ORIOLES

[K8teebug]

Not many catchers catch as many games as Weiters does.  He is one of the most valuable players.

[James Ford]

He'll be a weak hitting first basemen or DH before you know it.

Not many catchers catch as many games as Weiters does.  He is one of the most valuable players.

[shemptiness]

I think DD has a blockbuster up his sleeve.  And I don't think they want to give Johnson $10M.

[atomic]

Not many catchers catch as many games as Weiters does.  He is one of the most valuable players.

Catching so many games may be why he performed so badly last year but he performed at replacement level.  Maybe it's Buck's fault as he overplayed him.  But catchers with declining numbers are not usually a good investment. 

[vansmack]

Not many catchers catch as many games as Weiters does.  He is one of the most valuable players.

Debating his value might not matter.  He's represented by Scott Boras.  The O's should deal him before his contract is up for sure, and deciding when the best time to do that is going to be the key.  I think after next season would be the most opportune time.

Unless you know for certain he's willing to take a discount to stay where he's happy, like Weaver did for Anaheim.  I don't see that happening though.

[vansmack]

Replacement level player and he has a lot of something that is a meaningless stat. DD will not pay him 10+ million a year. 

I'm not saying he's worth $10m, but there's certainly trade value there.  Remember, the Nat's gave a 33 year old reliever a 2-year $22M deal just last season...

Even if they did release him before the start of next season, they'd very likely end up having to pay him anyway.  They can't release him because he's too expensive (it's prohibited during arbitration), and because he's a relief pitcher, the O's would have to prove that every other relief pitcher on the roster performed better than him in Spring Training, including the non-roster player who's taking his place.  Good luck with that.

[atomic]

Replacement level player and he has a lot of something that is a meaningless stat. DD will not pay him 10+ million a year. 

I'm not saying he's worth $10m, but there's certainly trade value there.  Remember, the Nat's gave a 33 year old reliever a 2-year $22M deal just last season...

Even if they did release him before the start of next season, they'd very likely end up having to pay him anyway.  They can't release him because he's too expensive (it's prohibited during arbitration), and because he's a relief pitcher, the O's would have to prove that every other relief pitcher on the roster performed better than him in Spring Training, including the non-roster player who's taking his place.  Good luck with that.

They don't have to offer him arbitration. 

[atomic]

Not many catchers catch as many games as Weiters does.  He is one of the most valuable players.

Debating his value might not matter.  He's represented by Scott Boras.  The O's should deal him before his contract is up for sure, and deciding when the best time to do that is going to be the key.  I think after next season would be the most opportune time.

Unless you know for certain he's willing to take a discount to stay where he's happy, like Weaver did for Anaheim.  I don't see that happening though.

You don't hire Boras unless you want to get paid. 

[vansmack]

They don't have to offer him arbitration. 

Like I said, I dare the O's to release him.

[vansmack]

You don't hire Boras unless you want to get paid. 

Not everybody.

It's Weaver's fault, of course, that this contract ? forfeiting perhaps as much as $60 million, says his agent, Scott Boras? is a trending topic throughout baseball that refuses to fade.

"I know people still talk about it, and how big some people still think it is," Weaver tells USA TODAY Sports. "But honestly, I wouldn't change a thing. It's tough for me saying the contract is a discount. Come on, it's $85 million. It's more money than I ever thought I would make in my life. I'm happy with my decision, and I can just concentrate on playing baseball, which is more important to me.

"I'm happy. My family is happy. The fans and my teammates are happy," he says. "If we play like we're capable of in the second half and win this whole thing, that's all the happiness I need."

If Weaver weren't 10-1 with a league-leading 1.96 ERA, throwing a no-hitter in May and limiting the opposition to a .188 batting average the first half, maybe his contract wouldn't look like an eighth-grade musical on Broadway.

He's not fazed.

"I get to stay at home. I get to pitch in front of my mom and dad and friends and family. And I live in Southern California, where the weather is beautiful," Weaver says.

"Come on, is that so bad?

"You can't put a dollar figure on happiness."

[stevewizzle]

Not many catchers catch as many games as Weiters does.  He is one of the most valuable players.

Debating his value might not matter.  He's represented by Scott Boras.  The O's should deal him before his contract is up for sure, and deciding when the best time to do that is going to be the key.  I think after next season would be the most opportune time.

Unless you know for certain he's willing to take a discount to stay where he's happy, like Weaver did for Anaheim.  I don't see that happening though.

You don't hire Boras unless you want to get paid. 

and you dont hire jay-z unless you want to request a lucrative amount of money and watch the world collectively roll their eyes.

[atomic]

You don't hire Boras unless you want to get paid. 

Not everybody.

It's Weaver's fault, of course, that this contract ? forfeiting perhaps as much as $60 million, says his agent, Scott Boras? is a trending topic throughout baseball that refuses to fade.

"I know people still talk about it, and how big some people still think it is," Weaver tells USA TODAY Sports. "But honestly, I wouldn't change a thing. It's tough for me saying the contract is a discount. Come on, it's $85 million. It's more money than I ever thought I would make in my life. I'm happy with my decision, and I can just concentrate on playing baseball, which is more important to me.

"I'm happy. My family is happy. The fans and my teammates are happy," he says. "If we play like we're capable of in the second half and win this whole thing, that's all the happiness I need."

If Weaver weren't 10-1 with a league-leading 1.96 ERA, throwing a no-hitter in May and limiting the opposition to a .188 batting average the first half, maybe his contract wouldn't look like an eighth-grade musical on Broadway.

He's not fazed.

"I get to stay at home. I get to pitch in front of my mom and dad and friends and family. And I live in Southern California, where the weather is beautiful," Weaver says.

"Come on, is that so bad?

"You can't put a dollar figure on happiness."

85 million is still getting paid.  If the Orioles offered Wieters 85 million he would sign.  But the O's would have to be nuts to do that.

[stevewizzle]

85 million is still getting paid.  If the Orioles offered Wieters 85 million he would sign.  But the O's would have to be nuts to do that.

has there ever been a good catcher contract?  seriously, any multi-year deal, and anything over 30 million is just plain stupid. as james ford noted, they quickly turn into weak hitting liabilities.

[atomic]

85 million is still getting paid.  If the Orioles offered Wieters 85 million he would sign.  But the O's would have to be nuts to do that.

has there ever been a good catcher contract?  seriously, any multi-year deal, and anything over 30 million is just plain stupid. as james ford noted, they quickly turn into weak hitting liabilities.

Mauer is done with catching evidently.  Full time first baseman. 

[vansmack]

has there ever been a good catcher contract?  seriously, any multi-year deal, and anything over 30 million is just plain stupid. as james ford noted, they quickly turn into weak hitting liabilities.

Thus far, Yadier Molina's deal looks like it was an incredibly good one (10 years, $96m 2008-2018) and it's too early to tell on Buster Posey, but he appears to have bounced back from the broken leg just fine (9 years, $164m 2013-21), though I won't be surprised if Buster's a 1B some day.