Markakis

[weams]

Markakis will get hot at some point. He's just in a slump. Still, while he'll never be the .900 OPS hitter we all hoped he'd be, chances are he's still better than Chris Davis will ever be. Davis has looked like his old horrendous self the past couple of games. The Orioles have major holes in the lineup while they have Chavez, Davis and Reynolds in there, not to mention Nick Johnson.

Three for four with a homer.

[MrOrange82]

Markakis is now on pace for 22 homeruns. I don't think I've ever seen him look so feeble at the plate, yet he's on pace for 22 HRs.

Baseball's a weird game.

[Lucky Jim]

Three for four with a homer.

Markakis is now on pace for 22 homeruns. I don't think I've ever seen him look so feeble at the plate, yet he's on pace for 22 HRs.

Baseball's a weird game.

Everything he hits is slider-speed or below.

[MrOrange82]

Everything he hits is slider-speed or below.

Yep...I'm pretty shocked that he's seeing anything but fastballs at this point. Until he proves he can catch up...

[ccbird]

Everything he hits is slider-speed or below.

This is true. The lack of bat speed, ability to turn on a good fastball has always been a legit concern. If he's having trouble now it will be interesting to see what happens as he enters his early 30s.

[Lucky Jim]

This is true. The lack of bat speed, ability to turn on a good fastball has always been a legit concern. If he's having trouble now it will be interesting to see what happens as he enters his early 30s.

And by interesting you mean...painful.

Look, he can try to rectify this, but it's going to take a change in fitness/strength, approach, everything.

[Can_of_corn]

This is true. The lack of bat speed, ability to turn on a good fastball has always been a legit concern. If he's having trouble now it will be interesting to see what happens as he enters his early 30s.

At his current rate of decline he won't make his mid 30's.

Shame I thought he had a legit shot at 3K a few years ago.

[ccbird]

And by interesting you mean...painful.

Look, he can try to rectify this, but it's going to take a change in fitness/strength, approach, everything.

Agreed. I think he'll have to really put in work to be an effective player into his 30s.

[robby05]

Nick Markakis Avg. OPS

batting 2nd .313 .873

batting 3rd .280 .789

batting 5th .556 1.444 only 9 ab

leading off inning .321 .869

should be out of the 3rd hole...would like to see him at lead off a few times.

[Guest rochester]

Nick Markakis Avg. OPS

batting 2nd .313 .873

batting 3rd .280 .789

batting 5th .556 1.444 only 9 ab

leading off inning .321 .869

should be out of the 3rd hole...would like to see him at lead off a few times.

Why do I have the feeling that if we exchanged Nick's numbers with AJ's that many on here would scream to get rid of AJ. Nick is not in a slump - he is just average at best... below for his position..and IIRC the decline coincides with his marriage and, subsequently, having children.

[baltfan]

Why do I have the feeling that if we exchanged Nick's numbers with AJ's that many on here would scream to get rid of AJ. Nick is not in a slump - he is just average at best... below for his position..and IIRC the decline coincides with his marriage and, subsequently, having children.

It is the lack of power and the fact that he seems to ground to second in every at-bat that drives people nuts. At least AJ is driving the ball.

When Nick first became a major leaguer he was a guy that supposedly could hit tape measure shots. Now he barely gets the ball out of the infield. He just looks weak up there.

[Pedro Cerrano]

I remember having very similar feelings last year, where every time Nick would step up to the plate I'd say "well, here comes a grounder to 2nd." It was like clock-work. Hopefully last night started a hot streak but these cold spells of his are beyond absurd.

[NewMarketSean]

It's time to look at upgrades in RF, IMO, during the offseason or even at the deadline.

Until then, move Markakis down in the order, look to move him if possible. He's a salary dump at this point.

Whatever he is doing in the offseason it's not working. The last hope would be for him to work with Brady, I guess.

[SoBo]

I'm as frustrated as the next guy with how Markakis has fallen off year over year since 2008. But I'm willing to give him through the end of the season to fully recover from major off season surgery before I completely stick a fork in him. But the early signs are not good.

[Pedro Cerrano]

When Reimold returns:

Reimold

Hardy (b/c Buck will insist on it)

Jones

Wieters

Davis

Markakis

Reynolds

Betemit

Andino