Police won't answer questions about motive or suspects. But records indicate that Wright, 34, revered in his hometown as a generous and likable sports star, was probably carrying a large amount of cash when he disappeared on July 18.

View full sizeAlan Spearman / Commercial Appeal via APWillie Mae Vassar, the grandmother of Lorenzen Wright, stands near the spot in Memphis, Tenn., where Wright's body was found Wednesday. At right, Rhonda Harris embraces Wright's uncle, Gary Harris.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Former NBA big man Lorenzen Wright, whose body was found in the woods in Memphis, was shot to death and the case is being investigated as a homicide, police said Thursday.

Police wouldn't answer questions about motive or suspects. But records indicate that Wright, 34, revered in his hometown as a generous and likable sports star, was probably carrying a large amount of cash when he disappeared on July 18. A court affidavit obtained by The Associated Press also said Wright had sold two vehicles to a man affiliated with a Memphis drug ring that's suspected in six deaths.

His family filed a missing person report with police July 22, four days after he was last seen, but investigators repeatedly said they didn't suspect foul play. Wright's mother said in the report that she was worried because his silence was out of character and "he probably has a large amount of cash on him."

The report said that the day he disappeared, he had been dropped off at a restaurant by a woman and later taken to his ex-wife's house in Collierville, a Memphis suburb. The ex-wife, Sherra Wright, told officers that Wright left her home in the middle of the night with someone.

View full sizePDLorenzen Wright, with the Cavaliers in 2008.

Family members said Wright's body was found near an apartment complex in southeast Memphis on Wednesday, but police awaited dental records to confirm his identity. Police on Thursday said a 9-1-1 call was placed from Wright's cell phone early July 19 and investigators determined it came from the area his body was found.

The Commercial Appeal newspaper, which first reported the call, said a dispatcher in the suburb of Germantown heard a garbled male voice say an expletive and then at least 10 gunshots. The call went dead and no one answered when the dispatcher called back, the newspaper reported.

Court documents show that Wright acknowledged to the FBI that in 2008 he sold two luxury vehicles, a Mercedes sedan and a Cadillac SUV, to Bobby Cole. The affidavits about the business deal don't show if Wright knew that Cole had been indicted in 2007 on drug distribution charges or if they knew each other.

'The 6-11 Wright played 13 seasons in the NBA, most recently with the Cavaliers. He averaged 1.4 points and 1.5 rebounds in 17 games with the Cavs in 2008-09.

General Manager Chris Grant extended the Cavaliers condolences to his family.

"For those who spent time around him when he was here a couple years ago, everyone knows he was a very vibrant young human being," said Grant, who also was in Atlanta when Wright played for the Hawks from 1999 to 2001.

"Our organization's thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family. It's obviously a very tough and sad time."

Plain Dealer reporter Jodie Valade contributed to this story.

UPDATED: Everything that could go wrong did go wrong for the Indians on Thursday night at Progressive Field. How bad was it? Third baseman Andy Marte pitched the ninth, and he was one of the Indians' highlights.

View full sizeThomas Ondrey / The Plain DealerThird baseman Andy Marte changes roles on Thursday night, pitching a 1-2-3 ninth inning after six Indians pitchers already had surrendered 11 runs to the Yankees at Progressive Field.

Updated at 12:48 a.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Indians had two things to smile about Thursday night.

No. 1, Alex Rodriguez didn't hit his 600th home run on their home ground. No. 2, the four-game series against the Yankees gave their weak attendance figures a needed boost.

Mostly, though, it was a study in a good big-market team beating a not- so-good small- market team at nearly every turn.

In Thursday's 11-4 loss to the Yankees, the Indians lost starter Mitch Talbot to a back strain after two innings. The bullpen, a key to the Indians' 8-6 record since the All-Star break, had to cover the last seven innings, and it was not a pretty thing to watch.

Things were so bad that manager Manny Acta sent out backup third baseman Andy Marte to pitch the ninth.

The most recent non-pitcher to pitch in a game for the Indians was Tim Laker on April 20, 2004, against Kansas City.

Besides Talbot's injury, catcher Carlos Santana took a Joe Smith pitch off his left knee in the seventh.

View full sizePDShin-Soo Choo makes a sliding catch on a ball hit by Derek Jeter in the first inning.

He was down for several minutes but finished the inning. He did not come out for the eighth.

After the game, Acta said Talbot will not make the trip to Toronto, where the Indians open a three-game series tonight.

"He's going to stay back and get an MRI on his back," said Acta.

The Indians need to add a reliever to refresh their overworked bullpen. Short starts by Fausto Carmona and Talbot in the past two games have left the pen in a bad way.

Santana said he was OK and should be able to play tonight. The Indians, however, are contemplating making a move with DH Travis Hafner. He missed Thursday's game with a sore right shoulder.

"His shoulder is bothering him," said Acta. "It's expected to be day to day. . . . We can't afford to have our hands tied, especially with the situation [going through the toughest part of the schedule] that we're going through. We'll have to evaluate that situation too."

Marte started the ninth and retired the side in order. He struck out Nick Swisher for the second out and topped out at 88 mph.

"That's something I don't like doing," said Acta. "I did it because I had to. I feel that looks like a mockery of the game. . . . But we had no choice. Given the game Wednesday and the game tonight."

A crowd of 34,455 watched Thursday's game. It was the second-biggest crowd of the season. The four-game series drew 112,060 for the Indians, who are last in the majors in attendance.

The Indians took a 1-0 lead against Dustin Moseley (1-0, 3.24 ERA) on Austin Kearns' sacrifice fly in the first. Moseley, 4-0 lifetime against the Indians, didn't allow another run in his six-inning performance.

The rest of the game belonged to the Yankees. Indians pitchers assisted by walking a season-high 12 batters. Marte was the only one who didn't walk a batter.

Two outs into the seventh, the game was still competitive. The Yankees had a 2-1 lead, but no one was on base against Tony Sipp. Then Robinson Cano homered to start a seven-run rally.

The Yankees sent 12 men to the plate. Five of them reached on four walks and a hit batter. Smith, riding a streak of 14 consecutive scoreless innings, relieved Sipp after Cano's homer and saw his streak come to a violent end.

