May 20, 2013

NFL News: Browns’ Richardson unlikely to be prosecuted for December incident

May 20, 2013 by 1 Comment

Cleveland Browns running back Trent Richardson is unlikely to face criminal charges stemming from a mid-December incident which occurred at his home following the team’s win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Morning Journal reports that the lawsuit agains Richardson has been transferred from Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court to Lorain County Common Pleas Court, and that there are “conflicting statements and lack of evidence” for there to be probable cause for an arrest.

This past March, Richardson was named in a lawsuit along with his girlfriend and his brother Terrell. The initial complaint alleges that an after-hours party at Trent Richardson’s “compound” ended in an altercation. The plaintiffs, Krystal Jones of Maple Heights and Kathleen Hunter of Cleveland, allege that Trent Richardson was upset that they “disrespected” his house and that he blocked them from backing their car up to leave in order to enable his girlfriend to begin “pummeling” the driver. The initial document names six counts including battery, assault, emotional distress, civil conspiracy and emotional distress before a jury demand.

As pointed out by Mike Florio  of Pro Football Talk, the absence of criminal charges has no impact on a civil lawsuit, which is subject to a far lower standard of proof and can be filed without meeting any initial burdens like probable cause.

[Related: The Tribe – The REAL Lead Sports Story in Town]

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WFNY Stats & Info: Indians hot streak continues to 17-4

May 20, 2013 by 2 Comments

It’s been one amazing ride for the Cleveland Indians over the past few weeks. Heck, as TD wrote late last week, they should the man story in town.

In honor of Sunday’s 6-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners, here are six positive tweet-worthy statistics from this impressive stretch. I’d encourage you to share them on Twitter and tag us at #WFNY or mention me @udjrosen.

Stat #1 — Indians are now 17-4 in their last 21 games with 121-69 (+52) run differential. It’s team’s best 21-game differential since September 2005.

Stat #2 — Indians starters in first 21 games: 5-13 record, 5.72 ERA, 1.7 K/BB. Indians starters in next 21 games: 13-4 record, 2.98 ERA, 3.1 K/BB.

Stat #3 — After starting year with .207 avg with RISP in first 15 games, Indians have a .311 avg with RISP in last 27 games.

Stat #4 — Entering Sunday, the Indians ranked 3rd in AL with 88 runs with 2 outs. Their split OPS was .843, compared to a .753 OPS with 0 outs.

Stat #5 — Entering Sunday, the Indians led MLB with 22 home runs against lefty pitchers. They had just 40 in 2012 (T-25th) and 36 in 2011 (T-20th).

Stat #6 — Entering Sunday, Indians offense ranked 5th in MLB with 3.95 pitches/PA. Four players ranked in top 33: Santana, Reynolds, Kipnis, Swisher.

[Related: The Diff: Indians odd start and usual MLB run distribution]

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NBA Rumors: Cavs willing to trade up to No. 1

May 19, 2013 by 35 Comments

Plain Dealer columnist Terry Pluto dropped this little nugget in his Sunday notes column:

[Noel] is a project, especially on offense. He’s a No. 1 pick who may never make an All-Star team. That’s why certain teams may be willing to trade the pick.

Suppose the Cavs end up with the No. 3 pick. They could offer their entire draft (all four picks) for No. 1, and that team could still draft someone such as Otto Porter at No. 3.

Noel is ideal for the Cavs, a team on a mission to improve its defense. He blocks shots, 4.4 per game. He can rebound, 9.5 per game. He influences the game defensively with a 7-4 wing span.

What did the Cavs talk about all season? Improving the defense. Add Noel into the middle of the lane and suddenly there is help for Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters, who both have trouble on defense. Some of those layups the Cavs yielded a year ago will be blocked or missed at the rim.

This is somewhat surprising. Given Noel’s ACL injury and that he won’t play until the middle of the season, one would figure the Cavs might be cool on the Kentucky center. While I wouldn’t be shocked if the Cavs won the lottery and took Noel at the top spot, it would shock me to see the Cavs trade up. With Mike Brown back on board, the Cavs are looking to make a playoff push next season. Having them package all four picks to take a player (an offensive project) who might miss half the season (or at least a significant chunk of it) doesn’t seem to jibe with the prevailing “playoffs or bust” attitude.

That being said, Cavs’ GM Chris Grant has a being aggressive on draft day. Both Dion Waiters and Tristan Thompson were “outside the box” picks that threw many a mock draft into chaos. And last season Grant packaged their late first and early second round picks to move up to draft Tyler Zeller. So it wouldn’t be all that surprising if Grant made a bold move on draft day.

