Markakis extension on hold

[Anonymous]

I'm not even sure how it's possible that we can still sign him, I mean we did need to sign him awhile ago right?

Bottomline is it doesn't really matter when it gets done this offseason, just that it gets done. If by taking an extra couple months saves the team some money, great, it will be well worth it.

I don't think Nick's agent put the talks on hold because he has some kind of grand plan to come back in a few months asking for less money.

We're in a heap more trouble with this negotiation than we should be because AM failed to get it done last year, when Nick could have and should have been locked up for a whole lot less, simply based on the increased risk that Nick was facing then relative to this offseason, when a significant amount of leverage has shifted to the player's side.

I'm still a huge AM fan. But this remains by far the biggest blot on his record and will remain so unless/until this extension gets worked out.

[mweb]

I don't think Nick's agent put the talks on hold because he has some kind of grand plan to come back in a few months asking for less money.

We're in a heap more trouble with this negotiation than we should be because AM failed to get it done last year, when Nick could have and should have been locked up for a whole lot less, simply based on the increased risk that Nick was facing then relative to this offseason, when a significant amount of leverage has shifted to the player's side.

I'm still a huge AM fan. But this remains by far the biggest blot on his record and will remain so unless/until this extension gets worked out.

And I'm sure the O's don't plan on offering more than they would go to now in a few months. The point is, there's no need to be in a rush, and therefore possibly spend more than they'd have to.

[El Gordo]

I don't think Nick's agent put the talks on hold because he has some kind of grand plan to come back in a few months asking for less money.

We're in a heap more trouble with this negotiation than we should be because AM failed to get it done last year, when Nick could have and should have been locked up for a whole lot less, simply based on the increased risk that Nick was facing then relative to this offseason, when a significant amount of leverage has shifted to the player's side.

I'm still a huge AM fan. But this remains by far the biggest blot on his record and will remain so unless/until this extension gets worked out.

If HanRam got 6/70 what would you have offered Nick?

[Anonymous]

If HanRam got 6/70 what would you have offered Nick?

I lack the expertise to know the right numbers. What I do know, though, without any question, is that the required numbers would have been far lower a year ago than they will be throughout the current offseason -- a predicament that was not at all unpredictable (as the only way it would not have occurred is if Nick had either sustained a serious injury during the past year or else suffered such a massive dropoff in performance that his long-term perceived value had significantly deteriorated). This isn't opinion-based; it's a mathematical certainty, based on well-accepted financial/economic theory.

[jeffmantoformvp]

It's fine. I expect the best. But if, and its a big if, that if Markakis continues his fantastic career without an Orioles uniform, I will no longer be an Orioles fan.

In all, there's no way an Orioles team wins the World Series without Markakis during his career, a give or take 10-15 years. Are we willing to risk that over a couple million, especially when you consider we've given millions to people like David Segui in the past?

GET IT DONE.

[andy c]

The only way i see this deal getting done is PA taking it from AM. PA will step in and give Markakis 6/65/ 6/70 if not they will trade him like Bedard end of story. Either you are buying or your crying!

[Joe'sO's]

It amazes me how much rope people are willing t give McPhail in the face of his lack of decisiveness on anything.He punts everything down the road until the last possible second instead of taking decisive action.Signing Nick to a long term deal and extending Roberts should be his number one priorities to show potential free agents he's serious about making the team a winner.He also needs to show a committment to the productive home grown players.

He's going to shed a ton of payroll after this season and will have one of the league's cheapest pitching staffs,so he can easily afford to do Nick and Brob.

If he's going to put the almighty buck ahead of doing what's right he might as well trade the two for a bunch of cheap players he doesn't have to worry about giving raises to.

[OrioleBird79]

It amazes me how much rope people are willing t give McPhail in the face of his lack of decisiveness on anything.He punts everything down the road until the last possible second instead of taking decisive action.Signing Nick to a long term deal and extending Roberts should be his number one priorities to show potential free agents he's serious about making the team a winner.He also needs to show a committment to the productive home grown players.

He's going to shed a ton of payroll after this season and will have one of the league's cheapest pitching staffs' date='so he can easily afford to do Nick and Brob.

