by Sports Xchange

--1B Angel Villalona, a top prospect who played in Class A this year, lost his U.S. visa after being charged with murder in the Dominican Republic. The visa was revoked by the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican. His future in baseball is uncertain. Villalona's criminal case could be heard in a month. His posted bail was $13,830, and his family reportedly paid the family of the victim (Mario Felix de Jesus Velete) $138,306.

--Manager Bruce Bochy was on eight of the 32 ballots cast in the NL Manager of the Year voting. Members of the Baseball Writers Association of America gave Bochy five second-place votes and three thirds. He finished fourth behind Jim Tracy, Tony La Russa and Joe Torre. Bochy helmed the Giants to an 88-74 record after they went 72-90 in 2008.

--Ron Schueler left the Giants' front office to join the Nationals as a special adviser to GM Mike Rizzo. With the Giants, Schueler, a former GM with the White Sox, was a senior adviser of player personnel and worked under Brian Sabean and Dick Tidrow.

BY THE NUMBERS: 1,302 -- Strikeouts this year for Giants pitchers, most in the majors. The Cubs were second with 30 fewer. It was the third time since 1900 the Giants led the majors in K's, the first time in the San Francisco era.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Trust me. It's very difficult to trade for a middle-of-the-order hitter even with somebody like Matt." -- GM Brian Sabean, who continues to say he won't trade RHP Matt Cain for a hitter and now is focusing on free agents.