Chris Davis

[RZNJ]

Some thoughts on Chris Davis.

Going into the season, I thought he'd be released by June. I thought he was awful. Now, at times the did look awful but at other times he was one of the best hitters on the team. Certainly, you could make the argument that he has the most power. IMO, he also played a decent RF and has a very good and accurate arm. I thought he was below average at 1B and have no desire to see him play there again. If the O's sign McLouth that leaves Davis out of the outfield starting picture, I think. Sure, Davis could be the DH with Reimold and Betemit on the bench. He could go back to 1B if Reynolds is not retained.

How many of you out there believe that Chris Davis can either repeat this year or improve on it? What kind of trade value does a young, fairly cheap, power hitter with questionable plate discipline have? Would you consider dealing him and going with Reimold and Betemit at DH?

[Mondo Trasho]

I'm not comfortable depending on Reimold for anything, really. And Davis' bat was better than Wilson's this year (as was his outfield defense). Davis should DH. He has value to this team (and I suppose others) because he can play adequately at both outfield spots and around average at first base, while providing power at the plate. I'd like to keep both him and Reynolds (because of Reynolds defense at first was phenomenal) but I do admit they bring almost the same exact skills as hitters (though I like Davis' swing a little better).

[sangar]

I'm not convinced that McLouth has permanently returned to form but I am pretty sure that this is the Chris Davis we will see the next few years.

I would bring both back, but I would have McLouth in a reserve role and rotate Davis through DH, 1st, and OF.

[El Gordo]

We have a lot of options with Davis. We can play him in LF if we don't sign McLouth or someone else. We can DH him, or we can play him at 1B if we don't keep Reynolds. And who knows maybe we can stick him in the pen in a pinch. Anyway, he is a useful piece. I think the notion of full time starters isn't the way Buck thinks. I think he likes to have a bunch of useful parts he can assemble and reassemble as the need arises.

[Ampontan]

I would bring both back, but I would have McLouth in a reserve role and rotate Davis through DH, 1st, and OF.

I'd be more likely to give McLouth a lot of playing time throughout the outfield, such as around 20 games each for Jones and Markakis. Both of those guys probably play too many games as it is.

If Davis applies himself to first, he can probably be as decent there as he was in the outfield. He's not clumsy. And Reynolds is much too streaky a hitter for my taste.

[RZNJ]

We have a lot of options with Davis. We can play him in LF if we don't sign McLouth or someone else. We can DH him, or we can play him at 1B if we don't keep Reynolds. And who knows maybe we can stick him in the pen in a pinch. Anyway, he is a useful piece. I think the notion of full time starters isn't the way Buck thinks. I think he likes to have a bunch of useful parts he can assemble and reassemble as the need arises.

I think Buck likes to have both, full time starters and useful pieces. When he has a regular (Markakis, Jones, Wieters, Machado, Hardy), he tends to play them every single day. I could see Davis being the DH or a guy who plays a lot, like you said, at 1B, LF, RF, and maybe even some 3B. I think if McLouth is your LF, Markakis your RF, and Reynolds your 1B, AND everyone is healthy, that it would be tough to find AB's for all of Davis, Reimold, and Betemit. Of course, everyone staying healthy is rare in Baltimore.

[RZNJ]

I'd be more likely to give McLouth a lot of playing time throughout the outfield, such as around 20 games each for Jones and Markakis. Both of those guys probably play too many games as it is.

If Davis applies himself to first, he can probably be as decent there as he was in the outfield. He's not clumsy. And Reynolds is much too streaky a hitter for my taste.

Davis has been playing 1B for a long time. If he hasn't applied himself by now, he never will. We all saw him play 1B in the first half. He had trouble catching throws and he wasn't good at digging balls out. I mean, he was bad. Did anyone forget that? You can't just hope that someone gets better. There has to be a reason. Why should I or anyone else expect Davis to be a good defensive 1B?

[Ampontan]

He had trouble catching throws and he wasn't good at digging balls out. I mean, he was bad. Did anyone forget that?

I don't remember him being that bad at first the year we got him.

[OriolesHash1]

I think we start him at first and not resign reynolds.


Davis led the team in Homeruns, RBI's, and was third in Average. He played LF,RF,1B,DH ...


He had too good of a season to even think about trading

[isestrex]

I think he's the full time DH with spells in the OF and 1B if injuries demand it.

He's always had crazy power but failed to get enough contact with Texas to maintain a job. Hitting .270 this year was huge. If he can come anywhere close to that and continue to grow as a hitter, watch out.

The one thing I would not do is try and trade him. Even after this breakout season, I don't think his value is high enough to get a return worthy of the potential talent he could produce. I could be wrong, but that's my gut. I don't think we'll get enough for him.

[El Gordo]

I think Buck likes to have both, full time starters and useful pieces. When he has a regular (Markakis, Jones, Wieters, Machado, Hardy), he tends to play them every single day. I could see Davis being the DH or a guy who plays a lot, like you said, at 1B, LF, RF, and maybe even some 3B. I think if McLouth is your LF, Markakis your RF, and Reynolds your 1B, AND everyone is healthy, that it would be tough to find AB's for all of Davis, Reimold, and Betemit. Of course, everyone staying healthy is rare in Baltimore.

Well he shouldn't. They would be more productive with regular rest. Perhaps if Buck had better options, like Davis in RF, Reimold in LF, and McLouth in CF, with Napoli as back up C, maybe he would.

[sevastras]

McClouth is a career .260ish player. His hot end to the season doesn't mean we have .300 lead off hitter of our future. What we have is a fourth outfielder and a bench player that is an upgrade over last year. What you have in Davis is a dh/ backup outfielder that is going to give you 40+ home runs next year, and about a .275 average. If we could get a Cody Ross or melky for left field, we have upgraded lf,dh, and back up outfield positions(assuming we resign mcclouth)

[blid]

Well he shouldn't. They would be more productive with regular rest.

Do you have anything to back that up? I don't see why DHing or resting once every other week or something would make Adam Jones, for example, somehow more productive.

[TXOriole]

Having seen Davis play 1B regularly in AA ball, I remember him being an absolute vacuum cleaner. I truly think he is capable of replicating that. In my opinion, he fell off abit at the end of his time in Texas because he was worried about his swing and that probably carried over. If he can get to a point where he's comfortable with his stick...and can be used on a regular basis...I think he can be an above average 1B at worst. Like anything else in life...you wont master it if you only do it once or twice a week

[socalbirdfan]

I think Buck likes to have both, full time starters and useful pieces. When he has a regular (Markakis, Jones, Wieters, Machado, Hardy), he tends to play them every single day. I could see Davis being the DH or a guy who plays a lot, like you said, at 1B, LF, RF, and maybe even some 3B. I think if McLouth is your LF, Markakis your RF, and Reynolds your 1B, AND everyone is healthy, that it would be tough to find AB's for all of Davis, Reimold, and Betemit. Of course, everyone staying healthy is rare in Baltimore.

You said it. Out of all these, Betemit to me is redundant. Davis provides more production offensively and is capable defensively. Reimold is a RHB who can actually hit LHP. Betemit will be attractive to someone as a DH Utility player. There isn't enough room on the bench for all them.