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The Plain Dealer's 2012 high school baseball Player of the Year: John Martillotta, Chardon

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The Hilltoppers put together the best season in school history, finishing 25-4 and reaching the Division I regional finals. Martillotta, a right-handed pitcher, was a huge part of that success.

John Martillotta.JPGView full sizeJohn Martillotta plans to study mechanical engineering and play baseball at the University of Toledo.

CHARDON, Ohio — John Martillotta agrees that when he looks back at his senior baseball season at Chardon, it will be hard not to think of the tragedy that struck the school on the day practice began.

But then, he quickly points out, he and his teammates will remember the part they played in helping the community overcome the grief and shock of the shooting that took the lives of three students on Feb. 27.

No one played a bigger role than Martillotta in the success of the Chardon baseball team last spring -- both on and off the field -- and his overall contributions are why he has been chosen as The Plain Dealer Player of the Year.

"Inevitably, the tragedy will be the first thing that comes to our minds when we look back at our senior year," said Martillotta, a 4.0 student who plans to study mechanical engineering and play baseball at the University of Toledo. "But, we'll also remember the part we played in helping people cope with it.

"As we won more games and we began our run through the tournament, more and more people came up to us and said we were giving them something positive to talk about, something to look forward to, something to be proud of. That feeling was a huge part of our motivation."

The Hilltoppers put together the best season in school history. They finished with a 25-4 record and reached the Division I regional finals.

Martillotta was a huge part of that success. The 6-3, 185-pound right-handed pitcher and shortstop was in the mix with both his arm and his bat. On the mound, he was 6-1 with a team-low 0.86 earned-run average. He struck out 81 batters while walking 19 in 48 innings.

He batted .455 with 28 runs batted in, with 14 extra-base hits and 10 stolen bases.

"I feel honored in receiving this award," he said. "It is the biggest honor I've ever been given and I feel truly blessed. It's just amazing."

So, too, people will remember, was Martillotta.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: trogers@plaind.com, 216-999-5169

On Twitter: @TimRogersPD


How much salary cap room do the Cleveland Cavaliers have next season? Hey, Mary

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Mary Schmitt Boyer answers your questions about the Cavaliers and the NBA.

HIBBERT-MARY-JULY1.JPGView full sizeDon't look for the Cavaliers to go after any of the premier big men available in free agency this year, including Indiana's Roy Hibbert, left.

Got a Cavs question? Send it in. Submit your question at Cleveland.com/ heymary, and Plain Dealer Cavaliers beat writer Mary Schmitt Boyer will choose at least one to answer each Sunday here in the Sports section. All Mary's answers are archived online.

Q: Hey, Mary: What is the Cavs' cap space for the upcoming season? Do you see the Cavs making an offer to any of the free-agent centers? -- Mike L., North Royalton

A: Hey, Mike: The Cavs expect to have between $20 million and $21 million in cap space. With the drafting of Tyler Zeller, I don't think they will pursue any free-agent centers, such as Roy Hibbert or Brook Lopez, primarily because they will command too much money.

Q: Hey, Mary: Is Greg Oden still a free agent? If so, should the Cavs take a risk and sign him to a one-year deal? -- Michael Buda, Highland Heights

A: Hey, Michael: Oden is still a free agent, trying to recover from his latest knee surgery. Because it's hard to find bigs who can impact the game, I think a lot of teams would be willing to take a look, and I would include the Cavs. Oden, ultimately, will get to decide where he will play, when (and if) he's able to.

-- Mary

Sunday, July 1 television sports listings for Cleveland and Northeast Ohio

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Highlights include Indians at Baltimore and the Olympic Trials.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today's TV sports listings

AUTO RACING

11 a.m.

Speed Channel-- Rolex Sports Car Series, Six Hours at the Glen, at Watkins Glen, N.Y.

6 p.m.

ESPN2 -- NHRA, Route 66 Nationals, at Joliet, Ill. (same-day tape)

CYCLING

8 a.m.

NBCSN -- Tour de France, stage 1, Liege to Seraing, Belgium

EXTREME SPORTS

3 p.m.

ESPN2 -- X Games, at Los Angeles

5 p.m.

ESPN -- X Games, at Los Angeles

9 p.m.

ESPN2 -- X Games, at Los Angeles

GOLF

8:30 a.m.

TGC -- European PGA Tour, The Irish Open, final round, at Portrush, Northern Ireland

1 p.m.

TGC -- PGA Tour, AT&T National, final round, at Bethesda, Md.

2:30 p.m.

TGC -- Champions Tour, Senior Players Championship, final round, at Pittsburgh

3 p.m.

CBS -- PGA Tour, AT&T National, final round, at Bethesda, Md.

5 p.m.

TGC -- LPGA, NW Arkansas Championship, final round, at Rogers, Ark.

7:30 p.m.

TGC -- Nationwide Tour, United Leasing Championship, final round, at Newburgh, Ind. (same-day tape)

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

1 p.m.

TBS -- All-Star Game Selection Show, at Atlanta

1:35 p.m.

SportsTime Ohio -- INDIANS at Baltimore (also WTAM/1100-AM radio)

2 p.m.

TBS -- Chicago White Sox at N.Y. Yankees

WGN -- Chicago White Sox at N.Y. Yankees

8 p.m.

ESPN -- N.Y. Mets at L.A. Dodgers

MOTORSPORTS

5:30 p.m.

Speed Channel -- FIM World Superbike, at Alcaniz, Spain (same-day tape)

OLYMPICS

6 p.m.

NBCSN -- Olympic Trials, swimming qualifying heats, at Omaha, Neb. (same-day tape)

7 p.m.

NBC -- Olympic Trials, finals, at Eugene, Ore.

8 p.m.

NBC -- Olympic Trials, finals, at Omaha, Neb.

9 p.m.

NBC -- Olympic Trials, gymnastics women's final, at San Jose, Calif.

SAILING

2:30 p.m.

NBC -- America's Cup World Series, match race and fleet race finals, at Newport, R.I.

SOCCER

2:30 p.m.

ESPN -- UEFA, Euro 2012, championship match, teams TBD, at Kiev, Ukraine

SOFTBALL

1 p.m.

ESPN2 -- World Cup, pool play, teams TBD, at Oklahoma City


Cleveland Indians SS Asdrubal Cabrera named to second straight All-Star team

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Asdrubal Cabrera, the engine that drive the Indians, was named to his second straight All-Stare game on Sunday.

Cleveland Indians beat Los Angeles Angels, 3-2, with ninth-inning homerAsdrubal Cabrera (center) is chased by teammates after his game-winning hit earlier in the season against the Angels.

BALTIMORE, M.D. -- Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera was named to his second straight All-Star game Sunday. He's the first Indians shortstop to be named to two straight All-Star games since Omar Vizquel in 1998 and 1999.

