Could we sign Wieters back for something like 3/35? Should we?

[Going Underground]

i think Pena catches tonight. That way Wieters catches Bundy.

[Aristotelian]

And I should say where I really stand. I'd give Wieters the QO. And hope he takes it. There are no bad one year contracts. And shtuff would flow. Right into next year. One less thing for DD to worry about.

Or he might get a crazy offer and we'd get a pick.

Why sign him for 1/$17 when he is probably isn't worth more than 2/$15? Might as well get an extra year.

[Phantom]

There are no bad one year contracts.

I mean, a 1 year $100 million is really bad if the guy would sign for 1 year $5 million.

[Frobby]

I think it's a tricky issue, more tricky than some here want to admit. Wieters is nothing spectacular, but finding catchers who perform relatively consistently is hard to do. There's a lot of guys who have a good year or two, then kind of disappear.

The problem with Wieters is that he's a declining asset. I've kept an open mind about how he would age, but I think he's showing definite signs of aging. The biggest thing I notice is that he's not as agile behind the plate -- a lot of pitches are getting past him that he would have blocked a few years ago. His arm is still good, but not quite the rocket he had before the TJ surgery. And his offense is still spotty.

I believe there is a price point at which it might make sense to bring Wieters back for a couple of years, but $11-12 mm/yr looks too high. At $8-9 mm I might bite, but someone will outbid that.

[Redskins Rick]

I think it's a tricky issue, more tricky than some here want to admit. Wieters is nothing spectacular, but finding catchers who perform relatively consistently is hard to do. There's a lot of guys who have a good year or two, then kind of disappear.

The problem with Wieters is that he's a declining asset. I've kept an open mind about how he would age, but I think he's showing definite signs of aging. The biggest thing I notice is that he's not as agile behind the plate -- a lot of pitches are getting past him that he would have blocked a few years ago. His arm is still good, but not quite the rocket he had before the TJ surgery. And his offense is still spotty.

I believe there is a price point at which it might make sense to bring Wieters back for a couple of years, but $11-12 mm/yr looks too high. At $8-9 mm I might bite, but someone will outbid that.

Good post.

I know his offense is spotty, but isn't he still #3 on the team for game winning hits?

[osfan83]

I think it's a tricky issue, more tricky than some here want to admit. Wieters is nothing spectacular, but finding catchers who perform relatively consistently is hard to do. There's a lot of guys who have a good year or two, then kind of disappear.

The problem with Wieters is that he's a declining asset. I've kept an open mind about how he would age, but I think he's showing definite signs of aging. The biggest thing I notice is that he's not as agile behind the plate -- a lot of pitches are getting past him that he would have blocked a few years ago. His arm is still good, but not quite the rocket he had before the TJ surgery. And his offense is still spotty.

I believe there is a price point at which it might make sense to bring Wieters back for a couple of years, but $11-12 mm/yr looks too high. At $8-9 mm I might bite, but someone will outbid that.

And he is arguably the best overall catcher is Orioles history. I'd take him for two years at a reasonable price.

[atomic]

I think it's a tricky issue, more tricky than some here want to admit. Wieters is nothing spectacular, but finding catchers who perform relatively consistently is hard to do. There's a lot of guys who have a good year or two, then kind of disappear.

The problem with Wieters is that he's a declining asset. I've kept an open mind about how he would age, but I think he's showing definite signs of aging. The biggest thing I notice is that he's not as agile behind the plate -- a lot of pitches are getting past him that he would have blocked a few years ago. His arm is still good, but not quite the rocket he had before the TJ surgery. And his offense is still spotty.

I believe there is a price point at which it might make sense to bring Wieters back for a couple of years, but $11-12 mm/yr looks too high. At $8-9 mm I might bite, but someone will outbid that.

