CLEVELAND -- Eric Wedge wasn't too worried about his future. The Cleveland Indians put him at ease anyway.
The fifth-year manager, who has yet to make the postseason in the majors, received a three-year contract extension on Monday, an early reward for having his ballclub near the top in the AL Central.
Wedge was signed through the 2007 season with the club holding a club option for 2008 and 2009.
But with Cleveland (54-37) trailing the first-place Detroit Tigers by just a half-game entering the week and leading the wild-card chase, the Indians, who have made a habit of locking up core members of their organization to long-term deals, decided the time was right to extend Wedge through the 2010 season.
"This is a guy who has maximized the talent on this team," general manager Mark Shapiro said, offering the development of youngsters Jhonny Peralta and Ryan Garko as prime examples. "And he's a guy who the players respect. I think it's the right thing to do and it maximizes the positive environment we have now."
Financial terms were not immediately available.
Shapiro and Wedge had shelved contract talks during spring training, deciding at the time to put them off until after the season. However, Shapiro approached Wedge about the extension during the All-Star break, and the manager, who negotiated his own deal, was able to secure a long-term commitment.
Wedge said he didn't feel any pressure to get the extension completed, and would have been OK if talks had waited until the offseason.
"I understand that this is a great sport, but it's also a business," Wedge said. "I'm honored to be the manager of the Cleveland Indians and I'm grateful something did come of this. I couldn't be happier."
The Indians are 373-366 under the 39-year-old Wedge, who became the club's 39th manager before the 2003 season.
Wedge led the Indians to double-digit increases in wins in his first three seasons, the first Cleveland manager to do so since Lou Boudreau (1946-48). Only a final-week collapse in 2005 prevented the Indians, who have not won the World Series since 1948, from making the playoffs.
Wedge's future in Cleveland seemed certain after a 93-win season in '05, but a brutal bullpen, shoddy infield defense and an inconsistent offense led to a 78-84 record and fourth-place finish last season.