Cabrera has been the motor that drives the Indians offense. He's hitting .298 (81-for-272) with 18 doubles, one triple, 11 homers and 40 RBI. Last year he was the American League's starting shortstop when Derek Jeter bowed out because of injury.

He leads AL shortstops in batting average, on base percentage, slugging percentage and  OPS.

"Day in and day out he's been as solid as you want a guy to be," said manager Manny Acta. "Last year was huge for him. He put himself out there for all baseball fans to know how good he is.

"By doing what he's doing this year, it lets people know how good he is. He's for real. He's an All-Star."

Cabrera hit .297 (33-for-111) with six homers and 20 RBI in June.

"Last year was an unbelievable year for me," said Cabrera. "I've felt very good this year. I'm not like last year, but I'm pretty happy where the numbers are this year."

As for making it two years in a row, Cabrera said, "I'm very excited right now. I've worked hard every day. At this time of year, that's where you want to be. . .the All-Star game."

While the Indians have struggled against left-handed pitchers, Cabrera has thrived. He's hitting .311 (28-for-90) with five doubles, three homers and 14 RBI. Along double player partner Jason Kipnis, he's the Indians most dangerous hitting with runners in scoring position.

He has two walkoff hits this year.

"I love hitting in those situations," said Cabrera.

Cabrera signed a two-year $16 million contract extension on April 4. He's signed with the Indians through 2014.

He earned a $100,000 bonus for his All-Star selection.


 

Cleveland Indians closer Chris Perez makes 2nd straight All-Star team

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Chris Perez, named to his second straight All-Star game, thanked his thanked his bullpen mates and teammates in general for making it possible.

Cleveland Indians beat Detroit Tigers, 4-2Chris Perez celebrates with catcher Carlos Santana after a save against Detroit.

BALTIMORE, M.D. -- Indians closer Chris Perez was named to his second straight All-Star game Sunday. That's the good news.

The not so good news is that the All-Star game is July 11 at Kauffman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals.

"I'm prepared to get booed," said Perez, who celebrated his 27th birthday Sunday.

Perez, who has saved 23 straight games, was fined $850 by MLB for a Tweet earlier in the year after the benches cleared during a April 14 game between the two teams. Later Perez, while ripping Indians fans for not attending games, used the Royals and Pirates as an example of franchises that never win.

On May 28, after hearing the Royals were upset and "were coming after me,' Perez struck out Jarrod Dyson and waved his hand across his face, copying WEE wrestler John Cena's "You Can't See Me' sign.

In the second stop on this 10-game trip, Perez told the New York Times that he didn't understand Cleveland fans hatred of LeBron James and their blind loyalty to the Browns, while giving the Indians the cold shoulder. 

On the field, Perez has been the model of consistency. After blowing a save on Opening Day against the White Sox, he's been flawless.

"Chris isn't on the All-Star team because of what he said," said manager Manny Acta. "He's been pretty darn good after Opening Day. Has there been anybody better? He's an All-Star closer."

Perez is 0-1 with a 2.76 ERA in 31 appearances. He's converted 23 saves out of 24 chances. He's struck out 36, walked 13 and allowed 19 hits in 31 innings. The opposition is hitting .171 against him.

He earned a $50,000 bonus for his All-Star selection.

The last Indians closer to be named to consecutive All-Star teams was Jose Mesa in 1995 and 1996.

"I have to give most credit to my bullpen mates," said Perez. "Vinnie Pestano for sure. I only get the opportunities he converts, and he's been outstanding since last year.

"And my teammates overall. I only get as many opportunities as they give me."

 

 

  

Cleveland Indians take 3 out of 4 from O's by beating three left-handed starters

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In taking three out four games from the Orioles, the Indians beat three left-handed starters. The finished this trip with a 4-6 record.

BALTIMORE, M.D. -- When the Indians arrived in Baltimore they were 1-5 on this 10-game trip, including an 0-3 record in games started by left-handers. Over all, they were 5-16 against lefties.

The Orioles were starting three lefties in the four-game set, so things did not look good for the Tribe. But as former Cardinal pitcher Joaquin Andujar once said, "There is one word in America that says it all, and that one word is, 'You never know.'"

Whether it's one work or three, Andujar was proven right again.

The Indians won three of the four games in the series, beating all three lefties that the Orioles started. Lefty Brian Matusz took the hit Sunday in a 6-2 Indians victory at Camden Yards that sent them back to Cleveland with a 4-6 record.

The Tribe is 8-16 against lefties. The Orioles three lefty starters, Wei-Yin Chen, Dana Eveland and Matusz allowed 15 earned runs in 14 innings.

The Indians entered this series hitting .216 against lefties for the season. Against Baltimore's three lefty starters, they hit .327 (19-for-59).

Justin Masterson (5-7, 3.92) continued his resurgence with seven strong innings for the victory. He retired 12 straight and had a no-hitter with two out in the fifth when Ryan Flaherty blooped a single into center field to score the Orioles first run.

Masterson, who struck out seven, should have been out of the inning, but shortstop Jason Donald committed an error on Adam Jones' routine grounder to short to start the inning.

The 6-6, 250-pound right-hander is 3-3 in his last six starts with a 1.71 ERA (eight earned runs in 42 innings).

Shelley Duncan started the scoring with a one-out homer in the second. It was his second homer in as many games and sixth of the season. Duncan went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI.

Aaron Cunningham opened the third with another homer, his first of the season. When he got to the bench, his teammates gave him the silent treatment.

The Tribe's offense, which amassed 19 runs and 35 hits on Friday and Saturday, made it 5-0 with three runs in the third. Jose Lopez, Duncan and Casey Kotchman started the inning with consecutive doubles to make it 4-0.

After Kotchman went to third on a passed ball and Donald walk, Lou Marson sent a fly ball to right for what should have been a routine sacrifice fly. Chris Davis, however, dropped the ball as Kotchman scored and Donald was thrown out trying to advance to second. Marson was credited with an RBI, but not a time at-bat.

The Indians final run came in the ninth on Jason Kipnis' RBI single that scored Asdrubal Cabrera, who doubled with one out for his second hit of the day.

Matusz (5-10, 5.42) allowed five runs, four earned, on seven hits in five innings.

The Indians finished the series with 32 runs and 55 hits.

Jim Thome, the Indians franchise leader in homers, made a quiet debut for the Orioles. He went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts after being acquired by the Orioles from the Phillies on Saturday.

 

 

Spain crushes Italy, 4-0, in Euro 2012 final

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Spain swept to a majestic 4-0 victory over Italy in the European Championship final on Sunday, retaining its title and extending its reign as the best team in world football.

