It was bad enough when Angelos overruled his front office and demanded that they select a college pitcher (Wade Townsend) and then didn't sign him. But they had to know what Wieters would cost when they drafted him. I had to endure WaPo's fawning article today about Detwiler, chosen one spot after Wieters, and how he part of the future Nats foundation. For the O's to bungle a piece of their future could be the last straw for me.

Why did they draft him in the first place, risking a HIGHLY valuable top 5 pick on him, if they couldn't afford him? was the signing amount THAT unclear on draft day? if it wasn't, then this is a travesty, plain and simple.

if they don't sign wieters i suggest we (the fans) all buy cheap tickets to the last home game and throw a eggs out on the field when the o's come out to the field in the first inning and walk out afterwards! it would be stupid for them to not sign him they knew what they were getting when they picked him. they have signed players for more than 10 mil that didn't even have the talent ( sir sidney) that wieters has . if peter can't supply this city with a good team because he is cheap then we don't need to support the team whats the worse he could do move the team. atleast we would have the nats and as sad as this seems right now i would rather support them than the lonely o's. all i know is if i was a owner of a team and a few thousand fans threw a egg at my team and walked out i wouldn't show my face ever again.

Besides the Grand Slam breakfast costing more at night, it tastes better then too.

If the Orioles weren't willing to fork over mega-bucks above slot money for a top-notch Boras prospect, they shouldn't have chosen him. After all, why did Duquette sit with Boras in the box seats at Anaheim?

I am a 23 year old Orioles fan who lived in New York for my entire life. My first real memory of the Orioles probably comes from around 1991, when I was 7, and I used to check the box score in the newspaper every day when I came home from school to see what the Orioles (and Cal Ripken) had done. I got up early so I could watch Sportscenter before my school bus came to pick me up. All of my friends and other kids in my school were Yankee fans. When Jeffrey Maier caught the ball I thought I almost cried. What was worse was going to school the next day. In 1997 I was in Boston during the ALCS, and watched two brilliant Mike Mussina starts go to waste at a TGIFridays down the street from my hotel with my dad.

I don't recall the past for sympathy, simple to explain my situation. I have been a die hard Oriole's fan as long as I can remember. I moved to Baltimore in June, a 3 minute walk to Camden Yards, and I have been at EVERY game since. I check Roch's blog a few times every day, check the minor league results every morning, and obviously watch the Orioles whenever humanly possible. I'm sure that most people reading this are similar; baseball is an amazing sport, a true release from the "real world" and no matter what, following a team through thick and thin has a certain importance that is hard to explain.

The reason I explain this all, is because when I got home from work this afternoon, I picked up my copy of the Sun off of the couch, and turned to the back of the sports page to read "O's and Weiters not close." When you support a team through thick and thin like all of us have, and something this atrocious begins to manifest itself, it makes you wonder why you care at all. Not only is this unfathomable in every respect, it is perfectly fathomable, given that it is the Orioles.

If this goes down, as only it could with the O's, I am done. It's pretty simple when I think about. It's just not worth it. They will never compete if they are unwilling to sign top-tier talent, and it makes no sense to support a team that you have no control over when they continuously mishandle everything. I will be watching the game tonight, and tomorrow night, but if midnight strikes tomorrow and Matt Weiters goes back into the draft pool for 2008, that's it. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

I thought when they got Comcast to take on MASN, they said we would see a difference in the spending on players. That was last September. Now the money isnt rolling in for a few years. Maybe the money isn't there for a mediocre team at best, with a cheap, horrible, lousy owner. Andy McPhail is another puppet for Mr. A.

I think the O's do end up signing Wieters, however begrudgingly. I just don't see how Angelos and Co. can look the fan base in the eye and say, "Sorry but their demands were too high." Perhaps that could be done with the Mussina negotiations (it helped that Angelos opted then not to raise ticket prices), but I don't think that line will work here, particularly because the club OPTED to pick Wieters knowing full well who his agent is.

Knowing what I do about Angelos, I would think his line of thinking is more ethical; that's to say, his concerns lie in regard to how this signing will affect future signing bonuses, etc. The reality is, however, that with or without this signing, the larger bonuses, if Boras wills it, will be the way of the future -- whether Angelos likes it or not.

PREDICTION: I think the O's sign Wieters at the final minute and subsequently swear off drafting any Boras clients again. It'll also be interesting to see how these negotiations affect the negotiations over Patterson, whom they should make a very serious attempt to resign, but for whom Boras might ask too much money.

Roch, I agree wtih your point about the O's, by signing Wieters, would be investing in more than just him. Signing Wieters ensures that our confederate money (as that woeful excuse for a GM Syd Thrift called it) could be viewed by others (Bedard, Roberts, even Zambrano) as, well, yankee money.

Question for curiosity - when was the last time a team was unable to sign a pick this high (5 or higher)? How unusual is it?

