News
Inbox: What will happen to Wedge?
Beat reporter Anthony Castrovince answers fans' questions
By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com
09/10/09 11:15 AM ET
The Inbox has collected not only e-mails but also dust, as it's been a few weeks since the last edition. So let's pull out the Pledge and the pen and get to work. Is it time for Eric Wedge to be removed as manager? My answer is a resounding yes! His won-loss record is mediocre, he looks unhappy in the dugout, and most importantly, he has no ability to communicate with young players.-- Ron C., Lakeland, Fla. When the chips are down, everyone looks for someone to blame, and the easiest person is Wedge. Never mind that the bullpen couldn't hold a lead, the team was injury plagued, and the hitters couldn't capitalize on key moments. I'm not saying that Wedge is free from blame, but it seems like lately the Indians' fan base is as fickle as the rest of the American public. They want everything to be perfect, and if someone doesn't deliver immediately, they want heads to roll.
-- Joel S., Athens, Ohio Though it's a 50-50 split right here, my unscientific examination of the e-mails and comments I get reveals a fan base that, by and large, is in favor of a managerial change. And I'm sure the Dolan ownership family is getting that same feel. If I had to guess, I'd say either Wedge or all or part of his coaching staff will be dismissed at season's end, because to make no changes at all would send the message that the Indians find the status quo acceptable. The front office has to know Wedge is not the sole root of this club's issues, but this decision will ultimately rest with the Dolans, who might be feeling pressure to make a move that sits well with a frustrated fan base. And in the majority of fans' eyes, Wedge simply can't do anything right. Wedge told reporters in Detroit last week that he hopes to know his fate by season's end. A front office that supplied him with a highly suspect pitching staff this season at least owes him that much. I don't doubt that Wedge, who is well-regarded in the industry, still has a managerial future at the Major League level. But given the wrath of the fan base, the Indians entering a "reloading" period and the fact that seven years is a long tenure for any manager, the Tribe, rightly or wrongly, might decide it's time for a new voice and a fresh set of ideas.
|
Have a question about the Indians?
 E-mail your query to MLB.com Indians beat reporter Anthony Castrovince for possible inclusion in a future Inbox column. Letters may be edited for brevity, length and/or content.
|
||||||||
-- Monty R., Orlando, Fla. The company line was that there weren't at-bats available for Brown. But if the Indians viewed Brown as a part of their future, they would have found a way to sneak him into the lineup (the starters at first base the last two games, after all, were Chris Gimenez and Niuman Romero). The fact of the matter is that Brown looked rough around the edges defensively in Spring Training this year, and that's the lasting impression he left with the Major League coaching staff. Though Brown made improvements at first base and in left field this season, he is still considered a potential defensive liability. If his future is at designated hitter, the Indians don't have that spot available, because of Travis Hafner's contract. That being said, Brown is a two-time MVP in the Minors and the reigning International League batting champ. It seems certain that somebody will give him a shot in the Rule 5 Draft this winter. Though the Indians don't give out September callups as rewards to players for strong seasons, you could argue, as Monty did, that they could have used this final month to showcase him for a potential trade. As it stands, they'll probably just lose him to the Rule 5 Draft. What does Jordan Brown have left to prove at the Triple-A level? He's been going to the same party there for like eight years, and in no way has he been depressing.
-- Ryan M., Parma Heights, Ohio I already discussed Brown, obviously, but I'm including this to applaud Ryan and scold the rest of you. Ryan is the only one still regularly sending in "Anchorman" references -- the supposed theme for the '09 Inbox. As a reward, he gets to ask the next question, as well. What is it about David Huff that has impressed the front office so much?
