How do you view Wieters now?

[El Gordo]

It seems to me that the O's have made catching their first priority with Wieters. They are building around pitching, and a strong defensive catcher is a must. Wieters as a SH needs twice as much time to work on his swing. He simply hasn't focused on it as much as he needs to, because learning the pitchers and the hitters in the league have taken a lot of his time. Hopefully this season, he can focus more on his bat.

[Sports Guy]

It seems to me that the O's have made catching their first priority with Wieters. They are building around pitching, and a strong defensive catcher is a must. Wieters as a SH needs twice as much time to work on his swing. He simply hasn't focused on it as much as he needs to, because learning the pitchers and the hitters in the league have taken a lot of his time. Hopefully this season, he can focus more on his bat.

Well, maybe he needs to give up switch hitting? He has been awful vs lefties thus far in his career..albeit in only 250ish at bats.

[Stotle]

Well, maybe he needs to give up switch hitting? He has been awful vs lefties thus far in his career..albeit in only 250ish at bats.

This is an overreaction, I think. I can't see scrapping switch hitting after 900 PA.

I think he can take a nice step forward this year -- .285/.355/.465 -- and take off from there. The kid can hit. Last year he commanded the strikezone a little better and I think the power is going to jump as he learns which pitches he can drive.

[wildcard]

Well, maybe he needs to give up switch hitting? He has been awful vs lefties thus far in his career..albeit in only 250ish at bats.

Or maybe the O's sign Bengie Molina who does hit lefties and Wieters concentrates on improving against righthanders for this year.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/players/splits?playerId=3865

[Sports Guy]

Or maybe the O's sign Bengie Molina who does hit lefties and Wieters concentrates on improving against righthanders for this year.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/players/splits?playerId=3865

We have 2 capable back up C...No reason to go out and piss money away on Molina.

[wildcard]

We have 2 capable back up C...No reason to go out and piss money away on Molina.

Neither one can hit.

[Sports Guy]

Neither one can hit.

Fox can..but he didn't last year although I know you are Jtrea are the co-kings of the small sample size, so I am sure you believe that it is a trend and not a blip on the radar.

[Frobby]

I am expecting Wieters to catch the amount of games that an elite catcher catches when healthy.

Well, that's fine, but I have to agree with WC that to me he looked very tired at times last year. Every player is different and has strengths and weaknesses. It may just be that at 6'5" and 230 lbs., Wieters can't catch 130 games without getting sluggish. So, I'd forget arguments about other catchers, and just keep an eye on Wieters and give him a blow when it's needed. I have complete confidence in Buck Showalter's capacity to observe what's going on and make decisions accordingly.

[Sports Guy]

Well, that's fine, but I have to agree with WC that to me he looked very tired at times last year. Every player is different and has strengths and weaknesses. It may just be that at 6'5" and 230 lbs., Wieters can't catch 130 games without getting sluggish. So, I'd forget arguments about other catchers, and just keep an eye on Wieters and give him a blow when it's needed. I have complete confidence in Buck Showalter's capacity to observe what's going on and make decisions accordingly.

If Wieters needs to sit 50 games a year, trade him right now because he is never going to be that good.

There is zero reason he shouldn't be catching 125-135 games a year if he is healthy.

[mweb]

I view him as an enigma soon to be clarified.

Same here. I won't vote because I don't have much confidence either way as to what he'll do, but I agree this year should tell us a lot.

[wildcard]

If Wieters needs to sit 50 games a year, trade him right now because he is never going to be that good.

There is zero reason he shouldn't be catching 125-135 games a year if he is healthy.

And while you are at it trade Mauer too. He has started over 110 games in two years.

[Sports Guy]

And while you are at it trade Mauer too. He has started over 110 games in two years.

At some point you are going to stop using that awful comparison because of Mauer's health issues but then again, I doubt it.

[wildcard]

Well, that's fine, but I have to agree with WC that to me he looked very tired at times last year. Every player is different and has strengths and weaknesses. It may just be that at 6'5" and 230 lbs., Wieters can't catch 130 games without getting sluggish. So, I'd forget arguments about other catchers, and just keep an eye on Wieters and give him a blow when it's needed. I have complete confidence in Buck Showalter's capacity to observe what's going on and make decisions accordingly.

To me if Wieters should get less then 120 games at catcher to stay strong that is the time when the back up catcher becomes more important. 40 games is maybe 160 at bats. It also easier to sit or DH Wieters if there is a good back up catcher.

[wildcard]

At some point you are going to stop using that awful comparison because of Mauer's health issues but then again, I doubt it.

Maybe if he catches 135 games this year I will stop referring to it. That should be incentive for him.

[Sports Guy]

Maybe if he catches 135 games this year I will stop referring to it. That should be incentive for him.

Well, he probably will if he stays healthy because the Twins actually have an understanding of how to use their players...Just as Buck showed he did with the way he handled Wieters last year.