Mark Shapiro...You Are an IDIOT!

If you haven't heard by now, the Cleveland Indians are looking for a new manager. This is great. That is, until you read the list of candidates that are listed as "Finalists" for the position. The four finalists, according to General Manager Mark Shapiro are Manny Acta, Bobby Valentine, Don Mattingly and Torey Luvello. Let's look at these so-called "candidates" one at a time.

First, we've got Manny Acta. Apparently Shapiro thinks that this would be a good hire because Acta was born in the Dominican Republic and thinks he'll be able to pass along his experience to the young Latin players in the Indians organization. Why shouldn't he be hired? Oh, I don't know. Let's start with his .385 winning percentage in three years of managing the Natinals. You know what? We can pretty much end there too.

Then there's Don Mattingly, a guy with NO PREVIOUS MANAGING EXPERIENCE!!! RED FLAG! RED FLAG!!! I know, I know, at some point no one had managing experience. But he doesn't even have Minor League managing experience. His only real work in the Majors is as Joe Torre's hitting coach in New York and now in Los Angeles.

Torey Luvello is currently the manager of the Indians Triple-A affiliate, the Columbus Clippers. You know who else was a manager in the Indians farm system? Eric Wedge and you all know my feelings about him. If you want the next seven years to be exactly like the last seven years, then yes, go right ahead and hire Torey Luvello.

Last, and certainly not least, Bobby Valentine. This is the only candidate that has had success in the Majors. He took the Mets to the World Series in 2000 but his accolades kind of end there. He has over 1,000 Major League victories between his time as the Texas Rangers manager and the Mets skipper but his biggest successes came in his time as the manager of the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan. There, he won a Japan Series Championship as well as the Inaugural Asia Series Championship.

Lost in all this is the fact that Mike Hargrove has expressed interest in managing the Indians once again. Let me repeat that: MIKE HARGROVE WANTS TO MANAGE THE INDIANS! Not only would this be an AWESOME public relations move but even if the team is a sub .500 team, there will be people in the seats because Hargrove is only nine wins away from becoming the all-time winningest manager in Cleveland Indians history. People want to be a part of history. They will come see the man who led the Indians to two American League pennants and did so without ever having a true #1 pitcher to compete with the likes of the Braves, Yankees and Marlins of the '90's.

It's extremely clear to me who SHOULD be the Indians next manager but unfortunately our current management doesn't think that Mike Hargrove is the right move for the Indians to take. Well guess what? Neither are the four other moves you want to make, Mark. Please, just do what's right for the team AND the city.

Fire Shapiro. Get a New Owner.