Manny Acta's Nationals were bad last year and his Indians are bad this year. Infielder Anderson Hernandez, a National last year and an Indian this year, says there's a difference between the two teams.
Tribe manager Manny Acta says some of the Indians' defensive woes have been the result of new players getting little chance to settle in at their positions -- such as catcher Carlos Santana.CINCINNATI -- Anderson Hernandez slogged his way through a good part of the Washington Nationals' 103-loss season last year before he was traded to the Mets. He does not feel the Indians sliding down the same slope this year.
The Indians entered Saturday night's game against Cincinnati at 26-46 and on pace to lose 104 games.
"We're in last place, yes, but it's a little different than last year," said Hernandez. "We've lost some games early here, but I think if we pull together I think we can have a good team.
"We've made some mistakes, but I think if we correct them, we can win a lot of games."
Hernandez said the attitude with the Indians is better than it was last year with the Nationals.
"Last year we had a lot of young players, just like here," he said. "Some people wanted to win, but we lost. But here, everybody wants to win."
Last season was Manny Acta's third the Nationals' manager. He was fired on July 13 with the Nats listing at 26-61. Acta said the two seasons were not the same.
Tribe manager Manny Acta didn't get much satisfaction from umpire Paul Nauert after Nauert called Orlando Cabrera safe at home following a hit by Scott Rolen Saturday night in Cincinnati.INDIANS CHATTER
Clubhouse confidential: Manny Acta said he would have let Arizona's Edwin Jackson complete his 149-pitch no-hitter against Tampa Bay on Friday night.
“If he's got a no-hitter going, yes, I'd let him go,” said Acta. “Those are special cases and it's already this late into the season. Those are special things that a guy might do only once in his career.
“People complain too much. They complain that people don't complete games anymore. But they forget when people threw all those complete games years ago, they were throwing 160 to 170 pitches. It's not like this kid is going to be doing this every week.
“We have kids in high school and college throwing that many pitches in a game.”
Don't forget to vote: The Indians players and coaches filled out their All-Star ballots before Saturday's game. Acta said if he had to pick All-Stars from the Indians, he go with Shin-Soo Choo, Fausto Carmona and Mitch Talbot.
Stat of the day: Talbot leads AL rookies with seven wins, 4.08 ERA, 90 1/3 innings pitched, .539 winning percentage and one complete game.
— Paul Hoynes
"The difference here is that we have more pieces," he said. "We know that the farm system is already starting to produce some of the players we were anticipating to be here.
"It gives us light at the end of the tunnel. It's different. If we're going through the same thing three years from now, then you guys can ask me that question. Don't forget that was my third year."
Clang in the night: Acta says the Tribe's defensive problems aren't because of a lack of effort. He says it's because of injuries and offensive slumps. The Indians entered Saturday's game against the Reds leading the American League with 55 errors.
"You're always concerned about the defense, especially when you have a pitching staff like we have," said Acta. "We're near the bottom in strikeouts and near the top in walks. That's not a good combination.
"The best defensive teams have the same guys playing in the same spots day after day. We haven't been able to do that."
The Indians lost shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and center fielder Grady Sizemore to injuries. Cabrera could be back after the All-Star break. Sizemore is out for the season.
"Injuries to our two best defensive players have made us have a revolving door," said Acta. "The fact that [Luis] Valbuena struggled so bad at second base that we had to move guys around every day just to get the best lineup on the field [didn't help].
"The fact that we couldn't play Russell Branyan or Matt LaPorta every day at the start of the season didn't help either. You can't have a revolving door at so many positions and play good defense. That's why we've gone from being second in fielding to last.
"We've had four or five guys at short, four or five guys at second, four or five guys at first, three or four guys in left field. No excuses, but you can't play good defense like that."
Valbuena, demoted to Class AAA Columbus on Thursday, leads the Indians with six errors. Branyan, Cabrera and Jhonny Peralta have five each. Justin Masterson, who started Saturday night, leads all AL pitchers with four errors.
Newest Indian: Jayson Nix, claimed on waivers Thursday, started at second base Saturday. He joined the Tribe hitting .160 with five errors in 25 games with the White Sox. It was not a ringing endorsement since Valbuena, the man he replaced, went to Columbus hitting .166 with six errors.
"It's good to get out there and playing again," said Nix before the game. On Friday, he appeared as a pinch hitter, as did his brother, Laynce, for the Reds. On Saturday, Nix started at second and Laynce started in left field.
"It's funny how things happen," said Nix, about facing the Reds. "It's cool how it's worked hard. We don't get to see each other much during the summer. It worked out well."
The White Sox designated him for assignment on June 17.
"There wasn't an opportunity for at bats in Chicago," said Nix. "Mark Teahen signed a three-year deal. Gordon Beckham is their guy. They're going to let those guys play."
Finally: Catcher Carlos Santana, lifted from Friday's game with a jammed left thumb after hitting a two-run homer, was back in the lineup Saturday. He had an RBI double in his first at-bat.