Major League Baseball

Browns not worried about Manziel playing baseball

Published Jun. 11, 2014 10:45 p.m. ET

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CLEVELAND (AP) The Browns don't expect quarterback Johnny Manziel to drop the football and pick up a bat anytime soon.

Manziel was drafted last week by the San Diego Padres, a selection that shocked Cleveland coach Mike Pettine, who said he didn't even know his well-known rookie had a background in baseball.

''My first question was I didn't really even realize that he played baseball,'' Pettine said after practice Wednesday. ''I think it was back in high school, and I didn't even get a chance to talk to him about it.''

Pettine received a text informing him Manziel had been picked in the 28th round - the 837th player taken - by the Padres, but didn't give it much thought. Manziel did play baseball at Tivy High School in Kerrville, Texas, and he considered playing at Texas A&M before focusing on football.

Manziel had some history with the Padres. He visited the club in 2013 when he was in San Diego working with a quarterbacks coach.

''He certainly loves baseball,'' Padres general manager Josh Byrnes said last week. ''We kind of talked about it at that time, `Do you want us to draft you?' He said, `Yeah, absolutely.'''

Pettine was asked if he thought the Padres' move is a publicity stunt.

''I don't know,'' he said. ''When I heard it, somebody texted me about it, and I didn't think it was that big of a deal because the kid's die-hard football. It was a bit of a surprise.''

Pettine is keeping Manziel, who was selected with the No. 22 overall pick in last month's NFL draft, off limits to the media this week during minicamp, but he offered a reaction on behalf of the 21-year-old to being drafted.

''I'll answer for him,'' Pettine said, smiling. ''He's football through and through.''

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AP NFL websites: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

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