Cabrera, Laffey Receive '07 Honors

Asdrubal Cabrera and Aaron Laffey, both of whom made significant contributions to the Indians' run to the AL Central Division title, were named recipients of the organization’s 2007 Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year awards. Cabrera is the 2007 winner of the Lou Boudreau Award as the top minor league position player. Laffey is the Bob Feller Award winner as the top minor league pitcher.

Cabrera, 22, combined to hit .303 (171-for-585) with 114 runs, 35 doubles, five triples, 11 home runs and 79 RBI in 150 games between Double-A Akron, Triple-A Buffalo and Cleveland. Following the season, he was named the USA Today Indians Minor League Player of the Year.

Cabrera opened the season at Akron and hit .310 (114-for-368) with 78 runs, 23 doubles, three triples, eight homers and 54 RBI in 96 games and was promoted to Buffalo on July 30.

While with the Aeros, Cabrera was selected to both the Eastern League Midseason and Postseason All-Star Teams. He finished fifth in the Eastern League in batting and prior to his promotion was leading the league in runs scored.

Cabrera appeared in nine games at Buffalo batting .316 (12-for-38) with six runs, three doubles and three RBI before his contract was purchased by the Indians on Aug. 7.

He made his MLB debut the next night at Chicago and made 40 starts at second base and six at shortstop, hitting .283 (45-for-159) with 30 runs, nine doubles, two triples, three homers and 22 RBI in 45 games. The Indians were 28-12 (.700) when he started at second base and Cabrera made just one error in 220 chances in the field.

Laffey, 22, combined to go 17-6 with a 3.34 ERA in 31 games including 30 starts between Akron, Buffalo and Cleveland. In 180 2/3 inning overall, he gave up 172 hits and 42 walks, striking out 124.

He started the season at Akron, going 4-1 with a 2.31 ERA to earn a promotion to Buffalo on May 17.

At Buffalo, Laffey was 9-3 with a 3.08 ERA. He was unbeaten (9-0) over his last 13 games with the Bisons and led the Herd in ERA (3.08).

Overall at the minor league level he was 13-4 with a 2.88 ERA in 131 1/3 innings, giving up 118 hits and 30 walks while striking out 99.

He made his MLB debut against Minnesota on Aug. 4, and at 22 years, 111 days became the youngest Indians starter to debut since C.C. Sabathia at 20 years, 261 days in April of 2001.

Laffey became the Indians' fifth starter, going 4-2 with a 4.56 ERA, allowing 54 hits and 12 walks in 49 1/3 innings, striking out 25. He went at least five innings in eight of nine starts.

LOU BOUDREAU AWARD WINNERS
1990: Jim Thome, 3b
1991: Manny Ramirez, of
1992: Ken Ramos, of
1993: Jim Thome, 3b
1994: David Bell, 3b
1995: Richie Sexson, 1b
1996: Russell Branyan, 3b
1997: Sean Casey, 1b
1998: Alex Ramirez, of
1999: Scott Morgan, of
2000: Billy Munoz, 1b
2001: Victor Martinez, c
2002: Victor Martinez, c
2003: Grady Sizemore, of
2004: Ryan Garko, c
2005: Ryan Mulhern, 1b
2006: Kevin Kouzmanoff, 3b
2007: Asdrubal Cabrera, ss

BOB FELLER AWARD WINNERS
1990: Charles Nagy, rhp
1991: Mike Soper, rhp
1992: Chad Ogea, rhp
1993: John Carter, rhp
1994: Steve Kline, lhp
1995: Danny Graves, rhp
1996: Danny Graves, rhp
1997: Marc Deschenes, rhp
1998: David Riske, rhp
1999: Robert Pugmire, rhp
2000: Jason Stanford. lhp
2001: Mike Bacsik, lhp
2002: Billy Traber, lhp
2003: Fausto Carmona. rhp
2004: Adam Miller, rhp
2005: Jeremy Sowers, lhp
2006: Adam Miller, rhp
2007: Aaron Laffey, lhp