Wieters caught five innings and doubled Monday in his first game behind the plate for the Cardinals since agreeing to a minor-league deal. Other late signings around baseball took more than a week to enter games, easing their way toward exhibition play. Wieters couldn’t wait, he said.
“Especially for catchers, you have to get in, more than any other position,” Wieters said. “Any other position you’re fielding a ground ball, you’re catching a fly ball, you’re hitting a baseball. Timing is obviously important, but catching is one of the positions where you have to get in and you have to know the staff.