questions: Which of the rookie draft picks will develop into a starter the quickest? . . . Is McDonald's roster spot in jeopardy? . . . Can Ward stay healthy throughout his first NFL camp? . . . Will Francies reappear on radar in his second season? . . . Are there any signs of Brown, 30, slowing? . . . Does Haden have the speed to stay with NFL receivers?

Quarterback

Coach: Carl Smith.

Currently on roster (four): Jake Delhomme, Colt McCoy (r), Brett Ratliff, Seneca Wallace.

Projected starter: Delhomme.

Questions: Will the change of scenery alone be enough to eradicate Delhomme's 13-month turnover problem? . . . Could Wallace threaten the starting job, or is he ticketed for backup and gimmick roles? . . . How will the coaches parcel out playing time in the four exhibition games? . . . What does Ratliff need to do to preserve his roster spot? . . . How realistic is it for McCoy to play as a rookie?

Running back

Coach: Gary Brown.

Currently on roster (six): James Davis, Montario Hardesty (r), Jerome Harrison, Peyton Hillis, Chris Jennings, Lawrence Vickers.

Projected starters: Hardesty, Vickers.

Questions: Can Hardesty beat out the rushing machine that Harrison became in the final month of last season? . . . What does Harrison have to do to permanently win over his doubters? . . . Will injuries play no role in the Hardesty-Harrison competition? . . . Can Hillis, who missed a couple weeks of off-season practices with an undisclosed illness, fight off the quicker Davis and Jennings for a roster spot? . . . What should we expect in Year 2 from 2009 camp phenom Davis?

View full size

Wide receiver

Coach: George McDonald.

Currently on roster (nine): Jake Allen, Josh Cribbs, Bobby Engram, Johnathan Haggerty (r), Mohamed Massaquoi, Carlton Mitchell (r), Brian Robiskie, Syndric Steptoe, Chansi Stuckey.

Projected starters: Massaquoi, Cribbs.

Questions: Will anyone emerge as a No. 1-caliber playmaker? . . . How much improvement will Robiskie show from his disappointing rookie season? . . . What does Engram have left at age 37? . . . Has the 6-4 Allen been overlooked as a potential contributor? . . . Is Haggerty a viable threat to earn a roster spot? . . . Is Mitchell? . . . Can Stuckey emerge as a Wes Welker-type slot receiver? . . . Could Massaquoi benefit the most from the new quarterbacks?

View full size

Tight end

Coach: Steve Hagen.

Currently on roster (five): Joel Gamble, Evan Moore, Robert Royal, Alex Smith, Benjamin Watson.

Projected starter: Watson.

Questions: How much impact on defenses will Watson's presence have? . . . Can Moore expand on the unexpected instant impact he made last year? . . . Was Royal's poor 2009 season a mirage or the norm? . . . If it continues, can he make the team?

Offensive line

Coach: George Warhop

Currently on roster (13): Casey Bender, Paul Fanaika, Scott Kooistra, Shawn Lauvao (r), Alex Mack, Pat Murray, Tony Pashos, Joel Reinders (r), John St. Clair, Eric Steinbach, Joe Thomas, Floyd Womack, Billy Yates.

Projected starters: Thomas, Steinbach, Mack, Lauvao, Pashos.

Questions: Can Lauvao unseat Womack at right guard? . . . How much better will Mack be in his second season? . . . What does St. Clair need to do to make the team? . . . Is Steinbach's job really in jeopardy or has he proved to the coaches he's the most dependable left guard? . . . Is the 6-7, 320-pound Reinders a legitimate prospect or just a big man? . . . Who's the backup center?

Specialists

Coach: Brad Seely.

Currently on roster (four): Phil Dawson, Reggie Hodges, Ryan Pontbriand, Dave Zastudil.

Projected starters: Dawson, Pontbriand, Zastudil.

Questions: Will Dawson put his contract concerns behind him once again? . . . How healthy is Zastudil at the beginning of camp?

Jayson Nix is going to get the first chance to replace Jhonny Peralta at third base.

Thomas Ondrey/The Plain DealerShin-Soo Choo makes a sliding catch on a ball hit by Derek Jeter in the 1st inning of a game between the Cleveland Indians and the New York Yankees on Thurs. July 29, 2010.

UPDATED: 9:36 p.m.

