Carpenter and Hill are named comeback players of the year

St. Louis pitcher Chris Carpenter was voted National League comeback player of the year Monday and Toronto second baseman Aaron Hill won the American League award.

Carpenter, limited to four starts over the previous two seasons because of elbow and shoulder injuries, was 17-4 with a league-leading 2.24 earned-run average this season. Hill, limited to 55 games last year because of a concussion, had career highs with 36 homers and 108 runs batted in.

Hoffman to return

All-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman agreed to a one-year, $8-million contract to return to the Milwaukee Brewers next season, with a mutual option for 2011 that could be worth up to an additional $8.5 million. Hoffman, 41, converted 37 of 41 save opportunities this season with a 1.83 ERA.

Strasburg debuts

Stephen Strasburg, the top pick in the June draft, made his professional debut for the Washington Nationals, allowing one run and three hits in two innings of an Instructional League game against Detroit in Viera, Fla. He struck out two and threw 19 of 25 pitches for strikes.

“I was just letting my arm get back into throwing,” he said of his first game since signing a record four-year, $15.1-million contract. “You don’t want to go out there and rush it and immediately try to punch everybody out.”

Marlins turmoil

Despite an 87-win season in which the team was generally thought to have overachieved, Florida Marlins Manager Fredi Gonzalez’s job could be in jeopardy.

Owner Jeffrey Loria is said to be unhappy that the Marlins, who have the smallest payroll in the majors, did not make the playoffs. And ESPN.com reported that Bobby Valentine, an analyst for the network and a former major league manager, is talking with the team about a job.

Glaus on roster

Former Angel Troy Glaus will be on the St. Louis Cardinals’ roster for the division series against the Dodgers despite having missed most of the season while recovering from shoulder surgery.

Mets shake up staff

The New York Mets fired first base coach Luis Alicea and bench coach Sandy Alomar and will reassign third base coach Razor Shines after a 70-92 season.

The club also said shortstop Jose Reyes, who missed most of the season, will have surgery to clean up scar tissue behind his right knee but will not need an operation to repair his torn right hamstring.

New deal for Gibson

The Arizona Diamondbacks gave bench coach Kirk Gibson a two-year contract extension, but third base coach Chip Hale and first base coach Lorenzo Bundy will not return, Manager A.J. Hinch said.

Etc.

The Tampa Bay Rays, who missed the playoffs a year after reaching the World Series, fired hitting coach Steve Henderson following a season in which they set team records for runs, home runs, on-base percentage and walks. . . . Houston Astros right-hander Brian Moehler, who was 8-12 this year and missed 18 games in April and May because of a right-knee injury, had surgery on the knee. . . . Gerry Davis, Dana DeMuth, Tim Tschida and Joe West were selected as chiefs of the four umpiring crews for the first round of the playoffs.