If he's going to put the almighty buck ahead of doing what's right he might as well trade the two for a bunch of cheap players he doesn't have to worry about giving raises to.[/quote']

Maybe the agent for Markakis wanted to see where the market for other outfielders were set before deciding how much Nick should make. Nick is still under team control for a few more years. It is in his best interest to get paid soon.

[Anonymous]

Maybe the agent for Markakis wanted to see where the market for other outfielders were set before deciding how much Nick should make. Nick is still under team control for a few more years. It is in his best interest to get paid soon.

That first sentence underlines the whole point of what Andy has done wrong here. A year ago, we had virtually all the leverage. We let a good portion of it slip away, to the point where Nick's side is now calling the shots. It's not Monday morning quarterbacking to recognize that we should have never let it get to this point.

[Tx Oriole]

Yep I just knew if someone was going to get his pants in a bind over this it would be Sports Guy. With him it seems it is always the FO's fault. Never the player. SG, it want hurt for Markakis to wait until Jan or Feb to sign an extension. It is going to get done. IMO

[Frobby]

If I had some idea of what the O's "signficant offer" was, and what Nick's counterdemand was, then I could give an opinion as to whether the Orioles have mishandled anything to this point. Until then, I can only offer the following observations:

1. I feel like Nick holds the cards here. Even if the economy is going to dampen the free agent market this offeseason, that won't matter one whit in salary arbitration proceedings. So he can always just go year-by-year and just wait until the economy is better and his leverage is even higher. Yes he risks injury or disappointing performance, but if he performs as expected or better and stays healthy his value will just keep increasing.

2. Reading Nick's quotes, he wants to be here:

"For the most part, like I've said 1,000 times, you want to come to something that is comfortable for both sides - something good for the Orioles and something good for myself and my family.

* * *

"You're not always going to like the first offer. But I'm not soured at all," Markakis said. "I understand where they're coming from, and hopefully they understand where I'm coming from. It's just a process. All it takes is time. We'll see what happens."

3. I am not in panic mode at all about this, but I really wish it were done already because it would make other things easier and send a good message to the fan base.

4. I thought the Washington Post's spin on this was interesting:

Orioles Are Said to Offer Markakis 'Significant' Multiyear Deal

Wednesday, December 3, 2008; Page E02

An industry source said the Baltimore Orioles have offered outfielder Nick Markakis a "significant" multiyear contract, though both sides have agreed to hold off on further negotiations until next month.

Orioles President Andy MacPhail said yesterday that he was not surprised by the development, which allows Markakis and agent Jamie Murphy to survey the market.

"They pushed this as far as they could push this," said MacPhail, who has been in talks with Markakis's camp for several weeks. "There's no harm in waiting. We're not going anywhere. He's not going anywhere."

Murphy confirmed that the two sides have exchanged offers. Markakis, the team's most promising young player, is eligible for arbitration for the first time. . . .

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/02/AR2008120203220.html

Seems pretty positive when you read that.

Oh well, on to the winter meetings.

[davearm]

I dunno Frobby.

When I read, "they pushed this as far as they could push this," what I hear is, "we reached an impasse."

I don't think it's a big deal, but I certainly wouldn't look upon it positively.

[clapdiddy]

I dunno Frobby.

When I read, "they pushed this as far as they could push this," what I hear is, "we reached an impasse."

I don't think it's a big deal, but I certainly wouldn't look upon it positively.

Yeah...that quote bugged me a bit as well.

I wonder if Markakis is waiting to see what we're up to before he signs. It's certainly a possibility. If he sees us acquiring talent that looks like we may be in the thick of things by 2010, he will likely be ready to ink a long-term deal in January.

[Sanfran327]

If Markakis is waiting to see what Abreu and Ibanez get, that's going to be good for us. He's better than both of them, and he's a lot younger. If we give him a contract like theirs but with more years, I think I like the sound of that. Although, I think he's crazy if we've offered a 6/70 and he turned it down. I haven't heard anything like that anywhere, but I just hope that's not the case... That's a lot of money.

[Frobby]

I dunno Frobby.

When I read, "they pushed this as far as they could push this," what I hear is, "we reached an impasse."

I don't think it's a big deal, but I certainly wouldn't look upon it positively.

Oh, I agree with that. No way this is a positive.

My read is that both sides want to do a deal, but they have a fundamental disagreement about where the market is (or will go). So they'll wait to see how free agency goes and recalibrate. But clearly the sides haven't walked away from doing a deal.