Cleveland, OH
Seattle teammates, Northeast Ohio natives celebrate homecoming at Progressive Field
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Progressive Field is about 20 miles from Raley’s Tree Farms in Hinckley, but growing up working in the family business for Mariners outfielder Luke Raley, the ballpark might as well have been located on the other side of the moon.
“When I was at the tree lot, I didn’t talk about baseball,” Raley said. “Not for any reason other than I was there to sell Christmas trees, not talk about baseball.”
Generations of Northeast Ohioans have gotten their Christmas trees from the family’s lot on Ridge Road, but few made the connection that the 6-foot-4 lad strapping saplings to their car roofs would someday go on to have a career in the big leagues. Nowadays, Raley says it happens more often than you’d think. But when he worked on the lot, Major League Baseball was the last thing on his mind.
“It’s just one of those things that people kind of put two and two together and realize we get our trees from Raley’s Tree Farm,” he said.
Baseball is all that’s on Raley’s mind this week as his Mariners are in town for three games against the Guardians. In Tuesday’s series opener, Raley collected two hits including his first home run in his hometown ballpark. He also picked up his first career ejection after arguing balls and strikes with home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt in the ninth inning of Seattle’s 8-5 win.
Raley, who starred at Medina Highland High before he was drafted out of Lake Erie College by the Dodgers in 2016, said despite missing the end of the contest it has been fun coming back to Cleveland and being able to see family and friends. But there is definitely work to be done.
“Being successful is kind of the back of my mind,” Raley said. “I want to have good at-bats, want to do the right things for the team, so that’s most important.”
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Raley’s Seattle teammate, Dominic Canzone, is making his first trip to Progressive Field as a big leaguer. The Walsh Jesuit product and Sagamore Hills native said he grew up a big fan of Kenny Lofton and the late-1990s Indians teams that won six division titles in seven seasons. But the memory that stands out to him whenever he walks into the ballpark is watching Rajai Davis hit a game-tying home run in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series against Chicago.
“That was just the loudest I’ve ever heard any venue in sports to this day,” Canzone said.
In Tuesday’s series opener, Canzone went hitless in three plate appearances with a strikeout before being replaced in right field by Mitch Haniger. But like any ball player who grew up in Cleveland, the experience of taking the field at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario was special.
“I think it’s one of the most beautiful ballparks out there,” Canzone said. “They do a great job, especially with the surface. So, no complaints there and it’s been just an awesome week so far.”
Raley said it has been fun having another Clevelander along for the ride in his second trip to Progressive Field as a pro. Having an ally to defend Northeast Ohio in the clubhouse has also helped.
“It’s just kind of how things go in the clubhouse when you go back home, you get some smack talk (from other teammates),” Raley said. “It’s nice to have Dom here to defend The Land.”
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The Cleveland Cavaliers have been relatively quiet in the days leading up to the 2024 NBA Draft after reportedly naming Kenny Atkinson as their next head coach.
The Cavaliers saw multiple players thrown into trade speculation (Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Jarrett Allen) after getting bounced in five games by the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
However, various reports suggest that the Cavs will keep their ‘Core Four’ together, which is good news for Atkinson. That said, for Cleveland to take that next step, they must upgrade the wing spot and their bench this offseason.
One potential option for the Cavaliers could be Brooklyn Nets forward Cam Johnson. The Nets could be on the verge of a firesale after shockingly trading Mikal Bridges on Tuesday night to the New York Knicks.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported Wednesday that Johnson is among the Nets vets who are all potential trade candidates to monitor. Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com said on 92.3 The Fan Wednesday that the Cavaliers “love” Cam Johnson and that they have for years.
Fedor also mentioned that the Cavaliers worked out Johnson during the draft process and have kept him on the radar. However, Fedor also questioned whether the Cavs have the pieces to send to Brooklyn in a potential trade for Johnson.
The Cavs could show interest in Cam Johnson, per @ChrisFedor
“The Cavs love Cam Johnson. If he is available from the Brooklyn Nets, the Cavs will be involved in those conversations. There’s no doubt about that. The question becomes, do they have the pieces to satisfy what… pic.twitter.com/ce5YUZFo7H
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 26, 2024
If the Cavaliers grabbed Johnson, he would be an immediate upgrade on the wing, giving the team floor spacing and another shooter. The 28-year-old forward posted 13.4 points per game on 44.6 percent shooting from the field and 39.1 percent from three-point range (6.1 attempts per game).
Johnson signed a four-year, $94.5 million contract extension last summer, so if the Cavaliers traded for him, he’d be in Cleveland for at least three seasons. With the Nets not having a pick in this year’s draft, maybe the Cavs could throw them the No. 20 overall pick, Georges Niang, and Caris LeVert to generate a conversation.
With the Knicks making a major splash for Bridges and the Celtics winning the NBA title, the Cavaliers must explore all options.
More Cavaliers news and analysis:
Cam Johnson is coming off his fifth season in the NBA and his second playing for the Brooklyn Nets.
The former UNC star finished the year with averages of 13.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per contest while shooting 44.6% from the field and 39.1% from the three-point range.
Recently, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (appearing on 92.3 The Fan) reported that the Cavs have interest in landing Johnson.
Fedor: “The Cavs have kept him on the radar, they like him. If he is available from the Brooklyn Nets, the Cavs will be involved in those conversations. There’s no doubt about that. The question becomes do they have the pieces to satisfy what Brooklyn would want in return for Cam?”
.@ChrisFedor tells @CLETalkingHeads the #Cavs will be in the mix to make a trade IF the #Nets make Cam Johnson available pic.twitter.com/3u5fDzGqzy
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) June 26, 2024
Johnson was the 11th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of UNC.
Before joining Brooklyn, he spent the first four seasons of his career with the Phoenix Suns (and helped them reach the 2021 NBA Finals).
His career averages are 11.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists per contest while shooting 44.7% from the field and 39.2% from the three-point range in 283 regular season games.
He has also appeared in 38 NBA playoff games (seven starts).
As for the Cavs, they finished the 2023-24 season with a 48-34 record, which had them as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.
They beat the Orlando Magic in the first round of the NBA playoffs (in seven games), but lost to the Boston Celtics in the second round (in five games).
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – It’s a bird… It’s a plane…. It’s…. a Reuben sandwich!
Some of the cast of the new Superman movie including David Corenswet, portraying Clark Kent a.k.a. Superman in James Gunn’s film, visited Slyman’s restaurant in Cleveland during their time in the city filming the movie.
“You have to eat here to be like Superman,” the restaurant said on Facebook.
The movie is expected to hit theaters in 2025.
Copyright 2024 WOIO. All rights reserved.
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