--Former major league pitcher Tim Belcher was hired as the Indians' pitching coach, the first coach brought in by manager Manny Acta. With Acta being new to the organization, Belcher's familiarity with it was an obvious attraction. Belcher, 48, has spent the last eight years as a special assistant to general manager Mark Shapiro. Belcher has been in uniform in spring training in each of those years, working with and evaluating the pitchers in the organization. "That will be a big help to me. I know the pitchers here only as an outsider. Tim has an intimate knowledge of all the pitchers in our organization," Acta said.

--Ramon Pena has been named the Indians' director of Latin American operations. Pena had spent the past three years with the Mets as a special assistant to general manager Omar Minaya. Before that he was a scout for the Tigers for 21 years, signing numerous future major-leaguers, including Francisco Cordero, Fernando Rodney, Jair Jurrjens, Ramon Santiago and Omar Infante.

--Columbus 3B Andy Marte and 1B/OF Jordan Brown were named to the Topps' Triple-A All-Star team. Brown led the International League in hitting with a .336 average. He also was third in the league with a .532 slugging percentage, and his 35 doubles tied him for fifth in the league. Marte hit .327 with 18 home runs and 66 RBIs.

--RHP Carlos Carrasco will go to spring training with the burden of being the first player to reach the big leagues with the Indians from the package of four prospects the team received from the Phillies in the Cliff Lee trade. Carrasco made five September starts and was far from impressive, going 0-4 with an 8.87 ERA. Cleveland GM Mark Shapiro thinks that experience will help Carrasco's development.

"I think it's a benefit to him," Shapiro said. "He's 22. He's had success in the minor leagues. To get exposed to the major leagues, to go through some adversity, but also to see that his stuff is good enough to compete up here, but also to realize that he has to throw strikes and command the strike zone, something he's done in the minors. All that will be valuable to him."

--OF Grady Sizemore's modest run of two consecutive years winning a Gold Glove was halted this year. Sizemore won Gold Gloves in 2007 and 2008, but he played most of the 2009 season injured, and it hurt his production both offensively and defensively. In September, Sizemore had season-ending surgeries on his left elbow and left abdominal wall. He is expected to be close to 100 percent by the start of spring training.

BY THE NUMBERS
986 -- Strikeouts by Indians pitchers in 2009, the exact same number they had in 2008.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"I don't care if your name is Fausto or Zausto, if you're not missing bats, you better not be walking anyone." -- Manager Manny Acta, on the importance of pitchers throwing strikes.

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