The Indians' recent 11-game losing streak crushed them in the standings and pinched them in the wallet, but they have bigger problems as this season draws to a close.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerA frustrated fan base doesn't need the excuse of poor weather to stay away from Progressive Field this season -- even before the team's fall from contention in the AL Central.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Indians' 11-game losing streak ruined their season in the standings, taking them from contenders to Palookaville in one big punch. Yet what did it cost them in the wallet?

One person in the know figures the Indians lost about 100,000 in attendance over the last 29 home games because of the streak. That includes the homestand earlier this month against the Twins and Red Sox when the streak ended.

Total cost? Probably about $2.4 million based on the average ticket price of $24, including concessions and parking costs, at Progressive Field. So we're talking about the salary of a utility infielder. A drop in the bucket. The four-game series against the Red Sox, always a popular foe in Cleveland, drew 102,767 fans, an average of almost 26,000. Those were almost all pre-sale tickets.

If the Indians had been hot, if they'd been within 31/2 games of first place in the AL Central as they were before the losing streak started, walk up crowds may have increased by 4,000 or 5,000 per game to see the Red Sox.

The Indians have drawn 1,219,954 fans for 59 home games. Among MLB's 30 teams, they rank 29th in total home attendance. Tampa Bay is the only team which has drawn fewer -- 1,213,768. In average home attendance, the Indians rank 28th at 20,677. Tampa Bay at 20,572 and Oakland at 20,539 are 29th and 30th, respectively. The Rays and Oakland are still very much involved in the race for the postseason.

The Indians have 22 home games left when this West Coast swing ends Wednesday in Seattle. The most attractive series will be the Yankees' three-game visit starting Friday. After that it will pretty much be the voice of play-by-play man Tom Hamilton echoing throughout the empty corridors and seats at Progressive Field.

September visits by AL Central foes Detroit and Chicago have lost their edge with the Indians tumbling out of the race. The Indians will probably reach 1.7 million in attendance. That's down from 1.84 million in 2011, but still a jump from 2010, when the team drew a Progressive Field low of 1.4 million.

It would seem the losing streak is the least of the franchise's problems. This team, which spent 40 days in first place earlier this season, never really captured Cleveland's imagination. Young players such as Michael Brantley and Vinnie Pestano have performed well, but no one has had a breakout, Mike Trout-type of year. Carlos Santana brought excitement in 2011 by hitting 27 homers, a club record for switch-hitters. This year his power has been negated.

Justin Masterson and Josh Tomlin each won 12 games in 2011, but Masterson has struggled this year and Tomlin is on the disabled list with a sore right elbow. Closer Chris Perez saved 36 games in 2011, his first big year. This year he's become the face of the franchise for not only saving games, but criticizing fans for not coming to the ballpark. As a marketing tool, he is a double-edged sword at best.

Among the veterans, Asdrubal Cabrera had a career season in 2011 with 25 homers and 91 RBI. This year he's been OK. Derek Lowe had a great start, but faded badly and was released. Johnny Damon never got started and was released. Travis Hafner is hurt again. Grady Sizemore still hasn't played a game and the best that can be said about Casey Kotchman is that he can defensively play the heck out of first base.

There are some who say fans ignored the Indians this year because they have a trust issue with the Dolan ownership. The issue is ownership won't pay to keep quality players -- CC Sabathia, Victor Martinez, Cliff Lee, etc. -- and won't pay to sign quality players from the outside. Perhaps there's some truth there, but does a trust issue really keep a person away from Progressive Field on a Friday night in July if they want to see big-league baseball?

The simple solution to some is fire everybody, starting with manager Manny Acta all the way up to President Mark Shapiro. Don't look for that to happen. The Dolans don't operate that way.

What is clear is that the present plan, whatever that might be, is not working. Something needs to change.

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 from last week in baseball. All stats are through Friday.

Three up

1. Miguel Cabrera because the third Tiger to drive in 100 or more runs for five straight seasons on Tuesday. Overall, he has nine straight 100-RBI seasons.

2. Arizona's Jason Kubel has 53 RBI since June 5, second only to Miguel Cabrera.

3. Philadelphia's Cole Hamels has thrown two shutouts in his last two starts and hasn't allowed a run in 22 straight innings (14 hits, one walk and 15 strikeouts).

Three down

1. In the first five innings of the Indians' 14-1 loss to Boston on Aug. 12, Red Sox hitters batted .481 (13-for-27).

2. Dodgers reliever Brandon League, acquired from Seattle last month, has allowed six runs on nine hits in five innings (12.80 ERA) since the trade.

3. The Rays, including Wednesday's perfecto by Seattle's Felix Hernandez, have had a perfect game thrown against them three times in the last four seasons.

Tribe talk

"I'm a work in progress," Ubaldo Jimenez, after giving up eight runs in four innings Tuesday in a 9-6 loss to the Angels.

Stat-o-matic

Four in one: Toronto's Steve Delabar became the first pitcher in history Monday to strike out four batters in one inning during extra innings. He struck out four White Sox in the 10th inning after Tyler Flowers struck out, but reached first when the pitch bounced away from catcher Jeff Mathis.

Front man: Josh Hamilton has driven in Elvis Andrus 31 times this year for the Rangers, accounting for 31 percent of Hamilton's 101 RBI.

Big pop: Chicago's A.J. Pierzynski leads all catchers with a career-high 23 homers. Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk holds the club record with 37 in 1985.

After a few rocky preseason games, Dalton showed why the Bengals chose him in the second round of the 2011 draft.

View full sizeCurtis Compton, MCT"You have to work your butt off so everybody knows they can trust you," says Cincinnati QB Andy Dalton on how he won over his teammates last year as a rookie. "Because on game day you're the one everybody is listening to."

CINCINNATI -- If Browns fans think rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden had an uneven pro debut, maybe they will take comfort in Andy Dalton's first exhibition game a year ago -- also against in the Detroit Lions.

Dalton's first pass was intercepted. His second attempt sailed wide and his third resulted in a sack. At one point defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who has a personalized parking spot reserved for him in front of Roger Goodell's office, grabbed Dalton, pulled his helmet from his head and slammed the quarterback to the turf.

"Suh almost broke his chest," Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden said of a play that cost the Lions oft-fined lineman $20,000. "He got mutilated against Detroit, got his head ripped off a couple times."

After a few rocky preseason games, however, Dalton showed why the Bengals chose him in the second round of the 2011 draft and were willing to part with Carson Palmer. He demonstrated resilience and the ability to manage games throughout the season.

Dalton guided the Bengals, who were 4-12 a year earlier, to a nine-win season and playoff berth. He completed 58.1 percent of his passes for 3,398 yards with 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The Texas Christian product reached the Pro Bowl as an alternate despite getting a late start to his rookie year due to the lockout.

"From the inception, Andy has just been a very poised person," coach Marvin Lewis said. "He's very deliberate and he understands the game and he has a great feel for spacing and concepts."

Gruden said Dalton's mental toughness allowed him to thrive during a turbulent year that included all the drama surrounding Palmer's holdout and subsequent trade to Oakland. His arm strength is closer to Colt McCoy than Weeden, and he struggled at times to throw passes outside the numbers, completing 19 of 49 attempts with five interceptions. But his decisiveness and rhythm engendered confidence as the season unfolded.

Does Dalton have any advice for Weeden, who's also trying to revive a 4-12 division rival?

"For me, the biggest thing was to have a really good understanding of what we were doing in the offense," Dalton said. "I think the guys saw that I was putting in the time and the effort to be successful. That's the biggest thing. You have to work your butt off so everybody knows they can trust you. Because on game day you're the one everybody is listening to."

Dalton, 24, said he had no trouble enduring a few tough preseason games and the predictable questions from media and fans that followed them.

"It was so early," Dalton said grinning. "The whole offense had gotten a playbook and we had been practicing for two weeks. Everything was new for us. It wasn't just the rookies, it was everybody. The more we got to practice the more in synch we got."

Teammates see a quarterback evolving into a leader in his second training camp.

"He is taking command of the huddle," offensive lineman Andre Smith said. "A year ago, he was willing to kind of go with the flow, but now we know he's in charge and that's what you want in your quarterback."

The Steelers and Ravens just win. The Browns just lose. But with the Bengals you never know what to expect from season to season.

View full sizeCurtis Compton, MCTFor most of the last decade, success has been tantalizingly out of reach for the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC North. But talented players such as receiver A.J. Green give the Bengals reasons to believe they can earn a second consecutive trip to the NFL playoffs.

(Editor's note: Second in a series on the Browns' AFC North rivals during preseason camp.)

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- There are sexier NFL franchises than the one that resides here along the banks of the Ohio River. In recent years, however, no club has been more suited for reality television than the Bengals.

From the HBO series Hard Knocks to The T.O. Show to Ochocino: The Ultimate Catch, the team has been a genre-inspiring collection of characters and plot twists in an otherwise staid AFC North. The Steelers and Ravens just win. The Browns just lose. But with the Bengals you never know what to expect from season to season.

"Every year is different," defensive tackle Domata Peko said after combing his magnificent mane in the Bengals' locker room last weekend. "A couple of years ago [in 2010] we had Terrell Owens come in and we all thought we were Super Bowl bound. I think we finished at 4-12."

Since 2008, the Bengals have produced records of 4-11-1, 10-6, 4-12, 9-7. Last season when almost nobody was watching -- six of eight home games were blacked out in the market -- the Bengals exceeded all expectations by reaching the playoffs behind rookie quarterback Andy Dalton. So what to anticipate from a Bengals side that hasn't generated back-to-back winning seasons since 1981-82?

Judging from their "DNO" T-shirts, which stand for Destination: New Orleans (site of the Super Bowl), the Bengals believe they're beyond their one-year wonder act. Bereft of high-profile, high-maintenance receivers, the club is building with a young core that added some veteran leadership in the off-season. According to some analysts, the Bengals have compiled their best lineup in the Marvin Lewis era.

"This is a young team that appears ready to take the next step," said former Ravens coach Brian Billick, an NFL Fox analyst. "I like Dalton and [receiver] A.J. Green and they work well with offensive coordinator Jay Gruden.

"I know they have been up and down, but I think this group is going to grow together. Bringing in a veteran running back like BenJarvus Green-Ellis is really going to help them in the red zone and in the locker room."

Few could have forecast the Bengals' rise 15 months ago, as the franchise severed ties with dysfunctional receivers Chad Johnson and Owens and management was locked in a dispute with former franchise quarterback Carson Palmer, ultimately jettisoned to Oakland. The team's schizophrenic tendencies coupled with a lagging economy and the fan base's continued distrust of owner Mike Brown contributed to a league-worst average attendance of 49,251. The Bengals reached capacity only once in a playoff season.

The club will not take advantage of the league's more lenient blackout policy offer, and to date, just two home games (Pittsburgh, Dallas) are sold out.

"If we start winning consistently the fans will be back," Peko said. "We're ready to build off last season."

The Bengals are expecting the dynamic combination of Dalton and Green to improve in their second seasons. Green caught 65 passes for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns. Browns fans saw his potential, particularly in the Bengals' 23-20 overtime win at Paul Brown Stadium on Nov. 27.