The draft order will be determined this Tuesday during the NBA Draft Lottery. Nick Gilbert will represent the Cavs at the lottery for the third straight year.

[Related: Talking myself into Mike Brown]

 

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NFL Rumors: Jets were interested in Hoyer

May 19, 2013 by 3 Comments

Turns out the Browns weren’t the only one interested in the services of former Patriots and Cardinals quarterback Brian Hoyer. ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Grossi tweets that the Jets were also interested:

It would make sense that the Jets would look into Hoyer, as their quarterback situation is quite messy at the moment. Despite some past playoff success, the Jets are less than enamored with incumbent starter Mark Sanchez, so they drafted West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith with the 39th pick in the second round (a steal, as most analysts had Smith as a first round talent). They also had a veteran backup in David Garrad, allowing them to part ways with Sanchez if need be. However, Garrad abruptly retired last week due to a bum knee, putting the Jets back in the market for a QB.

Hoyer, a Cleveland native and St. Ignatius grad, was signed by the Browns last week after getting cut from the Cardinals. Hoyer has appeared in a grand total of 15 games, with one career start to his name. The Michigan State grad was a favorite of Browns GM Mike Lombardi while backing up Tom Brady for Bill Belichik’s New England Patriots. With Brandon Weeden expected to start, Hoyer is will look to compete for the backup job with veteran Jason Campbell.

[Related: Brian Hoyer, Brandon Weeden and what it could all mean].

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NFL News: Browns sign Cleveland-native Brian Hoyer to two-year deal

May 16, 2013 by 10 Comments

The Cleveland Browns have reportedly inked a two-year contract with quarterback Brian Hoyer according to Adam Caplan of SiriusXM Radio.

Hoyer was released by the Arizona Cardinals earlier this week, immediately leading to speculation that the Browns would attempt to scoop up the 27-year old due to a longstanding link between the player and Browns general manager Mike Lombardi. When Lombardi was a member of the media and Hoyer was a member of the New England Patriots, the newly hired executive consistently spoke highly of the Cleveland, Ohio native.

Graduating from St. Ignatius, Hoyer took his talents to Michigan State where he would then go undrafted in 2009. He has since had stints with the Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers and Cardinals. Hoyer got the first start of his NFL career in a Week 17 loss to the 49ers last season. With Brandon Weeden all but locked in as the starter, e is expected to compete with Jason Campbell for the Browns’ backup job heading into Week 1. This signing will likely spell the end of Thaddeus Lewis, a holdover from the Pat Shurmur era in Cleveland.

[Related: In 2013 the Browns are betting on defense and hoping for offense]

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Ray Horton on Barkevious Mingo: “I want him to be a dominating player.”

May 16, 2013 by 5 Comments

Following mini-camp on Thursday, defensive coordinator Ray Horton met with the media. When asked about first round pick Barkevious Mingo’s weight (a popular topic for discussion lately) Horton talked about what he wants from the linebacker.

“I want him to be a dominating player,” he said. “Weight? Some guys are too big, some guys are too small. Some guys aren’t fast enough, some guys aren’t slow enough, but they learn how to play. We want athletic players. He is an athletic football player and that’s what we want him to be.”

It was clear from Horton’s comments that the Browns are focusing on the very basics of the defense during the mini-camp and aren’t going to rush Mingo’s progress.

“It’s a totally different defense so there is a lot of adjustments – terminology, drops, the way I call games, the way I ask them to learn the defense,” Horton said. “Right now I am just asking them to trust me and trust the defense and they are doing that. We are pleased with where we are at day three of OTAs.”

Not only are Mingo and Jabaal Sheard learning a new defensive system, but a new position as well.

[Related: Browns betting on defense and hoping for offense]

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MLB News: Indians option Nick Hagadone to Columbus; Pestano nearing return

May 16, 2013 by Leave a Comment

The Cleveland Indians have optioned left-handed relief pitcher Nick Hagadone to Columbus on Thursday, a move that is believed to be in anticipation of Vinnie Pestano’s return from the 15-day disabled list.

On the season, Hagadone—one of Terry Francona’s favorite relievers heading into the season—has an ERA of 7.20 largely thanks to a month of May that saw the 27-year-old allowed seven runs over the course of five games; opposing batters had an OPS of 1.145 over this span. The hard-throwing lefty had a solid start to his season with the Tribe, but fell off of the table over the course of the last few games.

