Everyone has been worried about Asian carp heading north and sneaking into the Great Lakes. The carp are moving east and west, as well, invading North America from coast to coast.

View full sizeD'Arcy Egan, The Plain DealerHow high can a silver carp fly? These silver carp were vaulting 8 to 10 feet into the air from the Illinois River after being disturbed by the vibration of an outboard motor.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- While everyone is worried about Asian carp coming to the Great Lakes through the front door, a school of acrobatic silver carp recently arrived in Ohio by way of the garage.

It's no secret Asian carp, which can grow to 100 pounds, have made it to the Ohio River. Kentucky fisheries biologists have long documented schools of silver and bighead carp along their stretches of the river, as well as in nearby lakes and ponds during floods. Now they're Ohio's problem as well, including the acrobatic silver carp.

Jeff Thomas, the manager of biological programs for the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission in Cincinnati, discovered the first school of silver carp in Ohio waters two weeks ago. The silver carp were easy to spot at the mouth of the Little Miami River near Cincinnati. They were jumping all over the place, an action provoked by vibrations of a boat's outboard motor.

It would be a long, arduous task for them to reach Lake Erie and the Cleveland area, but fisheries experts say Pittsburgh is now within easy range of the Asian carp invasion along the Ohio River. It's a fish so noxious even Cleveland Browns fans wouldn't wish them on Steelers Country. And once they get to Pittsburgh, it won't be to party on Carson Street.

The carp will have choices of broad, new rivers to wander. Pittsburgh is on the Allegheny Plateau, where the Allegheny River from the northeast and Monongahela River from the southeast form the Ohio River. New watersheds seem nothing more than a challenge for Asian carp.

"We're got to ramp up our efforts to monitor our tributaries of the Ohio River," said Chief Scott Zody of the Ohio Division of Wildlife. "We're in the process of creating a memo of understanding with Indiana to work together and keep Asian carp from moving into new watersheds in our states."

Electric fences and commercial nets have so far blocked Asian carp from swimming northward up the Illinois and Des Plaines rivers and into the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, their most promising gateway to the Great Lakes. Little seems done to stop the carp from infesting America's major rivers and streams as they expand their range both east and west. It seems only nets or poison can inhibit the carp population explosion.

In parts of heavily-infested Illinois River, the invasive carp now make up 60 percent of the fish biomass.

Bighead and silver carp are filter feeders growing big on tiny algae and zooplankton, so forget about trying to entice them to bite a hook. They prefer rivers with nutrient-rich runoff from agricultural fields, a good description of the Ohio River watershed and just about the entire Midwest.

"We need a permanent solution for stopping the carp," said Zody. "Lake Erie and our inland lakes and rivers make Ohio a major boating destination. Silver carp jumping into the air at the sound of a boat motor makes for a dangerous situation. We're planning information and education programs in five southern Ohio counties to let boaters and anglers know about the carp."

In the meantime, Asian carp will most likely continue to head up the southern Ohio tributaries of the Ohio River, and gear up for an invasion of West Virginia and Pennsylvania rivers and streams.

Kyrie Irving tells Cavaliers fans they're in for a treat when rookie Dion Waiters hits the court.

View full sizeMatt Slocum, APDion Waiters will finally be wearing a Cavaliers uniform on the court when the team opens summer league play Sunday in Las Vegas. "He's an exciting player," says Kyrie Irving. "You guys have no idea what we have."

LAS VEGAS -- According to Kyrie Irving, Cavaliers fans are in for a treat when rookie Dion Waiters hits the court.

"He's an exciting player," Irving said as the Cavaliers prepared to open summer league practice on Friday. "You guys have no idea what we have. I have an idea just from high school and seeing him in college. He's a bulldog."

Irving, the 2011 No. 1 pick who became the Rookie of the Year, and Waiters, the No. 4 pick in 2012, met as high school juniors making the tour of basketball camps.

"We both earned each other's respect for each other's games," Irving said. "Having him on the team now is a special opportunity, and I feel like this is the future of our program."

Syracuse Jim Boeheim thinks Waiters is a perfect complement for Irving, who seemed to have to make all the big plays down the stretch last season.

"Kyrie will take a little pressure of [Waiters], and I think he can take a little pressure off Kyrie because he can play some like a point guard and get other people involved and then he can finish," said Boeheim, who was here as an assistant on the 2012 U.S. men's Olympic basketball team.

Boeheim and Waiters famously clashed when Waiters took exception to coming off the bench his freshman year. But the Hall of Fame coach had veteran guards who had helped the Orange win 30 or more games in consecutive seasons.

"He could have started for us, and he could have started for anybody in the country," Boeheim said of Waiters. "It was just for our team, it was the best way to go."

Waiters didn't agree, and so Boeheim told him to leave, right?

"Let's clarify that," he said with a smile. "I did tell him to leave, but I knew his mother wouldn't let him leave."

The coach said that meeting, after Waiters' freshman year, was a turning point.

"I said, 'If you want to come back here, I want you back, but if you're going to have the same attitude and be unhappy because you're not starting,' -- I never tell kids that in April, I always tell them in April, 'Well, you have a chance.' -- I said, 'You don't have a chance. You've got to accept that.' I said, 'If you come back here and take that role, you will get drafted in the top 15 picks.' That's what I said to him. He says I said 20, but I think I said 15. Obviously, he did even better than that.

"I think it's a good lesson for him and everybody to learn. You don't have to start. You need to be a good player. If you're a good player, people will see that."

And Boeheim believes Waiters is a very, very good player.

"He's a tremendous talent," he said. "As I've said, he's the most talented guard I've had. I think he's the most NBA-ready guard that I've had. He's physical. He can play both [guard] spots if he has to. He's got a big-game mentality. He wants to play in big games. He wants to try to make the play. I think he's got unbelievable potential in the NBA. He can go to the basket, but he can shoot. He's a very good shooter.

"I just think he's going to be a terrific player. I think Cleveland did their homework. I think they took the best player. I thought he was the second-best player in the draft. I thought they did a great job. If he's healthy, he'll be the second-best player in the draft."

The last word: From Irving, a Duke alum, on whether there will be any trash talk with rookie center Tyler Zeller, a North Carolina alum, "I'll leave Tyler alone. He's a senior, so he has a few years on me. I'll leave him alone."

On Twitter: @pdcavsinsider

Only Boy easily handles the veteran Catlaunch to capture Thistledown's $50,000 Lewis Memorial Stake on Friday.

NORTH RANDALL, Ohio -- The 11-year-old Catlaunch ran out of gas over the last half-mile, and four-year-old Only Boy showed that distance races are more his style as jockey Jareth Loveberry guided the bay gelding to a snappy four-length victory in the 33rd running of the $50,000 George Lewis Memorial Stakes on Friday afternoon at Thistledown.

"The last time I rode Only Boy, it was a six-furlong race here and Only Boy couldn't get up in time to challenge the leaders," said Loveberry, a regular rider at Mountaineer in Chester, W. Va. "I thought the 1 1/8-mile race would give him the extra distance he needed.

"Trainer Larry Rivelli told me he'd been training awesome. This horse waits for you to tell him to make his move. When I asked him to get going at the half-mile pole, he grabbed the bit and took off."

Only Boy moved from sixth in the eight-horse field to third at the 3/4-mile mark. He caught early leader Catlaunch in the final turn and went on to post his second win in nine starts this season in 1:52.60. It pushed his season earnings to $59,322. Owned by Our Blue Streaks Stable, the Political Folly gelding hadn't won a race since his first start of the year, a victory at Louisiana's Fair Grounds Race Course in January.

The 3-2 favorite, Only Boy returned $5, 2.80, 2.20. Raise the Reward finished second, $2.80, 2.20, more than six lengths in front of Catlaunch, $2.20. A winner of five stakes races in eight starts last year, Catlaunch has yet to score in five outings this season. Raise the Reward was claimed by trainer Jeff Radosevich for owner Michael Annechino on March 7 for $8,000, and has since won three races and posted three seconds in six starts.

Catlaunch won the Lewis Memorial last year. Trainer Ivan Vazquez said this time around Catlaunch broke well out of the starting gate, but seemed to be in a bad mood.

"Like people, sometimes he's grumpy," said Vasquez. "Getting the lead from the outside post probably took a lot out of him."

Perez is scheduled to pitch Saturday for the Aeros, and could rejoin the Tribe if all goes well after five appearances in Double-A Akron.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerRafael Perez appears to be closer to returning to the Indians' bullpen.

TORONTO -- Rafael Perez's latest recovery efforts have Manny Acta finally feeling pretty good about the middle of his bullpen.

Perez, on the disabled list since April 26 with a strained left lat, is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment Saturday with Akron. If all goes well for the left-hander over the course of about five games, he could rejoin the Indians.

That he might return to the roster is welcome news for Acta, particularly on the heels of losing lefty Nick Hagadone to a fractured forearm. Hagadone's recovery is expected to take 6-8 weeks, meaning he is likely out for the remainder of the season.

But with a healthy Perez, improvement from Tony Sipp, and the emergence of right-hander Esmil Rogers, Acta is starting to feel comfortable with the part of his bullpen that he hasn't been able to count on in the same way he's relied on Joe Smith, Vinnie Pestano and closer Chris Perez.

