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Ohio State football players appreciate Urban Meyer's sometimes brutal honesty

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Ohio State players have been forced to get used to Urban Meyer's criticisms, and those words should drive them through the summer.

osufootball-meyer-may28.jpgView full sizeUrban Meyer's frank assessments of his player's abilities are sometimes tough to listen to but the Buckeyes, including center Corey Linsley, say they appreciate their new coach's honesty.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Their workouts have made it obvious that Urban Meyer wants leaner bodies on his players. The Buckeyes gradually have learned they also need thicker skins.

"Oh yeah," Ohio State senior tight end Jake Stoneburner said. "Stuff can't be repeated, but he said some stuff that is obviously true but people wouldn't usually say that to someone. But that's his way of getting to people and it actually works."

As Ohio State's first-year football coach prepares to send his players into the summer, when only the OSU strength staff can have direct contact with the Buckeyes, he will do so with his voice ringing in their ears. Meyer met individually with each player at the end of spring practice, providing them with detailed, and what he called "brutally honest," multipage evaluations about their football, academic, strength room and off-field lives.

"It was pretty blunt," said junior center Corey Linsley. "The biggest thing was it was honest. He's not going to sit there and say, 'You do a pretty good job at this, you could get better.' He's going to say, 'You suck at this, and you're not doing well at that.' It's a really great way to put it. Otherwise you're just BSing around and it's not getting anybody better."

By now, the players have an idea of what they're getting with Meyer. Fans should, too. Meyer's general rule is to criticize position groups, but not individual players, publicly. Ask the receivers or offensive linemen. He has been critical. And not that college football players aren't used to get yelled out or called out privately, but the input with this coaching staff has been sharper than most were accustomed to. Meyer said his recent individual meetings with players were "sometimes very uncomfortable."

"I've never been broken down that intently," junior left tackle Jack Mewhort said. "It was great to get that reassessment of my whole life pretty much. . . . I think blunt is a negative word. I think honest would be a better word to use. Straightforward. There's no gray area."

"One of the worst things that can happen between a coach and a player," Meyer said, "is misunderstanding or cloudiness about what's going on. We try to eliminate that."

So while the Buckeyes can't play in the Big Ten Championship or in a bowl game after the 2012 regular season, which removes one typical motivation for players, they have other things driving them. The always-present desire to win every time you take the field. Personal pride after a rough 6-7 season.

And not wanting their coach to yell at them some more.

"I think he prides himself on being transparent and very honest," senior punter Ben Buchanan said. "Sometimes it's not the things you want to hear, but it's the things that when you think of it, they owe you that, to be honest with you.

"He told us from the beginning, in some sense, 'I'm not paid to be your friend, I'm paid to be your football coach.' "

Buchanan said that so many of the Buckeyes, especially the seniors, still have strong relationships with former head coach Jim Tressel and his staff, so Meyer's approach made sense. Buchanan said the players now love both the former and current staffs, and while Meyer's approach can be tough to handle at times in the short term, in the long term it's the best thing for making them better football players.

They are preparing now to follow what Meyer laid out for them but without his constant reminders. Strength coach Mickey Marotti is Meyer's right-hand man and will be keeping the Buckeyes fit, but in the summer the football work must be their own.

Stoneburner, for instance, said he and several receivers already have been working out regularly with quarterback Braxton Miller, fine-tuning the new passing routes that are part of Meyer's offense. Several players said the veterans will continue to lead the voluntary summer work, as usual.

Meyer won't be there. But his message will be.

"I think it's just more he's going to keep it real with you," junior safety C.J. Barnett said, "and he has kept it real."


There is more to the Cleveland Indians' poor attendance than just the Dolans, Bud Shaw writes

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There are some legitimate reasons for fans to stay away from the ballpark, but being mad at the Dolan family is not one of them, Bud Shaw writes.

shaw-indians-attendance-may28.jpgView full sizeThe Indians are in first place in the standings and last in the majors in attendance.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- They say nobody roots for Goliath.

Well, being David isn't all it's cracked up to be, either. Ask the Dolan family.

They really should get more leeway than they do with Indians fans -- right? -- just based on certain ingredients people here always claim to hold near and dear: Clevelanders. Dyed-in-the-wool. Stable. Classy. No ego.

The Dolans are exactly what this town is all about, except when it comes to wanting its baseball owners to have the deep pockets of Randy Lerner, formerly called an absentee owner, and the passion of Dan Gilbert.

That Lerner and Gilbert compete in sports with salary caps is rarely mentioned, perhaps because they're seen as having the wherewithal to compete in baseball, too.

Maybe. But would they take losses year after year, outspending their revenue, for the singular goal of staging a championship parade? The Dolans aren't the only owners in baseball who can't justify that.

We'll never know about Lerner and Gilbert, as far as being major league baseball owners. But we suspect businessmen don't become successful and stay that way by happily operating in the red.

In the meantime, the Browns have sold awful football wrapped in tradition. And Lerner gets more than grudging credit every time he throws good money after bad in another regime change. "See?" they say -- he cares.

My guess is, the Dolans could clear that low bar fairly easily.

A number of years ago, the Cavs traded on a slogan of "hardworking town, hardworking team." And the people who paid enough attention to notice made allowances for the franchise's inability to attract star talent.

LeBron James changed all that. But when Gilbert lost James to Miami, the departure gave Gilbert more clout with fans, not less.

Even though a popular national take was that the Cavs fell down on the job of surrounding James with a championship cast, the city became Gilbert's instant ally.

No one is suggesting the Dolans should've been celebrated for proactively trading CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee. But vilified to the point at which some Indians fans lamely say that's why they're not paying to watch the Indians in 2012?

If that were the case, you'd think the signing of Asdrubal Cabrera and Carlos Santana -- and at least the theory behind trading two top prospects for Ubaldo Jimenez and a chance to win now -- would produce a bump in attendance, if not forgiveness. How's that working out?

If you want to tell me you've given up on baseball because the uneven playing field forces teams with $50 million payrolls to challenge teams with $200 million payrolls, that makes perfect sense.

To pretend that the Dolans are the root of the problem, or that Dick Jacobs would outspend his revenue if he still owned the team (he never did outspend it, by the way), that's when you lose me.

The Indians are an underdog team playing in an underdog town in a sport that's more about class warfare than the hottest political debate these days. And the people who understand the reality and can afford the financial commitment happily commune at Progressive Field on a semi-regular basis to watch a team that spent three months in first place last year and is there again.

There just aren't enough of them in a town feeling the effects of tough economic times.

The Indians will have to go to a World Series for the attendance issue to change dramatically. Nothing short of it will suffice, apparently, as we saw when the Indians fell a win short in 2007.

Ultimately, it's the responsibility of the Dolan ownership to excite the fan base again. Whatever it takes -- finding investors to give the payroll more punch, making a statement with one huge free-agent signing, keeping Shin-Soo Choo and Cabrera when the big money comes calling, whatever -- it's on them.

Let's just not pretend they're the only reason why baseball in this town isn't what it was in the 1990s.

First in the AL Central, last in attendance.

There's no simple answer for how it's come to that.

