Exercised the 2009 Option of Jamey Carroll ($2.5M)

One of two major-league moves made last off-season by Mark Shapiro, Jamey Carroll turned out to be a very important addition, as for a significant stretch he was the team's second baseman due to injuries and ineffectiveness. And he didn't just play defense and soak up at-bats; he was a key part of the offense, hitting second regularly.

Carroll's 2008 success should give him more playing time than an Eric Wedge utility infielder usually gets, but he won't be starting or even platooning. One of the Indians' major offseason goals is to add an "infielder," probably either a second or third baseman, and moving the existing players around  if necessary to make the best defensive fit. Which should relegate Carroll to again being a backup to both second and third. Replacing Andy Marte with a more productive player should further reduce his playing time. But he's a nice insurance policy to have, providing more flexibility as a utility infielder than Josh Barfield would; with Barfield, the "utility" would be provided by moving the starters around to other positions.