Wieters vs. Strasburg

by Brendan Scolari on May 1, 2009 8:00 AM PDT in Trivia Comment 20 comments

John Sickels of Minor League Ball posed an interesting question on Wednesday. "If you could have Matt Wieters or Stephen Strasburg for your favorite major league team right now, who would you pick and why?"

Matt Wieters is an uber-prospect for the Baltimore Orioles. He is a 22 year-old switch hitting catcher whose 6'5" and 230 lb. He was ranked the number 1 overall minor league prospect by Baseball America and Sickels says of Wieters, "(He's the) best prospect in baseball. Mutant cross between Mauer and Piazza." In 2008 WIeters split his year between High-A and Double-A and hit a cool .355/.454/.600. He's also considered a great defensive catcher. He only had 3 passed balls all of last year and threw out 40% of potential base stealers. He should be in the majors sometime in the next few weeks and figures to stay around for a long time.

Stephen Strasburg is considered the consenus #1 prospect in this year's amateur draft. Strasburg is a 20 year-old right-handed pitcher at San Diego State University. He is 6'4", 220 lb., can touch 100 MPH with movement, throws a good mid 80's curveball and a changeup, and has pinpoint control. In 2008 he had a 1.57 ERA with a 133/16 K/BB ratio in 97 innings. In 2009 he had a 1.54 ERA with a 135/13 K/BB ratio in 70.1 innings. He also only allowed 4 home runs in his three year college career. Strasburg was the only college player on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Baseball team. Some people think he could be the best prospect ever and he may be in some lucky team's rotation as soon as this year. Here's a bio by Sickels.

So, which one of these young studs would you rather have on the Dodgers and why? Wieters actually has professional experience and doesn't come with the health risks that pitchers have, but we already have Russell Martin and Strasburg is considered by some to be an even brighter star. Do you grab Wieters and move one of the young catchers to 1st/3rd base? Does Martin become trade bait? Do you take Strasburg and fill a huge need by immediately slotting him into the #5 spot in our rotation, forming a deadly Billingsley/Kershaw/Strasburg trio for the next five years? The choice is yours.

Poll

If you could choose right now, who would you rather add to the Dodgers organization?

Matt Wieters

62 votes

Stephen Strasburg

122 votes

184 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

You already took my explanation

Billingsley/Kershaw/Strasburg…. yes please

by Big Blue on May 1, 2009 8:11 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I went with Wieters

Because some believe he’s already the best catcher in baseball, and I learned my lesson from Prior vs. Mauer.

by Eric Stephen on May 1, 2009 8:18 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

EXACTLY!

I’m a bit leery on power pitchers and their durability. I don’t have the scientific data to back me up, but I feel like I’ve seen more Mark Prior’s than Nolan Ryan’s — flash-in-the-pan power pitchers. Factor in Strasburg’s salary demand, I just don’t think I’d invest that much cash on an unproven power arm.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s like having to choose between a Ferrari and a Lamborghini, but I can see Wieters contributing to a team long after he’s peaked as a catcher.

by ishXdavid on May 1, 2009 8:29 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

+ 1
History has already shown us the correct path.

Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen

by Phil Gurnee on May 1, 2009 10:17 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wieters, easily

Impeccable makeup + Teixeira-like bat + plus defense behind the plate.

Absolute no brainer. Strasburg could be another Lincecum (violent delivery and all) or he could be break down at any given point.

by silverwidow on May 1, 2009 10:59 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Wieters

also, easily.

1. Even at their best, hitters are worth more than pitchers when it comes to prospects – by a large margin.

2. Wieters is less of a prospect than Strasburg.

3. The choice is not really Wieters-Martin vs. Strasburg-5hole Starter. Wieters or Martin could be left at catcher. The other could be moved to either 1B or one of the corner OF spots, most likely. Alternatively, Martin could be traded for very good return – again either for a 1B or a pitcher or a handful of prospects.

by Paul Scott on May 1, 2009 12:00 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I voted Wieters as well.

I think WIeters is going to be much, much better than Martin, and his floor is much higher than Strasburg’s (who may get hurt without ever doing anything in the majors), though the problem of already having Martin does make the choice tougher.

I would hope Colletti would trade Martin rather than moving him to 3rd or something, because he could fetch a ton in a trade (his results so far in ’09 not withstanding).

by Brendan Scolari on May 1, 2009 12:24 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

The results

from his last trade of a solid MLB catcher do not agree. ;)

by Paul Scott on May 1, 2009 12:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Or his trade of a solid minor league catcher

Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen

by Phil Gurnee on May 1, 2009 12:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

So as not to rile up Eric I’ll bury this down here. The latest BA daily dish profiles Mr. Santana
http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=3694

Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen

by Phil Gurnee on May 1, 2009 12:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Heh

That too. That more so, actually. I still get angry with that one. Navarro I sometimes look as a nice thing to do for Navarro but just wish he could have gotten something better in return. For Santana, there is no silver lining.

by Paul Scott on May 1, 2009 12:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm trying to forget that one.

It’s been rather hard though.

by Brendan Scolari on May 1, 2009 5:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Touche.

Martiin is a much bigger name (Two All-star appearances) than Navarro was at the time though. I hope Ned would at least realize he should receive a strong bounty in return this time.

by Brendan Scolari on May 1, 2009 5:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I picked Weiters too

So I’m suprised the poll is coming out heavy in favor of Strasburg..

To me, an elite catcher is much more difficult to find than an elite pitcher, besides the obvious pitchers only play once every 5 days etc.

by Michael White on May 1, 2009 12:44 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

The biggest problem I’ve had with SBNation is that anyone can vote in the polls instead of just registered members. I’m sure our all time Dodger lineup would have been much different if only members voted. I know that Davey Lopes would have been the leadoff hitter.

Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen

by Phil Gurnee on May 1, 2009 12:47 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Elitist!!! :)

by Eric Stephen on May 1, 2009 5:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Everyday Catcher (& pitcher-helper) VS. Every 5th day Starter ???

Assuming both are for real, it’s a no-brainer. : )

by Craig88USC on May 1, 2009 3:21 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Strasburg isn’t just a 5th starter though. Almost everything I read has him as the best pitching prospect in a long, long time. If we are all assuming Wieters will hit his high end then it’s only fair to assume that Strasburg will hit his.

Also how many people think that at Wieters size he will stay at catcher for a long time? That seems to be an assumption being made that is highly unlikely to happen.

by ASUcruz on May 1, 2009 7:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wieters is more likely to hit his ceiling though.

And I think he will be able to stay at catcher for a while at least. Some people have compared him (defensively) to Jason Varitek, who is also big.

by Brendan Scolari on May 1, 2009 10:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Varitek is 6-2. Wieters is 6-5. It doesn’t seem like much but that is a pretty big difference (think of a 6-2 SG Vs. 6-5 SG) It’s a different sport but you get my point. The track record of tall catchers in the majors isn’t very good. Mauer has basically been the only stud and he has a bad back. Wieters might be the exception to that rule, that is entirely possible but I have serious doubts about him being a highly effective catcher for too long. That being said his bat is legit and should be more than capable at 1B or DH. But with all the talk about Wieters being a catcher making this a no-brainer I thought I’d throw my two cents into the mix.

by ASUcruz on May 2, 2009 12:20 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It is a good point.

But its not like even if Wieters can’t play catcher he won’t be caluable. He is projected to have a bat that play anywhere. And there is a chance that Strasburg gets hurt in the next couple years and is never the same again.

But I know what you’re saying, and there really is no right answer.

by Brendan Scolari on May 2, 2009 1:00 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs