Cleveland Indians trade closer Kerry Wood to Yankees after trading Jake Westbrook to St. Louis.

Darren Calabrese / Associated PressJosh Tomlin allowed one run while working into the sixth inning on short rest Saturday, as the Indians had just enough offense to take a 2-1 victory over the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.

Updated: 4:58 p.m.

TORONTO -- Josh Tomlin's second start in the big leagues came sooner than he expected.

Scheduled to start Sunday, Tomlin made an emergency start Saturday after Jake Westbrook was traded to St. Louis as part of a three-way deal with San Diego. Tomlin went 5 1/3 solid inning on three days rest as the Indians beat Toronto, 2-1, at Rogers Centre.

As the game neared a conclusion, the Indians traded closer Kerry Wood to the Yankees. Wood was activated before the game after being on the disabled list with a blister on his right index finger.

The deal was made for a player to be named, but the big part of it was cash relief for the Indians. They saved an estimated $1.5 million to $2 million on the $3.73 million that remained on Wood's $10.5 million contract for this year.

The Yankees must assume $1.5 million of the remaining contract. The could assume another $500,000 depending on how healthy Wood stays. He's been on the disabled list twice this year and 14 times in his career. 

The deadline for making non-waiver deals was 4 p.m. EDT.

Tomlin didn't get the victory, but he held the Blue Jays to one run on four hits. He pitched much like he did in his big-league debut Tuesday against the Yankees. He was under control and threw strikes.

He left with the score tied, 1-1, with two on and one out in the sixth. Jensen Lewis relieved and ended the inning when Adam Lind lined into a double play at first.

The Indians broke the 1-1 tie in the seventh against former Indian Brian Tallet (1-4).  After Asdrubal Cabrera walked, Choo blooped a double down the left-field line. Cabrera, running all the way, scored from first for a 2-1 lead.

The win went the the much-traveled Jensen Lewis (3-2), who joined the Indians on Friday from Class AAA Columbus for the fourth time this season.

The Indians took a 1-0 lead in the fourth when Jason Donald drew a bases-loaded walk off Brett Cecil. Jose Molina tied the score for the Blue Jays with a homer in the fifth off Tomlin.

Chris Perez, with one out and the bases loaded, struck out Edwin Encarnacion and pinch-hitter Travis Snider for his 11th save. Needless to say, Perez is the Tribe's new closer.

Josh Cribbs is the face of the Browns and maybe of sports in Cleveland now. In a city desperate for a winner, he and his team will be most fans' first option.

John Kuntz / The Plain DealerPayton Krase, 8, of Columbia Station works to get the attention of Josh Cribbs after the first session of the Browns' first day of training camp Saturday at Berea.

BEREA, Ohio -- Cheered when he first appeared on the practice field, with his dreadlocks streaming behind his helmet like a comet's tail. Cheered when he ran the "wildcat" formation at quarterback. Cheered before and after signing innumerable autographs.

Josh Cribbs, the new king of Cleveland, declines the title, but would be cast in the role.

"This city is bigger than any one man," said the Browns' kick returner/wide receiver/gadget quarterback.

His function is to create the same alarm among Browns opponents as would be the case were an actual wildcat flung into their midst.

He is, perhaps most of all, the anti-LeBron James. Cribbs is the dynamic player who was absolutely tremendous throughout the past season, never quitting or coming close to it, always giving his all. He said he wanted to stay here, although his contract did not reflect his value to the team. When that was rectified, he not only stayed, but gave the dejected city a hug.

Cleveland is a great sports town, one that has grown greater because the fans' hearts have been broken so many times without apathy becoming their recourse. They will fall in love again, although they never really fell out of it with the Browns. They will eventually, and probably sooner rather than later, be hurt again. They will move on, ready to take the next faint ember of hope and coax it into flame.

John Kuntz / The Plain Dealer"When anybody asks me about what Cleveland has to offer, they are the most die-hard fans ever," says Josh Cribbs.

The biggest attraction to Cribbs in the city is not the Rock Hall, not Terminal Tower, not the many cultural and recreational possibilities.

"When anybody asks me about what Cleveland has to offer, they are the most die-hard fans ever," Cribbs said. "I tell them about the city, the people of Cleveland and how die-hard they are and how much they'll fight for you in any type of weather."

Always the most beloved franchise in town, but not the best since Bernie Kosar was taking the snaps a generation ago, the Browns are bigger than ever this season. The Indians trade players as soon as they become too good to fit into their budget. "The Decision" sank the Cavaliers almost as quickly as the Witness billboard was dismantled.

The Browns have skipped a generation as consistent contenders. They skipped three years of playing at all. They skipped becoming immediately competitive, due to clueless drafting and the existing teams' resentment of all the breaks given to previous expansion franchises in Jacksonville and Carolina.

Other qualities have been skipped, however, that were probably best omitted in the first place.

There is no first-time head coach, but rather Eric Mangini, in his fifth year overall and second here.

There is no college guy in charge of personnel, dialing up players he tried to recruit at The U. Tom Heckert built the Eagles into contenders.

There is no flim-flam man as the owner's right-hand man. Mike Holmgren took both Green Bay and Seattle to the Super Bowl, after both franchises had fallen into neglect and inconsequence.

There is no skimping on discipline, and there is no favoritism.

There is a half-roster of new players, but there is also a core of holdovers to teach them the system.

There is no great quarterback. Hasn't been since Kosar was knocking on the door. But no quarterback is named Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn, either, both of whom were burdened by past inadequacies.

Mangini won the last four games last season with Jerome Harrison providing the most rugged ground game since 1985 and Earnest Byner and Kevin Mack. In what was literally a stretch "run," the Browns beat Pittburgh in bitter conditions, putting a tooth or two back in the rivalry and hope back in fans' hearts.

But Holmgren knows the Browns have to throw to balance such a primitive attack. In 1986, Kosar suddenly emerged. This is Colt McCoy's year to stand watch. Next year?

There are no divas, no look-at-me guys, no Kellen Winslow, no Braylon Edwards. Jokingly asked if he had ever been called "King," by himself or anyone else, Cribbs said, "I feel like I'm on the right path to be all that, but I want to empower everyone else."

The city is desperate to latch on to something positive in sports. "It's a huge burden, but one we fully accept," said Cribbs.

"I want to accelerate [the rebuilding] as quickly as possible," said Mangini. "If I could push a fast-forward button, I'd probably get carpal tunnel syndrome from pressing it so much."

Plain Dealer’s Cleveland Browns beat writers Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot report on what happened during opening day of training camp in Berea

Plain Dealer Cleveland Browns beat writers Tony Grossi and Mary Kay Cabot report on what happened during opening day of training camp in Berea.

Heat fires season ticket sales staff of about 30 people, as there are no season tickets left to sell.

Al Diaz, AP/Miami HeraldDwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James getting together on the Heat eventually meant lost jobs for Miami's ticket sales staff.

Cleveland -- LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are now together on the Miami Heat, the result of apparent plotting by the trio to join forces, and egomaniacal journeys through the free agency process by former Cleveland Cavalier James and former Toronto Raptor Bosh.

We've heard that the three have each made a "sacrifice" to allow the Heat to fit their contracts into the salary cap structure, and to help Miami sign other players.

The "sacrifice" was that James and Bosh each settled for six-year, $110 million contracts, while Wade will try to get by on a six-year, $107 million deal. The maximum contracts for the players would have been worth about $126 million for each James and Bosh, a few million more for Wade.

Maybe those guys can help out the Heat's ticket sales staff  a little (We do understand that might be beyond James' means. He's famous around his Akron hometown for not leaving tips at restaurants).

With the arrival of James and Bosh, the Heat quickly sold out its season tickets. Guess who's not needed anymore?

Douglas Hanks writes about the Heat's can-you-believe-it? cost-cutting measure for the Miami Herald:

With the arrival of Lebron James, the Miami Heat rapidly sold out all their season tickets. That turned out to be bad news for the ticket-sales staff, which was fired Friday.

In a statement, the Heat confirmed the dismissals Friday afternoon, saying that with an ``exhausted'' inventory of season-tickets ``we no longer require a season ticket sales team to sell tickets.''

Stephen Weber, vice president of sales, delivered the news to about 30 ticket sales people Friday morning, according to one of the staffers who asked not to be named because he is seeking another job in sports.

The fired workers didn't just sit around as the ticket frenzy for Heat games grew. The staffer told Hanks that they made calls to potential ticket buyers and secured deposits from what is now a waiting list of about 6,000.