He allowed four runs on three hits in one-third of an inning. Rodriguez reached Smith for a two-run single before he ended the inning.

"We had a pretty good game going up until the seventh," said Acta.

The Yankees scored two more runs in the eighth. Rodriguez once again came to the plate with the bases loaded, but Jess Todd struck him out. Rodriguez went 1-for-4 Thursday with three RBI. For the series, he went 3-for-17 but did not become the seventh man in history to hit 600 homers.

Marte became the 21st position player to pitch for the Indians.

"Manny talked to me about pitching in the eighth," said Marte. "I told him, 'Are you sure?' "

The next thing Marte did was go to Carmona to find out how to grip the ball to throw a sinker. He tried pitching out of the stretch, but his third pitch sailed over Cano's head. So he went to the windup.

He retired Cano on a grounder to second, struck out Swisher on a high fastball and retired Marcus Thames on a liner to third.

"I was happy," said Marte. "I made my debut pitching against the Yankees. I wish it would have been somebody else."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158

UPDATED: The Class AA Akron Aeros and Class A Kinston Indians both win Thursday night, but the Class A Lake County Captains fall in 12 innings.

Updated at 12:21 a.m. Friday

AAA Columbus Clippers

Clippers 11, Bisons 8 Columbus clubbed four home runs to win a slugfest over visiting Buffalo in an International League game Thursday at Columbus. Two former Cleveland Indians hit home runs: Michael Brantley hit his fourth, and Lou Marson his third. Former Indian David Huff (6-0) was the winning pitcher, but he gave up five earned runs and nine hits in five innings.

Notes: Going into Thursday night's game, 1B-OF Jordan Brown was second in the International League with a .311 batting average. Brown led the IL last season, hitting .336. He was15-for-42 (.357) in his last 10 games, with four doubles, two home runs and 15 RBI....IF Cord Phelps (.365) was hitting .388 (31-for-80) with five doubles, two triples and three homers in 22 July games....RHP Jeanmar Gomez (8-8, 5.20) is 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA in his last two starts, striking out 11 and walking one in 15 innings. Prior to those two games, Gomez made one start for the Cleveland Indians, pitching seven innings and allowing two runs (none earned) on five hits and a walk, striking out four and getting credit for a 7-2 win over the Detroit Tigers....OF Matt McBride has been promoted to the Clippers from Akron. McBride hit .285 with 25 doubles, one triple, 17 homers and 64 RBI in 358 at bats for the Aeros, with 30 walks and 62 strikeouts. He hit .364 (36-for-99) with 13 homes, 11 doubles, 32 RBI and an .869 slugging percentage in his last 26 games with Akron.

AA Akron Aeros

Aeros 6, Phillies 5 Former Cleveland Indians closer Kerry Wood, on a rehab assignment, pitched a scoreless first inning for Akron in an Eastern League game at Canal Park against Reading (Pa.). He retired the side in order, with no strikeouts.

Notes: Going into Thursday night's game, OF Jerad Head (.302) was batting .474 (18-for-38) with five doubles, four homers and 11 RBI in his last 12 games....2B Jason Kipnis (.325) was batting .458 (22-for-48) in his last 12 games....OF Tim Fedroff (.273) was on a six-game hitting streak, going 9-for-23 (.391) with three doubles, one triple and one home run....OF Jordan Henry (.265) was batting .371 (13-for-35) in his last 10 games....RHP Connor Graham (3-5, 3.63) was 2-3 with one save and a 2.37 ERA in 24 relief appearances, giving up just one homer in 38 innings....RH reliever Bryan Price (4-2, one save, 3.33) was 3-0 with a 1.33 ERA in his last nine games, pitching 20 1/3 innings while striking out 23, walking five and allowing 18 hits -- none of them homers....OF Matt McBride has been promoted to Columbus. OF Lucas Montero has been promoted to the Aeros from Kinston. Montero hit .265 in 321 at bats for Kinston, with 12 doubles, five triples, three homers and 24 stolen bases in 29 attempts. He hit .308 (28-for-91) with two doubles, three triples and a homer in July.

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Indians 2, Blue Rocks 0 Three Kinston pitchers combined to shut out host Wilmington (Del.) in a Carolina League game. T.J. House (4-8) pitched six innings for the K-Tribe to pick up the win. Cory Burns pitched the ninth for his 18th save.

Notes: Going into Thursday night's game, 1B-3B Jeremie Tice was 17-for-45 (.378) in his last 11 games, immediately following his 2-for-19 (.105) start in his first five games after being promoted from Lake County. He has eight doubles and a homer in 64 at bats for the Indians. At Kinston, Tice was leading the Midwest League with 51 RBI....3B Kyle Bellows was 5-for-9 with one double, one triple, one homer and six RBI in his last two games. ... DH-C Chun Chen was 7-for-20 (.350) with three doubles, one homer and seven RBI in his last six games....OF Lucas Montero has been promoted to Akron.

A Lake County Captains

Whitecaps 3, Captains 1 West Michigan scored two runs in the top of the 12th at Classic Park in Eastlake to defeat Lake County in a Midwest League game.

Notes: Going into Thursday night's game, IF Adam Abraham (.236) was batting .425 (17-for-40) in his last 10 games, with four doubles, five homers and 15 RBI....IF Argenis Martinez (.201) was hitting .342 (13-for-38) in his last 10 games....OF Greg Folgia (.224) was hitting .316 (12-for-38) with three doubles, two homers and 11 RBI in his last 10 games....LHP Matt Packer (8-5, 1.62) led the Midwest League in ERA.

A Mahoning Valley Scrappers

Scrappers 4-0, Jammers 2-3 Mahoning Valley split a doubleheader in Jamestown, N.Y. Mahoning Valley won the opener, which was a completion of a game suspended the night before because of rain. Kevin Fontanez homered as the Scrappers scored three runs in the seventh, enough to hold off a two-run rally by Jamestown in the bottom of the ninth.

