Mix and match: Indians’ Acta experiments with different lineups

Photo by: Amy Sancetta

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Photo

With Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Michael McKenry behind the plate, Cleveland Indians second baseman Orlando Cabrera watches his RBI hit in an interleague baseball game in Cleveland on Friday, June 17, 2011. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)

By Paul Hoynes

Cleveland Plain Dealer

The experimenting continues for manager Manny Acta and the Indians lineup. He has used 53 different lineups in 72 games, all in a search for offense.

The Orlando Cabrera trial balloon entered its second game at third base Wednesday. Cabrera has played 1,902 games in the big leagues. The past two have been at third, the first 1,900 were at shortstop and second base.

“I don’t see any issues; a ground ball is a ground ball, and Orlando has good hands,” said Acta. “It gives us some flexibility and more opportunities for him to be in the lineup and to get Cord Phelps some more at-bats.”

Cabrera opened the season as the starting second baseman, but he’s lost playing time since Phelps arrived from Class AAA Columbus to play second June 8.

“I don’t even know how I feel about playing third,” said Cabrera. “I’m not sure how I can put it in words. I did feel a little uncomfortable, of course, because it’s a new position.

“Is it going to be my position? I don’t know. I just feel like it’s an opportunity for me to be in the lineup that I need to take advantage of to help the team win.”

Cabrera is hitting .249 (58-for-233) with nine doubles, three homers and 32 RBIs. Jack Hannahan, the regular third baseman who started at first Wednesday, is hitting .220 (44-for-200) with 10 doubles, five homers and 19 RBIs.

Acta has spent the first 21/2 months of the season waiting for Carlos Santana and Shin-Soo Choo to start producing. It’s been an especially long wait in June. The Indians entered Wednesday’s game with a 7-13 record this month, while hitting .228 and averaging 3.4 runs per game as a team.

In the midst of that sterile offense, Santana and Choo have started to hit. In his past eight games, Santana is hitting .345 (10-for-29) with three homers and five RBIs.

“For me, Carlos started to come around at Yankee Stadium when he started to drive the ball to the opposite field,” said Acta.

Choo is hitting .375 (9-for-24) with five RBIs in his past seven games. His power is still lacking. He has five RBIs in June and hasn’t homered since May 20.

“You can see it coming,” said Acta. “He’s starting to pull the ball with authority.”

Acta thinks Choo is recovering from the mental turmoil he went through following his arrest on DUI charges in May.

“It doesn’t go away overnight, but he’s gotten good support from his teammates,” said Acta.

Buck sent to minors

The Indians optioned outfielder Travis Buck to Triple-A Columbus.

The club made the move following Wednesday night’s 4-3 win over Colorado, but did not announce it until Thursday, an off day before beginning a nine-game interleague trip to three NL cities.

In two stints with the Indians, Buck has batted .228 with two homers and nine RBIs in 32 games. He doubled in Wednesday’s win.

The Indians are expected to recall Shelley Duncan from the Clippers before tonight’s series opener in San Francisco. Duncan was optioned to the minors on June 8, when the club promoted Phelps.

The club’s best pinch-hitter, Duncan hit .222 with two homers and 17 RBIs before being sent down.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.