Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Steelers QB: Foe dropped ball with pick
The Cleveland Browns passed on their chance to draft Ben Roethlisberger 12 years ago, and the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback thinks they may have made another draft mistake.
On Sunday, the Steelers will face the Philadelphia Eagles, who are led by rookie quarterback Carson Wentz. They selected him with the second overall pick in April’s NFL Draft, a pick they acquired in a trade from the Browns.
Roethlisberger, who shares an agent with Wentz and worked out with him in California during the offseason, acknowledged Wednesday that he was surprised Cleveland didn’t draft Wentz.
“Yes, I thought he was AFC North all the way,” Roethlisberger
told Ed Couchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Wentz became Philadelphia’s starter after the Eagles traded incumbent Sam Bradford to the Minnesota Vikings a few days before the start of the season. Despite being drafted from Football Championship Subdivision member North Dakota State and playing just two quarters in the preseason because of a rib injury, Wentz has drawn praise for his play in seasonopening victories over Cleveland and Chicago.
Like Roethlisberger, he is big and physical: 6-foot-5, 245 pounds.
“I think he’s doing a really good job of … letting the game come to him, not forcing it,” Roethlisberger said. “You see him throwing balls away, not trying to make too many crazy throws down the field and using his legs when needed.
“He’s a really smart guy, smart player, physically gifted. All that kind of helps, and his preparation’s pretty good.”
Like Wentz, Roethlisberger became a starting quarterback as a rookie in the second game of 2004. But Wentz has a long way to go to match his record.
Roethlisberger went 13-0 in 13 regular-season starts before being held out of the season finale for the Steelers, who finished 15-1.
“Things worked out pretty well,” Roethlisberger said. “I was blessed with a great defense. You weren’t afraid to make mistakes. You knew they were going to get the ball back for you.”
Wedding crasher
Relief pitcher Adam Plutko was at a friend’s wedding in California when Carter Hawkins, the Cleveland Indians’ director of player personnel, called him and told him to get to Cleveland.
“I had a pair of baseball pants with me, so I just threw them on right away,” Plutko told Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer on Monday at Progressive
Field.
Plutko was kidding, but only about the baseball pants.
“They had literally just got done saying ‘I do’ and taking pictures and everything,” Plutko said. “I was in the middle of the wedding.”
Plutko’s wife, parents and several high school friends were at the wedding to share the news of his first trip to the big leagues.
“It was pretty awesome to have that moment in person,” said Plutko, who was drafted by the Indians in the 11th round in 2013. “There was crying and hugging. I’m pretty sure everyone was crying, including myself. It was a moment I’ll remember for a long time.”
Plutko, 24, split the season between Class AAA Columbus and Class AA Akron, going a combined 9-8 with a 3.73 ERA in 28 starts. He was promoted to Columbus on June 18.
Indians Manager Terry Francona said the earliest Plutko would pitch would be Saturday against the Chicago White Sox.