Will Duquette go all out to keep Matt Wieters?

[Frobby]

In the wake of Nick Markakis' departure, I've been thinking of what Dan Duquette repeatedly said during his first week on the job. I heard him say in at least five separate interviews that he felt the strength of the team was up the middle with Jones, Hardy and Wieters. In fact, it was notable to me that he never mentioned Markakis in these interviews.

Jones extended? Check. Hardy extended? Check. Markakis allowed to walk? Check.

That leaves Wieters. We know Dan had a discussion with Boras about extending Matt after Dan's first year on the job, and quickly gave up the effort when Boras' initial demand was unrealistic. It doesn't appear that he has tried again since, and I doubt he'll do so now, though it's possible he'll look for a "buy low" opportunity in the wake of Matt's injury and the Orioles' success without him.

Really, though, my question goes to next winter. The odds are high that Boras puts Wieters up for auction. Is Dan prepared to win that auction even though the price will be higher than what Dan has been willing to pay other guys? Wieters is the third leg of the stool Dan identified his first day on the job. Will he break his usual rule about drawing a line in the sand and decide this is a guy he is determined to keep? Or will he back off when some other team makes an offer he considers an overpay?

[MdSooner]

In the wake of Nick Markakis' departure, I've been thinking of what Dan Duquette repeatedly said during his first week on the job. I heard him say in at least five separate interviews that he felt the strength of the team was up the middle with Jones, Hardy and Wieters. In fact, it was notable to me that he never mentioned Markakis in these interviews.

Jones extended? Check. Hardy extended? Check. Markakis allowed to walk? Check.

That leaves Wieters. We know Dan had a discussion with Boras about extending Matt after Dan's first year on the job, and quickly gave up the effort when Boras' initial demand was unrealistic. It doesn't appear that he has tried again since, and I doubt he'll do so now, though it's possible he'll look for a "buy low" opportunity in the wake of Matt's injury and the Orioles' success without him.

Really, though, my question goes to next winter. The odds are high that Boras puts Wieters up for auction. Is Dan prepared to win that auction even though the price will be higher than what Dan has been willing to pay other guys? Wieters is the third leg of the stool Dan identified his first day on the job. Will he break his usual rule about drawing a line in the sand and decide this is a guy he is determined to keep? Or will he back off when some other team makes an offer he considers an overpay?

No, the Orioles with Angelos and DD will not re-sign Weiters. Esp since Boras is his agent. And it wouldn't bother me either

[mdbdotcom]

I'm still holding out hope that Duquette and Boras will reach agreement on a one-year extension for Wieters this winter, thereby turning 2015 into Wieters' recovery season and 2016 his opportunity to showcase what he can do when healthy for a full year.

[joeyc]

It's not about DD. Angelos is not going to allow him to go that high for Weiters. Oh and when Manny comes up for free agency. He won't allow him to sign him either for the amount of money he will be offered on the open market, unless he keeps getting hurt and no one else wants him. Face it guys. Unless Weiters and Manny give considerable home town discounts, they will be in another uniform in the upcoming years. Sad but true.

[MdSooner]

It's not about DD. Angelos is not going to allow him to go that high for Weiters. Oh and when Manny comes up for free agency. He won't allow him to sign him either for the amount of money he will be offered on the open market, unless he keeps getting hurt and no one else wants him. Face it guys. Unless Weiters and Manny give considerable home town discounts, they will be in another uniform in the upcoming years. Sad but true.

This! With the exception of Ubaldo we haven't signed any big money guys. And why we signed him is still a mystery to me,

[baltfan]

I am more sure that Wieters will walk than anyone else. Catchers don't age well. The Orioles don't like dead years on contracts. He gone!

[wildcard]

On Wieters- no. He goes free agent and sign elsewhere. (DD has said that he has tried at least two off seasons to sign Wieters)

On Manny, that depends on Manny. If Manny stays healthy for a couple of seasons and he wants to stay, I think Angelos and DD give him the Adam Jones treatment and sign him to the team's largest long term contract ever.

[Roll Tide]

In the wake of Nick Markakis' departure, I've been thinking of what Dan Duquette repeatedly said during his first week on the job. I heard him say in at least five separate interviews that he felt the strength of the team was up the middle with Jones, Hardy and Wieters. In fact, it was notable to me that he never mentioned Markakis in these interviews.

Jones extended? Check. Hardy extended? Check. Markakis allowed to walk? Check.

