Can the Indians' rotation hold up? Who is the one player the Indians can't afford to lose? Terry Pluto talks about those topics and more in his weekly podcast.

View full size Brett Myers will open the season as the Indians' No. 3 starter. Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer  

Can the Indians' rotation hold up? Who is the one player the Indians can't afford to lose?

Plain Dealer sports columnist Terry Pluto answered those questions and more in his weekly podcast with cleveland.com’s Dan Labbe.

Among other topics discussed:

• What is the atmosphere like under new manager Terry Francona?

• Where will Michael Brantley hit?

• Will being surrounded by better hitters help Carlos Santana?

• How long will the Indians stick with Brett Myers and Scott Kazmir if they struggle?

You can download the mp3 or listen with the player to the right.

Be sure to also like Terry Pluto on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.

Craft, Ohio State's defensive standout, will probably guard Arizona's top scorer for most of Thursday's NCAA Tournament game. Thomas has an offensive game no other Buckeye has. More Buckeyes story links.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ohio State's Buckeyes play Arizona's Wildcats in a West Regional semifinal on Thursday (7:47 Eastern Time) in Los Angeles, California.

The Buckeyes are 28-7 and on a 10-game winning streak, including NCAA Tournament wins over Iona (95-70) and then Iowa State (78-75).

Arizona is 27-7 after tourney victories over Belmont (81-64) and Harvard (74-51).

Wichita State (28-8) will play LaSalle (24-9) following the Ohio State-Arizona game. The winners of the two contests will play on Saturday for the regional championship and a trip to the Final Four in Atlanta, Georgia.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Ohio State coverage includes Doug Lesmerises' story on the support and encouragement junior point guard Aaron Craft gets from his sister Cait, a freshman on the Ohio State women's basketball team; video of Lesmerises and CineSport's Noah Coslov talking about the Buckeyes' advance to the Sweet 16; and more.

It's said that basketball is a game of match-ups. Myron Medcalf writes for ESPN.com about "Five must-see match-ups in the Sweet 16."

One features the Buckeyes' Aaron Craft, considered by some as the best defensive guard in the nation, and Arizona guard Mark Lyons, who will likely be covered by Craft.

Myron Medcalf writes:

Lyons has carried the Wildcats to the Sweet 16. The West Region did Arizona a few favors to ease its path. Harvard's dismissal of New Mexico certainly helped. But Lyons has been phenomenal. He scored 50 points, shot 20-for-32 from the field and connected on six of his 13 3-point attempts in two wins against Belmont and Harvard. When Sean Miller lured Lyons to Tucson, he needed a leader. He needed a veteran who could help him mold his talented young recruiting class. And Lyons has played that role for the program. Plus, he's elevated his game at a pivotal time.

But Craft is a dream-killer. He proved as much with his poise in the final minutes of Ohio State's win against Iowa State last weekend. Craft wasn't perfect. But with the game on the line, he didn't panic. That game winner exemplified the trust his teammates have in him, too. Point guards don't like him, though. He's recorded eight steals in two NCAA tournament games. Cyclones point guard Korie Lucious committed five turnovers against his pressure. Craft is coming after Lyons this week.

Arizona prepares to face Buckeyes point guard Aaron Craft. Wildcats coach Seth Miller says Craft has much the same impact on Ohio State's team as did quarterback Tim Tebow on Florida's college football powerhouse. (By Anthony Gimino, Tucson Citizen)

Coach Thad Matta's role in the Buckeyes making the Sweet 16 for the fourth straight season and being two wins away from a second straight Final Four appearance. (By Todd Jones, Columbus Dispatch)

It looks like Ohio State is the favorite in Los Angeles. (By Andy Glockner, Sports Illustrated)

A ranking of the Sweet 16 teams, including Ohio State and Arizona. A slideshow of the teams. (By Mike DeCourcy, Sporting News)

What happened last week, what's ahead this week and more on Buckeyes basketball. (By Bob Baptist, Columbus Dispatch)

Commentary on the eight Sweet 16 games. (By Patrick Stevens, USA Today Sports)

It's not impossible that the Final Four would be an all-Big Ten event. (FoxSportsOhio.com/Associated Press)

Capsule comments on the West Regional. (By Rob Dauster, CollegeBasketballTalk)

By Josh Verlin, National Desk We're headed into the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament, and four "Cinderella" hopefuls remain to continue the tradition of George Mason, Virginia Commonwealth and Butler as teams that have made the Final Four (or beyond) as lower-than-8-seeds over the last few years. Let's break down each of the four low seeds remaining in...

By Josh Verlin, National Desk

Florida Gulf Coast's Sherwood Brown leads his team into the Sweet 16 this weekend. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)

We're
headed into the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament, and four "Cinderella" hopefuls
remain to continue the tradition of George Mason, Virginia Commonwealth and
Butler as teams that have made the Final Four (or beyond) as lower-than-8-seeds
over the last few years.

Let's break down each of the four low seeds remaining in March Madness, in seeding order, and see what the chances are of each school making it to Atlanta next week:

15) Florida Gulf Coast Eagles

How they got here: def. 2) Georgetown, 78-68; def. 7) San Diego State, 81-71

How they've done it: The Eagles used big second-half runs to break open tight games on both Friday night and Sunday night. Against Georgetown, it was a 21-2 spurt; San Diego State was the victim of a 17-0 barrage. Florida Gulf Coast is young and athletic, and it would be tough to say that any group is having more fun out on the court. Led by 43-year-old Andy Enfield, the Eagles are exciting to watch and playing without any fear.

How far can they go? It's going to be tough to say the Eagles can't win any game they're in, considering they scored more points against Georgetown than any other team this season and ran past an extremely athletic San Diego State squad that couldn't keep up with FGCU's run-and-gun style.

However, it's going to be a tough task to get past Florida and then either Kansas or Michigan. Even if Enfield — a former FSU assistant who is 3-2 in his career against UF — can get his squad past the Gators, the Elite 8 seems likely to be as far as the Eagles will fly.

Final Four chances: 10 percent

13) La Salle Explorers

How they got here: def. 13) Boise State, 80-71; def. 4) Kansas State, 63-61, def. 12) Mississippi, 76-74

How they've done it: Like they have in their big wins all year, it's been the guards that have carried the Explorers. Ramon Galloway (24 points in the win over Ole Miss), Tyreek Duren (19) and Ty Garland (17) are as good a guard trio as any left in the tournament; it was Garland who hit the game-winning layup in the win over the Runnin' Rebels.

How far can they go? The question isn't whether or not La Salle can get past the 9-seed Wichita State and into the Elite 8; while it's far from a sure thing, both teams have talent but both teams also have exploitable flaws. The Shockers are great on the boards, which is certainly a weakness of the Explorers but whether or not WSU can keep up with La Salle's guards remains to be seen.

The much more difficult issue would be whether or not La Salle can get past Ohio State or Arizona in the regional final. If they can get back reserve forward Steve Zack, a 6-11 sophomore, for the weekend, the chances get much better; his status is unknown as he continues to recover from a bruised foot. Either way, it would be the first time in a while that the Explorers would have to go against guards as good as their own.

Final Four chances: 20 percent

12) Oregon Ducks

How they got here: def. 5) Oklahoma State, 68-55; def. 4) Saint Louis, 74-57

How they've done it: Oregon, the Pac-12 regular season and tournament champions, certainly got slighted by the NCAA Selection Committee with a 12-seed. They responded with perhaps the most impressive first weekend overall, beating a young but extremely talented Oklahoma State squad before a 17-point dispatching of A-10 champion Saint Louis, who many (including this writer) had as an upset pick to advance into the Final Four.

How far can they go? The fun stops in Indianapolis. Up first is Louisville, the Big East tournament champion and one of the few candidates for "best team in the country" at the moment. Though certainly not invincible, the Cardinals are riding a 12-game win streak with an average margin of victory of 17.8 points. Not only that, but Oregon has some turnover issues — and Louisville has the second-highest turnover margin in the country at +6.3 per game. Should Oregon somehow catch Rick Pitino and Louisville sleeping, they face Michigan State or Duke in the Elite 8. Impossible? No. Improbable? Yes.

