Well, we're at that time. The second half of the season is about to begin now that the All-Star game has come and gone (by the way, many congrats to Adam Jones for his go-ahead sac fly in the 8th inning), so before we move onward let's take a look back.
The first half of the season for the Orioles was marked by a confusing blend of stellar comebacks and inexplicable collapses, of youthful surprises and disappointments. Without a doubt the high point of the season thus far has to be the miraculous comeback against the Boston Red Sox, and the low point-- well, there are a few too many options for that one. Regardless, let's take a look at some of my team awards for the first half (and we'll throw in Expatriate and Falco's opinions for the heck of it).
MVP: Brad Bergesen (unanimous) - Without Brad Bergesen, this pitching rotation would have absolutely no stability. Bergesen didn't even start the season in the rotation, and despite the fact that his raw 'stuff' isn't dominant, he has the poise and guile of a veteran when he's on the mound. Unlike other rookies, Brad Bergesen knows how to make adjustments and because of that he's been able to rebound strongly from an early shaky stretch to become more and more dominant as the season's progressed. I thought last year that folks were underestimating Brad Bergesen when I wrote up my Prospect Report on him, but even I didn't see this coming.
LVP: Adam Eaton (Expatriate: Jeremy Guthrie, Falco: Rich Hill) - I don't see how this could be anyone but Adam Eaton. Adam Eaton only had one start that could be qualified as anything better than mediocre. Adam Eaton consistently put the Orioles in early deficits, destroyed the bullpen, and helped cement the Orioles position in last place very early on. Adam Eaton contributed nothing positive to this team, and so he was unequivocally the least valuable.
Rookie of the Year: Brad Bergesen (unanimous) - See above analysis on Brad Bergesen, nothing more needs to be said. Though I do give a quick shout to Nolan Reimold, who in almost any other year would be the deserving ROY for this team.
Gold Glover: Nick Markakis (Expatriate: Adam Jones, Falco: Nick Markakis) - While Nick Markakis doesn't always have the highlight reel catches, there is no greater model of consistency in right field that I can think of. Markakis very rarely takes bad routes to the ball as he reads them exceptionally well off the bat. Add onto that his ability to gun down runners (always at or near the top of MLB in assists), and he's the deserving gold glover. Not that he'll ever win one, because after all he's an Oriole. A quick mention though, that Robert Andino's play at short really has been fun to watch. I've been exceptionally impressed with his defense, though the award still easily goes to Markakis over Andino.
Most Surprising Player: Nolan Reimold (Expatriate: Oscar Salazar, Falco: Nolan Reimold) - Last year I did a Prospect Report on Nolan Reimold and I had the opportunity to watch him several times in person. His advancement from last year to this year has been one of the most astonishing transformations I've seen. His plate discipline has been exemplary, and while he's been slumping as of late, his ability to make adjustments is much improved. Nolan Reimold has come out and taken hold of the left field job, something that was doubtful at the start of the year. He's an emerging contender for ROY.
Most Disappointing Player: Jeremy Guthrie (unanimous) - Jeremy Guthrie was supposed to be, and needs to be, the ace on this team. He filled that role exceptionally well last year and his consistency indicated that he would do the same. Well, Guthrie is still scuffling along and it's still up in the air as to whether he'll get it back. He's been burned on some good pitches and he still has good stuff; we'll see how it plays out in the second half, but no doubt this is the one rotation struggle that O's fans didn't see coming.
Big Second Half: Nick Markakis (Falco and Expatriate: Aubrey Huff) - I'm bucking the trend of my colleagues here, but I have a strong feeling that Markakis will take off in the late summer, just as he has the past two years. Huff is a good bet, as he is a strong second half player. But just call it a hunch.
Drop Off in the Second Half: Luke Scott (Expatriate: Brad Bergesen, Falco: Luke Scott) - I love Luke Scott, but he is traditionally very streaky and I doubt that he can keep up this unreal pace. I understand the doubts about Brad Bergesen, but his ability to make adjustments and his positive momentum tells me he won't fall off all that much.
