Wieter's audition.

[33rdst]

Last night Buck started Wieters at first base, a position he had never started as a professional. It seemed odd since Buck rarely, if ever, exposes the catching position in that way. There was no catcher on the bench. Do you think Buck and Dan are auditioning Wieters for a possible long term deal? Clearly Wieters, given his size, age, and injury history, won't be catching at the back end of a long term deal. Our braintrust need to know that Wieters can provide an option other then catching. I think we'll see Matt at first several more times this year. Does a long term deal foe Wieters become more palatable if Wieters can play first base?

[Babypowder]

I would hope not. Wieters doesn't have the bat for 1B.

[mdbdotcom]

It was Wieters' 2nd game at 1B this year and his second career start there. He wanted both Wieters and Paredes in the lineup against Sanchez. Putting Wieters at 1B is safer than handing Jimmy a glove.

I was surprised when Flaherty replaced Wieters for the 9th. If Caleb had gotten hurt, I guess Flaherty would have moved behind the plate, with Davis moving to 1B and Lough to the outfield.

[33rdst]

It was Wieters' 2nd game at 1B this year and his second career start there. He wanted both Wieters and Paredes in the lineup against Sanchez. Putting Wieters at 1B is safer than handing Jimmy a glove.

I was surprised when Flaherty replaced Wieters for the 9th. If Caleb had gotten hurt, I guess Flaherty would have moved behind the plate, with Davis moving to 1B and Lough to the outfield.

You're right it was his second game there this year. He entered in the ninth inning earlier this year. However, I think it was his first career start. At least that is what BR has. And I think I remember Thorne mentioning that last night.

[33rdst]

What did it matter if the second catcher was on the bench or playing 1B. If Joseph had gotten injured, Wieters would have moved behind the plate and somsone else would have gone to 1B. A lot less risky than when Wieter's is the DH.

You're right. But Buck hasn't done that before. He seems to like to have a replacement a available on the bench. The Dh has less chance of getting hurt I suppose.

[Frobby]

I think it was just a way to get Wieters' bat in the lineup. I don't think Buck really wants to limit him to playing every other day, but he's concluded that Matt's arm is not going to stand up to catching much more frequently than that right now. Buck's not going to risk a further injury.

[mdbdotcom]

You're right it was his second game there this year. He entered in the ninth inning earlier this year. However, I think it was his first career start. At least that is what BR has. And I think I remember Thorne mentioning that last night.

No, BR has him starting at 1B and playing 8 innings in a game in 2011.

[ADZ23]

I think it was just a way to get Wieters' bat in the lineup. I don't think Buck really wants to limit him to playing every other day, but he's concluded that Matt's arm is not going to stand up to catching much more frequently than that right now. Buck's not going to risk a further injury.

For now. Latter part of the schedule I'd think he'll play every day tho since he's definitely leaving Bmore, no?

[Can_of_corn]

I think it was just a way to get Wieters' bat in the lineup. I don't think Buck really wants to limit him to playing every other day, but he's concluded that Matt's arm is not going to stand up to catching much more frequently than that right now. Buck's not going to risk a further injury.

I think it was a way to keep Davis in right field.

No idea why.

[Babypowder]

I think it was a way to keep Davis in right field.

No idea why.

Agreed, this is also very confusing to me. I also still don't understand how he routinely survives the defensive subs end game when there are clearly better defenders on the bench.

[Ripken]

I don't want Wieters back at all. I'll happily take the pick.

[Reboulet'sStache]

The problem with Wieters isn't whether he can "play" 1B, because in the end, that doesn't' really matter. He doesn't have the bat for 1B.

[TINSTAAPP]

What has happened to Wieters walk rate? He has always been a pretty patient hitter with a 8.5% career walk rate coming to this year. However, that walk rate has been cut in half this year. It's all the way down to 4.4%. His power has been excellent as his 11.0% XBH% is well above career norms so his overall OPS is very solid. Maybe he's sacrificing patience for average and power or maybe he's just overanxious at the plate due to missing all that time and his pending free agency but his lack of patience at the plate this year has been pretty surprising.

[Just Regular]

Didn't see the box score until this morning and figured Wieters and Joseph together meant we were facing a lefty. Then had a second take reaction when I saw we weren't.

I'm okay taking this kind of risk day to day. Some of it is I feel a karma safety net. Even if one catcher is used, the second one has a late game injury, and something ridiculous happens, well the same thing happened to Lenn Sakata one night in 1983.

[Bahama O's Fan]

The problem with Wieters isn't whether he can "play" 1B' date=' because in the end, that doesn't' really matter. He doesn't have the bat for 1B.[/quote']

No, right now, this year, it's whether Wieters bat is better than anyone else we can run out there.