Talking qualifying offers, free agents and awards snubs

So Mark Trumbo got a qualifying offer and Matt Wieters did not. Buck Showater was an award finalist but Zach Britton was not. A rather newsworthy day involving the Orioles.

I thought the Orioles should have extended Wieters the qualifying offer, maybe moreso this year than last. After a season where he proved that his right elbow is sound, throwing out 35 percent of attempted base stealers, Wieters should get a decent multi-year offer in a down year for free agent catchers. That would have led me to roll the dice, make the offer for Wieters and happily take a draft pick if he leaves, as expected.

The Orioles' move to not make the qualifying offer seems to say they don't value Wieters for $17.2 million for next season and were not prepared to take the chance to have him eat up that much salary for next year.

Meanwhile, at least according to one prediction, Trumbo has not played his last game for the Orioles. This free agent ranking from MLBTradeRumors.com lists Trumbo as the No. 8 free agent and predicts he signs a four-year, $60 million deal to remain with the Orioles. It would surprise me to see the club make that investment in Trumbo. But he certainly hit plenty of huge homers in 2016, was a leader and great fit in the clubhouse. He said repeatedly that this was the most fun he ever had in baseball, so an offer like that just might get his signature on a contract.

By making the qualifying offer to Trumbo, the Orioles could have hurt his chance at getting a big-dollar contract. Now a team that signs him has to give up a draft pick. Plus, they will be adding a player that is 31 in January and played a shaky right field. Trumbo never hit more than 34 homers before last season. But he also could help a team looking for a first baseman, which could help his cause in negotiations, and he certainly could make a solid DH for any American League club.

The MLBTradeRumors.com projection ranks Yoenis Cespedes as the No. 1 free agent, followed by Edwin Encarnacion, Aroldis Chapman, Justin Turner and Kenley Jansen. That is two closers in the top five. The projection was for Chapman returning to the Yankees for five years and $90 million and Jansen going to the Cubs for five years and $85 million. That would be quite a move for New York in getting four players for Chapman last July, then getting him back now without having to surrender a draft pick because they traded him last year.

If those closers do get those dollars, that will make the projected $11.4 million for Britton seem a bargain for the 2017 season.

The ranking lists Wieters as the No. 16 free agent, going to Atlanta for three years and $39 million. It has outfielder Michael Saunders as the No. 20 free agent, going to the Orioles for three years and $33 million. If it happens that way, that could leave a corner outfield spot for Saunders with Trumbo getting more DH at-bats. Steve Pearce is their No. 42 free agent, going to the Yankees two years and $10 million.

ESPN's Keith Law released his top 50 free agent rankings yesterday with Cespedes No. 1 followed by Dexter Fowler, Turner, Rich Hill and Encarnacion. He ranks Wieters No. 17, Trumbo No. 18 and Pearce No. 26. He has Saunders No. 31.

By the way, if Wieters does leave the Orioles, which direction should they go with the catcher's spot? Does Caleb Joseph get most of the starts? Does Chance Sisco get a shot? Do they add someone from outside the organization?

Finally, I posted some thoughts on Britton not making the final three for the Cy Young Award here last night. Many of you expressed an opinion that Britton didn't pitch enough innings to get consideration over the other finalists. It seems to me that Britton was then penalized for his role and it makes you wonder if a closer will ever win this award again.

Rather than hold a lack of innings against Britton, how about some reward for the spectacular job he did with those innings?