It will be homecoming weekend for Marlon Byrd, Alfonso Soriano and Rudy Jaramillo when the Cubs open Interleague Play against the Rangers.

There was still no word Thursday whether or not Cubs starter Tom Gorzelanny will make his next scheduled start after taking a line drive off his left ring finger Wednesday night.

Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez injured his left thumb while swinging a bat in Wednesday night's win over the Phillies, and was out of the lineup Thursday afternoon.

After going hitless in his first nine at-bats as a pinch-hitter, Xavier Nady may be rediscovering his stroke.

In this new, multiple blog posts in one day format, I may just take an email question or two and try to answer it when possible. I received this one from someone with the intials M.W. in London, England, who asked the following question:

Can you talk about scholarship numbers: What does Tom Crean do if he is indeed able to land Cody Zeller, Jeremiah Davis, and others? He can't possibly tell Matt Roth and Tom Pritchard to go, given they stuck it out the last two terrible years, can he? If Bawa Muniru does not improve, do they advise him to look elsewhere? I don't see anyone going pro after this season. Also, what does 2012 look like?

Answer: We just had a scholarship numbers blog not too long ago but let's revisit the topic one more time especially as it pertains to the next two recruiting classes.

There's no doubt that Indiana has problems in the 2011 recruiting class because of a wealth of talent (including a lot of really good Indiana players) and basically no scholarships to give. As it stands right now, IU will lose Jeremiah Rivers at the end of this year and that's it. That means that Tom Crean would have one scholarship available at his disposal. That scholarship would go to Austin Etherington, who is the only player who has given a commitment in this class.

The Big Ten also allows schools to oversign by one player which means they could sign another player in November without actually having a slot for him and then have until the beginning of the 2011-12 season to figure that situation out. So basically, at this time, with no other movement, Crean has two scholarships to give, one of which is committed to Etherington..

As to your question about making room by eliminating current players who have paid their dues, I haven't heard exactly what Tom Crean and his staff plan to do only that they indeed have a plan for the situation. It's a difficult situation here. Yes, you want to be loyal and probably especially to those who were with you from the beginning. At the same time, if you're ever going to turn this program around you need to have the kinds of players in it to give you the best chance. The truth is the kind of talent that is available in that 2011 class is probably an upgrade over some of the personnel you have on your roster right now. Scholarships are renewable on a year to year basis and sometimes these become business decisions. It's happening all over the country in programs that have gone through a rebuilding phase and even in some that have not. So I guess my take is that if coach Crean and his staff decide that what is coming in is going to be better than what they have now, then they are going to do what is best for Indiana basketball.

If you're looking for names that would be pure speculation. I don't think it would be difficult to make a case for at least three players but until the time comes when those decisions need to be made I'm not sure what good it does to call those guys out and dissect their games. There will be plenty of time for that.

As for the class of 2012, the situation becomes much better in terms of availability of scholarships. Scholarships will have opened up with the departure of seniors Verdell Jones III, Tom Pritchard and Matt Roth (if they don't opt to use his redshirt year). The fourth schollie will come from newly signed JUCO player Guy-Marc Michel. So there will be four scholarships available plus they could oversign by one.

So 2012 is not a problem. It's 2011 though that is going to need to be addressed pretty soon.

For more on IU recruiting click here

I still have a few interviews in my tape recorder from this weekend's Adidas May Classic. D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera, the North Central standout who led his Indiana Elite team to the 16 and under title over the weekend in Bloomington, spent a few minutes with myself and several members of the media. From that interview comes this Q&A with DSR.

(Talk about how the AAU season has been going for you?)

"I've been working on becoming more athletic. I think that has helped by defending some smaller guards. I've been working on my jump shot. Just coming down off the dribble and being able to knock down that shot.''

(Is there an area of you game that you're focusing on this summer?)

:"I wouldn't say one particular area. I can become a better player all around so I'm working on everything.''

(Can you talk about Indiana in terms of your recruitment?)

"Indiana is in a rebuilding period and I'm very interested in coming down here and talking to them about everything. I talked to coach Crean just last week about the weekend before when we played and he called to congratulate me and how our team played that weekend. He told me he wanted me to know he was going to continue to recruit me hard. He said he's going to offer some other kids as well, but he wanted me to know that he's still recruiting me pretty hard.''

(When would like you make a decision in terms of where you'll ultimately play college basketball?)

"I would like to make it pretty soon but just talking to my parents and things like that, they want me to be patient because I'm pretty gung-ho right now to make that decision. At the same time I want to make the best decision for what suits me.''