Soccer Euro 2012 Final Spain ItalyView full sizeSpain's Fernando Torres, left, Juan Mata, center, and Sergio Ramos hold up the trophy at the end of during the Euro 2012 soccer championship final between Spain and Italy in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, July 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

KIEV, Ukraine — Spain swept to a majestic 4-0 victory over Italy in the European Championship final on Sunday, retaining its title and extending its reign as the best team in world football.

After critics had called this Spain team boring at Euro 2012, the most one-sided final in the tournament's history was a perfect response.

Goals from David Silva and Jordi Alba in the first half gave Spain a convincing lead. Fernando Torres and fellow substitute Juan Mata scored in the last six minutes to turn victory into a rout.

Italy's task was tough enough with 11 players, and it became impossible with just 10 after the 64th minute. All its substitutes were used when midfielder Thiago Motta, who had only been on the pitch for seven minutes, was taken off due to injury.

"We respect (Italy) very much. They were a great rival, but we took control of the game as time went by," Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said.

The victory lifted Spain to a record third straight major title, after winning Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup. The hat trick of titles is an unprecedented feat for a European team, as is successfully defending the championship.

Spain even allowed Italy the majority of first-half possession, yet its trademark quick passing game was lethal when required. The second was almost entirely one-way traffic.

"Tonight, there was no contest, they were too superior — so the bitterness at losing this final is only relative," Italy's captain and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon said.

His Spanish counterpart as keeper and skipper, Iker Casillas, also was outstanding in keeping Italy's attack at bay for his 10th consecutive clean sheet in tournament knockout matches.

The victory was the most comprehensive in a European Championship final, beating West Germany's 3-0 win over the Soviet Union in 1972.

Critics of Spain's style had said the world and European champions were boring — keeping possession with endless back-and-forth passes to stifle games, not win them.

But Spain answered by playing its best and slickest football at Euro 2012 when most was at stake.

"You could tell right away that they were fresher physically," said Italy coach Cesare Prandelli, whose team played in the semifinals on Thursday, one day after Spain.

"We didn't have time to recuperate, especially against players like these. It became very, very difficult indeed to come back from 2-0 down."

Italy playmaker Andrea Pirlo could not orchestrate play like he had when Germany and England were eliminated. Pirlo looked up with teary red eyes as Spain lifted the trophy.

When the final whistle was blown, Spain's players rushed to each other and huddled in a circle, jumping and spinning in celebration. Of course, they did it deep in Italy's half.

Sergio Ramos and Xavi Hernandez had already threatened Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon's goal when Spain took the lead in the 14th minute.

Andres Iniesta's incisive forward pass to find Cesc Fabregas was superb. Fabregas drifted behind defender Giorgio Chiellini and surged to the byline, drawing Buffon to his near post. Silva waited eight yards (meters) out to head a crisp chip back from Fabregas into the net.

Spain then increased its lead just four minutes before the break.

Hernandez had been below his usual high standard at Euro 2012, but he put a weighted pass into Alba's stride as the left-back burst past four Italian defenders to slip his shot past Buffon.

The great Italian 'keeper also witnessed a master class from his friend and opposite number Casillas, who was on a winning Spanish side for the 100th time.

Casillas has not conceded a goal in a knockout match since Zinedine Zidane scored for France in a 3-1 win, which knocked Spain out of the 2006 World Cup in the second round. At 1-0, Casillas twice stretched to tip crossed balls to safety, as Daniele De Rossi and then Mario Balotelli seemed poised to head goalwards.

Casillas also twice went low to save shots from Antonio Cassano before Alba's goal put Spain into its comfort zone.

Cassano was replaced at halftime by Antonio Di Natale, who has scored the only goal Spain conceded at Euro 2012 — a 1-1 draw to open its Group C campaign in Gdansk, Poland.

Di Natale quickly unsettled Spain, heading just over before forcing Casillas into a double save when released into space by Pirlo's clever pass.

However, Motta lasted just five minutes before he appeared to pull his right hamstring and left in obvious pain.

Spain cruised through the second half, to cries of "Ole" from its fans, before inflicting further agony on Italy.

Xavi found Torres to slide his shot past Buffon and inside the far post in the 84th minute. Minutes later, Juan Mata came off the bench like Torres, and took his Chelsea teammate's pass to score into an Italian goal left unguarded yet again. It was his first shot of the tournament, and Spain's final goal.

___

Lineups:

Spain: Iker Casillas, Alvaro Arbeloa, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Xabi Alonso, Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta (Juan Mata, 86), David Silva (Pedro Rodriguez, 59), Cesc Fabregas (Fernando Torres, 75).

Italy: Gianluigi Buffon, Ignazio Abate, Leonardo Bonucci, Andrea Barzagli, Giorgio Chiellini (Federico Balzaretti, 21), Claudio Marchisio, Andrea Pirlo, Daniele De Rossi, Riccardo Montolivo (Thiago Motta, 57), Antonio Cassano (Antonio Di Natale, 46), Mario Balotelli.

Sister Mary Assumpta and other 'celebrity' Indians fans: Whatever happened to ...? (gallery)

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The current Indians season opened with a "What if?" promotion, featuring glimpses of the Tribe's memorable past, including players from the teams that went to the World Series in 1995 and 1997. But the ads left out one aspect of Indians' lore -- its equally memorable fans of those heady days when we almost, almost got the championship.

Gallery preview"Whatever happened to . . .?" is a weekly series updating some of the most newsworthy and interesting local stories covered in The Plain Dealer. Have a suggestion on a story we should update? Send it to John C. Kuehner, or call 216-999-5325.

Today, we answer this question:

Whatever happened to such "celebrity" Indians fans as Sister Mary Assumpta, John Adams, Jim Stamper, Charley Lupica and Tom "the Hat Man" O'Toole?

The current Indians season opened with a "What if?" promotion, featuring glimpses of the Tribe's memorable past, including players from the teams that went to the World Series in 1995 and 1997.

But the ads left out one aspect of Indians' lore -- its equally memorable fans of those heady days when we almost, almost got the championship.

Like the rest of us, most of these celebrity fans are still hanging in there.

Sister Mary Assumpta, whose affection for the team got her an appearance in the film "Major League" and her own Upper Deck trading card, is still going to the games and bringing her cookies (now sold as "Nun Better") for the players.

Though she doesn't visit as often as she did in the '90s, she's still recognized by fans here and elsewhere when she travels. "Even if I'm out of town, in airports people still ask, 'Aren't you the Cleveland Indians nun?' " she said. "I like people, so it's fun to me."

She said her favorite season was 1995, when the Tribe "could do no wrong. You could expect that even if they were down by three, some magic was going to happen in the ninth."

When she can't go to the game, she'll follow it on the radio, which is how she first became an ardent fan. Now she has a smartphone, too, to track the progress of a team she describes as "maturing."

"I'm not going to predict that they'll win it all," she added. "But they'll certainly be in the running."

Another familiar fan of the '90s was Jim Stamper, who rarely went to a Tribe game without with his sign depicting Chief Wahoo flexing muscular biceps, and who wore a white tux with tails for the playoffs.

But he, too, has cut back on the number of games he attends nowadays, because of work demands at his restaurant, Stamper's Grill Pub in Fairview Park.

During the Indians' bygone championship battles, photos of Stamper and his sign appeared in local newspapers and such publications as Sports Illustrated, Baseball Weekly and the Sporting News. Sayings on the sign changed from game to game, and included "This Belle Won't Crack" (referring to former slugger Albert Belle) and "Pow Wow Power."

Stamper estimates that his attendance of 60 games per year from 1994 to 1998 has been cut to about 30. Nowadays, he saves the sign for something special. "In the '90s, every game was something new," he said. "Now, it's more situational."

As for the current team, Stamper said, "They look awful good, if they stay healthy."

Regrettably, Charlie Lupica, a celebrated fan of the '90s and Cleveland's favorite flagpole-sitter, died in 2002 at the age of 90.

Lupica gained his fame for sitting on a flagpole for 117 days during the 1949 baseball season, refusing to come down until the Indians got on track to repeat their World Series win of 1948. They didn't, and Lupica was coaxed down by then-owner Bill Veeck for the team's final home game.

Lupica said he'd do it all over again when the Indians raced for the top in '95 and '97. At one point he told a reporter, "If they don't win this time, I'll die brokenhearted, 'cause they're never going to get a better team than we have right now."

Yet after Lupica died, his daughter said he never did give up hope for another Indians World Series win and assured skeptics, "Just wait, they're going to be good."

Tom "the Hat Man" O'Toole, of Willoughby, hasn't been attending as many games as in previous years, because of a back injury.

He and his wife, Joanne, have been season-ticket holders since 1965, and he got his nickname in 1994 when he started bringing a bag of Indians hats -- a different one to wear each inning -- to the games.

The hats were prompted by the location of the couple's seats in Section 148, right behind the visitors' dugout, so the O'Tooles routinely showed up in TV camera shots whenever a leftie batted.

"People kept saying, 'We saw you at the game on TV,' so I thought, 'Gee, I ought to do something just for fun,' " O'Toole recalled. "So I came up with the hats."

Then folks started asking for his autograph. Some wondered if the hats were part of some secret signaling system to aid Indians manager Mike Hargrove.

"One of the great things about this is that there's no seriousness to this at all," O'Toole said. "This is just for fun, and no other reason. I'm just a regular guy. No pretenses."

One of his favorite hats is a yellow Chief Wahoo cap with a red bill, sent by a "Hat Man" fan from Louisiana. "It's just the nicest I've ever seen," O'Toole said.

Another is a hat furnished by residents of a facility for the mentally disabled who pitched in 20 cents each to buy it for him. "They get the biggest kick when they see me wearing it on TV," O'Toole said. "They know it's the hat they bought."

People still recognize him in the stands and even come up to him waving cellphones, asking him to talk to their relatives in distant cities.

O'Toole's laid-back attitude regarding his celebrity also applies to the team's fortunes. When asked about the Tribe's 2012 season, O'Toole said it didn't matter. "First place, last place, in between. I enjoy the game, so I just go down to have fun," he said.

It may be a quality shared by all truly dedicated Tribe boosters. As O'Toole remarked of his fellow celebrities of the seats, "Once they become fans, they're fans forever."

For the past 39 years and more than 3,000 games, a booming from the bleachers has meant that John Adams is still the drumming heartbeat of the Tribe.

This year is no different as Adams, 60, of Brecksville, parks his bass drum in the top row and assumes his role as crowd-pumper, rally-rouser and pitching-percussionist.

"What keeps me going is a love of the game and my town," Adams said. Being a Cleveland fan is like having a disease, and "there's no cure for that disease," he added. "But they have group therapy. It's called, 'Go to a game.' "

Though Adams said there aren't a lot of regulars in the bleacher seats, he still recognizes some fans who shared the excitement of the 1995 and 1997 season.

Adams said he doesn't have a favorite season of his past 39 drum-beating years -- "except postseason. That's my favorite season."

As for this year, "Oh, gee, I'm enjoying it. They're doing better than expected, they really are," he said. "I'm really proud of those guys. They do not quit, even when things look like they're falling apart. All of a sudden they start pulling together."

And this season, as in those past, folks still climb the bleachers just to meet the drum-pounder -- to Adams' enduring bewilderment.

"I'm just fortunate I can be there," he said. "I appreciate it when people say hello. I don't get it, I don't understand the adulation. But I appreciate it, and if I can put a smile on somebody's face, it doesn't get any better than that."


Felix, Tarmoh will race to break tie in 100 meters

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EUGENE, Ore. - And on the 10th day, they will race again. A good, old-fashioned foot race. First one to the line goes to the London Olympics. A 100-meter runoff between Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh will be held Monday at 8 p.m. to break the dead-heat deadlock for the last Olympic berth. NBC (WKYC Ch. 3) will broadcast the...

2runners.jpgAllyson Felix, right, and Jeneba Tarmoh embrace after the finish of the women's 200 meters at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials Saturday, June 30, in Eugene, Ore. Felix won the 200 but she and Tarmoh tied for third place in the 100 meters.

EUGENE, Ore. - And on the 10th day, they will race again.

A good, old-fashioned foot race.

First one to the line goes to the London Olympics.

A 100-meter runoff between Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh will be held Monday at 8 p.m. to break the dead-heat deadlock for the last Olympic berth. NBC (WKYC Ch. 3) will broadcast the duel live from Hayward Field, where the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials were supposed to end Sunday night.

Felix and Tarmoh tied for third place in the 100 meter finals June 23. Both were timed in 10.068 seconds and a finish-line camera that shoots 3,000 frames per second could not determine a winner.

The USATF originally gave the runners until Sunday to conduct either a coin flip or run-off, but their coach, Bobby Kersee, balked at that idea after both competed in the 200 final Saturday (Felix won, Tarmoh was fifth).

"We're both very deserving," Felix said Saturday.

Felix and Tarmoh both likely will be in the 4x100 relay pool that also will include 100 winner Carmelita Jeter and runner-up Tianna Madison of Elyria.

-- Tim Warsinkey

All-Star Game 2012: MLB unveils rosters for AL, NL squads

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Chris Perez and Asdrubal Cabrera will represent the Indians for the second straight year at the midsummer classic.

acab-smiles-2011-portrait-cc.jpgAsdrubal Cabrera is hitting .298 (81-for-272) with 18 doubles, one triple, 11 homers and 40 RBI.

The rosters for the 2012 Major League Baseball All-Star Game were unveiled Sunday afternoon.

