Opening Day is less than one week away.  Monday night, the Cliff Lee will toe the rubber against the Rangers in Arlington as the 2009 season gets underway.  How will the Indians do this season?  Will Travis Hafner come back?  How will the bullpen perform?  Will the starting rotation turn into “Carmona and Lee then get down on your knee”?

 

I would love to say the Cleveland Indians will win the 2009 American League Central Division, but I can’t.  My gut tells me we are looking at a third place finish this year, behind the Twins and White Sox, and the biggest reason for that is the starting pitching. 

 

This has nothing to do with Cliff Lee’s struggles in Arizona, either.  Lee’s a proven veteran, and he looks at spring training as a way to try out different things against hitters, and as a way to get his arm ready to make 35 starts throughout the next six months.  Fausto Carmona looks good too.  He seems to have recovered the control he lost in 2008, and is throwing strikes.  AL hitters can attest that if Carmona gets ahead of you, he’s very difficult to hit.

 

I haven’t seen enough of the rest of the starters to foresee a first place finish.  Carl Pavano has looked good in his last two spring starts, but you have to remember that they came against the Padres.  Anthony Reyes has pitched well all spring, but his elbow is definitely a question mark.  Neither right-hander has healthy for a full major league season since 2004.  It’s a giant leap of faith to expect it in 2009. 

 

As for the fifth starter, it will be done as a committee approach as the roster will extend to Class AAA Columbus.  Scott Lewis will not have a long leash, especially after yesterday’s game, as Jeremy Sowers, Aaron Laffey, and David Huff are waiting in the wings.  It would not be surprising to see Huff with more starts than the others come the end of the season. 

 

The bullpen will be fine with Kerry Wood as the anchor, and Jensen Lewis, Rafael Perez, and Rafael Betancourt setting him up.  Joe Smith is a good pick up as a situational right-hander.  And another lefty, Tony Sipp, will start the year in Columbus, but could make an impact before the season is done.

 

This team will score runs, with or without a healthy Travis Hafner.  Victor Martinez’ return will give the lineup another professional hitter with power, and count me among those who believe Shin-Soo Choo will have a big year at the dish.  Mark DeRosa looks to be a good fit hitting second behind Grady Sizemore, as he is a patient hitter with some pop.  Also, having an in shape Asdrubal Cabrera will give the bottom of the order a quality hitter.

 

This is not to say the Cleveland Indians cannot win the division, but there are too many question marks in the starting rotation for me to feel confident that they can win.  I think the Indians are a good team, and they will win between 85-90 games.  However, with the rotation in a state of flux, they will probably be on the lower end of that range.  That won’t be enough to get to the playoffs. 

 

If Mark Shapiro can deal some of his excess at the 1B/OF/DH spots and turn them into a reliable starting pitcher, the Indians can win.  However, I don’t have the confidence that this will happen.  Therefore, I have to think third place for the ’09 Cleveland Indians.

 

MW

 

The milestones keep piling up for this year’s edition of the Cleveland Cavaliers.  Yesterday’s blowout of the Dallas Mavericks marked the team’s first 60-victory season, and it also was a team record 12^th straight triumph.  The public relations people who chronicle the Cavaliers’ record book have had a busy season with rewrites for next year’s media guide.

 

Despite being down 15 points early in the second quarter (35-20), the wine and gold punished the Mavericks the rest of the way, outscoring them by an amazing 82-39 for the rest of the contest.  And it wasn’t LeBron James who started the comeback.  Veteran Joe Smith, signed as a free agent after buying his way out of his contract with Oklahoma City following Ben Wallace’s broken leg, scored 10 points in the first half to get things going, and wound up with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

 

Even better news was that the Lakers lost to Atlanta, so the Cavs now have a two game lead over Los Angeles for the league’s best record, and more importantly, home court advantage throughout the playoffs. 

 

While the Cavaliers are piling up wins, and will likely finish the regular season with more than 65 wins, putting them among the elite regular season teams of all time.  To rank among the all time greats, however, the wine and gold must win the title, which is exactly the mantra of the squad’s veteran leaders:  LeBron James and Zydrunas Ilgauskas. 

 

Those two know that no matter how many regular season wins the Cavs achieve, it doesn’t mean anything unless they hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy after the last game of the season.  And that’s the proper attitude for this team to have.

 

The only things to be concerned about with the wine and gold right now are Ben Wallace’s return and how that will affect the playing rotation, and getting Delonte West’s shot back up to snuff.  My guess is that Mike Brown will return Big Ben to the starting lineup when he returns, but Anderson Varajao will continue to get the bulk of the minutes.

 

As for West, he just has to keep shooting.  I noticed he was getting hesitant with his shot last week, but it looked yesterday like he was looking to put it up when he was open.  I would only be concerned if he starts passing up open looks.  Perhaps taking the ball to the hoop a little more would get him going. 

 

JK

 

The regular season is a little over a week away, and the Indians are starting to finalize their final roster.  They named lefty Scott Lewis as the fifth starter, yesterday’s performance not withstanding, even though he will start the Tribe’s home opener, which is the team’s fourth game.

 

Lewis earned the job by out-pitching both Aaron Laffey and Jeremy Sowers, both of whom were sent to Class AAA Columbus.  He starts the fourth game ahead of Anthony Reyes because the staff wants to give Reyes’ tender elbow some extra rest, but also to break up the two southpaws in the rotation.  They don’t want Lewis and Cliff Lee starting consecutive games.

 

Think of the starting rotation as being eight or nine deep.  With the depth in the minor leagues, it won’t take long if Lewis is not effective to bring up Sowers, Laffey, or even David Huff, who pitched well in a minor league game on Wednesday (four scoreless innings).  Others have said this, but I agree, it won’t be a shock to see any one of those lefties back here before the end of April.

 

It also appears that Zach Jackson will break camp with the big club in the bullpen as a long reliever.  Jackson takes the spot that was reserved for Adam Miller, before he came down with the finger injury.  The only other bullpen question is whether or not Masa Kobayashi will make the team.  He has been terrible all spring, and that’s being nice. 

 

Supposedly, the Tribe is still looking to strengthen the relief corps, probably because of the ineffectiveness of Kobayashi and Rafael Betancourt.  Yesterday, they picked up Jae Kuk Ryu on waivers from San Diego.  I still maintain that Betancourt will be fine, and that last year was an aberration, but it still is cause for concern.  Veteran Vinnie Chulk would probably be the first option to make the club if Kobayashi is let go, although he did throw his best game of the spring Thursday against the Angels.

 

Among the everyday players, the last spot on the roster is still up for grabs with the primary candidates being David Dellucci, Josh Barfield, and rookie Trevor Crowe.  Crowe has been impressive in Goodyear, but he would be better off playing everyday at Columbus than getting limited at bats in Cleveland.  Barfield has shown great versatility, but hasn’t hit.  Dellucci provides a left-handed bat, but really is limited to LF and doesn’t provide any speed. 

 

The shaky choice here would be Barfield because of his speed and his ability to play 2B, 3B, and the outfield.

 

Of course, another spot could open up on the roster if Travis Hafner starts the year on the disabled list.  The management hasn’t mentioned this, but Pronk is hitting less than .200 on the spring and has just two extra base hits.  Dellucci’s spot on the roster could be saved if the front office decides to keep Hafner in Arizona to strengthen his shoulder. 

 

All these decisions will be made in about a week when the team breaks camp and heads to Houston for a couple of exhibitions at Minute Maid Field against the Astros.  Hopefully, the nice weather we’ve had in Cleveland will continue two weeks from today for Opening Day at Progressive Field.

 

KM

 

Forget about house cleaning in Berea, it appears that GM George Kokinis and coach Eric Mangini are conducting a demolition and rebuild of the Cleveland Browns.  Monday’s rumors of a possible trade of WR Braylon Edwards to the New York Giants for a veteran receiver and more draft picks added more fuel to this fire (no pun intended).

 

You get the idea that if the new management team could trade for 51 draft picks to go with Joe Thomas and D’Qwell Jackson, they would definitely go in that direction.

 

I don’t think Kokinis is out shopping players, but he is definitely interested in hearing what other teams would offer to get some of the players on the current Browns roster.  If nothing else, it gives him a sense of who has some worth in the NFL, and who has no business being on the roster of a successful team.  It is probably just confirming what he and Mangini already think.

 

The point is that Mangini and Kokinis want to gather as many draft picks as they can in this year’s draft to speed up the rebuilding process.  And they are willing to trade pretty much anyone on their roster to do it.  That doesn’t mean they will, it just means they are listening.  They are just answering to the question, “What will it take to get so and so?”  The correct answer for the Browns is, “What are you offering?”

 

So it is probably true that the team is not shopping Edwards, but they most definitely are listening to offers.  And not just for the former All Pro wide receiver, but also for anyone who wore a Cleveland uniform during last season’s 4-12 campaign.

 

Mangini also announced that there would be an open competition to see who will be the Browns’ starting quarterback.  Both Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn will be given an opportunity to win the job.  Sure, and check the sky for pigs flying any day now.

 

The Browns are just making sure both guys have trade value before the draft at the end of April.  If Mangini announces one or the other as the starter, the signal caller who isn’t the starter’s value takes a dip.  This is just posturing on the part of the head coach.  He and Kokinis know whom the starter will be, and the other will likely be dealt on or before the draft.

 

I still believe Quinn is the guy Mangini wants to start, because he fits in better with the coach’s run the ball and control the game mentality than Anderson.  Also, Anderson has more trade value because he’s been to a Pro Bowl, and has more game experience that Quinn.  He would bring more back in a deal, which is another reason Anderson will likely be gone in a trade for more picks.

 

When the Browns start training camp in July, the only thing that will be the same will be the uniform.  George Kokinis and Eric Mangini are rebuilding this team from the bottom up.  Hopefully, they will be more successful than those who preceded them.

 

JD

 

It is difficult to tell what is adding up quicker for the Cleveland Cavaliers, victories or injuries.  In all seriousness, the wine and gold are on another winning streak, picking up their 9^th straight victory in New Jersey last night.  The Cavs came off a three game streak on the road to go to a period of playing eight of the next nine at home.  Since they are 32-1 at The Q this season, you could figure a long winning skein was on the horizon.

 

This team has now tied the franchise’s all time record for victories in a season with 57 triumphs, and they will likely surpass that mark on Wednesday night when the Nets visit Cleveland.  And they still have 12 games remaining in the season.  They have a huge leg up on having the best record in the Eastern Conference with a 4-1/2 game lead with a dozen to play, and the lead the Lakers by one game for the best record in the entire league.

 

The national media keeps talking about the injury to Andrew Bynum of the Lakers and how it impacts that team.  They talk about Kevin Garnett’s injury and how it affects the Celtics.  Boo hoo!  The Cavaliers have been banged up all season long, and they just keep winning.  That’s probably why it’s not discussed; the injuries have not caused any let up in the Cavs’ focus to win.

 

The only negative I can find with this team right now, is that they might have an adjustment period when Ben Wallace and Wally Szczerbiak get back from their injuries.  Hopefully, they will return to the lineup with a week or two remaining in the schedule so any upset to the rotation will occur before the playoffs start.

 

Another decision Mike Brown faces is whether or not to return Wallace to the starting lineup when he does come back from his broken leg.  Anderson Varajao has played great as a starter, and he struggled when he went back to the bench after Zydrunas Ilgauskas came back from his ankle injury.  The Brazilian seemed to be feeling his way around when coming off the pines at that point.

 

My guess is Wallace will be put back into the starting lineup because of the Cavs’ overwhelming success this season, but his game would be perfect for a reserve role.  He’s an energy guy, who plays great defense at this point in his career.   He doesn’t block as many shots as he used to, but he still positions himself well on the defensive end, and bodies up well on opposing big men.

 

I thought the Cavs would be a title contender this season after getting Mo Williams, but I didn’t think they would be this good.  The Cleveland Cavaliers are going to win 65 games this season.  Think about that, they will finish the year with something like a 65-17 record.  It’s been a special basketball season for the wine and gold, and something tells me the fun is just beginning.

 

JD

 

The bad news involving Indians’ prospect Adam Miller is a reminder of two things.  First, pitchers are fragile.  Throwing a baseball overhand is not a natural motion, and firing it at upwards of 95 MPH puts even more stress on an arm, or in Miller’s case, a finger.

 

The second thing is that no matter who good a pitcher shows himself to be, whether it be in high school. college, or the minor leagues, until they prove it on the big league level, you simply cannot count on them.  It shows how lucky the Tribe was with a guy like C.C. Sabathia, who went from a first round draft pick to ace of the staff and a Cy Young Award winner.