Grade for Dave Trembley: B (Expatriate: B-, Falco: B+) -He's kept this team together and he's managed the lineup as well as can be expected. His handling of young pitchers has also been superb, as shown by their successes this year. The only drawback is the continuing baserunning blunders which really comes back to the manager's responsibility.
Showing posts with label Nick Markakis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nick Markakis. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Free Kicks
For those of you who missed it (sorry for not posting a reminder), Falco and Windsor had one hell of a show on Tuesday on our Around the Harbor radio show on WMUC (every Tuesday night at 10 PM). Be sure to check out next week’s program, they save some of their best stuff for the show- you simply can’t get the same effect reading Windsor rant as you can hearing it when he just goes off on something. Now let’s line up for the kick…
Tech-nically Unsound
By signing a contract extension for 5 years yesterday, Mike Leach scored a major victory over some highly questionable employment decisions by Texas Tech University. After fighting for months to negotiate a new contract for the successful Red Raiders coach, Leach announced that he was ready to sign a new deal. However, as soon as he made the announcement, Tech went back and changed some of the language of his contract- including guaranteeing only 12% of his contract (most schools have upwards of 40%), mandating that Leach must get permission from
the athletic department before he speaks with any other schools, and that all of his money from speaking engagements can be taken by the university. Look, I actually have no problem with these restrictions. I don’t care what it in the contract- but I care how it was done.
Texas Tech waited until Leach committed himself to the contract, and then changed the deal. What is this, Cloud City (sorry, had to make the reference)? After Leach rejected this sudden about-face (understandably), the Board of Regents decided to call an emergency meeting to discuss whether to fire him for not signing the extension. Come again? Who fires someone for not agreeing to extend with you? You keep them for as long as you can and hope you can work something out. Luckily this idiocy was stopped and a new deal was worked out. Don’t these Regents have something better to do? I don’t know, maybe something that has to do with educating students? I wonder how many emergency meetings were called about skyrocketing tuition costs…
So Much for Hometown Discounts
Okay, so forget all the hopeful words I said about Terrell Suggs, Bart Scott, and Ray Lewis coming back to Baltimore on a discounted deal to stay together. Apparently, like so much else said in the offseason, they were just thrown out there to assuage the fan base and earn good-will while the negotiations dragged on. Yahoo Sports is reporting that Terrell Suggs’ agent, Gary Wichard, is looking for the Ravens to pony up a Dwight Freeney-level deal for the DE/OLB, which would demand roughly $12 million a year. It is no surprise then that the Ravens were forced to use the franchise tag. This of course coming on the heels of Ray Lewis’ announcement that he is available to the highest bidder (that bidder will likely be the Ravens, but you would hate to see them put in that situation).
Against this backdrop it feels silly to have ever thought that Baltimore’s stars would take a discount to be in the city. As much as we love our pro athletes in this town, especially the ones who stay for their entire careers, I suppose they just don’t take discounts to stay. Nick Markakis’ deal contained no hometown discount whatsoever, as his deal was entirely in line with comparable players. Likewise, Brian Roberts would have probably gotten even less than he did from the Orioles in this free agent market (if he would even be employed- see Orlando Hudson). Both Baltimore teams have had faces of the franchise on the brink of free agency. Is it possible that the Orioles may do a better job of holding onto their talent this year than the Ravens?
Call Me an Optimist
I may be the only one in the world, but I think the Orioles starting rotation will be better than last year’s. Maybe not by a lot, but it will be. Windsor and Falco are watching for the sky to fall, but I would cite some big differences between last year and this year. First of all, the Orioles have more pitchers who are closer to major league ready (another year in the farm system does that). Last year they did not have Rich Hill, Hayden Penn (injury), or Dave Pauley to cushion the blow between Guthrie and having to call up Radhames Liz. That won’t be as big of a problem. The O’s also return numerous relievers from injury, including former closer Chris Ray, Danys Baez, and Jamie Walker could also return to form after an injury-plagued and ineffective season.
