Footballs are flying, and so are some opinions as Terry Pluto's talkin' ...
Kellen Winslow was the prime target for Tampa Bay quarterbacks in 2009, and figures to maintain that status as long as he can stay healthy. But that doesn't mean the Browns didn't benefit from dealing their former starter, says Terry Pluto.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Footballs are flying, and so are some opinions as Terry Pluto's talkin':
About the Browns...
1. With the Browns opening the regular season Sept. 12 in Tampa, it's time to check on the Kellen Winslow deal. The former Brown caught 77 passes for the Bucs last season, by far their leading receiver. Former Brown Antonio Bryant was next with 39. Winslow played all 16 games, averaged 11.5 yards per catch and had only five drops. He did have another knee surgery after the season and may not play in any preseason games. At 27, the big issue with Winslow is his durability -- will his knees hold up?
2. In return for Winslow, the Browns received a second rounder (Mohamed Massaquoi) in 2009 and a fifth rounder in 2010 that was used with Alex Hall and another middle-round pick to bring Sheldon Brown and Chris Gocong to Cleveland. The Browns coaches are pleased with both players, as Brown and Gocong should start. Gocong has been very effective at inside linebacker in the 3-4 system. Hall was waived by the Eagles, then claimed by the New York Giants.
3. We'll see what happens during the regular season, but several Browns coaches insist the receivers were not as bad as they seemed last season -- that they often were open, but there were a lot of poor throws by the quarterbacks. They point to the preseason improvement to make that point with two new quarterbacks in town. In 2008 and 2009, the Browns completed an NFL-worst 49 percent of their attempts. The last time the Browns were under 50 percent was 1974 in the Mike Phipps era.
4. The quarterbacks would counter that the receivers didn't help. Stats Inc. credited the Browns with 39 dropped passes last season, only Kansas City (48) was worse. Chansi Stuckey, Jerome Harrison and Mohamed Massaquoi each had seven drops. Robert Royal had six. Braylon Edwards had only one with the Browns, five total last season.
5. The Browns have been pleased with how Brian Robiskie, Stuckey and Massaquoi have bonded as a group, staying after practice and working together -- rather than worrying about playing time. Joshua Cribbs also is a part of this group, but he works at so many positions that he isn't always available for extra practice. The Browns have been stressing to Robiskie that he can be an impact receiver.
6. The coaches remain convinced Cribbs will make some significant contributions as a receiver. Some of it also may come in the Wildcat offense. As one of the coaches said, "Just tell Joshua that he can't do something -- and he wants to prove you wrong." That's why they are very patient with him in the passing game.
7. Another huge upgrade is Ben Watson and tight end, with Evan Moore as a backup. They also plan to use Moore as a slot receiver. For most of last season, there was no tight end who could be trusted to catch passes as Steve Heiden was hurt and Royal has poor hands.
8. For his career, 108 of Watson's 167 catches have been for first downs. He has caught 33 passes for at least 20 yards, and 20 for scores. The point is Watson is capable of making clutch catches. The Browns believe New England had so many talented receivers, there was no need to throw to Watson that often. In Cleveland, that can change.
9. It may not matter to Jim Brown, but based on emails and calls to talk shows, Browns fans have little sympathy for him possibly boycotting the ring of honor ceremony.
10. I will be talking about the Browns at other topics Monday at 7 p.m. at the Wooster Library. Admission is free. I will be glad to sign books for anyone who wants to bring them along.
Hall Of Fame member Joe DeLamielleure talks about the Browns...
Former Browns star lineman Joe DeLamielleure is bullish on the impact Jake Delhomme will have with this year's team.Question: Is it true you recruited Ben Watson?
Answer: I recruited him and coached him when I was at Duke [where Watson played as a freshman before transferring to Georgia]. He is a football player, a great kid who always wants to learn and get better.
Q: He must have been smart to go to Duke.
A: Better believe it. He wanted to be an engineer. I'm not his coach, but this guy has about a 38-inch vertical [jump]. You saw that one-handed catch he made in the end zone [against St. Louis], he can make more of those. I'd put him in the slot, and see if any safety can cover him. I doubt they can.
Q: You now live in Charlotte, do you have an opinion on [former Carolina Panther] Jake Delhomme?
A: The guy reminds me of Brian Sipe, he really does. I am talking about his leadership. He's a throw back. He's not a pretty quarterback. Like Brian, he doesn't have a great arm. He had to wait for a chance to play. I'm telling you, he is a winner.
Q: What happened last season?
A: You'd really need to have a long talk with him and his coaches, but they changed the system. ... I'm just saying he's been a good quarterback in this league for a long time, he'll help the Browns.
Q: Why are you upbeat about the Browns?
A: Because [President Mike Holmgren] is a football man. ... He brought in two class individuals who are good football players in Delhomme and Ben Watson. That's how you build your team, bringing in class guys who are character guys and it rubs off. I think his record speaks for itself. You have to go with guys who know how to win.
Q: What should young players think of the Browns?
A: [Before coming to the Browns in 1980], I always knew the Browns were great. ... You should [think] to yourself, "They set the bar very high and I want to be a player like that." They had a rich history. Paul [Warfield] was in the front office [when he joined the Browns]. I'd see Paul Warfield walking around and I'd say, "Damn he was good. I hope I can be that good." That's what it's all about. I hope someday that young kids walk through here, and I'm sure they're not going to look at a right guard, but they're going to look at these [Ring of Honor] guys and they're going to say, "Man, someday I'd like to do that."
About the Tribe ...