"I'm feeling pretty good," Acta said.

Sipp has had six scoreless outings in his last seven appearances, with opponents batting .048 in 6.2 innings pitched. If he and Perez can be consistent, the Indians might finally have a handful of left-handed relievers they can rely upon.

Rogers, acquired for cash from Colorado in mid-June, has been doing something in Cleveland that he didn't with the Rockies -- finding the plate. No one is sure if it's a change in scenery, a change in environment or a change in uniform. Rogers hasn't changed his delivery, but he's changed the outcome.

"He's throwing strikes," Acta said. "This guy has a big arm, and his issue in the past has been walking guys. Here, he's been good. With that kind of arm, when you're pitching ahead, it's going to be in your favor."

Rogers has struck out 11 right-handed batters since coming to the Indians.

On the dotted line: The Indians signed three more draft picks before Friday's 5 p.m. deadline, bringing the total signed to 26 of the 40 selected players.

Added Friday were high school outfielder D'Vone McClure (fourth round) for $765,000; high school right-hander Caleb Hamrick (eighth) for $180,000 and Baylor outfielder Logan Vick (11th) for $125,000.

Finally healthy: For the first time in a while, Acta was able to insert the players he wanted into the lineup Friday. With a roster as healthy as its been this season, Carlos Santana started at first so right-hander Lou Marson could face Toronto's left-handed pitcher Ricky Romero. Travis Hafner, in his sixth game since knee surgery, was designated hitter and homered in the second inning.

"I'm going to put the best lineup out there that I can on an everyday basis," Acta said.

Justin Masterson improves to 6-8 with the help of Travis Hafner's solo home run in the second.

TORONTO — The "last time," Chris Perez swears, never crosses his mind.

As in, the "last time" the closer pitched, and he wound up blowing a save. Or the "last time" he faced the Toronto Blue Jays after another Justin Masterson gem, when he blew his only other save of the season.

The last time doesn't -- can't -- enter his thoughts.

"If it does, you're not a good closer," Perez said.

Perez, an All-Star and among the MLB leaders in saves, is a very good closer. Vinnie Pestano has proven to be a very good set-up man. And Masterson is the Tribe's staff ace for a reason, too.

All three pitchers showed the ability to forget the nightmarish bad and show their best Friday night in clinging to Travis Hafner's solo blast that gave the Tribe a 1-0 victory over Toronto in front of 32,308 at Rogers Centre. The Indians improved to 45-41 in returning to action after the All-Star break, keeping them in the thick of the American League Central race at 21/2 games behind the Chicago White Sox.

It only took a few days off during the All-Star break for the Tribe to prove they could quickly forget what happened the last time they took the field -- when they fell to Tampa Bay, 7-6, on Perez's blown save.

And Masterson showed that he had little recollection, too, of his last outing, when he allowed eight earned runs in 41/3 innings against the Rays.

"What outing?" Masterson deadpanned when asked if he had forgotten that performance.

Instead, Masterson doled out his sinker and his fastball in dominant fashion, scattering five hits over seven innings, while striking out five. His first four innings were 1-2-3 affairs with the help of strong fielding that yielded two double plays.

In all, Masterson threw 16 first-pitch strikes and allowed 13 groundouts.

It was the type of performance the Tribe needed when the only offense came from Hafner's towering home run to right field in the second inning.

"He's a big boy and he can hit," Masterson said, smiling. "I think he's happy to be back."

Hafner's eighth home run of the season came in his sixth game back from knee surgery.

It proved to be all the Tribe could muster against Blue Jays left-hander Ricky Romero. Romero lasted six innings, allowing six hits and striking out six -- but still earned his fourth loss in a row.

Pestano, meanwhile, continued his impressively strong setup role in striking out two of the three batters he faced in the eighth inning.

And in the ninth, Perez earned his 25th save, second-best in the majors.

He did it while facing the heart of Toronto's order -- center fielder Colby Rasmus, right fielder Jose Bautista and first baseman Edwin Encarnacion. Combined, the three have 67 home runs this season.

That fact, he swears, didn't cross his mind. Nor did his last outing, when he blew his second save of the season. Nor did the season opener, which happened to be against these same Toronto Blue Jays after a similar Masterson dominant performance.

"The way I look at it, Sunday [my blown save] was an aberration," Perez said. "I blew a save. It happens. Hopefully I'll blow a couple more in my career. That means I'm getting more opportunities and I'm still doing my job.

"If I can get ahead, throw strikes and live in the zone, I trust my stuff and my defense. It's not like you have to be Superman out there and strike out the side."

He did manage to get Rasmus to fly to deep center, Bautista to ground to short and Encarnacion to strike out -- while Perez emitted his trademark scream combined with a fist pump.

The "last time" never crossed Perez's mind, he swears. But he's glad it didn't happen again.

"The only motivation I needed was a 1-0 game," he said.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: jvalade@plaind.com, 216-999-4654

The Blaze scores two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to pull away from the Gladiators.

View full size

Cleveland quarterback Matt Bassuener threw a 20-yard touchdown pass and ran for a 16-yard TD to tie the game, 14-14, at the end of the first quarter.

At 10:01 of the second quarter, the Blaze led, 35-14, after quarterback Tommy Grady threw touchdown passes of 4, 1 and 9 yards.

Early in the fourth quarter, Bassuener's 7-yard run made it 55-49, but the Blaze scored two touchdowns to pull away.

Tribe has won five straight against left-handed starters heading into Saturday's game against Toronto lefty Aaron Laffey.

APFormer Indian Aaron Laffey starts for the Blue Jays today.

TORONTO -- Don't look now, but Cleveland's lefty heavy lineup is starting to improve. Slowly.

Entering Saturday's game, Tribe hitters were batting .236 against left-handers. That's compared to .268 against right-handed starters with a batting lineup that is left-handed heavy.

More importantly to the Indians, they have won their last five games against left-handed starters.

"We knew we weren't as bad as we started off this season," Indians manager Manny Acta said.

Overall, Cleveland still is 10-16 against lefty starters.

Toronto's starter Saturday is left-handed Aaron Laffey (0-1, 2.67).

Today's lineups

Indians (45-41): RF Shin-Soo Choo (L), SS Asdrubal Cabrera (S), 2B Jason Kipnis (L), 3B Jose Lopez (R), DH Carlos Santana (S), Michael Brantley (L), LF Shelley Duncan (R), 1B Casey Kotchman (L), C Lou Marson (R). RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (8-7, 4.50).

Blue Jays (43-44): 3B Brett Lawrie (R), CF Colby Rasmus (L), RF Jose Bautista (R), 1B Edwin Encarnacion (R), DH Adam Lind (L), SS Yunel Escobar (R), 2B Kelly Johnson (L), LF Rajai Davis (R), C J.P. Arencibia (R), LHP Aaron Laffey (0-1, 2.67).

Umpires: H Chad Fairchild, 1B Alfonso Marquez, 2B Tom Hallion, 3B Brian O'Nora.
 
Indians vs. Laffey: Kotchman is batting .900 (9-for-10) with 2RBI, Lopez is 3-for-15 with one home run and three RBI.

Blue Jays vs. Jimenez: Rasmus is batting .389 (7-for-18) with five strikeouts. Escobar is 5-for-14 (.357), and Johnson has eight walks.

Next: RHP Derek Lowe (8-6, 4.43) faces RHP Carlos Villanueva (3-0, 3.05) at 1:07 p.m. in the final game of the Tribe's three-game series at Rogers Centre.

Aguilar, 22, earned a trip to MLB's Futures Game following a first half at Carolina that included a .305 average with 11 homers and 45 RBI.

View full sizeJeff Roberson, Associated PressIndians prospect Jesus Aguilar wasn't successful on this steal attempt in baseball's All-Star Futures game last week in Kansas City, but his bat has made an impression at Class A Carolina in 2012.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Jesus Aguilar, 22, had a strong first half of the season with the Class A Carolina Mudcats (.305, 11 homers, 45 RBI) and played in the Futures Game in Kansas City on July 8.

1: How did you feel when you were picked to represent the Indians for the Futures Game?

A: I was really excited. It was a great experience for me because this game is just for a few players.

2: How do you feel you played in the first half?

A: I think I did really good. I played my game. I didn't try to do too much when I went to the plate. That's key for me.

3: Why have your power numbers increased the last two seasons?

A: Nothing has changed. The ball is just flying off my bat. I'm just trying to make hard contact.

4: Do you think you will be promoted to Class AA Akron in the second half?

A: That is not my worry. My worry is to play. I can't control that decision.

5: You're a big man (6-3, 257). What have you done to work on your defense at first base?

A: I've worked hard with [minor-league instructor] Travis Fryman. We've worked hard with my footwork. You don't have to move a lot at first base. In practice, I try to take balls at shortstop and second base to help my agility. You have to be agile at first base.

The trade deadline and the Tribe's problematic left field situation are atop this week's mailbag with beat writer Paul Hoynes.

View full sizeMCT fileNot yet 29, Chicago Cubs pitcher Matt Garza is a frequent topic of conversation when talk rolls around to the trade deadline and players the Indians might pursue.

