Is It Too Early to Start Talking About Nick Markakis?

[wildcard]

I am not very worried about Nick's splits vs. LHP. He's only had 32 at bats against them, that's too small a sample to be concerned with. Last year was a poor one for Nick all around, but his OPS vs. LHP was only about 50 points lower than for RHP. For his career, he's about 75 points lower vs. LHP, and that is actually pretty good compared to the platoon splits of most players. I don't see him platooning any time soon.

Nick may not be platooned this year. Buck will give him every chance to be a full time player. But he Nick can't have a second year of not hitting lefties and expect it not to impact his next contract. The O's or whereever are going to want him to hit both righties and lefties if he wants to be paid to do that.

[Frobby]

Nick may not be platooned this year. Buck will give him every chance to be a full time player. But he Nick can't have a second year of not hitting lefties and expect it not to impact his next contract. The O's or whereever are going to want him to hit both righties and lefties if he wants to be paid to do that.

I'm pretty sure that Nick's next contract will depend on his overall numbers, not his R/L splits.

[birdcrazy]

I think he wants to be here, and Angelos wants him here. I would be surprised if there is not a mid to late season extension announced.

[El Gordo]

Yes. I think for several days now you have been making posts like this:

I think there is about an 95% chance that you are mocking people who you think overvalue walks, and a 5% chance that you are serious.

Truthfully I'd say 60-40. I do think people take OBP to the point of a religion here, and disregard the value of other aspects of offense, but really I think if more player took the passive approach they'd ne more successful. A guy like Lough for instance could get on base and use his speed if he would concentrate on spoiling pitchers pitches, instead of trying to hit balls to the warning track. Some players, like Wieters, and Davis, and Jones you'd encourage to be aggressive, but most should just try for walks. It has to be easier to spoil a pitch than to square it up.

[Can_of_corn]

Truthfully I'd say 60-40. I do think people take OBP to the point of a religion here, and disregard the value of other aspects of offense, but really I think if more player took the passive approach they'd ne more successful. A guy like Lough for instance could get on base and use his speed if he would concentrate on spoiling pitchers pitches, instead of trying to hit balls to the warning track. Some players, like Wieters, and Davis, and Jones you'd encourage to be aggressive, but most should just try for walks. It has to be easier to spoil a pitch than to square it up.

I want to think that way as well.

Then I think why doesn't an all glove no hit SS/C/CF just take that approach to the next level and make it his job to foul off as many pitches as possible whenever he comes to bat without runners on?

The fact that no one tries it shows to me that it must be a lot harder to do then I think it is.

[gpolee]

Amazing way to focus in the least important thing about a post.

Did I hit a nerve with my argument?

You can go check Markakis numbers after he got a big contract....and please make sure you improve your reading comprehension skills.

It was a stupid, empty, meaningless comment punctuated with you patting yourself on the back.

I read it correctly, so no problem there. Your fantasy team is in first so you made the fallacious claim that your opinion of contracts and production is enlightened based on that unrelated factoid.

Meanwhile, you may want to consider taking an effective writing course. I can assure you that not one person on here gives a fuk about your fantasy team and nobody is convinced that your opinions are valid based on your fantasy league play.

[El Gordo]

I want to think that way as well.

Then I think why doesn't an all glove no hit SS/C/CF just take that approach to the next level and make it his job to foul off as many pitches as possible whenever he comes to bat without runners on?

The fact that no one tries it shows to me that it must be a lot harder to do then I think it is.

I don't think so. The idea that one is supposed to get a hit when they bat is so deeply ingrained that no one wants to admit that they can't. I remember Bonds talking about an exercise he did to improve his bat to ball contact. He would stand at the plate with a glove on his right hand, swing it like he were swinging a bat and catch the ball. Then he would try to do the same with the bat. If you can shorten your swing use a Nellie Fox bat, you can easily foul of pitches with a little practice. The thing is no one wants to hit like Nellie Fox any more.

[Can_of_corn]

I don't think so. The idea that one is supposed to get a hit when they bat is so deeply ingrained that no one wants to admit that they can't. I remember Bonds talking about an exercise he did to improve his bat to ball contact. He would stand at the plate with a glove on his right hand, swing it like he were swinging a bat and catch the ball. Then he would try to do the same with the bat. If you can shorten your swing use a Nellie Fox bat, you can easily foul of pitches with a little practice. The thing is no one wants to hit like Nellie Fox any more.

I think that if it was the difference between going to work in Norfolk and Baltimore that someone would have swallowed their pride by now.

I think we are underestimating the skill required.