-- Ryan M., Parma Heights, Ohio Huff has pitched well his past two starts, but his rookie season has been an inconsistent one. Before we ever got a look at Huff at this level, we knew he didn't possess electric stuff. If anything, he drew comparisons to Jeremy Sowers. But what separated Huff from Sowers in the minds of the Indians' front office folks was Huff's willingness and ability to pound the strike zone and put batters away. He struck out nearly one batter per inning pitched in the Minors (the actual stat is 0.91 batter per inning). Here in the bigs, however, the strikeout rate has dropped considerably (Huff has 51 strikeouts in 108 2/3 innings), and his WHIP has raised from 1.107 to 1.625. Huff has been guilty of nibbling at times. He needs to be deceptive and aggressive for his stuff to play at this level. I wouldn't judge him on his first 20 Major League starts. He's a competitive young man who didn't succeed in the Minors by accident. But I wouldn't expect him to develop into a No. 1 starter, either. Could you please clarify Andy Marte's contract status?
-- Jeff, Westerville, Ohio If the Indians keep Marte on their 40-man roster through the winter, he'll enter Spring Training in the same boat he was in this year, in that he'll have to win a spot on the active roster or risk being exposed to waivers. If the Indians remove Marte from their 40-man, he has the option of becoming a Minor League free agent. Unlike some of my devoted readers, affectionately known as the CastroTurf Commenters, I'm finding it difficult to be overly enthused about Marte's potential to impact this team next year. Marte went 7-for-40 in his first 12 games, got hot (with increased playing time) and went 15-for-36 with three homers and 12 RBIs in a 10-game stretch from Aug. 20-29, and has cooled off again to go 4-for-31 with two homers over his past nine games. All players go through ups and downs, but Marte is in the position of trying to resurrect his career, and this inconsistency is going to make it difficult for the Indians to plan around him for 2010. With all the new prospects brought in from the recent trades, I think a lot of people have kind of forgot about one-time top prospect Adam Miller. How is he recovering from his career-threatening surgery?
-- Zach T., Hartville, Ohio Miller had that surgery in two phases, the latter of which was performed last month. He won't pick up a baseball this year. The hope is that he'll recover in time to begin a return-to-throw program in Spring Training, but, as Miller's history proves, nothing is guaranteed to go to plan. I was a fan of Juan Lara's before his car accident, and became a bigger fan because of his will to get back to the game after his car accident. How is his rehab coming along?
-- Steve K., Indio, Calif. Lara, profiled here in May, pitched for the rookie-level Arizona League team in Goodyear this season. He posted a 4.24 ERA in 17 innings over 15 appearances. In a touching development, he received a standing ovation from his teammates and the opposing team in his first appearance back on the mound in a competitive environment. While an ascension to the big leagues is still considered unlikely, Lara is said to have tolerated the workload well. The fact that he was on the mound at all was a minor miracle. Everybody is saying that the Indians won't re-sign Grady Sizemore after the 2012 season, and I don't understand why. As of today, the only players under contract for the '13 season are Fausto Carmona and Travis Hafner, and they both have option years that may be declined. With so little payroll for the '13 season, what makes you think the Indians won't be able to re-sign him?
-- Ryan M., Toledo, Ohio It's too early to speculate what the Indians' payroll situation will be after the 2012 season, but it's not too early to suggest that a player of Sizemore's caliber can likely command top dollar on the free-agent market. If it comes to that point, I think this organization's recent history of signing its free agents speaks for itself. Maybe it happens, but I can't help but doubt it. And finally ... The past two seasons, including this one, the Indians started dreadfully and then picked it up after the All-Star break. Any chance we can open Spring Training camp two to three months before all the other teams, so that our players are ready to play strong out of gate? Heck, as soon as the season is over, just throw them on the bus and ship them out to Arizona.
-- Nathan H., Stevensville, Ontario Well, the Indians did build their new Goodyear, Ariz., complex with the intent of it being a "year-round facility." I'm all for it, provided I don't have to sit through all two or three months of Arizona intrasquads. That's all for this time, folks. Keep the questions coming, and be sure to visit the CastroTurf blog for more info and analysis.
Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
