Nick Markakis: "I kind of understand what the fans are going through"

Nick Markakis is in his ninth season with the Orioles and he's finally going to get to play in the postseason, it appears. With the Orioles magic number at one, their next win will give the Orioles their ninth division title. Markakis has played for losing Orioles teams, and was on the 2012 squad, but his season ended when he got hit by a pitch a few weeks shy of that postseason. "I think it means a little more to me because this is all I know," Markakis said this afternoon. "This is the only place I've played. I kind of understand what the fans are going through. As a person going through several years of struggle to get to where we are. You have to go through struggles to get to the top. "It's a little more special than sitting on the bench rooting these guys on. It was a tough blow in 2012, but I'm here now enjoying it. Try to get as far as we can go." Markakis was asked when he knew the Orioles were good. "You could see it coming in years in the past," he said. "The development and the direction the team was going. You knew it was only a matter of time. "That is one reason I signed here. I knew eventually it was going to happen. Things don't come right away. With a little hard work, patience and dedication, good things come from it. You could see it going in that direction. It was a matter of plugging in players here and there. We've got it now and we're going to roll with it." Adam Jones was asked what he was doing in 1997 when the Orioles last won the American League East. "I was in junior high school. I remember the Orioles were playing good baseball," Jones said. "I remember seeing that as a kid. Now it's pretty cool that I can relive it and see that warehouse light up if the possibility occurs." Jones indicated that he doesn't expect any Orioles retaliation tonight for the pitch that Marcus Stroman threw near Caleb Joseph's head last night. "It is the unfortunate part of the game but it happens in baseball," Jones said. "That was yesterday. Move on. It's competitors going after it and things happen on the field." Jones has been dealing with assorted bumps and bruises and pains as the long season has worn on. He had a one-word answer when asked today if he'd welcome some days off after the Orioles clinch? "Yes," he said loudly and with a big smile.