(What are some of the most important factors for you when choosing a school?)

"Mainly, right now the school has to have a strong business program because I plan on majoring in business. But also just how the coach trusts his players. I want him to be able to let me play and to just trust me to make decisions.''

(Where do you see yourself projecting position wise at the next level?)

"More than likely a point guard but either that the shooting guard. I just want to do whatever the coach wants me to do.''

(When you say you want to make a decision soon, are you thinking by this season or what are you thinking?)

"Hopefully by the end of this year but again speaking to my parents, probably not real soon. I'll be making a couple of visits over the summer.''

(Any idea where?)

"I'll be back down here for sure. And then Kentucky, hopefully Louisville and I'll go to Xavier quite a few times. I'm also hoping to go out to Washington, and hit Villanova, Georgetown and North Carolina.''

(What are the coaches telling you that they want to see?)

"They just want me to become a better athlete. They want to see more athleticism out of me. I think that will come just like the other things have like knocking down shots and playing great defense.''

(You came down here as a freshman for Midnight Madness and have been interested in this place for a long time. What is like getting to play these AAU Tournaments in Assembly Hall?)

"It's a great feeling. You can feel the love in here. The fans really come out here and support. And when you make that big shot, the fans are clapping for you and it's great.''

For more on IU recruiting click here

I caught up with Yogi Ferrell over the weekend and spoke with him about all of the interest he has been getting. Ferrell looked good in the games I saw him play on Saturday at the point. He was completely in control. The class of 2012 point guard from Park Tudor was playing up one level with the 17 & Under team that also had Cody Zeller, Jeremiah Davis, Kenny Kaminski and others. And he was more than holding his own. Here's the Q&A from that interview.

(I know you've been getting a lot of interest the last few months in particular. Bring us up to date with exactly what schools have offered you to this point?)

"Recruiting has gone really well to this point. I have offers from IU, Illinois, Butler, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Washington and Virginia. So that's going well. I've been offered by a lot of schools so it's making it interesting.''

(Talk about your decision to play up this summer?)

"I just know playing up is going to help a lot. You've got bigger guys, stronger guys and you've just got to figure out ways to get around the defenders. You have to use a lot more shot fakes I've found. But it has really helped to this point and I think it's a lot of fun.''

(I know you've been down for a couple of unofficial visits to Indiana. How do you feel about Indiana in this process?)

"I've been down here a couple of times now including I made an unofficial last Wednesday where I just played some open gym with the guys. But I really IU and I really like the new practice facility. It's really just amazing how they were able to honor all of the tradition and the history and all of the recent players.''

(Can you talk about the team you're playing on here and how much fun that has to be for you to play with that kind of talent?)

"This is great having this much talent. On my high school team I have to concentrate on scoring a lot but here it's different. With this team I can just be the point guard and pass.''

For more on IU recruiting click here

I caught up with Jeremiah Davis, the highly-touted guard from Muncie Central, as he was running out to grab a bite to eat with 2011 IU commit Austin Etherington. The interview was in the parking lot outside Cook Hall after Davis and a few family members had gotten a quick tour of the new practice facility.

(Can you talk about where you recruitment is at right now? I heard someone say that you had mentioned Arizona State recently as a team that had gotten involved.)

"Yeah, Arizona State called the other day and we talked for a little bit. But it's really about the same. It's wide open at this point.''

(Do you have a timetable for when you want to make a decision? Do you plan to take all of your officials visits or do you have a gameplan for that at this point?)

"Whenever I feel like everything falls into place that's what I plan to make my decision. It's not something I want to rush but I also don't want it to drag on either.''

(I know you've spoken highly of Indiana in the past. Is Indiana still high on your list at this point?)

"They're definitely at the top, one of the top three. Michigan State is another one. I'd say those two schools are at the top of my list.''

(What were your impressions of Cook Hall?)

"It's really nice, I like it a lot. I toured it with Austin (Etherington) and my mom and dad just a little bit ago.Kori Barnett gave us a little tour of the place. It definitely is going to be something that is going to make recruits take notice of.''

(What are the most important things you're trying to get accomplished this summer? Is it something about your own game, about how you approach AAU ball, just exactly what are your priorities this summer?)

"The most important thing for me this summer is just getting everyone involved in our games. I want to be a team player, a leader on our team. The most important thing any time you play, no matter what the team you're on, is winning. So I'm just thinking about winning this summer, and knocking down my shots when they come.''

I'll have another interview coming up before the end of the night from Yogi Ferrell.