Tribe catchers are taking their lumps: Cleveland Indians Insider

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Carlos Santana and Lou Marson had to leave games in Chicago because of injuries.

indians-marson-mouth-chicago-may28.jpgView full sizeA trainer looks at catcher Lou Marson after he was hit in the mouth by a pitch from Chicago's Gavin Floyd on Sunday. Marson left the game in the fifth inning and needed three stitches inside his mouth.

CHICAGO -- It was a lost weekend for the Indians and their catchers in the Windy City.

Not only did the White Sox sweep the Tribe in a three-game series, but catchers Carlos Santana and Lou Marson were injured. Santana took a foul tip off the mask in the eighth inning Friday night and was placed on the seven-day disabled list Saturday with a concussion.

Marson caught Saturday's 14-7 loss without incident, but Sunday he was hit in the mouth by a Gavin Floyd curveball in the fourth inning. Marson stayed in the game for another inning -- he took out second baseman Gordon Beckham with a slide to break up a double play -- but left after the fifth because he needed three stitches to close the cut on the inside of his mouth.

"Lou is OK," said manager Manny Acta. "He got big gash on the inside of his mouth, but he's a tough guy. Probably one of the toughest I've been around."

Said Marson: "I'm OK. I can catch Monday."

Luke Carlin, called up from Class AAA Columbus on Saturday when Santana was placed on the disabled list, finished the game behind the plate. Carlin doubled in his first at-bat.

Santana didn't come to U.S. Cellular Field on Saturday, but watched the game from the clubhouse Sunday. He returned to Cleveland with the team after the game.

"He's feeling much better," said Acta.

Acta said Santana will probably undergo neurological tests today to see how he's recovering from the concussion.

Little big man: Jason Kipnis doesn't look like a home-run hitter. He stands 5-11 and weighs 185 pounds.

What he looks like is what he is -- a second baseman whose uniform is always dirty. Those guys usually aren't power hitters, but Kipnis leads the Indians with eight homers and 28 RBI.

"You stand next to him and say, 'How does this guy do this?' " said hitting coach Bruce Fields. "But it's the sequence and the coordination of his swing. He's very consistent with it."

Fields, who worked with Kipnis after the Indians drafted him in 2009, said Kipnis used to wrap the bat around his head. He's gradually lowered it.

"We wanted to make some adjustments so on his pull [right] side, the ball would have some backspin on it," said Fields. "He made that adjustment like it was nothing. He's been hitting ever since."

It's not about character: Acta does not want to watch his team go through another character-building test because of injuries. He had enough of that last year.

"I'm not interested to see how this team reacts, OK?" said Acta before Sunday's game. "I want to have my three guys back. At least two of them. I'm telling you right now."

Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera (left hamstring), DH Travis Hafner (right knee) and Santana (concussion) are currently sidelined. They form the middle of the Indians' lineup.

"It doesn't matter how we react," said Acta. "We just want to try and survive and bide time until those guys come back. You can't substitute those guys."

Santana is the only one on the disabled list. Cabrera and Hafner are day to day, but one of them may have to go on the disabled list when Josh Tomlin is activated to start against Kansas City today.

Hafner and Cabrera will go through drills today at Progressive Field to determine when they'll be able to play. The Indians open a three-game series against Kansas City this afternoon.

Going up: Kipnis was wrong.

He said Michael Brantley's home-run-stealing catch against Alex Rios in the first inning Saturday would rank No. 1 on "SportsCenter's" Top 10 plays of the day. It ranked No. 2.

"I didn't watch a lick of 'SportsCenter' on Saturday night," said Brantley. "But it was one of the best catches I've ever made."

It looked like a three-run homer for Rios before Brantley extended his right arm over and behind the center field fence to bring the ball back in.

"I knew I had it because I felt it in the glove," said Brantley. "I tried not to smile when I hit the ground because the ball was still in play and I was looking to double somebody up."

Said Acta: "That was legit. He brought it back. It was a very good catch."

Dario Franchitti fights off last-lap challenge, wins Indianapolis 500 for the third time

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Takuma Sato's bid to pass Franchitti in turn one on the last lap ends with him spinning into the wall.

indy500-franchitti-may28.jpgView full sizeDario Franchitti celebrates his third Indy 500 victory.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Dario Franchitti survived a last-lap near touch of the wheels with hard-charging Takuma Sato, an incident that sent Sato into the wall while Franchitti maintained control to win his third Indianapolis 500.

The title came with the last three turns run under caution following Sato's spin, but nearly all other expectations were met in Sunday's 96th running of the Indianapolis 500. Franchitti's victory also was a measure of redemption for Honda, which powered the winner to victory lane after after eating Chevrolet dust all month at the 2.5-mile Brickyard oval.

"I think D-dub would be proud of that one," said Franchitti, referring to the late Dan Wheldon, who won at Indy for the second time last year. "What a great race today. To be able to come from the back of the grid after being spun in pit lane."

The spin came on lap 14 during the first of eight cautions in the 200-lap race, allowing plenty of time to get back into position for the victory. Franchitti, 39, who won here in 2007 and 2010, smoothly made his way toward the front and took his first lead on lap 153. But it would not be his last.

There was a record 35 lead changes among 10 drivers -- five powered by Chevy and five by Honda -- with the Chevrolet cars dominating the first half of the race, primarily Marco Andretti. Honda power was at the front most of the last 100 laps around the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was a 1-2 finish for team owner Chip Ganassi with Scott Dixon finishing second, both under Honda power.

Tough-luck Tony Kanaan was masterful with his aggressive late-race driving. But he could not hold a lead he took by jumping from fifth to first on a late-race restart and finished third. The good fortune went to Franchitti, who was spun in the pits early and survived Sato's move late. Afterward he had no harsh words for the former Formula One driver.

"It's the Indianapolis 500," Franchitti, the reigning and four-time series champion said. "The only mistake was his car got loose."

Sadly for Sato, driving for Rahal/Letterman/Lanigan Racing, his crash dropped him all the way back to 17th.

indy500-sato-spin-may28.jpgView full sizeTakuma Sato spins after his unsuccessful attempt to pass Dario Franchitti in turn one on the last lap of the Indy 500.

"It was job done from my point of view," Sato said. "Coming out of turn four I was drafting into turn one. It was a good opportunity because I was inside before we both turned into turn one. We were completely side-by-side. He kept coming and gave me no space. I was boxed in. Nothing I could do. I didn't hit him. But when my left front side kicked up the dust from my tires, instantly, I lost control. If we could have come through turn one, side-by-side, that would have been a massive moment for the fans."

Shy of that, there could not be many complaints.

The traditional flying start saw pole-sitter Ryan Briscoe (226.484 mph) go past the start/finish line first, but at the end of the first lap No. 2 qualifier James Hinchcliffe took the lead. No worries as one lap later Briscoe returned the favor, showing early on that predictions for a lot of passing were on the money.

Yet there was one clear dominant car and driver, and that was young Andretti. For most of the month Andretti all but said he was the driver to beat. "I expect to win, that's what I'm here to do," he said. And he looked it.

He led for stretches of 22 and 24 laps, and a race-high 59 laps overall. But he was screaming to his pit crew late in the race about vibrations in the car and did not lead after lap 80. So when Andretti and Oriel Servia touched on lap 188, causing the seventh yellow and sending Andretti to the garage, he was not a happy driver.

"I had no hope of making that corner," said Andretti, who finished 24th. "He just crossed my bow, so I was completely out of it. Nothing I can do. I'm disappointed."

