If Nick Markakis played for a decent team, he'd probably have been an All-Star by now.

In nearly five seasons, he has a .296 batting average, an .828 OPS and he plays really good defense in right field. But alas, with nothing much surrounding him in Baltimore, Markakis' RBI and runs scored totals suffer.

Now, however, Markakis (in the center of the celebration at left) has a pretty nice historical footnote to his name. He hit his 40th double Tuesday, giving him four consecutive 40-plus double seasons.

According to research by the team, only three other players have ever had a streak of four seasons or more, and the other three are in the Hall of Fame. Ducky Medwick had seven straight seasons (1933-39), Harry Heilmann had five (1923-27) and Tris Speaker four (1920-23). Nobody has been a doubles machine at this level in more than 70 years.

“It's definitely something to be excited about," Markakis told the Baltimore Sun. "You just got to keep plugging away and go about your business. When you go out there and play hard every day ... you're going to have your struggles, but it's always good to get something like that.”

-- David Andriesen

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A look at this week in promotional giveaways from around baseball:

Monday, Aug. 2
Brooklyn Cyclones (New York-Penn League) -- Ike Davis bobblehead -- or bobblesomething. The Cyclones are celebrating Davis' three heads-over-heels caches over the dugout railing with an upside-down bobblehead, although I'm not sure what exactly bobbles.
Springfield Cardinals (Texas League) -- duffel bag. The practical giveaways are the best -- who can't use another duffel bag?

Tuesday, Aug. 3
Springfield Cardinals (Texas League) Whitey Herzog bobblehead. If you missed the big league team giving away Whitey bobbleheads last week, here's another chance.
Reading Phillies (Eastern League) -- Ryan Howard garden gnome. It kind of looks more like a wizard version of Ryan Howard, but, you know, either way my wife would love this, not because she likes Ryan Howard but because she has a really weird things with gnomes. When she saw our local nine had a gnome giveaway this year, she circled that date on the calendar.

Wednesday, Aug. 4
Chicago Cubs -- beer koozie. What else could you want or need at Wrigley Field?
Los Angeles Dodgers -- beach towel
Portland Sea Dogs (Eastern League) -- Hanley Ramirez bobblehead. I always appreciate when minor league clubs honor players who played for them, even if they're no longer in the organization. Kudos Sea Dogs.
State College Spikes (New York-Penn League) -- Daniel Moskos & Tony Sanchez double bobblehead

Thursday, Aug. 5
Lehigh Valley IronPigs (International League) -- Brian Schneider bobblehead
New Britain Rock Cats (Eastern League) -- beach towel
Brooklyn Cyclones (New York-Penn League) -- Irish Heritage Jersey
State College Spikes (New York-Penn league) -- kids Roberto Clemente Kids activity book. It's good to educate the kids.

Friday, Aug. 6
Baltimore Orioles -- Nick Markakis mini bobblehead
Detroit Tigers -- island-themed Tigers floppy hat. It's like a combo Magnum costume -- in floppy hat form. The pattern of a Hawaiian shirt and the Detroit Tigers' D
Pittsburgh Pirates --  Andrew McCutchen bobblehead
Buffalo Bisons (International League) -- toothbrush. This may be one of the lamer giveaways, I've got to admit.
Trenton Thunder (Eastern League) -- David Robertson bobblehead
Vermont Lake Monsters (New York-Penn League) Buster Olney bobblehead. When sportswriters get their own bobblehead, you may have run out of ideas. Olney grew up in the state.
Everett AquaSox (Northwest League) -- recycled tote bag

Saturday, Aug. 7
Cleveland Indians -- Kenny Lofton "The Catch" bobblehead. This one is great, I love bobbleheads from specific events, hence my Endy Chavez bobblehead. This one is from Lofton's catch over the wall of a sure homer by Baltimore's B.J. Surhoff on Aug. 4, 1996.
Florida Marlins -- samba whistle. Better than a vuvuzela.
Arizona Diamondbacks -- Luis Gonzalez bobblehead. In an added bonus, 50 fans will get an autographed, bronze version.
Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Pacific Coast League) -- Goose Gossage figurine.
Round Rock Express (Pacific Coast League) -- souvenir desk batting helmets
Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Texas League) -- lunchbox
Stockton Ports (California League) -- Grant Desme bobblehead
Kinston Indians (Carolina League) -- reusable grocery bag
South Bend Silver Hawks (Midwest League) -- reusable grocery bag
Princeton Rays (Appalachian League) -- Wade Davis bobblehead
Billings Mustakens (Pioneer League) -- Jason LaRue bobblehead. See what Jason LaRue looked like before his awesome mustache (hint: less awesome).

