Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot sorts through this week's mailbag.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerRookie defensive tackle John Hughes will get a shot at replacing Phil Taylor in the Browns' starting defensive line when fall camp opens later this month.

Hey, Mary Kay: I know the Browns are counting on John Hughes and Billy Winn to play a significant role on the defensive line, but I rarely heard about them in the OTAs and minicamp. Is that a bad sign, or were they more impressive than it seems from the lack of coverage about them? -- Dan, N.C.

Hey, Dan: Hughes and Winn received reps after Scott Paxson in OTAs and minicamp, but both will battle to replace injured tackle Phil Taylor in camp. The Browns are really high on both, and feel Winn was a huge steal in the sixth round.

Hey, Mary Kay: What are your thoughts on not landing RG3 becoming a blessing when Trent Richardson rushes for 140+ yards and Brandon Weeden keeps the defense honest with the arm and quick decision-making. Do you feel the Browns will be more competitive within the division? -- Joey S., Midvale, Utah

Hey, Joey: I think it will be interesting to watch this play out over the next few seasons. Will RG3 be worth three first-round picks? Will Weeden overcome the age factor? I do think the combo of Weeden and Richardson will make the Browns more competitive in the division right away.

Hey, Mary Kay: Jim Brown may be getting up there in years, but he's always been extremely intelligent and has repeatedly demonstrated an ability to motivate youth through his Amer-I-Can program and other philanthropic efforts. Isn't it all possible that his comments toward Trent Richardson's abilities were intended to provide extra motivation? -- J.T., Seattle, Wash.

Hey, J.T.: I think Jim called it like he saw it, but Richardson is a fine young man and has taken Brown's remarks as a challenge to become one of the greatest backs in the NFL.

Hey, Mary Kay: What's going on with the Kiante Tripp case? Was he going to be in the rotation this year? If so, are we going to release him? -- Kyle Hudson, Toledo

Hey, Kyle: Tripp is out on bail after felony burglary charges, and the Browns will let the legal process play out. But I doubt they'll spend much time on a developmental player if he's convicted.

-- Mary Kay

Heavily-favored Prospective won the $100,000 Ohio Derby, and did it in surprisingly speedy fashion despite a hot, steamy afternoon.

NORTH RANDALL, Ohio -- It wasn't much of a surprise that stakes star Prospective came on at the end to win the $100,000 Ohio Derby Saturday afternoon at Thistledown. Most impressive, though, was the colt's clocking for the 1 1/6-mile race for three-year-olds with new jockey Jermaine Bridgmohan aboard.

Bridgmohan let Politicallycorrect and Z Rockstar set the early pace. When asked to put a big rush together in the final quarter-mile, Prospective turned on the jets for a 2 1/2-length win in 1:42.84 over Politically Correct. Z Rockstar almost nine lengths back in third.

The clocking was the fastest in Thistledown's signature stakes race since it was shortened to a 1 1/16-mile event in 2010, and about a second off the track record of 1:41.32. Prospective, a 3-5 favorite owned by Oklahoman John Oxley, did it on a steamy afternoon under cloudless skies with temperatures in the mid-90s.

"The heat wasn't a bother," said assistant trainer Randi Melton. "Mark Casse has this colt in perfect shape, and he's very good mentally. Prospective is able to be paced, or go for the lead. Whatever you want him to do."

It did help that Thistledown officials kept the Ohio Derby stars under roof in a much cooler indoor paddock before the race. Melton poured a bucket of water over the son of Malibu Moon before heading to the winner's circle to cool him, but said he'd been working out all week at Toronto's Woodbine Raceway, where temperatures have been in the 90s.

Prospective paid $3.20, 2.10, Politicallycorrect $2.40. There was no show wagering on the race, reduced to just four three-year-olds after Swage was scratched Friday because of a fever.

Bridgmohan was lucky to be able to ride Prospective in the Ohio Derby. He breezed the horse on Monday at Woodbine, but had never ridden him in a race. Just getting to Thistledown proved much harder than expected. Bridgmohan was scheduled to fly from Toronto, where Casse has been racing his stable, to Cleveland on Saturday morning. Mechanical trouble delayed the flight. Jumping into his car, Bridgmohan arrived here five and a half hours later, and just 10 minutes before track stewards would have required a jockey substitution.

Trainer Tim Hamm had a foursome of freshmen from his Blazing Meadows Farm in North Jackson in the $50,000 Cleveland Kindergarten Stakes for two-year-olds, with his grey filly, Significant Bling, taking the win from stablemate Blazing Bling at the wire in the 5 1/2-furlong dash. With national riding champion Deshawn Parker in the saddle, Significant Bling pulled away at the wire for a 3 1/4-length win in 1:05.88.

The stable entry of Significant Bling and Blazing Bling -- both daughters of Too Much Bling -- paid $4 and 3.80. Pyrite Green was third. Significant Bling is now two-for-two in her career.

"It's great to finally break my maiden at Thistledown," said Parker, with a laugh. He has been the winningest jockey in the country the past two years, but came up short with a pair of Hamm's horses in recent stakes. "This filly is so young, and really doesn't know what she's doing yet. She certainly did everything right today."

"The charges filed against Storm Klein violate the core values of the Ohio State football program," OSU head coach Urban Meyer said

View full sizeAP fileLinebacker Storm Klein pleaded not guilty to domestic assault charges on Friday, but was dismissed from the OSU team on Saturday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State linebacker Storm Klein was dismissed from the program on Saturday after pleading not guilty to charges of domestic violence and assault following a Friday arrest by Columbus police.

"The charges filed against Storm Klein violate the core values of the Ohio State football program," OSU head coach Urban Meyer said in a statement released by the school Saturday evening.

"As a result, Storm has been removed from the team. It has been made very clear that this type of charge will result in dismissal. If there are any changes in the charges, we will re-evaluate his status."

The senior who started 10 games last year was told to stay away from the person who filed a complaint against him.

He appeared in Franklin County Municipal Court represented by a public defender.

Klein is one of several linebackers vying for a starting job with the Buckeyes. Two other expected starters for Meyer's first Ohio State team were suspended in June after being arrested on a misdemeanor charge of obstructing official business.

Lefty reliever Nick Hagadone has been optioned to Class AAA Columbus. Lefty Scott Barnes will fill his spot Sunday.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerAfter some good early efforts out of the Indians' bullpen, Nick Hagadone struggled throughout June and was sent back to Columbus on Saturday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Indians left-handed reliever Nick Hagadone was optioned to Class AAA Columbus on Saturday afternoon. Lefty Scott Barnes will be recalled from Columbus Sunday.

Barnes was in the clubhouse Saturday but unavailable because the required 10 days had not elapsed since he was sent down. It meant the Tribe played with 24 eligible players.

"We're OK," said Manny Acta. "Our guys are well-rested, and if we get into any unexpected situation, we might be able to use one of the starters. But our plan is not to use any of those guys out of the pen."

Hagadone is 1-0 with one save and a 6.39 ERA in 27 appearances. On May 26, his ERA was 1.93. In 11 1/3 innings since, he has given up 15 runs on 19 hits, walked nine and struck out 12.

"Command of the fastball is the No. 1 thing with Nick," Acta said. "He really struggled to throw his off-speed pitches over the plate, which helped the hitters narrow from 2-3 pitches to just one, but he still has a pretty good fastball. If you can locate it and command it, you can get people out. He wasn't doing it, but we know he'll be able to do it for us [in the future].

"It's very tough for those guys to gain any type of confidence unless they're having success. Once the success went away a little bit because of the lack of command, the lack of confidence came in."

Barnes has allowed six runs on six hits in seven innings with Cleveland this season. He gave up five runs June 14 at Cincinnati.

"I think Barnesy has thrown the ball well in the limited outings he's had," Acta said. "He'll have an opportunity to improve that side of the bullpen."

Tomlin time: Asked to assess his performance to date, right-hander Josh Tomlin was brutally honest.

"Terrible," he said. "It hasn't been what I expect of myself -- by any means."

Tomlin is 5-5 with a 5.45 ERA in 14 appearances (13 starts). He has given up 89 hits, walked 20 and struck out 48 in 79 1/3 innings.

Because Tomlin will not start again until after the All-Star break, those numbers go in the books as his "first half," even though his most recent start, Friday night against Tampa Bay, came in the Tribe's 82nd game.

Tomlin is coming off a 2011 season, his second as a pro, in which he went 12-7 with a 4.25 ERA in 26 starts. Most American League starters would take those results in a blink, but the stat line masked something: From June 1 until his season ended in late August because of injury, his ERA was 5.24 in 99 2/3 innings.

Tomlin insists his confidence has not been shaken by the protracted rough stretches.

"I can get better, and I will get better," he said. "I'm not going to settle for, 'Oh, OK, everybody goes through periods like this.' You can always rebound and make things better. I have no doubt I can return to being the pitcher this team needs me to be."

Such a pitcher was on display Friday, when Tomlin gave up one run on two hits and walked none in seven innings of the Tribe's 3-1 victory. He made a mechanical adjustment, staying on his backside a tad longer, and it paid off.

"I closed my hips a little more over the rubber and created a little more torque," he said. "That freed up my arm more and made all my pitches better."

Difference maker: Tomlin's repertoire includes two-seam, four-seam and cut-fastballs, a curve and change-up. Tomlin never will overpower batters, so he needs the off-speed stuff to be superb. The curve, for the most part, has been there, but the change-up has let him down.

"I just haven't had the consistent feel for the change-up," he said. "I keep searching for it. I threw some good ones against Tampa Bay, but I threw some bad ones, too. The key is maintaining my arm speed. When my changeup is on, it's a very effective pitch for me."

Finally: The Indians' rotation coming out of the break will be Justin Masterson, Ubaldo Jimenez, Derek Lowe, Zach McAllister and Tomlin.

On Twitter: @dmansworldpd

Ubaldo Jimenez gave up two runs in six innings and Shelley Duncan homered as the Indians won at Progressive Field.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Entering Saturday night's game against Tampa Bay, the Indians knew they would be dealing with two forms of heat.

One came from the sun's rays. Temperature for the 6:06 first pitch at Progressive Field was 90 degrees, with heavy air. The other came from the left arm of the Rays' Matt Moore, whose average fastball ranks among the quickest in the majors among starters.

The Indians handled both in a businesslike manner. Ubaldo Jimenez gave up two runs in six innings and Shelley Duncan homered as the Tribe defeated the Rays, 7-3, in front of 20,658 paid.

The Tribe (44-40) remained three games behind the White Sox in the AL Central. The Rays (44-41) have lost two of the first three games in a series that ends Sunday.

Who says the Indians have trouble with left-handed starters? They have won the last four games in which the opposition started a lefty, including three in a four-game series at Baltimore, June 28-July 1. (Overall, they are 9-16.)

The Indians have permission to feel like they stole one Saturday. They beat a solid, albeit injury-plagued, club and terrific young pitcher by relying heavily on reserves. Manager Manny Acta opted to rest second baseman Jason Kipnis, designated hitter Travis Hafner, first baseman Casey Kotchman and left fielder Johnny Damon.

"I looked at the card and said, 'We've got an All-Star lineup on the bench,'" said Aaron Cunningham, who subbed for Damon and went 1-for-3 with an RBI double. "All the scrubs were in there. It gives us confidence knowing that Manny believes we can help win games."

The Tribe's nine had combined for 43 homers. But long balls weren't necessary on this night; quality at-bats were. The Indians had plenty in knocking out Moore after 4 2/3 innings. According to FanGraphs.com, Moore, 23, entered with an average fastball velocity of 94.5 mph. He had thrown the fastball 67.6 percent of the time. The Indians simply refused to let him overpower them.

"He's got fuzz," Cunningham said of Moore's four-seamer. "It's effortless fuzz, with good action. We battled hard and probably frustrated him a bit."

Cunningham and the offense provided more than enough for Jimenez, who gave up five hits, walked one and struck out eight. Jimenez threw 60 of 97 pitches for strikes.

"I felt good, but it was really hot," he said with a chuckle. "I probably lost a couple of pounds."

Jimenez (8-7, 4.50 ERA) picked up front-of-the-rotation teammate Justin Masterson, who was roughed up in a loss Friday. Jimenez moved his mid-90s fastball to the four corners, but his money pitches turned out to be the slider and split-change.

"They have a good lineup that's really aggressive," Jimenez said. "They don't give you a break on the fastball."

As soon as Jimenez began throwing the slider, which has been spotty for him this season, he liked what he saw.

"So I kept throwing it," he said.

Acta said: "Ubaldo was able to throw the slider behind in the count, sometimes 3-1. He had very good command of the strike zone."

In 10 starts when recording a victory or no-decision, Jimenez has a 2.56 ERA and .205 average against.

The Tribe took a 3-0 lead in the second. Michael Brantley led off with a double to right-center. With one out, Duncan's 10-pitch at-bat resulted in a walk. Lou Marson hooked Moore's pitch in front of diving left fielder Desmond Jennings for an RBI double. Jack Hannahan's grounder to short drove in Duncan. Cunningham doubled off diving shortstop Sean Rodriguez's glove, Marson scoring.

"Cunningham's probably was the biggest hit of the game, if it wasn't the longest," Acta said.

Marson finished 1-for-3 and is hitting .297.

Asdrubal Cabrera led off the Tribe third with a walk and scooted to third on Jose Lopez's double to left. After Brantley had an RBI grounder, Carlos Santana drove in Lopez with a double to right-center.

Tampa Bay pulled within 5-2 in the fourth. Former Indian farmhand Luke Scott hit a two-out, two-run homer to center. Scott has homered in back-to-back games; the blast Friday, off Masterson, snapped his club-record hitless streak at 41. Scott entered Saturday hitting .333 (29-for-87) with six homers against the Tribe.

The Indians knocked out Moore in the fifth, though they failed to score. Moore gave up the five runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings, walked five and struck out three.

Lefty Tony Sipp relieved Jimenez to begin the seventh and was perfect (flyout, flyout, strikeout). Righty Vinnie Pestano walked pinch-hitter Elliot Johnson to begin the eighth, then retired the next three.

All-Star closer Chris Perez was preparing to work the ninth in a bid for his 25th save. But the opportunity disappeared when Duncan widened the Tribe lead to five with a two-run homer off righty Wade Davis in the eighth.

Duncan has homered in four of his last six games.

"We need everybody to contribute," Acta said. "We don't have a powerhouse here; we know that. We need guys to step up."

Esmil Rogers gave up a homer before getting the final three outs.

NORWALK, Ohio -- They range from pure tomboys to self-professed girly-girls and various combinations of the two. Yet drag racing bonds them together in a fast-rising sorority that is becoming hard to ignore. Soon, and likely often, it's going to be Ladies Day at the NHRA. Before taking a respite to begin her family, Ashley Force was already an...

View full sizeGus Chan, The Plain Dealer"I was a cheerleader, but I was also taking auto shop classes," says Funny Car drag racer Courtney Force. "I'm a girly-girl, but I have that tomboy in me."

NORWALK, Ohio -- They range from pure tomboys to self-professed girly-girls and various combinations of the two. Yet drag racing bonds them together in a fast-rising sorority that is becoming hard to ignore.

Soon, and likely often, it's going to be Ladies Day at the NHRA.

Before taking a respite to begin her family, Ashley Force was already an accomplished drag racing winner in Funny Cars. Last week, Alexis DeJoria and Courtney Force (Funny Cars) Hillary Will (Top Fuel) and Erica Enders (Pro Stock) gave proof that they were on the cusp of something big.

They look to keep making their collective presence felt at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk on Sunday.

Enders, Force and Will all advanced to the final 16 in their divisions, but the 140-degree track temperatures, and humidity took its toll on DeJoria, who failed to make the cut.

