I like the idea of trying to trade for Weiters. In general, I think the Twins should be aggressive on rental trades because they are likely to sign extensions once they get some time with the organization. If Weiters could get healthy, and then be the backstop for the Twins for a few years, that would be excellent. (Cheaper option than Tulo, for sure.)

You don't have to be a star to get a QO. Almost any good starting player who is not that old should get one.

 

And no player has accepted one yet. Given the catching market, I doubt Wieters would be the first!

I am getting educated today. Essentially then, the O's would need to decide whether an offer of Arcia & another is worth more to them than finishing 2015 with Weiters & O'Day plus a #30-35 pick next June. Either way, they could resign one or both in the off-season and forgo he draft pick.

Edited July 25, 201511 yr by mudcat14

Basically, yes. But if they keep Wieters and make him a QO, it would give them an advantage in re-signing him too since other teams would have to forfeit a pick to sign him away.

IIRC, Wieters is a Boras client. I doubt he signs an extension prior to fully testing the market (which is probably the only reason he might be available in trade in the first place).

Getting Wieters doesn't doing anything to fix the catcher spot for next year and we'd be right back with the same problem less a few prospects. If you want to fix it, which I agree with, do it right and get somebody that will be here a few years.

You're going to have a hard time getting a good catcher then.  The Twins have plenty of money to make that investment.

They still only have 25 roster spots though and don't have much room for another corner bat.

 

They still only have 25 roster spots though and don't have much room for another corner bat.

 

I think Wieters is a catcher the rest of his career.  I also think he has at least 1-2 all-star caliber years in him.

 

The problem is what spycake posted - he's a Boras client who is highly unlikely to take a reasonable extension.

 

Thanks for the clarification. Don't you think it unlikely (I do) that the O's would give Weiters a QO at $16mil? I think he'd almost certainly accept a doubling of his salary. With his recent history and overall track record, I think his best hope on the open market is a 3-4 year deal around $10mil/year. Unless of course, he goes on an absolute tear over the next 12 weeks.

Doubling his salary is a meaningless way to look at it.  His salary was artificially low due to it being during arb years.  It is really difficult to predict what will happen with Wieters though.  He was a 3-4+ WAR player until his injury and he would easily be signing a contract for 15-20M/yr w/o the injury. 

 

It is possible that Boras and Wieters bet on themselves and take a 1 yr contract and look for a 4+ yr 20M/yr contract the following offseason.  Or it's possible that Boras sells a team on him returning to that form and gets him 15-20M/yr this offseason. 

 

I can't wait for the TD debates on whether or not to pursue a 29 yr old catcher that has struggled for 2 years with a TJ injury.  This is going to be the best offseason ever.

Edited July 26, 201511 yr by kab21

I wouldn't mind him as a rental, but anything more than a 1-2 year extension (which won't happen) is playing with fire. The risk is just far too high and the Twins already have one former catcher they had to move positions.