Markakis talks charity, baseball - Carroll County Times

Nick Markakis took the Orioles by storm when he was called up in 2006. Since then, the right fielder has certainly made his mark throughout the baseball world, not only as a talented young player with five-tool potential, but also as the co-founder of the RightSide Foundation, an organization dedicated to assisting children throughout Maryland.

Q: Tell me about the RightSide Foundation. What compelled you to start it and what have been some of its accomplishments to date?

A: I think it started out with my wife and I's love for kids. We just, we love being around them, [we'd] always known when we got older and were able to be in this situation we would give back to kids in the community and be able to work with them.

And as far as the RightSide Foundation, it's helping distressed kids throughout Maryland; we didn't want to just pinpoint one group or the other, we wanted to involve all the kids in all the different areas. Last year we had one big event - we had a 5k that helped raise money for the foundation.

But for the most part I think we do a lot of small events, we call them Fun for 21 events; last year we did three, this year we're doing six. And what we do, we just take 21 kids, no particular way we select them, we just go around to different organizations, and you know we have 21 kids and we take them out to a fun event, something that they're not able to do, depending on the situation they're in.

We just allow them to go out and just have a fun day, not worry about anything ... we have a lot of sick kids, we have them come - we've been to an aquarium, we brought them into the ballpark - just different areas and get their mind off all their stress they're going through; you know those types of situations.

Q: Obviously a player's performance can directly affect their team's success or failure. Conversely, how has the Orioles rough start affected you, if at all, as a player, mentally?

A: The start of the season, it's been tough, but you know it's baseball, it's a long season, you can't just determine the whole season on one month. Yeah, we've dug ourselves in a hole, and we know what we've got to do to get out of it, but you just [have to] stay positive, for the most part just stay positive, go forward, take each day, day by day, and each game, game by game.

Q: You once said Roy Halladay was your least favorite pitcher to face in the AL East. Based on that, what was your reaction upon learning he had made the move to Philadelphia, and who would you say is the hardest pitcher to face now?

A: Oh, Halladay, any time you can get a guy like that out of the division, it's always a plus for a hitter. I know the opposing team hates to see him go, because he's the type of guy you want out on the mound: he goes after you, he works fast, he's got great stuff and he's a smart pitcher, he knows how to pitch you.

Yeah, it was good to see him go. But in the same part, you don't mind facing guys like that because you know they're good, and they make you work, and you can only get better as a hitter, facing those type of guys. But, as far as now, who is my toughest; I'd have to say Lester, Jon Lester on Boston. He's got three, four great plus pitches, and he's lefty on lefty, throws hard, he's going to make you work for a hit, so really it's fun but it's frustrating at the same time.

Q: You started your baseball career as a pitcher. Do you feel that has given you any advantage with respect to your ability to read the pitcher you're facing?

A: I'd have to say no. Because when I was pitching in college, and the pitching now in the big leagues, is two completely different things. Guys pitch completely different ... as far as me pitching in college, the way I approached a college hitter is not the same as a big league pitcher facing a big league hitter, there's some differences, but y'know overall, I don't really see as much of an advantage.

Q: You signed a 6 year, $61 million contract last year. How much pressure, if any, has that added to your game?

A: I'd say it adds a little bit of pressure, but it also relaxes you at the same time, so it kind of evens itself out. The way you approach it, you got those high expectations, but you try not to go above and beyond those expectations, then you get caught up in bad habits and you find yourself pressing, trying to do too hard, and not allow yourself to be the player you are; I think the biggest thing is just stay within yourself and try not to let those things get under your skin and add all the extra pressure on you.

Times Synergy Correspondent Elaina Clarke is a home-schooled senior.