Benefiting from his first full off-season, Dalton will receive an expanded playbook from Gruden.

"Sometime the speed of the game is so different [from college] that it takes guys awhile to adjust," Gruden said. "It didn't take Andy that long at all."

Beyond Green and tight end Jermaine Gresham, the Bengals need other receivers to emerge. But they are excited about the addition of running back Green-Ellis from New England, who can help them with short-yardage and red-zone carries. The Bengals ranked 24th in converting goal-to-go situations into touchdowns (14 of 26) last season, according to SI.com. In Green-Ellis they have a power back whose 24 touchdowns in the last two seasons were second only to Arian Foster. He likely will split time with Bernard Scott.

"BenJarvus comes from a winning organization and he's a class act," Gruden said. "He can help us in a lot of ways and we know what his track record is in short yardage and the goal line and he's not going to give it up."

The Bengals ranked among the top-10 in total defense (316.3 yards) and points allowed (20.2). They do, however, have uncertainty in the secondary after cornerback Leon Hall and free safety Reggie Nelson.

The club also must prove it can step up in class. The Bengals were 0-4 against the Steelers and Ravens and lost all seven games against playoff-bound teams. They have a challenging schedule, which includes dates with NFC East opponents, and concludes with Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Baltimore.

"Our eyes are set and our goals are set on getting to the playoffs again and trying to get a Super Bowl," Peko said. "It also starts with how we prepare ourselves. We don't want to shoot ourselves in the foot."

The Bengals tend to do it every other year, which drives their fans to distraction, but makes good TV for others.

Breaking down the Cavaliers payroll during their years of chasing an NBA title.

View full sizeMark Duncan, Associated PressDan Gilbert didn't act like the owner of a 'mid-market' franchise during the Cavaliers playoff runs.

Hey, Mary: Please resolve a question regarding Dan Gilbert's willingness to spend on salaries to contend for a title. During LeBron's last four years in Cleveland what was the payroll each year and where did that rank in the league? -- Dave Green, Raleigh, N.C.

Hey, Dave: According to our good friends at Hoopshype.com, here is the best estimate of those numbers. Although they may not be 100 percent accurate, it will provide a close enough picture to answer your question.

In 2006-07, the payroll was $64,493,906, which ranked 16th in the league. Larry Hughes made $15.4 million, while Zydrunas Ilgauskas was at $9.4 million.

In 2007-08, payroll was $79,601,862, fourth in the league, led by Ben Wallace's $14.5 million, LeBron James' $14.4 million, Wally Szczerbiak's $13 million and Ilgauskas' $10.8.

In 2008-09, payroll was $90,329,718, third in the league, with same leaders as previous year.

In 2009-10, payroll was $80,277,945, led by Shaquille O'Neal's $20 million.

Hey, Mary: Do you see the Cavs possibly choosing to delay their option on the Miami Heat first-round pick in 2013, given the Heat's expected strong record, with the intent of owning the picks in future years, when the pick may be higher in the draft? -- Mike Francischiello, Willoughby

Hey, Mike: I think it's way too early to try and answer this. Of course, the Cavs will try to get as much value from the pick as they can, but it looks to me like the Heat is going to be strong for at least the next few years.

Hey, Mary: Do more Cavs fans watch on Fox Sports Ohio or listen on WTAM radio? -- Dick, Dayton

Hey, Dick: Many more fans watch games on TV -- approximately 180,000 per game vs. roughly 20,000 or so who listen to the radio.

-- Mary

Almighty O won the $50,000 Honey Jay Stakes at Thistledown, with Klassy Korbin and Sneak a Cold Treat in a dead heat for second.

NORTH RANDALL, Ohio -- Almighty O didn't give front-running Klassy Korbin a breather in the $50,000 Honey Jay Stakes at Thistledown on Saturday afternoon, pushing him every step of the way over six furlongs and finally taking the lead deep in the stretch to win the dash by 1 1/2 lengths.

The Jeff Radosevich-trained stable entry of Klassy Korbin and Sneak a Cold Treat finished in a dead heat for second.

"You can't argue with the [photo finish] camera," said Radosevich. "Klassy Korbin ran his eyes out, and that was the fastest Sneak a Cold Treat, who has only been in my barn for a few weeks, has run in his life. It was a disappointment one of them didn't get the win."

The 9-5 second choice to Radosevich's even-money stable entry, Almighty O was urged to his fourth win in as many starts this season by jockey Ben Creed. Owned by Steve Culler, the five-year-old gelding trained by Doug Cowans paid $5.80, 3.20, 2.80. Sneak a Cold Treat, the Honey Jay Stakes winner the past two years, and Klassy Korbin paid $2.40, 2.20.

Klassy Korbin grabbed the early lead, clocking a fast 22 seconds at the quarter-mile pole and a half-mile in 45:02, all the while with Almighty O on his outside. At the top of the stretch jockey Jeffrey Skerrett and Klassy Korbin were up by just a head, and Sneak a Cold Treat had moved up to third with Oswald Pereira aboard.

In the final half-furlong, though, Almighty O managed to gamely slip past Klassy Korbin for a victory in 1:10. Lightly raced in his career, Almighty O has eight wins in just 15 career starts. Trainer Cowans said that Almighty O, by Almodavor out of Land O Honey, has improved in his last two races, both wins at River Downs. Cowans said Almighty O will return on Oct. 12 for the Best of Ohio races.

Northfield youngsters: Ohio Sires Stakes dominated the late program at Northfield Park on Friday night, matching Ohio-bred three-year-old filly trotters and pacers for $17,000 purses.

In the first of two trotting divisions, Rose Run Nellie ($3), with owner-trainer Scott Cox of Streetsboro in the sulky, finished in a 1:58.4 dead heat with Tesla ($9.40), driven by Wyatt Irvine. In the second trotting division, Elliott Deaton drove Easter Rosetta ($14.60) to a 2:00.1 victory.

Heavily-favored Standing Danette ($2.80) and driver Dan Noble won the first pacing division in 1:55.4. Reinsman Chris Page pulling off a major upset in the second division with Royalness ($34.40), notching a 1:56.2 victory.

Manager Manny Acta is staying patient with right-hander Zach McAllister as he learns how pitch and stay in the big leagues.

Ben Margot/Associated PressZach McAllister went six innings and allowed four runs on eight hits against the A's on Friday night.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The first step is getting to the big leagues. The second step is learning enough to stay there.

It's not just learning, but turning the knowledge into results.

Manager Manny Acta has been impressed with rookie right-hander Zach McAllister. It's hard not to be. McAllister is 6-6 and 240 pounds. He consistently throws 95 mph and is a strike thrower as his 75 strikeouts and 21 walks in 84 innings attest.

But he needs some work.

"I like the way he's pitched, but I'm not expecting him to pitch like a 10-year veteran," said Acta. "I know he's not a finished product."

In Friday night's 6-4 loss to Oakland, McAllister showed some of flaws that cost pitchers and teams games.

After Shelley Duncan put the Indians in front, 4-0, in the fourth inning with a grand slam, McAllister let the A's back in the game in their half of the fourth by giving up three runs. The third run came with two out against No.9 hitter Cliff Pennington.

McAllister was dominating Pennington with his fastball, but for some reason threw an 83 mph off-speed pitch. Pennington, hitting .199, singled to right field for the A's third run.

In the fifth, Yoenis Cespedes doubled with one out. McAllister, facing Chris Carter, forgot to check on Cespedes, who easily stole third. Carter followed with a sacrifice fly to tie the score.

"I have to do a better job controlling the running game," said McAllister. "And I have to minimize damage when guys get on."

As for the three runs and three hits he allowed in the fourth, McAllister said, "If the execution was better they might not have been hits and they might not have scored. I might have tried a different mix of pitches, but I think it was more execution."
 
Tonight's lineups:

Indians (54-65): 2B Jason Kipnis (L), SS Asdrubal Cabrera (S), RF Shin-Soo Choo (L), C Carlos Santana (S), CF Michael Brantley (L), DH Shelley Duncan (R), 1B Casey Kotchman (L), 3B Jack Hannahan (L), LF Ezequiel Carrera (L), RHP Corey Kluber (0-1, 8.56)

Athletics (63-55): CF Coco Crisp (S), 3B Josh Donaldson (R), RF Josh Reddick (L), LF LF Yoenis Cespedes (R), DH Chris Carter (R), 1B Brandon Moss (L), C George Kottaras (L), SS Cliff Pennington (S), 2B Jemile Weeks (S) and RHP Bartolo Colon (9-9, 3.55)

Umpires: H Sam Holbrook, 1B Andy Fletcher, 2B Rob Drake, 3B Joe West.

Indians vs. Colon: Kotchman is hitting .250 (2-for-8). No active member of the Indians has more than one hit against Colon.

A's vs. Kluber: The A's have never faced Kluber.

Next: RHP Justin Masterson, coming off two decent starts, will try to make it three straight against Oakland's Jarrod Parker (7-7, 3.71) on Sunday. STO/WTAM will carry the game.

The ongoing issues with the Tribe's starting rotation remains a constant source of comment in this week's reader mailbag.

View full sizePD fileShould Esmil Rogers be a candidate to start for the Indians? Paul Hoynes isn't buying it.

Hey, Hoynsie: Why not make Esmil Rogers a starter? We have enough relief pitching. He can do at least as well as another pitcher from Colorado. What do you think? -- Dan Jones, Suwanee, Ga.

Hey, Dan: Rogers made 13 starts for the Rockies in 2011 and went 5-6 with a 6.28 ERA (50 earned runs in 71 2/3 innings). He walked 38 and struck out 33, which sounds a lot like that other pitcher from Colorado.

I like Rogers' arm, but my thought is if it's not broke, don't fix it. Rogers has finally found a spot where he can throw strikes and be effective. Why not keep him there?

Hey, Hoynsie: What's the likelihood that the Indians will decline Ubaldo Jimenez's $5.75 million club option for next season and elect to pay his $1 million buyout? I know that their starting pitching is thin to begin with, and I know that there's still more than a month of baseball to evaluate Jimenez, but the Indians have to be considering whether they can find a more talented and affordable pitcher at the replacement level. -- David Bruno, Chicago

Hey, David: I think they're in too deep to cut the cord with Jimenez. The two No.1 picks they sent to the Rockies, Drew Pomeranz and Alex White, aren't lighting it up, but that's a big investment to walk away from after 1 1/2 years.

Hey, Hoynsie: I have been reading your column for years and this year you seem to be frustrated by the Indians/management. Is that a fair assessment? -- Jim Clark, Johnstown

Hey, Jim: I only get frustrated when I go downstairs to get something and can't remember what it is I wanted to get. Other than that I am a sea of tranquility.

Hey, Hoynsie: Where are the Indians' impact minor-league players? The only chance the Indians will ever have to compete is to develop their stars. The Reds, White Sox, Red Sox, Angels, Orioles, Athletics, Twins and Royals have brought up impact players. The Indians need to clean house in player development and scouting and start fresh. -- Jim Markart, Sunnvale, Calif.

