As much as the Orioles could use another left-handed pitcher, Nick Markakis isn?t leaving his post in right field.
During a lunchtime question-and-answer session with fans Thursday at ESPNZone in the Inner Harbor, Markakis ? a former standout pitcher at Young Harris (Ga.) Junior College ? was asked if his stuff was good enough to mow down big-league hitters.
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“No,” Markakis said bluntly, drawing laughs from the crowd. “I haven?t pitched since 2004 in the Olympics [for the home-standing Greek team], and even then I only pitched two innings. But I still mess around out in the bullpen every now and then.”
Markakis said he routinely jokes around with pitching coach Leo Mazzone about his mound prowess. When asked which pitch was his best in college, Markakis couldn?t decide between curve and fastball ? which touched 96 mph while at Young Harris.
In 2003, he went 12-0 with one save and a 1.68 ERA, and led all junior-college pitchers with 160 strikeouts. He also batted .439 with 21 homers and 92 RBI, swiping 19 bases in 20 attempts. A handful of teams were interested in him as a pitcher.
He admitted the decision to give up pitching was tough, but he has made good on the choice after just 212 big-league games.
Markakis broke out with 10 home runs in August 2006 and finished his rookie season batting .291 with 16 homers and 62 RBI in 147 games.
Through 65 games this season, he is batting .265. Markakis? 39 RBI and 115 total bases lead the club, and he is tied for the team lead with nine home runs.
“I feel like I?m starting all over from last year, making adjustments day in and day out.” he said. “The pitchers are making adjustments to me, and the biggest thing is to make adjustments back to them.”
Markakis has become the face of the franchise. Fans crowded into the theater section of ESPNZone ? many wearing Markakis T-shirts ? and spilled into the walkways and the bar area. An Orioles van outside of the restaurant had Markakis? image etched on the side.
But Markakis still has heroes.
As a Red Sox fan growing up, Markakis idolized then-Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens, whose No. 21 Markakis wears today. Markakis could face Clemens, now a Yankee, when New York visits Baltimore June 26-28.
“I never thought I?d actually have the chance to face him,” Markakis said. “It will be special day if I get that opportunity.”
THE MARKAKIS FILE
» Age: 23
» Height/Weight: 6-foot-2/ 214 pounds
» Position: Right field
» Residence: Woodstock, Ga.
» Did you know? Before he was selected by the Orioles with the seventh overall pick in the 2003 draft, Markakis was twice chosen by the Cincinnati Reds ? in ?01 and ?02 ? but did not sign ? Batted .301 with 27 homers and 184 RBI in 279 minor-league games.
