Morning Update: Martinez Has High Praise for Wedge

Current Indians players can only say so much.

At least that's my belief... Especially the types of players the Indians have. You just aren't going to get responses that are totally heartfelt because, hey they're still members of this team, they can't really say too much.

Victor Martinez can say whatever he wants though.

"It's pretty sad how everything ended up. It's not their fault, man. It's way easier to blame one guy than 25. What else can they do? The owners give whatever they give to them, and you just go out and compete, and you know how it is. If you want to really compete in the big leagues, you've got to put a really good team together. The team we had, they didn't want to keep it together. That's their thinking. That's their own stuff."

It sounds to me like Martinez is being a little critical of management. In a way, I'm glad he spoke the truth, but as he is going to say when talking about Wedge, the truth hurts and I wish he wouldn't throw a shot out like that one.

I think a lot of it has to do with him being upset, obviously. I think to him, finances were second, in every aspect. The reason he would have taken a pay cut. He didn't care about money and I think he expected them to feel the same way in regards to him. Unfortunately that can't happen and I think he knows that.

CC Sabathia said the same thing Victor Martinez did though about Wedge, which makes me really happy. Here's his string of quotes to Hoynes and reporters.

"Wedgie got on me a lot," said Martinez. "It was just for me to get better. I appreciate that a lot. I appreciate all the things he did for me.

"I used to lob the ball to third base after a strikeout. He told me: "Throw the ball. Those little things are going to help you get better." He made me a better player, but not only myself.

"He was a manager who made sure he got everybody ready to play the game. That's big. He lets the players take care of the things in the clubhouse. When he needed to talk, he talked.

"Sometimes it's hard to hear the truth. But he's a guy who is going to tell you the truth. It's on you if you're going to take it or not."

You see that everybody? That's a man that respected the guy who managed him and even loved him. Martinez spent a few hours AFTER THE GAME on Thursday talking to Wedge and the coaches in the visitors clubhouse.

Bill Livingston doesn't agree.. Which is fine, I guess.. But if the player says he got better for it, then what is your beef?

The next Indians manager has to be able to handle pitchers. Not letting a future ace take a full windup with the bases loaded -- a Wedge move made to teach CC Sabathia a lesson in Yankee Stadium -- was the type of lesson that let a game go kaboom. It should have been taught in spring training. The big leagues are about winning.

The big leagues are about winning, but as Wedge always says. You need to respect the game first. If you never respect the game and do what you have to do, you won't win anything. You might win a game or two here or there, but as CC Sabathia learned, you cannot become a Cy Young pitcher on talent and a 99 mph fastball alone.

It's just more Wedge-hate rhetoric... That's fine.

In other news, it is good to see Vic adjusting to Boston. He said his new teammates have really taken him in and it seems he's even regarded as a leader now. It's good he has a former teammate in Paul Byrd as well. Aside from the Angels, I think I might do what some Indians fan think is a sin and root for the Red Sox, just to see Victor get what he deserves so much. I never really had any hard feelings towards the Sox like I do the Yankees, so it's not that hard. Plus it's more for Vic than it is anyone else. I'd love to see him get World Series.

It was also nice to see Choo put him in a headlock before the game on Thursday.

Of course this isn't the only current Red Sox, former Indian that we've got an interest in. Of course the media had to get after John Farrell, even if he was going to give a predictable statement concerning the managerial job the Indians have open.

Respect to the Indians, I've got friends there, blah blah blah, I'm a Red Sox preparing for the playoffs. What's he going to say? "Yeah I really really want the managerial job for Cleveland, I'm in!"

Let's get back to Wedge though. If you haven't learned in the past seven seasons, then you never will. Eric Wedge marches to the beat of a different drum. He isn't going to take the easy way out for him and that's something you have to respect out of a guy. If I was getting fired, I'd probably be pissed if I did my best. I'd probably not want to talk to the media. Eric Wedge understands what comes with the territory. You HAVE to respect that.

"I think it was the right way to do it," said Wedge. "I felt it was important to do it in Cleveland so everybody could have proper access to what was happening. We didn't want to hide from it.

"I wanted to know before we got to Boston, and they accommodated me. It was important for the staff and players to know, as well."

"I just thought this was the right way to finish things off," said Wedge.

Wedge knew last Friday about his fate, when Mark Shapiro told him hours after him and the crew reached a decision. How everyone kept it a secret until Wednesday is beyond me.

We could all take a lesson from Tom Hamilton. And of course CPD commenters know how to turn a story about Tom Hamilton, into something about next year.

Straight out of the Jim Halpert Stapler in Jello prank, Kerry Wood put Trevor Crowe's cleats in ice the other day as a rookie prank. I can only wonder what everyone else went through. And when I say everyone else, I mean half the team.

Ah Eric Wedge may be fired but eh job isn't done as we've been over before. Business as usual. Here is his thoughts on Carlos Carrasco, who was knocked out of the game, for better or for worst, due to a liner off his leg.

"I like him, but I'm not sure what we have in him," said Wedge. "The stuff is real. He doesn't get rattled. He just needs to pitch. All the pieces are there."

I think everyone thinks that.

Finally.... Why'd Jeremy Sowers suck the past few games? Not sure, but there was a stretch in there where you had to be impressed with him..

However he still has a lot to prove if he wants to win a rotation spot. Sowers said he felt like he's made improvements this year, certainly more than the past two years and that the hamstring issue from Baltimore and some conditioning led to the crappy end. But hey, I think he's in contention for a rotation spot next year. The Indians need every arm they can get to see which ones will work.