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Tom Reed tells 92.3 The Fan that wide receiver Josh Gordon might be worth the pick

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Plain Dealer reporter Tom Reed joined The Bull and The Fox Show on 92.3 The Fan (WKRK-FM) this afternoon to talk about wide receiver Josh Gordon, who is from Baylor.

tom reed.pngTom Reed
Plain Dealer reporter Tom Reed joined The Bull and The Fox Show on 92.3 The Fan (WKRK-FM) this afternoon to talk about wide receiver Josh Gordon, who is from Baylor.

Reed talked about possibility of the Browns drafting wide receiver Josh Gordon in the Supplemental Draft on Thursday, whether it would be a mistake to give up a second round pick, surrounding Brandon Weeden with targets at wide receiver, the Browns’ preseason ranking, Colt McCoy’s presence on the roster and more.

Each weekday, Plain Dealer reporters and writers will share their insights on sports topics on The Fan. You can also catch their views on SB TV on the Starting Blocks blog.


Cleveland Browns P.M. links: Besides lack of established stars, lack the depth to contend; supplemental draft candidate Josh Gordon

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A case can be made that general manager Tom Heckert's drafts have made headway in the building process, but the Browns still have a ways to go. More Browns story links.

hardesty-jackson-richardson.jpgThe Browns need Montario Hardesty (left), Brandon Jackson (29) and Chris Ogbonnaya (not pictured) to provide depth at running back behind presumptive starter Trent Richardson (33).
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns open training camp on July 28, with their first "full pads" practice the next day.

Cleveland plays the first of its four exhibition games on Friday night, Aug. 10, with a visit to the Detroit Lions.

The Browns open their 60th NFL season with a home game on Sunday, Sept. 9 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage includes Mary Kay Cabot's story that the Browns may make a bid on former Baylor wide receiver Josh Gordon in Thursday's supplemental draft.

Also, cleveland.com features the Browns History Database, which includes The Plain Dealer game stories on every regular season and playoff game in Browns' history.

The Browns were 4-12 last season and are a combined 18-46 over the last four seasons.

Cleveland has just three players who have played in the Pro Bowl: left offensive tackle Joe Thomas, who has been selected for the all-star game in all five of his NFL seasons; wide receiver Josh Cribbs, who made the 2007 and 2009 teams as a kick returner; center Alex Mack, a 2010 Pro Bowl selection.

The Browns are trying to build through, essentially, the draft. Cleveland had 11 picks in the seven rounds of April's draft, including running back Trent Richardson and quarterback Brandon Weeden in the first round.

Thomas Moore, writing for theclevelandfan.com, refers to a recent analysis on roster-building by Pat Kirwan for CBSSports.com. 

Moore uses Kirwan's criteria on how to build a deep roster, and comes to this conclusion about the Browns:

We see the Browns scoring a four out of a possible 10 points when it comes to having viable roster depth.

That really shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone; after all, teams with an abundance of talent generally don't win just four or five games a year.

General manager Tom Heckert has done a solid job in rebuilding the Browns in the two-plus years (and three drafts) he has been with the team. We're starting to see the results along the defensive line and secondary, he's working to continue building the offensive line, and Weeden and Richardson should improve the offense in a major way.

But it's clear after going through this exercise that there is still plenty of work to be done, especially if the Browns hope to compete on a regular basis in the AFC North Division.
Browns story links

Part 3 of a preview on the Browns' defensive line. (By Chris Pokorny, Dawgs By Nature)

Safety T.J. Ward is ranked as the 24th best player in the AFC North. (By Jamison Hensley, ESPN.com)

The Browns are among the teams attending wide receiver Josh Gordon's Pro Day. (By Steve DiMatteo, Dawg Pound Daily)

In a video interview, Brandon Weeden talks about Browns fans and about his age. (SBNation.com)

The Browns would be smart to acquire Josh Gordon through the supplemental draft. (By Andrea Hangst, Bleacher Report)

A position preview for the Browns -- running back. (By Matt Florjancic, clevelandbrowns.com)

The Browns and Redskins are among the candidates to pick Josh Gordon in the supplemental draft. (By Kris Knox, National Football Authority)


Interleague games between rivals such as Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds to be reduced in most cases, beginning next season

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In most cases, rivalry games will be cut from six to four or three. New format caused by 2013 move of Astros to AL, forming two 15-team circuits and the need for interleague play through the season. Indians and Reds have been playing six games a season.

cozart-kipnis.jpgIndians' second baseman Jason Kipnis throws to first, over the Reds' sliding Zack Cozart, to complete a 6-4-3 double play during the Tribe's 3-2 home win over Cincinnati on June 19.
KANSAS CITY, Missouri -- The number of games between interleague rivals such as the Yankees and Mets, Cubs and White Sox, and Dodgers and Angels will be reduced under Major League Baseball's new schedule format for 2013.

Players' union head Michael Weiner said Tuesday that in most instances the rivalry games will be cut from six to either four or three. The new format was caused by next year's move of the Houston Astros to the American League, creating two 15-team circuits and the need for interleague play throughout the season.

"It wasn't fair to have six games against an opponent that other teams in your division didn't," Weiner said Tuesday during a question-and-answer session with the Baseball Writers' Association of America. "The Mets, for example, would say `Why do we have to play the Yankees six times every single year when some of our division opponents are playing teams that aren't traditionally as strong? We understand we've got to play the Yankees every year. That's OK. Why should we play six?"

Teams in a division will play three games each against teams in another division: for example, the NL East vs. the AL Central. The interleague rivalries will be either one three-game series or a home-and-home of two games each, Weiner said.

There will be an exception in years the rivals play the opposite division -- for instance, the Cubs and White Sox would play six times in years the NL Central plays the AL Central.

The Cleveland Indians of the AL Central have been playing six games a season -- three at home and three on the road -- against the Cincinnati Reds of the NL Central.

The Indians and Reds split their six games this season, with each team winning all three of its home games.

Baseball's new labor contract says teams will play up to 20 interleague games a year. Weiner says the total is likely to be close to the maximum.

"It may be that you can come up with a more workable schedule by moving up to the higher end of the interleague play range as opposed to the lower end," he said. "So it's not a question that 19 or 20 is much better than 18 in terms of interleague play, it's a question of how to put the pieces of the puzzle together."

A draft schedule has been given to the union, which is studying it before MLB finalizes it ahead of an anticipated September release.

Because of the two 15-team leagues, two clubs will have to open and close with interleague games.

"That's not a plus of the system, but the other plusses of the system, going to 15 and 15, were so overwhelming that we live with that," Weiner said.

Interleague games will be kept to a minimum in the final four-to-six weeks of the regular season.

"A team could have two interleague series in September, but they wouldn't have two away interleague series, so that they wouldn't either have to add a DH or lose their DH for more than three games," he said.



Baylor's Josh Gordon impresses in workout before Thursday's NFL Supplemental Draft 2012

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Will the Cleveland Browns make a bid on the 6-4 wide receiver in Thursday's supplemental draft?

ESPN analysis of Josh Gordon's NFL potential



CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Former Baylor wide receiver Josh Gordon, whom the Browns are considering bidding on in Thursday's supplemental draft, had an impressive pro day Tuesday in Houston and should have plenty of suitors this week.