That caution period, however, set up the trophy dash. When the track went green on lap 194 Franchitti took the lead from Kanaan, leaving TK with eight Indy races led but no Indy 500 victories.

"I tried everything I could to do it," said Kanaan, perhaps the most popular driver with the fans, and in the garage. "Haven't done it yet."

One lap later Dixon took the lead, then Franchitti took over on lap 199 with Sato charging hard beside him.

"I was all set for a (Sam) Hornish-Marco finish," Ganassi said of the 2006 race won by Hornish at the start-finish line ahead of Andretti. But Franchitti was thinking otherwise.

"I thought of Emerson (Fittipaldi) and Al (Unser Jr.), and that fight to the finish," he said of the memorable 1989 race when the two drivers touched wheels in turn three on the last lap, with Unser crashing and Fittipaldi winning.

"Takuma got a good run," Franchitti said. "But turn one was the trickiest corner all day. I kept a foot in it and was able to catch it [instead of crashing]."

Sato couldn't make the same save, and the result was Franchitti's third Indianapolis victory.

Kasey Kahne cruises to victory in Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR race

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When the sun went down the lights went on, Kasey Kahne took control of NASCAR's longest race to get his first win for car owner Rick Hendrick.

nascar-charlotte-kahne-hendrick-may28.jpgView full sizeDriver Kasey Kahne celebrates his third victory in the Coca-Cola 600 and his first for car owner Rick Hendrick, right.

CONCORD, N.C. -- Kasey Kahne powered to victory in the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday night, taking NASCAR's longest race for the third time for his first win with Hendrick Motorsports.

Kahne also gave car owner Rick Hendrick his 201st Sprint Cup series victory.

Kahne crossed the finish line nearly five seconds ahead of Denny Hamlin. Kyle Busch was third and series points leader Greg Biffle fourth.

"It's just so great to win for Mr. Hendrick," Kahne said.

As Kahne celebrated, teammate Jeff Gordon gave him a bear hug and told him, "Proud of you."

Kahne became the 16th Hendrick driver to take the checkered flag.

It was Kahne's 13th career win and first since last November in Phoenix.

Hendrick drivers were all near the top. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was sixth, and Gordon seventh -- just his third top 10 finish of the season.

Five-time series champion Jimmie Johnson was 11th. He was in contention until the final pit stop when he left with his gas can still engaged, dragging his crew member along. NASCAR docked him with a stop-and-go penalty to end his chances.

Danica Patrick, the first woman to drive in the race since Janet Guthrie in 1976, was five laps down in 30th. Still, it was her best finish in three career Sprint Cup races.

Car owner Chip Ganassi flew to Charlotte after celebrating Dario Franchitti's win at the Indianapolis 500 earlier Sunday. Ganassi, part of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, had hoped to double up with drivers Jamie McMurray and Juan Pablo Montoya. But 250 laps in, McMurray was a lap down and Montoya two behind after needing an extra pit stop to tighten a loose wheel.

"The minute I walked into the garage, people were high-fiving me," Ganassi said. "Right now, we've got to get our cars up the grid."

It didn't happen as Montoya finished two laps down in 20th and McMurray right behind in 21st.

For much of this race, it looked as if Biffle wouldn't be caught. He led 204 laps to dominate early and was clearly best as the race began in the hot, bright sunshine. Once the night cooled off the track, Biffle was no match for Kahne.

"Kasey's car was just better at night," Biffle said.

An early crash took Patrick out of contention in the season-opening Daytona 500 and she finished 38th. Patrick returned to Sprint Cup two weeks ago at treacherous Darlington Raceway and lasted throughout at the track considered "Too Tough to Tame" and crossed the line in 31st.

Patrick's goals this week were simply to be running at the end -- and that she was. Starting 40th after a poor qualifying effort, Patrick quickly fell behind. But she held on throughout the long, long night.

Patrick also kept her humor. When she was cautioned by her team to keep hydrating, Patrick cracked: "Copy that. Every time you don't get an answer to a question, that's what I'm doing."

Patrick's next Sprint Cup race will be at Bristol Motor Speedway on Aug. 25.

Earnhardt had hoped to avenge last year's heartbreaking loss when he ran out of fuel 700 feet from the finish line while leading. Earnhardt came as close to second and was drag-racing Hamlin for the lead on the final restart before as the large crowd at Charlotte Motor Speedway howled. Earnhardt, too, couldn't keep up with his teammate and his winless drought grew to 141 races.

NASCAR's king, career victory leader Richard Petty, had his two entries starting 1-2. But pole-sitter Aric Almirola quickly fell back and finished 16th. Marcos Ambrose, who started second, broke a wheel hub and ended up 32nd.

San Antonio Spurs rally past Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of West finals

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Manu Ginobli leads a fourth-quarter spurt as San Antonio stretches winning streak to 19.

ginobli-westfinals-game1-may28.jpgView full sizeManu Ginobli goes to the basket in the second half of Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. He finished with 26 points in the Spurs' victory over the Thunder.

SAN ANTONIO -- Manu Ginobili scored 26 points and the San Antonio Spurs won their 19th in a row to tie the NBA record for longest winning streak kept alive in the playoffs, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder, 101-98, to open the Western Conference finals on Sunday night.

Obeying orders snarled by coach Gregg Popovich in a fourth-quarter timeout to play "nasty," the Spurs erased a nine-point deficit that stunned the Thunder, who had looked on their way to finally kicking the perception that they're the underdog.

Kevin Durant led the Thunder with 27 points. Russell Westbrook had 17.

The 2001 Lakers are the only other team to carry a winning streak this long in the playoffs -- and they did so on their way to a championship.

Game 2 is Tuesday night.

The Spurs matched the fourth-longest streak in NBA history, and with one more will become just the fourth team to reach 20.

Tim Duncan had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Tony Parker shook off a dismal start to finish with 18 points. But it was Ginobili who steered the Spurs to strike first in a highly anticipated matchup of the West's top two teams for practically the entire regular season.

"They got us on our heels. We were not aggressive," Ginobili said. "And in the second half, we did have it."

On the other end, Oklahoma City's own Big Three struggled from the field early before awakening in the second half. Yet Westbrook still finished just 6-of-15 and took a nasty, face-first spill late in the fourth that had the entire Thunder bench crossing the court to check on their All-Star point guard underneath the opposite basket.

Westbrook appeared to favor his left leg when he got up, but he never left the game.

It was a tantalizingly close near-upset for the young Thunder, who were ousted in the Western Conference finals a year ago and were in position for home-court advantage throughout the playoffs until being overtaken by the Spurs in the final month of the season.

But it was a fittingly close opener for two franchises with so many similarities.

That includes Thunder General Manager Sam Presti -- the architect of the Thunder's rapid turnaround from a 23-win season to consecutive Western Conference finals in just four years -- getting his big break in the NBA as intern in San Antonio.

And the Thunder didn't even need their own Big Three to keep things close.

Durant, Westbrook and James Harden at one point through the second quarter were 5-of-21 -- a typically ominous stat line for a trio that had been responsible for nearly 70 percent of Oklahoma City's points through the playoffs so far. But for all the talk about San Antonio's superior bench, it was the Thunder's reserves who picked up the slack.

