Nick Markakis on Orioles: “Don’t Believe a Word They Say”
Former Orioles outfielder Nick Markakis had some choice words for his old team.
Outfielder Nick Markakis spent the first nine years of his career with the Baltimore Orioles, where he was an All-Star and a constant presence for the team. Despite declining his $17.5 million option this offseason, the team continued to negotiate with Markakis, trying to bring him back.
Talks with Baltimore fizzled, and Markakis ended up signing a four-year, $44 million deal with the Atlanta Braves. Now it appears he has developed some bad blood with his former employer.
“Don’t believe a word they say,” he now says of his old team.
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After Markakis signed with the Braves, it was revealed that he had a bulging disc in his neck, which he had surgery on in December, and he believes there’s a chance he will be ready for opening day.
Markakis says he believes that this was the only reason the Orioles didn’t bring him back.
“It was all because of my neck,” Markakis told USA Today Sports, when asked why the Orioles didn’t bring him back. “They can say what they want to make them look good. Don’t believe anything they say. It’s all B.S.”
“But, things work out the way they do for a reason, right?” he finished.
Orioles GM Dan Duquette acknowledged to USA Today that Markakis’ neck was in fact a concern.
“We were worried about the neck,” Duquette said.
The 31-year-old Markakis is a one-time All-Star with 141 home runs and a career .358 on-base percentage. Before his departure, he was the longest-tenured Oriole player.
A November 13 report from NBC Sports said Markakis was “close” to re-signing with Baltimore, but apparently something changed, and a month later he was an Atlanta Brave.
The Orioles lost both Markakis and fellow outfielder Nelson Cruz this offseason, and did not bring any big-ticket free agents in to replace their outfielders in what has been a very quiet offseason for Baltimore.
If Markakis has anything else to say to about the Orioles, he should just let Thin Lizzy do his talking for him:
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