Schmuck: After free-agent frenzy, it's time for Orioles to extend core players

[cacavolante]

I think this sums it up just about right.

Also, man, there's a lot of speculation about people's states of mind in this thread. Unless I'm not up on some pioneering frontier of advanced metrics, seems like we're just bandying about idle speculation.

I agree with Frobby's post too for the most part- though I imagine he'd offer Machado more money than I would. And I haven't seen anything that would indicate Wieters would be willing to sign for $13 million per. That part sounds like speculation.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Chris is not a slave to Scott Boras. Just judging by his character and by the fact that the Orioles gave him a second chance to play everyday, I have a feeling that CD will be very open to extending here.

Yeah, everybody thinks these guys will sign for hometown discounts because they love Baltimore and all the great fans, but that's just not reality. I'm sure he's a great guy, but business is business and he'll more than likely follow the advice of his agent.

[Orioles4Life21]

Yeah, everybody thinks these guys will sign for hometown discounts because they love Baltimore and all the great fans, but that's just not reality. I'm sure he's a great guy, but business is business and he'll more than likely follow the advice of his agent.

If we extend him for 20+ million a year is that a hometown discount? I don't see what's so unrealistic about Chris taking 20 or so million to extend with the team that gave him a second chance as opposed to holding out to MAYBE get a couple million more two years from now.

road.

[Orioles4Life21]

If we extend him for 20+ million a year is that a hometown discount? I don't see what's so unrealistic about Chris taking 20 or so million to extend with the team that gave him a second chance as opposed to holding out to MAYBE get a couple million more two years from now.

road.

Ugh..disregard that error at the end. I need to re-up my plus membership so I can edit my posts.

[Rene88]

Same Buck who told us how great Taylor Teagarden was. Don't care what Buck thinks. I like Buck well enough, but he's emotionally attached if not irrational and plain hard headed about some things. One of them is overvaluing the catcher. Dan will do the right thing here and it won't be extending Wieters imo. Certainly not for anything near 13 mil per season.

Some people might bite your head off here but completely agree with this, good post. Sign Hardy, Crush, Manny maybe Tillman and let Wieters walk.

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[CA-ORIOLE]

If we extend him for 20+ million a year is that a hometown discount? I don't see what's so unrealistic about Chris taking 20 or so million to extend with the team that gave him a second chance as opposed to holding out to MAYBE get a couple million more two years from now.

Extending now mitigates some risk, so it's not really a discount to sign for less than what he could get in 2 years. In any event, it's not Boras' M.O. to do this. I would love to extend him now (I'm a believer), but I'm a realist.

If you and I (and others) are confident to extend him now on a big long term deal, the other side probably has some confidence about his ability over the next couple of years and his potential market in free agency. They're not viewing that differential as just a "couple million more in 2 years".

[Orioles4Life21]

Extending now mitigates some risk, so it's not really a discount to sign for less than what he could get in 2 years. In any event, it's not Boras' M.O. to do this. I would love to extend him now (I'm a believer), but I'm a realist.

If you and I (and others) are confident to extend him now on a big long term deal, the other side probably has some confidence about his ability over the next couple of years and his potential market in free agency. They're not viewing that differential as just a "couple million more in 2 years".

I see your point, but I would still bet on CD being an Oriole beyond 2015. If we let him walk, I will be beyond upset.

[Norfolk orioles]

Some people might bite your head off here but completely agree with this, good post. Sign Hardy, Crush, Manny maybe Tillman and let Wieters walk.

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That would be my plan as well.

We simply can't afford to pay everyone. We aren't the Yankees.

Wieters was a great catcher for us, but what he will get on the open market, we simply cannot match or come close to matching if we want to keep guys like Tillman, Davis and manny long term while already paying jones and jiminez big bucks.

Someone has to go, id personally choose wieters, especially the way catchers tend to break down sooner than 1b, 3b/ss or pitchers (although the last one could be argued).

I'm sorry, I love wieters, but I'm afraid his best years are either behind him or will happen this year/next year. Just my own gut feeling. Take what we got from him and let someone else overpay for the downside of his career.

