It has been five years since Scott Kazmir was an effective Major League pitcher. A year ago, no Major League team even offered him a minor league contract.

Scott Kazmir is starting one of the most remarkable comeback stories in Major League baseball.

Because he's new to Tribe fans, most of us don't realize how long it has been since he was an effective pitcher. After the Tribe's 7-3 victory over the Twins Saturday, it was announced Kazmir had his first big league victory since September 19, 2010.

But in 2010, he was already a pitcher in decline with a 9-15 record and 5.94 ERA.

His last good season was 2008, a 12-8 record and 3.49 ERA for Tampa Bay.

Think about that...2008...five years ago.

After that, there were four trips to the disabled list. His big league record from 2009-10 was 19-24 with a 5.76 ERA.

In 2011, he was 0-5 with a 17.02 ERA for Class AAA Salt Lake. That's not a misprint...the ERA was 17.02! In 15 1/3 innings, he walked 20, hit six batters and heaved five wild pitches.

This guy who was an All-Star in 2006 and 2008 for Tampa Bay...his first All-Star appearance at the age of 22.

This guy who struck out 239 in 207 innings in 2007 at the age of 23...

This guy with a 95-97 mph fastball and considered one of the lefties to arrive in the Majors in the last decade...

This guy had forgotten how to pitch in 2011.

He was only 27 years old. His fastball was in the 85 mph range. He never had arm surgery, but he had made six trips with different arm and leg problems to the disabled list.

His confidence was gone. He was rejected by every big league team in the spring 2012 when looking for a tryout.

Even last season, he was 3-6 with a 5.34 ERA for Sugar Land in the Atlantic League, which is not affiliated with any Major League team.

The Tribe spotted him in the Puerto Rican Winter League, where he had a 4.37 ERA. But his fastball was in the low 90s.

The thinking was, "He's left-handed. He's breathing. He's throwing about 90 mph and we have no pitching...let's give him a chance."

So they signed Kazmir to a minor league deal. A few other teams were interested, but Kazmir could see the opportunity with the Tribe to start. He had a strong spring, then pulled a muscle in his side right before the opener.

The Tribe didn't say it, but there was some concern that his injury troubles had returned.

But Kazmir healed, and has now made three starts.

He was shelled for eight runs in 3 1/3 innings in his first game.

He allowed two runs in five innings in his second start, the Tribe pulling him after 99 pitches.

Then Saturday, he was throwing 92-93 mph with a few fastball in the 94-95 range. His slider was nasty. He allowed two runs in six innings. He threw first pitch strikes to 17-of-23 hitters. He fanned seven, walked one.

In his last two starts, Kazmir has struck out 11 in 11 innings, walking three and allowing four runs.

Remember, only two years ago, he couldn't throw a strike in Salt Lake City -- a combine 21 walks/hit batters in 15 1/3 innings.

He has become a viable Major League starter, re-inventing himself at the of 29.

Who knows if it will last, but Kazmir deserves tremendous credit for sticking with it...and the Tribe for giving him a chance and helping him with his delivery. It's a pitcher rising from the ashes like this that can help the Indians become a contender in the Central Division.

We are looking for four golfers from Northeast Ohio to join four Plain Dealer staffers next month in the Summer Solstice Golf Challenge, which returns with a twist.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Are you up for golfing from sunup to sundown and trying to set the record for most holes played in The Plain Dealer’s third annual Summer Solstice Golf Challenge?

>> Click here to enter the contest.

We are looking for four golfers from Northeast Ohio to join four Plain Dealer staffers next month in the 16-hour challenge, which returns with a twist and a sponsor, Hickory Nut Golf Course in Columbia Station.

View full sizeHickory Nut Golf Course in Columbia Station is sponsoring The Plain Dealer's third annual Summer Solstice Golf Challenge and will be the site for several dozen memorable - not to mention the dozens of more forgettable - shots next month. 

After last year’s crew reached the goal of 72 holes completed, the mission this year will be to see which foursome can play more holes on the longest day of the year. Each foursome will feature two contest winners and two PD staffers.

Details: Four contest winners and The Plain Dealer’s Kristen Davis, Doug Lesmerises, Cliff Pinckard and Tim Rogers will golf from sunup to sundown — roughly 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. — on June 21, the summer solstice, at Hickory Nut. All greens fees will be covered, in addition to food, drinks and a gift bag.

How to enter contest: Fill out this short contest entry form. The most important factor is telling us why we should select you to participate. The deadline to apply is May 22 at 5 p.m. The four winners will be chosen in early June.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Contest starts 6 a.m. EDT May 1, 2013 and ends 11:59 p.m. EDT May 22, 2013. Open to legal residents of Ohio 18 or older, who have a golf handicap of under 30 and have not completed an all-day golf event, except employees of Sponsor, their immediate families and those living in the same household. Void outside Ohio and where prohibited. A.R.V. of the prize (4) $200 each. Sponsors: The Plain Dealer Publishing Co. and Cleveland Live LLC. Click here for the full rules. 

 CLEVELAND. Ohio -- Several impressive streaks are on the line for the Indians this afternoon when they play host to the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05. Tribe right-hander Corey Kluber (2-0, 2.25 ERA) faces Twins righty Mike Pelfrey (2-3, 7.66). The Indians (14-13) have won six in a row. It is their longest...

CLEVELAND. Ohio -- Several impressive streaks are on the line for the Indians this afternoon when they play host to the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05. Tribe right-hander Corey Kluber (2-0, 2.25 ERA) faces Twins righty Mike Pelfrey (2-3, 7.66).

The Indians (14-13) have won six in a row. It is their longest such streak since a seven-gamer April 26-May 3, 2011.

The Indians have scored at least six runs in six straight games. It is their longest such streak since a seven-gamer Sept. 18-24, 2005 (They went 6-1).

The Indians have at least 12 hits in six straight. It is their longest such streak since an eight-gamer July 18-25, 1936.

During the winning streak, the Indians have outscored the opposition, 53-14. They have 30 two-out RBI and 31 extra-base hits. Their hitters have seen 927 pitches.

Cloudy: Reliever Vinnie Pestano, with Tribe manager Terry Francona and head trainer Lonnie Soloff watching, threw for about 10 minutes in the outfield this morning. The three chatted afterwards to discuss whether Pestano should be placed on the disabled list because of elbow soreness.

"We're not sure yet,'' Pestano said as he entered the dugout after the session. "We're still working through things. There's a lot of variables.''

Pestano said the arm is feeling better, but that he does not want to continue to hamstring the bullpen. He has not pitched since April 28.

Pestano hinted that one of the variables might be how much work the bullpen gets this afternoon. The more work, the less likely he remains active. The DL stint would be retroactive, meaning Pestano would be out another week.

The decision on Pestano's status likely will be made/announced after the game.

Later in the morning, the Indians announced that they had designated outfielder Ezequiel Carrera and recalled lefty Scott Barnes from Class AAA Columbus. That move seemingly would point to a DL stint for Pestano. 

Of the elbow, Pestano said it is a recurring problem that the club has been able to control over the last two years. Before the Indians drafted him out Cal State Fullerton in 2006, Pestano underwent Tommy John surgery.

"This is completely unrelated to my UCL reconstruction," Pestano said Saturday. "It's been something we've been monitoring the past couple of years. It's something that pops up, comes and goes, and we've been able to manage it to a very good degree. This is the first time I haven't been able to answer the call. It's not fun having people cover my innings for me. I want to be out there."

Pestano is the primary setup man for closer Chris Perez.

Bourn update: Center fielder Michael Bourn will begin a rehab assignment Monday in Columbus. Bourn has been on the DL since April 15 because of a lacerated right index finger that required five stitches.

Comings and goings: The Indians this morning designated outfielder Ezequiel Carrera and recalled lefty Scott Barnes from Class AA Columbus. Carrera had joined the Indians on Thursday after being waived by the  Phillies. He had two hits against the Twins on Saturday. 

Stat of the day: Lefty Scott Kazmir, who struck out seven in a victory Saturday, ranks fourth in total strikeouts (1,008) among pitchers from the rookie class of 2005.

Here are the lineups for today's game:

Twins -- 1. Jamey Carroll 2b; 2. Joe Mauer c; 3. Josh Willingham lf; 4. Justin Morneau 1b; 5. Chris Parmelee rf; 6. Trevor Plouffe 3b; 7. Oswaldo Arcia dh; 8. Aaron Hicks cf; 9. Eduardo Escobar ss; and Pelfrey rhp.

