Nick's Knocks

[calmunderfire]

And on the FA market 3 WAR is worth about $16.5 mm according to fangraphs. By the way, fangraphs has Nick at 1.4 fWAR right now, which projects out to 3.9 fWAR over a full season, worth $21.5 mm. I don't think anyone will pay him anything close to that, but the way he is playing, his $17 mm option isn't all that absurd, especially when you consider that the buyout costs $2 mm anyway.

Funny how things can change in a few weeks this time of year. I'm pretty sure Nick was at about 0.0 WAR at the end of April. It will be interesting to see if he continues to hit as well as he has for the last 45 games or so. He's hit .324/.393/.457 over that stretch, dating back to April 16.

Big market teams overpay for free agent talent. I think it's less of a question a player "is worth" a value, rather rich owners see money as no object.

[Ohfan67]

p.s. I have watched the broadcast feed of several opposing teams recently due to blackouts. Opposing broadcasters seem to have a much higher opinion of Markakis than the board. They pretty much unanimously call him an excellent outfielder, great hitter, etc. I was a little surprised by the quantity and quality of compliments. I know that is not rWAR and the like, but I found it interesting. I think a lot of criticism of Markakis, including my own, is still really based more on how he didn't develop into the 30 home run hitting stud that he seemed destined to become. Definitely hard to be objective all the time.

[Ohfan67]

I think part of the Nick Criticism comes from 2 things that he can't really control. The team overpaid him, not his fault, the Orioles organization made a contract mistake. And the fact that the local media pumped him up so much early in his career.

I agree to a large extent, although it wasn't just the media pumping him up. His first three years were fantastic and his performance at a relatively young age made it very reasonable to predict that he was going to be a fantastic hitter instead of the good to occasionally very good (depending on your viewpoint) hitter he became.

[Frobby]

I agree to a large extent, although it wasn't just the media pumping him up. His first three years were fantastic and his performance at a relatively young age made it very reasonable to predict that he was going to be a fantastic hitter instead of the good to occasionally very good (depending on your viewpoint) hitter he became.

Exactly. The team did not overpay him, based on his age and first three years of performance. It looked like a very favorable contract at the time. But it turned out Nick had already peaked at age 24. Or so it seems.

[OrangeJerseys]

A foot or two short of Eutaw St. tonight.

[DrOrioles90210]

And the fact that the local media pumped him up so much early in his career.

It's not like they hyped him up as prospect and then he never succeeded as a MLer. Look at the year he had as a 24-year-old in 2008. He finished 11th in the majors in WAR with 6.1 and then he collapsed and has had a WAR over 2 just once since then. That's where the criticism comes from.

[Frobby]

Nick's slash line is .312/.369/.431 after tonight's 2 for 4 with a homer. Hit streak up to 14 games, with 3 homers in his last 6 games.

[bpilktree]

Nick's slash line is .312/.369/.431 after tonight's 2 for 4 with a homer. Hit streak up to 14 games, with 3 homers in his last 6 games.

Would u sign him to 4/48 contract. I think Buck pushes to resign him.

[Scrat1]

Would u sign him to 4/48 contract. I think Buck pushes to resign him.

I hope they keep him around, but no way they give him that contract.

[Malike]

A foot or two short of Eutaw St. tonight.

Hit a pole or it would have gone out there!

[Frobby]

p.s. I have watched the broadcast feed of several opposing teams recently due to blackouts. Opposing broadcasters seem to have a much higher opinion of Markakis than the board. They pretty much unanimously call him an excellent outfielder, great hitter, etc. I was a little surprised by the quantity and quality of compliments. I know that is not rWAR and the like, but I found it interesting.

I am not surprised. Not that many players have been as durable or consistent as Nick over the last decade, and he does a lot of things well.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Again, pretty thrilled with Nick this year. Even his defense seems better. I'm not crazy about an extension, but picking up the option is becoming more palatable.

[OrangeJerseys]

Hit a pole or it would have gone out there!

I thought it might have. Even better.

Nick the Stick.

[Norfolk orioles]

Again, pretty thrilled with Nick this year. Even his defense seems better. I'm not crazy about an extension, but picking up the option is becoming more palatable.

Isn't it 17 million?

Even as good as he's been this year, he isn't worth that much to me. Especially not with Alvarez waiting down in AA. If he wants to take slightly less and be extended, I'd be all for that.

[SteveO]

Isn't it 17 million?

Even as good as he's been this year, he isn't worth that much to me. Especially not with Alvarez waiting down in AA. If he wants to take slightly less and be extended, I'd be all for that.

Alvarez? The kid is interesting and has put up good stats at AA but I expect him to based on his background. Last year people were ready to anoint Urritia MLB ready based on his stats in the minors....not so much so in reality. The kid is worth a look and could be a part of the future but he is far from a prospect that you bank on being our starting LF or RF IMO at this point.