Cleveland Browns, 24, Baltimore Ravens, 18

The Browns need to find a way to make their fans feel proud again.

(Joshua Gunter / The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Talking about the Tribe, the Cavs and Browns...

ABOUT THE BROWNS AND 6-10

Yes, this is the sixth year in a row that I've picked the Browns at 6-10. I will keep doing that until they reach 6-10.

The sad part is that most years I didn't even think they'd win six. Last time it happened was 2007, a 10-6 record.

Now, I'll just go ahead and say it: I'm sick of picking them 6-10. I'm sick of it because I know how all these 4-12 and 5-11 seasons beat down the fan base.

I'm sick of it because the NFL allowed Art Modell to hijack the franchise to Baltimore after the 1995 season, and then gave the new Browns less than a year to prepare for the 1999 return. That was the shortest start-up for an expansion team since 1970, as I wrote about in my book, FALSE START.

I'm sick of it because the Browns have had chances since then to begin to put a respectable team on the field, but can't find a way to do.

I'm sick of all the coaches and general managers being fired, and of all the changes in offenses and defenses that seem to make no impact on the standings.

Which is why I want this year to be different.

Can Brian Hoyer make the Browns one of the NFL's surprise teams this season.

Avoiding another season of at least 10 defeats won't be easy, but teams do turn it around. And I still wonder how many games the Browns would have won last season had Brian Hoyer been able to start even 10 games -- rather than play only nine quarters. I bet former coach Rob Chudzinski wonders the same thing when he stares at the ceiling at night. The 4-12 Browns probably would have been closer to 7-9 with a healthy Hoyer.

But this is the NFL, and it is a league where other teams find ways to change more than coaches. Consider four teams that were revived in 2013:

1. Philadelphia was 4-12 in 2012 and then hired Oregon's Chip Kelly as coach. He turned down the Browns. Kelly put in a high-octane offense. He found a quarterback in Nick Foles (11-2 as a starter) and finished 12-4.

2. Kansas City was 2-12 in 2012, then hired veteran Andy Reid (fired in Philadelphia) as coach. He brought in veteran Alex Smith at quarterback. The Chiefs were 11-5.

3. Arizona went from 5-11 to 10-6 under new coach Bruce Arians. He also brought in a veteran quarterback -- Carson Palmer.

4. Carolina kept head coach Ron Rivera and stuck with young quarterback Cam Newton. The Panthers jumped from 7-9 to 12-4.

So what does it mean for the Browns?

General Manager Ray Farmer is convinced that if you play gritty defense and effectively run the ball, you can have a good team -- yes, even in the pass-happy NFL.

For all the talk about the Eagles' offense and Chip Kelly's passing game, Philadelphia led the NFL in rushing. The top five teams were Philadelphia, Buffalo, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington. Notice that Kyle Shanahan called the plays for Washington.

So three of the top five were big winners -- San Francisco, Seattle and Philadelphia. Seattle beat Denver (ranked No. 15 in rushing) in the Super Bowl.

As for the Browns, they were 27th in rushing.

Joe Thomas and Alex Mack are two of four returning starters on the offensive line.

ABOUT THE OFFENSIVE LINE

Offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan will start only five players who were in the opening day lineup of 2013: Jordan Cameron, Alex Mack, Mitchell Schwartz, John Greco and Joe Thomas.

The good news is four of them (Thomas, Schwartz, Greco and Mack) are on the offensive line. That's important, because continuity is crucial for those doing the blocking. Furthermore, second-rounder Joel Bitonio has impressed at guard.

The Browns also really like backup linemen Vinston Painter and Ryan Seymour. They both were claimed on waivers when the final cuts were announced, Seymour was with the 49ers, Painter with Denver. Both played in the same type of zone blocking scheme used by Shanahan.

How do teams claim guys and have them ready for a game in a few days?

The Browns will give Painter, Seymour and the other new players the 25-30 basic plays that will be used this week for Pittsburgh. Rather than focus on the entire playbook, they will simply prepare for the Steelers -- and then work on the playbook starting next week. Some of the plays are much like they had with other teams, only the names are different.

The Browns didn't want a repeat of a year ago when the line had no depth, and Oniel Cousins actually had to start some games. So they drafted Bitonio, signed veteran Paul McQuistan, and they will keep looking for more talented linemen. They believe Painter and Seymour are a significant upgrade over the backups that were in camp a few weeks ago.

