CLEVELAND: There are times when a .250 batting average looks pretty good. For example, if belongs to one of the current roster of Indians, who woke up this morning with a team batting average of .242.
Travis Hafrner is batting .250 with two RBI for the past five games. That’s nothing to brag about, but maybe it’s an indication that he is coming out of his slump.
Manager Manny Acta has penciled Hafner’s name in three different spots in the lineup, installing him in the fourth, fifth or sixth positions. Today he is fifth, but Tuesday night, he batted sixth for the second time this season. That seemed to raise some eyebrows among the media.
“”I try to match guys up the best possible way to get the best lineup,” Acta said. “”Nobody is being punished when he’s dropped down.”
Hafner’s lack of production has been something of a mystery. He appears to be fully recovered from 2008′s shoulder surgery
that still was affecting his swing last year. His swing and his unerring batting eye appeared to be intact during spring training, but when the season began he struggled.
“”I saw good signs in spring training and good signs the first 10 games of the season,” Acta said. “”I know that he feels responsible for what we’re going through, but he shouldn’t. This is a team thing. He needs to relax and take one at-bat at a time, as cliche as that sounds. He needs to take the burden off his own shoulders.”
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
RE: “Hafner’s lack of production has been something of a mystery.”
Are you watching the same games as the rest of us? This guy stopped hitting near the end of 2006 and hasn’t returned to form since. That’s almost four years of unproductivity. ‘Course, that’s never stopped Mark Shapiro from rewarding mediocrity with mega-millions.
I have pinpointed the exact moment when Travis Hafner stopped hitting.
“I do.”
I think we should get rid of the manager, he wasnt any good where he came from, and he sure isnt anygood for Cleveland, I hope they didnt give him a long contract, but the Indians better look for a replacement and I wouldnt wait long. This year looks like they are going to end up in the basement, and if Cleveland thinks they are going to fill up the stadium, they are dreaming. So keep the manager, and watch the season go down the tubes, that was one of the biggest mistakes the Indians done this year. I wont go to a game if I had free tickets to go, for this team this year.
@Ray
Why would you fire a manager for being in last place…..when 90% of people (and 99% of fans) projected you to finish in or near last?
Anyone who thought this Indians team would win is off their rocker. It’s a REBUILDING YEAR. You don’t fire your manager after 1 year in a rebuilding year. All that does is set you back in your rebuild a full year.
Hargove’s first year in 1991 we lost 105 games. How did that work out in the end?
Give Acta some time. Takes most managers 2-3 times as a manager before they win. Francona was fired for sucking in Philly. Done pretty well in Boston. NY was Joe Torre’s FOURTH stop as manager. Only twice in the playoffs before that and never the world series. La Russa took a 2nd try before he had success in Oakland. Charlie Manual is another. Joe Girardi was fired in Florida.
Give this team a shot!