Fausto Carmona News

Jake Westbrook is the Indians' purported Opening Day starter for April 5 in Chicago, but he has a high hill to climb first.

So it begins for Manny Acta. The 40th manager of the Indians was hired late on a Saturday night, Oct.

Manny Acta is nearing the end of his first month on the job as the Indians' manager.

The decline of the Cleveland Indians over the past two years, from playoff contender in 2007, to league average in 2008, to cellar dweller in 2009, has been perhaps the most dramatic in the major leagues.

During his search for Cleveland's pitching coach, new Indians manager Manny Acta was meeting with general manager Mark Shapiro when Tim Belcher's name came up for discussion.

Here's the 2009 scouting report on Phillies star pitcher Cliff Lee in the Maple Street Press 2009 Indians Annual : In 2007, Cliff Lee had about as bad a season as a veteran pitcher can have.

Alex Rodriguez haters are having a worse October than balloon boy's parents. This used to be their favorite time of year.

Mark Shapiro and Manny Acta won't win many popularity contests together in the city of Cleveland, but that doesn't mean they can't be a match made in heaven.

He takes over a team that was picked by many experts to win in the Central Division, yet the Tribe finished 65-97. That's also losing 97 games in perhaps baseball's weakest division, meaning there is a lot of room to improve.

Manny Acta becomes the 40th manager in Cleveland Indians history. There's a scene in the old Batman movie where Jack Nicholson's Joker is seeing himself for the first time while his bandages are coming off.

CLEVELAND: Manny Acta spent a majority of the second half of the baseball season paying close attention to the television, watching and then often re-watching games involving teams that he had a hunch would soon be looking for a manager.

The Indians will announce their new manager after the conclusion of the World Series, which, given the number of off-days built into the postseason schedule, should be sometime on or around Memorial Day 2010.

Chicago White Sox outfielder Dewayne Wise refused his outright assignment to Triple-A Charlotte on Friday and has thus become a free agent.

Here are the Red Sox [ team stats ] right fielder's recollections on three of those shots.

CLEVELAND: Their disappointing season mercifully over, Indians players cleared out their lockers today after losing 97 games.

BOSTON: If no new candidates are added to the Indians' group of starters, will the team be able to field a representative rotation? Manager Eric Wedge thinks so.

Fausto Carmona will have one last opportunity to end what has been a disappointing season on a positive note.

Splitting a doubleheader against the lowly Cleveland Indians on Wednesday didn't exactly make manager Ozzie Guillen's exit strategy from Chicago next week any easier.

Eric Wedge added another win to his managerial resume. He'll be sending it out soon.

Eric Wedge's last game as Indians manager could be Sunday in Boston. Boston Red Sox ptiching coach John Farrell has been mentioned as a possible replacement, but Farrell's current contract may keep him in Boston through the 2010 season.