2010 Orioles Position-By-Position: RF
It’s fitting that Nick Markakis patrols right field a few steps away from Adam Jones. I see them as two sides of the same valuable coin. Complementary. Different in many significant ways but aligned to the same purpose. Two talented young players that, in their own ways, represent the mixed bag of personalities and approaches necessary in assembling a winning team.
I highly doubt you’ll ever find Nick Markakis on Twitter. I doubt anyone would think of him as a “vocal” leader. I’m always happy to hear what he has to say, but he’s not a great interview. In other words, he’s all baseball. And to the extent that he’s not he’d rather keep it quiet.
No problem. In fact, I love it. We need guys like that every bit as much as we need Jones. Markakis is a great teammate by all accounts and the fact that he makes his yearlong home in Maryland speaks volumes. He’s a credit to the team, and I couldn’t be happier to know that he’ll be here for years to come.
On the field I’m expecting an uptick. There’s been talk around the Orionet about how he had a lot on his mind last year (new contract, new family, new charitable foundation, new home) and how it might have caused him to press and/or scuffle a little bit. That sounds right. It’s a little weird to think of .293 with 18 HR and 101 RBI (along with a .453 SLG and .347 OBP) as a “down” year, but that’s the kind of player he is. He’s better than “better than average”.
Beyond just the expectations, I have one wish: I’d like to see him make the All-Star team. That he’ll deserve it I have no doubt, but deserving it and getting there are entirely separate things. Here’s hoping.
An aside: I’ve been holding on to this giddy YouTube video of his first home run for a few years now, waiting for the right time to post it. Listen closely, because it includes a discussion of underwear.
I was actually at that game but not, alas, with the chicks who filmed the clip.
(photo via Keith Allison)
Seems like, with about a quarter of the Grapefruit League behind us, the inside track to the bullpen (courtesy of Britt Ghiroli) belongs to Ohman, Albers, and Meredith. Can’t say I’m really surprised.
Albers is the one arguable case, since it’s basically between him, Sarfate (who I think has had many chances to prove that he isn’t highly replaceable and hasn’t run with any of them), and Mickolio (who really ought to fit in there but could just be the victim of roster crunch). But there are two important thoughts to consider:
1) We’re probably going to see all of these guys, including Castillo, at some point this year and Albers doesn’t have any options left and would most probably get taken on waivers. It would be a real shame to just throw away a useful arm.
2) Albers is most definitely useful – he had a sneakily decent year last year (in terms of FIP) while means he should at least be strongly considered to give value this year.
Anyway, bullpen intrigue is a contradiction in terms, but that’s how I see the situation unfolding. That those three guys are having good springs is pointless, but in a competition setting, it probably means that they’ve got the leg up to make the OD roster.
I love the absolute chaos and stereotypical girl screams in the last 20 seconds of that video. Hi-larious.
@Tomás – It’s kind of awesome, isn’t it? Total pandemonium and joy.
I don’t know about anybody else, but I’m glad that Nick shaved that beard.