Last Friday, the Orioles extended the qualifying offer of $15.8 million to Matt Wieters. Wieters, as well as the other MLB free agents to whom the offer was extended, has until tomorrow to decide whether or not he will accept it.
With a Wieters decision looming, Oriole fans find themselves having mixed feelings about what they would like to see happen. If Wieters accepts the deal, he would be the first player to accept the qualifying offer. Much has been written about what would be best for Wieters: a well-paid short term deal with a chance to prove that he his healthy and still one of the best catchers in the game versus a long term deal where he can acquire financial security without having to worry about an injury or a down year destroying his already diminished value.
However, personally I’m less interested in what’s best for Matt Wieters and am more interested what’s best for the Orioles.
Scenario A:
If Wieters takes the deal he would become one of highest paid catchers in baseball. The $15.8 million is probably over-paying for his skill set, but the short length of the contract more than makes up for the large salary. The Orioles would get a highly motivated player out to prove that he’s healthy and deserving of a long-term deal (very much like the 2014 Nelson Cruz signing).
Moreover, Wieters would be a valuable bat in the Orioles lineup. Whether they decide to move him to first base or have him catch or even have him DH, the Orioles could use his bat. With the potential loss of Chris Davis, Steve Pearce, and Gerardo Parra, the Orioles have some significant spots to fill. Though naysayers might reference how Wieters’ offensive numbers never reached where we once thought they would, it is still undeniable that he would be an improvement over current options to replace the potential leaving players.
Filling the DH/1B role currently would be the likes of Christian Walker, Jimmy Paredes and Andy Wilkins; Wieters is a better and more proven hitter than any of these players. Also, due to the length of the contract, the Orioles would have the much-needed flexibility of reevaluating Wieters next year and then if need be have the ability to go in a different direction.
As a mid-market team, long-term contracts can cripple the Birds organization. And with Ubaldo Jimenez under-performing his long-term deal, and the almost inevitable signing of another free agent to a long-term deal this offseason (okay, maybe a I’m being a bit too optimistic here), the Orioles would benefit from the financial flexibility of a one-year deal for Wieters.
Scenario B:
If Wieters turns down the qualifying offer and signs with another team, the Orioles would receive a compensatory draft pick at the end of the first round. This would help the Orioles to address one of the weakest parts of their organization, the farm system. Of course naysayers may say this extra draft pick is pointless because the Orioles never draft and develop quality players, and after I concede this point (and go in the corner and cry for a while), I would emerge and attempt to argue that the Orioles’ struggles to draft well is all the more reason to get more draft picks in the hopes that they will have more opportunities to draft future major leaguers.
Moreover, if Wieters doesn’t sign the $15.8 million qualifying offer, then the Orioles would theoretically have that extra money to sign other free agents. And with the Orioles currently having a multitude of holes, and one of the holes currently not being catcher thanks to Caleb Joseph, they could use that money and instead of filling one hole with Wieters, fill two or three holes.
Conclusion
Wieters has a very tough decision on his hands. One could make a legitimate argument that is better for Wieters to sign the qualifying offer, and yet one could also make just as valid of an argument that he should turn it down and look for a long-term deal.
However, in the end whether Wieters makes just under $16 million next year and plays in front of the best fans and in the best stadium in baseball or if he looks out for his long-term needs and signs a multi-year deal, in the end he’s going to make out all right. Likewise as Oriole fans if Wieters signs and adds a proven bat on short-term contract or if he leaves allowing the Orioles to get a draft pick and have some money to pursue other free agents, in the end the Orioles will make out all right.
For Matt Wieters and for the Orioles this is not a good or bad decision it’s more like a good or different kind of good decision.