Hey, Jim: I understand where you're coming from, and certainly the farm system hasn't been a cornucopia of talent, but certainly you were excited about the prospects of watching Vinnie Pestano, Carlos Santana, Josh Tomlin and Jason Kipnis opening this season. Players follow their own timetables, not yours or mine or their teams.

How long have the White Sox been waiting for Gordon Beckham? Trevor Plouffe has had a great year for the Twins, but he's been on the back burner for a while. Eric Hosmer made a lot of noise last year for the Royals, but he's been quiet this year. Baltimore's Matt Wieters is having a good season, but it took him a couple of years to get going.

Mike Trout of the Angels? Well, he could be the exception. When dealing with young players, the patience of Job is needed.

Hey, Hoynsie: During the 10-run Twins uprising of a couple weeks back, Zach McAllister was charged with only two earned runs due to an error on what would have been the third out. Then Josh Tomlin came in and surrendered runs of his own. Were Tomlin's runs earned? -- Wayne Smith, Wattsburg, Pa.

Hey, Wayne: The game you're referring to was Aug. 8 at Progressive Field. Tomlin relieved McAllister in the second inning with two on and two out and gave up a three-run homer to Ryan Doumit. He pitched 3 1/3 innings and was charged with just one run, Doumit's homer.

Hey, Hoynsie: I did not like your answer to my question about "Acta's boring baseball." If I understand you correctly, there is no hope for Indians baseball. We might as well give up because of deep-seated "organizational failures." I would prefer to think otherwise and it starts by firing Acta. -- Stanley Laybourne, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Hey, Stanley: I'm adding your name to the list of people who don't like my answers.

Hey, Hoynsie: What was the purpose of trading a potential knuckleball starter in Steven Wright (possibly another Tom Candiotti) from Class AA to get a journeyman utility infielder Brent Lillibridge when we have Jason Donald, who was brought up anyway. Along the way, they released Jose Lopez, who had made a few good contributions while playing second, third and first? -- Bill Eckert, Erie, Pa.

Hey, Bill: It is the Indians' never-ending quest to improve the 25th spot on the roster. Rarely, if ever, do they try to improve the No.1 spot on the roster.

Hey, Hoynsie: With a look to the rest of this year I was wondering if you think Jared Goedert will get a shot? When I've watched him at Class AAA Columbus, he's been a line-drive machine. -- Paul Welling, Rossford

Hey, Paul: I would think Goedert has a chance to be a September call up.

Hey, Hoynsie: Have you ever heard Tribe ownership state that winning is a priority? They lead the public to believe that the team struggles financially, yet have no interest in selling. They must be paying themselves nicely, huh? -- Hank Schrader, Hiram

Hey, Hank: As I've said before, I believe that Paul Dolan and his father Larry want to win, but they want to win on their terms. Their terms have yet to take root.

Since the Dolans own the team, they're allowed to make money, right? This is America, right?

-- Hoynsie

Ohio State's new offense will work only if the Buckeyes know how to run it. Some of them are still learning.

View full sizeJay LaPrete, Associated Press"One thing about our offense, you can't have a bad quarterback," Urban Meyer says of the expectations placed on sophomore Braxton Miller. "It's harsh to say that. And the quarterback can't have a bad day, or you'll lose."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The system is in place, with offensive coordinator Tom Herman adding a no-huddle to Urban Meyer's Ohio State offense, basically Oregon-izing what Florida did on the field during Meyer's six seasons in Gainesville.

A system, however, is only as good as the players who run it. And to run it, they have to know it.

In thirteen days, Ohio State will open the season against Miami (Ohio) and find out if the Buckeyes understand the plan. There are more moving parts, more chances for big plays, but potentially also more room for error. But it will take until at least the second week of the season to know if they have the right guy at the second-most important spot in the offense.

All offenses start with the quarterback, but that's even more true in Meyer's system, where sophomore quarterback Braxton Miller will be making a read and a decision on nearly every snap. There's not much just turning around and handing off.

"One thing about our offense, you can't have a bad quarterback," Meyer said. "It's harsh to say that. And the quarterback can't have a bad day, or you'll lose."

For instance, in Tim Tebow's three years as Meyer's starting quarterback at Florida, the Gators averaged 453 yards of offense. In the three years Tebow wasn't the starter, they averaged 373. Of course, the Gators did win a national title with Tebow backing up Chris Leak in 2006.

Meyer from the start has expressed plenty of confidence in Miller.

"Braxton Miller has a lot of skill sets that Tim didn't have," Meyer said. "Braxton Miller is dynamic. He's the most dynamic athlete I've ever coached, and he is really by far. That's how good an athlete he is."

But when Meyer saw his offense at its best, it wasn't just Tebow, but Tebow in concert with Percy Harvin as a hybrid running back/receiver.

"How do you stop both? You had to stop both," Meyer said. "That's the ultimate."

The Buckeyes had targeted Jordan Hall to fill that spot in the offense, but the senior is out after requiring surgery on a foot he cut while walking on campus in June. The good news is that running backs coach Stan Drayton said Hall is expected back for the second game against Central Florida. The bad news is there's no one else like him on the roster to fill that role, with receivers Philly Brown and Devin Smith the candidates that come the closest.

That role matters.

"It's really important and it really adds to the versatility of what we can do personnel-wise and formationally," Drayton said. "[Hall] is so versatile. He's a physical ballcarrier, he's got great hands and he's a very smart football player. He's a guy who can make a read midstream on the run, so we miss that."

Without the right player there, the offense is stunted, Meyer said. "You have to put the brakes on," he said. "That play might not look so good."

Without Hall, Carlos Hyde is the clear No. 1 running back, though in a different style. That's where knowing the offense comes in. Asked which running backs know the offense right now as well as they need to, Drayton said only Hall and Hyde. That means redshirt sophomore Rod Smith and freshmen Bri'onte Dunn and Warren Ball are still coming along.

"Those young guys have a long way to go as far as that is concerned," Drayton said.

Asked Friday which of his receivers he trusts right now, receivers coach Zach Smith said, "We're two weeks away. No one is game-ready. I feel very good about how many I'm going to trust in two weeks. But we've got two weeks to get that done."

Though Smith and Brown continue to get the most praise among the receivers, redshirt sophomore Tyrone Williams from Shaw High School jumped into the mix in the last week.

"Tyrone Williams this spring was about as average a player as you can be," Smith said. "Not because of talent level, just because of how he practiced. The last five practices, that kid is a completely different player from what I've seen. He has really, really impressed everyone -- the head coach, me, the staff. He has a ways to go, but he is a kid who is drinking the Kool-Aid right now. He has bought in and he is doing things he did not do the first six months we were here, and it's very encouraging."

When it comes to physical gifts, Smith said the 6-6 Williams has as many as he's ever seen in a receiver. But like with everyone else, Williams has to show on Sept. 1 that he knows, in this offense, exactly what he's supposed to do.

Spread offenses, rule changes and the decline of live tackling in practice are among the contributing factors to all the whiffs on Sunday afternoons.

View full sizePD fileFormer NFL All-Pro linebacker Chris Spielman (who made this stop of Minnesota's Leroy Hoard in his brief time with the Browns in 1999) is frustrated by the decline of tackling fundamentals in today's pro game. "It drives me crazy when I see guys not wrapping up on a ball carrier," he said. "I don't understand why it's tolerated."

BEREA, Ohio -- About 20 yards from the Browns' practice fields lies a stone dedicated to a linebacker who never played a regular-season game for the organization.

"Chris Spielman: Hard As a Rock," reads the inscription.

His 1999 comeback with the Browns cut short by a preseason neck injury, the Massillon native inspired many with his manic commitment to the game and dedication to his craft. The four-time Pro Bowler with the Detroit Lions was a tackling technician -- head up, eyes on his target, an octopus in cleats wrapping every ball carrier he took the ground.

His passion remains evident when discussing the eroding quality of tackling, one of the sport's bedrock fundamentals.

"It is the very essence of the game," said Spielman, an ESPN college football analyst. "It drives me crazy when I see guys not wrapping up on a ball carrier. I don't understand why it's tolerated. It's a matter of demanding a higher standard."

Spielman is one of many distressed by the sloppy tackling he's witnessed over the past decade. The evolution of spread offenses, the addition of rules outlawing head shots and the decline of live tackling in practice to reduce injuries are among the contributing factors to all the whiffs on Sunday afternoons.

While the NFL does not track missed tackles, few dispute the trend in a league that saw 299 pass plays carry for 40-plus yards last season -- a roughly 25 percent spike from 2007 totals, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Some former players are dismayed at the sight of defenders blowing tackles as they try to deliver a massive hit or strip the ball instead of making the simple play. It often leads to them becoming on the wrong side of a SportsCenter moment.

"There are times I've watched games over the last few years and thought to myself, 'My God, I could still be playing right now,'" said Hall of Fame linebacker Harry Carson, a member of the New York Giants from 1976-88. "Guys are just not as fundamentally sound as they used to be."

In Carson's age, however, linebackers never had to contend with a quarterback in the open field who possessed the speed and size of Cam Newton. At 6-5 and 250 pounds, the Carolina Panthers signal caller is bigger than most offensive linemen in the 1960s.

"There probably are more missed tackles now but it's because of the game, not because of the players," Browns defensive coordinator Dick Jauron said. "It's hard to tackle a guy when you have an outstanding running back or wide receiver in open space unless you have help around you. These players have become so much bigger and faster."

A limited time to practice

Fans attending Browns training camp on Monday saw a typical snapshot of an NFL practice in August. Passers passed, blockers blocked and tacklers, well, they tagged and sometimes bumped ball carriers. On weekdays in the NFL, there's simply not much tackling in tackle football.

A Super example of a poor tackle

The Browns ran roughly 80 plays during 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 scrimmaging Monday. In only one instance did a defender take a ball carrier to the ground, as safety T.J. Ward finished his tackle on tight end Evan Moore. NFL training grounds bred a more hostile work environment before the league instituted roster limits and the 1994 salary cap. The Dallas Cowboys were still live tackling during the week of the Super Bowl in 1993.

Nowadays, most contact is limited to goal-line situations. Gone are two-a-day practices in full pads as the league and players union try to improve safety. Teams want to minimize the risk of injury, even as Browns linebacker Chris Gocong tore his right Achilles on Aug. 4 during a drill in which he was untouched.

The Browns work almost every day on technique, sometimes using tackling dummies. While coach Pat Shurmur laments so many botched tackles as the 2011 Browns finished 30th against the run, he defends the decision not to live tackle.

"When you take a guy to the ground that's where the injuries usually occur," Shurmur said. "I think you can do a pretty good job of simulating tackles."

Former Baltimore Ravens coach Brian Billick boasted one of the league's premier defenses despite the fact it never practiced how it played.

"Some said I ran 'Camp Cream Puff' because of how easy I took it on guys," said Billick, now a Fox analyst. "I wanted them healthy and fresh and I believe we tackled as well as anyone in the league. It's about emphasizing the fundamentals."

