(AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Indians hire Manny Acta as manager

By TOM WITHERS,

CLEVELAND (AP) The Cleveland Indians have hired Manny Acta as their manager.

Acta signed a three-year contract with a club option for 2013, team spokesman Bart Swain said Sunday. Additional terms were not disclosed.

Acta was fired by the Washington Nationals in July.

The Indians chose him after a second round of interviews over former New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine and Indians Triple-A manager Torey Lovullo. The team also had been expected to interview Dodgers hitting coach Don Mattingly.

"We are very excited to have Manny Acta on board as our major league manager," Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said in a statement. "After speaking with an impressive array of candidates, we feel that Manny is a very strong and experienced leader who possesses great energy and enthusiasm along with tremendous communication skills and a positive mindset that will command a presence in the dugout, clubhouse and with our fans."

The 40-year-old Acta, who was drafted by the Astros as a 17-year-old first baseman, also interviewed for Houston's opening this offseason.

The Indians will introduce him at a news conference Monday.

Acta went 158-252 in 2 1/2 seasons with the Nationals, who fired him after a 21-61 start this season. The Indians, though, dismissed Acta's poor record and appreciated the way he developed some of the franchise's young players.

Cleveland tied for last in the AL Central after coming into this season with high expectations. The Indians fired manager Eric Wedge in the final week of the season.

Updated October 25, 2009