Final Four chances: 15 percent

9) Wichita State

How they got here: def. 9) Pittsburgh, 73-55; def. 1) Gonzaga, 76-70

How they've done it: The win over Pittsburgh might actually have been a better win than the one over Gonzaga, considering the fact that the 'Zags struggled to beat 16-seed Southern in the Round of 64. Or, considering Pitt's struggles in the tournament recently, maybe not. Wichita State is good, that much is clear. But have they been playing their best basketball of the season, or taking advantage of opponents who weren't playing their best? That will be determined this weekend.

How far can they go? As discussed above, the La Salle game is basically a coin flip. Though the Shockers have been winning in a slightly more convincing fashion, the Explorers have still managed to come out on the right side in each of their three games. Of all the remaining Cinderellas, WSU does have the best chance to upset either Ohio State or Arizona in the next round. While the Wildcats would probably be the better draw for the Shockers, they do have some of the big bodies needed to bang inside with the Buckeyes.

Final Four chances: 25 percent

Insurance concerns over sparring have forced a boxing program to leave the Downtown YMCA.

The 85th Cleveland Golden Gloves begin April 5. Thomas Ondrey, The Plain Dealer  

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Boxing coach Fred Wilson and the Downtown YMCA are parting ways.

After running his Inner City Boxing Club program at the location for nearly two years, Wilson has been asked to find a new site because of liability insurance concerns. In a letter dated March 18 from Branch Director Laura Floyd, the club was given 30 days to vacate the premises.

Obviously upset at the turn of events, Wilson said he is looking into the move.

"We're not going to quit boxing," said Wilson, with approximately 25 boxers in his club. "I've got a small place we could go to, but we couldn't spar."

Sparring is at the crux of the issue.

Rick Haase, vice president of marketing and media director for the YMCA, said the organization's insurance company considers boxing, along with other sports, as high-risk activities. He said the YMCA is not allowed to offer tackle football, scuba diving, trampolining or platform/springboard diving because of the insurance limitations.

"We're not trying to turn children away, that's not our mission," said Haase. "For us it's a safety concern. We're not making any statement on the sport of boxing. Our insurance liability coverage does not allow us to have it."

A possible solution would have the elimination of on-site sparring. Only the boxing workout portion of running, skipping rope and hitting speed or heavy bags would continue. Haase said that would have to be examined as a special case, with Wilson non-committal on that possibility.

If there is one positive side to the eviction, it's that the club can continue for the next few weeks as about five fighters prepare to enter next month's Golden Gloves.
   
Weighing in

The deadline for amateur boxers to enter the 85th Cleveland Golden Gloves tournament is Friday at 5 p.m. Boxers, ages 17 to 34, must register with the Golden Gloves office, 4500 Lee Rd., in Cleveland. Call 216-662-7445.

Official weigh-ins take place Saturday at the Brook Park Recreation Center, 17400 Holland Rd., in Brook Park from 9 a.m. to noon.

For the second straight year, the tournament will run at the recreation center on April 5,6 and 13 at 7 p.m. The finals on April 20 will start at 6 p.m.

Tickets are $20, with youth tickets [under 12] at $10 available only at the door. They may be purchased at the recreation center and at the GG office.

Around the ring

Showtime has landed a solid doubleheader May 18 in Atlantic City, N.J. IBF 140-pound champ Lamont Peterson (31-1-1, 16 KOs) will defend against Lucas Matthysse (33-2, 31 KOs); and IBF 147-pound titlist Devon Alexander (24-1, 13 KOs) will meet unbeaten Kell Brook (29-0, 19 KOs). Peterson's and Alexander's lone losses were to WBO welterweight champ Timothy Bradley. ... Former Youngstown fighter Darnell Boone was stopped in six rounds by Adonis Stevenson (20-1, 17 KOs) on Friday in Montreal. Boone (19-21-3, 8 KOs) handed Stevenson his lone loss four years ago. Stevenson has lined up a date against WBO light heavyweight champ Chad Dawson (31-2, 17 KOs) in Montreal on June 8.

This week in history

Cleveland's Johnny Kilbane defended his featherweight championship with a 12-round decision against Eddie Wallace in Bridgeport, Conn., in 1917.

You will be able to learn more about Kilbane during the Cleveland International Film Festival when it premieres the documentary "A Fighting Heart." It will be shown at Tower City Cinemas on April 7 (9:30 p.m.) and April 9 (11:40 a.m.), and at the Capitol Theater on April 8 (7:20 p.m.). Go to clevelandfilm.org or call 1-877-304-3456. 

Friday

The ESPN2 "Friday Night Fights" are at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, N.Y., where middleweights Brian Vera (22-6, 13 KOs) and Donatas Bondoravas (17-3-1, 6 KOs) square off in the feature at 9 p.m.

Saturday

In a much-anticipated rematch, HBO will show the 140-pounder between Brandon Rios (31-0-1, 23 KOs) and Mike Alvarado (33-1, 23 KOs) from Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas at 10 p.m. Rios stopped Alvarado in seven rounds when they met in October.

To reach this Plain Dealer Reporter:
jmaxse@plaind.com, 216-999-5168
On Twitter: @JoeMaxse

Just nine of the 25 players who were on the 2012 Opening Day roster will begin this season with the Indians. Pestano is one of baseball's elite set-up relievers. More Indians story links.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Indians will begin their 99th season next Tuesday, April 2, when they visit the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Indians' home opener will be on Monday, April 8, when the New York Yankees visit.

Cleveland was a charter member of the American League in 1901, but with the team name "Blues." That lasted one year, as did the team moniker in 1902, the "Bronchos."

From 1903-14, Cleveland's AL team was known as the "Naps," in honor of its second baseman, Napoleon "Nap" Lajoie. The Bronchos acquired future Hall of Famer Lajoie in 1902 and he stayed in Cleveland through 1914, doubling as a player-manager from 1905-09.

When Lajoie left, the name "Naps" no longer made much sense. That's when Cleveland's team became the Indians.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Indians coverage includes Paul Hoynes' story on the decisions and moves the Indians have made to all but finalize their 25-man roster to begin the season; Hoynes' report that the Indians have re-signed veteran pitchers Daisuke Matsuzaka and Matt Capps to minor league contracts and they'll begin the season with the Class AAA Columbus Clippers; Terry Pluto's podcast, talking about the Indians from their Goodyear, Arizona spring training home; Pluto's column on third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall, and his 10 observations on various Indians players; video, with PD reporter Bud Shaw and CineSport's Noah Coslov discussing the Tribe; Hoynes' Indians Chatter.

The Indians on Monday moved and maneuvered to form the 25-man roster that will begin the season, barring any other moves.

Jim Ingraham writes for the News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal that the roster is quite different than the one that began a 2012 season that ended with a 68-94 record.

Ingraham notes that "16 of the 25 players were not on the opening-day roster a year ago.....," and:

Eleven of those 16 players were not even in the organization a year ago. Put another way, only nine players on the opening-day roster this year were on the opening-day roster a year ago: Asdrubal Cabrera, Ubaldo Jimenez, Jason Kipnis, Lou Marson, Justin Masterson, Chris Perez, Vinnie Pestano, Carlos Santana and Joe Smith.

A question-and-answer session with manager Terry Francona. (By Jordan Bastian, cleveland.indians.mlb.com)

There's a new optimism about the Indians this season, and the players sense it, too. (By Pat McManamon, FoxSportsOhio.com)

The improved outfield defense will certainly help, though maybe not as much as expected. (By Joseph Werner, It's pronounced "Lajaway")

A look at the Indians' 25-man roster, put together with some creative moves. (By Sheldon Ocker, Akron Beacon Journal)

What starting pitcher Scott Kazmir may do for the Indians this season. (By Lewie Pollis, Wahoo's on First)

Comments on the Indians roster. (WaitingForNextYear)

The roster is finalized, but there are still loose ends to it. (By Sheldon Ocker, Akron Beacon Journal)

A depth chart on the Indians roster, including players who could provide help from the minor leagues. (mlbdepthcharts.com)

Starting pitcher Brett Myers has another tough outing in the Indians' 18-4 loss to the Colorado Rockies on Monday night. (By Sheldon Ocker, Akron Beacon Journal)

Finding quality offensive tackles to anchor the line is not an easy task. As many as three offensive tackles could go in the Top 15 of this year's NFL Draft. Who are the Top 5? Chris Fedor gives his list.

