Duquette interview on WEEI

[33rdst]

Says you, but let's not make it out to be fact. I've heard from more than one source that Markakis is not a hard worker in the offseason and really uses it to get away from baseball. When your stats start to decline three straight years, it's only natural that there will be concerns about his off season "routine." Last season Nolan Reimold took time to work with Brady and his improvement in his speed was very noticeable and he went from a below average outfielder to an average outfielder. That to me showed some dedication on Nolan's part. I think we would all like to know Markakis has he same dedication to improving himself now that his stats have fallen to a point that he no longer is producing like a productive major league right fielder.

I don't have a problem with a player using some of his off season to recharge his batteries. Although I do remember reading something last off season that said Nick had been involved in a strength training program to help improve his power production. He didn't go away to train, I think it was something he did here.

Here's a link thanks to Frobby

http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/showthread.php/116326-Duquette-not-a-big-Markakis-fan?p=2611318#post2611318

[csgordos]

I am a huge fan of Nick and have always felt that he was underappreciated and un-protected in the line-up. This lack of protection I think has hurt his overall numbers in the past. However, I have to remind myself and other fans of Nick, that the "peak" age for the male athlete is 27/28. This has been proven in multiple studies and by looking at the back of baseball cards for years. If you take out the steriod era then it becomes even more evident. So even though I feel Nick's numbers would have been better if he was playing in Boston, Philly, etc; that doesn't help the argument when he was playing the past 2 years at his best age range. The fact that he has shown consistency in the # of base hits the past 5 years, but his doubles and HRs are down significantly is more of concern considering the age argument. With MLB teams paying millions of dollars to their players, you would think that the teams would have more say on what the players did during the offseason. The one local player in my region who made it to the majors and was lining up for a big payday, drank and hunted during the offseason. He ended up breaking down and never lived up to his potential. Never understood why he didn't bust his butt in the offseason to get that one huge 5 year deal.

If I was DD and inherited a team that has lost for 14 years, I think I would pick out the face of the organization and make him the posterboy of what needs to change. I have heard it mentioned before that Nick is a silent leader and not vocal with his teammates. Well it appears he has been leading by example in the offseason from reports of others, and not in a manor that signifies an importance on winning and improvement. The Orioles need a new way if they have any chance of making the playoffs. It appears that DD is willing to finally do that through the minors, but the only way the Orioles will put a winner on the field in the majors the next 3 years is if the players who are on the team decide that what they have done in the past is not enough. And it starts in the offseason. And it starts with the Orioles "best" player for the past 5 years. Nick Markakis. I am rooting for him to take this team to a new level. The level of dedication throughout the year. And the level of being a proven winner.

[Sanfran327]

I dont know how he is getting only 1 hit in 11 years of drafting in the top 10. Markakis and Wieters clearly aren't misses and Matusz is way too early to tell. Bundy and Machado are both top 10 or 15 prospects in baseball so that is just completely, flat out wrong. Now, should we have done better?? Sure but come on don't go as far as you went. I generally just didn;t like the tone of the interview. He seems very disconnected to this organization. Obviously, he has been out of baseball for awhile and I don't expect him to know our organization but I dont know I just don't sense passion or urgency to turn this thing around. I mean the better scouting, pitching program, int signings thats all obvious things that need to get better. We all knew that. I dont want to come off as too harsh. Im certainly open to what he plans to do but the first impression not so great.

I would do everything I could to separate myself from the poor moves this organization made before my arrival, too. I think the whole "they" thing that Soprnao posted was more of a sign of "there's a new sherriff in town, jerks!" than that of a GM that doesn't care about this team. In fact, it makes me think we are in for some radical, wholesale changes.

[Going Underground]

I find it a little interesting that we have a GM and manager who are not the usual cliche men. They both have rubbed people the wrong way over the years. Buck has his ideas about players and he looks for certain things. Mel Hall had good stats but Buck hated the attitude. Buck likes to go up and down the bench and ask players questions about what is going on. You don't watch the game and cheer for your teammates,you are usually gone. Duquette has the I am smarter then you attitude. I wonder if the pair can get along. Angelos got two guys who are not the cookie cutter baseball types.

[DrungoHazewood]

Its amazing to me the excuses people make to defend their favorite players, myself included in this. If our players are so great and deserve to be defended, then why the hell have we been the laughing stock of the Majors for the past 14 years?

We need to look at this objectively. Nick is a good player, even last year he was an average American League RFer. He's done better in the past, and probably could in the future. He may need to reevaluate his offseason workouts and maybe his approach to in-season adjustments.