Pestano, placed on the disabled list earlier this month with right elbow tendinitis, has made eight relief appearances for Cleveland, posting no record and a 2.25 ERA (2 ER/8.0 IP). His last appearance came in Game 2 of the Indians’ April 28 doubleheader at Kansas City. Pestano worked a scoreless inning Wednesday in a rehabilitation assignment with the Lake County Captains. He is eligible to return from the disabled list on Thursday but will likely be activated prior to Friday’s game against the Seattle Mariners.

[Related: Carlos Santana’s Coming Out Party]

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NBA Draft: Cavaliers interview CJ McCollum, Ben McLemore at combine

May 16, 2013 by 6 Comments

Lehigh guard CJ McCollum and Kansas guard Ben McLemore told reporters that they were each interviewed by the Cleveland Cavaliers at this week’s NBA Combine.

McCollum, a 6-foot-3-inch guard out of Canton, Ohio, will likely be a top-10 selection due to his scoring abilities and high-end quickness. Boasting incredible efficiency (49.5 percent from the floor, 84.9 percent from the line, and 51.6 percent from three-point range).  McCollum averaged 23.9 points, 2.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game during his senior season at Lehigh.

Many Clevelanders may remember McCollum’s run in the 2012 NCAA Tournament where he helped Lehigh get past the Duke Blue Devils. He is considered to be a bit of a tweener guard that is also recovering from a foot injury which he suffered in early January. It wasn’t long ago that he was found at the bottom half of most big boards, but McCollum has moved up considerably following workouts and interviews.

McLemore is a 6-foot-5-inch shooting guard who has drawn comparisons to Ray Allen. Highly athletic with a smooth jump shot, many feel that McLemore could be the best player to come out of the 2013 NBA Draft class. The 20-year-old averaged 15.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game at Kansas in 2012-13. Kansas Coach Bill Self described McLemore as the most talented kid he’s ever coached.

The Cavaliers, conversely, were not one of the teams to interview Georgetown small forward Otto Porter Jr., a player whom they are widely considered to be interested in with the first of their two first-round selections.

[Related: Waiters vs. Barnes: Comparing Players, Teams, And Situations]

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Haslam denies knowledge of rebate fraud, insists FBI probe won’t affect Browns

May 16, 2013 by 9 Comments

News Channel 5′s Ron Regan reports that Browns owner Jimmy Haslam has denied any knowledge of the rebate fraud which has led to an ongoing investigation by the FBI. Haslam spoke to trucking industry leaders on Thursday at a conference in Indianapolis.

“Pilot Flying J CEO Jimmy Haslam told trucking industry leaders Thursday in Indianapolis that he knew nothing about nor did he participate in an alleged fuel-rebate fraud,” write Regan.

In addition, Haslam said he doesn’t believe that the FBI investigation will affect his ownership of the Browns at all. Perhaps this statement was in response to several reports that other NFL owners are concerned that the lawsuits connected to this case could drain Haslam of his ability to effectively finance and operate the Browns.

Haslam and his Pilot/Flying J staff continue to try and settle discrepancies between his truck stops and the trucking companies that were shorted in the rebate scandal. To date seven trucking companies have filed lawsuits against Pilot.

[Related: Podcast: Pat McManamon talks Browns, new media and Fox Sports Ohio]

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Brandon Weeden opens Browns OTAs as No. 1 quarterback

May 16, 2013 by 12 Comments

Despite various attempts to suggest the contrary, Brandon Weeden has opened Cleveland Browns Organized Team Activities (OTAs) as the starting quarterback.

ESPN Clevland’s Tony Grossi reports that Weeden, while he may have merely been given the job due to a lack of serious alternatives and could very well be on a one-year audition, is firmly running with the first team while Jason Campbell and Thad Lewis are second and third, respectively.

“The Chudzinski-Turner offense – a vertical passing game played off a power running game – would seem to be an ideal change for a team that invested first-round draft picks last year in Weeden and Trent Richardson,” writes Grossi.

Earlier this week on WKNR’s Cleveland Browns Daily , Weeden said to host Vic Carucci, “I looked at (receiver) Greg Little walking in and said, ‘What do you think?’ And he’s like, ‘This is fun.’ That’s what we want. We want to go out and have fun. Usually as a receiver and a quarterback, that’s dropping back and slinging it around a little bit. That’s what we’re gonna do. We’re gonna throw the football down the field. We’ve got guys that can go get it. It’s fun to come to work every day.”

