Scott Boras on Matt Wieters, Zach Britton and Pedro Alvarez

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md - Baseball's most prominent agent, Scott Boras, said today that the door is still open for his client, catcher Matt Wieters, to return to the Orioles.

He was asked if the free agent has played his last game with the Orioles.

"Well, no, I mean, look, he threw out over 35 percent of his runners," Boras said. "When Matt Wieters is behind the plate, the Orioles are in the playoffs. He's, you know, won Gold Gloves and Silver Sluggers there. And the ERA of the pitching staff is one run lower than when other catchers catch. I think Baltimore has a real commodity there. He's performed at high levels there. Matt has always enjoyed playing in Baltimore, so it's (a return to the team) certainly a possibility, yeah."

The market for Wieters is certainly not defined yet and there have been almost no rumors or speculation on which teams have strong interest in in him. But Boras said the process of talking to clubs has begun.

"I think it's, you know, all the teams kind of check in on catching," he said. "We've been meeting with clubs about him and we're kind of going through the process of scheduling things with him and then meetings and such, so it's going fine."

Boras was asked how many teams have shown interest in Wieters.

"Well, the clubs that need catching are pretty well defined," Boras said. "And some are thinking about moving players to make room for him so, the timetable always on catching, I don't know what it is, I can't think of one I've represented that didn't sign in January."

Pedro-Alvarez-gray-at-bat-sidebar.jpgFree agent Pedro Alvarez is also on the market right now after batting .249 with 22 homers and 49 RBIs for the Orioles.

"I've talked to a number of teams about him," Boras said. "Pedro is actually going to start playing the outfield, as well. He's obviously working at first base and we're going to try and get his defensive acumen more in the field as his career goes forward. Obviously, anybody that needs left-handed power is going to be interested in Pedro."

Orioles closer Zach Britton, who saved 47 of 47 games and finished fourth in the Cy Young vote, is also a Boras client and due to make an estimated $11.4 million in arbitration. He has two years of team control left and Boras indicated today there have been no recent extension talks between him and the club on Britton.

"Usually, those things come up in January. Dan (Duquette) and I, we really, the arbitration-eligible players, mostly that contract part is done then," he said.




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