Browns linebacker Scott Fujita remains committed to playing in 2012 despite the never-ending saga surrounding the Saints bounty scandal.

Joshua Gunter | The Plain DealerScott Fujita is 100% committed to playing in 2012 despite finding himself in the eye of the storm.

CLEVELAND -- Browns linebacker Scott Fujita told the Plain Dealer today that's still 100% committed to playing in 2012 despite all of the issues he's facing as a result of the Saints' bounty scandal.

 "While there have certainly been some unexpected challenges this off-season, which are beyond my control right now, I can't let that distract me from getting myself as prepared as possible to play this season,'' said Fujita in an email response. "Obviously I'm a lot closer to the end of my career than I am to the beginning, so the time to win is now.

 "I love my teammates & defensive coaches, I'm excited about our new additions, and I'm looking forward to seeing this team improve. I want to win, and I want to help this team win.''

 In addition to fighting his three-game suspension by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for his alleged role in the Saints' bounty system, Fujita's name was dragged through the mud on Friday by filmmaker Sean Pamphilon, who portrayed Fujita as a hypocrite and contended that Fujita made the final call on Pamphilon releasing the Greg Williams' audio of the former Saints defensive coordinator encouraging Saints players to hurt opponents.

 Fujita, who will be at Browns mandatory minicamp Tuesday through Thursday, told Deadspin.com Friday that there was no language in the production agreement for Pamphilon's film about former Saints player Steve Gleason and his battle with ALS that gave Fujita the authority to make the final call on releasing any audio.

 The NFLPA said it had no problem with the release of the audio because it contained no evidence that Saints players were involved in the bounty system. The union also felt it might also shine a light on the need for better player health and safety measures.

 Pamphilon says in a 10,000-plus word essay on his website that Fujita contemplated retiring after last season. A union source said Fujita may have shared some private thoughts with Pamphilon after he suffered a concussion that caused him to miss the Seattle game Oct. 23.

What's more, Fujita spent the last five games of the season on injured reserve with a broken hand, and he's heading into his 11th season. But he's not done with football just yet, despite being in the eye of the storm.

 On Monday, an arbitrator ruled that Goodell does have the authority to discipline the players allegedly involved in the bounty system, which could make it tough for Fujita to win his appeal. But the NFLPA is appealing that ruling.

Fujita, who attended a grievance hearing last week in Philadelphia, has steadfastly maintained that he never paid a teammate to injure an opponent and never contributed directly to a bounty pool. The grievance and appeals processes will play out the next several months.

In the meantime, Fujita will focus on minicamp and helping lead this defense in 2012.
 

"Let Emmanuel Acho and James Michael-Johnson battle it out. I'm thinking Michael-Johnson will emerge the winner due to his versatility and also because I feel he is a better player. We will see, one thing I don't see if Fujita getting his starting job back." - #3+#33=36PPG

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain DealerOne cleveland.com reader says the Browns should move on from Scott Fujita and start a rookie, like James Michael-Johnson.

"Let Emmanuel Acho and James Michael-Johnson battle it out. I'm thinking Michael-Johnson will emerge the winner due to his versatility and also because I feel he is a better player. We will see, one thing I don't see if Fujita getting his starting job back."

Schultz recently was chosen as one of approximately 90 youth nationwide to participate in next month's The First Tee Life Skills and Leadership Academy at Hofstra University.

View full sizeSchultz family photoFirestone High School golfer Patrick Schultz.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Nine questions with Patrick Schultz, who recently was chosen as one of approximately 90 youth nationwide to participate in next month's The First Tee Life Skills and Leadership Academy at Hofstra University and Eisenhower Park Golf Course in Long Island, N.Y.

Schultz, who carries a 4-handicap, has been involved with The First Tee in Akron since 2000. He will be a senior at Firestone High this fall and is a three-year member of the school's golf team. It is the second time he has been chosen to participate in a national First Tee event.

Age: 18.

Residence: Akron.

1. You've been a member of The First Tee for a long time. How big a part has it played in your game?

A: It has played a huge part, not only in my game, but in my life. The organization teaches you life skills through the game of golf. I can't tell you how much I have learned. The First Tee program is my Boy Scouts.

2. Talk about your upcoming trip to Long Island. What's going to happen there?

A: We'll attend conferences and clinics about leadership instruction, golf and First Tee's nine core values. In the morning you might attend a clinic on the range, then play golf in the afternoon. It's a full day. Up at 6 a.m., lights out at 9:30.

3. This is the second time you've been selected for such an event. When was the first?

A: It was last year at Pebble Beach during the [PGA] Champions Tour Nature Valley First Tee Open. It was a life-changing experience. I hit balls on the range between Tom Kite and John Cook. John Morris was the pro I was paired with. He was a great guy. Just talking about it gives me goose-bumps.

4. What did you shoot?

A: Shot 76-78 in the practice rounds and 77-78 in the tournament. We were 9-under as a team. The cut was 10-under.

5. Who's your favorite pro?

A: Can I give you two? All-time, Arnold Palmer. Current, Rory McIlroy.