With the Browns adding slot recievers Davone Bess and David Nelson, they are giving Weeden the weapons they feel he needs to flourish in an offense that arguably suits his skill set better than the one employed by former head coach Pat Shurmur.

In 2012, the strong-armed Weeden threw for nearly 3,400 yards, but did so with a passer rating of 72.6 with an average of 6.55 yards per attempt. He has been working out for the large part of the offseason, including private work with former NFL quarterback Chris Weinke.

[Related: In 2013 the Browns are betting on defense and hoping for offense]

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NFL News: Josh Cribbs signs with Oakland Raiders

May 15, 2013 by 11 Comments

The Oakland Raiders have agreed to terms with Josh Cribbs, formerly of the Cleveland Browns Browns.

On Tuesday, New York Jets general manager John Idzik said that Cribbs’ knee was still not fully healed coming off meniscus surgery, but the Raiders have apparently decided they would sign the NFL record-holding return specialist regardless of perceived issues.

“I am blessed to have the opportunity to prove myself yet again,” Cribbs tweeted. “Fresh start, new team, new chip on my shoulder!!! Love [you] Cleveland but now it’s #catalinawinemixer.”

Cribbs, 30, will play his first season in the NFL for a team not named the Browns. He was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2005 and  became one of the league’s best return men. He has been to three Pro Bowls and was named to two All-Pro teams during his tenure in Cleveland. Just last week, it was rumored that Cribbs could potentially return to Cleveland, but this failed to gain any traction.

The specifics of his contract with the Raiders are unknown at this time. Credit to him for the Step Brothers reference.

Update: In a statement made to ESPN’s Josina Anderson, Cribbs said the following: “I am going to be for them until we play them. They are great fans. I love them just as much as they love me. I hope they win this year. I hope they get the job done and reach greater heights. I hope they root for me as a player and I will be rooting for them from afar.”

[Related: Pat McManamon talks Browns, Chuck Klosterman, AOL FanHouse, new media and Fox Sports Ohio]

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Craigslist Weirdness: Own Percy Ellsworth’s Cleveland Browns stadium seat

May 15, 2013 by 6 Comments

Update: The $200 Craigslist chair was originally sold on Ebay for a mere $17.50 and is now being flipped by an enterprising fan. The moral of the story? There are way better deals on Ebay than Craigslist, I guess.

Browns chair story update

———- Original Post ————

Sometimes scouring Craigslist can yield very strange results.

According to one listing, you can purchase a bright orange stadium seat from Cleveland Browns stadium that was presumably never installed in the stadium at all. And it will only cost you $200 if you pay asking price.

Even more strange is that the seller apparently purchased this at a storage locker auction and the locker is alleged to have belonged to former Browns player Percy Ellsworth.

Ellsworth played with the Browns in 2000-2001 and apparently just long enough to acquire a Cleveland Browns stadium seat and enough other stuff to justify a storage locker rental.

Browns Stadium seat

 

Stadium Seat 2

 

[Related: Pat McManamon talks Browns, Chuck Klosterman, AOL FanHouse, new media and Fox Sports Ohio – WFNY Podcast – 2013-05-15]

 

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NBA News: Cavs’ Waiters, Zeller named to All-NBA Rookie teams

May 14, 2013 by 23 Comments

Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Dion Waiters and center Tyler Zeller have been named to the 2012-13 All-NBA Rookie first and second team, respectively, the NBA announced on Tuesday.

Waiters received 21 first-team votes and eight second team votes (for a total of 50 points) while Zeller received 15 total points (three first-team and nine second-team votes) from the NBA’s 30 head coaches, who were asked to select five players for the first team and five players for the second team, regardless of position. Coaches were not permitted to vote for players on their own team. Two points were awarded for first team votes and one for second team votes.

ALL-NBA Rookie“I’m honored to receive an award like this and it makes me hungry to keep working hard and focus on taking the next steps to improve my game,” said Waiters. “I can’t wait to get back to work with my teammates and Coach Brown, though, because I’m excited about what our potential can be as a group.”

Waiters averaged 14.7 points, 2.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steal in 28.8 minutes per game this season. Among all rookies, he ranked second in points per game, fourth in assists per game and fourth in steals per game. Waiters won the NBA’s Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month award for February and also participated in the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge at the 2013 NBA All-Star Weekend where he posted 23 points on 11-12 (.917) shooting from the field. He was one of three rookies to have a 30-point game this season and had 14 games of at least 20 points on the year. Waiters made more field goals and free throws than any other Eastern Conference rookie this year.

