Indians GM Mark Shapiro Needs to Fire Eric Wedge

The Cleveland Indians were a trendy pick by many self-styled experts to not only win the mediocre AL Central this season, but to potentially win the American League pennant.

However, after five weeks, the team has the worst record in not only the AL, but all of baseball. We’ve already seen Arizona Diamondback skipper Bob Melvin removed for a slow start in Phoenix, so it would not be capricious for Indians GM Mark Shapiro to bounce Eric Wedge as early as today.

With Shapiro known for occasionally being knee-jerk, we can only hope.

However, since Shapiro also likes Wedge very much and made an absurdly “knee jerk” move during the summer of 2007 when he gave the then-39 year-old Wedge a generous contract extension, no one should count on anything.

In that 2007 season, the Tribe went on to cough up a 3-1 ALCS lead to Boston, and were a major disappointment in 2008, as they had been in 2006. This season has obviously continued the underachieving to put it mildly. There’s also little hope on the horizon. The central is somewhat suspect, but Cleveland is already seven back of surprising first place Kansas City and eight back in the loss column of archrival Detroit.

With the potential championship run of the neighbor Cavaliers, the Indians can also expect attendance to be dismal the next month or so. Depressing is a kind word.

I want to mention it’s tough for me to pen this column, as I like the laconic Wedge. His quick rise was admirable and impressive. In his press conferences and conversations, he’s to the point, optimistic and humble. The media hates him for that, but he is what he is.

And, like in 2005 when Cleveland won 93 games out of nowhere, Eric Wedge surprised them before. Shapiro has too, with incredible trades like acquiring Cliff Lee, Grady Sizemore and Brandon Philips for Bartolo Colon in 2002. (Sizemore is one of the league’s best players, while Lee won the 2008 Cy Young and Brandon is a star in Cincy.)

Wedge’s players, like Victor Martinez (third in AL in hitting), back their skipper. But his pitching staff has a team ERA near six, no hurler has an ERA under four or more than two wins, and the bullpen has been brutal. The numbers don’t add up to much positive.

Wedge should go. Now is the time. It’s not getting any better. Make the move, Mark.

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