Closer Chris Perez and shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera will represent the Indians for the second straight year at the Midsummer Classic.

Here's a list of who made the squads of the 83rd All-Star Game to be held July 10 in Kansas City.:

American League

Starting lineup (voted on by fans)

C: Mike Napoli, Texas Rangers

1B: Prince Fielder, Detroit Tigers

2B: Robinson Cano, New York Yankees

SS: Derek Jeter, New York Yankees

3B: Adrian Beltre, Texas Rangers

OF: Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers

OF: Curtis Granderson, New York Yankees

OF: Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays

DH: David Ortiz, Boson Red Sox

Pitchers

Matt Harrison, Rangers; Joe Nathan, Rangers; Felix Hernandez, Mariners; Ryan Cook, A's; Justin Verlander, Tigers; CC Sabathia, Yankees (will miss game); C.J. Wilson, Angels; Jered Weaver, Angels; Jim Johnson, Orioles; Chris Sale, White Sox; Chris Perez, Indians; Fernando Rodney, Rays; David Price, Rays.

Reserves

Cathers: Matt Wieters, Orioles; Joe Mauer, Twins.

Infielders: Paul Kornerko, White Sox; Asdrubal Cabrera, Indians; Miguel Cabrera, Tigers; Elvis Andrus, Rangers; Ian Kinsler, Rangers; Mark Trumbo, Angels.

Outfielders: Adam Jones, Orioles; Adam Dunn, White Sox; Mike Trout, Angels.

DH: Billy Butler, Royals

Final Vote candidates*: Jonathan Broxton, Royals; Yu Darvish, Rangers; Ernesto Frieri, Angels; Jason Hammel, Orioles; Jake Peavy, White Sox.

* Only 33 of the 34 roster spots in each league were announced Sunday, with the final spot in each league determined by online voting.

This year's biggest snubs

National League

Starting lineup (voted on by fans)

C: Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants

1B: Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds

2B: Dan Uggla, Atlanta Braves

SS: Rafael Furcal, St. Louis Cardinals

3B: Pablo Sandoval, San Francisco Giants

OF: Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers

OF: Carlos Beltran, St. Louis Cardinals

OF: Melky Cabrera, San Francisco Giants

Pitchers

Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers; Craig Kimbrel, Braves; Aroldis Chapman, Reds; Gio Gonzalez, Nationals; Stephen Strasburg; Cole Hamels, Phillies; Jonathan Papelbon, Phillies; Wade Miley, Diamondbacks; R.A. Dickey, Mets; Lance Lynn, Cardinals; Joel Hanrahan, Pirates; Huston Street, Padres; Matt Cain, Giants.

Reserves

Cathers: Carlos Ruiz, Phillies; Yadier Molina, Cardinals.

Infielders: Starlin Castro, Cubs; Bryan LaHair, Cubs; Jose Altuve, Astros; David Wright, Mets; Ian Desmond, Nationals.

Outfielders: Jay Bruce, Reds; Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies; Ryan Braun, Brewers; Andrew McCutchen, Pirates; Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins.

Final Vote candidates*: Michael Bourn, Braves; David Freese, Cardinals; Bryce Harper, Nationals; Aaron Hill, Diamondbacks; Chipper Jones, Braves.

* Only 33 of the 34 roster spots in each league were announced Sunday, with the final spot in each league determined by online voting.

This year’s All-Star Game will be played July 10 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.

Gallery: Memorable All-Star moments


Cleveland Indians' Justin Masterson pitches Tribe past Baltimore Orioles

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In taking three out of four games from the Orioles, the Indians beat three left-handed starters. They finished this trip with a 4-6 record.

Baltimore -- The heat was thick at Camden Yards on Sunday afternoon. Just the way Justin Masterson likes it.

From the get-go, even before he threw his first pitch, he was thinking: perfect game.

"That's what you think before every game if you're a pitcher, right?" asked Masterson.

In the Indians' 6-2 victory over Baltimore, Masterson retired 12 straight before shortstop Jason Donald, giving Asdrubal Cabrera a day to DH, fanned on Adam Jones' routine bouncer to short to start the fifth inning.

"After the first guy gets on, you just settle down and get back to pitching," said Masterson.

Masterson (5-7. 3.92 ERA) allowed two runs, one earned, on five hits in seven innings as the Indians took three out of four from the Orioles to salvage what could have been a far uglier trip. They finished the 10-day excursion through Houston, New York and the Charm City at 4-6.

"I think this is a really good boost for the boys," said Masterson. "We finally get to go home, play seven games and then get a little rest over the All-Star break."

Masterson, who struck out seven and didn't walk a batter, has done his part to boost the Tribe. He's only 3-3 in his past six starts, but he has a 1.93 ERA (nine earned runs in 42 innings). In that stretch, he has 39 strikeouts and nine walks.

By the end of the seventh, Masterson had thrown only 97 pitches.

"I was fighting to get out for the eighth," he said. "Manny said, 'I know you've only thrown 97 pitches, but on a day like this, it's like 120.' I told him, 'I've got 150 pitches in me.' "

Home runs by Shelley Duncan and Aaron Cunningham gave Masterson a 2-0 lead after the third. It was Duncan's second homer in as many days and Cunningham's first since Sept. 25.

"Masterson threw 18 out of 26 first-pitch strikes," said Acta. "He was able to throw that four-seamer by guys at 95 and 96 mph whenever he wanted. When we got that early lead, we felt he was going to be hard to beat."

When the Indians arrived in Baltimore, they were 1-5 on the trip, including 0-3 against left-handed starters. The Orioles stacked their rotation with three lefties, but something strange happened.

The Tribe offense, dormant and unreliable for much of the first half, came to life. Not only did the Indians beat the Orioles' three left-handed starters, they routed them to the extent that Brian Matusz (5-10, 5.42), Sunday's starter, was optioned to the minors after the game. In the series, the Indians scored 32 runs on 55 hits.

Baltimore's three lefties, Wei-Yin Chen, Dana Eveland and Matusz, allowed 15 earned runs in 14 innings. The Tribe, 8-16 against lefties, hit .327 (19-for-59) against them.

"You're never as good as some people think or as bad as some people think you are," said Acta. "We are better than that against left-handed pitching, but up to now, only Asdrubal Cabrera and Michael Brantley have been able to hit lefties. But Choo and Shelley Duncan have done it in the past."

Duncan had a big day. He followed his second-inning homer with two doubles.

"I got some good advice from a couple of my teammates," he said. "They told me I was swinging like a wimp. They told me to be aggressive."

The offense made it 5-0 with three runs in the fourth. Jose Lopez, Duncan and Casey Kotchman started the inning with consecutive doubles to make it 4-0.

