From the Sun: O's close to signing Nick Markakis long term
From the Baltimore Sun:
Markakis and the Orioles have made "real progress" in their contract-extension negotiations in recent days, according to club president Andy MacPhail. And one industry source said the sides are close to agreeing to a six-year deal worth between $64 million and $66 million in guaranteed money.
Like most of you, I think it's important to lock up Nicky post haste. It's not official yet but this is encouraging news since what we've heard in the recent past is that the two sides aren't close or that talks had been stopped. And the fact that Andy MacPhail is the one making these comments makes me believe this will get done soon enough, since he's not known for making comments about anything.
This has been a somewhat frustrating off season due to lack of action, but getting Nick signed to an extension would make me feel better in a hurry.
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This looks like a great deal
Isn’t Nick supposed to get better power wise? With that kind of on-base percentage we could be making a steal.
very happy
Buys out three arbitration years and three free agency years. Not a bad deal for the best right fielder in the AL.
Praise God
The stock market will never recover, our armies will never again be #1, and our children will drink filthy water for the rest of their lives - HST
If Andy says its close
Nick has probably already signed…(lol)
Now lets get one more starting pitcher and get Brian’s situation resolved.
good stuff...
this is a weird market w/ ibanez getting so much $, bradley getting a lot of years (for him), burrell getting not much $, while adam dunn and orlando hudson get jack shit. i think this is a pretty fair deal all around. maybe not super for management given the economic climate, but pretty damn good for one of the best at his position. he’s a weird case b/c i guess he was projected more as a pitcher in college and so he keeps on defying expectations of offensive output, but you have to be pleased w/ what he’s done so far.
"When people ask me what my motivation is, I have a simple answer: Money."
--Jerry Reed, on acting
I agree
And $64 million seems like we’re still shorting Nicky.
My best game plan is to sit on the bench and call out specific instructions like 'C'mon Boog,' 'Get ahold of one, Frank,' or 'Let's go, Brooks.' -Earl Weaver
If anything, $64M may be a little high
Look at what Hamels just got for his 3 arbitration years, $20.5M. Obviously, it’s hard to compare a pitcher to a OF’er, but I think their values are pretty comparable, with Hamels maybe worth slightly more.
Giving him guaranteed money now for 6 years, to buy out 3 years of FA at $15M/year seems more than fair to me.
"Hey Yankees... you can take your apology and your trophy and shove 'em straight up your ass!" --Tanner Boyle
by BirdFanInPhilly on Jan 19, 2009 11:03 AM EST up reply actions
At least this is some positive news that says the O's are trying
The other moves to date were an attempt to just stop some of the hemorrhaging while guys like Jones, Wieters, and (man I hope) the pitching develop. Given other contracts we’ve seen, (e.g. Pedroia, Youkilis) Nick made off pretty damn good.
Thank goodness!
With AJ, Weiters, and NM, we have three blue chip position players locked up for the next 6 years. The young pitchers should be here in 2010-11. Unfortunately, that is the end of the really good news. Snyder is coming along, but he is not a top notch prospect. Rowell, unfortunately, looks like another in a long line of draft busts. Does anyone have much hope for Rowell? I have never seen him, and I know Rowell only through his poor numbers in the minors and his steady fall as a prospect.
Rowell
Actually before I get to him, let me just say good work in the front office if this deal gets done. Nick likely will continue to impress and improve in certain areas. I think his power will increase to 25 dingers annually and the OBP should stay in the stratosphere.
Now on to less lovely topics. Having seen Bill quite often in Frederick last season, I can tell you it is not a pretty picture at this point. His swing is long, but that shouldn’t be surprising given his height. It is a real problem though. He often gets left holding the bat one-handed in a statuesque swing-and-miss. When he does make contact, the ball jumps off the bat…but contact is few and far between. Defensively at third base he is even worse. It amazes me that he was a HS shortstop. I swear the boy made at least one error in every game I attended, and sometimes even more. He is likely to repeat at Frederick, which backs up the third base spot for those behind him. The Tylers—Henson and Kolodny that is—are both fringe prospects who also have their share of issues to overcome.
"...that our flag was still there...OOOOOO say does that star spangled..."
so did I
but this is why I think you don’t draft HS players in the first round. It is practically pure guesswork.
And before somebody mentions a bunch of high school 1st rd picks who turned out great, I’d still bet that far more high school players are misses. College players maybe aren’t much better, but it is something.
"Might as well just win this game." - Adam Jones, 4/17/2008
Adam Jones is the tits.
by KenDixonFanClub on Jan 18, 2009 9:37 PM EST up reply actions
I think there's been an analysis
Taht someone did post Moneyball — as I recall there isn’t much difference. Both types of players fail equally frequently.
But I can’t remember where I read it, so who knows?
it was Moneyball
Bill James data suggested that college players were a better investment by a huge margin over high schoolers and that the stereotype that HS’s were more likey to turn into superstars was clearly false.
Billy Rowell meet Tim Lincecum.
I still do...
…but it’s true that I hold out hope longer than I probably should. Still though, I think we should extend Rowell the same level of patience we did with Erbe who young for Frederick and didn’t perform at all. Erbe bounced back with a solid 08, and there is still hope for Rowell. I’m not real pleased with the separate batting coach and alleged attitude, but he’s 19, and when I was 19 I was something of a bag of douche too.
Librarians are hiding something
Yeah Casey Stengel once said
I got this guy over here, he is 20 and look in ten years he has a great chance to be 30.
Rowell is the poster child for our drafting mistakes this decade.
Sure, he's no lock
But I think its way premature to completely write off a 19 year old because of his performance in A+ ball one year.
"Hey Yankees... you can take your apology and your trophy and shove 'em straight up your ass!" --Tanner Boyle
by BirdFanInPhilly on Jan 19, 2009 10:43 AM EST up reply actions
I am not writing him off
but the pick that went right after Billy was some guy who won some award…cant quite remember it…he was a college pitcher…heard he is in the majors already and just might make it…Tim something….
Sure
There is almost always going to be some guy that was drafted later but ends up being a better pick.
"Hey Yankees... you can take your apology and your trophy and shove 'em straight up your ass!" --Tanner Boyle
by BirdFanInPhilly on Jan 19, 2009 11:46 AM EST up reply actions
Sure
I understand. But the point was Billy goes at 8, a hard to project high scooler, and Tim goes at 9, a dominant college pitcher.
Given how bad the Orioles were/are-Billy was going to be light years away even if he hit the ground running. It just seems like the Orioles made this much harder then it had to be and it clearly became a worse case scenario.
The last two years I think they got it right.
Agreed
Our drafting technique is light years ahead of what it was just a few years ago. We really have done well in the last two years, but that of course was influenced by our high draft positions.
I definitely would not write off Rowell yet either. As earlier stated, he did play last year as a teenager in High A ball. Let him repeat, and hopefully he remains healthy all year. He began last year by fouling a shot of his leg and that really stunted his progress at the time. He may need a position change on defense though…seriously, it’s not pretty at 3rd.
"...that our flag was still there...OOOOOO say does that star spangled..."
I hope Nick isn't having second thoughts...
I would like to see him sign on that dotted line already! This would be super fantastic for the Orioles though. And that would be nice…
Librarians are hiding something
Finally
Some real good news.
I’ve been hoping all through the hot stove season that AM&co would get some things done, looks like this week is the culmination of a lot of it.
Look out in 2010!
Mark - Ah, it’s good to be back in Maryland. All the stress of the last few weeks has really made me miss home. There’s no place like home for Christmas, right mom?
Mark’s mom - Boooooo! Booooooo!

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