Giants' brass sits down with Acta

SAN FRANCISCO -- Manny Acta's world tour stopped in San Francisco on Monday, where he spent several hours with Giants officials discussing the club's managerial vacancy.

Acta interviewed with Giants General Manager Brian Sabean and special assistant Pat Dobson at a downtown hotel. They dropped by AT&T Park after lunch for a tour of the stadium, where Acta chatted with executive vice president Larry Baer.

"I'm just very happy I'm given the opportunity to be a candidate for such a prestigious job," said Acta, who also is a candidate to manage the Texas Rangers and Washington Nationals. "Hopefully I get it, but whoever does will be a lucky man."

Acta, the New York Mets' third base coach, became the third of four central candidates to interview with Sabean. Angels pitching coach Bud Black and Giants bench coach Ron Wotus also have discussed the job.

And now the Giants are trying to line up San Diego Padres manager Bruce Bochy for an interview that a club source said would take place by the end of the week.

Sabean is considering a few peripheral names, but it's believed that Acta, Black, Bochy and Wotus are his finalists.

A club source said the Giants haven't submitted the formal request with San Diego to speak with Bochy, who is under contract to manage the Padres through 2007, because they want to make sure they can complete the process within the seven-day window. If the World Series were to last seven games, the Giants could not announce a hiring until Oct. 30.

The postseason also held up their visit with Acta, who has embarked on a frequent-flier mileage binge since the Mets were eliminated in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series on Thursday.

Acta interviewed with the Rangers in Dallas on Friday, traveled back to New York that night, went to Orlando for a day, then spent most of Sunday traveling to San Francisco.

After his meetings with Giants officials, he hopped a flight to Washington D.C., where he will interview with the Nationals today. Then it's back to Arizona on Thursday for workouts with the major league all-star team that will tour Japan. He flies to Tokyo on Sunday.

The Giants didn't give Acta an indication of where he stood in their process or when they planned to wrap up their search. But if Acta is the choice, it's likely he would be informed in time to back out of the Japan trip.

Acta, 37, said he felt his interview with Sabean went well and he was impressed with the organization.

"They made me feel comfortable and allowed me to be myself," he said. "I can see why this franchise is one of the elite ones."

Acta said he wanted to demonstrate that he could create a positive atmosphere around the team.

"And that I can communicate and relate to today's players," he said.

And what about Barry Bonds, whose future as a Giant is uncertain?

"We didn't really talk about Barry," Acta said. "It was more like we were just getting to know each other."

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