 

It just re-emphasizes that you can never have too much pitching.  The old adage of just when you think you have enough, go out and get some more has never been more true.  Thankfully, the Tribe has guys like David Huff, Hector Rondon, and Kelvin de la Cruz on the horizon.  The more arms you have, the better off you will be. 

 

Look at a guy like Fausto Carmona.  He moved on to the prospect scene after winning 17 games at Lake County in 2004.  After a couple of years at higher levels in the minors, he was brought to the big leagues as a reliever, and did quite well as a set up man.  However, when placed in the closers’ role, he failed miserably.  Put back in the starting position in ’07 agreed with Carmona, and he went on to win 19 games for the AL Central Division champs.  What I am saying is that these guys can come quickly.

 

That’s why GM Mark Shapiro brought in all kinds of arms for spring training.  You never know when you’ll catch lightning in a bottle with a guy like Vinnie Chulk or Kirk Saarloos.  You also never know when an injury like Miller’s will come up.  Virtually all of the guys the team brought in as non-roster invitees have big league experience, so they are ready to step in if needed. 

 

That’s why I have a problem awarding a rotation spot to Carl Pavano.  Why not let him earn the spot?  If Scott Lewis and Aaron Laffey outperform Pavano, then let both lefties start the season on the big club.  Outside of Cliff Lee and Carmona, the top three starters in Arizona should get the nod to open the campaign with the Indians. 

 

I understand the ball flies in the desert, and the coaching staff has to examine the movement on pitches and the velocity involved, but performance should count as well.  Lee has been lit up thus far, but he earns that right because he won the Cy Young Award and has won 14 or more games in the big leagues in four separate seasons.  Pavano hasn’t earned that right.  He hasn’t had a good season since 2004. 

 

With two weeks to go in spring training, it’s time to for guys like Jeremy Sowers, Laffey, Zach Jackson, etc. to step up and start getting people out.  They need to earn their spots on the roster and not be handed one.  I’m sure starting on Monday, Eric Wedge will start managing a little more like he would in the regular season.  It’s been an extra long training camp due to the WBC, but the Tribe needs to "ramp it up" as the regular season is in sight.

 

KM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It has been reported that the only players Browns’ GM George Kokinis and coach Eric Mangini have said they will not trade are OT Joe Thomas and ILB D’Qwell Jackson.  I have been supportive of a house cleaning for a franchise that has one playoff appearance in the last ten years, and finished 4-12 last season.  However, I do think this is taking things a little too far.

 

There is no question the Browns are devoid of a great deal of talent, their record proves that.  However, I simply cannot believe there are only two players on the team who the management feels are championship players.  I understand also that there is a difference between thinking a guy is talented, and saying that player will not be traded.  But, you can’t tell me that Mangini looks a game films, and only sees two players that are untouchable.  What about Shaun Rogers?  Braylon Edwards?  Josh Cribbs? 

 

This is one of those situations where a director of football operations is needed.  Someone to step in and tell Kokinis and Mangini that there are some players on the current roster, not all are former Jets, that can be useful, winning football players.  For example, how have the duo determined that Brady Quinn is not the answer at quarterback?  It is based on the 2-1/2 games he played in the regular season?  Or is it based on their evaluation of the former Notre Dame star when he was coming into the league? 

 

This is not to say Quinn will be a superstar.  I just want to know what they see that says he is a bust.  He certainly hasn’t played enough to tell anything one way or the other.

 

That said, if Jay Cutler is indeed available, the Browns seem to be interested.  They have a quarterback to give back in either Derek Anderson or Quinn, and whatever you think of either of the current Browns’ QBs, you have to admit that getting Cutler would be an upgrade for the team.  My guess is that new Broncos’ coach Josh McDaniels will work things out with the signal caller, but you never know for sure how these things work out.

 

Saying only two guys are untradable is saying you are willing to start over like an expansion team, and I’m sorry, there is more talent on the current Browns’ roster than there was in 1999, the year the team returned to the NFL.  However, most successful teams build through the draft, so I am in favor of getting as many draft picks as possible for guys who have more years behind them than ahead of them.

