Shapiro: Wedge's Job Safe This Year

[slaterbug]

http://baseball.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ ... this_year/

Indians general manager Mark Shapiro says that manager Eric Wedge's job is safe for the remainder of the season.

"As I've said all along, the responsibility for the disappointments of this season don't rest on one person," Shapiro said Sunday. "The responsibility is spread equally throughout the players, the front office, Eric and his staff.

"I thought it was important for the second half to remove a potential distraction that exists from that speculation."

Cleveland is just 33-49, the worst record in the American League.

[Furrski]

I'm thinking Wedge will be back next year, too. Unless ownership steps in and says "fire him because the fanbase is fed up", he'll finish out his contract (next year). 2010 may be our last really good shot with this group of players, and I think Wedge's continuity and familiarity with this group will be his last hurrah. The players have NOT quit on him. The position players dont give away AB's, play hard, come back late in games, come back multiple times in games when a solid lead has been blown, come back the next day after a tough loss and battle, and do not act a fool in the clubhouse. I'm not saying Wedge will take us all the way, or is a top 15 manager in MLB, but he should finish out his contract. He can't make the pitchers throw strikes, and pitching has been a friggin albatross. With some fresh arms we can still compete next year with Wedge at the helm.