LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Nick Markakis said on March 7 that he would only need about a “week’s worth of at-bats” to be ready for opening day, and it looks like the Braves right fielder will get close to two weeks’ worth.
After missing most of spring training while recovering from Dec. 17 neck surgery for a herniated disk, Markakis will make his much-anticipated Grapefruit League debut Monday as a designated hitter against the Astros in Kissimmee, Fla. Barring any setbacks, he’ll play in the outfield in Tuesday’s home game against the Phillies.
Braves officials and players have eagerly awaited the debut of Markakis, 31, a steady veteran who signed a four-year, $44 million free-agent contract with the Braves in December, then had fusion surgery two weeks later. He wasn’t permitted to run until the day he reported to spring training in late February, and was only cleared to start light throwing and swinging earlier this month.
After two weeks of hitting balls off a tee or tossed to him in the batting cage, Markakis took batting practice on the field at Champion Stadium each of the past three days. Noticeably stronger than he was four weeks ago, he hit the ball with authority Sunday and showed no sign of discomfort or favoring the back.
“He looks great,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “I know what he can do. I’m just looking forward to getting him in there and getting him in baseball shape.”
Braves president John Schuerholz and CEO Terry McGuirk stood a few feet away behind the batting-cage netting and seemed quite pleased watching Markakis hit line drive after line drive against a coach who was pitching.
Markakis’ disk condition was first diagnosed in spring training 2013 with the Orioles. It had worsened since, but didn’t keep him from playing 160 games in 2013 and 155 last season, when he won his second Gold Glove and hit .276 with a .342 on-base percentage, 27 doubles and 14 home runs.
A graduate of Woodstock High School in suburban Atlanta, Markakis played nine seasons with the Orioles before signing with the Braves, the team he followed as a kid and while playing at Young Harris College in Georgia. He has a .290 career average, .358 OBP and .435 slugging percentage with 316 doubles, 141 homers and 658 RBIs in nine seasons.
Markakis played 155 or more games in seven of the past eight seasons, including 160 or more games in five seasons. He’s known for his quiet intensity, his work habits – he works out after almost every game – and for being a leader by example.
Kelly Johnson, whose locker is next to Markakis’ locker in the Braves clubhouse, said he’s noticed him being more vocal this spring. Johnson played with and against Markakis last season, when Johnson played parts of the season with three different American League East teams – the Orioles, Yankees and Red Sox.
“He’s a fricking pro,” Johnson said. “He does everything right. Always throws to the right base, always hits the cutoff man, always takes the right angle. If you need to take a pitch, he takes a pitch. If you need to get a guy over, he gets the guy over. Get a guy in, he gets the guy in. He’s just that kind of guy.
“He’ll go through some spots where he’s struggling, but a struggle for him is, like, 0-for-7, not 0-for-20.”
