Matt Wieters Needed To Save Orioles' All-Time Team

on came in 1985 when he hit .254 with 12 home runs and 52 RBI.

Of course, Dempsey’s greatest contribution to the Orioles came in 1983 when he was named the MVP of the World Series as Baltimore defeated Philadelphia in five games.

Following Dempsey, the Orioles acquired All-Star Terry Kennedy in hopes of improving offensive production from the position. Kennedy was an All-Star in his first season with the O’s and hit 18 home runs, but he fizzled the following season and was soon gone.

Mickey Tettleton came after Kennedy and nearly matched the offensive production of Hendricks, Etchebarren, and Dempsey in his three seasons with the O’s. He hit 52 home runs and drove home 153 while hitting .245.

However, before the 1991 season he was shipped to Detroit where he had three seasons of 30 or more home runs (he had a fourth with Texas in 1995).

In 1988 the Orioles acquired a young catcher from Detroit as part of a trade for Fred Lynn and by 1991 Chris Hoiles was ready to assume duties behind the plate for the Birds.

For nearly a decade, Hoiles provided pop behind the plate and finally gave the Orioles a catcher capable of rivaling Gus Triandos for a spot on the all-time Orioles.

While helping lead Baltimore to success in the mid-1990s, Hoiles blasted 151 home runs with 449 RBI and a .262 batting average. He hit 29 home runs in 1993 and 25 in 1996.

Unfortunately, injuries robbed Hoiles of his chance to distinguish himself as an all-time Oriole. In eight seasons as the regular catcher, he never played in more than 127 games in a season and four times played in less than 100 games.

Over the last decade, the Orioles have tried a number of veteran catchers, including Charles Johnson, Javy Lopez, and Ramon Hernandez. While they achieved a few productive seasons, none proved to be the long-term solution.

Which now brings us to Matt Wieters.

He is the first catcher of promise to make his major league debut with the Orioles since Hoiles nearly 20 years ago. He seems to be the combination of offensive and defensive stalwart that the Orioles have long needed behind the plate.

Given his prowess in the minor leagues, let's hope that he doesn’t suffer the same misfortune as Hoiles and instead is able to string together enough productive seasons to finally replace Gus Triandos as the best catcher in franchise history.

So not only is Wieters needed to serve as the savior of the Baltimore Orioles over the next decade, he also is being counted on to rescue our all-time team.

No pressure!

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