After Kotchman went to third on a passed ball and Donald walked, Lou Marson sent a fly ball to right for what should have been a routine sacrifice fly. Chris Davis, however, dropped the ball as Kotchman scored, and Donald was thrown out trying to advance to second. Marson was credited with an RBI but not an at-bat.

Masterson lost his no-hitter on Ryan Flaherty's bloop single that scored Jones in the fifth. Jones made it 5-2 with a double in the sixth, but that was the extent of the damage the Orioles could do against Masterson.

"It was nice and warm," he said. "The fastball was coming out of my hand really good. The ball was moving and slicing, which is what we want it to do."

Cleveland Indians' Lonnie Chisenhall to miss 10 to 12 weeks: Indians insider

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Indians third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall will miss "10 to 12 weeks" after having surgery on his right forearm Saturday at Cleveland Clinic. The chances of him playing again this season don't look good.

Baltimore -- It's not official, but Lonnie Chisenhall's 2012 season is just about over.

The Indians announced Sunday that Chisenhall will miss "10 to 12 weeks" while recovering from surgery Saturday at Cleveland Clinic to repair a broken ulna bone in the third baseman's right forearm. Dr. Thomas Graham inserted a metal plate and screws to repair the break that was located a couple of inches above the wrist joint.

"He had the wrist stabilized by an ORIF [open reduction internal fixation] procedure," said Lonnie Soloff, Indians head athletic trainer. "It's similar to what Asdrubal Cabrera had in 2010."

Cabrera was injured in a collision with then-Tribe third baseman Jhonny Peralta.

"Because it's a little closer to the joint, it's going to take Lonnie a little longer than it did Asdrubal to return to full baseball activities," said Soloff. "The cal endar is the calendar, but hope fully he'll make it back to play again this year."

Chisenhall has hit by a Troy Patton fastball in the fifth inning Friday at Camden Yards. Jason Donald was recalled from Class AAA Columbus to replace him.

"The location in which he was hit was a vulnerable position," said Soloff. "There's not a lot of soft tissue to protect it. Breaks like this, where fixation surgery is used, tend to heal even better than when just a cast is used."

The Indians have Jack Hannahan and Jose Lopez to play third, so they will not be caught short.

Initially, the Indians thought Chisenhall might be back in four to six weeks.

"Four to six weeks and 10 to 12 is a totally different story," said manager Manny Acta.

No-show: Catcher Carlos Santana missed all four games against the Orioles with a sore back and right ribs.

"Carlos hasn't been able to hit on the field yet," said Acta. "We don't need to rush anything. If he hits on the field tomorrow [Monday], he'll play tomorrow."

Backup catcher Lou Marson is on a tear.

He had four hits Saturday and singled and drove in a run Sunday. He has a career-high nine-game hitting streak and has hit in 15 of his past 18 games (22-for-57) to push his average from .100 to .286 (24-for-84).

"That has nothing to do with Carlos not playing," said Acta. "Carlos is still our everyday guy. It helps Lou, and it helps the team. We need contributions from everybody.

"You always envision having players on your team that can step in and hold the fort if somebody goes down for three or four days or a week."

Hafner update: The Indians will decide today on when to activate DH Travis Hafner. He had a sacrifice fly Saturday at Class AAA Columbus and was scheduled to play Sunday for the Clippers.

He's coming back after right knee surgery.

No go: Closer Chris Perez and Cabrera made the All-Star Game, but second baseman Jason Kipnis came up short.

"I'm sad Jason isn't going to have an opportunity to make it," said Acta. "We made sure to tell him that in our heart he's an All-Star. His numbers are there, but historically, in this game, so many guys have had the numbers, but you only have so many spots.

"In his case, having so many great second basemen in the American League hurt him." Finally: First-pitch temperatures for this steamy series: 92 degrees Thursday, 100 Friday, 91 Saturday and 95 Sunday.

Olympic trials not kind to trio of Ohioans in 1,500 meters

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EUGENE, Ore. - Fifteen hundred meters is almost a mile. Doesn't seem like a lot, unless you're running full-go the whole way and chasing some of world's fastest every single step. It was a bit much for a trio of Ohio 1,500 runners on what was (almost) the last day of the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Hayward...

angelo.jpgAngelo Taylor, a 33-year-old father of twins, made his fourth Olympic team Sunday by finishing second in the 400 meter hurdles.

EUGENE, Ore. - Fifteen hundred meters is almost a mile. Doesn't seem like a lot, unless you're running full-go the whole way and chasing some of world's fastest every single step.

It was a bit much for a trio of Ohio 1,500 runners on what was (almost) the last day of the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Hayward Field.

University Heights native Maggie Infeld finished seventh in the women's 1,500, which means she's back to medical school and not to the London Games this summer. She ran another personal-best time (4:08.31) and did well enough to at least contemplate continuing her track career.

"I accomplished many of my goals. I don't know if this is it for me. I love running so much," she said.

Three-time U.S. champ Treniere (Clement) Moser, a Munroe Falls native, led the first lap, but didn't have enough in her 30-year-old tank and faded to 11th.

"I just wanted to give myself a little bit of a chance. I knew it was going to be really hard," she said. "I'm toward the end of my career. This is probably my last trials. I wanted to give it a good fight, and at least I fought for what I wanted."

Ohio State grad and assistant coach Jeff See, once a distance-running phenom at Middletown High School, looked lethargic on his way to a ninth-place finish in the men's 1,500.

"I was never in it," he said. "I thought I'd be competing for a spot, and I certainly didn't."

Defending U.S. champ Morgan Uceny topped a deep field, winning the women's 1,500 (4:04.59), followed by Shannon Rowbury and reigning world champ Jenny Simpson. Leo Manzano (3:35.75), Matthew Centrowitz and Andrew Wheating separated themselves from a pack down the stretch to claim the 1,500 Olympic berths.

What was to be the final day of the trials saw the United States lock down strong trios in the women's long jump, and men's and women's 400 hurdles Sunday, plus a contender in the men's 200.

The trials continue for one more race today, a run-off between Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh, who tied for third in the 100 on June 23. The race will be at 8 p.m. on WKYC Channel 3.

While Infeld has been dealing with the stress of being a medical student at Georgetown, Lashinda Demus admitted she struggles daily balancing her career and her family, including twins born in 2007. It didn't look like a struggle Sunday.

Demus ran the 400 hurdles like the reigning world champ she is, winning in 53.98 and becoming the second woman this year to break 54 seconds. At the finish were sons Dontay and Duaine waiting for a hug.

"Having my kids know what I'm doing, it's come full circle," said Demus, who missed the 2008 team.

Angelo Taylor, a 33-year-old father of twins, said raising his kids is easier than making his fourth Olympic team -- he was a gold medalist in 2000 and 2008 -- and he placed second in a wild final Sunday. He led until the last two hurdles nearly did him in, allowing Michael Tinsley to pass for the win, while Kerron Clement dived past Bershawn Jackson at the wire for third.