I am not concerned about how much they pay him. We have seen in the past the Orioles don't have a budget and it appears more whether Angelos agrees to sign the player or not. I would be more concerned about years. As the team seems very hesitant to drop a player who is no longer productive. I think in Wieters case it is unlikely that he won't be at least a back-up worthy catcher in 3 years time. I wouldn't have a problem giving him a 3 year contract but I would prefer 2.

[Phantom]

I think it's a tricky issue, more tricky than some here want to admit. Wieters is nothing spectacular, but finding catchers who perform relatively consistently is hard to do.

You may be right, but is there evidence to back that up? And does Wieters fall into the category of "consistent" performer? He's 26th in fWAR among catchers over the last 3 calendar years. You could argue a good bit of that was his TJ surgery, which will probably not be a lingering injury, but factoring on the health of catchers in their 30s, I see no reason to expect him to be a top 15 option over the next few years, so why not go super cheap and hope that Sisco comes along?

[24fps]

And he is arguably the best overall catcher is Orioles history. I'd take him for two years at a reasonable price.

I would as well. Reasonable for me is $10 million AAV or less and, unfortunately, I think his history with the O's would make that offer appear insulting rather than a fair (or more than fair) reflection of his value. My real wish is that they simply move on.

[Redskins Rick]

You may be right, but is there evidence to back that up? And does Wieters fall into the category of "consistent" performer? He's 26th in fWAR among catchers over the last 3 calendar years. You could argue a good bit of that was his TJ surgery, which will probably not be a lingering injury, but factoring on the health of catchers in their 30s, I see no reason to expect him to be a top 15 option over the next few years, so why not go super cheap and hope that Sisco comes along?

IMO, catcher is never a position that I want to go super cheap, and think any AAA body can be plugged in there.

Caleb did an admirable job for 2 years, before this season, and surprised the socks off most of us, but that is probably a very rare feat and not something to expect again and again.

[Aristotelian]

IMO, catcher is never a position that I want to go super cheap, and think any AAA body can be plugged in there.

Caleb did an admirable job for 2 years, before this season, and surprised the socks off most of us, but that is probably a very rare feat and not something to expect again and again.

If we want to take this approach, I would give him the QO rather than 3/$35M. $12M per year is close enough to $17M per year that I would pay the extra $5M to avoid a long term commitment.

[TINSTAAPP]

What are our option at catcher? Pena who is a .600 OPS hitter at triple A? Joseph who hits like a pitcher and will be 31 next year? I don't think either of those guys is back-up worthy.

Well, the ideal scenario would be Wieters coming back on a one year deal with a mutual option similar to the contract Dexter Fowler signed with the Cubs last off-season. If Wieters has a great year, he can decline the second year option and vice versa for the Orioles if Wieters has another poor year. And if Wieters has an okay but not great season next year, both sides could just agree to pick up the mutual option. It would be a very fair deal to both sides.

[ChipTait]

MLBTR has him as one of six players whose status has trended downward.

"That hasn’t been the case this season, however, with Wieters having batted a career-worst .238/.292/.384

with 11 long balls in 366 PAs. Defensively, both StatCorner and Baseball Prospectus

have given Wieters subpar pitch-framing grades, and the latter has also assigned him a minus mark as a blocker."

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/08/6-impending-free-agents-who-have-hurt-their-stock.html

[clapdiddy]

MLBTR has him as one of six players whose status has trended downward.

"That hasn’t been the case this season, however, with Wieters having batted a career-worst .238/.292/.384

with 11 long balls in 366 PAs. Defensively, both StatCorner and Baseball Prospectus

have given Wieters subpar pitch-framing grades, and the latter has also assigned him a minus mark as a blocker."

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/08/6-impending-free-agents-who-have-hurt-their-stock.html

I tend to agree with these remarks.

[FlipTheBird]

I tend to agree with these remarks.

Wieters is on the downhill slope in a bad way. The club didn't even want him in 2016, they just guessed wrong with the QO.

There are folks on this message board that want to cling to Matt, the same as they wanted to cling to Markakis (who was also done by the time he left Baltimore). It's time to cut bait.