Hey, Hoynsie: Could you see the Indians pursuing a deal with the Cubs where we take on about half of Alfonso Soriano's contract and also get Matt Garza? If the Indians offered Bryce Stowell, Scott Barnes and Cody Allen? -- Rick Walters, Parma

Hey, Rick: Interesting concept. Half of Soriano's remaining contract is about $22 million. Garza is making $9.5 million this year and is eligible for arbitration next year.

From the Cubs' point of view, I think Theo Epstein would like a little more bang for his buck if he's going to trade two big leaguers in one deal. As for the Indians, they'd have control over Soriano for 2013 and 2014, but he's 36 and that's probably the wrong time to have control of a contract like that.

Garza, 28, isn't having a great year, but if he went to arbitration next year he'd probably ask for between $10 million and $12 million.

I'd prefer to deal specifically for Garza.

Hey, Hoynsie: I hope that you can explain. I've reread cleveland.com interviews with the Tribe brass. Why are they so proud of jobs they've done? No drafting of quality players, one playoff and two winning seasons in 10 years? -- Vicki Mretti, Casper, Wyo.

Hey, Vicki: I've never heard anyone from the front office beat their chest and say "We're the greatest." They know the last 10 years have not unfolded the way they wanted.

Hey, Hoynsie: The Tribe's three left fielders have a combined 87 hits (410 at-bats, .212) with 17 doubles, 13 homers, 44 RBI. Last season, Matt LaPorta also had 87 hits (352 AB's, .247 avg.) with 23 doubles, 11 homers, 53 RBI, and was deemed a complete failure. How does the Tribe's "braintrust" justify keeping these three guys, while not giving a less expensive, very powerful right-handed bat another chance? -- Curtis Sholl, Cleveland

Hey, Curtis: Maybe LaPorta will get a shot in left field after the All-Star break, but sometimes a player just runs his course in an organization. When the Indians signed free agent Casey Kotchman to play first base, that essentially cost LaPorta a spot in the big leagues.

Hey, Hoynsie: Do you think Ubaldo Jimenez has really figured it out? A recent Denver Post article regarding C.J. Wilson's strategy of ditching his sinker when pitching at Coors Field mentioned that several successful ground-ball pitchers for the Rockies struggled to find the proper arm slot on the road.

According to Fangraphs, Jimenez's sinker use has gone down from 37.9 percent (2010), to 22.4 (2011), to 15.5 so far in 2012, while his overall fastball usage has been steady at about 60 percent. Is ditching the sinker helping his overall command? -- Andy Applegate, Chicago

Hey, Andy: I have not specifically asked Jimenez about his sinker. Manny Acta said recently that he's been throwing his splitter as a change-up and been getting a lot of ground balls and outs on it.

I don't think he's ever relied as much on the sinker as Justin Masterson and Derek Lowe.

View full sizeMark Duncan, Associated PressAsdrubal Cabrera had 15 errors in 151 games in 2011, but already has 10 in 2012.

Hey, Hoynsie: What's happened to Asdrubal Cabrera? Seems like he has gone from three to 10 errors in a few weeks. Is he focused? -- Jim Fisher, Boston

Hey, Jim: Most of Cabrera's errors seem to come on routine plays. Focus could be a problem. I think he wears down, as well. He's such an important part of the offense that Acta hates to take him out of the lineup.

They really don't have a reliable backup shortstop to give him a break when he needs it.

Hey, Hoynsie: Why isn't Russ Canzler getting a shot with the big club? Aaron Cunningham isn't hitting and Shelley Duncan is struggling. He has proved himself at the minor-league level and deserves a shot, don't you think? -- C.J. Cianci, Dunmore, Pa.

Hey, C.J.: It doesn't matter what you or I think, the Indians are the ones who make the call.Cunningham is being used as a defensive replacement. Canzler isn't going to fill that job. Duncan and Canzler, to me, are the same kind of player.

Canzler's chances will probably be influenced by what the Indians do or don't do by the July 31 trade deadline.

Hey, Hoynsie: The Pirates have sent Jose Tabata to the minors and have other options for their outfield at this point. I think this is the kind of player the Indians should be trying to trade for instead of a veteran. I know he will probably not come cheap, but you have to give up quality to get quality. What do you think Tabata might cost the Indians? -- John Mayor, Marienville, Pa.

Hey, John: The Pirates signed Tabata, 23, to a six-year, $15 million deal with three club options last year. He's struggled this year and was sent down, but I'm not sure they're going to put him on the market that fast.

Hey, Hoynsie: I am enjoying the ride, but with an eye to the future, how does Francisco Lindor factor in if shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera is signed long-term? Would the Tribe be more apt to move Cabrera to second or third base? Both possibilities intrigue me. -- Joe Cepec, Dublin

Hey, Joe: Just a hunch, but we probably won't see that happen. Cabrera signed a two-year, $16.5 million extension at the end of spring training that will take him through 2014. After that he's eligible for free agency. I'm betting he'll test the waters.

Lindor, 18, is still two to four years away. If Cabrera is still around when Lindor arrives, I think the quality of Cabrera's defensive play will determine what happens. Lindor could play second or third or he could take over at short with Cabrera moving. Jason Kipnis would also have to figure into the equation.

It would be a good problem to have.

Hey, Hoynsie: What happened to Jeanmar Gomez? He went from being the most effective pitcher on the team at the beginning of the year to pitching batting practice. Did the hitters make adjustments or did he just become ineffective? -- Gareth Harris, Westlake

Hey, Gareth: Gomez was having trouble throwing out of the stretch before he was optioned to Class AAA Columbus just before the All-Star break. He was also having trouble keeping the ball down and walking more batters than normal.

-- Hoynsie

Jimenez falls to 8-8 after allowing eight runs, including six in the third inning. The Tribe's five-run eighth wasn't enough to catch up.

View full sizeChris Young, Canadian PressUbaldo Jimenez had a short, disappointing workday on Saturday, leaving in the third inning with a 7-2 deficit to Toronto. The margin grew to 10-2 before the Indians rallied late in a 11-9 loss to the Blue Jays.

TORONTO -- The Indians found their bats Saturday afternoon.

Unfortunately, the Blue Jays got there first against Ubaldo Jimenez. The result was lots of runs, ending with Toronto's 11-9 victory at Rogers Centre.

Jimenez appeared to have resolved his struggling ways, going 2-2 with a sub-3.00 ERA in his last four games. But it was all wrong for Jimenez from the start Saturday. He allowed eight earned runs off seven hits in 2.1 innings, equaling the most runs scored off him in his career.

Included in that barrage were home runs from Edwin Encarnacion and Yunel Escobar.

On the bright side, Tribe hitters actually fared decently against left-handed starter and former Indian Aaron Laffey, clubbing him for eight hits and four runs. The Tribe had won five straight against left-handed starters.

Trailing, 11-4, in the eighth inning, the Indians pounded out five runs, led by two-run homers from both Michael Brantley and Casey Kotchman. With the tying runs on base, Carlos Santana knuckling liner to right field was scooped just off the turf by Jose Bautista to end the comeback bid.

In all, the two teams combined for 20 runs and 25 hits.

With year-round training, free agency, the proliferation of media and fan bases connecting through Internet forums, there is no such thing as an off-season anymore.

View full sizeWilliam Neff, The Plain DealerDoes sports -- particularly professional sports -- seem on a never-ending treadmill? You wouldn't be wrong. "[Fans] have an insatiable appetite for sports and the leagues want to deliver it to remain relevant," says David Carter, executive director of the USC Sports Business Institute. "Leagues do not want to give up the floor and they cannot afford to go dormant for several months at a time."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Eight years ago, the Cavaliers were one of six NBA teams to play in the inaugural Las Vegas summer league, an event that drew few fans, required only one open concessions stand and was run out of the briefcase of basketball agent Warren LeGarie.

The fledgling league and others like it provided competition for teams to acclimate their rookies and give other young players a chance to hone parts of their game.

As the Vegas field expanded, NBA executives took charge of the league in 2007, marketing it as the first opportunity for fans to see future stars.Naturally, they made room for it on NBA TV, a 24-hour cable network bereft of much live off-season programming. It's where over the next eight days fans will watch rookies Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller as part of NBA TV's 60-game, summer-league presentation.

Never mind the Indians are barely out of the All-Star break and the Browns are two weeks from training camp. The Cavaliers and the NBA are finding their audience three months before their first exhibition game.

"Fans want to stay connected to their teams and I think it's a good thing," Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant said. "We see the passion, particularly in our part of the country, and we know fans want to get as much information about the team as possible."

Such is the reality of pro sports today. The confluence of year-round training, free agency and a growing media presence has virtually eliminated what we know as a traditional off-season.

Years ago, baseball began with pitchers and catchers reporting to training camp while football ended with the last missed tackle of the Pro Bowl. Now, the sports calendar is dotted with combines, organized team activities and made-for-TV specials like the ESPYs.

It produces surreal scenes like the one on July 4 in Columbus, as more than 350 fans spent part of their holiday in Nationwide Arena's auxiliary rink watching the Blue Jackets conduct development camp. Because what says Fourth of July like hockey practice?