It seems somewhat clear that the real issue isn't the $$, it's the slotting system from the league. The league puts this system in place and it holds no actual power. Teams can disregard it at will, as long as they are willing to listen to some yelling from the commish's office. Detroit, NYY, Boston and others do this on a regular basis, which is how they have well stocked farm systems despite regularly drafting at the end of the first round. They simply don't care what the commissioner's office thinks. Other teams that are closely allied with Bud Selig (McPhail was his right hand man for a while and Angelos is still in his debt for MASN) choose to follow the rules and are penalized by watching guys like Weiters and Porcello demand over slot money and fall to the organizations that pay it.

The system doesn't work. It does the opposite of what it is intended to do. It fails to keep bonuses down while also rewarding the teams that have been successful and rich in the past. Beyond that, it could easily (and probably rightly) be argued that it is collusion.

I would never give this organization credit for having the stones to ignore Selig, but that is exactly what every team needs to do.

It is pretty frustrating to see Camden Yards full of Redsox or Yankees fans, and one way to start winning back local fans without finding a new owner is to sign this kid. It means A LOT to the fans.

This is huge Roch. This is huge... it's about all I can muster up at the moment.

re: signing Wieters

Roch, I agree with your "investing in..." points.
Add to the list the obvious impact on fan interest.
You have to figure the Os know this all too well.
Put me down as someone who believe's they'll get it done.

Yeah, I agree. It's not my money, but they need to sign him. Period. They've gotten zero to negative return on their $42 million bullpen investment, so why are they afraid of getting less than full value on a $10 million investment? And this investment is in a much younger player.

They need to sign him. Period.

Wouldn't it be a shame if they couldn't sign a guy who projects to be somewhere between Mauer and Varitek because they promised all that money to Gibbons, Payton, and Huff?

I say sign Wieters now! A switch-hitting catcher with some pop in his bat is just what this franchise needs...that and a first baseman, a leftfielder, a dependable DH, bullpen help...

Maybe they are using the press to see if they can get Boras to come down a bit.

Float the rumor, see if it has any effect on negotiations, then see if you can sign him for less. You can always up your bid at the last second.

Ok everyone, I understand what most are saying about signing prospects, but eventually someone needs to knock this Boras guy down a few notches. His demands are bordering lunacy. I am sorry,but in a world where our troops need health care and get paid squat, our teachers get crap after babysitting our little monsters for 8 hrs a day and get no support from the parents with discipline, firefighters and police get paid nothing to protect us and put their lives on the line....Boras wants to get 10 million for a prospect that in 5 yrs may not hit 230 and 8 homeruns a yr.Nothing is a sure thing. This is a game everyone...entertainment for all of us and they don't save our lives, teach our children(yes they are roll models,but some don't even do a good job at that and its not worth 10Mil) The system needs to be ditched in every sport, let these so called great athletes make 60K a yr and see how us working class are able to make ends meat everyday. Let them struggle to pay the bills, and put their kids thru college.
I am sick of hearing about the money these idiots make and hollywood is no better....20 dollars for a couple to see a movie...It is all BS...so everyone please...if we don't sign this over priced prospect cause Boras wants another house in Euorpe, life will go on, and the people who deserve getting paid will still be underpaid!!!!

I know - they can use the money they're saving by not broadcasting in HD!

Roch,

You summed it up perfectly. It is not just the one player, though he is a perfect fit for this team. It is how it spills over to every player, presently on the roster and future free agents, when it is time to pick a team. The perception of the O's as a viable option will be changed, or cemented in stone, within the next 30 hours. Lets hope the FO overlooks the ridiculous "unofficial guidelines" MLB set up (they wish they were the NBA or NFL with their slotting system but they're are too inept to get one in place) and does the right thing for the team and the fans.

What will infuriate me if they don't get the Wieters deal done is the fact that McPhail has stated numerous times that the Orioles have a great nucleus of young pitchers that they want to build the team around.....

Well if you're talking about your top notch young pitching leading the way and you can't go the extra mile to land a top notch young catcher to grow up with them, why the heck (not the word I wanted to use, but I realize this is a family blog) even bother pretending.

Roch, you have articulated the sentiment of so many Orioles fans. You're so right about Roberts and Bedard watching very carefully from the sidelines. Great post! I hope members of the front office will read it before they make their decision.

I dislike Scott Boras more than anyone else in baseball, but I don't think that the Orioles can fight him alone. He is the product of a labor agreement under which the multi-millionaire players get even richer, the billionaire owners keep the same profits and the fans get poorer by paying the difference in ticket sales, TV subscriptions, merchandise, etc.

Something needs to be done on a much broader level. The Orioles not signing Wieters-- whether it's a principled choice on their part or not-- isn't going to make Boras go away. They need to sign their pick and then Angelos should concoct a way to neutralize Boras using the same talent that bought him this team: litigation.

