Former OSU star Brian Robiskie's rookie season was largely a washout, but his second summer with the Browns shows marked improvement.
UPDATED: 12:14 a.m.
The emergence of Brian Robiskie as a legitimate target in the passing game may have been the most important discovery of the Browns' off-season training camps, says Terry Pluto.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There's never really an end to the football season, right? So among other things, Terry's Talkin' ...
About the Browns ...
1. If the Browns were to give an award for an MVP of the different minicamps, receiver Brian Robiskie would be the winner. As one Browns coach said: "He started strong, and then got better. He never let up. He's made a huge jump." The Browns say Robiskie now "runs" the pass routes, rather than going through them "robotically," as he did his rookie season. He earned the respect of veteran quarterback Jake Delhomme, who told the coaches how Robiskie is "exactly where he should be at exactly the right time."
2. The Browns believe Robiskie will continue to be effective once real football begins with blocking and tackling. Robiskie is not a pure speed receiver. His quickness is above average, but he also has the strength to fight off defensive backs and create room to get open. Some "track guys" look good in the summer, then fade once they are physically challenged in the fall. That should not be the case with the Ohio State product.
3. Robiskie made tremendous progress between his freshman season (only one reception) and his sophomore year, when he emerged as a starter and caught 29 passes for the Buckeyes. Robiskie caught only seven passes as a rookie, and the Browns now see the player they hoped for when picking him in the second round in 2009.
4. David Veikune, another 2009 second-rounder, also caught the coaches' attention. Last season the Browns couldn't decide if Veikune, a defensive end at Hawaii, should play inside or outside linebacker ... talk about bad planning. This season he has been an inside linebacker from the first day of off-season workouts. He often worked with the starters in place of D'Qwell Jackson, the restricted free agent who didn't sign until after the minicamps.
5. Veikune has lost 20 pounds since last season and weighs about 235. By playing with the starters, the coaches thought he'd either begin to look like a guy who can grow -- or appear overmatched. No one is saying Veikune will start, but he definitely has moved up the depth chart to the point where he should see action.
6. The Browns love to play five, even six linebackers at times. That's why it matters if Veikune can contribute. New inside linebacker Chris Gocong has been impressive and the Browns believe he'll be a factor against the run.
7. Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan and coach Eric Mangini are having fun sorting through all the linebackers, the key players being Scott Fujita, David Bowens, Jason Trusnik, Matt Roth, Marcus Benard, Kaluka Maiava, Gocong, Jackson and Veikune. Veteran Eric Barton is in camp, but still recovering from a neck injury.
8. While fifth-rounder Larry Asante was ahead of second-rounder T.J. Ward in a battle of rookie safeties during the first few camps, Ward seemed to be moving ahead -- until he sat out the final few days with a minor injury. The Browns need one of these guys to be ready for the season opener, as safety remains a soft spot. Veteran Abe Elam is expected to start again with Michael Adams as a backup. Adams also played a lot of cornerback.
About the Browns' quarterbacks ...
Jake Delhomme is the clear No. 1 quarterback for the Browns, says Terry Pluto, regardless of whatever observations Eric Mangini may have made at the end of minicamp.1. If Mangini had to do his most recent news conference over again, he would be clearer about the fact that -- no surprise -- Delhomme is the No. 1 quarterback. During the minicamps, he worked with the starters and the Browns were very pleased with the 35 year old. They like how he quickly adapted to the offense and how he didn't make many poor throws. He has looked like what they hoped for when signing him to a $7 million deal: A solid veteran with strong leadership skills.
2. Keep in mind that everything in this column comes from watching players in drills where there is no tackling and no serious blocking. The coaches do put a lot of pressure on the players to know various formations, to adapt to quickly changing plays and to deal with blaring noise. The Browns say two of Delhomme's previous Carolina coordinators -- Jeff Davidson and Dan Henning -- have systems similar to what the Browns use.
3. When the Browns first put together their wildcats formation -- as in two wildcats, Joshua Cribbs and Seneca Wallace -- they wondered how the two would blend. They have been thrilled as Wallace and Cribbs realize this is a way for both to be on the field -- instead of as a competition. In many of his passing plays, Wallace's first target has been Cribbs. They do have some plays for Cribbs to throw the ball, but we'll see how often that happens. The Browns want to find ways to put the ball in Cribbs' hands and let him run.
4. Compared to the relative ease that Delhomme has adjusted to the offense, Wallace has had some struggles. He played in Mike Holmgren's West Coast offense his entire career in Seattle. While the Browns have some West Coast elements, it still is more like what New England does -- throwing downfield -- along with what is supposed to be a heavy dose of wildcat, sometimes just with Cribbs, other times with Cribbs and Wallace.
