The Associated Press is reporting the Cleveland Indians conducted a phone interview with former Washington Nationals manager Manny Acta for its vacant managerial position.
Acta, who was fired by the Nationals in July, was 158-252 in his three seasons in Washington. It is the only Major League managerial experience he has. Here is a year-by-year breakdown that is featured on baseball-reference.com:
| Rk | Year | Tm | Lg | G | W | L | W-L% | Finish | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2007 | Washington Nationals | NL | 162 | 73 | 89 | .451 | 4 | ||
| 2 | 2008 | Washington Nationals | NL | 161 | 59 | 102 | .366 | 5 | ||
| 3 | 2009 | Washington Nationals | NL | 1st of 2 | 87 | 26 | 61 | .299 | 5 | |
| Total | 3 years | 410 | 158 | 252 | .385 | 4.7 |
While it is obvious his career numbers are less than stellar, it should be taken into account that the Nationals have been of depleted talent. A result of the fire sale when they were still the Montreal Expos, which netted the Indians Grady Sizemore and Cliff Lee in 2002.
Acta is also considered a candidate for the vacant managerial position of the Houston Astros, the organization for which he started his Major League career.
He was drafted by the Astros when he was 17 and managed at numerous minor league levels for the organization.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Chris Chambliss, Demarlo Hale, Gary Varsho, Tony Franklin….yeah, other than Chambliss people have never heard of these guys but they are much better candidates than leftovers like Acta, Garner, Valentine.
Why would the Tribe ever make an unpopular fan hire like Acta? Hargrove is the People’s Choice, and he’s a solid manager. Took us to two World Series and can manage a variety of personalities, which Wedge did not seem able to do.
He and Sharon are local favorites, and this should be the first no-brainer hire in Shapiro’s tenure. The only reason Mike was let go by Hart….was that Hart was leaving and wanted to give his buddy Charlie Manuel a start. Hargrove wasn’t a Hart “guy,” but baseball people know very well that Hargrove is a “baseball guy” and a “good guy,” something this franchise currently needs from both a field and PR standpoint.