Indians’ GM Mark Shapiro has narrowed his list of managerial candidates to four names: Former Washington skipper Manny Acta, former Rangers and Mets manager Bobby Valentine, Dodgers’ bench coach Don Mattingly, and the Tribe’s AAA skipper Torey Lovullo. All are interesting names with different backgrounds.
The thought here is that Acta is the frontrunner, although the team is still going through the interview process.
Acta’s record looks terrible, but you have to remember that the Nationals are one of the worst run franchises in baseball. He went 73-89 in his first year, and followed that up with a 59-102 record in 2008, before getting fired at the all-star break with Washington sporting a 26-61 record.
Before you dismiss Acta, remember that Casey Stengel didn’t have a sterling record as a manager before taking over the Yankees, and Terry Francona was run out of Philadelphia before leading the Red Sox to two world championships.
I have no idea how Acta runs a game, but he managed with horrible talent, and didn’t win. That’s not a crime.
Valentine seems like an odd fit for the Indians, but maybe he is the “different” voice the Tribe needs. He’s had some initial success in turning losing teams into winners, and won a pennant with the Mets in 2000. He took over the Rangers, a seventh place team in 1985 (he managed the last 129 games) and guided them to second in 1986. He had five finishes over .500 in eight years.
With the Mets, he inherited a team that finished 78-84 in 1996, and guided them to five straight winning seasons before being let go following the 2002 campaign. He’s a baseball lifer.
However, he probably didn’t help himself with the front office by admitting he knows little about the Indians’ players and the other teams in the Central Division. In an organization that prides itself on preparedness, this didn’t help Valentine.
Mattingly has an impressive resume as a player, but has not managed at the big league level. He has been on Joe Torre’s coaching staff with the Yankees and Dodgers, but has always been in the background, and has always been involved with big market franchises.
I doubt Shapiro will take a chance on someone who hasn’t managed before.
Which brings us to Lovullo, who probably is really being considered for a position on the new skipper’s coaching staff rather than as a manager. Lovullo has managed in the Tribe farm system for a long time, but it would be a tough sell to the ticket buying public to hire a minor league manager whose team finished last in the International League last season.
Look, hiring a manager is important, but it’s more important to acquire talent, particularly starting pitching. The previous manager’s biggest weakness in my opinion was handling the pitchers, especially the bullpen. So, hopefully the guy Shapiro picks will be better in that regard.
Still, no one would win if there weren’t better talent, especially in the starting rotation. You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. Just ask the guy who will likely be the Tribe’s 40th manager, Manny Acta.
KM
Cleveland Sports Perspective 