Peralta accepts move to 3rd base

Associated Press

GOODYEAR, ARIZ.

New Cleveland Indians manager Manny Acta says Jhonny Peralta is his third baseman.

Peralta says he’s still a shortstop at heart.

With some other headstrong, ego-driven player, that difference of opinion could be a huge problem, but Peralta is one of the most easygoing players in the game. He says he’ll do his best to play alongside new shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and make it work.

“I’ll always be a shortstop,” Peralta said following a workout Thursday as sunshine and warm temperatures returned to the Indians’ spring training camp.

“I have been a shortstop my whole life,” Peralta added. “I feel most comfortable there. I would like to play shortstop, but my job now is to get comfortable playing third base.”

Acta isn’t about to move Cabrera, who emerged as one of the best defensive shortstops in the game in 2009. The 24-year-old also hit a career-high .308 with six homers, 68 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases in 21 attempts.

In contrast, Peralta had his worst season. His batting average dropped 22 points and his home runs from 23 to 11.

“Not every season is going to be the same,” he said. “Some are better, some are worse. This year could be the best, who knows?”

Peralta won’t use the position move as an excuse and expects his offense to be more like 2008 — a .276 average with career highs in runs (104) and RBI (89).

Acta says Peralta, one of the team’s few right-handed hitters with power, is a key to the Indians’ offense.

“We really need Jhonny to create that balance in the middle of the lineup,” Acta said. “A couple years ago, he was able to hit in the fourth hole in the middle of those lefties.”

Cabrera is a switch-hitter atop the order, but four players expected to carry Cleveland’s attack — Grady Sizemore, Shin-Soo Choo, Travis Hafner and Russell Branyan — all hit from the left side.

“I have to be more patient at the plate,” Peralta said. “When I’m going good, I hit the ball to center and right-center field.

“I’m not going to make an excuse and say I didn’t hit because I had to play third base. But maybe [it did] a little because I thought about it all the time and was not happy.”