Many years ago baseball owners were hit with major damages when they lost in court to the players association and were found guilty of colluding to hold down the cost of salaries. I fail to see the difference here, football and basketball have both legally implemented caps in rookie spending thru labor agreements. Baseball on the other hand has established a scale that is both arbitrary and unrealistic. Even the dumbest of human beings(fill in the blank Bud) knows that the cost of all goods and services are more expensive today than on this date last year.Yet baseball is seeking a wage reduction relative to what they paid last year and in Wieters case he is asking for the same money that was paid to a fellow Georgia Tech alum 6 years ago who was drafted in the same (5th) position in the first round. To me there is nothing unrealistic about his demands....the Orioles have had prices increases over the same period of time and my cable bill has almost doubled in price over this period. My perdictions are that we will never be able to attract major free agents or even keep our own as long as this organization is run in the incompetent manner that we have observed over the last decade. Secondly it is only a matter of time until someone takes this blatant attempt at wage discrimination to court and the owners lose again as Peter laughs merrily on the way to the bank. I have never been a supporter of Nestor and his various methods of protest but I see them in a wholly different light today. Finally if Wieters is lost I will never set foot again in this ballpark until new ownership is in place. It is time the Orioles started to understand that actions cause actions in return and it is time for the boycotting of all things Angelos to begin.

I agree with lefty. If you want to send a message to the midget dictator that owns the team, boycott everything related to the Angelos family.

If the Orioles don't sign Wieters, I'm done.

Judging by the reaction to your recent blogs, I won't be the only one.

I have to agree with the other posters. From what I have read and heard Weiters is the real deal. $10 million is reasonable for a talent like that. After all of the fiasco's ( Davey Johnson, Jon Miller, Gillick leaving, Mussina etc. etc. etc.) I am issuing the same ultimatum. Sign him or I will find a new team. I have been an O's fan for 35 years and I am getting damn tired of excuses.

I too would call the inability to sign Weiters the last straw with this ownership, but RichD you hit it right on the nose!

Hey Roch,

Maybe you should print this blog and hand it to someone in the front office so they can see how restless the fan base is. If things don't change soon the Orioles attendance will fall below a million. That might get their attention.

I won't swear off the O's if they blow this one, but it just wouldn't make sense if they don't sign him. We all know Duquette met w/Boras and likely discussed Wieters. We all knew what it would take to sign him. We're been hearing the "right on track" message for weeks. We all know there is a precedent for a pick like this getting this sort of $$ (unlike the days of Big Ben in 1989). Heck, Angelos always talks about just missing Texieria in the 2001 draft, but never mentions he wouldn't have afforded him--because he would've. Wieters may not be a local product, but this is Angelos' shot at redemption and he knows it.

Call me optimistic, but I think it's gonna get done. I think it's a game of chicken and, on the surface it looks bad. Technically, the O's will get another pick to compensate next year, so it's not like they are losing a pick as much as delaying gratification, as opposed to losing Wade Townshend, wear they got a sandwich pick--which incidentally was used on Garrett Olson (that worked out well so far). And Wieters will undoubtedly go high again next year and, like Townshend, probably sign quickly--which will keep him in the Top 10. But the O's need a superstar for 2010 and, other than Nick, they don't have one and they won't get one if they keep letting talent pass. And Wieters doesn't want to go back to school to wait around, lose a year's earning potential, and risk getting hurt (as a catcher, it's not a forgiving position). I think he gets since for closer to Tex $$ than slot $$, but not quite what the Rangers did in 2001.

For all of our sakes, I hope I am right...

How far before the deadline did the O's get the Loewen deal done? If memory serves, it was pretty close that time as well. Grasping at straws, I know, but I am looking for some sort of precedent that gives me hope the team will get this done. If they don't, Angelos should pray for a season within spitting distance of .500 and sell the team to Ripken Baseball, because it may be as good as it gets for him in terms of what he'll get in return. When the team blew it wit Mussina, I didn't step foot in Camden Yards for about four years, until the Tejada/Lopez/Raffy/Ponson splurge of 2004. Blowing it with Wieters may keep me out for another five or so, because I think we'll effectively be saying goodbye to any marquee free-agents, including Texeira in '08, and we may be writing Roberts and Bedard's tickets out of town.

On second thought, if we lose all that, five years away from the Angelos reign may not be enough. Make it ten.

I'll make this nice and simple.

I've been a very patient Orioles fan for my entire life, including each of the last 10 years, and the last 2 seasons, which I have spent in the heart of Red Sox Nation.

When Weiters was drafted and then MacPhail was immediately given the reigns (supposedly), I had been hopeful for the first time in a long time.

But losing Weiters would be like killing both of those two, since it would just mean that MacPhail is no different from Duquette, or that guy from the Expos we had before him, or Thrift, or really anybody since Gillick.

I'm a Redskins fan, and they haven't had much success, either. But at least they try. Drafting Weiters and then not signing him is not trying. It's cynical manipulation of the poor suckers who you can still squeeze the price of admission from a few times a season.

I'm not going to take it anymore. I'm an Oriole fan until midnight tomorrow. If I'm going to remain one after that, then Matt Weiters will be in the organization.

Ramon's contract would expire about the same time Wieters would be ready for the regular starting job; therefore, you're potentially getting by cheaper than having to go free agency again to replace Ramon. $10M is going to look cheap then.

Here are the excuses for not signing Wieters from the warehouse Thursday...
A) Not in the best interest in baseball
B) There is a slotting system we have to respect.
C) This was not my player chosen.
D) We need to focus our resources toward building for the future, while being fiscally responsible to our fanbase, may I remind the fans we have not had a ticket increase for sometime, Orioles baseball is a great value for the family.

