Wieters interested in long-term deal with Orioles

[NCBirdfan]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/o...,1176068.story

This is good news. The extensions of Showalter & Duquette, combined with the locking-in key players add stability and promise for the future of the franchise.

[weird-O]

Angelos doesn't seem to have a problem keeping players the org has developed. MW is the most valuable commodity in MLB. he's a top tier defensive catcher who can hit.

those are harder to find than an ace pitcher.

[LarryN]

Wieters said he also has observed former Orioles greats, such as Cal Ripken Jr., Brooks Robinson and Jim Palmer, and their relationship with the city and the fans. And it is something that appeals to him.

"Definitely. You look at the guys who come back, Cal and Brooks and Palmer and all the other guys that come back, and you see how special it can be to play with one team your whole career," Wieters said. "You see how a city, especially Baltimore, embraces that. It is special if you can find that team and everything falls in line. I'm not sure how God lines it up, we'll have to see."

It sounds like he likes it here and wants to stay forever. I like that.

[hector]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/o...,1176068.story

This is good news. The extensions of Showalter & Duquette, combined with the locking-in key players add stability and promise for the future of the franchise.

All you Weiters fans better start praying. It looks like Matt will depend on God to tell him whether to sign with the O's or sign with the Yankees for twice the money.

[NCBirdfan]

All you Weiters fans better start praying. It looks like Matt will depend on God to tell him whether to sign with the O's or sign with the Yankees for twice the money.

If the Yankees want to overspend, so be it. Meanwhile the Orioles can then concentrate on re-acquiring Vladamir Guererro. He's the best player out there, right? I forgot. What team did he play for last year?

[hector]

If the Yankees want to overspend, so be it. Meanwhile the Orioles can then concentrate on re-acquiring Vladamir Guererro. He's the best player out there, right? I forgot. What team did he play for last year?

Hall of Famer Vlad the Impaler is a bit off topic but common courtesy dictates that I respond to your suggestion that the O's pursue him. I believe the O's are still looking for a strong DH for 2013. Vlad would be an improvement over the current alternatives on the roster. During his last full season in 2011, he had the highest BA on the team.

[bmore_ken]

If the Yankees want to overspend, so be it. Meanwhile the Orioles can then concentrate on re-acquiring Vladamir Guererro. He's the best player out there, right? I forgot. What team did he play for last year?

You had to get him started

[LarryN]

During his last full season in 2011, he had the highest BA on the team.

In 20 years, that statement will still be true.

[reg_indy]

It sounds like he likes it here and wants to stay forever. I like that.

(over) Pay the man

[hector]

In 20 years, that statement will still be true.

You are absolutely correct. It's a sign of his magnificence that even in a relatively down year, the Impaler still has a higher batting average than anyone else on the team.

In 2017, we should get a group together and go to that dump of a town called Cooperstown for Vlad's induction into the Hall of Fame.

[hector]

You had to get him started

Vlad, Vlad and more Vlad - why can't the people on this Board talk about something or somebody else? Good grief!

[Jimmy Jazz]

The new CBA means teams are better off extending their good players rather than letting them walk and looking for replacements on the FA market. So hopefully this deal will happen.

[Far from home]

I really hope they can make some headway and get it done by next offseason. To me, even though he's a catcher, he's a 6-8 year contract guy. You just don't find players like him very often.

[Ravens2006]

Of course he's going to say that, even if he was dying to get out of here (which I doubt) he'd be stupid to say that.

On one side, the Boras factor leads you to believe there's very, very little chance of an early extension... avoiding free agency.

On the other side, being that Wieters is a catcher, the Orioles would be wise to play the risk / reward angle with him to see if they can force an early deal. He's a plus player as a catcher. As long as his knees allow him to play there, he has big value. If anything happens and those knees turn him in to a 1B / DH type... I think his value drops substantially.

