TORONTO - Aaron Hill and Adam Lind are a big part of the future envisioned by new Toronto Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos, and the Silver Slugger Awards they won Thursday underscore part of the reason why.

The honour, voted on by coaches and managers, is given the players selected as the best offensive players at each position in both the American and National Leagues. Hill (.286, 36 homers, 108 RBIs) and Lind (.305, 35, 114) become just the third Blue Jays duo to win the award in the same season, following in the footsteps of Carlos Delgado and Shawn Green in 1999, and Delgado and Vernon Wells in 2003.

They also matched Delgado and Green as the only Blue Jays teammates to record at least 35 home runs, 35 doubles and 100 RBIs in the same season.

"It's great for the Toronto Blue Jays," said Hill, who was the starting second baseman for the AL in the all-star game, and also won AL Comeback Player of the Year honours. "We've got guys who can do the job. It wasn't just Adam and I, there are a lot of guys who are capable of doing it on our team.

"We believe in what we have and each year you've just got to keep going and do the best with what you have."

Much has changed since a dismal 2009 season ended with the Blue Jays at 75-87 and clubhouse turmoil at manager Cito Gaston boiling over. Anthopoulos replaced the fired J.P. Ricciardi, Paul Beeston took over as president and CEO on a permanent basis, Gaston was retained for one final season, while a staff shuffle led to the departures of pitching coach Brad Arnsberg (Houston) and hitting coach Gene Tenace (retired).

More change is coming, too, as ace Roy Halladay's days with the team are numbered and Lyle Overbay is likely to de dealt, as well. Hill and Lind, however, aren't going anywhere.

Hill, 27, is signed through at least through the 2011 season with club options that could keep him in Toronto until 2014, while Lind, 26, is under team control ...[next page]