Troy Patton should be available later in the year, and let’s also not forget the acquisition of Koji Uehara who, even if he is not as good as he used to be, should be a serviceable pitcher in the majors for a couple years. No, the Orioles rotation is not good, but it has far more depth than ever. Baltimore won’t be dipping into AA nearly as early or often has they were tempted to last season. Invariably, some of this borderline talent will take strides, and there will be plenty of opportunities (and arms) to do so.
Tech-nically Unsound
By signing a contract extension for 5 years yesterday, Mike Leach scored a major victory over some highly questionable employment decisions by Texas Tech University. After fighting for months to negotiate a new contract for the successful Red Raiders coach, Leach announced that he was ready to sign a new deal. However, as soon as he made the announcement, Tech went back and changed some of the language of his contract- including guaranteeing only 12% of his contract (most schools have upwards of 40%), mandating that Leach must get permission from
the athletic department before he speaks with any other schools, and that all of his money from speaking engagements can be taken by the university. Look, I actually have no problem with these restrictions. I don’t care what it in the contract- but I care how it was done.Texas Tech waited until Leach committed himself to the contract, and then changed the deal. What is this, Cloud City (sorry, had to make the reference)? After Leach rejected this sudden about-face (understandably), the Board of Regents decided to call an emergency meeting to discuss whether to fire him for not signing the extension. Come again? Who fires someone for not agreeing to extend with you? You keep them for as long as you can and hope you can work something out. Luckily this idiocy was stopped and a new deal was worked out. Don’t these Regents have something better to do? I don’t know, maybe something that has to do with educating students? I wonder how many emergency meetings were called about skyrocketing tuition costs…
So Much for Hometown Discounts
Okay, so forget all the hopeful words I said about Terrell Suggs, Bart Scott, and Ray Lewis coming back to Baltimore on a discounted deal to stay together. Apparently, like so much else said in the offseason, they were just thrown out there to assuage the fan base and earn good-will while the negotiations dragged on. Yahoo Sports is reporting that Terrell Suggs’ agent, Gary Wichard, is looking for the Ravens to pony up a Dwight Freeney-level deal for the DE/OLB, which would demand roughly $12 million a year. It is no surprise then that the Ravens were forced to use the franchise tag. This of course coming on the heels of Ray Lewis’ announcement that he is available to the highest bidder (that bidder will likely be the Ravens, but you would hate to see them put in that situation).
Against this backdrop it feels silly to have ever thought that Baltimore’s stars would take a discount to be in the city. As much as we love our pro athletes in this town, especially the ones who stay for their entire careers, I suppose they just don’t take discounts to stay. Nick Markakis’ deal contained no hometown discount whatsoever, as his deal was entirely in line with comparable players. Likewise, Brian Roberts would have probably gotten even less than he did from the Orioles in this free agent market (if he would even be employed- see Orlando Hudson). Both Baltimore teams have had faces of the franchise on the brink of free agency. Is it possible that the Orioles may do a better job of holding onto their talent this year than the Ravens?
Call Me an Optimist
I may be the only one in the world, but I think the Orioles starting rotation will be better than last year’s. Maybe not by a lot, but it will be. Windsor and Falco are watching for the sky to fall, but I would cite some big differences between last year and this year. First of all, the Orioles have more pitchers who are closer to major league ready (another year in the farm system does that). Last year they did not have Rich Hill, Hayden Penn (injury), or Dave Pauley to cushion the blow between Guthrie and having to call up Radhames Liz. That won’t be as big of a problem. The O’s also return numerous relievers from injury, including former closer Chris Ray, Danys Baez, and Jamie Walker could also return to form after an injury-plagued and ineffective season.
