The organization has turned in a new direction, so the newest faces have taken on added importance. Just look at the reaction after rookie left fielder Nolan Reimold completed Wednesday's dramatic comeback with a three-run homer in the 11th inning. Look at the excitement that already has been generated by the arrival of young pitchers Brad Bergesen, Jason Berken and David Hernandez, even though - quite frankly - they aren't considered the cream of the minor league pitching crop.
Orioles fans have been clamoring for this changeover, and Wieters is the guy who makes it official. There are other highly regarded prospects to come, but he's the guy who already has changed the subject in Baltimore.
It's hard to compare debuts. McDonald and - to a lesser degree - top 1990s prospects Mike Mussina and Jeffrey Hammonds, captured the imagination of the fans based on their draft status. The importance of the entrances made by Hall of Famers Brooks Robinson, Jim Palmer and Ripken is much easier to see in the rear-view mirror. Only McDonald, of all of them, came close to being represented at the outset as the personification of an organizational renaissance, and it's important to remember that the Orioles were only six years removed from their 1983 world championship at the time.
Wieters might be better prepared to accept that role, if only because he's a position player who was given the chance to have great success at the minor league level before Andy MacPhail surprised everyone Tuesday night with the announcement that he would be coming up a week or two ahead of schedule. He also fits perfectly into the rebuilding blueprint - the top minor league prospect in baseball (according to Baseball America) moving into the starting lineup at one of the most important positions.
The fans have every right to go ga-ga over him. That was obvious when he was dominating the pitching at the Single-A and Double-A levels last year, and when he was playing with the big boys in spring training. He struggled with a hamstring injury in April, but was on a roll at Triple-A when MacPhail announced his pending promotion.
"The last step [from Triple-A] is still a considerable jump," Ripken cautioned. "He was tearing it up, and they moved him through pretty quickly but still slow enough to make sure that he got his feet wet at all levels. Hopefully, that will pay dividends. It all depends on the psyche of the player when he comes up. I was a little tentative and unsure. Fortunately, Earl [Weaver] stuck with me through that tough first year."
The timing might be just right. The Orioles have been playing better of late,and the schools are getting ready to let out. There's also going to be a fireworks show after the game, so it should be a festive night.
One last thing: It's OK to believe the hype, but give the kid a chance to breathe.
Baltimore Sun reporter Mike Klingaman contributed to this article. Listen to Peter Schmuck weeknights at 6 on WBAL (1090 AM).