"[Fans] have an insatiable appetite for sports and the leagues want to deliver it to remain relevant," said David Carter, executive director of the USC Sports Business Institute. "Leagues do not want to give up the floor and they cannot afford to go dormant for several months at a time."

Phil Simms, former NFL quarterback and CBS analyst, is more succinct: "It's about money and finding ways to make more of it."

The NFL, which reported $9 billion in revenues last year, pushed hard in the last summer's labor negotiations to add two more regular season games to its schedule.

The NBA, with its nearly $4 billion in revenue in the 2000-11 season, continues to enable its players to participate in the Summer Olympics.

More exposure generates greater interest, Carter said, and ultimately leads to new revenue streams. ESPN analyst and former basketball coach Jeff Van Gundy understands it's good for business, but wonders at what cost.

"I don't know anyone in the NBA who has four weeks off anymore," he said.

When did sports evolve into year-round enterprises for teams and athletes? How did we get from Leroy Kelly running for a 100 yards on autumn Sunday afternoons to Hines Ward dancing with the stars in primetime?

Some believe the genesis dates to Sept. 21, 1970 in Cleveland.

"Like watching grass grow"

Desperate to improve its primetime ratings, ABC took a risk by moving one NFL game per week to Monday night.

The telecasts were about more than just football. They gave fans new camera angles -- hello, Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders -- controversial story lines and irreverence like they had never experienced. It started with this introduction from a provocateur who had no previous NFL experience:

"It is a hot, sultry, almost windless night at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio where the Browns will play host to the New York Jets. ... Good evening everyone, I'm Howard Cosell and welcome to ABC's Monday night primetime National Football League television series."

Carter and Joe Horrigan of the Pro Football Hall of Fame agree that Monday Night Football attracted more casual fans and different sponsors. It also demonstrated to sports and television executives that fans were willing to follow their teams and favorite players outside their normal settings. Boundaries began to stretch.

Cosell's rants had folks talking around the office water coolers for days and fans waited all week to see if their team's highlights made the halftime cut.

The first telecast set the tone for how sports and entertainment would become yoked. It was no longer Ray Scott calling down and distance for CBS.

"Fair Hooker, that's a great name, isn't it?" Don Meredith said of the Browns receiver. "But I haven't met one yet."

Spurred by its innovative success, ABC launched a primetime competition in 1973 called "Superstars," pitting athletes from various sports against each other. America saw Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Lynn Swann nimbly negotiate obstacle courses and heavyweight boxer Joe Frazier nearly drown in a pool. Sports figures no longer needed to be in season to be seen or discussed.

The advent of baseball free agency in 1975 got fans chatting through the offseason about ways their teams could improve and Pete Franklin and the burgeoning genre of sports talk radio offered them the platform to voice their opinions.

Four years later, an all-sports network hungry for original content approached then-NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle about televising the draft. Team owners initially rejected ESPN's novel proposal, calling it a "television show concept."

"I can remember people around the league saying, 'Who would watch the draft? It will be like watching grass grow.'" Horrigan recalled. This year, ESPN dedicated 82 hours of coverage.

With each passing decade, leagues seem to add length to their seasons with bye weeks and wild cards and extended playoff series. The NHL and NBA no longer hold best-of-threes or best-of-fives. Everything is best-of-seven.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was unsuccessful in expanding the regular season to 18 games, but his league does not go a month without some event -- combine, draft, minicamp, rookie symposium -- putting it in the news.

In 1964, the last time the Browns won a title, the championship was decided on Dec. 27. The New York Giants won the most recent Super Bowl on Feb. 5, 2012.

"The Super Bowl is hardly over and we're talking about free agency and the draft," Simms said.

Full-time job

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerWhen Casey Kotchman reported for the start of spring training, he arrived at a modern-day training facility in far better condition than his predecessors would have 50 or more years ago. That's true of all the main sports now -- athletes can't allow the off-season to affect their conditioning.

Former Browns offensive lineman Doug Dieken did little off-season conditioning during his first seven years in the NFL. He was too busy working a second job to supplement his football income, which during his rookie year (1971) totaled $16,000. Dieken served as a substitute teacher and later helped college students find summer internships while in the employ of the Department of Commerce.

In 1978, the Browns offered players $50 a day and a maximum $200 a week to train in the off-season under Dave Redding, the organization's first strength and conditioning coach.

"I said, 'Dave, what can this training do for me?,'" recalled Dieken, who never earned more than $275,000 per season over 14 years. "He told me, 'It can add years to your career,' and I said, 'Well, OK, let's get started.'"

The evolution of big-money deals, the competition to land them and advances in exercise and nutrition have athletes in the gym roughly 11 months a year. The idea of using training camps to get into shape is as outdated as golf-cart rides from the bullpen to the pitcher's mound.

"When these guys, especially the young guys, get to spring training they had better be ready to go or they are going to fall behind the guys who are ready," said Mike Sarbaugh, the Tribe's Triple-A manager with the Columbus Clippers.

Franchises make multi-million dollar investments in athletes and schedule as many OTAs and minicamps and development camps as their collective bargaining agreements will allow.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerBrowns radio analyst Doug Dieken never had the year-round training regimen of All-Pro Joe Thomas when Dieken played in Cleveland from 1971-84. Dieken was a substitute teacher and later helped college students find summer internships when the NFL season ended.

Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden spent much of his spring and early summer in Berea prepping for his rookie season. As he was about to depart for his native Oklahoma on July 1 someone asked how he would spend his three weeks of "down time."

"I'll do a little bit of golfing," said Weeden, who will receive a four-year, $8.1 million contract. "But I'll be working out every day with [Browns receiver] Josh Cooper. You've got to stay on top of it because everybody else is."

Dieken chuckled as he thought about the changing times. He and some teammates who lived in the area used to make a few extra bucks and fill high school gyms playing basketball games against teaching staffs.

"We thought it was a great way to stay in shape," Dieken said.

If the NFL Network had been in existence, it might have televised the games to spare viewers of the 4,000th re-airing of The Drive.

Media matters

The Las Vegas summer league has expanded to include 24 teams playing in front of fans paying $22 per ticket in two gyms on the UNLV campus. The number of credential media also has risen dramatically. Blogging was in its infancy as the first summer league tipped off. Twitter hadn't been conceived. Now, any juicy tidbit or zesty quote is dispatched electronically in 140-character bursts and debated on fan message boards.

"The evolution of media, traditional and social, is a big part of the year-round story," Carter said. "There is so much more media interest in sports today and it's not just the outlets themselves. Something an athlete writes on his Twitter account could become news."

Just ask Colt McCoy's brother.

Athletes, franchises and leagues are all part of the media. The Blue Jackets, who finished with the NHL's worst record last season, are trying to provide original content on the team's Web site each day during the off-season. The Cavaliers are supplying daily updates from Vegas. In the post-LeBron James era, the team is not guaranteed to remain in the public conscious so it works every angle, including Web reports on Cavalier Girls tryouts.

"Teams and leagues want to be on the minds of fans all the time whether the content is legitimate or contrived," Carter said.

The NFL, NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball have cable networks to ensure their sports are always on television. The college ranks have followed suit as leagues (Big Ten) and universities (Texas) created their own channels.

And, if young athletes want to appear on those networks, some believe they must train like the pros.

"Even in youth sports you have kids working out 12 months a year," Simms said.

Van Gundy believes athletes and coaches would benefit from more opportunities to "rest and recharge." Increasingly, though, the only timeouts come during the games.

"It's so competitive now," Van Gundy said. "You adjust, you adapt or you perish."

Off-season moves for the Cavaliers -- and other NBA teams -- dominate this week's mailbag with Mary Schmitt Boyer.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerKyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson were the first parts of the renovated Cavaliers roster in 2011-12, and welcome first-round rookies Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller during this week's summer league in Las Vegas.

Hey, Mary: Do you believe building through the draft is the only way to build a contender? I only ask because I feel you need both good draft picks and free agents to build a contender. Thank you. -- LaShawn Conner, South Euclid

Hey, LaShawn: Building through the draft certainly has been successful in San Antonio and Oklahoma City, smaller cities like Cleveland that might not be big draws for free agents. That's why the Cavs are trying to follow those models. In addition to the draft, the Cavs think trades are more likely to help than free-agent signings.

Hey, Mary: With players taking less money to play for championships on a stacked roster in Miami, it appears the NBA is becoming a players-only fantasy league. Isn't that bad for the sport and the fans? -- Steven Alex, Gainesville, Fla.

Hey, Steven: I have to agree with you. It appears that the rich are getting richer and that the lockout was for nothing. I think the only fans who might disagree live in New York, Los Angeles or Miami.

Hey, Mary: Did LeBron ever recruit players to come to the Cavs? -- Bob M., North Royalton

Hey, Bob: Yes, without very good results. His first recruit was Larry Hughes. Enough said. He also wanted players the Cavs did not obtain -- like Jason Kidd.

Hey, Mary: Do you think OKC should offer Serge Ibaka and James Harden to Orlando for Dwight Howard? Orlando gets two young talented players and OKC is still amazing without having to go way over the cap to keep Ibaka and Harden? -- Amichai Friedman, Jerusalem

Hey, Amichai: The problem with any deal for Howard is that he would have to agree to sign an extension with his new team. He can become a free agent next summer, so unless he agrees to stay, the Thunder would be blowing up a team that can be good for many years in order to rent Howard for one season.

