The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Plenty planned for Tribe home opener
Festivities for the Indians’ home opener include honoring award-winning players and celebrating the Tribe’s 22game winning streak. Also, Jeff Schudel weighs in on Kevin Love and Baker Mayfield.
The Indians’ home opener is always an event, and this year will keep up the tradition that started back when the Tribe played at League Park.
The home opener with the Kansas City Royals begins at 4:10 p.m. April 6 at Progressive Field. But gates will open at 2 p.m. so fans can soak in the festivities. The opener is sold out for the 26th straight year — a streak that goes back to the final year in Cleveland Stadium. Every home opener since the Indians started playing in Jacobs Field/Progressive Field in 1994 has been sold out.
A pregame ceremony will honor the Indians for what they accomplished in 2017 by raising the Central Division championship pennant along with special mention of the 22-game winning streak that propelled them to a 17-game cushion in the division race.
Tribe ace Corey Kluber will be recognized for winning the 2017 Cy Young Award, the second of his career, and infielders Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez will be honored for winning Silver Slugger Awards.
Rocky River native Red Gerard, winner of the Gold Medal in slopestyle snowboarding at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Games in February, will throw out the first pitch.
The Ohio State University Athletic Band will perform the national anthem. Of course, the band will also perform the official rock song of Ohio, “Hang on Sloopy,” at some point during the game.
Members of the Marines, Army, Navy, Coast Guard and Air Force will present the colors.
Not long after, the game will be underway.
The weather forecast isn’t promising — rain and snow showers in the morning with a high of 39 degrees and a 30 percent chance or precipitation. Unfortunately, bad weather is often part of the tradition for home openers, too.
• Bleacher Report ranked the top 100 players in the majors this year. The Indians are well-represented with seven mentioned (out of 750 players on opening day rosters), which is no surprise considering most of the same crew is back from the team that won 102 games last season.
Lindor, ranked sixth overall, is the highest-rated Indian and the highest-rated shortstop in the group. Corey Kluber is ranked 11th. The only pitcher rated higher is starter Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Kershaw is fourth overall.
Tribe third baseman Jose Ramirez is 28th and fifth among players at his position. Indians reliever Andrew Miller is ranked as the 39th best player in baseball and third among relievers.
Carlos Carrasco is ranked 44th overall and 11th among starting pitchers. Indians closer Cody Allen is ranked 80th overall and 11th among relievers.
The rankings don’t seem to have much respect for designated hitters. Edwin Encarnacion of the Indians is rated second among DHs making the list, but just 83rd overall. Right ahead of him on the list, rated 82nd, is
Mariners DH Nelson Cruz.
Angels’ outfielder Mike Trout is rated as the top player in all of baseball.
A vote for Mayfield
Most analysts are divided between the Browns choosing Sam Darnold of USC and Josh Allen of Wyoming in their mock drafts. The Browns brass was at the pro day for both quarterbacks.
Pro Football Focus has the Browns choosing Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield with the first pick.
Rob Rang, the well-respected analyst from NFLDraftScout.com, ranks Darnold as the best quarterback in the draft, has the Browns taking Allen with this explanation:
“Frankly, I think that Josh Allen should be a question mark to be selected in the top 10, not necessarily No. 1 overall,” Rang said during an interview on SiriusXM Radio. “But this is the Cleveland Browns and this is a team that believes in a quarterback that has great size. They feel that’s important in the AFC North Division to be successful, and Josh Allen has all those attributes — he has the size, has the arm strength, has had success in cold weather environments.”
Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN, who has had the Browns taking Allen in all three of his mock drafts, says Allen’s accuracy issue (a 56.2 percent completion percentage “is history.” PFF doesn’t agree.
