Duquette not a big Markakis fan?

[clapdiddy]

I am really starting to like Double D. First he calls out Nick, now he's pretty much saying "Hey core...YOU SUCK, and until you start playing better no "premium" talent is gonna come in here and help!" Also calling out MacPhail, the scouting, and the entire organization for not developing better talent in the past decade. This guy is calling it like he sees it, for better or worse.

Makes me wonder how long it will take for him to get the "we gotta talk" phone call from one Mr. Angelos.

[weams]

Protection has nothing to do with Markakis' lack of power. He sees plenty of good pitches to hit. If his walks were at 100 and pitchers were always pitching around then I could agree, but what I see is a guy who doesn't do a ton in the off season to get stronger and guys who's power numbers are going in the wrong direction. Maybe this is a wake up call for Markakis or maybe Duquette will be able to trade him. I don't think anyone thinks Markakis does not have value, but no one should be off limits to trade. Duquette should be allowed to build the team how he wants.

He hunts, grows his beard, and spends time with family and his foundation. A vacation. Careers are brief. I always thought he could get strong if he attempted to. He is a great natural athlete.

[TonySoprano]

http://audio.weei.com/a/48664561/dan-duquette-talks-about-his-new-role-as-gm-of-the-orioles-and-looks-back-on-his-time-in-boston.htm

Interesting that DD says the 2012 payroll will be flat from last year.

This should be a thread on it's own.

ETA: Listening to the interview, Duquette once again cites Wieters-Hardy-Jones, but also notes "a couple kids on the mound and Markakis." At times, he still refers to the Orioles as "they."

[NedFromYork]

Sorry if this language offends anyone, but every time Nick comes to bat, every time, I think to myself "that guy looks like a cancer patient". He doesn't have to muscle up like some guys do and overdue it, but come on, pound a few plates in the offseason will ya.

[Roll Tide]

Wow. I think we'd ALL like to see a better slash line from Nick, but if he is going to be judged on Home Runs by his new GM, then I think we are ALL in for a long "Double D Era" in Baltimore. Mr. Duquette, Sir. There is more to a ballplayer than how many home runs he hits!

That said, I do like that Double D is trying to motivate the guys to do better. Aside from Wieters, Hardy, and Jones, DD has silently called out the entire team to do better! We'll see how that works out!

Problem is that his power production is very low for a right fielder. He certainly should & I believe he is capable of hitting .280 25 homers & 100 rbis. Thats the player he was when they gave him the big extension. Many fans complained of Nick's lack of power ....He really turned into a singles hitter early this season.

[Going Underground]

I know we have another thread about the Baltimore media,but I don't see these things being brought up on MASN or the local papers. He seems more honest with the Boston and National press.

[stomperspc]

We would all like to see Nick hit for more power. To live up to the money he is making the next few years, he will have to up the doubles and home run totals from 2011 unless he gets back to the .400+ OBP from 2008. I have no problem with Duquette basically telling Nick that the team would like to see him hit for more power. I think Markakis is a good enough and smart enough hitter to make a couple of adjustments and get his power numbers to 20 HR's, 40+ doubles over the next few seasons. Hopefully Duquette and Buck are on the same page here and they make it Nick's priority to look at driving the ball a little more this year with given the chance.

The funny thing is, Duquette says you need better power numbers from your RF in the AL East, but with the exception of Bautista, the other RF's in the AL East aren't really power hitters, either. That doesn't change the fact that we do need to see Nick hit for more power than he did in 2011, but I don't think the gap is that big. Like I said, if Nick can become a 20 HR, 40 double guy, he will probably be right around the .820 OPS' of guys like Matt Joyce and Swisher. Throw in gold glove defense and that is fine production from a RF batting 2nd in the lineup.

[Dipper9]

He hunts, grows his beard, and spends time with family and his foundation. A vacation. Careers are brief. I always thought he could get strong if he attempted to. He is a great natural athlete.

Professional sports are a full time job, or at least they should be. These guys make enough money that during the offseason they should be hitting the gym, the weights, practicing, etc. They should come to ST in top notch condition to have a great year. There is no excuse for vacations and NO excuse for whatever the hell Matusz did last year. As Uncle Owen said in the original Star Wars..."You can waste time with your friends when your chores are done." The players need to realize they will be retired by 40 and have their entire life for whatever they want to do.

