In a surprise plot twist, Matt Wieters has accepted the Orioles’ qualifying offer for 2016, meaning he’ll be back in Birdland on a one-year, $15.8M deal. Our staff reacts:
Derek Arnold
This feels a bit like a case of the Orioles being snakebitten, doesn’t it? Even when they do something smart – offer Wieters the Q.O., expecting him to decline it like every player before him, take the draft pick – it backfires. Still, as they say, there’s no use crying over spilled…ink on a qualifying offer sheet?
Looking ahead, while the price tag is steep, it’s just for one year. In baseball, it’s always the years that get you, and a bit one-year deal isn’t too detrimental. If the O’s are smart and have Wieters focus his efforts on offense this winter and Spring Training, as well as handing him a first baseman’s mitt (assuming Chris Davis isn’t back, yadda yadda yadda) and telling him to expect to be a designated hitter, both sides can come out on top. A big offensive year in 2016 for Wieters will maximize his value as a free agent next offseason as well as helping the O’s win some games along the way.
Buck loves Wieters. Hopefully his love doesn’t blind him to the fact that Caleb Joseph should be the main catcher next season.
Jonathan French
It all depends how Buck will use him. He’s fallen in love with Wieters’ throwing arm and defense behind the plate. However, Caleb Joseph is the superior framer and defender and should be the starting catcher.
I think at this point I would make an effort to use Wieters like teams used Victor Martinez – catch him as few games as possible, and give him the majority of his starts at DH and maybe some at 1B, especially if they can’t bring back Davis.
Wieters should focus primarily on his hitting this offseason and prepare to be the Orioles’ DH in 2016 where he could have good value. He has very little future left as a catcher IMO and should try to prolong his career.
However I suspect Buck will have him back behind the plate 4-5 games a week and the Orioles’ pitching will suffer as a result. I hope I’m wrong.
Tyler Lombardi
The upgrade from Caleb Joseph to Matt Wieters just isn’t worth $15.3M. I would much rather see that money spent elsewhere.
Still, it will be nice to keep his power potential around at the catcher position in the lineup. Joseph was a better defensive catcher last season, but we should see some improvement from Wieters’ arm as he continues to recover from Tommy John. If the Orioles can re-sign Davis, fans won’t think much about this.
If they can’t re-sign Davis and Wieters struggles, the 105.7 callers will have plenty of ammo for their angry calls.
Ryan Blake
As a fan who has watched Matt Wieters grow and develop into a solid hitter and far above average catcher, I’m thrilled that we get to see him don the orange and black for another season. That said, I’m not so sure the production is worth the price.
Last season, Caleb Joseph proved to be more than capable of handling duties behind the plate and his bat, although not spectacular, was good enough to keep fans happy.
Joseph is due to make just over $500K this season and, after accepting the qualifying offer, Wieters will make $15.8M. That difference of $15.3M could have been allocated elsewhere, in my opinion.
The Orioles have glaring needs in the outfield, at first base, and in the starting rotation. Knowing how stingy the organization can be when it comes to dishing out large contracts for high-profile players, I’m nervous that Wieters’ contract will prevent us from upgrading in the necessary areas.
If Wieters can return to form and play like he did before undergoing Tommy John surgery in June 2014, I’d be more than satisfied. That, however, is a huge “if”. As is the case with any contract, time will tell whether or not it is a good deal for the Orioles.
Joe Polek
The Baltimore fan in me loves that Matt Wieters will be back. He is one of the few prospects who has actually stuck with the team and done well over his career. But when you take a look at it, it is a lot of money to spent for a player that isn’t a starter. Caleb Joseph should be the starting catcher for the Orioles. So do you move Wieters to 1B? If so, it becomes a week position, offensively, for the O’s. The same could be said if he becomes the DH, but I don’t see Buck Showalter keeping him as only a DH.
So do the Orioles go after Chris Davis or another 1B? If so, Wieters goes back to Catcher, and Joseph goes back to the bench, and Steve Clevenger (who is out of options) becomes the everyday DH?
The more I look at it, the worst the ripple effect gets for the team… unless Wieters can get back to being a real offensive threat.
Matt Sroka
Matt Wieters provides a quality bat to a team (especially if Davis leaves) in need of quality bats. When healthy Wieters can be counted on to bat around .250 and hit 20+ home runs. This lineup could use that kind of production. The price tag is high, but the one year deal keeps the Orioles from being tied down and gives them much needed financial flexibility going into next offseason. With this said, I admit the whole Caleb Joseph being just as a good as Wieters except a whole lot cheaper is a fair argument. This is why I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing Wieters play some more DH or even first base this year. In the end, Wieters is a quality, proven hitter on a team that currently lacks quality, proven hitters. No doubt, the Orioles are better team with Matt Wieters than without him.
Andrew Stetka
I’m probably in the minority compared to most of the fanbase on this in thinking this is bad news for the Orioles. The money that will be given to Wieters over one year could’ve gone elsewhere, and it gives the front office a built in excuse as to why they won’t spend big dollars elsewhere. I’m not concerned with the O’s losing a chance to get a draft pick, because I have zero confidence they can turn that into something productive. It’s more about the immediate 2016 outlook. The O’s will go out and tell you they signed the best free agent catcher on the market, which is true, but they did so for one year and possibly blocked a capable, much cheaper option by doing so.
Wieters will likely see some time in 2016 at first base if the Birds don’t bring back Chris Davis. He’ll also prove to be a possible trade chip if things workout right. The biggest takeaway is how this sets up the Orioles to spend, or not spend, the rest of the winter.
Phil Backert
I have always thought it was a win-win for the Orioles in regards to the qualifying offer. If Wieters accepts it as he has done, the Orioles have for at least another year, a gold glove catcher who will hit 20+ homeruns and catch around 140 games. If he doesn’t, they get a draft pick out of the deal. I think people forget how this was one of the best catchers in baseball prior to his Tommy John surgery. It remains to be seen if Wieters regains the arm strength that allowed him to be the best at throwing runners out, but it’s worth finding out. I think the team knew Wieters would accept this and I don’t think it restricts what they will do throughout the offseason. Caleb Joseph returns to a role where he can play a couple games a week and thrive and Steve Clevenger can now become part of a designated hitter platoon in 2016.
Stephen Adams
Matt Wieters accepting the qualifying offer is going to create a ripple effect that the 2016 Orioles could ill afford to have happen. Going into the offseason, it was widely accepted that the O’s had about $40m-$50m coming off the books compared to last season’s near $120m payroll. With Wieters accepting the QO, it gives the Orioles very little wiggle room to fill a variety of gaps: LF, RF, 1B, RP and at least 1 SP (ideally 2). There’s a very real possibility that the payroll in 2016 is going to be $120m (or even less as the MASN dispute is not over, yet). To that end, look to the Orioles to go into budget mode when it comes to LF and RF (think: Parra and Pearce) and 1B (Mancini/Walker). This will leave a little bit of payroll left to devote to the Scott Kazmirs of the world. And, unfortunately, this also means that Darren O’Day won’t be back in an Orioles uniform come Opening Day 2016.
