'Staying healthy' will be key for Nick Markakis in 2014

Orioles outfielder Nick Markakis is coming off a season in which he posted career lows in batting average (.271), on-base percentage (.329), slugging percentage (.356) and OPS (.685). Markakis also had career lows in home runs (10) and doubles (24).

While Markakis made no excuses for his down year in 2013, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said at the winter meetings that "staying healthy" will be key for Markakis having a bounce-back season in 2014, according to MASNsports.com.

"Nick is not one of those guys that broadcasts, as my mom used to say, he enjoys ill health," Showalter said. "You get some people once you know everything is wrong with them, Nick is not one of those guys. Probably half the things we don't even know. Somebody told me the other day that he's about as good as he's felt and looked in a long time. We'll see. I think most of it is going to be health."