For more on IU recruiting click here

Everyone wants to know what is up with Cody Zeller. Is he a Butler lean? Where does IU stand in his recruitment? Where is he in his recruiting process? Here's what I picked up from him Saturday during an interview with two or three other media people there, too.

(First, talk about where you are coming into this weekend in terms of your recruitment?)

"Not a whole lot has changed. There has been a few schools that have gotten involved like Virginia Tech, Texas, Wake Forest. That's kind of why I'm leaving my recruiting open this summer is to see who is interested in me. I plan to narrow it down at the end of the summer.''

(So it doesn't sound like you're really trying to limit the number of schools right now but rather continuing to see what schools are interested)

"Depending on how I play this summer and who gets interested then I'll narrow it down to five from there at the end of the summer.''

(You're still thinking about making all five of your visits?)

"That's the plan right now.''

(Since your brothers have all gone through this before, how much input do they give you?)

"They all help out a lot. I went on a lot of their unofficial visits and so I got to see how the process went before I even began getting recruited. I told them that anytime they want to tell me something I'm open to all of that.''

(Do they try to sway you or are they just leaving it totally up to you?)

"They just give me input if I ask but they're behind me either way.

(So has Austin Etherington being trying to recruit you, too?)

"Yeah, a little bit. He's a good guy. I enjoy being around him. This is the first year I've played with him but he's a really nice player.''

(Can you talk about your own game and things you're trying to work on this summer?)

"I just need to get stronger, get my footwork down and work on my post moves, and perimeter moves. It's just a matter of seeing what I need to work out while I'm playing against some of the best competition in the country.''

(As you start to narrow down your schools, what are you looking for? What are some of the key attributes that are important?)

"The players and the coaches are probably the main thing because that's who you're going to be around most of the time in college. But a lot of things come into play. The education of course, and the facilities are important. It's a long process and there's a lot of things to look at.''

(How important are facilities. Obviously IU has spent millions of dollars upgrading theirs and Purdue has done the same thing but how important is that in your decision making process?)

"Like I said, it's not one of the top things but it's nice to have a practice arena that way you can always get in there if there's something going on in the main arena. It's nice to have.''

(Specific to IU, with their rebuilding and trying to rebuild the tradition they've had, does that appeal to you to try and be part of that. Or would that be a hinderance? What are you thinking there?)

"I think coach Crean is going to get this turned around. He's been telling me how he thinks I could be a big part of that. I think he has already started that rebuilding process with some of the guys he has brought in.''

Stay tuned for more interviews as the day goes on.

For more on IU recruiting click here

I spent Saturday afternoon at the Adidas May Classic and talked with several players that Indiana is recruiting. One of those was Austin Etherington, IU's lone commit in the Class of 2011. Etherington was expected to play this weekend but has been slowed by an injury and will be out probably another two weeks. Here's an interview with Etherington after his Indiana Elite Team posted an 80-30 victory without him in an afternoon game at Assembly Hall.

(We've heard varying reports as to what your injury is that is keeping you out of this weekend's tournament. Some have said it's a stress fracture in your back. Can you get us up to date there?)

"It is a stress fracture but it's not that bad. They told me to sit for three to four weeks and I've already sat for two. I'm going to play in the Bob Gibbons Tournament in two weeks, and sometime this week I'll start getting back into the gym and doing some things. I talked to them though and to this point they just really didn't want me to do anything.''

(So how hard has it been here not be able to play in the tournament that is at the school where you've decided to play?)

"It's tough. It brings back the memories of when I was out with my knee and stuff. But it's better now that I'm almost ready to play. It makes it tough this weekend because I know a lot of people were looking forward to watching me play. Now that I can't, I'm sorry to all of them but I've got to do what I've got to do.''

(When did they diagnose that stress fracture?)

"It was about two weeks ago. I went in just before Run-N-Slam and they told me they were almost one hundred percent sure it was a stress fracture. I told the guy then that it doesn't hurt all of the time and he just told me to just go ahead and take a couple of weeks off and then I could get it over with early and just stop pushing it so that I wouldn't have to deal with it later on. It's kind of like Robbie Hummel who tried to come back early and it came back to haunt him.''

(So we hear you've become one of Indiana's top recruiters?)

"I try. I have a lot of opportunities to talk with guys on my team like Cody (Zeller) and Yogi (Ferrell) and I just try to let them know what things could be like if we got the right players in here so we could get this thing turned around. It's a role I'm comfortable with. We've got some really great players here and they're going to make their own decisions but I'm going to continue to tell them what I think, too.''

I'll post more interviews throughout the day on Sunday.

For more on IU recruiting click here