[El Gordo]

If we extend him for 20+ million a year is that a hometown discount? I don't see what's so unrealistic about Chris taking 20 or so million to extend with the team that gave him a second chance as opposed to holding out to MAYBE get a couple million more two years from now.

road.

Assuming Davis has two solid not great years, say 35-40 HR, you will be talking about a guy, not yet 30, who has hit 150+ HR in the last 4 years. With both the MFY and the SUX needing a 1B, how much do you think they would be willing toverpay him? I'd say more than they paid Ellsbury. I'd say he stands to earn 15 M next year plus 7/170 M minimum as a FA. I think you have to offer at least 8/180M to have a conversation with Boras.

[OriolesMagic83]

The O's need to sign Davis. Or at least make a valiant attempt at it. They should start by offering him what they offered Tex. What was that, around 6 yrs/$120 mill? Add a couple option years and see if he is interested. Davis is probably the #1 draw the O's have. Its not just about OPS, R, RBI, WAR, etc. I am a fan of the O's and Chris Davis and I am more likely to attend games, watch games, buy merchandise if Davis is on the team. And I know there are many other O's fans like me.

[Frobby]

Same Buck who told us how great Taylor Teagarden was. Don't care what Buck thinks. I like Buck well enough, but he's emotionally attached if not irrational and plain hard headed about some things. One of them is overvaluing the catcher. Dan will do the right thing here and it won't be extending Wieters imo. Certainly not for anything near 13 mil per season.

I have more respect for Buck's opinion than you do, obviously. I bring a little humility to my opinions as a fan. I watch a ton of Oriole baseball, and I'm up on all the stats and analytical website stuff, and yet I still believe that Buck is better able to judge who is valuable to his team and the relative value of different guys. I don't think he's infallible, but his overall approach gets results and I'm willing to believe there are aspects to playing catcher that aren't easily measured but that a good manager can evaluate.

Putting Buck's opinion to one side, I think Wieters will be above average as an offense/defense combination for the next 5-6 years.

[Redskins Rick]

I have more respect for Buck's opinion than you do, obviously. I bring a little humility to my opinions as a fan. I watch a ton of Oriole baseball, and I'm up on all the stats and analytical website stuff, and yet I still believe that Buck is better able to judge who is valuable to his team and the relative value of different guys. I don't think he's infallible, but his overall approach gets results and I'm willing to believe there are aspects to playing catcher that aren't easily measured but that a good manager can evaluate.

Putting Buck's opinion to one side, I think Wieters will be above average as an offense/defense combination for the next 5-6 years.

I agree with you, for sure.

What worries me, is how some people feel Wieters can be replaced.

Superb catchers are extremely hard to come by, for sure.

[Scotto]

Same Buck who told us how great Taylor Teagarden was. Don't care what Buck thinks. I like Buck well enough, but he's emotionally attached if not irrational and plain hard headed about some things. One of them is overvaluing the catcher. Dan will do the right thing here and it won't be extending Wieters imo. Certainly not for anything near 13 mil per season.

Buck loved Teagarden because he thought he had skills and was being paid a

relatively low salary, imho

[Redskins Rick]

Buck loved Teagarden because he thought he had skills and was being paid a

relatively low salary, imho

650 isn't bad money for a bench player.

Teagarden does have some skills, heck how many bench players have 20 HRs in 518 ABs?

As for Buck talking up his guys, that is Buck's style. He doesn't berate them publicly and through the media to motivate them to be better.

[wildcard]

I have more respect for Buck's opinion than you do, obviously. I bring a little humility to my opinions as a fan. I watch a ton of Oriole baseball, and I'm up on all the stats and analytical website stuff, and yet I still believe that Buck is better able to judge who is valuable to his team and the relative value of different guys. I don't think he's infallible, but his overall approach gets results and I'm willing to believe there are aspects to playing catcher that aren't easily measured but that a good manager can evaluate.

Putting Buck's opinion to one side, I think Wieters will be above average as an offense/defense combination for the next 5-6 years.

Can't see Wieters signing for less than McCann. 5/85 or 17m/yr.