Indians -- 1. Michael Brantley lf; 2. Jason Kipnis 2b; 3. Asdrubal Cabrera ss; 4. Nick Swisher dh; 5. Mark Reynolds 1b; 6. Carlos Santana c; 7. Ryan Raburn rf; 8. Lonnie Chisenhall 3b; 9. Drew Stubbs cf; and Kluber rhp.

Reynolds leads the Indians in homers (nine) and RBI (25). The closest to him in RBI are Asdrubal Cabrera and Carlos Santana with 13.

Baseball Note: Games start at 4:30 unless noted and are subject to weather and field conditions. Contact the host school for updates.

Baseball

Note: Games start at 4:30 unless noted and are subject to weather and field conditions. Contact the host school for updates.

AKRON CITY SERIES

Akron North at Firestone, 4:15

Buchtel at Akron East

Kenmore at Akron Garfield

CHAGRIN VALLEY CONFERENCE

Chagrin Division

Aurora at Orange

Kenston at Perry

West Geauga at Chagrin Falls

Metro Division

Independence at Beachwood

Valley Division

Berkshire at Harvey

Cardinal at Newbury

LAKE ERIE LEAGUE

Warren G. Harding at Bedford

PATRIOT ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

Stars Division

Buckeye at Firelands

PORTAGE TRAIL CONFERENCE

Crossover

Garrettsville Garfield at Southeast

SOUTHWESTERN CONFERENCE

Midpark at Amherst Steele

North Olmsted at Berea

Olmsted Falls at Avon Lake

WEST SHORE CONFERENCE

Bay at Avon

NONLEAGUE

Western Reserve Academy at Gilmour Academy

Softball

Note: Games start at 4:30 unless noted and are subject to weather and field conditions. Contact the host school for updates.

AKRON CITY SERIES

Akron East at Kenmore

Firestone at Buchtel

CHAGRIN VALLEY CONFERENCE

Chagrin Division

West Geauga at Chagrin Falls

Metro Division

Beachwood at Wickliffe

Hawken at Cuyahoga Heights

Valley Division

Berkshire at Kirtland

Fairport at Cardinal

LAKE ERIE LEAGUE

Bedford at Warren G. Harding

Euclid at Lorain

Maple Heights at Warrensville Heights

Shaw at Cleveland Heights

NORTH COAST LEAGUE

Blue Division

Archbishop Hoban at Padua, 5

Beaumont at Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin

Lake Catholic at Walsh Jesuit, 5

White Division

Villa Angela-St. Joseph at Trinity, 5

NORTHEAST OHIO CONFERENCE

Lake Division

Mayfield at Brush

Valley Forge at Parma

River Division

Solon at Hudson

Valley Division

Brunswick at Elyria

Medina at North Royalton

Strongsville at Shaker Heights

PATRIOT ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

Stars Division

Brookside at Keystone

Buckeye at Firelands

Stripes Division

Clearview at Lutheran West

Columbia at Fairview

PORTAGE TRAIL CONFERENCE

County Division

Garrettsville Garfield at East Canton

Rootstown at Mogadore

Woodridge at Windham, 4:15

Metro Division

Crestwood at Coventry

Kent Roosevelt at Field

Ravenna at Norton, 4:15

Crossover

Springfield at Streetsboro, 4:15

Waterloo at Southeast, 4:15

PREMIER ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

Riverside at Eastlake North

PRINCIPALS ATHLETIC CONF.

Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy at Indian Valley

Timken at Manchester

SENATE ATHLETIC LEAGUE

Rhodes vs. John Hay at Gordon, 4

SOUTHWESTERN CONFERENCE

Avon Lake at Amherst Steele

Berea at Westlake

Brecksville-Broadview Heights at Olmsted Falls

Midpark at North Olmsted

SUBURBAN LEAGUE

Cloverleaf at Green

Highland at Nordonia

Revere at Copley

Tallmadge at Wadsworth

WEST SHORE CONFERENCE

Avon at Bay

North Ridgeville at Rocky River

Vermilion at Midview

NONLEAGUE

Cornerstone Christian at Lake Center Christian School

Hathaway Brown at Chardon

Magnificat at Holy Name

Open Door at Lake Ridge Academy

The Oakland Athletics went 8-2 against the Cleveland Indians last season and come to Progressive Field at 18-14 this year with a 9-6 road record.

When: Monday through Thursday.

Where: Progressive Field.

TV/radio: SportsTime Ohio; WTAM AM/1100, WMMS FM/100.7.

Series: First meeting this year. Athletics lead, 258-222, all time.

Pitching matchups: Indians RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (1-2, 7.13 ERA) vs. Athletics RHP Jarrod Parker (1-4, 7.36), Monday night at 7:05; RHP Zach McAllister (2-3, 3.30) vs. LHP Tommy Milone (3-3, 3.69), Tuesday at 7:05 p.m.; RHP Justin Masterson (4-2, 3.64) vs. RHP A.J. Griffin (3-2, 3.79), Wednesday at 7:05 p.m.; LHP Scott Kazmir (1-1, 6.28) vs. RHP Bartolo Colon (3-1, 3.62), Thursday at 12:05 p.m.

Indians update: They are 14-14 overall, 6-7 at home. . . . They went 2-8 against Oakland last season, losing the final eight games. Tribe batters were 76-for-333 (.228) and scored 30 runs. . . . Jimenez, McAllister and Kazmir are coming off quality starts. Jimenez was especially good (seven innings, three hits) last Monday at Kansas City.

Athletics update: They are 18-14 overall, 9-6 on the road. They wrapped up a three-game series in the Bronx with a 5-4 victory Sunday. . . . Oakland won all four games at Progressive Field last season. Overall against Cleveland, Athletics batters were 104-for-352 (.295) and scored 60 runs. Among those who performed well: Yoenis Cespedes (16-for-40, one homer, five doubles, seven RBI), Josh Donaldson (11-for-30, two homers, seven RBI) and Josh Reddick (14-for-41, three homers, seven RBI). . . . Colon pitched for the Indians from 1997 to 2002.

Injuries: Indians -- RHP Josh Tomlin (elbow), RHP Blake Wood (elbow) and RHP Frank Herrmann (elbow) are on 60-day disabled list. OF Michael Bourn (right index finger), RHP Brett Myers (elbow) and C Lou Marson (right shoulder) are on 15-day DL. Vinnie Pestano (elbow) is day to day. Athletics -- RHP Fernando Rodriguez (elbow) and INF Scott Sizemore (left knee) are on 60-day DL. OF Coco Crisp (left hamstring), OF Chris Young (strained left quad), SS Hiroyuki Nakajima (left hamstring) and LHP Brett Anderson (right ankle) are on 15-day DL.

Next for Indians: Three-game series at Detroit begins Friday.

The Miami Heat star was presented with the Maurice Podoloff Trophy for the fourth time in his career on Sunday after collecting 120 of the 121 first-place votes, with Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks picking up the lone remaining top choice.

MIAMI — LeBron James was at his best this season, and the voters tasked with selecting the NBA's Most Valuable Player took notice.

Every voter except one, that is.

The NBA still does not have a unanimous MVP, though no one has come closer than James did this season. The Miami Heat star was presented with the Maurice Podoloff Trophy for the fourth time in his career on Sunday after collecting 120 of the 121 first-place votes, with Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks picking up the lone remaining top choice.

"It was probably a writer out of New York that didn't give me that vote," James said. "And we know the history between the Heat and the Knicks, so I get it."

A panel of 120 sports writers and broadcasters cast ballots in the NBA MVP voting, with a combined online fan vote also being taken into account.

Shaquille O'Neal got every first-place vote but one in the 1999-2000 season, when one person cast his ballot for Allen Iverson — who finished seventh that year. This season, Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder finished second, well ahead of Anthony, who was third and didn't even appear on nine of the ballots cast. James was the only player listed on all 121 ballots; Durant was omitted from two, according to the results released by the NBA.

"Congrats to the king," O'Neal wrote on his Twitter account.

For months, there really had only been two questions about this season's MVP race: When will James get the award, and would the results be unanimous? The first of those answers became known Friday, the other on Sunday, and even as he was on the dais to pick up the award the now-four-time MVP quickly started steering all of his attention back to the goal of helping the Heat win a second straight title.