That leaves Wieters. We know Dan had a discussion with Boras about extending Matt after Dan's first year on the job, and quickly gave up the effort when Boras' initial demand was unrealistic. It doesn't appear that he has tried again since, and I doubt he'll do so now, though it's possible he'll look for a "buy low" opportunity in the wake of Matt's injury and the Orioles' success without him.

Really, though, my question goes to next winter. The odds are high that Boras puts Wieters up for auction. Is Dan prepared to win that auction even though the price will be higher than what Dan has been willing to pay other guys? Wieters is the third leg of the stool Dan identified his first day on the job. Will he break his usual rule about drawing a line in the sand and decide this is a guy he is determined to keep? Or will he back off when some other team makes an offer he considers an overpay?

Matt will test free agency and DD and the Orioles wont resign him because they never win a bidding war with anybody but themselves.

[tntoriole]

96 wins without Wieters last year. The pitching staff did not implode when he went down. Myth busted. Good player. Replaceable.

I agree with this completely.

[pdiddy]

On Wieters- no. He goes free agent and sign elsewhere. (DD has said that he has tried at least two off seasons to sign Wieters)

On Manny, that depends on Manny. If Manny stays healthy for a couple of seasons and he wants to stay, I think Angelos and DD give him the Adam Jones treatment and sign him to the team's largest long term contract ever.

These both make sense to me. Manny's knees are hopefully good now that he's had the surgeries but there's a chance that'll rear up in negotiations unless he is 150 games for two straight years. If the doctors feel pretty good about the long term, I might be will to give him a Longoria deal (get a bargain in return for certainty) anyway sooner than that to see if he'd bite. Hell of a bargain if it works out.

[Bahama O's Fan]

The only way we can afford to extend him is if we do it this year coming back from an injury and getting to buy low. Boras would be an idiot to agree to that. I think the same thing is true of Davis. We should try to resign him now and buy low instead of seeing him have the opportunity to explode again this year. We should extend Manny NOW!

[KurtCDavidson]

In the wake of Nick Markakis' departure, I've been thinking of what Dan Duquette repeatedly said during his first week on the job.

Don't forget this one from Dec 2011:

"I like Markakis," Duquette says. "He's a very popular player with our fans."

If that doesn't sound like an overwhelming endorsement, there's a reason. It isn't. Duquette has a problem with his new right fielder.

"How many home runs did he hit last year," Duquette asks.

Try 15.

"Is that what you want from a corner outfielder," Duquette says.

Probably not, especially playing in that ballpark.

"Exactly," Duquette says.

http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/story/2011-11-17/os-gm-duquette-wants-more-power-from-markakis

I think Markakis just wasn't ever one of his "core guys." I think Wieters is; much better chance we sign him.

Also in hindsight, DD kind of comes off like kind of a jerk for making that blatant criticism of Markakis in the press. I can't imagine Markakis was too happy about it at the time.

[Dipper9]

Don't forget this one from Dec 2011:

"I like Markakis," Duquette says. "He's a very popular player with our fans."

If that doesn't sound like an overwhelming endorsement, there's a reason. It isn't. Duquette has a problem with his new right fielder.

"How many home runs did he hit last year," Duquette asks.

Try 15.

"Is that what you want from a corner outfielder," Duquette says.

Probably not, especially playing in that ballpark.

"Exactly," Duquette says.

http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/story/2011-11-17/os-gm-duquette-wants-more-power-from-markakis

I think Markakis just wasn't ever one of his "core guys." I think Wieters is; much better chance we sign him.

Also in hindsight, DD kind of comes off like kind of a jerk for making that blatant criticism of Markakis in the press. I can't imagine Markakis was too happy about it at the time.

Jerk or not, nothing he said wasn't true.

I don't think we sign Wieters because of Boras and because of Wieters. We will offer a fair deal, but we're not going to overpay for a catcher heading into his 30's.

Manny's knees will probably mean we won't sign him long term either.

[weams]

On Wieters- no. He goes free agent and sign elsewhere. (DD has said that he has tried at least two off seasons to sign Wieters)

On Manny, that depends on Manny. If Manny stays healthy for a couple of seasons and he wants to stay, I think Angelos and DD give him the Adam Jones treatment and sign him to the team's largest long term contract ever.

Depends if Manny wants some Miami money before next year. Or if Lonzano is facing bankruptcy.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Matt will test free agency and DD and the Orioles wont resign him because they never win a bidding war with anybody but themselves.

Have to agree. I don't see any chance that DD and Boras are going to come to terms on this. About the only chance I see Wieters being an Orioles in 2016 is if he has a devastatingly poor year in 2015 and signs a one year deal.