masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgNick Markakis just told reporters that the surgery he will have tomorrow to repair his broken left thumb could have him back playing baseball again in “around four weeks” – if the Orioles are still playing games then.

“It’s good and bad,” Markakis said. “They said the surgery will actually knock off about three weeks of recovery. So, hopefully we are looking at somewhere around four weeks. You know, it’s good news and bad news, I’m just going to go ahead and get it done and get it out…Nick Markakis just told reporters that the surgery he will have tomorrow to repair his broken left thumb could have him back playing baseball again in “around four weeks” – if the Orioles are still playing games then.

“It’s good and bad,” Markakis said. “They said the surgery will actually knock off about three weeks of recovery. So, hopefully we are looking at somewhere around four weeks. You know, it’s good news and bad news, I’m just going to go ahead and get it done and get it out of the way.

“They’re are going to go ahead and put a T-plate in there on the top of my thumb, screw it down and wait for it to heal.”

So this will speed up his process of getting back to the team?

“Yeah, absolutely,” he said. “It’s just the healing process. It’s just like my hand, there is a bone and no rehab for it. Just a matter of time and hopefully my body can recover quick and I can make a run towards the end with these guys.”

He sees this as good news for his hopes to still play this season.

“In the overall, outcome, yeah, I’d say it’s good news. I’d rather not get cut on again, but it’s for the best and I’ll get it done and hopefully have a speedy recovery,” Markakis said.

Will Markakis then be able to swing a bat and take part in baseball activities sooner than four weeks from now?

“I have no idea. I have no idea what the timetable is and what’s going on with that. The main thing is I just want to get it all fixed up and get the recovery process going,” he said.

Update: The Orioles just announced on Twitter that Markakis’ surgery will take place Tuesday, not Monday.