Troy Patton should be available later in the year, and let’s also not forget the acquisition of Koji Uehara who, even if he is not as good as he used to be, should be a serviceable pitcher in the majors for a couple years. No, the Orioles rotation is not good, but it has far more depth than ever. Baltimore won’t be dipping into AA nearly as early or often has they were tempted to last season. Invariably, some of this borderline talent will take strides, and there will be plenty of opportunities (and arms) to do so.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Orioles Offseason Roundup, January Edition
While the whole city was having Ravens fever, as we all should have, Andy MacPhail and the Orioles have been making some moves during the offseason to prepare for 2009. Here's a look at some of the moves that have gone on in the post-Teixeira world:
Nick Markakis signed to a 6-year, $66.1 million deal
The Orioles re-sign one of their rising stars to a six-year deal. Markakis had a .306 average plus 20 home runs last season, and at only 25, his career is getting better. Earlier in the year, it was a concern with the Orioles and Markakis as negotiations were not going well and although no one expected MacPhail to let him go, it wasn't making anyone feel better that this was getting drawn out. But now he has his contract and will be a fixture in right field for years.
The signing could incur Brian Roberts to want to stay now since the Orioles seem to be trying to go in the right direction. Adam Jones mentioned that Roberts should be next. I'm still not sure if it would be better to trade Roberts or re-sign him since he is 31-years-old, but the market for Roberts does not seem like is that good right now, so until there is, keep him around and happy.
Cubs trade Felix Pie to Orioles for Garrett Olsen, Henry Williamson
The Orioles had been going after Felix Pie for a while, and they finally got him, just not for Brian Roberts. Pie, a former #1 overall prospect, gets traded for Olsen and Williamson after not panning out the way the Cubs wanted. The Cubs tried him out as a center fielder but did not have a good 2008 season, only batting .241 in 43 games played, so the Orioles will put him as the starting left fielder for the season. If Pie pans out, this would set the outfield possibly for the next decade: from left to right Felix Pie, Adam Jones, and Nick Markakis, all are under the age of 25 and are considered future stars. Nothing is assured, but for the future of the Orioles, this is an exciting premise of a sturdy outfield.
As for who the Orioles lost, Garrett Olsen showed some decent talent, but the fact is he would not have been a part of the future. He does not have the longevity you want in a starter and there is even talk the Cubs would use him as a reliever. And no one quite knows who Williamson is. So the Orioles are trading away two players that probably would not have meant much to the future for a possible big time player, a risk well worth taking. But, John Maine wasn't expected to be much either in the Benson trade.........
Orioles sign Koji Uehara, first ever Japanese-born player to play for franchise
The Orioles have dipped into the international market to grab Koji Uehara, a former Yomiuri Giants pitcher that will play his first game in Major League Baseball. Though he has seen better years, he was formerly one of the best pitchers in Japan, being a dominant starter in the early part of his career.
This will give the Orioles a new and possibly good starter, but I'm not sure this will have the effect a lot of people do. Some have been saying this will open the Japanese market and get the Orioles some great foreign players. Although Uehara had been approached by other teams, he will be 34 going into the '09 season and it appears that he will not get much better. The Japanese market is dominated by a few teams, mainly the Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, and Mariners, and it is unlikely that the Orioles getting Uehara will give them much influence. But it still is a good idea, he could be a good pitcher here and the Orioles need starters badly.
Other news:
--Luke Scott is signed to a one-year deal. Since Pie is here, likely he will either be a designated hitter or a primary reserve outfielder.
--Red Sox trade David Pauley to Orioles for Rancor Beird. Pauley, 25, was a solid starter in triple-A but had a terrible run with Boston. Beird did well as a reliever in the beginning for the Orioles then had a bad stretch.
--Other signings include veteran catcher Gregg Zaun, pitcher Mark Hendrickson, and infielder Chris Gomez.
(Photo credit: SI (Markakis), MLB (Pie), Japan Times (Uehara))
Nick Markakis signed to a 6-year, $66.1 million dealThe Orioles re-sign one of their rising stars to a six-year deal. Markakis had a .306 average plus 20 home runs last season, and at only 25, his career is getting better. Earlier in the year, it was a concern with the Orioles and Markakis as negotiations were not going well and although no one expected MacPhail to let him go, it wasn't making anyone feel better that this was getting drawn out. But now he has his contract and will be a fixture in right field for years.