6. What's in your golf bag?

A: I just got new clubs. Titleists. Vokey wedges, Scotty Cameron putter. They're pretty sweet.

7. Can you give me The First Tee's core values?

A: Sure. I've had them memorized for a long time. Honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, responsibility, confidence, respect, perseverance, courtesy, judgment.

8. Sounds like you are pretty much wrapped up in golf.

A: You could say that. Playing on the Firestone team, caddying at Portage Country Club, The First Tee, playing and practicing.

9. How did you get involved in the game to begin with?

A: My dad and my grandfather taught me. I was about 3 years old. I've been very fortunate because I've always had their support. I owe everything to them.

Among other things, placekicker Dawson talks about the chances of finishing his career with the Browns, and rookie quarterback Weeden talks about progressing through the off-season activities.

John Kuntz, The Plain DealerBrowns kicker Phil Dawson bounces the football off his toe as punter Spencer Lanning waits for drill time during the first day of Cleveland's minicamp on Tuesday in Berea.

Plain Dealer's Cleveland Browns beat writers Mary Kay Cabot and Tom Reed report on the first day of the Browns minicamp in Berea. Watch video

It's no disgrace to need three shots to reach the green of this challenging par-4 in Kent.

View full size

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- How long does it take for you to get really warmed up for your round? Some golfers actually warm up sufficiently before teeing off on the first hole ... the rest of us not so much.

At Kent's Oak Knolls, you have pretty much five holes to get ready. Then comes the top handicap hole, the par-4 sixth that can stretch beyond 460 yards. It's no disgrace to need three shots to reach the green (unless you're bombing it over 270 off the tee and finding the fairway, three shots are pretty much required). Indeed, earning your par with a well-executed wedge is a salute to your overall game.

There's no water, and just two bunkers of note. But a narrow driving area and length are all the challenges most golfers will want when they tackle this beast.

Then again, make sure you're warmed up.

Next week the spotlight falls on the juniors. The week after that it is the adults.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerMac McLaughlin is the defending champion of the upcoming Northeast Ohio Amateur tournament, to be held at Firestone, Boulder Creek and Elyria Country Club.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The competitive golf season is about to enter full swing.

Several significant events, for both juniors and adults, will be held this month. It started Monday with the two sectional qualifying events for the U.S. Open in Columbus and Springfield.

Next week the spotlight falls on the juniors. The week after that it is the adults.

Next week is so crowded, in fact, two of the biggest junior events of the summer will conflict. The one-day qualifier for the U.S. Junior Amateur will be played at Aurora Country Club on June 14, the same day as the final round of the 28th annual Hudson Junior Invitational at the Country Club of Hudson.

The following week, the Northern Ohio Golf Association will stage the first two rounds of the 82nd annual Northeast Ohio Amateur tournament. The first 18 holes will be played on the West Course at Firestone on June 18. The second 18 will be played two days later at Boulder Creek. The final round will be played June 25 at Elyria Country Club.

Deadline approaching: The deadline to enter the Northeast Ohio Am is June 13. Competitors must have a handicap index of 4.6 or lower for the regular division and 7.6 or lower for the senior division. Past champions include Arnold Palmer and Rob Moss and five-time champions Doug Hauenstein, Joe Ungvary Sr. and Tom Whiteway.

University of Virginia junior and former Plain Dealer Player of the Year and high school state champion Mac McLaughlin, of Shaker Heights and University School, and Jim Harless (Barrington) are the reigning regular and senior champs.

The boys at Hudson: Some of the area's top players, including state champions and Plain Dealer All-Stars Ian Holt (Stow, Division I) and Andrew Bieber (Gilmour, Division II), head a strong field of 94 that also includes Aurora's Bud Radis and Michael Bernard of Huber Heights Wayne. Radis also was a Plain Dealer All-Star and Bernard won the Ohio Amateur two years ago at Kirtland -- a rarity for a high school player -- but never fared as well in high school events.

Other notables are Brady Bohl and Chad Howard, who led Dublin Jerome to the Division I state championship and Will Mason and Josh Wick, who were part of Upper Arlington's runner-up team.

The girls at Hudson: The field of 49 is loaded. Reigning Division I state champion Danielle Nicholson of Geneva tops the list but has plenty of company in Plain Dealer player of the year Jessica Porvasnik (Highland) and fellow Plain Dealer All-Stars Ali Nageotte (Magnificat) and Lauren McKinzie (Highland).

Back to normal: Officials have changed the format at Hudson, returning the event to its former three days instead of playing 36 holes on the first day and 18 the following day.

On Twitter: @TimRogersPD

No matter what the offense, Trent Richardson should get the ball.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerBrandon Weeden's first year as an NFL quarterback will likely frequently involve handing the ball off to the team's top draft pick, Trent Richardson. That's the track record of Pat Shurmur and Brad Childress, says Terry Pluto.

BEREA, Ohio -- How many times did the Rams' Steven Jackson carry the ball when Pat Shurmur was calling the plays in St. Louis?