The Browns recruited Isaiah Crowell for months so they could sign him as an undrafted free agent.

ABOUT THE RUNNING GAME

Ben Tate is an upgrade over anyone who was a running back last season (Trent Richardson, Willis McGahee, etc.). But let's not turn Tate into Leroy Kelly.

Tate is a very solid running back, but I'm concerned about his history of injuries. He missed two games last season with badly bruised ribs -- and played hurt much of the season. He did rush for 771 yards (4.3 average) for the Texans.

In 2012, he missed five games with a hamstring problem and other injuries.

In 2010, he was on injured reserve with an ankle injury.

I like Tate and would have signed him immediately, especially to this two-year, $6.2 million deal:

In the first season, he is guaranteed $2.5 million.

He will be paid an extra $47,000 for each game that he is healthy.

His second-year salary is a $2.5 million base (not guaranteed), and he has the same $47,000 bonus for games played.

General Manager Ray Farmer was wise to draft Terrance West in the third round and add Isaiah Crowell as a free agent. Both are rookies and odds are that one won't be effective. So depth is important, It also makes no sense to run Tate 20 or more times a game with his history of injuries. The Browns need depth at the position.

RECRUITING CROWELL

The Browns are trying to temper expectations about Crowell, but they do know the rookie has the raw talent to be an impact player at some point. He was one of the top high school running backs in the country, and then was the SEC freshman of the Year in 2011 at Georgia.

After some legal problems at Georgia, the 5-foot-11, 225-pound back spent the next two years at Alabama State.

Obviously, the Browns had West rated above Crowell, but they wanted both players. They also thought Crowell could be a late-round draft pick. Nonetheless, they had been in contact with him for a few months before the draft. They also met with him at the combine.

But it was the personal calls and texts from the Browns -- especially running backs coach Wilbert Montgomery -- that allowed the Browns to sign him as an undrafted free agent. That was a surprise to some in the NFL, because the Browns had signed Tate and picked West in the draft. They also had Chris Ogbonnaya, Dion Lewis, and Edwin Baker returning from last season in the backfield.

The Browns stressed the competition was very open, and Crowell trusted those he talked to from the Browns to give him a fair shot. They did, and he rushed for 102 yards in 13 carries in the final preseason game.

To keep Crowell, the Browns cut veterans Lewis, Ogbonnaya and Barker.

They also believe that sends a message to other undrafted players that the team will give them a real chance to earn a roster spot.

Rookie Chris Kirksey has impressed the Browns with his play and maturity.

ABOUT THE BROWNS

1. The Browns really believe that Brian Hoyer will turn in a savvy game at Pittsburgh. While his attitude didn't change, he seemed to be throwing the ball with more confidence and has better command of the offense in practice since being named the starter. The Browns also were extremely impressed with how Hoyer handled all the mania over Johnny Manziel. No matter how the North Olmsted native tried to block it out, he knows that the national media is almost demanding that Manziel play.

2. Locally, it is much different. It seems Browns fans are split between Hoyer and Manziel. Even those who prefer the rookie don't seem outraged that Hoyer is being given the first chance to start. Of course, Browns fans know that nearly every year, two quarterbacks start for the orange helmets. Sometimes, it's even three -- as was the case in three of the last four seasons.

3. Considering that Ray Farmer was promoted to general manager after Mike Pettine was hired as coach, it's very impressive how they have worked together on the draft and building the roster. Farmer didn't even interview Pettine. He was the assistant general manager when Pettine was hired as head coach by Owner Jimmy Haslam and former team president Joe Banner.

4. Farmer knows that Pettine loves defensive backs, so he went along with 12 on the roster. As I wrote in an earlier column, Pettine had 11 defensive backs on his opening day roster in Buffalo. Pettine also understands that Farmer will be tinkering with the bottom of the roster, as he tries to add more talent and try out different players.

5. While Farmer praised Taylor Gabriel to the media as one of his favorite rookies -- and for good reason -- there is another rookie that the general manager absolutely loves. That's Chris Kirksey, the third-rounder from Iowa. The Browns have been extremely impressed by his maturity. The inside linebacker was brought in for his pass coverage skills, and that is even better than advertised. But he also has been a hard-hitter. He will see a lot of action, as he splits time with Craig Robertson.

The Cavs believe the experience that Kyrie Irving gains playing with Team USA will help him this season as he blends in with LeBron James and Kevin Love.