Zeller averaged 7.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 26.4 minutes per game this year. He also shot .764 from the free throw line, the second highest among all rookie centers. Among rookies with at least 70 games played, he ranked first in offensive rebounds per game (2.1), second in defensive rebounds per game (3.6), second in total rebounds per game, second in blocks per game and seventh in points per game. He recorded seven double-doubles, which was tied for fourth among rookies. As a starter (55 games), he averaged 8.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.0 block in 28.1 minutes per contest. Zeller also participated in the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge at All-Star Weekend, scoring four points.

“My rookie year gave me a great opportunity to learn and grow and understand what it takes to be a pro, so this is a very nice honor,” said Zeller. “I’m excited to keep working and improving with my teammates because we know we can grow as a team next season and that’s the most important thing.”

[Related: Cavalier NBA Draft Film Room: Nerlens Noel]

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Elias: Indians’ Masterson, Kipnis join the record books

May 14, 2013 by 7 Comments

Justin Masterson struck out nine batters and went the distance in a 1-0 win over the Yankees in the first game of Monday’s doubleheader. Per Elias Sports Bureau, the only other Indians pitcher who authored a complete-game 1-0 victory against the Yankees with at least that many strikeouts: Bob Feller. Rapid Robert did so in 1946 via a no-hitter at Yankee Stadium where he had 11 strikeouts.

Masterson also became the first Indians pitcher to record multiple 1-0 CG shutouts in the same season since 1989 when left-handers Bud Black and Greg Swindell both accomplished the feat twice, as Masterson also pulled the trick back in a 1-0 walk-off win on April 12 vs. Chicago. Black recorded wins on June 16 vs. Kansas City and Sept. 12 vs. Detroit, while Swindell’s victories came on May 28 vs Baltimore and June 7 at California. With six wins already this season, Masterson is now tied with Boston’s Clay Buchholz (6-0), Texas’ Yu Darvish (6-1) and Tampa Bay’s Matt Moore (6-0) for the A.L. lead – one behind Washington’s Jordan Zimmerman for the MLB lead. Masterson also leads the Majors with 63.0 innings pitched

When Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis’s turned a David Phelps 2-2 fastball into a 414-foot first-inning home run, it accounted for the only run of the Monday’s Game 1. It was the first time in the Indians’ 113-year history that they won 1-0 with a home run in the first inning. Two other teams defeated the Yankees by that score on the strength of a first-inning home run: the 1910 Tigers on a home run by Ty Cobb, and the 1965 Angels with a homer by Albie Pearson.

Kipnis now has five home runs on the season, all of which have come in the first inning of their respective games.

[Related: Tribe splits with Yanks in front of larger-than-expected crowd]

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NFL News: Michael Lombardi sheds light on Cleveland Browns’ present and future

May 14, 2013 by 23 Comments

Yesterday Mike Lombardi spoke to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Luncheon Club and fans and media were in attendance as he spent nearly an hour talking about the Browns. He took questions and it seems was intent on explaining how he could simultaneously plan for the future while also not giving up on this year. It isn’t an easy thing to explain.

“I’m just saying we’re going to build this thing the right way so we can sustain success,” he said to the big crowd. “We’re certainly, by no means, thinking about giving up on the season – I’m too competitive – Nor, is Rob Chudzinski.”

We’ve heard all that before, but it’s been very difficult to sell for the the Browns thus far. Many continue to point to the past record of the team and clamor that adding more talent today is exactly what the Browns should have done in the draft, rather than trade picks for future ones. That’s where Lombardi finally gave a glimpse into why he might have been willing to trade for future “value.” Maybe, just maybe, he likes a lot of the young players on this team right now.

“We’ve got some pieces to compete with. This team last year was in a lot of close games had a lot of opportunities in the fourth quarter. I think we can build on that.

There’s a lot more from Lombardi in Nate Ulrich’s report over at Ohio.com

[Related: Indians weekend, language police, Redskins, Cleveland kidnappings, Gatsby, Goldthwait and more – WFNY Podcast – 2013-05-13]

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Francisco Lindor could be MLB’s top prospect by end of 2013

May 14, 2013 by 6 Comments

Two separate MLB scouts have reportedly told Yahoo! Sports baseball columnist Jeff Passan that Cleveland’s Francisco Lindor may end up being the most highly-touted prospect in baseball by the end of 2013.

Profar, as referenced, is presently baseball’s highest-rated prospect accross many independent mediums. A product of the Texas Rangers’ farm system, the 20-year-old has flown through the team’s farm system thanks to his big-league ready glove and the offensive skill set to eventually be a star.