That's the question that I asked Trent Richardson, and he had no idea. There was no reason for the Browns running back to know answer, but I thought he'd want to hear it. The same with the Browns fans.

"It was more than 300 times a year," I said.

Richardson smiled and nodded. He then said all the right things about wanting to help the team in wherever role he was needed.

"I just know that I have to be mentally and physically ready," he said. "I've got to be in great shape."

To be precise, Jackson carried the ball 330 times (1,241 yards) for the Rams in 2010. In 2009, it was 324 times for 1,422 yards.

The answer to this question will surprise some: What Browns running back has the most carries in a season? The usual response would be Jim Brown, but he played when the seasons were only 12, then 14 games.

The answer is 309 for Reuben Droughns in 2005, followed by Brown at 305 in 1961. Can Richardson become the third Browns back in history to carry the ball at least 300 times in a season?

"I don't want to get into all that," he said. "I just want to prove that I'm good enough to stay on the field."

Richardson then talked about playing at Alabama, "where you had to be able to block -- not just to play on third downs, but to play [any down]." He paused, then added, "I love to block. I love contact. I don't want to sit on the bench, I'll do what it takes."

While it's critical that rookie Brandon Weeden (looking good in the OTAs) grows into a viable starting quarterback, the Browns also need to make sure they have a real running game. It's why they traded up a notch to grab Richardson.

When Sam Bradford was a rookie quarterback with the Rams in 2010, Jackson was the vehicle through which Shurmur took some of burden off his top draft choice. The Rams also had iffy receivers in that season.

Yes, that also is the situation for the team in the orange helmets. Weeden is the rookie, the receivers are unproven and/or underachieving. The only difference is Richardson also is a rookie. But rookie running backs can make a major impact, especially if they get the ball.

At Alabama, Richardson rumbled for 1,679 yards in 283 carries, over 13 games.

"I also was the team's second-leading receiver," he said. "I love to catch the ball."

Actually, Richardson (29 catches) was third on the team, behind Marquis Maze (56) and Browns seventh-round pick Brad Smelley (34). But his point is valid.

"I can be a good guy to catch the ball in a checkdown or wherever they need me. I love to catch the ball out in space."

In his two seasons with Shurmur, Jackson played 82 percent of the snaps. New offensive coordinator Brad Childress also likes the running game, as he proved when the head coach in Minnesota.

It's absolutely unfair to compare Richard with the Vikings' Adrian Peterson, a future Hall of Famer. If Richardson puts up Jackson-type numbers, Browns fans should celebrate. But it is relevant to note that in 2008, Childress gave the ball 363 times to Peterson. In 2009, it was 314. So Shurmur and Childress -- the two men who will call the plays -- are very willing to run the ball in what they call the West Coast offense.

Richardson doesn't worry about the offense is called. "I just know that when it gets cold and snows and the wind blows, you gotta be able to run the ball," he said. "I'm going to learn the playbook and put in all the work that I need so I can help us do that."

Players predicted as Cavs' selections with the fourth overall pick include forwards Harrison Barnes of North Carolina and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist of Kentucky, and Connecticut center Andre Drummond.

Associated PressNorth Carolina's Harrison Barnes (40) averaged 17.1 points and 5.2 rebounds in 29.2 minutes per game last season, shooting 44 percent from the field, including 36 percent on 3-point attempts.

Analysis: Cleveland misses out on Brad Beal, but they seem to love Harrison Barnes. An excellent scorer, Barnes didn't quite live up to the hype in college, but will likely be a solid pro. The Cavs need a talented scorer on the wing.

The Indians, riding high after a three-game sweep of the Tigers on May 24, have struggled largely due to the starting rotation.

View full sizePaul Sancya, Associated PressUbaldo Jimenez gave the Indians a much-needed quality start on Tuesday, scattering five hits and working into the seventh inning against the Tigers in Detroit.

DETROIT -- On May 24, the Indians were 26-18 with a 3 1/2-game lead in the AL Central over Chicago following a three-game sweep of Detroit at Progressive Field.

Tuesday night they opened a three-game series against the same Detroit team at 28-25. They lost seven of nine following the sweep and fell into second place, losing 5 1/2 games to Chicago in the standings.

The problem? Manny Acta says most of it has to do with starting pitching.

The rotation is 2-7 with a 9.07 ERA (46 earned runs in 45 2/3 innings) in that stretch. Starters Josh Tomlin and Derek Lowe own the only two wins. Jeanmar Gomez and Justin Masterson have each lost two games. Lowe, Tomlin and Ubaldo Jimenez also lost games.

Thing were so bad for Jimenez, that after his last start against Chicago on May 27 in which he allowed seven runs on seven hits in four innings, the Indians skipped his next start so he could work on his mechanics and make sure some cramping in his left side was healed. Tuesday's start against Detroit was his first since his loss to the White Sox.

"We need to pitch better," said Acta. "We need to get our starters back to where they were 10 days ago.

"We're not the only team that's going through a little down period. I'm concentrating on my team and trying to answer you question as honestly as I can. In our case, we just haven't pitched very well over the last 10 days or so."

The rotation, through 53 games, has walked the second-most batters and allowed the fifth most hits. They're 13th in strikeouts (188), 10th in ERA (4.59), 10th in innings pitched (316) and ninth in batting average against (.270).

"We've played 53 games. Before these last 10 games or so, somebody had to pitch the first 43 games well enough to give us an opportunity to be where we are," said Acta. "We're going to need every single one of them to snap out of this."

He's back: Carlos Santana was activated before Tuesday's game and started at DH. Santana suffered a concussion May 25 and was placed on the seven-day disabled list.

Shortstop Juan Diaz was optioned to Class AA Akron to make room for Santana, leaving the Indians with three catchers for the first time in recent memory. It's not expected to stay that way long.

Outfielder Johnny Damon will come off the paternity list Wednesday. Catcher Luke Carlin and first baseman Matt LaPorta will be on the bubble when Damon returns.

"We know what move we're going to make, but we're going to wait to announce it until Wednesday," said Acta, who said Santana will catch Wednesday night.

"He's been cleared to catch," said Acta. "He's our catcher and he needs to catch."

Santana played a rehab game at Class A Lake County on Monday night. He hit a game-tying homer.

"I feel good," said Santana. "I'd like to thank the training staff for all the help they gave me."

Santana suffered his concussion when he took a foul tip off the mask against the White Sox. MLB established the seven-day disabled list for concussions in 2010.

"I'm prepared to do whatever the manager wants," said Santana.

Late scratch: Third baseman Jose Lopez was scratched from the lineup Tuesday because of a sore lower back. Lonnie Chisenhall started in his place.

Player of the week: Outfielder Jordan Smith is the Indians' Minor League Player of the Week from May 28-June 3 at Class A Lake County.

Smith hit .433 (13-for-30) with four doubles, one triple, one homer and four RBI. He was the Tribe's ninth-round pick in 2011 out of Saint Cloud State in St. Cloud, Minn.

On Twitter: @hoynsie

Brandon Weeden doesn't look like he'll won't be relinquishing primary QB status anytime soon. Watch video

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain Dealer"I'm leap years farther along right now than I was obviously day one, day two," Browns QB Brandon Weeden said after Tuesday's minicamp session in Berea.

BEREA, Ohio -- On the first day of minicamp Tuesday, rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden stepped right up and took the first set of reps with the starting offense in 11-on-11 drills.

Coach Pat Shurmur has asked the media not to read too much into that, but the great Bill Belichick taught us all long ago that you can only go by what you see -- what you see is that Weeden is already the guy.

He's the first guy up in team drills, he's the guy at the podium after practice and he's the guy dazzling everyone in drills.

Granted, Colt McCoy went first in the second team period of the day, but for all intents and purposes, Weeden is first on the imaginary depth chart and that doesn't figure to change anytime soon.

Does he already feel like the guy?

"Not yet, just because nothing is formal," Weeden said. "We're still two months out until we play our first pre-season game. I'm still working my tail off just to get better and keep learning.

"I'm getting more comfortable with what we are doing, but I still have a long ways to go."

What he does feel like already is a completely different player than the one who showed for rookie minicamp May 11.

"I'm leap years farther along right now than I was obviously day one, day two," he said. "I think even from rookie minicamp, where I'm at right now is that I look like two totally different quarterbacks -- in my footwork, and you can tell I'm processing stuff a little bit faster and I'm not thinking quite as much.

"When you stop thinking so much and you just react and go through your reads one, two, three to your back, that's when you start moving the ball down the field and start getting completions and first downs."

Weeden showed on two occasions Tuesday that he can rebound quickly from his mistakes. After being picked off by safety Eric Hagg on a short pass intended for Josh Cribbs, he came right back with a laser shot to Mohamed Massaquoi on a deep cross. Later, he was almost picked off by linebacker Craig Robertson on a slant to Massaquoi, and responded with a 50-yard completion to speedster Travis Benjamin over fellow rookie Trevin Wade down the right side.

"[The interception] was just a miscommunication between me and Cribbs," said Weeden. "I thought he was coming back down the stem where he was coming inside. I won't make that same mistake again and if I do, shame on me.

"I think you guys will find I'm pretty even-keeled, but I think my track record shows -- I put that one behind me. They always say 'wash your hands and move on.' That's kind of the approach I take, and that comes from baseball. I gave up a lot of home runs in baseball and they're very similar. So you've just got to toe the rubber, you've got take snaps and move on and make the next play."

In his two years as a starter at Oklahoma State, Weeden threw only 26 interceptions against 71 touchdowns. So what's worse, a pick or giving up a homer?

"Pick," he said. "They both [stink], but I don't like throwing interceptions. I know they're going to happen, but I do not like them."

What he does like is airing it out, something the Browns are giving him plenty of chances to do in practice.

"Sometimes in this West Coast offense it can get labeled as an underneath route, catch-and-run route [scheme], but anytime you can really step into one and let it rip, that's fun. And when you've got a guy like Travis that can go get it, it's even more fun. He can fly."

