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Indians unfazed by dire predictions
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo
In this Feb. 26, 2011 file photo, Cleveland Indians manager Manny Acta, center, talks to his infielders during baseball spring training in Goodyear, Ariz. The Indians lost 93 games in 2010, Acta's first season, but the upbeat manager says he expects the 2011 Indians to win. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan, File)
Indians unfazed by dire predictions
Associated Press
Cleveland
A raw-and-reluctant rookie on social media, Indians manager Manny Acta began his days at training camp by sharing his musical tastes on Twitter — in two languages. Each morning, Acta posted his “Song of the Day” and “Cancion del dia.”
Acta rolled out of bed on a recent picture-perfect Arizona day, opened his laptop and typed in a 1980s’ rock anthem that popped into his head.
It was Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It.”
A message, Manny?
He raised his eyebrows and smiled.
Kicked around and given little chance to contend in 2011, the Cleveland Indians might be ready to fight back this season. After all, the majors’ youngest team has matured.
Acta’s heard all the reasons why the Indians, who lost 93 games last season, are supposed to struggle. But there’s not much he can do about the mid-market franchise’s woes: small payroll, disillusioned fans and dipping attendance. Those headaches are someone else’s.
And, there’s not a whole lot the second-year skipper can do about his roster. While a few of their AL Central competitors threw money around in free agency this winter, the Indians were conservative — or cheap, as some of their fans insist.
But the enthusiastic Acta, a baseball man to his core and an eternal optimist, has a positive outlook on life that’s matched by his view for the Indians. He’s heard the frightful predictions. He’s not buying them.
“I expect to win,” he says confidently. “That’s our message. I’m basing that on the second half of last season. We did well and I’m counting on these young guys not taking a step back. They had enough experience. I don’t think that youth or payroll or anything should stop us from winning ballgames.”
The Indians were overrun by key injuries last season, leading to a distant fourth-place finish in the AL Central, 25 games Minnesota. It’s a long climb back to the top. But Acta believes his club is poised to make it.
“We are not rebuilding,” he said. “Just because we weren’t able to land two or three of the most expensive free agents that doesn’t mean that we’re rebuilding. We have the pieces.”
Last year, the vital ones were broken.
All-Star center fielder Grady Sizemore, shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and catcher Carlos Santana, the sweet-swinging kid who shares a rock-and-roll superstar’s name and could be poised for his own greatness, all went down with major injuries — a devastating blow that gutted the Indians’ defense and carved the heart out of their lineup.
“It’s not like I lost my 7-8-9 hitters,” Acta said. “It was tough.”
The Indians only had Sizemore, Cabrera and Shin-Soo Choo, their best all-around player, in the same starting lineup 28 times. They were forced to promote youngsters like Michael Brantley, Trevor Crowe, Jason Donald, Jayson Nix, Carlos Carrasco and Josh Tomlin — unknown, fresh-faced kids who had no choice but to take their lumps while learning on the fly.
It was a rough ride, but the Indians finished with a strong final kick. They won seven of their final nine games, and a 35-39 record in the second half was the division’s third best, an improvement that has the club’s front office asking for more.
“We need our young players to take a step forward,” said general manager Chris Antonetti, promoted after last season when Mark Shapiro became team president. “Guys that have had some major league experience, either plate appearances or innings in the case of our pitchers, need to take a step forward.
“If they do that and we stay healthy, we have a very talented roster that is certainly capable of being a very good major league team.”
Winning will be difficult enough, and the task will be tougher because the Indians won’t be whole when the season starts.
Sizemore’s still recovering from microfracture left knee surgery and it may be weeks before he’s back in center field and atop Cleveland’s lineup. The 28-year-old’s days of charging like a rhino in cleats toward the gap to take away an extra-base hit or hurl himself like a movie stunt man into the wall could be over. That doesn’t mean he won’t be productive, yet his future is uncertain.
The offense has talent. Choo was the only AL player to hit .300 with 20 homers and 20 steals last season. Those numbers could swell hitting in front of Santana, who didn’t flinch when he was tossed into the cleanup spot upon his arrival from the minors.
Cleveland’s starting rotation is top heavy. Fausto Carmona must build off a 13-win season and the club’s all-right-handed rotation of Justin Masterson, Mitch Talbot, Carrasco and Tomlin has to give Acta big innings. Chris Perez emerged as one of the AL’s top closers with a blistering fastball.
“Just because we didn’t land the biggest fish out there that doesn’t mean we are eternally rebuilding,” said Acta. “We may have a question mark here and there, but we have some bright spots.”