Miami hosts Chicago in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Monday night, when NBA Commissioner David Stern will present James with the trophy, largely just for the benefit of giving Heat fans a pregame reason to cheer.

"My ultimate goal is to win an NBA championship," James said. "That's what I was brought here for. That's why I signed here as a free agent in 2010. It wasn't to win MVP trophies. It was to win a championship — and win multiple championships — and that's still my No. 1 priority."

James averaged 26.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 7.3 assists this season, leading Miami to a league-best 66-16 record while shooting a career-high 56 percent. Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (six), Michael Jordan (five), Bill Russell (five) and Wilt Chamberlain (four) have as many MVP awards, only Russell won four in a five-year span, and only Abdul-Jabbar went back-to-back twice, like James did with trophies in 2009 and 2010 and now again in 2012 and 2013.

Sunday's ceremony was filled with tributes and even some laughs, like when James' younger son Bryce posed for photographers on stage while his father was speaking and older brother LeBron Jr. looked on — and when James' fiancee, Savannah Brinson, appeared on a congratulatory video and called him "Honeybunny."

"I know you're embarrassed when I call you that," Brinson said. "But whatever."

Over on the far side of the dais, set up on the floor of the Heat home court, James' teammates roared in hysterics — and Udonis Haslem made sure James knew that they were talking about Brinson's pet name for her future husband. The 14 other Heat players were dressed casually in team garb, while James donned a dapper suit for the festivities.

As he did on Saturday, a day after it became widely known that the award would be his again, James thanked his teammates.

"I'd rather be sitting over there in shorts and a T-shirt, wondering what the hell they're joking about, because I want to be a part of that joke," James said. "And I hate being out of all the jokes. I want to know what was happening, OK, guys? I would much rather be with my guys over there because that's what it's all about. Without those guys, this trophy is not possible."

Much of the ceremony was tinged with emotion.

Brinson's mother dabbed tears away from her eyes when James thanked his soon-to-be in-laws for what they do for his family. Dwyane Wade (who was 10th in the voting) spoke in a hushed tone on the video, with soft music playing in the background as he told James to "continue to lead this team because we believe in you, so congratulations, Mr. MVP." James seemed genuinely touched when dozens of students who are part of his "I Promise" educational program chanted for him when the proceedings were complete.

"And all the ones that I've observed and I've watched and I've seen, somewhere they've always gotten better," said Heat President Pat Riley, talking about all the game's stars that he's witnessed in his 46 NBA years. "They always got better as their career advanced. And most importantly, they've always made their teammates and their team better. In my humble opinion ... I think the man that we're looking at right here is the best of all of them."

James was the only player in the NBA to lead his team in scoring, rebounding and assists per game this season, had a record six straight games of scoring at least 30 points while shooting at least 60 percent, became the youngest player in league history to break the 20,000-career-point plateau and won five of the six Eastern Conference player of the month awards.

James is now the second player in NBA history to post at least 2,000 points, 600 rebounds, 500 assists and 100 steals in a season twice, joining Larry Bird, who did it three times. The only other player to do it once was Jordan.

"Four now," Heat managing general partner Micky Arison said. "And more to come."

Now that the Cleveland Indians' six-game winning streak is history, it would be nice if Ubaldo Jimenez could go out Monday and deliver his second straight strong start, Bud Shaw writes.

View full sizeIf the Cleveland Indians are to continue their winning ways, they will need the erratic Ubaldo Jimenez to bear down and put together a solid, consistent season.Reed Hoffmann, Associated Press 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians last won a division title in 2007, before that in 2001.

Only in Cicada Nation would that be considered a regular occurrence.

Six years removed from their last playoff appearance, the Indians must prove they're capable of another emergence from the subterranean reaches of the AL Central.

Sunday's crowd of 14,015 on a postcard afternoon suggested an understandable amount of wait-and-see still in the air even after a six-game win streak and slo-pitch softball offensive numbers.

What we know about the Indians as the warmer weather settles in is the following:

They can hit.

They're resilient.

Moving on . . .

Actually, that's not fair.

They manufactured a run Sunday in a streak-busting 4-2 loss to Minnesota that speaks to their versatility and aggressiveness.

Asdrubal Cabrera doubled and stole third with a deft slide. In a tough at-bat not often associated with big swingers, Mark Reynolds managed a sacrifice fly that scored Cabrera and cut the Twins' lead in half.

"It's something different every night," Terry Francona said of what he liked about his team as it won nine of 12 games and steadied itself after a tough start. "When you're going through a good period -- if your starting pitching gives you a good chance every night, you don't have to reel off a bunch of wins to feel good about your team."

The starting pitching that blunted the excitement over Francona's hiring and the free agent acquisitions of Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn hasn't quite been the wreck we expected.

How's that for high praise?

If there's a lesson to learn from the last two Indians' teams to carry summer contention to first place and the playoffs it's that an Indians' starting pitcher you didn't expect needs to have a breakout season.

Surely, it can happen without it, but given this team's precarious rotation it won't happen here without one (or more) Indians' starter surprising us.

In 2007, the emergence of Fausto Carmona made it possible to offset a poor season by Cliff Lee.

In 2001, Charlie Manuel pushed hard for CC Sabathia to go north out of spring training. Sabathia finished 17-5 and second in Rookie of the Year voting to an especially ripe Ichiro Suzuki.

The Indians of 2013 have young pitchers who can keep them in games, as Corey Kluber did Sunday and as Trevor Bauer battles to do despite a haywire compass needle.

But you don't see a Carmona, Sabathia or Jaret Wright in this group. There may be a budding Chad Ogea but it's way too early to cast even that shadow over them.

The can-you-believe-that season -- by default -- looks as if it's going to have to come from a reclamation project if it comes at all. While that sounds a lot like Scott Kazmir, since he spent last season pitching for the Sugarland Skeeters, the pitcher with the most basement-to-ceiling room is Ubaldo Jimenez.

Jimenez pitches Monday against the A's. You won't find Francona making Monday night sound any more important than any other start, let alone any other game. What we know is the Indians aren't going to make the playoffs without Jimenez becoming what they thought they traded for in 2011.

His last start, seven shutout innings in Kansas City, hinted at the possibility.

"I wouldn't be a very good manager if you didn't feel good about sending your guys out there," said Francona when asked if he feels much better about Jimenez than he did a week ago. "We were very excited about the way he threw (last time).

"A big part of our game is backing those up and being consistent. If that starts happening, it's going to get pretty exciting around here in a hurry."

The Indians started 30-15 in 2011, the year they dealt the organization's top prospects to Colorado for Jimenez. They were investing in a two-year window. They may have extended that with the free agent signings of Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher, but Ubaldo's time is coming to an end.

And if the Indians thought they needed him to chase a pennant two years ago, what do they need from him now, standing at 14-14 in a division where the Tigers are World Series regulars?

It's never dull when Jimenez takes the mound. Monday's start should give us a clue about how far we still are from Francona's hope that things could get pretty exciting around here.

Not to mention the chances of scratching another six-year itch.

Although his streak of innings without a walk ended at 13, Cleveland Indians starter Corey Kluber thought he had pretty good location on Sunday against the Twins.

Clubhouse confidential: Right-hander Corey Kluber walked four in 5 2/3 innings of a 4-2 loss to Minnesota on Sunday, but it was not as if he was all over the place.

"I barely missed with a lot of pitches," he said.

When Kluber walked Chris Parmelee in the second inning, it snapped a career-long streak of 13 innings without one.

'Axeman' stays hot: Catcher Carlos Santana went 2-for-4 with a homer -- a solo shot with two outs in the ninth inning off Glen Perkins.

Santana owns 10 multihit games. He is batting .382 (26-for-68) in his past 19 games to raise his average from a robust .368 to an even more robust .379. He has six homers and 14 RBI.

RBI man: First baseman Mark Reynolds hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth, giving him 26 RBI. He leads the club by plenty; Santana ranks second and Asdrubal Cabrera is third with 13.

Minnesota ownership: The Twins have won 13 of their past 18 against the Indians.

Stat of the day: According to Indians research, lefty Scott Kazmir, who struck out seven in a victory Saturday, entered Sunday ranked fourth in total strikeouts (1,008) among pitchers from the rookie class of 2005.

