The Nick Markakis Projection Thread

[Frobby]

I am amazed how quickly people forget that Nick was pretty darned good in 2012. Injuries interrrupted his season, but he posted an .834 OPS and his OPS+ was the second highest of his entire career. It's not like you have to go back 5 seasons to find one where Nick did well.

You can't disregard Nick's miserable 2013, and there is no neat explanation for it. But, I can't believe he's done at age 30.

[Orioles4Life21]

Nick Markakis is a pro. I can't wait to see him bounce back this year. I always said that if I had a son that played baseball, I'd tell him to watch Nick Markakis hit. He never goes up there without a plan. Very smart hitter with a sweet stroke when he's at his best.

[El Gordo]

I am amazed how quickly people forget that Nick was pretty darned good in 2012. Injuries interrrupted his season, but he posted an .834 OPS and his OPS+ was the second highest of his entire career. It's not like you have to go back 5 seasons to find one where Nick did well.

You can't disregard Nick's miserable 2013, and there is no neat explanation for it. But, I can't believe he's done at age 30.

When historical awareness doesn't extend back more than 5 minutes ago, why would you expect anyone to remember 2012? Was that like before or after Vietnam?

[srock]

Last year Nick came into camp healthy, had that one week off due to the neck. But the talk was he was finally healthy again. The sky was blue and the sun was shining. Then he left big turd on the field, defensively and at the plate. Nick is just getting old and is slower. If he's in the .750 range people should be happy.

He may have been healthy technically, but I think it was year of recovery for him. He was never right and at his age I don't think it was the beginning of the end.

I could be wrong, I'm 70/30 he makes a decent comeback, but it won't surprise me if he is similar to 2013 either.

[Guest]

This one is really hard. Went with .755-.789.

[BradyBunch]

Nick Markakis is a pro. I can't wait to see him bounce back this year. I always said that if I had a son that played baseball, I'd tell him to watch Nick Markakis hit. He never goes up there without a plan. Very smart hitter with a sweet stroke when he's at his best.

Did you see him at the plate last year?

[Orioles4Life21]

Did you see him at the plate last year?

No I didn't please tell me about it...

[Frobby]

Last year Nick came into camp healthy, had that one week off due to the neck. But the talk was he was finally healthy again. The sky was blue and the sun was shining. Then he left big turd on the field, defensively and at the plate. Nick is just getting old and is slower. If he's in the .750 range people should be happy.

For the sake of accuracy: Nick missed 24 spring training games due to his neck, not a week. He did not play between March 1 and March 26.

That said, I don't think that explains his season last year. He started the year slowly, got very hot in May and was right around his career numbers when May ended. Then he was awful from June 1 on. I don't see how the neck injury explains that.

So, I don't accept the injury excuse, but at the same time I don't buy into the idea that he is "just getting old." 30 is simply not that old for a baseball player. We'll see what happens.

[BradyBunch]

I am amazed how quickly people forget that Nick was pretty darned good in 2012. Injuries interrrupted his season, but he posted an .834 OPS and his OPS+ was the second highest of his entire career. It's not like you have to go back 5 seasons to find one where Nick did well.

You can't disregard Nick's miserable 2013, and there is no neat explanation for it. But, I can't believe he's done at age 30.

And that's fine. I am not discounting 2012. What I have a problem with is the line with him not being healthy last year as the excuse. Nick was healthy as a horse all season and put up numbers like a guy who just let the game pass him by.

I can't see him improving by .116 points. That's a tall order.

[BradyBunch]

For the sake of accuracy: Nick missed 24 spring training games due to his neck, not a week. He did not play between March 1 and March 26.

Ah forgot.. O's down played the hell out of that which is why it slipped my mind. Thank you for the correction.

That said, I don't think that explains his season last year. He started the year slowly, got very hot in May and was right around his career numbers when May ended. Then he was awful from June 1 on. I don't see how the neck injury explains that.

Which is where I am coming from.

So, I don't accept the injury excuse, but at the same time I don't buy into the idea that he is "just getting old." 30 is simply not that old for a baseball player. We'll see what happens.

There are plenty of players who lose it at certain ages. Being a pro and playing for 152 games for 7 years (plus ST) puts your body through a lot. You start slowing down by the point as well. Granted there are freaks of nature (Ricky Henderson, Cal Ripken) or the ultra-fit players (Brady Anderson) but the majority aren't the same players at and around 30. Nick isn't a ultra-fit player like Brady or a freak of nature. So it tends to point me in the direction of he might bounce back but nowhere to where he was 2008-2010.

[BradyBunch]

No I didn't please tell me about it...

He looked lost, confused maybe a better word. He was late on pitches where a year before he was on it. I know he's a fan favorite but if this was not a fan favorite we'd be screaming for him to be gone after 2013.

[Can_of_corn]

He looked lost, confused maybe a better word. He was late on pitches where a year before he was on it. I know he's a fan favorite but if this was not a fan favorite we'd be screaming for him to be gone after 2013.

It had more to do with his salary then being a fan favorite.

[Orioles4Life21]

He looked lost, confused maybe a better word. He was late on pitches where a year before he was on it. I know he's a fan favorite but if this was not a fan favorite we'd be screaming for him to be gone after 2013.

I saw. Almost every game. I expect Nick to bounce back.

[El Gordo]

He looked lost, confused maybe a better word. He was late on pitches where a year before he was on it. I know he's a fan favorite but if this was not a fan favorite we'd be screaming for him to be gone after 2013.

Isn't that exactly what you are doing?

[Guest rochester]

Is it me? Am I the only one that read "contract year" and not seeing that be an issue with Markakis as much as most?

Until I see differently (duh, of course), I am going to put 2013 into the combination of injuries he has incurred over the past couple years. I understand about his slow start and subsequent hot May, then return and below, but a neck injury that keeps one off the field for over 3 weeks during the spring is not a minor ache. I didn't see a guy that lost it, although he may have started feeling that as I did see frustration, I saw a guy that tried to make adjustments to a nagging injury that can severely impair mechanics and strength. Saying that, his offseason "routine" has always annoyed me, and, if he is losing it, there is one place I would add to his decline.