The signing could incur Brian Roberts to want to stay now since the Orioles seem to be trying to go in the right direction. Adam Jones mentioned that Roberts should be next. I'm still not sure if it would be better to trade Roberts or re-sign him since he is 31-years-old, but the market for Roberts does not seem like is that good right now, so until there is, keep him around and happy.
Cubs trade Felix Pie to Orioles for Garrett Olsen, Henry WilliamsonThe Orioles had been going after Felix Pie for a while, and they finally got him, just not for Brian Roberts. Pie, a former #1 overall prospect, gets traded for Olsen and Williamson after not panning out the way the Cubs wanted. The Cubs tried him out as a center fielder but did not have a good 2008 season, only batting .241 in 43 games played, so the Orioles will put him as the starting left fielder for the season. If Pie pans out, this would set the outfield possibly for the next decade: from left to right Felix Pie, Adam Jones, and Nick Markakis, all are under the age of 25 and are considered future stars. Nothing is assured, but for the future of the Orioles, this is an exciting premise of a sturdy outfield.
As for who the Orioles lost, Garrett Olsen showed some decent talent, but the fact is he would not have been a part of the future. He does not have the longevity you want in a starter and there is even talk the Cubs would use him as a reliever. And no one quite knows who Williamson is. So the Orioles are trading away two players that probably would not have meant much to the future for a possible big time player, a risk well worth taking. But, John Maine wasn't expected to be much either in the Benson trade.........
Orioles sign Koji Uehara, first ever Japanese-born player to play for franchiseThe Orioles have dipped into the international market to grab Koji Uehara, a former Yomiuri Giants pitcher that will play his first game in Major League Baseball. Though he has seen better years, he was formerly one of the best pitchers in Japan, being a dominant starter in the early part of his career.
This will give the Orioles a new and possibly good starter, but I'm not sure this will have the effect a lot of people do. Some have been saying this will open the Japanese market and get the Orioles some great foreign players. Although Uehara had been approached by other teams, he will be 34 going into the '09 season and it appears that he will not get much better. The Japanese market is dominated by a few teams, mainly the Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, and Mariners, and it is unlikely that the Orioles getting Uehara will give them much influence. But it still is a good idea, he could be a good pitcher here and the Orioles need starters badly.
Other news:
--Luke Scott is signed to a one-year deal. Since Pie is here, likely he will either be a designated hitter or a primary reserve outfielder.
--Red Sox trade David Pauley to Orioles for Rancor Beird. Pauley, 25, was a solid starter in triple-A but had a terrible run with Boston. Beird did well as a reliever in the beginning for the Orioles then had a bad stretch.
--Other signings include veteran catcher Gregg Zaun, pitcher Mark Hendrickson, and infielder Chris Gomez.
(Photo credit: SI (Markakis), MLB (Pie), Japan Times (Uehara))
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Christmas Comes Early for Maryland Sports Figures
Even though the economy is down (understatement, I know, but bear with me), we here at ATH have a wealth of generosity in our hearts, and an overabundance of the giving spirit this time of year. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa (please comment if you celebrate Kwanzaa, I have yet to meet someone who does), you must agree that our Maryland sports figures are in need of gifts as much as anyone else. Here are some gifts we had in mind for our favorite (or least favorite) athletes, coaches, and executives…
Michael Phelps: Acting lessons for a year. Trust me Michael, or have you not seen that episode of Saturday Night Live yet?
Joe Flacco: Eyebrow trimmer/tweezers. Those things are out of control, and with his success this season he has to look good for those offseason interviews.
Ralph Friegen: A blindfold. That way, he won’t know whether the Terps are playing a good or a bad team that week. I know it isn’t on him, but I couldn’t very well give them to the players!