ABOUT KYRIE IRVING

The Cavs have spent quite a bit of time studying tapes of Kyrie Irving, and then projecting how he will fit with LeBron James and Kevin Love.

The Cavs are thrilled that Irving is with Team USA. Yes, they were concerned when he took a fierce fall in a recent game, but he is OK. They like the idea that Irving is with great players where he is not the core of the offense.

That's how it will be with the Cavs this year.

In the last three seasons, Irving's shooting from the field dropped from .469 to .452 to .430. And his 3-pointers dropped from .399 to .391 to .358.

What happened?

Because of the lack of talent, Irving forced a lot of bad shots. He often ended up with the ball as the 24-second clock ticked down, and dribbled too much. Yes, he is a creative player -- but the 6-foot-1 guard is not an imposing physical specimen.

The Cavs consider James and Love elite passers, and the stats back up that claim. James led all small forwards by averaging 6.4 assists. Love was second (4.4 assists) among power forwards and centers.

So the ball will move, and there is no reason for Irving to force up shots.

The Cavs believe that Irving can be an excellent outside shooter. He showed it as a 19-year-old rookie, when he had his best shooting season (.469 from the field, .399 on 3-pointers).

There will be a lot of open shots -- especially from the outside -- in this offense for Irving. And if Coach David Blatt can convince the Cavs to run, Irving will benefit from fast break opportunities.

Dion Waiters may have to make the biggest adjustment of any Cavs player.

ABOUT DION WAITERS

The Cavs don't say it, but the ideal spot for Dion Waiters would be as the sixth man. Think of Manu Ginobili with the Spurs, or how James Harden supplied instant offense off the bench early in his career with Oklahoma City.

If the Cavs start Waiters, he probably will be the one member of the lineup who will have to change his game the most.

James and Love will play as they always do -- their all-around games. Center Anderson Varejao will rebound and set picks.

Irving is the point guard. Waiters would be the shooting guard, and he'd have to sacrifice his love of dribbling and controlling the ball.

The Cavs have stats showing Waiters shot 47 percent on more than 100 of what are called "catch-and-shoot 3's." Those are 3-pointers where he shoots without a dribble.

Waiters wants to start. He averaged 19 points after the All-Star break, and there is little doubt that he can score.

But in the past, he and Irving competed to control the ball. And that was with Alonzo Gee and Tristan Thompson as the forwards -- two guys whose game isn't scoring.

So it will be interesting to see if Waiters can blend into the starting lineup.

Waiters is very valuable, and not just because of how he can be a force as a sixth man. Irving battles injuries and has missed an average of 15 games in his first three seasons. So Waiters provides tremendous depth at guard, because he can play both spots in the backcourt.

Danny Salazar is being pushed by the Tribe to throw more pitches.

ABOUT DANNY SALAZAR

Tribe fans probably know that Danny Salazar threw a complete game shutout against Detroit on Wednesday.

The most shocking stat of the night was that the Indians allowed Salazar to finish the game and throw 118 pitches.

His 116th pitch of the game was a 97-mph fastball.

Is this start a sign that the Indians are finally loosening up the pitch counts for Salazar?

This is not to suggest that Salazar throw 120 pitches most starts. But the 118 pitches was only the third time in his big league career that he was above 100.

Let's look at Salazar:

1. Salazar had Tommy John surgery (elbow reconstruction) on August 10, 2010. So that was more than four years ago. The Indians have been extremely careful with Salazar. He pitched 14 innings in 2011, 88 innings in 2012.

2. Even last season, it was 151 innings between the minors and the Tribe. In his 10 starts with Cleveland, he never threw more than 103 pitches. That was only once. In his other nine starts, the limit was 89 pitches.

3. Salazar had some "general arm soreness" in spring training, and pitched little in Arizona. He opened the season with the Tribe and was 1-4 with a 5.53 ERA. They sent him to the minors. His control was off, his velocity was in the low 90s rather than his usual 94-98 mph range.

4. Salazar threw 61 innings in Class AAA, rebuilding his arm strength.

5. He returned to the Tribe on July 27, and he is 5-2 with a 2.30 ERA since then. He looks even better than the Salazar who was 2-3 with a 3.12 ERA in 10 starts with the Tribe in 2013. Only once did he throw more than 89 pitches.