"Last week in the semifinals it was Hillary, Alexis, Courtney and myself," Enders said. "We were all talking in the staging area about how cool that podium would be if there were three women up there."

Added Force, "I don't know if that has ever happened before, into the semifinal round. There was a female in just about every category, and Alexis and I had to race against each other. After we ran, Alexis came up to me and said, 'you don't experience this a lot.'

"It was really cool to be a part of it, and be one of the ones that advanced to the final round."

View full sizeGus Chan, The Plain Dealer"I started when I was eight years old in Junior Dragsters, and raced there for nine years," says Erica Enders, who won the Top Stock title last week in Chicago. "(I) kind of worked my way up. That's something I don't think other [racing] series have, where you can work your way up through the series as a whole."

All have advanced to the semifinals several times this season. All but Will have been to the finals at least once.

Enders, 28 and fifth in Pro Stock standings, was the first to get a victory. DeJoria, 34 and 12th in Funny Car, was in her first final two weeks ago. Last week Force, 24 and sixth in points, made her first final.

The women are clearly not just a collection of marketing tools, but serious and consistent contenders.

"We have a woman, Shirley Muldowney, who clearly paved the way as a winner before us," DeJoria said. "I think that has a lot to do with how successful and accepted we are as women in drag racing.

"I think NHRA has genuinely been a lot more accepting of not just having females, but wanting them to be successful. And, I think, while most of our competitors are men, other than as competitors, I don't believe they feel threatened by us."

Force said the women's success is due in part to the variety.

"There are so many different categories that appeal to many different types of women," she said. "We have different cars, different speeds and so many different classes."

DeJoria stands out with her 16 tattoos, the most graphic of which is on her right forearm; an F-15 Jet on a field of red, white and blue ink.

View full sizeGus Chan, The Plain Dealer"I always wanted to be a fighter pilot," says Funny Car driver Alexis DeJoria.

"I always wanted to be a fighter pilot," said DeJoria, daughter of John Paul DeJoria who co-founded both Paul Mitchell Hair Care products and Patron Tequila. "And the F-15s are undefeated in battle."

DeJoria is a stark contrast to Force, who has no ink on her skin. "My dad would kill me if I did," she said.

That would be John Force, NHRA Funny Car icon, and father to drag racers Ashley, Brittany and Courtney. Tats aside, the long and lanky youngest Force sister considers herself both.

"I was a cheerleader, but I was also taking auto shop classes," Force said. "I'm a girly-girl, but I have that tomboy in me."

Clearly, the Force girls and DeJoria come to the sport with clear financial backing (DeJoria) and family racing notoriety (Force). But Enders, the first-time winner, is as grassroots as they come.

"I started when I was eight years old in Junior Dragsters, and raced there for nine years," said Enders, who had a Disney movie (Right on Track in 2003) made based on her then-young career. "I then graduated to the Sportsman ranks for five years. Kind of worked my way up. That's something I don't think other [racing] series have, where you can work your way up, through the series as a whole."

When she crossed the finish line first, the entire sorority celebrated around the victory podium.

"That was cool to have them standing behind me," Enders said. "Courtney stopped by after she lost in her finals or it would have been two of us. Hillary came to the winners circle, so did Alexis, and she signed a bottle of Patron for me and the team."

• Check out Sunday's schedule at Summit Motorsports Park, with gates open at 8 a.m.

In the dirt: Pro Stock motorcyclist Angie Smith had an eventful ride Saturday, much longer than the traditional 1,000 feet from start to finish. As she went to shut down after her run into today's top 16, she encountered a problem.

"I had no brakes whatsoever," she said.

So she rolled past the shutdown area into the sand pit, which did not slow her much at all, back into the grass and heading for the fast-approaching corn field before she just dumped the bike, falling to the ground while the machine hit the corn.

According to track officials, that was approximately a 5,000-foot ride.

"I didn't want to mow down the corn," Smith said, nursing only an injured right little finger.

In the money: The $50,000 K&N Challenge went to Pro Stock Driver Vincent Nobile over Jason Line, making him the 12th different driver to win in the 28-year history of the event. It also snapped the two-year streak for Greg Anderson.

However, Anderson did get a small bit of reward, opening the eight-drive challenge with a victory over Enders, who topped him last week to become the first woman ever to win a Pro Stock event.

Going strong: Bill Bader Jr. said the extremely hot weather has affected attendance, but that Friday "was the biggest in our history, especially with food sales, water sales and merchandise sales. I think Friday was a killer."

Bader said the event is scheduled to be a July 4 staple on the NHRA schedule for a long time.

USA Basketball's Jerry Colangelo and coach Mike Krzyzewski say the Cavaliers' point guard has "made quite an impression."

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerKyrie Irving will have to wait until 2016 for a chance to make the U.S. Olympic team.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As part of the U.S. select team, practicing against the U.S. Olympic squad, Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving was never actually part of the Olympic talent pool this time around. But that won't be the case in 2016.

In a teleconference with reporters immediately after the 2012 men's Olympic basketball team was announced at its training camp in Las Vegas, USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo and Olympic coach Mike Krzyzewski said Irving was very much in the picture in future Games.

"He's already made quite an impression, let's put it that way," Colangelo said. "He's a terrific young player. I see great things for him going forward as it relates to an NBA career and very much within USA Basketball. I think we're going to hear a great deal about him in the future."

Krzyzewski coached Irving at Duke, at least for the 11 games he played after missing most of his freshman season with a toe injury.

"I love Kyrie," Krzyzewski said. "I wish I was able to coach him a full season. I think he's one of the outstanding players in the NBA right now, not just the Rookie of the Year."

Because Irving was born in Australia while his father was playing professional basketball there, he had the option to pursue playing for Australia in the Olympics, but it was a more-complicated process than just declaring his intention to do so. Because he had played for USA Basketball's national U-18 team, he would have needed a waiver from FIBA in order to play for Australia.

Irving talked to Krzyzewski while trying to decide what to do.

"When he was making a decision as to whether or not to play for the United States or for Australia I told him that I believed he eventually will be a starting guard for the U.S. team at some time in his career and for him just to get involved with the whole process," Krzyzewski said. "He's as good a player as the select team has and has shown his talents very, very well here. He's outstanding and he's a terrific, terrific young man."

Tolliver's return? Unrestricted free agent Anthony Tolliver already has been a Cavalier. For one day.

Tolliver, a 6-9, 245-pound power forward who has attracted the attention of the Cavs and seven other teams, went undrafted after four seasons at Creighton but made the Cavs' opening-night roster out of training camp in 2007. At least until Sasha Pavlovic signed a new deal with the team.

Tolliver, who made a lot of friends and impressed a lot of people in his short time in Cleveland, wound up getting released after never actually putting on a uniform in a regular season game. But the experience proved valuable.

"That ended up helping him tremendously because that counted as a year of service because he was on an NBA roster for one day," said his agent, Larry Fox. "The following season when he made the NBA [with San Antonio and the Byron Scott-coached New Orleans Hornets], he was considered having one year of service so he got paid several hundred thousand dollars more, and that one day is the reason he's an unrestricted free agent because he's been in the league enough years. Had he not had that one day with the Cavs that year, he'd be restricted.

"So his experience with Cleveland so far has been good."

Fox said Minnesota is still interested in keeping Tolliver, who played there the last two seasons after splitting time with Portland and Golden State in 2009-10. But Fox called the Wolves an "extreme moving target" right now, because of all the transactions the Wolves are involved in.

He thinks Tolliver, who averaged 4.1 points and 3 rebounds in 51 games last season, could fill a role here.

"Cleveland is an interesting team," Fox said. "Antawn Jamison is not going to be there next year, so I think Anthony Tolliver is looked upon as a guy who could play a similar role -- a guy who comes in and can bang down 3-point shots, can play big, can step out a little. I think it's an interesting fit for the Cavs to fill that Antawn Jamison role."

An NBA source has confirmed the Cavs' interest.

