Says it's unlikely "that the Browns will be able to consistently compete in the first season of the Trent Richardson-Brandon Weeden offense." Rookie Weeden needs to sign. More Browns story links.

By John Kuntz, The Plain DealerWatching the Browns has not been a lot of fun for their fans in recent seasons.

A six-game run against teams that either made the playoffs in 2011 or are being picked to get there in 2012 could cause the Browns to yet again fall down in a way that will prevent them from getting up.  It will be critical to at least split with the Bengals in a pair of games played four weeks apart (Week Two and Week Six), and likewise to steal at least one from the Eagles, Bills, Ravens, or Giants.

If the Browns make the trip to Indy on October 21 at 2-4 and beat the Colts to climb to 3-4 with back-to-back home games looming against the Chargers and Ravens before the bye, things could get interesting in mid-November.

It’s unlikely, however, that the Browns will be able to consistently compete in the first season of the Trent Richardson-Brandon Weeden offense.  The goal should be to demonstrate the kind of improvement that won’t cause the Browns to reach for the “panic” button or the “reset” button or any button close to either in 2013 and beyond.

Baseball is a game without a clock, but you couldn't tell that by me.

Associated PressPete Rose bowls over Ray Fosse to score the winning run in the 1970 All- Star Game.

Baseball was the time of our lives. Literally.

In 1970, some friends and I met at Steve Clay's house in Dallas to watch the All-Star Game. His father's hobby was to buy, repair, fine-tune and synchronize clocks of all shapes and sizes. So when the game began that night, we watched it on a television set in a room in which the grandfather clocks' bells boomed on the hour and smaller time-pieces chimed quarter-hours like little gongs.

We were all either just out of college or almost so. Some were headed for the Army after ROTC, others to grad schools or careers. It was appropriate that the All-Star Game was called the Midsummer Classic in the papers in those days for that game really was the Great Divide of our lives. After it would come football, fall, books, barracks and, eventually, adulthood.

The jobs we had that summer were mostly bad, part-time jobs. I pestered people over the phone about investing in desert land. After listening to my spiel, an inhospitable gentleman said, his last words referring to a movie of that era, "Don't bother me again, Cactus Flower."

Steve sold carbon paper. (Google it).

None of us really thought much about the clamor of the clocks that night. We had all the time in the world to get on with the rest of our lives. It was endless summer, light until almost 10 o'clock at night in Dallas.

There was no reason then to try to keep the All-Star Game relevant with a PR move like giving its winner home-field advantage in the World Series. It was relevant in its own right. Until the Fall Classic, the All-Star Game was the only meeting of the two leagues. There was no interleague play and no designated hitter. The World Series was too far away to think about. Bragging rights were on the line, here and now, though. The All-Star Game was played for keeps, even though it didn't count in the standings.

The 1970 game in new Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati wore on, into the 12th inning. Finally, it was decided by Pete Rose, born and raised on the banks of the Ohio, who came whirling around third base on a single to center field and brought home both the winning run and the truth that, for better or worse, he always went all-out. His collision at the plate with Indians catcher Ray Fosse certified Rose as "Charlie Hustle" forever.

Replays (see tinyurl.com/7ajp5vw) showed that Rose wasn't above gilding the lily, though. It seemed to me that he stumbled as he neared the plate. The stagger sure didn't look like the start of an aborted head-first slide, as he said. It looked like a misstep. He was barely able to keep his feet. In any event, he hit Fosse with such force that he separated Fosse's shoulder.

Later, Rose also said he couldn't have faced his father if he hadn't hit Fosse as hard as he could. He never mentioned the obvious stumble.

Still later, after he became the "Hit King," he expected baseball Commissioner Bart Giamatti, who knew Rose had bet on the game, to ignore the evidence of his own eyes, the way idolators had ignored the stumble on his iconic play.

By the next summer, our lazy days had proven as fleeting as time on the clocks.

The Carbon Paper King moved on to engineering.

Others chose law or medicine.

One of my friends, Mark Fairchild, would take up the same hobby and purchase clocks year after year. Mark once said, "The clocks had to be mechanical, not quartz, something you wound and became a part of. Each needs winding or their weights lifted, and each of them has a voice, a distinct voice."

I would go on to associate with low company in press boxes. In the 1990s, when a tolling bell would signal Albert Belle's approach to the batter's box at Jacobs Field, the sound would take me back instantly. Back to the tick-tock of the seconds in that house. Back to the play that proved Bill Belichick was right, and you can only go by what you see. Back to the middle of my last summer as an idler.

Now, it is time for another All-Star Game.

In 2003, baseball Commissioner Bud Selig assigned new importance to it by staking the site of the seventh game of the World Series on its outcome. But it had already become a part of some of us. It marked our days, just as Rose marked Fosse, just as setting the clock ahead marks spring and turning its hands back marks autumn.

Baseball is supposed to be a sport without a clock, but you can't prove it by me.

To reach Bill Livingston:

blivingston@plaind.com, 216-999-4672

On Twitter: @LivyPD

At the 2011 All-Star break, the Indians trailed the first-place Tigers by a half game and led the third-place White Sox by 4 1/2 games. Detroit won the division, finishing 15 games ahead of the runner-up Tribe. More Indians story links.

Chuck Crow, The Plain DealerThe Indians' Shin-Soo Choo heads for third base as Tigers' third baseman Miguel Cabrera looks to throw to first during Cleveland's 5-3 home win over Detroit on May 22. The Indians, Tigers and Chicago White Sox are contending for the American League Central Division title.

This is easily the biggest area of improvement on the team. Kotchman is a Gold Glove-worthy first baseman. Kipnis and Cabrera are very good up the middle, and there are not glaring defensive weaknesses anywhere else on the field, with the exception of left field, where there is a glaring weakness until Aaron Cunningham shows up as a late-inning replacement.

Defensively, the Indians rarely beat themselves.

Ohio, federal EPA are not giving up on an investigation of the spring fish kill along on the East Branch of the River.

Gus Chan, The Plain DealerDead rainbow darters discovered in the Rocky River in April.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ohio and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials aren't ready to call off the dogs in determining who or what caused an estimated 28,613 fish to die in the East Branch of the Rocky River in late April.

"This is a continuing investigation, although EPA investigators from both the Ohio and federal offices have no new information to release," said Michael Tobin of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Cleveland. "These types of environmental cases can take quite a while to be resolved. We're leaving no stone unturned."

A toxic pollutant is the most likely cause of the fish kill, but toxins were not found in the watershed when fisheries biologists from the Ohio Division of Wildlife and the Ohio EPA sampled the East Branch.

If the incident appears to be something other than a complete accident, EPA investigators will be tight-lipped until they have the case resolved, said Mike Settles, a media relations representative for the Ohio EPA.

Most of the dead fish -- ranging from minnows to big rainbow and steelhead trout -- were found in a three-mile stretch of the East Branch of the Rocky River that runs through the Cleveland Metroparks from Bonnie Park Picnic Area in Strongsville to Wallace Lake in Berea.

The fish kill extended almost to the main branch of the Rocky River, where a few steelhead trout were found dead.

The East Branch is generally stocked weekly by the Cleveland Metroparks at that time of year with rainbow trout, making it a very popular fishing area. Since the spill, Wallace Lake has been the major destination for the farm-raised trout.

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

The Browns will attend the workout of former Utah and Baylor wide receiver Josh Gordon, an indication they'll strongly consider bidding on him in Thursday's supplemental draft.

The Plain DealerThe Browns just might land another wideout before training camp.

CLEVELAND --The Browns will attend former Utah and Baylor wide receiver Josh Gordon's pro day workout in Houston on Tuesday, and it's an indication that they'll strongly considering bidding on him in Thursday's supplemental draft.

 Teams submit bids based on the round of the pick they're willing to surrender in the 2013 draft.

 Problem is, the 6-4, 220-pound wideout won't come cheap.

 Some estimate that Gordon will go as high as the second round, and most agree he won't last past the fourth. If the Browns are serious about him, they might have to bid the second-rounder.

 But Gordon is generating quite a buzz and some think he's as good as or potentially better than former Baylor teammate Kendall Wright, whom the Browns coveted in April's draft. Wright went No. 20 overall to the Titans, two picks before the Browns selected quarterback Brandon Weeden.

The Browns took plenty of heat for not selecting a wideout until the fourth round, when they took Miami's Travis Benjamin.

 Many teams, including the Cowboys and Bills, will attend the workout, which will be held at the Texans' indoor facility.

 But Gordon, whom nfldraftscout.com describes as "a long-striding runner with the build-up speed and fluidity to make plays after the catch'' also comes with baggage.

 He was suspended indefinitely by Baylor coach Art Briles prior to the 2011 season following a marijuana arrest, and transferred to Utah, where he had sit out the season. Rather than play for the Utes this season, he declared for the supplemental draft for financial reasons, according to reports.

 But he showed enough in his one full season in 2010 to impress pro scouts and coaches. That season, he caught 42 passes for 714 yards and seven TDs. The Browns also have some inside insight into Gordon from Baylor alum Phil Taylor and from their close associate Brian Norwood, Baylor assistant head coach and father of Browns receiver Jordan Norwood.

 Seven other players have declared for Thursday's supplemental draft, but none with the potential star power of Gordon. The last time the Browns selected a player in the special draft was Bernie Kosar in 1985.

New Lake Erie Monsters coach Dean Chynoweth wants to build a culture of winning while also developing players for the NHL.

Frank Gunn, Associated PressNew Monsters coach Dean Chynoweth, left, Glenn Anderson, second from left, Ray Scapinello, second from right, and Igor Larionov, right, show off their rings after being presented with them at the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- New Monsters coach Dean Chynoweth wants to win as badly as anyone. He also is a realist about the relationship between an American Hockey League affiliate and its parent -- in Lake Erie's case, the Colorado Avalanche.

Preparing players for the NHL is his top priority.

"The best scenario is to develop players in a winning atmosphere," Chynoweth said. "Everybody will tell you that. But that's not easily done. There are teams in the league that put winning ahead of development; you can tell by the roster and some of the salaries they pay the American League players.

"The goal we need to set is to have a winning product, to try to play for a championship. Along with that, there's development that's going to happen naturally."

Chynoweth met with Cleveland reporters Monday for the first time since he was hired in late June. He replaces David Quinn, who was promoted to Avalanche assistant coach after three seasons at the Monsters helm. Quinn and his predecessor, Joe Sacco, combined for one playoff appearance in Lake Erie's first five seasons. Sacco is the Avalanche head coach.

"It's going to be my job and my staff's job to educate the players on what it's like to be a professional, to educate them on the development that's needed for players to reach their goals and dreams of playing in the NHL," Chynoweth said.

Chynoweth spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach with the New York Islanders. He and assistant Scott Allen were let go in April; they had come in under Scott Gordon, who was fired during the 2010-11 season.

Chynoweth, a former defenseman, was selected 13th overall by the Islanders in 1987.

"I liked my time there," he said. "We had a good young core. It was more of a situation where they felt like they needed to make a change. They wanted a clean slate. It's part of the business."

Chynoweth has been a head coach for nine seasons, all in the Western Hockey League, one of Canada's top junior leagues. He was with the Seattle Thunderbirds for four seasons (2000 to '04) and Swift Current Broncos for five (2004 to '09).

"[Coaching in the AHL] is going to be a bit of a learning curve for me, but that's no different than it is from year to year anywhere," he said. "Hockey's not very complicated in certain areas. It's a matter of getting the players to believe and buy in to how we need to play. I want to play an exciting, up-tempo style of game."

The Monsters have been more successful at the box office than in the standings. Chynoweth said he is thrilled to be part of a growing Monsters Nation.

"I definitely have a feel for the passion," he said. "When I did my research and talked to a lot of players and coaches, they talked about what a great place it is to play and what a great place it is to live. The staff here has done a tremendous job of making hockey visible."

Breaking down the rumored big trade with the Cavs and three other teams.

Evan Agostini, Associated PressIf Kris Humphries is traded to the Cavs, will he stay longer than he was married to Kim Kardashian.

1. I can't figure out what is harder to imagine: a trade involving 12 players, four teams, five free agents, four first-round draft picks and one future Hall of Fame center -- or why so many details of such a complex deal have been made public.

2. This much is certain: Dwight Howard wants to play in Brooklyn, and the Orlando Magic wants to trade the future Hall of Famer rather than lose him and receive nothing in return. So you can see why Orlando and the Nets are talking.

3. But those two teams can't make a deal on their own, so they have brought in the Cavs and Clippers to help with salary-cap issues.

4. There are Not One . . . Not Two . . . Not Three . . . Not Four . . . But FIVE free agents who must be signed before this trade can go through.

5. As it stands now, all five must agree to "sign-and-trade contracts." Those deals must be three years, but only one year must be guaranteed.

6. I'm not going to explain where all the players will land. If you're a Cavs fan, you care about this: What does my favorite team get, and what does it give up?

7. Start with Luke Walton. He and his $5.8 million salary for next season would go to the Magic. Walton can't play, as the Cavs saw in 21 games last season: 2.0 points, 35 percent shooting and did not attempt a single free throw in 299 minutes! None! That is almost as hard to believe as all the moving parts in this deal. The Cavs took Walton as part of the Ramon Sessions deal last year, gaining a first-round pick from the Lakers that was used in a trade for Tyler Zeller.

8. So the Cavs traded Sessions, who is now a free agent, and ended up with the 7-0 Zeller. He was the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year. They also sent two second-round picks to Dallas to make that trade work. Sessions has left the Lakers (who signed Steve Nash) and is headed elsewhere. He did not want to stay in Cleveland to back up Kyrie Irving.

9. So subtract Sessions, add Zeller. It looks like a promising trade.

10. The Cavs would end up with Quentin Richardson, Sundiata Gaines, Kris Humphries (for one year), a future Nets first-round pick and $3 million.

11. Some fans are very excited about the idea of adding Humphries, who averaged 13.8 points and 11.0 rebounds for the Nets last season. But understand this: If the Cavs wanted Humphries, they don't need this deal. He's an unrestricted free agent, and they have plenty of cap room to sign the 6-9 power forward. So this trade is not about a long-term commitment to Humphries. They would use him as a rental.

12. Supposedly, Humphries must sign a one-year deal in the $9 million range to make this version of the trade work. Why would he do that? He's 27 and wants the big payoff, and he's coming off the best year of his career.

13. Humphries and Howard have the same agent: Dan Fegan. The agent has said Humphries doesn't want a one-year deal. But just think if a one-year deal is what it takes to move Howard to the Nets. Suddenly, the agent has two players who want two different things.

14. The Cavs would add Richardson, who is 32 and makes $2.7 million next season. The 6-6 shooting guard averaged 4.3 points over the past two seasons with Orlando. Once upon a time, he was a good prospect. That time is long gone.

15. Gaines is a 6-1 guard who has been with four teams in three years. He's a backup. He also is a free agent.

16. Free agents who must be signed to make the deal work: Brook Lopez, Damion James, Shelden Williams, Gaines and Humphries. And two of those -- Humphries and Gaines -- would come to the Cavs.

17. So what's in it for the Cavs? Humphries for a year, Richardson and Gaines for the bench. And the first-round pick, which might not be very high if the Nets receive Howard. And $3 million.

18. Why would the Cavs agree? They would take the $3 million and Walton's old salary ($5.8 million) and use that to pay most of Humphries' one-year deal. They take on Gaines and Richardson for a year (maybe $4 million in salary) to add the Nets' pick.

19. So this would be a complicated way of adding another first-rounder, odds are it being a low one.

20. But the Cavs do love adding first-round picks. They have two from Miami and a protected one from Sacramento -- along with their own -- over the next three years. They believe they can always use a first-rounder in a trade, as they did to add Zeller.

21. Will this work? Who knows? But the Cavs are interested in finding a way to add picks, so they keep talking. My guess is if this deal does become reality, it will change in some form.

22. Supposedly Andrew Bynum has the Cavs on his list of where he might want to play in 2013? I find it hard to believe that: A) The Cavs are on the list. B) That he's serious after spending the first seven years of his career with the Lakers. OK, add C) Next year is a long way off.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The addition of a second wild card this season will spell salvation for two teams come September. All-Star closer Chris Perez doesn't think the Indians can count on that. "We're going to have to win the Central," said Perez Monday to a swarm of reporters around his podium at the American League interview session. "The second...

MARK DUNCAN/APCleveland Indians closer Chris Perez thinks the Indians will probably need to win the Central Division to make the playoffs this fall.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The addition of a second wild card this season will spell salvation for two teams come September. All-Star closer Chris Perez doesn't think the Indians can count on that.

"We're going to have to win the Central," said Perez Monday to a swarm of reporters around his podium at the American League interview session. "The second wild card is coming out of the AL East. That's the superior division in our league."

At the All-Star break, the Indians are 44-41 and in second place in the AL Central. They trail Chicago by three games with Detroit lurking in third place, a half-game out of second.

If the season ended today, the two AL wild card teams would be the Angels and Orioles. The Indians would miss the second wild card by one game.

"We've been in a dogfight all year," said Perez. "Now it's a three-team race."

Detroit was the preseason pick to win the Central. They paired newly signed Prince Fielder with Miguel Cabrera to lead the offense and had Justin Verlander, the AL's Cy Young winner in 2011, to lead the pitching staff.

The Tigers have had a hard time getting out of their own way through much of the first half. The Indians and White Sox gladly filled the void, trading first place in the division for the first 31/2 months of the season.

"For sure, we can catch them," said shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, the Indians' other All-Star. "I believe in my team. We just have to keep doing what we're doing and be more consistent."

The White Sox under General Manager Ken Williams and rookie manager Robin Ventura had a good first half. They went into the break with eight rookie pitchers on their staff. Lefty Matt Thornton was the only veteran in the bullpen.

All-Star left-hander Chris Sale is not a rookie, but he had a lot to do with the White Sox's rise in the first half. Sale, in his first year in the rotation, could have easily started for the AL tonight against San Francisco's Matt Cain after going 10-2 with a 2.19 ERA. AL manager Ron Washington went with Verlander (9-5, 2.58), though Sale had the better numbers.

"At the start of the season, some people might have said you're crazy if you said we'd be sitting where we are at the All-Star break," said Sale, "but we're not surprised at all. . . . We're going to try and do the same thing in the second half."

The White Sox, who won 11 of their past 15 games going into the break, are 8-4 against the Indians this year. The two teams do not meet again until September when they play six times in the final 10 games of the regular season.

Sale, Adam Dunn, Paul Konerko and Jake Peavy are representing the White Sox at the All-Star Game.

"I don't think we're playing over our heads at all," said Dunn. "We had a lot of guys do a lot of great things in the first half, but myself included, I think we're capable of doing way more. I can get on base more. I can drive in more runs."

Dunn has always been an all-or-nothing hitter. Last year in Chicago, he was just nothing. This year he's hitting .208 (61-for-293) with 21 homers and 61 RBI. He leads the big leagues with 68 walks and 134 strikeouts.

Asked what this year's first half meant to him, Dunn said, "To be honest with you, it means nothing. I know it sounds crazy. I'm looking forward to the second half. There are a lot of things I need to clean up. Hopefully, I can have a better second half than first."

The White Sox beat the Tribe to Kevin Youkilis. They acquired the veteran third baseman from Boston and he has driven in 14 runs in 13 games. The Indians could have used his right-handed bat to balance their left-handed dominated lineup.

GM Chris Antonetti is still looking for help from the outside. It was suggested to Perez that the Indians could use another starting pitcher.

"We did it last year and it didn't work when we traded for Ubaldo [Jimenez]," said Perez. "I like what we have in-house, we just haven't played up to our potential. Justin Masterson is starting to get better. Ubaldo is throwing the ball better. Josh Tomlin had a nice start his last time out. Zach McAllister has really impressed me.

"We need to just keep being consistent."

Despite media frenzy, Orlando taps the brakes on blockbuster trade that would bring Kris Humphries to Cleveland.  

Mark Weber, Associated PressAll of this started because Dwight Howard wants to leave Orlando.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Orlando Magic apparently tapped the brakes on the proposed blockbuster four-team trade that would send disgruntled center Dwight Howard to the Brooklyn Nets and Nets power forward Kris Humphries to Cleveland in a sign-and-trade.

In the midst of a 24-hour media frenzy that saw the proposed deal increase from three teams to four, including as many as 11 players, Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel sent out a Tweet on Monday morning that killed the momentum.

"orlandmagic don't expect a deal involving Dwight Howard today. No hurry whatsoever," Schmitz Tweeted. And, yes, he did forget the last O in Orlando.

Sources confirmed that to The Plain Dealer as well, calling reports of the trade "premature." If it gets done, it could take until Tuesday or Wednesday to nail down all of the moving parts. One source told the New York Post the odds of the deal getting done were 60-40.

Yahoo Sports reported that 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, Shelden Williams and Armon Johnson, Cleveland's Luke Walton and three future first-round picks. Cleveland would receive Orlando's Quentin Richardson, Brooklyn's Sundiata Gaines, Humphries (on a one-year guaranteed deal), a first-round pick and $3 million from the Nets. Yahoo Sports also reported Brooklyn was talking to the Los Angeles Clippers about sending MarShon Brooks there for an additional first-round pick to send to the Magic. If the Clippers decline to participate, other teams are in position to take on Brooks, Yahoo Sports reported.

ESPN reported Monday evening the deal could involve the Charlotte Bobcats replacing the Cavaliers. The Charlotte Observer reported the Bobcats would be interested in Humphries on a one-year deal but that they were not interested in Brooks.

Humphries' contract could be one stumbling block. He played on a one-year contract last year and reportedly is seeking a longer deal this time around, although it's unclear at this point if the Cavs are more interested in his skills or his value as a trade chip. His agent, Dan Fegan -- who also represents Howard -- reportedly had not spoken to the Cavs as of Monday afternoon, though that could change at any time, and he would be negotiating a new deal with Brooklyn, anyway.

Another problem could be the Magic actually would prefer to make a deal with the Lakers for Andrew Bynum, but Bynum will be an unrestricted free agent next summer and has not shown any willingness to sign a long-term deal with the Magic. Yahoo Sports reported earlier that he would consider signing with Cleveland because the Cavs have a lot of room under the salary cap.

The Houston Rockets also have been dogged in trying to remain in the discussion for Howard.

Bynum has had knee issues, Lopez has had foot issues and Howard is recovering from back surgery. Each of those medical problems will have to be thoroughly researched before any deal proceeds.

With all of those things unsettled, it's no wonder it could take a few days before Orlando's new general manager, Rob Hennigan, is ready to proceed with the deal that will define his tenure. Oh, and he also has to hire a coach to replace Stan Van Gundy, who was fired, reportedly in an effort to placate Howard.

Rookies Mike Trout and Bryce Harper have already caused a stir at the All-Star game and the game’s first pitch isn’t until tonight.

Charlie Riedel, Associated PressWashington Nationals phenom Bryce Harper

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Lots of people are saying lots of nice things about rookies Mike Trout and Bryce Harper.

Are they the future of baseball? A precursor to a new cleaner and leaner age where speed and defense means as much as power and production?

Time will be the final judge, but this much is known. Trout, 20, leads the American League with a .341 (88-for-258) batting average and 26 steals for the Angels. Harper, 19, is the youngest position player to make the All-Star team and the third youngest of all time behind Dwight Gooden and Hall of Famer Bob Feller. The National League reserve is hitting .283 (70-for-248) with 43 runs, 15 doubles, four triples, eight homers and 25 RBI for the Nationals.

They were teammates on the Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League last year. Trout recalled a game in which Harper called his own walkoff home run on Oct. 27 at Scottsdale Stadium.

Harper laughed when told of Trout's comments. Then he gave his version.

"It was the last inning and I was due to hit," said Harper. "Our shortstop (Brandon Crawford) asked me what I was going to do. I told him if the first two guys got on base, I was going to drop a bomb and everybody was going to go home."

Trout hit a leadoff single. Another batter reached base.

"I was standing on the on deck circle laughing and looking into our dugout," said Harper. "It was crazy. The count went to 3-2 and then I hit one to right center field. Everybody got up and ran into the clubhouse. It was a great time."

Harper and Trout are two of a record five rookies at this All-Star game.

"There's nothing bad you can say about Trout," said Harper. "He's hitting close to .350 with almost 30 bags. Both of us bust our butt and don't let anything bother us. It's an honor to play in this game.

"I'll get to tell my kids that I saw Chipper Jones play in his last All-Star game. Me and Trout just add a little icing to the cake."

The Nationals went into the All-Star break in first place in the NL East. They have a loaded roster and Harper has fit in nicely since being recalled on April 28. The Angles promoted Trout, who made his big league debut in 2011, on the same day.

"A guy like Trout scares you because of his speed," said Yankee All-Star CC Sabathia, who will not pitch in the game because of a groin injury. "I saw him get a triple on a routine ball down the left field line. You don't see that happen.

"He reminds me of Carl Crawford when he played with Tampa Bay. Crawford would get on base and you'd have to use the slide step to face Evan Longoria. That's not something you like to do."

Harper has played all three outfield positions and has settled into the No.2 spot in the Nationals lineup. Trout is the Angels center fielder and leadoff hitter.

"I'm just trying to bring some excitement to the game. . .a leadoff hitter getting on base, stealing some bags," said Trout. "I just want the big guys to hit me in -- Albert (Pujols), Mark Trumbo. They love when I'm on base because anything in the gap, to me I'm scoring."

Trout was elected to the All-Star team by his peers. Harper, a finalist in the internet voting, was named to replaced injured Giancarlo Stanton.

Boo flat: Robinson Cano, American League captain for the home run derby, was roundly booed by the crowd at Kauffman Stadium on Monday night because he didn't pick Royals DH for the derby.

So what can Tribe closer Chris Perez expect when he's introduced Tuesday night. Perez has made a cottage industry out of tweaking the Royals this season.

"If the boo, they boo," said Perez. "I'm just going to tip my hat and smile. If it happens, it happens. No hard feelings for me. I'm just excited to be here and I am playing for their team."

Back in the saddle: Tony La Russa, who retired after managing St. Louis to a World Series victory last year, will manage the NL All-Stars on Tuesday night.

It's the fourth time an inactive manager will work the All-Star game. John McGraw (1933), Danny Murtaugh (1972) and Indians Hall of Famer Bob Lemon (1979) were the others.

Texas manager Ron Washington will manage his second straight All-Star team.

Knuckler denied: La Russa said he picked San Francisco's Matt Cain (9-3, 2.62) over New York Mets knuckleballer R.A. Dickey (12-1, 2.40) to start for the National League because Cain's pitcher, Buster Posey, was voted into the starting lineup.

La Russa said Dickey will pitch in the game, but he wouldn't say when.

The Akron Aeros win whle the Carolina Mudcats and Mahoning Valley Scrappers lose.

AA Akron Aeros

Aeros 4, Baysox 2 1B Adam Abraham (.248) homered and drove in three runs as Akron won an Eastern League game Monday in Bowie, Md. Abraham also singled and scored two runs. RHP Paolo Espino (4-2, 3.41 ERA) struck out five in five innings. He allowed two runs, six hits and two walks. RHP Preston Guilmet (1.99) pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 12th save.

Advanced A Carolina Mudcats

Nationals 2, Mudcats 1 LHP Matt Packer (0.00) struck out three and retired the nine batters he faced, but Carolina lost a Carolina League game to host Potomac (Va.). 3B Giovanny Urshela (.263) doubled and singled for the Mudcats.

A Mahoning Valley Scrappers

Tigers 5, Scrappers 4 RHP Jake Sisco (2.52) pitched six scoreless innings, but host Mahoning Valley blew a four-run lead and lost a New York-Penn League game against Connecticut. Sisco gave up four hits and one walk. He struck out four. CF Tyler Naquin (.327) tripled, singled and drove in two runs for the Scrappers.

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

Prince Fielder wins his second State Farm Home Run Derby title Monday night at Kauffman Stadium by powering past Toronto's Jose Bautista, 12-7, in the final round.

Video: Prince Fielder won his second Home Run Derby, defeating Jose Bautista of the Blue Jays. Robinson Cano was booed mercilessly throughout the event. CineSport's Noah Coslov reports from Kansas City.

Charlie Riedel, Associated PressPrince Fielder swings for the fences in the Home Run Derby.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- No one booed the Detroit Tigers' Prince Fielder, who won the 2012 State Farm Home Run Derby on Monday night at Kauffman Stadium with an impressive display of muscle.

There were boos aplenty from the crowd of 40,351 for New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano, last year's champion. Cano, the American League captain, was booed because the hometown crowd was upset he didn't pick Royals designated hitter Billy Butler for the contest.

"No, I wasn't surprised by the boos," said Cano. "I respect it. The boos didn't bother me. We get booed all the time. We just played four games in Boston.

"They felt like booing, so I just take it."

Fielder, who won the event in 2009 in St. Louis as a Milwaukee Brewer, hit 12 homers in the final round to beat the Toronto Blue Jays' Jose Bautista, who hit seven.

"To quote Ricky Bobby, 'If you're not first, you're last,' " said Bautista, referring to actor Will Ferrell's race car-driving character in the movie "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby."

It was Fielder's fourth Home Run Derby and Bautista's second. Fielder is just the second repeat champion and the first to win it in each league. Ken Griffey Jr. won it three times.

Bautista finished the first half with a major-league-leading 27 homers for Toronto. Fielder had 15 at the break for the Tigers.

Sandy Guerrero, the hitting coach for Milwaukee's Class AAA Nashville (Tenn.) team, was Fielder's pitcher.

Brian Abraham, Toronto's video scouting coordinator, was Bautista's pitcher.

Bautista hit 11 homers followed by the Los Angeles Angels' Mark Trumbo -- whom Cano chose instead of Butler -- and the St. Louis Cardinals' Carlos Beltran with seven each, and Fielder with five to advance out of the first round.

Fielder advanced to the final by hitting 11 homers in the second round for a two-round total of 16. Trumbo and Bautista ended in a tie with 13 total homers. Bautista beat Trumbo in a swing-off to make the final.

Cano didn't make it out of the first round. In fact, he didn't hit a homer as he was booed on every swing. Cano's father, Jose, who played in the big leagues with Houston, was his pitcher.

When he won the event last year in Phoenix, Cano hit a total of 32 homers. He said the boos did not affect his performance.

"I landed in Kansas City at 5 in the morning [Monday]," said Cano. "We played four games in the last three days in Boston. Maybe I was just little tired, but that's not an excuse."

Besides tonight's All-Star Game, the main attraction of Major League Baseball's Midsummer Classic is a bombs-away Home Run Derby, played on the Monday before the game. That's because no one would watch a Just Make Contact With Two Strikes Contest. In a game where the long ball rules and there is little shame in whiffing anymore, choking up --...

AL BEHRMAN/APCincinnati All-Star first baseman always chokes up, but it doesn't seem to rob him of power. Here he slugs a home run against the Twins on June 24 at Great American Ball Park.

Besides tonight's All-Star Game, the main attraction of Major League Baseball's Midsummer Classic is a bombs-away Home Run Derby, played on the Monday before the game.

That's because no one would watch a Just Make Contact With Two Strikes Contest.

In a game where the long ball rules and there is little shame in whiffing anymore, choking up -- clutching the bat an inch or two up the neck to sacrifice power for more control -- is a dying art. With few exceptions, the approach to hitting is dig in, grip and rip -- regardless of the count or game situation.

Moving runners, keeping the ball in play is still part of the game. But the hitter who mastered punching the ball "where they ain't" is as rare as stealing home. Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki is among the few who come to mind, although even the future Hall of Famer doesn't usually choke up.

"Now you're seeing what guys want to do is hit the ball out of the ballpark," said former Indians hitting coach Derek Shelton, who now holds that position with Tampa Bay. "So you see bigger swings and more strikeouts."