Hanks writes:

The Heat did not release details of the dismissals, except to say the sales force ``ebbs and flows'' with the supply of tickets.

``While the decision to release part of our sales force was a difficult one, we greatly appreciate their contributions to the company,'' the statement continued. ``We have also hired a placement service to assist those individuals find new employment.

``Should any season tickets become available, they will be handled through our season ticket deposit program. We thank those employees for their time with the company and wish them success in their future endeavors.''

 

 

 

Pleasant Prince waited until speedster Mykindacandy ran out of gas in the Thistledown stretch, then beat Worldly by a nose at the wire by a nose to win the Grade III 76th annual $100,000 Ohio Derby.

Thomas Ondrey / The Plain DealerPleasant Prince (right) is guided by jockey Alex Solis to a narrow win over Worldly in Saturday's Ohio Derby at Thistledown.

NORTH RANDALL, Ohio -- Pleasant Prince waited until speedster Mykindacandy ran out of gas in the Thistledown stretch, then beat Worldly by a nose at the wire to win the Grade III 76th annual $100,000 Ohio Derby on Saturday.

It was the first win in eight starts this season for Pleasant Prince, a veteran of the three-year-old stakes with a second in the Florida Derby and a third in the Derby Trial. Veteran jockey Alex Solis said he was proud of the chestnut three-year-old son of Indy King.

"Pleasant Prince kept fighting all of the way," Solis said. "I had to get after him pretty hard at the end. I knew it would be close, but I knew my horse was running hard."

The 6-5 favorite, Pleasant Prince paid $5.60, 3., 2.40, with Worldly second, $4.80, 3.60, and Capitol Appeal a surprise third, $7.20.

As expected, Mykindacandy went after the early lead, posting a mundane opening quarter-mile in 24 seconds, and a pedestrian half-mile in 48 seconds. Pleasant Prince was sixth at the half, but not very far behind in the field of 10. Turning for home, Capitol Appeal was still stalking the leader, but coming fast were Worldly and Pleasant Prince.

In a daring move, Solis managed to find just enough room between a fading Capitol Appeal and Worldly to muscle Pleasant Prince into the lead, clocking the 1 1/16-mile in 1:43.4.

Trainer Wesley Ward, who was at the Saratoga races on Saturday, said by telephone that he was fortunate to have Solis fly in from Saratoga for the Ohio Derby to fill in for regular jockey Julien Leparous.

"[Solis] has been in so many battles," said Ward. "He's a true warrior. I thought he would fit [Pleasant Prince] like a glove."

While Ward skipped the Ohio Derby, Pleasant Prince's owner Kenneth Ramsey of Nicholasville, Ky. brought most of his family. That included son Jeff, and his wife, Patricia, a Cleveland native who graduated from Rhodes High School and Case Western Reserve University.

Ramsey had initially planned on running his Nehru, a second-place finisher in the recent $75,000 Cleveland Gold Cup, in the Ohio Derby. That was before a Ramsey van taking horses to Saratoga broke down in the Thistledown area, and the race track found stalls for all of the Ramsey horses.

As a reward for Thistledown's hospitality, Ramsey promised Director of Racing William Couch he'd send his star sophomore, Pleasant Prince, instead of Nehru for the Ohio Derby. It was a good bet for everyone.

Training camp log.

What happened: Top draft pick Joe Haden agreed to a contract for $50 million over five years. The cornerback missed both practices Saturday. Coach Eric Mangini said rookie running back Montario Hardesty would miss a couple of weeks because of a knee injury suffered a few days earlier.

Come again: Attendance for the morning session was 3,673 -- the most since records have been kept in 2005.

Whack a mole: In his first practice since suffering a torn pectoral muscle on Oct. 18, linebacker D'Qwell Jackson drew cheers from the crowd and his teammates by knocking down fullback Peyton Hillis in a one-on-one blocking drill.

What an arm: Quarterback Seneca Wallace displayed a strong arm on two deep sideline outs on successive plays, completing the passes to receiver Josh Cribbs and tight end Evan Moore. Frozen ropes, they were.

Injury report: Nose tackle Shaun Rogers, defensive lineman C.J. Mosley and cornerback Coye Francies remain on the physically unable to perform list and won't practice until passing physicals. Working alone or with trainers were offensive linemen Tony Pashos (cold), Paul Fanaika (undisclosed) and Scott Kooistra (undisclosed).

Sunday's schedule: One practice, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. For updates, call 877-627-6967.

-- Tony Grossi

The right-handed Pestano, who has a brilliant strikeout-to-walk ratio, is one of many relievers in the Cleveland organization having an outstanding season.

Ken Carr, Indians Prospect InsiderVinnie Pestano had struck out 63 batters and walked 12 in 46 2/3 innings going into Saturday night's Clippers game.

FARM REPORT

AAA Columbus Clippers

Tonight: Clippers (66-42) at Louisville (57-50), 6:05. Clippers RHP Marty Popham (0-0, 0.00) vs. Bats RHP Homer Bailey (0-0, 10.38).

Notes: Going into Saturday night's game, RHP Vinnie Pestano (1-1, nine saves, 1.62) was 1-0 with five saves in his last 10 games, pitching 11 1/3 innings with 16 strikeouts and allowing three walks and five hits. In 33 1/3 innings with Columbus, Pestano had struck out 45, walked 10 and given up 27 hits -- including no home runs. Pestano began the season at Class AA Akron, where he was 1-1 with three saves and a 2.70 ERA, striking out 18 and walking two in 13 1/3 innings....IF Josh Rodriguez (.313) was 9-for-30 (.300) with two doubles, four homers, 10 RBI and five walks in his last eight games....2B Cord Phelps (.345) was on a 17-game batting streak in road games, going 30-for-65 (.462)....Clippers RH starting pitcher Marty Popham was making his first appearance for Columbus. He had pitched in a combined 20 games (12 starts) this season for Lake County, Akron and Kinston, going 4-5 with three saves and a 4.06 ERA. He had struck out 77 and walked 18 in 88 2/3 innings....OF Jerad Head has been promoted to the Clippers from Akron. Early this season, Head was 7-for-20 (.350) for the Clippers, with three doubles, one homer and six RBI. He hit .299 (53-for-177) at Akron, with 15 doubles, 10 homers and 28 RBI. Head hit .336 with 13 doubles and nine homers in his 36 games for the Aeros, and was on a 13-game batting streak going into Saturday night's game.

AA Akron Aeros

Tonight: Reading (51-53) at Aeros (56-48), 7:05. Phillies RHP J.C. Ramirez (2-2, 4.59) vs. Aeros LHP Scott Barnes (5-8, 5.20).

Notes: Going into Saturday night's game, RH reliever Bryan Price (4-2, one save, 3.33) was 1-0 with a save in his last five games, pitching 11 2/3 scoreless innings while striking out 13, walking one and allowing six hits....RH reliever Connor Graham (3-5, one save, 3.51) was 1-0 and had pitched eight scoreless innings in his last five games, fanning nine, walking none and giving up three hits....RH reliever Omar Aguilar (2-3, five saves, 3.66) had not allowed a home run in in 46 2/3 innings this season, and had struck out 55. Aguilar was 1-1 with two saves and an 0.96 ERA in his last eight games, spanning 9 1/3 innings with 12 strikeouts and three hits allowed....2B Jason Kipnis (.319) was 22-for-55 (.400) with five doubles, one triple and two homers in his last 13 games....3B Lonnie Chisenhall (.278) was 14-for-43 (.326) in his last 11 games, with one double, one triple, two homers and 11 RBI....1B Beau Mills (.241) had 11 RBI in his last 11 games, batting .333 (15-for-45) with six doubles, a triple and a homer....OF Jordan Henry (.270) was 11-for-26 (.423) in his last eight games....OF Tim Fedroff (.273) was batting .394 (13-for-33) with four doubles, a triple and a home run in his last nine games....Catcher Damaso Espino (.258) had thrown out 22 of 54 baserunners attempting to steal, an impressive 41 percent rate....IF Justin Toole was promoted to Akron from Mahoning Valley. In stints at Columbus, Kinston and Mahoning Valley this season, Toole had played in a combined 19 games, going 9-for-45 (.200)....OF Jerad Head (.299, 15 doubles and 10 homers in 177 at bats) was promoted to Columbus, where he went 7-for-20 (.350) with three doubles and a homer early this season.

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Tonight: Indians (51-52) at Wilmington (52-53), 6:05. Indians RHP Austin Adams (2-0, 1.69) vs. Blue Rocks LHP Buddy Baumann (3-1, 2.24).