Notes: Going into Thursday night's games, left-handed hitting OF Jonathan Burnette (.294) was batting .330 (30-for-91) against right-handed pitching, with five doubles, two triples and each of his four homers....OF Brian Heere was batting just .210 (21-for-100) but was tied for third in the New York-Penn League with 24 walks....RHP Casey Gaynor was 2-0 with a 3.21 ERA in eight outings spanning 14 innings as a relief pitcher, after starting and losing his first game, when he yielded seven runs in two innings.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

(The Crushers are not aligned with any major league organization)

Wild Things 3, Crushers 0 Washington (Pa.) starter Jeff Sonnenberg, with the aid of two double plays and an out at the plate, faced the minimum 27 batters, including 21 straight at one point, in a shutout over visiting lake Erie. Sonnenberg allowed two hits, no walks and struck out two.

Notes: Going into Thursday night's game, ....IF Andrew Saylor (.224) was 9-for-26 (.346) with a double and homer in his last seven games....RH reliever Ronnie Morales (0-2, 3.79) had a 2.55 ERA in his last 14 games, striking out 17 while allowing just 11 hits in 17 2/3 innings.

Gilmour Academy, Medina, St. Ignatius, Stow and University School should all enjoy good seasons this fall.

View full sizeScott Shaw / The Plain DealerGilmour Academy senior Alex Andrews is The Plain Dealer's reigning Golfer of the Year. He won the Division III state championship by seven shots on Ohio State's Scarlet Course.

Notable golfers

Alex Andrews, Sr., Gilmour Academy: The Plain Dealer's golfer of the year is one of the state's premier players in any division. In a remarkable performance, he won the Division III state championship by seven shots with a pair of 73s (2 over) on Ohio State's Scarlet Course in horrendous weather conditions.

Mike Clum, Sr., Lutheran West: One of two returnees from the team that finished in a tie for fifth place in last year's Division II state tournament. Played well in the recent Cleveland Amateur qualifier and has posted 19 scores in the 70s this summer.

Matt Gerard, Jr., St. Ignatius: Has shown significant improvement after a terrific summer that included a fine showing for three rounds in the Ohio Open at Quail Hollow.

Ian Holt, Fr., Stow: Combines physical skills with a superb knowledge of the game. One of the top ninth-graders in Ohio. He is capable of making it to Columbus four years in a row.

Cody Nickson, Sr., Stow: He is a two-time player of the year in the Northeast Ohio Conference. His round of 79 was the second-lowest of any area player who returns from last year's state tournament.

Holden Pahr, Jr., Chardon: Finished in the top 25 in last year's Division I state meet and tied for eighth in the district tournament with a round of 76. His state tourney score of 81 was one of the lowest of any area returnees.

Austin Schreiber, Jr., Medina: He was the team's best performer at the Division I state tournament. A great attitude and a productive summer should help him continue that momentum. Tied for fifth in the district and tied for 25th in the state.

John Shoemaker, Sr., Chagrin Falls: The only junior on his team last fall that reached the Division II state tournament. His rounds of 85-83 were the best on the team.

Scott Smith, Sr., University School: A Plain Dealer All-Star, he is regarded as one of the state's top players. Averaged 75 strokes in helping his team finish third in the state in Division II. Should be a state title contender.

Beau Titsworth, Jr., St. Ignatius: Must take over the leadership role created with the graduation of Kyle Kmiecik. He was sixth in the Division I state tournament and was the district runner-up at Pine Hills. A Plain Dealer All-Star, his intensity is apparent.

Notable teams

Gilmour Academy: The Lancers return every player from last year's team that finished fourth in the state in Division III, led by

reigning state champ Alex Andrews. Fellow seniors Greg Calabrese and Matt Oliver and juniors Duncan DeFino and Connor Moriarty round out the squad. Move-in Andrew Bieber has had a productive summer and will probably dislodge one of the above.

Medina: The Bees have three proven performers in juniors Austin Schreiber, Bobby Koch and Mike Bishop. An improvement on the ninth-place finish in last year's Division I state meet is likely with the addition of sophomores Sean Sherman and Patrick Luth.

St. Ignatius: With Beau Titsworth, Matt Gerard and Connor McCafferty in place, the Wildcats have a chance to repeat as district champs and challenge for the Division I state title.

Stow: Incoming freshman Ian Holt, one of the top ninth-graders in Ohio, adds depth to a roster that returns two players that keyed a trip to the Division I state tournament. Cody Nickson, a two-time Northeast Ohio Conference player of the year, and Brandon Nixon, a first-team all-league performer, should be joined by senior Jeff Keener and junior Max DeCheco.

University School: Any team that has Scott Smith on it has to be watched. Fellow seniors Will Reitan and Steve Kelly add depth. Smith led the team to a third-place finish in the Division II state meet by finishing in a tie for seventh. Reitan averaged 79 strokes, and Kelly was at 81.

-- Tim Rogers

Plain Dealer reporter Elton Alexander breaks down the Mid-American Conference East Division, with teams in his predicted order of finish.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerKent State running back Eugene Jarvis returns after missing almost all of last season with a lacerated kidney.

1. TEMPLE

Coach: Al Golden, fifth year, 19-30 record.

Last season: 9-4, 7-1.

Offense (11 starters returning): Key among the veterans will be sophomore RB Bernard Pierce (1,361 yards, 16 TDs) and a veteran OL that should improve upon its 187.0 ypg rushing from last season. Any improvement in the passing game (146.5 ypg) significantly bolsters the Owls.

Defense (eight starters returning): The DL anchored a unit that limited the opposition to 107.6 ypg rushing last season and allowed just nine rushing TDs. The secondary will be tested again (226.4 ypg allowed), but it picked off 16 passes last season, second-best in the MAC.

Special teams: An Achilles' heel, as Owls made just 17 of 25 FG attempts last season and averaged net punting of 32.5 yards per kick.

Overview: A true power football team offensively, with a defense that not only led the league in rushing defense, but also led the league in sacks (34) and was second in INTs. A change at QB (Chester Stewart) is a concern, but with the majority of Temple's starters back, the Owls should only improve upon a breakout 2009 season.

Key game: Oct. 9 at Northern Illinois. Could be a preview of the MAC championship game.

View full sizeAPOhio quarterback Boo Jackson missed all but two games of last season with a shoulder injury.

2. OHIO

Coach: Frank Solich, sixth year, 32-31.

Last season: 9-5, 7-1.