Summer plans: Former Ohio State center Dallas Lauderdale, who played in Poland last season, has been invited to Las Vegas Sunday to try out for Golden State's summer-league team. Ex-Cavalier Darnell Jackson, who played in the Ukraine last season, will play for Sacramento's team in Las Vegas. Both are represented by Cleveland-based agent Mark Termini.

On Twitter: @pdcavsinsider

Around the clubhouse, they refer to something called "a closer's mentality." You either have it or you don't.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerChris Perez, in the bullpen at Progressive Field, on the mindset of a closer: "The hardest thing about closing is blowing games. Anybody can go out there and pitch and get outs and say he's great. It’s when you blow one. [Coming back] that next day. That's the difference."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In baseball, as in business, the closer is money. The master salesman called in late to seal the deal.

The role is a double-knot of ecstasy and unbelievable pressure. Which means just because a pitcher can ride through innings one through eight doesn't mean he's necessarily cut out for the job.

Around the clubhouse, they refer to something called "a closer's mentality." You either have it or you don't.

"It's a different game, man, when you're the last guy out there," said Indians pitching coach Scott Radinsky. "You sit out there for the course of the whole game, and you're watching the game evolve, and you know that you're the guy. And when you get the call, it's win or lose on you."

For the Indians, since 2010, the last guy out there has been Chris Perez.

He's handled the game's ultimate mind test as well as any, and better than most. The reward, which comes with a $50,000 bonus in his contract, is a second straight invitation to baseball's All-Star Game on Tuesday night at Kansas City's Kauffman Stadium, joining shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera -- also making a repeat appearance -- as the team's representatives.

It's a tribute Perez considers even sweeter than the first.

"It sounds a little pompous," he said, "but you can put together a good two or three months and be an All-Star once. But to do it twice, to me at least -- especially being elected by the players -- it's a great honor. ... It's a good validation, for sure."

Perez, who just turned 27, stands among the league leaders in saves, having blown just one in 25 chances so far. With Perez and reliever Vinnie Pestano finishing off games -- usually Pestano in the eighth, then handing off to Perez for the ninth -- the Indians are 36-1 when leading after seven innings.

It's been quite a run. Behind the numbers, it's also been quite a tumultuous first half for the shaggy, 6-4, 230-pound right-hander from Tampa by way of the University of Miami and the St. Louis Cardinals.

First, there was the strained left oblique (the muscles that make up the coveted six-pack) in spring training. Then, on Opening Day, Perez wasted starter Justin Masterson's two-hitter and 4-1 lead, blowing the save as the Indians eventually lost to Toronto in 16 innings. After the game, he apologized to both Masterson and manager Manny Acta and stuck around after the game to face the media until every question was answered.

"I was always told, especially in school when I went to Miami, they're going to get their story from somewhere," he said, explaining why he didn't just bail. "If you don't want someone speaking for you or have a reporter interpret it, it's better for you to stand up there and take it."

In late May, with the Indians in first place in the AL Central, Perez stood before reporters again and criticized fans for not showing up. At the All-Star break, the team remains last among the 30 teams in attendance.

"I just said pretty much, 'Screw it. If they hate me, I don't care, I'm going to still do my job. My teammates like me, that's the only thing that matters really.' That was it. I put it all out there."

Many fans were upset. But when Perez dashed from the bullpen for his next appearance, he was greeted with a standing ovation.

"It felt good," he said in an interview before a recent game.

He's angered opponents for being overly dramatic, whether it be a primal scream, a fist pump or a pro wrestler's you-can't-see-me gesture. He's even punctuated a save by vomiting on all fours near the mound. Along the way, he has compiled a streak of 24 straight saves, the second longest in franchise history for one season. (Jose Mesa, the last Tribe reliever to make the All-Star Game two straight seasons, saved 38 in a row in 1995.)

Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon praised Perez for his aggressiveness, "riding" fastball and free spirit.

"I don't know him too well," Maddon said, "but I bet he's got two things working for him. I bet he's accountable, and I bet, again not knowing him, when he messes one up, that he's the same cat the next day."

The game's old hands all know pitchers who were better than fine middle-inning relievers, or "set-up" men who successfully got a team through late innings before handing off to the closer. But for some reason they couldn't make that step to be one themselves. In recent history, former Indians relievers Paul Shuey and Rafael Betancourt found the role a bad fit.

The closer's mentality. In the wrong hands, it can mess you up.

"I used to pitch in fear," said Dennis Eckersley, one of those rare instances of a starter reinventing himself as a Hall of Fame closer later in his career.

"A lot of guys talk about being fearless. For me, it was just the opposite. Every time I went out there, I was afraid to fail, kind of," said Eckersley, who was drafted by and started for the Indians from 1975-77. "And then they talk about turning the page if you have a bad outing. I had a hard time turning the page. [They say] you have to have a short memory. That's a bunch of [expletive]. You want to get the ball as soon as possible so you can make up for it. But if you have another bad game, it's going to be twice as bad."

Eckersley may have no idea, but the little voice inside Perez's head is his. As a 22-year-old rookie with St. Louis in 2008, Perez, who had blown a save the night before, was in the outfield shagging flies as he still likes to do before games. Tony LaRussa, the Cardinals' manager who had also managed Eckersley in Oakland, asked if Perez was still thinking about the previous game.

"Not really," Perez told him.

"He goes, 'Not really?' I said, 'Yeah, I guess a little bit,'" Perez admitted. "He goes, 'Eck never forgot about a save, but that was a good thing because it drove him. He never wanted to feel like that again. That's what you need to do.'"

Indians team psychologist Dr. Charlie Maher, not speaking specifically about Perez but from his 25 years in major league baseball, said the position requires a special resiliency and focus.

"It's almost like a paradox," he said. "They have to be calm on the inside so they can be aggressive and assertive on the outside."

When the Indians acquired Perez and minor-league pitcher Jess Todd from the Cardinals in mid-2009 for Mark DeRosa, Perez was used as a set-up man for closer Kerry Wood. But since 2010, Perez, father of a 21-month-old son with a daughter due in September, has been given the ball with the game on the line. He saved 36 games in 2011, fourth most in the American League, and earned his first All-Star appearance.

Entering 2012, he was already fifth all-time in franchise saves, but should come close to passing Mesa for third place by season's end. He has cut down on home runs (allowing one so far) and walks (just seven in more than 31 innings), a criticism that's followed him since he was drafted.

He's also throwing harder this year, consistently reaching into the mid- to upper 90s -- back to where he was in 2010 before a strained flexor tendon coming out of spring training last year slowed his fastball and stunted his slider all season.

The mental part? No strain there, it seems.

"Some people handle that pressure, some people don't," said Radinsky, the Tribe pitching coach. "Some people thrive on that pressure. ... Whether people like him or respect him or not, one thing you can't take away from him is the fact that he wants the ball every single time we're in that situation."

In the feature bout, Nonito Donaire added the IBF 122-pound title to his WBO belt with a unanimous decision over South Africa's Jeffrey Mathebula.

View full sizePD fileKelly Pavlik

In the feature bout, Nonito Donaire added the IBF 122-pound title to his WBO belt with a unanimous decision over South Africa's Jeffrey Mathebula, earning his 28th consecutive victory.

Donaire (29-1, 18 KOs), the four-division champion born in the Philippines and raised in California's Bay Area, landed bigger shots throughout the bout. He knocked down Mathebula with a vicious left hook in the fourth round, but Mathebula used his 4 1/2-inch height advantage and a tremendous work rate to keep the bout competitive.

The Filipino Flash finished with a strong 12th round, winning comfortably on all three judges' scorecards.

Klitschko floors Thompson with a big right hand near the end of the fifth round and the 40-year-old American never recovers.

View full sizeAlessandro Della Valle, Keystone via APHeavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko lands a punch on Tony Thompson during their world heavyweight championship title bout Saturday at the Stade de Suisse soccer stadium in Bern, Switzerland. Klitschko stopped Thompson in the sixth round to retain his WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight title belts.

BERN, Switzerland — Wladimir Klitschko stopped Tony Thompson in the sixth round to keep a comfortable hold on his WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles Saturday night.

The 36-year-old champion Klitschko, 58-3 with 51 knockouts, floored Thompson with a big right hand near the end of the fifth round at Stade de Suisse, and the 40-year-old American never recovered.

The Ukrainian champion dropped Thompson again in the sixth, and referee Sam Williams gave the challenger a standing count before stopping the fight at 2:56.

"Thompson was not so easy to box. I'm satisfied," Klitschko said.

In 2008, Klitschko stopped Thompson in the 11th round.

Thompson, the mandatory challenger nominated by the IBF, fell to 36-3 (24 KO).

After the fight, Klitschko led the 22,000 crowd in signing "Happy Birthday" to trainer Emanuel Steward, who turned 68 on Saturday.

"Tony Thompson is very hard to hit," Steward said. "Tony was watching Wladimir's right hand all night."

A cagey opening round was followed by a scrappy second, as Klitschko twice wrestled Thompson to the floor.

Thompson briefly stepped up his cautious tactics when landing a left to Klitschko's face in the third.

Klitschko finally landed a long, straight right in the fifth and the round ended with Thompson struggling on the ropes.

The champion cornered Thompson toward the end of the sixth, and landed punches to the head though no single blow appeared to cause serious damage.

"I got caught but I'm OK," Thompson said in the ring. "He's strong and he's world heavyweight champion for a reason."

Klitschko extended the domination of the heavyweight ranks he shares with his older brother, Vitali.

Vitali was in his brother's corner as usual, and acted as cheerleader in the third round, urging on fans in the soccer stadium when the first chants of "Klitschko! Klistchko! stirred.

The elder Klitschko will defend his WBC title against Manuel Charr of Germany in Moscow on Sept. 8.

There was nothing that occurred during summer's minicamp that has lessened the Browns' certainty that the running game will improve this fall.

View full sizeLonnie Timmons III, The Plain DealerTrent Richardson is the embodiment of the Browns' renewed determination to be successful on the ground in 2012, says Terry Pluto.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When the streets are sizzling, talking about football at least calls to mind cooler afternoons ...

About the Browns and the running game...

1. The coaches were excited with the performance of Trent Richardson at the minicamps. The final test of a running back is when there is tackling, but the Browns already believe their selection of the Alabama running back was worth the No. 3 spot in the draft.

2. Start with the fact that the running game in 2011 was bad. Make that terrible. Make it No. 28 in total yards. Even more revealing, the Browns were 31st out of 32 teams in yards per carry, at 3.7.

3. Football Outsiders has a complicated formula for rating teams, using the type of metrics that many front offices employ. The details are very complicated, but the bottom line was the Browns ranked 31st in running the ball. No matter how you look at it, they were awful.

4. That's why they didn't care that only 14 teams start first-round draft picks as running backs, or none of the top five rushers from 2011 were picked higher than No. 53 in the draft. For all the talk about the West Coast Offense, the Browns are determined to run it with authority this season.

5. So they went against the trend and took Richardson because they believe he'll make an immediate impact. He played in Nick Saban's pro offense at Alabama. The Browns thought Richardson was easy to evaluate because he played in the SEC, which usually has the fastest and most elite athletes. He played for a tough coach who has an NFL background, and Saban gave the Browns glowing reports -- telling them how did the little things such as blocking in pass protection and even was very effective (and willing) as a special teams player in his first two seasons.

6. The Browns like that he didn't have a massive amount of carries in college. Richardson had a total of 257 carries in his first two seasons, then 283 (for 1,679 yards) in 2011. Some running backs are physically beat up by the time they reach the NFL.

7. The Browns don't talk about it, but the staff was shocked at how poorly Peyton Hillis blocked in 2011. Maybe it was because he battled injuries, or because he was depressed over his contract situation. But Hillis was not the physical force that he was in 2010.

8. In the minicamps, the Browns liked how Richardson picked the right holes. They appreciated how he "hid" behind his blockers. He's listed at 5-10, and that may be if he's measured on his toes. But shorter backs can have an advantage because it's harder to tackle them -- and it's easier to use their legs to kick off the hands of defenders.

9. Saban insisted Richardson was a good receiver, and that proved true in the minicamps. He didn't lose a fumble as a senior. In his career, he fumbled only seven times -- losing one. His good hands were evident.

10. The Browns called him a "patient runner," allowing the blockers to get ahead and waiting for an opening -- then showing a quick burst once making a decision. His work ethic and attitude has been excellent. The Browns appreciate how he has not said anything controversial about Jim Brown's criticisms.

11. Even more exciting is they see real depth at the position. Veteran Brandon Jackson is healthy and has established himself as the No. 2 back. He is solid in blocking, catching passes and doing what the coaches expect. In 2010, he rushed for 703 yards and caught 43 passes for the Packers. He's only 26, so Jackson fits with the younger team the Browns are building.

12. There will be a major battle between Montario Hardesty and Chris Ogbonnaya for the third back. This is the healthiest and best that the Browns have seen Hardesty. But the 2010 second-rounder has been hurt in the last two training camps once full contact began. Hardesty gained 266 yards, but averaged only 3.0 per carry last season.

13. Ogbonnaya's 334 yards translated into a 4.6 average. He also caught 23 passes with one drop. Hardesty had 14 catches and six drops. Hardesty was never close to 100 percent physically, but if Ogbonnaya were a second-round pick and Hardesty the free agent, wouldn't there be more talk about Ogbonnaya?

14. That said, the coaches have noticed Ogbonnaya. They want the third running back to play special teams, especially on coverage. Ogbonnaya can do that. Can Hardesty do so and stay healthy? One of these backs will be cut, unless someone is hurt in training camp. It will be worth watching how they make the final decision.

15. Finally, back to the 2011 running game. The Browns' longest run of the season was 40 yards, with their four rushing touchdowns ranked dead last in the NFL. In two seasons as the Rams offensive coordinator, Pat Shurmur gave the ball to Steven Jackson enough for him to gain 2,657 yards and average 327 carries per season. New offensive coordinator Brad Childress had Adrian Peterson in Minnesota, and he also likes to run the ball. So Richardson fits into their game plan for 2012.

About the Indians ...

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerJosh Tomlin's performance against the Rays on Thursday night provided a much-needed boost to the Indians' rotation, which is proving to not be as deep at the minor-league level as the organization had hoped.

1. I was told Boston wanted Josh Tomlin in any deal for Kevin Youkilis. The Indians may have considered that if they had more depth of starting pitching in the minors. But the problem is Jeanmar Gomez struggled and was sent to Class AAA Columbus. The Tribe wants to keep him there for a while. David Huff (3-4, 4.66) has not impressed. Kevin Slowey (3-3, 5.14) has been hurt since the middle of May.

2. The Tribe thought between Zach McAllister, Huff and Gomez opening the year at Columbus, they'd have several options for the rotation. McAllister is in Cleveland and expected to remain for at least several starts -- and the rest of the year if does well. If the Indians do look to Columbus for another starter, it's expected to be Corey Kubler (8-7, 3.68). Cody Allen (2-2, 2.60) may be the next reliever promoted.

3. One of the stranger stories this season has been Nick Hagadone. He was strong in spring training, opened the year at Columbus. After seven scoreless Class AAA innings, he was promoted to the Tribe. He entered June with a 2.20 ERA in 16 1/3 big league innings. Since then, he's been shelled for 18 hits and 14 earned runs in nine innings. He was sent back to Columbus Saturday. But the odd part is Hagadone's velocity rose from 92-95 mph range to 95-97 the last few outings. But his control faltered.

4. The Indians are hoping the Lou Marson (.295, .792 OPS) of this season is the player they scouted in the minors before making the Cliff Lee deal. They saw Marson as a catcher who didn't have much power, but reached base and was a pesky hitter, especially against lefties. He entered the season with a career .215 average for the Tribe in 549 at-bats. He had batted .288, .314 and .294 at three minor-league levels before the Tribe made the Lee deal.

