Nats Sign Matt Wieters To Replace Wilson Ramos

ESPN - The Washington Nationals have reached agreement with former Baltimore Orioles catcher Matt Wieters on a two-year, $21 million deal, a source confirmed to ESPN’s Jim Bowden on Tuesday.

The deal is for $10 million in 2017 and $11 million for 2018, for which Wieters can opt out, a source confirmed to Bowden. Of the $21 million, $5 million is deferred, sources told ESPN’s Buster Olney. FanRag Sports first reported Wieters was close to an agreement with the Nationals.

The 30-year-old was drafted fifth overall by the Orioles in 2007. Since making his big league debut in 2009, the 6-foot-5, 230-pound switch-hitter has hit 117 home runs, third most among catchers.

Wieters earned his fourth All-Star selection last season, hitting .243 with 17 home runs and 66 RBIs in 124 games. A two-time Gold Glove winner, he threw out 35 percent of baserunners attempting to steal.

Well, the former savior of Baltimore now gets to pack his bags and drive an hour up 95 to DC and squat behind the plate for the Nats. He joins a boatload of catchers who thought they were competing for the starting spot- Jose Lobaton, Pedro Severino, and Spencer Kieboom.

People are wondering why the Nats would bring in yet another catcher, and I don’t understand why. Wieters is one of the better offensive catchers in the league, and is coming off an All-Star season. You can never have too much talent, especially behind the dish.

And I certainly do not care about the money. I never really understand why fans of teams care how much money someone makes. The Nats certainly have no internal salary cap that they worry about, so why should we? Let everyone get paid!

So you throw Wieters 10 mil, you see if he can put together a healthy and productive season, and go from there. If he’s healthy and good, awesome. If he gets hurt in May, such is life, 3 more catchers behind him.