Eric Wedge

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Eric Wedge
Wedge as manager for the Indians on April 18, 2008
Catcher, Manager
Born: January 27, 1968 (1968-01-27) (age 40)
Batted: Right	Threw: Right
MLB debut
October 5, 1991 for the Boston Red Sox
Final game
July 29, 1994 for the Boston Red Sox
Career statistics
Batting average	.233
Home runs	5
RBI	12
Teams
As Player Boston Red Sox (1991–1992, 1994) Colorado Rockies (1993) As Manager Cleveland Indians (2003–present)
Career highlights and awards
AL Manager of the Year (2007)

Eric Michael Wedge (born January 27, 1968 in Fort Wayne, Indiana) is the current manager of the Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball's American League Central Division. He attended Northrop High School in Fort Wayne and played on the school's state champion baseball team in 1983. He won the AL Manager of the year award in 2007.^[1] As a player, he led the Wichita State University Shockers to the 1989 College World Series championship. He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox that same year, played nine minor league seasons in the Red Sox, Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies organizations and played briefly for the Red Sox (1991, 1992, 1994) and the Rockies (1993). After managing in the Indians' minor league system from 1998 through 2002, he was named manager of the Indians in October 2002 and became the youngest manager since 1985 in the Major Leagues at 35 years, 64 days old on opening day 2003.^[1]

[edit] Collegiate playing career

Wedge played catcher for Wichita State University from 1987–1989, leading the school to a 68-16 record and the College World Series championship in 1989. He hit .380 for the Shockers that year, led the NCAA in walks and total bases and finished second in runs, RBI, and home runs.^{[citation needed]} Wedge's performance earned him first-team All-America honors,^[2] the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year award^[3] and he was runner-up to Ben McDonald for the Rotary Smith Award for College Baseball Player of the Year.^[1]

[edit] Professional playing career

Wedge was drafted in the third round of the 1989 amateur draft by the Boston Red Sox. While in the Red Sox minor league system, he played for the Elmira Pioneers (1989), New Britain Red Sox (1989–1991), Winter Haven Red Sox (1991) and Pawtucket Red Sox (1991–1992, 1994–1995). On October 5, 1991, he made his major league debut in his only appearance of the season for Boston with a pinch hit single off of Chris George of the Milwaukee Brewers.^[4] In 1992, he appeared in 27 games for Boston (20 as a designated hitter, 5 as a catcher and 2 as a pinch hitter), hitting .250 with 5 home runs and 11 RBI.

In November 1992, the Colorado Rockies selected Wedge from the Red Sox in the expansion draft. He played for the Central Valley Rockies and Colorado Springs Sky Sox in 1993 and was a September call-up for Colorado that season, appearing in 9 games (8 as a pinch hitter and 1 as a catcher) and hitting .182 with 1 RBI.

The Rockies released Wedge at the end of spring training in 1994 and he was re-signed by the Red Sox on May 2.^[5] He split catching duties with Scott Hatteberg for Pawtucket that season and made his final big league appearances with Boston in July, going 0 for 6 in two games as a designated hitter. He returned to Pawtucket for the 1995 season and again split catching duties with Hatteberg. He became a fan favorite in Pawtucket, drawing chants of "Wedgie" during his at bats.

Wedge played his final two seasons with the Toledo Mud Hens in the Detroit Tigers organization and the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons in the Philadelphia Phillies organization in 1996 and 1997, respectively.

[edit] Statistics

[edit] Managerial career

Wedge made his managerial debut in 1998 with the Columbus RedStixx of the South Atlantic League, leading the Cleveland single-A affiliate to an overall record of 59-81. In 1999, he was the manager of Cleveland's Carolina League affiliate in Kinston. His team took first place during the first half of the season with a 37-32 record and second place during the second half with a 42-26 record. After the season, he was named the Carolina League Manager of the Year.