Cleveland, Ohio -- This is a daily briefing of the Indians 2010 regular season. The Indians play the Yankees tonight in the final game of a four-game series at Progressive Field.

 Progressive Field dimensions: Left field line 325 feet, left field power alley 370 feet, center field 400, right center field power alley 375, right field line 325.

In game notes:

Score: Yankees 2, Indians 1 after six innings.

In the lead: Derek Jeter's two-out single off Tony Sipp in the sixth gave the Yankees a 2-1 lead. Brett Gardner scored the go-ahead run after drawing a leadoff walk, taking second on a ground out and stealing third.

Manager Manny Acta could have intentionally walked Jeter with first base open to set-up left-on-left matchup with Curtis Granderson, buthe  let Sipp pitch to Jeter. Granderson hit Sipp hard in the Indians trip to Yankees Stadium earlier this season.

Injury: Mitch Talbot left the game in the third inning with a strained back after going 2-0 on Derek Jeter with one on and no one out. Rafael Perez relieved. He walked Jeter, with the walk being charged to Talbot. Curtis Granderson advanced the runners with a sac-bunt and Perez loaded the bases by walking Mark Teixeira.

That set up a confrontation with Alex Rodriguez, who is seeking his 600th homer. A seven-pitch at-bat ended with Rodriguez lining a sac-fly to center to tie the score, 1-1. Perez escaped further damage when Robinson Cano lined into a double play at second.

Early lead: The Indians took a 1-0 lead on Dustin Moseley on Austin Kearns' sac-fly in the first. 

The lne: Talbot went two innings, allowing one run on one hit. He walked four and struck out one on 42 pitches.

 Pre-game notes:

 Game 102: Manager Manny Acta said Jayson Nix will get the majority of at bats at third base following Wednesday's trade of Jhonny Peralta to Detroit.

 "Jayson Nix is going to get the first shot," said Acta before tonight's game. "We got production out of him at second base. He'll get the majority of at-bats right now."

 Acta said Andy Marte will get some starts at third and Luis Valbuena could play there if they need a left-handed hitter in the lineup. Valbuena, called up from Class AAA Columbus to take Peralta's spot on the roster, will primarily be the utility infielder.

 Nix is hitting .255 (24-for-94) with five doubles, six homers and 12 RBI in 24 games since being claimed on waivers from the White Sox on June 24. He started quickly with the Tribe, but lost his starting position at second when the Indians gave the job to Jason Donald following the return of shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera from a broken left forearm.

 The right-handed hitting Nix played 16 games at third, including 12 starts, with the White Sox this season before he was designated for assignment.

 "I feel comfortable over there," said Nix. "With Jhonny gone, this is a good opportunity."

 Scratched: DH Travis Hafner was scratched from the Indians lineup because of a sore right shoulder. Shelley Duncan replaced him.

 Lineups:

 Yankees (64-36): SS Derek Jeter (R), CF Curtis Granderson (L), 1B Mark Teixeira (S), 3B Alex Rodriguez (R), 2B Robinson Cano (L), DH Nick Swisher (S), LF Brett Gardner (L), C Francisco Cervelli (R), RF Colin Curtis (L) and RHP Dustin Moseley (0-0, 4.22).

 Indians (42-59): CF Trevor Crowe (S), SS Asdrubal Cabrera, RF Shin-Soo Choo (L), C Carlos Santana (S), LF Austin Kearns (R), 1B Matt LaPorta (R), 3B Jayson Nix (R), DH Shelley Duncan (R), 2B Luis Valbuena (L) and RHP Mitch Talbot (8-9, 4.08).
 
 Umpires: H Jerry Meals, 1B Mark Wegner, 2B Dan Iassogna, 3B Dale Scott.

 Quote of the day: "I copied (Shoeless Joe) Jackson's style because I thought he was the greatest hitter I had ever seen, the greatest natural hitter I ever saw. He's the guy who made me a hitter," Hall of Famer Babe Ruth from the Baseball Almanac.

 Next: Indians open three-game series against Toronto at Rogers Centre on Friday. RHP Justin Masterson (3-9, 5.19) vs. RHP Shaun Marcum (9-4, 3.36) at 7:07 p.m.

A sultry evening on Wednesday leads to a lot of uniform changes for Indians starter Fausto Carmona.