Defensive coaches want their players to get their heads across the body of the ball carrier, grab his jersey and keep their feet moving through contact like "an arrow through snow" as Browns cornerback Sheldon Brown puts it. Some believe, however, technique has suffered since teams curbed tackling drills.

Dave Lapham, an offensive lineman for the Cincinnati Bengals from 1974-83, said Paul Brown started each practice with a tackling drill and Forrest Gregg featured at least one segment in which ball carriers were taken to the ground.

"Repetition breeds a comfort level, I don't care what you are doing," Lapham said. "When you don't rep it as much your technique starts to suffer. Bad habits start to form and it leads to sloppy tackling."

It's a wide-open game

Passing is more difficult in the red zone because there's less room to maneuver, but that didn't stop the Green Bay Packers from opening Thursday's exhibition game with three receivers after Cleveland fumbled deep in its territory. NFL offenses continue to spread the field horizontally as game is increasingly being played outside the numbers.

This tackling failure cost the Browns an OT loss to the Jets in 2010

"If they were allowed to line up out of bounds they would do it," Lapham said. "Never mind the numbers, they go right up to the sideline. Offenses are trying to isolate defenders in space."

How has the game evolved? In 1975, NFL teams averaged 27.4 passes and 36.3 runs per game. Those numbers were almost reversed by 2010 as clubs averaged 33.7 passes and 27.2 runs. Defenses spend much of their days in film rooms decoding formations and devising schemes. Coaches work players as much between the ears as between the lines.

"At this level it's about scouting and film watching," Browns linebacker D'Qwell Jackson said. "You lose some of that time to work on fundamentals."

Ward believes open-field tackling is as much a skill as catching passes. The Browns safety understands defenders also are getting larger and swifter, but they aren't the ones with the ball running in space.

"The game is more spread out but the real challenge for the defensive player is the quickness and speed and skill level of the people that have the ball," Steelers Hall of Fame defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau. "Many times people will say, 'What's wrong with the tackling in today's NFL?' Well, what's wrong with the tackling is how good the people on offense are."

Jauron concedes players place a greater emphasis on delivering hits rather than making tackles. They also are sometimes guilty of leading with their heads. In the open field it can produce spectacular collisions -- remember the ESPN weekly feature "Jacked Up"? -- but memorable misses as well.

"You hit with eyes," Spielman said. 'When you drop your head two things often happen -- you miss your target or you get hurt. One of my biggest pet peeves is when guys selfishly go for the big hit and it costs his team a big play."

A different set of rules

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer"I launched [into ball carriers] earlier in my career," says Browns cornerback Sheldon Brown, who took the worst of this collision with then-Jet receiver Braylon Edwards in 2010, "but you know you get fined for doing it now so I can't do it anymore."

The Browns know all too well how violent and cruel the game can be. At least five Cleveland players sustained concussions last season, including Mohamad Massaquoi. The receiver's troubles started a season earlier with the devastating lick from Steelers linebacker James Harrison on Oct. 17, 2010 -- a day that involved so many concussive shots it became known as "Black Sunday."

In an effort to better protect players, the league has banned blows to the helmet. But without the head as a target and other rule changes such as penalizing horse-collar tackles, some defenders are having to re-program themselves.

Two seasons ago, Brown missed a tackle on then-New York Jets receiver Braylon Edwards in part because he hesitated. He wanted to ram Edwards high, but changed his mind and ended up taking the worst of the collision.

"I launched [into ball carriers] earlier in my career, but you know you get fined for doing it now so I can't do it anymore," Brown said.

The rule changes, Jackson said, have altered the approach of some defenders.

"It does affect the way you play," Jackson said. "It's a thin line out there. It's like 'Do I take the shot of taking this guy down?' And, if you're thinking of the rules you lay up a little bit. It's a battle you play inside yourself.

"To get fined $10,000 or $15,000 that's a lot of money for some guys."

As NFL and college defensive players invest more time learning how to defuse intricate offenses, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said youth and high school coaches must emphasize proper tackling technique even more. For all the debate on what factors are creating the problems, however, Ward said sometimes it's simply about desire.

"You have to want to make a tackle, you have to be determined to do it," he said. "Some guys just don't have the heart. You see guys who whiff a lot. It's not that they aren't focused or trying to go for the big hit. It's just that deep down they don't want to make the tackle."

The Browns returned to the NFL in 1999 without Spielman in the lineup. The team had so much respect for his character and conviction, though, they left his locker virtually untouched the entire season.

If NFL players truly want honor Spielman they need to get a grip on tackling deficiencies.

Vinnie Pestano believes he can pitch his way out of any situation. He also believes the Indians still have a run of good baseball in them. Honest.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerA banner year as the Indians' set-up man doesn't ease Vinnie Pestano's frustration at the team's fall in the AL Central. "When you take the backbone of your team [pitching], and that's the worst part of your team, you find yourself in the position we're in."

OAKLAND -- In a second half filled with defeat and disappointment, Vinnie Pestano is still a true believer. Not only does he believe he can do the impossible, he believes the Indians still have a good run of baseball in them.

Manager Manny Acta put him in one of those impossible situations Friday night against the A's. He relieved Joe Smith in the eighth inning with runners on first and second, Josh Reddick at the plate and the score tied, 4-4.

Reddick blooped a single into left center field to load the bases. Josh Donaldson singled to make it 5-4. Pestano retired the next three batters, but not before another run scored on a sacrifice as the A's won, 6-4.

The two runs that scored belonged to Smith. So did the loss, but after the game Pestano sat in front of his locker staring into it.

"No matter how tough the situation is, I expect to be perfect," said Pestano, who has allowed just three of 18 inherited runners to score this year. "I take it hard because I felt like those were my runs. I want to make sure that I'm helping that guy out way more than myself. I expect the people behind me to do the same thing and they do."

Pestano is 3-0 this year with a 1.53 ERA in 53 appearances. He has 59 strikeouts and 19 walks in 53 innings. Left-handers are hitting .198 (19-for-96) and right-handers .148 (13-for-38). If he's not the best set-up man in the big leagues, he's pretty close. His 32 holds, the most in club history, lead all of baseball.

"The tougher the situation, I want the ball in my hand," said Pestano. "No offense to anyone on our team, but if we had Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman and Lee Smith in our bullpen, I want the ball as opposed to those guys. I want to be the one throwing the baseball when the game is decided."

That's why Pestano was angry Friday.

"I've been in bases loaded situations this year with no outs and gotten out of it," he said. "It's a situation where I've done it before. If I've done it before, I expect myself to do it again."

OK, so Pestano thinks he's the Harry Houdini of relievers. But does he really think the Indians can get a hot and at least dip their toe into waters of contention before the season is over? They entered Saturday's game against the A's having lost 16 of their last 20. Since the All-Star break, they're 10-24.

"There's plenty of season left," said Pestano. "We saw last year what can happen in September when the pressure gets on the teams on top. Guys start pressing and things can happen."

Pestano is also realistic about what ails the Tribe. "We just can't put it all together," he said. "We can't get pitching, hitting and defense on the same page. It's been that way the entire year. That's why we haven't been able to win more than four games in a row."

The Indians' four-game winning streak came in April. They haven't won more than three straight since.

"We haven't been what our team is built on: pitching, defense and timely hitting," said Pestano. "No one expected us to score as many runs as the Yankees. Or give up fewer runs than the Nationals. But it was the competitive balance of our team that was going to do it.

"If you want to rank in order what we've done the best, it's been defense, hitting and pitching. When you take the backbone of your team [pitching], and that's the worst part of your team, you find yourself in the position we're in."

Pestano still has faith that lead-dog starters Justin Masterson and Ubaldo Jimenez can start putting quality starts together. He believes that Zach McAllister, Roberto Hernandez and Corey Kluber can follow their example.

"We haven't had that one spark, that instance that turns everyone on. There's always a belief that that is going to happen."

On Twitter: @hoynsie

Sure, the Indians need more bats in 2013. But the disaster of the 2012 rotation must also be addressed if there's to be real improvement.

View full sizeBen Margot, Associated PressZach McAllister has shown enough to be part of the Indians' 2013 rotation, but not enough to make Terry Pluto feel confident of success.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- With 38 games (on Sunday) left in the MLB season, we start today's thoughts by talkin' ...

About the Indians' pitching ...

1. When Manny Acta spoke of the Tribe's needs in 2013, he told the PD's Paul Hoynes: "We're going to have to find a solution in left field. We're going to have to find a solution at first base and we're going to have to find a solution at DH ... and the third base situation is not determined either. Lonnie [Chisenhall] has a broken arm."

2. The Tribe manager is right. But what the Indians need more than anything in 2013 is starting pitching. The situation is so bleak that barring a major collapse or injury, Roberto Hernandez will be back in 2013. They are expected to pick up his $6 million option for next season. How many games has Hernandez pitched in 2012? One. Last year as Fausto Carmona, he was 7-15 with a 5.25 ERA. In the previous four years, his ERAs have been 5.44, 6.32, 3.77, and 5.25.

3. So this is not exactly like waiting for Bob Lemon or even an aging Orel Hershiser to come back. Few believe he will ever be the Fausto Carmona of 2007 (19-8, 3.06), but they hope he can be the pitcher of 2010 (13-14, 3.77) -- only now under his legal name.

4. This is not picking on Hernandez. It is about a rotation with an ERA of 5.15. As Jonathan Knight tweeted me, only Zach McAllister (3.46 ERA) has an ERA under 4.50 among the nine guys to start games for the Tribe this season. McAllister leads the AL in unearned runs, so I'd argue that his ERA is a bit deceiving because he has failed to stop the bleeding a few times when the defense has opened a wound.

5. But OK, we'll put McAllister in the 2013 rotation. I like him and see him making major progress. Justin Masterson is a legitimate middle-of-the-rotation starter. Then what?

6. Before answering (as if there is one), let's just point out the starters are 12th in AL ERA. That stinks, especially for a team with limited offense which counted upon pitching to be the great eraser. Instead, the collapse of the starters led to the 11-game losing streak and the fall from .500. It has put Acta's job on the line, and led to the dismissal of pitching coach Scott Radinsky.

7. When the Indians have had good or at least respectable starting pitching, it's reflected in the standings. The 2007 Tribe won 96 games with the lowest ERA (4.19) of any AL starting staff. In the last four years, they've been 4.43 and higher. The best they've ranked in the last four years is 10th in 2011, when the team was 80-82.

8. No pitcher has won more than 13 games since Cliff Lee in 2008. From 2005-08, the Indians had these four in their rotation: C.C. Sabathia, Jake Westbrook, Lee and Hernandez. Only Hernandez remains. The other three left because of contract issues, and have pitched well.

9. The Tribe traded its two top pitching prospects (Alex White and Drew Pomeranz) for Ubaldo Jimenez. Pomeranz is 1-7 with a 5.04 ERA, White is 2-6 with 5.83 ERA for the Rockies. Would they have pitched better here had they remained? Who knows? Jimenez was a good pitcher in Colorado (46-32, 3.24 ERA from 2008-10), but not here.

