Orioles, Wieters Agree to $7.7 Million Salary for 2014

Arbitration be damned, the Orioles settled on salary terms with catcher Matt Wieters for the upcoming season. Just in time, because five days from now Wieters will join the other pitchers and catchers at Spring Training in Sarasota.

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The two sides agreed to a $7.7 million dollar deal, near the halfway point for Wieters, who was asking for $8.75 million, and the O’s who countered with $6.5 million. The deal for $7.7 million includes merit-based incentives such as the Silver Slugger and Golden Glove Award.

Settling was the best possible move, the Orioles can’t afford to irritate such a significant member of their young corps. Wieters is set be a free agent in 2015, and keeping him happy until then will parlay into the Orioles’ ability to keep him around when the season is up and free agency comes calling.