Jump to content

Markakis is the Key!

Capn Vivi

By Capn Vivi
in Orioles Talk

Recommended Posts

Frobby Hangout Grand Counsel

Frobby

Posted
Posted
I'm not sure, but I believe that at least part of the reason for Markakis' offensive resurgence is due to the large chunk of time that he missed because of his injury. That was the first time in Markakis' career that he had a bona fide injury that has caused him to miss any sort of real time. And you know that he was just dying to get back in there and play the whole time (6 weeks). In the sense of "absence makes the heart grow fonder" and/or "you don't know what you have until you lose it," I think that it's quite possible that on some level, Nick may have had a new-found appreciation for how much he actually loves to play baseball, and realized how much he misses it when he can't play, hence maybe he re-charged his physical and emotional baseball battery. :)

Nick was hot for three weeks before his injury, and July/August are his best two months traditionally. So, I don't know that the time he missed is relevant.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 72
  • Created
  • Last Reply
survivedc Major Leaguer Rising Star

survivedc

Posted
Posted
I think that it's quite possible that on some level, Nick may have had a new-found appreciation for how much he actually loves to play baseball, and realized how much he misses it when he can't play, hence maybe he re-charged his physical and emotional baseball battery. :)

Well I like your explanation anyway. I think the emotional/mental aspect of the game is very often overlooked.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LA2 Hangout Grand Counsel

LA2

Posted
Posted
Markakis is on fire. I had a feeling he'd rake today. Markakis kills junkballers. I have no evidence to support that, but through the years I've noticed he loves facing low velocity fastballs and junk. That's what Vargas is.

His curve was more than junk!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DrungoHazewood Hangout Grand Counsel

DrungoHazewood

Posted
Posted
Hitting .346 in the leadoff slot. Only knew it was a matter of time before Buck figured out that's the best place for him.

Or... he happened to be fully healthy for the first time in a while, that coincided with a time where he was needed in the leadoff spot. Mix the two together and batting leadoff becomes the natural place for him. I have a feeling that had the O's already been in possession of a leadoff hitter #3 would have been a natural role for him, too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DrungoHazewood Hangout Grand Counsel

DrungoHazewood

Posted
Posted
It's about time, honestly. This should have happened once Roberts went down for an extended period of time. Markakis really looks good, and it's way easier to accept the fact that he doesn't hit for as much power when he's hitting out of the leadoff spot. Even though he is having a good power year, all things considered with the DL time, etc.

Scaling his 2012 numbers to 162 games gives him 42 doubles and 24 homers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Basketeer Major Leaguer Cup of Coffee

Basketeer

Posted
Posted
Or... he happened to be fully healthy for the first time in a while, that coincided with a time where he was needed in the leadoff spot. Mix the two together and batting leadoff becomes the natural place for him. I have a feeling that had the O's already been in possession of a leadoff hitter #3 would have been a natural role for him, too.

Actually his career numbers suggest he's better at #2 than #3. Contact hitter with a good eye who can get on base. Heir-apparent to Roberts at leadoff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DrungoHazewood Hangout Grand Counsel

DrungoHazewood

Posted
Posted
Actually his career numbers suggest he's better at #2 than #3. Contact hitter with a good eye who can get on base. Heir-apparent to Roberts at leadoff.

But that's probably more coincidence that anything else. I think performance drives batting position, rather than the other way around. Markakis happened to be needed/wanted in the #2 hole when he was hitting better than when he was needed/wanted in #3.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Brendan25 All-Star

Brendan25

Posted
Posted
But that's probably more coincidence that anything else. I think performance drives batting position, rather than the other way around. Markakis happened to be needed/wanted in the #2 hole when he was hitting better than when he was needed/wanted in #3.

I love Markakis 500,000x more hitting 2nd then 3rd.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Basketeer Major Leaguer Cup of Coffee

Basketeer

Posted
Posted
But that's probably more coincidence that anything else. I think performance drives batting position, rather than the other way around. Markakis happened to be needed/wanted in the #2 hole when he was hitting better than when he was needed/wanted in #3.

