Waiting for Matt Wieters

What’s old is new again. The Orioles are struggling to stay relevant in the AL East race. Fans are turning on the team for lackluster play as the losses mount. And through it all, they are looking to the debut of Matt Wieters. Wieters, the switch-hitting power bat who plays the catcher position at an all-star level. Remember that guy?

Sure, the hype may be a little different. Wieters is no longer regarded as the “switch hitting Jesus in cleats” or the “Mauer with power” that fans expected in 2009, but judging by the chatter on the interwebs, his 2015 debut is no less eagerly awaited.

Who knows? Maybe Wieters can provide a shot in the arm that this team desperately needs. Maybe having a significant bat in the lower half of the lineup will make Adam Jones and Chris Davis more comfortable at the top of it. Maybe some extra rest will help Caleb Joseph continue to be a pleasant surprise – at the plate, and behind it.

Sure. We can hope.

But let’s remember not to pin our hopes for 2015 on the return of Matt Wieters. This is a guy who hasn’t hit in a major league game since May, 2014. The point is, it may take him a while to return to form. And that’s assuming he will return to his career norm. None of these are givens. The story of Tommy John surgery for catchers does not have a consistently happy ending.

So, as we look forward to seeing Matt Wieters, we should to temper expectations. Remember what happened on his last debut, back in 2009: