Doubles talk (updated)

Seeing Nick Markakis hit two doubles in today's game at Pittsburgh had to be a nice sight for Orioles fans. Markakis, formerly a doubles machine, had just seven doubles all year and this is his first game of the year with more than one double. Markakis, who had 43 or more doubles the last four years, was on a pace this year to produce just 16 doubles coming into today's game. Last season, he was tied for fourth in the American League with 45 doubles and he became just the third player in major league history with four straight years of 43 or more doubles. The other two players to do this, Joe Medwick (1935-39) and Tris Speaker (1920-23) are both in the Hall of Fame. Markakis is the first Oriole ever with four straight seasons of 40 or more doubles. While he averaged a double every 14 at bats last year, he is averaging one this year every 41.7 at bats. Today's two hit game extended Markakis' current batting streak to 13 games, four off his career best. Update: The scorer in Pittsburgh changed the Markakis at bat in the third to a single and error. Thanks to the scorer for trying to ruin my entry. But you get the point. Nick does not have a lot of doubles this year and does not have a two-double game coming into today. Maybe he will still get it this afternoon.