Why I like Nick Markakis - BB

[crissfan172]

I disagree naturally because I'm a no tolerance fan when it comes to PED's.

I also want to to say that I have zero respect for cheats on the field accomplishments. That does affect and I don't think it should affect they way we look at these guys off the field and their endeavors in life and their overall character. I have no sympathy and love for the pompus, liars and egotists like Braun and ARod. But I am slow to anger and quick to forgive people for making an error in judgement. The guys like Roberts and Everth Cabrera that simply say I'm sorry, I did it and show regret is sincere.

There's a difference between tolerance of PED's and not caring about those who used them in an era where MLB didn't care either.

[DrungoHazewood]

There's a difference between tolerance of PED's and not caring about those who used them in an era where MLB didn't care either.

Aren't you in favor of a system that gets neighbors to rat each other out for years-old traffic offenses which then result in long suspensions of driving privileges?

[Redskins Rick]

It's more than a mistake, it's complete lack of a code of conduct and ethics as a man.

Are you able to live your own life in all aspects, by this high and moral standard?

[justice98]

Sorry, when I was growing up, we called them pot heads.

Honest people make mistakes, they reflect and learn from it.

Nobody is perfect.

To label somebody who makes a single mistake as "cheater", well, you might want to label 100% of the population as cheaters than, using that yard stick.

I would think taking PEDs isn't a single mistake, it's serious of intentional deceptions. I mean, what person takes a single PED one time? Chances are, they're taking it a bunch of times over a period of time (or whatever the regimen is). We need to stop calling a sustained period of lying and deception "A" mistake. It's a whole bunch of collective intentional mistakes.

[Redskins Rick]

I would think taking PEDs isn't a single mistake, it's serious of intentional deceptions. I mean, what person takes a single PED one time? Chances are, they're taking it a bunch of times over a period of time (or whatever the regimen is). We need to stop calling a sustained period of lying and deception "A" mistake. It's a whole bunch of collective intentional mistakes.

What do you base that decision on, that it can't be a one-time only thing.

So anybody who cheated on their spouse with a one-nighter, just one time, is a permanment and repeatable cheater?

People do make single mistakes, never to repeat. Of course, some repeat their errors, over and over and over.

My brother shop lifted when his was old enough to know better, and my father took him back to the store and the cops were called, and to be honest, I doubt he ever shopped lifted again. So is he a common criminal, as a one-timer?

[justice98]

Markakis has had below average HR/FB rates for his career, but now he's well below average this season. GB/FB rate is up. Meaning more ground balls. OBP is down. The arm isn't really there anymore and the speed is gone.

He's still not striking out and he's still a polished player in every facet. He's still a max effort guy who gives it all he's got, but what happened to his physical skillset? Where is the power, arm and speed? It just vanished for no reason.

I don't get it.

I think it's funny the idea that perhaps he got off PEDs is glossed over. A guy in his prime loses all pop in his bat? Seems weird. Look at the decline and there's really no reason for it.

[calmunderfire]

Are you able to live your own life in all aspects, by this high and moral standard?

I'm not held to this particular standard because I'm not an elite athlete in professional sports.

[calmunderfire]

I think it's funny the idea that perhaps he got off PEDs is glossed over. A guy in his prime loses all pop in his bat? Seems weird. Look at the decline and there's really no reason for it.

He plays like he's 39 instead of 29. He rolls over constantly. Generally makes weak contact. Watches balls drop into RF on the regular. Does not the speed he used to have.

[Redskins Rick]

I think it's funny the idea that perhaps he got off PEDs is glossed over. A guy in his prime loses all pop in his bat? Seems weird. Look at the decline and there's really no reason for it.

Seriously, the hit by pitch on his wrist, breaking it and the corrective surgery afterwards?

[FlipTheBird]

I think it's funny the idea that perhaps he got off PEDs is glossed over. A guy in his prime loses all pop in his bat? Seems weird. Look at the decline and there's really no reason for it.

This is the dangerous train of thought that the "steroid era" has created in those that don't think things through.

"Guy's not producing? Must have been using steroids when he was! Only explanation."

[justice98]

Seriously, the hit by pitch on his wrist, breaking it and the corrective surgery afterwards?

His downward trend started way before that.

[justice98]

This is the dangerous train of thought that the "steroid era" has created in those that don't think things through.

"Guy's not producing? Must have been using steroids when he was! Only explanation."

Unless somebody has an explanation, PEDs are as legitimate as any other excuse people want to randomly throw out, especially in this day and age.

[DrungoHazewood]

I think it's funny the idea that perhaps he got off PEDs is glossed over. A guy in his prime loses all pop in his bat? Seems weird. Look at the decline and there's really no reason for it.

I think it's funny that people think seemingly out-of-nowhere changes of performances made their debut after the common availablity of steroids. I could find you multiple examples of players having their very productive careers collapse or radically change course at 25 or 27 or 29 (or all of the above) from the 1870s, 1880s, 1890s... 1930s... 1950s... and on and on.

If Wildfire Schulte was a Blue Jay today we'd have long threads about how he obviously was on the 'roids at age 27-28 since his OPS went from .650 to .920 and back again in a few short years. Going from 1 to 21 homers in the deadball era a few years? No way that was natural.

[Frobby]

Unless somebody has an explanation, PEDs are as legitimate as any other excuse people want to randomly throw out, especially in this day and age.

Just so it's clear that you are "randomly" throwing it out there.

Nick's pattern the last couple of years makes it pretty difficult to assess what's going on. Let's remember, last year he had a .298/.363/.471 slash line, and was playing at a 40-double, 20-homer pace but for the fact that he got injured twice and missed 58 games. Then this year, he was hitting .307/.359/.452 as of the end of May and was on pace for about 35 doubles and 21 HR. So, his power numbers were pretty typical Nick numbers last year and for the first two months of this year. That's why I'd say that neither the "Nick went off PED's" explanation or the "Nick had a broken hamate bone" explanation really makes any sense to me. It's really been in the last two months that Nick's power numbers have dropped off the table (7 doubles and 1 HR in 56 games), and I really can't explain that, other than to say that he's been in a long slump. Sometimes there is no tidy explanation for what happens in baseball.

[justice98]

Just so it's clear that you are "randomly" throwing it out there.

Nick's pattern the last couple of years makes it pretty difficult to assess what's going on. Let's remember, last year he had a .298/.363/.471 slash line, and was playing at a 40-double, 20-homer pace but for the fact that he got injured twice and missed 58 games. Then this year, he was hitting .307/.359/.452 as of the end of May and was on pace for about 35 doubles and 21 HR. So, his power numbers were pretty typical Nick numbers last year and for the first two months of this year. That's why I'd say that neither the "Nick went off PED's" explanation or the "Nick had a broken hamate bone" explanation really makes any sense to me. It's really been in the last two months that Nick's power numbers have dropped off the table (7 doubles and 1 HR in 56 games), and I really can't explain that, other than to say that he's been in a long slump. Sometimes there is no tidy explanation for what happens in baseball.

I didn't say I wasn't doing that, I was making a point that it needs to be included in the list of potential explanations and no higher or lower on the list than anything else.

I'd be willing to bet money, he doesn't hit more than 15 HRs in any one season the rest of his career. Or reach 40 doubles. And OPS in the .700 will be the norm.