 

The Browns signed OT John St. Clair, formerly of the Bears, yesterday to replace Kevin Shaffer on the right side for the 2009 season.  Shaffer was not one of Phil Savage’s successes in the free agent market, and last year much of the pressure on Anderson and Quinn seemed to come from Shaffer’s side.  St. Clair is 32, and is probably a one year stop gap.  If the Browns can accumulate more draft picks, it wouldn’t be a shock to see them go after another tackle as a bookend to Thomas.

 

JD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cleveland fans are funny.  They want their teams to win, because they have suffered through a ton of losing over the years.  However, once they start winning, they still aren’t satisfied, they want quality wins, they want wins playing the correct way.  That’s the lot of the Cleveland Cavaliers.  They are tied with the Lakers for the best record in the NBA at 53-13, but still, many fans aren’t satisfied.

 

It is no secret that the wine and gold have a record of 1-5 against Los Angeles, Boston, and Orlando, the other teams that make up the top four records in the league.  Whether or not this means anything once the playoffs arrive is another topic all together.  I can tell you that of the six games played against these three teams, only two (a win vs. Boston, and a loss vs. LA) have been played at the Q, where the Cavaliers are currently 29-1.

 

Mike Brown wasn’t happy with his team’s defense on the West Coast road trip that saw the wine and gold give up over 100 points twice, and have to come from behind in all three games.  He has a right to be unhappy because he knows that defense is his team’s ticket to an NBA title.  Secretly, however, he is smiling because his team did what it had to do to get a win.  That’s the mark of a championship team.

 

The most important thing is to get the win, would anyone really like the Cavs to play poor defense and lose?  Of course not.  It shows something about the resolve of LeBron James and Mo Williams that this team has a “refuse to lose” mentality.  That mental toughness is needed come playoff time.

 

Boston beat Cleveland without Kevin Garnett at home, but overall, they have struggled with all their aches and pains.  Orlando had problems initially when Jameer Nelson was injured.  The Cavs?  They keep on rolling along, no matter what gets thrown at them. 

 

The Cavs now have seven of their next eight games at home, and virtually the only tough road game remaining on the slate is at Orlando.  Brown made an immediate adjustment for the defensive problems that plagued the team on the left coast.  He benched Daniel Gibson, who became a turnstile in recent weeks, allowing his man a free pass to the basket.  He also gave Darnell Jackson minutes as the fourth big man in the rotation replacing J.J. Hickson. 

 

The moves appeared to have some impact because the Cavs held the run and gun Knicks under 100 points for the first time in 26 games.  It was definitely a big improvement over the last two games against Phoenix and Sacramento, two squads that play a similar style to New York.  With Orlando visiting the Q tomorrow night, the defensive improvement was needed.

 

The Cavs now enjoy a 3-1/2 game bulge over Boston for the best record in the Eastern Conference, and a 4 game lead over Orlando.  If the Cavs go just 10-6 the rest of the season, the Celtics would have to go 13-2 to have a better record than Cleveland.  They are capable of that, but it is unlikely, probably as unlikely as the wine and gold going just 10-6 in those games, considering eleven of those games will be at home. 

 

The Cavaliers have put themselves in an outstanding position heading into the last sixteen games on the schedule.  The only things to keep an eye on now are the interior defensive improvement, if Ben Wallace returns, that will help, and getting rest for their prime players (James, Williams, Delonte West, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas).  

 

Those are the most important goals for the wine and gold with home court advantage in the East pretty much sewed up. 

 

MW

 

The regular season is still more than three weeks away, but the Cleveland Indians don’t seem to be closer to answering the questions they had regarding the opening day roster than they were when spring training opened in mid February.  GM Mark Shapiro and skipper Eric Wedge believe the Tribe is poised to contend in the AL Central this year, so they have some critical decisions to make.

 

When you feel you can win, and get to the post-season, every game becomes important.  That means the Tribe cannot afford to get off to a slow start, something that has been a problem in the Shapiro/Wedge regime.  The only season in which the Indians had a decent April was 2007, when they went on to win the division. 

 

The reason for the slow starts could be the insistence on going with borderline veterans who have not performed for the most part, instead of younger players who did well in camp, and probably deserved to make a final roster.

 

The starting rotation was a major cause for concern going into camp, and the situation is still as clear as mud.  Carl Pavano was virtually handed the third spot in the rotation, but hasn’t pitched particularly well in Arizona.  The Indians cannot afford to give the former Yankee free agent bust ten ineffective starts this season.  Pavano must start the season strong, or the team will be looking at another Jason Johnson situation.

