Was Orlando Cabrera played too often by Manny Acta? Hey, Hoynsie!

The trade deadline will eventually pass, but the fans' interest in getting answers from Paul Hoynes never ends.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerOh Orlando, we hardly knew ye.

Hey, Hoynsie: I really like Manny Acta. However, why does he play Orlando Cabrera so often. My real beef is that he often bats him fifth in the order. Bat him seven, eight, or nine and you might live with that. -- Alan Wilson, Fredonia, Wis.

Hey, Alan: Have you taken a close look at the rest of the Indians' lineup? It's not brimming with a lot of hitters better than Cabrera. Then again, after Saturday night's trade with the Giants, you won't have to worry about it anymore.

Hey, Hoynsie: It's unbelievable that Grady Sizemore played from May to July with asports hernia. I asked my surgeon about playing major-league baseball with a hernia for two months, and he said that Sizemore is either the toughest cookie to ever play the game or he flat-out is Superman. -- Lenny Ripinski, Jr., Dubuque, Iowa

Hey, Lenny: Sizemore has proven he can play through injuries. In 2009, he played with basically the same injury from April until he had surgery in September. When you play like that, there has to be a cost at some point in your career. But that's the way Sizemore has always played.

Hey, Hoynsie: Does Jason Donald have any experience playing the outfield? The Indians were obviously sold on him by all but handing him the third-base job in spring training prior to his injury. Now he's hitting the cover off the ball at Class AAA Columbus, but hasn't been given a shot yet at the major-league level. I would think it's easier to convert from infield to outfield than the other way around. -- Nick Steimle, North Olmsted

Hey, Nick: Infielders moving to the outfield usually have an easier time than outfielders moving to the infield. That being said, I think Donald's best chance to make a big-league club is as a utility infielder.

I think injuries more than anything have held Donald back this year. It doesn't appear Donald has played the outfield as a professional.

Hey, Hoynsie: When Travis Buck was optioned to Class AAA Columbus at one point this year, one of the Indians players got hurt and Buck was recalled right away. However, I read where after Shelley Duncan was sent to Columbus, he had to stay there for 10 days. Why is that? -- Barry Elliott, Jackson Center

Hey, Barry: You answered your own question. If a player gets optioned to the minors from the big leagues, he must stay there for at least 10 days unless there is an injury.

Hey, Hoynsie: I see where former Indians' manager Eric Wedge is already setting epicrecords in Seattle by managing the Mariners to 17 straight losses. And, believe it or not, after the first dozen losses, Eric -- without accepting any personal responsibility -- told the media that his players had to be "tougher" to win. Do you think that someday Eric will actually accept responsibility for his own actions, or will he continue to blame others as he had throughout his career? -- Jon Dibinski, Johnsontown, Pa.

Hey, Jon: I covered Wedge as Indians manager from his first day to the last. He always took full responsibility for the club's record and performance. He expected the players to do the same thing.

Hey, Hoynsie: After last Sunday's game, Acta said a couple times that people would be surprised at the efforts the Indians had made to acquire players before the deadline. Does this mean we will get an idea of trades that fell through? -- Joe Winnfield, Columbus

Hey, Joe: Well, we already saw what happened in the case of Carlos Beltran turning down the Tribe. I think Acta was just stating on how hard the front office was working on trying to make a deal. That was proven on Saturday night.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerAsdrubal Cabrera has been the Indians' most dynamic player in 2011, but he doesn't have a resume that equals the Mets' Jose Reyes quite yet, says Paul Hoynes.

Hey, Hoynsie: At this point in their careers, who is a better shortstop -- Asdrubal Cabrera or Jose Reyes? Assuming Reyes gets paid like rumors suggest ($15 million to $18 million per year) what will Cabrera's value be when it's his turn to get paid and will the Indians pony up the dough to keep him? -- Jeff Miller, New Haven, Conn.

Hey, Jeff: Not only has Jose Reyes received more publicity than Asdrubal Cabrera, but he must be considered a better player at this point in his career.

The Indians control Cabrera for 2012 and 2013, until he's eligible for free agency. If he's a $15 million to $18 million a year shortstop by then, he won't be staying in Cleveland.

Hey, Hoynsie: How long do the Indians wait for Matt LaPorta to improve? -- Rick Sigrist, Marion

Hey, Rick: The ankle injury didn't help LaPorta, but no doubt it's been a frustrating year for the first baseman to this point. Big things were expected of him coming out of spring training.

Hey, Hoynsie: What are the Tribe's offensive stats and won-loss record after the change from Jon Nunnally to Bruce Fields as hitting coach? -- Chuck Walker, Olmsted Township

Hey, Chuck: The Indians announced the firing of Nunnally before the June 19th game against Pittsburgh. They were 38-31 at the time and hitting .251 (582-for-2,318) with 302 runs as a team.

Since the change, the Indians are 14-20 and hitting .233 (264-for-1,131) with 130 runs as a team.

Don't forget the Indians have been without Shin-Soo Choo and Grady Sizemore for a big chunk of time since the change was made.

-- Hoynsie

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2011/07/was_orlando_cabrera_played_too.html

Petrofac Robert Schumann Office for National Statistics Qatar Sir Michael Lyons Darren Bent