The Indians promoted Wedge to manager of the double-A Akron Aeros in 2000. The Aeros finished the season 75-68, just missing the Eastern League post-season after losing a one-game playoff with Harrisburg. In 2001, he continued his ascent through the Indians' managerial ranks, leading their triple-A affiliate, Buffalo Bisons, to a 91-51 first-place finish in the International League's North Division and a berth in the post-season where they lost to Scranton-Wilkes Barre in the semi-finals. Wedge again earned post-season honors when he was named the International League Manager of the Year and Baseball America's Triple A Manager of the Year. He returned at the helm of the Bisons in 2002 and again led them to the post-season, finishing 87-57 and second in the North Division. This time, they defeated Scranton in the semi-finals but were swept by the Durham Bulls in the finals. Wedge was honored with his third post-season award when The Sporting News named him Minor League Manager of the Year.

On October 29, 2002, Wedge was named the 39th manager of the Cleveland Indians. Over his first three years as manager, the Indians improved steadily from fourth place in the American League Central Division with a 68-94 record in 2003, to 80-82 and third place in 2004 and to 93-69 and second place in 2005. The 93 wins in 2005 were the eighth most in the more than hundred-year history of the franchise and the team narrowly missed qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2001 when they were eliminated on the last day of the season. In the American League Manager of the Year balloting for 2005, Wedge finished as runner-up to Ozzie Guillén.^[6]

The 2006 season was a disappointing one for Wedge and the Indians. Entering the season, they were expected to compete for the division title, but got off to a poor start and were essentially out of the race by mid-season, trailing the division-leading Detroit Tigers at the All-Star break by 18½ games. They finished the season in fourth place with a 78-84 record, 18 games behind the Central Division champion, Minnesota Twins.

Wedge and the Indians had more success in the 2007 season going 96-66 and winning the Central Division Title for the first time since 2001. Wedge then led the Indians to beat the Yankees in four games to win the ALDS, and moved on to play the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS, where they lost in 7 games. Wedge received The Sporting News Manager of the Year Award and the MLB Manager of the Year Award for the American League in 2007.

[edit] Managerial record

(updated thru Oct. 8, 2007)

[edit] Personal life

Wedge and his wife, Kate, donate their time to a variety of charities,^[1] including a baseball camp sponsored by the Fort Wayne Sports Corporation.^[7] January 2007 marked his third year hosting the camp. Also in January 2007, he was inducted into the Indiana High School Baseball Hall of Fame^[8] and in February 2007, he was inducted into the Kinston Professional Baseball Hall of Fame.^[9] Wedge maintains ties to the Boston area, where he is co-owner of Strike One Sports Complex in Danvers, MA featuring indoor baseball fields and batting cages. Wedge can often be seen at the Strike One Sports Complex during the off-season months.

[edit] See also

• List of Major League Baseball managers in 2006
• List of Major League Baseball managers in 2007
• List of Major League Baseball managers in 2008

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} Cleveland Indians: Media Guide 2007 pgs. 56-57. Major League Baseball. Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
2. ^ Official 2007 NCAA Baseball Records Book p. 174. National Collegiate Athletic Association (2007). Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
3. ^ Eric Wedge (Baseball, 1987-89). Wichita State University. Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
4. ^ Milwaukee Brewers 13, Boston Red Sox 4. Retrosheet.org. Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
5. ^ Eric Wedge Statistics. Sports Reference, Inc. Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
6. ^ Hill, Justice B. (2005-11-09). Wedge finishes second in balloting. MLB.com. Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
7. ^ Eric Wedge Baseball Camp. Fort Wayne Sports Corporation. Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
8. ^ "Wedge, Miller, Aldridge named to Indiana Hall of Fame", The (Fort Wayne) News-Sentinel, 2006-11-02. 
9. ^ Cleveland Manager Eric Wedge Coming to Kinston for Hot Stove. Retrieved on 2007-04-26.

[edit] External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
• MLB.com bio page
• The Baseball Cube page