CLEVELAND — Braylon Edwards, who endured a frustrating season as a Browns wide receiver last year, was a hit Friday taking batting practice with the Cleveland Indians.
Edwards took about 50 swings against first-base coach Luis Rivera, calling it quits after lining a "home run" into the bleachers in left-center, about 380 feet from home plate. He raised his hands in jubilation and players cheered as he jogged around the bases, carrying his bat with him.
"I felt it right away, knew it was gone," Edwards said. "I just had to run it out. Man, that was fun."
Edwards got the chance to show what he could do on a dare.
"I played some baseball, but after age 15 it was all football," Edwards said. "I told my best friend and business manager that I could play baseball better than he could play basketball. And he played some hoops at Michigan."
That's all it took for Hayes Grooms IV to make some calls and arrange for Edwards to get a No. 17 Indians jersey and the first spot in the order when Cleveland took BP three hours before a game against the New York Yankees.
"He's pretty good," said Indians reliever Jensen Lewis, who warmed up with Edwards on the sidelines.
Edwards went through stretching exercises with the baseball team, then went to the batting cage with all eyes upon him.
"I was a little nervous," Edwards said. "When they told me I could come out here early and do this, I thought it would be one of their guys throwing to me and that would be it.
"These guys make it look easy. It isn't."
Edwards made contact on most of his swings, hitting some weak grounders, popups and a few line drives. He drove several balls to the warning track before finally "getting all of one."
After a Pro Bowl season in 2007, when he caught 80 passes and had 16 touchdowns, Edwards led the NFL in dropped passes last season. He had only 55 receptions and three touchdowns as Cleveland went 4-12.
"That's all behind us," Edwards said. "It's a new year, and that's how we're focusing on it."
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May 29, 2009 - 08:08 p.m. EST
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