Markakis speaks about leaving the Orioles

[bobmc]

I was responding to wbrick2010's remarks, as he seemed to have some kind of crystal ball knowledge about why Markakis made the wrong decision.

I'm not questioning whether or not he is an average player. It doesn't bother me that he is gone,

Average or not - it still makes me wonder how one of his replacements can play RF as he did. Alvarez apparently has the tools and Lough does as well defensively. Pearcie and Davis out there won't replicate Nick's athleticism, IMHO. I do look forward to how Buck and DD fill the void, however. Stats-wise, I guess we can replace Nickie, but he was fun to watch play.

[Frobby]

Do you have Markakis on your google feed? lol

No, but I found this by googling "Markakis surgery." I was actually pretty surprised it had not been posted already, considering it was posted online at the Sun mid-afternoon yesterday.

[Babypowder]

Average or not - it still makes me wonder how one of his replacements can play RF as he did. Alvarez apparently has the tools and Lough does as well defensively. Pearcie and Davis out there won't replicate Nick's athleticism, IMHO. I do look forward to how Buck and DD fill the void, however. Stats-wise, I guess we can replace Nickie, but he was fun to watch play.

Have we been watching the same players? Pearce is easily more agile and much faster than Nick in my opinion. I'd say Pearce is pretty dang fast for a guy who mainly came up as a first baseman.

[bobmc]

Have we been watching the same players? Pearce is easily more agile and much faster than Nick in my opinion. I'd say Pearce is pretty dang fast for a guy who mainly came up as a first baseman.

Perhaps faster but IMHO not as athletic getting to the ball. We shall see after all it's just MHO vs yours...

[Babypowder]

Perhaps. The jury is out on whether or not he can make the same diving or leaping catches that Nick can. I would say Nick has a surer outfield glove, but Pearce moves better overall.

Nick has a surer outfield glove than pretty much everyone, but he moves like a statue.

[AlbionHero]

How do you think Markakis felt about all the negative things written about him here? There is no way that he wasn't shown those posts that described him as mediocre or just better than mediocre.

He's a professional ball player. I think he can take criticisms.

I think it'll be worst if he continues to be a .700 OPS guy in Atlanta after getting his 44 million dollar contract, so maybe this'll get him ready for a fanbase who isn't much softer on him.

[andy c]

The real truth is the front office pulled the whole deal off the table ! BA, DD had a deadline to sign him and slept on it bottom line

[mdbdotcom]

The real truth is the front office pulled the whole deal off the table ! BA, DD had a deadline to sign him and slept on it bottom line

How much of this do you know and how much did you make up?

[bobmc]

Nick has a surer outfield glove than pretty much everyone, but he moves like a statue.

Hermes ;-)

[24fps]

Except it doesn't, based on projected recovery time here. Nolan was never on a timetable like that.

I'm not sure I buy the projection. This is not insignificant surgery with enough risks and potential side effects to give pause to anyone who's ever contemplated it. I get why Nolan elected to go the surgery route, but IIRC he spent a lot of time trying to rehab the condition first and his once promising career was already well onto the rocks. Yes, I understand that Nick wants to play baseball to the best of his ability, but I don't understand why anyone would ever elect to do this "preventatively", especially a millionaire many times over who claims not to be in pain nor is severely debilitated.

[TouchemAll]

These big decisions seem to always be made on some emotional level. They wanted me more or they made me feel more needed, etc...

Unfortunately for Nick if he gets off to a bad start the Atlanta fans and media won't cut him the slack he would have gotten in Baltimore.

Nine years of relationships in the O's organization trumped by a weekend visit by the Braves top executives. Really?

Or maybe it was just the 4th year and money?

Like Buck says when a player says its NOT about the $$$ IT'S ABOUT THE $$$. It was a factor here it ALWAYS is.

That's not a cut on Nick I like Nick and wish him nothing but the best, except when he plays the O's.

[Can_of_corn]

Hermes ;-)

[Frobby]

I'm not sure I buy the projection. This is not insignificant surgery with enough risks and potential side effects to give pause to anyone who's ever contemplated it. I get why Nolan elected to go the surgery route, but IIRC he spent a lot of time trying to rehab the condition first and his once promising career was already well onto the rocks. Yes, I understand that Nick wants to play baseball to the best of his ability, but I don't understand why anyone would ever elect to do this "preventatively", especially a millionaire many times over who claims not to be in pain nor is severely debilitated.

Funny, I had the exact opposite reaction, i.e., if Nick is doing this surgery when he doesn't really have to, he must truly have been told that this can be done very reliably and routinely and that it is unlikely to cost him playing time this season. I can't imagine he wants to start his career in Atlanta on the DL, and if there was much chance of that, he'd defer the surgery to after next season.

[Can_of_corn]

Yikes. Remove the disc and fuse it. Sounds like Nolan Reimold part 2.

Nolan had it done twice so this would be part 3.

[Dipper9]

Yep, totally agree. They are human they make decisions based largely on short term emotions... but I wonder if Markakis to Atlanta, or Sandoval to Boston are the best long term decisions for those players. I think their desire to win is very short sighted and they lose in the long term. Markakis will never be a fan favorite in Atlanta and he will never be welcomed back by many fans in Baltimore. Grass is greener syndrome. Also I think the union has too large an influence forcing the players always to take the biggest pot of money despite all the other long term intangibles.

Agree with everything you say here.