"We were sixth in the majors last year without Haf and Victor (Martinez)," general manager Mark Shapiro said. "If (Hafner) comes back to anywhere close to having average-type numbers for him, we have a chance to enter into elite type of offense. But even if he doesn't, we still think we'll have a good offense."

--C Kelly Shoppach, who hit .261 with 21 home runs with the Indians last year, avoided salary arbitration by accepting a one-year, $1.95 million contract offer to stay with the team.

--RHP Carl Pavano, signed to a one-year $1.5 million contract loaded with $5.3 million worth of incentives, figures to go into the No. 3 spot in the rotation behind LHP Cliff Lee and RHP Fausto Carmona. The last two spots in the rotation will come from a group of candidates that includes RHP Anthony Reyes, LHP Jeremy Sowers, LHP Aaron Laffey, LHP Scott Lewis and LHP David Huff.

--1B Michael Aubrey, the Indians' first-round draft pick (11th overall) in 2003, was designated for assignment in order to make room on the 40-man major league roster for RHP Carl Pavano, who was signed as a free agent. Aubrey was unable to overcome a run of injuries that prevented him from playing a full minor league season. In six minor league seasons Aubrey batted .295, but he appeared in only 15 major league games in that span and in 45 at-bats hit .200 with two home runs and three runs batted in. "When he's healthy he hits, but he had a lot of injuries," general manager Mark Shapiro said. "It was a tough call for us emotionally, but when we looked at our depth at first base, this was the move that made the most sense."

--3B Andy Marte's days with the Indians could be numbered following the acquisition of INF/OF Mark DeRosa, who will be the club's everyday third baseman in 2009. Marte was thought to be the club's third baseman of the future when he was acquired as part of a seven-player trade with Boston in January 2006. But Marte has struggled offensively in his trials at the major league level and was unable to convince club officials he was a long term answer at the position after getting a second-half trial in 2008 following the midseason trade of 3B Casey Blake. Marte probably will go to spring training with the Indians, but he is out of minor league options, meaning the chances of him still being in the organization by Opening Day are extremely slim, a fact even general manager Mark Shapiro admits. "At this point, in all honesty, it's tough road for Andy," Shapiro said. "Barring an injury, it's hard to see him as a fit on our club."

--3B Mark DeRosa hit a career-high 21 home runs with the Cubs in 2008. Indians officials concede that playing half his games at cozy Wrigley Field might have contributed to DeRosa's power surge, but they say they aren't worried about how many home runs DeRosa hits in 2009. "We don't need him to be a 20 home run hitter," general manager Mark Shapiro said. "It would be nice if he does. But he's a smart hitter, a tough out, and can do a lot of other things offensively that can help us."

BY THE NUMBERS: 13 -- Number of times in Indians history a player has had 20 homers and 20 stolen bases in a single season. Four of those 13 seasons are by OF Grady Sizemore.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "If he's healthy, he'll be in our rotation. And we think he'll be healthy." -- General manager Mark Shapiro, on RHP Carl Pavano, who after four injury-plagued seasons with the Yankees was signed by the Indians as a free agent.