CLEVELAND – Eric Wedge wasn’t too worried about his future. The Cleveland Indians put him at ease anyway. The fifth-year manager, who has yet to make the postseason in the majors, received a three-year contract extension on Monday, an early reward for having his ballclub near the top in the AL Central.

Wedge was signed through the 2007 season with the club holding a club option for 2008 and 2009.

But with Cleveland (54-37) trailing the first-place Detroit Tigers by just a half-game entering the week and leading the wild-card chase, the Indians, who have made a habit of locking up core members of their organization to long-term deals, decided the time was right to extend Wedge through the 2010 season.

“This is a guy who has maximized the talent on this team,” general manager Mark Shapiro said, offering the development of youngsters Jhonny Peralta and Ryan Garko as prime examples. “And he’s a guy who the players respect. I think it’s the right thing to do and it maximizes the positive environment we have now.”

Financial terms were not immediately available.

Shapiro and Wedge had shelved contract talks during spring training, deciding at the time to put them off until after the season. However, Shapiro approached Wedge about the extension during the All-Star break, and the manager, who negotiated his own deal, was able to secure a long-term commitment.

Wedge said he didn’t feel any pressure to get the extension completed, and would have been OK if talks had waited until the offseason.

“I understand that this is a great sport, but it’s also a business,” Wedge said. “I’m honored to be the manager of the Cleveland Indians and I’m grateful something did come of this. I couldn’t be happier.”

The Indians are 373-366 under the 39-year-old Wedge, who became the club’s 39th manager before the 2003 season.

Wedge led the Indians to double-digit increases in wins in his first three seasons, the first Cleveland manager to do so since Lou Boudreau (1946-48). Only a final-week collapse in 2005 prevented the Indians, who have not won the World Series since 1948, from making the playoffs.

Wedge’s future in Cleveland seemed certain after a 93-win season in ’05, but a brutal bullpen, shoddy infield defense and an inconsistent offense led to a 78-84 record and fourth-place finish last season.

This season, though, the Indians were expected to contend and they have, holding first place for 63 days.

And they’ve done it despite early-season injuries to two starters (Cliff Lee, Jake Westbrook) and the demotion of a third (Jeremy Sowers). The Indians also have gotten little from some of their offseason signings, and until recently they weren’t getting the usual production from designated hitter Travis Hafner.

Shapiro credited Wedge with keeping his team focused, and feels he has the right manager in place for the future.

“No one know the challenges we’ve been through better,” he said. “No one is going to work harder. No one is going to care more.”

Wedge’s extension is the latest long-term commitment shown by the club.

Last week, Hafner signed a four-year, $57 million contract extension and earlier this season the club gave Westbrook a three-year, $33 million package. Westbrook would have been eligible for free agency following this season.

Also, Shapiro, who in the past has referred to his working relationship with Wedge as a “partnership,” signed a five-year contract extension in March that lasts through 2012.

Assistant GMs Chris Antonetti and John Mirabelli signed extensions in May.

“It’s one more demonstration to everyone around the organization that a core is in place,” Shapiro said, “a core of players and a core of leaders.”

A service of the Associated Press(AP)