Imagine how much better this year's offensive tackle class could have been had Michigan's Taylor Lewan and Texas A&M's Jake Matthews not gone back to school. Without them, it makes the tackle pool look awfully shallow in the first round. Finding a top-flight blindside protector isn't an easy task, but it is a necessary one. Free agency didn't provide too many long-term solutions, so numerous teams will turn their attention to tackle in the draft. There are a handful of prospects that bring some intrigue, but they also carry a lot of risk as well. Unfortunately for teams searching for an answer, they will quickly realize that there is a huge drop-off in talent after the top three tackles. That means teams outside the Top 10 could be left scrambling. They would be forced to turn over a few rocks and look later in the draft.

Here are my Top 5 tackles in this year's NFL draft.

1. Luke Joeckel, 6-6, 306 lbs, Texas A&M

Joeckel was a starter on the Texas A&M offensive line from his first game as a freshman. While maybe a bit overshadowed by his former teammate and future Top 10 pick Jake Matthews, it was Joeckel who manned the left side of the best offensive line in college football. The blindside protector for quarterback Johnny Manziel's Heisman Trophy season has excellent size for the position. While he isn't the same kind of athlete as Eric Fisher, Lane Johnson or even Menelik Watson, Joeckel can hold his own in this category and has excellent feet. Where the 2012 Outland Trophy winner sets himself apart is with his technique. An admirer of Browns' left tackle Joe Thomas, Joeckel is as technically sound as it gets and has very few flaws in his game. He faced and held his own against some of the top pass rushers in college football this past season moving from the Big 12 to the SEC and showed why he is the best player in this year's draft. Joeckel has all the tools to be a standout blindside protector at the next level for the next decade.

2. Eric Fisher, 6-7, 306 lbs, Central Michigan

After an excellent offseason, Central Michigan's Eric Fisher is on the rise associated press  

Nobody wanted Eric Fisher when he came out of high school. After an excellent senior year and a tremendous off-season, it won't take long for his name to be called on draft day. The former high school basketball player didn't play against elite competition on a weekly basis in the MAC but showed at the Senior Bowl that he is more than capable of anchoring down against better players. Joeckel is the best of the bunch but there is not a huge gap between him and Fisher. The Central Michigan standout has great size for the position; he is extremely athletic and he has great feet. Fisher has risen up draft boards for the last year and was probably aided a bit by the fact that Jake Matthews and Taylor Lewan both made the decision to return for their senior seasons at Texas A&M and Michigan. However, make no mistake, the first-team All-MAC performer is plenty worthy of a Top 10 pick; he has gotten better every season and still has room to grow.

3. Lane Johnson, 6-6, 303 lbs, Oklahoma

It took Lane Johnson a few years to figure out his true position. He was a former high school quarterback (imagine trying to deal with this specimen in the pocket) that also spent some time as a tight end and defensive end before making the switch to the offensive line in 2011. He started to settle in at right tackle last year but made the switch to the blindside this past season. He showed that he has the goods to handle it at the next level. Johnson earned second-team All-Big 12 honors from the coaches his first time playing the position. Johnson is still learning the position and needs to add a bit of strength, but his athleticism is off-the-charts for a player his size. Coming off an excellent Cotton Bowl, where he made DaMontre Moore a non-factor, and a great Scouting Combine, Johnson continues to fly up draft boards. The former Sooner has immense upside and his best football is still in front of him. That's a pretty scary thought.

4. Menelik Watson, 6-5, 310 lbs, Florida State

Florida State's Menelik Watson is a project but has immense potential. Associated Press  

Watson is one of the most intriguing players in this year's draft. Watson grew up in England and football was the fourth sport he played. It was only after he gave up soccer, basketball and boxing that he decided to turn to the pigskin. It turned out to be the right decision. He earned the starting right tackle job this past season at Florida State and started every game for the 'Noles. He has great size for the position to go with incredible athleticism. His feet, and ability to get to the second level are his biggest strengths. Watson is extremely raw; he is still learning the game and he needs some work on his technique. He won't be a reliable player for one or two more years, but he has great upside and could even make it as a left tackle with proper coaching, patience and development.

5. D.J. Fluker, 6-5, 339 lbs, Alabama

It's tough to miss Fluker on the field because of his massive size. However, he found a way to be a bit overshadowed at Alabama - by playing on the same offensive line as Chance Warmack. Fluker started 36 games for the Tide during his time in Tuscaloosa and proved to be a very reliable right tackle. It's no secret that Fluker struggles with speed off the edge because he doesn't have great feet or agility. He is much more comfortable in the run game. The powerful, road-grading right tackle swallows up defenders when he can get his hands on them. There's no future for Fluker at left tackle, but he has the tools to be a strong option on the right side. He has massive size and a rare tenacity, with a knack for carving out space for his running back.

More Chris Fedor's Top 5...

• Tight ends

• Wide receivers

• Running backs

• Quarterbacks

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – St. Vincent-St. Mary freshman VJ King is among 23 players throughout the country named Wednesday to the 2013-14 USA Basketball men's developmental national team. The team features the nation's top 16-and-under players, who are eligible to compete on the 2013 USA U16 national team and the 2014 USA U17 world championship team, should the U.S....

St. Vincent-St. Mary freshman VJ King, center, was chosen for the 2013-14 USA Basketball men's developmental national team on Wednesday. King will compete for a spot on the final 12-person roster May 30 through June 7 in Colorado Springs, Colo. - (John Kuntz, The Plain Dealer)

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – St. Vincent-St. Mary freshman VJ King is among 23 players throughout the country named Wednesday to the 2013-14 USA Basketball men's developmental national team.

The team features the nation's top 16-and-under players, who are eligible to compete on the 2013 USA U16 national team and the 2014 USA U17 world championship team, should the U.S. qualify for the U17 Worlds.

King, a 6-7, 182-pounder, led SVSM in scoring at 16.3 points per game entering last week's state final four. King is regarded as one of the top freshmen in the country. He also was first with 27 blocked shots and second in rebounding (nearly five per game).

The athlete selections were made by the USA Basketball men's developmental national team committee. St. Edward coach Eric Flannery is an assistant coach for the developmental national team.

The team will train May 30 through June 7 in Colorado Springs, Colo., with the final 12-player USA U16 national team selection made prior to the team departing for Maldonado, Uruguay, for the FIBA Americas U16 Championship. Held June 11-15, the tournament serves as a qualifier for the 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship, with the top four finishing nations from the FIBA Americas U16 Championship advancing to the 2014 U17 Worlds.

Joining King on the developmental national team are: Edrice Adebayo (Northside H.S. / Gatesville, N.C.); Tyus Battle (Gill St. Bernard's School /Edison, N.J.); Thomas Bryant (Bishop Kearney H.S. / Rochester, N.Y.); Amir Coffey (Hopkins H.S. / New Hope, Minn.); Bryant Crawford (Gonzaga College H.S. (DC) / Kensington, Md.); Eric Davis (Arthur Hill H.S. / Saginaw, Mich.); Henry Ellenson (Rice Lake H.S. / Rice Lake, Wis.); Daniel Giddens (Wheeler H.S. / Mableton, Ga.); Harry Giles (Wesleyan Christian Academy / Winston-Salem, N.C.); Mustapha Heron (Wilbraham & Monson Academy / West Haven, Conn.); Josh Jackson (Consortium College Prep / Southfield, Mich.); Joshua Langford (Madison Academy / Huntsville, Ala.); T.J. Leaf (Foothills Christian H.S. / Lakeside, Calif.); Malik Monk (East Poinsett County H.S. / Lepanto, Ark.); Malik Newman (Callaway H.S. / Jackson, Miss.); Ivan Rabb (Bishop O'Dowd H.S. / Oakland, Calif.); Horace Spencer (William Tennent H.S. / Warminster, Pa.); Diamond Stone (Dominican H.S. / Milwaukee, Wis.); Jayson Tatam (Chaminade College Prep / St. Louis, Mo.); Derryck Thornton (Sierra Canyon H.S. / Simi Valley, Calif.); D.J. Williams (Simeon Career Academy / Chicago, Ill.) and Seventh Woods (Hammond School / Columbia, S.C.).