10. The Indians have a $5.75 million option on Jimenez for 2013. They will pick it up. They will search for a new pitching coach who may be able to help. Jimenez is 2-7 with a 7.16 ERA in his last 10 starts, 13-16 with a 5.45 ERA since coming to the Tribe on July 31, 2011.

11. There's always Jeanmar Gomez (6-3, 2.92 ERA at Columbus). Yes, he was 4-7, 5.32 in the rotation early this season. But the 24-year-old righty is 16-9 with a 2.79 ERA in Class AAA over the last two years, so I'm not sure how much is gained leaving him in Columbus.

12. That leaves Corey Kluber (11-7, 3.59 ERA at Columbus) as a possibility. He has been hit hard in his brief Tribe trial, but also has a 92-95 mph fastball and some decent breaking pitches. A year ago, the Indians thought Scott Barnes was a viable alternative. They converted the lefty to the bullpen, and that didn't work when he came to Cleveland. Maybe work him as a starter next season.

12. David Huff? He's 5-6 with a 5.34 ERA for the Clippers. Josh Tomlin may have surgery. He's out with arm problems. Kevin Slowey has been injured for months at Columbus. When it comes to "Now what?" for the rotation, I don't have many answers. But if it doesn't change for the better, then nothing will for the Tribe.

About Cleveland State basketball ...

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerWith major changes in the roster for 2012-13, Cleveland State will need Anton Grady to become a reliable offensive weapon in the Horizon League.

1. The top three scorers have graduated. Trey Harmon, Jeremy Montgomery and D'Aundray Brown picked up their diplomas in addition to using up their basketball eligibility. That leaves Tim Kamczyc (who also has his diploma) as the leading returning scorer at 9.1 points and only returning starter. He also is the only senior, as he'll be taking graduate courses this year.

2. For the first time in CSU's history, the team has been honored by the NCAA for finishing among the top 10 percent among Division I programs in Academic Progress Rate. That measures players graduating, along with making progress toward a degree. Coach Gary Waters said all 17 players who were seniors in his program have earned a degree.

3. Waters does have to reload after losing Norris Cole to the Miami Heat in 2011, followed by starting center Aaron Pogue (who also graduated) along with Harmon, Montgomery and Brown in 2012. Waters expects Cleveland Central Catholic's Anton Grady (8.5 points, 6.5 rebounds) to improve from his promising freshman season. Charlie Lee takes over at point guard. Right now, only Lee, Kamczyc and Grady are assured to start.

4. Waters hopes 6-5 Marlin Mason can be an athletic scorer, be it at small forward or shooting guard. He showed promise last year. Another possibility at shooting guard is Junior Lomomba, a 6-4 recruit who was given three stars by ESPN. Along with Grady, Lomomba is considered the top recruit in Waters' five seasons at CSU.

5. A problem for Lomomba is that he broke his foot in a summer league game and recently had surgery. The Vikings expect him to be ready for the regular season, but he will be out at least for a few months.

6. Recruits Malik London and Gary Akbar failed to qualify academically and will play in junior college. Chris Brown arrived from Oregon State to CSU in the middle of last season, but the 7-footer transferred out and is expected to play at a junior college. Also leaving is Ike Nwamu, who is expected to transfer to Mercer.

7. Transferring in is Trey Lewis, who was a big-time recruit from Garfield Heights (co-Division I Ohio Player of the Year in 2011). He averaged 5.6 points at Penn State last season. Lewis is a 6-1 guard who has to sit out this season. He left Penn State because the coaching staff that recruited him left the school.

8. The Vikings do need big men. They are hoping Devon Long can be a factor. The 6-7 junior has nice inside moves, and Waters said he finally is in shape at 255 pounds, down from 285. Long is one of two juniors, along with Luda Ndaye, a 6-9 forward recovering from hip surgery. He is expected to be ready when training camp opens.

9. CSU did recruit 6-9 Aaron Scales from American Basketball Institute in North Carolina. Hard to know if he'll be ready to play much in the rugged Horizon League. The Vikings also added two guards. Bryn Forbes is a 6-3 shooter from Lansing, Mich. Josh Ivory is a 6-2 point guard from Louisiana. Along with Lomomba, these guards played on state championship teams.

10. The Vikings have won at least 20 games in four of the last five seasons. They have been to three NITs and one NCAA appearance and are 112-61 over that five-year span. It won't be easy for them to reach that standard of excellence this season because they are so young. They do have one scholarship left to give, and it's possible they could add another transfer.

About the Browns...

View full sizeMike Roemer, Associated PressThe work of the Browns' young linebackers -- including L.J. Fort (40) and James-Michael Johnson (50) -- has buoyed Terry Pluto's hopes for an improved defense this fall.

1. It's been a long time since I have written this sentence: "The Browns defense looked fast ... and quick." Yes, they were ranked 10th last season, but that was mostly from playing excellent position defense and keeping teams out of the end zone. There were few Sundays when it seemed the team had an athletic edge on the opponent.

2. I know it's the preseason, but some of the young defenders are indeed athletic. I hope it's not fool's gold, but seventh-rounder Trevin Wade has shown some impressive coverage skills in the first two games. Undrafted linebackers L.J. Fort and Craig Robertson are very promising. Last week, I noted how Robertson had impressed coaches who wanted to see what he'd do in preseason games. Well, he showed up a lot in Green Bay.

3. With Chris Gocong (Achilles) out for the season and Scott Fujita expected to open the year with a 3-game suspension for the "Bountygate" scandal in New Orleans, the Browns will open with two new faces. Kaluka Maiava will start at one side of veteran middle linebacker D'Qwell Jackson, with fifth-round James-Michael Johnson at the other spot.

4. Pat Shurmur seems very excited about Johnson, Fort and Robertson. He loves young, quick linebackers because they also can help on coverage teams. The coach wants depth at the position, following three seasons that ended with Fujita on the injured list. Shurmur also praised second-year linebacker Ben Jacobs.

5. Some fans have been concerned because Jackson (sore shoulder) has not played yet. Well, he played every snap last season. He is a coach on the field in knowing the 4-3 defense. The Browns don't want to risk an injury to their defensive captain, so he probably won't play much. That's especially true after losing Gocong for the year. Jackson is expected to be ready for the opener.

6. Along with Wade, safety Eric Hagg and cornerback Buster Skrine have looked good among the young players. I was very impressed by the pass rush provided by Marcus Benard at defensive end. He could be a real surprise after missing all of 2011 because of a serious motorcycle accident. Benard had 7.5 sacks in 2010 as a linebacker in the 3-4 defense.

7. Clark Ballantyne emailed from Anchorage to say he was impressed with undrafted running back Adonis Thomas. He wondered if Thomas could secure a roster spot. Well, it seems most years there is an unknown back who plays in the second half of preseason games. Think Armond Smith, Chris Jennings and James Davis. But come the regular season, they don't last long. With Trent Richardson, Montario Hardesty, Brandon Jackson and Chris Ogbonnaya in front of him, Thomas has little chance to make it.

8. I really like how seventh-rounder Brad Smelley has played. He can handle fullback, tight end and special teams. He has good hands when catching passes, and played a significant role on Alabama's championship team.

Bartolo Colon pitched eight innings and the Oakland bullpen withstood a ninth-inning rally by the Indians for an 8-5 victory on Saturday night. The Indians have lost 17 of their last 21 games.

Oakland -- Remember when Bartolo Colon was young and fat and threw so hard he made a baseball sound like bacon frying in a skillet on its way home?

Colon is old and fat now, and doesn't throw nearly as hard as he did back in the day, but he still threw well enough Saturday night to befuddle the Indians in Oakland's 8-5 victory at O.co Coliseum.

The Indians losing streaks are many and varied. They've lost four straight and 17 of their last 21 games. On the road, they've lost 15 of their last 17 games.

Colon, 39, was signed and developed by the Indians. He pitched in the big leagues for them from 1997 until they traded him to Montreal for Grady Sizemore, Brandon Phillips and Cliff Lee in 2002. Contrary to popular belief that was not the last good trade the Indians made, but sometimes it sure seems like it.

"Bartolo has always been successful because he throws strikes and that's half the battle," said manager Manny Acta before the game. "He's been healthy the last few years and that's all he needs. He'll pound the strike zone and you have to swing the bat to beat him."

The Indians did not follow their manager's advice. Check that. They did swing the bat, they just didn't swing it well.

Colon (10-9, 3.43) started the game with 10 straight outs, seven on fly balls, to start the game. He threw between 88 mph and 91 mph, but the Indians didn't do much at all against him.

He allowed five hits and one run in eight in innings. He struck three and didn't walk a batter in throwing 72 percent (74-for-103) for strikes.

"There's not many guys like him still throwing," said shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera. "But he still pitching because he's got something. He stopped us tonight."

When Colon was with the Tribe, he pitched at 95 mph and above and lived for the strikeout.

The Indians only run against Colon came on Carlos Santana's two-out homer in the seventh. It was his 13th overall and ninth from the left side of the plate. Colon is 6-3 against the Indians.

Santana's homer was the first of three by the Indians, but none of them were big enough for a victory. Shin-Soo Choo and Brent Lillibridge each hit two-run homers in the ninth as the Indians scored four runs. After Jason Donald followed Lillibridge's pinch-hit homer with a pinch-hit single, closer Grant Balfour relieved to strikeout Ezequiel Carrera for his 11th save.

"I hope this ninth inning can carry into Sunday's game," said Choo, who has 15 homers. "Right now we've all gone into a slump at the same time. I'm talking about pitchers and hitters, but tonight Colon was very good."

Choo homered off Evan Schriber, who started the ninth. Lillbridge, pinch-hitting for Casey Kotchman, hit an 0-2 pitch off lefty Jerry Blevins. It was his third homer of the season. He's hit them with the Indians since being acquired from Boston on July 24.

Rookie right-hander Corey Kluber did a five-and-fly in the loss. He gave up four runs, all of them unearned and all in them coming in fourth. Kluber (0-2, 6.27) allowed four hits and three walks on 95 pitches. He struck out three.

Cliff Pennington started the fourth with a bouncer over the mound to short. Cabrera charged the ball and made an off balance throw to first. Kotchman stretched for the one-hop throw, but couldn't hold it.

Cabrera was charged with his 16th error, one more than he made last year. When asked what happened on the error, Cabrera said, "What do you mean what happened? I threw to first and it was too hard for him to catch."

Jemile Weeks moved Pennington to second on a sacrifice bunt. Kluber and Santana had trouble with the signs with a man on second. Santana went to the mound for a meeting, but the results were not good.

Kluber walked Coco Crisp. Pennington and Crisp worked a double steal as Josh Donaldson faked a bunt. A lot of catchers would have simply caught Kluber's pitch, but Santana must not have seen it because he didn't move his glove.

Fortunately, the ball hit the backstop so hard it bounced back to Santana before Pennington or Crisp could advance farther.

Josh Donaldson sent a grounder to short to score Pennington for a 1-0 lead. Josh Reddick made it 2-0 with a double and Yoenis Cespedes homered on Kluber's 1-1 pitch to make it 4-0.

