Tracking Ex Oriole Thread

[Frobby]

Final numbers: .296/.370/.376, .327 wOBA, 110 OPS+, 1.9 rWAR, 1.5 fWAR. He hit only 3 HR but did hit 38 doubles, his highest total since 2010. As a Nick fan, I consider this a solid if unspectacular year, and fully satisfactory considering he had neck surgery in the offseason and couldn't do normal workouts and didn't join spring training until the final week. Playing in 156 games was an impressive accomplishment under the circumstances. Meanwhile we used 12 different players in RF.

We'll see if his power increases next year, and whether he can maintain his BA and OBP considering he had high BABIP this year (.338, second highest of his career).

[tntoriole]

Final numbers: .296/.370/.376, .327 wOBA, 110 OPS+, 1.9 rWAR, 1.5 fWAR. He hit only 3 HR but did hit 38 doubles, his highest total since 2010. As a Nick fan, I consider this a solid if unspectacular year, and fully satisfactory considering he had neck surgery in the offseason and couldn't do normal workouts and didn't join spring training until the final week. Playing in 156 games was an impressive accomplishment under the circumstances. Meanwhile we used 12 different players in RF.

We'll see if his power increases next year, and whether he can maintain his BA and OBP considering he had high BABIP this year (.338, second highest of his career).

I agree. It was very encouraging to see Nick turn on a Jose Fernandez 97 mph first pitch and pound it into right center stands last week. Maybe his power and strength continued to improve during the subtle, longer parts of his recovery process.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Can_of_corn]

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said Wednesday that Jim Johnson has returned home and is not under consideration for the playoff roster.

http://www.nbcsports.com/player-news?sport=MLB#player-news-item_1

[Frobby]

Here is Talking Chop's take on Nick's season: "exactly what we expected"

http://www.talkingchop.com/2015/10/14/9491493/braves-season-in-review-nick-markakis

[Moose Milligan]

I don't see how he increases power to an impact amount at this point in his career.

His final slash line is about what I expected out of him, too. We could have used him for sure. Travis Snider was a joke, so were most of the people we used out in RF this season. I understand him having a high salary compared to what we perceived Snider to bring to the table...but I think it's alright to pay a premium for a steady history and consistency.

[MurphDogg]

I would be interested in seeing a list of 4-year free agent contracts where the player accrued under 2 WAR in the first season of the contract while playing 140+ games. I can't imagine that many such deals were considered successes after the fact.

The fact that a team with no intention of winning for the first two years of his contract ultimately signed him makes the deal all the more baffling.

I wish that Nick had stayed here for his sake, he could have been an inner-circle Orioles Hall of Famer and been a celebrated member of the franchise's history for decades to come. To have given that up over a relatively small amount of money will always bum me out a little.

[Can_of_corn]

I would be interested in seeing a list of 4-year free agent contracts where the player accrued under 2 WAR in the first season of the contract while playing 140+ games. I can't imagine that many such deals were considered successes after the fact.

The fact that a team with no intention of winning for the first two years of his contract ultimately signed him makes the deal all the more baffling.

I wish that Nick had stayed here for his sake, he could have been an inner-circle Orioles Hall of Famer and been a celebrated member of the franchise's history for decades to come. To have given that up over a relatively small amount of money will always bum me out a little.

And the respect, he left for more respect.

[Redskins Rick]

And the respect, he left for more respect.

he had the respect of his teammates and the fans while here, not sure, how he got more respect from the Braves.

he did get tag with being the worse contract the Braves have.

[Can_of_corn]

he had the respect of his teammates and the fans while here, not sure, how he got more respect from the Braves.

he did get tag with being the worse contract the Braves have.

Re$pect.

[24fps]

Tsyoshi Wada Heading Back to Japan

I'll bet he feels like he just spent four years wandering in the wilderness.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/11/tsuyoshi-wada-returns-japan-softbank-hawks.html

[OFFNY]

o

I just found out that Andrew Miller's uncle (Danny Miller), was a kicker in the NFL in 1982.

He was drafted by the Redskins, who wound up winning the Super Bowl that season.

In fact, he was actually expected to be their kicker that season, as the Redskins viewed their perennial kicker (Mark Moseley) as aging and going out of style (he was a straight-on kicker, which was extremely rare by that time.)

Well, not only did Moseley keep his job, but he wound up being the only kicker ever to win the MVP award that year, AND his Redskins won the Super Bowl.

