Ex-Shocker Named New MLB Skipper
By Rachel Walcher of Wichita Sunflower

The year 1989 was a good one for former Wichita State catcher and current Cleveland Indian manger Eric Wedge.

After helping the Wichita State University Shocker baseball team win its first and only College World Series and being named an All-American catcher his junior year, Wedge signed a Major League contract with the Boston Red Sox.

But, believe it or not, things have gotten even better for Wedge over the years.

In 2001, he was named Minor League Manager of the Year by Baseball America. He was bestowed with the honor by The Sporting News in 2002.

Then, on October 29, 2002, Wedge’s career reached a new height when he was named manager of the Cleveland Indians. At 34, he is the youngest manager in the majors.

“Leading up to that final phone call, I sensed I had a good opportunity to be the manager,” Wedge said.

When the call finally came, Wedge did indeed get the job. He signed a two year contract with the Tribe, with an option to re-sign for 2005 and 2006.

Wedge will have his work cut out for him. The Indians went 74-88 last season, their worst finish since 1991. The team also recently lost its best player, All-Star first baseman Jim Thome.

“We’re moving in a new direction right now, so we’ve got our work cut out for us,” Wedge said. “We’re all on the same page and we know which direction we’re going. It’s just a matter of going out there and getting the job done.”

Although he is younger than two of his players (Ellis Burks is 38 and Omar Vizquel is 35), Wedge doesn’t think his youth is detrimental.

“I don’t take my age into consideration, respect has nothing to do with age,” he said. “It’s something that you have to earn and it comes with action and presence. I feel like all that will come. I know it will.”

This coming season Wedge will be a rookie manager, but he is a veteran to the game.

While managing the last couple of years in Buffalo for the Indians’ top minor league team, Wedge gained invaluable experience. He attributes his new job to his time there.

“I think the experience is invaluable and I think the interaction between coaches as well as the front office was very valuable to me,” he said.

Wedge also said his time at Wichita State was an invaluable experience.

He came to play for the Shockers in 1987. A friend of his had played baseball and football at WSU and told him about the baseball program. Wedge then sent a tape to the WSU coaches and they came and visited him in Indiana. As Wedge put it, “It just came together in that fashion and it was definitely my best opportunity.”

Brent Kemnitz, longtime WSU pitching coach, said that Wedge “at 19-20 years old was like a coach on the field.”

“I think it’s my personality,” Wedge said. “I’ve always been a leader by personality.”

“He was outstanding, a great presence on the field,” Kemnitz said. “Anybody that knew him knew he had a strong personality.”

At WSU, coaches Gene Stephenson and Kemnitz gave inspiration to Wedge on the field.

“You look at their analysis of the game, you look at their passion, you look at their work ethic and their desire to win, to find a way to get it done,” Wedge said. “These are two powerful coaches at the college level, and I believe that they’d be successful no matter where they went. They both had a tremendous influence on me.”

Then, two years later, came the 1989 College World Series.

“It was a national championship for everybody involved with Wichita State University baseball,” Wedge said. “For everybody who put on a Wichita State University baseball uniform prior to that.”

WSU claimed the National Championship with a 5-3 victory over the Texas Longhorns.

“The team we ha in 1989 went through so much adversity,” he said. “We faced elimination six times until we won it all in Omaha.”

“Every time we had out backs against the wall and faced adversity, we answered the challenge,” he added. “That says a lot about the character of that team and why we went on and won the national championship.”

Wedge said he knew when the Shockers took the lead halfway through that final game 13 years ago, there was no way they were going to let the championship slip away. And, he was right.

“When Greg Brummett threw that final pitch and struck that Texas hitter out, it was a feeling that I wish everybody could have for one moment in their life,” Wedge said.

He said winning the national collegiate championship was one of the greatest sports memories he’ll ever have.

“Nothing will ever take away from the championship we won that year,” Wedge added.

But with his days as a Shocker far behind him, that task at hand is to manage a Major League baseball team. Wedge already has big plans for the Indians.

“We want to build a championship attitude and have a championship approach day-in and day-out,” he said. “From the first day of spring training until the last game we play this year, we’re going to move in that direction and we’re going to have that consistency.”

One day in the not-too-distant future, Wedge plans on taking the Indians to the top, just like he helped to do at WSU.

“We’re not going to put a definite timetable on this,” he said, “but we want to make sure within the next two to three years that we’re on the cuff of competing for a championship.”