Markakis speaks out

[tvz1997]

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/2010/06/markakis_expresses_frustration.html

Sometimes, guys are going up there and it looks like they have no idea what they’re doing.

You can have anybody come here and you still are going to have a couple of guys who are not going to change their approach and fix it. It’s worthless. You can point your fingers here and there, but it is what it is. You’re in the big leagues. You have to change your approach on your own. If you go up there clueless, you’re going to come back [to the dugout] clueless. It’s that simple

At this point, yeah, where are we going? I know we have a lot of injured guys, we’re in the toughest division in baseball and we’re a last-place team. But at this point, it’s mind boggling. You don’t even know what to think, but you still have to be professional and go out and play every day

[flashjordnk]

On the team's approach

Sometimes, guys are going up there and it looks like they have no idea what they’re doing. I’m not saying that to bash guys. I want guys to be successful, I want this team to be successful, and I have to produce as well. I'm part of this. But it takes a lot more than one big bat. We definitely need that one guy who could hit you 40 home runs, but from top to bottom, you need guys getting on base. You need guys in there who have a plan, who have a clue and who know how to execute that plan and get on base. We don’t need every guy in this lineup trying to hit home runs. We’re paid to get on base and figure out how to score and drive in runs. You look at the Yankees. They have guys who can hit home runs but everybody in that lineup can get on base.

On Crow

You have to go up there with an approach. [Crowley] has 110 percent nothing to do with the way we are going about our business at the plate and on the field right now. You can have anybody come here and you still are going to have a couple of guys who are not going to change their approach and fix it. It’s worthless. You can point your fingers here and there, but it is what it is. You’re in the big leagues. You have to change your approach on your own. If you go up there clueless, you’re going to come back [to the dugout] clueless. It’s that simple.

On direction of the team

At this point, yeah, where are we going? I know we have a lot of injured guys, we’re in the toughest division in baseball and we’re a last-place team. But at this point, it’s mind boggling. You don’t even know what to think, but you still have to be professional and go out and play every day.

At least let's discuss the whole thing, not just two lines of the whole body. I think they do represent part of what he's saying...but I think there is some other context that matters here too.

[threedaysrest]

Maybe Nick is, you know, going to assume a leadership role on this team. He's one of the longest-tenured guys, has been around a little while, and certainly knows what he's doing and has the game to back it up, even if he's not been recognized as an AS or any such thing yet. Good for him, you know? :clap3:

[flashjordnk]

Good to see him start to call some guys out.

This team has needed a leader that can perform as well. I wonder how much of this is based in frustration and how much in leadership.

If it's all frustration, that could be dangerous. But hopefully some of these other guys perk up and pay attention.

[tvz1997]

At least let's discuss the whole thing, not just two lines of the whole body. I think they do represent part of what he's saying...but I think there is some other context that matters here too.

Don't know if that was directed at me or not, but I was just trying to throw some quotes up as fast as possible without quoting the whole story, since I thought we were not allowed to do that.

[Tony-OH]

Markakis: "You can have anybody come here and you still are going to have a couple of guys who are not going to change their approach and fix it. It’s worthless. You can point your fingers here and there, but it is what it is. You’re in the big leagues. You have to change your approach on your own. If you go up there clueless, you’re going to come back [to the dugout] clueless. It’s that simple."

Let the speculation begin on who he is talking about.

My guess..... Matt Wieters is one of those guys...

[LA2]

Wow--where is this leading? Any guesses as to whom he's shaking down? And would you think it's unfair if he's pointing a finger at some of our youngest players?

[tvz1997]

My guess..... Matt Wieters is one of those guys...

That was my first thought too.

[Nick The Stick]

Markakis: "You can have anybody come here and you still are going to have a couple of guys who are not going to change their approach and fix it. It’s worthless. You can point your fingers here and there, but it is what it is. You’re in the big leagues. You have to change your approach on your own. If you go up there clueless, you’re going to come back [to the dugout] clueless. It’s that simple."

Let the speculation begin on who he is talking about.

My guess..... Matt Wieters is one of those guys...

Adam Jones.

[barellano]

Finally someone is telling the truth. Someone that actually matters, at least. The team needs him to step up and be a vocal leader as well as a leader on the field. I think Jones wants to be that guy, but he doesn't play the game the right way yet. Nick should be the guy. He just needs to man up and do it. Hopefully this is a step in that direction. I'm really glad to hear him call some people out. Even if not by name, they should know who they are.

[barellano]

Let the speculation begin on who he is talking about.

My guess..... Matt Wieters is one of those guys...

Basically everyone except himself, Tejada and Wigginton?

[Stotle]

I think this is fantastic. I would also assume this is being paired with more direct critique/suggestions (out of the media/spotlight) to the specific players.

If it's someone like Wieters, that's fine. But I'd hope (and I assume it would be the case) that he's talking to Wieters and explaining this. I actually thought of Jones first -- someone who has been around the ML a little longer. But I could see it applying to someone like Wieters, too.

Regardless, mine is all speculation. I am SO happy to see someone step up and sound like a leader (even if it's only me applauding a token effort -- something like this is long overdue). And I'm thrilled Nick was the guy to do it.

[flashjordnk]

Don't know if that was directed at me or not, but I was just trying to throw some quotes up as fast as possible without quoting the whole story, since I thought we were not allowed to do that.

Sorry didn't mean that to be a barb. I just thought the full part of the first quote was important.

Basically I'd really be interested in the tone this came out from Markakis as. If it was a frustrated guys don't know what they are doing I think that's really dangerous for this team. I'm worried that guys that are pressing are going to start pressing harder. And that's something this team doesn't need right now.

If it was meant with leadership and Nick is talking to some guys about how to work their approach and giving tips and actually backing it up with some clubhouse leadership this is great.

But if this is a guy marching out to the press to vent. For a team that's barely won games...that could be dangerous.

I hope he's offered help to these guys that he's talking about. But who knows...maybe these guys need to take this moment and go to him.

[SrMeowMeow]

That quote made me think of Jones as well.

I am all for leadership, and Markakis seems like a quiet guy media-wise, so for him to speak out like this is probably (hopefully) the tip of the iceberg of what he's saying in the clubhouse.

[Arthur_Bryant]

He is wrong about this part, though:

You have to go up there with an approach. [Crowley] has 110 percent nothing to do with the way we are going about our business at the plate and on the field right now.

Having his hitters go up to the plate with a plan and an approach absolutely should be part of the hitting coach's business.

If Markakis's remark reflects the way the job of hitting coach is being defined, as no more than a swing technician, then there's no wonder Crowley has kept his job so long.