Now that the Erik Bedard trade has FINALLY been completed, I thought we could all use a reminder that we've traded the present for a brighter future. Matt Wieters might be the brightest part of that future; it's not every day that your team drafts a catcher who: a) is projected to be ready for the majors in two years, b) draws comparisons to the best major league players at his position (Joe Mauer and Jason Varitek), and c) actually signs with the team. That last point just can't be overstated. The first positive step the Orioles made under Andy MacPhail was signing Wieters right before the deadline last year. Just the fact that they drafted a Scott Boras client said a lot, but it didn't end there. In recent years, the O's had draft debacles like Rice pitcher Wade Townsend (who never signed with the team and re-entered the draft the following year) and Adam Loewen (who didn't sign for nearly a year after the team picked him).As far as the trade goes, it seems that a large percentage of Orioles fans support it. But there are always going to be voices of dissent, those who say that counting on unproven young players is a gamble, or that you just don't give up a certified left-handed ace. Just remember that Erik Bedard isn't as much of a sure thing as he might seem. In the past five years, he's had Tommy John surgery (2002), a knee injury that cost him two months (2005), and a strained oblique muscle that shut him down with a month to go in his breakout season (2007). He's never made it to 200 innings in a season. No trade comes without risk for one party.
We're waiting for you, Matt. Don't rush yourself; we've got plenty of other things to figure out in the meantime.
No comments:
Post a Comment