As much as it pains me, I'd prefer to see Camden Yards empty, or full of Yankee/ Red Sox fans. I also prefer Comcast subscribers write in and say they will cancel and move to Verizon if they can not pay the extra $2.00 fee for MASN.

If the Orioles do not sign Wieters, I will proudly wear his major league jersey throughout Baltimore.

Even if you don't sign the big guy you get the #6 pick next year. It was worth taking the risk of not signing him.

Roch,

I don't know if you can post the attached URL (it's a link to ESPN.com with O's salary figures), but if you can't, suffice to say that the O's will trim more than $15M off of this year's payroll if both Benson and Wright walk. Combine that with the fact that both Gibbons and Danys "Addin Fuel to the Fire" Baez make $5M+ and it's hard not spend Angelos' money on this "can't miss" kid.

Sure there's a risk with signing any draftee to that type of contract, but as the saying goes: Nothing ventured, Nothing gained. Remember, there is precedent for the O's doing this--they did it with Loewen and that looks like that's worked out ok. What's really troubling, from what I've read, the front office isn't really complaining about the asking price. It seems that there is at least a tacit acceptance (finally) that the O's will have to pay a premium for players until they demonstrate that they are committed to winning (and do win) year after year.

This leaves the only excuse for not signing Weiters the O's can offer their fans is that they didn't want to offend Bud Selig! Who cares about ticking off Bud Selig? Wasn't Peter Angelos the one who broke ranks with the owners during the '94 strike? He certainly didn't seem to let the commissioner's office run his team for him then.

As far as owing Selig one for MASN goes, wasn't Angelos fairly instrumental in negotiating labor peace after the strike? Moreover, Angelos gave up a viable claim to the DC market in return for the MASN rights. As a former Washingtonian, I know how much that argument infuriates people in the DC suburbs, but it apparently had legal merit. Angelos probably could have crippled the DC franchise with litigation costs if that dispute hadn't been resolved amicably. In my humble opinion, the O's don't owe baseball a thing for MASN, nor should follow Selig's edict to the detriment of the franchise.

You readers have made some good points about sending a signal to potential free agents, especially those represented by Boras (Tex) and their own (the aforementioned Bedard, Roberts, etc), that the O's are serious about winning and are willing to spend what it takes. Bottom line: Either Angelos is really in this to win championships and restore the franchise to its former glory or he's simply playing with O's fans emotions (and taking their money) while laughing all the way to the bank.

Like it or not, Angelos is making a statement about the future of the franchise with the Weiters signing (or failure to) and O's fans should react accordingly (at least we'll know where what to expect in the future). As you pointed out, it's Peter's money; we may help him earn it, but we can't force him to spend it.

This is one that Andy McPhail and Peter Angelos owe the fans. Please throw us a lifeline that things are going to get better. Don't let this turn into another ESPN.com or SI.com point about how the O's are the poorest run organization in baseball and how Angelos is the worst owner in sports.

I've continued to keep hope and pull for the Os through every game during this 10 year stretch- as have a lot of fans- and management needs to recognize this. Step up and get this kid in position to help us.

I love that we had no problem dishing out $8.3 million for Kris Benson, $7.6 million for Jaret Wright and $6.9 million for Aubrey Huff this past offseason, but we can't afford to sign our best chance at a great catcher since... seriously... when did we have a good catcher last... was it Chris Hoiles, was he even that good, I was too young to remember...

Who else is eating up payroll and not earning it? How about Danys Baez and his $5.6 million or Jay Gibbons and his $5 million. Even Jay Payton's $4.5 million makes me feel sick.

Jeremy Guthrie makes a cool $380,000, Adam Loewen makes just over $1 million, Nick Markakis is hanging around $400,000 and they are (with the exception of the injured Loewen, who has shown nothing but promise) earning their money and then some.

I'm sick and tired of the Orioles signing washed up free agents or trading away talent for expensive injury prone mediocre pitchers. John Maine helped The Mets to the playoffs, Kris Benson helped us not sign anyone better in the offseason than Steve Trachsel.

The former front office was a joke, they couldn't identiy talent and spent money in the wrong places. If the current front office can't see the mistakes of the past and correct them, I think I'm joining KG and giving up. I don't know how Boston fans handled no World Series wins for 80+ years... I guess they did have the occasional winning season and quality players though...

At least they had hope, we have ours dashed in June every year

What is wrong with this team? Why is Mora bunting in the second inning? Why is Hernandez following that up (and two walks) by swinging at a 1-0 pitch? Why don't we swing hard and work counts? Why do we go in the face of good, winning baseball?

Ken Rosenthal just summed it up best. The Tigers have secured their nucleus through the draft by signing Verlander,Maybin,Porcello and A Miller for about 20 mil. In the big picture that's an EXTREME bargain to get your future for 20 mil. That's 10 MILLION less than what we're paying Gibbons!!!! Sign Wieters for 9-10 mil and combine that with Rowell,Snyder and Reimold and big picture the O's have gotten off pretty cheap and have 4 nice pieces for the price equal to Melvin Mora. It's a no-brainer, unfortunately P Angelos MUST WIN every negotiation!!! Who cares if it makes the team lousy!

$10 million is totally reasonable. Well put lefty. Because of all the reasons Roch and others have stated why the Orioles must sign Wieters, I think they will get it done. They better huh?

If they don't, I better start seeing "Angelos Must Go" signs in Oriole Park during games. Will they throw you out for that?

Don't forget, everyone. You can contact the team through the Contact Us section at orioles.com. I did so and received a response. It was a pretty unsatisfactory response to my complaint about the inferior product on the field and on tv with no HD, but still, might as well make them work and document your complaint.

Add me to the list. How long are fans of a team that was so respected, a team with such tradition and a reputation built over years and years supposed to put up with Angelos's inept style of management? He owes the fans of this team as well as the former fans an apology for running this team into the ground. Signing this kid would go a long way towards showing us that maybe, just maybe, he has an eye towards winning. If he lets him go, he lets me and plenty of other fans go. If he thinks that Camden Yards looks bare now, wait until he sees what happens if he screws this up.

If they don't sign Wieters they might as well start sending Yanks and Red Sox fans some direct marketing pieces selling ticket packages for the forseeable future to all of their series in Baltimore because this will be the final nail in the coffin for O's fans.

What sport is this, where draft picks command such prices? Nothing about an amateur player is even remotely certain. Someone talking about this guy's "major league jersey" is ridiculous. The odds are this guy is never even going to make it to the top, like so many other "can't miss" prospects. Sign this kid with $10 million and that kid has 10 million reasons not to worry about his future in baseball, and not to do the hard work that becoming a major league star requires.

Bryan,

The last 2 catchers rated similar to Wieters are Mauer and Varitek. Enough said.

THan you Roch,

Angelos, Flanny and now MacPhail will do what puts money into the pocket, never to be seen again. Oh promises over the winter and raise prices and don't for get premiums for Bosox ad Yankee games. I almost forgot the MASN money they made sound like the promised land over the winter too.

But to field and winner is to pay a winner. BUT FLANNY would no nothing of this. He will never be a winner. JUST A PUPPET.

PRIDE is a word the left with Angelos entry.

Bring on the Mayflower trucks. You will take the equipement but never the heart of the fans of the Baltimore Oriloes. Angelos does not know who they are because he denys the team the name Baltimore. So here we are lamenting a move that will not come.

The OBITUARY is written.

I feel sorry for the players. There here for rhe show. But not for long. This genius group will trade any winners too. Why, they will cost money. So the parade continues

We must sign Wieters. Period.

I was at Yankee Stadium last night. (I grew up, and still live, in Northern NJ.) I try to go a couple times a year when the O's are in town. I wear an O's cap and my Brady Anderson jersey, same as I have been since I was kid.
Besides the fact that there aren't as many O's fans as there used to be at Yankee Stadium, I remember a time when I would get so much crap for being an O's fan. The obnoxious Yankee fans would berate me, throw things at me, etc. Yesterday, I didn't draw a single comment. Not one. (And I make my presence known.) That's how inconsequential and how little a threat we've become. It's very sad.

Roch,

Would you've say you made it big now that a reference to you and this particular blog entry made it onto www.baseballmusings.com ?

I'd say so.

Now if you could manage to get onto www.firejoemorgan.com, you will be my hero.

I'll get the ball rolling...with all the mistakes and slurred comments, who would you say drinks more in the booth...Gary Thorne or Buck Martinez? Thorne's inability to get any stat or name or situation correct would suggest him, however Martinez's speech is virtually impossible to decipher and half the time he seems to pass out.

Your thoughts??

TO PAY WIETERS OR NOT TO PAY WIETERS

If there is collusion among owners to limit the contracts they give to draft picks, I'm guessing Angelos was in the inner circle advising the commissioner. There would be egg on Angelos' face if he didn't comply. Angelos cares more about the respect of his fellow owners than he cares about other things ... sometimes the things that fans care more about.

The thing that perplexes me is why the front offiice drafter him in the first place. Other teams passed on Wieters because of the price. What does this tell us about the management of the Orioles?

There are no excuses, if this doesn't get done Andy MacPhail has already failed at changing the pathetic culture in this organization. It has to get done, but these are the O's we're talking about, so it won't get done.

Can't they be creative? It's a contract, do something that seems like respecting the slotting system on the surface but gives Wieters the certainty of a payday. Maybe some clause that he automatically gets a 3-year MLB contract for $10M the second he makes the majors, but he's guaranteed $5M if the Orioles release him before he makes it. Plus some slotting system inspired bonus. Basically, I'm just saying there are plenty of teams and agents circumventing the system so I'd like to see the Orioles realize it isn't so hard and just do whatever it takes to make sure Wieters, and more importantly, current players and fans, know we care about the franchise.

A lot of these jokers leaving comments about paying Wieters are the same ones that screamed that we should pay Gibbons and who screamed "pay the man!" about Mora . . . I've stopped listening to this broken logic about how paying or not paying these big contracts shows where the Os are headed. What is the point of getting a GM to be the main one in charge if all of you still think you know more about running a baseball team than he does. He doesn't tell you how to install toilets.

