According to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal, the Orioles may be open to trading former All-Star and Gold Glove winning catcher Matt Wieters.
While his defense is regarded as one of the best in the entire MLB, it’s not unfair to say that the offense from “Switch-Hitting Jesus” has never met expectations.
Coming out of Georgia Tech, Wieters was often referred to as “[Joe]Mauer with Power”. While he has put up some good offensive numbers for a catcher, they aren’t the numbers fans were hoping for. His home run totals have not disappointed, as Matt hit 22,23, and 22 the last three seasons.
His average, though, is the shocking number. Wieters’ averages over the last four seasons: .249, jumped to .262 in 2011, back down to .249 in 2012, and a career-low .235 this past season. The average just isn’t improving like you would hope it would. His OBP was also a career low .287 this season. Ugh.
According to ESPN.com, Wieters also posted a WAR of .05. You know which other catchers had a WAR of .05? Gerald Laird, Carlos Coropan, and Hector Sanchez. None of those guys should ever be tied with Matt Wieters in any category.
Rosenthal says that the Orioles are “exploring the market” for backups to Wieters.
I’m not bashing Wieters at all. I like him a lot. I still wear my Wieters #15 shirt from his rookie year. He is great with the pitching staff and is the rock of the clubhouse. But if the Orioles want to be a player in the A.L. East for years to come, this may be a good move. Now this is still just a rumor swirling around (much like the rumor that the Orioles are attempting to trade J.J. Hardy). No deal appears imminent.
Wieters is represented by everyone’s favorite MLB Agent, Scott Boras. Boras is known for playing hardball with teams and getting some absolutely ridiculous contracts for his clients. If I’m an Oriole fan, I do not want to see the birds stuck with one of these gigantic Alex Rodriguez, Josh Hamilton, Albert Pujols, soon to be Robinson Cano, or Prince Fielder contracts.
If the Orioles trade Wieters (and right now it is feeling like a big IF) the big question will be, who is going to be the backstop in 2014?
The Orioles have hometown boy Steve Clevenger on the roster, but he doesn’t seem like a starting major league catcher. The Birds could go after free agents such as the perm-wearing Jarod Saltalamacchia, or the newest member of the MLB police force, Brian McCann. There are other options out there such as Carlos Ruiz, and A.J. Pierzynski. These are all viable backups but will not come cheap.
Do the Orioles risk trading one of their most respected clubhouse leaders for pieces to help complete this team and help them compete in the best division in baseball for years to come? Or do they hold on to Wieters and hope to sign him once he becomes a free agent?
What do you think the Orioles will do? Would you be open to the Orioles trading Wieters? Let me know down below.
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photo c/o Beth Tenser
3 Responses
If you can have a shortstop just for defense, why not a catcher when your shortstop can hit!!!
You can but not for $17-$20 million a year
The Mauer comps were always unfair. If he could bump up the OBP to near/at/slightly above league average, even with BA and power numbers the same I’d consider that living up to the hype. Posada never hit for much average and consistently had power numbers in the mid-20’s, the thing that made him such an asset for the Yankees was his on base clip and ability to work the count while playing sufficient d at a premium position. Wieters has already eclipsed Posada and probably Varitek with the work he does behind the plate.