FanShot

Shapiro on Wedge, Peralta, etc.

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Shapiro was on ESPN Radio last night (Yes, okay? Yes. I listen to it. Sometimes I have to. My iPod hasn't been working in my car and I hate Cleveland radio and I just wanted to hear sports ... Don't judge me). It's pretty vanilla for the first part, but there are some interesting answers. RODA: Mark, are the players you touted as your core players two years ago still the same today? SHAPIRO: (Lists the core. Paraphrasing until quotes) Grady, Fausto, Westbrook, "Aaron Laffey has probably put himself in the boundaries of that group," Victor, Choo/Francisco both have a chance "... Jhonny Peralta, you know, uh, still a solid player to build around, maybe not quite the player we had hoped he'd be..." RODA: Is Eric Wedge still the guy you believe can lead this team to a World Series championship? SHAPIRO: Yeah, I, I hesitate to even dignify that with an answer. But he didn't tear Victor Martinez's hamstring, he didn't break Travis Hafner's shoulder, he didn't blow out Jake Westbrook's elbow ... we're getting everything out of the team, we just don't have the talent on the field every night to win as many games as we want to. RODA: Same goes with Derek Shelton and Carl Willis, you're- SHAPIRO: Yeah I feel strongly about our staff, they're doing a good job.