Offense (seven): 2008 starting QB Boo Jackson, who missed all but two games last season to injury, returns as a dual threat in the backfield. He will have three returning linemen in front of him and a proven WR in LaVon Brazill (53 rec., 13.2 ypc, 6 TDs). Running game (112.0 ypg) must improve.

Defense (six): In DE Dak Notestine (65 tackles, 6.5 sacks) and LB Noah Keller (155 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 int.), OU can apply some pressure. OU secondary led the MAC with 20 INTs last season, but only S Gerald Moore (68 tackles, 6 int.) returns.

Special teams: Matt Weller, who made the most FGs (21) of any MAC kicker last season, returns.

Overview: Traditional soft-as-a-Twinkie nonconference schedule (Wofford, Louisiana Lafayette) should keep OU in the bowl picture. Lack of a proven running game is a concern after last season (112 ypg). Road matchups at Temple and Kent State the last two weeks could decide title chances and bowl fates for all three.

Key game: Sept. 11 vs. Toledo. Three straight road games follow this tough MAC matchup, so OU can't afford to lose it.

3. MIAMI

Coach: Mike Haywood, second year, 1-11.

Last season: 1-11, 1-7.

Offense (11): The RedHawks took a licking as they learned last season, yet they still ranked among MAC leaders in passing (273.4 ypg). Any jump in the running game (70.1 ypg), and Miami could be a threat in the division. In sophomore QB Zac Dysert (2,611 yards, 12 TDs), Miami has the best talent at that position in the league.

Defense (nine): Lost in Miami's record was the fact it had the No. 2 pass defense in the pass-happy MAC. Its shortcoming was a lack of turnovers: six INTs, six fumble recoveries and just 14 sacks on the season.

Special teams: Miami needs to find a quality punter and kicker.

Overview: MAC schedule sets up perfectly with two early winnable home games (Eastern Michigan, Kent State).

Key game: Oct. 16 at Central Michigan. A win could put Miami in the MAC East title chase.

4. BOWLING GREEN

Coach: Dave Clawson, second year, 7-6.

Last season: 7-6, 6-2.

Offense (three): No MAC team must replace as many high-profile losses as BG. Look for speedster RB Willie Geter (705 yards, 9 TDs) to be the early focal point, as he and two OL are the only returning starters. Aaron Pankrantz (6-6, 220 pounds) is the heir apparent at QB. Experienced WR Adrian Hodges (46 rec., 2 TDs) and Roy Hudson (28 rec., 2 TDs) will be his targets.

Defense (four): Three DL starters who combined for 100 tackles and six sacks will be at the core of the reloading defense. LB is where Falcons are vulnerable early. Secondary, led by Adrian Spencer (42 tackles, 2 int.), has experience.

Special teams: Falcons must replace both kickers.

Overview: This is a program used to winning and used to reloa din g. A major hurdle: Seven of 12 games are on the road.

Key game: Oct. 2 vs. Buffalo. MAC opener for BG, followed by games at OU and Temple.

5. KENT STATE

Coach: Doug Martin, seventh year, 24-46.

Last season: 5-7, 4-4.

Offense (nine): QB Spencer Keith (2,147, 14 TDs) and TB Eugene Jarvis (2,470 yards, 19 TDs rushing combined as sophomore and junior) are the focal points, but key to a big season are breakout years from WRs Tyshon Goode (53 rec., 5 TDs) and Kendrick Pressley (21 rec., 2 TDs).

Defense (seven): Strong up the middle with NG Quinton Rainey (29 tackles, 2 sacks), MLB Cobrani Mixon (108 tackles, 3 sacks) and SS Brian Lainhart (87 tackles, 7 int.). Big year from DE Montae Simmons (56 tackles, 8 sacks) is critical.

Special teams: Kent potentially has MAC's best kicking tandem in P Matt Rinehart (40.9 yards per punt) and K Freddie Cortez (13 FGs).

Overview: A lot has to go right, starting with keeping Keith (shoulder injured last season) healthy all season. Jarvis returns from kidney injury as well. Consistently poor OL play must step up to protect both for Kent to flourish and avoid traditional season-ending fade. Special teams could be worth a win or two.

Key game: Oct. 9 vs. Akron. Kent probably can't go to bowl game without this one.

6. BUFFALO

Coach: Jeff Quinn, first year.

Last season: 5-7, 3-5.

Offense (six): A pair of tailbacks in Brandon Thermilus (560 yards, 4 TDs) and Ike Nduka (598 yards, 6 TDs), plus four returning starting OL give the rebuilding Bulls a foundation from which to grow. No proven QB is a concern, plus little depth/experience at WR.

Defense (eight): Experience led by LB Justin Winters (79 tackles, 5 sacks) and DB Davonte Shannon (97 tackles, 2 int.) should keep UB in games, particularly if DL Steve Means (25 tackles, 5 sacks) has breakout year.

Special teams: A.J. Principe only attempted 10 FGs last season, but he made 10. A new punter is needed.

Overview: Buffalo won a weak MAC East in 2008 but fell back to the pack last season, then lost coach Turner Gill to Kansas. UB defense may help team be competitive. Ending the season with weaker Ball State, EMU and Akron might be too little, too late.

Key game: Oct. 2 at Bowling Green. Without a win here, Buffalo might not get a second win until November.

View full sizeAkron Beacon JournalAkron quarterback Patrick Nicely of Willoughby South returns for the Zips, but he is playing for a new coach.

7. AKRON

Coach: Rob Ianello, first year.

Last season: 3-9, 2-6.

Offense (six): QB Patrick Nicely (1,349 yards, 6 TDs) gives the Zips a veteran under center, albeit in a new offense, and robust TB Alex Allen (188 yards, 5 TDs) gets a sixth season to prove his hip injury is completely healed. WRs must step up.

Defense (eight): MLB Brian Wagner (132 tackles, 2 INT, 2 fumbles forced) is a sophomore stud, but a DL which recorded a league- low 11 sacks last season has to improve. Depth and experience in the secondary also are issues.

Special teams: Kicker Igor Iveljic is a weapon when focused, and punter Zack Campbell (38.3 yards per punt) can't be ignored.

Overview: The key is Ianello, who arrives with a Notre Dame swagger but little else on his r sum . He has never been a head coach or coordinator on any level. Can he gain respect of a young team or lose it due to inexperience? The Zips have enough talent to pull an upset or two, but the difference between a two-win season or a winning one rests squarely on Ianello.

Key game: Oct. 9 at Kent State. The Zips are 8-2 this decade vs. KSU. No Akron head coach has lost his first game vs. Kent since 1974.

The Browns went 5-11 last season. Although there's some reason to expect improvement, not everything can yet be solved for a Browns' team that ranked 21st among 32 teams on defense, and 29th on offense.

John Kuntz, The Plain Dealer Eric Wright is one of the more accomplished players in the Browns' defensive backfield. The Browns need him to make even more of an impact with some big plays.

The Cleveland Browns began last season 1-11. By winning their last four games, they saved some jobs -- including, probably, that of coach Eric Mangini.

Playing well in December, though, did not do a lot to alleviate the concerns about the Browns on both sides of the football. Cleveland finished 21st in the 32-team NFL in total defense and 29th in total offense.

Maybe the Browns will be a better team this season because of improvement among returning players. Offseason free agent signings, trades and the draft might all provide a boost in talent. But it takes more than a few months to shore up all that has been wrong with the Browns.

Certainly, some aspects of the team are better than others. Josh Cribbs and his blockers, for instance, make the Browns an excellent return team. But, we'll put it all up for your consideration: What one position group might cause the most problems for the Browns this season?

Temple is the pick by the MAC news media, but Kent State is expected to be a threat in the East Division based on the return of sophomore quarterback Spencer Keith and senior tailback Eugene Jarvis.

Detroit -- The Temple Owls are expected to continue their rise as the football power in the Mid-American Conference as they were the overwhelming choice to win both the MAC's East Division title and the overall MAC football championship.

 In the MAC media poll released at Media Day in Ford Field, it was all Temple. The Owls, who finished  9-4 in a breakout 2009 season, return 16 starters that helped them go 7-1 in league play and ultimately landing in a post-season bowl game. The key returner is tailback Bernard Pierce, a sophomore who rushed for 1,361 yards and 16 touchdowns and is now being touted as a Heisman Trophy Candidate by Temple.

 The Owls received 17 of 20 media votes for first place with Ohio University picking up the other three and landing second in the poll. Behind those two in the East are Kent State, Bowling Green, Miami, Buffalo and Akron. In the MAC West Northern Illinois is the favorite picking up 15 first place votes followed by Central Michigan (3), Western Michigan (2), Toledo, Ball State and Eastern Michigan. Temple was picked to win the MAC title game on 11 ballots followed by NIU on five and OU on one. Three voters did not pick a MAC winner.

Kent, which finished 5-7 last season, is projected as a contender based on the return of sophomore QB Spencer Keith (2,147 yds. passing, 14 TD) and sixth-year senior tailback Eugene Jarvis (2,470 yds rushing SO/JR, 19 TD) , who returns after missing most of last season with a kidney injury. 

"As well as Goedert is doing, there is no sense bringing him to the Majors until September. All that would do is hurt Columbus, start the clock on his time to free agency and possibly hurt his chances of making it in the Bigs. The kid started the year in AA. Let him continue to season in the minors and fight for the job in spring training next year after getting his feet wet in September. It's only 4 weeks away and the Tribe has nothing to gain." - kiddfletch

View full sizeKen Carr | Indians Prospect InsiderJared Goedert is on the horizon at third base for the Indians.

In response to the story Cleveland starts Jayson Nix at third base, but Tribe has several other options to consider: Indians insider, cleveland.com reader kiddfletch thinks waiting to bring Jared Goedert up is the right move. This reader writes,

"As well as Goedert is doing, there is no sense bringing him to the Majors until September. All that would do is hurt Columbus, start the clock on his time to free agency and possibly hurt his chances of making it in the Bigs. The kid started the year in AA. Let him continue to season in the minors and fight for the job in spring training next year after getting his feet wet in September. It's only 4 weeks away and the Tribe has nothing to gain."

cleveland.com reader Big thinks a great returner has three main qualities - and that combination can be difficult to find.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz | The Plain DealerWith Ted Ginn Jr. at Ohio State and now Josh Cribbs with the Browns, Ohio football fans have been spoiled when it comes to the return game.

In response to the story Ohio State has yet to find another returner like Ted Ginn Jr.: Hey, Doug!, cleveland.com reader Big thinks finding a great returner is harder than it might seem. This reader writes,

"There are a lot of 'speed guys' every year in college and the pros who do nothing special and even find themselves on the bench. It seems that watching the great returners like Cribbs and others, there are three main components. After speed they also have great field vision and use that to make good initial decisions about running lanes. The third thing is an inherent understanding of angles. The best returners seem to see the angles they can exploit then use their speed to exploit them. Guys who can't either get blown up or slow down to figure it out and get caught. It's rare to have all three gifts There are not many great returners, but there are lots of guys with 4.4 speed."

Plain Dealer Browns writer also answers fan question about how many Browns could start for Baltimore.

Browns coach Eric Mangini, left, and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, right, have some new pieces to play with this season as they prepare their offense.

Today's guest, Plain Dealer Browns beat writer Tony Grossi answers fan questions from Hey, Tony! feature. Tony talks about today's Starting Blocks poll, about which position most concerns Browns fans heading into the season. (Don't miss Tony's position-by-position breakdown today on cleveland.com.)

Tony also says that the Browns need to find different ways to use Josh Cribbs this season, so that opposing defenses don't know it's a running play out of the Wildcat formation play whenever he takes the field. He thinks the Browns should try to get Cribbs 40 or more catches as a receiver.

Starting Blocks TV will return Monday morning.

Bosh, who went to Miami as a free agent, says he "put his heart and soul" into the Raptors. Colangelo has suggested the decisions by Bosh and LeBron James to join Dwyane Wade had been "brewing for a while."

Associated PressLeBron James (left) and Chris Bosh (right) have been criticized for some of the circumstances in their decisions to join Dwyane Wade (center) and the Heat.

Toronto, Ontario -- After being called out as a quitter by his former general manager, Chris Bosh says he "put his heart and soul" into the Toronto Raptors organization and never gave up on his team.

In an interview on Rogers Sportsnet on Thursday night, Bosh responded to allegations made by Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo on Toronto radio station FAN 590 that claimed the All-Star was "checked out" late last season and chose not to play some of the Raptors' final games.

"I play this game as hard as I can every time I step on the court," Bosh said. "On the back of my jersey it says 'Bosh' ... The Boshes are hard workers. We have a lot of pride in what we do, in our jobs and in life."

The Raptors fell from a playoff position at the All-Star break into ninth place in the Eastern Conference at the end of the season. Bosh and former Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James then joined Dwyane Wade in Miami as free agents this summer.

That ruffled feathers in Toronto and Cleveland, with Colangelo suggesting that the decision for the three stars to play together had been "brewing for a while." He suggested the threesome started firming up their plans while representing the East at the NBA All-Star Game.

Bosh claims he was still intent on getting the Raptors into the postseason.

"What's so significant about the All-Star break? We were in the playoffs. And I wanted to play in the playoffs," he said. "That's all I thought about every summer."

Bosh also clarified comments he made recently in the Miami Herald in which he called Toronto "different." He said he didn't mean that as an insult to the city.

"Toronto is different," he said. "For one, it's a different country. If you don't know you're in a different country when you land then something is wrong with your senses. That's not to say that Toronto is not a great metropolitan city. It is a fantastic city.

"Different is not bad. I'm different. That doesn't make me bad," he said.

Bosh also claimed his decision to leave Toronto was at the end of a long process and not something he had committed to before the offseason.

"Everybody thinks, 'Oh, he was gone as soon as the season was over,'" he said. "It was the hardest decision I ever had to make. As different as another country is, it was still home for me. I had been there for seven years."

Check out an interview with Carlton Mitchell, a look at getting Joe Haden signed, LeBron now that he's away from the bubble he had in Cleveland and more.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz | The Plain DealerThe Browns and Joe Haden still have some work to do if he's going to be in camp on Saturday.

Browns

Check out WaitingForNextYear's interview with Browns rookie wide receiver Carlton Mitchell.

Cleveland Reboot: "Does anyone in Cleveland truly care about Rolando McClain? You should – and not because he's likely to become an excellent middle linebacker – but rather, yet again, the Raiders have completely skewed the league's rookie salary slotting 'system.' Of course, such a system doesn't truly exist – and with the Raiders still in the league, it's becoming more of a suggestion. As it relates to the Browns, the mega-contract Oakland gave to last year's seventh overall draft pick, Darrius Heyward-Bey, has set the bar for Joe Haden – taken at the exact spot a few months ago. If such a system proves reliable as a precedent, Haden instantly becomes overpriced." » Read more

No Logo Needed: "There isn't a nice way to say that last season was a train wreck at wide receiver for the Browns. They ranked dead last in the NFL in receiving yards. But not much could be expected with the worst quarterback tandem in the history of the world throwing them the ball. Even though Massaquoi was a rookie last year, he showed a lot of promise. Now with word out OTAs that Robiskie is coming into his own, the Browns could be looking much improved in 2010." » Read more

Dawg Pound Daily: "It's the linebackers that truly set the tone in all 3-4 schemes. If a team's four linebackers are mostly solid and consistent, than chances are that defense is going to be at least an average unit. On the other hand, if a defense has some playmakers at the second level, then you better look out because that defense has a chance to be dangerous. With that in mind, all it takes is a quick glance at the Browns linebackers and it's quite obvious that the defense is striving for respectability this season, not dominance." » Read more

Cavaliers

Stepien Rules: "I can't help but watch these [LRMR] guys fall on their face and wonder if stories like these are surfacing now because the real people who actually did the heavy lifting in the cultivation of this 'Chosen One/King James/next Mike' image are no longer involved in the process. The Cavaliers organization and the Cleveland media are no longer there to protect and shelter the public portrayal of LeBron James. That job rests squarely and completely now on the shoulders of Maverick Carter, who is doing the best job he can. Which is an awful one, and his only client on the planet is publicly hurting matters." » Read more

Cleveland Frowns caught up with the guy that wore the LeBron Heat jersey to Wednesday's Indians game.

Cavs: the blog presents us with a useful scale for what to expect when LeBron James returns to The Q.

Washington, who will play wide receiver in college, explains his July 7 oral commitment to the Bearcats in his latest Plain Dealer recruiting blog.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz/The Plain DealerMaple Heights football standout Shaq Washington felt at home at the University of Cincinnati and gave an oral commitment to the football program in early July.

Editor's note: Follow the college football recruiting process through the experiences of Shaq Washington, Maple Heights' senior quarterback who has been recruited by colleges across the country as a wide receiver/athlete. Washington, The Plain Dealer's 2009 Offensive Player of the Year, is taking readers inside the process all year long in his online blog.

MAPLE HEIGHTS, Ohio - July 7 was the day I announced my college decision to stay in the Buckeye state but be a Cincinnati Bearcat.

University of Cincinnati was one of the first schools to ever contact me and every time I went to the school I got more comfortable with the program. When I went to camp on June 16 during the Raw Talent bus tour, coach Butch Jones walked up to me and said welcome home!

That's exactly how it felt the whole time I was there with every coach communicating with me. It was just so much love there for me and I ultimately came to the decision that UC will really be home for the next four years.

Also, it is a program on the upswing but still proven with its two BCS Bowl Game appearances and two Big East championships in the past two seasons.

There is also a great opportunity for me to play early in the system, which is a spread offense in which I could really excel in. The coaching scheme for my position (slot receiver) seems perfect for me.

Training camp is about to open, so it's obviously time to talk fantasy football.

View full sizeThe Plain Dealer

And every year, what happens? Disappointment and frustration show up under the Christmas tree.

Let's skip the Cavs and LeQuit. Ditto with the Indians; having a utility infielder being their top closer is its own special kind of pain.

Let's talk Browns. Yeah, they're in a rebuilding year, but they're rebuilding under Mike Holmgren. That's different than rebuilding under Phil Savage and Romeo Crennel. You can find nits to pick in this year's draft choices and free-agent signings (Jake Delhomme? Really? How much would you have LOVED having Donovan McNabb barking signals at Cleveland Browns Stadium?).

But the reality is that even with Delhomme, the Browns have upgraded all across the board. Nobody wants to anoint Holmgren as the reincarnation of Vince Lombardi, but we really do have the sense that with "The Show," it really is a case of "Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing."

Even so, we're not gonna let ourselves get caught up in that preseason hype. We're going to wait at least till the Browns win their first game before we start calling Roger Goodell to ask when Cleveland can start printing playoff tickets.

And it may not be that long a wait, to be honest. The Browns' first two regular season games are against Tampa Bay, then Kansas City, teams with a combined 7-25 record last season.

With that in mind, it might not be a bad idea to follow the advice of Rustyn Rose (SURE that's a real name), who blogs for the fantasy website fantasyknuckleheads.com and pick up running back Montario Hardesty. Rose obviously is a very wise and knowledgeable prognosticator, as he agrees with the Plain Dealer's Tony Grossi that the rookie out of Tennessee will start ahead of Jerome Harrison, despite Harrison's strong finish in the 2009 campaign.

With a short-arm quarterback in Jake Delhomme, and no air game to speak of, the Browns will be running the ball quite a bit, so even if they split carries, Hardesty should get a decent workload in Cleveland this season. That said, even with a heavy workload, his fantasy value may be limited in 2010.

Hardesty has the size to be a "featured back" in the NFL. He's at 6-0 and 225 pounds. So far this spring, Hardesty has impressed everyone who's seen and talked to him. When training camp opens (Saturday), his fantasy value will likely spike. Goodbye sleeper status.

Montario's value has as much to do with his competition, Jerome Harrison, as his own abilities. Sure Harrison had some big games in 2009, but they came against the Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars. Other than that, what has he done in his four-year career? Expect him to become the team's change of pace back.

Maybe, but wouldn't it be kind of nice to see a sort of modernized wishbone, with fullback Lawrence Vickers leading the way for either Hardesty or Harrison? Especially sweeping around left end, with tight end Ben Watson and tackle Joe Thomas in front?

Dear Mike Holmgren and Randy Lerner: Please pay Starting Blocks $1 bazillion for this play . . . if it works. If not, what the HECK are doing listening to a newspaper blogger?

To that end, Starting Blocks contends that Fox Sports Ohio's Zac Jackson, writing for the Orange and Brown Report, is a dadgum genius. Wonder why? Check out a portion of his training camp preview and see just how much it resembles about what we just suggested for the Browns' backfield.

It takes blocking at every level, a threat of the pass and the right back finding a rhythm. But in (Jerome) Harrison, (Montario) Hardesty and '09 training camp star James Davis -- who's returning from a season-ending shoulder injury -- the Browns have three guys capable of following one of the league's best fullbacks, Lawrence Vickers, to daylight. How they sort themselves out starts right away and includes factors such as Davis' health and how many reps the rookie earns early on.

Wish we'd said that.

Never tell me the odds
Han Solo issued that warning to C3PO. Somebody should put it on a loop to play in the Browns' locker room. Sportspicksadvisors.com has the Browns' odds of making it to the Super Bowl at 100 to 1.

Frankly, we're a little surprised. Or we were till we realized Sportspicksadvisors.com only has even money on the Sun coming up tomorrow.

Grossi and The Plain Dealer's graphics department also give fans who'll be headed to the Browns' practice facility in Berea a breakdown of what's where and how things will work.

Backup third baseman Andy Marte sets down the Yankees 1-2-3, while Rodriguez stays at 599.

Associated PressSurprise Indians relief pitcher Andy Marte after retiring the powerful Yankees 1-2-3 in the ninth inning on Thursday night.

Cleveland, Ohio -- Well, the Cleveland Indians -- who have generally been much more competitive the last few weeks -- lost three of four games to the New York Yankees.

That's what the Bronx Bombers do to teams. They're the defending World Series champions, like it or not.

Watching backup third baseman Andy Marte make his major league pitching debut in the top of the ninth inning, and retiring the Yankees 1-2-3 like he was throwing to a T-ball team, was the Indians' highlight of their 11-4 loss to the Yankees on Thursday night. (Read Plain Dealer Indians beat writer Paul Hoynes' story on the Yankees routing the Indians).

Caution: Please don't get the idea Marte could do that regularly. What he accomplished -- a position player pitching a decent inning when a manager feels he doesn't have a regular hurler to go to -- is not that unusual. Been done many times.

In the real big league world, however, there have been numerous "real" pitchers who could throw 95 miles per hour, but did not excel because they didn't have another decent pitch or simply didn't "know how" to pitch.

Andy Marte got up to 88, and we didn't see any offspeed pitch to complement the mediocre fastball. And, we really doubt he "knows how" to pitch against locked-in major league hitters when their team isn't leading by 10 runs.

Still, Andy did a good job and it was fun to watch. The Indians hope to have some genuine fun tonight in Toronto, where they play the Blue Jays. The starting pitchers will be right-handers Justin Masterson (3-9, 5.19) for the Indians and Shaun Marcum (9-4, 3.36) for the Blue Jays.

Marte almost shared equal billing on SportsCenter highlights with Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod needs one more home run to become the seventh player in major league history to hit 600. Indians' pitchers kept him in the park and, in fact, held him to 3-for-17 (.176) for the series. Rodriguez is 9-for-30 (.300) since slugging No. 599.

Yankees hitters are known for their patience at the plate, fouling off tough pitches and making pitchers go deep into counts. Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News mentions Thursday's last at-bat for Rodriguez, who refers to the Yankees' hitting approach:

He stepped to the plate with the bases loaded for the third time in the game, but Jess Todd struck him out swinging to end the frame, sending his quest for the milestone with him on the team's charter flight to Tampa.

"Overall, we're having fun," Rodriguez said. "We're playing good baseball. Today, we saw over 275 pitches (it was 233, actually), which was a great sign for us. Hopefully we can take that right into the weekend."

Check it

Plain Dealer Indians coverage includes Paul Hoynes' Indians Insider; his Indians Chatter; and the Minor League Report.

Mitch Talbot's back

Marte certainly would not have pitched if starter Mitch Talbot had been able to provide his usual solid outing. It wasn't Talbot's fault. Sheldon Ocker writes for the Akron Beacon Journal:

...Mitch Talbot was forced to leave the game in the third inning with an injury described as a mid-back strain.

