CLEVELAND -- Both Indians manager Eric Wedge and general manager Mark Shapiro made it clear Saturday that Aaron Laffey's demotion to Triple-A Buffalo had nothing to do with the success of recent callup Matt Ginter.

It was all about Aaron Laffey.

"He needs to trust us, trust us that what we're doing is right for [him]," Wedge said. "Matt Ginter has done a good job up here, but we're sending Laffey down because that's what's best for him.

"I feel very strongly that this is the right thing to do. [If] you put this on anybody's lap, [then] you put it in my lap."

Laffey's demotion comes in the wake of his two worst starts of the season as well as general inconsistency since late June. In his past five starts, the 23-year-old left-hander is 1-3 with an 8.37 ERA -- with just one fewer walk (12) than strikeouts (13).

Laffey has said he felt "out of whack" lately and had trouble minimizing damage -- a trademark of his during a strong first half of the season in which he was named May's American League Rookie of the Month.

"We've seen what he's capable of doing, but he has moved away from some of that," Wedge said. "The most important thing he needs to do is stay within his delivery, keep his hand above the baseball and throw that sinker over the plate."

His spot in the Indians' rotation looked to be a lock after CC Sabathia was traded to the Brewers early this month, but two strong starts from the 30-year-old veteran Minor Leaguer Ginter, who was called up July 12, made Laffey the odd man out with the return of Fausto Carmona.

"It's part of the development process," Shapiro said. "If we felt more sure that we could get him back on track up here, regardless of anyone else, that's what we would have done."

Although these may not be the best of times for Laffey, Shapiro stressed that his place in the Indians' long-term, and even short-term, future has not budged.

"He's a guy we believe strongly in and a guy I think is going to be here for a long period of time," Shapiro said. "Right now, he needs to get back to things that made him successful: throwing strikes and being aggressive."