Who's this 'Matt Weiters' character?

I expect to be reading these for Hector Rondon someday.

8 months ago emd2k3 40 comments 0 recs |

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/orioles_top_prospect_wins?utm_source=a-section

by millionairesrow on Jun 10, 2009 10:17 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Now THAT’S funny.

Steel Nick

by nickjs21 on Jun 10, 2009 10:23 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Matt Wieters Is Hitting Only .167, But That Just Means He’ll Hit .833 The Rest Of The Year To Finish At 1.000.

Most of the jokes are lukewarm, or just awful math like this one. But I do love me some Wieters prospect hype.

Steel Nick

by nickjs21 on Jun 10, 2009 10:22 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Driving by the stadium yesterday I saw the Bowie Baysox are having a Wieters bobblehead day later this week. Sort of a “He was once here” kind of celebration I guess.

by MTF on Jun 10, 2009 11:39 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Columbus used to have Derek Jeter bobblehead nights, because there’s only so many times you can honor Andy Tracy.

Juan Salas: Smartest man in baseball?

by emd2k3 on Jun 10, 2009 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

All Star managers were forced to select 48 other players because no other player received a vote in either league at any position. None of the other 48 got into the game.

by elsandito on Jun 10, 2009 3:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

If Matt Wieters were a Cleveland Indian, Eric Wedge would have him riding the pine right now, or on his way back to AAA.

by ShawnK on Jun 10, 2009 6:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I would imagine he wouldn’t even be in the majors with Vic and Shop in front of him

by Roger Dorn on Jun 10, 2009 6:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If Wierters were an Indian, I imagine that Shop may have been traded before the beginning of the 2009 season.

I was taking a shot at the Tribe’s handling of prospects (e.g. Phillips, Marte, LaPorta, …) more than anything else.

by ShawnK on Jun 10, 2009 7:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dude and remember how badly they handled Sizemore, and Martinez, and Peralta, and Sabathia? Those guys NEVER got the chance they deserved. The Indians are the worst at handling prospects.

Steel Nick

by nickjs21 on Jun 10, 2009 11:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I am a sports fan; I am entitled to my Monday morning QB’ing. To be clear, my disagreement is in the lack of immediate playing time for the most recent prospects (Marte and LaPorta). I will concede I should not have included Brandon Phillips, he was just bad. Phillips was able to play almost the entire 2003 season and posted a .208/.242/.311. He collected another 30 AB with the Indians over the 2004 and 2005 seasons.

Anyway, I think the treatment of Sizemore, Martinez, and Peralta were different than Marte and LaPorta.

Martinez made his first appearance in June 2003 and basically played regularly for the remainder of the season, except for missing 23 games for an ankle sprain. He got 159 AB and posted a .289/.345/.333.

Peralta also made his first appearance in June 2003 and played regularly for the remainder of the season, getting 242 AB and posting a .227/.295/.326. After his sub-par 2003 performance, he started 2004 at AAA and eventually made the club in the last few weeks of the season.

Sizemore made his first appearance in July 2004. He played regularly through his first 76 AB. He then was used sparingly for another 13 AB after posting a .213/.301/.326. He was then optioned to AAA at the end of August. He was called back up a few weeks later and has been with the team since.

Marte made his first appearance for the Tribe in July 2006. He played regularly through the end of the season and posted a .226/.287/.421 through 171 AB. However, in 2007, he received 29 AB before being sent down to AAA. He was recalled for 9 AB and then sent down again. He collected 7 more AB in September.

In the first half of 2008, he was used sparingly again, collecting 13 AB in April, 23 in May, and 21 in June. He got a legitimate shot at 3B beginning in July, and posted a .250/.317/.444 during that window (year numbers were much lower from Apr – Jun performance). He has since been cut and resigned at AAA.

LaPorta was called up in May 2009 and used sparingly the entire time. He received 13 AB before being given four days off . He collected another random 29 AB before being sent down (posted a .196/.286/.286).

Wedge commented that he wanted to get LaPorta more time at 1B in AAA. My opinion is that you shouldn’t bring him up your top prospects unless you plan to play them regularly and for an extended period of time (with the exception of filling in for injured players).

Martinez, Peralta, and Sizemore all were given regular playing time when they were first called up. Marte performed at similar levels when given his shot in 2007, but for some reason, the leash was pulled back in 2008 and he wasn’t offered a regluar role until very late. LaPorta didn’t get a regular role in his first call up, so I am hoping they leave him in AAA until they do have regular use for him in Cleveland.

by ShawnK on Jun 11, 2009 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Listen, we’re not getting into Marte again. I took issue with this:

I was taking a shot at the Tribe’s handling of prospects (e.g. Phillips, Marte, LaPorta, …) more than anything else.