Power hitters, with their long, looping swings, naturally strike out more. Baseball's all-time home run leaders also dominate the list of career strikeout leaders. It's a risk-reward thing.

But the number of strikeouts per game is considerably higher in The Chokeless Era, especially compared to what many consider baseball's post-war golden age.

The average number of strikeouts per game has steadily climbed throughout major-league history, with almost twice as many today (7.4) than in the '40s and '50s, according to Baseball-Reference.com.

"In the '50s and '60s, if you had a guy strike out 100 times in a season, it was unbelievable," Shelton said.

For one, as the game has become specialized, batters may face four, five and sometimes six fresh pitchers every day, compared to one or two back when starters lasted deeper into a game. And most pitchers take the mound with a wider menu of pitches than they did back then, say major-league hitting coaches.

But striking out also no longer carries the stigma it once did, believes former Indians third baseman Brook Jacoby, hitting coach for the Cincinnati Reds. Nearly half (48 percent) of the at-bats get to two strikes, he said, but few hitters shorten their swings or their grips for contact.

"The game's built around power now," Jacoby said. "Parks are smaller. The accountability is different."

Players are also bigger and stronger. Hitters now also step up to the plate with custom-made bats. They are often hollowed out on the end, cut to specific grades of wood and better balanced to maximize the so-called "sweet spot."

The thick-handled, long and heavy Jackie Robinson model, built more like a club than a stick for whipping through the strike zone, for instance, has no place in the modern-day bat rack.

"No one uses the big bats or the big handles anymore," said Merv Rettenmund, a former major-league hitter and hitting coach. "They're light, light bats. If some of these guys choked up, they'd have nothing left."

Or maybe they would hit like choke-up artists Rod Carew, Nellie Fox and Ty Cobb, baseball's all-time batting average leader.

Or even Joey Votto.

Cincinnati's All-Star first baseman said he chokes up about an inch-and-a-half on almost every at-bat and especially with two strikes -- for better bat control and because slugger Barry Bonds did, too.

"And that's what I use as examples," said Indians hitting coach Bruce Fields, who used to choke up, even on a smaller bat, when he played. "We've got the home run king. We've got the guy leading the National League in hitting [Votto is fifth, actually, at .348]. They do it."

Yet he and other hitting coaches might as well be talking to themselves.

"They just kind of blow it off," said a frustrated Fields. "What are you gonna do?"

Not all of them shrug off the advice.

On the Indians, second baseman Jason Kipnis and third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall sometimes choke up with two strikes. First baseman Casey Kotchman and catcher Lou Marson usually hold the bat an inch or two off the knob for each at-bat.

"One of the guys who had the best feel for it was Grady [Sizemore]," Shelton said. "When I was here, you'd see Grady do it when he didn't feel good or when he saw extra velocity."

Punch hitters Felix Millan and Matty Alou choked almost halfway up the bat. Bucky Dent's "Other Shot Heard 'Round the World" to lead the New York Yankees over Boston in a 1978 playoff game was stroked with a grip a good three inches off the handle.

But that was before swinging from the heels with two strikes over contact-hitting became acceptable.

"As a fan that's watched the game for 50 years," said Vince Gennaro, president of the Society for American Baseball Research, "it's frustrating."

Maybe so. But no one pays to see a Punch Single Derby.

Major League Baseball's All-Star Game dominates the sports scene.

U.S. national team goalkeeper Hope Solo received a public warning Monday from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency after she tested positive for the banned substance Canrenone in a urine test.

FILE - In this May 14, 2011, file photo, United States goalkeeper Hope Solo dives for a shot on goal against Japan during a friendly soccer match in Columbus, Ohio. Solo received a public warning Monday, July 9, 2012, from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency after she tested positive for the banned substance Canrenone in a urine test. Solo has accepted the warning and will still play for the United States in the Olympic tournament. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta, File)

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo  — U.S. national team goalkeeper Hope Solo received a public warning Monday from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency after she tested positive for the banned substance Canrenone in a urine test.

Solo has accepted the warning and will still play for the United States in the Olympic tournament.

The 30-year-old Solo tested positive for Canrenone in a test on June 15.

"I took a medication prescribed by my personal doctor for pre-menstrual purposes that I did not know contained a diuretic," Solo said in a statement. "Once informed of this fact, I immediately cooperated with USADA and shared with them everything they needed to properly conclude that I made an honest mistake, and that the medication did not enhance my performance in any way."

Canrenone is classified as a specified substance, so its presence in an athlete's sample can result in a reduced sanction.

"As someone who believes in clean sport, I am glad to have worked with USADA to resolve this matter and I look forward to representing my country at the 2012 Olympic Games in London," she said.

A recent semifinalist on "Dancing With The Stars," Solo has been the regular U.S. keeper for nearly six years and backstopped the Americans to the 2008 gold medal in Beijing with some spectacular performances.

Considered one of the world's top keepers, she helped the Americans to a second-place finish in last year's World Cup, only a penalty kicks shootout loss to Japan denying Solo her first World Cup title.

She also is remembered for the contentious finish to the 2007 World Cup in China, when she helped the Americans reach the semifinals. But she was benched by coach Greg Ryan against Brazil for veteran Briana Scurry, a hero of the 1999 world champions. Scurry was rusty, the United States was routed 4-0, and Solo famously criticized Ryan's move.

"It was the wrong decision, and I think anybody that knows anything about the game knows that," Solo said. "There's no doubt in my mind I would have made those saves. ... You have to live in the present. And you can't live by big names. You can't live in the past."