Notes: RHP Joseph Gardner (9-5, 2.97) is a combined 10-5 with a 3.03 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 113 innings during 16 starts for Kinston and six for Lake County. He has held opponents to a .195 batting average....Going into Saturday night's game, RH reliever Matthew Langwell (4-2, three saves, 2.57) had a 1.51 ERA in 32 games when not including his July 5 outing, when he gave up five earned runs in 1/3 inning (no decision). In the 32 other games, Langwell had struck out 43, walked 12 and allowed 29 hits in 41 2/3 innings....2B Karexon Sanchez was fifth in the Carolina League with a .387 on-base percentage. He was batting .260 but was tied for the league lead in walks (58).

A Lake County Captains

Tonight: Captains (58-44) at South Bend (42-58), 5:30. Captains LHP Giovanni Soto (0-0, 0.00) vs. Silver Hawks RHP Diogenes Rosario (4-4, 3.52).

Notes: RHP Brett Brach (2-6, 3.05) is 2-3 but with a 2.09 ERA in his last eight starts, spanning 47 1/3 innings....Going into Saturday night's game, 1B Adam Abraham (.240) was batting .442 (19-for-43) in his last 11 games, with five doubles, five homers and 16 RBI....OF Greg Folgia (.233) was batting .390 (16-for-41) with three doubles, two homers and 10 RBI in his last 11 games....RH reliever Preston Guilmet (1-1, eight saves, 2.45) had struck out 44 and walked five in 29 1/3 innings this season....The Captains' Saturday starting pitcher, LH Giovanni Soto, was making his first appearance after being acquired for 3B-SS Jhonny Peralta from the Detroit Tigers Class A West Michigan Whitecaps. For the Whitecaps, Soto was 6-6 with a 2.61 ERA and two shutouts in 16 starts. In 82 2/3 innings, he struck out 76, walked 25 and allowed 75 hits -- including just two home runs.

A Mahoning Valley Scrappers

Tonight: Williamsport (25-16) at Scrappers (15-26), 7:05. Crosscutters RHP Garett Claypool (2-1, 3.86) vs. Scrappers LHP Kirk Wetmore (0-5, 8.58).

Notes: Going into Saturday night's game, RH reliever James Ehlert (0-2, two saves, 2.29) had struck out 26 and walked five in 19 2/3 innings....RH starter Alex Kaminsky (4-3) was sixth in the New York-Penn League with a 2.18 ERA....The Scrappers were last in team batting with a .224 average....IF Justin Toole was promoted to Akron.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

Tonight: Kalamazoo (16-47) at Crushers (30-32), 7:05. Kings RHP Joe DiPietro (4-7, 6.46) vs. Crushers RHP Matt Smith (7-4, 3.69).

Notes: Going into Saturday night's game, 3B Andrew Davis (.315) was 10th in the Frontier League in batting, but was 0-for-18 in his last five games. Davis was tied for 11th with 40 RBI....The Crushers bullpen hadn't allowed a run in its last 10 innings....The Crushers had lost six straight and 11 of 12, scoring just 26 runs in those 12 games.

Nine OSU seniors backups, some of them walkons, will start preseason camp for the last time Thursday with no promises, but plenty of perspective.

Marvin Fong / The Plain Dealer Among the crowd of OSU players celebrating the Rose Bowl win over Oregon in January were nine athletes who will be senior backups with modest goals this football season.

Columbus -- There are 25 seniors on Ohio State's football roster, including 12 projected starters and four others who should contribute. Seniors like Cameron Heyward, Justin Boren and Ross Homan could be All-Americans.

Nine other OSU seniors, some of them walkons, will start preseason camp for the last time Thursday with no promises, but plenty of perspective. Offensive linemen Scott Sika and Chris Malone are hoping to earn scholarships. Senior receiver Ricky Crawford just wants to get into a game for the first time.

"I'm glad I did what I did," said Sika, a backup from Strongsville High who picked walking on at Ohio State over a scholarship in a lower football division. "I wouldn't trade it for the world."

From the top of the roster to the bottom, most players see the 29 practices of preseason camp as the worst time of the season, their minds and bodies tested while they're confined to a team hotel, away from friends and family.

"You just kill yourself every day," said fifth-year senior Josh Kerr, a scholarship offensive lineman from Strongsville who's beginning another season as a backup fighting for playing time. "But I always have butterflies going into camp, and it's my fifth one."

All the Buckeyes will start this season thinking about Ohio State's legitimate chance at a national title, whether they admit it or not. But it's individual motivations that vary.

Sika will continue his battle as a primary backup on the line, hoping that he does enough to earn one of the scholarships Jim Tressel typically awards to contributing walkons each fall. Having finished his undergraduate degree, Sika would appreciate the assistance with his sports management graduate degree. Malone, a pre-med major from the Columbus suburbs, is hoping for the same.

"That would be huge," Malone said. "I'm getting married next year, so the scholarship would ease the financial burden just a little bit. But I'm one of those guys that's happy to be here. It's really humbling. I feel lucky to be a part of it."

The walkons knew what they were getting into. When Malone received a scholarship offer from FCS school Wofford College and wasn't excited about it, he knew he had to give Ohio State a shot. He remembers entering as a walkon with Sika and never officially hearing he made the team, but just continuing to show up.

"We kind of never left," Malone said.

Defensive lineman Don Matheny, from Lancaster, Ohio, is entering his fifth year of college football with the first shot at playing for the Buckeyes. He sat out last season after transferring from Holy Cross, and is now correcting what he said was a bad decision out of high school.

"I wasn't allowed on the field last year, but I still felt I was part of the team," Matheny said. "I was back home when we lost at Purdue, but I was just as mad as everyone else."

Crawford is waiting for that chance to play as well. He attended one of Ohio State's branch campuses as a freshman, made it through a 70-play walkon tryout as a sophomore in Columbus and made some plays during scrimmages in his third and fourth years on campus. Now as a fifth-year senior, he gained 16 pounds and is making a switch from receiver to tight end in a last attempt to squeeze onto the field for the first time.

Marvin Fong / The Plain DealerWho are all those players that follow the cheerleaders and coach Jim Tressel onto the field at home games and bowl games such as this year's Rose Bowl? They are walkons and backups who inhabit a much different world than their famous teammates.

"If I got to play, I don't really know, I would be so happy," Crawford said. "It would mean the world to me. I've been waiting to do this since I was a kid."

That's primarily why players like this pay their own way and make practices their games. They're embracing what they always wanted as kids.

"My whole family had gone to Ohio State. I knew I couldn't pass up that chance," said Sika, who made his debut against Youngstown State in 2008, worked his way onto the travel squad and last season played against Toledo at Browns Stadium and at Penn State.

"Playing out there, there's nothing else like it," Sika said. "My ultimate goal is to play much more."

As Sika and the seniors like him prepare for their last season as Buckeyes, the goal is also to understand what they have while they're still part of it.

"A lot of us talk about it, because it's kind of weird," Sika said. "You don't realize it when you're here, but when I was a fan growing up, every Saturday I wanted to play at Ohio State. So you've got to sit down and look back and see how many people live and die by Ohio State, and how much they wish they were in your position.

"You've got to sit down and be grateful for the opportunity you've been given."

A knee injury to rookie Montario Hardesty leaves Jerome Harrison as the undisputed feature back, which Harrison believes he deserved all along.

John Kuntz / The Plain Dealer"I don't think people believe in me all the way yet," Browns running back Jerome Harrison admitted on Saturday. "People doubt me. That does nothing but motivate me to have a big off-season training, and stuff. So I have no complaints, man."

CLEVELAND BROWNS TRAINING CAMP LOG
JULY 31
What happened: Top draft pick Joe Haden agreed to a contract for $50 million over five years. The cornerback missed the morning session but did participate in the evening session. Coach Eric Mangini said rookie running back Montario Hardesty would miss a couple of weeks because of a knee injury suffered a few days earlier.

Come again: Attendance for the morning session was 3,673 -- the most since records have been kept in 2005.

Whack a mole: In his first practice since suffering a torn pectoral muscle on Oct. 18, linebacker D'Qwell Jackson drew cheers from the crowd and his teammates by knocking down fullback Peyton Hillis in a one-on-one blocking drill.

What an arm: Quarterback Seneca Wallace displayed a strong arm on two deep sideline outs on successive plays, completing the passes to receiver Josh Cribbs and tight end Evan Moore. Frozen ropes, they were.