View full sizeThomas Ondrey / The Plain DealerFausto Carmona, left, lasted just 2 2/3 sweaty innings Wednesday night against the Yankees.

Clubhouse confidential: Fausto Carmona lasted only 2 2/3 innings Wednesday night against the Yankees. It was his shortest start of the season, but far from his driest.

Carmona sweated through three Indians caps and two jerseys, while allowing seven runs and 10 hits. When pitching coach Tim Belcher visited Carmona on the mound, there was so much sweat dripping off the bill of Carmona's cap that it looked like it was raining

If the Indians were hoping to entice a team to give them the mother lode for Carmona before Saturday's 4 p.m. deadline, that start didn't help.

New digs: Luis Valbuena, fresh from Class AAA Columbus, has moved into Shin-Soo Choo's old locker. Choo moved to the corner locker next to the rear exit of the clubhouse after Mike Redmond was released.

"There's a lot of hits in that locker," Choo told Valbuena as he stood in front of his old locker. "There's a .300 batting average in that locker and .320 in this locker [pointing to his own]."

Stat of the day: Josh Tomlin and Scott Lewis are the only Indians pitchers in history to allow three or fewer runs and pitch at least seven innings in their big-league debut, according to Elias Sports Bureau.

Third base is a position in transition for the Indians following the trade of Jhonny Peralta. Jayson Nix will get the first chance to win the job.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerJayson Nix, who has played plenty of second base for the Indians this season, gets the first chance to win the third baseman's job after the trade of Jhonny Peralta.

CLEVELAND — Let the tryouts begin.

Following the trade of Jhonny Peralta just before Wednesday night's game, the Indians began auditions for their next third baseman. Jayson Nix, who started against the Yankees on Thursday, will get the first shot.

"We got production out of him at second base," said Tribe manager Manny Acta. "He'll get the majority of at-bats right now."

Practicing their lines, and waiting for a chance, will be Andy Marte and Luis Valbuena in the big leagues. In the minors, Jared Goedert is lurking at Class AAA Columbus and Lonnie Chisenhall at Class AA Akron.

There could be more third basemen coming. Acta said the Indians will explore the free-agent market this winter to see who is available.

Nix is hitting .255 (24-for-94) with five doubles, six homers and 12 RBI in 24 games since being claimed on waivers from the White Sox on June 24. He started quickly with the Tribe but lost his starting position at second when the Indians gave the job to Jason Donald following the return of shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera from a broken left forearm.

The right-handed-hitting Nix played 16 games at third, including 12 starts, with the White Sox this season before he was designated for assignment.

"I feel comfortable over there," said Nix. "With Jhonny gone, this is a good opportunity."

Acta said Marte will get a chance to start some games, while Valbuena will be used mostly as a utility infielder. Valbuena, called up after Peralta was traded to Detroit, could get a start or two at third if the Indians are facing a particularly tough right-hander.

Goedert is hitting .310 (108-for-348) with 24 homers and 68 RBI at Class AAA Columbus and Class AA Akron this year. Acta said he could get a look in September. Right now, he's working on his defense.

"We don't have a power point presentation on who is going to play third base," said Acta. "The first step is to see what these guys here are able to do. Step No. 2 would be taking a look at Goedert. Step No. 3 would be to look what's in the market and to see if we're going to make a commitment to anybody outside the organization."

Third baseman who could be available this winter as free agents include Garrett Atkins, Wilson Betemit, Geoff Blum, Jorge Cantu, Pedro Feliz, Jerry Hairston Jr., Bill Hall, Wes Helms, Brandon Inge, Jose Lopez, Mike Lowell, Melvin Mora, Peralta, Robb Quinlan, Miguel Tejada, Juan Uribe and Ty Wigginton.

Scratched: DH Travis Hafner was scratched from the Indians lineup because of a sore right shoulder. Shelley Duncan replaced him.

Late call: Marte, one of Peralta's closest friends on the team, said Peralta wasn't told about the trade until about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

"He was sitting in his uniform when he got called into the office," said Marte. "Manny [Acta] told me to get ready to play third. Then Jhonny came out and told me he'd been traded.

"It's tough. He's like a brother to me."

Marte said Peralta was excited about the trade to the Tigers.

"He said he could get a chance to play shortstop again," said Marte.

Peralta joined the Tigers during their game against the Rays at Tropicana Field on Thursday afternoon. He's wearing No. 27.

