Tribe Talk: Indians Finally Firing Wedge, Or Just Shooting Blanks?

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Welcome to Tribe Talk, where Bleacher Report's Tribe fans weigh in on the ups and downs of the Indians each week throughout the season.

This week we revisit our past discussion on the fate of manager Eric Wedge, ponder the value of a manager calling out a player in a public forum, and address a few more of the Tribe’s many pitching woes.  

I would like to thank this week's participants Nino Colla, Dave Wiley, and The Coop for their contributions.

This discussion is open to all, so please feel free to comment below and pitch in your thoughts on the questions we're addressing this week.

Go Tribe!

1. After posting an encouraging 6-4 record in 10 games, the Indians promptly followed that up with a dismal 3-7 streak. Thus, after yet another stunning example of the team's inconsistency, it is hardly surprising that talk of Eric Wedge being fired has come to the forefront once again.

Given that, it may be time to revisit a discussion we had earlier this season: Is Eric Wedge going to get axed before the season is over? Further, it has been noted that Wedge has looked especially defeated in recent days. Has Wedge perhaps finally resigned himself and his team to failure?

Nino Colla: Is Eric Wedge getting fired before the season is over? A week ago I would have told you no. After hearing some of the uncertainty of owner Larry Dolan, I will say there is a slight opportunity.

It won't come from Mark Shapiro, though, as I think he's going to fight to the end to keep Eric around.

Now, should he be fired before the season is over? It depends on what you want to do this year.  

If you want to make a run at it, you can still do it, but you need to fire him now if you want to have a shot. This team needs a spark and as we've seen with Colorado, changing the skipper is one way to do that.

If you don't have any interest in competing, I don't think it matters. Fire him now, fire him later, but I'm now coming over to the side that his time with the Tribe is over.

I've been one of his biggest supporters, especially this season, but I think he does look defeated.

Some of his players are starting to look defeated also and the little mistakes and how he manages have added up for me.  It's time to make a move.

Samantha Bunten: I don't think we need to go over whether Wedge SHOULD be fired yet again, but I think it is worth revisiting the discussion on whether he WILL be fired, given recent events.

The team's performance appeared to get better for about a week, only to take a nosedive shortly thereafter and look perhaps even worse than it has all year.

Because we're talking about a move that would be made by the Indians’ big-decision-phobic front office, I wouldn't necessarily say that the team’s recent poor performance would be enough to get Wedge fired.

However, for the first time ever, there seem to be some indications that the tide has turned against Mr. Wedge among the opinions of those whose opinions matter, perhaps suggesting that even they have had enough.

Dolan's trip to Chicago last weekend and his vague comments about "not wanting to lie" when asked if Wedge was going to be canned were a noticeable departure from the usual "we're standing by Eric Wedge" broken record response from ownership and the front office. Yikes.

As to why Wedge looks defeated, I would say it is because he's noticed the same thing the rest of us did: There's finally a change coming, and it doesn’t bode well for him.

I still wouldn't be surprised if the Indians allow Wedge to finish out the year, but if they do, I think it is safe to say that he will be doing so as a lame duck.

Dave Wiley: Consider this: Eric Wedge went through his entire adolescence with a last name consistent with a giant tug on underpants.

Personally, I'm thinking if you can withstand that, then what is going on with the Tribe and the possibility of getting fired is a walk in the park.

Getting fired and having to coach the Washington Nationals next would probably be the equivalent of the mega-Wedge.

The Coop:

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