Struggling to adjust in the wake of a significant injury, Boston on Wednesday night visits a Cleveland Cavaliers team that is dealing with its own injury problems and is also mired in a five-game losing streak. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

Struggling to adjust in the wake of a significant injury, Boston on Wednesday night visits a Cleveland Cavaliers team that is dealing with its own injury problems and is also mired in a five-game losing streak. Get Twitter updates from Mary Schmitt Boyer (@PDCavsInsider) and Jodie Valade (@JodieValade) in the box below. Check out the in-game box score here. Read on for a game preview. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

Boston Celtics' Paul Pierce, left, looks for an opening against New York Knicks' Raymond Felton during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game in Bostonn Tuesday, March 26, 2013. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)  

(AP) -- The Boston Celtics continue to slide - and with it, their chances of improving their playoff seeding in the Eastern Conference.

Daisuke Matsuzaka said goodbye to his big league teammates on the Indians with a solid start against the White Sox on Wednesday.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka made his last Cactus League start a good one Wednesday as the Indians fell to the White Sox, 5-4, at Camelback Ranch.

Matsuzaka pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits with three strikeouts. He left with the score tied, 2-2, after retiring Paul Konerko to start the sixth. While the Indians break camp Saturday and head to Toronto to open the regular season, Matsuzaka, 32, will break camp with Class AAA Columbus as he tries to work his way back to the big leagues.

After releasing Matsuzaka on Sunday, the Indians re-signed him and veteran closer Matt Capps to minor-league deals Tuesday. Capps, who is also headed for Columbus, pitched a scoreless seventh inning.

"I thought he did a better job today of establishing his off-speed pitches," said manager Terry Francona of Matsuzaka. "He managed his pitch count. The more he pitches, the more comfortable he looks."

"I'm grateful for the opportunity to pitch in a major-league game," said Matsuzaka, through interpreter Jeff Cutler. "I'm not going to get a chance to play with these guys for a while. I just wanted to go out there and enjoy myself."

• Final boxscore from Indians-White Sox

Asked when he expects to be back in the big leagues, Matsuzaka said, "As soon as possible. But that's not up to me."

The Indians took a 4-2 lead in the eighth on Erik Gonzalez's two-run single. Chicago came back to tie with two out in the eighth on a two-run homer by Angel Sanchez off Preston Guilmet.

Chicago won it in the ninth as Matt Langwell walked Steve Tolleson with the bases loaded to bring home the winning run.

The Indians are 16-14-2 in Cactus League play. 

By saying little, the unassuming Michael Brantley says a lot about what it means to be a professional.

View full size Michael Brantley has made it clear that earning -- and keeping -- a job in big-league baseball is far more important than what position that job requires. Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer  

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Michael Brantley doesn't say much. He's polite. He's sincere. He's steady and in his very own way ... relentless.

Tell him to play left field, he plays left field. Need him in center, he plays center field. Last season, when the Indians were trying to plug a hole at first base, Brantley said he could play there. Did it a few times in the minors.

But he was in center, filling in for the ever-injured Grady Sizemore. Now, he's back in left field, where he played earlier in his career.

It's no secret that center is Brantley's natural position, "but I'm fine in left," he said. He talked about Michael Bourn being a "Gold Glove center fielder" and wanting to be a part of an outfield with three guys who "can play center." Going right to left, that's Drew Stubbs, Bourn and Brantley.

Brantley will probably bat fifth this season, between Nick Swisher and Carlos Santana. He's not a pure power hitter -- 16 homers in 566 MLB games. New manager Terry Francona knows Brantley hit .308 when batting fifth last season. Brantley had only six homers, but was 12th in the majors with 37 doubles.

"Often, [power] is the last thing to come," said Francona. "You never know how much he'll grow into it."

Brantley doesn't seem to care about the batting order, he just wants to be in it. Most of his big-league career, he's been a leadoff hitter (187 games). A desperate Manny Acta even batted Brantley fourth for 24 games in 2012 before settling him in the fifth spot (64 games).

Why go through this long list about Brantley? It's to demonstrate what Francona means when saying the outfielder is "about as professional as you'll find; he has all kinds of leadership [skills] ... even though he doesn't have a ton of time in the big leagues."

In an era of entitlement where being self-absorbed is the norm, Brantley is simply acting like a regular guy very grateful to have a good job.

Because Brantley arrived in Cleveland the first time in 2009, it feels as if he should be close to 30. He won't be 26 until May 15.

"I remember when came up, I was 22," he said. "I stared at the uniform with my name on the back. Playing in the big leagues had been my dream."

That goes all the way back to his childhood, running around clubhouses with his father -- former big-league outfielder Mickey Brantley. Francona had the same experience with his dad, former Tribe outfielder Tito Francona. The younger Francona believes sons of major leaguers "tend to really respect the game ... they know how hard it is."

In the last three years, Brantley's batting average has risen from .246 to .266 to .288. You can pick almost any category from doubles to RBI to slugging percentage and each year, it's better. Some Tribe fans wish he'd hit .300. Others, want 20 homers (his career high is seven in a season).

He was remarkably consistent on a terrible 2012 team -- batting exactly .288 in the first and second halves. A left-handed hitter, he batted .299 vs. righties, .265 vs. lefties. He was the toughest hitter to strike out in the American League among regular players.

Brantley is having a monster spring, hitting .375 with six of his 15 hits going for extra bases.

"I feel stronger," he said. "I'm getting smarter at the plate. I expect to improve each year."

Sound boring, straight from the baseball book of cliches? Perhaps it does. But if you know Brantley, you also know he means it.

Boston rookie Jared Sullinger is out with a back injury, but he's still learning -- and still following the Buckeyes.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Rookie forward Jared Sullinger was worth the gamble, Boston coach Doc Rivers said.

The former Ohio State star was drafted by the Celtics with the No. 21 pick in the 2012 draft despite doctors figuring he'd need back surgery at some point.

That point was Feb. 1. But the Celtics have no regrets.

"We love the pick,'' Rivers said before Wednesday's game against the Cavaliers. "Where we were at -- No. 21 -- we just felt at that point there was nobody better in the draft than him. If he'd have come out the year before, he'd have probably been top five.

"It was an easy pick for us. Our doctors told us at some point he was going to need surgery. But it's not a career-ending surgery or anything like that. It's just surgery. We were hoping it would happen in the summer time, to be quite honest, that he could get through the year. But he just didn't. He'll be fine next year.''

For now, Sullinger is back in Boston.

"I am doing absolutely nothing right now,'' he said in a telephone interview.

Since having the emergency back surgery, he has been shut down by the Celtics. He is not even traveling with the team.

Before his injury, Sullinger was averaging about six points and six rebounds in 45 games, including five starts. He had career highs of 16 points twice and 16 rebounds against Phoenix on Jan. 9. He played in both games against the Cavs earlier this season, averaging 8.5 points and four rebounds.

Even though he's unable to practice or play, he's still learning.

"I ask questions so I know what to do and what not to do,'' he said. "Doc is a great coach, but he also was a great player. He knows all the ins and outs of the league.''

Although Sullinger didn't make the trip to Cleveland for Wednesday's game, he did travel to the Big Ten tournament in Chicago two weeks ago. He did not attend the Buckeyes games in Dayton last weekend, and will not attend the Sweet Sixteen game Thursday in Los Angeles. He's not sure whether he'd attend the Final Four if they get that far.

