Tim Belcher hired by Indians

CLEVELAND (AP) — During his search for Cleveland’s pitching coach, new Indians manager Manny Acta was meeting with general manager Mark Shapiro when Tim Belcher’s name came up for discussion.

After a few minutes, Acta had heard enough.

“He said, ‘Why are we going any farther? This is the guy,’ ” Shapiro said.

Belcher, who has done just about everything but pitch for the Indians, is the first member of Acta’s new staff. The 48-year-old Belcher had spent the past eight seasons as a special assistant, instructing, evaluating and scouting players throughout Cleveland’s system.

Now, he’ll coach their best ones.

“I view it as a good opportunity and challenge,” Belcher said Friday.

Belcher replaces Carl Willis, who was let go after seven seasons when the Indians fired manager Eric Wedge and his entire coaching staff last month. Cleveland had its worst season since 1991, a slide that was tied in many ways to the Indians’ pitching problems.

The former major leaguer, who won 146 games over a 14-year career with seven teams, is very familiar with Cleveland’s arms. Belcher served as an interim pitching coach in each of Cleveland’s minor-league levels and was an in-uniform instructor during spring training. His knowledge of the Indians pitchers made him attractive to Acta.

“He has all the intangibles that we were looking for,” said Acta, who is still interviewing candidates to fill the other coaching vacancies.

He’s got his work cut with Cleveland’s pitching staff. The Indians’ 5.06 ERA was the second-highest in the AL, while opponents batted .294 against the club’s starters. The Indians are counting on Fausto Carmona to bounce back after a disastrous season and hope Jake Westbrook makes it back from elbow surgery.