Absolutely Shocking Interview

We've covered Manny Acta before, but it's just, I don't know, pleasant to find out that a current baseball manager seems so eminently sane. Here is the man giving an interview to some sort of Internet computer blog:

SB: What’s your stance on bunting and other one run strategies?

MA: Bunting is pretty outdated. Everybody scores so many runs nowadays, it doesn’t make sense to play for one run unless it’s late in the game and it’s close. I hardly ever bunt early in a game, unless it’s with a pitcher. A big inning can win you a game. One run in the third inning can’t, unless you have Pedro pitching.

Correct. Even throws in an interesting point about the increased run-scoring environment of the modern game. Outs are precious. Manny Acta understands this.

SB: Lightning Round. Best hitter in the game, non-Barry division.

MA: Albert Pujols. No question.

Fine with this. Down year this year, but Albert has been superhuman for several seasons now.

SB: Best pitcher.

MA: Roy Oswalt. He’s just tough as nails. He comes at you like nobody else. That’s a tough place to pitch, and he’s been very consistent.

Would've chosen Santana probably. Oswalt is on the downslide. Joe's c-word rears its head. But still, read on for Manny to redeem himself.

SB: Best player.

MA: Alex Rodriguez.

Sure.

SB: What’s your favorite blog?

MA: Squawking Baseball, of course. I read Baseball Prospectus a lot too. Will Carroll writes some of my favorite stuff. I also loved Mind Game.

He reads several blogs? The Prospy? Wilfred B. Carroll? We gotta start rooting for this guy, right? I point this out not only to raise Acta's profile a little, but also to show that you can read nerdy computer number Blackberry Internet iPhone shit and still manage a team without everything falling apart. I think the Nats actually outperformed expectations -- not that Acta necessarily was responsible for this, but still.

Sorry so positive. More venom to come.