I was wrong about Davis

[LarryHarlow]

The question is: who wouldn't want him to be? That kid has proven himself.

I need Machado to be a SS for my fantasy league keeper team! I already have David Wright.

But as an O's fan, keep him there, the defense has been night and day since his promotion, you couldn't ask for more at this point.

[crowmst3k!]

I think he has to be barring them moving Hardy for some reason. Manny here to stay in my opinion although I don't expect him to be an impact bat for a couple of years.

Not to get too off-topic, but you don't think they'd try to move Hardy over to 2b if they decided to pursue, say, a David Wright in this year's FA, or make a trade for a 3b if that's more feasible scenario? Would there be a significant learning curve for Hardy at second base?

[Brendan25]

Not to get too off-topic, but you don't think they'd try to move Hardy over to 2b if they decided to pursue, say, a David Wright in this year's FA, or make a trade for a 3b if that's more feasible scenario? Would there be a significant learning curve for Hardy at second base?

1) I don't think they make any big acquisition like David Wright.

2) I don't think Buck has any interest in moving Hardy off of short.

[Can_of_corn]

1) I don't think they make any big acquisition like David Wright.

2) I don't think Buck has any interest in moving Hardy off of short.

Might not be Buck's call. DD has stated that improving team OBP is a goal and Hardy is a main culprit. 282 this season 314 career.

Hardy has value, he could be traded and Machado moved to short.

[Melvinator]

I don't remember that play but one thing to remember is that Markakis has never been very good on the soft flyball in front of him. Markakis has always been better going side and to side and back. Like I said though, neither are gold glovers and if I had a preference I'd put Markakis out there first, but from what I've seen, Davis can hold his own out there and that's impressive considering his lack of experience at the position.

Markakis won the Gold Glove in 2011.

On the play that Davis got turned around on last night, I thought then that Markakis would have been waiting under it.

[Can_of_corn]

Markakis won the Gold Glove in 2011.

On the play that Davis got turned around on last night, I thought then that Markakis would have been waiting under it.

He won it last year but his range was visibly diminished this season.

I think it is time for Nick to spend an offseason working.

[Dark Helmet]

I'd hate to lose Hardy's glove at SS, but I think he'd be a solid 2B, and I think Manny would handle SS just fine. I'd be ok with those two things happening, if we went out and got a Chase Headley or David Wright.

I also heard, the Rockies may entertain trading Troy Tulowitzki. Though with his big contract and injury history, he'd scare me.

[Mondo Trasho]

I have a feeling it will end up being the Brian Roberts/Ryan Flaherty experiment at 2B next year. Until they bring up Schoop or trade for somebody to bridge us to Schoop in 2014. I don't think they would (nor should) move Hardy or Machado.

[Dark Helmet]

I wouldn't mind the O's going out and signing Johnny Gomes this winter, and have he and Davis split time at DH, and Davis spell Nick and Reynolds some. We'd have 40-50 HR potential at DH.

[wildcard]

1. Agree with Tony about Davis in RF. I honestly don't think he's much worse than Markakis. Pretty close, IMO. Markakis has never had anything better than average speed. Now it's below average. Maybe it has something to do with the surgery. Maybe not. Also think Davis is faster. Lineup for next season.

LF McLouth

3B Hardy

RF Markakis

CF Jones

C Wieters

1B Reynolds

DH Davis

3B Machado

2B Flaherty

A bold move would be to explore trading Markakis, thus freeing up 15M for a pitcher, inserting Davis in RF, and having Reimold and Betemit available at DH.

That's a little too bold for me. This team is winning together. I don't want the O's to trade a major part of the puzzle like Nick. I think with a off season of rest and workouts he can recover what every he lost in defense. We know he can hit.

[brianod]

1. Agree with Tony about Davis in RF. I honestly don't think he's much worse than Markakis. Pretty close, IMO. Markakis has never had anything better than average speed. Now it's below average. Maybe it has something to do with the surgery. Maybe not. Also think Davis is faster. Lineup for next season.

LF McLouth

3B Hardy

RF Markakis

CF Jones

C Wieters

1B Reynolds

DH Davis

3B Machado

2B Flaherty

A bold move would be to explore trading Markakis, thus freeing up 15M for a pitcher, inserting Davis in RF, and having Reimold and Betemit available at DH.

Come on man, don't advocate trading Nick! He's a lifetime Oriole in the mold of Palmer, Brooks, Cal. That means a lot, at least, to me it does.

[El Gordo]

You're getting a good player confused with HOF players. The idea is to have the best team possible. Maybe Wieters is a lifetime Oriole. Maybe Machado is. Davey Johnson got traded. Paul Blair got traded. Frank Robinson got traded. Nick is good. He's just not great and I think at 15M he's replaceable.

Markakis contract is too expensive next year. Sentiment aside, he wouldn't bring back that much of value. Plus his injury issues make him very questionable.Youd get much more trading Britton, Davis, either JJ, or Gonzalez.

[Frobby]

Markakis contract is too expensive next year. Sentiment aside, he wouldn't bring back that much of value. Plus his injury issues make him very questionable.Youd get much more trading Britton, Davis, either JJ, or Gonzalez.

If we are going to overpay a guy, I'm happy it's Markakis. He played a big role in the team's success, despite missing 58 games (by the time the season is over). I'd be really upset if he was traded.

[Frobby]

Come on man, don't advocate trading Nick! He's a lifetime Oriole in the mold of Palmer, Brooks, Cal. That means a lot, at least, to me it does.

You're getting a good player confused with HOF players. The idea is to have the best team possible. Maybe Wieters is a lifetime Oriole. Maybe Machado is. Davey Johnson got traded. Paul Blair got traded. Frank Robinson got traded. Nick is good. He's just not great and I think at 15M he's replaceable.

From a purely logical, dollars and cents perspective, there is no doubt that Nick Markakis is replaceable at his current salary. There is nothing in your post that is wrong.

And yet, at the same time, I don't see Nick being traded, nor do I want him to be. For me, Nick is a huge symbol. At a time when our farm system was screwing up year after year, along came Nick, unaffected, exuding professionalism and steady play from the day he arrived in the majors. He's been steady as a metronome. When Nick is at bat, you just always feel he is going to make the pitcher earn whatever he gets. In the field, you always feel he will make the right play, and sometimes the outstanding play. He's always calm, never looking overanxious or panicked. Is he perfect? By no means. But for me, he represents steadiness, perseverance, patience, and ultimately, success. And I think he represents those things to his teammates, as well.

There may come a day when Nick Markakis will no longer be an Oriole. For me, that will be a sad, sad day.

[DrungoHazewood]

You're getting a good player confused with HOF players. The idea is to have the best team possible. Maybe Wieters is a lifetime Oriole. Maybe Machado is. Davey Johnson got traded. Paul Blair got traded. Frank Robinson got traded. Nick is good. He's just not great and I think at 15M he's replaceable.

Not sure those are great cases for trading Nick. Blair was traded when he was done, 33 and coming off a .509 OPS. The O's were taken to the cleaners on the Johnson/Dobson for Earl Williams deal. Frank was going on 36 and the O's had a big backlog of top talent (Baylor and Coggins, among others) who were stuck at Rochester.

Right now Nick is good, and is likely to stay pretty good for a number of years, but doesn't have a lot of surplus value because of his contract. So I see no pressing need to trade him. If someone is willing to overpay you think about it, just like with any player, but odds are he has more value to the O's than the value they'd get back.