Washington @ Cleveland preview
Progressive Field
Last Meeting ( Mar 14, 2008 ) Washington 2, Cleveland 3
Manny Acta has a habit of associating himself with awful teams. He managed the Washington Nationals through 2 ½ seasons of misery before being fired at the All-Star break last season with Washington at 26-61.
Acta will face his former team for the first time Friday during interleague play when the Indians host a Washington team that has played surprisingly well this season at 30-31. Acta’s Indians, however, have crumbled.
Cleveland was dealt a pair of major injury blows earlier this season when Grady Sizemore and Asdural Cabrera both went down for extended periods of time.
Acta has the Indians struggling to survive in the weakened American League Central Division, although the Indians are coming off a split of a four-game series against the Boston Red Sox.
Tribe closer Kerry Wood is still struggling to find his groove. He has yet to pitch well enough to live up to the two-year contract the Indians gave him prior to the start of last season.
Wood blew his second save in six chances this season on Thursday, allowing a two-out, two-run homer in the top of the ninth. The Indians rallied in the bottom of the ninth for the win and the split.
Wood, who began the season on the disabled list with a sore muscle in his back, has a 9.58 ERA. He has given up a hit in eight of the 10 innings he has worked this season.
The Nationals, meanwhile, have taken off under new manager Jim Riggleman. Their weekend sweep of the Pirates was their first of the season, making them the last major league team to earn a sweep this season.
Based on their recent play, there could be plenty more to come.
Slugger Adam Dunn has homered in three straight games and the bullpen was sensational throughout the series against the Pirates, pitching 10 1/3 shutout innings. Rookie Luis Atilano will try and keep the hot pitching going against the equally inept Indians’ offense.
Atilano, 25, has received three runs or less in seven of his nine starts this season, yet he’s still 5-2. Atilano must work on his walk/strikeout ratio, which right now is even at 22 each.
The Indians, who released utility infielder Mark Grudzielanek and reliever Jamey Wright on Thursday, will counter with veteran Jake Westbrook.
These next couple of starts could be big for Westbrook, who is in the final year of a deal that will pay him $11 million this season.
The New York Daily News is reporting that the Mets have sent scouts out to see Westbrook, who could be available in a trade as the Indians continue to slash payroll.