Nick Markakis: A contract extension. No joke here, get this man his extension before his price tag goes through the roof- the cost of this great player is only going up with time.
Cal Ripken Jr.: $398 million. That is the value of the Baltimore Orioles according to Forbes. Yes, Peter Angelos has given up some of his power to Andy MacPhail, but the man is still in charge and still has the final say over what this team does. Am I the only one who sees a time bomb ready to blow up this rebuilding project? Buy it, Cal.
Andy MacPhail: 2 starting pitchers. It is the least we can give him, though it might be tough just to get one.
Rex Ryan: A head coaching job. I want him to stay as badly as anyone, but if you need a motivator and a leader, this is your guy.
John Harbaugh: A candy cane. I know the offense seems to be reverting, but someone please tell coach it’s okay to smile sometimes, even to Ray. Maybe that’ll help him cheer up some.
Gary Williams: A big man. Braxton Dupree can’t seem to play his size, and in a wide open competition, no one else was able to set up. He needs a big man who can play up to his size and occasionally score.
Mark Teixeira: A Nationals uniform. Look, I don’t want him elsewhere in the division, and I am not sure that the money on him couldn’t be spent better elsewhere. Let him lose 90 games a year for 3 years, then opt out, then maybe sign with the O’s when they are good again.
Ed Reed: Defensive Player of the Year Award. Just give it to him already. Right now.
Dave Trembley: Position prospects in the minors. It won’t do him much good right now, but he’ll thank me later.
Daniel Cabrera: Nothing. I think Baltimore already gave him everything they could, including way too many chances to be successful.
Good luck shopping everyone!
Michael Phelps: Acting lessons for a year. Trust me Michael, or have you not seen that episode of Saturday Night Live yet?
Joe Flacco: Eyebrow trimmer/tweezers. Those things are out of control, and with his success this season he has to look good for those offseason interviews.
Ralph Friegen: A blindfold. That way, he won’t know whether the Terps are playing a good or a bad team that week. I know it isn’t on him, but I couldn’t very well give them to the players!
Nick Markakis: A contract extension. No joke here, get this man his extension before his price tag goes through the roof- the cost of this great player is only going up with time.
Cal Ripken Jr.: $398 million. That is the value of the Baltimore Orioles according to Forbes. Yes, Peter Angelos has given up some of his power to Andy MacPhail, but the man is still in charge and still has the final say over what this team does. Am I the only one who sees a time bomb ready to blow up this rebuilding project? Buy it, Cal.Andy MacPhail: 2 starting pitchers. It is the least we can give him, though it might be tough just to get one.
Rex Ryan: A head coaching job. I want him to stay as badly as anyone, but if you need a motivator and a leader, this is your guy.
John Harbaugh: A candy cane. I know the offense seems to be reverting, but someone please tell coach it’s okay to smile sometimes, even to Ray. Maybe that’ll help him cheer up some.
Gary Williams: A big man. Braxton Dupree can’t seem to play his size, and in a wide open competition, no one else was able to set up. He needs a big man who can play up to his size and occasionally score.
Mark Teixeira: A Nationals uniform. Look, I don’t want him elsewhere in the division, and I am not sure that the money on him couldn’t be spent better elsewhere. Let him lose 90 games a year for 3 years, then opt out, then maybe sign with the O’s when they are good again.
Ed Reed: Defensive Player of the Year Award. Just give it to him already. Right now.
Dave Trembley: Position prospects in the minors. It won’t do him much good right now, but he’ll thank me later.
Daniel Cabrera: Nothing. I think Baltimore already gave him everything they could, including way too many chances to be successful.
Good luck shopping everyone!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
The Markakis Extension Talks (Or Lack Thereof)
It was recently reported by Dan Connolly and Jeff Zreibec of the Baltimore Sun that Nick Markakis and his agent are looking to see what happens in the free agent market before resuming negotiations on an extension. This means that it will be at least six more weeks before the Orioles will have a chance to make their star right fielder a new offer.
