After Hafner batted .309 and averaging 34 home runs and 111 RBI in a three-year period from 2004-06, his numbers in 2008 plunged to a .197 batting average, five home runs and 24 RBI in 198 mostly empty at-bats.

A right shoulder strain that caused him to miss a large portion of the season contributed to those skimpy totals. Hafner said the surgery, in which his shoulder joint was cleaned out, has him optimistic he can return to form in 2008, and the importance of Hafner's return to the lineup cannot be overstated.

"I'm the guy everyone expects to be in the middle our order, driving in 100 runs every year," Hafner said. "When you're missing that you have to put other people in that spot who maybe aren't as comfortable in that role. I'm a big part of our team, and when I play well we're a better club."

--C Kelly Shoppach signed a one-year, $1.95 million contract, avoiding salary arbitration. Shoppach, who led all American League catchers with 21 home runs last year, made $404,100 last season.

Shoppach was the only Indians player eligible for salary arbitration this year. The Indians haven't gone to an arbitration hearing with a player since 1991, when they did so with Greg Swindell and Jerry Browne.

--OF Mickey Hall was acquired from Boston as the player to be named in the Aug. 12, 2008 trade in which the Indians sent RHP Paul Byrd to the Red Sox. Hall, 24, a second-round pick by Boston in the 2006 draft, spent most of last year at Class AA Portland (Maine), where he hit .232 with 13 home runs and 35 RBI.

--OF Matt LaPorta and OF Michael Brantley, the two top prospects the Indians got from the Brewers in last year's C.C. Sabathia trade, have been invited to the Indians' major league training camp as non-roster players. LaPorta and Brantley are expected to start the 2009 season in the outfield at Class AAA Columbus. Other Indians minor-leaguers who have been invited to the big-league camp are LHP Ryan Edell, LHP David Huff, 1B Jordan Brown, 3B Wes Hodges, 1B/OF Stephen Head and 1B Beau Mills.

--RHP Matt Herges has been signed to a minor league contract with an invitation to the major league camp as a non-roster player. In 58 relief appearances last year with the Colorado Rockies, Herges was 3-4 with a 5.04 ERA.

--RHP Jack Cassel, the brother of New England Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel, was signed to a minor league contract and an invitation to the major league camp as a non-roster player. Cassel spent most of last season at Round Rock (Texas), the Class AAA affiliate of the Astros. In 19 appearances (17 starts) at Round Rock, he was 9-5 with a 3.65 ERA.

BY THE NUMBERS: 21 -- Number of home runs hit in 2008 by C Kelly Shoppach. That was the most of any catcher in the American League and fell four shy of the Indians' club record for home runs by a catcher -- 25 by John Romano in 1962.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I don't see any reason why I can't be the hitter I was a few years ago." -- DH Travis Hafner, who averaged .309 with 34 home runs and 111 RBI per season from 2004-06, on his recovery from offseason shoulder surgery after batting only .197 with five home runs and 24 RBI last year.