Orioles Agree To Terms With Wieters On 1-Year Contract
BALTIMORE (AP) -- Catcher Matt Wieters and the Baltimore Orioles avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a $7.7 million, one-year contract, a raise of $2.2 million.
Wieters had asked for $8.75 million and the Orioles had offered $6.5 million when the sides swapped proposed arbitration salaries last month.
As part of Thursday's agreement, Wieters would earn a $200,000 bonus for winning a Gold Glove -- he won in 2011 and 2012. A two-time All-Star, he would get $100,000 is he's elected to start in the All-Star game and $75,000 if he's selected as a reserve. He also would earn $75,000 if he wins a Silver Slugger.
The 27-year-old hit .235 with 22 homers and 79 RBIs in 148 games last year and has a .255 batting average with 87 homers and 328 RBIs over parts of five years in the major leagues. He can become a free agent after the 2015 season.
This marks the second straight year the Orioles did not go to arbitration with any of their players.
(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)