Please, before you continue reading take a minute to wipe the sweat off your brow. Take a seat, have a drink of water, and please breathe. This situation absolutely reeks of the dysfunctional Orioles management of the past ten years. By far, extending Markakis was the most important focus of this offseason and so far Andy MacPhail has failed miserably in that. Now before I go on about the organization, let me assure you of this; Nick Markakis will almost surely be extended at some point. He is to vital to this franchise, and I don't see any way that management will let him become a free agent in the near future. Nick Markakis has let it be known that he would like to stay in Baltimore, but at the same time he wants a fair deal given the current market for players of his caliber. A deal will get done, it will just be more painful than we had all hoped.
That being said, shame on this organization for letting the situation get to this point. While Andy MacPhail and others have spoken about how much they want to build around Nick Markakis, they have failed to reflect that attitude in their actions. They started the year on the wrong foot, giving him a paltry $455,000 salary in arbitration, which hardly represents his performance and shows no commitment to the young man. Yes, it is fully within their right and yes, typical baseball logic says that you give the player a low salary because after this year the power shifts to the player rather than the organization. However, a good-will gesture would have gone a long way to engendering positive talks between the two sides. Instead, the Orioles created room for resentment on Markakis' part, following it up with an offer of reportedly 5-6 million annually in July. By modern baseball standards, that offer is an absolute joke and yet another attempt by this organization to try to low-ball a talented player.
So I give a congratulations to the whole of Orioles management, you have dug yourself a much deeper hole in this situation. Luckily, when all is said and done, the bumbling of this situation will be forgotten if the deal can finally be completed.
The template for an offer to Markakis has already been set in the contracts for Evan Longoria and Alex Rios. The Orioles need to simply pony up and quit assuming that a young player like Markakis is blind to those standard deals. Nick Markakis is a can't-miss player, who does everything you want on the field and is a clean player off of it. He is a homegrown talent, one that the Orioles have been searching for for a long time. So please, Andy MacPhail, don't screw this one up.
Please, before you continue reading take a minute to wipe the sweat off your brow. Take a seat, have a drink of water, and please breathe. This situation absolutely reeks of the dysfunctional Orioles management of the past ten years. By far, extending Markakis was the most important focus of this offseason and so far Andy MacPhail has failed miserably in that. Now before I go on about the organization, let me assure you of this; Nick Markakis will almost surely be extended at some point. He is to vital to this franchise, and I don't see any way that management will let him become a free agent in the near future. Nick Markakis has let it be known that he would like to stay in Baltimore, but at the same time he wants a fair deal given the current market for players of his caliber. A deal will get done, it will just be more painful than we had all hoped.
That being said, shame on this organization for letting the situation get to this point. While Andy MacPhail and others have spoken about how much they want to build around Nick Markakis, they have failed to reflect that attitude in their actions. They started the year on the wrong foot, giving him a paltry $455,000 salary in arbitration, which hardly represents his performance and shows no commitment to the young man. Yes, it is fully within their right and yes, typical baseball logic says that you give the player a low salary because after this year the power shifts to the player rather than the organization. However, a good-will gesture would have gone a long way to engendering positive talks between the two sides. Instead, the Orioles created room for resentment on Markakis' part, following it up with an offer of reportedly 5-6 million annually in July. By modern baseball standards, that offer is an absolute joke and yet another attempt by this organization to try to low-ball a talented player.
So I give a congratulations to the whole of Orioles management, you have dug yourself a much deeper hole in this situation. Luckily, when all is said and done, the bumbling of this situation will be forgotten if the deal can finally be completed.