"I was fortunate I had enough left in the tank to regain my composure and finish strong," Taylor said. "It means so much to make my fourth team."

Two-time world champ Brittany Reese won the long jump with a world-best 23.51/2 on her last attempt, which she didn't need to take because she had a berth locked up, and did so despite a sore left (takeoff) ankle. She predicted a U.S. sweep in London after she, Chelsea Hayes and Janay DeLoach all topped 23 feet, giving them three of the four longest jumps in the world this year.

"I think we have the jumps on our side right now. I think if we can all produce seven-meter [23-foot] jumps, like we have been, then we will sweep," Reese said.

Wallace Spearmon won a watered-down men's 200 (19.82) final missing Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin, who backed out after securing 100-meter berths, and injured Walter Dix.

Cleveland Cavaliers coach Byron Scott and guard Dion Waiters will be fun to watch this season -- Terry Pluto

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Strong-willed coach will try finding ways to get the most out of his brash rookie guard. Watch video

Gallery preview


After being drafted by the Cavaliers, Dion Waiters proclaimed: "I don't think I have any weaknesses in my game."

How long do you think it will be until Byron Scott finds a few?

Yes, the Cavs coach is guilty of draft-night irrational exuberance when he compared Waiters to Joe Dumars and Dwyane Wade. But you also can be sure that Scott will push Waiters harder than any coach has before -- for the precise reasons that Scott believes "the sky is the limit" for the Syracuse guard.

And there's something else . . .

Scott coaches without fear of losing his job. He played in the league for 14 years and has coached for 12 more.

He is not an "IRA coach," what insiders call some guys who always want the next contract and will do anything to keep a job in order to keep pouring cash into their retirement accounts.

Scott has been hired and fired twice. He knows that at some point, he will be fired again. It probably will happen to every current NBA coach not named Gregg Popovich.

So Scott has decided to coach his way, so when he does leave, it will be with no regrets.

Or as a friend recently said to me, "That kid had better be in shape for the first day of training camp, or he'll be throwing up into a garbage can."

That's a reference to Camp Scott, where players run more than they ever thought possible with garbage cans positioned at four corners of the court. Very few players actually lose their breakfast, but the cans symbolize Scott's commitment to conditioning.

Love/hate?

By all accounts, the 6-foot-4 Waiters is a "gym rat," as general manager Chris Grant calls him.

"I love being in the gym," Waiters said. "Coach Byron, he's going to hate me. I'm going to pick his brain as much as I can."

"No, you're going to hate me," said Scott.

That exchange led to big laughs at the post-draft press conference.

But the fact is that down deep, Dion Waiters believes he's the best guard that he's ever seen. He calls it "a guy who plays with a lot of swagger."

It's the Eastern, South Philly playground attitude that says, "No one can stop me."

Except if he's sitting on the bench, and there will be games where Waiters will find himself right there if he doesn't defend or continually takes poor shots.

Just ask Kyrie Irving, who was pulled from a couple of games for a few minutes when he went soft and lost his man on defense.

Irving came into the NBA with some of the most impressive statistics you'll ever see from a college guard: 52 percent shooting, 46 percent on 3-pointers and 90 percent at the foul line.

Yes, those were only in 11 games, as he had a foot injury. But Irving was so gifted, so savvy and so mature that he was made Duke's starting point guard from the opening day of the season by coach Mike Krzyzewski. Incumbent point guard Nolan Smith was moved to shooting guard to make room for Irving.

Waiters struggled as a freshman, playing on 16 minutes a game, scoring 6.3 points and shooting 41 percent. Veteran Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim now compares Waiters to Wade. But as a freshman, Boeheim thought the young man had a lot to learn and told him to wait his turn.

Even last season, Boeheim made Waiters the sixth man despite him being the most talented player on the team.

Job is his


Waiters will walk into camp as the starting shooting guard. Who is going to take his job? Daniel Gibson? Manny Harris?

But Boeheim only plays a zone defense. While Waiters showed the necessary quickness and strength to defend, you can be sure there will be some days when he'll be fried by veteran shooting guards.

That may be both his biggest surprise and require his greatest adjustment: the defensive end of the court.

Waiters is an aggressive guard who drives fearlessly -- something Scott loves. He also understands how to run the pick-and-roll, a critical skill for a good NBA guard. His ball-handling ability means the Cavs can use him at point guard when Irving sits.

Waiters shot 48 percent, 36 percent on 3-pointers, 72 percent at the foul line. Those numbers are decent for college, but hardly eye-popping.

Scott said Waiters' jumper "is not broken." But the coach did indicate that it could use some improvement, adding that he may have to challenge Waiters to a few shooting contests if necessary to make the point.

Scott was a career 48 percent shooter, 81 percent at the foul line. At 51, all of his hair and much of the life in his legs are gone, but great shooters take their touch to the grave.

My money is on the coach in that contest, as it will be when they two have their first clashes this season.

So there will be days when Scott is right . . . Waiters will hate him.

But that's all right, because it will be exactly what this 20-year-old needs.

Terry Pluto: terrypluto.com

Facebook: facebook.com/terrypluto

Sports stories: cleveland.com/pluto/blog/

Faith stories: cleveland.com/pluto/faith

Cleveland Cavaliers: Grade their picks in NBA Draft 2012 --- poll

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Thumbs up or thumbs down when it comes to the NBA Draft for the Cavaliers? Watch video


Cleveland, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers surprised many when they selected Dion Waiters with the No. 4 overall selection in the NBA Draft.


Many wondered why the Cavaliers would choose a player who did not even start at Syracuse, and why the Cavaliers selected a driving scorer instead of a shooter. The Cavaliers did help themselves with a big man when they traded picks No. 24, 33 and 34 to the Dallas Mavericks for their No. 17 pick in Tyler Zeller.


So how well did the Cavs do in the draft?


 




Cleveland Cavaliers receive a high grade in NBA Draft 2012 from Mary Schmitt Boyer (SBTV)

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Plain Dealer reporter says Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller will help the Cleveland Cavaliers. Watch video


Cleveland, Ohio -- Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, hosted by Branson Wright.


Despite all of the moans and groans from fans when it comes to the Cleveland Cavaliers in NBA Draft 2012, today's guest on SBTV, Plain Dealer Cavs reporter Mary Schmitt Boyer, tells Branson why she gives the Cavaliers a B grade for their picks of Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller. What grade do you give the Cavs? That's the question in today's Starting Blocks poll.


Schmitt Boyer was surprised that the Cavaliers chose two players that they never worked out or interviewed, but she says each player satisfies a need for the Cavaliers.


