Do you consider Matt Wieters to be a bust?

[mrpennybags]

I honestly don't understand how you, or anyone else can think of Wieters as a bust. For those that do, I have this suggestion -- don't worry about your team drafting in the first round. Root for the Orioles to trade their first round pick every year for an immediate asset.

If you don't get what I'm driving at, go and look at the first round of the MLB draft. Go back as far as you like. I'll use his draft, 2007 as an example.

Matt Wieters at this point in his career is as good as the 8th best player from the 2007 draft class.

Clearly not as good as (7): Madisoin Bumgarner, Josh Donaldson, Jason Heyward, David Price, Chris Sale, Giancarlo Stanton, Jordan Zimmerman

About as good as (9): Jake Arrieta, Brandon Belt, Todd Frazier, Freddie Freeman, Matt Harvey, Craig Kimbrel, Corey Kluber, Jonathan Lucroy, Anthony Rizzo

Clearly better than (18): Darwin Barney, Andrew Cashner, Brett Cecil, Zach Cosart, Lucas Duda, Danny Duffy, Yasmani Grandal, Greg Holland, Tommy Hunter, D.J. LeMahieu, Matt Moore, Mitch Moreland, Mike Moustakas, Derek Norris, Rick Porcello, Jarrod Parker, Ben Revere, Tony Watson

...everyone else isn't even close in value. That is from the entire draft by the way. Fifty rounds. 1,453 picks. Wieters is gone after this year, and many of those listed have already changed teams.

The Orioles hit on the draft pick. They didn't miss. This is nowhere close to the definition of a bust.

I agree with this analysis. 'Bust' should be reserved for the highest level of failure and too many top picks never even make the majors to include Wieters in that group.

[DJHJR86]

Not a bust at all. He's an above average catcher, and probably top 5 in the league.

But he has been the most over hyped and overrated Oriole if the past 10 years.

[weams]

Just about fits in with your Lucas Duda and Matt Moore group ...

I just don't know how to respond to that.

Matt Moore... 4.4 WAR

Lucas Dusa... 5.7 WAR

Matt Wieters... 14.5 WAR

What is even CLOSE about that. You need to re-look at your argument.

BTW, Jake, the almighty, JAke is sitting at 8.5, a bit above the Dudas and Moores of the world.

Bumgarner stands alone at 20.5...he's not a tier.

[ShaneDawg85]

Not a bust at all. He's an above average catcher, and probably top 5 in the league.

But he has been the most over hyped and overrated Oriole if the past 10 years.

Well considering how awful the Orioles were for the majority of that time, and so devoid of prospects, that's not really saying much.

[weams]

Wieters was never going to live up to the hype because he was never remotely the player Mauer was at the same age. His first few weeks in the majors I questioned wether he shouldnt be in the minors still. Of course he went on to hit for his highest average his rookie year. I dont think Wieters is a bust Just ridiculously overhyped by people who obviously didnt know what they were seeing. He never looked like Joe Mauer or any other catcher with a quick bat.

Some would question if he lost his best year offensively trying to perfect his craft at Bowie. He was ready. And he is very able for a catcher. 15 WAR under control is a a top pick.

[BMann]

A disappointment? Yes.

A bust? No.

[Roll Tide]

Some would question if he lost his best year offensively trying to perfect his craft at Bowie. He was ready. And he is very able for a catcher. 15 WAR under control is a a top pick.

I don't think of Wieters as a bust. I think he has underperformed expectations offensively.

[DJHJR86]

Well considering how awful the Orioles were for the majority of that time, and so devoid of prospects, that's not really saying much.

Who during that time frame got the amount of hype and attention he received? That's the point. We were awful. He was hyped as the 'baseball Jesus' who could become the face of the franchise.

[Redskins Rick]

Who during that time frame got the amount of hype and attention he received? That's the point. We were awful. He was hyped as the 'baseball Jesus' who could become the face of the franchise.

Hard to brag about winning 74 games.

To some extent, I think this happened with Matusz, high draft pick selected in a sorry year, and these guys were all expected to come in and right the ship and bring us back to glory land.

[Can_of_corn]

Hard to brag about winning 74 games.

To some extent, I think this happened with Matusz, high draft pick selected in a sorry year, and these guys were all expected to come in and right the ship and bring us back to glory land.

Wieters, Matusz and Bundy also all had very sucessful first years in the minors.

[Redskins Rick]

Wieters, Matusz and Bundy also all had very sucessful first years in the minors.

lets not forget Britton.

In fact, some posters felt about Britton like they do Matusz, that is, before his light bulb moment and he showed up a brand new reliever.

[DrungoHazewood]

Wieters, Matusz and Bundy also all had very sucessful first years in the minors.

That ramped up expectations. While a small subset of "players who have big years in pro debuts" become major stars, many major stars had big pro debuts. Of course your guy is always the one who will beat the odds.

[OrioleMagic79]

I just don't know how to respond to that.

Matt Moore... 4.4 WAR

Lucas Dusa... 5.7 WAR

Matt Wieters... 14.5 WAR

What is even CLOSE about that. You need to re-look at your argument.

BTW, Jake, the almighty, JAke is sitting at 8.5, a bit above the Dudas and Moores of the world.

Bumgarner stands alone at 20.5...he's not a tier.

That problem with this argument is that it assumes I agree that there is at least an ounce of validity in your magic WAR statistic ...

[Redskins Rick]

That problem with this argument is that it assumes I agree that there is at least an ounce of validity in your magic WAR statistic ...

Nothing magical, when somebody provides a statistical fact.

[OrioleMagic79]

Nothing magical, when somebody provides a statistical fact.