The homer was Cespedes 16th of the season.

"The error opened the flood gates, but Kluber should be able to pitch around that," said Acta. "He couldn't do that and allowed the inning to get out of control a little bit. Overall, he hung in there for five innings, but he threw way too many pitches."

Said Kluber, "I didn't attack the strike zone enough and threw way too many balls."

Acta said the Indians are going to keep giving Kluber the ball.

"We have to be patient," said Acta. "He's got good stuff. We just have to throw him out there and see if he puts it together. We brought him up to take a look at him and that's what we're doing."

The Indians tried to rally in the fourth, but a great throw by Reddick from right field stopped them. Cabrera doubled to left center with one out. When Shin-Soo Choo followed with a single to right, it appeared Cabrera would score easily, but he slipped going around third as Reddick threw a strike to the plate. If Cabrera had continued, he would have been an easy out.

The inning ended when Santana bounced into a double play.

The A's made it 5-0 in the sixth against Frank Herrmann.

Chris Carter doubled with one out in the sixth. Herrmann struck out Brandon Moss, but George Kottaras singled to right to score Carter.

The A's, who have won three straight, but lost 11 of their 22, made it 6-1 in the seventh. Cespedes singled home Weeks off Cody Allen. The run was charged to Herrmann.

Crisp's two-run triple off Chris Seddon in the eighth gave the A's 8-1 lead.

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

Indians visit the Oakland Athletics.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today's TV and radio listings

AUTO RACING

1 p.m. Pure Michigan 400 ESPN

9 p.m. Lucas Oil Nationals (tape) ESPN2

BASEBALL

Noon Little League World Series ESPN2

1 p.m. Lansing at LAKE COUNTY CAPTAINS, AM/970

1 p.m. Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati WGN

1:05 p.m. Reading at AKRON AEROS, AM/1350

1:30 p.m. L.A. Dodgers at Atlanta TBS

2 p.m. Little League World Series WEWS

4:07 p.m. CLEVELAND INDIANS at Oakland SportsTime Ohio; AM/1100

5 p.m. Little League World Series ESPN

7 p.m. Little League World Series ESPN2

8 p.m. Boston at N.Y. Yankees ESPN

EXTREME SPORTS

2 p.m. Dew Tour, Pantech Beach Championships WKYC

GOLF

1 p.m. Wyndham Championship Golf Channel

3 p.m. Wyndham Championship WOIO

3 p.m. Dick's Sporting Goods Open Golf Channel

4 p.m. U.S. Amateur Championship final WKYC

7 p.m. Safeway Classic Golf Channel

MOTORSPORTS

Noon MotoGP Moto3 (tape) Speed

1 p.m. MotoGP Moto2 (tape) Speed

2 p.m. MotoGP World Championship Speed

NFL

8 p.m. Indianapolis at Pittsburgh WKYC

SOCCER

5 p.m. MLS, Philadelphia at DC United NBCSN

TENNIS

12:30 p.m. ATP, Western & Southern final WOIO

4 p.m. WTA, Western & Southern Open final ESPN2

With Ohio State and Penn State out of Big Ten title contention, Illini and new coach see opportunity.

View full sizeDarrell Hoemann, Associated PressTim Beckman, a Berea native, is trying to pump a new competitive spirit into the Illinois football program after a 7-6 season a year ago. Beckman moved to Illinois from Toledo, where he coached last season.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Walking onto the field before the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl last December, Nathan Scheelhaase's football world was cracking wide open.

After starting 6-0, his team had just lost six in a row. Ron Zook, the coach he came to Illinois to play quarterback for, had been fired as a result.

And even with new coach Tim Beckman already hired, no one knew who would be back for 2012 with the NFL or transfers beckoning.

"I remember walking out on the field for that bowl game with (defensive back Terry Hawthorne), remember slapping hands with him and giving him a hug and thinking, 'Man, is this the last game I'll play with this guy?' " he said. "Because you don't know."

For starters, he didn't know what kind of Illini team would show up that day.

"People expected us to kind of roll over and play dead," Scheelhaase now says.

Illinois instead scratched out a 20-14 win over UCLA to finish 7-6, and four of those players -- Hawthorne, defensive end Michael Buchanan, defensive tackle Akeem Spence and center Graham Pocic -- came back.

Beckman is thankful they did.

"When Michael Buchanan and Graham Pocic and Terry Hawthorne and Akeem Spence made the decision to come back and be a part of that, I sure hope that's the start of something special about being a senior and about being the leader of a football team," said Beckman, a Berea native who coached at Toledo last season.

The four, along with Scheelhaase, sophomore running back Donovonn Young and a handful of others, are the key pieces Beckman is building around in his first season since coming to Illinois from Toledo. The Illini open at home against Western Michigan on Sept. 1.

Buchanan, Hawthorne and Spence return from a defense that finished seventh in the country, fourth against the pass and 21st in scoring defense. Akron native Whitney Mercilus led the country in sacks with 16 before leaving to play in the NFL, but Buchanan quietly had 7 1/2 sacks, fourth in the Big Ten.

Buchanan said one of the biggest reasons he came back was Beckman.

"He was very honest with us about what the NFL scouts were saying about us" and pointing out a number of areas where Buchanan could improve with another year, Buchanan said.

One thing Buchanan changed, he said, was his weight. He's added about five pounds to get to 250 give himself an edge playing inside against Big Ten offensive linemen. The extra weight, the 6-6 senior said, "actually feels more comfortable when you're trying to get through the line, stunting."

The defense was the surprise strength of the Illini last season, in part because the offense turned so bad over those six losses. Illinois scored 11 points a game over that stretch.

The offensive line was a big part of the problem.

Scheelhaase and the other Illini quarterbacks who spelled him often threw under pressure and had almost as many interceptions -- 13 -- as their 14 passing touchdowns. Illinois gave up 36 sacks, better than only two other teams in the conference.

Illinois' run-first offense was only a little better on the ground, averaging a middle-of-the-pack 171.7 yards a game.

Promising, though, were the 451 rushing yards and six touchdowns Young had as a freshman. He was fourth on the team in rushing yards -- Scheelhaase was first with 624 -- but this season he'll be called on to carry more of the load. What he can do in Beckman's spread offense may be dictated by what the senior center, Pocic, and the rest of the line can do in front of him.

"The major concern, as we all know, is the offensive line," Beckman acknowledged.

Darrell Hoemann, Associated PressQuarterback nathan Scheelhaase says he has settled in under new coach Tim Beckman after not being sure what his future would hold after last season.

Beckman has stressed competition since his opening press conference -- competition in everything, from the practice field to weight training to some things you might not expect.

"We did a 3-point shooting contest with our shoulder pads on," Scheelhaase said.

That emphasis, Scheelhaase said, is intended to teach players to hold up under the pressure of tough times.

The Illini who are back from last season know a little about that.

Young says that after the 21-14 loss to Purdue -- Illinois' second loss -- the feeling around the team changed.

"After that, you could tell the atmosphere was a little different around here," said the 6-0, 220-pound Young. "You could see the change coming."

But the bowl win, players believe, showed they learned to handle struggles.

Now, with neither Penn State nor Ohio State eligible to win the Big Ten title because of NCAA sanctions, Illinois has an unusual opportunity in the Big Ten's Leaders Division.

A new staff usually means rebuilding, but the Illini -- while stressing the standard football players' commitment to taking things a game at a time -- acknowledge that the path toward the Big Ten title game is just a little more open since neither the Buckeyes nor Nittany Lions can get there.

"We understand that we have a better chance at being Big Ten champs, and that's our goal," Young said. "It's there. We know. It's not like we're naive to the situation."

Roger Goodell says he's serious about using replacement officials in the regular season but the idea is laughable, Bud Shaw writes in his Sunday Spin.

View full sizeDenis Poroy, Associated PressIf it looks like Norv Turner and other NFL coaches are having to explain the rules to the league's replacement referees, well ... that's just what the league deserves for an absurd situation, says Bud Shaw.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The NFL is guilty of unnecessary roughness in its dealings with its referees.

If what we are seeing is Roger Goodell's poker face as he huffs and bluffs about using replacement refs in the regular season, he'd get fleeced in even the friendliest game of Texas hold'em.

No way the NFL lets this happen. Or Goodell, in his role as chief bouncer and protector of The Shield, will never, ever live it down. So enough posturing already.

We know and he knows he isn't going to turn over an industry reaping $7 billion a year just in media rights -- according to Forbes -- to a group of new officials who haven't officiated games as fast and intense as the ones they'll see in September.

NFL refs don't even get a sniff of officiating in a Super Bowl until they've worked games for at least five years. So now the league is going to turn over its zillion-dollar product and the health and welfare of its million-dollar players to a bunch of people who've been on the job at this level for five minutes?

Mistakes on display in the exhibition season have come in a variety of sizes. From referee Craig Ochoa -- who may or may not have worked in the Lingerie Football League -- calling Atlanta "Arizona" on more than one occasion, to refs at the Buffalo-Washington game ruling a touchback on a punt that never crossed the goal line and was instead downed near the 5.

In Jacksonville, Jaguars' offensive lineman Eben Britton told the Florida Times-Union of referee Jerry Hughes trying to get the attention of quarterback Blaine Gabbert in a game against the Giants. To do so, he called Gabbert "Mr. Quarterback."

Hmmm, where are we again? Atlanta? Phoenix?

Some of this is born of unfamiliarity. Some of it is a major concern. Hardly any of it is the fault of the 121 replacement officials used for preseason games. All of it reflects poorly on the NFL -- and especially on a commissioner who has consistently punished players in the name of league image.

The NFL cares so much about its product that it suspends and fines players left and right for issues big (helmet-to-helmet hits and arrests) and small (excessive celebrations, uniform dress codes). Yet it would compromise the trust of its fan base, coaches, owners and players by beginning the season with refs who are "overmatched" in the empathetic words of former Senior Director of Officiating Mike Pereira.

In a late attempt to protect the league against safety-based lawsuits, Goodell overreached in his discipline of Browns' linebacker Scott Fujita and other Saints' players -- especially Jonathan Vilma, who had his livelihood taken away for a full season. How must they feel seeing the commissioner justify unqualified replacement refs in the name of saving relative pennies in a dispute with the officials' union?

Really, Commish, we're the ones giving the league a bad name? How rich.

When Fujita met Goodell in New York a while back over the alleged bounty program run in New Orleans, Goodell reportedly stuck out his hand. The story goes that Fujita said, "Roger, what the [heck] are you doing?"

It's fair to ask it again with the regular season approaching and replacement refs still in place. The answer is he's bluffing.

If not, he's asking for -- even embracing -- a PR nightmare.

SPINOFFS

Told of the growing public sentiment that he must've known about decade-old accusations against Jerry Sandusky, Joe Paterno told family members, "I'm not omniscient."

The anecdote is part of a new book by Joe Posnanski that tells of Paterno's family having to urge him to read the grand jury report on Sandusky after charges were filed. When Paterno did read the report -- according to family members -- he didn't understand some of the graphic terms used, including "sodomy."