Injury report: Nose tackle Shaun Rogers, defensive lineman C.J. Mosley and cornerback Coye Francies remain on the physically unable to perform list and won't practice until passing physicals. Working alone or with trainers were offensive linemen Tony Pashos, Paul Fanaika and Scott Kooistra.

Sunday's schedule: One practice 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. For updates, call 877-627-6967.
— Tony Grossi

BEREA, Ohio -- One day into training camp, rookie Montario Hardesty is out with a knee injury, leaving Jerome Harrison as "the guy" in the Browns backfield.

Hardesty twisted a knee in a drill earlier in the week before the veterans arrived, coach Eric Mangini said, and will be out "a couple of weeks." Mangini said the injury was not related to Hardesty's previous knee injuries at the University of Tennessee. Hardesty had three knee surgeries in four years.

Harrison doesn't wish ill on any person, much less a teammate. But as a back constantly being doubted because of his size, Harrison found it ironic that it's his durability that is always in question.

"I don't have trouble with injuries," Harrison said, looking his interrogator squarely in the eyes. "The thing that kills me with reporters and people who talk about small backs ... So Eddie George has never been hurt? Jerome Bettis never been hurt? Jamal Lewis never been hurt? Steven Jackson has never been hurt?

"The list goes on of big backs who get hurt, but people make excuses for them. I mean, that's a bunch of [baloney] when they say little guys get hurt. I bet you I can name way more bigger backs that got hurt than little backs."

Harrison does not deny that he arrived at camp with a chip on his shoulder.

He thought had erased doubts when he carried the ball 34, 39 and 33 times in the Browns' final three wins last season, gaining 286, 148 and 127 yards. Instead of winning a long-term contract, he was given a take it-or-leave it, one-year tender. Then they traded three draft picks to move into the second round and anoint Hardesty as their future feature back.

Away from the media throng that surrounded other players, Harrison sat on a bench and vented feelings that have built up over his entire athletic career.

"I don't think people believe in me all the way yet," he said. "People doubt me. That does nothing but motivate me to have a big off-season training, and stuff. So I have no complaints, man."

Harrison's 286 yards against Kansas City was the third-largest total in NFL history. His 39 carries against Oakland set a Browns record. Yet Hardesty ran with the first team at minicamp, and probably would have started there at training camp if not for the knee injury.

"I'm still not respected," Harrison said. "I still don't get credit. But I don't strive for it. As long as I earn the respect of my teammates and coaches, that's all that matters.

"Being 5-9, at my weight [205 pounds], it's never going to be good enough. Guys like Leon Washington, people still say he's too small after making Pro Bowls. [Darren] Sproles. Maurice Jones-Drew. It comes with the nature of our size. It's motivating.

"This is nothing new. When I got to high school, there was a bigger running back [ahead of him]. When I got to junior college, same thing. College, the same thing. All you have to do is just score touchdowns, win games, and [the criticism] goes out the window."

Harrison was earmarked to be Mangini's Leon Washington a year ago, but an ankle injury caused him to miss a lot of time in training camp. As that injury lingered into September, Mangini was forced to commit to Jamal Lewis -- perhaps against his better judgment.

Except for a 121-yard game against Cincinnati in October, Harrison was pretty much on the shelf until his rushing outburst in December.

"I've always found Jerome to be confident, and I like that in Jerome," Mangini said. "He believes in himself, he believes in the things that he can do and I think he showed that he can back that belief in himself. He worked diligently last season to correct the things that we wanted him to correct, and I respect that. We sat down and talked about it, identified some areas where we want him to improve and he did that.

"I look for that same thing this season and he will have some great opportunities to show what he can do."

Hardesty was known as a bruising runner at Tennessee with the speed to get outside despite his bigger frame of 6-0 and 225 pounds. When he and Harrison are healthy, it will be interesting to see if Harrison is reduced to the so-called complementary back role.

"Not one day in my life did I ever think I was just a third-down back or receiving back," he said. "Are there things I can work on? Yes. But there's not one day I haven't thought I was a complete back."

He said this is the "most I've been excited in a long time. I'm just ready to get back here and start playing. I read a lot of things, seen a lot of stuff I didn't like, so I'm very, very, very motivated ... very motivated."

Bernie Kosar, Clay Matthews, Reggie Rucker, Frank Minnifield, Tony Jones, Sam Rutigliano, Brian Sipe and Jerry Sherk all absolutely LOVED playing here. And they have some advice for the current team.

View full sizePlain Dealer file photographFormer Browns linebacker Clay Matthews says there are not a lot of distractions in Cleveland, and that's a good thing. "It's all football. It's almost like life and death for the fans. It's not like that in other cities."

CLEVELAND, Ohio — OK, Browns fans, consider these names: Bernie Kosar, Clay Matthews, Reggie Rucker, Frank Minnifield, Tony Jones, Sam Rutigliano, Brian Sipe and Jerry Sherk.

Suppose all of them were given a chance to speak to the Browns team as training camp opens this week. What would they say?

That's the question that posed to each man, and their responses will make fans smile. All of them absolutely loved playing here, and were quick to mention it. In fact, that was the one common theme.

But they had other messages for the 2010 Browns.

"Capture the love early."

-- Tony Jones

An offensive lineman from 1988 to '95, Jones lives in Atlanta, where he has interests in real estate, a hair-styling enterprise and other businesses.

"I'd tell the guys that the town needs them," said Jones. "After losing LeBron [James] and everything else Cleveland has been through, the fans are just waiting to love you. The town revolves around the team. The Dawg Pound was always our 12th man, win or lose."

Jones said he feels the most love in Cleveland.

"I was an offensive lineman, and who pays attention to linemen?" he asked. "But in Cleveland, fans would see me at the store and hug me. At restaurants, they wanted to buy me lunch and dinner. Just give them something to cheer about, and they will embrace you."

"You've got to build the right culture."

-- Clay Matthews

For 16 years ending in 1993, Matthews played linebacker in Cleveland.

"There are not many distractions for the players, which is good," he said. "It's all football. It's almost like life and death for the fans. It's not like that in other cities."

Matthews said when he joined the Browns in 1978, two older linebackers mentored him -- Charlie Hall and Gerald Irons.

"The players set the tone," he said. "The coaches can't do it all. The culture can be good or bad. If the highest-paid and most-talented guys don't work hard, then the other guys won't. If they do, the young guys and new guys coming to the team will fall in line."

An assistant football coach at Oaks Christian High in Westlake Village, Calif., Matthews would challenge the Browns players to "do the extra work in the summers and after practice, pay attention in the film room. ... When new guys come to the team, they need to look at you and say, 'I want to be like that, he does the right things.'"

View full sizePD fileFormer Browns coach Sam Rutigliano says it's important for players to keep control of their egos and put the team first.

"Talent is not enough."

-- Sam Rutigliano

Rutigliano coached the Browns from 1978 to '84. His 1980 Browns made the playoffs and lost to Oakland in the Red Right 88 game. Rutigliano still lives in the Cleveland area and does commentary on the Browns for STO.

"I'd ask Joshua Cribbs to stand up," he said. "Then I'd talk about how he came out of Kent State, how no one drafted him and how he went on to become one of the greatest return men in NFL history. Then I'd talk about how Brian Sipe was a 13th-round draft pick and became the MVP in 1980. I'd say that these guys and others did it more on attitude than ability."

Rutigliano said it's easy for players to become complacent, especially if they received a big signing bonus. It's also tempting to be selfish.

"You have to check your egos at the door," he said. "Good teams are just that -- good teams. EGO stands for Edging God Out, making you the center of your universe. That's doesn't work in life or football."

"You choose to have team chemistry."

-- Frank Minnifield

For eight seasons ending in 1992, Minnifield was an undersized (5-9, 160 pounds) but overachieving cornerback. Playing across from Hanford Dixon in the secondary, Minnifield and Dixon created the "Dawgs" image.

"That was by design," said Minnifield. "When I joined the team, we had two No. 1 draft choices in Don Rogers and Hanford. I was a high-priced free agent from the USFL. We had a lot of egos on the defense, especially in the backfield. We either could pull together or pull apart. We needed an identity."

Minnifield lives in Kentucky, where he's in the construction and real estate business. Along with Dixon, he called quarterbacks "cats" and the defensive backs were dogs, waiting to eat up the cats. That led to barking in practice by Dixon and himself. Then the other players began barking. Fans in training camp heard it, and they barked.

"Things like that bring a team together," he said. "That worked for us, but you need your own thing. But you must get to know your teammates and their families. Go out to dinner together. Decide in advance that you will get along and have each other's back. It's your choice what kind of team you have."

"You are one play away from being a former player."