If Baltimore gives into this poor excuse of a commissioner Selig and doesn't sign Weiters, the fans should completly boycoot the games for the rest of the season. What does Selig say about the high contacts that the Yankees and Red Sox have paid for players from other countries. I say pay an American his due.

Did the rules regarding signing drafted players change? Didn't they take almost a full year to sign Loewen?

i think everyone who is angry should go to www.baltimoreorioles.com and send them an email expressing your hurt and anger
even if someone on the payroll reads this blog, which i doubt, no offense roch, at least they cant deny knowing how we all feel about this
if idiots sending peanuts to cbs can get them to put a show back on the air, surely a large contigency of orioles fans sending hate mail to their website can at least show them how horrifying this weiters situation is to us
tell your friends and enemies
anyone who has ever worn an orioles hat or been to a game to email that the os need to sign weiters now
it takes two minutes and the worst thing that happens is what is going to happen anyway and then it wont matter since everyone says theyre gonna stop rooting for the team anyway
thanks

Let Jim Duquette go back to running the team. McPhail doesn't have the guts to go against the commissioner's reccomendation and get this done. Let's boycott the O's if they don't sign Wieters.

Satyr3206 - It doesn't matter how the kid is rated, no one knows what he's going to do in uniform. And it is absurd to pay so much for unproven talent. What we're seeing on these postings is, sadly, desperation being aired. Varitek wasn't a regular until he was 27. Mauer has 5 home runs this year, the same as Ramon Hernandez. Wieters isn't going to make the O's a contender anytime soon, whether he signs or not.

Hey Orioles fans all is not lost on the Matt Wieters front. With the creation of MASN,the Angelos family has rolled the dice in their financial empire.For MASN to succeed three things must happen:
1. Good programming( ie. a winning team)
2. People viewing the network which won't happen without a good team.
3. Television advertising which won't happen without viewers.
The failure of MASN could adversly affect the value of the franchise and the health of all of the family's finances and business interests. The Wieters signing will happen and an extension for Bedard and Roberts should not be far behind. By the way, anybody for an A-Rod signing? Don't laugh; just think of the viewers and advertising that a Rodriguez signing would generate. Remember, it's all about the Benjamins and a healthy TV network is essential to the Angelos family fortune.

Time to step outside the box, at least for the sake of argument. Everyone seems to be assuming that the cause(s) of the the Orioles' failure to sign Wieters can be traced to: (a) the cheapness of Angelos; (b) the inability of Angelos to understand how a good baseball team is built; (c) the slavish desire by Angelos and McPhail to stand by a bonus slotting system that is of questionnable legality; (d) the Os' lack of financial resources as a result of not being able to enjoy the benefits of MASN for several more years; (e) the stupidity of Duquette and Angelos for drafting a client of Scott Boras after apparently discussing with him what it would take to sign the client, and then being "shocked, shocked" at Boras' demands; (f) all of the above. The problem with all these scenarios is that other teams in the league have ignored the slotting system, spent lots of money on untested prospects, and by and large reaped benefits ranging from a well-stocked farm system to a solid nucleus of young players on the major league team. Those teams are successful while the Orioles have been floundering in all regards. Indeed, Detroit is doing it right now with another Boras client. So let me suggest another possible scenario. Perhaps Boras is not negotiating in good faith. Perhaps he discussed one set of financial parameters with Duquette and then after the draft, increased his demands dramatically. Perhaps Angelos and McPhail are ready to say "Screw it" to Boras as a matter of principle and let his client return to school for another year, where he would be assuming a certain degree of risk (such as suffering an injury, failing to put up numbers as good as those from this past season) that he might be a less attractive prospect next year. It's just a thought. Of course, on the other hand, the team and its fans are left with nothing, while at least Angelos can be smug about standing true to his principles.

Just sign the kid. Stop playing these games. If I knew it was gonna take $10 million to sign this kid then I would hope the Orioles knew it too. If they didn't know it, they are just plain dumb. Get this thing done, he'll be in the big leagues in 2 years or less and producing more than say Jay Gibbons, Jay Payton and Melvin Mora - they all make pretty good money to be anywhere from an average player to downright terrible.

Roch you hit it right on the nose.

If the O's failed to sign Wieters, they will have a tough time convincing Roberts / Bedard to stay.

In my opinion, a switch hitting catcher with power is probably the 2nd most valuable player next to a starting ace.

Furthermore, if the reported 7M deal between the Tigers and their first rounder [picked 27th] is true, then slotting is merely an excuse for teams unwilling to pay.

Same shiznit, different day, er year, I mean......... decade.

The O's always find new ways to screw up no brainers. See Guerrero, Vlad; Lee, Derek; Rodriguez, Ivan; Weaver, Jered, et al

Brian. You're one of the few who sees the reality here. Baseball is full of phenoms who don't pan out. Giving this kid 10 mill is lunacy; college ball isn't the bigs. In other sports, the top few picks step right into the majors but who knows if this guy will ever see OPCY.
In my opinion, it's all about Boras and his endless greed. He should advise his client to take a few mill less and sign now. He'll have plenty of time to earn big $$$-what if he gets injured next year or has an off year? By the same token, by signing now, he can get his career started now and in few years(if he's as good as advertised) he can step in to a starting job as Hernandez should be on the decline by then.
I don't buy the arguments that we should just give in at all costs and feel that this line of thinking is from desperation more than anything else. Similarily, using the $$$ wasted on bad free-agent signings is comparing apples to oranges. I'm not saying that the moves noted were wise but neither is giving an outrageous amount to an unproven commodity wise either.

Here's my thought about Weiters. I think if the O's sweeten the deal a bit (not all the way to 10 mi), I'd take it if I were him. If he goes back to college for a year, that's a year he'll miss in development in the pros and a year less he'll have as a professional baseball player. By the time this guy is 35 years old and prime time free agent, players will be getting 35-30 million a year. That's my take on it.

Been a die hard Oriole Fan like everybody in here since "childhood" and like everyone else in here, sick of the damn Orioles Loosing and not getting top talent. I live out here in Texas now since leaving moving out of Baltimore. The lies and lies about the Orioles are only a bat away from the Yank's and Sox's is BS! If they had a farm system built on guys like "Wieters" in the waiting, we wouldn't be needing that bat away from winning. So after this season, I am officially done with the Orioles and don't care about the team, they have lost a fan, and at least I get to watch and route for a contending team with a owner who actually wants to win the "Houston Astro's". Goodbye "O's"!!!

To those that say paying for unproven talent is unwise I say this. Please look at what comparable players got in previous years, i. e. Texiera. Or look at the 5th pick in the NFL drafts. Or the NBA. Paying for prospects is not an exact science but to be a sucessful franchise you must take chances and keep the pipeline full of talent. There is nothing wrong with Boras wanting top dollar for his client. Have any of you told your lawyer to take less in a settlement with an insurance company?

I've been an O's fan since 1968 and a season-ticket holder since 1983. I have great seats that I would hate to give up. But...if they don't sign Wieters, I've had it. Instead of making the trip to Camden Yards, I will spend my money on Nationals' games. And don't blame Boras. He is not a villain, but merely the best at what he does--representing the interests of his clients. Read the story about him in today's Sun.

Another thing that blows my mind. I think most people knew when Wieters was drafted it would take in the 10 million range to sign him. The Orioles have offered him 6 million based on the story today in the Sun. Thats less than the 27th pick just signed for. I don't profess to be a rocket scientist but I can figure out the basic math involved here. And the lack of foresight in the Front Office.

Yes, it's not my money. But MY money is what I use to pay for tickets to O's games; MY money is what I use to buy food and souvenirs there.

Sadly, even if all O's fans stop going to games, the team could probably continue to exist as a "Washington Generals" for all the invading Bosox and Yankee Fans.

My 11 year old son, an avid baseball fan and little leaguer, showed me his updated baseball card collection last night. He had all the cards sorted by team, beginning with his most favorite team (Oakland) and ending with his least favorite (Baltimore). I asked him why he didn't like his hometwon O's and his response was "they stink". He was born in August, 1996, the last time the O's were worth anything.

It's time for Peter Angelos & Sons to sell or to name someone else as managing partner. We will never win as long as Sir Peter and his two little brats are calling the shots.

THATS WHAT THEY GET FOR DEALING WITH BORAS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
HE IS WHATS BAD ABOUT BASEBALL, NOT STEROIDS.

Is it just me or has this whole thing just gone down hill since Mcphail came. On espn there was a tidbit about how things were in place until he came and then everything changed. I personally think he is just using this job to butter up to owners so he can be the next commishiner. What better way than by snubbing boras and his requesting insane money offers

Is it just me or has this whole thing just gone down hill since Mcphail came. On espn there was a tidbit about how things were in place until he came and then everything changed. I personally think he is just using this job to butter up to owners so he can be the next commishiner. What better way than by snubbing boras and his requesting insane money offers

If the Nationals really wanted to stick it to the O's, they'd print up Nats t-shirts (preferably the road "Washington" version) with the number "4" (for fourth place, of course) and "Striking O's Fan" as the player name. I'd take several.

And I'm amazed at the number of people who view this as the last straw (including myself). We are one disgruntled bunch.

I think Weiters is their starting catcher by Opening Day 2009 if they sign him. Period, end of story. The Nats have Zimmerman and Detwiler, why can't the O's have a few budding superstars that may actually stay in town past the age of 26. Angelos has almost as much money as Steinbrenner, look where that gets us.

Its been painful watching Bedard and Markakis, because I know in my heart that they will be Yankees, or Angels, or Mets in a few years. I would almost rather be a Devil Rays fan, at least they have some hope. If you can't pay a franchise catcher some money now, but you can pay a bunch of AAAA players 5 million a year (Payton, Gibbons), whats the point?

All I can say at this point, if midnight comes and goes without a deal, I'll be joining the legion of new diehard Nats fans.

Satyr3206 - your comparisons to the NFL and the NBA are exactly where you are mistaken. MLB is not like those other sports, where guys step from the amateur ranks to become stars. Look at what Texiera got - that's the record, and he got too much. There is nothing wrong with Boras wanting top dollar for his clients, but the fact is that $6 million is already a ton of money for anyone, especially a 21-year-old with zero professional experience, who may go back to college next year and have his professional prospects ended by a bad slide. It just seems that many people here would shout "Sign Weiters!" even if he wanted $100 million. One more thing - how many post-season games has Teixera led his team to?