''He'll stay back tomorrow and get an MRI, then we'll find out more,'' manager Manny Acta said. ''It happened at the end of the first inning; he started to feel a little uncomfortable. He was checked by the trainer and stretched out. He wanted to try it, because it wasn't an arm injury.''

Talbot began the third, but when he gave up his first hit of the night, a single to Colin Curtis, then went 2-and-0 on Derek Jeter, Acta went to the bullpen for Rafael Perez.

''It just happened on a pitch, it stretched it out,'' Talbot said. ''Then it tightened up a little, and it didn't go away. I didn't like having to come out of the game.''

Swisher swished

George A. King III writes about Rodriguez for the New York Post, and he also writes:

It got so bad for the Indians they used third baseman Andy Marte to pitch the ninth and he recorded a 1-2-3 inning and struck out Nick Swisher.

"What are you going to do?" said Swisher, who went 1-for-5 and scored twice. "You just wear it."

"It's no situation a team wants to be in," manager Joe Girardi said of using a position player to pitch. "We did it last year with Swish and it's no fun but I understand why they did it."

Around the horn

Jim Isabella reports for the Akron Beacon Journal on Indians reliever Kerry Wood's rehabilitation assignment with the Akron Aeros and about Woods' trade rumors.

A game story by Jim Ingraham for the News Herald and Lorain Morning Journal. And, his Indians notes. 

Chris Assenheimer reports on Wednesday's game and writes his Indians notes for the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram and the Medina County Gazette.

Video of Andy Marte pitching, along with Indians notes and a preview of tonight's Indians-Blue Jays game on cleveland.indians.mlb.com.  

Cavs and small forward Joey Graham come to terms on two-year deal.

AP photoThe Cavaliers have come to terms with small forward Joey Graham, left, shown here with his twin brother and former Cavalier Stephen Graham.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers and small forward Joey Graham have agreed to terms on a two-year, $2.1 million contract. The second year of the deal is a team option.

Graham, 6-7, is expected to be a reserve wing defender for the Cavs this season. He averaged 4.2 points and 2.0 rebounds in 54 games with the Denver Nuggets last season.

Graham was a former first round pick of the Toronto Raptors. He is the twin brother of Stephen Graham, who played for the Cavs in 2005-06.

The Cavs signed Graham by using the minimum salary exception and did not use any part of their mid-level exception of $5.7 million.

Team expects offensive tackle to be a mainstay for years to come.

Associated PressRodger Saffold, out of Bedford High School and Indiana University, has signed a contract with the St. Louis Rams.

Cleveland, Ohio -- The St. Louis Rams have signed second-round draft pick Rodger Saffold, a Bedford High School graduate expected to be a cornerstone of the offensive line for years to come. Saffold, 6-5 and 318 pounds, was a four-year letter winner at Indiana.

Saffold, the 33rd overall selection in the April draft, is expected to make a strong push to start at right tackle.

The lone 2010 draft selection still unsigned is No. 1 overall pick Sam Bradford. The Rams and representatives for the former Oklahoma quarterback have been meeting for weeks.

The Rams also signed sixth-round selection Fendi Onobun, a tight end from Houston who played just one season in college.

Training camp opens Thursday for Rams rookies.

The Browns continue to talk to Joe Haden's agents, but he could miss the first full-squad practice today.

John Kuntz / PDBrowns top pick Joe Haden might miss the first fullsquad practice Saturday in a contract holdout.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Browns first-round cornerback Joe Haden is expected to miss at least the first practice of full-squad training camp today in a contract holdout, a league source said.

The Browns and Haden's agent, Malik Shareef, are still talking, but didn't make enough progress Friday to get the No. 7 overall pick into camp on time.

Browns President Mike Holmgren said this week that he was confident Haden wouldn't miss too much time and that the two sides are working hard to reach a deal.

Three other top-10 picks have either signed their deals or agreed to terms, including No. 4 offensive tackle Trent Williams of the Redskins, No. 5 safety Eric Berry of the Chiefs, and No. 8 linebacker Rolando McClain of the Raiders.

The deals break down as follows: Williams -- six years, $60 million maximum, $36.75 guaranteed; Berry -- six years, $60 million maximum, $34 million guaranteed; McClain -- five years, $40 million max, $23 million.

Another reference point is last year's No. 7 pick, Oakland receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, who received a five-year deal worth a maximum of $38.250 and $23 million guaranteed -- considered a blockbuster deal when it was signed last season.

 Haden's agent, Malik Shareef, said earlier this month that Haden had no intention of holding out, and Haden tweeted Thursday that he was flying to Cleveland that morning and was ready to get going.

Haden, who worked with the first- and second-team in minicamp, will compete with veterans Eric Wright and Sheldon Brown for a starting job. The Browns practice twice on Saturday, at 8:45 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. Both practices are open to the public.    
 

One day after infielder Andy Marte was an emergency relief pitcher, he and manager Manny Acta could joke about it.

View full sizeThomas Ondrey / The Plain DealerAndy Marte had a solid outing on Thursday during his surprise relief pitching appearance against the New York Yankees at Progressive Field.

Clubhouse confidential: Manager Manny Acta didn't like using Andy Marte to pitch the ninth inning in Thursday's 11-4 loss to the Yankees, but at least he could crack a joke about it.

"Andy Marte is not available," said Acta, going over his bullpen options with reporters before Friday's game against Toronto.

Marte retired the Yankees in order. He struck out Nick Swisher for the second out of the inning.

"He's in my book," said Marte with a laugh Friday afternoon. "I saw him in the hallway after the game and he yelled, 'You owe me one.' "

Out of the blue: Until Wednesday, the Indians didn't think they'd be able to trade Jhonny Peralta. They already had talked to the Tigers, who showed little if any interest.

On Wednesday the Tigers changed their mind. The whole deal came together in about six hours.

Stat of the day: Marte threw 13 pitches, nine for strikes Thursday. Overall, Tribe pitchers threw 233 pitches, 129 strikes and 104 balls. They walked a season-high 12.

-- Paul Hoynes