KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Nick Markakis is not a perfect fit for the Mets.
They want a corner outfield bat who projects to more power, though good luck finding that in this market. They want someone who probably will cost less, though when is a team that plays its home games in New York going to stop using that as an excuse? Would they like someone younger? Sure. Again, good luck finding the perfect guy.
What Markakis does offer, the Mets need and — by the way — Sandy Alderson likes. He can hit leadoff. He had a .342 on-base percentage this season, .358 for his career, has a habit of turning at-bats serial (3.97 pitch per plate appearance average) and doesn't back down as a lefty hitter against lefty pitching. He is an excellent two-way player, a pro, a grinder and durable — he has played 147 or more games in eight of his nine seasons.
If you want one more small detail, Markakis spent his early years in Farmingdale and still has family there (though he did grow up a Red Sox fan).
Now that its season is over, Baltimore can focus on next year. To that end, the Orioles plan to reject their half of Markakis' $17.5 million mutual option for 2015, pay him a $2 million buyout and then probably put the $15.3 million qualifying offer on him. If he accepts, they would save $200,000 — the difference between $17.5 million and $17.3 million ($15.3 million plus the $2 million buyout). If he rejects, they would get a draft pick if he signs elsewhere. But if he rejects, they also can continue negotiating with him.
Baltimore general manager Dan Duquette said he hopes to keep Markakis, and owner Peter Angelos is known to be particularly fond of the right fielder, who has said his preference is to stay with the only franchise for which he has played (he was Baltimore's first pick in 2003).
Duquette said making the playoffs helps with funds to increase payroll. But the Orioles have Adam Jones, J.J. Hardy and Ubaldo Jimenez signed for $37 million in 2015. Chris Davis, Matt Wieters, Bud Norris, Alejando De Aza, Tommy Hunter, Brian Matusz and Steve Pearce will each be entering his final arbitration offseason before free agency. That should cost roughly another $40 million, though Hunter and Matusz are non-tender candidates.
They almost certainly will put the qualifying offer on Nelson Cruz, who probably will cost somewhere between four years at $60 million and five at $75 million to keep. And he could be the potential free-agent bat they most prioritize.
So how does Markakis fit with the Mets? As a similar-type player to Hardy, Markakis will probably want at least the same three-year, $40 million deal the shortstop just took to re-sign with the Orioles. That could be too rich for Baltimore. Markakis turns 31 next month and his worst two OPS seasons have been 2013-14.
Still, Markakis' well-rounded skill set and gamer style should make him popular if he does delve into free agency. The Mets could believe that given playing time to grow, Kirk Nieuwenhuis or Matt den Dekker could be a version of Markakis. But the Mets want to begin winning next year and Markakis could definitely help.
Maddon: Focus is on Rays
One of Andrew Friedman's earliest important decisions as Rays general manager was to hire Joe Maddon to manage. Together for the past nine seasons, the duo transformed Tampa Bay from laughingstock to model for small-market efficiency. So with Friedman leaving to become the Dodgers' president of baseball operations, Maddon felt it was not like losing a boss.
"We've had a nice marriage," Maddon said by phone. "Now we have to go through the divorce. It is going to be tough — we were that close."
Maddon listed Friedman's attributes and at the top he cited, "Andrew doesn't shy away from a tough conversation. I am not talking about confrontation, I am talking about the ability to speak to people on tough subjects."
Because of the relationship, the natural speculation quickly became that Maddon, despite having one year left on his contract, would wind up with Friedman in L.A. But Rays president Matt Silverman told the Tampa Bay Times that Maddon is definitely managing the Rays in 2015 and Maddon told me, "I know it is a natural thing [to speculate that he will go to the Dodgers]. Obviously, I knew that would happen. But I have always told Matt and [owner] Stu [Sternberg] that I want to stay a Ray. I mean that sincerely. I want to be part of a World Series winner with the Rays."
Moore talk Royals GM will bolt
The rumor that won't die — even as Kansas City has advanced to the World Series — is that Royals general manager Dayton Moore will leave that role to take over the Braves.
Frank Wren was fired after the Braves' collapse this season. John Hart was named the interim GM and was asked to take the job permanently. He has told friends he does not want the day-to-day grind involved anymore, but has yet to flatly reject the position. There are scenarios in which he will stay on either as the GM or as a senior advisor and current assistant GM John Coppolella would be promoted.
Hart, Coppolella and Braves president John Schuerholz have spent the past few weeks making hires and restructures for the minor league system and domestic/international scouting departments, believing the feeder system had long been the lifeblood of the organization and had gone awry.
But without a GM being named, there are officials in the game who believe Atlanta is waiting for the Royals' season to end to go after Moore. He worked for the Braves for 12 years, at the end as the assistant GM. He had much to do with building a strong farm system. He is known to be a favorite of Schuerholz.
Moore has been the Royals' GM since June 2006 and is finally seeing the fruits of his rebuilding of this system. He is from Wichita, is raising his family in Kansas City and is said to be tight with Royals owner David Glass.
When I asked about the Braves job, Moore said, "There is nothing for me to comment on. John Schuerholz has been one of my biggest supporters. It [time with the Braves] is an important part of my past. But this [the Royals in the playoffs] is important in the present."
While Moore left wiggle room, Glass did not. After the Royals clinched the pennant, Glass told Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com about Moore: "Absolutely, he's staying."
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