6. The Indians have been talking about "extending" Salazar in games. Once a starter is beyond 110 or 120 pitches, it is considered a danger zone. Obviously, that doesn't hold true for every starter. But the last thing the Tribe wants is yet another arm injury for Salazar.

7. Salazar threw 149 innings between Class AAA and Cleveland last season. He is at 148 1/3 innings this season. Both are career highs.

8. Salazar is only 24 so there is plenty of time for him to continue to improve. Consider that Corey Kluber was 27 when he finally established himself as a big league pitcher in 2013. And only now -- at the age of 27 -- does that seem to be happening with Carlos Carrasco. The Tribe hopes his recent start can move up his development and confidence.

Eleven different prospects have been traded for Cliff Lee, and Carlos Carrasco may become the best any team received in return.

ABOUT CARLOS CARRASCO AND CLIFF LEE

Can Carlos Carrasco be the one prospect who actually becomes a viable big league player from the trade made for Cliff Lee?

USA Today's Ted Berg wrote a July 30th story about how Lee has been traded three times for 11 different players beginning in 2009. This story was published before Carrasco began his new version as a starter.

He was 0-4 with a 6.45 ERA as a starter to open the season. The Indians sent him to the bullpen, where coaches Kevin Cash and Mickey Callaway worked with Carrasco. I recently wrote about this. He was 3-1 with a 2.30 ERA in 26 games as a reliever.

Carrasco returned to the rotation, and is 3-0 with an 0.90 ERA in five starts. In 30 innings, he has fanned 34 and walked only four.

So it appears the Indians are finally receiving real value from Lee -- a rare occurrence for any team.

Besides Carrasco, here's who the Tribe received for Lee in 2009:

Jason Donald

After missing three years with arm problems,

Catcher

Before the 2010 season, Lee was traded by the Phillies to Seattle. The Phillies received:

Tyson Gillies, an outfielder now batting .214 with two homers in 177 at bats in Class AAA for Philadelphia.

Phillippe Aumont, who has a 1-5 record and 6.13 ERA for the Phillies. He has pitched mostly in Class AAA in the last four years.

J.C. Ramirez had a 7.50 ERA for the Phillies in 18 games in 2013. He is now with the Tribe's Class AAA Columbus team, where he's 1-3 with a 3.45 ERA as a reliever.

In the middle of the 2010 season, Seattle traded Lee to Texas for the following:

Justin Smoak, a first baseman who is batting .204 with seven homers for the Mariners this season, His career average is .227 (.693 OPS) in 489 games for the Mariners.

Pitcher Blake Beavan was 16-17 (4.30 ERA) in his first two years with Seattle (2011-12). Since then, he has pitched only 13 games for the Mariners, as he has been mostly in Class AAA.

Matt Lawson is an infielder who is not playing this season after being released by the Indians at the end of 2013.

Josh Lueke is a pitcher with Tampa Bay (1-2, 5.64 ERA). His career ERA is 6.16.

Bottom line: So there you are, 11 players traded for Lee. If you had to pick all the deals, you'd pick the Tribe's right now because Carrasco represents the only hope of real value for Lee in 2014. This also shows how hard it is for teams to find the right prospects in trades.

ABOUT ZACH WALTERS

1. When it comes to Zach Walters, there is power. Between the Tribe and Washington, he has nine homers in 113 at bats. He also has knocked in 15 runs. But he's batting only .177, with 44 strikeouts compared to nine walks. The last ratio is disturbing. If a player is strikeout prone and hits for a low average, the hope is that he'll draw some walks.

2. Walters is a switch hitter and he's had real problems against right-handed pitchers: 10-of-70, .143 with six homers.

3. Against lefties, he's 10-of-39 (.253) with three homers. So it helps that he hits lefties, as the Tribe often struggles against them.

4. It's so early to draw any conclusions about Walters. He's only 24. At Class AAA this season, he was batting .310 (.980 OPS) with 17 homers and 56 RBI. Against lefties, he was batting .376. Many of the stat geeks don't like prospects such as Walters who strike out a lot but don't walk. Even in Class AAA, he had 67 strikeouts compared to 20 walks in 292 at bats.

5. My feeling is Walters is a gifted athlete, a natural shortstop who is learning to play the outfield. The Indians are in desperate need of power. Patience is required with Walters, and it should be given. But it would not be a surprise if more time in the minors is needed, as the Tribe correctly believes he swings at too many pitches out of the strike zone.



