Center fielder Adam Jones isn't the only member of the Orioles who gets dissed by defensive metrics. Second baseman Jonathan Schoop doesn't get much respect either, but that's a subject for another day. There's someone else who used to wear the same uniform who is overdue for a little love. At least that's what it says here.
There are so many flaws in the area of defensive analytics that you'd think by now the eye test would be making a comeback. But non-uniformed observers seem to be carrying more weight than the people who are watching real, live action. You can only hope that, as some have suggested, the nerds haven't taken over completely.
You can count me as one who thinks Matt Wieters has not been accurately, or fairly, perceived by the "framing" addicts who have taken over the task of evaluating catchers in the major leagues. He's a big guy (6-foot-5), so it's likely his body gets in the way of the umpire's vision at times, especially if a stolen base attempt is in progress, but his overall defensive skills are vastly underrated. And for what it's worth, in my maybe-not-so-humble opinion, the New York Mets are going to regret not making a move to sign him when they had the chance. The Mets allowed more stolen bases (135) than any team in baseball last year. Wieters has averaged a caught-stealing percentage of greater than 35 percent for his healthy years behind the plate -- with last year's 31 percent mark his lowest. He would've fit nicely with the Mets everywhere but in the budget, it seems. So Wieters escaped to the Nationals for a two-year deal worth $21 million, and if he becomes the missing piece in the National League East, it will be a costly mistake for the Mets.
