Manny Acta conducted an interesting interview with the media following his interview with the Indians on Monday. He clearly sounded like he’s the guy for the Indians, though there are others who will interview.
Or it could have just been the way Acta talks.
He used the imperial “we” and “our.” A lot. He said he’d been studying the Indians the final month of the season, and said: “I don’t think any of you guys have any idea how long we’ve been in contact.” He also said he knew nothing about the Browns but he’d support them “because I’m here.”
For a day at least.
This did not sound like a casual, pro-forma interview. It sounded like a guy the Indians are very serious about hiring – either as manager or bench coach.
And Acta seemed like an incredibly good, upbeat and impressive guy who has a lot of in-depth thoughts and plans regarding the Indians.
Among the comments I found interesting:
–“Hopefully Fausto (Carmona) can bounce back.”
If Acta can get Carmona back to the form he showed in 2007, he should get a lifetime contract.
–“It’s about bringing the right attitude right off the bat and convincing these guys, making them believe that with any little improvement in our starting rotation and bullpen that we’re ready to win here.”
Note the use of the first person plural pronoun.
–“The main thing in the American League is having power arms. This is a hitting league. There’s no break after the seventh hitter like in the NL.”
Interesting given many of the Indians starters are soft-throwing lefties.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
This guy seems OK. Any guy who wears this hat out in public would be a refreshing change of pace from Wedge. http://xr.com/jggo
NO…NO…NO…Look at the Nats record after Manny was fired. Riggleman, with the same players, emphasized baseball fundamentals. He even made the infielders take infield practice before games, a practice Manny thought was unnecessary. The guy has little emotion. The Nationals had to close down their baseball connection in the Dominican not Manny's fault but so much for his Latin connection
If Shapiro makes this boneheaded hire, he should be fired on the spot. The simple fact that he has already determined Hargrove is "not the right fit at this time"…but Manny Freakin' Acta COULD BE (!?!?!?) is actually reason enough for me to part ways with Shapiro. What kind of weird universe does Shapiro's mind exist in? It's far, far from reality, to be sure.
I found this little nugget this morning… and here I thought Joe Madden had his act together:
Derek Shelton has been hired by the Tampa Bay Rays as the team's hitting coach.
The 39-year-old spent the last five seasons in the same position with the Cleveland Indians. The move Wednesday fills a spot on manager Joe Maddon's staff that opened when Steve Henderson was fired.
During Shelton's time with the Indians, Cleveland ranked fifth in the major leagues in runs and seventh in team batting average. Before joining the Indians, he spent six seasons in the New York Yankees organization.
Tampa Bay set club records for runs, homers, on-base percentage and walks this season. Henderson was fired because of concerns about situational hitting woes that contributed to the Rays' third-place finish in the AL East following their AL pennant in 2008.
—-
So they fired the original hitting coach because of concerns about situation hitting woes… and they hired Shelton?
For one, it's Shelton's fault that Cro-Magnon man stopped taking steroids? Or that some of the other guys just don't have the talent?
Although, that press release is extremely deceptive. Nobody who isn't trying to pull a fast one quotes hitting statistics without separating the two leagues.
I still don't see what's wrong with Manny Acta. Just because nobody has heard of him and just because the guy got his Major League experience managing for the dirt under the cleats of the Expos, this means he sucks? Hate to tell you, but he already is in front of Wedge, unlike Wedge, he starts out with Major League experience and he starts out with real strategy experience by first managing in the National League.
Alan…your support of Manny Acta proves what many of us have known for a long time; you know nothing about baseball.
Tim, you know absolutely nothing about Manny Acta. So what's your point?
Here ya go, Tim. Since you're one of those deep cerebral guys here who talks out of their hats about things and people they know nothing about, here's a start. His answer to the first question shows a guy that lives and breathes in the real baseball world far more than Wedge ever did. http://xr.com/nvue
"Hopefully, Pronk can return to form and win MVP."
"Hopefully, Miller will overcome his injury problems and win 20 games."
"Hopefully, Carlos Santana will learn how to handle a pitching staff over the winter and hit like Mike Piazza."
Am I hired?