Markakis ended up at negative WAR in both rWAR and fWAR this year

[AlbionHero]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/stats/_/id/6478/nick-markakis

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=5930&position=OF

I know he's a fan favorite and all, but at this point I'm really wondering what we should do about the guy. He's not really helping us either offensively or defensively, and we'd likely be better off playing someone else there every day... but with that contract and Angelos' love affair with him, we're likely stuck with a below average RF for the next couple years at least. What do you guys think? Should we try to find a replacement?

[weams]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/stats/_/id/6478/nick-markakis

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=5930&position=OF

I know he's a fan favorite and all, but at this point I'm really wondering what we should do about the guy. He's not really helping us either offensively or defensively, and we'd likely be better off playing someone else there every day... but with that contract and Angelos' love affair with him, we're likely stuck with a below average RF for the next couple years at least. What do you guys think? Should we try to find a replacement?

He will be the right fielder next season because of his contract. After that I suspect he is gone.

[GoldGlove21]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/stats/_/id/6478/nick-markakis

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=5930&position=OF

I know he's a fan favorite and all, but at this point I'm really wondering what we should do about the guy. He's not really helping us either offensively or defensively, and we'd likely be better off playing someone else there every day... but with that contract and Angelos' love affair with him, we're likely stuck with a below average RF for the next couple years at least. What do you guys think? Should we try to find a replacement?

Not sure what you mean by "but with that contract and Angelos's love affair with him" statement, but Nick's contract is through the 2014 season with a option year/buy out for 2015. The Orioles would only need to pay Markakis for one more year and then buy him out. I guess my question to you would be, what type of loyalty should a lifetime Orioles garnish? Ripken was a fan favorite and wasn't worth his contract over the final few years of a deal IMO. I for one think that Markakis was still being hampered by an injury (likely the wrist) and that he will be better next year. The Orioles can't pay him $18M or so in 2015 so we might see him bought out and return at a cheaper salary.

[Frobby]

First of all, Nick has been my favorite player since he arrived here in 2006, and it pains me to see him have such a bad season.

Second, if he performs at this level in 2014, then he can't play 160 games. He got to play that many this season on the strength of his fine career, and with Buck hoping he'd get things turned around, but he never did. So, now Buck is warned. Nick is under contract, and I expect him to be the Opening Day RF and to play every day (or close to it) for the first two months of the season. If he's having another poor year at that point, then Buck should start using other guys to play RF at least a good portion of the time to see if they can outperform Nick. And we should have someone on the roster who has a shot at being better than replacement level.

I think it's likely that Nick bounces back at least part of the way next year, maybe all the way, but clearly we need to be prepared to go to Plan B.

[DrungoHazewood]

First of all, Nick has been my favorite player since he arrived here in 2006, and it pains me to see him have such a bad season.

Second, if he performs at this level in 2014, then he can't play 160 games. He got to play that many this season on the strength of his fine career, and with Buck hoping he'd get things turned around, but he never did. So, now Buck is warned. Nick is under contract, and I expect him to be the Opening Day RF and to play every day (or close to it) for the first two months of the season. If he's having another poor year at that point, then Buck should start using other guys to play RF at least a good portion of the time to see if they can outperform Nick. And we should have someone on the roster who has a shot at being better than replacement level.

I think it's likely that Nick bounces back at least part of the way next year, maybe all the way, but clearly we need to be prepared to go to Plan B.

Yes, this is what I think has to happen, too. I don't know what was wrong with him this year. But something obviously was. I hope he can bounce back, but without knowing the root cause I can't say for sure that he will.

If he's hitting .280 with no power and few walks after six or eight weeks of 2014 he needs to have his playing time scaled back.

At this point you almost have to count on a bounceback because he's untradeable without eating a lot of contract or swapping him out for another bad contract. I just don't see Duquette or Angelos signing off on trading Nick for another team's problem just to be rid of him. Personally I wouldn't do that because I like the guy and want to see him succeed.

[mdbdotcom]

I didn't know Nick had a sub-par year. Thanks for mentioning it.

Oh, and the "love affair" thing was a real surprise. Do you think their wives know?