-- Reggie Rucker

A Browns receiver from 1975 to '81, Rucker said he'd challenge the players to look at more than the present, more than themselves. He still lives in the Cleveland area.

"The new labor agreement is coming up," he said. "Every player is one injury away from being like me -- a former player. The decisions you make today, you live with tomorrow. Former players are not your enemy, think about them."

Rucker said he'd urge the players to plan for their own financial futures. He'd also challenge them to push the union to make a greater investment in the pension plans for former players.

"Why do the rookies get all that money?" he asked. "Why is that a good system for the current or former players? Put in a rookie salary cap, set that money aside for those who went before you. One day, you will be just like them."

"What are your habits?"

-- Brian Sipe

Sipe was the quarterback from 1974-83. Now the quarterback coach at San Diego State, his alma mater, Sipe said, "[Former Browns tight end] Milt Morin and I were speaking at a youth camp. It was my second year with the Browns. We were in a losing streak. Someone asked how we got up for practice when all was lost for the season. Milt answered, 'Whenever I walk on to the practice field I'm working on habits. The decision I have to make is am I going to work on good ones or bad ones?'"

"You are making memories."

-- Jerry Sherk

A defensive lineman for the Browns from 1970-81, Sherk said he'd tell the team about how Lou Groza picked him up as at the airport -- Sherk was a rookie coming to town for the first time.

"I was so in awe, I hardly spoke to him," said Sherk.

He'd tell the players about how Morrie Kono, the equipment manager, talked about inventing the face mask to protect quarterback Otto Graham's broken nose. He'd tell the players about meeting Bill Willis, one of the Browns first minority players -- and how Paul Brown quietly broke the color line with Willis and others.

"I'd tell them that they are gathering stories they'll tell for the rest of their lives," he said. "I'd tell them to walk around during the games, look at the people in the stands. Look at the field. Take a moment to take it all in. You are part of something special, cherish it."

"I wish I could still play."

-- Bernie Kosar

Kosar battles a bad back, a right elbow that aches, an ankle that often aches. He also had multiple concussions during his career.

"I'd love to have one more year," said the Browns quarterback from 1985-93. "Nothing matches playing football for a football player. I miss it so much."

Kosar said that younger players believe their careers will never end. They fall into the trap of thinking if it doesn't happen this year, there is always another season.

"Before you know it, your career is over," said Kosar. "Time is short. Do your best. Get your rest. Do the work. Each play, each day matters. Don't put yourself in the position where you look back and wonder what would have happened if you had only done more."

Browns coach Eric Mangini makes it clear that Haden will have some catching up to do. Haden missed a full week of camp that was just for rookies, injured players and quarterbacks.

View full sizeLynn Ischay / The Plain DealerThe contract squabbles are ouf of the way, but now rookie cornerback Joe Haden has some catching up to do during training camp.

BEREA, Ohio — Browns top pick Joe Haden missed the first day of full-squad training camp Saturday but signed a five-year deal worth $50 million, including $26 million guaranteed, Malik Shareef, his agent, told The Plain Dealer.

The two sides had hoped to get Haden, a cornerback, on the field for the evening practice but still were working out some contract language. Haden will be on the field Sunday for the 1:30 p.m. practice.

"Joe is really excited," said Shareef. "We'd like to thank Browns President Mike Holmgren and the rest of the Browns organization for all of their hard work on this."

But Browns coach Eric Mangini made it clear that Haden, the No. 7 overall pick out of Florida, will have some catching up to do. Haden missed a full week of camp that was just for rookies, injured players and quarterbacks.

"It's day eight, and he has not been here, so there's a lot of information that has gone in to this point," said Mangini. "It's a lot of individual time that we've been able to spend with the rookies, and that's important. That's really, really important for these guys. I've had a lot of first-round draft picks where the ones that have gotten in early tend to get a better jump. You can't get those days back, which is unfortunate. There will be a lot of rust where these other kids have had a chance to work out and be in pads and get through their conditioning run. He's going to have to go through that whole process, which makes it a little tougher."

Haden will battle for a starting job with first-teamers Eric Wright and Sheldon Brown. If he doesn't start right away, he figures to get plenty of playing time in nickel and dime defenses.

Mangini downplayed a report by one of his critics, former Browns General Manager Mike Lombardi, who wrote on nationalfootballpost.com that Haden struggled in off-season practices and that the coaches are concerned about his slow play.

"I can tell you that a lot of rookies go through a transition," said Mangini. "A lot of corners go through transition, and they aren't going to play as fast as they are early on because they're thinking and processing. When you do that, you're not really playing to your ability, and that's something that I stress. I sat down with the rookies for a long time before they left and said, 'The more you can get on this stuff mentally, the quicker you're just going to be able to show who you are as opposed to everything is processed.' "

In the Mike Holmgren Era, fans will be enthusiastic and supportive. Not aggressive or obscene. Not spilling beers or vehemently taunting opposing fans. Not being obnoxious or offensive. At least that's the goal.

John Kuntz / The Plain DealerMike Holmgren wants fans to be enthusiastic in their support of the home team, but wants to eliminate the bad behavior that has driven some fans away in recent years. Going bare-chested for January Browns game would probably fall under the 'crazy but acceptable' category.

In the Mike Holmgren Era, which officially began this weekend with the opening of Browns training camp, fans will be enthusiastic and supportive.

Not aggressive or obscene. Not spilling beers or vehemently taunting opposing fans. Not being obnoxious or offensive.

After hearing too many stories of longtime season-ticket holders not renewing seats because they were disgusted with the behavior of out-of-hand fans at Browns Stadium, Holmgren is taking his first steps in overhauling the culture of the Browns organization by making a simple request: Please behave, Browns fans.

Make Browns Stadium a difficult place for opponents to play, but don't make it a place where some of Cleveland's own fans won't attend games because of disgust with your behavior.

For now, the plan is simply to send the message, starting from the top. Holmgren's "Home-Field Advantage" campaign will kick off with visible reminders on signs throughout the stadium that fans need to maintain civil language and behavior while cheering on the Browns. In-game videos might follow.

"Right now what we want to do is really just spread the word, spread the message that we want to create an atmosphere where everyone can go to the game and feel good," Holmgren said. "It'll be a fun experience. It'll be a safe experience. And you're not going to have to worry about someone ruining the game for you."

View full sizePD fileBrowns fans have earned a rowdy reputation that's been tough to live down, especially after the infamous bottle-throwing incident during a game in December 2001 after fans became irate because of an official's call.

The rules for behavior -- as specified in a Code of Conduct issued by the NFL in 2008 -- aren't changing. But the enforcement of those rules might alter this season with Holmgren in charge.

"Maybe we're a little stricter in how we enforce some of the stuff and just take a little harder stance in controlling it," Holmgren said.

That means aggressively pursuing any complaints from fans, who can send discreet texts to Browns security during games when anyone is interfering with enjoyment of the game. It might mean more arrests and more ejections from games. And, if need be, the revoking of season tickets.

For now, the Browns don't plan on increasing their level of security.

Already, about 175 security members patrol the stadium as both undercover and visible officers. The 220 ushers in the stadium carry pagers to dispatch police, housekeeping, medical staff or a supervisor if issues arise. And 80 cameras that can zoom all the way onto fans' faces blanket the stadium, inside and out.

The City of Cleveland is responsible for policing popular tailgating areas such as the Municipal Lot on South Marginal Road along the Shoreway. About 10,000 fans tailgate there before, during and after each game. Cleveland Police staff the Muni Lot with 12-15 officers, according to Safety Director Martin Flask. Recent discussions with the Browns have addressed whether there is a need for stricter enforcement of open-container laws or more officers.

"We want everybody to have a safe and enjoyable experience," Flask said. "Sometimes excessive alcohol consumption gets in the way of that. We need to be mindful of that."

The problem is not new. The city addressed fan behavior with a strong-armed approach in 2002 after Browns fans embarrassed the organization and city in 2001 by showering the field with bottles over an official's controversial call. Former Mayor Jane Campbell and the Browns worked with Cleveland police to enforce open-container laws in pregame tailgates.

"Once they did that, lo and behold, people behaved," Campbell said then.

But many tailgaters were angered by the crackdown, and enforcement has eased in the years since.

View full sizePDCleveland police began cracking down on tailgaters in 2002, but have eased up in recent years.

Holmgren says he can practically hear fans' complaints, already, that he is trying to squash the fun of Browns fans by requesting toned-down behavior. But Holmgren counters that is precisely what he doesn't want because he values the impact fans can have on the outcome of games.