None more so than Derek Fisher, whose famous game-winner for the Lakers on this same court in the 2004 playoffs has made "0.4 seconds" a phrase that needs no further explanation to the Spurs. Eight years later, and the oldest player in this series at 37, Fisher reached his playoff average at halftime and finished with 13 points. Gary Neal added 12 points and was the only other Spurs player in double figures.

Takuma Sato is latest example of Bobby Rahal's skill as a mentor: Indianapolis 500 Insider

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Bobby Rahal also helped bring along drivers Danica Patrick and Buddy Rice.

indy500-sato-may28.jpgView full sizeTakuma Sato, greeting fans before the race, is the latest driver to benefit from the advice of Bobby Rahal.

Indianapolis -- Bobby Rahal is fast becoming the Zen Master of open-wheel racing. He nurtured the rise of Danica Patrick at the Indianapolis 500 and was the mind behind Buddy Rice's Indy 500 win in 2004. He nearly did it again, Sunday, with Japanese driver Takuma Sato, who finished 17th.

Right until the last lap, the third-year IRL driver, who had finished 33rd and 20th in his first two Indy 500 races, was howling with the big dogs racing for Rahal/Letterman/Lanigan Racing. It would have been the first victory for a Japanese driver in the race.

All race long, on the radio, Columbus native Rahal was in Sato's ear, telling him when he was able to charge, and when he was being too aggressive. With one lap to go, Sato needed no instruction as he made a charge from second place for first. He did not complete the pass, landing in the wall instead, but Rahal was not complaining.

"When you get a chance to win the Indianapolis 500, you don't hold back," said Rahal, the 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner. "But I am disappointed for him and for the team."

Some thought Sato's move was overly brave, or irresponsible, and perhaps at another race and another track that would be true. But Scott Dixon, who finished second, and Tony Kanaan, who finished third, only questioned Sato's timing, not the attempt.

"He was going to get Dario, but he waited a little too long," Kanaan said. "You don't play Dario like that."

Dixon said: "He was so close to pulling it off. I think if he didn't pinch it as much, and maybe moved up on Dario a little bit more, it would have been OK. I don't know why he didn't wait a little longer. I really don't."

Perhaps, because there were only three corners left before the finish.

Well done: The Panther/Dreyer & Reinbold race team, co-owned by Lakewood's Robbi Buhl, salvaged the month as driver Oriol Servia finished fourth. This was the team's first race with Chevrolet power, after starting the year with Lotus, and bodes well for the rest of the season, as the team started 27th, fell a lap down early, then charged to the front of the pack.

"We got a flat on our first stint and I was like, 'Wow, a lap down already,' " Servia said. "Usually you get a chance to get your lap back, and it didn't happen until the last pit stop. If there was one more restart, I think we would have had something for the win. But I'm not complaining. Basically last to fourth, I'm super happy."

Electric moment: No driver in the stands or the garage is as popular as Kanaan. So when he made that scintillating late restart, jumping from sixth into first, the grandstands erupted.

"The first thing I did when I passed the five cars on the restart, I looked in the grandstands because I wanted to see the people," Kanaan said. "They were all up and cheering for me. To lose the race this way, battling until the end, it's not a loss. I had a lot of fun."

A Legge up: Rookie Katherine Legge was the highest finishing woman in the field, albeit 22nd, but she was running at the end just a lap down. And this after limited practice time due to the team switch from Lotus to Chevrolet just before qualifying.

"It was 500 miles, so we really learned a lot," she said. "I'm pleased in a lot of ways, but also disappointed, as it just didn't go the way we had hoped. I think we had a car to finish better than 22nd."

This and that: The two Lotus cars, as expected, were black-flagged 10 laps into the race for being too slow and a hazard on the track. . . . While Honda had the top two finishers in the race, the next four spots went to Chevrolet, including fifth to pole-sitter Ryan Briscoe. He was the highest driver from the Roger Penske stable at the end of the race. Three-time Indy winner Helio Castroneves finished 10th and Will Power, who arguably had the best car of them all, finished 28th after getting collected by Mike Conway's trash, when Conway returned to the track despite a crippled car.

"[Conway] said the team sent him out with a broken wing," Power said. "I'm just disappointed for the guys. All the work they put in this month. To be taken out like that."

Cleveland Gladiators thumped by Philadelphia Soul

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Philadelphia avenges an April loss to Cleveland as the Gladiators offense is unable to get untracked.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Former "American Idol" finalist Kristy Lee Cook sang a stirring rendition of Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" at halftime of Sunday afternoon's game between the Cleveland Gladiators and Philadelphia Soul at The Q.

Given that Cook is the sister-in-law of Gladiators quarterback John Dutton, it counts as a highlight for the home team.

Cook almost stood alone.

The Gladiators played poorly enough throughout that an anticipated showdown dissolved into a 55-33 rout for the Soul. It wasn't as close as the score indicates.

Boxscore

Philadelphia (8-3) opened a 11/2-game lead on Cleveland (6-4) in the American Conference East Division.

In their previous meeting, April 1 in Philadelphia, the Gladiators defeated the Soul, 68-62. It turned out to be April Fools' gold for Cleveland. The Soul dictated the terms Sunday.

"The Gladiators are a great football team, so I knew we'd be faced with a challenge," said Philadelphia coach Doug Plank, an Ohio State product and former Chicago Bear. "Our guys responded. I can't begin to describe how prepared we were for this game. We treated it like an Arena Bowl because, if we had lost it, we would have lost control of the division."

Philadelphia entered with the Arena Football League's top-ranked scoring offense; the Gladiators had the top-ranked scoring defense. The game came down to the other matchup. The Gladiators' offense repeatedly misfired, while the Soul's defense excelled.

The Gladiators finished with just 171 net yards, including 162 passing. Coach Steve Thonn was so disgusted with what he saw that he called out the offense in the postgame locker room.

Said Dutton: "We definitely took it on the chin, offensively. Things weren't clicking. It's on us -- the quarterback and the receivers."

Dutton, a 12-year arena veteran, finished 10-of-23 for 138 yards and two touchdowns. In the victory in Philadelphia, Dutton went 29-of-39 for 305 yards and nine touchdowns.

"You've got to give Philly credit because they played pretty well," Dutton said, "but we've got to get better offensively. We're not executing. It should be one, two, three, score. We're not doing that. We're making it too tough."

When the game was out of hand late, Thonn lifted Dutton in favor of Matt Bassuener (3-of-7, 33 yards, one touchdown).

"John is fine," Thonn said. "John is our starter."

Dutton said he told his defensive teammates to keep playing the way they are -- and eventually, the offense will catch up.

Defensive back Levy Brown and his crew did their best to make matters interesting late in the second quarter. Brown had a 20-yard pick six to help Cleveland pull within 21-19, then assisted on a tackle during a goal-line stand as time expired in the half.

Philadelphia was unfazed, scoring on the first drive of the third quarter.

On the ensuing possession, Thyron Lewis fumbled a short pass from Dutton, and the Soul recovered at the Cleveland 14. Two plays later, Dan Raudabaugh connected with Donovan Morgan from 11 yards and the rout was on again.

"Obviously, we're disappointed because we didn't play our best," Thonn said. "But there are eight games left."