[weams]

Yes, this is what I think has to happen, too. I don't know what was wrong with him this year. But something obviously was. I hope he can bounce back, but without knowing the root cause I can't say for sure that he will.

If he's hitting .280 with no power and few walks after six or eight weeks of 2014 he needs to have his playing time scaled back.

At this point you almost have to count on a bounceback because he's untradeable without eating a lot of contract or swapping him out for another bad contract. I just don't see Duquette or Angelos signing off on trading Nick for another team's problem just to be rid of him. Personally I wouldn't do that because I like the guy and want to see him succeed.

Yeah. Me too. He's our mess next year. Another good look at why even moderate long term deals can be hazardous.

[hoosiers]

Negative WAR in RF is not going to cut it. We have already lost one chance to make the playoffs this season with Nick's poor production one of the two or three main factors and I think it would be foolish to allow him to hurt the team in a similar manner next season.

I don't know what Nick's issue has been this year, but if Nick kept trying to play through injury or if he was not in shape, then he did a major disservice to the team by playing. If our FO and Nick believe that this is something that is correctable, I would remain skeptical.

These Orioles fan favorites who receive multi-year contacts have been an overhang to our competitiveness in recent years including Mora, Gibbons, BRob and Markakis though I acknowledge other teams are not immune from these issues. Oh well. We all have our favorites, but it is interesting to see continued posts about what Adam Jones could become if only he would improve his game while we have a RFer earning $15M and putting up a negative WAR with few complaints.

[Tony-OH]

Yes, this is what I think has to happen, too. I don't know what was wrong with him this year. But something obviously was. I hope he can bounce back, but without knowing the root cause I can't say for sure that he will.

If he's hitting .280 with no power and few walks after six or eight weeks of 2014 he needs to have his playing time scaled back.

At this point you almost have to count on a bounceback because he's untradeable without eating a lot of contract or swapping him out for another bad contract. I just don't see Duquette or Angelos signing off on trading Nick for another team's problem just to be rid of him. Personally I wouldn't do that because I like the guy and want to see him succeed.

This is the biggest point. I told my wife that we have one more year before we out of those terrible contracts (Roberts this year and Markakis next year). I hope Markakis can rebound but if not, I hope Buck will understand this and not treat him like a star, but a mediocre player who needs to sit at times. I would not rule out a comeback, but Markakis has the kind of game that tends to erode more quickly and unfortunately, he may be on the down side of his peak and crashing.

At $15 million, he's not going anywhere this offseason so as Orioles fans, our only hope is that at least he can get that average and OBP up to decent levels.

[Tx Oriole]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/stats/_/id/6478/nick-markakis

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=5930&position=OF

I know he's a fan favorite and all, but at this point I'm really wondering what we should do about the guy. He's not really helping us either offensively or defensively, and we'd likely be better off playing someone else there every day... but with that contract and Angelos' love affair with him, we're likely stuck with a below average RF for the next couple years at least. What do you guys think? Should we try to find a replacement?

Why not just wait until 2014 season before any decisions are made? He may be

better next season.

[weams]

He has kinda become this guy. I hope his age 30 is a good one though. Maybe Brady can do his magic.

[Can_of_corn]

He has kinda become this guy. I hope his age 30 is a good one though. Maybe Brady can do his magic.

I would feel better if Nick was going to Brady not a trainer with Brady's workout going to Nick.

[stef]

Will Showalter sit him if he isn't playing well? Unfortunately, I have my doubts.

(NM is one of my favorites, too)

[Frobby]

I would feel better if Nick was going to Brady not a trainer with Brady's workout going to Nick.

Me too, but it's not going to happen. Nick's married with 3 kids, spends a good bit of 7 months of the year away from home, and isn't going to spend the winter in Irvine. Let's just hope he works hard and that the program they've given him is a good one.

[calmunderfire]

Me too, but it's not going to happen. Nick's married with 3 kids, spends a good bit of 7 months of the year away from home, and isn't going to spend the winter in Irvine. Let's just hope he works hard and that the program they've given him is a good one.

I agree. I think after 66 million dollars he's chosen his family over his career production. There is no Adam Jones in Nick's game. You shouldn't lose your physicality before you turn 30.