Quick little update on Wieters: It’s been pretty much set in stone that Wieters will start the year off in AAA, but with each passing day that he wasn’t assigned there, my unrealistic hope grew. Now, it’s official:
Matt Wieters To Be Sent Down Monday
None of this comes as a surprise. The Orioles intended Wieters to start the regular season with the Tides and spend several weeks at the Triple-A level, regardless of how he performed during major league spring training. He has played very well, batting .343 with a home run and five RBIs and getting several clutch hits in late-inning situations, and said he has had a great time with the major league club.
“It’s fun up here,” he said. “It’s fun wherever you are, but it’s even more fun up here. I’m excited to be playing in Norfolk. It’s a different level of competition for me. I just want to go there and work hard and get back as soon as possible.”
and then maybe a couple other snippets:
The move is both strategic and economic. The club wants to give Wieters the chance to excel at the Triple-A level the way he did at Single-A Frederick and Double-A Bowie. Team officials also want to hold him back for at least a few weeks to preserve a seventh year under club reserve, a strategy employed by the Tampa Bay Rays with Evan Longoria that led to his signing a long-term contract at favorable terms for the team.
Wieters needs to stay in the minors for the first 12 days of the regular season to keep the free-agent clock ticking for an extra year, but team officials have indicated he’ll probably play at Norfolk for a month or two to get more professional experience before moving permanently into the major league lineup.
The first 12 Days, eh? When do we expect Wieters up? Day 13? I wonder what happens if Greg Zaun goes down a couple days into the season.
Anyways, Wieters will be up within a month after smash-killing the ball. He’s still a top-10 catcher.