Weeden has also taken it upon himself to develop chemistry after-hours with other receivers such as Greg Little.

"Me and Greg stayed after practice the other day and worked on a particular route. I was telling Mo after practice, I love the way he runs that comeback. I love throwing it to him. He runs it well. I throw it to the sideline, he's right there and it's stealing, which feels good. I think that's when offenses get better is when their quarterbacks and receivers are on the same page."

Said Little: "He's very capable of making any play. When he's in the huddle, his presence is felt. Guys really understand that he commands excellence when he's in there, and that's what you want in a quarterback."

Added Jordan Norwood: "[His passes] are certainly more than catchable. Everybody knows he has a strong arm and he's doing a great job so far. There's a lot being thrown at him, but he's an older guy, so he knows how to be professional. The more he grasps the offense, the better he'll be."

Weeden also has no qualms about chiming in and telling the coaching staff what he wants.

"There's a couple of plays in the red zone, I told [quarterbacks coach Mark] Whipple that I wasn't a big fan of," he said. "If I don't like it I'm going to continue to tell him because if you're not comfortable with the quarterback throwing it, most coaches will tell you they won't call it. I like 99.8 percent of it."

He might not feel like the guy yet, but he certainly looks like it.

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

Ubaldo Jimenez walked just one batter in 6 2/3 innings as he won his first game ever at Comerica Park on Tuesday night.

DETROIT -- Two losing streaks came to an end Tuesday night at Comerica Park. Both made the Indians smile.

Ubaldo Jimenez, at times nearly unwatchable this season, pitched 6 2/3 good innings to lead the Indians to a 4-2 victory over the Tigers. It was his first win ever in the Motor City.

"All streaks have to come to an end at some time whether they're good or bad," said Jimenez, who was 0-4 with a 9.78 ERA in four previous starts at Comerica.

The victory ended a seven-game losing streak at Comerica for the Indians. It was only their fourth win in the last 27 games going back to May 2, 2009 in the Tigers' lair.

"Let's just say we ran into a very good team last year that crushed everybody in the second half," said manager Manny Acta.

This year the Indians are 4-0 against Detroit, the defending AL Central champs. Overall the win was just their third in the last 10 games, but Acta believes the second-place Indians are a more resilient club than the one that faded down the stretch last year.

"What happened to us last year has a lot to do with how we're playing this year," said Acta. "A lot of those kids had big at-bats in meaningful games. They found out you don't win the division in June or July.

"We were in a good spot at the All-Star break and still lost the division by 15 games. I think they've learned that you just keep playing and we'll count up the wins at the end of the season."

Acta believes that's why this team is stronger than last year's. "We have not played are best baseball yet and we're still pretty competitive," he said.

Jimenez, making his first start since a bruising loss against the White Sox on May 27, allowed one run on five hits. The Indians skipped his last turn through the rotation to give him extra time to work on his delivery and make sure the cramping in his left side was healed. On a cool night in early June, the extra preparation paid off.

"It gave me a break mentally and physically," said Jimenez, who pitched on eight days rest.

Jimenez entered the game leading the AL with 42 walks. He walked just one batter Tuesday, Ramon Santiago, the last man he faced for the night with two out in the seventh.

"He has more walks (43) than strikeouts (37)," said Acta. "He knows he's better than that. We now he's better than that. This was a step in the right direction."

Another reason for celebration? The Indians beat a left-handed starter, a rookie to boot. Drew Smyly is just the kind of lefty that has befuddled the Indians this season. They're not 5-12 against left-handed starters by accident. Truth be told, Smyly (2-2, 3.71) didn't pitch that badly. He just couldn't stop the Tribe's attack of triples.

It did not start well as Smyly -- helped by Comerica Park's shadows over the mound -- struck out the side in order in the first. In the bottom of the first, Jimenez hit Quintin Berry to start the inning. Berry stole second and scored for a 1-0 lead on Miguel Cabrera's double past third.

The game stayed that way until the third when Asdrubal Cabrera tripled over Berry's head in center to score Shin-Soo Choo from first to make it 1-1. The Indians took the lead, 2-1, on Lou Marson's triple over Berry in the fifth to score Lonnie Chisenhall from first.

Choo followed with an RBI single to make it 3-1.

In the sixth, Michael Brantley tripled home Shelley Duncan, who walked with two out to get Brantley to the plate. Brantley's triple to right center extended his hitting streak to 13 games.

It's the first time the Indians have had three triples in a game since April 7, 2002. Matt Lawton, Jim Thome and Milton Bradley tripled at Comerica.

"Those were huge two-out hits by Asdrubal and Brantley," said Acta.

The bullpen followed Jimenez's example as Nick Hagadone, Vinnie Pestano and Chris Perez allowed just one run the rest of the way. Perez worked a tense ninth to earn his AL-high 18th save. He was assisted by a great bare-handed grab and throw by Cabrera to force Delmon Young at second for the first out.

Perez has saved all four of the Tribe's victories against Detroit this year.

