Orioles Discussing Four-Year Deal With Nick Markakis (Signs w/ATL)

[eddie83]

Huh?

Why did they dominate him more later in the year?

Maybe Nick isn't as young as he once was and can't handle the strain of playing 150+ games a year.

I think pitching will continue to dominate late in the year.

[eddie83]

At least some of us think that Cruz's desire to play in the field played a part in that.

(by some of us I mean me)

Cruz only played vs LHP on left, that should not have impacted Lough.

[Redskins Rick]

Yes, Lough was benched for a reason and he should be given another chance for a lot of reasons already posted.

Lough's problems were clearly his conclusion after effects, what you saw after the ASG, is more of what one can expect.

[Can_of_corn]

I think pitching will continue to dominate late in the year.

I have no idea what you are talking about.

I don't think that, as a whole, offense was down as season progressed.

Am I wrong on that?

[DrungoHazewood]

At least some of us think that Cruz's desire to play in the field played a part in that.

(by some of us I mean me)

You don't need much of any kind of an excuse to start trying other options when your Plan A is OPSing .434 on Memorial Day.

[Redskins Rick]

I have no idea what you are talking about.

I don't think that, as a whole, offense was down as season progressed.

Am I wrong on that?

OPS was down across all of MLB this past season.

[Redskins Rick]

You don't need much of any kind of an excuse to start trying other options when your Plan A is OPSing .434 on Memorial Day.

Cruz was promised a chance to play in the field and not just DH, which was one of the factors of signing here.

[MurphDogg]

What he did in the minors, 2013 for the Royals, and 2nd half of 2014, are enough to say "He's worth taking a chance on".

Hey, I agree with you. I said I would rather keep Lough for $500k than De Aza for $5M. But it has much more to do with his minor league track record (though I am curious what happened in 2012) and his defense than the fact that he was a pretty good hitter in 86 at-bats spread across four months. He still has less than a full season worth of plate appearances at the big league level.

[eddie83]

I have no idea what you are talking about.

I don't think that, as a whole, offense was down as season progressed.

Am I wrong on that?

Yes I think you are wrong on that. As the season wore on offense was down.

[DrungoHazewood]

Lough's problems were clearly his conclusion after effects, what you saw after the ASG, is more of what one can expect.

That is a narrative that fits the facts. Whether it's true or not is another question.

And I see absolutely no reason to expect his second half performance to continue. He OPS'ed .931 in 64 PAs, but over the rest of his career he's a sub-.700 hitter. The rational expectation is that if he's spotted in and out of the lineup similar to how he's been used previously he'll OPS around .700.

[MurphDogg]

Lough's problems were clearly his conclusion after effects, what you saw after the ASG, is more of what one can expect.

We can expect him to hit .351 with a .931 OPS? Well I'm convinced, sign me up! Surely we can just multiply those 57 at-bats by 10 and he will win a batting title.

[DrungoHazewood]

Cruz was promised a chance to play in the field and not just DH, which was one of the factors of signing here.

If you say so. But it would be interesting to see Buck tell the team he's playing someone not based on merit, but on promises.

[Redskins Rick]

That is a narrative that fits the facts. Whether it's true or not is another question.

And I see absolutely no reason to expect his second half performance to continue. He OPS'ed .931 in 64 PAs, but over the rest of his career he's a sub-.700 hitter. The rational expectation is that if he's spotted in and out of the lineup similar to how he's been used previously he'll OPS around .700.

True, but it does make sense.

Lough is under contract, he has done enough to stay on the 40 man and bring back next ST, if he performs, then great, if not, DD will find another body.

IMO, Lough is the 4th OF on the roster next year, at least, starting out the season.

[eddie83]

Hey, I agree with you. I said I would rather keep Lough for $500k than De Aza for $5M. But it has much more to do with his minor league track record (though I am curious what happened in 2012) and his defense than the fact that he was a pretty good hitter in 86 at-bats spread across four months. He still has less than a full season worth of plate appearances at the big league level.

And my point is why not keep them both along with Nick. We don't have to operate like a Tampa or Oakland. Why not have as much depth as possible?

[MurphDogg]

I don't understand the cognitive dissonance that allows an individual to believe both that Lough struggled because of the concussion but going forward he will perform at the level he performed in the last for months of 2014 AND that Nick Markakis' 2013 season was in no way an aberration and must be considered as his new reality.