Lindor, conversely, is still playing in high-A ball, but the 19-year-old appears primed to take the next step as he is putting up a slash line of .333/.406/.471 while walking 16 times compared to just 14 strikouts 1 . Lindor’s ability in the field is also touted as big-league ready, but the team wants him to continue to work on his ability to produce at the plate.

Entering the 2012 season, Lindor was ranked 14th overall by MLB.com. Drafted in the first round of 2011, the switch-hitting Lindor grew up idolizing former Indians infielder Roberto Alomar.

[Related: How good of a starting prospect is Danny Salazar?]

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  1. This all while being in the midst of a 4-for-24 over his previous seven games [back]

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Cleveland Browns sign five from mini-camp try-out; waive CB Kevin Barnes

May 13, 2013 by 3 Comments

From the Browns-

“The Cleveland Browns today signed defensive back Akeem Auguste, punter T.J. Conley, defensive lineman Nicolas Jean-Baptiste, defensive back Abdul Kanneh and linebacker Ausar Walcott, the club announced. All five players participated in the team’s minicamp this past weekend on a tryout basis. In addition, the Browns waived defensive back Kevin Barnes, wide receiver Mike Edwards, defensive lineman Paipai Falemalu, punter Jake Schum and defensive back Ricky Tunstall.”

The Browns were at the roster limit of 90, so any players added would have meant dropping someone from the current roster. Kevin Barnes was signed to a one year deal this off-season after playing for the Washington Redskins and Detroit Lions.

Nicolas Jean-Baptiste played his college ball at Baylor with Phil Taylor. He spent four weeks on the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad last season. A four-year letterman at Baylor University (2008-11), he appeared in 49 games with 21 starts and totaled 94 career tackles, five sacks, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble.

[Related: New receivers Bess and Nelson bring experience and reliability to the Browns]

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Justin Masterson shuts out the Yankees in game one of Tribe double-header

May 13, 2013 by 22 Comments

How do you save a pitching staff from getting overworked? Throwing a complete game shutout in game one of a double-header sure helps.

That’s exactly what Justin Masterson (6-2) did this afternoon. The Indians right-hander made a Jason Kipnis solo home run stand up for his second one to nothing shutout of the season.

The only hint of trouble Masterson had all game came in the second inning. After getting the first two batters out, Chris Nelson got an infield hit. Masterson then walked Joseph, and gave up another infield single to Chris Stewart to load the bases. Masterson ended the threat with a punchout of Alberto Gonzalez.

Justin Masterson had great control of his slider, using it as his strikeout pitch for most of his nine strikeouts. He allowed four hits and walked three, but was dominant all afternoon.

With the win Cleveland moves .5 game ahead of the Tigers for sole possession of first place in the Central Division. The Tigers play Houston tonight while the Indians finish the double-header against the Yankees. Trevor Bauer pitches for the Indians.

[Related: Indians promote David Huff, demote Lonnie Chisenhall]

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Indians Demote Chisenhall, Call Up David Huff

May 13, 2013 by 19 Comments

I speculated about him this morning in the weekend recap, but the Indians have decided not to wait any longer to see if the struggling Lonnie Chisenhall would come around.

With the need for a long reliever during this doubleheader day, the Tribe’s third baseman of the present and the future was sent down to AAA Columbus this morning. Left-hander David Huff was promoted and added to the 40-man roster, which sat at 39. Huff offers protection with a team playing three games in two days.

As for Chisenhall, his .213/.253/.351/3 HR/11 RBIs was not cutting it and with the Indians train rolling along, they are in a win now mode. Yesterday’s mistakes on the basepaths and defensively didn;t help his case. Their best lineup right now would feature Mark Reynolds at third base with Mike Aviles as his backup. It wouldn’t shock me to see the two sharing the position with Reynolds and Jason Giambi getting the DH at-bats.

The doubleheader with the Yankees starts at 12:05. Reynolds is in the lineup at third base.

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Animated: Asdrubal Cabrera’s amazing double play

May 12, 2013 by 6 Comments

The Indians took two of three from the Tigers over the weekend and had to play pretty exceptionally on Sunday to do it. They came back in the ninth inning before winning it in the tenth. The highlight of the game, however, was a defensive play by Asdrubal Cabrera to pull off an unlikely double play throw to first to nab Torii Hunter (video) .

Asdrubal DP 1

Asdrubal DP 2

[Related: Kipnis burns his pants on dugout heater]

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