Carlos Santana's rookie season was all-too-brief for the Indians, but the slugging catcher looks like a great foundation for future lineups.1. Mark Liberbach emailed: "Before Carlos Santana was called up, the Tribe was 23-36 (.390). From his first game until the injury, they were 22-25 (.468). Since the injury, they are 7-15 (.318) through Friday. This also coincides with many veteran departures. But I give Santana the credit for the surge in team performance from June 11 -- Aug. 3. Santana plays every minute with the enthusiasm of a little leaguer. That is contagious."
2. Some fans may mention that Santana batted .346 (1.165 OPS) in June. After July 1, he's a .206 hitter (.680 OPS). Certainly he struggled, but he still was a presence batting No. 3. He also had a solid .370 on-base after July 1, despite not hitting much. He was disciplined, drew walks, and made the lineup better.
3. Santana looks like a natural hitter. Even when he's not hitting, he still leaves the impression that he may hit soon. He doesn't seem overwhelmed. I wish that could be said of other Tribe hitters. Santana was acquired in July, 2008 from the Dodgers for Casey Blake. That same summer, they shipped C.C. Sabathia to Milwaukee for Matt LaPorta, Michael Brantley, Zach Jackson and Rob Bryson.
4. LaPorta is the key to the trade. He was leading the minors in homers (at Class AA Huntsville) when traded. He homered Thursday and Friday, finally showing some life in what has been a dismal performance since the All-Star break (.213, .645 OPS., 4 HR in 136 AB).
5. LaPorta is 25. Some fans have suggested sending him to the minors -- again -- but he has already has bounced three times between Cleveland and Class AAA. In 474 at-bats at Columbus over two seasons, he has 22 HR, 74 RBI (.310, .947 OPS). The Indians correctly believe he has to make it work up here, another trip to the minors proves nothing.
6. Things look better for Brantley. Since the All-Star break, he's hitting .281 (.743 OPS). In August, it's .306 (.814 OPS) with two of his three career homers. He changed his stance after opening the season at 8-of-68 (.118) and then being sent back to Class AAA. He had trouble with the inside pitch, and seems to have fixed that.
7. At 23, Brantley is looking better than LaPorta, because he may add more power as he physically matures. He also is a more gifted athlete than LaPorta, who has to hit for power to make an impact as a first baseman. Brantley is a solid center fielder who could become even better in time. He also can make the leadoff spot his own.
8. Also in the deal was Bryson, a right-hander who hurt his shoulder and had surgery. But the 22-year-old is very promising, 7-1 with a 2.56 ERA between Class A and Class AA this season. He throws between 92-95 mph, and had fanned 75 in 46 innings. At Class AA Akron, he is 1-0 with a 1.46 ERA in 12 innings. He could be a factor in the bullpen next season.
9. Columbus third baseman Jared Goedert is in a major slump since the All-Star break (.211, .687 OPS, 3 homers in 147 at-bats). He's batting .136 in the last 10 games. This came after he batted .321 (1.102 OPS) with 15 homers in 134 at-bats. He also has problems defensively. All of this points to the Indians needing to sign a stop-gap to play third with some defensive skill next season. I nominate Brandon Inge, who will be a free agent.
10. In his last 10 starts, Carlos Carrasco has a 2.76 ERA at Columbus. Even better, he has allowed only one homer in 58 2/3 innings. That's after serving up 15 in his first 92 innings. On the year, he is 10-6 with a 3.65 ERA. Time to bring him up. Last year, he was shelled for six homers in 22 1/3 innings with the Tribe.
11. The pitcher picked up in the Jake Westbrook deal is Corey Kluber, who was 6-6 with a 3.45 ERA in the Class AA Texas League. His first two starts at Class AA Akron were awful (9 ER, 8 IP). But in his last three starts, he has allowed only two earned runs in 18 1/3 innings -- 12 strikeouts, four walks. For the Indians to even dream of contention in the Central, they need young pitchers such as Carrasco and Kluber to make an impact in a rotation that still remains a serious work in progress.
About the Cavs...
Passing and driving more, and shooting from beyond the arc less, should help Mo Williams be a more efficient contributor to the Cavaliers this season.1. When new coach Byron Scott talks to Mo Williams, he needs to tell the guard to fall out of love with his 3-point shot. I write that knowing Williams averaged 43 percent on 3-pointers in his two years with the Cavs -- which is excellent shooting. But jacking up all those long jumpers has diminished his ability to drive and score, or pass off for easy baskets. He is very gifted in that area, and tended to become a stand-still shooter, waiting for a pass from LeBron James.
2. The most 3-pointers Williams took in a season before joining the Cavs was 231. In the past two years, it has been 420 and 371. With James gone, Williams and new point guard Ramon Sessions have to drive to the hoop and set the quicker tempo that Scott wants from this team.
3. While Williams ranked ninth in 3-point shooting, he was sixth among regulars in shots from the 10- to 15-foot range, making 55 percent. He is a very good on the "in-between" shot. But Williams took only 65 of those last season. In the previous three years, he averaged 112. He needs to get back to that form.
4. Williams is a career 87 percent at the foul line, so the more driving and more fouls he draws, the better. With the Cavs, he's at 90 percent. Scott should show Williams some of these numbers and challenge him to change his game a bit.
5. Joe Tait recently had a long meeting with Scott. The broadcaster said: "I really liked him. The minute he referred to the stuff at the arena away from the game as 'all that crap,' I yelled, 'You are my man!' He has a sense of humor, but you can see that he's all business. He's what the team needs at this point."