[hector]

In my humble (but almost always accurate) opinion, Matt has reached the top of his value and the O's should consider trading him now if there's any doubt about being able to sign him long term. He's an excellent defensive catcher and an average hitter at best so he shouldn't be paid more than $9-10 million per year if he signs for 5 or 6 years. He'll be 27 years old near the start of the 2013 season and we've seen what he brings and doesn't bring offensively in his three and a half years with the O's. There are lots of excellent defensive catchers who are only so-so offensively so the O's shouldn't make the mistake of thinking he's irreplaceable simply because he's good.

I made the same suggestion when Brian Roberts was at the top of his game but AM was too stupid to heed my brilliant advice.

Humble Hector, the Predictor

[weenie]

Guys like Wieters at this point in their careers are focused on money...as most frankly should when careers end often quite abruptly. His agent too is focused on a max commission and gives little consideration to legacy.

But, once high character players reach all-star status, it would be wise for them to line up with an agency that has a proven track record of revenue generation after the on field career is over. In Baltimore, that would be whoever represents Cal and/or Ray. But there are other similar agencies out there. Good guys who stay in one town get lots of endorsement revenue once their career wanes but that money falls outside of Boras' grasp so he logically focuses on what's best for him.

A modest hometown discount is easily made up over the long haul if a player looks at the long game. Or, follow the Mussina model, abandon the town that loves you for the big pond where you get a few more million but fade into irrelevance among the revolving door of other signees.

Mussina reportedly aids a local high school team in his hometown with coaching and has lots of money in the bank but otherwise has faded into inconsequence. That may be to his liking but I would think the occasional visit back to the city where he was loved would be fun..and profitable..but that ain't NY and it's also not Baltimore anymore.

[weenie]

In my humble (but almost always accurate) opinion, Matt has reached the top of his value and the O's should consider trading him now if there's any doubt about being able to sign him long term. He's an excellent defensive catcher and an average hitter at best so he shouldn't be paid more than $9-10 million per year if he signs for 5 or 6 years. He'll be 27 years old near the start of the 2013 season and we've seen what he brings and doesn't bring offensively in his three and a half years with the O's. There are lots of excellent defensive catchers who are only so-so offensively so the O's shouldn't make the mistake of thinking he's irreplaceable simply because he's good.

I made the same suggestion when Brian Roberts was at the top of his game but AM was too stupid to heed my brilliant advice.

Humble Hector, the Predictor

Careful. I simply raised a question last summer as to what others thought Matt was worth on the open market and suffered the wrath of the nutjobs for it.

[hector]

Careful. I simply raised a question last summer as to what others thought Matt was worth on the open market and suffered the wrath of the nutjobs for it.

I know the feeling. I made the "grievous error" of being right-on with some predictions and am still receiving the barbs from a few of the lesser lights who missed it completely. I guess if some folks didn't have wrath, they'd have nothing. Anyway, they're probably all good well-intentioned people even if they have yet to achieve full maturity.

[jabba2]

Pay Matt like a 5-6 WAR player which he probably will be in the near term future. Maybe longer then that.

[Far from home]

In my humble (but almost always accurate) opinion, Matt has reached the top of his value and the O's should consider trading him now if there's any doubt about being able to sign him long term. He's an excellent defensive catcher and an average hitter at best so he shouldn't be paid more than $9-10 million per year if he signs for 5 or 6 years. He'll be 27 years old near the start of the 2013 season and we've seen what he brings and doesn't bring offensively in his three and a half years with the O's. There are lots of excellent defensive catchers who are only so-so offensively so the O's shouldn't make the mistake of thinking he's irreplaceable simply because he's good.

I made the same suggestion when Brian Roberts was at the top of his game but AM was too stupid to heed my brilliant advice.

Humble Hector, the Predictor

If you're saying overall average hitter - then there is some truth to this.
If you saying hitting for the C position - then you aren't correct. His rate statistics could improve, but he hit the 3rd most homers among C's, and had the 3rd most RBIs - in baseball.
Imo, the real issue here is that he's so concentrated on catching, 2nd best rate C in baseball, that he's not hitting to his full capability.
I willing to bet if you put him at DH, he jumps in production. In fact, I'm willing to bet that he makes a jump in rate production this year, as some things become second nature. Some times, it seems as if he loses concentration at the plate..which could be due to fatigue....