Would you trade Wieters straight-up for anyone in the game?

[mweb]

No, I am not saying Matt Wieters is the best player in baseball, but that there isn't a single player in baseball that I'd trade him for. I believe that when you factor in age (24), defensive ability (GG), and offensive capability, we'll have a perrenial all-star catcher, arguably the most important position on a team, for many years to come. No other player in the game would get me to pull the trigger, though I understand many others having a different view.

Matt is 25 and will play most of next year as a 26 year old.

[mweb]

Since we aren't considering contracts, Matt would have to be the best player in baseball 26 or under for me to vote no. He is not that. Not even close.

[El Gordo]

Since we aren't considering contracts, Matt would have to be the best player in baseball 26 or under for me to vote no. He is not that. Not even close.

Who Is the best player in baseball 26 or under?

[Austin]

Who Is the best player in baseball 26 or under?

Kershaw? Upton?

[El Gordo]

Kershaw? Upton?

Position players younger than Wieters with a higher WAR this season: Andrus, Stanton, Maybin, Bourjous, and Avila. SP: Daniel Hudson, Masterson, Bumgarner. Kershaw. I wouldn't trade him for a pitcher, as I said before, because they are too volitile. Any one could blow there arm in ST. Catchers get injured, but how many C's missed major time last season as opposed to pitchers?

[GoldGlove21]

Position players younger than Wieters with a higher WAR this season: Andrus, Stanton, Maybin, Bourjous, and Avila. SP: Daniel Hudson, Masterson, Bumgarner. Kershaw. I wouldn't trade him for a pitcher, as I said before, because they are too volitile. Any one could blow there arm in ST. Catchers get injured, but how many C's missed major time last season as opposed to pitchers?

I wouldn't trade Wieters for anyone on that list except Kershaw and I know for a fact that I would trade him for Kershaw. Outside of that, Matt has come a long way since being labeled one of the biggest busts in ML history.

[El Gordo]

I wouldn't trade Wieters for anyone on that list except Kershaw and I know for a fact that I would trade him for Kershaw. Outside of that, Matt has come a long way since being labeled one of the biggest busts in ML history.

This is a curious sentence. Care to explain the distinction between not trading for any one except Kershaw, and knowing for a fact that you wouldn't trade for him?

[Oriolidae85]

Position players younger than Wieters with a higher WAR this season: Andrus, Stanton, Maybin, Bourjous, and Avila. SP: Daniel Hudson, Masterson, Bumgarner. Kershaw. I wouldn't trade him for a pitcher, as I said before, because they are too volitile. Any one could blow there arm in ST. Catchers get injured, but how many C's missed major time last season as opposed to pitchers?

Mauer's lost value certainly enters into the discussion when comparing risk with pitchers verses catchers. Other valuable catchers with recent injury history:

Russell Martin (mostly 2010, although he was abused in LA....145+ games caught in consecutive years)

Mike Napoli

Buster Posey

[El Gordo]

Mauer's lost value certainly enters into the discussion when comparing risk with pitchers verses catchers. Other valuable catchers with recent injury history:

Russell Martin (mostly 2010, although he was abused in LA....145+ games caught in consecutive years)

Mike Napoli

Buster Posey

Where's your list of Pitchers who missed significant time last season? Something tells me it's more than three. :rolleyestf:

[Austin]

This is a curious sentence. Care to explain the distinction between not trading for any one except Kershaw, and knowing for a fact that you wouldn't trade for him?

You should read it again.

[El Gordo]

You should read it again.

I got it. Still I would be more confident that Wieters will be healthyand productive in the next 4 years than I would be that Kershaw will. Pitchers are too volitile. And Wieters will be hitting a lot better over the next few years.

[Frobby]

Varitek has only two seasons of 4.0 WAR (other being 4.1) his career high oWAR is 4.4. Wieters hit 4.0 WAR (3.0 oWAR) this season. He is already as good as Varitek in his prime.

When he was in his age 25 season Varitek had a grand total of one plate appearance in the majors. He didn't become the starter until his age 27 season.

I thought I was clear in my earlier post that I was saying it looked like Wieters would be more like Varitek ON OFFENSE than Joe Mauer, and that even adding that to Wieters' defense, there were players more valuable. Basically, I'm saying that I estimate Wieters becomes a 5-5.5 WAR player in his prime.

As to the point that Varitek wasn't a starter until age 27, have a look at what Mauer was doing at Wieters' age.

[Frobby]

I do not think the current defensive metrics fully reward catcher defense.

I would like to know why you think this. It seems to me that the value of things like SB, CS, PB, WP, and PO are quite easy to measure and there is less subjectivity than the factors that go into advanced metrics at other positions. As to the things that are more subtle (pitch calling, pitch framing) I don't really have any basis to think Wieters is significantly above average in those categories, based on the little research that has been done in these areas or the actual results of our pitching staff.

[crawjo]

The important thing to understand about this thread is that no one other than an Orioles fan would even think to ask this question.

[theobird]

Lets agree to re-visit this thread after this season. I have a strong suspicion that Matt Weiters is about to become a mega star, and I think at the end of this season any team in baseball would give any player they have for him gladly. Just my opinion.