Breaking Down Acta: The Press Conference

HOLY CRAP

Has this guy been in the organization longer than one day or something?

He talked as if he's been here for awhile.

He dropped a Hector Rondon mention! I mean, who does that?!

He even dropped Nick Weglarz!

Um he was asked about Fausto Carmona specifically and he narrowed in to his final two starts as if he was in the dugout for them.

I mean, does this guy do his homework or what?

Let's start going over things... I'm going to talk quotes, but I'm just going through the presser and giving you my opinion as I hear it, I've pretty much listened to this thing twice now. I'll throw in specific quotes from Hoynes and AC's articles.

He recognizes a lot of things: the history of this franchise for the most part (the 455 sellout streak), the passion of the fan base, the weaknesses of the team (the starting pitching), the effort is going to take and the division they play in. He was sort of kind on it though calling it the "most balanced."

"These people over here are very good poker players." Got a chuckle out of me. It would hard to not be aware of you not being a favorite. I think this directly speaks to how aware he is, but only of the things that matter. He cares about Aaron Laffey taking the next step, but not necessarily the media reports that he himself is the favorite for the job. Sure he could be aware of that, but I think it just says a lot about what he values. Baseball is first with this guy.

He talked about not being a Youtube highlight. This isn't going to go over well with the people that wanted Wedge to show fire. Acta sounds like he is just like Wedge in the instance that he's a competitive individual, but not one to wear his emotions on his sleeve. I think a manager needs to know when to speak up and I think Wedge didn't do the greatest job at this.

Acta comes off as someone and given what he's said, as having that quiet competitive spirit that Wedge did. We'll have to see if he has the knack to know when to speak up. Shapiro called him an elite communicator, so remember that.

"If you give people the opportunity to choose between, say, Joe Torre after his first three years with the Mets or the Joe Torre now, I believe everyone would pick the one from now," Acta said. "I think we have to look back and know that not everybody who is a big shot now was a big shot when they started. I think big shots are just little shots who keep shooting, and I'm not willing to quit shooting until I become a big shot."

The response to his question about the record with the Nationals was brilliant. He made it all about the Indians and not about the Nationals. Yeah it was a rebuilding process and whatever, but this is where I'm at now and that's what I'm focused on. Then he referenced Joe Torre specifically as you can see above and gave this funny thing about big shots and little shots. I loved it. It shows he realizes this is his second chance to prove what happened in Washington happened in Washington and that he's far better than what that showed. Brilliantly handled.

He talked about the influence of Frank Robinson. That is not a bad guy to learn from.

"I battled this organization for years in the Minor Leagues," Acta said. "This is a place where a lot of people want to be. In 2007, I worked as an analyst during the playoffs [for Spanish-language FOX Sports] and fell in love with the Indians back then."

It really sounds like this guy eats, sleeps and breathes baseball. He talked about the 2007 stint as an analyst and how he fell in love with the team. He talked about seeing it from the other side when he was in the minors. So he is aware of some of the current guys just from that perspective.

The point when he starts naming players. Jake Westbrook, Peralta, Laffey, Carmona, Huff, Rondon, Santana, Weglarz, Mills. Just floored me. Okay he knew Jake Westbrook was good and needed him to get back and that Fausto and Jhonny have struggled. But to pull out Laffey and Rondon and Weglarz! WEGLARZ!

The lineup discussion is interesting. We'll get to that later, but it sounds the normal run of the mill perspective. You want a lineup but if changes need to be made, changes need to be made.

Big on pitching and defense was something he mentioned specifically as "big." You know I like that.. At this point he mentioned for the second time how athletic the team was.

With that he talked about the starting rotation and he fielded a question directly about Fausto Carmona. I mentioned it above, but he sounded like he was with Fausto with the two starts when he looked better. It's good to know they have a prior relationship though.

He tackled his favorite stat, which seemed to be OBP. Big on getting on base because that provides you chances to score. He threw in a little OPS love for Shapiro, but he was big on getting on base.

I loved when the woman in the press said the "1997 Indians" and he immediately corrected her. I don't even want to address what she said though because it wasn't really a question worth anything.

He isn't even waiting till winter to reach out to his players. He said it starts tomorrow. Beautiful, beautiful. He follows it up with his first joke about how he sucks at golf, so why do that? Again he eats baseball.

