Impressed by Wedge, Tribe extends contract

The first-year manager will guide the Indians through 2006.
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Eric Wedge has made such a good impression this season that general manager Mark Shapiro wanted to make a statement that the young manager is his man.
Wedge was given two more years to help turn around his young team on Friday, when the Cleveland Indians exercised club options through 2006 on their first-year manager.
"It was unexpected, but it's something I'm very appreciative of," Wedge said.
The 35-year-old Wedge, the youngest manager in the majors, has led the rebuilding Indians to a 42-60 record.
Rewarded Wedge
Wedge signed a two-year deal with the Indians last October, but Shapiro rewarded Wedge by picking up options for 2005 and 2006 and adding club options for 2007 and 2008.
"The sooner the better," Shapiro said. "The sooner we do it the stronger the statement and the greater the confidence that he is the guy."
Shapiro said he wanted to send a message to the media and fans, and most importantly the players, that Wedge will lead the Indians long term.
"They are clearly one of the audiences that this was intended for," Shapiro said.
Shapiro has been impressed with Wedge's ability to get the most from his young players, and considers him a partner in the Indians' quest to return to their days of being one of the AL's top teams.
"He's the right guy for this job and the next job, which will be managing a championship team," Shapiro said.
Tribe 14 games behind
Cleveland, which has 13 rookies on its 25-man roster, entered Friday 14 games behind AL Central-leading Kansas City.
After a 7-20 start in April, the Indians have gone 35-40 since May 1 and done so with veterans Ellis Burks, Omar Vizquel, Matt Lawton, Mark Wohlers and Bob Wickman sidelined with injuries.
Wedge said the team has come a long way since April.
"I feel very good about things that are happening up here," Wedge said. "I'd like to do a better job in the win-loss column, but sometimes you have to take a step backward to take a couple steps forward."
Before being picked for the job, Wedge managed Cleveland's Triple-A Buffalo affiliate for two years. He was chosen the International League's top manager in 2001 after leading the Bisons to a 91-51 record.
Following last season, Shapiro picked Wedge over Joel Skinner, who served as the club's interim manager for 76 games in 2002 after Charlie Manuel was fired in July.
Former catcher
A former big-league catcher, Wedge was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 1989 after starring at Wichita State. However, his career in the majors was plagued by knee injuries and he played in just 39 games.
Wedge retired as a player in 1997 while in Philadelphia's minor league system, and got his first managerial job the next year when he was hired by Shapiro, then Cleveland's minor league director, to manage one of the Indians' Class A teams.