Jake Westbrook News

The Indians didn't have to look far to hire a pitching coach. Tim Belcher has been working for the team the past eight years as special assistant to baseball operations.

During his search for Cleveland's pitching coach, new Indians manager Manny Acta was meeting with general manager Mark Shapiro when Tim Belcher's name came up for discussion.

The Indians did a little housecleaning Friday, taking three players off the 40-man roster.

Manny Acta, the Indians' new manager, says he knows he is not a big shot. He also politely wondered what caliber of reputation Joe Torre had when he began managing three decades ago with the New York Mets.

The day after the baseball season ends, a big-league locker room is usually a busy place.

Developing their young players by having them play major league games has been the focus for the Cleveland Indians for several weeks.

CLEVELAND: Mercifully, Fausto Carmona will make his last start of the season today against the Chicago White Sox.

CLEVELAND: David Huff can rest on his laurels. At least until spring training. ''I've had my talk with [GM] Mark Shapiro,'' Huff said after the Indians' 9-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday at Progressive Field.

In the third inning Thursday night against Detroit, Brantley hit a two-run single off the "Heat Miser" fastball from Tigers ace Justin Verlander .

Here are seven things that the Indians have to do to put the ruins of this season behind them and prepare for 2010.

An attempt at retaliation Saturday actually helped the White Sox continue their dominance over Cleveland and the American League Central.

Baseball Prospectus' Pre-season Projection : 86-76, first place Current record: 61-88, fifth place To make matter worse, Charlie Sheen has made himself a bigger star with Two and a Half Men than he ever did with Major League .

Clubhouse confidential: If Jake Westbrook doesn't have another setback, there's a chance he'll pitch winter ball sometime during the off-season. Westbrook is coming off the latest shutdown period in his attempt to recover from Tommy John surgery.

This is the third installment in a 12-part series . The case is simple: Our pitching stinks, fire the pitching coach.

The Indians placed on reliever Joe Smith the 15-day disabled list with a sprained left knee.

Trading Cy Young Award-winning pitcher Cliff Lee and All-Star catcher Victor Martinez actually took some of the heat off the Tribe's front office and manager Eric Wedge.

Levin also writes: There will be a lot that will go into determining the future of Wedge, and therefore, the franchise, but Dolan claims money will not be one of them.

Clubhouse confidential : Whether or not Eric Wedge returns as manager next season, the Indians' main concern is going to be starting pitching.

KANSAS CITY, MO.: Everybody has heard it, and lots of fans buy into it. The conventional wisdom in Cleveland goes something like this: ''The Indians can't win until they're out of the race, and the pressure is off.

CLEVELAND: When the Indians' roster can be expanded to 40 on Sept. 1, it would be no surprise if Matt LaPorta and Lou Marson are summoned to the Indians from Triple-A Columbus.