According to NFL reporter Adam Caplan of Sirius XM radio, 21 of the 32 NFL teams, including the Browns, attended the workout and watched Gordon run a 4.52 in the 40, catch every pass thrown to him and record a 36-inch vertical leap.

Gordon pulled a left quad muscle on his second 40, Caplan said, but finished the workout.

One NFL executive told Rob Rang of cbssports.com that Gordon looked a little stiff running his routes but was otherwise impressive. "There's no question he has the physical skills to play at this level," the source told Rang.

"Scouts say you can see the physical tools he's been blessed with," Rang told The Plain Dealer. "He's a big, strong, fast, physical athlete."

But what are the Browns willing to part with for Gordon, who sat out all last season at Utah after being suspended indefinitely by Baylor following a marijuana arrest? “There are concerns about the arrest,” said Rang. “He’s also a very raw, developmental prospect, but an intriguing one.”

Caplan, who’s convinced Gordon will go in the third or fourth round, said the concern is he would need time to adjust to the West Coast offense. But the Browns have a recent history with drafting a talented receiver forced to sit out a year because of a behavioral issue. Greg Little was the team’s leading receiver in his rookie season after being picked in the second round. He did, however, run a similar offense at North Carolina.

The draft is almost like a silent auction, with teams submitting bids based on the pick they’re willing to sacrifice in the 2013 draft. The order within rounds is determined by how teams fared last season.

Nfldraftscout.com describes Gordon as "a long-striding runner with the build-up speed and fluidity to make plays after the catch.''

But Gordon 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 sat 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, who is Baylor's 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.

Cleveland Indians prospect Russ Canzler bounces back from spring struggles as he hopes for a big-league shot

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After a slow start to the season, Russ Canzler has flourished at Columbus, ripping balls to the gaps and regaining the stroke that had Tribe brass so intrigued in the spring.

canzler-walked-clips-2012-vert-cd.jpgView full size"I was guilty of setting the bar a little too high than I had in seasons past," says Columbus Clipper Russ Canzler, who has overcome a slow start to become a possible candidate for promotion this season. "You still have to let the game come to you, and I wasn't doing that."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Russ Canzler has played first base, third base, right field and left field for the Columbus Clippers this season.

The position that did the Indians prospect the most good, however, was seated.

With Canzler in the throes of a 4-of-38 slump in early June, Clippers manager Mike Sarbaugh summoned the reigning International League MVP to his Huntington Park office and told him he was coming out of the lineup.

The power hitter hadn't been benched in more than two years. Canzler wasn't happy about the decision, yet couldn't dispute his lack of production or the escalating stress that was weighing on him like a bat doughnut.

Acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in the off-season, the 26-year-old had never been so close to a legitimate major-league opportunity. But with the Indians in need of a productive right-hand stick, Canzler was hitting .251 in Triple-A with just three home runs and 15 RBI through the first 57 games.

"[Sarbaugh] said, 'I can see you grinding the bat up there.'" Canzler recalled. "It goes back to being 12 years old and trying to relax as best you can. He wanted me to take those couple of days, calm down and get away from the game a little."

After watching from the bench for two games, Canzler has returned with a flourish, ripping balls to the gaps and regaining the stroke that had Tribe management so intrigued in the spring. He makes his second straight Triple-A All-Star Game appearance Wednesday, thanks to a 28-game stretch that saw him hit .330 with 10 doubles, nine homers and 35 RBI since June 10. As the Indians continue their search for offense from the right side of the plate, he is among the candidates for promotion.

"He has put himself in a place to be considered if we have a need," Indians assistant general manager Mike Chernoff said. "He has power, but he uses the middle of the field well. He can find the gaps and hit a lot of doubles."

Canzler registered his 12th home run Friday at Huntington Park against the Indianapolis Indians, driving the ball through the humid night air over the wall in right-center. What made the evening special, though, were the guests awaiting him in his downtown apartment -- his girlfriend, Kimberly, and the couple's 3-month-old son, Henry, visiting from Tampa.

The family traveled together to the All-Star Game in Buffalo, giving the new dad additional bonding time with a baby boy born near the Indians' training camp in Goodyear, Ariz.

"Fatherhood makes you a better man," said Canzler, rubbing his hand across his stubble beard. "It's not just about you anymore. You are responsible for another life, and you want to be able to provide for him."

canzler-sliding-catch-spring-2012-ap.jpgView full sizeRuss Canzler made this sliding catch in left field during spring training, but his defensive skills are not that match for his offensive talents -- a right-handed bat who slugged over .500 in his last two minor-league seasons and is approaching that level again in 2012.

It has been an emotional and memorable 10 months for the son of a former Division II college quarterback who grew up in the eastern Pennsylvania town of Hazelton. His family attended his major-league debut in Boston last September as he went 1-of-3 for the Rays, after eight years in the minors.

But following his best season, his first at the Triple-A level, he was surprised to learn Tampa Bay had designated him for assignment. The Indians acquired him for $100,000 on Jan. 31, and a soon-to-be father was suddenly starting over. Because he didn't want Kimberly going through the final weeks of pregnancy alone, Canzler packed her into his Honda Element and drove 2,100 miles from Tampa to the Tribe's facility in Arizona.

Never before had Canzler entered training camp with so much at stake. The Indians gave him a chance to compete for an outfield spot, but after a promising start he struggled at the plate, producing only one extra-base hit in exhibition games.

"I didn't separate myself," Canzler said. "I fizzled out near the end of camp. ... When I met with [manager Manny Acta and GM Chris Antonetti], I told them I'm going to work my butt off and show you guys you can use me in the future."

Sarbaugh witnessed the hustle and industry Canzler promised, but he also saw a player overanalyzing his at-bats after a slow start. He had a .176 average after 13 games with the Clippers and didn't hit his first home run until May 12. Canzler lacked aggression at the plate and was late on his swings.

Triple-A managers work with all types of players at various stages in their careers -- youngsters on the way up, veterans hoping for one last promotion and guys like Canzler so eager to earn another shot they begin to press.

"You could just see it in his face," Sarbaugh said. "He kept putting too much pressure on himself. He was trying to get five hits in one at-bat."

Winning the International League MVP as Canzler did with the Durham Bulls does not necessarily portend long-term success in the majors. For every Jim Thome, there are five Jeff Mantos.

"I was guilty of setting the bar a little too high than I had in seasons past," he said. "You still have to let the game come to you, and I wasn't doing that."

The two days out of the lineup did wonders for the broad-shouldered Canzler, who is 6-2 and 220 pounds. He arrived at the park a bit later, took extra batting practice and tweaked his stance with the help of hitting coach Phil Clark.

He contributed two hits and an RBI in his first game back and has been stuffing box scores ever since, despite having Kimberly and Henry remain in the family's off-season home in Tampa. Canzler leads the Clippers in RBI (50) and ranks second in doubles (21) and home runs (12).

Tribe management likes his versatility, but he's not a fluid fielder at any one position. The Indians believe he's most comfortable at first base, with left field being the next-best option. For a parent club that flails against southpaw pitching, Canzler is hitting 29 points higher (.286) against right-handers.

Canzler says he tries not to anticipate when management might recall someone from Columbus. Teammates Matt LaPorta and Cord Phelps also are Triple-A All-Star representatives with experience in Cleveland.

