The week in review and comparing De Aza to Markakis

The Orioles lost three of their free agents this week after teams reached agreements with Nelson Cruz on Monday, Nick Markakis on Wednesday and Andrew Miller on Friday. Anyone nervous about Sunday or is it safe to go outside? The Orioles never were going to re-sign Miller and they weren't expected to retain Cruz unless he settled for three years. If fans are reeling, it's probably because they didn't anticipate being hit with the news in the same week. I figured that the Orioles would go 1-for-3 and sign Markakis to a four-year deal, but the expected surgery to repair a herniated disc changed their plans. All three losses hurt for different reasons. Cruz takes a big power bat to Seattle. Markakis is a sentimental favorite, a two-time Gold Glove winner and a player who possesses the on-base skills that the Orioles covet every winter. Miller can dominate left-handers and right-handers, making him a supreme late-inning weapon. And all three players were popular in the clubhouse. It could be worse. The Orioles could have let shortstop J.J. Hardy test the market. His signing looks more important every single day. Or every other day. The Yankees bullpen is intimidating with or without David Robertson, whether Miller or Dellin Betances closes. The Orioles can counter with Zach Britton, Darren O'Day and Tommy Hunter, which still gives them one of the better units in baseball, but Miller made it elite. I understand why teams didn't want to give a setup man $36 million, but building a dominant bullpen does more than ease the burden on the rotation. The Orioles have lost two important bats from their lineup. Shutting down the opponent's offense takes on greater importance unless they've got some big offensive moves in the works. Those funds can be reallocated. Miller would have been one way to do it. The Orioles remain in the market for bullpen help and at least one outfielder. They also want to add another catcher. That's the bulk of the Winter Meetings shopping list. Alejandro De Aza went from a potential non-tender early in the offseason to a potentially key component of the 2015 roster. He could platoon or be given a chance to play every day. Executive vice president Dan Duquette talked up De Aza on Thursday. "De Aza over the last three years has been a very similar player to Nick Markakis," Duquette said. "If you take a look at his overall contribution in the American League during that time, it's very comparable." There's one way to find out. Over the past three seasons spanning 426 games and 1,608 at-bats, De Aza has batted .266/.329/.401 with 80 doubles, 18 triples, 34 home runs, 153 RBIs and 221 runs scored. Over the past three seasons spanning 419 games and 1,696 at-bats, Markakis has batted .279/.342/.396 with 79 doubles, four triples, 37 home runs, 163 RBIs and 229 runs scored. De Aza also has 136 walks, 375 strikeouts and 63 stolen bases in three seasons. Markakis has 159 walks, 211 strikeouts and six stolen bases. De Aza has more speed. Markakis has the better arm and those two Gold Gloves. De Aza is a career .274 hitter against right-handers and a .247 hitter against left-handers. Markakis is a career .291 hitter against right-handers and a .288 hitter against left-handers. De Aza must become more than a platoon player in the eyes of the Orioles. He shouldn't try to replace the leadership that Markakis provided. The Orioles still have veterans like Hardy, Adam Jones, Matt Wieters and O'Day to police the clubhouse and set an example. Shameless plug alert: I'm appearing on "Wall to Wall Baseball" today from noon-2 p.m. on MASN.