--RHP Juan Salas was acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay. The 30-year-old Salas will compete for the one opening in the Indians' major league bullpen. He spent most of last season at Class AAA Durham, where in 28 relief appearances he was 4-5 with a 2.62 ERA. Salas spent most of the 2007 season in the major leagues with the Rays, going 1-1 with a 3.72 ERA in 34 appearances. In exchange for Salas, the Indians sent INF Isaias Velasquez to Tampa Bay. Velasquez batted .281 with one home run and 18 runs batted in at rookie level Mahoning Valley (Ohio) last season.
--3B Andy Marte was designated for assignment to clear a roster spot for RHP Juan Salas, who was acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay. Marte, 25, never lived up to the potential the Indians saw in him when they acquired him from Boston as part of a seven-player trade in January 2006. Marte spent much of his three years in the Cleveland organization in the minor leagues. In 456 at-bats over 150 games with the Indians, he hit only .219 with nine home runs and 48 RBIs. Marte was given a chance to win the third base job in the second half of the 2008 season, following the trade of Casey Blake. But Marte failed to make an impression, batting .221 with three home runs and 17 RBIs in 235 at bats. That led to the offseason trade in which the Indians acquired Mark DeRosa from the Cubs and installed him as the team's everyday third baseman.
--INF Tony Graffanino was signed to a minor league contract and invited to the Indians' major league camp as a non-roster player. It will be the second stint with the Indians for Graffanino, a free agent, who spent the second half of the 2008 season playing with the Indians' Class AAA club at Buffalo, where he batted hit .315 in 89 at-bats.
--LHP Cliff Lee, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, is entering the last year of his contract, although the Indians do hold a club option for 2010. It's expected that the team will attempt to open negotiations with Lee on an extension at some point this spring.
--1B Ryan Garko, who could lose some at-bats at first base this year with the expected increased playing time C Victor Martinez could get at that position, has been taking fly balls in the outfield during camp. Manager Eric Wedge said Garko may be given a look in left field during some spring games.
BY THE NUMBERS 20 -- Number of non-roster players in the Indians' major league training camp.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "If you had to point to one aspect of the club that I'm least comfortable with, it would be our rotation." -- General manager Mark Shapiro.
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