Miller, for his part, played for the Baltimore Colts and the New England Patriots that season, his only one in the NFL.

http://www.jt-sw.com/football/pro/players.nsf/ID/06390235

SOURCE: 2013 New York Times Article (Cameron Martin)

[DrungoHazewood]

o

I just found out that Andrew Miller's uncle (Danny Miller), was a kicker in the NFL in 1982.

He was drafted by the Redskins, who wound up winning the Super Bowl that season.

In fact, he was actually expected to be their kicker that season, as the Redskins viewed their perennial kicker (Mark Moseley) as aging and going out of style (he was a straight-on kicker, which was extremely rare by that time.)

Well, not only did Moseley keep his job, but he wound up being the only kicker ever to win the MVP award that year, AND his Redskins won the Super Bowl.

Miller, for his part, played for the Baltimore Colts and the New England Patriots that season, his only one in the NFL.

http://www.jt-sw.com/football/pro/players.nsf/ID/06390235

SOURCE: 2013 New York Times Article (Cameron Martin)

Something crazy was in the water in the early 80s. Rollie Fingers won the 1981 AL MVP pitching 78 innings with 2.6 fWAR, in a season where Rickey was at 6.7. Then the next year Moseley won the NFL MVP in a season where he probably was on the field for about 8 minutes the whole year.

[DrungoHazewood]

(he was a straight-on kicker, which was extremely rare by that time.)

I've always had a soft spot for straight-on kickers. They were almost extinct when I was a kid, but I spent many hours practicing straight-on kicking in my back yard. The Skins had Moseley, but also had Steve Cox who was their punter from 1985-88 and also long field goal specialist who kicked straight on. IIRC he once attempted a 67-yard field goal, but came up well short and wide. In a strange coincidence, I went to college at what had to have been the last holdout of the straight-on kicker, Virginia Tech. My freshman year (1989) their kicker was Mickey Thomas, who kicked straight-on. And a few years later they had Ryan Williams who had a kind of birth defect or injury that left him with only half a right foot, but he kicked straight-on with that half a foot. As far as I know Williams was the last major college kicker who didn't kick soccer-style.

[OFFNY]

I've always had a soft spot for straight-on kickers. They were almost extinct when I was a kid, but I spent many hours practicing straight-on kicking in my back yard. The Skins had Moseley, but also had Steve Cox who was their punter from 1985-88 and also long field goal specialist who kicked straight on. IIRC he once attempted a 67-yard field goal, but came up well short and wide. In a strange coincidence, I went to college at what had to have been the last holdout of the straight-on kicker, Virginia Tech. My freshman year (1989) their kicker was Mickey Thomas, who kicked straight-on. And a few years later they had Ryan Williams who had a kind of birth defect or injury that left him with only half a right foot, but he kicked straight-on with that half a foot. As far as I know Williams was the last major college kicker who didn't kick soccer-style.

Thanks for that.

I remember Cox when he was playing for the Redskins. He was once asked why he was capable of kicking 50-plus yard field goals, but did not feel that he could be proficient enough and comfortable kicking simple extra points and short field goals. His response was, "It's just not my bag."

[OFFNY]

I've always had a soft spot for straight-on kickers. They were almost extinct when I was a kid, but I spent many hours practicing straight-on kicking in my back yard. The Skins had Moseley, but also had Steve Cox who was their punter from 1985-88 and also long field goal specialist who kicked straight on. IIRC he once attempted a 67-yard field goal, but came up well short and wide. In a strange coincidence, I went to college at what had to have been the last holdout of the straight-on kicker, Virginia Tech. My freshman year (1989) their kicker was Mickey Thomas, who kicked straight-on. And a few years later they had Ryan Williams who had a kind of birth defect or injury that left him with only half a right foot, but he kicked straight-on with that half a foot. As far as I know Williams was the last major college kicker who didn't kick soccer-style.

That's almost identical to Tom Dempsey, who was born with half a foot and half an arm. Like Williams, Dempsey kicked with his half-foot with a special shoe that was designed for him. Dempsey set the all-time record for the longest field goal ever (63 yards) in 1970 to beat the Lions on the final play of the game.

Dempsey's record was not surpassed until 2013, when Jason Elam kicked a 64-yarder against the Titans.

Believe it or not, I DO REMEMBER the 1992 Virginia Tech football team that had a straight-on kicker. I remember it because in a nationally-televised game against Miami, Fla., the Hokies scored a touchdown late in the 4th quarter to cut the Hurricanes' lead to 35-23. The ensuing onside kick was successful ...... and I remember it, because I noticed that the kicker booted it from a straight-on angle, which was almost unheard of by that time for Division 1-A college kickers. Unfortunately for them, the Hokies could not take advantage of the kick, and wound up losing the game.