It's not as if he was just thrown into the 2 spot on occasion, he has 742 ABs there compared to 991 ABs when batting 3rd over the past 3 seasons (09-11). So there's a large enough sample size that it can't be purely based on his hot and cold streaks. I don't think he's a natural 3, he's probably best suited to 2 or leadoff. Is he capable of batting 3rd? Of course, he's proven that already. But I think we'll get more value from him at leadoff than at 3, even if we had someone else capable of handling leadoff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DrungoHazewood Hangout Grand Counsel

DrungoHazewood

Posted
Posted
I love Markakis 500,000x more hitting 2nd then 3rd.

That's fine, but there's still little statistically significant evidence that he's better in one spot or the other. Or that anyone's performance it determined by batting order position.

Yes, I'm well aware that other people's guts disagree.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing


  • Posts

    • Pickles
      Snell and Fried

      By Pickles · Posted

      Nobody put words in your mouth.  I asked you questions.  That you can't answer them should suggest to you how thought out our positions are. 1) The goal is the World Series.  What makes you think it isn't? 2)  That's the most generic statement possible that is impossible to analyze, 3) So Elfin, Burnes, Bradish, Cano, etc.  don't count because you don't want them to count.  But other than that, he's got a bad track record of trading..... .like what trade?  Are we all supposed to go insane and only evaluate one trade- the Rodgers trade- in the most hyperbolic terms necessary to justify our hyperbole? 4) So we judge him for hypothetical trades that we didn't make and can't even be analyzed?  LOL. Flaherty was a worthless trade?  This is the same Flaherty that started Game 1 of the World Series this year, right? Oh, so you just want to cry about Rodgers ad nauseum?  Cry ahead. So you want to fire the most successful GM we've had since Pat Gillick but you haven't even thought about who'd you replace him with?  And wouldn't even bothered until he was fired?  You understand how stupid that is, right?
    • Roll Tide
      Rubenstein: Orioles will speed up the effort to get to a World Series

      By Roll Tide · Posted

      I think he’s all in. That’s why I have hope that he will resign Burnes and add some veteran offensive a talent to help the team play better in October 
    • 24fps
      Rubenstein: Orioles will speed up the effort to get to a World Series

      By 24fps · Posted

      This is as plausible a theory as any other that has been trotted out since the end of the regular season and it's one I fully subscribe to. Personally however, I think restraint is advisable when it comes to comparing his historical business leadership to his newfound role as 75 year-old billionaire owner of a a sports franchise.  Especially given his demonstrated propensity for dancing on the home team dugout during the seventh inning stretch.
    • Roll Tide
      RHH Outfield Targets

      By Roll Tide · Posted

      🤮
    • Roll Tide
      RHH Outfield Targets

      By Roll Tide · Posted

      Noted … I’d much rather have Teoscar. They would need to determine if Profar is the 2024 player or prior. 
    • Roll Tide
      Snell and Fried

      By Roll Tide · Posted

      Stop putting words in my mouth!    1) The goal needs to be the World Series 2) We need to spend wisely …but we need to spend 3) Oh Stop ….i gave him credit for Eflin and Burnes. The others were during the rebuild and selling trades. Which I said in my response to you,  4) It’s not one trade …. He’s tried to get help2 deadlines now. Beyond Eflin at two deadlines he’s done little to help the team reach the ultimate goal.    His moves in 2023 were Jack Flaherty who was basically worthless and Fuji who was so inconsistent that he’s not even pitching in the majors. Did I forget anyone? He did little to help an offense that was struggling mightily in 2024. He gave a lot away this deadline. They got Eflin but most everything else was mediocre or worse. The Rogers deal was just horrible. And why was he shopping in the bargain bin pile. Rogers was a 4.5 ERA starter before the trade which really wasn’t an upgrade and he crapped the bed after he got here.    I’m undecided over who I’d go after to replace Elias when the times comes.
    • Pickles
      Cowser voted AL Outstanding Rookie

      By Pickles · Posted

      In the estimation of bitter donkeys whose primary purpose for posting is to complain and criticize: infinite.

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...