September 09, 2012|By Eduardo A. Encina, The Baltimore Sun
Showalter said the team will look at opportunities outside the organization to help replace Markakis, but Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette said he will initially look from within.
"We are going to see if we have some options in-house first," Duquette said Sunday.
Chris Davis will see more time in right field, as will Lew Ford. More designated-hitter opportunities will become available to Wilson Betemit, one of the team's top hitters against right-handed pitching. Rookie Xavier Avery could be another option in right field and maybe at the top of the order. He made 15 starts at leadoff earlier this year.
"It's going to be tough," Davis said. "[Markakis] has been nothing but incredible since he has been back. We do have the luxury of having a bunch of guys that we called up in September that can kind of rotate in there, pinch-run, do stuff that we need them to do. But you can't replace a guy like Nick Markakis. Obviously, it gives us more incentive to go out there and win and stay in it as long as we can and give him a chance to come back."
This Orioles team has overcome its share of adversity, but every obstacle presented opportunity for another player. Showalter hopes the team will rally in his absence much like Markakis did when Showalter desperately needed a leadoff man at the break, a move that might have been one of the best decisions all year.
"It's kind of the example that guys like Nick set for everybody," Showalter said. "'What's the team need? If this is what the team needs, let's go.'
"But I don't think anybody's coming in here trying to replace Nick."
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