He sounded as if he didn't want to jinx the Buckeyes.

"I have no advice,'' he said. "They've been playing so great, I don't know what to say. They're defending their butts off right now. They're on a great, great groove.''

Happy birthday: Cavs coach Byron Scott turns 52 on Thursday. As a gift, reporters released him from his pre-game press conference obligation on Wednesday. To be honest, there weren't many questions left to ask after four off days.

Longtime statistician dies: John "J.O.'' Oleksy, 66, who was on the Cavs' statistics crew for 40 years, passed away on Saturday after a long battle with liver cancer. Oleksy, a lifelong resident of Maple Heights, started with the Cavs at the old Cleveland Arena, moved to the Richfield Coliseum and continued at Gund Arena, now The Q.

Jason Campbell fills a need for the Browns and a need for a football town that can't get enough of quarterback controversies, real or imagined, Bud Shaw writes in his Spin column.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- If the Browns ever find a franchise quarterback, what will we talk about ... other than playoff matchups?

Jason Campbell is the right man (strong-armed veteran) for the right job (backup) in the right football town (Quarterback Central). Even if he becomes a starter in 2013 -- as so many with even the smallest gift for spirals has since 1999 -- he could serve as the bridge to what comes next.

I was going to call it the "next big thing," but here there's so little evidence of the last big thing at quarterback that there's no point getting carried away.

Campbell gives Brandon Weeden some competition at worst. He gives the Browns a reasonable alternative in a throw-it-downfield offense. He gives the fan base something it's far more familiar with than winning -- the hint of a quarterback controversy (of course, that doesn't take much).

Nationwide, surveys say men of a certain age think about sex every 13 seconds. Here, they think about the quarterback position every seven.

If Campbell's signing doesn't excite you, it's because by definition it's not meant to send your heartbeat racing. He's not supposed to be a clear upgrade over Weeden. He's supposed to be a clear upgrade over Colt McCoy. He has the skill set and the experience to give Weeden a reality check -- the reality being a select number of quarterbacks get handed jobs in the NFL and even fewer deserve it.

Campbell has just enough on his resume -- 71 starts, more TDs than interceptions, experience in the same general brand of offense -- to make Weeden work hard to keep his job.

On the other hand, the Browns aren't committed to Campbell as they would've been to Alex Smith. If Weeden can't beat out a 31-year-old quarterback pushed aside in past stops by aging veterans (Donovan McNabb and Carson Palmer) but also during one stretch by a journeyman (Bruce Gradkowski), then the Browns have confirmed the leanings of Mike Lombardi and Joe Banner.

View full size The Browns can use this year to see how Brandon Weeden plays in an offense that fits him without sabotaging 2013 if he shows a lack of instinct in the pocket or accuracy on his throws. Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer  

As an insurance policy for the team, or a cattle prod for Weeden, or a bridge to somewhere completely different in the Browns' search for a franchise quarterback, signing Campbell is a logical, practical move. It doesn't absolutely preclude drafting a quarterback, but it comes close. At the least it precludes drafting one in the first round in a weak QB draft class.

If Lombardi and Banner are convinced Tom Heckert and Mike Holmgren reached for Weeden, the fix isn't reaching even further for West Virginia's Geno Smith. Let some other dreamer do that. The Browns can now use this year to see how Weeden plays in an offense that fits him (there's a concept) without sabotaging 2013 if he again shows a lack of instinct in the pocket and accuracy on his throws. Campbell could step in and start if all else fails.

Beating out Campbell in a training camp competition hardly solidifies Weeden as the answer beyond 2013. It just suggests he could be the guy. The only firm, long-range conclusion comes if Weeden doesn't hold off the challenge. In that case, he'll be gone after this season.

To establish himself and force the Browns to call off the quarterback hunt, Weeden needs to win the job and show big-time improvement under Turner and Chudzinski.

The Browns did what they needed to do to find a veteran who can push Weeden. The rest is up to him.

SPINOFFS

• The Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the Philadelphia Phillies' AAA affiliate, will turn men's room urinals into gaming systems as part of their "Ex-Stream Games" promotion.

A monitor positioned above the urinal will flip into gaming mode when someone approaches. The promotional info says the gaming system will allow male fans to "play hands-free games like alpine skiing and trivia" with points being tallied by aiming in certain directions.

In other news, "Spin author" has moved up to No. 234 on the list of most attractive jobs.

Just ahead of Lehigh Valley IronPigs bathroom janitors.

• Kellen Winslow Jr., who wants to make a comeback, says Rob Chudzinski reached out to him. He also said the Raiders have shown interest, adding, "The Silver and Black would be a good fit."

Couldn't agree more.

• After the Cavs blew a 27-point lead against Miami and barely showed up to play Houston, Byron Scott said he believes the Cavs haven't thrown in the towel.

So he's the one.

• An obituary in the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal said Timothy Wayne "Tim" Hopkins, 54, "went to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and Dale Earnhardt."

Presumably in that order.

• A March 21 poll by Marketing Arm Research cited in USA Today found Tiger Woods still has low credibility with the public.

So Woods' Nike ad proclaiming "Winning Takes Care of Everything" ... well, Nike should've at least waited until he put some distance in the poll between himself and celebrities with similar survey results:

Ozzy Osbourne and Kim Kardashian.

• Jason Giambi made the Indians out of spring training but will open the season on the disabled list.

"When I think of Cleveland, I think of the mid-90s," Giambi told reporters in Arizona. "Those are the thoughts I have. Hopefully, we get back there. I know there's a buzz in the air."

One obstacle: When I think of the Detroit Tigers, I think of the Indians of the mid-90s.

• Elvis Dumervil, who signed with the Ravens after a contract snafu in Denver, says he usually plays with a chip on his shoulder but now will play with a "brick wall."

"I think at times in life you deal with people who say you can't do this or you shouldn't do that," said Dumervil, who was cut in Denver when his paperwork failed to arrive by the free agency deadline.

Denver would've paid him $8 million. He got $8.5 this season to play for Baltimore.

Disrespect me, please.

• Baltimore's Terrell Suggs embraced Dumervil's signing. Calling Dumervil a "phenomenal pass rusher," Suggs added, "I have not had the chance to play alongside another dominant pass rusher."

Should be no problem now for new Browns' linebacker Paul Kruger to go to Berea with the Great Wall of China on his shoulder.

YOU SAID IT

(The Expanded Midweek Edition)

"Hey Bud:

"Answer this riddle: What do you call it when a team blows a 27-point lead late in the game?" -- Doug, Westlake

I'm not sure. But Byron Scott apparently calls it halfway to taking a timeout.

"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, Trumansburg, N.Y.

Success? Good one.

"Bud:

"The Browns cut Phil Dawson. The only thing worse would be someone telling me Mike Lombardi is back as GM." -- Mike Porter

Brace yourself. We are awaiting only visual evidence to confirm.

"Bud:

"Are you kept out of the public eye because of your 'lightning rod' personality or is there some sort of restraining order in place?" -- Vince G, Cincinnati

Do you remember the Beatles' first visit to the U.S. and the crowds of screaming women greeting them? It's nothing like that.

"Bud:

"I wasn't aware that Lindsey Vonn had made a major career move. Is she now a waitress or a porn star?" -- Gary

She hasn't changed. Like most women, she prefers Spin readers and sportswriters, but sometimes settles for pro athletes.

"Bud:

"Given the way things have gone during the NFL's free agent signing period, is it safe to say that NFL teams almost always almost sign Josh Cribbs?" -- Dan Okress

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

"Bud:

"Instead of T-shirts, how about a free Carnival cruise?" -- Jay

Repeat winners walk the plank.

"Bud:

"I see where Jason Giambi made the team, but is being placed on the disabled list. I would say he is the perfect replacement for Travis Hafner." -- Jim Lefkowitz, Pepper Pike

Repeat winners get benched.