5. As the Tribe has looked at tapes of Carlos Santana, they realized that stopping the "toe tap" with his front foot while awaiting a pitch led to another problem -- a huge leg lift as he swung the bat. That seemed to cause even more issues with his balance and swing. Now, they are telling him to go back to the toe tap, because it is what he's done his entire pro career. The key is trying to create some balance when he swings.

6. According to ESPN's Buster Onley, the Tribe has the easiest schedule of any of the AL contenders after the All-Star break. The Indians have 36 of 77 games at home, only 33 against teams with winning records. They also have seven games left with Boston and New York.

7. Since being recalled from the minors, Drew Pomeranz has allowed one run in 12 1/3 innings for the Rockies. He is 1-3 with a 3.06 ERA. Alex White (2-6, 6.45 ERA) was sent to the minors.

8. The Indians paid $150,000 for Esmil Rogers, who had an 8.06 ERA in 25 2/3 innings with the Rockies to open this season. He throws 95-98 mph, and the Indians thought they could help him harness that powerful fastball. So far, Rogers has been outstanding: a 1.46 ERA since the trade.

About Jason Kipnis ...

This email came from Jim Meneely:

"On a Sunday in May, when the little kids are on the field at the beginning of the game, Jason's actions were exemplary. All of the guys make sure the kids get the ball, shake their hands and send them on their way. They are not rude to them, as far as I am can tell, but they have to get ready for the game, therefore not spending ... much time with them.

"Jason took the young man's hand and did not hand the ball over immediately. Instead he spent some time talking to the boy. Then, he handed over the ball, took the young man's hand and continued to talk to him for a few more minutes before sending him on his way. This showed me the kind of man Jason is. He seemed really interested in what the boy had to say."

About the Cavaliers...

View full sizeLisa DeJong, The Plain DealerAlonzo Gee could provide a test of his value to the Cavaliers, should another NBA team make a substantial offer to the restricted free agent.

1. They have said they don't plan to be a factor in free agency, and that's not likely to change. Their main concern is retaining Alonzo Gee, whose agent reportedly wants a "Landry Fields contract." The Knicks guard received a 3-year, $19 million offer sheet from Toronto. Fields averaged 8.8 points and 4.2 rebounds while shooting 46 percent from the field, 25 percent on 3-pointers in 28 minutes a game.

2. Gee is a restricted free agent, and it's possible someone could give him an offer sheet like that one. The Cavs have enormous cap room, and they can match it. Gee averaged 10.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and shot 41 percent, 32 percent on 3-pointers in 29 minutes a game. The Cavs have limited wing players. The shooting guards are Dion Waiters and Daniel Gibson. Omri Casspi and Gee are the small forwards.

3. Yes, the Cavs were interested in Brandon Roy. But a guy who has had six knee operations and retired from basketball in 2011 because of a degenerative condition is a risk. They wanted Roy to take a physical and work out. He refused. He received a 2-year, $10 million deal from Minnesota.

4. My guess is the Cavs will wait until after the first wave of free agents are signed before adding a veteran or two. While they'd like a classy veteran guard such as Derek Fisher, it's hard to imagine him signing here if there are contending teams interested.

5. I've heard Royal Ivey mentioned as a possibility. He's a 6-4 veteran whose never been a starter. He averaged 3.4 points for his career. He played for Oklahoma City the last two seasons, but didn't see much action.

About Tyler Zeller...

1. Some fans still can't figure out why their team traded picks 24, 33 and 34 to move up to 17 and grab the 7-footer from North Carolina. Here's one reason: Houston gave 7-footer Omer Asik a 3-year, $25 million deal ($5 million, $5 million, $15 million). Asik averaged 3.1 points and 5.3 rebounds in 15 minutes. He is almost a zero on offense, shooting 46 percent from the foul line. Yet, big money came his way.

2. To be 7-foot, breathing and standing reasonably upright can lead to huge dollars. Which brings us to Zeller, who averaged 16.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, shot 55 percent from the field and 81 percent at the foul line. He was the ACC Player of the Year.

3. In four NCAA tournament games, Zeller shot 52 percent and averaged 15 points and 12.5 rebounds. In the Tar Heels' overtime victory against Ohio, he had 20 points and 22 rebounds. In their loss to Kansas, Zeller had 12 points and six rebounds.

4. In two games against highly-rated Duke, Zeller was 17-of-26 shooting (66 percent), averaging 21 points and 10.5 rebounds. Against Kentucky, he scored 14 points and had eight rebounds, shooting 4-of-9 from the field.

5. While Zeller didn't shoot much from the outside, he was 16-of-32 beyond the free-throw line. He is a very solid selection and will play in the league for a long time.

Following their game against Brookhouse Prep, a school in Kenya, the John Hay team gives the Kenyan girls basketball shoes, many of them never worn.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerMembers of the Brookhouse School girls basketball team from Kenya and Cleveland's John Hay High School basketball team come together before a scrimmage Saturday at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea.

BEREA, Ohio — The Continental Cup, which ends tonight with the championship baseball game at Progressive field, is about sportsmanship, camaraderie and lessons learned for a lifetime.

The girls from John Hay High School understand that.

Not only have they made friends from around the world and played the game with class, but the gesture of humanity they offered -- what many call paying it forward -- is something that shows what Cleveland is made of.

Following their game against Brookhouse Prep, a school in Kenya, the team gave those girls basketball shoes, many of them never worn.

"The kids understand the real picture about humanity, that it's not just about the elite, but the fact we have kids just like us from around the world," said John Hay coach Norman James, who has been instrumental in bringing more teams to the tournament each year. "It's about showing America in a bright light. It's about sharing culture and the mind-set we have over here."

The idea may have sprung from the coaches, but it was the girls who took it to heart, especially John Hay captain Charaea Fortes.

"It's an honor to be here playing," said Fortes, who this year earned a college scholarship. "I heard one of the girls from there complaining that her feet hurt, and she had holes in her shoes.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerBrookhouse School players, from left in dark jerseys, Mendi Thuita, Terry Odhiambo and Sarah Mayardit (on floor) try on donated basketball shoes collected by, from left, Dominique Edomwande, Charaea Forts and Sonjanae Freeman.

"She didn't say anything to her coach, but when I went home I looked at all my shoes, saw she could fit in them. I brought them to her."

Fortes got together with her teammates following the game Friday and they all said, "We can do this, we have pairs we don't even need," and decided to give their old shoes to others who needed them.

While all the girls from John Hay did this, James also said there were coaches involved from the Cleveland Crush football team and players from other teams, too.

"We were all thinking of how to give something back to these kids," James said. "And Charaea noticed the kids don't have shoes, and they got together with one of the girls from Shaker Heights High School and said, 'Let's get a shoe drive started,' and I believe they also donated them to Rwanda and Brazil. It was nice to see how hard they worked at cleaning them up, too."

The girls from Brookhouse Prep, located in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, traveled 32 hours to be in Cleveland for the games -- including an eight-hour bus ride from New York City. They were tickled by what John Hay's girls did.

"That was real generous," Brookhouse center Stacey Kositay said. "The shoes were really good. None of us expected that. Most of us don't have basketball shoes and it was really nice. It was a real generous gesture."

She was also impressed with how coach James worked with their team on skills following the game.

Point guard Mendi Mnangi was equally impressed with the Americans' gesture.

"We really came here on a learning experience. We've met so many people from around the world, and the coaches have taught us things we didn't know," Mnangi said. "And they gave us shoes both today and yesterday. We're really happy about that. We didn't expect them to give us anything. That was really cool."

While Fortes was all smiles after the exchange, she also said she learned something from the Kenyan girls about Cleveland.

"I think we don't really notice what we have here," she said. "They talked about how beautiful a city it is, and we were thinking, it's just Cleveland. But now the way we look at it is we do have something special here."

Matt Pawlikowski is a freelance writer in Westpark.

Silva stops Sonnen with an array of punches at the 1:55 mark of the second round.

View full sizeDavid Becker, Associated PressAnderson Silva, top, takes control in the second round of his bout against Chael Sonnen Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Silva won with a TKO in the second round.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — The UFC's ultimate fighter ended the ultimate fight in promotional history Saturday night with a highlight knockout.

Mild-mannered middleweight champ Anderson Silva, who had uncharacteristically stepped out of his persona during the buildup to UFC 148 with the outspoken with Chael Sonnen, stopped the Oregon native with an array of punches at the 1:55 mark of the second round of their bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

"This is a sport, and me and Chael were working hard (to put on) a show for all the people here," said Silva, who kept his 15-0 record in the UFC perfect. "(I don't) have (any hard) feelings for Chael. This is a sport."

Much like their first matchup (Sonnen nearly handed Silva his first defeat in August 2010, before Silva scored a last-minute submission), Sonnen dominated the first round by taking Silva down and controlling him with a solid ground game.

The second stanza saw Silva come out swinging as he connected with a series of punches and kicks.

Sonnen slipped on a backfist and Silva landed a solid knee. Moments later he finished the fight with a series of punches.

View full sizeAPAnderson Silva celebrates as the referee stops the fight in the second round.

"The UFC gave me the opportunity, nobody owes me anything," Sonnen said. "I'm very grateful to be here. He's a true champion, man."

Legendary UFC fighter Tito Ortiz nearly left the octagon on an ultimate high, with his hands raised as he had promised.

But the judges saw his trilogy fight against former light heavyweight champ Forrest Griffin different as they gave Griffin a 29-28 decision on all scorecards.

"Yeah I'm done. I gave it my all, you're a ... great fighter," Ortiz said of Griffin after the fight. "I gave it my all. If you want a modern day gladiator, you just saw his last fight tonight."

The former 205-pound champ, who earlier in the day became the ninth induction into the UFC Hall Of Fame, nearly scored a knockout in the second round.

Instead, Griffin had just enough in the tank to score the win in their series that included each fighter winning previously by split decision.

"I felt it was close. I feel like we have three draws to be honest. I want a fourth round," Griffin said. "He gassed at the end; I didn't have much gas either. That second knockdown was legit."

Action movie star Cung Le scored his long-waited first victory in the UFC, with a unanimous defeat (30-27 on all three scorecards) over Patrick Cote, who was making his first appearance in the organization since getting cut in October 2010.

"I feel great. A little tired," said Le, the former Strikeforce middleweight champion. "I was going to do a back flip, but I didn't have any energy. He's got such a hard head -- I hurt my foot on it. I fought my heart out."

Despite being 40, Le said the win, highlighted by several spinning kicks and fists, has rejuvenated him.

"One goal reached and another goal to come," Le said. "I'm going to go back to the drawing board. I'm an adrenaline junkie and I'm not sure I can give it up yet. To all the 40-year-olds, I did it for you guys."

After bantamweight Mike Easton squeaked out another unanimous decision over Ivan Menjivar to start the main card, two quick finishes by Chad Mendes and Demian Maia put the raucous crowd -- which included LeBron James -- into a frenzy.

Brazilian fans were on their feet from the very first fight as Rafaello Oliveira picked up his first win in two-and-a-half years in the opening bout of the night.

It took the American contingent seated in the emerald casino on the famed Las Vegas Strip a little longer to get going.

After four straight decisions to start the card, the crowd finally got into it when New Orleans native Melvin Guillard and San Diego's Fabricio Camoes got into a striking shootout. While the result was eventually a decision victory for Guillard, the energy level was set.

Andy Samuelson, Special to The Plain Dealer. Samuelson is a freelance writer in Las Vegas.

The Ohio City neighborhood on Cleveland's West Side is to be commended for betting that its field of dreams comes with an adjustable tee atop home plate.

View full sizeThomas Ondrey, Plain Dealer file photoT-ball long has been a way to introduce young kids to the skills necessary to play baseball.

Can baseball help restore Cleveland's neighborhoods?

More to the point, can T-ball, a form of baseball designed to introduce the sport to children around the age of 4, become part of Cleveland's revival?

There are a handful of businesses in Ohio City, an attractive residential and commercial mix just to the west of downtown Cleveland, that recently placed a bet on the arms of children.

They believe T-ball is the next logical step in their neighborhood's rise, a conviction that they funded with the creation of a new league.

"In Ohio City, we are working hard to make sure that we offer young families the same amenities that the suburbs are able to offer. T-ball seemed like a natural retention and attraction strategy," said Eric Wobser, executive director of Ohio City Inc., the neighborhood's community development corporation.

I think this is one of those fantastic "little" efforts worth watching by other neighborhood investors and development groups.

Wobser, appointed last year to the Cleveland Board of Education, knows well that strong schools and safe neighborhoods will always rate tops as precursors to building family-friendly cities and neighborhoods.

But he, along with some of the leading merchants in Ohio City, recognized that despite the fact that their bustling business district attracts well in excess of a million visitors annually, there has long been a glaring void.

There traditionally has been little for young families with children to do in the neighborhood. Besides the easy availability of popular restaurants, breweries, the West Side Market and nearby Edgewater Park, there haven't been enough cultural and social options wired into the neighborhood.

"The city has invested heavily in parks. CDCs can leverage that investment through solid programming. That's why we decided to try and experiment with sports as a way to further build the neighborhood," said Wobser.

Ohio City T-ball was born after eight business sponsors each contributed $500 with the goal of creating a league that was to be geographically diverse (throughout Ohio City), racially inclusive -- and free. If a family could not afford to purchase a baseball glove, the league's "commissioner," Luis Hernandez, would see to it that the kid was given one.

After the league was advertised in six elementary schools, 103 children signed up, representing a rich mix of racial and gender diversity. More than a third of the young ball players are black or Hispanic, and 38 of the 103 players are girls. The young sluggers are now four weeks into an eight-week season.

The results of this $4,000 investment have been encouraging in ways that Wobser says the sponsors and the development corporation had hoped. He said they intend to build on the effort with the introduction of other cultural and sporting activities.

"We started this league hoping to create a greater sense of community. We sought the integration, economically and culturally, of families from the neighborhood with the goal of introducing families to each other at a young age.

"But as a larger goal, we're seeking to develop viable options for residents. We want to give them a reason to come and stay in the neighborhood. We want to turn our young residents into lifelong residents, who will raise their families in the neighborhood, which will help us grow the city's population," Wobser said.

Everyone is painfully aware that Cleveland is hemorrhaging population -- 82,000 people left the city between 2000 and 2010. But that's not the Ohio City story. During the same period, more than 800 new residents, mostly between the ages of 25 and 34 and mostly young professionals, moved into the near West Side community. A number of them are part of young families, like Wobser and his wife, who have a 10-month-old son.

It doesn't hurt that Ohio City hosts St. Ignatius High School, a high-performing charter school and the bountiful commercial amenities of West 25th Street. But still more is needed in what is one of the most closely knit and desirable communities within in the city.

If this strong neighborhood is to continue to attract and retain young families through maturity, it must compete directly with the family-friendly business models of suburbia. That means baseball, among other things.

Ohio City is to be commended for betting that its field of dreams comes with an adjustable tee atop home plate.