Hey, Mary: Since the Lakers did not make a selection in the first round of the 2011 and 2012 draft, would that not violate the Stepien rule that states you cannot go two consecutive years without a first-round selection? -- R. Irwin, Cleveland

Hey, R: I am going to quote a great explanation from collective-bargaining agreement expert Larry Coons of ESPN.com, written last year after the Cavs won the lottery with the No. 1 pick they obtained from the Los Angeles Clippers in the Baron Davis trade.

"The Stepien rule says teams can't trade first-round picks if they could be left without one in consecutive years," Coons wrote. "The rule looks only to the future -- teams that traded their 2010 picks can still trade their 2011 picks. But teams that already have traded their 2011 picks can't trade their 2012 picks. Once the 2011 draft is complete and a team's 2011 pick is no longer a future pick, it is free to trade its 2012 pick.

"When dealing with pick protection, the Stepien rule is interpreted to mean that teams can't trade a first-round pick if it results in so much as a minute possibility that they could be without a first-round pick in consecutive years."

Hey, Mary: Wherever Antawn Jamison goes, what are the chances of a sign-and-trade? Is there anyone from those teams that they would part with that fit into what the Cavs are trying to do? -- Jason Miller, Trumbull, Conn.

Hey, Jason: Cavs have been exploring this option. My guess is they might prefer to get a first-round draft choice, though that might eliminate the Lakers from consideration. Brooklyn was willing to part with draft choices in the proposed Dwight Howard trade. Not sure that still applies here.

Hey, Mary: Why would the Cavs not make a push for Nicholas Batum? He is a decent scorer, a strong perimeter defender and would be a nice consolation for not landing MKG. It would fill a substantial need without hindering long-term cap space, because even at $10 million to $12 million a year over four we can afford him. -- Yair, Lakewood, N.J.

Hey, Yair: The one thing the Cavs have said repeatedly is that they didn't want to overpay for a free-agent. So while they are $20 million or $21 million under the cap, they want to be judicious in how they spend that money. Also, it would appear Portland was never going to let him go anyway.

Hey, Mary: Do you think the Cavs would have any interest at all in Elton Brand, being that the 76ers amnestied him? -- Andrew Laws, Avon

Hey, Andrew: Brand has been claimed by Dallas.

Hey, Mary: Ronnie Brewer was just cut by the Bulls. Is he an option here? -- Steve B., Cleveland

Hey, Steve: I think the Cavs like their own free agent, Alonzo Gee, better.

-- Mary

The commissioner and the players union boss each answered questions on the state of the game.

View full sizeBebeto Matthews, Associated PressBaseball Commissioner Bud Selig (left) and MLB Players Associated director Michael Weiner offered some insight into various baseball issues during the All-Star break.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Last week at the All-Star Game in Kansas City, Commissioner Bud Selig and Michael Weiner, executive director of MLB's player association, talked to members of the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Here are 10 points of interest they each made.

From Selig:

1. Parity: At the break, 19 teams were in line for a playoff berth or within 2 1/2 games of one.

2. Low attendance at Tampa Bay games: Selig said, "It's inexcusable ... it's disappointing ... and I'm concerned."

3. Expanded use of replay: It will be done when the technology is available. The two area MLB initially wants to address are fair and foul calls down the left- and right-field lines and trapped balls.

Selig said when he talks to the former and active managers on his "on the field" committee, "nobody is anxious to increase instant replay. ... The appetite for it is very low."

4. Technology status: The concern is getting the right camera angles to make fair and foul calls down the line and how to get that information to the umpires so they can properly place the runners on base.

5. Fifth umpire: MLB says it's reviewing many suggestions to help officiating, including the use of a fifth umpire. The fifth umpire would be in a TV booth and could overturn a bad call.

6. Playoff format: The 2-3 format -- the team with the best record must play the first two games on the road -- will only be in effect this year. Next year it will be 2-2-1.

7. Giants fans stuffing the All-Star ballot box: Selig says he was not disturbed by it. He says there's protection built in because the players vote and All-Star managers make selections.

8. New draft format: Selig says he's satisfied with it.

9. Home field advantage: Selig said he's still in favor of the All-Star Game winner determining home field advantage for the World Series.

10. Would MLB stop Barry Bonds from working for the Giants? "That is between Mr. Bonds and the San Francisco Giants," said Selig.

From Weiner:

1. 2-3 playoff format: The players don't like it, but approved it for a year because they wanted the two extra wild-card teams.

2. In-season HGH testing: Every player on a 40-man roster underwent a blood test this year in spring training. All 40-man roster players are subject to random testing this off-season. Later this season, players and owners will discuss if testing will carry over into the postseason this year and the regular season next year.

3. New draft format: Weiner didn't want to give an opinion until the draft was completed (Friday was the signing deadline), but he liked the earlier signing date because it helped players, teams and colleges.

4. What was proven in the Ryan Braun's positive PED test? "What was proven is that it wasn't a valid collection [Braun's urine sample] and therefore the collection had to be thrown out," said Weiner. "The case did not proceed to questions beyond that."

5. Umpire evaluations: Tony Clark of the players association and Joe Torre of the commissioner's office meet to evaluate umpires. Weiner said players want umpires to be as accountable for their actions as players are.

6. Is there a connection between the Roger Clemens trial and the Mitchell Report? "They are clearly connected in this sense; but for the Mitchell Report, you wouldn't have had the Roger Clemens trial," said Weiner. "If you wouldn't have Roger Clemens testifying before Congress, then you wouldn't have had a criminal trial."

7. Did the players association tell Josh Hamilton not to take a "hometown" deal from Texas? "We've always explained to players that every contract effects dozens of other guys. ... We don't discourage players from thinking that way. Ultimately, it's up to a player to decide what he wants to do."

8. Has MLB gone too far in determining the age and identity of Dominican Republic prospects? "Without getting into specifics, I would say past abuses don't justify infringing current rights."

9. When will the 2013 schedule, including interleague play and two 15-team leagues, be completed? Weiner said the union just gave the commissioner's office an extension, but says it is close.

10. Will Japan participate in the WBC in 2013? Weiner said Japan has agreed to play.

This week in baseball

Baseball is a game of threes. Three strikes and you're out and three outs in each half of an inning. Here are two more sets of threes to consider. All stats are through Friday.

Three up

1. Atlanta's Martin Prado went into the All-Star break hitting .349 (76-for-218) with 22 extra base hits, .399 on-base percentage and a .486 slugging percentage in his last 55 games.

2. Ryan Dempster came out of the All-Star break with a string of 33 scoreless innings for the Cubs, following six scoreless innings on Saturday.

3. Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, with 14 hits in his last 32 at-bats, is leading the American League with 113 hits through Friday.

Three down

1. Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia opened the second half with his right thumb in a cast and will miss up to three weeks.

2. After going 21-8 in May, the Marlins went 8-18 in June and are 4-6 in July.

3. The American League has scored just two runs in the last three All-Star Games.

Stat-o-matic

Three for three: Starting on July 7, when he was ejected from a game, and concluding Friday, Milwaukee's Zach Greinke started three straight games for Milwaukee. Red Faber of the White Sox was the last pitcher to do that in 1917, according to Elias Sports Bureau.

K's aplenty: Justin Verlander (128 strikeouts) and Max Scherzer (121) are just the second Detroit twosome, according to STATS, to have over 100 strikeouts each at the All-Star break. Mickey Lolich (156) and Joe Coleman (139) did it in 1972.

Man on fire: Kevin Youkilis, with a game-winning sacrifice fly Friday night against Kansas City, has 15 RBI in 14 games with the White Sox.

Albert Breer of NFL.com reported Friday that Gordon, 21, failed a third test at Utah, where he wasn't permitted to play because of NCAA transfer rules.

Baylor photoJosh Gordon says he was clean the whole time he was at Utah in 2011.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Despite a report to the contrary, Browns rookie receiver Josh Gordon told The Plain Dealer on Thursday that he never failed a third drug test at Utah.

Gordon admitted to The Plain Dealer that he failed two tests for marijuana at Baylor, one in October of 2010 a day after falling asleep in the drive-through of a Taco Bell with a teammate and one in June of 2011 after he returned from summer break. He said the second failed drug test was the last straw for Baylor and they suspended him indefinitely in July 11. He then transferred to Utah.

Albert Breer of NFL.com reported Friday that according to four NFL clubs, Gordon, 21, failed a third test at Utah, where he practiced with the team but wasn't permitted to play because of NCAA transfer rules.

"The whole time I was in Utah, I never ended up testing positive for any administrative test given by the administrative people there,'' Gordon said Thursday. "It was just their choice to test me and just make sure I was staying clean.''

Gordon declined to elaborate Saturday, but said the quote was accurate. Breer reported that Gordon submitted to a drug test before the supplemental draft and passed. He also said Gordon scored a 24 on the Wonderlic test.

Gordon also told The Plain Dealer Thursday that while at Utah, he underwent group therapy and saw a psychiatrist three times a week. He said he had to report back to the team while football was in session.

To help ease the financial burden on his mom and brother, Gordon said he tried to enroll at the University of Houston on a hardship transfer waiver as recently as June 27. He said his grades weren't what Houston wanted and they asked him to attend a four-week academic program.

When it became apparent his playing status for this season was in doubt, he declared for the NFL's supplemental draft on June 29. The Browns picked him in the second round and identified him as an eventual starter.

Gordon vowed to stay clean for the Browns and repay them for "sticking their necks out to draft me.''

Michael Brantley's hot bat has the Indians' confidence in his abilities growing.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerMichael Brantley is hitting .450 (18-for-40) in his last 10 starts and has raised his batting average to .299.

TORONTO -- Regardless of the game situation, Michael Brantley is the same.

The Indians center fielder doesn't try to do too much. He doesn't change his approach at the plate. He just tries to make contact, swinging smoothly.

Lately, he's been doing it rather well.

Saturday against Toronto, Brantley singled twice before powering his fourth home run of the season in the eighth inning. His two-run shot injected some hope into the Tribe, who scored three more in that inning before stalling.

"He's been our savior, basically," manager Manny Acta said. "Especially with the injury to [Travis] Hafner and [Carlos] Santana not hitting the way we expected him to hit.

"Wherever we ask [Brantley] to hit, he does it. ... He gives us quality at-bats, drives in runs and keeps going to bat without changing his approach."

Brantley's three hits against the Blue Jays extended his current hitting streak to 12 games. He's hit safely in 42 of 45 starts. In his last 10 starts, he has three homers, nine RBI, and is hitting .450. He's raised his batting average to .299.

"He's a good hitter. Period," Acta said. "He's hit his whole life, and he's gotten better here over the last three years. He's going to continue to get better."

Hafner's almost day off: Despite scoring the only run in Friday's game with his solo homer, Hafner wasn't in the lineup Saturday -- though he did enter in the eighth inning to pinch-hit for Jose Lopez. Hafner's RBI single closed the deficit to 11-9.

The intent had been to give Hafner the day off for a couple reasons -- to balance the lineup and to save his knee.

With left-hander Aaron Laffey starting for the Blue Jays, Acta said he wanted to get more right-handed bats in the lineup. Additionally, Saturday's game was the second of seven straight the Indians will play on artificial turf, a surface that is generally not kind to joints. Hafner is still recovering from knee surgery in late May.

Sweep the ball: Casey Kotchman pulled off a sweet defensive play in the eighth inning.

After Adam Lind's bouncer skittered off pitcher Esmil Rogers, the ball dribbled past the first-base foul line. With little time to react, Kotchman swept the ball back-handed toward Rogers, who grabbed it -- while standing on the base -- as Lind was called out.

"He did a great job of getting over there and he was asking for it, he was calling for it," Kotchman said of Rogers. "It took some kind of athleticism on his part to get hit and then be able to get over there and come up with it. I didn't give him a very good feed."

With Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller in the fold, Cavs games this season may look more like track meets if the summer-league offense is any indication.

View full sizeScott Shaw, The Plain DealerByron Scott's determination to use the summer league games to develop a quicker offensive pace has impressed rookie Dion Waiters. "This year we're going to be a running team. Coach already said that," Waiters said Saturday. "Get the ball and go. We've just got to be ready for that."

LAS VEGAS -- Ready, set ... go.

If the offense the Cavaliers are running in the summer league is any indication, games this season are going to be more like track meets. Byron Scott may have to replace his whistle with a stopwatch.

"It's crazy," rookie shooting guard Dion Waiters said after his second practice with Scott's team on Saturday afternoon. "There's only 24 seconds on the [NBA] shot clock anyway. In college it was 35. He told us we've got to get the ball over halfcourt in two seconds. The shot clock should say 22 when we have it over."

Waiters admitted he first thought there was no way to do that.

"You say that until you actually do it," he said. "Then you see you can do it so you go, 'All right. It's cool.' We've just got to continue to push the tempo. This year we're going to be a running team. Coach already said that. Get the ball and go. We've just got to be ready for that."

Added fellow rookie center Tyler Zeller, "Coach Scott always wants to run. That's what he's known for. It's even more to emphasize that we get it out quick, get up and down and hopefully we wear down teams at the end."

Waiters, the No. 4 pick in the draft from Syracuse, and Zeller, the No. 17 pick from North Carolina, will be in the starting lineup when the Cavs open summer-league games under assistant coach Jamahl Mosley Sunday afternoon against Charlotte. Waiters almost certainly will stay there when the regular season starts, while Zeller will back up Anderson Varejao.

The two rookies won't be working with Kyrie Irving, who will return to Cleveland on Sunday after suffering a broken bone in his right hand during a Saturday practice. The whole idea of teaming Waiters with Irving in the backcourt is to relieve some of the pressure on Irving, who had the ball in his hands so much last season. Now, either can run the offense while the other plays the wing. Waiters took over at point guard late in Saturday's practice and the offense didn't skip a beat.

"I thought he did a great job," Scott said after watching Waiters run the point. "He's able to get to the basket and make shots, beat people off the dribble. Pick-and-roll offense is very good with him. He's not selfish at all. He sees guys, he makes the correct plays. He gets a little upset with himself when he doesn't finish at the rim. Right now we have so much longer to go and he's just at the beginning stages obviously.

"The thing I told him just a little while ago was I loved what I saw on the offensive end, but on defensive end don't take plays off. If you're going to take a play off, you take it on the offensive end. He understood where I'm coming from because that's going to be very important for us to really get together on that end of the floor."

Irving, too, is looking forward to having someone to share the load.

"He brings versatility to our team," Irving said of Waiters before the announcement of his injury. "I can definitely go off the ball a lot more. The ball doesn't have to be in my hands all the time like it was last year. He gives me a chance to be on the wing at times while he runs the offense. I'm fine with it. We all know he can go. That's what we're developing at summer league.

"Throughout my high-school career, I played off the ball most of the time. I'm comfortable playing the wing. I really don't need to have the ball in my hands all the time to make plays for my teammates."

A bigger adjustment may be for Waiters to get used to not having the ball in his hands at crunch time. Although he didn't start at Syracuse, coach Jim Boeheim put him in charge late in games and told him to make something happen.

But Waiters says he's comfortable with Irving having the ball in those situations.

"I've just got to find my spots on the court where I know he's going to find me and when he comes to me I've got to be able to knock the shot down or make something happen myself," he said.

Waiters said he was still working himself back in to basketball shape. With a reported draft promise from a still-unnamed team, supposedly Phoenix, his agent shut him down at the Chicago pre-draft camp in early June. He didn't do any individual workouts for teams, although he said he'd been playing five-on-five and working out.

"But out here you've got to go hard every day," he said. "There's no plays off. That's the tough thing you've got to get used to. But that's easy if you're a basketball player -- just getting in better shape, eating healthy, doing all the right things.

"You can always be in better shape to take your game to the next level."

On Twitter: @pdcavsinsider

"If Kobe doesn't miss, he's going to be hard for Kyrie to beat," says Byron Scott on the proposed matchup. "But if he misses his shot and Kyrie gets the ball, it's going to be interesting."

View full sizeAP fileBeating the Lakers' Matt Barnes to the basket during a game last season in Los Angeles isn't the same as beating Kobe Bryant 1-on-1, but Byron Scott thinks his young point guard would have a chance.

LAS VEGAS -- Byron Scott won't pick a winner in the proposed $50,000 one-on-one match between Kyrie Irving and Kobe Bryant. The trash-talking wager during recent workouts here between Irving's U.S. Select team and Bryant's Olympic team was all over the Internet last week.

"Somehow my viral status has grown over the last week and a half," said Irving, who admitted he was not sure the event actually would happen. He spoke before the announcement was made that he had broken a bone in his right hand and would miss the summer-league schedule.

If it does, Scott's staying out of it. The Cavaliers coach mentored Bryant as a player and has done the same with Irving.

"That's new school against old school," Scott said, laughing. "You guys know how I feel about Kobe and I know what Kobe is going to try to do to him, too. He's going to take him to the post and physically beat him up and beat him up and beat him up, but if he misses and he has to guard Kyrie, he's in trouble.

"If Kobe doesn't miss, he's going to be hard for Kyrie to beat. But if he misses his shot and Kyrie gets the ball, it's going to be interesting. I don't think Kobe can stay in front of this young man. Not now, especially at Kobe's age now. If Kobe was five or six years younger, I'd pick Kobe right away. But I don't think he can stay in front of his guy."

Growth spurt: Scott thinks practicing against the Olympic team will only help Irving grow.

"After the first couple of days I saw him get more comfortable out there knowing he's going against the best players in the world," Scott said. "I thought the first day, not that he didn't look comfortable, he just didn't look like Kyrie to me. I think he weighed everything out and thought, 'I'm on the floor with these guys. I can do this.'

"Then the third day, he played like he was the best player on the floor. I thought that gave him great confidence of knowing he can play with these guys. It's going to help him going into our season because he knows he can be one of the best point guards in this league."

Defensive help: Scott doesn't think rookie Dion Waiters will have a tough time adjusting to man-to-man defense after playing a 2-3 zone at Syracuse. He just needs to be more focused.