After throwing on Saturday and Sunday, Cleveland Indians reliever Vinnie Pestano, battling a sore right elbow, could be available to pitch Monday night against Oakland.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians hope they have navigated choppy waters in the matter of reliever Vinnie Pestano's right elbow.

Pestano, who has not pitched in a game since April 28, threw on flat ground for about 10 minutes Sunday morning in front of manager Terry Francona and head trainer Lonnie Soloff. How Pestano felt coming out of the session would go a long way toward determining if he needed to be placed on the 15-day disabled list because of soreness.

After the Tribe lost to Minnesota, 4-2, in the afternoon, Francona was optimistic that Pestano will avoid being shelved.

"He had a real good session," Francona said, "and everything points toward him being OK for [tonight]."

The Indians begin a four-game series against the Athletics tonight at Progressive Field.

Pestano, who also threw Saturday, said Sunday morning: "We're still working through things. There's a lot of variables."

Pestano said the arm is feeling better, but that he does not want to continue to hamstring the bullpen.

Of the elbow, Pestano said it is a recurring problem that the club has been able to control over the past two years. Before the Indians drafted him out of Cal State Fullerton in 2006, Pestano underwent Tommy John surgery.

"This is completely unrelated to my UCL reconstruction," Pestano said Saturday. "It's been something we've been monitoring the past couple of years. It's something that pops up, comes and goes, and we've been able to manage it to a very good degree. This is the first time I haven't been able to answer the call."

Pestano, the primary setup man for closer Chris Perez, has a 2.25 ERA in eight appearances.

Bourn movement: Indians center fielder Michael Bourn will begin a rehab assignment with the Class AAA Clippers tonight in Columbus. Bourn has been on the disabled list since April 15 because of a cut on his right index finger that required five stitches.

The plan, Francona said, is for Bourn to play three games: seven innings in center field, nine innings as designated hitter, nine innings in center.

"Hopefully, when I get back, it won't take me long to get my timing down," Bourn said.

Players such as Ryan Raburn have performed well in Bourn's absence.

"We never want guys to get hurt, but it will end up being good for us," Francona said. "Guys have taken advantage of the playing time. When you do need to go to them, they have some timing and at-bats and feel better about themselves."

Comings and goings: The Indians designated outfielder Ezequiel Carrera and recalled lefty Scott Barnes from Columbus on Sunday morning. Carrera had joined the Indians on Thursday after being waived by the Phillies. He went 2-for-4 against the Twins on Saturday.

"We wanted to get Zeke back, which we did," Francona said. "And we knew, when Bourny came back, we'd have to deal with this again. We decided we wanted to try to keep our bullpen intact, so we got Barnsey here, and I'm glad we did."

Barnes pitched splendidly in the 4-2 loss. He worked a hitless eighth and ninth, striking out four. He plunked one batter.

Cody Allen (one-third inning) and Matt Albers (one inning) also came out of the bullpen for the Tribe. Barnes helped Francona avoid having to use lefty Rich Hill or righty Brian Shaw.

The bullpen is such an important part of what we're doing," Francona said. "The way we line up (today) gives us a better chance to win."

Barnes has been with the Clippers most of the season (2-0, 3.27 ERA in eight appearances). He was with the Indians on April 28 as the 26th man for that day's doubleheader. He gave up two runs in one inning of the day game.

Francona said he hopes Carrera clears waivers.

cleveland.com's Glenn Moore talked Browns and Indians during this episode of Sunday Insider. Tonight's guests were The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff and Philadelphia Phillies' Ryan Howard.

Should Jason Campbell get a fair shot at being the starting quarterback? cleveland.com's Glenn Moore talks about this and more during this episode of Sunday Insider. (Scott Shaw/Plain Dealer)  

Should Jason Campbell get a fair shot at the starting quarterback position? How many wins will the Browns have next season? Why aren't the fans showing up to Progressive Field?

Carlos Carrasco gets the win as the Columbus Clippers beat Rochester, 3-2.

View full sizeCarlos Carrasco pitches for the Cleveland Indians on April 9. Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer 

Class AAA: Columbus 3, Rochester 2 Starter Carlos Carrasco (1-0) struck out seven in six innings as the Clippers won an International League game at Rochester, N.Y. Preston Guilmet struck out two in 11/3 innings to notch his ninth save.

Class AA: Akron 2, Bowie 1 The Aeros' Carlos Moncrief led off the seventh with a monster home run over the batter's eye in dead-center field at Canal Park, to break a 1-1 tie with the Baysox. The outfield barrier is 48 feet high, and rests over a 12-foot high outfield wall.

Class A Advanced: Frederick 6, Carolina 5 Four Carolina pitchers issued 13 walks, as the host Mudcats lost to Frederick, Md., in a Carolina League game. Starter Shawn Morimando (1-4) walked six in four innings and took the loss.

Class A: Lake County 7, Burlington 3 The Captains scored five in the top of the ninth to win in Burlington, Iowa. LeVon Washington's three-RBI double was the big hit. He had four RBI in the game. Luis Morel (2-1) struck out three in three innings and picked up the win.

Highlights include Indians' home game against Oakland and NHL and NBA playoffs.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today's TV and radio sports listings

BASEBALL

12:30 p.m. LAKE COUNTY CAPTAINS at Burlington, AM/1330

7 p.m. Atlanta at Cincinnati, ESPN

7:05 p.m. Erie at AKRON AEROS, AM/1350

7:05 p.m. Oakland at CLEVELAND INDIANS, SportsTime Ohio; AM/1100, FM/100.7

COLLEGE BASEBALL

7 p.m. Maryland vs. Clemson, ESPNU

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

9 p.m. Pickerington Central at Gahanna Lincoln (tape), TWCS

NBA CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

7 p.m. Game 1, Chicago at Miami, TNT

9:30 p.m. Game 1, Golden State at San Antonio, TNT

NHL FIRST-ROUND PLAYOFFS

7 p.m. Game 3, Boston at Toronto, NHL Network

7:30 p.m. Game 3, Washington at N.Y. Rangers, NBCSN

8 p.m. Game 4, Anaheim at Detroit, CNBC

10 p.m. Game 4, St. Louis at Los Angeles, NBCSN

SOCCER

2:55 p.m. Premier League, Stoke City at Sunderland, ESPN2

If May 21 draft lottery doesn't change the Cavaliers' position, they'll have the third pick in the first round. They also have the No. 19 pick in the first round, and the first and third picks in the second round.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The NBA Draft 2013 will be held on June 27.

The Cleveland Cavaliers' first pick will be determined by the draft lottery on May 21. If the lottery doesn't change the Cavs' standing in the draft order, they would have the third overall pick.

The lottery, though, could give the Cavaliers anywhere from the first to sixth overall picks. Cleveland has the third best chance -- a 15.6 percent chance -- of winning the lottery to get the No. 1 pick. The likelihood of dropping as low as No. 6 is smaller.

The Cavs finished the 2012-13 season with a 24-58 record. The Orlando Magic (20-62) are in the best position to win the lottery, at 25 percent. Next, with a 19.9 percent chance, are the Charlotte Bobcats (21-61).

Cleveland also owns the 19th pick in the first round, which originally belonged to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Cavs also have the first and third picks in the second round, at Nos. 31 (originally Orlando's pick) and 33.

The pre-lottery mock drafts have the Cavaliers picking at No. 3. Among the players predicted to go to the Cavs with that selection are Georgetown small forward Otto Porter Jr., UNLV power forward Anthony Bennett, Indiana shooting guard Victor Oladipo and UCLA shooting guard Shabazz Muhammad.

Porter seems to be the player most often linked to the Cavaliers. WalterFootball.com, which of course concentrates more on football, features what looks like a credible NBA mock draft. It has the Cavs taking Otto Porter with the third pick, with the comment:

The Cavaliers are lacking a true small forward, and Otto Porter would be the perfect fit here. His all-around ability would be a terrific young piece to add to the talented young backcourt of Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters.

