Rob Long: The Business Of The Markakis Deal
Although I talk about local teams everyday and get paid to do so, I started out as being "Joe Fan". I root for my teams everyday and every week. That's how I grew up. I want them to win. I still live and die with each of the 162 games of the Baltimore Orioles. You would think I'm numb to some games by now but I'm not.
When you have so much invested in the teams, you become attached to certain players. Attached, I like that word. That word means "full of affection or fondness". That happens when you root for these guys for so long. That's what happened with Ed Reed. I grew fond of him over the years. When he left to play for another team, I had a genuine problem with that. I did not want Ray Lewis to leave, but he retired. Reed left for free agency.
That's the issue I have with Nick Markakis right now. He's leaving to play for another team and from July 27-29 he will grace Oriole Park at Camden Yards wearing another team's uniform. Picture that O's fans.
What's the justification for allowing Markakis to leave Charm City? Well, I can further confuse myself and you by trying to navigate through that. As much as I love Nicky, he's made over $66 million with the Baltimore Orioles. He's agreed to make over $40 million with the Atlanta Braves. That's close to or even more than $110 million over the course of his career. What if the O's don't think he's worth that?
Markakis' numbers have fallen steadily over the past four seasons. Last year, I gave him a pass for being injured in 2012 and still suffering from that. Nick hit a career low 10 home runs in 2013 with only 24 doubles, also a career low. His slugging has been under .400 for the past two seasons as well.
Nick did win his second Gold Glove in 2014 for his defensive work in right field. He's regarded as a legitimate threat to throw runners out attempting to stretch singles into doubles as well as make stellar plays on fly balls from time to time. It will be tough to replace his glove.
Markakis is also a quiet leader in the clubhouse for the O's. While Adam Jones is the vocal leader, Nick is someone who's respected by Jones and the other players. That will probably be the toughest thing to replace.
Is Nick Markakis the man that the O's signed to a six year deal? He was a 40 doubles guy who had driven in over 100 runs twice. His lowest batting average in the first five years of his career was .291, a mark that he's topped only once in the past four seasons. Since driving in 101 runs in 2009, his high has been 73 in 2011. Would the Orioles have given Markakis a six year, $66 million contract in 2009 if they knew he would be a .284 hitter averaging just under 13 homers and 59 RBI from 2010-2014? For the record Brett Gardner is a career .265 hitter who's never hit double digits in home runs until 2014. He signed a 4 year $52 million contract.
The Orioles have tendered the contracts to all 11 of their arbitration-eligible players according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com including Chris Tillman who made $546,000 in 2014 and Zach Britton who made $521,500 in 2014. Who knows what the Orioles will end of paying whether or not they avoid arbitration with these players. We do know they are interested in signing as many as possible.
At the end of the day, the O's had concerns over a small disc herniation his Markakis' neck and the Braves did not. Whatever the play is, the fans will take no less from the O's than they've come to expect over the past three seasons.
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