The template for an offer to Markakis has already been set in the contracts for Evan Longoria and Alex Rios. The Orioles need to simply pony up and quit assuming that a young player like Markakis is blind to those standard deals. Nick Markakis is a can't-miss player, who does everything you want on the field and is a clean player off of it. He is a homegrown talent, one that the Orioles have been searching for for a long time. So please, Andy MacPhail, don't screw this one up.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Paying for the Future
Hope you enjoyed a large victory margin for the first time in a long time- all those runs we had scored in recent games were going to waste behind truly horrifying pitching performances. Luckily last night Radhames Liz hung on just long enough, and the bullpen played like it was April to give us the win. Tonight’s starter Garrett Olson has an ugly history in 2 starts against the Blue Jays. Let’s hope that’s an aberration. In the mean time, here is one issue that O's fans should keep an ear to...
The Sun is reporting that Nick Markakis and the Orioles were recently discussing a long-term deal but have for now cut off conversations on a new deal until after the season. Ownership needs to tangibly show a dedication not only to developing young players, but keeping them in Baltimore, even if it costs the $65-$70 million necessary to keep Markakis for another 5 years. As the Rays have done with Evan Longoria, the O’s should lock up their young players and save that payroll for the future. However, I am not too upset- I understand that the Orioles have years to resign Markakis and they need to be careful. What bothers me is that I still doubt whether Angelos will open up the purse in order to invest for the future.
He has allowed Andy MacPhail to make baseball decisions, but what about when it comes to his pocketbook? Angelos will very likely keep that "MASN money" we have been promised for years in his back pocket, and let the Orioles scuffle along trying to make due with his table scraps. The Twins and the Athletics are two teams that have a strong farm system and can make the playoffs most years but almost never win the World Series because they aren’t willing to pay their players when they need to. Teams can success on a miserly payroll- see Marlins and Rays. But when a player is as important on the field symbolicly important to the franchise as Nick Markakis is, you need to be able to "step up to the plate". Who is the face of the Rays? Evan Longoria, the young player they locked up for the future. Nick Markakis can be that face (and a more talented one) if the O's don't let him slip away.
It has yet to be seen whether Peter Angelos will sacrifice his own wealth to produce a winning product in the long run. So far, Angelos has been all about increasing his own wealth- he brought MacPhail on board only after fans stopped coming to the park and his own money was at risk. He hasn't cared about wins, only attendance and revenue. What reason do we have to think that when it comes time to pay all of these young players it will be any different? The players might be MacPhail's, but the money still belongs to the little man behind the curtain.
The Sun is reporting that Nick Markakis and the Orioles were recently discussing a long-term deal but have for now cut off conversations on a new deal until after the season. Ownership needs to tangibly show a dedication not only to developing young players, but keeping them in Baltimore, even if it costs the $65-$70 million necessary to keep Markakis for another 5 years. As the Rays have done with Evan Longoria, the O’s should lock up their young players and save that payroll for the future. However, I am not too upset- I understand that the Orioles have years to resign Markakis and they need to be careful. What bothers me is that I still doubt whether Angelos will open up the purse in order to invest for the future.He has allowed Andy MacPhail to make baseball decisions, but what about when it comes to his pocketbook? Angelos will very likely keep that "MASN money" we have been promised for years in his back pocket, and let the Orioles scuffle along trying to make due with his table scraps. The Twins and the Athletics are two teams that have a strong farm system and can make the playoffs most years but almost never win the World Series because they aren’t willing to pay their players when they need to. Teams can success on a miserly payroll- see Marlins and Rays. But when a player is as important on the field symbolicly important to the franchise as Nick Markakis is, you need to be able to "step up to the plate". Who is the face of the Rays? Evan Longoria, the young player they locked up for the future. Nick Markakis can be that face (and a more talented one) if the O's don't let him slip away.
It has yet to be seen whether Peter Angelos will sacrifice his own wealth to produce a winning product in the long run. So far, Angelos has been all about increasing his own wealth- he brought MacPhail on board only after fans stopped coming to the park and his own money was at risk. He hasn't cared about wins, only attendance and revenue. What reason do we have to think that when it comes time to pay all of these young players it will be any different? The players might be MacPhail's, but the money still belongs to the little man behind the curtain.
(Photo Credit: Doug Kapustin, Baltimore Sun)
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