Among the reasons the Cavaliers have brought back Mike Brown as coach is his ability to coach defense, and get his players committed to playing it. A scouting report on Otto Porter by NBA Draft Blog includes:

Perimeter Defense (On/Off Ball)

Porter is a good on-ball defender, positioning himself well between his man and the basket, staying relatively low and moving well laterally. He uses his body well and can play physical when needed, as well as being capable of guarding multiple positions. Porter anticipates his man's movements well, but his reaction time in moving can be slow. However, he has a very good understanding of how to play angles and find spots to cut his man off. Porter needs to work on getting through screens, and especially not relying on switches. He closes well on shooters and uses his long arms to disrupt not only shots, but to disrupt passing lanes. Off the ball, Porter positions himself well, putting himself in an area where he can get to his man and help around the lane if needed. Porter has good court awareness and can deny passing lanes well when needed. He does a good job navigating through screens off the ball, not letting his man get a lot of room to get set for a shot. He establishes position quickly as a help defender and is not afraid to take a charge against anyone.

NBA mock draft links

The Cavaliers take UNLV power forward Anthony Bennett with the third pick in the first round of the NBA draft. (DraftExpress.com)

Four mock drafts, including one with the Cavaliers selecting Indiana shooting guard Victor Oladipo with the No. 3 pick, another with Cleveland using the pick to take UCLA shooting guard Shabazz Muhammad, and two with the Cavs taking Georgetown small forward Otto Porter with the third pick. (hoopsworld.com)

More NBA mock draft links

.. 92.3 The Fan

.. CBSSports.com

.. SportingNews.com

.. The Hoops Report

.. nbadraft.net

.. International Business Times

Video: Some highlight plays by Georgetown small forward Otto Porter Jr. during Georgetown's 2012-13 season:

Minnesota holds the Cleveland Indians to six hits in 4-2 victory at Progressive Field.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians figured to be in terrific shape against the Minnesota Twins on Sunday afternoon at Progressive Field. They were a hot team with an even hotter offense against an eminently hittable pitcher.

But a game still needed to be played. Once it was, the smart money did not seem very smart.

Right-hander Mike Pelfrey gave up one run on four hits in six innings as the Twins defeated the Tribe, 4-2, in front of 14,015 paid.

The Indians (14-14) had a six-game winning streak snapped -- their longest such streak since a seven-gamer April 26-May 3, 2011. They had scored at least six runs in six straight -- longest since a seven-gamer Sept. 18-24, 2005. They managed six hits after amassing at least 12 in six straight -- longest since an eight-gamer July 18-25, 1936.

During the winning streak, the Indians outscored the opposition, 53-14. They delivered 30 two-out RBI and 31 extra-base hits. Their hitters saw 927 pitches.

"We had a good run in the blue jerseys," first baseman Mark Reynolds said of those worn through the weekend because of the streak. "I'm sure the clubbies are sick of washing them."

The Indians entered Sunday ranked first in the majors with a .474 slugging percentage and third with a .275 average. Pelfrey was unimpressed. When Tribe hitters stepped into the box against him, they might as well have left their bats in the belfry.

Pelfrey's fastball was crisp, especially when he elevated it. He did a particularly good job of locking up left-handed batters with fastballs that ran back over the inside corner. He repeatedly hit his spots.

"Once he established the fastball in, it really opened up the plate for him," Indians manager Terry Francona said.

Pelfrey, who allowed 36 hits in 22 1/3 innings of his previous five starts, walked one and struck out seven. He improved his record to 3-3 and lowered his ERA from 7.66 to 6.35.

Pelfrey and three relievers limited Tribe official at-bats with runners in scoring position to two. Both were unsuccessful.

Minnesota took a 2-0 lead against right-hander Corey Kluber in the second.

With one out, Chris Parmelee walked on four pitches. He moved to second on Carlos Santana's passed ball and scored when Trevor Plouffe drove a 2-2 curveball over the left-field wall. Plouffe had homered off Justin Masterson in the series opener.

"I had just thrown him a couple of cutters, and the curveball wasn't my best," Kluber said. "I gave him too many similar looks."

The Tribe, held to an infield single and walk through three, scored in the fourth. Asdrubal Cabrera opened with a double to left. Nick Swisher struck out. On Pelfrey's first pitch to Reynolds, Cabrera dashed for third. Twins catcher Joe Mauer made a strong throw to third baseman Plouffe in plenty of time to nail Cabrera coming in hands first. However, Cabrera pulled back his left arm as Plouffe swept at it and eventually touched the bag with his feet. Umpire Tim Timmons signaled safe.

In a full count, Reynolds fouled off two pitches before hitting a sacrifice fly to center. Aaron Hicks caught the ball near the track.

Santana singled and advanced to third on Ryan Raburn's single to right, but Lonnie Chisenhall struck out swinging.

Later in the game, Cabrera winced after a swing and grabbed his side.

"He kind of over-rotated on a change-up," Francona said. "It's like with anybody else, if you made a move and went too far. It's nothing. He's OK."

The Twins scored once in the sixth. It could have been a lot worse for Cleveland.

Former Indian Jamey Carroll led off with a single to right. Mauer walked. Josh Willingham battled back from an 0-2 count to walk.

Justin Morneau socked a first-pitch single to right to drive in Carroll. Mauer thought he was coming home, as well, but third base coach Joe Vavra stopped him. Willingham, headed for third, was caught and eventually tagged out.

Parmelee struck out swinging on a 2-2 pitch. Francona hooked Kluber for Cody Allen. Plouffe walked, but Allen bowed his neck to whiff Oswaldo Arcia.

Kluber (2-1, 3.06) gave up three runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked four and struck out five. Kluber had started the winning streak with a good performance in the second game of a doubleheader at Kansas City on April 28.

"He threw the ball pretty well," Francona said of Kluber. "He gave us a chance to win. We were pretty silent offensively, but he kept the score manageable to where, if we got a big hit, we had a chance to win."

Kluber slipped to 0-5 with a 5.00 ERA in 10 games, including eight starts, at Progressive Field.

Minnesota made it 4-1 in the seventh when Mauer doubled with two outs to drive in Carroll. Mauer lined Matt Albers's pitch barely beyond Michael Brantley's reach in left.

Minnesota (13-14) finished with six hits.

Santana homered with two outs in the ninth off lefty Glen Perkins. Raburn singled. Mike Aviles, pinch-hitting for Chisenhall, struck out.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. can earn a lot of money and respect if he finally agrees to fight Manny Pacquiao instead of any number of lesser opponents.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Floyd Mayweather Jr. did what he does best on Saturday in scoring a unanimous decision against Robert Guerrero.

Going about his usual business of hit and don't get hit, the oldest philosophy in the ring game, he piled up the points to stymie Guerrero's best efforts at an upset.

So with another $32 million in his pocket, who does Mayweather pick as his next opponent? Canelo Alvarez? Amir Khan? Andre Berto? Devon Alexander? Lamont Peterson? Danny Garcia?  

Well, it won't be Juan Manuel Marquez or Timothy Bradley, since they have agreed to fight on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas.

The answer: The vowels have it.

"Money" Mayweather (44-0, 26 KOs) should come to his senses and finally face Manny Pacquiao (54-5-2, 38 KOs).

Coming off losses to Bradley and Marquez, the "Pac Man" sets up perfectly for Mayweather's exit strategy of five more fights.

All the years of blustering excuses in not making the match are no longer valid - for either side. Even with so-called diminished skills off the two losses, Pacquiao is more attractive than most of the previously mentioned opponents.

Just think if the bout was staged in the Philippines, like another match held long ago in Manila. Think a few Filipinos might show up and a world-wide pay-per-view television audience buy in?

It's about risk and reward. Mayweather should take both.