Steel Nick

by nickjs21 on Jun 11, 2009 11:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Okay, let me be more accurate:

I was taking a shot at the Tribe’s ~~handling of~~ lack of regular playing time for prospects (e.g. ~~Phillips~~, Marte, LaPorta, …) more than anything else.

by ShawnK on Jun 11, 2009 11:52 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well really then your issue is Marte. I don’t know who the “…” is meant to represent and it’s not like we have a whopping retrospective on the LaPorta situation. It’s happening right now. Would it have been better to just never call LaPorta up? Maybe. Probably. Has this irrevocably damaged his tenure with the Indians? I’m leaning towards no.

So really your joke about Matt Wieters riding the bench on an Eric Wedge team is really just a complaint about Marte. A sample size of one. You’ve got all these other prospects the Indians went ahead and handled perfectly fine.

Wouldn’t you agree it’s not fair to make a blanket assumption that Wedge/the FO handle prospects poorly?

My only point is that I’m tired of the Marte talk. I especially don’t think it should be treated as the norm for how a young player is handled.

Steel Nick

by nickjs21 on Jun 11, 2009 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’m not making a blanket statement about all prospects. I like the way they handled Marinez, Peralta, and Sizemore, and wish they would handle current prospects in a similar manner by giving them regular playing time when they get the call up.

by ShawnK on Jun 11, 2009 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You’re doing it again. Who are current prospects? Asdrubal, Huff, Marte, LaPorta, Laffey, Lewis, Perez, Francisco? Marte and LaPorta are the only ones who didn’t get regular playing time. LaPorta’s sample size is so freaking small right now. Stop using him as an example.

Steel Nick

by nickjs21 on Jun 11, 2009 12:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

don’t forget barfield.

by Brick. on Jun 11, 2009 1:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Barfield sucks and deserves bad things. I only count as a prospect someone who performed well in our minor league system.

Josh Barfield is to the Cleveland Indians what the Hills is to television.

Steel Nick

by nickjs21 on Jun 11, 2009 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

/sarc/

by Brick. on Jun 11, 2009 1:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, The Hills is awesome.

Juan Salas: Smartest man in baseball?

by emd2k3 on Jun 11, 2009 1:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Totes.

Steel Nick

by nickjs21 on Jun 11, 2009 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And yet you count Ben Francisco? Would he not just be the City?

I become an expert simply by doing something.

by fwembt on Jun 15, 2009 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ah, but Ben Francisco has some minor league success to point to, doesn’t he?

Steel Nick

by nickjs21 on Jun 15, 2009 4:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Okay, fair enough. I am only currently talking about LaPorta, but I have high hopes for the kid, and want the Tribe to maximize his development.

by ShawnK on Jun 11, 2009 1:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was taking a shot at the Tribe’s handling of prospects (e.g. Phillips, Marte, LaPorta, …) more than anything else.

Okay, let me be more accurate:

I was taking a shot at the Tribe’s handling of lack of regular playing time for prospects (e.g. ~~Phillips~~, Marte, LaPorta, …) more than anything else.

I am only currently talking about LaPorta

May as well take that last step and talk about (~~Phillips, Marte, LaPorta, …~~)…

by Logodaedalus on Jun 11, 2009 3:41 PM EDT up reply actions 5 recs

GREEN

by NickFantana on Jun 11, 2009 4:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well played. You cut and paste with the best of the New York Times journalists.

by ShawnK on Jun 11, 2009 5:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Brandon got only 432 plate appearances with the Tribe, after all.

by odradek on Jun 10, 2009 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I shouldn’t have included Brandon…he got playing time and played poorly.

by ShawnK on Jun 11, 2009 12:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

As did Barfield.

Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

by Jay on Jun 11, 2009 9:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree, LaPorta’s career with the Indians is probably over.

by gte619n on Jun 11, 2009 9:31 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

LaPorta didn’t get a regular role in his first call up, so I am hoping they leave him in AAA until they do have regular use for him in Cleveland.

by ShawnK on Jun 11, 2009 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh. My. God.

by Brick. on Jun 11, 2009 10:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Where?

by ShawnK on Jun 11, 2009 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

turn left at the dead topic and look to your right. you’ll see it right next to the big flashing sign that says “Grady hits too many homeruns to be a leadoff hitter and Garko is an RBI machine!”

by Brick. on Jun 11, 2009 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs