GLENDALE, Ariz. — Indians manager Manny Acta doesn’t have many decisions to make this spring. It’s a good thing, since Acta said Sunday that he is not close to making any of them.
“We’ve got two weeks left,” said Acta, prior to Cleveland’s 12-5 victory over the Dodgers at The Ballpark at Camelback Ranch. “We’re not going to make any decisions right now.”
Acta’s biggest decision will come in the rotation, where three pitchers — left-handers David Huff and Aaron Laffey, and right-hander Mitch Talbot — are competing for two jobs.
Talbot, the only one without minor-league options, has pitched the best during the exhibition season, posting a 1-0 record and microscopic 0.79 ERA in four appearances (two starts) — 11 1/3 innings.
Laffey is 1-1 with a 4.22 ERA in four games (three starts), covering 102/3 innings, while Huff is at 1-1 with a 6.57 ERA in four appearances (three starts) — 121/3 innings.
The thought is that whoever loses out in the rotation race will join the Indians’ bullpen, which has three openings, now that closer Kerry Wood will miss 6-8 weeks with a strained right lat muscle.
Laffey is the only one with any real experience as a big-league reliever, making six appearances out of Cleveland’s bullpen last year. That could work against him in his bid for a starting spot.
Acta’s most difficult decision is likely to come in left field, where four players — Michael Brantley, Matt LaPorta, Austin Kearns and Trevor Crowe — are vying for the starting job.
That view has been further muddled by the uncertain status of first baseman Russell Branyan (herniated disk lower back), who has yet to make an exhibition appearance. If Branyan is unable to start the season, LaPorta and Kearns would become options at first base.
“I think a lot of that is going to be revealed once the Russell Branyan situation is more clear,” Acta said.
“We feel comfortable with any of those guys out there (in left field).”
Crowe is batting .348 (8-for-23) with three doubles and five RBIs in seven exhibition games. LaPorta, who got a late start to camp after undergoing two offseason surgeries (left big toe, left hip), is hitting .417 (5-for-12) with a double and five RBIs in five games. Kearns is batting .250 (7-for-28) with two doubles, two home runs and five RBIs in 11 games, while Brantley is at .323 (10-for-31) with a double, triple and four RBIs in 11 games.
Brantley, who is considered the best defensive outfielder among the candidates, left Sunday’s game for precautionary reasons after stepping awkwardly on his right ankle while running to first base.
Kearns, who had surgery on his right thumb and was limited to 80 games for the Nationals last year, easily has the most big-league experience as an eight-year veteran.
“Like everybody else, he is tied for first,” Acta said of Kearns, who could also make the roster as a utility infielder/outfielder. “We’ll make that decision at the end of camp.”
With a starter expected to grab one of the bullpen spots, two are still open, which was the case when training camp began. Right-handers Jensen Lewis (0-0, 3.00 ERA in five appearances) and Jamey Wright (1-0, 1.17 ERA in five appearances) are the frontrunners for the vacancies, with Jess Todd, Saul Rivera and Jeremy Sowers also in the mix.
Though nothing is official in the race for the starting catching job between Lou Marson (.222 with an RBI in eight games) and Wyatt Toregas (.200 with two RBIs in seven games), it would be a surprise if Marson, who was part of last year’s trade with the Phillies for Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco, doesn’t win the job. Veteran Mike Redmond will take a roster spot as the backup.
There are three utility spots open, with Branyan’s status expected to play a part in this department as well.
Whoever doesn’t win the left field job would become utility candidates, though the Indians would most likely not put one of their young players — i.e. LaPorta, Brantley or Crowe — on the bench, rather than having them play on a fulltime basis at the Triple-A level.
Kearns, veteran infielder Mark Grudzielanek, infielder/outfielder Shelley Duncan and infielder Luis Rodriguez are all options for utility spots.
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.