Around the ring - On the Mayweather undercard, three-division champion Abner Mares (26-0-1, 14 KOs) moved up to take the IBF featherweight title by stopping veteran Daniel Ponce De Leon (44-5, 35 KOs) in the ninth round. De Leon was on the canvas twice before the stoppage. ... At 122 pounds, Leo Santa Cruz (24-0-1, 14 KOs) handled Alexander Munoz (36-5, 28 KOs), who was down twice before his corner threw in the towel in round five. ... If anyone was paying attention, WBA/WBO/IBF heavyweight champ Wladimir Klitschko (60-3, 51 KOs) walloped Italy's Francesco Pianeta (28-1-1, 15 KOs) in Mannheim, Germany. Pianeta was kissing canvas in the fourth and fifth rounds, winding up on the deck at 2:52 of the sixth when the bout was ended. ... Klitschko, nearing the end of his long reign, is in line to get a huge payday later this year against Russia's Alexander Povetkin (25-0, 17 KOs) in a bout that is supposed to take place in Moscow. However, Povetkin has to get past Poland's 25-year-old Andrzej Wawrzyk (27-0, 13 KOs) on May 17 in Russia. ... A foot injury has sidelined Kell Brook, so England's Lee Purdy (20-3-1, 13 KOs) has replaced him and will take on IBF welterweight champion Devon Alexander (24-1, 13 KOs) on May 18 in Atlantic City, N.J. It's on Showtime. ... Brooklyn, N.Y., native Paulie Malignaggi (32-4, 7 KOs) will defend his WBA welterweight title on his home turf when he takes on Cincinnati's Adrien Broner (26-0, 22 KOs) on June 22 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Broner has titles at 130 and 135. With his punching power, and Malignaggi's lack of it, look for Broner to handle the 12-pound jump to welterweight's 147 with relative ease. It will be on Showtime.

Amateur show - Cleveland's West Side Boxing Club has its ninth "Battle in the Ballroom" show on Saturday at the Slovenian National Ballroom, 6417 St. Clair Ave., with 10 bouts slated to go at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $35, $30 and $20, or $5 more at the door. Call Todd Kincaid at 440-223-7409 or go to proboxingohio.com.

This week in history - Sonny Liston was born on May 8, 1932.

Friday - The ESPN2 "Friday Night Fights" are at the Masonic Temple in Detroit, where hometown favorite Vernon Paris (27-1, 16 KOs) will meet 140-pounder Manuel Perez (18-8-1, 4 KOs) at 10 p.m.

Showtime comes on an hour later with its "ShoBox" series at the Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Okla., where Canada's Dierry Jean (24-0, 16 KOs) meets junior welterweight Cleotis Pendarvis (16-3-2, 6 KOs) of Los Angeles at 11 p.m. in an IBF eliminator.

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

Glenville football coach Ted Ginn Sr. said retiring from a life devoted to at-risk, inner-city kids would have been selfish.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – This will seem weird, but it's the way my mind works sometimes.

When I look at Ted Ginn Sr., I think of Ted Kennedy.

Specifically, I recall Kennedy's speech to the 1980 Democratic convention, which ended:

“For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.''

That was Kennedy's concession speech upon losing the presidential nomination to Jimmy Carter, the point being Kennedy wasn't conceding his life's purpose.

Ginn has been to the brink and back this school year, having survived pancreatic cancer, and he sounded Monday like a guy who isn't conceding anything, much less his mission.

With a clean bill of health, Ginn returned to work full-time April 25 as executive director at the all-boys public school he founded six years ago, Ginn Academy in Collinwood. He plans to be back on the sidelines as head football coach at Glenville this fall after missing all of last season.

“I missed the relationships with the kids and just being around people,'' Ginn said. “When you're incarcerated in a place like that (the hospital), you miss the simple things about life.''

Three surgeries and a long hospital stay took a toll. He walks gingerly, but he's regaining his strength. He made it through a long track meet in Austintown on Saturday without any problems. He's lost more than 50 pounds.

During his treatment and recovery, Ginn was urged to retire by those close to him, including his son, Carolina Panthers wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. He wanted his father to kick back and enjoy life.

Ginn, 57, will not hear of it. His cause endures and his work goes on.

“This is my life. This is my calling. This is what I do. What am I going to retire to? This is what kept me alive,'' he said, emphasizing alive.

Ginn firmly believes had it not been for his mission to “save lives” of his students, cancer would have claimed his. He said retiring from a life devoted to at-risk, inner-city kids would have been selfish.

“I'd only be thinking about myself. If I didn't have purpose and love and understanding, then God wouldn't have kept me here,'' he said.

Ginn always speaks more like a mentor and preacher than a coach, and he sounded more inspired than ever about his job and his students, which might explain the approach he's taking to the coming football season.

Glenville missed the playoffs in 2011 and 2012, going 1-5 in nonleague games. This year, in the new seven-division playoff format, Glenville is expected to drop to Division II and presumably does not need a demanding nonleague schedule to make the playoffs. But the Tarblooders open 2013 with road games against Division I powers St. Edward, Solon and Cleveland Heights. Glenville's roster is stocked with its usual assortment of highly regarded college recruits.

“We aren't ducking nobody,'' Ginn said. “It's not a duck situation. We're striving to represent our community. We're just trying to compete on the highest level we can no matter what kind of talent people think we have.''

Glenville should be in the discussion for its first state championship, but you won't hear Ginn talking about it. When Ginn says compete, he's never talking about wins and losses, let alone state glory.

“I'm not going to wake up every morning and say, 'I'm going to win a state tile,''' he said. “I don't care we didn't make the playoffs. We had a great season. I engaged the kids.

“This is why I don't care: When you graduate a kid in high school, you win. You're talking about football and winning games and going to playoffs. When you graduate a kid out of Glenville or Ginn Academy, you're winning. When you have one who goes to college, you're dominating.''

Ginn said his academy graduates about 95 percent of its students, which this year includes 62 seniors.

I pressed Ginn to discuss his team's prospects this fall, telling him Glenville football fans want to know. Ginn countered with his constant worry about kids who are lost to jail, death and unproductive lives, making my questions seem irrelevant. It prompted him to say, “I don't like sports.''

Sports, he said, skew some people's perspective of his mission.

“This is Glenville football; this is what Glenville football is about: You can look at the scoreboard all you want, and you never get the answer,'' he said.

In 2008, stricken with cancer that eventually would take Kennedy's life, the Senator addressed another Democratic convention and put a different spin on his famous 1980 speech, ending with a line that makes me think of Ginn even more today.

“The dream lives on.''

Testaverde, with the University of Miami (Fla.) Hurricanes, won the 1986 Heisman Trophy. He led the 1994 Browns to the last playoff game win in team history.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Former Cleveland Browns and University of Miami (Fla.) quarterback Vinny Testaverde has been elected to the College Football Hall of Fame, as announced on Monday by a National Football Foundation representative on ESPN.

The rest of the 2013 Hall of Fame class, to include 11 other players and two coaches, will be announced on Tuesday. There were 77 players and five coaches on this year's ballot. They include former Browns and Ohio State linebacker Tom Cousineau and two other former Buckeyes -- offensive tackle Orlando Pace and running back Jim Otis.

Also on the ballot were Yale running back Dick Jauron, who was the Browns' defensive coordinator the last two years; former Michigan State and Browns running back Lorenzo White; former Georgia Tech and Browns linebacker Lucius Sanford.

Testaverde won the 1986 Heisman Trophy with Miami's Hurricanes, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected him with the first pick in the 1987 draft.

Testaverde, after starting for Tampa, signed a free agent contract with the Browns prior to the 1993 season, ostensibly as the backup to another former Miami Hurricane, Bernie Kosar. Testaverde, though, took over for Kosar during the second half of Cleveland's 19-16 road win over the then-Los Angeles Raiders. The victory made the Browns 3-0.

Testaverde and Kosar both played in the Browns' next two games, a 23-10 loss to the Colts in Indianapolis and a 24-14 home loss to the Miami Dolphins. Testaverde played all the way in Cleveland's 28-17 win over the Bengals in Cincinnati as the Browns improved to 4-2.

Eric Metcalf returned two punts for touchdowns to key the Browns' 28-23 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the next game, which Testaverde started but had to leave after injuring his right (throwing) shoulder late in the contest. He was replaced by Kosar.

With Testaverde sidelined, Kosar played the entire game the next week, a 29-14 home loss to the Denver Broncos. That left the Browns 5-3 and in a first-place AFC Central tie with the Steelers.

The day after the Denver game, Kosar was released, with coach Bill Belichick saying the quarterback's skills were diminishing.

Testaverde was still hurt, though, and inexperienced Todd Philcox was at quarterback when the Browns lost their next three games: 22-5 to the Seahawks in Seattle; 27-20 at home to the Houston Oilers; 17-14 to the Falcons in Atlanta.

Testaverde returned to action the next week in relief of Philcox. Both QBs threw touchdown passes as the Browns evened their record at 6-6 with a 17-13 home win over the New Orleans Saints.

The Browns finished the 1993 season 7-9, with Testaverde starting the last four games.