5. As you can imagine in a Mangini-run camp, everything is counted. While the Browns won't give me the exact numbers, I was told completion percentage is "up appreciably" compared to this time a year ago. Some of it is due to Delhomme. It's also because the players' roles (including quarterback) are more defined as they no longer are facing a new coaching staff and system.
About the Tribe ...
Russell Branyan's value on a rebuilding team is negligible, regardless of how many home runs he hits, so Terry Pluto says it's time for the Indians to move the slugger in order to give Matt LaPorta an everyday big-league opportunity.1. It was time for the Indians to get on the phone and stay there until they find someone to take Russell Branyan. As it turned out, that team was Seattle, who had Branyan a year ago and reacquired him Saturday night. The move was essential because it's time for Matt LaPorta to play ... in Cleveland ... every day. And that wouldn't happen until first base is open for him. Now it is.
2. Why take Branyan? Since May 1 -- and through Friday's game against the Reds -- he hit .265 (.831 OPS) with 10 HRs and 22 RBI in 151 at-bats. No matter what the Tribe says, he was awful at first base. But he stayed healthy, has some power and the Mariners must have thought he could help them get back in the AL West race -- Seattle is desperate for offense to support aces Felix Hernandez and Cliff Lee. Through Friday, LaPorta was batting .353 (1.061 OPS) at Class AAA Columbus. He had five HR and 16 RBI in 68 at-bats. He now has 22 HR, 76 RBI in 406 career Class AAA at-bats, hitting .308.
3. LaPorta and the Indians figured out why he struggled (.218, one HR in 119 AB) with the Tribe early in the season. When he was playing with a bad hip and turf toe (both requiring surgery), he stopped using his legs to power his swing -- swinging mostly with his arms. After he was healthy, the bad habit remained, robbing him of power. He has returned to his original swing.
4. Guess we all knew that at some point, Jayson Nix would be the starting second baseman, right? It was pure mercy to send Luis Valbuena (.166) back to Columbus. The Clippers' second baseman is Cord Phelps, but he's only 23 and has only 44 at-bats (.341)since being promoted from Class AA Akron. He is a prospect, but not ready to come up. He never played above Class A until this season. So they will let Nix and Anderson Hernandez handle second for a while.
5. The longer look for this season is that Asdrubal Cabrera (broken arm) may be back in four weeks. He'd take over at short, with Jason Donald (now the shortstop) moving to second base. Keep an eye on Jared Goedert, who is batting a combined .328 (.981 OPS) between Akron and Columbus and has five home runs in 10 games entering Saturday. The third baseman hit only .224 at Akron last season, but suddenly has bloomed at age 25.
6. At Columbus, the Indians will groom Valbuena as a utility infielder. They want to keep Phelps playing a lot of second, so Valbuena will primarily be used at shortstop -- where he struggled with the Tribe.
7. With Valbuena demoted, consider this: The only non-pitchers who started Opening Day are Jhonny Peralta, Shin-Soo Choo and Travis Hafner. Veterans Mike Redmond, Andy Marte and Austin Kearns remain on the bench. The departed are: Lou Marson (Columbus), Michael Brantley (Columbus), Grady Sizemore (injured), Cabrera (injured), Mark Grudzielanek (waived), LaPorta (Columbus) and Valbuena (Columbus).
8. When it comes to infield defense ... help! According to ESPN's "Zone Rating," which is supposed to measure a player's range and fielding ability, Branyan was last in the AL at first base. Valbuena at second? Also last. Peralta at third? Next to last. The Indians have been through too many shortstops for a good reading, although Cabrera was near the bottom before he was injured.
9. While some of his critics focus on Mitch Talbot's lack of strikeouts, the rookie right-hander (7-6, 4.08) has used his change-up to hold left-handed hitters to a .211 average (.641 OPS). He has allowed lefties only two homers in 147 at-bats, and he always was effective against lefties in the minors. In four of his past six starts, he has allowed two or fewer earned runs. He has a 2.56 ERA on the road. Then there's his poise -- he doesn't seem to rattle after giving up a big inning or having a poor start.
10. Don't you wish Carlos Santana could bat 10 times a game? Through Friday, he had more walks and extra-base hits (nine each) than strikeouts (five). The catcher also threw out five of 11 runners attempting to steal.
11. It's possible Kearns can be traded. But after hitting .373 in April, the left fielder is batting .247 (.720 OPS) in 170 AB since May 1.
12. Former Indians pitcher Bert Blyleven (who should be in the National Baseball Hall of Fame) will appear at the Wahoo Club Luncheon on Aug. 7 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Massimo Da Milano on West 25th Street. For more information, call 216-999-1781 or visit wahooclub.com.