Chris Davis is a Keeper

[SurhoffRules]

I'm floored that anyone would suggest getting rid of our team's 26 year old ERA+ leader would make us a better team.

[waroriole]

Chris Davis' (1496 PA) and Wily Mo Pena's (1845 PA) career stats at the Majors...

Chris Davis vs Wily Mo Pena

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Walk rate: 6.4% vs 6.0%

K rate: 31.1% vs 30.3%

ISO: .191 vs .195

AVG: .251 vs .250

OBP: .301 vs .303

SLG: .442 vs .445

Chris Davis is a nice guy and all... but.. just saying.

Finally, someone is rational.

Talk about reactionary threads. Davis is very streaky, doesn't walk and his best defensive position is DH.

He does have amazing power though.

[Pickles]

Chris Davis' (1496 PA) and Wily Mo Pena's (1845 PA) career stats at the Majors...

Chris Davis vs Wily Mo Pena

-------------------------------------------

Walk rate: 6.4% vs 6.0%

K rate: 31.1% vs 30.3%

ISO: .191 vs .195

AVG: .251 vs .250

OBP: .301 vs .303

SLG: .442 vs .445

Chris Davis is a nice guy and all... but.. just saying.

True enough, but what was the level of offense in their respective times?

[Pickles]

Davis has well documented holes. And I don't think I'd want him getting 700 ABs as the primary option at any position. However, as a guy w some versatility, in a semi-regular role, where he gets in the neighborhood of 500 ABs between a few positions, he has value.

[statman]

He has that Josh Hamilton-esque swing where it doesn't look like he even tries. Prince Fielder, on the other hand, swings himself out of his shoes.

[EagleOriole]

He has that Josh Hamilton-esque swing where it doesn't look like he even tries. Prince Fielder, on the other hand, swings himself out of his shoes.

I love watching Fielder hit. His expressions are priceless...Davis is about to go on a tear, next 10 days he is going to hit the hell out of the ball.

[theobird]

I expect the Orioles to sign Mark Reynolds to a new 3 year deal this off season, and he will be the Orioles first baseman going forward. Davis will also have a prominent role on the team going forward as the primary DH, and occasional corner IF, OF. Why should anyone expect anything else?

Reynolds is a very good first baseman having a career poor year at the plate. I think we see all the signs of him finishing strong down the stretch, which is great news, but I see a new and pretty reasonable deal being struck with Reynolds. I will say 3 year/25 million.

Davis is just 26 years old, by all accounts a great teammate, and has tremendous left handed power. He is also a startling athlete who can hold his own defensively at all of the corners. Yep, he has a lot of swing and miss in his game just like Reynolds. Come to terms with that, although I see no reason not to expect some improvement from Davis.

These two guys are my kinds of players. I like their games, both of them. And this is not reactionary, look it up, I have been in full support of both of these guys all along. Maybe its the old timer in me, the Earl Weaver influence. Just like last night, like Earl, I prefer Pitching, Defense and the three run homer.

[EagleOriole]

So does this team need a FA pickup in the everyday lineup?

C - Wieters, 1B - Reynolds, 2B - Roberts/Quintanilla (Schoop in AAA), SS - Hardy, 3B - Machado, LF - Hoes, CF - Jones, RF - Markakis, DH - Davis

4th OF/DH - Reimold, UTIL - Andino, CI - Betemit, C - Teagarden

Would you all be happy if that is how we opened up next year?

[wildcard]

I expect the Orioles to sign Mark Reynolds to a new 3 year deal this off season, and he will be the Orioles first baseman going forward. Davis will also have a prominent role on the team going forward as the primary DH, and occasional corner IF, OF. Why should anyone expect anything else?

Reynolds is a very good first baseman having a career poor year at the plate. I think we see all the signs of him finishing strong down the stretch, which is great news, but I see a new and pretty reasonable deal being struck with Reynolds. I will say 3 year/25 million.

Davis is just 26 years old, by all accounts a great teammate, and has tremendous left handed power. He is also a startling athlete who can hold his own defensively at all of the corners. Yep, he has a lot of swing and miss in his game just like Reynolds. Come to terms with that, although I see no reason not to expect some improvement from Davis.

These two guys are my kinds of players. I like their games, both of them. And this is not reactionary, look it up, I have been in full support of both of these guys all along. Maybe its the old timer in me, the Earl Weaver influence. Just like last night, like Earl, I prefer Pitching, Defense and the three run homer.

I can't see the O's giving Reynolds a three year contract this off season. They may sign him for a year with an option year if he hits well the rest of this season.

[wildcard]

So does this team need a FA pickup in the everyday lineup?

C - Wieters, 1B - Reynolds, 2B - Roberts/Quintanilla (Schoop in AAA), SS - Hardy, 3B - Machado, LF - Hoes, CF - Jones, RF - Markakis, DH - Davis

4th OF/DH - Reimold, UTIL - Andino, CI - Betemit, C - Teagarden

Would you all be happy if that is how we opened up next year?

That's 14 postion players which makes me think that if Roberts is healthy enough to play, Hoes is in the minors and Reimold is in left.