Monday, May 28 television and radio sports listings for Cleveland and Northeast Ohio

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Highlights include Kansas City at Indians.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today's TV and radio sports listings

BASEBALL

1:35 p.m. AKRON AEROS at Erie, AM/1350

2 p.m. San Diego at Chicago Cubs, WGN 

4:05 p.m.
Kansas City at INDIANS, STO; AM/1100 

7:05 p.m.
LAKE COUNTY CAPTAINS at Lansing, AM/970 
  

LACROSSE 

1 p. m.
Maryland vs. Loyola (Md)., championship, ESPN 

NBA PLAYOFFS 

8:30 p.m.
Boston at Miami, Eastern Conference Finals Game 1, ESPN 

TENNIS
 

5 a.m.
French Open, ESPN2

Wherever you look, you see sights that defy logic: like nerdy eyewear: Norman Chad

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In a world gone mad, Couch Slouch is angry at no one and everyone. But I don't know whether to laugh or cry at the odd habits of Thunder players and fans, the efforts of the unwashed masses to become fist-pumping phenoms and the poker-playing proclivity of Buddhist monks.

durant eye.jpgView full sizeOklahoma City's Kevin Durant wears the new, geeky, thick-rimmed glasses.
In a world gone mad, Couch Slouch is angry at no one and everyone. But I don't know whether to laugh or cry at the odd habits of Thunder players and fans, the efforts of the unwashed masses to become fist-pumping phenoms and the poker-playing proclivity of Buddhist monks.

You be the judge:

In Oklahoma City, eyewear is in for the players, blind loyalty is in for the fans. So Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are sporting the geek-chic look at postgame news conferences. Apparently it's now cool to don thick-rimmed glasses. Hollywood loves it: Johnny Depp, Kat Von D, Justin Timberlake, Ne-Yo, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Lil Wayne, Anne Hathaway and Taylor Swift are among those going throwback.

Usher – Usher! – has been wearing nerd frames of late in divorce court; nice try, bro.

How 'bout the rest of us who wear glasses because it, uh, corrects our vision? Geez. Would you wear a fat suit because looking obese was hip? Or walk with a cane as a fashion statement?

Meanwhile, Thunder fans engage in two quaint, newfangled traditions:

1. They stand at the beginning of every game until the Thunder scores.

(Fans in Pittsburgh tried this at PNC Park but abandoned the practice after several perished waiting for the Pirates to score.)

2. They all wear those eerie blue shirts.

(It's as if a UFO landed in OKC, with 18,203 aliens marching in step to Chesapeake Energy Arena to use the restrooms.)

I'm not trying to be a nonconformist, but if I were told I had to stand up and had to wear a blue T-shirt, I'm likely to just sit down in my mock turtleneck.

In a bygone era, people sat on top of flagpoles; now they pump their fists. James Peterson, 34, an unemployed electrician from Green, Ohio, set the unofficial world record for fist-pumping earlier this month – 16 straight hours. He did it while bar-hopping near the University of Akron.

“I used to hang light fixtures, so I am used to having my hands above my head,” Peterson told the Akron Beacon Journal.

It is possible his parents are proud of the feat, but, to be honest with you, I'm not.

(In his defense, he set the record employing the “Jersey-style” fist pump – popularized on MTV's “Jersey Shore” – which involves an elbow roll and circular action rather than the more mundane, less nuanced straight-forward fist pump.)

Anyway, I hadn't even recovered from this news when, less than a week later, an Austin, Texas, radio producer, Ray Slater, broke Peterson's record by fist-pumping for 17 hours and 15 minutes.

Incidentally, both of them Super-Glued their fist-pumping hand shut, which, frankly, sounds like the fist-pumping version of a corked bat or HGH.

(It's not a drug, but Super-Gluing certainly is a performance enhancer, no?)

The poker boom is more far-reaching than you might imagine. Among my darker theories of the human condition is this: Most people have a latent gambling gene. You may never have pulled a slot, watched a roulette wheel spin or doubled down on a soft 17, but if the opportunity arose, you would. Given the chance, I believe that Mother Teresa – bless her heart – would have played Wii Bingo.

Which brings us to the six religious figures in South Korea caught in a high-stakes poker game – there was nearly $900,000 in play – prompting these spiritual leaders from the nation's largest Buddhist order to resign. They were gambling, drinking and smoking, the holy trinity of no-no's in that world.

This unlikely development immediately raised two questions:

1. Where do men of the cloth get that type of scratch?

2. If you check-raise a Buddhist monk, can you expect a lifetime of bad karma?

They played a 13-hour cash game session that occurred after gathering in a luxury lakeside hotel late last month for a fellow monk's memorial service.

(I guess chasing inside straights helps the mourning process.)

This story also validates another one of my theories of life – the best poker games are either in train cars or hotel suites.

Ask The Slouch!



Q. I see you’ve been married almost five years now. Does Toni realize that if she had been convicted of armed robbery on the day you were wed —instead of tying the knot — she would probably be a free woman today? — Patrick Allen, Wynantskill, N.Y.


A. You’ve reminded me of another reason I never allow Toni to read my column.



Q. Will Washington Redskins season-ticket holders be suspended for all home games when Roger Goodell learns they had a bounty on Daniel Snyder? — Kevin O’Dell, Ballston Spa, N.Y.


A. Pay the man, Shirley.



Q. Is it possible for Redskins fans to be included as additional plaintiffs in the injury lawsuit against the NFL due to their postgame “head banging against the wall” ritual during Daniel Snyder’s tenure? — J.B. Koch, Waukesha, Wis.


A. Wow, a lot of Redskins-related legal inquiries this week.



You, too, can enter the $1.25 Ask The Slouch Cash Giveaway. Just email asktheslouch@aol.com and, if your question is used, you win $1.25 in cash!


Norman Chad is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles.

Juan Diaz surprised to be in big leagues, Jason Donald shaky with the glove: Indians Chatter

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Rookie Juan Diaz is still surprised to be in the big leagues and starting at shortstop for the Indians. So are a number of other people who might wonder why Jason Donald wasn't called up Friday before All-Star shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera injured his left hamstring against the White Sox.

Gallery previewClubhouse confidential: Rookie Juan Diaz is still surprised to be in the big leagues and starting at shortstop for the Indians. So are a number of other people who might wonder why Jason Donald wasn't called up Friday before All-Star shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera injured his left hamstring against the White Sox.

Donald opened the season as the Indians' utility infielder. When Cabrera has had injury problems in the past, Donald always got the call to replace him. But reportedly, Donald is suffering from a case of the defensive “yips” since being optioned to Class AAA Columbus on May 12.

Donald has made five errors in 10 games in Columbus. They include six starts at shortstop.

Diaz, who collected his first two big-league hits Sunday, will start today at home against the Royals.

Stat of the day: Chicago's bullpen has a 1.13 ERA (three earned runs in 24 innings) in the past eight games against the Indians.

Clippers win big, Aeros rained out : Minor League Report

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Columbus scored five in the third and four in the fourth to win an International League game in Syracuse, N.Y. The Clippers scored on two bases-loaded walks in the fourth inning. Cord Phelps slugged a three-run homer for the Clippers, his fifth of the year.