Follow the experiment on Facebook at facebook.com/events/300364326717406

To reach Phillip Morris: pfmorris@plaind.com, 216-999-5086

Previous columns online: cleveland.com/columns

Highlights include Indians' home game against Tampa Bay, Columbus Crew soccer and the Wimbledon men's tennis final.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today's TV and radio sports listings

AUTO RACING 

Noon British Grand Prix (tape), WJW 

12:30 p.m. Indy Toronto, WEWS 

8 p.m. Summit Racing Equipment Nationals (tape), ESPN2 

BASEBALL 

1:05 p.m. Tampa Bay at INDIANS, SportsTime Ohio, WKYC; AM/1100 

1:30 p.m. Atlanta at Philadelphia, TBS 

2 p.m. Toronto at Chicago White Sox, WGN 

5 p.m. All-Star Futures Game, ESPN2 

6:05 p.m. AKRON AEROS at Bowie, AM/1350 

6:05 p.m. LAKE COUNTY CAPTAINS at Bowling Green, AM/970 

8 p.m. N.Y. Yankees at Boston, ESPN 

CYCLING 

8 a.m. Tour de France, stage 8, WKYC 

Noon Tour de France, stage 8 (tape), NBCSN 

GOLF 

8 a.m. Open de France, Golf Channel 

3 p.m. The Greenbrier Classic, WOIO 

4 p.m.* U.S. Womens Open, WKYC 

7 p.m. First Tee Open, Golf Channel 

*-joined in progress after Indians game 

MOTORSPORTS 

7 a.m. MotoGP WC, German Grand Prix, Speed Channel

5 p.m. MotoGP Moto2, German Grand Prix (tape), Speed Channel

SOCCER 

3 p.m. MLS, Los Angeles at Chicago, ESPN 

7:30 p.m. MLS, COLUMBUS CREW at Montreal, Fox Sports Ohio 

TENNIS 

9 a.m. Wimbledon, men's final, ESPN 

WATER POLO 

6 p.m. Women, United States vs. Hungary, NBCSN 

NBA Rookie of the Year continues to add to his reputation as one of the league's most exciting players.

Thomas Ondrey, The Plain DealerKyrie Irving averaged 18.5 points and 5.4 assists in 30.5 minutes per game as a Cavaliers' rookie last season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving looks ready to set up plays for young teammates Dion Waiters, Tristan Thompson and Tyler Zeller and create scoring chances for himself, too.

Of course, that's no surprise to fans who watched Irving earn NBA Rookie of the Year honors last season.

Jason McIntyre writes for thebiglead.com about Irving's latest show of basketball brilliance:

Irving made an appearance at the USA Basketball practice over the weekend and destroyed ankles as well as put everybody on spin cycle. Enjoy these 12 seconds and keep this in mind – Irving should be a lock to start a point guard on the next Olympic team.

Perhaps Irving will do something LeBron couldn’t – attract free agents to Cleveland. Andrew Bynum apparently has the Cavs on his list.

McIntyre refers to Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski going to his Twitter account to report that star Los Angeles Lakers' center Bynum might be interested in the Cavaliers when he becomes an unrestricted free agent a year from now.

Whether Bynum eventually becomes a Cavalier or not, the team looks intent on surrounding Irving with some serious talent.

Video: Kyrie Irving, wearing No. 23 and the fourth player featured in action during this video, puts on a show during his visit to a Team USA basketball practice:

Latest report indicates momentum may be gaining toward completion of the deal. Also, in what may be an unrelated development, a report includes news that the Cavaliers may be on a short list of teams that star Lakers center Andrew Bynum would be interested in.

Associated PressKris Humphries averaged 13.8 points and 11.0 rebounds in 34.9 minutes per game for the Nets last season.

(UPDATE: A fourth team may need to become involved for the trade to be completed, reports ESPN.com; clipsnation.com says that Chad Ford, in an ESPN Insider report, claims the Los Angeles Clippers would become the fourth team involved in the trade)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers are reported to be in talks with the Brooklyn Nets and Orlando Magic, as a blockbuster multi-team trade is considered that would send Orlando center Dwight Howard to Brooklyn.

It is rumored that the Cavaliers would acquire Nets' power forward Kris Humphries and possibly other players and/or a draft pick as part of the deal. Not much is being said about what the Cavs would give up -- their role in the deal might not be to give up players and/or picks, but to facilitate it in a way that creates salary cap space for the other teams involved.

Humphries is an unrestricted free agent, so a sign-and-trade must occur for him to be part of any transaction.

Continue to check Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Cavaliers coverage for updates. Mary Schmitt Boyer writes that Orlando is reportedly slowing down the pace toward completion of the potential trade, and says during a radio interview on 92.3 The Fan that the Cavs are looking for draft picks in the rumored deal; Bill Livingston talks about the Cavaliers' role in the potential trade during an interview on Starting Blocks TV; cleveland.com's Glenn Moore writes about Cavs fans' reaction to the possible trade.

Meanwhile, the potential trade is the main topic of NBA discussion today.

Josh Robbins writes for the Orlando Sentinel that the trade may again be gaining momentum toward completion:

The Magic and the Nets appear to be building momentum toward a blockbuster four-team deal.

According to Yahoo! Sports, in the current structure of a proposed deal, the Magic would send Howard, Jason Richardson and Earl Clark to Brooklyn and Quentin Richardson to the Cleveland Cavaliers. In return, the Magic would receive Brook Lopez, Damion James, Luke Walton, Shelden Williams and several first-round picks.

Robbins refers to Adrian Wojnarowki's report on the proposed deal for Yahoo! Sports.

Wojnarowksi writes:

In the proposed deal, Howard, Jason Richardson and Earl Clark would be sent to Brooklyn, and the Magic would receive the Nets' Brook Lopez, Damion James, Sheldon Williams, Cleveland's Luke Walton and three future first-round picks, sources said. Cleveland would receive Orlando's Quentin Richardson, Brooklyn's Sundiata Gaines, Kris Humphries (on a one-year guaranteed deal), a first-round pick and $3 million from the Nets. Brooklyn also would send Brooks to a fourth team to get them an additional first-round pick to send to the Magic.

Talks between the Magic and Nets remain fluid with some of the deal's parts moving in and out based on different scenarios. One proposed hangup to a trade: Humphries would be against taking a one-year contract with the Cavs, instead seeking a four-year deal, a league source told Y! Sports' Marc Spears.

Meanwhile, in what may not be a related development, but may be part of a future scenario, Royce Young writes for CBSSports.com that the Cavaliers might be on a short list of teams that star Los Angeles Lakers' center Andrew Bynum would be interested in:

If he doesn't sign an extension with the Lakers, he'll be an unrestricted free agent next summer and will draw a ton of interest from around the league. Of course the Lakers would be a heavy contender for him, but according to Yahoo! Sports, Bynum would favor the Mavericks, Rockets and Cavaliers. According to the report, "a couple other places" could be involved too.

Trade rumor links

The Cavs could help the Nets acquire Dwight Howard. (By Chris Broussard and Brian Windhorst, ESPN.com)

As trade talks move along, it's looking good for the Nets in their pursuit of Dwight Howard. (By Colin Stephenson, The Star-Ledger [Newark, N.J.])

Brooklyn's chances of acquiring Dwight Howard in a multi-team trade that would involve the Cavaliers are better than even. (By Fred Kerber, New York Post)

Nets are making progress toward acquiring Dwight Howard. (Sports Illustrated)

While progress is being made toward a deal, there are hurdles that must be cleared. (By Ken Berger, CBSSports.com)

The Cavaliers are said to hold the keys to a three-team trade featuring Dwight Howard. (By Sam Amico, FoxSportsOhio.com)

Progress being made on a multi-team trade involving the Cavs, Brooklyn and Orlando. (By Jeff Zillgitt, USAToday.com)

‪Three-year-old Sydney Corcoran demonstrates her equestrian skills at The Chagrin Valley Hunter Jumper Classic at the Cleveland Metroparks Polo Field.  The event, sponsored by Fieldstone Farm Therapeutic Riding Center in Chagrin Falls, featured young riders from several riding centers in the area.‬ Watch video

Indians' closer Chris Perez talks to reporters about his success in Cleveland and making the All-Star Game. He also discusses if the team needs to add any players to be legit contenders.

Cleveland Indians' closer Chris Perez talks to reporters in Kansas City about his success in Cleveland and making the American League All-Star team for the second year in a row.

He also discusses if the Tribe needs to add any players to be a contender deep into the season.

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Plain Dealer's Cavaliers beat writer Mary Schmitt Boyer joined Bull and Fox on WKRK FM/92.3 The Fan this afternoon to talk about the Cavs' possible deal involving the Nets and Magic involving Dwight Howard.

Mary Schmitt Boyer