Testaverde started 13 games, missing three with injuries, in 1994 as the Browns won an AFC wild card berth with an 11-5 record.

The Browns then defeated the New England Patriots, 20-13, in a playoff game on Jan. 1, 1995 at Cleveland Stadium. It stands as the last playoff win in Browns history. Testaverde completed 20 of 30 passes for 268 yards and one touchdown, with no interceptions.

Cleveland dropped out of the playoffs the next week with a 29-9 loss at Pittsburgh.

Testaverde started 12 of 16 games in 1995 as the Browns went 5-11. Their owner, the late Art Modell, then moved the team to Baltimore, where Testaverde was the Ravens' starting quarterback in 1996 and 1997. He completed his 21-year NFL career in 2007 with the Carolina Panthers.

Jerry Hinnen writes for CBSSports.com:

Despite being one in a long line of golden-armed Miami quarterbacks (including Bernie Kosar and Jim Kelly), it was Testaverde who in 1986 became the program's first Heisman Trophy winner, leading the Hurricanes to an undefeated regular season behind his 2,557 passing yards and 26 touchdowns.

Unfortunately for Testaverde, that accomplishment has been largely overshadowed in college football history by his famous interception in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl against Penn State -- one that denied the Canes a national title and handed it instead to Joe Paterno's Nittany Lions. That play and the plethora of Hall of Fame candidates from the Hurricanes' two-decade-plus run as national title contenders may help explain why it took 27 years after the end of his playing career for Testaverde to see his name called.

He is the sixth Hurricanes player to become enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame, joining other greats like Bennie Blades, Russell Maryland and Gino Torretta.

Tribe reliever Vinnie Pestano's lingering elbow soreness lands him on DL.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Indians reliever Vinnie Pestano was placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday because of right elbow tendinitis. Lefty reliever Nick Hagadone was recalled from Class AAA Columbus.

 Pestano will be eligible to be activated May 16, as Hagadone's recall falls within a 10-day period of his most recent active date on the 25-man roster (April 30). MLB rules stipulate that Pestano's DL placement must be back-dated to May 1, or the day after Hagadone's option to Columbus.

Pestano is the primary setup man for closer Chris Perez. He has a 2.25 ERA in eight appearances.

Pestano, who has not pitched in a game since April 28, threw on flat ground for about 10 minutes Sunday morning in front of manager Terry Francona and head trainer Lonnie Soloff. How Pestano felt coming out of the session seemingly would go a long way toward determining if he needed to be placed on the DL.

After the Tribe lost to Minnesota, 4-2, Sunday afternoon, Francona was optimistic that Pestano would avoid being shelved.

"He had a real good session,'' Francona said, "and everything points toward him being OK for (Monday).''

The outlook changed, however, when Pestano failed to get through normal batting practice throwing activities Monday afternoon without discomfort. Pestano had appeared and sounded anything but upbeat as he prepared to partake in BP. 

Pestano, who also threw Saturday, said Sunday morning: "We're still working through things. There's a lot of variables.'' He said the arm was feeling better, but that he did not want to continue to hamstring the bullpen.

After the Tribe's 7-3 defeat of Oakland on Monday night, Pestano said he is not worried about the elbow. He said an MRI scan showed structural damage.

Pestano has said it is a recurring problem that the club has been able to control over the last two years. Before the Indians drafted him out Cal State Fullerton in 2006, Pestano underwent Tommy John surgery.

"This is completely unrelated to my UCL reconstruction," Pestano said Saturday. "It's been something we've been monitoring the past couple of years. It's something that pops up, comes and goes, and we've been able to manage it to a very good degree. This is the first time I haven't been able to answer the call.''

Hagadone, 27, made eight appearances for the Tribe before being sent down April 30, posting no record and a 2.45 ERA. He worked two-thirds scoreless Monday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Katie Miller was taking no chances this winter. After having her state championship hopes derailed by a virus in 2012, the Firestone senior wanted to be in peak form this final time around. "I definitely drank a lot of orange juice and bundled up every time I went outside," said Miller, who placed second in the...

Firestone senior Katie Miller, The Plain Dealer's Girls Swimmer of the Year, won two Division I state events, including a state record performance in the 200-yard individual medley. - (Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Katie Miller was taking no chances this winter. After having her state championship hopes derailed by a virus in 2012, the Firestone senior wanted to be in peak form this final time around.

"I definitely drank a lot of orange juice and bundled up every time I went outside," said Miller, who placed second in the 100-yard backstroke and third in the 200 individual medley as a junior. "It wasn't as much disappointing as it was a big roadblock. It gave me a little extra drive and motivation. It took a lot of mental strength to overcome."

Miller had such high expectations because she won the IM as a sophomore.

She let everyone know she was primed as she set the Division I, state and pool record with a time of 1 minute, 58.12 seconds in the state IM preliminary in Canton. She bettered that effort with a 1:57.98 time in the final, besting defending champion Bridget Blood from Cincinnati Ursuline by nearly five seconds.

"It was a phenomenal feeling doing something you didn't think you could accomplish," said Miller, The Plain Dealer's Girls Swimmer of the Year. "It was awesome. Having everyone stand up and clap for you [on the podium], it gives me chills just telling you that."

It was just as awesome when she came back to defeat defending champion Emily Slabe of Ursuline in the 100 backstroke with a 54.04, Slabe going 54.27.

Miller will head off in the fall to swim for Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., where she plans to study mechanical engineering.

ALL-STARS

Katie Miller

School, year: Firestone, senior.

Event: 200 individual medley.

College: Notre Dame.

Notable: Plain Dealer Girls Swimmer of the Year won two Division I state events, setting a state record with a 1:57.98 in the 200 individual medley. She had set the previous mark of 1:58.12 in the preliminaries. Came back to win the 100 backstroke in 54.04. She won the IM as a sophomore.

Elizabeth Auckley

School, year: Bay, junior.

Event: 100 butterfly.

College: Undecided.

Notable: She won the Division II state 100 butterfly in 55.56, defeating three-time winner Sarah Koucheki from Hawken in the final. She was fifth in the 100 backstroke. Finished third and second in those events, respectively, at the Cleveland State district.

Carrie Bencic

School, year: Hawken, senior.

Event: 200 freestyle.

College: Vanderbilt.

Notable: For the second straight year, Bencic won both the Division II state 200 and 500 freestyles and anchored the winning 200 and 400 relays to help the Hawks win their state-record 15th straight championship. Her time of 1:48.22 in the 200 was a division record. She was the 2012 Plain Dealer girls swimmer of the year.

Marissa Cominelli

School, year: Hawken, senior.

Event: 100 backstroke.

College: Harvard.

Notable: She finished second in the Division II state backstroke in 55.10. She had won that event the previous two years. Swam the second leg on the winning 200 free relay and the backstroke leg on the third-place medley relay team.

Lauren Heller

School, year: Walsh Jesuit, freshman.

Event: 100 freestyle.

College: Undecided.

Notable: She finished fifth in the Division I state 100 free with a 51.43 to the state-record 49.70 by Chase Kinney of Massillon Jackson. Placed fourth in the 200 free. Won the 200 free and finished second in the 100 free at the CSU district.

Paige Kelly

School, year: Hudson, junior.

Event: 500 freestyle.

College: Undecided.

Notable: At the Division I state meet, finished third in the 500 free (4:54.40) and eighth in the 200 free. Anchored the qualifying 200 and 400 relays. Won the 500 free and finished third in the 200 free at the CSU district.

Sarah Koucheki

School, year: Hawken, senior.

Event: Relays.

College: North Carolina.

Notable: She swam the opening legs on the winning 200 and 400 relays as the Hawks won their 15th straight Division II state title. Finished second in the butterfly and third in the individual medley. She had won the butterfly three straight years and the IM the past two years. Named the 2011 Plain Dealer girls swimmer of the year.

Danielle Margheret

School, year: Walsh Jesuit, senior.

Event: 100 breaststroke.

College: Notre Dame.

Notable: She finished third in the Division I state breaststroke in 1:03.28. Was second in that race as a junior, Bridget Blood of Cincinnati Ursuline winning it the past two years. Holds the Division II record in the event with a 1:02.74, set at the state meet in 2011.

Macie McNichols

School, year: Gilmour Academy, junior.

Event: 50 freestyle.

College: Undecided.