“Allen was at fault for 20.6 percent of his incompletions in 2017, which was more than double the amount for Mayfield,” Pro Football Focus wrote in a March 28 scouting report. “Even adjusting for screens, Allen is a dramatically more inaccurate passer than the other top prospects in this draft. Inaccuracy isn’t always a constant, and players have improved it in the NFL or simply offset it with big plays, either of which is possible for him, but if he can’t do that, he may have a far higher bust potential than the other top prospects that have a higher baseline of passing.”
Browns coach Hue Jackson wants his quarterbacks to be at least 6-foot-2. Mayfield is 6-foot-5/8, but Jackson says there are exceptions to his rule. Mayfield might
be one of them.
Jackson and general manager John Dorsey were impressed by Mayfield at a private workout. Jackson, speaking to reporters at the league meetings in Orlando last week, said he was impressed by Mayfield’s personality. That personality has drawn comparisons between Mayfield and the Browns’ former problem child, Johnny Manziel.
“I think he’s outstanding,” Jackson said in Orlando. “Spending that time with him, what a leader, tremendous person.
“When we walked into the building, he made this sound. He just kind of came out of nowhere. He kind of went, ‘Hee, hee!’ And all the players in the building started going, ‘Hee, hee!’ And here they go. It’s the most unbelievable thing I’ve ever seen. That shows you something about what he means to young men and how he leads them. And that’s who Baker Mayfield is.”
Dorsey, who ultimately will choose between Darnold, Allen, Mayfield and Josh Rosen of UCLA when the Browns are on the clock April 26 to open the draft, had a similar opinion.
“I think he’s very competitive on the football field,” Dorsey told reporters in Orlando. “I think his teammates absolutely love him. I think everybody in the support organization of Oklahoma loves him. I think he’s got a degree of humility in his person.”
Mayfield played in 40 games over three seasons with the Sooners and completed 69.8 percent of his passes (1,026 of 1,497). He threw 121 touchdown passes and 19 interceptions. He also rushed for 18 touchdowns with Oklahoma. His only reception in college was a twoyard touchdown catch his senior year.
Mayfield offered his opinion on going to the Browns first overall when asked about it at the Scouting Combine in February.
“That would be a chance to play football; I’d love that,” he said. “First things first — they’d get a winner. If anybody’s going to turn that franchise around, it’s going to me. They’re close. They’re very close. They’ve got the right pieces they just need that one quarterback to make the difference.”
The Browns have added two quarterbacks and subtracted a pair this offseason. They traded the 65th pick to the Bills for Tyrod Taylor, signed Drew Stanton to a two-year contract in free agency and traded Cody Kessler to Jacksonville for a conditional seventh-round pick in 2019 and DeShone Kizer to Green Bay for Damarious Randall.
Leaning on Love
There is no doubt LeBron James makes the Cavaliers go, and now that Kyrie Irving plays for the Boston Celtics there is no doubt who is No. 2 with the Cavs. It’s Kevin Love.
“We know LeBron is the head of the snake,” interim coach Larry Drew said on March 30. “Kevin is a guy we really depend on now.
“With our situation, from a personnel standpoint, we look to go through Kevin a lot, particularly in the post because we know what his capabilities are down there. He’s a big man who’s capable of stepping out to the 3 (point arc). We have to make sure Kevin gets touches. We’re going to ride him. He knows how much we depend on him.”
Love has played and started 54 of the 76 games the Cavs have played this season. He is averaging 17.5 points and 9.2 rebounds a game. Love leads the Cavs in rebounding and is second to James (27.6 points) in scoring.
I didn’t know that
… Until I read my Snapple bottle cap
Koala bears, like humans, have unique fingerprints. ... Mercury and Venus have no moon . ... Interstate 90 is the longest interstate highway in the United States, covering more than 3,000 miles between Boston and Seattle . ... Hippos can open their mouths 180 degrees . ... Prior to 1930 in the American League and 1931 in the National League, a baseball that hit in fair territory and bounced over the fence was considered a home run. Reportedly none of the 714 home runs hit by Babe Ruth were bounce home runs.