Sunday, August 8
Milwaukee Brewers -- Italian sausage racing sausage bobblehead. I've gotten the bratwurst and a previous italian sausage bobblehead off of eBay, and I can tell you it's great. Although my wife said she didn't think it looked like a sausage.
Chicago Cubs -- light switch cover. Really, a nice, simple giveaway. It's got pinstripes and if you're a Cubs fan and have a man room or something, it's pretty cool.
Pittsburgh Pirates -- batting helmet. The classics never die.
Harrisburg Senators (Eastern League) -- Stephen Strasburg bobblehead. How'd he get his own bobblehead? Oh yeah. He's good.
Brooklyn Cyclones (New York-Penn League) -- MCU Park model.

-- C. Trent Rosecrans

For more baseball news, rumors and analysis, follow @cbssportsmlb on Twitter.

So who gets the check between a guy making $6.75 million a year or the guy who can afford to pay a guy $6.75 million a year?

Either way, the tip better be pretty good.

Anyway, Baltimore's Nick Markakis met with Orioles owner Peter Angelos for about an hour-and-a-half on Thursday, the Baltimore Sun 's Jeff Zrebiec reports. And because it lasted so long, it was likely more than Markakis telling him he sucks.

"I wanted to give him my input and tell him the things I thought we lacked and needed, and what we needed to change," Markakis said. "He's completely open to anything. He was listening, and he was a lot easier to talk to than I anticipated. You know me, sometimes you’ll have a better conversation with the wall than talking to me. But it went a lot better and it was a lot smoother than I thought it was going to go. If I can strike up a conversation and talk to a guy like him who owns the team, I think it is a good situation."

Last week Markakis made his displeasure with the team known and wanted to talk to Angelos about it.

"I want to see this organization going the right way," Markakis said. "When you can get things turned around and in the right direction, this will be one of the best places in baseball to play. As players, as an organization, I think we owe it to fans and the people that are here to make that next step to show that we are willing and we do want to compete. We know we’re in the toughest division in baseball, we know what we are up against. Right now, our backs are against the wall. All our top prospects in the minor leagues are here. I think it’s unfair to put them in that situation where they feel like they have to go out there and do too much, and I think it’s showing. We need to address that and go from there."

Markakis is in the second year of a six-year, $66 million deal with a club option for 2015, so he's pretty much stuck there.

-- C. Trent Rosecrans

For more baseball news, rumors and analysis, follow @cbssportsmlb on Twitter.

Nick Markakis isn't happy about the Orioles' play of late, and the usually quiet outfielder had plenty to say about it.

"I know we have a lot of injured guys, we’re in the toughest division in baseball and we’re a last-place team. But at this point, it’s mind boggling," Markakis told the Baltimore Sun 's Jeff Zrebiec.

Markakis wasn't just talking about the team's disastrous 18-48 record entering play Wednesday. He had gripes about the team's overall approach, and wasn't afraid to finger himself as aprt of the problem.

“Sometimes, guys are going up there and it looks like they have no idea what they’re doing," he said.

"I’m not saying that to bash guys. I want guys to be successful, I want this team to be successful, and I have to produce as well. I'm part of this. But it takes a lot more than one big bat. ... You need guys in there who have a plan, who have a clue and who know how to execute that plan and get on base. "

Even though Markakis said he himself must produce better, he's among the best hitters on the team along with Ty Wigginton and Luke Scott. Markakis' .300 batting average leads the club, although he's suffering a mysterious power outage that has seen the former 20-home run man jack just three bombs all season long.

"You have to go up there with an approach. [Hitting coach Terry Crowley] has 110 percent nothing to do with the way we are going about our business at the plate and on the field right now," Markakis continued.

The O's currently rank 29th in runs scored with 214 and are closer to last place (Pittsburgh, 210) than 28th (Houston, 226). The club's on base percentage is slightly better, placing 27th but is just mere percentage points ahead of Toronto for worst OBP for an AL club. And of course, the Jays have their MLB-leading103 home runs sustaining them.

"You can point your fingers here and there, but it is what it is. You’re in the big leagues. You have to change your approach on your own. If you go up there clueless, you’re going to come back [to the dugout] clueless. It’s that simple."

Interim manager Juan Samuel and Wigginton, when asked about Markakis' comments, were in agreement about the team's poor offensive plan.

-- Evan Brunell

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