Bryan,

I'm not mistaken. Lets look at some NFL and NBA "step right in players".

Tony Mandarich
Robert Gallery
Charles Rogers
Joey Harrington
Sam Bowie
Kwane Brown

And the list goes on and on. My point is that player drafting and developement is always somewhere between a crap shoot and an educated guess.

The Orioles are in a somewhat different position. As Roch said, this is going to affect our own free agents in the near future, any prospective free agents that may want to come here, and the fan base.

The O's have a pretty consistent habit of doing stupid things that alienate the fans. While its not my place to make their decisions or spend their money it is my right and expectation that they would at least try to put a better team on the field. They have faided miserably at that for years now. For them to offer less to Wieters than the #27 pick is ridiculous.

As for the amount of money spent on unproven talent it is the same as it has always been. Its what the market will bear and what comparable players are getting.

I would not throw money at Wieters no matter the cost. But you can mark these words. If the Orioles front office does not sign Wieters and sends another signal to the fans that they will not try to improve the team it will cost them a lot more than the 10 to 11 million Wieters is asking for.

The fact that Texiera has not led his teams to the playoffs has more to do with the Rangers pitching and personnel moves than any fault of Texiera's.

The issue isn't the signing as much as getting our hopes up. The four teams before Baltimore passed on MW because of the perceived contract demands. they knew he would want alot of money and Boras was a tough negotiator. Wieters was considered the top prospect. Well the Orioles drafted him knowing this and promised us a deal. Now I am not so sure how they will spin this. The orioles organization once again screwed the fans and until Angelos sells the team I am no longer going to invest my feelings into the team. Angelos and the greedy orioles organization has left us with a decade of losses. I guess the decade rebuilding process will continue when we lose Bedard and Roberts.

I am amazed how everyone can simply say that we should hand them a blank check and get him signed. Maybe the Yanks and Red Sox can do that, but not the O's and most other teams in baseball. I know everyone loves to say 'we knew this when we drafted him', but do we? I am sure they talked, but what did Boras say? Did he say they are looking in the 6-8 million neighborhood and the O's believed that was reasonable. And then comes the deadline, and Boras raises his demands to 11 million. If that is the case, then is it still the O's fault? How come no blame goes to Boras, or the player himself, who does have the ultimate say. Everyone just loves to jump on the bandwagon and blame Angelos and the Front Office. Go to 7 or maybe 8 million, but don't go higher. You cannot just give a blank check to an unproven college player. We definitely need him, but not at that cost.

If the O's want Torii Hunter ,Adam Dunn and Aaron Rowand to come here .....they need to SIGN Matt Wieters to show they want to win. One more thing if you don't you will lose Erik Bedatd,Jeremy Guthrie , Garrett Olson, Adam Leowen , Brian Robert , Nick Markakis
Update the O's are 3 mil away now

I realize the masn money is not flowing in yet but what about all the money to seal the nationals territory deal,and all the money not spent on guerrero,delgado,sexson,lee,or any other big bats who went elsewhere.. maybe we see why they did not come here, I believe you are right about Bedard and Robetrs..When you ask the fans to be patient while you bring good players from the minors you can't let your top pick go.. the money he is reportedly asking isn't much more than was reported it would take before the draft.. there is no excuse to be so far apart at this point.. Let the commissioner worry about some of the lousy umpires we see and let the clubs compete without interference..

Only hind sight will tell if the orioles make the right decision with Wieters. Ist round picks don"t always make it.
Nonetheless I am frustrated. I only hope whatever they do ends up the right decision. The orioles are playing better baseball, lets hope it continues. meanwhile inquire about
the Red Sox Nation. Orioles fans
deserve better (Oriole Fan since 54)

I'm curious of the money Angelos makes off the team... how much the orioles make and how much they spend.

SPEND THE DAMN MONEY ANGELOS!!! someone call him a piece of **** to his face for me!!!

The D-Rays just dropped $8 million on the #1 pick. There's no reason the O's can't afford $10. And it's obvious the slotting has broken down. They knew when they drafted a Boras client the price was going to be steep. They shouldn't be lowballing him now.

I live in Atlanta now and every year I continue to suffer b/c Angelos is ruining a once proud organization. We've got a team that's actually playing with some guts and they're fun to watch and then we have to watch as they screw up another draft pick. Yes Boras' demands are ridiculous, but it's not like he was hiding something from the team. If they don't sign Wieters maybe they can invest the money in a new scoreboard and a real screen in center field so you can actually see the replays.

Ghost of chico salmon....wow

if i had to guess your occupation...

dare i say you're an attorney? maybe you should think about becoming one of Boras' 75 employees. you can serve as the good angel on his left shoulder while he debates with mini-A-rod the devil on his right shoulder. i hear that job pays about 250k a year.

just a thought for you, Chico Salmon, Esq.

We got him!! Way to go, Mr. A! This is huge.