masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis was supposed to have the pins removed from his left thumb today, but the date has been pushed back a week after his examination today by a hand specialist in Sarasota.

“They’re staying in another week, so I’ll get them out next Tuesday or Monday,” he said. “It was just crushed too bad in there and I had a lot of pieces here and there. Probably on a clean break the pins could come out today, but my situation’s a little different,…ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis was supposed to have the pins removed from his left thumb today, but the date has been pushed back a week after his examination today by a hand specialist in Sarasota.

“They’re staying in another week, so I’ll get them out next Tuesday or Monday,” he said. “It was just crushed too bad in there and I had a lot of pieces here and there. Probably on a clean break the pins could come out today, but my situation’s a little different, so they’re going to want to keep them in another week and I’m sure I’ll be in a splint for a week or two after that, so I’m probably a good three weeks away, at a minimum.”

Markakis said he’ll have the pins removed in Baltimore by a hand specialist or team orthopedist Dr. John Wilckens.

“I knew there was a chance they could come out today, but when he told me it was three to four weeks and just the severity of the break, he wants to be on the safe side rather than the sorry side.”

The Orioles have been hoping to get Markakis back in the lineup if they advance deep into the postseason.

The news is much better on pitcher Steve Johnson, who said the MRI on his left knee today was “good.”

“It’s feeling a whole lot better today than it did yesterday,” he said. “Hopefully, I’ll do more treatment and be good to go. They said (the MRI) was good, so that’s good news. It’s what I was hoping for.”

Steve Pearce has joined the Orioles at Tropicana Field today, his second tour with them in 2012.

“Baseball’s a funny game,” he said.

Chris Davis and Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander have been named co-American League Players of the Week.

Davis batted .423 (11-for-26) with one double, five home runs, 10 RBIs and eight runs scored in seven games to capture his first career weekly honor. Among major league leaders for the week, Davis led all players in homers, RBIs and total bases (27). He also led the league in slugging percentage (1.038) and finishing tied for second in runs scored.