Is it time for Weiters to go to Bowie?

[Sports Guy]

Hasn't been challenged? Yeah, that's quite an understatement. You must track him by just his numbers. Come watch him in Frederick or when he moves up to Bowie sometime. I've seen at least 20-25 at-bats where he's been fooled by good quality pitchers. I think his defense (43% caught stealing, as high as 48.5% a couple weeks ago) is just fine.

Let him earn his well-deserved all-star selection, let him play in a game that celebrates the performance he's had in the first half, and then let him join Bowie the day after.

Albert Pujols looks bad during some at bats too..Should he be demoted?

Again, this idea that you need perfection to promote a player is ridiculous.

He should have been in Bowie from day 1 and every day he spends in Frederick is a waste of time.

[McNulty]

Albert Pujols looks bad during some at bats too..Should he be demoted?

Again, this idea that you need perfection to promote a player is ridiculous.

He should have been in Bowie from day 1 and every day he spends in Frederick is a waste of time.

Wow, I can't even believe you just wrote that.

Look man, I don't want to get into a big thing with you here, but your entire attitude about this is way out of perspective.

No one is saying that he needs to be perfect before they move him up. The point he was making is that the kid has what, about 200 ABs now and that he's going through a learning curve. Need I remind you he didn't exactly set the world on fire in college?

Give him half a chance to adjust to playing pro ball, would you? What in the world is your hurry here? He's going to be the keystone of our franchise for the next decade, so why not proceed with caution?

Last time I checked, you and I didn't work for the Orioles as the director of the minors.

[Sports Guy]

Wow, I can't even believe you just wrote that.

Speaking of things I can't believe people just wrote.....

No one is saying that he needs to be perfect before they move him up. The point he was making is that the kid has what, about 200 ABs now and that he's going through a learning curve.

Yea, that 350ish BA and 1000+ OPS is showing he is really struggling with that learning curve.

Need I remind you he didn't exactly set the world on fire in college?

Huh? He was regarded as one of the most advanced college hitters of the last 10 years.

Give him half a chance to adjust to playing pro ball, would you?

What are you talking about? Do you even read what people are saying? He should be in AA right now...Should have been there a month ago. How is that not giving him a chance to adjust? I don't even understand your logic behind anything youa re saying...It is almost as if you are saying the company line for every player across the board and totally ignoring what MATT WIETERS is doing.

What in the world is your hurry here? He's going to be the keystone of our franchise for the next decade, so why not proceed with caution?

They have already proceeded with caution...The original talk was he was going to Bowie to start with.

Last time I checked, you and I didn't work for the Orioles as the director of the minors

.Wow, thanks for adding this to thread...Lots of relevance here. I suppose since the person who has this job actually has it, that means they are going to make the right decision 100% of the time, correct?

[DEbird]

My first post about Weiters was apparently wrong. I have no problem admitting I heard about a problem and made a sugguested and it was wrong. It will be one of may times I'm wrong.

[McNulty]

Speaking of things I can't believe people just wrote.....

Yea, that 350ish BA and 1000+ OPS is showing he is really struggling with that learning curve.

Huh? He was regarded as one of the most advanced college hitters of the last 10 years.

What are you talking about? Do you even read what people are saying? He should be in AA right now...Should have been there a month ago. How is that not giving him a chance to adjust? I don't even understand your logic behind anything youa re saying...It is almost as if you are saying the company line for every player across the board and totally ignoring what MATT WIETERS is doing.They have already proceeded with caution...The original talk was he was going to Bowie to start with.

.Wow, thanks for adding this to thread...Lots of relevance here. I suppose since the person who has this job actually has it, that means they are going to make the right decision 100% of the time, correct?

350ish BA and 1000 OPS in a small sample size.

Here are his stats from college:

2007: Finished with one of the top two marks on the team in 10 offensive categories, including leading the team with 10 home runs, 59 RBI, 129 total bases and a .592 slugging percentage

2006 : Finished the year hitting .355 with 15 HR and 71 RBI ...

In Matt's freshman year, he hit 10 dingers.

Now, for college numbers, those aren't exactly setting the world on fire (for a player that merits AA right out of the gate), particularly his senior year. No one denies the talent is there. How many times do you read about a prospect dominating at a certain level, move up, and struggle (just this year, you can add Colby Rasmus, and Steven Pearce to that list just off the top of my head).

And what exactly are people reading that I'm missing in reference to the fact that he should of been in AA a month ago? Impatient posters here?

Good grief man, its only BEEN TWO FREAKIN MONTHS!! Why are you being so impatient? Have you ever even seen him play? Ever? I am leaning towards no, because if you had, you'd understand what I'm talking about.

Bottom line, if they promote him, I'm fine with it. But if they want to take their time with him, I'm OK with that too.

The quote at the bottom of your sig line is a great one, but don't forget that we are rebuilding, which takes loads of time and patience.

[AVencill]

He has been killing A ball all year and you jump on a cold streak?? I guess we need to get players who hit .400 all year. He is ready to move up but there is no reason to worry about when or what level he is at. He plays the most important position on the field and it is important for him to become a good defensive catcher. In addition he is grouped with some of our best prospects. Time is on our side.