[Ampontan]

I would not be upset if we had Hoes in LF next year and Reimold and Davis as the DH. Reimold could spell Hoes in LF assuming he comes back, Betemit and Reynolds could be an effective platoon at 1B.

At first, I thought this was an interesting idea. Andino rounds out the bench. But then we have no backup catcher. One player too many. Am I counting wrong?

[brianod]

It amazes me the absolute blind sport people have for Mark Reynolds. This is Mark Reynolds sixth year in the majors with over 400 abs. It is also his worst year in the majors. He is not improving as he ages. He is on pace for about 16 hrs, 55 rbis an average of 219, an obp of 332 and an anemic slugging average of .408. This is Chris Davis's second year in the majors with over .400 abs. Those saying he is what he is are saying what, exactly? He's never been a full time player before this year. How can anyone judge at this point? Ironically, the thing that might keep Mark Reynolds starting is above average defense at 1b. If so, he'll be a below average firstbaseman, certainly not worth 8 million a year. As for Davis, I'm assuming he can get his obp up with experience. He's not a finished product but I think he has potential to be great. Let the man play full time and see what we have. If Reynolds will accept 4-5 million, fine. Otherwise let some other team over pay him

[Leitch]

It amazes me the absolute blind sport people have for Mark Reynolds. This is Mark Reynolds sixth year in the majors with over 400 abs. It is also his worst year in the majors. He is not improving as he ages. He is on pace for about 16 hrs, 55 rbis an average of 219, an obp of 332 and an anemic slugging average of .408. This is Chris Davis's second year in the majors with over .400 abs. Those saying he is what he is are saying what, exactly? He's never been a full time player before this year. How can anyone judge at this point? Ironically, the thing that might keep Mark Reynolds starting is above average defense at 1b. If so, he'll be a below average firstbaseman, certainly not worth 8 million a year. As for Davis, I'm assuming he can get his obp up with experience. He's not a finished product but I think he has potential to be great. Let the man play full time and see what we have. If Reynolds will accept 4-5 million, fine. Otherwise let some other team over pay him

Davis has had 1500 plate appearances. In 2009, he was the starting first baseman until July, when he was hitting .202/.256/.415 and they sent him to AAA. He came back and hit .308, and so the Rangers put him in the Opening Day lineup in 2010. He went .188/.264/.292 in April and got sent down again. He's had plenty of chances, now with two teams. He's always been a hacker with a lot of swing and miss in his game, even in the minors.

This season has been a tale of two halves. He started off fantastic, but he's been a sub-.200 hitter for two months now. Including the hot streaks he's been on. His overall line this year is .020 points of slugging better than last year's line, and scary close to his career numbers. Given that he's got low defensive value, I just don't think there's much here. I'm not against giving him the rest of the season to turn it on again, but he's not a first division starter 1B or DH.

I have no idea why you assume he'll become patient enough to offset the contact issues at this point in his career.

[Babypowder]

It amazes me the absolute blind sport people have for Mark Reynolds. This is Mark Reynolds sixth year in the majors with over 400 abs. It is also his worst year in the majors. He is not improving as he ages. He is on pace for about 16 hrs, 55 rbis an average of 219, an obp of 332 and an anemic slugging average of .408. This is Chris Davis's second year in the majors with over .400 abs. Those saying he is what he is are saying what, exactly? He's never been a full time player before this year. How can anyone judge at this point? Ironically, the thing that might keep Mark Reynolds starting is above average defense at 1b. If so, he'll be a below average firstbaseman, certainly not worth 8 million a year. As for Davis, I'm assuming he can get his obp up with experience. He's not a finished product but I think he has potential to be great. Let the man play full time and see what we have. If Reynolds will accept 4-5 million, fine. Otherwise let some other team over pay him

Chris Davis will likely never get on base at a respectable clip. I'm pretty confident saying that. His kind of complete lack of plate discipline doesn't improve often. Mark Reynolds has been a far more productive hitter in their careers. Mark Reynolds has been a better hitter this year really. He is ahead of Davis in both wOBA and wRC+. Also, how is a .408 SLG anemic, but a .432 is just fine? They both have been shining examples of mediocrity at the plate this year.

[CA-ORIOLE]

It amazes me the absolute blind sport people have for Mark Reynolds. This is Mark Reynolds sixth year in the majors with over 400 abs. It is also his worst year in the majors. He is not improving as he ages. He is on pace for about 16 hrs, 55 rbis an average of 219, an obp of 332 and an anemic slugging average of .408. This is Chris Davis's second year in the majors with over .400 abs. Those saying he is what he is are saying what, exactly? He's never been a full time player before this year. How can anyone judge at this point? Ironically, the thing that might keep Mark Reynolds starting is above average defense at 1b. If so, he'll be a below average firstbaseman, certainly not worth 8 million a year. As for Davis, I'm assuming he can get his obp up with experience. He's not a finished product but I think he has potential to be great. Let the man play full time and see what we have. If Reynolds will accept 4-5 million, fine. Otherwise let some other team over pay him

While I agree that Davis probably has more upside that Reynolds (and there's a valid point in balancing Davis vs Reynolds cost vs production), I just see very little reason to believe Davis will achieve that unless there is some dramatic epiphany.