Scott Garceau: O's Fans Take 1-2 Gut Punch
First Nelson Cruz's Silver Slugger bat leaves The Yard for Seattle and now news that Nick Markakis will be playing his future hardball in Atlanta. It stinks doesn't it! Hey, we're a long way from spring training so I'll defer to Mr.'s Duquette and Showalter to provide Orioles fans with a championship caliber team. Maybe it'll turn out to be a good business move who knows, maybe it'll be a good baseball move if quality players are added but right now from an emotional stand point it sucks.
From the moment he homered on Opening Day Cruz seemed to fit right into Buck's baseball family. O's Nellie was only here a year but what a year, the leading home run hitter in baseball flashing that smile that would light up the Baltimore dugout. It was apparent he was happy to be an Oriole, a willing mentor to the young Latin players and snap he's gone. Thanks for 40 bombs and the memories from the summer of '14 Nellie.
Nick Markakis is a different story, he was all Baltimore hon! Home grown and drafted by the Orioles he's been part of the Camden Yards landscape the past 9 summers. He suffered like the rest of us through all those dark losing summers. When the Orioles finally broke through and got to the post-season in 2012 Nick could only watch thanks to errant CC Sabathia pitch that ended his season.
A Gold Glove winner, a grinder and the ultimate respect he earned from his teammates that's the guy I'll remember. And don't forget it was this introverted right fielder who politely but firmly told his owner there needed to be a greater commitment from the top to fix the broken Orioles. Never a me-guy, a pro's pro that's why Buck Showalter loved having Nick Markakis on his team.
There have been plenty of great Orioles that have left our town for various reasons but it's never easy to say bye-bye to a guy you spend your sweet summers with. Frank Robinson came to Baltimore and lead the Orioles to World Series wins in '66 and '70, he won the Triple Crown but was traded to the Dodgers. Boog Powell hit over 300 homers for the Orioles won a couple of World Series and was American League MVP in 1964, but after 14 years here the fan favorite was playing in Cleveland.
Eddie Murray spent his first 11 seasons in Baltimore and is considered by many the greatest hitter in Orioles history; it was a sad day when the Hall of Famer was traded to the Dodgers in 1988. Dave McNally was a 20-game winner for 4 consecutive years in Baltimore and perhaps the greatest lefty in Orioles history but he finished his career in Montreal. Mike Mussina second to only Jim Palmer among Orioles pitching greats left our town after 10 years for the Damn Yankees.
I could tell you that Nelson Cruz won't duplicate his career year in a pitchers ballpark. He'll be 35 next summer is prone to injury and has only exceeded 475 at bats twice in his career. I could tell you that Nick Markakis isn't close to the hitter that he once was. I could tell you all that and more but I won't. What I will tell you, I'm going to miss O's Nellie and Nick. Good luck guys!
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