When Holmgren went to Browns Stadium as a visiting coach, he ranked Cleveland's fans among the top five in the NFL.

"We don't want to create a police state," Holmgren said. "I don't want to do that. That's not the point. The point is making it fun, and not take one ounce of enthusiasm, not take one ounce away from a fan's ability to cheer their team on.

"This might be a tough thing for some people to get their hands around; it might seem as if we're making an attempt to lose our home-field advantage. I would say, on the contrary."

Holmgren also understands some burden in altering fan behavior lies with the team. Generally, when teams win, fan behavior tends to improve. If Holmgren's vision for the team materializes, he envisions fan behavior will improve, as well.

"I think it goes hand-in-hand when the team's doing well, you want to watch the game and be part of it," he said. "The fans are very, very important in the team's success. Instead of acting up, you're cheering for the team."

Regardless of how the Mike Holmgren Era begins on the field this season, however, the new Browns president wants to send the message that he is demanding improvements from fans, as well.

"As an organization, I think you owe it to the vast majority of people who go to the game and want to watch the game and enjoy the game and feel good about bringing their kids or their wife or their grandma to the game," Holmgren said.

The Indians pitcher, called up for the fourth time this week, has not been sent back to Columbus as quickly as he thought he would.

View full sizeJensen Lewis

Clubhouse confidential: Jensen Lewis thought he was on a day pass when the Indians called him up Friday from Class AAA Columbus for the fourth time this season. He didn't bring any dress shoes because he thought he'd probably be sent back down before the team left for Boston today.

"I've got to go out and get some dress shoes," said Lewis, after earning the win in the Tribe's 2-1 victory over Toronto. "I made it through two days. I might make it through three."

Give me a break: In the past two days, the rotation has taken a beating. Mitch Talbot was placed on the disabled list Friday and Jake Westbrook was traded Saturday. Josh Tomlin started for Westbrook on Saturday on short rest. Jeanmar Gomez will arrive from Columbus to make Tomlin's scheduled start today, but that still leaves manager Manny Acta short one starter for Tuesday's game in Boston.

When asked who that might be, Acta, who has been playing traffic cop with the bodies flying in and out of the Indians clubhouse the past few days, said, "I don't even know if I'll be alive tomorrow, much less have an answer for you about Tuesday. We're working through it, but for now let's just go with Gomez on Sunday."

Stat of the day: The Indians are 9-7 since the All-Star break.

It's out with the old and in with the young. After trading Jake Westbrook and Kerry Wood on Saturday, there few, if any, veterans left to get in the way of the Indians' youth movement.

View full sizeThomas Ondrey / The Plain DealerVeteran Shelley Duncan, right, survived the Tribe's trading purge. "I just became ancient on this team," Duncan said.

TORONTO — What in the world are the Indians doing to themselves?

Jake Westbrook, gone. Kerry Wood, gone. Austin Kearns, gone. Jhonny Peralta, gone. The same with Russell Branyan, Mark Grudzielanek, Jamey Wright and Mike Redmond.

If you sprout a gray hair around the Indians, they'll trade you faster than you can say multiyear contract. They were already the youngest team in the big leagues before trading Kearns, Westbrook and Wood this weekend. What are they going to do, use rattles instead of bats?

"Most of these guys knew what was coming," said manager Manny Acta, after Saturday's 4 p.m. deadline passed and the bodies stopped flying out of the Tribe's locker room. "We were trying to shape up our club for next year."

Now the rebuilding begins for real.

"This is a great opportunity for me and my coaching staff to mold these kids the way we want," said Acta. "It's a great opportunity for these kids. This isn't a September call-up. We're just starting August. Most of these young kids will get a chance to play and make an impact on the organization."

When the Indians put this team together during the off-season, they added a sprinkling of veterans just in case they got lucky and contended. So much for preseason plans.

Shelley Duncan is the only player left from that group.

Asked if a team can lose its focus after losing so many veterans, Duncan said: "This is a first for me. I hope not. I can see how it does. But once we get settled in and understand that this is our team, it might be pretty fun.

"There's nothing to lose. We almost have the Columbus Clippers up here. I really think this should be fun. Just relax and let it loose."

Still, it had to be an unnerving feeling to watch Kearns get traded Friday and Wood and Westbrook get dealt Saturday.

"It feels like we just got stripped of everybody," said Duncan. "It was like hold your breath until 4 p.m. and maybe we won't lose anybody. We ended up losing everybody.

"I just became ancient on this team, but it creates a lot of opportunities for a lot of people."

New guys: Outfielder Jordan Brown joined the Indians in the fifth inning Saturday. He took Kearns' spot on the roster.

View full sizeOutfielder Jordan Brown.

Acta said Brown will DH for Travis Hafner and play some outfield. Hafner has missed the last three games with a sore right shoulder. He said he was going to try to play today.

Jeanmar Gomez took Wood's spot on the roster. He'll start today against the Blue Jays.

Acta said Gomez and Josh Tomlin will stay in the rotation for the time being. They need to add a starter to replace Westbrook, possibly Carlos Carrasco or David Huff, while waiting for Mitch Talbot and Aaron Laffey to come off the disabled list.

Surprise factor: Wood was activated before Saturday's game. He figured he'd get traded sometime before the Aug. 31 deadline.

The Yankees, however, acquired him during Saturday's game.

"I talked to Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman," said Wood. "They said they'd seen me enough."

Westbrook said his agent called him Saturday night to tell him a deal with St. Louis was close. He was scheduled to start Saturday.

"I came to the ballpark, but didn't think I was going to pitch," he said.

Said Acta of Westbrook, "If they ever form a school on how to be a big leaguer, I think Jake should teach there."

Finally: Overlooked in the frenzy of the last two days was Justin Germano's return to the big leagues Friday. He relieved Justin Masterson and pitched 2 scoreless innings in an 8-1 loss. "It was my first big-league game in three years," he said. "My stomach was jumping all day. But when I walked through the bullpen gates, I was all right."

Although he has moved on to Miami in search of the NBA Championship that eluded him here, former Cavs center Zydrunas Ilgauskas has not forgotten the fans or city that welcomed and supported him for the majority of his career. In an ad published in today's Plain Dealer, Z thanks the fans and city for their support.  While saying...

View full sizeThe Plain DealerZydrunas Ilgauskas ad, published August 1, 2010 in The Plain Dealer.

Browns cornerback Joe Haden passed his conditioning test and will practice today.

John Kuntz | The Plain DealerBrowns cornerback Joe Haden has some catching up to do, but got started today in camp.

CLEVELAND -- Browns coach Eric Mangini said first-round pick Joe Haden passed his conditioning test Satruday night and will be on the field with the rest of the team today at 1:30 p.m.

But he made no promises about Haden starting right away, despite the fact he was the No. 7 overall pick and just signed a five-year deal worth $50 million, including $26 million guaranteed.

He said Haden can't be compared to Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis, who started for Mangini right away as a rookie.

"Everybody's different,'' said Mangini. "Revis is Revis and Joe is Joe. We'll really have to see how it plays out.''

Mangini acknowledged that Haden -- and all of the rookies -- played slowly in minicamp because of the volume of information. "But (Haden's) a good person, a smart kid, a hard-working kid'' and he'll be fine, Mangini said.

He cautioned, though, that Haden still has a lot of catching up to do after missing the first week of rookie camp and a day of veteran camp. "We're trying to get him up to speed as quickly as possible,'' he said.

At the end of last year, Jordan Brown asked the Indians to trade him. Today he's making his big-league debut at DH for the Tribe.

Updated: 2:12 p.m.

Cleveland, Ohio -- This is a daily briefing of the Indians 2010 regular season. The Indians play the Blue Jays today in the final game of a three-game series at Rogers Centre.

 Rogers Centre dimensions: Left field line 328 feet, left field power alley 375 feet, center field 400, right center field power alley 375, right field line 328.

Power from below: The Indians stretched their lead to 5-2 on Jason Donald's two-out homer in the sixth. For Donald, hitting ninth, it was his third homer.

In the lead: The Indians reclaimed the lead, 4-2, with two runs in the fifth. Carlos Santana drew a bases-loaded walk and Asdrsubal Cabrera scored on Matt LaPorta's double play. 

Tied up: The Blue Jays tied the score, 2-2, with runs in the second and third innings. Aaron Hill hit a leadoff homer in the second. Then he singled home a run in the third to make it 2-2 off Jeanmar Gomez.  

