ORIOLES

[vansmack]

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.

Boras probably lost his shit when Weaver agreed to that deal - any agent could have gotten Weaver that deal.  He was projected to make about $130-$140 million.  Weaver was also second in the Cy Young voting the year before that and was the leading candidate at that time.

 Weiters has barely played in an all-star game and hasn't sniffed the MVP voting - any team would be nuts to give him $85m, which is why some team probably will.  And Boras will just laugh....

[shemptiness]

A lot of marginal players have made all-star rosters - especially with the rule that each team must be represented.

[hutch]

has there ever been a good catcher contract? 

Munson

[Nigel Tufnel]

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

Reminds me of the joke about the businessman who loses money on every sale, but makes up for it in volume.

[vansmack]

They don't have to offer him arbitration. 

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

Orioles will tender contracts to all arbitration-eligible players


The Orioles don't have to make an official decision for a week, but they will tender contracts to all nine of their arbitration-eligible players, according to the club's top executive.

?We are planning on tendering those guys,? Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette said. ?Most of the guys we have there are real good players.?

The group consists of catcher Matt Wieters, first baseman Chris Davis, outfielders Nolan Reimold and Steve Pearce, relievers Troy Patton, Brian Matusz, Tommy Hunter and Jim Johnson, and starter Bud Norris.

[James Ford]

Nolan Reimold? Really?

[vansmack]

Nolan Reimold? Really?

He's worth a flyer at $1 million...oh wait, that's what they said last year.

[atomic]

Nolan Reimold? Really?

He's worth a flyer at $1 million...oh wait, that's what they said last year.

1 million dollars down the drain.  What is he like 30?

[shemptiness]

The group consists of catcher Matt Wieters, first baseman Chris Davis, outfielders Nolan Reimold and Steve Pearce, relievers Troy Patton, Brian Matusz, Tommy Hunter and Jim Johnson, and starter Bud Norris.

Here's MLBTradeRumor's Matt Swartz with their projected raises:
Catcher Matt Wieters ($7.9MM); first baseman Chris Davis ($10MM); outfielders Nolan Reimold ($1.2MM) and Steve Pearce ($1.1MM); relievers Troy Patton ($1.2MM), Brian Matusz ($2.1MM), Tommy Hunter ($3.1MM), and Jim Johnson ($10.8MM); and starter Bud Norris ($5MM). In total, Swartz projects a $42.4MM tab for the group.

[atomic]

The group consists of catcher Matt Wieters, first baseman Chris Davis, outfielders Nolan Reimold and Steve Pearce, relievers Troy Patton, Brian Matusz, Tommy Hunter and Jim Johnson, and starter Bud Norris.

Here's MLBTradeRumor's Matt Swartz with their projected raises:
Catcher Matt Wieters ($7.9MM); first baseman Chris Davis ($10MM); outfielders Nolan Reimold ($1.2MM) and Steve Pearce ($1.1MM); relievers Troy Patton ($1.2MM), Brian Matusz ($2.1MM), Tommy Hunter ($3.1MM), and Jim Johnson ($10.8MM); and starter Bud Norris ($5MM). In total, Swartz projects a $42.4MM tab for the group.

Guys who get too much for their production:  Jim J.  Matusz, Hunter, Pearce, and Reimold. 

Norris and Davis seem like bargains. 

I really can't see how Pearce or Reimold are worth that money.  I would just try and get someone for the league minimum.  Odds are you could get someone better for less.

[vansmack]

Johnson for Jemile Weeks.

Never trade with Billie Beane - he'll probably flip Johnson for 3 studs.

Although, seriously.  $22 million for Kazmir, and now ~$10m for Johnson?  These are not my daddy's A's.

Anyhow, Jemile Weeks is not your answer at 2B.

[Got Haggis?]

terrible terrible move by the orioles.  but i guess Angelos saves money

[K8teebug]

Just going to trust Dan...

Will miss JJ.

[shemptiness]

terrible terrible move by the orioles.  but i guess Angelos saves money

The money will go elsewhere.  That would have been a pretty fat contract for JJ.

[vansmack]

Just going to trust Dan...

Will miss JJ.

It sure looks like they weren't going to tender him and got what they could in a dump.

Says Buster:

? On one hand, the Orioles insisted that they were going to tender a contract to closer Jim Johnson, and on the other hand, other teams reported in recent weeks that the O's were working feverishly to dump the closer, who will make close to $11 million in 2014 via arbitration. Given the timing of the trade with Oakland -- right around when the Orioles would've been required to tender an offer to Johnson -- there is a ton of industry speculation that Baltimore would've simply non-tendered Johnson if they didn't find a deal.

And the trade they did find is regarded as something close to a giveaway, because Jemile Weeks is regarded as a first-round bust. He turns 27 in January, and has a .319 on-base percentage in 223 games in the majors.

Johnson is a big-time ground ball guy and likely benefited from one of the better defensive infields in baseball with the Orioles. But he'll be pitching in a much more forgiving park in Oakland.

---

Buster Olney ‏@Buster_ESPN 59m
Two questions O's must now answer: 1. Who's the closer? 2. How could the A's--the Moneyball Athletics--afford what the Orioles could not?

I still think Billy moves him.