On Twitter: @hoynsie

Five of Indians' first eight picks just graduated from high school; six of the next seven were college players.

Associated PressTexas A&M's Tyler Naquin (18), the Cleveland Indians' first 2012 draft pick, slides into home plate during a 2011 NCAA regional tournament game, won by the Aggies, 3-0, over Arizona.

"We feel he's got a chance to be an above-average hitter. That's what really attracted us to Tyler,'' Brad Grant, the Indians director of amateur scouting, said on a conference call with reporters immediately after the pick.

"He's got a wiry, strong, athletic body,'' Grant said. "He's playing right field right now, but with his tools, his speed, his instincts, his arm, we feel he has the ability to play center field in pro ball.''

Naquin, 21, who was drafted in the 33rd round out of high school by Baltimore in 2009, led the Aggies with a .380 batting average this season, with 18 doubles, six triples and three homers.

His power is a question, which is why some scouts label him a "tweener'' - not quite the heavy bat for a corner outfield spot, but maybe not the speed or range for center.

"He's got more power than some guys give him credit for,'' Grant said. "He drives the ball and has the ability to turn doubles into triples.''

Naquin, who won the Big 12 Conference batting title (.381) and led Division I in hits as a sophomore, scored 56 runs this season, stole 21 bases in 26 attempts and was a first-team All-Big 12 selection.

Clippers, Aeros win.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerJared Goedert had two homers and nine RBI on Tuesday for Columbus.

AAA Columbus Clippers

Clippers 21, Bisons 3: Columbus blasted four home runs, two by DH Jared Goedert, as the Clippers routed visiting Buffalo in an International League game Tuesday. Goedert (.286) went 4-for-4, hit his fifth and sixth homers of the season and knocked in nine runs. CF Ezequiel Carrera (.259) went 4-for-5, hit his second homer of the season and scored five runs. SS Gregorio Petit (.206) hit his third homer. T.J. McFarland (1-0, 2.13 ERA) pitched seven effective innings, giving up three runs on six hits and striking out three. Reliever Dan Wheeler (3.00) struck out five in two scoreless innings.

AA Akron Aeros

Aeros 6, Rock Cats 2 Starter Giovanni Soto (5-2, 4.22) gave up two runs in 51/3 innings to help lead host Akron to victory over New Britain (Conn.) in an Eastern League game. CF Tim Fedroff (.312) hit his third homer for the Aeros, going 2-for-4 in the leadoff spot. RF Trevor Crowe, just activated off of the disabled list, went 2-for-4 for Akron.

Advanced A Carolina Mudcats

Blue Rocks 5, Mudcats 2 DH Justin Toole (.221) knocked in two runs in the ninth inning, but Carolina lost in Wilmington (Del.) in a Carolina League game. Starter Mike Rayl (3-6, 4.14) gave up five runs in five innings, walking one and giving up eight hits. Tyler Sturdevant (0.00) pitched two scoreless innings, and Dale Dickerson (3.42) pitched one perfect inning. 2B Tony Wolters (.220) went 2-for-4 for the Mudcats.

A Lake County Captains

Captains idle Lake County begins a six-game trip in Dayton today against the Dragons at 7 p.m.

Notes: Francisco Lindor will be the starting shortstop on the Midwest League All-Star team. He will be joined on the roster by starting pitchers Cody Anderson (4-2, 2.52) and Joe Colon (5-5, 2.66). The All-Star Game is June 19 at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark in Geneva, Ill. Lindor, the Indians' first-round pick last year, is hitting .278 with four homers and 21 RBI.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

Crushers 4, Otters 2 Eric Gonzalez-Diaz (1-3, 4.84) gave up one run in six innings to lead Lake Erie to victory in a Frontier League game in Evansville, Ind. Jonathan Kountis (0.00) pitched two scoreless innings for his fourth save.

More news and statistics on Indians minor-league teams at cleveland.com/tribe

Highlights include Indians at Detroit and the NBA and NHL playoffs.

Chuck Crow, The Plain DealerJeanmar Gomez gets the start for the Indians in their 7:05 game tonight in Detroit against the Tigers. The game will be televised on SportsTime Ohio and broadcast on WTAM/1100-AM.

Minnesota's Mitch Brown (second round) and California's Kieran Lovegrove (third) are a pair of high-school pitchers who are snapped up by Tribe.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians went pitching heavy in day two of the Major League Baseball draft Tuesday, and hit the high school ranks early.

After choosing Texas A&M outfielder Tyler Naquin with the 15th pick in Monday's first round, six of the team's next nine picks -- and half of the 14 second-day selections -- were right-handed pitchers. The first three picks were high school players.

The results, said Brad Grant, the team's director of amateur scouting, reflect a desire to beef up the position and an abundance of good right-handers available.

"We certainly wanted to add starting pitching to our organization," he said, "and at the same time, it was the strength of the draft as well."