On Twitter: @budshaw

The close relationship between Thad Matta and Sean Miller, whose Ohio State and Arizona teams meet Thursday, was not scathed by their epic confrontation six years ago when Miller coached Xavier and Matta was the turncoat who left for OSU.

LOS ANGELES -- Players live in the moment, unaware of other players who will be remembered forever, unmindful that the history fans someday will recall could be the history they make now.

Last Sunday, Ohio State's Aaron Craft sank the 3-point shot with a half-second to play that stunned Iowa State. Asked Wednesday, he had no idea who Ron Lewis was, although that OSU guard's shot in 2007, against Xavier in Lexington, Ky., saved the Greg Oden-Mike Conley team from an exit in the Round of 32, the same stage at which Craft's shot rescued these Buckeyes.

"The one thing about the NCAA Tournament, is you want to play in great games," said Sean Miller, now the coach at Arizona, Ohio State's Thursday opponent in the NCAA Tournament's West Regional's Sweet 16, but the coach at Xavier in 2007. "We all want to win, but it's much easier to leave the game and go into spring training knowing that your team played really well and hard."

Craft's shot, and before him, Lewis', took their place along with famous Ohio State dagger balls from William Buford, Matt Sylvester and Dave Sorenson. Not that Craft, who would have been a high-school freshman in 2007, was noticing what Lewis did.

"I consider myself a student of the game, and I do not know what you are talking about, so I feel kind of bad," said Craft.

"That game really taught me one lesson," said Miller. "You have to have an overall philosophy if your team's winning by 3 points."

"I've read since then that you have a 20 percent chance to lose if you defend the 3 and a five percent chance to lose if you foul (and force the make/deliberate miss/tip-in free-throw scenario)," said Danny Peters, now the assistant director of basketball operations at Arizona, then a walk-on at Ohio State.

Lewis, unmolested by Musketeer hands, hit his triple with four seconds to play, forcing overtime. Conley then began a successful audition for the NBA Draft lottery with a spectacular overtime performance as OSU won, 78-71.

"The difference in that game and this one was that I had coached those guys at Xavier and recruited a lot of them," said Matta. "So that was just so unique in itself, that you're looking out and seeing guys that I coached a couple of years earlier in the Elite Eight, and now I'm coaching against them."

Matta at first turned Ohio State down when the Buckeyes were courting him in the wake of Jim O'Brien's firing. When he made an about-face and took the job, Xavier fans mobilized against their former coach as if he had insulted Skyline Chili, booing him all game long.

View full size "The one thing about the NCAA Tournament, is you want to play in great games," says Arizona head coach Sean Miller (with Wildcat guard Mark Lyons). That there's a long history with OSU's Thad Matta is just a bonus. Jae C. Hong, Associated Press  

It seems short-sighted and overly dramatic now. The Xavier program had been in good hands with Matta for three years before he turned it over to Miller, who, five years later, used the job as the stepping stone to coaching a respected BCS conference program.

The Matta-Miller relationship survived that 2007 game, possibly because both were able to transcend the football ethos of winning ugly and treasure a game both see as a masterpiece.

They also share a history of coaching responsibility and friendly 1-on-1 games that grew heated between Matta, a shooter, and Miller, a passer; of Matta's wonderment at Miller's abracadabra ball-handling at clinics and of sharing a house in Cincinnati for a time and before that a tiny office at Miami (Ohio); of long trips in the same car, including one that concluded at 3 a.m. in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

The stories are many because the two are so close. Miller's son, Austin, an Ohio State fan, will be offered a manager's job if he chooses to go to school in Columbus.

Matta, when asked what Miller was like as a roommate, said: "Sloppy, sloppy." Cheap, cheap, would work too.

"Whenever we'd go somewhere, he'd forget his wallet," Matta said. "We were flying down to Miami [Florida], many years ago. He was at N.C. State and I was at Miami of Ohio. Jeff Van Gundy was coaching the Knicks. Stan Van Gundy was Pat Riley's assistant. He says we'll meet at the airport, then shows up and says, 'I forgot my wallet. You're going to have to pay for everything.' He was making a lot more money than I was at the time, but that's him," said Matta.

Asked if he got Miller back, Matta said, "No, it gets worse. He left [Miami] to take the Pitt [assistant's] job. He had owed me about $350 for all the lunches and times he had forgotten his wallet. He's walking out, and he says, 'Hey, here's what I'm going to do. Call Adidas, and you can have my [endorsement] money. I didn't spend it all and it's cost-free.'

"So I call Adidas, I said, 'This is Sean Miller.' They said, 'You no longer work at Miami University.' So he got me again."

If two men stay in coaching long enough, their paths will cross. Sometimes, they might meet at the intersection of an epic game, when, in the interval between the release of a shot and its result, players define their place in March.

Or not.

"We foul before they try  3s now," said Peters.

On Twitter: @LivyPD

The Buckeyes know who they are, and know what they do. Arizona is still working that out. Which answer the Wildcats find will determine who wins Thursday.

LOS ANGELES – No dunk contest Wednesday.

The Buckeyes put on a show at their open practice in Dayton before their NCAA Tournament opener, but this, after all, is the Sweet 16, three timezones away, under the retired jerseys of Magic and Kareem and Wilt inside the Staples Center.

So Ohio State didn't dunk at this public practice the day before tonight's West Region semifinal with Arizona. The Buckeyes shot and defended and ran a couple wind sprints.

But after practice it did look like Aaron Craft was trying to get LaQuinton Ross to challenge TV analyst Reggie Miller to a shooting contest before assistant Chris Jent looked at Miller and smiled and told him he didn't have to worry. And then several of the Buckeyes posed for a photo at midcourt, fake tough and popping their jerseys and jumping on each other's backs.

After flying out Tuesday, having dinner Tuesday night in Santa Monica, then practicing Wednesday at USC before going again to the home of the L.A. Lakers and Clippers, the Buckeyes settled in.

But they've been doing that for weeks.

On a 10-game winning streak, the No. 2 seed is the favorite to reach the Final Four out of the West, with No. 6 Arizona up first before a regional final with either No. 9 Wichita State or No. 13 La Salle. By now, the Buckeyes know who they are, and know what they do. Arizona is still working that out. And which answer the Wildcats find will determine who wins Thursday.

“I think we've got another level,” Arizona assistant Book Richardson said. “I think that is yet to come.”

Look hard enough and you can see Arizona as No. 7 Georgetown or No. 6 Tennessee or No. 4 Kentucky, the big-conference teams that knocked the Buckeyes out of the NCAA Tournament in 2006, 2010 and 2011. All three teams had performed beneath their talent during the season, and as a result, were underseeded in the tournament. Just like Arizona.

The Tennessee and Kentucky losses came at this point, in the Sweet 16, with long, athletic wing players who could bother the Buckeyes at both ends. Just like Arizona.

OSU coach Thad Matta usually builds his teams into cohesive units by the last month of the season, with strong finishes and success in the Big Ten Tournament propelling the Buckeyes to a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in six of Matta's nine seasons. And then the Buckeyes have a few times faced opponents in the NCAAs that make you say, “Why didn't these guys win more games?”

Just like Arizona.

“We know that this is one of the best teams we’ve played,” sophomore Sam Thompson said. “They have a lot of athleticism and lot of depth.”

The Wildcats started the season 14-0 in nonconference play, reaching No. 4 in the AP poll and then, by their account, they basically got bored and stopped playing defense.

“Our guys were so disenchanted with, 'Oh, we're going to win,'” Richardson said. “We lost focus. We were getting everyone's best shot and we weren't hitting back. … You become bored with the process.”

“You get to 14-0 and you expect the same thing in conference play,” freshman big man Grant Jerrett said. “At times it would get real frustrating. We'd watch film during the conference when we were slacking off on defense and coach would show us film from when we were 14-0, and the difference was unreal.”

Turning defense into offense, just like the Buckeyes, the Wildcats now feel much more like that 14-0 team than the 12-6 Pac-12 team. And at this time of year, the nonconference schedule is more relevant.