AAA Columbus Clippers

Clippers 9, Chiefs 1

Columbus scored five in the third and four in the fourth to win an International League game in Syracuse, N.Y. The Clippers scored on two bases-loaded walks in the fourth inning. Cord Phelps slugged a three-run homer for the Clippers, his fifth of the year. Columbus left-hander Chris Seddon (5-3) struck out five and shut out the Chiefs on four hits in seven innings.

akron-aeros-logo.jpg
AA Akron Aeros

Aeros rained out

Akron’s Eastern League game at Erie, Pa., Sunday afternoon was rained out. The teams will wrap up the four-game series with a doubleheader this afternoon, beginning at 1:35 p.m. Both games will be seven innings.

Notes: RHP Steven Wright (3-2, 1.87 ERA) starts the first game today for Akron. RHP Paolo Espino (0-1, 2.45), starts the nightcap for the Aeros.

Advanced A Carolina Mudcats

Dash 8, Mudcats 3

J.D. Reichenbach (2-1) gave up four runs (three earned) in two innings of middle relief, and host Carolina lost a Carolina League game to Winston-Salem, N.C. The Mudcats managed only four hits, all singles.

A Lake County Captains

Lugnuts 10, Captains 1

Host Lansing, Mich., hammered Lake County in a Midwest League game. Captains starter Shawn Morimando lasted just three innings, allowing seven hits, five runs (four earned) and a three-run homer. Lake County reliever Grant Sides surrendered a run, ending his streak of consecutive scoreless innings at 19 1/3.

Notes: The Captains are 1-6 on Sundays.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

Crushers 12, Riverhawks 10

Lake Erie pounded out 18 hits and won a slugfest at Rockford, Ill., in a Frontier League game.

Cleveland Indians vs. Kansas City Royals: On deck

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The Royals have won half of their past 14 games. The Royals will start two lefties against the Indians, who are 4-9 against left-handed starters this year. Chen, 5-1 against the Indians in the past two years, will face them for the first time this season.

chen.JPGView full sizeBruce Chen faces the Tribe on Wednesday and is 5-1 against Cleveland in the past two years.
Where: Progressive Field.

When: Today through Wednesday.

TV/radio: SportsTime Ohio today and Tuesday, no TV Wednesday; WTAM AM/1100.

Pitching matchups: RHP Nate Adcock (0-2, 2.33) vs. RHP Josh Tomlin (1-2, 4.67) today at 4:05 p.m.; LHP Will Smith (0-1, 3.60) vs. RHP Justin Masterson (2-3, 4.62) Tuesday at 7:05 p.m.; LHP Bruce Chen (3-5, 4.81) vs. Jeanmar Gomez (3-3, 3.94) Wednesday at 12:05 p.m.

Season series: Indians are 4-2 against the Royals this year. Indians lead, 299-282, overall.

Indians update: They just went 0-3 on a three-game trip to Chicago. The Royals are hitting .305 as a team against the Indians, but Cleveland has outscored Kansas City, 40-34. Jason Kipnis is hitting .350 (7-for-20), with two homers and five RBI, and Michael Brantley is hitting .320 (8-for-25), with three RBI.

Royals update: They have won half of their past 14 games. The Royals will start two lefties against the Indians, who are 4-9 against left-handed starters this year. Chen, 5-1 against the Indians in the past two years, will face them for the first time this season.

Injuries: Indians — DH Travis Hafner (right knee), SS Asdrubal Cabrera (left hamstring) and C Lou Marson (mouth) are day-to-day. C Carlos Santana (concussion), Tomlin (right wrist), LHP Rafael Perez (left side), CF Grady Sizemore (back) and RHP Carlos Carrasco (right elbow) are on the disabled list. Royals — RHP Joakim Soria (right elbow), LHP Everett Teaford (abdominal strain), RHP Blake Wood (right elbow), SS Yuniesky Betancourt (right ankle), CF Lorenzo Cain (left hip), LHP Dan Duffy (left elbow), 2B Chris Getz (left rib cage), C Salvador Perez (knee), C Manuel Pina (right knee) and LHP Jonathan Sanchez (left biceps tendinitis) are on the disabled list.

Next: The Twins visit for a three-game series starting Friday.

Former Browns' running back Jamal Lewis files for bankruptcy

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Jamal Lewis, a former starting running back for the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns, has filed for Chapter 11 protection, saying he owes more than $10.5 million in debts, TMZ.com reported.

lewis.JPGView full sizeJamal Lewis finished his career with the Browns.
Jamal Lewis, a former starting running back for the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns, has filed for Chapter 11 protection, saying he owes more than $10.5 million in debts, TMZ.com reported.

Lewis said in court papers he's self-employed and earns $35,000 per month with nearly $14.5 million in assets. The report said Lewis also lists a lengthy line of creditors.

Lewis, 32, is among players to file suit against the NFL for concussion-related health issues.

A report Sunday in The Plain Dealer of Cleveland said Lewis has bouts of memory loss, headaches, nausea, sleeplessness and light sensitivity as a result of playing nine seasons in the NFL.

"I'm 32," Lewis told The Plain Dealer. "Thank God I'm 32, but it's like, where is this thing going? You wonder what you've already done. ...

"The NFL has a responsibility. It's a game that a lot of guys want to participate in, but just because it's a privilege ... doesn't mean that you should be shorted the information. I know I can go out and tear up my knee or my ankle or my shoulder. But I never knew that from these constant hits to your head, they could cause long-term effects."

Lewis last played in 2009 for the Browns.

Next ring for Stipe Miocic? Telephone

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Stipe Miocic is waiting on a phone call. Eventually, it will be the phone call, but for now, it will just be the next phone call from UFC President Dana White.

miocic.JPGStipe Miocic reacts after winning by knockout over Shane Del Rosario in the second round during a UFC 146 heavyweight bout on Saturday. Miocic is based at Independence's StrongStyle Mixed Martial Arts.
Stipe Miocic is waiting on a phone call. Eventually, it will be the phone call, but for now, it will just be the next phone call from UFC President Dana White.

Miocic, the Independence-based heavyweight, ran his UFC record to 3-0 – with a 9-0 overall professional tally – after a second-round TKO of Californian Shane Del Rosario on Saturday night in UFC 146 in Las Vegas. The win was a testament to his conditioning under trainer Marcus Marinelli and went a long way toward positioning the Oakwood and Valley View emergency medical technician for a title fight in the now burgeoning division. Del Rosario, whose record fell to 11-1, gassed himself with a flurry of kicks and punches in the first five-minute round, including an uppercut that appeared to stun the 6-4, former Cleveland State baseball player and wrestler.

In a post-fight interview, however, Miocic said it was a slip and that he wasn't hurt by the blow.

“I was just doing my game plan and kept my composure,” Miocic said Sunday after arriving in Cleveland.

What was most impressive about the victory is that it came via a flurry of elbows from Miocic. The former Golden Gloves champion has used punches and powerful kicks to thwart previous opponents. This was the first time he used elbows, and it demonstrates yet another weapon in his growing arsenal.

“I work on them all the time,” Miocic said.

The elbows, which mercilessly battered Del Rosario's face, were “an opportunity that was there.”

UFC 146 was unusual and exciting in that it was a night of nothing but heavyweight fights, headlined by a bout between incumbent champion Junior Dos Santos and Frank Mir that ended with the champ earning a TKO against Mir with less than two minutes left in the second round of a scheduled five-rounder.