• Draft tracker | Tidbits on each of the Indians' draftees so far

In round two (No. 79 overall), the Indians chose right-hander Mitch Brown from Century High School in Rochester, Minn. Baseball America ranked him 44th overall and 16th among right-handers, citing a four-pitch repertoire with a fastball up to 94 mph, coupled with an 87-88 mph cutter/slider. He was 6-1 with an 0.65 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 43 innings this season, according to the Indians.

The 6-1, 195-pound son of a former Korean powerlifter has committed to the University of San Diego.

Round three (No. 110) was spent on Kieran Lovegrove of Mission Viejo, Calif, who was 6-3 with a 1.58 ERA this season. Baseball America ranked Lovegrove 131st overall and the 52nd right-hander in the draft. The 6-4, 175-pound standout, who has committed to play at Arizona State, was a projected third- to fourth-rounder. The knock on him is consistency (78 strikeouts, but 34 walks in 62 innings).

"He's got very good life to his fastball," Grant said.

D'Vone McClure, a 6-3, 190-pound, right-handed-hitting outfielder with a .412 batting average in 85 at-bats from Jacksonville (Ark.) High School, was chosen in round four (No. 143 overall).

"The bat is what excites us the most about D'Vone," Grant said, "and then the secondary tools and athleticism that come with it."

The club chose four outfielders, two catchers and an infielder.

The draft concludes Wednesday with rounds 16 through 40. Teams have until 5 p.m. on July 13 to sign their draftees.

"A very tough, huge challenge," KSU coach Scott Stricklin said Tuesday afternoon of this weekend's super regional series against Oregon.

View full sizeJohn Luke, The (Gary) TimesKent State lefty David Starn figures to get the ball for the Golden Flashes in their super regional opener Saturday against Oregon.

KENT, Ohio -- Scott Stricklin is well aware the challenge ahead for his Kent State baseball team at the NCAA Super Regional in Eugene, Oregon, is much tougher than the one just completed.

Playing, and winning, the Purdue Regional as the No. 3 seed came with a couple of relative advantages. They included a modest amount of travel and playing at what Stricklin correctly called "a neutral field." The regional was actually in Gary, Ind., 90 miles from the Boilermakers' campus, and much closer to home for No. 4 seed Valparaiso.

Now it's on to play Oregon on its home field, PK Park, for a best two-of-three beginning at 11 p.m. ET Saturday (ESPNU). The winner advances to the College World Series. The Ducks are 45-17 on the season, 28-6 at home.

"A very tough, huge challenge," Stricklin said Tuesday afternoon. "They can pitch. They can really play defense, and if you make a mistake, they make you pay. Very similar to playing Texas at Texas last year."

Kent State made the Longhorns go three games to knock the Golden Flashes out of the 2011 NCAA Tournament. Perhaps that experience will make KSU better as it attempts to advance to Omaha for the World Series next week.

About those Ducks: Oregon began the season unranked, but are now listed in five college baseball polls, including 10th in Baseball America's Top 25. ... The Ducks ended the regular season sixth in NCAA RPI ratings, and its schedule was ranked the third strongest in the country. ...

Oregon began the season with 14 newcomers on its roster. ... Three Oregon pitchers, Brando Tessar, Alex Keudell and Jordan Spencer, all tossed nine-inning shutouts this season. Tessar and Keudell hurled four-hitters, Spencer had a no-hitter over Portland, April 18.

On the hill: Look for both teams to stay with their starting pitching rotations, which means Saturday will match the Pitchers of the Year for the Pac-12 and Mid-American conferences. For Oregon, that's Keudell, a 6-3, 205-pound senior right-hander with a 11-4 record, 2.38 ERA with 70 strikeouts and 30 walks. His last loss was May 25, 7-3 to rival Oregon State.

Kent State will start lefty David Starn, who is 10-3 with a 2.01 ERA, 118 strikeouts against 38 walks after a no-decision in Kent's 21-inning, 7-6, marathon victory over Kentucky last Friday. Starn's last loss was April 20, 3-0 at Central Michigan, before KSU started what is now a 20-game winning streak.

Two for the show: Oregon's starting lineup is comprised primarily of sophomores, with six second-year men. ... Oregon is also very good at getting two-out RBI. During the regular season Oregon recorded 238 RBI. Of those, 98 came with two outs. Oregon sophomore OF Kyle Garlick led the way with 18, nearly half of his total of 40.

The Browns have expressed a desire to sign the 37-year-old to a long-term deal, but instead tagged him as a "franchise player" for the second straight season.

BEREA, Ohio -- Phil Dawson skipped the first six voluntary organized team activities of the spring, but returned for mandatory minicamp Tuesday and made it clear he wants to kick for no other organization.

Dawson, a franchise fixture since its 1999 rebirth, said he hopes to finish his career with the Browns and take aim at Lou Groza's 45-year-old team record for points.

"I'd like to, I really would," said the 14-year veteran when asked if he intends to make Cleveland his final stop. "I'm not thinking about my career being over at this point, but it just doesn't make a whole lot of sense to go play somewhere else.

"We'll see what happens. Like I've told you guys before, I'm not very good at predicting the future, but I'm just gonna go to work like I always do and hope that things get worked out."

The Browns have expressed a desire to sign the 37-year-old to a long-term deal, but instead tagged him as a "franchise player" for the second straight season. He's set to earn $3.8 million a season after converting 24 of 29 field-goal attempts, including an NFL-tying best seven from 50-plus yards.

As if he needed to demonstrate his worth, Dawson hit a near 70-yarder in his first practice. "I undercut it a bit," he said.

His future with the Browns has been uncertain in recent years to the point where he sold his suburban home and moved his family back to Austin, Texas after the 2010 season. His wife and three children made visits to Cleveland last year, and might need to do it for a couple more seasons if he expects to eclipse Groza's mark of 1,349 points.

Dawson, the team's all-time leader in field goals (276), has 1,155 points.

"That was a goal I set in 1999 when Danny Kight and Chris Boniol were out here competing against me in training camp," Dawson said of the team record. "If I had admitted back then that that was one of my goals, you guys would have laughed me out of town and I wouldn't have blamed you."

Dawson said he was delivering no statement by missing the OTAs. He has skipped several others in the past.

"I have my reasons, which I'll keep to myself, but I can assure ya'll they're not headline worthy," he said. Asked about potentially signing a long-term deal, Dawson added: "there's a time and place for everything. ... It just hasn't happened yet."

Replacing Fujita: Linebacker Scott Fujita said he might spend the opening weeks of the regular season serving as a replacement referee if his three-game suspension for his alleged role in the New Orleans Saints bounty program is upheld.

Fujita was joking, of course, attempting to lighten the mood as he answered a series of questions about the scandal. But with each passing week it appears more unlikely the club will have him available when the season begins. The responsibility for replacing Fujita likely will fall to either a rookie or a fourth-year pro best known for his special-teams play.

Coach Pat Shurmur gave no indication who might get the nod. Kaluka Maiava, who started the final five games last season in place of an injured Fujita, and first-year linebacker James-Michael Johnson will receive strong consideration. Another rookie, Emmanuel Acho, also is in the mix.

"We are going to develop all of the players and then once the season starts, we will put the best one in there," Shurmur said.

Maiava performed admirably with Fujita sidelined because of a broken hand last season. He made 19 solo tackles and forced a fumble in the final five games. The USC product did not commit a penalty on defense or special teams.

Johnson, a Nevada product, could ultimately win the job in training camp and start alongside linebackers D'Qwell Jackson and Chris Gocong. The fourth-round pick is a sturdy 6-foot-1, 240 pounds and possesses the flexibility to play all three linebacker positions.

"I just want to learn the defense, that's my main goal," he said. "I've got to come in and learn how we do things here and we've got a lot of veterans I can learn from."

Not stepping down: Fujita said he has no regrets from his time with the Saints and no intention of vacating his role with the NFL Players Association as an advocate for player safety. He is a member of the union's executive committee.

"I was nominated a few years ago for a reason," Fujita said. "I wanted to be a part of that culture change and help in pushing forward more health and safety measures. ... I can't walk away from the players on that."

Fujita said he was disappointed by an arbitrator's decision Monday to rule that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has the authority to discipline players for their alleged involvement in the bounty scandal, but that he needs to remain patient and focused on football as he wends through an appeal process.

He conceded Tuesday he was in the Saints locker room in January as former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams delivered a pre-game speech encouraging his players to target members of the San Francisco 49ers. Fujita was there accompanying former teammate Steve Gleason, afflicted with ALS. The controversial rant was captured on tape by filmmaker Sean Pamphlion.

"I'm not proud of things that were said by Gregg Williams and at the same time he's a man I respect and loved playing for, so there's definitely a conflict with all that," Fujita said.

Extra points: Quarterback Brandon Weeden was asked about former Oklahoma State receiver and teammate Justin Blackmon, arrested Sunday for aggravated DUI. Blackmon is a first-round pick of Jacksonville. "I feel bad for him," Weeden said. "He's such a good dude and obviously he made a poor choice." ... Browns kicker Jeff Wolfert missed practice Tuesday for personal reasons, a team spokesman confirmed.

Paul with chat with Cleveland.com's Glenn Moore about the Tribe's win over the Detroit Tigers last night and preview the remaining two games of the series. He will also talk about the Tribe's draft picks.

Paul Hoynes answers your Indians questions on Wednesdays at noon.

Get your Indians questions ready and join Indians beat writer Paul Hoynes today at noon as he talks Indians baseball.

Paul with chat with cleveland.com's Glenn Moore about the Tribe's win over the Detroit Tigers last night and preview the remaining two games of the series. He will also talk about Ubaldo Jimenez's performance last night and discuss the Tribe's draft picks.

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What will Urban Meyer's legacy be?

(John Kuntz / The Plain Dealer)Ohio State University football head coach Urban Meyer.

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer is one of the best coaches in the country, after winning two NCAA Championships when he was the coach at Florida.

But what will his legacy be as coach of the Buckeyes? Will Meyer beat Michigan, win enough Big Ten titles and win enough National titles to become the greatest coach in OSU history?