AREA
AREA
Playoff tickets
YOUNGSTOWN -- Tickets for Saturday morning's Division IV state final between Cardinal Mooney and Coldwater are on sale at Mooney's main office today through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Advance tickets cost $7. Tickets at the gate cost $9. All seats are reserved for the game that kicks off at 11 a.m. at Canton's Fawcett Stadium.
B-W's Manninghonored
TWINSBURG -- Former Ursuline High standout Tom Manning of Baldwin-Wallace College was one of four unanimous selections on the 2005 Ohio Athletic Conference All-Academic football team announced Tuesday.
Manning, a senior offensive lineman, carries a 3.77 grade point average in his history major at B-W.
Matt Davis, another Baldwin-Wallace senior from Mineral Ridge, also was named to the team. The defensive tackle carries a 3.49 grade-point average in psychology/political science.
Two other area players received honorable mention: Boardman's Mike Finamore, a senior defensive back from Baldwin-Wallace; and Girard's Randy Mason, a senior quarterback from Mount Union.
Correction
CANFIELD -- Ryan Pitzer of Canfield was inadvertently omitted from the list of area players selected to the All-Ohio Division II football team. Pitzer, a senior offensive and defensive lineman, was named special mention.
Phantoms homefor long stretch
BOARDMAN -- Put the bus in the garage and fire up the zamboni -- the Mahoning Valley Phantoms are home for the holidays.
Tonight begins a string of 10 straight North American Hockey League (NAHL) games for the Phantoms (12-9-1) at The Ice Zone, where they won their first four games of the season.
Tonight's opponent is the Cleveland Jr. Barons. Faceoff is at 7 p.m.
The Barons (12-11-4) and Phantoms split their previous six meetings, all in Cleveland. Two weekends ago, the Barons swept the Phantoms by scores of 3-0 and 7-1.
"As much as we want to put that weekend behind us, we have a lot to prove on Wednesday," Phantoms coach Bob Mainhardt said. "The fact that we're not only a better team than reflected that weekend, but that we're better than anyone in our division."
Cleveland comes in on a four-game winning streak and Barons' goaltender Bobby Jarosz is equally impressive. After giving up 10 goals in his first start, Jarosz has pitched consecutive shutouts in their last two games and has not allowed a goal in 171 minutes and 53 seconds.
REGION
Indians welcomefree agent Byrd
CLEVELAND -- Free agent starter Paul Byrd visited Tuesday with the Cleveland Indians, who are still searching for a closer and have been reluctant to throw big money at any pitcher this offseason.
Byrd went 13-12 with a 3.74 ERA in 31 starts last season for the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels are interested in re-signing the right-hander and are expected to increase their one-year contract offer.
Baltimore and Texas also have deals on the table for Byrd. He and his wife, Kym, spent time with Indians general manager Mark Shapiro, toured Jacobs Field and the Cleveland area during the visit.
Byrd, who turns 35 on Dec. 3, is familiar with the Indians' organization. He was drafted in the fourth round by Cleveland in 1991 and spent four seasons in the club's minor league system before he was dealt with three other players to the New York Mets for outfielder Jeromy Burnitz.
The Indians have not yet made an offer to their own free agent starters, Kevin Millwood and Scott Elarton. Millwood is seeking a long-term deal and Shapiro is expected to meet with his agent, Scott Boras, at next week's winter meetings in Dallas.
Shapiro's No. 1 priority is finding a closer, but the Indians have been shut out. They offered B.J. Ryan a four-year deal, and may have been willing to make it a five-year package. Ryan, who had 36 saves for Baltimore last season, agreed to a $47 million, five-year deal with the Blue Jays on Monday. Cleveland's other options as potential replacements for Bob Wickman include Trevor Hoffman, Tom Gordon and Todd Jones. But the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Detroit Tigers, Florida Marlins and Orioles are all chasing closers or setup men. The Indians also have to replace Bobby Howry, who finalized a $12 million, three-year contract with the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday.
NATION
Dodgers get OKto interview Skinner
LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Dodgers have received permission to interview Cleveland Indians third base coach Joel Skinner for their vacant managerial job.
Skinner joins Jim Fregosi, John McLaren, Grady Little and Manny Acta as candidates for a position that's been vacant since the team parted ways with Jim Tracy on Oct. 3 -- the day after the season ended.
Vindicator staff/wire reports