"It was very tough day for me emotionally," said Acta, who grew up in the Astros organization. "That being said, we have to do what's best for us. I felt Cleveland was perfect for me."

Acta confirmed he made his decision Saturday night and talked a little bit about making the decision between his "dream job" and the Indians. I think he made it clear this was a better situation.

Tackled Peralta. He said he has a higher ceiling and that he's going to reach out to him, which makes me happy if he's going to be around. He realized how important Peralta is to the success of this club offensively.

Acta said he will use the first few weeks of spring training to get a feel and take a look at guys, but that the last few weeks, it is "all out." You gotta love that Anti-Wedgeites.

Ah the Grady leadoff question... Knew that was coming... Of course Acta said he'll look at things. He keyed on LaPorta though saying it might rely on him and where they put him.

Acta said what I've been thinking.. Things aren't totally bad if this rotation is fixed. The problem is the rotation is really lacking that it really hurts. You put together a rotation you can do some things.

Um wow he's reference two reporters (David and Terry Pluto) by name. Seriously has this guy been around?

"People are always going to say the same things when things don't work out," said Acta. "I really don't worry about my reputation. Reputation is only what people think and say about you, and I can't control that."

Terry Pluto by the way brought up the discipline issue with Washington. Again, Acta said the right things. Things were said, by Washington of course and he's moving on. He mentioned how nothing was said when they exceeded expectations and he isn't worried about what went down.

I love the fact that he has that same sort of demeanor. It's what I liked about Wedge. Yeah I don't care about my reputation. I'll take the brunt and the blame, I can't control it. Let the players do the work type of mentality. Wedge protected his guys, I think Acta will do the same. He did it in Washington.

Mark Shapiro chimed in... At that point he laughed and said "this has been the best press conference ever."

Anyway Shapiro mentioned the elite communicator thing and said there was an "ease" talking to him. Shapiro wouldn't comment on Valentine specifically when asked. He made a general statement about insights gained from the guys they brought in to talk to and the ones they talked to on the phone.

"Every decision in life is tough," Acta said. "I wanted to come to a place where I can grow with the front office and the good group of young, talented players we have here, and become good for a long time. ... I consider myself a blessed human being. Both jobs were offered. It was a very tough day for me, emotionally. But that being said, you have to do what's best. And I felt that Cleveland was best."

Back to Acta... He was up front about not knowing much about the city itself. He said fans want to win just as much as everyone else and they don't come to see him, but the product on the field. But he did realize the passion and how could you not? Every city has it. He just might not know that this fan-base is a little crazy.

Manny wants someone in a bench coach that is managing with him, someone who is thinking and he can turn to and ask.

If Jamey Carroll returns, he'll have to pick yet another new number as Acta is taking 11. 14 was retired (Uh Doby!!!) so 11 it is after his birthday.

Okay.. Now Acta did a follow up with Bruce Drennen on STO. You can view that video here.



My impressions, because of course Bruce has to be nice and ask about his family.

Lefty/Righty... He used that "common sense" guy thing. He's a stats guy of course, so yeah he'll do what he needs to do. I loved his "bikini" comparison, brilliant.

Acta clarified a comment he made in the press conference when talking about the lead-off spot. I was kind of confused but he did say Choo was like LaPorta that he could change who does hit there based off where he hits.

Let's revisit the coaching discussion because this is something big that Bruce brings up. Acta said nothing will be forced on him and that they will make the decision as a team. They've already begun the process and according to Hoynes, they hope to have a staff finalized in the next two to three weeks.

Bruce brought up Luis Isaac specifically. Yaaaa.

Acta went back to the athletic point when Bruce brought up the national league style of ball. Acta seems like a guy who is going to manage to what his team's skill set is. I don't think he's a guy set on some sort of approach or mindset. He goes with what his team can do and I like that.

And because I didn't even bring it up, the whole thing with his 800-word English book. That's just fantastic.

And that would do it.

Overall.. I was impressed, just as much as I was with the initial media session. The guy has a way with words. He may be from the Dominican but he has a good grasp on the English language and knows his way around it, perhaps better than some Americans even do.

It all comes down to the field though. This is all well and good and I can sit here and praise him for his press conference and his interviews. But we're about to get into the testing of Manny Acta. Let's see what he's got. It was a good day for the Cleveland Indians right now and hopefully when we look back on it in a few years, it turns into a fantastic day.

Watch (part of) the press conference here.

Listen to the entire press conference here.