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

[Guest]

You do know that Dan won't sign Cruz even if Nick walks. Right?

Signing back Cruz has nothing to do with this. Sorry my man Nick is not worth that kinda coin. I can think of better ways to spend 48m over 4 year.

Ask yourself this Nick has made 64.2m since joining the Orioles do you think the Orioles got good value? I don't giving him another 48m is just throwing good money away.

[Guest]

Victorino does not play baseball.

Shane Victorino you know the 2013 gold glove winner.

[weams]

Shane Victorino you know the 2013 gold glove winner.

Oh, is he all better in 2014?

[backwardsk]

As we talk about our free agents and how much they'll cost, let's take minute to reflect upon the fact that the Yankees still owe Alex Rodriguez $61M.

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[Guest]

As we talk about our free agents and how much they'll cost, let's take minute to reflect upon the fact that the Yankees still owe Alex Rodriguez $61M.

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Yankees can take a hit like that. The Orioles can't make a 48m mistake on Nick.

[weams]

As we talk about our free agents and how much they'll cost, let's take minute to reflect upon the fact that the Yankees still owe Alex Rodriguez $61M.

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And just signed an unrepentant Chris Young to 2.5 plus incentives!

[backwardsk]

Yankees can take a hit like that. The Orioles can't make a 48m mistake on Nick.

I'm not a fan of the contract he'll likely get.

The Yankees act like they can take the hit as they spend another half billion on FA, but they're trying again to get Rodriguez suspended more so they can have that $20M+ relief again.

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[backwardsk]

And just signed an unrepentant Chris Young to 2.5 plus incentives!

Did they? That's a good deal for him. Don't know where they'll play him though.

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[weams]

Did they? That's a good deal for him. Don't know where they'll play him though.

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Hey it is 2.5 plus. He dosen't care if he plays!

[stomperspc]

I am not the only one that remembers Nick got moved to right because he couldn't hack it in left am I?

And that was back when Nick could run...a little.

I don't think this is true.

Nick played ONE game in left field in the minors. He played 152 games in RF and 21 in CF.

Corey Patterson/Luis Matos split CF duties early on in 2006 with Nick getting seven starts there in April, likely because Matos & Patterson were easier to sit than Gibbons in RF (who had a very good 2005) and Conine in LF (who signed as a FA). Perlozzo, rightfully so, was committed to playing Nick regularly once he made the team so he moved him around the OF to keep him in the lineup.

At the start of May, Javy Lopez went on the DL. Conine was moved to 1B and Kevin Millar moved to DH. Javy came back mid-month, Conine stayed at 1B, and Milar (who wasn't hitting) had his playing time cut down. Nick stayed in LF because that was the open corner OF position. At the end of May, Gibbons went on the DL. Nick moved back to his minor league position of RF and with few better options, Brandon Fahey got the majority of playing time in LF. When Gibbons came back at the end of July, Nick was entrenched in RF and Gibbons (never a great fielder) primarily served as the DH. Nick settling back into his minor league position of RF seemed to have a lot more to do with the circumstances than him being unable to cut it in LF.

I know Fahey being used in LF instead of Nick could be seen as support for Nick not being able to hack it in LF. However, Fahey continued to play LF even after Milar started hitting a bit, Gibbons game back, and Conine was therefore available to play left. It was just a weird decision that Perlozzo made (not the only odd decision he'd make as O's manager).

[Frobby]

The digs on Nick's defense here are way over the top. He's a very solid RF who rarely muses a game. That's worth a lot. No, he's not Alex Gordon, who's won four straight Gold Gloves. Neither is any other corner OF in the AL.

[Frobby]

I am not the only one that remembers Nick got moved to right because he couldn't hack it in left am I?

And that was back when Nick could run...a little.

I hope nobody else remembers that, because it's wrong. Nick began starting in RF when Jay Gibbons got hurt. Simple as that. He was excellent out there and Jay was relegated to DH when he returned from his injury.

[CA-ORIOLE]

The digs on Nick's defense here are way over the top. He's a very solid RF who rarely muses a game. That's worth a lot. No, he's not Alex Gordon, who's won four straight Gold Gloves. Neither is any other corner OF in the AL.

He is a dependably mediocre defender.

[AlbionHero]

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/2014-mlb-free-agents-five-generic-brand-values/

Right field: Nori Aoki (40) vs. Nick Markakis (26)

Markakis might not be a free agent for long: Although the Orioles declined their side of the $17.5 million mutual option for 2015 included in Markakis’s contract, they’re interested in keeping him and confident that they can. For now, though, he’s available to the highest bidder — who might be better off saving some cash and joining the Aoki auction instead.

Both players are divisive on defense. Although Markakis won a Gold Glove this season (his second), he finished ninth among right fielders in the voting for the more statistically influenced Fielding Bible Awards. And while the postseason familiarized America with Aoki’s circuitous routes in right, the stats over a three-season sample suggest that he’s efficient enough. Both DRS and UZR rate Markakis 13 worse than average in right from 2012 to 2014, while the two systems say Aoki was 13 and 12 runs better than average, respectively, over the same span. While Aoki flunks the eye test and Markakis flunks the statistical test,2 it’s likely that their glovework is more similar than the numbers would suggest.

Neither player has the power typical of a corner outfield spot. Aoki has slight edges in batting average and on-base percentage, and that’s without accounting for his underrated ability to reach base on error, which isn’t incorporated into OBP. To some extent, reaching on an error is a repeatable skill, and other than being left-handed, Aoki, a ground-ball hitter with speed who puts the ball in play, fits the profile of a player who’s more likely to force misplays. Over the past three seasons, only Elvis Andrus (who’s made almost 300 more plate appearances than Aoki) has reached base on error more often than Aoki’s 35 times. Markakis, meanwhile, has reached base on error only 12 times in the same period. All told, Steamer gives Aoki an infinitesimal edge on offense, projecting him for a 106 wRC+ to Markakis’s 105 in 2015.

Aoki is two years older than Markakis, but he’ll probably settle for a shorter contract and could deliver a greater return on investment.

[CA-ORIOLE]

I hope nobody else remembers that, because it's wrong. Nick began starting in RF when Jay Gibbons got hurt. Simple as that. He was excellent out there and Jay was relegated to DH when he returned from his injury.

To be honest, I remember him looking not so good in LF. That said, I don't think it's relevant. A lot of guys struggle initially in LF after moving from RF or CF and I'm sure Nick would have adjusted and been just fine out there...if that was the need. I thought Cruz looked horrible in LF at the start of the year and then started looking a lot better/comfortable as the year went on. Pie looked far more comfortable in CF than LF ....... and so on.