When do you consider benching Markakis?

[mark_beckens]

Did I say the offense hasn't cost us games? NO., I didn't.

Correct you only criticized the pitching.

[Flash- bd]

Flaherty/Pearce platoon in RF.

Betemit/Valencia (Pearce) platoon at DH.

Solved.

I love Nick, have always been a huge supporter of his, but he's hurting the team, and we are taking loyalty/sentimentality too far by continuing to play him when we have superior options.

[Can_of_corn]

Nick has to be injured. Just because we don't know what his injury is doesn't mean that Buck doesn't know. He hit for a nice average in July. But his doubles power just hasn't been there.

It's completely in Nick's character to play through an injury. And his past few years has shown him to come up with several injuries. I am not believing the PED speculation. There is no reason to think that.

After the season is over, it will probably become clear why Nick isn't performing like the Nick we know.

I will go back to my pet Markakis theory.

He has always been a natural athlete that didn't need to work at it as hard as some other players have. As he gets older his natural ability isn't enough and he isn't working hard enough on his fitness to slow his decline.

[webbrick2010]

So what do we do next year??

I don't think we have a good enough offense to carry a RF'er with an OPS < .700

But with 17 million due next year I can't see the O's benching him.

What I would do; I'd look to trade Wieters and Markakis as a package making a team (Yankees, or other deep pocket team that covets a catcher) eat Markakis's salary to get Wieters.

Would free up 25 million dollars for the O's to pursue a TOR starter, and hopefully bring back some ML ready talent in the trade.

[Can_of_corn]

I think Markakis gets 15M next year. The 17M is an option for 2015. Sure, I'd look to deal him but it will be tough. I thought we should have tried to move him last year to free up some salary. No one will take that salary without the O's kicking something in. The best thing to do is hope that Markakis comes out next year and rebounds. He'll have the incentive (I hope he doesn't need it) of knowing he will most likely be a FA at the end of next year, without a big year. A poor year will be a ticket out of Baltimore and a huge loss in earnings. If he has another bad year next year, hopefully the O's will have some options in the minors ready to take over midseason. RF needs to be upgraded if Markakis is going to be a .700 OPS guy but he's not the reason the team isnt' going to make the playoffs.

15M next year, 17M in 2015, 2M buyout.

[Dark Helmet]

The answer is the same as always. When you clearly have a better option. Right now they don't have a better option than Markakis. He will not be benched and his past seasons has earned him the opportunity to start in RF next year. Not to mention he is a Angelos favorite. Nick will finish out his current contract as the Orioles starting RF. Talkng about other alternatives is moot.

[webbrick2010]

15M next year, 17M in 2015, 2M buyout.

Well there is no way that the option is picked up, so trading Markakis would remove 17 million is sunk costs from the books

Trade Markakis & Wieters and remove 24 million from the books.

Wieters will never be extended (I hope) by the O's and if we don't trade him this off season his trade value will drop as he approaches free agency.

[Dark Helmet]

Well there is no way that the option is picked up, so trading Markakis would remove 17 million is sunk costs from the books

Trade Markakis & Wieters and remove 24 million from the books.

Wieters will never be extended (I hope) by the O's and if we don't trade him this off season his trade value will drop as he approaches free agency.

The only trade that makes sense is Wieters and Markakis for Kershaw and Puig.

[isestrex]

15M next year, 17M in 2015, 2M buyout.

I can't imagine the reaction if the Orioles payed 2M to cut the cord on Markakis. For years he's been a saint in this town. And yet.. if he doesn't turn it around, it's the most logical move.

You have to think if he has a sub-par 2014, the Orioles will approach him with some sort of option rather than just cut him loose without ceremony.

[webbrick2010]

The answer is the same as always. When you clearly have a better option. Right now they don't have a better option than Markakis. He will not be benched and his past seasons has earned him the opportunity to start in RF next year. Not to mention he is a Angelos favorite. Nick will finish out his current contract as the Orioles starting RF. Talkng about other alternatives is moot.

He has OPS's .589 since June 1st, he hasn't had an extra base hit in 150 ABs

There are plenty of better options... almost anyone with a pulse willl OPS better than .589, but for some reason the O's never have the resolve to bench their washed up veterans. In the past I guess it was okay as they were always under .500, but it is really frustrating to see the O's trot out an automatic out in RF every game..... at least give him a few days off to see if that rejuvinates him.

[Can_of_corn]

I can't imagine the reaction if the Orioles payed 2M to cut the cord on Markakis. For years he's been a saint in this town. And yet.. if he doesn't turn it around, it's the most logical move.

You have to think if he has a sub-par 2014, the Orioles will approach him with some sort of option rather than just cut him loose without ceremony.

If he has a couple down years in a row I do not think the fanbase would be up in arms about not paying him 17 million.

I don't live in Maryland so I can't speak for there but Nationally Nick isn't even close to being the face of the franchise.

[Jonesy10]

I don't really think its the wrist as he was hitting really well until he went on the bereavement list, then came back and has been terrible since. So he has showed he can still hit well this season.

[Cokeman]

Markakis had 4 days off at the AS break which didn't help...so I doubt a couple days off now would help either.

[TonySoprano]

I should point out that Nick is merely a convenient scapegoat. He's not solely the reason this team isn't achieving it's potential. He's a part of it, but focusing solely on Nick isn't fair. He's hitting .286. It ain't like he's hitting .230....

He's hitting .275 for the year and .249 since the beginning of June. No one is scapegoating him for the team offense.

[Lucky Jim]

http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/showthread.php/120909-Markakis?p=2753015#post2753015

Revisiting Markakis threads past.

Interesting to note that he bounced back last year after the initial panic. That said, his overall decline (save for last year's bump) is dispiriting (particularly because it happened during the years he should have been peaking).

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