Seattle Mariners sign Eric Wedge as manager
The Seattle Mariners have announced that they have signed Eric Wedge as the club’s new manager. Wedge was last employed by the Cleveland Indians, a job he held until the 2009 season.
Wedge will be counted on to revive a struggling franchise, one that has not qualified for the post-season in ten years and is coming off a season in which they lost 101 games.
Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik is excited about the hiring, stating.
“Eric brings the energy, passion and leadership that we think is important as we move forward and he has a track record of winning at the major league and minor league levels.”
Wedge is best known for his run with the Indians to the American League Championship Series, where they were eventually beaten in the seventh game by the Boston Red Sox, who were the eventual World Series champions.
The Mariners have a great deal of work to do before they can once again be considered a contender in the American League West. In 2010 the club was terrible, only finishing ahead of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the overall standings. The club finished a devastating
29 games back of the Texas Rangers and a full 19 games back of the next closest team in their division, the Los Angeles Angels.
Despite the obvious challenge Wedge was excited about the opportunity to lead the Mariners, saying.
“I think this is a terrific opportunity and I am excited to be part of it. Seattle is a great city for me and my family. With the fan support, the ballpark, the ownership and management, the Mariners are in a great position to be very successful.”
The Mariners are not likely to improve a great deal next season, as they are expected to get younger and rely heavily upon minor league players making the jump to the big leagues.
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