There haven't been a lot of things that have gone right for the Baltimore Orioles in recent years as the team just hasn't been able to find a way to compete with the big dogs of the AL East despite repeated attempts to buy legitimacy in free agency. It seems as if the Orioles haven't paid much attention to the fact that while big free agents are nice additions to a ballclub, a team can't win if it doesn't accumulate young talent and keep those kids in town.Which is why Orioles fans are going to be happy to hear that Nick Markakis will be manning right field in Camden Yards until sometime in 2014, or the end of the world, whichever comes first. According to the Baltimore Sun, the team is on the verge of signing Markakis to a six-year extension.
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.According to the source who broke the news to the Sun, there are only a few details of the contract left to be ironed out, and after Markakis takes a physical it should be announced by Tuesday's arbitration deadline. If the Sun has the money right, this would be the second largest contract in Orioles history, trailing only Miguel Tejada's $72 million deal signed in 2003.
"We're close," said MacPhail, without revealing specifics. "But we're not there yet."
No word on how Cole Hamels feels after getting an extension for half as long, and worth half as much even though he just helped his team win a World Series, but I'm pretty sure Markakis is loving it.
