Acta, Tribe brass discuss coaching staff

Acta, Tribe brass discuss coaching staff
Decisions likely to be announced in November

By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com

10/26/09 8:00 PM ET

CLEVELAND -- Before he met with the press Monday at Progressive Field, newly appointed Indians manager Manny Acta spent his first morning on the job sitting down with general manager Mark Shapiro and assistant general manager Chris Antonetti to discuss potential options, both internal and external, for his coaching staff.

Acta didn't name names, but he said he hopes to have the process of naming his staff complete in the next two weeks.

"It's going to be a full-time job that started this morning," he said.

Acta has another job on the horizon, as he's committed to help out with Spanish-language FOX Sports' coverage of the World Series between the Yankees and Phillies. Teams are discouraged from making news announcements during the Series, so it's likely that Acta will begin to reveal his staffing decisions in early to mid-November.

Shapiro, who dismissed Eric Wedge and his entire coaching staff in the last week of the 2009 season, said he doesn't envision a firm deadline for having the new staff in place.

"We want that coaching staff to be a potential difference-maker for us," Shapiro said. "There's no time limit, there's no buzzer that goes off. [It will take] as long as it takes to get the right guys."

Shapiro had said early in the managerial interview process that the pitching coach position is an especially important one for the Indians, who have several young starters developing at the Major League level. Triple-A Columbus pitching coach Scott Radinsky is a likely internal candidate for that spot.

As far as internal candidates for the coaching positions on the bench and in the field, Columbus manager Torey Lovullo, who was a finalist for the Tribe's managerial post, Double-A manager Mike Sarbaugh and Columbus hitting coach Jon Nunnally are all likely to be considered.

Acta, who used former Tribe manager Pat Corrales as his bench coach in Washington, discussed what he looks for in that position.

"It's very important," he said. "I have this dream where I surround myself with people that I don't have to worry so much about what they're going to do. A bench coach, to me, I want guys next to me managing. If I turn and mouth something off to him, he's ready to answer. I'm not looking for somebody with a black marker in his hand, just crossing off names and replacing them with others."

Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.