This from John Sickels
"This won't come as a surprise to you, but Matt Wieters is really, really good. He is a cross between Joe Mauer and Mike Piazza. The only things that could hurt him would be injury (always possible) or a really severe case of Young Catcher Stagnation Syndrome (seems unlikely to me)."
over 3 years ago
Baltimo
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2 things:
1. John Sickels blogs for SBN? neat.
2. I don’t know if I could be more excited about Matt Wieters. I really hope these hopes are not dashed. I would be devastated. I’m not even lying. I have been an Orioles fan for too long (and hte wrong too long) to really still care, but I do. Dammit.
sweet
looks like the jason varitek comparisons are finally over (thank god). Wieters is stepping up to Mauer and Piazza territory.
Well
You can’t really go any higher than that, unless you include Cochrane/Bench.
My best game plan is to sit on the bench and call out specific instructions like 'C'mon Boog,' 'Get ahold of one, Frank,' or 'Let's go, Brooks.' -Earl Weaver
Varitek is the greatest catcher of all time
"This world extends way beyond this little field of dreams we're dancing in and I want to see that world"
I guess you could include
Dickey/Berra as well, but if Wieters really does reach his ceiling, he’ll put up better numbers.
My best game plan is to sit on the bench and call out specific instructions like 'C'mon Boog,' 'Get ahold of one, Frank,' or 'Let's go, Brooks.' -Earl Weaver
In other news
Seems like a good time to bash Adam Loewen as he is headed off to Hawaii. This from BaseballAmerica:
“I’ve been thinking about it ever since I hurt my arm in 2007,” he said. “It was always in the back of my mind. If I can’t pitch, I’m not going to quit baseball. For me, I already knew what I wanted to do when I fractured my elbow again.”
At 24, he will be starting from scratch.
“I’m excited,” he said. “It’s going to be a good opportunity for me. I do like playing a position better than pitching. I don’t like sitting on the bench, waiting every five days. I’d like to get up there and help my teammates.”
Good to know, Adam, that you had been thinking about hitting since 2007. Additionally, your care for others goes without saying, Adam.
My best game plan is to sit on the bench and call out specific instructions like 'C'mon Boog,' 'Get ahold of one, Frank,' or 'Let's go, Brooks.' -Earl Weaver
Thinking about what?
Thinking about lying through his teeth so he could sign with the Blue Jays?
"I’ve been thinking about it ever since I hurt my arm in 2007," he said. "It was always in the back of my mind. If I can’t pitch, I’m not going to quit baseball. For me, I already knew what I wanted to do when I fractured my elbow again."
At 24, he will be starting from scratch.
"I’m excited," he said. "It’s going to be a good opportunity for me. I do like playing a position better than pitching. I don’t like sitting on the bench, waiting every five days. I’d like to get up there and help my teammates, unless of course, it is inconvinient for me to do so."
Fixed.
Wieters
Is probably the best prospect we have ever had. And, if he lives up to the hype, he’ll be mentioned in the same breath as Brooks, Frank, Eddie and Cal.
I’m thinking that a Wieters 2009 road jersey is probably #1 on my Christmas list this year.
From the Land of Pleasant Living...
Bedard is one of the most valuable players in Oriole history
Tillman + Jones + Sherrill + some more stuff.
yes
I hope we use him as a LOOGy.
"Yesterday I was lying, today I am telling the truth." -- Bob Arum
But, but, but...
he was an All-Star!
/snark OFF
Duck Around - a progressive blob about the Eastern Shore of Maryland. And getting off my lawn.
best ever?
I don’t know about that…I do wonder where Cal and Eddie would’ve ranked had BA done a top 100 back in the 70s. I’m trying to think of the highest rated Oriole prospect since BA did the top 100 and the best one I can figure is Jeffrey Hammonds, who I believe was #4.
Librarians are hiding something
by dfa on Nov 2, 2008 1:02 PM EST up reply actions
Wieters is probably the best prospect we have ever had.
Who’s second in terms of position prospects in the last 20 years? Jeffrey Hammonds? Or Nick Markakis?
Zartan says, "Sign Dan Johnson."
This has from 1990 to 2007
I’m going to try and put this by finish:
Ben McDonald #2 in 1990
Jeffrey Hammonds – 3 in 1994, 19 in 1993
Arthur Rhodes – 5 in 1992, 6 in 1991
Armando Benitez – 11 in 1995
Matt Wieters – 12 in 2008
Adam Loewen at 13 – 2004
Matt Riley at 1 – 2000, 20 in 1999
Brad Pennington – 18 in 1993
Mike Mussina – 19 in 1991
Rocky Coppinger – 19 in 1996
Nick Markakis – 21 in 2006
Darnell McDonald – 21 in 1998
Librarians are hiding something
by dfa on Nov 2, 2008 3:14 PM EST up reply actions
That was a half decade I'll never get back
waiting for his always-hurt ass to finally pan out. Waited in vain, of course.
Duck Around - a progressive blob about the Eastern Shore of Maryland. And getting off my lawn.
yeah
I remember BP describing Markakis as a guy who exceeded expectations pretty much every year.
"Yesterday I was lying, today I am telling the truth." -- Bob Arum
my only concern...
…is that we are wasting his bat by having him stay at catcher. I’d really like to see him be a C/DH type, getting two days off from catching per week. It’s almost like we need the “Wieters Rules” to steal a stupid term.
Librarians are hiding something
That's what I used to think too
But honestly, I’d rather have that position filled for the next twelve-fifteen years rather than have to go through a catcher carousel. If it becomes apparent Wieters can’t call a game, I’m all for moving him to DH/1B, but a cornerstone at catcher is very hard to come by.
Bench/Posada/Piazza never really fell off the board until they naturally declined due to age, not wear and tear.
My best game plan is to sit on the bench and call out specific instructions like 'C'mon Boog,' 'Get ahold of one, Frank,' or 'Let's go, Brooks.' -Earl Weaver
he's a Boras guy
We’ll probably only have him for six years anyway. Gotta get the most out of those six years. Ride him hard.
Unfortunately
you have just about a 100%, sun-rises-in-the-East-tomorrow probability of being correct. Get the most out of those 6 years and let someone else pay for his creaky knees when he’s 29. If Adam Loewen’s taught us nothing else, it’s that baseball, at its core, is still a damn ruthless business.
Duck Around - a progressive blob about the Eastern Shore of Maryland. And getting off my lawn.
Uhhg
I don’t even want to think about that. I’m just imagining Wieters putting up Piazza type numbers, and then leaving the O’s for New York/Boston/Chicago because they offer him more. That gives me a sick feeling in my stomach.
Boras was right, however, when he went around calling Wieters “once in a decade” talent.
My best game plan is to sit on the bench and call out specific instructions like 'C'mon Boog,' 'Get ahold of one, Frank,' or 'Let's go, Brooks.' -Earl Weaver
Let's just enjoy him while he's here
instead of thinking about what will (probably) happen down the road.
And if he leaves for the MFY and PHN, let’s hope he goes there with a ring. He got in Baltimore.
"This world extends way beyond this little field of dreams we're dancing in and I want to see that world"
Just accept it for what it is
We are getting 6 ML seasons of of Wieters, not one more. The trick is to maximize those six.
Duck Around - a progressive blob about the Eastern Shore of Maryland. And getting off my lawn.
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