The fights Miocic was able to see before and after his own battle convinced him of one thing: “The division is wide open.”

For now, he has only two things on his mind: training and waiting for that call.


Browns should wait and grab wide receiver off waiver wire - Comment of the Day

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"As far as the Browns go I look for them to grab a WR from another team's practice squad after final cuts. There are teams like Seattle and New England that have 7 wide receivers that are better than just about everybody the Browns have. I think Greg Little will become a star but after that the cupboard is pretty bare. Norwood showed some play making ability last year and Cribbs got it going once Seneca was in the lineup so hopefully Weeden can make the entire WR corps better this year." - d3dawgpound

greg little.JPGView full sizeCan Greg Little step up and be the lead receiver? Will the Browns try to sign a veteran once cuts are made?
In response to the story Cleveland Browns stacking up talent at cornerback: Terry Pluto's Talkin', cleveland.com reader d3dawgpound believes the Browns will grab a receiver once cuts are made. This reader writes,

"As far as the Browns go I look for them to grab a WR from another team's practice squad after final cuts. There are teams like Seattle and New England that have 7 wide receivers that are better than just about everybody the Browns have. I think Greg Little will become a star but after that the cupboard is pretty bare. Norwood showed some play making ability last year and Cribbs got it going once Seneca was in the lineup so hopefully Weeden can make the entire WR corps better this year."

To respond to d3dawgpound's comment, go here.

For more comments of the day, go to blog.cleveland.com/comments-of-the-day.

Browns on Hard Knocks, will Fausto Carmona ever return and thoughts on Cavs: Blog Roundup

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Here are what blogs from Cleveland and around the country are saying about the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians. Featured today are Fear the Sword, ESPN's AFC North blog and Did The Tribe Win Last Night.

Here are what blogs from Cleveland and around the country are saying about the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians.


Cleveland Browns


Jimmy Weinland over at Dawg Pound Daily makes the case for the Browns to be featured on HBO's "Hard Knocks".
"One of the reasons the Jets are passing this year is because they’ve created an uncomfortable situation for themselves by trading for Tim Tebow. With Mark Sanchez coming off a bad year, they probably don’t want to see a sensitive situation escalate in front of a national TV audience.


The Browns have a similar sticky situation brewing between quarterbacks Colt McCoy and Brandon Weeden. McCoy’s relationship with the front office is getting awkward, and unless he’s traded, that’s probably something they don’t want front and center.


Mike Holmgren’s Browns are also far more insular than those teams of the boisterous Ryan, Harbaugh, and Irsay clans, and if a public relations rebuilding effort is underway in Berea, perhaps they’d prefer to control the message a little more for the time being."

fauston.JPGWill the Fausto Carmona of 2007 come back as Roberto Hernandez?
Cleveland Indians


Al Ciammaichella of The DiaTribe writes about the Robert Hernandez situation and takes a look at how Francisco Lindor is doing.
"I will forever have a soft spot in my heart for Fausto/Roberto after attending the 2007 “Canadian Soldiers” game against the hated Yankees in Jacobs Field. His ability to remain focused under both intense pressure and a borderline biblical plague of gnats was something that I’ll never forget. It is the single greatest live sporting event that I’ve ever attended, and I’ve been to a lot of them. Hernandez threw nine glorious innings that night, and ended his evening with a 3-2 strikeout of Alex Rodriguez with the go-ahead run on second base. He held the mighty Yankee offense in check long enough for the midges to do their work, unnerving a previously unflappable Joba Chamberlain to the point where he went walk, wild pitch, HBP, wild pitch to allow the tying run to score. Hafner finished off the game with a 2-out RBI single in the 11th, but Carnandez was the hero of the day. What happened to that pitcher, I’ll never know. Maybe it was the stress of assuming another man’s identity. Maybe it was the lack of conditioning and mental toughness. Maybe he’ll come back to the U.S. free and clear of the secret that was weighing down his conscience and become the “Fausto” of old. But maybe it was just a flash in the pan, the planets aligning for one special season, never to be seen again. Either way, it’s still likely going to be a while before we find out."

Cleveland Cavaliers


Colin McGowan at Cavs: The Blog has a few thoughts on the Cavaliers.
"Is Tristan Thompson a project? So, we’ve talked about this a bit. You can’t write a sentence about TT without using the words “raw” and “athletic.” But where is his ceiling, exactly? I think, defensively, he has the potential to be similar to Serge Ibaka. But offensively, it’s hard to know where his game is headed and what the Cavs expect from him. Do they think he will learn to shoot? Do they expect him to be the third-leading scorer on a playoff team? His status as a project depends on what you expect him to be. If he’s supposed to be a good offensive player, then he need a lot of work. If he’s supposed to grab rebounds, block shots, and score in the same ways Andy Varejao does, then he’s closer to his objective. I mention this because Drummond is definitely a project. He needs to be coached in terms of asserting himself, playing hard on every possession, etc. I don’t think there’s a giant disparity in talent between Anthony Davis and Drummond, but the difference is Davis works his ass off, and Drummond seems like a weird, moody giant. My point is the Cavs don’t want two projects. You can overhaul one raw talent’s game, but two? That’s a challenge the coaching staff likely can’t handle."

Have a post that you think should be featured in our daily Blog Roundup? Email the link here. You can also follow Glenn on Twitter.

Indians vs. Royals: Twitter updates and game preview

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The Indians look to get back on the winning track as the Kansas City Royals come into town. First pitch is at 4:05 p.m. Get game updates on Twitter from Paul Hoynes, @hoynsie.

The Indians look to get back on the winning track as the Kansas City Royals come into town. First pitch is at 4:05 p.m. Get game updates on Twitter from Paul Hoynes @hoynsie or click here for a live game box score. You can also download our Cleveland Indians app for Android to get Tribe updates on your mobile device. Read on for a game preview.

Note: Hit reload for latest Tweets


hosmer.JPGView full sizeEric Hosmer and the Kansas City Royals come to town this afternoon to face the Tribe.
(AP) -- The Cleveland Indians are the AL Central leaders, but they haven't been playing like a first-place team.

Perhaps a return to Progressive Field will help the Indians get back to their winning ways.

Cleveland tries to win a season-best fourth in a row at home Monday when it renews its division rivalry with the Kansas City Royals.

Entering a three-game weekend set with a 3 1/2-game cushion over the second-place White Sox, the Indians (26-21) left Chicago on Sunday with a half-game lead after losing 12-6.

Cleveland was outscored 35-16 in the series.

The Indians, though, have a chance to win four straight at home for the first time since Sept. 22-24 as they open a six-game stretch at Progressive Field that ends against the AL-worst Minnesota Twins.

Josh Tomlin (1-2, 4.67 ERA) is expected to be removed from the disabled list and get the ball Monday. The right-hander hasn't pitched since May 7 due to right wrist soreness, but he didn't report any problems after a simulated game Thursday.

"I'm looking forward to (coming back)," Tomlin told the Indians' official website.

He might not be looking forward to facing the Royals (19-27). Tomlin has an 8.64 ERA in two appearances - one start - against Kansas City in 2012.

He'll face a Royals team that's continuing its nine-game trip after taking two of three from Baltimore. Kansas City had dropped seven of nine before visiting Camden Yards.