"He's tough, he's strong and he moves his feet extremely well," Scott said. "But at times, when his man gives up the ball is when he starts to relax. That's what I want to get him out of, because when his man gives up the ball is really when the play is about to start.

"I want him to be involved with him on that end of the floor as much as possible."

It's a problem for almost all young players, Irving and Tristan Thompson included.

"All these guys are so young," Scott said. "They get in that habit of playing AAU basketball, and when it's not in their hands, they stand around and on the defensive end when [their] man doesn't have it, they kind of stand around.

"Kyrie got so much better toward the end of the season of moving without the ball and on the defensive end of being a better help defender. Those are still some of the things he's going to have to continue to get better at, but Dion is in that same category."

On Twitter: @pdcavsinsider

Not much time left before training camp, but the mailbag always has plenty of topics percolating.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerSidelined for all of the 2011 season, Brandon Jackson is eager to make a positive impression on the Browns when training camp opens.

Hey, Mary Kay: I was just wondering whatever became of RB Brandon Jackson. I thought he was a good FA pickup last year but since he hurt his toe in preseason and went to IR I haven't heard anything about him. -- Joe Fratena, South Bend, Ind.

Hey, Joe: Jackson is healthy, ready to roll and looked explosive in OTAs and minicamp. He even revealed his goals, which include Pro Bowls and the Hall of Fame. He'll contribute mainly on third down and special teams.

Hey, Mary Kay: Isn't it to Brandon Weeden's advantage to go against the Browns' second-ranked pass defense in practice? I think it will make him a better quarterback. -- Tim Hartman, Strongsville

Hey, Tim: Weeden is a gunslinger who loves to fling it around in practice, and the young defensive backs have been getting their hands on plenty of balls. I think it will help him tremendously to go against Joe Haden and T.J. Ward in camp.

Hey, Mary Kay: Why are we not talking about replacing Pat Shurmur instead of McCoy? He was horrible in his first year as a head coach and play caller. Instead, the Browns are making McCoy the scapegoat for a failed season. With the weapons that the Browns now have I feel that McCoy can be successful in Cleveland. -- Howard Campbell, Atlanta, Ga.

Hey, Howard: Shurmur will be a better coach for three reasons: a year's experience, an off-season and an offensive coordinator. I also think McCoy would've been much improved this year in his second year in the system, with off-season camps, a new right tackle, premier running back and two new receivers in Josh Gordon and Travis Benjamin.

Hey, Mary Kay: Last year I thought the equipment manager had a vested intrest in Clorox. White on white is okay for some games, though I prefer the Kardiac Kids colors (brown on orange). I'd like to see a mix. What was your vote? -- Jim Dial, Cleveland

Hey, Jim: The Browns will go four white and four brown at home this year. I'd love to see the orange pants mixed in, too.

Hey, Mary Kay: If the Browns finish as poorly as many suspect and are drafting at the top of the 2013 draft, do you think they'll make the strategic decision and take the best QB available. Or would they fear the fallout from taking Weeden in the first round this year? If they are picking No. 1 and don't take a QB, what position do you think they'd try to fill? -- J. Smith, Rocky River

Hey, J: No way will the Browns be picking first in the draft next year. I expect them to win more games than they did last season and could surprise folks if Weeden is good.

Hey, Mary Kay: What kind of comparisons can we draw between Brandon Weeden and Andy Dalton coming out of college? -- Richard Zunt, Pleasant Hill, Calif.

Hey, Richard: Both ran spread offenses in college, and Dalton adjusted quickly to a pro-style scheme in Cincinnati. Both are very accurate, but Weeden is at least an inch taller and has a much bigger arm. He looked natural under center in OTAs and minicamp.

Hey, Mary Kay: When is Mike Holmgren going to actually reach out to Jim Brown in private and work something out with him to represent his team? It would be nice if the feud ended. It seems Holmgren needs to make the first move. -- Lou Kovach, Cary, N.C.

Hey, Lou: I think the Browns will reach out to Brown if they haven't already. Brown seems open to a reconciliation. Let's hope it happens soon.

Hey, Mary Kay: Shouldn't the Browns be supporting Scott Fujita in his efforts to have his suspension overturned? It seems ridiculous that the team should be punished for something they had nothing to do with. It seems the Browns as a team would have a case against the NFL here. -- Lucius Ferris, Rome, Ohio

Hey, Lucius: The Browns are staying neutral here, supporting both Fujita and Roger Goodell's decision to suspend him. They won't be challenging the commish on this one.

Hey, Mary Kay: I am very worried about Phil Taylor being hurt. Do you think this John Hughes will be the starter? Some analysts said they didn't even think he would be drafted. Was he at OTA's and how did he perform? -- Mark Occhionero, Cleveland Heights

Hey, Mark: Hard to tell until the preseason games just how effective Hughes and Billy Winn will be, but the Browns are excited about both and think they'll surprise people. They might end up rotating at the spot.

Hey, Mary Kay: The Patriots signed Brandon Lloyd, Jabar Gaffney, Anthony Gonzalez and others to compete at WR, supposedly in anticipation of not having Wes Welker due to a contract holdout. Belichick has moved star WRs before, and he loves draft picks. What would it take to get Welker in a trade? -- Ed Todd, Chattanooga, Tenn.

Hey, Ed: I don't see it. The Browns are excited about their receiving corps, especially with Thursday's addition of Josh Gordon in the supplemental draft.

Hey, Mary Kay: Has there been any official release of the training camp schedule and what is open to the public? Also, does Pat Shurmur plan to have a team scrimmage at the stadium on a Saturday afternoon like has been done in the past? -- Kyle, Coldwater

Hey, Kyle: The Browns have 16 practices open to the public from July 28-Aug. 22, including Family Night at the stadium Aug. 8 from 7-8:30. The full schedule can be found here.

-- Mary Kay

Guard flying back to Cleveland Sunday for surgery, should be ready for training camp in October.

Gus Chan, The Plain DealerCleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving should be idled for six to eight weeks following surgery to repair a broken bone in his right hand, but should be ready for fall camp.

LAS VEGAS -- Kyrie Irving, the Cavaliers' leading scorer last season and the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year, suffered a broken bone on the outside of his right hand in a summer-league practice on Saturday afternoon at Spring Valley High School.

He will return to Cleveland on Sunday to be examined by team physicians. He said he needed surgery and is expected to be out six to eight weeks but should be healed in time for the starts of Cavs training camp in late September or early October.

The injury occurred during the first of two practices when Irving hit some padding on the wall after turning the ball over near the end of practice. He shook his hand repeatedly afterward and tried to return to the scrimmage before eventually taking himself out. He left the session with his hand wrapped in ice, went to Spring Valley Hospital and returned for the evening practice with his right hand in a cast.

"It was just a freak accident," Irving said. "I broke a really delicate bone in my hand."

He said there was not enough pain to indicate a serious injury, but when it got hit again during the scrimmage, he knew something was wrong.

Right now, it sounds as if his spirits hurt worse than his hand. He was coming off a stellar performance for the U.S. Select Team in practices against the U.S. men's Olympic basketball team here, and he was an Internet darling after video surfaced of a trash-talked filled exchange with Kobe Bryant regarding a one-on-one matchup for $50,000.

"I'm fine," he said. "I am a little disappointed, a freak accident like that. I have to be more responsible about my health. It was just crazy. It happened so fast.

"That thing that I did -- hitting the pad on the wall -- I've done it so many times. This time was just a freak accident.

"I've done it before. I was like, 'Oh, man. Dang I messed up.' I kept playing and then once I hit it again that's when I knew something was wrong."

Irving, the No. 1 pick in the 2011 draft out of Duke, averaged 18.5 points, 5.4 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game for coach Byron Scott and the Cavs last season. He missed 14 games last season, 10 with a sprained right shoulder, three with a concussion and one when he was ill. He missed most of his only season at Duke with a toe injury on his right foot before returning for the NCAA tournament.

He started the first eight games for the Blue Devils before injuring the toe in the second half of a game against Butler. He returned to play three games in the NCAA tournament, in large part, to convince himself and potential NBA suitors that he was healthy. The long lockout before last season actually allowed him to fully heal.

But he doesn't think the injuries are bad luck.

"I feel like it just happens. Plays just happen. It's uncontrollable. I'll be fine. Hopefully I'll be in shape for Coach Scott's crazy training camp."

On Twitter: @pdcavsinsider

Tom Heckert doesn't care what experts think of his draft, which isn't a bad thing.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerTom Heckert has bolstered the Browns roster without worrying about media or fan criticism, which is a good sign of his confidence, says Terry Pluto.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Fourth has passed, and this qualifies as those lazy, hazy days. But let's start talkin' ...

About the Browns...

1. Tom Heckert doesn't care what the experts think of his draft. The Browns' general manager doesn't care that some thought Brandon Weeden at No. 22 was too high, or that picking a 28-year-old QB is a bad idea. Heckert likes Weeden's arm and attitude. After watching Weeden in minicamps, the general manager and coaching staff are convinced they are right about Weeden. The quarterback play will improve with the former minor-league pitcher and Oklahoma State football star.

