2009 Matt Wieters

[SAV]

10 team, 5X5 H2H mixed keeper (std. categories, except OBP in place of AVG). We keep 10 players from year to year (no salaries and no contracts). Our in-season roster is 30 players.

Going into 2008 4 catchers were keepers (McCann, Martin, V-Mart, and I-Rod). Last year catchers went relatively early in the non-keeper rounds (11-30):
Joe Mauer = 11
Posada=12
Towles = 14
Saltalamacchia = 14
Johjima = 15
Soto = 18 (my best pick of the draft ... had targeted a veteran catcher but couldn't pass).

So ... how soon is too soon for a stud like Matt Wieters? My full roster is listed below. Thanks in advance

Roster:
C(1)=Mauer
1B/3B/CI=Youkilis, Berkman, M.Cabrera, M.Mora, Giambi
2B/SS.MI=Utley, Al.Ramirez, Peralta
LF/CF/RF/OF/OF=Sizemore, Ellsbury, J.Bay, Burrell, Crawford, Dye, Church
Util=D.Ortiz
SP(4)=J.Santana, Webb, Zambrano, Lowe,
RP(4)=Jenks, Marmol, Capps, Ziegler, F.Francisco, M.Gonzalez
P(3) = Guthrie, Hudson, Mussina

[tyler2]

Two observations: (1) You drafted C's great last year, but your leaguemates had some odd rankings; (2) Wieters' value will change a lot between now and opening day, based on whether he has a big league gig. It's pretty tough to make an accurate call now.

That said, I'm pretty high on Wieters in a dynasty with no contracts, and I'd look for him in the first two rounds.

[kimchi_chigae]

Was Wieters a man among boys in the minors? Yes, but he hasn't even had a single AB in the majors. Some guys can just get to the big leagues and succeed right away, other guys, even after an amazing year in the minors, have trouble to adjust. Getting Wieters in the 2nd round is a gamble IMO. The problem is that the hype around this guy is so much that if you don't get him early, you won't get him at all.

Your team is pretty stacked and I wouldn't mind gambling on Wieters in the first few rounds, but to tell you the truth, I'd probably be more comfortable drafting a more "established" player. Not that I'm worried about Wieters' career, he should be fine, but in a 10 team league, I'd prefer to have guys who I know that will produce, even if they don't have too much upside, and then have a few high ceiling guys on the bench. Another thing to think about is if you would be keeping Wieters the year after. What kind of year would Wieters have to have for you to keep him? This year you will likely have to drop two or three of Ortiz, Zambrano, Ramirez and Mauer, Wieters would have to outproduce one of your current keepers for you to have him in your roster in 2010, and those are some pretty good players he will have to pass in value. Taking that into consideration, I'm not sure going high on a player without any major league experience is the way to go.