I agree with everything you said after the ".400 all year", I really do. I know he's been crushing A-ball, I've watched him do it all year for the most part. I was not jumping on a cold streak, I just noted how his numbers had been sliding up until a couple days ago. The entire team's numbers had been as well. I realize no one is going to hit .400 in A-ball all season long, it's downright impossible at this day and age. Even Chipper Jones and his .420 or whatever average he's at will go into a slump sometime. Matt's a great ballplayer, and he's made some adjustments at the plate and now he's starting to clobber Carolina League pitching once again.

[AVencill]

Albert Pujols looks bad during some at bats too..Should he be demoted?

Again, this idea that you need perfection to promote a player is ridiculous.

He should have been in Bowie from day 1 and every day he spends in Frederick is a waste of time.

What does Pujols and a demotion have to do with anything I said? I never said Wieters was perfect, he's not. I just said let him enjoy the All-Star game, and move him up afterwards.

Whether or not he should've been in Bowie is debatable and has been played out IMO. Is playing every day in Frederick a waste of time? Not at all. It sure didn't seem like a waste of time when a Roving Catching Instructor with the White Sox for 17 years worked with him daily for much of the time he's spent in Frederick. I'll leave it at that.

[Sports Guy]

What does Pujols and a demotion have to do with anything I said? I never said Wieters was perfect, he's not. I just said let him enjoy the All-Star game, and move him up afterwards.

Whether or not he should've been in Bowie is debatable and has been played out IMO. Is playing every day in Frederick a waste of time? Not at all. It sure didn't seem like a waste of time when a Roving Catching Instructor with the White Sox for 17 years worked with him daily for much of the time he's spent in Frederick. I'll leave it at that.

You brought up his recent slump.

[Sports Guy]

How did you come to that conclusion? Why not Norfolk?

The Orioles almost put him there and decided to start him in Frederick instead...He has thrived there, which is good...But he would be developing better at Bowie right now.

[Fairfax Bird]

The Orioles almost put him there and decided to start him in Frederick instead...He has thrived there, which is good...But he would be developing better at Bowie right now.

How do you know this? I mean I agree with sending him up, but maybe dominating this level through June is what this kid needs.

[Owen21]

Bowie has off day on Monday the 9th before starting 3 game series at Reading Phillies. Put Matt on a bus on Monday! He needs to catch some AA pitchers like Tillman, Hernandez, Bergesen, etc. & DH on occassion.......move Reimold to AAA...........................As a favor, let Wieters go play in the Single A all-star game in a few weeks.

[Sports Guy]

How do you know this? I mean I agree with sending him up, but maybe dominating this level through June is what this kid needs.

I happen to believe that you develop better when you are facing better competition and are challenged.

[Frobby]

350ish BA and 1000 OPS in a small sample size.

Here are his stats from college:

2007: Finished with one of the top two marks on the team in 10 offensive categories, including leading the team with 10 home runs, 59 RBI, 129 total bases and a .592 slugging percentage

2006 : Finished the year hitting .355 with 15 HR and 71 RBI ...

In Matt's freshman year, he hit 10 dingers.

Now, for college numbers, those aren't exactly setting the world on fire (for a player that merits AA right out of the gate), particularly his senior year.

You have got to be kidding.

Wieters was universally recognized as the best hitter coming out of college last year. Not exactly setting the world on fire? That's plain ridiculous. And by the way, Wieters never had a senior year of college, he was drafted as a junior.

And please don't tell me Wieters' 1.000 OPS at Frederick is a small sample size. He's been totally consistent over 220 plate appearances. There is nothing fluky about what he has done there.

[Owen21]

I happen to believe that you develop better when you are facing better competition and are challenged.

Except when your last name is Tracshel

[McNulty]

You have got to be kidding.

Wieters was universally recognized as the best hitter coming out of college last year. Not exactly setting the world on fire? That's plain ridiculous. And by the way, Wieters never had a senior year of college, he was drafted as a junior.

And please don't tell me Wieters' 1.000 OPS at Frederick is a small sample size. He's been totally consistent over 220 plate appearances. There is nothing fluky about what he has done there.

You are correct about the senior year thing, and I knew that. I'm just a bonehead who morphed last year in college into senior year.

However, I can specifically remember last year people wondering why he had regressed. His sophomore year was a lot better, and hitting 10 homers in the ballpark he was playing in, with his non-conference schedule, was really low for someone of his talent. And he wasn't being pitched around. With that in mind, I was ECSTATIC when we drafted him last year.

So the talent was off the charts, but his production was not. Hence, not setting the world on fire.

Look, I have no doubt about his talent. Keith Law said last year that he was a once in a decade talent, and I did/still believe that to be true. But the key word is talent. And with our track record of rushing talent, and being unable to develop it consistently, I'd much rather they took their time and were calculated about his progression.

And I'm not saying that what he has done at Frederick has been anything close to a fluke. I'm saying that its only been 220 ABs, and if you combined that with his sub-par (for him) JUNIOR year, I can't see how you can say that his promotion to AA has been way overdue.