One of the slowest moving managerial interview processes in recent memory, the Baltimore Orioles finally seem to be making some progress in finding their next bench boss.
According to Jon Heyman of Fancred and MLB Network, Manny Acta, formerly the manager of the Washington Nationals and Cleveland Indians, has emerged as a candidate for the Baltimore Orioles position. Additionally, Roch Kubatko of MASN reported that Joe Espada, previously considered a prime managerial candidate for the positions in Toronto and Los Angeles, won’t be interviewing with the Orioles front office.
Acta, who has managed over 800 games at the major league level, is evidently an intriguing name to add to the chase, especially at this stage. Acta, 49, has a seemingly endless list of credentials in coaching and managing.
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He started as the manager of the Class-A Auburn Astros before coaching the Quad City River Bandits in the late 1990s (both affiliates of the Houston Astros). He then spent three seasons as the manager of the Kissimmee Cobras, a now-defunct High-A affiliate of the Astros.
In 2002, he was hired as the third base coach of the Montreal Expos, then served as the third base coach of the New York Mets from 2005 to 2006. He then began his managing career, serving as the Nationals’ manager from 2007 to 2009 and as the Cleveland Indians’ manager from 2010 to 2012.
Recently, he served as the bench coach for the Seattle Mariners, managing the team for two games early in the season, taking the place of regular manager Scott Servais. For his career, he’s collected 372 managerial wins in parts of seven seasons.
While it’s currently unknown just how serious the Orioles are in hiring Acta as their new skipper, he’s certainly a name to keep an eye on as their search progresses in the next few weeks.