Manny Acta Turns Down Houston Astros' Skipper Position, Heads to Cleveland

Things really couldn’t get much worse for the Houston Astros right now.

Manny Acta, who practically considered the Astros “family,” has turned down an offer to be their new manager.

Instead, Acta is heading to Cleveland as the Indians' new skipper.

The Houston Chronicle’s Jose de Jesus Ortiz reportedly spoke to an individual with knowledge of the situation and was told that the length of Acta’s contract became the major hang-up in negotiations on Saturday evening, Oct. 24.

On Sunday, Oct. 25, Acta was named the new manager of the Cleveland Indians with a three-year contract and an option for 2013.

“I’m not getting into this,” Astros general manager Ed Wade told Ortiz. “We’re conducting our business in private.”

Team owner Drayton McLane also didn’t have much to say to Ortiz regarding Acta’s decision to turn down the Stros and go with the Indians.

“We got some more to go,” McLane told Ortiz. “Until we get that down, we’re just not going to make any comment. It would not be appropriate.”

Appropriate?

Is it appropriate for fans to assume upper management let Acta go over an issue such as the length of the contract?

This is absurd.

Regardless of things being done “in private,” as Wade likes to say all the time, this latest news is bad news for the Houston Astros.

Apparently, that leaves the Stros with three more options as their 2010 skipper: former manager Phil Garner, interim manger Dave Clark, or Boston bench coach Brad Mills.

One thing is absolutely apparent with how the Astros are handling their new skipper search: They don’t know what they’re doing.

Letting Acta go to Cleveland hurts.

Let’s hope that Wade and McLane can bounce back from this latest jab.

It’s only a matter of time before Houston names its new skipper.

Who will that be?

Obviously not Manny Acta.

Houston, we have a problem...

Denton Ramsey may be reached via email at [e-mail]