Seriously...what is up with Wieters?

[wildcard]

So he wasn't good for the first 3 months because he needed experience and playing time. But, now he's had too much, so he's tired? Hasn't MY played baseball for a long time? It's hot in Atlanta, isn't it?

I'm not saying he'll never be good. He still has loads of promise. But, he's looked bad pretty much all year. He might be tired, but he wasn't doing anything moderately productive before he got worn out.

I responded to a similar post in #121 in this thread.

[wildcard]

Does this have any basis in anything substantative, or are you just guessing? Mike Piazza caught almost every day, although I guess he had something of a break because two of his early seasons were shortened from the lockout/strike. Johnny Bench made his debut at 19, and caught 129-154 games for seven straight years. Pudge caught 140 games a year in his early 20s. Ted Simmons caught at least 130 games (and as many as 154) each year from age 21-25. Gary Carter had four straight years of at least 138 games caught in his early 20s. Jason Varitek's first full year in the majors he caught 140 games.

I don't discount the idea that Wieters is having difficulties because he's worn down and nursing minor injuries, but there's tons (and tons and tons) of precedence for young, good-hitting catchers to catch 130+ games a year for years on end as 20-somethings.

Yes everyone is different and you can't make Matt Wieters into any of these guys. However there are a ton of catchers who don't hit as well as they could if they didn't catch. I am not saying they would hit the way we all hope that Wieters will hit but the odds are they would be better hitters if they didn't have to squat for 9 innings. He is why the good ones DH.

For Wieters to reach his potential as to be a middle of the order hitter and a great defensive catcher that calls a winning game. Superman is what we are asking for. Well he is doing the non hitting part on that level. If you want the hitting part he has to get the chance to be at his best as a hitter. His best will come with fresh legs. I don't know how anyone disagrees with that. Tired legs? Fresh legs? Which gives him the best odds to succeed? Its a no brainer.

Matt is not anyone else. He is Matt. Give him the best chance to be all he can be. And I am not suggesting he join the Army.

[Sports Guy]

Yes everyone is different and you can't make Matt Wieters into any of these guys. However there are a ton of catchers who don't hit as well as they could if they didn't catch. I am not saying they would hit the way we all hope that Wieters will hit but the odds are they would be better hitters if they didn't have to squat for 9 innings. He is why the good ones DH.

For Wieters to reach his potential as to be a middle of the order hitter and a great defensive catcher that calls a winning game. Superman is what we are asking for. Well he is doing the non hitting part on that level. If you want the hitting part he has to get the chance to be at his best as a hitter. His best will come with fresh legs. I don't know how anyone disagrees with that. Tired legs? Fresh legs? Which gives him the best odds to succeed? Its a no brainer.

Matt is not anyone else. He is Matt. Give him the best chance to be all he can be. And I am not suggesting he join the Army.

Well then you are saying to rest him more, which makes him less valuable than we need him to be because he has to sit out more games to be good.

Either way, we are screwed.

[Dipper9]

The bottom line here is, regardless of the reasons, Wieters has STUNK this year. He was able to fly under the radar for most of the season because the rest of the team also stunk, but now that everyone is playing better, the focus is squarely on Matt and WHY he is not hitting.

I still have confidence that he will be a productive Major Leaguer, but I am also now realizing that maybe Caleb Joseph has a bigger role with the Orioles then we all could have ever imagined.

[wildcard]

Well then you are saying to rest him more, which makes him less valuable than we need him to be because he has to sit out more games to be good.

Either way, we are screwed.

Depends on how well he hits when he catches or DH or PH. It also depends on how good of a backup Tatum is.

[JTrea81]

Well then you are saying to rest him more, which makes him less valuable than we need him to be because he has to sit out more games to be good.

Either way, we are screwed.

Catch him 100 or so games, DH him 40 and let him have around 20 offdays and don't catch him more than 3 days in a row.

[Sports Guy]

Catch him 100 or so games, DH him 40 and let him have around 20 offdays and don't catch him more than 3 days in a row.

What other top catcher does this? You are saying we have to treat Wieters with kids gloves.

And on top of that, you are putting a bad bat in the lineup for 250ish at bats. That's also bad.

[Going Underground]

Jorge Posada from 2000 to 2007 caught about 135 games a year. He was 28 in 2000 and 35 in 2007. He put up some really good stats in those years. Matt is younger and should be able to handle catching about 125 to 130 games,

[Rockbird]

Hmmm...I never knew this was a local magazine....

THIS is what's up with Wieters! It's the Sports Illustrated Curse!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_Illustrated_Cover_Jinx

[DrungoHazewood]

What other top catcher does this? You are saying we have to treat Wieters with kids gloves.

And on top of that, you are putting a bad bat in the lineup for 250ish at bats. That's also bad.

Not only that, but most player hit worse at DHs than they do when playing the field. Even Mauer's OPS falls off 25 points when DHing. If Wieters' falls off 25 points he's among the worst DHs in the game.

[Amerks]

Jorge Posada from 2000 to 2007 caught about 135 games a year. He was 28 in 2000 and 35 in 2007. He put up some really good stats in those years. Matt is younger and should be able to handle catching about 125 to 130 games,

Bench caught about 140 games/yr, Piazza and Rodriquez similar. If "tired" legs, "tired" brain from game calling are issues, maybe catching is not his position. I suspect his rapid ascent to the majors was due to his bat. I believe patience is important, not excuses for his unspectacular start. Maybe when attention can be drawn away from him by bringing in some better additions he will improve.

[Tony-OH]

When Wieters was signed by Joe Jordan and before all the hype hit due to him tearing up the minor leagues, Jordan said he thought he was Jason Varitek. Most people thought that he under estimated him, but considering Varitek's initial struggles, and then eventual All-star success, it's way too early to count out Matt Wieters.

At Wieters current age of 24-years old, Varitek put up a .756 OPS in AA and threw out 29% of runners who attempted to steal.

Wieters has thrown out 30% (despite pitchers like Matusz who have serious struggled to keep runners from getting good jumps on them) in the major league and although his .693 OPS is a huge disappointment, his K rate has decreased and walk rate has improved since last year.

By all means Wieters bat has not been what his minor league numbers suggest they should be, but I think it's way too early to draw any conclusions from them. I still think Wieters is going to end up an All-Star catcher one day.

[wildcard]

What other top catcher does this? You are saying we have to treat Wieters with kids gloves.

And on top of that, you are putting a bad bat in the lineup for 250ish at bats. That's also bad.

But if Wieters hit for a OPS of 850-900 compared to under 700 now, it would be worth it.

Plus there is nothing to say the O's couldn't get a better backup catcher.

[Mackus]

Plus there is nothing to say the O's couldn't get a better backup catcher.

How many backup catchers have a .650 OPS or higher?

There aren't 30 good starting catchers in baseball, yet alone enough for teams to find good backups.

[UMDTerrapins]

When wieters was signed by Jor Jordan and before all the hype hit due to him tearing up the minor leagues, Jordan said he thought he was Jason Varitek. Most people thought that he under estimated him, but considering Varitek's initial struggles, and then eventual All-star success, it's way too early to count out Matt Wieters.

At Wieters current age of 24-years old, Varitek put up a .756 OPS in AA and threw out 29% of runners awho attempted to steal.

Wieters has thrown out 30% (despite pitchers like Matusz who have serious struggled to keep runners from getting good jumps on them) in the major league and although his .693 OPS is a huge dissapointment, his K rate has decreased and walk rate has improved since last year.

By all means Wieters bat has not been what his minor league numbers suggest they should be, but I think it's way too early to draw any conclusions from them. I still think Wieters is going to end up an All-Star catcher one day.

Funny.....I just stopped myself from using Varitek as a comp.