2. It's the same with picking Josh Gordon in the second round of the supplemental draft. Yes, Gordon sat out last season after transferring to Utah. Yes, he had two failed drug tests at Baylor. Yes, it's believed the Browns are the only team to submit a second-round bid. But it's also true that the supplemental lottery system gave Buffalo a higher spot than the Browns, and they feared Buffalo would submit a third-round pick. If that was the case and the Browns waited, Gordon would have gone to the Bills.

3. Just as the front office was not shy about trading a fifth-round pick to Minnesota to make sure they got Trent Richardson in April, Heckert and Co. were determined to grab Gordon. Heckert remembers being criticized for second-round picks used on T.J. Ward (2010) and Greg Little (2011), and both ended up as productive starters as rookies.

4. The Browns target about 20 players in the first few rounds -- and go after them. They know other observers may have some of them graded for the middle rounds, but they only are concerned with getting as many of that top 20 as possible. They projected Gordon to be in their top 20 next season, assuming he played at Utah.

5. They believe there's some speed with Travis Benjamin (fourth rounder) and Gordon. They have Little, who led the 2011 team with 61 receptions, 20 more than anyone else. For all the compliments given to Mohamed Massaquoi, the Browns have added three young receivers -- Little, Gordon and Benjamin. They know Massaquoi has yet to establish himself as a starter, and has a history of concussions.

6. Add Joshua Cribbs and Jordan Norwood to the mix, and there are six receivers. Seven if you want to count Carlton Mitchell, but he didn't impress the last two coaching staffs enough to get on the field for this receiver-hungry team. Cribbs will be primarily on special teams, as he is really valued on coverage along with returning kicks and punts.

7. For all the talk of Gordon, the receiver most likely to take a big step forward is Little. The Browns love how he's lost 15 pounds and seems quicker. He arrived after sitting out his last season at North Carolina for accepting money from an agent. Little missed rookie and minicamps in 2011 because of the labor dispute.

8. Yes, Little dropped a lot of passes, but he also had more thrown in his direction than any other player in an orange helmet. The Browns threw to Little 121 times (14 drops, 61 catches). Next was Massaquoi (74 targets, 31 catches, 4 drops).

About Josh Gordon and risk...

View full sizeAP fileJosh Gordon hasn't run away from the reasons for his departure from Baylor, which is an encouraging sign.

1. Yes, there is a risk about a guy who flunked two tests for marijuana and was suspended at Baylor. In most circumstances, I would be against it. I admit, a disputed report of a third failed drug test at Utah makes me nervous.

But I like how Gordon said the reason he had to leave Baylor was the marijuana tests. The school simply said "breaking team rules." He owned up to the second offense. He messed up and said so. His honesty impressed the Browns.

2. He stayed in contact with Baylor coach Art Briles, who believes the young man can turn around.

3. Gordon told the PD's Mary Kay Cabot: "I was in a rehabilitation program with group counseling, and I saw a psychiatrist, like, three times a week. ... I had to report back to the team while I was practicing. But I never tested positive at Utah."

4. At some point, we will find out if the report of failed test at Utah is true. I do know that Gordon's comments matched what the Browns discovered in their dealings with Utah, where coaches said Gordon was no problem off the field and their most talented receiver in practice.

5. The Browns have strong connections at Baylor. Brian (father of receiver Jordan) Norwood is the assistant head coach. They have been watching Baylor tape and attending practices for years. They heavily scouted Phil Taylor (their No. 1 pick in 2011) with the Bears. They believe they've done their homework.

6. When Gordon played in 2010, he tied Kendall Wright for the team lead with seven touchdown catches. Wright led the team with 78 receptions. Then came Tevin Reese (45), Terrance Williams (43) and Gordon (42). The quarterback was Robert Griffin III. Entering his junior season, Gordon was listed as the No. 2 receiver on the depth chart when he left school.

7. The bottom line will be how Gordon conducts himself with the Browns, where he should be drug tested regularly and remain in a support group. Staying straight will be the key to his success.

About the Cavaliers...

1. It's just silly to blame the franchise for messing up that clunky 12-player (including five free agents), four-team deal involving Dwight Howard. Yes, the Cavs didn't like the package. But most importantly, Orlando didn't like the offer to trade its star center to the Nets. The trade was so complicated, it seemed impossible to fully understand -- much less make it work on the salary cap.

2. The key to any trade about Howard was Orlando. The Magic have to get real value in return, which is why they are now talking to Houston about lots of young players and draft picks.

3. Another problem was getting Kris Humphries to sign a one-year contract. No way he wanted to do that. When the Cavs dropped out, Charlotte was encouraged to take Humphries. The Bobcats realized that with Humphries a free agent, why did they need this deal? They dropped out, too, and are now talking about a contract with Humphries.

4. Because the Cavs have more than $20 million in salary cap room, they will be part of other rumors like this because they can help make trades work -- but to do so, they want draft picks and promising young players.

5. The Cavs do have an interest in Luis Scola, a Rockets "amnesty" victim as Houston tries to structure a deal for Howard. They can put a bid in for him, just as Dallas did to add Elton Brand to its roster.

6. The Cavs are very excited about the Las Vegas summer league and the preview of the new starting backcourt of Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters. Tyler Zeller and Tristan Thompson also are there. So is Samardo Samuel, who needs to impress -- his contract is not fully guaranteed. Luke Harangody also is trying to prove he is worthy of some minutes.

7. Thompson was perhaps the hardest worker this spring and summer, and the team wants to see how it pays off. There's a conviction that Thompson, Anderson Varejao and Zeller can provide good defense at center and power forward.

8. Omri Casspi is playing for Israel's national team, Varejao for Brazil this summer. Alonzo Gee is not in Vegas as he's a restricted free agent. The Cavs are expected to match almost any offer he'd receive from another team.

About Nick Hagadone...

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerResolving the Nick Hagadone suspension/salary debate is a complicated issue.

1. The issue surrounding Hagadone is money, but not the way most people think. The question is how much will he be paid after the "self-inflicted hand injury" when the pitcher left a game on July 6. He has had a screw placed in his left (pitching) forearm.

2. The union is expected to insist that Hagadone be paid his entire major-league salary of $465,000. But Hagadone is on a "split contract," and his salary drops to $65,000 when he's in the minors. These contracts are pro-rated -- he receives big-league money in Cleveland, but it drops when he's at Class AAA Columbus.

The Indians had planned to send Hagadone to Columbus, and they say the decision was made before the July 6 game. Scott Barnes was pulled out of action that day at Columbus, as the Indians prepared to bring him up. But Barnes had to be in Columbus for 10 days before coming back to Cleveland and couldn't arrive until July 8.

3. This is complicated. Bottom line, the union wants Hagadone to receive the big-league salary. The Indians want to pay him the remainder of his Class AAA salary as he recovers. The Indians say he was headed to the minors before the injury. In his previous nine outings before his final game of 2012, Hagadone had allowed 15 hits and 12 earned runs in 7.0 innings. On the season, Hagadone is 1-0 with a 6.39 ERA.

About the Tribe...

1. I've written a lot about moves that I didn't like -- the Ubaldo Jimenez deal, the re-signing of Grady Sizemore and the Cliff Lee deal. Yes, I thought the megatrade for C.C. Sabathia would work out because Matt LaPorta would be a 25-homer guy. I also thought Michael Brantley could hit close to .300. I may be half-right, but the deal still went wrong because of LaPorta's struggles.

2. Speaking of LaPorta, I'm told that if the Indians decide they want a hitter right now from Class AAA Columbus, it would be LaPorta (.298, 17 HR, 43 RBI, .949 OPS). They rate him above Russ Canzler (.270, 12 HR, 50 RBI, .799 OPS). For a while, they strongly considered promoting LaPorta at the All-Star break, but Shelley Duncan got hot -- hitting .333 with five homers and 12 RBI in his last 11 games.

3. Yes, they could send Aaron Cunningham to the minors, but the Indians like his defense in left and center. The problem is Duncan, LaPorta and Johnny Damon are such poor outfielders -- it's hard to keep them all on the same roster. Yes, they want to continue with Damon for a while.

4. For now, it seems they will stick with the current outfielders, unless they trade for one. But I also hear they are looking more for a pitcher than a hitter.

5. As I started to write about trades, I thought of the Justin Masterson deal. For a long time, it was the Victor Martinez deal. The Tribe catcher was sent to Boston with Masterson and Hagadone being the key guys coming here. But after two years, the price for Martinez became so high, even Boston passed. He signed with Detroit, and blew out his knee.

6. Martinez can still hit, but the Indians were not about to pay him. In the three years since the trade, Martinez batted .314 and averaged 18 homers with 97 RBI. He was not about to re-sign with Tribe when $10 million salaries were available elsewhere.

7. Masterson was superb Friday, throwing seven scoreless innings in a 1-0 victory over Toronto. In his last seven starts, he is 4-3 with a 2.66 ERA. On the season, it's 6-8 with a 4.14 ERA. Since opening day of 2011, Masterson is 18-18 with a 3.56 ERA. In the same period, he has been in the bottom 10 in the AL in terms of run support.

8. The point is Masterson is a gamble that paid off, as Boston didn't think he could start. They saw the side-armer as a good relief option, but thought left-handed hitters would cause him too many problems to be an effective starter. He still struggles at times with lefties (.282 average), but he has developed into a very good starter.