2003, says he uses lessons learned from his
WSU days on a daily basis.
When former Wichita State catcher Eric Wedge put down one finger, he expected the pitcher to throw a fastball. No delays, no shake-offs, no questions asked.
Just bring the heater.
On occasions when a pitcher wasn’t throwing aggressively, Wedge made a trip to the mound. The visit wasn’t a friendly one.
Greg Brummett knows from experience. He was a dominant pitcher for the Shockers in 1989, that magical year when WSU, led by the intense and fiery Wedge, won the College World Series. It was Brummett who, after throwing a slider by a Texas hitter for the final out, ended up in Wedge’s arms before the celebratory dogpile.
“Eric had such confidence about himself, and he was such a leader, that it would rub off on the rest of us,” Brummett says. “He was just the perfect guy for that type of position.”
Given the impression Wedge made during his All-American career at Wichita State, no one close to Shocker baseball is surprised that he became the first graduate of the program to manage in the major leagues.
Last season, Wedge guided the Cleveland Indians to 96 regular-season wins, a division title and within one victory of the World Series — accomplishments that earned him American League manager of the year honors.
Though the 39-year-old is considered one of the top young managers in baseball (future Hall of Famer Joe Torre called him a “special kid”), he certainly didn’t big-time anyone during his appearance at Wichita State’s Jan. 7 celebration of 30 years of Shocker baseball, held at the university’s Hughes Metroplex. One couple asked for an autograph and congratulated him on the successful season. “Thanks, thanks, wish we coulda won one more,” he told them, grinning. Wedge seemed in his element.
“It’s always a thrill to be back and see faces and old teammates you haven’t seen in many moons,” he says. “There are so many great athletes here, such tradition.”
After a successful stint in the minor leagues — The Sporting News named him the top manager in all the minors in 2002 — he took over the struggling Indians in 2003. In his five seasons, Cleveland has won 68, 80, 93, 78 and 96 games. “There’s something about him, a presence,” Indians general manager Mark Shapiro told the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “I knew he’d be successful as a manager because of his work ethic, his passion.”
Wedge, whose big-league playing career was stalled by eight surgeries, has earned a reputation as a players’ manager. Casey Blake, who played third base for the Indians last season, says Wedge generally keeps a low profile and lets players handle team matters. “He stays out of it and only gets involved when he has to,” says Blake, who had a 26-game hitting streak for the Indians last season. “He played the game, so he understands it’s not about him. There’s no ego trip with him.”
Wedge so firmly believes that players deserve the credit that, after Cleveland victories, he never crosses the baseline to shake hands with his team. He waits for his team to leave the field before congratulations are offered.
“It’s about the players, not the manager or the coaching staff,” he says — and he sums up his fondness for WSU this way: “You talk about toughness, consistency and character, and you’re talking about Wichita State.”