Expect the 14-0 team tonight. The Wildcats start with senior point guard Mark Lyons (15.4 ppg), and feature three freshmen big men in 7-footer Caleb Tarczewski, the 6-10 Jerrett and 6-8 Brandon Ashley, who combine for 19.3 points per game. But the wings are the thing, with 6-7 Soloman Hill (13.3 ppg) who should match up with 6-7 Deshaun Thomas, 6-6 Kevin Parrom and 6-3 Nick Johnson.

“I think we match up pretty well with them,” OSU junior Lenzelle Smith Jr. said. “We have size just like they have size, we have shooters just like they have shooters.”

What the Buckeyes need are rebounders. The Wildcats (21 threes per game) don't shoot as many 3-pointers as Ohio State's second-game opponent, Iowa State (26 per game), but the Buckeyes still must learn from that last-second win. The Cyclones out-rebounded Ohio State 36-22, 12-3 on the offense end. Most of those were long rebounds off 3-pointers.

Ohio State's forwards and guards can't let Arizona's forward and guards do the same.

“If we don't rebound the ball, we're going to lose,” Craft said.

“So much of our pregame was geared toward stopping the 3-point shot and getting back in transition,” Thompson said, “I don't want to say we forgot about it, but it wasn't as important to us as other games. We need to recommit ourselves to rebounding at a high level.”

The Buckeyes have to wonder how much the Wildcats have recommitted themselves. Which Arizona team will this be?

Ohio State can beat a No. 6 seed. A 14-0 team ranked No. 4 in the country – that's a lot more difficult.

The opening day lineup Tuesday against Toronto should look a lot like the ones manager Terry Francona has been using this week.

View full size Michael Bourn showed off his speed with this fourth-inning stolen base against Angel Sanchez and the White Sox in Wednesday's Cactus League game in Glendale, Ariz. Mark Duncan, Associated Press  

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Terry Francona isn't ready to say what his Opening Day lineup with be Tuesday in Toronto against knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. He will say that it will look similar to the ones he's been using the last several days as spring training draws to a close.

In Wednesday's 5-4 loss to the White Sox, the only regulars missing were shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and catcher Carlos Santana. Cabrera has been out since Sunday with a sore back and Santana was getting a day off. Cabrera could return Friday.

Here's Wednesday's lineup: CF Michael Bourn, RF Drew Stubbs, 2B Jason Kipnis, 1B Nick Swisher, LF Michael Brantley, DH Mark Reynolds, 3B Lonnie Chisenhall, SS Mike Aviles and C Lou Marson. If Cabrera was available, he'd hit second, moving Stubbs to the No.9 spot. Santana could have hit fifth or sixth.

Speed is going to be a weapon this year with Bourn, Kipnis, Brantley and Stubbs. Francona likes Bourn in the leadoff spot and will probably hit Stubbs ninth, but after that he's not really particular about where his speed guys hit.

"We've told our guys, we have a lot of speed. We're going to use it, but we also have good hitters," said Francona.

"We don't want to take the bat out of a guy's hands. There are going to be situations late in the game where Michael Bourn gets a good jump and you're going to let him steal second. Other than that, if our guys are running, and our guys like the pitches, we want them to have the freedom to swing away while there's a vacated spot on the infield. It just works."

Back to Texas: The Indians returned Rule 5 pick Chris McGuiness to Texas on Wednesday after he went unclaimed on waivers. He hit .195 (8-for-41) and there was no way they were going to carry him on their big-league roster.

The Tribe lost two players in the Rule 5 draft, right-hander Hector Rondon and left-hander T.J. McFarland. The Cubs drafted Rondon and Baltimore picked McFarland. They do not expect to get either player back.

Zach attack: Zach McAllister will pitch in a minor-league game Sunday in Goodyear before joining the Indians in Toronto for the regular season. McAllister's first start April 5 against Tampa Bay at Tropicana Field.

After a good start to spring training, McAllister struggled with his delivery after being told in early March that he'd made the club.

"I'm extremely competitive," said McAllister. "I want to win at everything I do and when I'm not successful I get pretty upset about it. ... Knowing that I was on the team doesn't necessarily change that. I'm still a competitive person.

"But it was definitely a different challenge for me. It's the first time I've been able to do that. It's something I've learned from this spring about how to be able to handle that better for the next time."

He gone: Ezequiel Carrera, designated for assignment Monday, has left camp. He's waiting for word on whether he'll be traded, released or put on waivers.

David Huff is still with the team, waiting to see if and when he'll be traded. If the Indians can't trade him, they'll designate him for assignment.

Finally: The Indians released minor leaguers SS Jairo Kelly (free agent, 2009); OF Chia-Ching Lin (free agent, 2010), 2B Andrew Campbell (free agent, 2008), C Dwight Childs (18th round pick, 2009) and 2B Davis Stoneburner (trade from Texas 2012).

On Twitter: @hoynsie

Norv Turner says "there's nothing wrong" with USC QB Matt Barkley.

View full size Matt Barkley's pro day workout attracted plenty of media attention to the Southern California campus on Wednesday. Browns offensive coordinator Norv Turner was also present, and said he was impressed with the Trojans' QB. Mark J. Terrill, Associated Press  

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Following the Tuesday signing of quarterback Jason Campbell, a source said on Wednesday that the Browns won't rule out trading backup Colt McCoy. Meanwhile, offensive coordinator Norv Turner said he was impressed with quarterback Matt Barkley at his USC Pro Day.

"I really like him,'' Turner told USA Today after Barkley's workout. "I liked him on tape. He's had a great career here. He's seen the adversity of playing the quarterback position. He's obviously got the physical skills.''

Turner felt Barkley was sufficiently healed from the shoulder injury he suffered in November, one that prevented him from working out at the NFL Combine in February.

"I mean, I'm not a doctor, but watching him throw, there's nothing wrong with him," said Turner, adding he was unfazed by a few fluttering throws a few times.

"If you watch the tape, you'll see he's got a strong arm and he can throw the ball deep," Turner said. "He's got a good feel for how to throw it. I think he showed that in this workout."

Browns CEO Joe Banner said at the combine that a quarterback is "not the focus" with the team's first-round pick, but the club continues to do their due diligence. They'll conduct a private workout with West Virginia's Geno Smith and will bring Arizona dual-threat passer Matt Scott for a pre-draft visit. They're also studying Oklahoma's Landry Jones, Florida State's E.J. Manuel and Syracuse's Ryan Nassib.

Some are projected to go in the second round, and the Browns have no second-round pick this year.

With the signing of Campbell, 31, to press Weeden, a source said he expected McCoy to be released or traded soon. But although the Browns will listen to offers, they have no immediate plans to release or trade him. The plan is for McCoy to be on the roster for off-season workouts, which begin April 1, and beyond. The first minicamp is April 16-18.

Whether or not he's on the roster at the end of training camp is another story. McCoy is not viewed as a great fit for the vertical scheme of Turner and coach Rob Chudzinski, and would probably fare better in a shorter passing game. McCoy is set to make $2.35 million next season, and the Browns might not want to pay that much for what might prove to be their third-string quarterback. Currently, they have four quarterbacks under contract, including Thad Lewis.

McCoy's highest base salary so far was the $540,000 he made last season.

Campbell, who signed a two-year deal Tuesday night, will speak on a conference call Thursday.

The Arizona senior is a scoring point guard like Michigan's Trey Burke, and the Buckeyes have made it difficult on Burke at times. Watch video

LOS ANGELES – Can Aaron Craft drive Mark Lyons nuts?

A senior transfer from Xavier, Lyons has steered Arizona into the Sweet 16 in his only season as a Wildcat, after the team only made the NIT last year. A combo guard by trade, Lyons has taken on the role of running the offense, while remaining the No. 1 scoring option. He leads Arizona with 15.4 points per game and with 395 shots, 61 more than anyone else, and 136 free throws.

He sounds a lot like Michigan's Trey Burke, another do-everything point guard that Ohio State knows well.

