If there was any doubt about the way Nick Markakis would be received upon his return to Oriole Park with the Atlanta Braves on Monday night, it was quickly drowned out by the 30-second standing ovation he received as he stepped to the plate to lead off the first inning.
Markakis isn't the demonstrative type, but the crowd persisted until he stepped back out of the batter's box, acknowledged his former teammates in the Orioles dugout, then doffed his batting helmet and gestured his appreciation to both the right and left field stands.
Then he did something else that wasn't surprising.