"I think we knew it was time to kind of get going here," right fielder Jeff Francoeur said after Sunday's 4-2 victory.

Francoeur will try to keep it going after extending his hitting streak to seven with a 2-for-4 effort, including his fourth homer in six games. He's batting .517 (15 for 29) during his streak.

"I hope he can sustain it," said designated hitter Billy Butler, who has homered in five of the last nine games.

Continued production from those two could benefit Monday's scheduled starter Nate Adcock (0-2, 2.33), who takes the mound for the first time in eight days.

In place of the injured Everett Teaford (lower abdominal strain), Adcock - pitching on three days' rest - threw five innings of one-run ball in his first start of the season, a 2-0 loss to Arizona on May 20.

Adcock makes his first start against the Indians after posting a 1.93 ERA in two relief appearances against them in 2011.

He should be careful pitching to Jason Kipnis, who was 6 for 12 with two homers and four RBIs over the weekend. However, the Indians second baseman is hitting .202 at home with two homers and eight RBIs compared to .365 with six homers and 20 RBIs away from Progressive Field.

"My splits at home are terrible," Kipnis told the Indians' official website.

Kipnis was 3 for 9 as Cleveland dropped two of three in the Royals' visit April 24-26.

Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera said he doesn't expect to return to the Indians' lineup Monday after missing the last two games with a tight left hamstring. Cleveland is also expected to be without DH Travis Hafner (right knee) for a fifth consecutive game.

Butler is batting .395 (17 for 43) with two homers and eight RBIs during a 10-game hitting streak versus Cleveland.

Francoeur is 5 for 28 with no extra-base hits as Kansas City has lost four of six in this series in 2012.

Cleveland Indians activate Tomlin, recall Chisenhall, DL Hannahan, designates Asencio

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Josh Tomlin activated in time to face Royals on Monday afternoon. Lonnie Chisenhall promoted from Columbus to replace Jack Hannahan, who was placed on the DL with a strained left calf. Jairo Asencio was designated for assignment to make room for Tomlin.

lonnie chisenhall.JPGLonnie Chisenhall was recalled from Class AAA Columbus in a series of moves by the Indians.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians, after being swept in a three-game series by the White Sox, made a series of moves Monday in preparation for their three-game series against Kansas City a Progressive Field.

Josh Tomlin, who starts against the Royals at 4 p.m. Monday, was activated from the disabled list. Reliever Jairo Asencio was designated for assignment to make room.

Third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall was recalled from Class AAA Columbus and third baseman Jack Hannahan was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left calf. Hannahan has played one game since May 13 because of back problems.

He said he strained his calf compensating for the back injury.

Chisenhall will DH Monday against the Royals, while Jose Lopez starts at third. DH Travis Hafner is sidelined with a sore right knee.

Tomlin is 1-2 with a 4.67 ERA in six games, including five starts. He went on the disabled list with a sore right wrist.

Chisenhall was hitting .324 (36-for-111) with 12 doubles, four homers and 17 RBI in 28 games at Columbus. He had a .353 on base percentage and a .541 slugging percentage. He just came off the disabled list with a strained left calf. He's hitting .318 (7-for-22) since his return.
 
Hannahan is hitting is hitting .276 (29-for-105) with six doubles, three homers and 18 RBI in 31 games.

Asencio was 1-1 with a 5.96 ERA in 18 relief appearances for the Tribe. The Indians acquired him for cash in spring training from Atlanta.

Injury updates: Lonnie Soloff, Indians head athletic trainer, was cautiously optimistic about shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera (left hamstring) and Travis Hafner (right knee) returning to the lineup sometime this week.

"Asdrubal played catch and ran some spring today," said Soloff. "We'll look to see how he responds that and increase his activity on Tuesday."

Cabrera strained his hamstring Friday against Chicago.

"Sometimes it can be three to five days with a hamstring or five to seven," said Soloff. "This is day three for Cabrera and he's responded well."

Hafner injured his knee Wednesday against Detroit.

"He hit in the cage and took soft toss and all that went well," said Soloff. "He ran on the alter-G (anti gravity) treadmill. So far so good. If Hafner is going to respond to the conservative route, it will be sooner rather than later."

Catcher Carlos Santana (concussion) didn't want to talk to a reporter Monday after suffering a concussion Friday and being placed on the seven-day disabled list Saturday.

"I don't feel good right now," said Santana.

He went through neurological tests Monday conducted by Soloff to see how he's recovering.

"He's getting better every day," said Soloff.

Added GM Chris Antonetti, "We think Carlos is close to getting back to normal. Each day we'll increase his activity. There's a process he has to go through to get cleared. MLB has some protocols that we have to go through."

Today's lineups

Royals (19-27): LF Alex Gordon (L), 2B Irvin Falu (S), DH Billy Butler (R), 3B Mike Moustakas (L), RF Jeff Francouer (R), 1B Eric Hosmer (L), C Brayan Pena (S), CF Jarrod Dyson (L), SS Alcides Escobar (R), RHP Nate Adcock (0-2, 2.33).

Indians (26-20): RF Shin-Soo Choo (L), CF Michael Brantley (L), 2B Jason Kipnis (L), 3B Jose Lopez (R), 1B Casey Kotchman (L), LF Shelley Duncan (L), LF Johnny Damon, DH Lonnie Chisenhall, C Luke Carlin (S), SS Juan Diaz (S), RHP Josh Tomlin (1-2, 4.67).

Umpires: H Bob Davidson, 1B Hunter Wendelstedt, 2B Dan Bellino, 3B Jerry Layne.

Indians vs. Adcock: Indians are 2-for-13 against Adcock, who is making his first start against them. He's made two relief appearances against the Indians.

Royals vs. Tomlin:  Moustakas is hitting .750 (3-for-4) with two RBI and Butler is hitting .316 (6-for-19) with two RBI.

Next: RHP Justin Masterson faces KC left-hander Wil Smith on Tuesday night at 7:05. STO/WTAM will do the game.

 

Starting pitching very disappointing against White Sox over weekend - Tribe Comment of the Day

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"Very disappointed in the pitching. Thirty-five runs in three games?! The patchwork lineup, which had a real excuse to do poorly, stepped up and gave the Tribe an opportunity to win each game. But the pitching was uniformly bad. I hope Lowe was an aberration, but Jimenez is a trend. I hope the latter gets straightened up soon -- maybe a trip to the minors would help. He's just plain clueless out there. And with another Tigers win, the Tribe now has two teams breathing down it's neck." - rijo

ubaldo.JPGView full sizeWhat has to happen to Ubaldo Jimenez?
In response to the story Cleveland Indians pounded again as Chicago completes three-game sweep, cleveland.com reader rijo says the Tribe's starters were disappointing against the White Sox. This reader writes,

"Very disappointed in the pitching. Thirty-five runs in three games?! The patchwork lineup, which had a real excuse to do poorly, stepped up and gave the Tribe an opportunity to win each game. But the pitching was uniformly bad. I hope Lowe was an aberration, but Jimenez is a trend. I hope the latter gets straightened up soon -- maybe a trip to the minors would help. He's just plain clueless out there. And with another Tigers win, the Tribe now has two teams breathing down it's neck."

To respond to rijo's comment, go here.

For more comments of the day, go to blog.cleveland.com/comments-of-the-day.
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