--RHP Jake Westbrook continues to be on schedule in his rehab from reconstructive elbow surgery. In 2008, Westbrook was 1-2 with a 3.12 ERA in five starts before being placed on the disabled list. He underwent Tommy John surgery on June 12, and has been rehabbing ever since. Indians officials say they expect Westbrook to be back pitching again at the major league level sometime around the All-Star break.
--General manager Mark Shapiro is the brother-in-law of new Cleveland Browns head coach Mark Mangini, who is married to Shapiro's sister Julie. "I've had great conversations with him over the years on everything from building a team to coaching philosophies to training camp practices," Shapiro said. --C Victor Martinez is one of five catchers the Indians have on their 40-man major league roster. That's the most catchers they've had on their roster heading into training camp in several years. The other four are C Chris Gimenez, C Carlos Santana, C Kelly Shoppach, and C Wyatt Toregas.
--DH Travis Hafner said the biggest problem with his injured right shoulder in 2008 was not pain. "It was weakness more than pain," he said. "I would be able to swing a bat for a couple at bats, but by the end of the game my shoulder would be real weak." Hafner had off-season surgery to clean out the shoulder joint and said he expects to be close to 100 percent by the start of the 2009 season.
--INF/OF Mark DeRosa, while with the Cubs last year, hit more than 60 points higher at Wrigley Field than on the road. DeRosa hit .316 at Wrigley and .254 on the road. However, he said he feels he can be a consistent hitter at Progressive Field in Cleveland. "I feel like I've gotten better as a hitter over the years," he said. "During my career I've been around hitters like Chipper Jones and Michael Young, and I've been able to pick their brains. So I'm confident that I can go to the plate for each at bat with a game plan."
BY THE NUMBERS: 0 -- Number of times LHP Cliff Lee has started on Opening Day for the Indians. Lee is expected to get the first Opening Day assignment of his career this year, when the Indians open the season April 6 at Texas.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "He's probably the most certain guy we have in our bullpen, besides Kerry Wood." -- General manager Mark Shapiro on dependable LHP Rafael Perez, who in his two years with the Indians has a 2.89 ERA in 135 relief appearances while averaging 13 strikeouts per nine innings and holding opposing batters to a .213 batting average.