Notable: She won the Division II state 50 freestyle for the second year with a time of 23.28 and was third in the 100 free. She won the 100 free as a sophomore. Anchored the second-place 200 free and third-place 400 free relays. Won both individual events at the CSU district.

Sivan Mills

School, year: Solon, senior.

Event: Diving.

College: Pennsylvania.

Notable: She finished fifth at the Division I state meet with 445.60 points. Won the CSU district meet. She was sixth at the state meet as a junior.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Jerry Holtrey

Hawken

Notable: It was business as usual for the venerable coach as the Hawks extended their state record to 15 consecutive state titles with another Division II championship. Still, this one was a bit sweeter as Hawken did not win it in a runaway as Dayton Oakwood proved testy with 260 points. With a lone individual champion in senior Carrie Bencic in the 200 and 500 frees, Hawken's depth came through with relay wins in the 200 and 400 to total 321 points. Hawken has won all 14 Division II titles since the meet expanded and has 23 championships overall -- all under Holtrey.

Special Mention: Shannon Cahalan, Firestone; Kaitlyn Cerne, Hawken; Carly Chelovitz, Firestone; Gabi D'Abato, Strongsville; Brooke Delventhal, Strongsville; Lauren Devorace, Rocky River; Claire Doerr, Hawken; Kiley Eble, Gilmour Academy; Sammi Hargis, Strongsville; Alyssa Heller, Walsh Jesuit; Kennedy Herbert, Green; Sam Lisy, Euclid; Karley Mattson, Strongsville; Hallie McCue, Rocky River; Mary Motch, Gilmour Academy; Laura Murphy, Hudson; Madison Myers, Copley; Natalie O'Brien, Firestone; Maureen Rakovec, Hawken; Emma Stewart-Bates, Hathaway Brown; Caroline Vexler, Hawken; Molly Washko, Strongsville.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

jmaxse@plaind.com, 216-999-5168

On Twitter: @JoeMaxse

CLEVELAND, Ohio - A year can do wonders. Ross Palazzo went to Canton in February 2012 with the wide-open eyes of a freshman. He finished sixth in the state 100-yard breaststroke and 13th in the 200 individual medley.

Hudson sophomore Ross Palazzo has been named as The Plain Dealer's boys swimmer of the year after winning two Division I events this year, the 100-yard breaststroke and 200 individual medley. - (Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - A year can do wonders.

Ross Palazzo went to Canton in February 2012 with the wide-open eyes of a freshman. He finished sixth in the state 100-yard breaststroke and 13th in the 200 individual medley.

The Hudson sophomore won both Division I events this year.

"It was huge and the base for this year," said Palazzo, who is The Plain Dealer's Boys Swimmer of the Year. "I've been to big meets before, but the caliber at states is completely unique. It tops anything. The place is so insanely loud you can hear it in the water."

The noise was not as much a deterrent as tough seniors in defending IM champ Josh Brooks of Centerville and Derek Hren of St Ignatius, second in both the IM and breaststroke a year ago. Palazzo bested Brooks in the IM by finishing in one minute, 48.49 seconds, Brooks going 1:49.53. Palazzo also took the breaststroke in 55.00, junior Jack Barone of Toledo St. Francis De Sales second in 55.55. Hren finished third in both races.

"Derek was a huge inspiration because we raced against each other all summer," said Palazzo.

"It was good to have someone like him because we pushed each other. I watched Josh and Derek go head-to-head in 2012. The freestyle is my weakest [part of] the IM and I knew Josh would be running me down. It was extremely motivating for me."

Already thinking about his junior year, Palazzo knows he will be in the spotlight as a returning champion. He is ready for the challenges.

"It's just more motivating," he said.

"There is always going to be a freshman coming up and everyone else is improving. You have to keep pushing yourself."

ALL-STARS

Ross Palazzo

School, year: Hudson, sophomore.

Event: 100 breaststroke.

College: Undecided.

Notable: Plain Dealer Boys Swimmer of the Year won the Division I state breaststroke in 55.00 and the 200 individual medley in 1:48.49. He won both of those events at the Cleveland State district. He was sixth in the breaststroke as a freshman.

Andrew Appleby

School, year: Cuyahoga Falls, senior.

Event: 100 backstroke.

College: Ohio State.

Notable: He won the Division I state backstroke in 49.00 and took sixth in the 100 freestyle. Won the backstroke and was second in the 100 free at the CSU district. He was third in the 100 free and fifth in the backstroke as a junior at the state meet.

Mark Belanger

School, year: Firestone, senior.

Event: 100 freestyle.

College: Ohio State.

Notable: He won the Division I state free in 45.17 and finished third in the 200 free. Won both of those events at the CSU district. Finished second in the 100 free as a junior, sixth in the backstroke as a junior.

Derek Hren

School, year: St. Ignatius, senior.

Event: Relays.

College: North Carolina State.

Notable: He swam the breaststroke on the winning Division I state medley relay team and anchored the winning 400 free relay team. He was third in both the individual medley and the breaststroke, finishing second in both of those events as a junior. He won the IM at the Bowling Green district, second in the breaststroke.

Zack Milenius

School, year: Mayfield, senior.

Event: 500 freestyle.

College: Ohio State.

Notable: He finished seventh in the Division I state 500 free and eighth in the 200 free. He was third in both of those events at the CSU district. Helped the Wildcats take sixth in the 400 free relay.

Jack Nee

School, year: Orange, senior.

Event: 50 freestyle.

College: Brown.

Notable: He won the Division II state 50 free in 20.88 and was third in the 100 free. He won the 50 free and was second in the 100 free at the CSU district. At state as a junior, he was fifth in the 50 and seventh in the 100 freestyle.

Austin Quinn

School, year: Chagrin Falls, senior.

Event: 200 individual medley.

College: Virginia.

Notable: He won the Division II state individual medley in 1:49.51 and was second in the 100 backstroke. He set record times in both of those events at the CSU district. He was second in the 500 and fourth in the IM as a junior at the state meet.

Stephen Romanik

School, year: Nordonia, junior.

Event: Diving.

College: Undecided.

Notable: He won the Division I state meet with 557.15 points after finishing second as a sophomore. Won sectional and district titles in a season-long duel against defending state champion Alex Obendorf of Hudson.

Peter Simcox

School, year: St. Ignatius, junior.

Event: 100 butterfly.

College: Undecided.

Notable: He finished fourth in the Division I state 100 butterfly in 50.18. He was second in the event at the Bowling Green district. Swam the backstroke on the winning medley relay and the second leg of the winning 400 relay.

Micah Simpson

School, year: Hawken, senior.

Event: 200 freestyle.

College: Ohio State.

Notable: He finished second in the Division II state 200 free in 1:39.57 and fourth in the 100 free in 46.98. He won both of those events at the CSU district. He was second in the 100 and 200 at last year's state meet.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Jeff Ridler

St. Ignatius

Notable: In his sixth season, Ridler guided the Wildcats to third place in the Division I state meet. It was their best finish since coming in second in 2000. The Wildcats won the medley and 400-yard relays, were third in the 200 relay and placed in the top eight in four individual races to finish with 186 points, just missing second to Upper Arlington at 187.5. Cincinnati St. Xavier won the title with 270 points. Ridler, 36, graduated from Normandy and Cleveland State, swimming at both schools. He previously coached at Willoughby South and Eastlake North. He teaches science at Willowick Middle School and lives in that city with his wife, Mary, and their four children.

Special Mention: Ben Boshkos, Walsh Jesuit; Kingsley Bowen, University School; Ryan Carson, Solon; George Cashy, Chagrin Falls; Nathan Christian, St. Ignatius; Justin Ciferno, Mayfield; Mitchell Delventhal, Strongsville; Grant Gillenwater, Mayfield; Nils Gudbranson, University School; Ryan Hutcheson, Hudson; Alex Ivkovic, University School; Gabe Nock, West Geauga; Alex Obendorf, Hudson; Charlie Pophal, St Ignatius; Jason Quinn, Chagrin Falls; Michael Reilman, Walsh Jesuit; Henry Senkfor, Hawken; Kyle Shurmur, St. Edward; Ian Simpson, Strongsville; Lenny Sterle, Mayfield; Bennett Vandertill, Chagrin Falls; Gordon Wong, University School.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

jmaxse@plaind.com, 216-999-5168

On Twitter: @JoeMaxse