Nobody expected him to be omniscient.

But nobody's buying oblivious either. ...

View full sizeLorain County JournalGood thing that Ozzie Guillen isn't in the business of accommodating guys who hot-dog it on the field.

Miami manager Ozzie Guillen on former Marlin Hanley Ramirez hot-dogging it after home runs.

"Hanley hit a home run down by 30 runs, he would pimp it. That's the way he is. ... Somebody hits a home run, they put on a show. Somebody strikes out, they put on a show. That's the way the game is right now."

Not at all like Guillen giving a Cleveland baseball crowd the choke sign during a late-season pitching change in 2005. ...

Former Red Sox manager Terry Francona, now in the broadcast booth for ESPN, asked to be part of the Little League World Series coverage.

"It's the way baseball is supposed to be," Francona said, meaning the players are too young to drink beer in the clubhouse during games. ...

Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte trademarked the phrase "Jeah" on Aug. 1, saying it means "like happy."

As for the evidence this term is sweeping the nation in the afterglow of the London Summer Games, another word comes to mind.

Jnotreally. ...

Just two years after NCAA sanctions, USC is college football's preseason No. 1. We may need to revisit the opinion that stiff NCAA sanctions at Penn State were actually worse than the death penalty.

Wide receiver Jared Fagnano recently transferred from Akron to Penn State, where nine players have left the Nittany Lions' program after the NCAA delivered its punishment. In an unrelated story, authorities for some reason never found the man believed to have jumped from a life boat onto the deck of the sinking Titanic. ...

The Pirates have sent playoff ticket orders to season ticket holders, thereby prompting the Mayans to move up their prediction by two months. ...

Browns' corner Trevin Wade was carted from the sideline to the locker room in Green Bay but is fine, according to Browns' head coach Pat Shurmur.

"He was sore," Shurmur said.

If Shurmur had become a leading Civil War historian instead of a football coach, his version of things at Gettysburg would include Confederate troops suffering heavy casualties due to "general soreness." ...

Eddie Murray, formerly of the Indians and currently of the baseball Hall of Fame, is being charged with insider trading and faces a $358,151 fine.

Guessing here that he had no comment. ...

The Browns haven't been 2-0 in the preseason since 2005. So we have a 2-5 start, 4-9 record after 13 games, a 6-10 finish and a 41-0 Christmas Eve drubbing at the hand of the Pittsburgh Steelers to look forward to?

Relax. The Steelers don't play here on Christmas Eve. ...

A fan has sued the Dallas Cowboys after claiming she burned her buttocks on a black marble bench outside the stadium. Who knew a black bench could get piping hot in the sun?

Except everyone who walked on blacktop in bare feet as a kid.

HE SAID IT

View full sizeAP fileHis big shot is taking a swing at runaway budgets. But will anyone return the ball?

"You can't put a dinosaur in a twin-sized bed." -- New York Giants' tight end Martellus Bennett, complaining that training camp accommodations have caused back problems for a number of players.

But on the bright side, dinosaurs can write a Sunday sports column.

SEPARATED AT BIRTH

Rep. Paul Ryan and the tennis player Novak Djokovic -- Doug

YOU SAID IT

(The Average Sized Sunday Edition)

"Bud:

"When a Penn State football player joins the church choir, can he be called a Litany Lion?" -- James D., Richmond Heights

View full sizeAP photoHe's got a big serve, too. But he's getting the bigger paychecks these days.

Only in a column with incredibly low standards for humor.

"Hey Bud:

"Now that you are a 'high brow' (referencing Pavarotti and La Boheme), should we expect to see you at the opera this winter following Browns' games on Sunday?" -- Shaker Dee

If it's Pagliacci and there's tailgating, I'd feel right at home.

"Bud:

"I had heard that Jimmy Haslam was a 'hands-on' guy. Can you verify he drew up a play where Josh Gordon sprints down the sideline, which shall be called 'The Flying J?'" -- Jeff, Westlake

My sources tell me his first order of business after two preseason games will be to draw up a play that goes more than six yards on third-and-eight.

"Bud:

"Can assembling top basketball players for the Miami Heat be called, 'The Life of Riley?'" -- Jim D, Richmond Heights

Have you ever been seen in the same room with James D from Richmond Heights?

"Bud:

"How much of your long success as a sportswriter do you attribute to having been shut down by your editors in mid-September when you were young?" -- Stan

First-time "You Said It" winners receive a T-shirt from the Mental Floss collection.

"Bud:

"Did someone put the slide signal on for the Indians and forget to take it off?" -- Larry Rose, Diamond

Repeat winners have no hope.

"Bud:

"When I read on the first page of the PD sports section that 'Bud Shaw is off today,' does this editorial comment qualify as a public service announcement?" -- Jim Lefkowitz, Pepper Pike

Some repeat winners get an expired coupon.

On Twitter: @budshaw

LeBron James leads kids in a promise for them to stay in school, and get better grades, at Akron's Canal Park during an Aeros' game. It's part of the work that he does through his LeBron James Family Foundation, and its Wheel for Education program.

Karen Schiely/via APNBA star and Akron native LeBron James says hello to children from the Akron Pubic Schools Sunday as he kicks off the second year for his family foundation's Wheels for Education. The program encourages children to go to school and do their homework. James met with the children at Canal Park during an Akron Aeros game.

Devin Stevens is a 9-year-old with a lot of energy.

But these days, he's applying a lot more of it than he used to toward his school work. It's paid off for him already. This past school year, he got several As and mostly Bs on his report card, which pleases his grandmother, Toni Stevens, immensely.

To help encourage and reward improvement in his grades, he also has received a laptop to use for school, and a bicycle, thanks to the LeBron James Family Foundation's Wheels for Education program.

And Sunday, Devin got to see his idol in person, for the second time. The fourth-grader at Glover Elementary was one of several hundred Akron city school students who got some face-time with James, during and after the Akron Aeros' game at Canal Park. (The Aeros beat the Reading Phillies 10 to 4.)

Devin and the other students know what they need to do to keep reaping the rewards that come with staying in the Wheels for Education program: keep earning good and better grades, and keep their attendance excellent.

The program, now in its second year, seems to be working. As James announced to applause: "Every last one of the third-graders from last year is moving on to the fourth grade."

It was one year ago this month that James introduced Wheels for Education, a program that was designed to see more than 300 third-graders in the Akron Public Schools through to their high school graduations in 2021. In conjunction with corporate partners, each student received a laptop, a backpack with school supplies and a bike to start them on their way. This year another 220 students were selected for the program.

That same month, James dedicated the LeBron James Clubhouse at the Akron Boys & Girls Club where he played as a child. The club was renovated with $240,000 he donated through his family foundation.

James' presence at Sunday's game was also the occasion for a tribute from Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic. He announced that nine signs would be placed on roadways at the entrance to Akron, announcing the city as the home of LeBron James, and listing some of his greatest achievements: among them, the 2012 Olympic gold medal, 2012 NBA Championship, and the 2012 NBA MVP.

The crowd showed its love for James in applause and shouts; only a few boos and an occasional call of "traitor" were heard.

Plusquellic acknowledged in his remarks to the crowd that not every single person might agree, "But the majority of people recognize a person of character who has given back to our city."

He added, "He knows not every child can be an MVP in the NBA, but every child can do well in school. He not only gives money to help make that happen, he gives his time."

In his remarks, James talked about what a difference it makes to kids to have after-school programs that keep them motivated and out of trouble. "I wouldn't be the person I am today if not for this city, for these streets," he said, speaking from the field after the game.

His mother, Gloria James, was by his side, keeping a protective watch; she and his fiancee Savannah Brinson joined him on the field when he led students from his Wheels program and from the Boys and Girls Clubs of Akron to make a pledge that included: "I promise to go to school, to do my homework, to listen to my teachers and. . .above all, to finish school, to finish school, to finish school."

As James added, "Kids can get distracted by a lot of things, friends, sports, and yes, sports is the reason I'm up here. But to all the parents, mentors, and coaches -- you don't just coach Xs and Os. Make sure these kids are into the books as well."

James definitely inspires the younger kids, said several of the "Wheels" ambassadors, who are volunteer mentors in their teens. Lauren Rossiter, 16, who attends Green High School said, "I notice the kids light up just when we're talking about him. They want to do well to make him proud."

That was certainly an inspiration for Devin, who knows he needs to keep doing well in school to stay in the Wheels program.

He's not sure, though, what he wants to be when he grows up. "A basketball player, and a football player," he lists. "Or a doctor, policeman, and firefighter."

As his grandmother, Toni, said, "At least he's got his mind made up to be something."

Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer announces his players have selected five seniors to be the Buckeyes' captains for the 2012 season.

View full sizeMarvin Fong, The Plain DealerBuckeyes defensive lineman John Simon is just the seventh two-time Ohio State football captain.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- After Ohio State went without permanent football captains last season, first-year coach Urban Meyer on Sunday announced five seniors had been chosen by their teammates as the Buckeyes' captains for 2012.

Defensive lineman John Simon, defensive lineman Garrett Goebel, linebacker Etienne Sabino, fullback Zach Boren and running back Jordan Hall will serve as the leaders for Meyer's first season.

Last year, head coach Luke Fickell rotated captains weekly, then named permanent captains after the season ended. One was Simon, meaning he is now just the seventh two-time captain in OSU history and the first since James Laurinaitis in 2007 and 2008.

There are just 13 scholarship seniors on the roster. Sabino, Boren and Simon represented Ohio State at the Big Ten meetings in Chicago, while Hall, who was suspended for the first two games last season for taking impermissible benefits at a charity event, has received lots of praise from Meyer.

Goebel, a low-key but steadying force on the interior of the defense, is perhaps the most surprising choice, but he's also a player who has always done his job -- on and off the field -- without much fanfare. Tight end Jake Stoneburner hurt his chances to be a captain with a guilty plea to a disorderly conduct charge during the summer.

Ohio State opens its season against Miami of Ohio on Sept. 1.

Oakland, Calif. -- We have seen this before. Just recently, in fact. Could we be looking at Streak II? Could one baseball season be so cruel? Oakland completed a three-game sweep of the Indians on Sunday with a 7-0 victory as rookie Jarrod Parker and reliever Ryan Clark combined on a seven-hitter. The Indians have lost five straight on...

View full sizeJose Carlos Fajardo/Contra Costa Times/MCT

Oakland, Calif. -- We have seen this before. Just recently, in fact.

Could we be looking at Streak II? Could one baseball season be so cruel?

Oakland completed a three-game sweep of the Indians on Sunday with a 7-0 victory as rookie Jarrod Parker and reliever Ryan Clark combined on a seven-hitter. The Indians have lost five straight on this nine-game West Coast swing, and pitching has been their downfall at almost every turn.

After Justin Masterson opened the trip with a victory against the Angels on Aug. 13, Tribe starters are 0-4 with an 8.10 ERA. With all of these losses taking place on the road, this should have a familiar feel to it.