[mdbdotcom]

I think that if it was the difference between going to work in Norfolk and Baltimore that someone would have swallowed their pride by now.

I think we are underestimating the skill required.

Do you think maybe Barry Bonds had exceptional skills with the bat?

[El Gordo]

I think that if it was the difference between going to work in Norfolk and Baltimore that someone would have swallowed their pride by now.

I think we are underestimating the skill required.

Ever watch current ML players try to bunt? They spoil pitches very well when they aren't even trying. If they practiced it, it would be an easy skill to master, just as bunting would be. They just don't want to do it because they don't believe they can walk from Norfolk to Baltimore. Who has?

[DrungoHazewood]

Truthfully I'd say 60-40. I do think people take OBP to the point of a religion here, and disregard the value of other aspects of offense, but really I think if more player took the passive approach they'd ne more successful. A guy like Lough for instance could get on base and use his speed if he would concentrate on spoiling pitchers pitches, instead of trying to hit balls to the warning track. Some players, like Wieters, and Davis, and Jones you'd encourage to be aggressive, but most should just try for walks. It has to be easier to spoil a pitch than to square it up.

I want to think that way as well.

Then I think why doesn't an all glove no hit SS/C/CF just take that approach to the next level and make it his job to foul off as many pitches as possible whenever he comes to bat without runners on?

The fact that no one tries it shows to me that it must be a lot harder to do then I think it is.

There used to be a lot of players like that. Luke Appling. Eddie Stanky. Eddie Yost. They'd just foul off pitch after pitch after pitch until the pitcher walked them. Some of those guys were zero-tool players. Really had no plus talents besides a good eye and the ability to lay a big, fat bat down the strike zone.

For whatever reason those guys went extinct about 1960. Probably a combination of things, including better fielders that could stop these guys with low bat speed, the standardization of scouting that emphasized tools, better pitching including more relievers, different ballpark configurations (I'm thinking smaller outfields in some cases, combined with better fielders cut off Texas League bloops these guys lived on).

I've heard people wonder aloud from time to time whether or not a guy with a fat, heavy bat and zero bat speed could do well today trying to be Luke Appling. It would be a fun experiment, but I doubt it works out. Changes like that usually aren't because people just stop trying, it's because the game shifted and they couldn't compete.

[Frobby]

That said, the man makes the "quietest outs." Even his hits are whispers. Impossible on the 17 mil. Maybe 3 years, 30 mil. But that's only if he finishes somewhere around .290 90 15 80, with 35 doubles. But I can't say that I believe he has that kind of pop in his bat now. Gotta let him go FA.

I don't know if Nick has 35 doubles in him, but we'll see. I'll take the .370 OBP every day and twice on Sunday, and gladly pay $10 mm/yr for it, if he can do it all year.

[El Gordo]

There used to be a lot of players like that. Luke Appling. Eddie Stanky. Eddie Yost. They'd just foul off pitch after pitch after pitch until the pitcher walked them. Some of those guys were zero-tool players. Really had no plus talents besides a good eye and the ability to lay a big, fat bat down the strike zone.

For whatever reason those guys went extinct about 1960. Probably a combination of things, including better fielders that could stop these guys with low bat speed, the standardization of scouting that emphasized tools, better pitching including more relievers, different ballpark configurations (I'm thinking smaller outfields in some cases, combined with better fielders cut off Texas League bloops these guys lived on).

I've heard people wonder aloud from time to time whether or not a guy with a fat, heavy bat and zero bat speed could do well today trying to be Luke Appling. It would be a fun experiment, but I doubt it works out. Changes like that usually aren't because people just stop trying, it's because the game shifted and they couldn't compete.

They discovered that chicks dig the long ball. The problem with those guys was they were trying to do too much. They were still putting the ball in play. My guess is if any one really tried to just spoil pitches to get a walk they would change the rules. Like with Eddie Gaedel. The games would take 5-6 hours and be tedious to watch. No money in that. But it would work.

[El Gordo]

I don't know if Nick has 35 doubles in him, but we'll see. I'll take the .370 OBP every day and twice on Sunday, and gladly pay $10 mm/yr for it, if he can do it all year.

Nick is currently on pace for 89 R, 184 H, 38 2BH, 2 3BH, 17 HR, 81 RBI. Keep it up Nick. Get Joltin Joe.:clap3::2yay-thumb:

[ChuckS]

Nick is currently on pace for 89 R, 184 H, 38 2BH, 2 3BH, 17 HR, 81 RBI. Keep it up Nick. Get Joltin Joe.:clap3::2yay-thumb:

I'm not a mathematician but Nick has two homeruns through 33 games. That's gotta put him on pace for about 10 not 17.