--OF Grady Sizemore has won his first career Silver Slugger award. He is the first Indians player to win a Silver Slugger since Victor Martinez in 2004, and the first Indians outfielder to win the award since Juan Gonzalez in 2001.
Sizemore hit .268 with 33 home runs, 90 RBIs, 38 stolen bases, 101 runs scored and 39 doubles. He is the first Indians player to amass 30 home runs, doubles and stolen bases in the same season. He's also the second Indians player in history to have 30 homers and 30 steals in the same season. Joe Carter did it in 1987.
--C Carlos Santana, acquired in the deal that sent 3B Casey Blake to the Dodgers, was added to the Indians' 40-man roster. Playing for three minor league teams this season between Class A and Class AA, Santana drove in 117 runs in 130 games. Cleveland also added RHP Jeff Stevens, RHP Hector Rondon, OF Trevor Crowe and C Chris Gimenez to the big-league roster.
--Chuck Hernandez has been hired as the Indians' bullpen coach. Hernandez replaces longtime bullpen coach Luis Isaac, who was fired after the 2008 season after 44 years of service to the organization.
Hernandez had been the pitching coach for the Detroit Tigers for the last three years. Before that, he was the Tampa Bay Rays' pitching coach in 2004 and 2005.
He was also the pitching coach for the Angels from 1992-96.
"His experience in our division, and in the American League in general, there's tremendous value in that," manager Eric Wedge said. "He's a tremendous fit for what we're looking for down there."
Wedge said he fired Isaac, who had been a member of the organization for 44 years, because he wanted to "change the dynamic" in the bullpen.
Wedge said he feels he's done that with the hiring of Hernandez.
--INF Beau Mills won the Lou Boudreau Award, given to the Indians' minor league player of the year. Mills, the Indians' top pick and the 13th player taken overall in the 2007 June draft, batted .293 with 21 home runs and 90 RBIs for the Indians' high Class A Kinston (N.C.) affiliate. Mills, 22, was named the Carolina League's Most Valuable Player following the season.
--LHP David Huff won the Bob Feller Award, awarded annually to the Indians' minor league pitcher of the year. Huff, 24, was a combined 11-5 with a 2.52 ERA in 27 games (26 starts) at Class AA Akron and Class AAA Buffalo. Huff was the 39th player taken overall, a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds, in the 2006 June draft.
--3B Casey Blake, an ex-Indian and a free agent, continues to hold the interest of Indians officials. The Indians need to acquire a third baseman for 2009, but with minor league 3B Wes Hodges perhaps only a year away, Cleveland might be looking for a one-year stopgap. That could complicate negotiations with Blake.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We're still hopeful. I know (general manager) Mark (Shapiro) and (assistant GM) Chris (Antonetti) are beating the pavement." -- Manager Eric Wedge, on the Indians' determination to acquire a closer during the offseason.
BY THE NUMBERS: 31 -- Saves by Indians pitchers last season, the lowest total in the American League.
