Acta: Indians fans shouldn’t get too excited

Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS

However the season is dissected, the Cleveland Indians have certainly started strong.

For manager Manny Acta, it’s not the time for this to matter.

Arguably baseball’s biggest early surprise, the Indians rolled into Minnesota with the best record in the American League at 13-6. The defending AL Central champion Twins are already six games behind.

Acta was speaking cautiously like any manager or coach in sports would, but he even looked uncomfortable as he fielded questions from reporters about his fledgling team before Friday’s postponed game against the Twins.

“They’ve been the best team in our division the past few years. The title chase still runs through Minnesota,” Acta said. “It’s still very early. Way too early. I know everyone would rather be on top right now. That’s normal, but it’s way too early. Let’s not forget these guys were trailing the White Sox by like five games after the All-Star break, and they won the division relatively easy.”

Chicago beat Minnesota on July 15, the first game of the second half, and led the Central by 41/2 games. The Twins clinched it on Sept. 21, with a win against the Indians no less.

Cleveland’s quest to build on this early edge was squelched by a cold, steady rain over Target Field that prompted the game to be called about a half-hour before Friday’s scheduled first pitch.

No makeup date was announced, but the rescheduled matchup will be either in July (18-20) or September (16-18) during one of the other trips that Cleveland makes to Minnesota this season. The teams have a day off in common on Monday, Sept. 19. Otherwise, they’ll probably play a split doubleheader.

For now, they’ll just face off twice this weekend, with the weather expected to improve.

Twins pushed the scheduled start for left-hander Brian Duensing back to today’s game, when he’ll face Fausto Carmona. Twins right-hander Carl Pavano will start on Sunday afternoon, facing right-hander Carlos Carrasco, who was bumped back a day like Carmona.