Early lead: Asdrubal Cabrera gave the Indians a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer in the first off Jesse Litsch. Trevor Crowe walked and Cabrera, choked up on the bat, homered to right. The Indians had a 2-0 lead with no one out, but could get no more out of the inning.

The line: Gomez allowed two runs on five hits in five innings. He struck out two, walked two and threw 80 pitches. Litsch allowed four runs on six hits in four innings. He walked two and struck out one. 

 Pre-game notes:

 Game 105: Jordan Brown makes his big-league debut today. He'll DH for Travis Hafner, who is still out with a sore right shoulder.

 It has been a long journey.

 Last year after Brown won the International League batting title at Class AAA Columbus and didn't get a September call up, he told The Plain Dealer that he wanted
the Indians to trade him..

 Brown went to Venezuela to play winter ball and had a great season for Caracas. He came to spring training with the big league club, homered in the first intrasquad game and the next day injured his right knee during an outfield drill.

 The Indians called him up Saturday to take the spot vacated by traded Austin Kearns. It's unclear how long he'll be here, but he's enjoying it while it lasts.

 "You have to think you're going to get here," said Brown. "It's impossible to play if that's not your goal. Now that I'm here, you might as well stay."

 Brown's family is coming to Boston for the Indians four-game series that starts Monday.

 Young guys: After the trades of last week, the Indians have only two players on the 25-man roster over 30 -- Shelley Duncan and Hafner.

 Following the roster makeover, manager Manny Acta was asked if he has to take a realistic approach to the rest of the season in terms of wins and losses.

 "I'm never realistic," said Acta. "I'm an optimistic fool. I come here every single day thinking that it's baseball and on any given day Jeanmar Gomez can beat any of these guys he's facing. That's the way I approach it because it happens in the game.

 "In the long term it doesn't usually work out that way, but life is about choices and attitude. I know what's ahead of us and what's in front of me."

 Lineups:

 Indians (42-61): CF Trevor Crowe (S), SS Asdrubal Cabrera, RF Shin-Soo Choo (L), C Carlos Santana (S), 1B Matt LaPorta (R), DH Jordan Brown (L) LF Shelley Duncan (R), 3B Luis Valbuena (L), 2B Jason Donald and RHP Jeanmar Gomez (1-0, 0.00).

 Blue Jays (54-50): RF DeWayne Wise (L), SS Yunel Escobar (R), 3B Jose Bautisa (R), CF Vernon Wells (R), DH Adam Lind (L), Aaron Hill (R), Lyle Overbay (L), C John Buck (R), LF Travis Snider (L) and RHP Jesse Litsch (1-4, 5.48).
 
 Umpires: H Alan Porter, 1B Ed Hickox, 2B Fieldin Culbreth, 3B Gary Cederstrom. Cederstrom, crew chief.

 Quote of the day: "About the only problem with success is that it does not teach you how to deal with failure," former Dodger manager Tommt Lasorda.

 Next: The Indians open a four-game series against Boston on Monday night at Fenway Park. RHP Fausto Carmona (10-8, 3.92) will face RHP John Lackey (10-5, 4.26) at 7:10 p.m.

Closer Chris Perez earns his second save in as many days and his 12th for the season with a scoreless ninth.

AP Photo

TORONTO, Ontario -- Jeanmar Gomez should get to stick around for a while this time.

Gomez, a patch in manager Manny Acta's trade-and-injury-riddled starting rotation, pitched five innings Sunday as the Indians beat Toronto, 5-4, at Rogers Centre. Gomez allowed two runs on five hits in 80 pitches.

It was the skinny right-hander's second big-league start. He made his debut July 18 against Detroit and went seven innings in a 7-2 victory. He was sent back to Class AAA Columbus right after the game.

Gomez made two starts at Columbus, winning both to even his International League record at 8-8, before getting called up again following Saturday's trade of Jake Westbrook.

Asdrubal Cabrera gave Gomez a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer in the first. Toronto tied the score with runs in the second and third, but the Indians kept scoring.

They took a 4-2 lead with two runs in the fifth. Carlos Santana drew a bases loaded walk and Cabrera scored on Matt LaPorta's double play grounder.

Jason Donald made it 5-2 with a two-out homer in the sixth off former Indian Brian Tallet. It was Donald's third homer.

The Blue Jays lead the AL in homers. They showed why in the seventh as they powered their way back into the game on consecutive two-out homers by Yunel Escobar and Jose Bautista to make it 5-4. Escobar homered off Tony Sipp and Bautista homered off Frank Herrmann for his 32nd homer.

Then it came down to the Tribe's bullpen.

Rafael Perez and Joe Smith worked their way through a scoreless eighth. New closer Chris Perez  gave up a leadoff single to Travis Snider, but retired the next three batters for his 12th save and second in as many games.

He ended it by striking out Bautista with the tying run on second base.

Toronto had three homers for the game. Aaron Hill hit the first one, a leadoff drive off the foul pole in the second to cut the Tribe's lead to 2-1. In the third, he singled home Vernon Wells to make it 2-2.

Jesse Litsch (1-5) allowed four runs on six hits in four innings.

Quick hits from Cleveland Browns training camp Sunday afternoon.

John Kuntz / PDBrowns top pick Joe Haden made his debut at Browns practice today and hopes to live up to his No. 7 status.

CLEVELAND -- The Browns had one practice today in full pads, which featured Joe Haden's debut and a fine performance by running back Peyton Hillis:

* Haden practiced for the first time since signing his 5 year, 50 million contract Saturday night. He played with the second-team defense. He made some nice plays, including breaking up passes to Jake Allen and Mohamed Massaquoi in 1-on-1 drills.

* Running back Peyton Hillis, who's getting the second-team reps with Montario Hardesty (knee) out, displayed excellent hands, catching several passes in team drills and running upfield. In a two-minute drill, he caught a short pass and ran 26 yards up the right side to set up a field goal He said he prides himself on his good hands and that it's always been one of his fortes.

* Former Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar watched practiced and chatted with Jake Delhomme, offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, coach Eric Mangini and owner Randy Lerner.

* Jerome Harrison continues to shine, blasting a long run up the middle at the start of team drills.

* Linebacker David Veikune rode the bike during practice.

* Quarterback Colt McCoy ran mostly with the third team behind Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace. In team drills, he hit John Haggerty on a post-route for a TD.

* Rookie guard Shawn Lauvao worked a lot with the first-team offense.   

Eric Mangini's Sunday news conference in Berea.

John Kuntz / The Plain DealerCoach Eric Mangini and No. 1 draft pick Joe Haden watch practice Sunday in Berea.

Transcript of Eric Mangini's training camp news conference on Sunday:

(Opening statement)- "Good morning everybody. How are we doing? Today, we are on a one-a-day schedule. The way the schedule for training camp is set up is with the one-a-day, two-a-days, there are always meals in between each of the practices. There's always an installation in between each of the practices. This is something that we adopted, probably seven or eight years ago. A couple of teams were doing it. Brad Seely actually introduced it to us in New England. He had done it Carolina and wasn't sure how it would work. None of us had ever really done it. Traditionally, you go about two weeks of two-a-days in a row. This was different, but when we look at the amount of practices that you get and the amount of work that you get and the body maintenance, injuries, things like that, that's when we decided to adopt it. I think it's been good over time. Most teams tend to do that, so we are on a one-a-day and this morning the guys met and then each group had a lifting period. We'll go out and practice here. We'll review the practice from today. We'll do our install for tomorrow morning and then we'll have the morning practice the next day. That's how the week goes or the progression goes. You guys saw that Joe Haden signed. He's in. He ran his test last night, took care of all of his physical stuff last night so he's ready to go. He'll start practicing here today. He has a lot to catch up on. He'll work on that information with Jerome (Henderson) and Rob (Ryan) and all those guys. We'll try to get him up to speed as quickly as we can, so he can be as competitive as he can. It's been good to have all the guys we've had in here, but now, to run it off with Joe, I think that's great."

(On Haden's chances of winning the starting job)- "I don't think any of that stuff will be decided for awhile. We've got a lot of time to look at that. He'll get plenty of reps and he'll get plenty of chances to show what he can do. There are a lot of different packages as well. He may not be the starter in one, but start in another one. With as many multiple receiver teams that we face, we need to be able to play, three, four cornerbacks in different spots."

(On if Haden can start right away like Darrelle Revis did with the New York Jets when Mangini was there)- "Everybody's different. Revis is Revis and Joe is Joe. He'll get opportunities and we just really have to see how it plays out. I like to think that he'll be as competitive as he possibly can be. I don't really put any sort of, set timeline on it. I don't put any sort of, set deadline on it. We've got to see how he progresses."

