Indianszone.com | Cleveland Indians News, indians Scores, Game Recaps & Commentary - <div> --INF/OF Mark DeRosa was acquired in a trade in which the Indians sent three minor league pitchers to the Cubs. DeRosa, who will make $5.5 million in 2009, the last year of his contract, will be the Indians' everyday third baseman.</div>"He's a player who brings us closer to being a championship-caliber team next season," Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said. "He's a perfect fit for our team. A right-handed hitter, a high character guy who will fit well in our lineup." Last season with the Cubs, DeRosa, who in his eight-year major league career has played every position on the field except pitcher and catcher, hit .285 with 21 home runs and 87 runs batted in. DeRosa started 80 games at second base, 32 in right field, 21 in left field and 10 at third base. "We won't hesitate to throw him in the outfield on certain days when we want to give somebody out there a day off (vs. left-handed pitching)," manager Eric Wedge said. "His versatility for us is huge." --3B Andy Marte's days with the Indians could be numbered following the acquisition of INF/OF Mark DeRosa in a trade with the Cubs. Marte, acquired as part of seven-player trade with Boston in January 2006, never lived up to his reputation as a top prospect. In his three seasons with the Indians, he split time between Cleveland and Class AAA Buffalo. In 456 at-bats with the Indians in those three years Marte hit .219 with nine home runs and 48 RBIs. His last chance to establish himself as a long-term fit with the ballclub came in the second half of the 2008 season, after the Indians traded 3B Casey Blake to the Dodgers. Given the chance to play every day, Marte failed to take advantage of it, batting only .246 with one home run and 13 RBI in 138 at-bats after the Blake trade. --RHP Jeff Stevens, RHP Chris Archer and LHP John Gaub were traded to the Cubs in exchange for INF/OF Mark DeRosa, who will be the Indians' third baseman in 2009. Stevens, acquired three years ago from the Reds in exchange for INF Brandon Phillips, appears to be nearly major league-ready after going a combined 5-1 with six saves and a 3.24 ERA in 36 relief appearances at Class AAA Buffalo and Class AA Akron last year. He averaged 12.5 strikeouts per nine innings. "We felt he could have been a contributor to our big-league bullpen next season," Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said. Archer spent the 2008 season with the Class A Lake County Captains, where in 27 starts he was 4-8 with a 4.29 ERA. Gaub also spent 2008 season at Lake County. In 34 relief appearances he was 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA. --SS Jhonny Peralta, who had been playing winter ball in preparation for perhaps moving to third base next season, will remain at shortstop following the acquisition of INF/OF Mark DeRosa in a trade with the Cubs. DeRosa will be the Indians' third baseman in 2009. General manager Mark Shapiro said Peralta played well at third in winter ball and added that Peralta's stated preference to remain at shortstop had no bearing on the decision to play DeRosa at third base. "We're going with what we feel is our best infield alignment," Shapiro said. --RHP Rafael Betancourt was perhaps the top setup man in the American League in the Indians' division-winning 2007 season. In 2008, Betancourt was a disaster, going 3-4 with an ERA, 5.07, that was nearly four full runs higher than a year ago. Indians officials, however, believe Betancourt has a chance to bounce back in 2009, based on his solid finish in 2008. In 27 appearances over the second half of the 2008 season, Betancourt was 1-0 with a 3.72 ERA. BY THE NUMBERS: .260-11-70 -- Combined batting average, home runs, and RBIs by all Indians third basemen last year. INF/OF Mark DeRosa, who will be the club's third baseman in 2009, compiled numbers of .285-21-87 with the Cubs. QUOTE TO NOTE: "I finished the second hole as the second baseman for the Chicago Cubs, and I teed off on the third hole as the third baseman for the Cleveland Indians." -- 3B Mark DeRosa, on the phone call he received while playing golf, informing him of his trade from the Cubs to the Indians.

--INF/OF Mark DeRosa was acquired in a trade in which the Indians sent three minor league pitchers to the Cubs. DeRosa, who will make $5.5 million in 2009, the last year of his contract, will be the Indians' everyday third baseman.

"He's a player who brings us closer to being a championship-caliber team next season," Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said. "He's a perfect fit for our team. A right-handed hitter, a high character guy who will fit well in our lineup."

Last season with the Cubs, DeRosa, who in his eight-year major league career has played every position on the field except pitcher and catcher, hit .285 with 21 home runs and 87 runs batted in.

DeRosa started 80 games at second base, 32 in right field, 21 in left field and 10 at third base.

"We won't hesitate to throw him in the outfield on certain days when we want to give somebody out there a day off (vs. left-handed pitching)," manager Eric Wedge said. "His versatility for us is huge."

--3B Andy Marte's days with the Indians could be numbered following the acquisition of INF/OF Mark DeRosa in a trade with the Cubs. Marte, acquired as part of seven-player trade with Boston in January 2006, never lived up to his reputation as a top prospect.

In his three seasons with the Indians, he split time between Cleveland and Class AAA Buffalo. In 456 at-bats with the Indians in those three years Marte hit .219 with nine home runs and 48 RBIs.

His last chance to establish himself as a long-term fit with the ballclub came in the second half of the 2008 season, after the Indians traded 3B Casey Blake to the Dodgers. Given the chance to play every day, Marte failed to take advantage of it, batting only .246 with one home run and 13 RBI in 138 at-bats after the Blake trade.

--RHP Jeff Stevens, RHP Chris Archer and LHP John Gaub were traded to the Cubs in exchange for INF/OF Mark DeRosa, who will be the Indians' third baseman in 2009.

Stevens, acquired three years ago from the Reds in exchange for INF Brandon Phillips, appears to be nearly major league-ready after going a combined 5-1 with six saves and a 3.24 ERA in 36 relief appearances at Class AAA Buffalo and Class AA Akron last year. He averaged 12.5 strikeouts per nine innings.

"We felt he could have been a contributor to our big-league bullpen next season," Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said.

Archer spent the 2008 season with the Class A Lake County Captains, where in 27 starts he was 4-8 with a 4.29 ERA. Gaub also spent 2008 season at Lake County. In 34 relief appearances he was 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA.

--SS Jhonny Peralta, who had been playing winter ball in preparation for perhaps moving to third base next season, will remain at shortstop following the acquisition of INF/OF Mark DeRosa in a trade with the Cubs. DeRosa will be the Indians' third baseman in 2009.

General manager Mark Shapiro said Peralta played well at third in winter ball and added that Peralta's stated preference to remain at shortstop had no bearing on the decision to play DeRosa at third base.

"We're going with what we feel is our best infield alignment," Shapiro said.

--RHP Rafael Betancourt was perhaps the top setup man in the American League in the Indians' division-winning 2007 season. In 2008, Betancourt was a disaster, going 3-4 with an ERA, 5.07, that was nearly four full runs higher than a year ago.

Indians officials, however, believe Betancourt has a chance to bounce back in 2009, based on his solid finish in 2008. In 27 appearances over the second half of the 2008 season, Betancourt was 1-0 with a 3.72 ERA.

BY THE NUMBERS: .260-11-70 -- Combined batting average, home runs, and RBIs by all Indians third basemen last year. INF/OF Mark DeRosa, who will be the club's third baseman in 2009, compiled numbers of .285-21-87 with the Cubs.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I finished the second hole as the second baseman for the Chicago Cubs, and I teed off on the third hole as the third baseman for the Cleveland Indians." -- 3B Mark DeRosa, on the phone call he received while playing golf, informing him of his trade from the Cubs to the Indians.