Ryan dismissed Solo from the World Cup team. She wasn't allowed on the bench for the third-place game, did not participate in the medal ceremony and flew home from China on her own.

Pia Sundhage soon took over as coach and Solo has remained her top goalkeeper since.

New teams have reportedly emerged that could replace the Cavaliers as facilitators in the blockbuster trade that would send Dwight Howard to Brooklyn.

AP and Star-Ledger PhotosWill Dwight Howard and Kris Humphries be on the move today?

Hold off buying your Kris Humphries jerseys, Cavaliers fans. New teams emerged overnight that could replace the Cavs as facilitators for the blockbuster trade that would send Dwight Howard to his beloved Brooklyn Nets.

Here's the latest from the rumor wire:

Charlotte-Observer: "An NBA source confirms the Bobcats would be interested in Humphries, but only if he signs a one-season contract, rather than the multi-year deal he reportedly prefers."

ESPN: "The Bobcats have more salary-cap space than the Cavs and would not be opposed to a multiyear deal for Humphries, a source told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher."

Alex Kennedy, Hoops World via Twitter: "The latest team linked to the multi-team Dwight Howard trade? The Timberwolves. They may get involved in the talks, according to sources." and "The Cavaliers are having second thoughts about potential three-team deal with the Magic and Nets, according to source. They may back out."

Atlanta-Journal Constitution: "The Hawks have engaged the Magic in trade talks involving Howard, according to a person with knowledge of the discussions. That person did not want to be identified because the teams involved have not discussed the negotiations publicly."

The Plain Dealer: "[Kris Humphries' agent] Dan Fegan -- who also represents Howard -- reportedly had not spoken to the Cavs as of Monday afternoon, though that could change at any time, and he would be negotiating a new deal with Brooklyn, anyway."

Yahoo!'s Adrian Wojnarowski via Twitter: "The Rockets refuse to give up on the Dwight Howard derby, gathering more assets to try and entice the Orlando Magic to engage in talks."

New York Post: "Some teams obviously have no desire to help the Nets build a superpower in Brooklyn by adding Howard to a mix that includes re-signed stars Deron Williams and Gerald Wallace along with Joe Johnson, whom the Nets recently acquired in a trade that cannot be finalized until tomorrow. But there are just as many teams eager to help, especially in the Western Conference... 'You’ve got teams lining up to give a draft pick to keep Howard away from the Lakers,' said one rival GM, laughing."

Cinesport Video: The Cavaliers are reportedly involved in a potential 3-team deal that would send Dwight Howard to the Brooklyn Nets. CineSport's Tara Petrolino and Sheridanhoops.com's Chris Sheridan discuss.

Get your questions ready and join Terry Pluto today at noon as he talks Cleveland sports. Terry will chat with Cleveland.com's Glenn Moore about the Tribe at the All-Star break and the latest NBA trade rumors concerning the Cavaliers involvement in the Dwight Howard blockbuster deal.

Terry Pluto tackles your questions today at noon

Get your questions ready and join Terry Pluto today at noon as he talks Cleveland sports.

Terry will chat with Cleveland.com's Glenn Moore about the Tribe at the All-Star break and the latest NBA trade rumors concerning the Cavaliers involvement in the Dwight Howard blockbuster deal.

You can jump in the chat room and ask your questions as well as interact with other users and respond to Terry's remarks, or you can just listen. The chat will also be made available shortly after its completion in mp3 format.

Plain Dealer columnist Bud Shaw joined Bull and Fox on WKRK FM/92.3 The Fan this morning to talk about Dan Gilbert's involvement in the Dwight Howard trade rumors.

Bud Shaw

"The Tribe better start up their engines pronto because the Tigers are starting to roar. And if they are to get a wild card, they need to pull away from .500 and win more games against their division rivals." - fritz1910

View full sizeAP Photo/Paul SancyaThe Indians and Tigers are set up to race each other for an AL Central crown, along with the White Sox.

"The Tribe better start up their engines pronto because the Tigers are starting to roar. And if they are to get a wild card, they need to pull away from .500 and win more games against their division rivals."

Here are what blogs from Cleveland and around the country are saying about the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians. Featured today are SB Nation, Did The Tribe Win Last Night and Cavs:HQ.

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

AP Photo/Jeff RobersonJesus Aguilar.

"Aguilar, a six-foot, three-inch 250 pound monster of a man, is the first baseman for the Indians Advanced Class-A affiliate, the Carolina Mudcats. The honor of being selected to the Futures Game is an honor that is well deserved for the slugger, as Aguilar is currently batting .305 with 11 homeruns, 45 RBIs and a .908 OPS for the Mudcats. Aguilar was excited to take part in the All-Star festivities along with Lake County Captains prospect Francisco Lindor. “I’m really excited because it’s my first Future’s Game,” Aguilar said. “I’ve tried to work hard."

"If the Cavs did acquire Humphries, it would be very interesting to see them actively pursue a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers for Andrew Bynum, quite possibly as a sign-and-trade deal next Summer. With Humphries in place, the Cavs could send Anderson Varejao, Daniel Gibson and a couple of stockpiled first round picks to L.A., reuniting Varejao with his biggest fan in Mike Brown. Bynum has indicated that he would consider the Cavaliers as a destination when he becomes a free agent next Summer (I have my doubts), and he is the kind of scoring center that would ideally complement Humphries. Just food for thought."