Acta Completes His Staff – The Post
The Nationals announced their 2007 coaching staff yesterday.

New third base coach Tim Tolman managed for years in the minor league system of the Houston Astros, where he encouraged Acta to go to scouting school and develop as an instructor; Acta described Tolman yesterday as “my mentor.” Bullpen coach Rick Aponte also comes from the Astros, for whom he played and worked for 32 years in a variety of capacities, mostly as a minor league instructor and a scout. But before that, he helped discover Acta in the Dominican Republic, and Acta referred to him as “a second father for me.”

New first base coach Jerry Morales served in the same capacity with the Montreal Expos from 2002 to 2004, the same years Acta was the third base coach in Montreal under former manager Frank Robinson.

(Pat) Corrales might be the most important hire. He managed three teams — Texas, Philadelphia and Cleveland — from 1978 to ’87, and served for 17 years on Bobby Cox’s staff in Atlanta.

Pitching coach Randy St. Claire was retained and hitting coach Mitchell Page was rehired.

More from The Wash. Times: Acta hires staff of veteran coaches