"In reality we have no clue what's going on [in the organization]," Canzler said. "I was guilty of trying to do too much early in the season to get back up there. Now, I'm just trying to control what I can."

Playing four positions and learning what it takes to be a father have made it an eventful season. Sometimes, you just need to sit down for a few days and clear your head.

Cleveland Browns: Should they bid a 2013 draft pick, and in what round, in hopes of acquiring Josh Gordon? (Poll)

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In Thursday's supplemental draft, teams will submit bids based on the round of the pick they're willing to surrender in the 2013 draft. Some have said Gordon will draw bids as high as the second round, others think perhaps a fourth.

josh-gordon.jpgJosh Gordon (12) will almost certainly be picked in Thursday's NFL supplemental draft. The questions are: by what team, and in what round?



CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns were among 21 teams to attend Tuesday's Pro Day workout for former Baylor wide receiver Josh Gordon.



Plain Dealer Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot writes about Gordon and his workout, and about when a team, such as the Browns, might bid on him in Thursday's supplemental draft:



One NFL executive told Rob Rang of cbssports.com that Gordon looked a little stiff running his routes but was otherwise impressive. "There's no question he has the physical skills to play at this level," the source told Rang.



"Scouts say you can see the physical tools he's been blessed with," Rang told The Plain Dealer. "He's a big, strong, fast, physical athlete."



But how high will teams need to bid to land him? In the supplemental draft, teams submit bids based on the round of the pick they're willing to surrender in the 2013 draft. Some have said Gordon, who is 6-4 and 220 pounds, will draw bids as high as the second round, others think perhaps a fourth.



Only the team that gets Gordon will surrender the draft pick it bids. Cabot also writes about what reservations a team might have in its consideration of Gordon:


But Gordon 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 sat out the season. Rather than play for the Utes this season, he declared for the supplemental draft for financial reasons, according to reports.


Should the Browns bid a draft pick, and for what round, to try to acquire Gordon?




Cleveland Indians can't escape the pressure of the trade deadline: Terry Pluto

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Why last year's trading deadline deal for Ubaldo Jimenez puts the Tribe under pressure to make another trade this month.

antonetti-acta-spring-2011-vert-cc.jpgView full sizeA year ago, Chris Antonetti was willing to pull the trigger on a deal to give the Indians and manager Manny Acta immediate help in a bid for the playoffs. With a roster that suffers from obvious holes in 2012, there's building pressure on Antonetti to make another deal before the trade deadline, says Terry Pluto.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Nah, they'll never do that.

That's what I said when I heard the Tribe was preparing to trade its top two pitching prospects to Colorado for Ubaldo Jimenez. That was July 31, 2011 -- right at the major-league trading deadline.

You can still debate the deal -- I didn't like the idea of parting with Alex White and Drew Pomeranz for a good pitcher who had developed some bad habits in his windup. But the fact is obtaining Jimenez appeared to signal a change in direction for the Tribe. They not only were trying to win the Central Division last year (didn't happen), but believed Jimenez would help make them a contender this season.

It took nearly a calendar year, but the 28-year-old Jimenez (8-7, 4.50) has figured out what made him a very effective starter with the Rockies. This is not the Ubaldo of 2010, a 97-mph flame-thrower who was 19-8 with a 2.88 ERA. But in his last seven starts, Jimenez has a 2.93 ERA. His control has vastly improved, his fastball is in the 92-95 mph range.

He looks like the Jimenez of 2009, who was 15-12 with a 3.47 ERA while pitching in the hitters paradise of Colorado.

Jimenez is signed through 2013. He has a player option for $8 million in 2014. If he pitches well, he probably will become a free agent at the end of next season. Shin-Soo Choo (.299, 10 HR, 34 RBI, .876 OPS) can't become a free agent until after the 2013 season. He's represented by Scott Boros, who rarely re-signs a player with his current team without first trying to squeeze every penny of out of the free-agent market.

The point is the Tribe has 1 1/2 seasons left with Choo and Jimenez. And it's not as if GM Chris Antonetti is blessed with prime prospects at the upper levels of the minors ready to replace them.Which is why the Indians do indeed have the "sense of urgency" they claim to feel about contending this season.

That means a trade, partly because most of their off-season moves have produced little.

The best has been signing Casey Kotchman to play first base, and he's hitting only .241 (.671 OPS) with eight homers and 34 RBI. But at least he's playing.

They put $5 million in Grady Sizemore and picked up a contract option on Roberto Hernandez (Fausto Carmona). Neither has played an inning, nor do the Indians know if they'll be on the field this season. Sizemore has health issues, Hernandez has issues with the immigration department.

They traded for veteran starter Kevin Slowey, hoping he could help the rotation. He has injury issues and has not pitched for six weeks. He was 3-3 with a 5.14 ERA at Class AAA Columbus.

There are lots of issues for the Tribe. Carlos Santana is in a season-long slump. Josh Tomlin has been up and down in the rotation and fifth starter Jeanmar Gomez was sent down to Columbus. Left field has been an issue for years. Yet, the Tribe is three games behind the first place White Sox in the Central, only a game out of the wild-card race. With a so-so 44-41 record, they legitimately can talk about the playoffs.

But down deep, do those running the Indians believe this roster has enough to make the postseason? They can say they do, but do they really believe it? Do you?

It's possible to see them improve, but improbable to imagine them ending the season on something like a 44-33 rush. That would produce 88 victories and a season where they duel for the playoffs right until the end.

While critics dwell on poor deals, the Tribe's two All-Stars are products of trades: Chris Perez (Mark DeRosa) and Asdrubal Cabrera (Eduardo Perez). Choo has been outstanding, and the traded Ben Broussard for him. Esmil Rogers, purchased for $150,000 this season from the Rockies, has helped the bullpen.

The Indians are trying to deal for Carlos Quentin, but I've been told that they don't have much common ground with the Padres right now. They have talked about adding a starting pitcher. They intend to keep talking.

But this season, the playoffs are a possibility. The challenge is for them pull off a trade that makes it a reality.

Need help to take the hook out of your swing? Ask The Pro (video)

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PGA Professional John Sico at Westwood Country Club in Rocky River shows you how to avoid hooking the ball. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Plain Dealer columnist Bud Shaw hosts the weekly video, Ask the Pro, where area PGA professionals give tips to improve your golf game.

This week, PGA Professional John Sico at Westwood Country Club in Rocky River shows you how to avoid hooking the ball.

For all of the instructional videos aimed at helping golfers in Northeast Ohio, check out this page.


Off The Green ... with Ohio Open champ Mike Emery

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Canton Brookside director of instruction hopes to become the 11th players to successfully defend his crown next week.

mike-emery-mug-nocredit.jpgView full sizeDefending Ohio Open champion Mike Emery appreciates seeing his name on the tournament trophy.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Nine questions with reigning maximusjobs.com Ohio Open champion Mike Emery, who will defend his title next week at Fox Meadow and Weymouth country clubs. Emery, director of instruction at Canton Brookside Country Club, won his title by one shot last year when made a 19-foot putt for birdie on the 54th and final hole of the tournament.

Age: 42

Residence: Canton

1: Of all the memories you have of last year -- having the lead, falling behind and then rallying to win on the final hole -- that putt had to be the most indelible.

A: You don't forget putts like that. It was slightly uphill, maybe a ball outside the hole, left-to-right. It looked good the whole way and when it got to about four feet I was pretty sure it was going in. Of course, before it falls you don't want to get caught stepping.

2: You shot 65 at Weymouth, 69 at Fox Meadow and closed with another 69 at Weymouth. Of the two courses, do you have a preference?

A: I like them both but I'm a little more familiar with Weymouth, so I would say Weymouth.

3: Having played well at both sites, do you feel that gives you an edge heading into this year's Open?

A: Because I like both courses that's a step up right there. But, I'll still need to make some putts and get some breaks. A lot of good players in the field.

4: There have only been 10 back-to-back winners in the 88-year history of this event. Your thoughts?

A: Hopefully, I'll make it 11.

5: Your name has been added to an impressive list on the Oliver Hazard Perry Hotel trophy, which goes to the winner. Jack Nicklaus, Byron Nelson, Tom Weiskopf, Frank Stranahan, among others. How do you feel about that?

A: I have played in the Open many, many times and I always wanted to win it. But until I did I hadn't realized the number of big names on that trophy. To see my name on there I realize how lucky I am to have experienced it.

6: You made the cut in the 1994 U.S. Open at Oakmont and finished 74-73-75-75 -- 297, the same score as some guy named Phil Mickelson. What's it like to play in a U.S. Open?

A: Funny story. My first day at Oakmont, and I'm on the practice tee and shaking like a leaf. I was really nervous. I said to myself, 'If I'm this nervous now I'll be a mess by Thursday.' Then Thursday came and I wasn't nervous at all on the first tee. But, I started bogey, double bogey and bogey. Then I got nervous. I didn't think I'd break 90.

7: You were second in the NOPGA event at Elyria in May and fourth at Lakewood in June. Overall, how have you been playing?

A: It's been scattered. When I'm good, I'm very good. When I've not been good, I've been bad. It's a little hit or miss. I've been playing but there hasn't been much practicing. There's a difference.

8: Brookside member Dan Belden was your caddie for last year's victory. Will he return?

A: No, Tom Peppard, another Brookside member, will be on the bag this year.

9: You won $9,000 for last year's win. Is that your biggest payday as a pro?

A: No, I had a third-place finish in a Buy.com event in 1997 in Sioux Falls, S.D. I won about $26,000 there.

Hickory Nut's par-5 eighth hole: Hole of the Week

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An impressive piece of Mother Nature's work is a stalwart guardian to the green at this week's featured hole.

11sgHOLEWEEK.jpgView full size

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The average golfer frequently has a highly-developed sense of dread.

Dread of the three-putt. Dread of the water hazard on the right of the fairway (for right-handers) or left (for lefties). Dread of the yawning bunker in the middle of the fairway, or the creek that can't be seen from the tee.

At Hickory Nut in Columbia Station, one of the most-commonly held fears is of what otherwise would be considered a glorious addition to the course -- a 300-year-old white oak that guards the entrance to the par-5 eighth hole. Like St. Peter at the pearly gates, you had better have the right answer if you want to pass this way successfully.

Superintendent of golf Geof Kazmierczak loves the hole because no matter the handicap, the white oak is a threat to all players. It's noteworthy enough to earn Hole of the Week status during a July week that just urges players to swing those clubs.

Northern Ohio PGA's Collegiate Preview gives young adults a place to play in the summer: NE Ohio Golf Insider

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Collegiate players looking for a tournament to provide a summer test have their needs met by a trio of Northern Ohio PGA events.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When Tommy Arison was returning home from his second year at Wagner College on Long Island, he wondered where he would be able to find enough challenging competition to keep his golf game alive.

Too old to play in junior events and perhaps not ready to regularly take on the older and more experienced and talented players in high-profile amateur events, Arison found an answer in the Collegiate Preview series conducted by the Northern Ohio PGA.

"There are a very select number of events college players can enter," said Arison, of Fairlawn. "Other than the U.S. Am qualifiers, the Ohio Am and the Ohio Open, it's hard to find events that provide you with the level of competition that helps you get better. The collegiate series gives you an opportunity to play against guys your own age and against guys you've been playing against for years. I think it's a great."

In its second season, the NOPGA has expanded the Collegiate Preview for players between 18 and 22 to three events at three premier sites. The first event takes place on July 25 at Youngstown Country Club, followed by a stop at Plum Brook in Sandusky on July 30 and a concluding two-day event at Aurora Country Club on Aug. 6-7.

Arison, who caddies at Portage Country Club, said he plans on playing in two of the three events. For more information call the NOPGA at 216-765-1214.

Two aces, five days: William Burwell of Olmsted Falls proved that it's never too late to accomplish one of life's little treasures.

Burwell, 74, scored two holes-in-one at Pine Brook in the span of five days. On July 3, he aced the 147-yard 10th hole using a 22-degree hybrid. On July 8, he matched that on the 150-yard fifth hole, using a 5-wood.

By the books: Seniors Brooke Hamilton and Rebecca Kapusta, members of the Baldwin-Wallace women's golf team that won a second straight Ohio Athletic Conference championship and a spot in the Division III nationals, have been named All-American Scholars by the National Golf Coaches Association.

This is the second straight season that Hamilton has been recognized. Hamilton, from Cleveland and St. Joseph Academy, carries a 3.95 grade-point average in English and philosophy. A team captain, she averaged 85.71 strokes in 14 rounds of 18 holes, including tying her career-low of 79 twice at the Division III National Tournament.

Kapusta, a special education major from Independence, carries a 3.87 grade point average. She averaged 86.6 strokes and highlighted her season by shooting a career-low 77 at the Trine (Ind.) University Tournament to earn medalist honors.

Giving back: Former Browns coach Sam Rutigliano will hold his Inner Circle Foundation outing for the third year on Aug. 6 at Mayfield Country Club. Some current and former members of the Browns -- especially those from the Kardiac Kids days -- will be paired with select foursomes.

The day includes a cocktail reception, dinner and awards presentation. The foundation is an after-school program that provides opportunities for Cleveland school children to excel academically.

Glenville football coach Ted Ginn Sr. will be the featured speaker. The event is sponsored by Electronic Merchant Systems and Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. Contact Christine Slomberg at cslomberg@elegantzeventz.com.

Closing in: The NOPGA will accept entries for the 88th annual Ohio Open, sponsored by maximusjobs.com, until midnight Wednesday. The Open will be held Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week at the Weymouth and Fox Meadow courses in Medina.

On Twitter: @TimRogersPD

Cleveland Indians P.M. links: Consistency needed from starting rotation; player awards at the All-Star break

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Starting pitching needs to become, overall, a little more dependable for the Tribe to contend for the Central Division title. More Indians story links.

derek-lowe.jpgDerek Lowe, 39, pitched superb baseball during the first several weeks of the season, but has struggled lately.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Indians return from the All-Star break on Friday night, when they visit the Toronto Blue Jays to begin a three-game series.

The Indians (44-41) are in second place in the AL Central Division, three games behind the Chicago White Sox and a half game ahead of the defending division champion Detroit Tigers.

The American League All-Stars, including Tribe shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and closer Chris Perez, are playing the National League stars in tonight's All-Star Game. Plain Dealer Indians beat writer Paul Hoynes is in Kansas City covering the game.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Indians coverage includes Bill Lubinger's story on right-handed hitting Russ Canzler, an infielder-outfielder with the Indians' Class AAA Columbus Clippers; Hoynes' story that the players' union is considering a grievance against the Indians over their treatment of injured left-handed relief pitcher Nick Hagadone; Terry Pluto's column that there's pressure on the Indians to make a deal as the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline approaches; Lubinger's story on how hitters seldom choke up on the bat these days; Hoynes' story on Monday night's Home Run Derby; his story on the very young all-star duo of Mike Trout and Bryce Harper; Hoynes' story that Chris Perez says the Indians will have to win the Central Division to make the playoffs; Dennis Manoloff's interview on Starting Blocks TV, talking about the Indians and about the All-Star Game; an Associated Press report that rivalry teams' interleague games will sometimes be reduced beginning next season; and more.

The Indians' starting pitching has been largely inconsistent this season. It probably needs to become, overall, a little more dependable for the Tribe to contend for the Central Division title.

The blog WaitingForNextYear reviews the rotation at the All-Star break, beginning with the overview:

The group as a whole has been maddeningly frustrating to watch. In some ways, the starters were a mirror image of the team they play for. At times, they look like the linchpin that will take the Tribe to a division title. Then a week later they are a group of five-and-fliers. On the good side, Manager Manny Acta has only had to use six starters and has essentially been able to roll with them. Justin Masterson, Ubaldo Jimenez, and Derek Lowe haven’t missed a start as the top three. Jeanmar Gomez won the fifth spot out of Spring Training, but has since been replaced with Zach McAllister, who had a three start cameo with Josh Tomlin’s May DL stint. All five of the current members of the rotation have had their moments of agony and ecstasy.
Indians story links

Awards for Indians' players at the All-Star break. (By Lewie Pollis, Wahoo's on First)

Awards for Indians' players based on their pre-All-Star break work. (By Adam McGavin, Indians Prospect Insider)

Indians' fan Allen Goebel, 91, shares his all-star memories -- video. (cleveland.indians.mlb.com)

All-stars Chris Perez and Asdrubal Cabrera represent the Indians in different ways with their personalities. (By Jordan Bastian, MLB.com)

The Indians are confident going into the post-break stretch of the season. (By Pat McManamon, FoxSportsOhio.com)

Grading the Indians' pitching, hitting and fielding at the All-Star break. (By Jim Ingraham, News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal)

Though he's hit better of late, it's time for the Indians to dismiss veteran outfielder Johnny Damon. (By Chris Assenheimer, Elyria Chronicle-Telegram and Medina County Gazette)

A re-cap of the July 3-9 week for the Indians' Class AA team, the Akron Aeros. (By Jim Piascik, Indians Prospect Insider)


Players union considering grievance against Cleveland Indians over treatment of Nick Hagadone: All-Star Insider

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The Players Association is investigating the Indians placing left-hander Nick Hagadone on the minor-league disqualified list and could file a grievance against the team.

Cleveland Indians beat White Sox, 8-6Nick Hagadone could have a grievance filed on his behalf.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Michael Weiner, executive director of the MLB players association, said a grievance could be filed over the Indians placing left-hander Nick Hagadone on the minor-league disqualified list after he injured his pitching hand following a poor performance against Tampa Bay on Friday at Progressive Field.

The Indians said Hagadone suffered a "self-inflicted" injury to his pitching hand after he left the mound. GM Chris Antonetti did not go into detail with reporters, but he said Hagadone suffered the injury because he was angry at his performance and not because he was informed that he was being optioned to the minors.

The Indians sent Hagadone to Class AAA Columbus on Saturday and placed him on the disqualified list Sunday. Hagadone does not get paid or receive major-league service time when he's on the disabled list.

"I'm very aware of the matter," said Weiner, to members of the Baseball Writers Association of America on Tuesday. "We've already been in touch with the Commissioner's office about this matter and there's a potential grievance. I don't want to get too much into it."

Weiner said he did not know all the facts, but that union personnel were investigating.

"I will say this, though, there is a long standing precedent in baseball, and arbitration precedent going back to Doyle Alexander, a great player and a great union member, saying that baseball is a very intense game," said Weiner. "And if a player, in the intensity of the moment, makes a mistake and whams his hand against the dugout or a door or does something else, that's a work-related injury. That's part of the game.

"Clubs want players to compete, to compete very hard, and sometimes those emotions come out. No player is proud of the fact that he injured himself in that kind of situation. But Nick is not the first player this year, and certainly not the first player in baseball history, who unfortunately suffered that kind of injury."

Weiner said that he hopes that kind of precedent will bring the matter to a quick resolution.

As to Hagadone's salary, Weiner said, "If he's on the minor-league disqualified list, the Commissioner's office says he's not getting paid. Now players don't get paid every single day. Players get paid twice a month.

"Nick's next pay check is on July 15. We'll see what Nick gets paid on July 15. If Nick isn't paid what he's supposed to be paid on July 15th ... we'll have to fight about it."

Weiner added, "Understand that labor peace doesn't mean we don't have fights. It just means we do it in a professional manner consistent with what our contract says. If we have to have a fight over Nick Hagadone, and I hope we don't, we will."

Hagadone went 1-0 with a 6.39 ERA in 27 games for the Tribe. He struck out 26, walked 15 and allowed 18 earned runs and 26 hits.

Second-half question: Last year, shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera's performance took dropped sharply after the All-Star break. After hitting .293 (105-for-393) with 14 homers and 51 RBI in the first half, Cabrera hit .244 (60-for-246) with 11 homers and 41 RBI after the break.

Cabrera, making his second straight All-Star appearance, says he's in a better place this year.

"I feel really good," he said. "This is a good break for me and I'll be ready for the second half."

Manager Manny Acta says Cabrera often plays when he's not 100 percent.

"Physically, I'm pretty good right now," said Cabrera. "I don't want to leave the field for a little thing. I try to be ready every day.

"Sure, I get tired. But it's a long season and you've got to play no matter if you have a little injury. I'm that kind of player."

Boo flat: Commissioner Bud Selig and Weiner were not pleased at the booing Robinson Cano received during Monday's Home Run Derby. The sold-out crowd at Kauffman Stadium was upset that Cano, captain of the AL team, picked the Angels' Mark Trumbo instead of Kansas City's Billy Butler.

"I felt badly Monday night," said Selig. "Robinson Cano certainly picked the people he felt should be on there. I understand hometown loyalties ... but this was tough.

"Since we went to captains, we've gotten every player we've wanted. We'll have to talk about it."

Said Weiner, "I think we have to look at the whole dynamic of it. Last year Prince Fielder and the whole National League team was booed in Phoenix because Prince didn't pick Justin Upton."

Cano, last year's champ, who didn't homer once this year, said the boos didn't bother him.

"Robinson is from the Dominican Republic. He grew up in the Bronx and plays for the Yankees," said Weiner. "He can take it."

Indians vs. Reds: The traditional home-and-away interleague rival series between the Reds and Indians could be reduced from six to four or three games. Weiner said the changes have to be made because Houston is moving to the American League next year to form two 15-team leagues.

The new format will have interleague games played all year instead of in a condensed portion of the schedule. Should the AL Central and NL Central play each other in interleague play, the three-game home and away series between the Indians and Reds could return.

Under the new format, teams can play up to 20 interleague games a year. Teams will play interleague games at the beginning and end of the season.

"It was important from our perspective, especially toward the end of the year, that no team would have to play more than one series outside of their own league's rules in the last five or six weeks of the season," said Weiner.

On Twitter: @hoynsie

Official U.S. Olympic roster includes 24 Ohioans

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The 530-member team is comprised of 269 women and 261 men.

mitts-olympic-soccer-2008-ap.jpgView full sizeOhioan Heather Mitts (facing Brazil's Cristiane in 2008) is seeking a third consecutive gold medal in soccer for the U.S. in London.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Women outnumber men on the U.S. Olympic team for the first time, according to the final London Games roster released Tuesday by the United States Olympic Committee.

The 530-member team is comprised of 269 women and 261 men. CEO Scott Blackmun of the USOC called the number of women "a true testament to the impact of Title IX, which in its 40-year history has increased sport opportunities for millions of females across the United States."

The U.S. team also includes 24 Ohioans. Among those with strong Ohio ties, Cincinnati soccer defender Heather Mitts seeks to win her third straight gold medal, and Akron native LeBron James and Perrysburg High graduate Anna Tunnicliffe will try to repeat medals they won in Beijing in basketball and sailing, respectively.

From Cuyahoga County, Westlake rower Margot Shumway is headed to her second games, and Cleveland boxer Terrell Gausha and fencer Lee Kiefer are first-time Olympians. Greco-Roman wrestler Justin (Harry) Lester of Akron is one of 13 active-duty military members. Lester competes for the U.S. Army's World Class Athlete Program.

There are 228 returning Olympians, including seven five-time Olympians, and 124 have won medals, including 76 Olympic champions. The most decorated athletes are swimmers Michael Phelps and Natalie Coughlin.

Phelps, who won a eight gold medals at the 2008 Games, is the first person to win a total of 14 Olympic gold medals and needs just two medals to match Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina's record as the most decorated Olympian in history. Coughlin, who owns 11 Olympic medals, needs just one more medal to join swimmers Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres as the most decorated females in U.S. Olympic history.

The oldest and youngest Olympians are equestrian athlete Karen O'Connor, 54, and swimmer Katie Ledecky, 15. The average age is 27. A total of 67 have children, including 13 moms.

On Twitter: @TimsTakePD

Megadeal wasn't the right option for Cleveland Cavaliers: Mary Schmitt Boyer analysis

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The Cavs just decided being part of a multi-team trade would not improve their team enough to justify compromising the flexibility they've worked to achieve.

cavs chris grant.jpgView full sizeChris Grant has not commented on the team's involvement -- overstated or otherwise -- in the Dwight Howard talks between Orlando and New Jersey. But he has clearly stated over the last two years the Cavaliers' commitment to remaining flexible under the NBA's salary cap as the roster is rebuilt.

LAS VEGAS -- So the Cavaliers reportedly are out of the Dwight Howard sweepstakes.

The Cavs, as is their custom, will not confirm the latest reports on Tuesday that they will not be part of a multi-player, multi-team trade that would have brought power forward Kris Humphries from the Brooklyn Nets and allowed Howard to get his wish and play in Brooklyn.

Of course, the Cavs never actually confirmed that they were part of the talks in the first place. Unlike many of his colleagues, that is how General Manager Chris Grant prefers to do business -- behind the scenes.

Because it takes two -- or in this case, three or four or more -- teams to make any deal, when the Cavs are involved confirmation comes from the other teams or the agents or, sometimes, the players involved. It's an organization-wide mandate.

When point guard Kyrie Irving met with reporters after playing on the U.S. Select Team that is practicing against the U.S. men's Olympic basketball team at UNLV, he acknowledged that he'd heard all the trade rumors the past few days and spent some time here with Grant and coach Byron Scott.

Asked what he thought would happen with the trade, Irving said, "Honestly, I'm not sure."

Then he smiled and added, "You knew that answer was coming. We'll just wait and see."

The Cavs have apparently passed on the proposed deal that, according to Yahoo Sports, had Howard, Jason Richardson and Earl Clark going to Brooklyn, and Brooklyn's Brook Lopez, Damion James, Shelden Williams and Armon Johnson, Cleveland's Luke Walton and three future first-round picks going to Orlando. Cleveland would have received 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.

Brooklyn also was talking to the Los Angeles Clippers about sending MarShon Brooks there for an additional first-round pick to send to the Magic.

It was never clear whether Humphries would accept a one-year deal -- his agent, Dan Fegan, told SI.com he would not -- but it was clear the Cavs were not interested in signing him long term, which would use up a lot of their valuable cap room.

Besides, if the Cavs wanted Humphries, because he's an unrestricted free agent, they could have just made him an offer and skipped all the additional baggage, though since Fegan also represents Dwight Howard, there's probably more in play here.

It also was never clear exactly where the first-round draft pick was coming from, either. As much as Grant covets first-round picks, there is a price to pay for acquiring them and, eventually, the Cavs just decided this price was too high.

Moving Walton, who will make nearly $6 million next season, made sense since it's clear the 32-year-old doesn't fit into the team's rebuilding plans. That $6 million, plus the $3 million from the Nets, would have covered the $9 million needed to pay Humphries, so the Cavs would have essentially gotten a good player -- and a possible trading chip -- for free.

But, in the end, the Cavs just decided this deal would not significantly improve their team or their assets enough to justify compromising the flexibility they've worked so hard to achieve.

Some fans are outraged. They wanted a deal. They wanted a move, any move, from a team that has been silent while other teams are making noise in the free-agent market. They wanted Humphries in the starting lineup as an improvement over young Tristan Thompson. They wanted the extra draft pick, which could have given them as many as four in the first round next year, if Sacramento makes the playoffs.

Grant and his team were taking a beating on Twitter after the news broke that they were pulling out of the deal. Some reporters said other general managers thought the Cavs were difficult to work with. Some thought the team was stung by the criticism of taking part in creating another super-team when the Cavs suffered so after LeBron James left for Miami with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

Ironically, at least one report earlier suggested the Cavs wanted to help create another super-team to challenge the Heat as revenge for James leaving.

Because he is not inclined to explain himself in these situations, Grant leaves himself open to such interpretations. But what fans should keep in mind is that Grant has positioned the Cavs so they're in the running to make these kind of deals, and he will make one when he feels it's the right one.

Clearly, this was not that deal -- even if he won't say so.

On Twitter: @pdcavsinsider


National League busts out the big bats early in cruising to 8-0 victory over AL in 2012 All-Star Game

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The National League jumped on Detroit's Justin Verlander on Tuesday night for five runs in the first inning on the way to a third straight All-Star game victory.

Gallery preview

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Justin Verlander is the only pitcher to start an All-Star Game and win the Cy Young, MVP and Rookie of the Year awards. When asked Monday how he'd rate starting the 83rd All-Star Game among those other honors, Verlander said, "I'll let you know when it's over."

Well, now he knows.

It ended quickly for Verlander on Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium. He gave up five runs in the first inning as the National League stormed to an 8-0 victory over the American League at Kauffman Stadium. The NL, which secured home-field advantage for the World Series, has won three straight All-Star Games.

Verlander, Detroit's ace, wasn't the only American Leaguer feeling the pain of Tuesday's loss. Texas manager Ron Washington has lost two straight World Series and two straight All-Star Games.

"No, I'm not getting tired of losing to the National League," said Washington. "I'll keep coming back to this game for 20 years if I can. They just put five runs on Verlander early. They swung the bats and the pitching came in and did the rest."

The shutout was the first in the All-Star Game since 1996 when the NL won, 6-0.

How much does the home-field advantage mean in the World Series? The NL has won two of the past three. St. Louis won in 2011 and San Francisco in 2010. The Yankees won in 2009.

From the Indians' perspective, Asdrubal Cabrera drew a pinch-hit walk for Derek Jeter in the fifth and finished the game at shortstop. In his last at-bat, he took a called third strike from Atlanta's Craig Kimbrel to start the eighth.

"I enjoyed myself," said Cabrera. "I'm going to go back to Cleveland and rest the next two days to get ready for the second half."

Tribe closer Chris Perez warmed up in the first inning during Verlander's struggles, but did not get into the game.

"I was the backup guy in case anyone got into trouble early," said Perez. "When I didn't get in early, I knew I wasn't going to pitch."

Perez, who has had a running feud with the Royals and their fans since early this season, was booed during pregame introductions, but not as loudly as Yankee second baseman Robinson Cano.

"It wasn't too bad," said Perez. "It was more in a good-natured way. Cano took me off the spot."

Cano was booed for not picking Royals DH Billy Butler for Monday's Home Run Derby.

The National League took a 5-0 lead in the first against Verlander, who allowed five earned runs just once in his first 18 starts this year.

All-Star MVP Melky Cabrera, who played with the Royals last year, started it all with an innocent-looking single. Ryan Braun doubled to the base of the right-field fence for a 1-0 lead. Verlander struck out Joey Votto, but those were about the last quality pitches he threw.

Carlos Beltran and Buster Posey drew consecutive walks to load the bases. Pablo Sandoval sent a liner toward the right-field corner that bounced off the wall and evaded Jose Bautista's efforts to track it down. All three runs scored as Kung Fu Panda stopped at third for a triple.

Dan Uggla sent a grounder to the hole at short. Jeter did his classic scoop, jump and throw from the outfield grass, but the ball bounced at Prince Fielder's feet and bounced past him as Sandoval scored for a 5-0 lead. Uggla received credit with a single and an RBI on the play.

Verlander finally ended the inning when Rafael Furcal hit into a force play. He needed 35 pitches, including 19 strikes, to get through the inning.

In the first half, Verlander threw 132 2/3 innings. He allowed seven runs in the first inning.

The NL got busy again in the fourth against Matt Harrison of Texas. After the first two batters went down in order, Rafael Furcal tripled to right. Pinch-hitter Matt Holliday singled to right for a 6-0 lead. Melky Cabrera, shipped to the Giants over the winter for left-hander Jonathan Sanchez, hit a 2-2 pitch over the left field wall for an 8-0 lead.

Braun followed with a triple to right. It was the NL's third triple, the most ever in an All-Star Game.

When Cabrera came into the interview room, NL manager Tony La Russa, who came out of retirement for this game, chanted "Melky! Melky!, Melky!"

The 83rd All-Star Game included a record five rookies. Washington's Bryce Harper and the Angels' Mike Trout drew the most attention.

Harper, the youngest position player to ever play in an All-Star Game, drew a pinch-hit walk for Carlos Beltran in the fifth. He took over right field and promptly lost Mike Napoli's routine fly ball in the twilight in the fifth. It fell for a single, but the AL could not score.

In the seventh, Harper struck out against Ryan Cook.

Trout, who went into the break leading the AL in batting average and stolen bases, hit a leadoff single in the seventh and stole second. He did not advance past second as Miguel Cabrera hit into a double play to end the inning. Trout walked in the eighth.

Matt Cain, who threw the first perfect game in Giants history on June 13, went two innings for the win. Gio Gonzalez, Stephen Strasburg, Clayton Kershaw, R.A. Dickey, Cole Hamels, Craig Kimbrel, Aroldis Chapman, Wade Miley, Joel Hanrahan and Jonathan Papelbon -- 10, count 'em 10 relievers -- followed to complete the six hitter.

NL pitchers have allowed two runs over their past 27 innings of All-Star competition going back to 2010.

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

On Twitter: @hoynsie

LeBron James is happy to be chasing another Olympic gold medal

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LeBron James admitted he feels differently these days after winning his first NBA title with the Miami Heat. "I am a champion," he said. "I feel like that."

james-oly-2012-vegas-ap.jpgView full size"I'm happy I'm here," LeBron James said after a workout at the U.S. Olympic basketball team's Las Vegas headquarters, "and I feel pretty good."

LAS VEGAS -- LeBron James was not wearing a championship ring. He was not toting the Larry O'Brien Trophy or his Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP award. It wasn't even possible to see if he was carrying himself any differently because he was sitting down when he met with reporters before the U.S. Olympic men's basketball teams' practice on Tuesday noon at UNLV's Mendenhall Center.

But when he was asked if he felt any different after winning his first NBA title with Miami three weeks ago, he thought about the question for a moment before replying.

"Do I feel different?" he said. "I am a champion. I feel like that. But as far as me, personally, I still have goals. I accomplished one of my goals -- the biggest goal I had. Now I've got to set out more."

No doubt one of those goals will be winning a second Olympic gold medal in London in the coming weeks. James admitted it was a quick turnaround, as The Finals wrapped up on June 21. His Heat teammates, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, are recovering from injuries and are unable to play for the Olympic team.

But James was smiling and relaxed on Tuesday, no worse for the wear. "I'm happy I'm here, and I feel pretty good," he said.

He said he never really considered not fulfilling his Olympic obligation.

"If I would have been injured, or hurt, and I knew I would have needed to rest, I would have gave it some thought," he said. "But I finished the season pretty strong. I didn't have any injuries besides the small nicks and bruises everyone has throughout the season that would keep me out of these games.

"I'm blessed that I was able to be healthy and I feel good."

This, then, is the new normal for James. He no longer has to answer questions about what went wrong or what might have been. Once a rookie on the Olympic team who barely played in 2004 in Athens, now he is one of the leaders of the squad and one of its main spokesmen.

Perhaps because of what he went through in 2004 and in losing in The Finals twice before -- in 2007 in Cleveland and then last year to Dallas -- he has empathy for his Olympic teammates who were opponents just three weeks ago -- Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden of the Oklahoma City Thunder. He knows how hard it would have been to practice every day against ex-Mavericks center Tyson Chandler last year.

"It would bother me," said James, who has admitted going into a deep funk after losing in 2011. "It would bother anyone that you lose to someone in the finals, where you're competing at the highest level and you want to win, and then you have to team up with them not too far removed from the games.

"It's tough, but at the same time we understand what we're here for. We're going to use our talents and use what we can do to try to help this team win gold."

On Twitter: @pdcavsinsider

Wednesday, July 11 television and radio sports listings for Cleveland and Northeast Ohio

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Class AAA All-Star Game is televised on the MLB Network.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today's TV and radio sports listings

BASEBALL
 Â
7 p.m. Wisconsin at LAKE COUNTY CAPTAINS, AM/1330

7 p.m. Class AAA All-Star Game, MLB Network 

CYCLING
 Â
8 a.m. Tour de France, Stage 10, NBC Sports Network 


Penn State report on Jerry Sandusky to be released Thursday

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The university trustees who paid for the probe, led by former FBI agent and federal judge Louis Freeh, will pore through it on Thursday to see what it says about university employees -- including late football coach Joe Paterno -- as well as recommendations for policy changes and even their own knowledge about rumors Sandusky had abused children on campus.