[Jammer7]

Nick used to have much better plate discipline than he does today. He has been pressing for a few years trying to hit homeruns on pitches he cannot drive. He changes his swing almost pitch to pitch. I think he does these things because he desperately wants to be the player we want him to be and he badly wants to be on a winner. He may not be off limits, but his price is high.

I will agree that he does not appear to be the workout warrior type. I don't think he has to get a lot bigger to be a better producer. He has to settle on his mechanics, have a more consistent approach, and let the game come to him. And maybe he needs to get a few more days off.

I think he's a Paul O'Neill type, and I guess he was pretty good when surrounded by other high caliber players. O'Neill was much better as a Yankee than as a Red. Nick may not be as outwardly intense, but I think they are fairly similar in many ways.

[33rdst]

Thanks for this link. The interview was great. I like Duquett's candor. He seems to have a pretty good handle on the

team's needs. Given his comments, I think there is a lot up for grabs this off season. We may see some shocking moves in the next month or so.

[NewMarketSean]

There is nothing wrong with challenging Markakis to become a better player. I like what DD said but I would also like to hear the other side to it too, that DD wants him to take charge and work hard to get back to what he was in 2008. What he said came off rather harsh but I still like what he said.

Markakis has been the golden boy around here for a long time...but people are stating to see through all the shine. Problem is, to trade Markakis now would be selling low. DD is stuck with Nick.

[Frobby]

This (the WEEI interview) should be a thread on it's own.

I agree, and I started one.

[Can_of_corn]

Professional sports are a full time job, or at least they should be. These guys make enough money that during the offseason they should be hitting the gym, the weights, practicing, etc. They should come to ST in top notch condition to have a great year. There is no excuse for vacations and NO excuse for whatever the hell Matusz did last year. As Uncle Owen said in the original Star Wars..."You can waste time with your friends when your chores are done." The players need to realize they will be retired by 40 and have their entire life for whatever they want to do.

I would love to agree with you and yes the players should feel that way.

Nick was set for life with that last contract he signed. If he doesn't have a driving need to improve what is in it for him to put in the extra work? If he needs more money he can work hard in the offseason of his walk year and some team will pay him for a career year.

Once players sign a long term deal the teams don't have any leverage.

[harp6]

This write up is McNeal is poor journalism that is just intended to stir things up. He must have read a quote by Duquette that was reported by Connolly that said, ?I like the composition of this ballclub up the middle, at catcher, shortstop and center field. Those guys are at an age where there is potential to improve, and they are exciting ballplayers for our fans to see.?

Let us be logical. Because Duquette praises three players in a reference, does that mean that he doesn't like other players on the team because he did not mention them.

The rest of McNeal's article is very choppy like he picked out only the pieces of the conversation that he wanted to report. I am sure that Duquette would like more power from Markakis just like most of us would, but that does not mean that Duquette is not a Markakis fan. I would like to hear the entire interview with Duquette to see how much of it was misquoted. Anyone know where McNeal is getting this interview from?

[Frobby]

We would all like to see Nick hit for more power. To live up to the money he is making the next few years, he will have to up the doubles and home run totals from 2011 unless he gets back to the .400+ OBP from 2008. I have no problem with Duquette basically telling Nick that the team would like to see him hit for more power. I think Markakis is a good enough and smart enough hitter to make a couple of adjustments and get his power numbers to 20 HR's, 40+ doubles over the next few seasons.

I assume you realize that he had 40+ doubles every year from 2007-2010, one of only 5-6 players ever to do that. I think the doubles will take care of themselves. For whatever reason, Nick got off to an incredibly slow start in the doubles category last year, hitting only 4 in his first 59 games. He hit 27 in 101 games the rest of the way, which is a 40+ pace. I have very little doubt he will be in the 40+ range in 2012.

The homers, I think, are a different story. Even once he heated up, Nick only hit 11 HR in the final 101 games. I think without question he has to get a little stronger to increase his HR total. You can look at his hit chart and see a ton of warning track fly balls to the opposite field. Just a little more oomph and he's in the low 20's in homers.