Acta on firing hitting coach: We needed a new voice

CLEVELAND: Just when the Indians appear to be emerging from their month-long batting slump, they decided to fire hitting coach Jon Nunnally.

The public announcement seldom includes the genuine reasons for making a change. In this case, manager Manny Acta said, ""We've been scuffling for awhile. We felt like we needed a new voice. Jon worked very hard; he had a great work ethic. I know that players play and coaches coach, but we needed a new voice.''

Taking Nunnally's place is Bruce Fields, the Tribe's minor league hitting coordinator since 2007. Fields has been in the Cleveland organization for six years. His first job was hitting coach at Buffalo in 2006. At that time, the Bisons were the Indians' Triple-A affiliate.

How long has the Tribe contemplated making as move with Nunnally?

""We felt like we underachieved a little last year,'' Acta said. ""This (slump) has been going on for a month or so, and we felt this was an appropriate time to do it.''

Fields is technically the interim hitting coach until the end of the season, but that doesn't mean he won't be back for 2012 and beyond.

""We will reassess things at the end of the season,'' General Manager Chris Antonetti said. ""But we have full confidence in Bruce.''