(On if he kept in contact with Haden between minicamp and training camp)- "Me personally? No. The coaches had some conversations with him. We have a program available where guys can study over the internet and it's very specific information, the installs, the things that we covered. If you want to, you can work on that. We also gave him a bunch of information to take with him that he can study as well, which would follow the progression of installs that we have now. Our installations schedule during the OTAs, and then into our minicamp follow the same progression that we are following now so the guys can build on that during that break period. There's three or four different ways that he was able to get a hold of the information, to review the information to ask questions, things like that and I'm sure he's done that. I talked a little bit with him this morning about it and he said that he really focused on the install so we'll see how much of the recall he has here pretty early on."

(On Haden's transition to the NFL and if he has struggled)- "The whole group does. Rookies, they are going to. It's volume. It's tons of volume and everything is new. It's not just that piece of it. I think a lot of times we look and say, "Okay the information is new and focus on that." But it's new coaching, new techniques, new buildings, it's new people. All that stuff is new. Some guys it comes quicker to, some guys it takes a few more steps, but he's a good person, he's a smart kid, he's a hard-working kid. Those things will serve him well to get caught up on what we have to get him caught up on."

(On how difficult it is for a rookie corner to make the transition to the NFL)- "It's pretty tough because you are out there a lot of times and you are isolated. When offensive coordinators are choosing who they want to go against, you usually draw the short straw and you are going to get thrown out a lot and people are going to test you and see what you can do. You have to hold up against that. The nice thing that we have, is we have older guys that can help him along with that, that can talk him through a lot of those things and provide insight and advice and I'm sure he'll rely on that."

(On whether Seneca Wallace can challenge Jake Delhomme for the starting job)- "What are you trying to do back there? We've been through this (joking). What I'll say is that I don't see any change in the way that we are approaching things right now. Seneca will have chances to work with the first group. That's not uncommon, that's not out of the norm. I've been happy with his progress from OTAs to now as well. I talked to him either yesterday morning or the morning before, just about where he was. He said what you'd expect him to say. A lot of that stuff was running together when I was first going through it and making the calls, but now with some time, going through those reps, being back and going through it again, it's clicking and you see that. He's got a good arm. He's an accurate passer. He can make some plays with his feet which is nice to have that to work against defensively as well. I'm really encouraged by his very early progress the first day there, yesterday."

(On why Delhomme had so many interceptions last year)- "I think that there are a lot of reasons that interceptions happen. You look at it defensively, some seasons, they come in bunches. Usually, they do come in bunches. Some seasons you get into a little bit of a drought and you don't get as many as you used to. I remember, I think it was my first year in New England, we had 10 and the next year, it was something like 28. Sometimes, you hit a hot hand. I don't know all the things that they were running scheme-wise, I don't what defenses they were facing, I don't know what the situations were in those games, if they were behind by a lot of points and had to throw the ball a bunch and try to catch up. It's hard for me. I didn't break down each individual interception. I think that protecting the football is critical. Making good decisions is critical and I believe that he can do that and he'll make a lot of good decisions."

(On whether they are able to do more with the offense with Wallace)- "You can do some different things. You may approach it in terms of a starting point, differently. I think both quarterbacks can do any of the things that we are asking them to do. You may just move up the selection of what you call a little bit higher on his list than where it would be on Jake's list, let's say. It's not that one can or cannot do it, but what you choose from off the menu may be a little different."

Phil Masturzo / Akron Beacon JournalLinebacker Matt Roth was a key contributor after the Browns picked him up off waivers last season. He made many big plays, including this sack of Charlie Frye against the Raiders.

(On if he feels fortunate to have Matt Roth)- "I was happy to pick up Matt last year and he created problems for us in New York when we had to face him. He's very, very physical for that position. He's extremely tough and he's got excellent hands in terms of locking guys out, things that you like. It was a nice addition last year and I'm excited to have him for a longer period of time here working with the group and see what other things he can do and how else he can add value."

(On why he was available)- "You'd really have to talk to Miami about that, but different guys end up on the wire for different reasons and sometimes it's best not to ask why."

(On if there will be a package where linebackers will line up as defensive linemen)- "That's pretty standard for us. We'll take the outside linebackers and work them as defensive ends because most of our linebackers are the size or close to the average size of a defensive end in the NFL. They'll work on third down, or nickel packages, some out there as ends. Typically, our ends go inside and become tackles and that's the progression from first and second downs to third downs. Yes, they'll be out there."

(On whether he would do that on second down or a running situation)- "You may sub on first and second down and you have to take into consideration, the run-pass and how well you are going to hold up consistently against run in those packages. I'm not opposed to any combination of people, any alignment of people. I'm really just limited by our ability to execute and creativity."

(On what he asked Jerome Harrison to work on last year)- "One of the things that I wanted him to focus on was blocking on third down and I thought he did a really nice job with that. It was one of the primary things that he and I talked about and there are a bunch of examples in those later games where he saved the play because of his blocking and the way that he played, the technique that he played with and he was matched up against some guys that were significantly bigger, which running backs often do on third down and I thought he did a really good job with it."

(On whether it relates to his size or his technique)- "Usually, it comes down to leverage and angles, hand placement, and repping leverage, angles, hand placement over and over again. Cus D'Amato would always talk about you run a train up so much that you can't mess it up even if you want to and it's muscle memory. It's knowing where to hit, knowing what you have to do to be successful, not just against a guy your size, but against a guy significantly bigger."

(On Shaun Rogers possibly moving to the outside)- "Yes, Shaun is going to work some at end, whether it's right end or left end. He'll work some at both and he'll be good at it. They are a little bit different reads. The technique is relatively consistent with what he does at nose guard. The reads may be a little bit different, but for a guy like him, it'll be pretty manageable, he'll learn it pretty quickly. It'll be nice way to have some more depth in there and have some added size."

(On if he saw Rogers catching balls from the JUGs machine yesterday)- "I did not see him. Did he look pretty good? He's lobbied to play some tight end on the goal line and some fullback on the goal line, so who knows."

(On the one thing that most needs to change this season)- "I don't look at it as change as much as I look at it as being consistent with what we did at the end of last season. I thought we developed a lot over the course of last season and really understood how we had to play, what the approach had to be and what Browns football was and how we were going to be in each game. Those lessons are valuable if you can take those lessons and carry them over into the new season and also indoctrinating all the guys that have come in, whether it's rookies or free agent and all of us helping them understand exactly what we have to do, the way we have to play in order to be successful."

(On whether having more time to coach will give him and Rob Ryan more time to think outside the box)- "Rob, he lives outside the box. I go visit him quite often. He's got a nice play there (joking). That's the nice thing about our relationship. Since we had offices next to each other in New England and had all that time working together, a really good relationship, really good understanding and good shared experience where we can draw on defenses from different years. Sometimes, it's a defense from a bunch of years ago that you just bring back out and re-introduce. Sometimes the variation of a defense that you already have and you just remix it a little bit and bring it back out. It's fun working with him on that aspect. We used to sit in training camp when we were in Rhode Island and watch some of Buddy (Ryan)"s old tapes and teaching me about WILL-6-Z and all the different combination coverage and slowly we got some of those put in. The things that he's learned from his dad and what his dad did, he'll bring some of those ideas out from time to time which is great."

(On if Haden has to run extra laps for being late)- "No, nothing like that. There will be a lot running through his mind, so he doesn't need to do anymore laps."

(On how T.J. Ward will combat larger tight ends)- "Good technique. You really have to maintain the relationship to the receiver if you've got slight separation, the height advantage is heightened. It's more dramatic. You have to really focus on technique against those guys and sometimes the best way to cover them is to go hit them before they get going. Rodney Harrison was really good with that. He covered by not letting them run a route. You can mix some of that in too. You don't necessarily have to run with speed if you can beat up speed."

(On if Ward's lack of height concerns him)- "No, I had Victor Green. He was a shorter guy. We have seen undersized safeties that have been very effective in pass coverage and a lot of smaller corners as well."

(On if Wallace is always on the move when he throws)- "No, I know he's not always on the move when he throws. I think that he has the ability to extend some plays that maybe other guys don't, so if there's a problem and it's not solvable right at that second with a route, then he has a chance to extend the play and try to find a secondary answer."

(On if he needs to get Wallace to stop running so much)- "I really wouldn't classify it as that. I view it more as him understanding the difference between when you have to go and when you have to stay. There haven't been a ton of decisions that I've looked at, to this point, where I've felt uncomfortable with the amount of times that he's moving."