Nick's a magician with the bat

[Pickles]

I wonder the superlatives this board can conjure up for the better hitters in our lineup than the Great Markakis.

There's one.

[Art Wing]

I know he's 29 through this season but I shutter to think a slump is signs of an early decline. His amazing 6.1 WAR 2008 season is sort of a distant memory now. I'm a huge Nick Markakis fan but I'm wondering if the man is just declining a little earlier than expected.

In 158 PA's his wOBA is .307 and OPS+ is 90. His OPS is .490 vs. LHP. *

*I know this is a SSS of 35 games.

[El Gordo]

Nick's current magic trick is to make his bat disappear.

[waroriole]

He usually starts out slow. I think we'll start to see him heat up soon.

[Can_of_corn]

He usually starts out slow. I think we'll start to see him heat up soon.

It needs to, he isn't out there because of his glove.

[BohKnowsBmore]

He usually starts out slow. I think we'll start to see him heat up soon.

This. I feel like every season we hear about how he's just a .270 hitter, etc. but then he goes and picks it up as the season goes on, never ending with a BA lower than .284 (and a career line of .295).

[Frobby]

Nick's current magic trick is to make his bat disappear.

And reappear. He's gone 8 for 16 with 3 doubles and 3 walks in the last 4 games. I'm still waiting for him to hit a true hot streak, though.

[Flosman]

And reappear. He's gone 8 for 16 with 3 doubles and 3 walks in the last 4 games. I'm still waiting for him to hit a true hot streak, though.

Yea Nick has quietly gotten warm.

[clapdiddy]

I know this will not go over well here, but I really wouldn't mind seeing the lineup looking like this:

McLouth

Nick

Manny

Davis/Jones

Jones/Davis

Wieters

Hardy

Dickerson/Pearce

Flaherty/Casilla

[DrungoHazewood]

I know this will not go over well here, but I really wouldn't mind seeing the lineup looking like this:

McLouth

Nick

Manny

Davis/Jones

Jones/Davis

Wieters

Hardy

Dickerson/Pearce

Flaherty/Casilla

Why would that be controversial? I don't know that there's a lot of difference between the #1 and #3 batters, so it's not going to amount to a hill of beans which order you put them in. I guarantee if you simulated 1000 seasons with your lineup and another with Nick batting leadoff or 3rd there wouldn't be 5 runs difference between them over 162 games.

I guess some might think Nick would take it as a slight to bat 2nd instead of 1st or 3rd, but I kind of doubt it.

[LA2]

I know this will not go over well here, but I really wouldn't mind seeing the lineup looking like this:

McLouth

Nick

Manny

Davis/Jones

Jones/Davis

Wieters

Hardy

Dickerson/Pearce

Flaherty/Casilla

Nothing to be apprehensive about here. In fact, there's enough balance in the O's lineup that abt the only way to cause controversy wd be if you suggested that any of the players you've put in the bottom 4 slots hit at or near the top or batting Manny, Markakis, Jones, or Davis in any of the bottom 3 slots!

[Fiver]

I know this will not go over well here, but I really wouldn't mind seeing the lineup looking like this:

McLouth

Nick

Manny

Davis/Jones

Jones/Davis

Wieters

Hardy

Dickerson/Pearce

Flaherty/Casilla

It'll never happen because it's three or even four straight lefties (depending on Flaherty and Dickerson). Agree or disagree, one thing Buck has shown w/ lineups is an obsession w/ the whole L/R/L thing to avoid late innings matchups as best as possible.

[Frobby]

It'll never happen because it's three or even four straight lefties (depending on Flaherty and Dickerson). Agree or disagree, one thing Buck has shown w/ lineups is an obsession w/ the whole L/R/L thing to avoid late innings matchups as best as possible.

I think Buck has mostly been proven correct on this score. We are almost LOOGY-proof.

[skanar]

I think Buck has mostly been proven correct on this score. We are almost LOOGY-proof.

Yeah, I agree. Since the ordering of any two adjacent players is almost completely irrelevant, alternating L/R/L is easy enough to accomplish and a reasonable objective when creating lineups. Why make the other manager's decisions easier?

[CA-ORIOLE]

Yeah, I agree. Since the ordering of any two adjacent players is almost completely irrelevant, alternating L/R/L is easy enough to accomplish and a reasonable objective when creating lineups. Why make the other manager's decisions easier?

Certainly helps to have LHB guys like Nick and Davis who can hit LHP fairly well.