It looks like the long-awaited deal with Nick Marakis and the Orioles has been completed. Finally, the organization locks up their young talent for a change rather than they going somewhere else…
From the Baltimore Sun: The Orioles have finalized a six-year, $66 million contract extension with outfielder Nick Markakis, according to baseball sources. Markakis will be in Baltimore later this week to take a routine physical and to sign the contract.
The deal, which will keep one of the organization’s building blocks with the Orioles through at least the 2014 season, could also include some incentives and a limited no-trade clause. In terms of guaranteed money, it will be the second-most expensive contract in Orioles history behind only the six-year, $72 million pact given to shortstop Miguel Tejada in December 2003.
Markakis, 25, didn’t return a phone call today seeking comment. However, it’s expected that he’ll take a physical on either Wednesday or Thursday and then the Orioles will have a news conference to announce the deal. Markakis is currently working out in Atlanta.
Aside from the Markakis deal, the Orioles also completed a minor trade as the Red Sox traded right-handed pitcher David Pauley to the Orioles for right-handed reliever Randor Bierd.
Here’s some more insight from MASN’s Roch Kubatko:
Pauley is 0-3 with a 9.53 ERA, including five starts. He’s allowed 54 hits in 28 1/3 innings. You can read more about him here.
The Padres traded Pauley, Jay Payton and Ramon Vazquez to the Red Sox for Dave Roberts in 2004.
Bierd wasn’t invited to spring training. When I brought up Bierd’s name to team president Andy MacPhail yesterday, he mentioned how it was a “numbers thing” and the Orioles had a surplus of right-handed relievers.