Penn State AbuseFormer Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky  was convicted on Friday, June 22, 2012, of sexually assaulting 10 boys over 15 years, accusations that had sent shock waves through the college campus known as Happy Valley and led to the firing of Penn State's beloved Hall of Fame coach, Joe Paterno.. (AP Photo/Centre County Correctional Facility)

STATE COLLEGE, Pa.  — The team brought in by Penn State to investigate "the facts and circumstances of the actions" at the university surrounding molestation of boys by former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky will release its highly anticipated report this week, with the school's reputation and future direction hanging in the balance.

The university trustees who paid for the probe, led by former FBI agent and federal judge Louis Freeh, will pore through it on Thursday to see what it says about university employees, recommendations for policy changes and even their own knowledge about rumors Sandusky had abused children on campus.

Penn State alumni, college football fans and the family of Sandusky's former boss Joe Paterno will look to see if it sheds new light on Paterno's actions, particularly after a graduate assistant complained to him in 2001 about Sandusky showering in a team locker room with a boy.

School administrators Gary Schultz and Tim Curley, awaiting trial on charges they lied to the Sandusky grand jury and didn't properly report child abuse, will find out whether Freeh's investigators uncovered anything that might help — or hinder — their criminal defense. And former Penn State president Graham Spanier, who has not been charged with any crime, could discover whether emails or other records disclose more about his role.

Lawyers for the young men who testified against Sandusky, and others who might file civil lawsuits related to the scandal, will be reading the report closely for what it might mean regarding litigation. A civil complaint and a second legal notice of a lawsuit have been filed in Philadelphia, and there are signs other cases may be on the way.

"I'm going to be looking for what we believe will be full and complete disclosure," said Harrisburg lawyer Ben Andreozzi, who represents the young man described as Victim 4 in court records. "It's going to be convenient for the university to release certain information but to hold back on some of the details concerning potential information that could expose them to liability."

Andreozzi said he also represents four other young men and is evaluating their potential civil claims related to the Sandusky scandal.

In announcing that the report will go online at 9 a.m. Thursday, Freeh took pains to say no one outside his team will get copies beforehand, including the trustees. Investigators will hold a news conference that morning in Philadelphia. That day, trustees will start a two-day meeting in Scranton where they can respond to the report.

"I think we'll find that this thing revolves so tightly around coach Paterno, and I would hope the Freeh report is much broader than that and addresses the university as a whole — and how this culture was handled or mishandled correctly — and comes to some closure on that," trustee Ryan McCombie said Tuesday.

"The people who loved Joe Paterno will still love him when this is over," McCombie said. "The people who disliked him may feel they have ammunition to continue to dislike him."

Paterno died of cancer in January, but his family issued a statement late Tuesday saying leaks have made them question the fairness of the Freeh group's process. They defended the Hall of Fame coach, saying he did not know Sandusky was a child molester and did not prevent a proper investigation.

Sandusky, 68, was convicted of 45 counts of child sexual abuse last month and awaits sentencing. Prosecutors described how Sandusky culled the most vulnerable children from his charity for at-risk youth and used gifts and his access to Penn State facilities to abuse them over a 15-year span.

joe paternoA potentially explosive report into whether football coach Joe Paterno and other top Penn State officials took steps to conceal that Jerry Sandusky was a child molester will be released Thursday -- online for all to see, officials said Tuesday, July 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

The Paterno family took aim at a February 2001 email by Curley, recently reported by CNN, saying he had a change of heart about reporting the shower incident to authorities after speaking with Paterno. Penn State has disclosed that Freeh's probe turned up emails among top officials that have been given to prosecutors.

"When the facts come out, it will be clear that Joe Paterno never gave Tim Curley any instructions to protect Sandusky or limit any investigation of his actions," the Paterno family's statement read.

Spanier's lawyers on Tuesday broke a months-long silence to deny suggestions that he participated in a cover-up with the image of Penn State and its powerful and lucrative football program at stake. They said Spanier was never informed that Sandusky may have been abusing children.

"At no time in the more than 16 years of his presidency at Penn State was Dr. Spanier told of an incident involving Jerry Sandusky that described child abuse, sexual misconduct or criminality of any kind, and he reiterated that during his interview with Louis Freeh and his colleagues," said attorneys Peter Vaira and Elizabeth Ainslie.

Spanier's comments last week to the Freeh group echoed his testimony before a state grand jury that neither Curley nor Schultz informed him of the sexual nature of what graduate assistant Mike McQueary saw.

CNN reported an email showed Spanier was "supportive" of a decision by Curley and Schultz not to report the incident. Spanier warned, however, that they might "become vulnerable for not having reported it," CNN said.

Spanier's lawyers said the emails were "distorting the public record and creating a false picture."

Both Spanier and Paterno were ousted by school trustees a few days after Sandusky's arrest in November.

Michael Boni, who represents the young man called Victim 1, who testified against Sandusky, said the Freeh report will "help inform" the direction of civil litigation.

"Maybe what's been leaked out is most of it, I have no idea," he said. "I certainly hope not."

Tom Kline, an attorney for Victim 5, said he is particularly interested in the circumstances surrounding Sandusky's retirement in 1999, a year after a woman triggered a university police investigation by complaining Sandusky had showered with her son. Sandusky was not charged at the time, but was convicted of charges related to that incident last month.

"We already know that Penn State knew enough by February of 2001 to have stopped Sandusky dead in his tracks, which would have prevented the assault on my client six months later," Kline said.

Lawyers for Curley and Schultz, meanwhile, are expected to participate in a closed-door conference call on Wednesday afternoon with the attorney general's office and Judge Todd Hoover, who is presiding over their case in Harrisburg. Curley, on leave as athletic director, and Schultz, retired as vice president for business and finance, could learn when they will stand trial.

Freeh and his team of lawyers and former law enforcement officials interviewed more than 400 people, asking questions that went beyond Sandusky and the child sex-abuse scandal and into the relationship between football program and the university administration.

Freeh said in November that he would not interfere with the state's criminal probe but promised to conduct his review in "a thorough, fair, comprehensive manner, leaving no stone unturned, and without any fear or favor."

In January, trustees adopted interim recommendations from Freeh, including changes to policies for programs involving minors, reporting of allegations of abuse; and athletic department security.

The NCAA is reviewing how Penn State exerted "institutional control" in relation to the Sandusky matter, and whether university officials complied with policies that pertain to honesty and ethical conduct. The NCAA could open a more formal investigation that may expose Penn State to sanctions.

___

Online: www.TheFreehReportonPSU.com


Talk Indians with Paul Hoynes today at 1 p.m.

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PPaul with chat with cleveland.com's Glenn Moore about the All-Star Game in Kansas City, what needs to happen for the Tribe to compete in the second half and if the Indians will be buyers as the trading deadline approaches.

hoynes-headshot.jpgPaul Hoynes answers your Indians questions on Wednesdays at noon.

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

Paul with chat with cleveland.com's Glenn Moore about the All-Star Game in Kansas City, what needs to happen for the Tribe to compete in the second half and if the Indians will be buyers as the trading deadline approaches.

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


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