MLB - Sports Rumors

Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:35 am EDT

Astros made offer to Indians' new manager, Manny Acta

By Mark Miller

“MannyThe Cleveland Indians have named the fella that managed to "lead" the Washington Nationals to a 158-252 record, Manny Acta, its new manager, but it wasn't before the Houston Astros tried to do the same thing.

The word in Houston is that GM Ed Wade offered a two-year deal plus a one-year option to Acta, according to MLB. Cleveland apparently offered a three-year deal with a one-year option. Negotiations were still going on as late as Saturday with the 40-year-old Acta meeting with Wade and the head of baseball operations for the Astros, Tal Smith, at Minute Maid Park. "We met, and we made an offer, and we knew that he was scheduled to have another conversation with Cleveland [Saturday] night," Wade said.

Guess Wade was banking on Acta having some sentimental reasons to join the club. After all, the Astros signed him out of the Dominican Republic when he was 17 and he played for the organization for six years before being a coach and manager for 10 years within the Astros system. The three fellas the Astros will now supposedly focus on are former Astros manager Phil Garner, Boston Red Sox bench coach Brad Mills(notes), and the guy who was the team's interim manager after Cecil Cooper got the can on Sept. 21, Dave Clark. The hope is apparently that a new manager will be named before the World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Yankees gets underway on Wednesday.

Source: MLB.comNew Window

Related: Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Nationals

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13 Comments

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  1. Crux
    1. Posted by Crux Mon Oct 26, 2009 7:36 am EDT

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    This is stunning.....kind of puts the WS on the back burner.
  2. Benz, M.,
    2. Posted by Benz, M., Mon Oct 26, 2009 8:26 am EDT

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    Acta has proved nothing, except he learned how to lose in Washington. No thanks
  3. Artist formerly known as Evil Empire!
    3. Posted by Artist formerly known as Evil Empire! Mon Oct 26, 2009 8:42 am EDT

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    Morning Crux - Im shocked he was in high demand. Something tells me the Indians will still be bad..just a hunch :)
  4. Bob
    4. Posted by Bob Mon Oct 26, 2009 8:57 am EDT

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    Seems to me that this man has no loyalty.......
  5. po-ed
    5. Posted by po-ed Mon Oct 26, 2009 10:37 am EDT

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    bring Ned Yost back in the picture !!! he was the best anyway!!!!!!!!!
  6. Dave K
    6. Posted by Dave K Mon Oct 26, 2009 10:59 am EDT

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    I'm not sure on Acta, but in fairness it's hard to judge him when he managed the Nats. No manager could have made that team any better. Bobby V would have been the better choice though. Loved him when he managed the Mets.
  7. John S
    7. Posted by John S Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:40 am EDT

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    I know people can only look at the numbers and his record in Washington but Joe Torre, Joe Girardi, and Charlie Manuel together couldn't of made the Nationals into contenders. He is a great fit for the Tribe because we are stacked with Latino players.
  8. Matt
    8. Posted by Matt Mon Oct 26, 2009 2:02 pm EDT

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    How was Valentine a better choice?
    The guy has been i Japan for the last 7 years. Probably the most overrated manager of the last 15 years. He sounded like a moron during his post interview press conference too, and sounds even dumber on ESPN. No thanks.
    Of the 4 being talked about for the job (Lovullo, Acta, Valentine, and Mattingly), Acta was by far the best choice. Mattingly has no managerial experience in his life. Not ready to give him the reigns to a small market club. Lovullo needs to coach in the MLs a bit before becoming a manager. And of course, Valentine has gone off the deep end.
    Wish Ron Reonicke would have gotten a better look (and Hargrove), but do like the Acta grab for the Tribe.
  9. websters31@...
    9. Posted by websters31@... Mon Oct 26, 2009 2:17 pm EDT

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    Well the Indians have themselves a manager with major league experience for the first time in years. Just in time for all Indians fans to commmit baseball suicide as they watch Cliff Lee an CC Sabathia square off in game 1 of the World Series. The Indians can not keep talent. The Browns have ALOT (A Lack Of Talent) GO CAVS !!!!!!!!
  10. philsphanwest
    10. Posted by philsphanwest Mon Oct 26, 2009 2:27 pm EDT

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    Dave K #6: If you don't think you can judge Acta on his 2 1/2 years in Washington, perhaps you should check out the team's numbers before him, during his tenure, and then after him under Jim Riggleman the second half this year. Acta wasn't powerless to fix a bad team, as you suggest, but rather, his ineptitude was a major major reason why they were bad. This is a team that lost it's number 2 pitcher at mid-season, traded away several of its best players, and still finished 26 games better under Jim Riggleman (a journeyman manager at best) than it started under Acta.
    The Nats were actually contenders through late August back in 2005 under Frank Robinson. The Nats regressed in every facet of the game under Acta. While Acta was there, they were un-prepared, poorly coached, and poorly managed. Check the record. The Astros dodged a bullet when Acta signed with the Indians.
    How he was in such high demand is completely befuddling to me.
  11. T
    11. Posted by T Mon Oct 26, 2009 4:22 pm EDT

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    Lou Brown was the BEST choice!
  12. oldcracker_51
    12. Posted by oldcracker_51 Tue Oct 27, 2009 12:08 am EDT

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    Houston, the center of American wealth. Cleveland, the #46 city in American and dropping.
    C'MON HOUSTON, YOU COULDN'T OUTBID CLEVELAND FOR ONE OF THE WORST MANAGERS EVER?
    You were competing against Larry Dolan, an 80 yr old miserable cheap skate. This man was thought of so highly that Cincinnati ran him out of town after owning the Reds for only 10 days...and this was on the heals of the Marge Schott debacle!!!
    I thought they thought bigger in Texas! ;-)
  13. unicornfl2
    13. Posted by unicornfl2 Tue Oct 27, 2009 8:55 pm EDT

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    Shapiro just doesn't get it - under his leadership or directions the Indians of experienced a loss in attendance - a loss of quality players either through trades or failure to re-sign - the firing of a losing manager - and the hiring of a manager with a losing history - Mr Shapiro it takes you you seem not to have - A strong wining manager with leadership skills who knows the Indians organization and who has developed talent (Mike Hargrove) - You need to provide a reason for people to want to come to the Indians games - You need to spend the money for the talend and not get trade crazy - afterall look at how many former Indians are in playoff line ups this season - and if they were all still in Cleveland - what do you think - the seats might be full - Cleveland might be in the playoffs - Hargrove may have become the winningest manager in Cleveland Indian history and if not Wedge might still be the manager - bottom line you'd be working with a winner - cleveland would be a winner - Mark Shapiro you let all that slip away from you - obviously your time with John Hart was a wasted effort - When you surround yourelf with winners - you win - no brainer - the lesson John Hart tried to teach you -- I am sold that Acta is your leader of the future - not with his record - fingers crossed the Cleveland will someday come out the it were are building mode and put a team on the field that woun't be traded away - In the mean time I sit far away and still loyal to the tribe with my fingers crossed

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