“Trey's style of offense is conducive for him for what he does,” Craft said, “and Arizona does a good job putting (Lyons) into position to be successful as well, whether it's ballscreens or attacking in transition.”

The thing is, Craft has driven Burke, the national player of the year, nuts at times.

For any team led by a scoring point guard, the Buckeyes, not just with Craft but with Shannon Scott as well, might be the most difficult matchup out there. Ohio State might defend point guards better than any team in the country.

“We deal with guys like that all year long,” OSU center Evan Ravenel said. “We dealt with a guy like that in the first round (Iona's Momo Jones) and did pretty well. We view him as a Trey Burke type who can attack our defense, but I feel we'll do pretty well.”

It took some time for Lyons to get used to getting everyone involved. He's actually second on the team in assists behind Nick Johnson, averaging just under three per game.

“He's gotten better as the season's gone on,” said freshman Grant Jerrett. “You can tell he's actually trying to pass the ball a lot more, as well as scoring. He's gotten a lot better.”

And now he may face his greatest challenge with Craft.

“I think he'll take it personally. He would probably look at it as that he's not getting the respect that he wants,” Jerrett said. “He'll take it at him at both ends, not just scoring but making plays for other people. If he does that, we'll be fine.”

As much confidence as the Buckeyes have in Craft, the Wildcats have the same in Lyons.

Against ACC Player of the Year runner-up Shane Larkin of Miami, Arizona freshman Brandon Ashley said he felt Lyons, “almost dominated him.” Lyons had 19 points and four assists in a 19-point win in December.

Not that the points will matter Thursday, though Lyons scored 23 and 27 in tournament wins over Belmont and Harvard.

“I'm not worried about the matchup. I just want to try to win. If I win, that'll take care of everything else,” Lyons said. “I just make plays to win. I don't think, 'It's time to do this or that.' I play with my instincts. It's worked for me the past couple games and I'll try to keep that going.”

“If you're a point guard, you're going to be judged by wins,” Arizona assistant Book Richardson said. “If Aaron Craft gets 30 and loses, he feels horrible. He may have to get 20. He may have to get 10 assists and 10 steals, but his goal is to win. That's what Mark has to feel – whatever that needs to be done to win, I'm going to do.”

Go West: Ohio State coach Thad Matta isn't much for traveling. So this trip to Los Angeles, 2,250 miles from Columbus, is the longest during his nine years with the Buckeyes. The longest previously was to the regional in San Antonio in 2007.

This is the basketball program's first trip to California since opening the 2003-04 season with a loss at San Francisco.

“It's hard to come out and play one game with the time zone,” Matta said. “You're just off a little bit. … If I can keep it Midwest or South, I would probably prefer that.

“We were fortunate enough to come out here and kind of get acclimated and by (Thursday) we should be in good shape.”

Is the postseason ride ending Thursday for the Buckeyes? Beat writer Doug Lesmerises can see it going either way.

LOS ANGELES -- Four things I think about Ohio State entering Thursday's game against Arizona.

1. Ohio State could be susceptible to an athletic big guy and I thought 7-foot Arizona freshman center Kaleb Tarczewski might be an issue. But after watching practice and talking to people Wednesday, I'm not so sure.

Tarczewski is raw and doesn't seem to have great hands or particularly strong finishing moves. He averages just 6.6 points in 22 minutes, but he had 12 in the tournament opener against Belmont. But that was mostly because Belmont had no height.

"My teammates have been doing a great job of getting me the ball right under the rim, and I'm able to go up strong and finish well," Tarczewski said. He knows the Buckeyes don't have a star inside, with Amir Williams and Evan Ravenel, saying, "They don't really trust them too much on offense, but they're great defenders and they do what their teams needs them to do."

What the Wildcats need is to make Ohio State pay in the paint. But I think Ravenel in particular is savvy and strong enough to keep Tarczewski from doing that.

2. Arizona is asking its fans to wear red at the Staples Center, so the Buckeyes can pretend they're playing in the Schottenstein Center. The Wildcats might have a homecourt feel, but I've never felt like the Buckeyes were a team that played that much better at home, or melted on the road.

Yes, Arizona has an edge in proximity. But the Staples Center won't be turning into The Izzone or some other Big Ten pit of peril, so I don't think it will influence the game much.

3. I was convinced I was picking Arizona before I arrived in Los Angeles, believing the Wildcats to be similar to the Tennessee team that beat Ohio State in 2010. But I became much less convinced Wednesday, with the look at Tarczewski and with the idea that Aaron Craft really could make life difficult on Mark Lyons. But the Buckeyes in many ways got lucky against Iowa State on Sunday, and with Thad Matta playing an old friend in Sean Miller whom he barely beat in the tournament in 2007, it still feels like this Ohio State ride is ready to end.

4. But it'll be close. Ohio State forced overtime on Xavier and Miller before winning in 2007. I'll take overtime again, and this time, the Buckeyes come up just short, 79-76.

Aittokallio, a 20-year-old from Finland, made 33 saves to blank the Admirals.

MILWAUKEE -- Lake Erie Monsters goalie Sami Aittokallio recorded his first shutout as a professional, Paul Carey scored the game's only goal and the Monsters defeated the Milwaukee Admirals, 1-0, Wednesday.

Aittokallio, a 20-year-old from Finland, made 33 saves to blank the Admirals.

A year ago, Carey had a NCAA national championship on his mind. In the week before he joined the Monsters on April 13, it was Carey who scored the game-winning goal that gave his Boston College Eagles a national hockey title win over Ferris State.

On Wednesday night, it was the Monsters, fighting for an AHL playoff spot in the Western Conference, who got a lift from Carey. The left winger scored on a pass from Geoff Walker midway through the first period.

The win gave the Monsters (29-28-3-7) a four-game season sweep of Milwaukee (32-25-4-3). It was the first game of a five-game road trip for Lake Erie, which returns to The Q on April 9 against Syracuse.

Jermaine Davis of Garfield Heights talks about La Salle's NCAA Tournament upsets Kansas State and Ole Miss in Kansas City, Mo., and the trip to Los Angeles.against

"The reason that I picked this school is because I loved the players and the coaches and the atmosphere. I love everything" said La Salle's Jermaine Davis of Garfield Heights. Joshua Gunter/The Plain Dealer  

Davis talked to The Plain Dealer about the Explorers' NCAA Tournament upsets against Kansas State and Ole Miss in Kansas City, Mo., and the trip to Los Angeles.

"We got here Monday afternoon. After the Ole Miss game, we slept at the hotel, then woke up the next morning and came straight here. I wish I could go back to Philadelphia to see it, but I'd rather be here. Once we get back, it's going to be crazy. It's crazy now. I'm just getting videos sent to my phone.

"I haven't seen anything like it. It looks like we're having riots at our school or something. It's crazy. I love it. I really want to be there right now, but I want to be here. I want both.

"The reason that I picked this school is because I loved the players and the coaches and the atmosphere. I love everything.

"We always had good fans, but I think it really started to pick up after the Butler game in January. They really started following us to the extreme.

"This year, my role is to get everybody better and get myself in shape. Once I get in shape, I'll be playing, so I've got to work on me, too. In high school, the pace wasn't as fast. Now every possession counts so much more. One possession can lose you the game, or make the difference between getting to the Sweet 16 or ever farther. I think we're going to make it even farther.

"I was supposed to come to L.A. a couple years ago and I never came, so this is my first time here. I love it. It's nice out here. We went to Santa Monica and we went shopping a little bit. That's all we've been able to do. Ever since I was little, I've always been a Kobe [Bryant] fan, so I love being here. I love the Lakers and I still do, even though their record isn't as good as it usually is.

"In the hotel, we have study hall so we can get all our work down so we don't have anything else to do when we get back. We keep up with all our teachers.

"Most of the time, I stay calm, but after the tournament games, I can't help it. I've got to get up and shout. I never had this feeling. Never.

"Nobody can believe it. I'm calling my mother, I'm calling my father, a couple of my boys, and they're all shouting on the phone. They're calling me after every game and yelling in my ear, and I love the feeling."