The Tigers lost their third baseman (Inge) and second baseman Carlos Guillen to injuries. Peralta probably will start at third and bat in the middle of the lineup to offer Miguel Cabrera protection.

"What made it tough wasn't the time of the trade, it was the guy," said Acta. "He's a guy who has been here for a long time. He was signed and developed here. The type of person he is . . . that's what made it tough."

What happened? Valbuena opened the season with the Indians and was optioned to Columbus on June 24 with a .164 batting average. He hit .313 (30-for-96) with eight doubles, six homers and 20 RBI at Columbus.

"I worked on some things with my footwork," said Valbuena. "Up here, I was swinging across my body and couldn't pull the ball. I was able to pull the ball in Columbus."

Ohio State is taking steps it hopes will prevent its football players from violating rules in regard to sports agents.

View full sizeButch Dill / Associated PressAlabama coach Nick Saban recently caused a stir when he compared sports agents to pimps.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Maybe the pimp talk will get the Buckeyes to pay attention.

Speeches from compliance officers typically don't thrill college football players, but when Ohio State gathers for the start of preseason camp next Thursday, Chris Rogers, Ohio State's assistant athletic director for compliance, will have some fresh ammo for his lecture: the recent NCAA investigations into player-agent interaction at Alabama, North Carolina, Florida and other schools, highlighted so far by Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban comparing sports agents to pimps.

"Everything that's in the news will be part of that meeting," Rogers said. "It's a good educational opportunity to show the student-athletes that this could be you. This is real stuff."

Those words of warning are the best way, and in reality the only way, to fight what is an escalating NCAA battle against improper dealings between players and agents. There are plenty of rules and regulations on the books, but the only thing with bite is somebody else getting caught.

"Ohio does it as well as anyone in the nation, but I think the whole system is broken," said Jeff Chilcoat, a Columbus-based agent who has represented several Ohio State players. "With the rules right now, it's like the wild west."

Here's how it works in Ohio, which is similar to the rest of the country:

Agents are required to register with the Ohio Athletic Commission, which has a primary job of regulating boxing and mixed martial arts. For the OAC, governing agents is an additional job, which consists of collecting a $500 fee for a two-year license and listing registered agents on its website. (There are 85 individuals or agencies registered at the moment.)

"We don't have the power to go out and enforce anything," said Bernie Progato, the head of the OAC.

Instead, Progato said schools should report bad agent behavior to the OAC, which would forward complaints on to the attorney general's office. In more than a decade that the law has been in place, Progato said he has never heard of a complaint.

More than 40 states have adopted the Uniform Athlete Agents Act, created more than a decade ago. Ohio has not, because its own similar agent regulations, under Chapter 4771 of the Ohio Revised Code, were created first.

The idea of the UAAA, and the Ohio code, is to force agents to register, disclose their backgrounds and qualifications, and keep their potential clients informed, while setting up civil penalties as well. Michael Kerr of the Uniform Law Commission, which created the UAAA, said it allows contracts to be voided, licenses to be revoked or even allows schools to sue agents if they violate the rules.

Violating the code in Ohio is also a first degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail or a $1,000 fine.

For the most part, schools are left to police themselves. That means, for instance, turning in agents that give players money, which is also in effect turning in the school.

"The schools don't have an incentive to come forward if they know something is going on or if they find out something went on years ago," Kerr said, "because if they tell the NCAA about it, they'll get sanctioned."

Part of the prevention plan, then, is attempting to limit contact. Ohio State does that by requiring all agents and financial advisers who want access to campus to register with them. They also check to ensure agents are registered with the OAC.

Additionally, Ohio State holds an agent day every spring, when players officially meet with agents at what amounts to a job fair, "to get it above board, so it doesn't go underground," Rogers said.

In 2007, the NFL Players Association created a rule that forbids any personal contact between agents and players until the players are three years out of high school. Previously, younger players had attended agent day to make initial introductions. Now, agents say those who play by the rules fall behind those agents who break the rules and create relationships with players while they are underclassmen.

"It's very difficult to legislate ethics and morality and good conduct," said Beachwood-based agent Neil Cornrich, who represents numerous players and coaches. "I think you go about this through good education."

So on Thursday, the Ohio State players should once again learn this:

No one can stop agents from getting to you. And no one knows when you might, by chance, get caught.