The Tribe's 11-game losing streak, the second longest in franchise history, started on the road as well. The Indians went 0-9 on a Midwestern slog through Minneapolis, Kansas City and Detroit from July 27 through Aug. 5.

When the Indians returned to Progressive Field, they extended the streak to 11 games before finally ending it Aug. 8. In that streak, the starters went 0-8 with a 10.44 ERA (58 earned runs in 50 innings).

After Sunday's game, a reporter told Tribe manager Manny Acta the pitching during the five-game losing streak looked a lot like that in the 11-game streak.

"I can't argue with you," Acta said. "But we're not looking at it that way. We're looking at stopping it [today]."

The Indians open a three-game series against Seattle at Safeco Field tonight.

Masterson, 0-2 in the big streak, took the loss Sunday. He allowed seven runs on nine hits in 5 innings. Of the 101 pitches he threw, he regretted only two.

Brandon Moss hit a 2-2 fastball with two out in the fourth for a homer to give Oakland a 2-0 lead. In the fifth, Coco Crisp hit a first-pitch fastball just inside the right-field foul pole for a three-run homer and a 5-0 lead.

Masterson (9-11, 4.73) doesn't think the Indians are about to witness a return of the streak.

"I don't think that's on anybody's mind," he said. "We do a good job here of saying every day is a new day. You've just got to go out there and do your thing."

In the first three innings against Parker (8-7, 3.48), the Indians had four hits, a walk and a stolen base. But they gagged, going 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position, as Parker stranded five. After that, they couldn't make outs fast enough.

In the next six innings, the Indians managed three hits and advanced one runner to third base. The game took two hours, 25 minutes. The Indians played as if they were going to miss their flight to Seattle, but they were flying a charter.

Parker had lost his past three starts before dazzling the Indians on six hits, one walk and two strikeouts.

When asked about Parker, Shin-Soo Choo said: "I didn't see anything special. Our hitters just tried too hard. We had a lot of ground balls. We swung early in the count. He pitched pretty good, but I think we were too aggressive."

Choo had two of the six hits Parker allowed.

The Indians are hitting .217 (56-for-258) with runners in scoring position since the All-Star break. In the first half of the season, they hit .250.

"We seem tense in those situations," Acta said. "We need to relax and let the game come to us."

The Indians started banging their heads against the wall early. Ezequiel Carrera opened the game with a single and stole second. Asdrubal Cabrera, Choo and Carlos Santana went down in order without getting him home.

Michael Brantley started the second with a single, and Brent Lillibridge drew a one-out walk. But Parker and retired Jack Hannahan and Lou Marson.

Choo and Santana had consecutive singles in the third, but the hits came with two out. The inning ended when Brantley grounded out to second.

The Indians have lost 18 of their past 22 games. On the road, they've lost 15 of their past 16.

Crisp, a former Indian, drove in five runs to tie a career high. The A's have the worst batting average in the American League, but they outscored the Indians, 21-9.

"We were completely outplayed, especially outpitched, by these guys this whole series," Acta said.

If the Indians want to salvage the remaining 41 games on the regular-season schedule, manager Manny Acta said they have to do one thing: pitch better.

View full sizeMcClatchy-Tribune News ServiceIndians manager Manny Acta takes out starting pitcher Justin Masterson in the sixth inning Sunday.

Oakland, Calif. -- There are 41 games left in the regular season, and the Indians are on pace to lose 90.

Is there a chance the wet timber in their heart can still turn to flame? That they could still reach out and grab the coattails of respectability?

Some teams need a defining moment to salvage their seasons. A rallying cry to bring them together.

Manager Manny Acta is reading from a different script.

"For us to play better, we need to pitch better," said Acta before the Indians lost to Oakland, 7-0, Sunday. "You can't win if you don't pitch better. It's that simple. Pitching is the name of the game.

"Look across the field at the Oakland A's. What do you think got them where they are?"

The A's are in second place in the American League West, five games out of first. They are a half-game off the pace for the second wild-card spot.

Oakland's pitching staff is second in the AL in ERA at 3.49. The Indians are 13th at 4.82 and have allowed the most runs and walks in the league.

The A's have the best record in the league since the All-Star break at 22-12. They have a 3.71 ERA (131 earned runs in 317 innings) with the fewest walks and second-most strikeouts in the league.

The Indians are 10-26 since the break. They have the third-highest ERA in the big leagues at 5.57 (192 earned runs in 3101/3 innings), including the starting rotation's 6.69 ERA since the break.

Offensively, the A's have the lowest batting average in the league at .232. They make the weak-hitting Indians look like a juggernaut at .252, but they're still in the postseason race.

"We haven't played up to our potential overall," Acta said. "That's all. Nothing inspires or sparks people more than winning games. You win games by pitching."

Asked who bears responsibility for the Tribe's disappointing performance, Acta said: "We all are. No one is pointing fingers at anybody. You win as a team, and you lose as a team . . . from top to bottom."

Shaky hands: Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, a finalist for the Gold Glove Award in 2011, has made a career-high 16 errors this year. He had 15 last season.

Cabrera's 16 errors are the most by an AL shortstop and second only to Starlin Castro of the Cubs, who has 18. No. 16 came Saturday night in the third inning. It led the way to a four-run inning that gave Oakland an 8-5 victory against the Indians.

Cabrera wasn't particularly pleased with being charged with the error. He scooped a slow chopper by Cliff Pennington and made an off-balance throw to first baseman Casey Kotchman. The normally smooth-fielding Kotchman stretched for the one-hop throw, gloved it, but couldn't hold on.

"I think he can do better than that," Acta said of Cabrera. "Offensively and defensively, he's a guy I expect a lot out of. He's got so much ability.

"He's had a few errors that have come in a short period of time. I still can't complain about his defense. I think he's played pretty good defense for us."

"It's a tough error," Acta said, "and we know the majority of the time, Casey toys with a ball like that. But he couldn't do it Saturday night."

Day off: Jason Kipnis, hitting .183 (19-for-104) since the break, was rested Sunday. Ezequiel Carrera replaced him in the leadoff spot.

"Jason had a few good at-bats in Anaheim, [Calif.]," Acta said. "This is part of the process. These young guys come to the big leagues, and it's never that easy. It's a test for him, and he's going to have to fight through it."

Acta loves Kipnis' attitude.

"That's what makes a good player," Acta said. "He's still going hard and he cares. . . . Let's not forget that Mike Trout struggled last year with the Angels up here."

Finally: The A's have used 18 rookies this year, the most in the big leagues. . . . When Shin-Soo Choo and Brent Lillibridge homered in the ninth inning Saturday night, it was just the second time the Indians have done it in the ninth -- or later -- this year. On Aug. 5, Travis Hafner and Carrera homered in the 10th inning against Detroit.

The Indians lost both games.

Browns linebacker D'Qwell Jackson returned to the practice field in full pads Sunday after missing the first two preseason games with a sore shoulder, and he picked up where he left off. Watch video

PEGGY TURBETT/PLAIN DEALERLinebacker D'Qwell Jackson returned to the lineup at Cleveland Browns summer training camp on Sunday. He missed the first two preseason games with a sore shoulder.

Browns linebacker D'Qwell Jackson returned to the practice field in full pads Sunday after missing the first two preseason games with a sore shoulder, and he picked up where he left off.

He stormed Brandon Weeden for a would-be sack on a two-minute drive (sacks aren't permitted in practice) and then swatted down a short pass over the middle on fourth down to snuff out the threat.

"My biggest concern was that I did my conditioning outside of practice," he said. "It's different when you actually put on the helmet and actually go through the tackle and get your read. So that was good. I held up."

Jackson said sitting out for the past 21/2 weeks was more precautionary than anything. He's suffered two torn pectoral muscles in his career, and he knows when to shut it down. Besides, the defense has suffered enough serious injuries this season.

"I take care of my body better than I ever have," he said. "It's better to sit out now if something comes up, because it's early. When we get rolling, I'm full steam ahead."

With Jackson out, undrafted rookie L.J. Fort started inside in Green Bay and gained valuable first-team experience. He started alongside fellow rookie James-Michael Johnson and Kaluka Maiava.

"They had a great preseason game last week," Jackson said of the young guys. "They rose to the challenge, and I was proud of those guys."

Jackson said the morale of the defense is good despite the adversity it's faced: losing Phil Taylor and Chris Gocong to serious injuries, losing Dimitri Patterson and Scott Paxson at least for the time being, and the uncertainty surrounding Scott Fujita and Joe Haden early on in the season.

"I think we've held together for the most part," said Jackson. "It's forcing some young guys in some tough roles, and it's forced some older guys, T.J. Ward, Joe Haden, Dimitri Patterson -- those guys have to teach the young 'backers that we're there with them, and kind of mold them to how we play our style of defense."

He said even when he was out injured, he tried to set an example.

"It's important for the guys [to see] I study my tail off," he said. "I try to prepare as best as I can. If a guy's going to be out there, he needs to do the same. If not, then that's not acceptable, not at all."

Despite all the adversity the defense has faced, Jackson still feels good about it.

"No doubt at all," he said. "It's impossible going into the season thinking, 'We don't have a chance.' Every year I've been here, I thought we were a playoff-caliber team and we could do it. That's the mind-set you've got to take. It will force these guys to step into big shoes, and the pressure's going to be on them, so they have no choice."

Benji with ones: Rookie receiver Travis Benjamin worked some with the ones -- the first-teamers -- in three-receiver sets Sunday. He and Greg Little were on the outside, with Mohamed Massaquoi inside.

"If I'm with the ones or twos, I'm out there to play my role," said Benjamin, who made a leaping catch of a Brandon Weeden pass in team drills. "Whether I'm in the slot or outside, wherever the ball comes to me, or where the play's designed to go at, I'm sure to help the team out."

He said he doesn't consider himself just a slot guy.

"It doesn't matter what the size is," he said. "As long as you've got the techniques and the speed and ability to bring to the game, you can play anywhere on the field and make a play. It doesn't matter where I'm at. I'm comfortable outside or inside."

Said coach Pat Shurmur: "He's naturally very fast. He's displayed an ability to run good routes. He catches the ball, and what I've seen him do is catch the ball in traffic."

Rucker returns: Defensive end Frostee Rucker (knee) practiced for the first time in awhile in pads, but was held out of team drills.

"Stuff happens, but you've got to fight your way back," he said. "I'm happy to be back and part of the team. Hopefully I'll get some snaps this week."

He said he'll probably have to wear the knee brace for the first couple of weeks, but that he's done it before.

"Yeah, a couple years back, I played with one," he said. "And I did pretty well, so I'll be all right."

Starters vs. Eagles: Shurmur said Weeden and the starters will play about a half Friday against the Eagles "or a little more, maybe a little less. It worked out for the offense that we had 40 plays by halftime, which is unique for a preseason game. That was really good work. You can't always count on that, so we're going to have to reserve the ability to change that plan."

Richardson ahead? Shurmur said Trent Richardson might be a little ahead of schedule in his rehab from a knee scope.

"His progress has been outstanding," said Shurmur. "He's about where we thought he'd be at this point, probably a little bit ahead of that. He'll be out here soon."

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