 

It also appears the brass wants Aaron Laffey to be the fifth starter over Jeremy Sowers, David Huff, Scott Lewis, and Zach Jackson.  However, Laffey has also struggled in his outings thus far this spring.  Most experts have said that Huff has the most upside of this quintet; therefore he should get an opportunity to pitch in “A” games.  If he does well, he should be in the rotation to start the season.  There shouldn’t be any hidden agendas.

 

The last issue involves veteran OF David Dellucci.  He still has one year remaining on the three-year deal he signed in 2007, so based on past experiences, the Tribe may be willing to eat his contract.  At this stage of his career, Dellucci is a one-dimensional player.  He is a poor defensive outfielder, can really only handle LF, and doesn’t have a lot of speed.  That’s not really the versatility you need from the 25^th man on your roster.

 

Trevor Crowe’s name has been bandied about as a possibility for that spot, but shouldn’t he be playing everyday at Columbus?  It seems like a waste to have him sitting at the big league level, especially because Wedge is not famous for making big use of his bench. 

 

They player who should have that spot is Josh Barfield.  He has shown the ability in camp to play 2B, 3B, and the outfield, and of course, has speed so he can contribute as a pinch runner.  Also, having him on the big league roster frees up second base in Columbus for Luis Valbuena, who came over in the Franklin Gutierrez transaction.

 

Getting off to a good start is critical for the Indians, and particularly Eric Wedge.  Shapiro can talk about their partnership all he wants, but another bad start will put all kinds of heat on the skipper.  The Tribe can most definitely win the division, but they need to understand they have to put the best team on the field from day one, not the team they hope will be the best.

 

KM

 

The Cleveland Browns have been very quiet in the NFL’s free agency period.  They have not followed Phil Savage’s method of making a big splash by signing a big name free agent veteran, and instead have followed a more conservative path.  Not that I’m sold on Coach Eric Mangini and GM George Kokinis being the new hot management team in the league, I do understand what they are doing.

 

They are using the model of the division’s preeminent teams of the last ten years, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens.  Neither of those teams delves heavily into the free agent pool.  They build their teams through the draft, using very good talent evaluation for the most part.  Quite frankly, it’s a system the Browns should have been using all along.

 

So far, the Browns have taken a very conservative approach inking a tight end that will compete for a starting job in Robert Royal, a defensive end who will compete for a starting position in C. J. Mosley, an inside linebacker to replace Andra Davis in David Bowens, and a special teamer/nickel back in Hank Poteat.  No one on this list is a flashy name, just solid players who won’t embarrass themselves. 

 

In trading Kellen Winslow to Tampa Bay, Kokinis tipped his hand as to where his emphasis will lay.  He got two draft picks for the former All Pro tight end, one a second round pick this year.  There have been rumors that one of the quarterbacks, quite possibly Derek Anderson, will also be moved for more picks prior to next month’s selection meeting.  The Browns are trying to accumulate as many choices as they can in the draft.

 

That’s a smart move because there is no question this team needs an infusion of talent, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.  I’ve gone on record, as saying the only offensive player I would take in the draft is a running back to replace Jamal Lewis.  In fact, it would not be a surprise if Lewis were dealt on draft day for another pick.  Browns’ fans saw the best they will see of Lewis during the 2007 season.

 

This is not to say Savage’s forays in the process were wrong.  He needed to get people excited about the Browns, and his first signings included Joe Jurevicius and LeCharles Bentley, who injected some pride in the organization.  Remember, this was following a game in which Cleveland was embarrassed on Christmas Eve against Pittsburgh at home.  He needed guys who could start immediately, and he got players like Eric Steinbach and Lewis, who could play major roles right away.

 

However, now is the time to use the draft to get better.  It won’t make fans happy, because generally it makes for a longer rebuilding process, but the other way didn’t work.  Of course, this means that Kokinis and Mangini have to make the correct choices.  They cannot afford to make many mistakes.  Getting more picks though, gives the tandem more room for mistakes. 

 

The new Browns’ management team wants to build a foundation before they add the bells and whistles.  After watching the Steelers blow down the Cleveland house of straw year after year, it probably is the correct thing to do.

 

JD