Mary also provides her winners and losers in the NBA Draft, and she tells us how active the Cavaliers will be in free agency,


SBTV returns on Tuesday with Plain Dealer reporter Dennis Manoloff talking Tribe.

Browns quarterback preview, Tribe's weekend and why Waiters and Zeller are perfect fit: Blog Roundup

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Here are what blogs from Cleveland and around the country are saying about the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians. Featured today are Dawgs by Nature, Waiting For Next Year and Right Down Euclid.

Here are what blogs from Cleveland and around the country are saying about the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians.


AX121_13C4_9.JPGPreviewing the Browns QBs.
Cleveland Browns


Chris Pokorny over at Dawgs By Nature takes a look at the Browns quarterbacks, Brandon Weeden and Colt McCoy and previews what could happen during training camp.
"The main asset that Weeden brings to the table is his arm strength. He might not have the strongest arm in the league, but fans won't be having to question whether he has what it takes to make certain throws. The downside to that is that the confidence he has in his arm can lead to some mistakes (i.e. trying to fit a ball into a tight window). The thing I like about that is that he will at least be giving his receivers a chance to make a play on the ball down the field. He might not be the most mobile guy when it comes to taking off down the field, but Cleveland patched the right side of their offensive line in the second round with Mitchell Schwartz, and they have four other starters returning to the left of him. Hopefully that gives Weeden all the pass protection he needs.


The guy wins, too. People said "Colt McCoy is a winner" when he came out of college. Well, Weeden's 23-3 record at Oklahoma State isn't too shabby either. The fear is that Weeden will be "just another guy" to join the embarrassingly long list of quarterbacks Cleveland fans have had to endure over the years. In order to break that trend, you have to keep plugging guys in until you find one who succeeds. If Weeden is that guy, this will be the defining draft of the Browns front office."

Cleveland Indians


TD of Waiting For Next Year goes over the Tribe's weekend and their series win over the Orioles in Baltimore.
"Wait, the Indians faced three left-handed starters and beat all three? What world am I in exactly? The oddity of all oddities occurred this weekend. A team that was 5-16 with the worst batting average and on-base percentage in the American League against lefties won not one, not two, but three times against Southpaws.


Acta decided to go with his right-handed heavy lineup most of the weekend and it worked. The offense went 19-59 (.327) against lefty starters Wei-Yin Chen, Dana Eveland, and Brian Matusz. The much maligned Shelley Duncan got three starts in the series and went 6-12 with two homers and four RBIs (I promised not to mention that he left nine men on base Saturday. That was not a misprint). You could tell he was really seeing the ball well all weekend. Jose Lopez, who has been a savior of sorts for Acta, was 7-13 with three RBIs. Included in the line was Saturday’s five-hit game. Its a scary notion that Lopez hit cleanup three times in this series and has essentially made that his home since Travis Hafner went to the DL, but he has done about as well as Tribe fans could have hoped for."

AX007_7DA7_9.JPGFuture of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Cleveland Cavaliers


Zachary Kolesar at Right Down Euclid explains why Tyler Zeller and Dion Waiters are the perfect fit for the Cavaliers.
"Waiters also showed improvements in other areas, including field goal percentage (6.5 percent increase), three-point percentage (3.4 percent increase), rebounds (1.7 rebound increase), assists (1.0 assist increase) and steals (0.7 steal increase). He won Big East Sixth Man of the Year, while averaging 24.1 minutes off the bench. He didn’t start a single game in his collegiate career.


Another reason why this selection was so shocking to many is because the former Syracuse player didn’t work out for any team before the draft. His agent Rob Pelinka advised him not to. Pelinka is also the agent for Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant."

Have a post that you think should be featured in our daily Blog Roundup? Email the link here. You can also follow Glenn on Twitter.

Jeneba Tarmoh gives up spot and will not compete tonight

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Jeneba Tarmoh decides she will not race tonight, which means Allyson Felix will compete in the 100 meters in the Olympics.

Allyson Felix.JPGAllyson Felix celebrates her first-place finish in the women’s 200 meters at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials on Saturday in Eugene, Ore. Elyria’s Tianna Madison, second from right, finished sixth.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Jeneba Tarmoh has conceded her spot in the 100 meters rather than race against training partner Allyson Felix.

Tarmoh notified USA Track and Field on Monday of her intention to withdraw. Her agent, Kimberly Holland, already made it known that Tarmoh would not participate in a runoff Monday night to break a third-place tie at the U.S. track trials.

In an email sent through her agent to USATF, Tarmoh said: "I understand that with this decision I am no longer running the 100m dash in the Olympic Games and will be an alternate for the event."

USATF President Stephanie Hightower said the organization is "disappointed" Tarmoh had a change of heart.

Is Colt McCoy really a better option than Seneca Wallace? - Browns Comment of the Day

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How did Colt McCoy suddenly become this "good" backup? He was the 27th rated passer...Average less then 6 yards a catch (31) and with only a 57% completion of those short passes (27)." - flukemaster

colt.JPGView full sizeCan Colt McCoy be a productive backup?
In response to the story Cleveland Browns might consider whether keeping Colt McCoy could become a distraction: Hey, Mary Kay!, cleveland.com reader flukemaster says Colt McCoy isn't that much better than Seneca Wallace as a backup. This reader writes,

"How did Colt McCoy suddenly become this "good" backup? He was the 27th rated passer...Average less then 6 yards a catch (31) and with only a 57% completion of those short passes (27).

To me Wallace and Colt are pretty even as far as a backup is concerned. One has a stronger arm and can out run most linebackers when pushed to run but can be prone to mistakes.

The other guy has so many bad fundamentals in the pocket with his reads/footwork but limits mistakes because he only uses 4% of the field area and NEVER throws the ball downfield.

I see both of them as "3 and out, get your punter ready type of guy", so lets hope Mr Brandon Weedon can stay healthy."

To respond to flukemaster's comment, go here.

For more comments of the day, go to blog.cleveland.com/comments-of-the-day.

The Indians need star power to attract fans, Dennis Manoloff tells 92.3 The Fan

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Listen as The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff talked on the Baskin and Phelps Show on WKRK FM/92.3 The Fan about what the Indians need to do to generate more passion and enthusiasm among their fans.

Dennis Manoloff PD Sports InsiderD-Man

The Indians return home from a 10-game road trip tonight to face the Angels. With nice weather, kids out of school and the holiday coming up, all eyes will be on the attendance figures as the Tribe hosts quality opponents like the Angels and Rays in the final 7 games before the All-Star Break.

On today's Baskin and Phelps Show on WKRK FM/92.3 The Fan, The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff talked about what the Indians need to do to generate more passion and enthusiasm among their fan base. D-Man said the Indians need a superstar as well as a pennant race to follow for fans to get fired up enough to buy tickets.

Listen to the interview by clicking on the play button.

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

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