Its beginning to look like Nick Markakis might be a second half player. He came up huge tonight with a 3-5 night with a walk and 2 RBI. The O's don't win against the ChiSox without Nick. He is currently hitting .342, with a .432 OBP, and a .984 OPS in July. Thats a hell of a month so far. If you look at his progression each month this seasons, he has gone from .245 in April, to .286 in May, to .292 in June, to .342 in July. Maybe he is a guy who just plays better as the weather heats up.
I remember hearing people say after Nick's rough start to his career that the O's made a mistake in bringing Markakis up too early. However, he acclimated well, and was an amazing player in the 2nd half of '06. He has done well so far in 2007, but he hasn't been amazing. However, his play seems to be picking up lately, and he is starting the second half of '07 in a much better place than he did in '06. If he has a similar 2nd half this season, his numbers will be extremely impressive. While I have a tendency to root for homegrown guys with the Orioles like Larry Bigbie and Luis Matos, Nick Markakis is not just another prospect. He is a legitimate big leaguer, who will be a top player for a long time. This is one of the bright spots to savor as an O's fan.
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