But just because the O's have been terrible for 14 years doesn't mean that there haven't been valuable players on the team. Nick and Brian Roberts, Erik Bedard, Miguel Tejada, and others have had excellent seasons despite the ineptness and chaos surrounding them. Cal Ripken once had a nearly 5-win season on a team that won 54 games.

[CA-ORIOLE]

I am a huge fan of Nick and have always felt that he was underappreciated and un-protected in the line-up. This lack of protection I think has hurt his overall numbers in the past.

Why do people keep repeating this. It's likely not true. If anything, there may be more evidence that protection actually decreases the protected players production.

[DrungoHazewood]

Why do people keep repeating this. It's likely not true. If anything, there is probably more evidence that protection actually decreases the protected players production.

When studies and research conflict with conventional wisdom it's often a long, hard slog to get the conventional wisdom changed.

Despite Mythbusters most folks still believe pennies dropped from skyscrapers will kill you, and that corked bats allow mediocre players to hit a ball 500 ft.

[CA-ORIOLE]

When studies and research conflict with conventional wisdom it's often a long, hard slog to get the conventional wisdom changed.

Despite Mythbusters most folks still believe pennies dropped from skyscrapers will kill you, and that corked bats allow mediocre players to hit a ball 500 ft.

I guess when it worked for Roger Maris in 1961 it became true for everybody.

[Dipper9]

When studies and research conflict with conventional wisdom it's often a long, hard slog to get the conventional wisdom changed.

Despite Mythbusters most folks still believe pennies dropped from skyscrapers will kill you, and that corked bats allow mediocre players to hit a ball 500 ft.

Wait what? They proved this wrong? You're kidding?

[Birds of B'more]

Secretary: "Mr. Duquette, Mr. Angelos will see you in his office now."

DD: "Hi Buck, hi Mr. A."

Buck: "Have a seat, Dan."

PA: "Dan, we may have had a disconnect during our last interview, so I'm going to let you know one last time how we do things here."

[Slappy]

We need to look at this objectively. Nick is a good player, even last year he was an average American League RFer. He's done better in the past, and probably could in the future. He may need to reevaluate his offseason workouts and maybe his approach to in-season adjustments.

Or maybe he peaked early. His SLG has declined dramatically in linear fashion every year since 2008. An average American League RF is not the kind of guy you want to put on posters as one of your "core" players, and certainly not a guy you want to put 15% of your payroll into.

[Birds08]

Is he not aware that Theo is now with the Cubs?

[DrungoHazewood]

I guess when it worked for Roger Maris in 1961 it became true for everybody.

Are you suggesting that Maris used a corked bat in '61? I always thought it was just that he figured out how to pull the ball better since it was 296 ft down the RF line at old Yankee. In any case, like I said, it doesn't matter. Corked bats don't really do anything.

Wait what? They proved this wrong? You're kidding?

The terminal velocity of a falling penny isn't very high, and a penny weighs a fraction of an ounce. If a five-ounce baseball going 90 mph won't (usually) kill you, a 0.08 ounce penny going 90 mph isn't going to do any real damage.

[DrungoHazewood]

Or maybe he peaked early. His SLG has declined dramatically in linear fashion every year since 2008. An average American League RF is not the kind of guy you want to put on posters as one of your "core" players, and certainly not a guy you want to put 15% of your payroll into.

Nick's 2011 season isn't optimal, it's not going to push any team towards the playoffs. Maybe he peaked early. Maybe his adjustments over the years have all tilted towards sacrificing power for bat control and contact. None of us really know. MLB slugging percentages have fallen in a linear fashion over the past five years or so, from .432 to .399. 2011 was the first year since 1992 that the league slugging percentage was below .400.

In any case, Nick is still young and productive and talented enough that he could well justify 15% or more of the payroll. Before 2011 he'd been an above average RFer ever since his rookie year.

[Dipper9]

Are you suggesting that Maris used a corked bat in '61? I always thought it was just that he figured out how to pull the ball better since it was 296 ft down the RF line at old Yankee. In any case, like I said, it doesn't matter. Corked bats don't really do anything.

The terminal velocity of a falling penny isn't very high, and a penny weighs a fraction of an ounce. If a five-ounce baseball going 90 mph won't (usually) kill you, a 0.08 ounce penny going 90 mph isn't going to do any real damage.

Wow. Who knew? All I know is when I was at the top of the ESB this past April, my sphincter was clenched tighter than a granite countertop!