As the Browns start training camp, Terry Pluto is reporting that Ross Verba has just receive an offer in the range of $1 million for one season. Verba, you’ll recall, is the idiot who stormed out of Berea claiming that he would insist on a contract in the range of $34 million.

I bring up Verba because his situtation speaks volumes about the new regime. They don’t take crap from their players, and they don’t have inflated views of their own players’ talents. Verba is addition by subtraction. The line this year will be better, and that alone will make this team better. If Dilfer can stay healthy, he has plenty of tools around him and the offense should be fine.

Many are worried about the defense, but Crennel’s dynamic 3-4 schemes should make them respectable. If the youngsters come through this could be a good unit.

With so many changes, this team might struggle, but frankly I don’t care. Anything is better than listening to Butch Davis’s bullshit. The guy belongs in politics because he is incapable of telling the truth. With Savage and Crennel the fans and the players will get some straight talk. Over time, they should be able to deliver a team that challenges for the playoffs and hopefully the Super Bowl. I’m willing to be patient.

Torii Hunter was injured in the Twins’ loss to the Red Sox. He apparently tore a tendon in his ankle and will miss 4-6. (UPDATE: It now looks like Hunter will miss the remainder of the season with a broken ankle.)

Despite a slow start in the second half of the season, the Tribe is in the race for the Wild Card, and this injury will hurt the Twins. The Tribe has had to play recently without Travis Hafner, but they are thumping Seattle tonight and they can’t be counted out.

The key for the Indians is pitching. Other than C.C., the pitching is keeping them in it, and if they make it to they playoffs they can do some damage with this pitching staff. If C.C. wakes up and remembers how to pitch, then the Indians can be very dangerous.