Orioles bump up reporting dates

[wildbillhiccup]

1 hour ago, Camden_yardbird said:

I get it.  Dude had one of the worst seasons in MLB history.  He got a contract which, in retrospect, looks like one of the worst ever signed.  But come on...

Davis is responsible for perhaps the most memorable moment of the Orioles last 10 years when he came in and got the win against Boston.

He is principally responsible for the Orioles return to competitive baseball. 

He had two MVP caliber seasons and was one of the most feared hitters in the league. 

I hope he shows up, and if I am lucky enough to catch a game this year I will be happy to cheer loudly for him, because I imagine what he will get from a lot of wannabe Orioles fans who dont care about anything but what you've done lately is boos.

...and he's getting paid A LOT of money to not suck. Anyone that signs a 7 year / $161M contract deserves scrutiny and criticism. Also, "principally responsible for the Orioles return to competitive baseball"? No, just no. 

[SteveA]

8 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Kim, Young and Andino are also responsible for memorable monuments in the last 10 years.  Do we want them back?

What would be best for the Orioles is if he walked away.

And for the record the contract looked awful the second it was released to the public.

Delmon was the Venezuelan Winter League MVP.

I'm just sayin'

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, SteveA said:

Delmon was the Venezuelan Winter League MVP.

I'm just sayin'

I'm sure he provided his team with many memorable moments.

[Frobby]

3 minutes ago, wildbillhiccup said:

Also, "principally responsible for the Orioles return to competitive baseball"? No, just no. 

Honestly, there is no one player you can pin that on.   But I got curious who had the highest total WAR for the Orioles during their competitive 2012-16 run.   Here it is:

Machado 24.6

Davis 18.5

Jones 18.4

Hardy 12.5

Tillman 12.5

O’Day 10.1

Chen 9.8

Britton 9.3

Wieters 8.8

Gonzalez 7.5

[Camden_yardbird]

20 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Honestly, there is no one player you can pin that on.   But I got curious who had the highest total WAR for the Orioles during their competitive 2012-16 run.   Here it is:

Machado 24.6

Davis 18.5

Jones 18.4

Hardy 12.5

Tillman 12.5

O’Day 10.1

Chen 9.8

Britton 9.3

Wieters 8.8

Gonzalez 7.5

Looks pretty much like an important part of that success.  Principle doesnt mean hea the best, it just means he was one of the most important pieces, and I will stand by that statement.

I understand he deserves criticism, but saying I hope he just doesnt show up, gives up and walks away from the game...comes across as pretty rude to me.

Do the Orioles need to figure out how to make him a decent player again or, if not that, try and dispose of his contract some how, sure.  And if he announced tomorrow that he was going to retire would that be better for the Orioles, sure.  But I am not going to sit here and say I hope he doesnt show up. No.  I hope he shows up and hits 35 dingers with 100 rbi.

[Can_of_corn]

5 minutes ago, Camden_yardbird said:

Looks pretty much like an important part of that success.  Principle doesnt mean hea the best, it just means he was one of the most important pieces, and I will stand by that statement.

I understand he deserves criticism, but saying I hope he just doesnt show up, gives up and walks away from the game...comes across as pretty rude to me.

Do the Orioles need to figure out how to make him a decent player again or, if not that, try and dispose of his contract some how, sure.  And if he announced tomorrow that he was going to retire would that be better for the Orioles, sure.  But I am not going to sit here and say I hope he doesnt show up. No.  I hope he shows up and hits 35 dingers with 100 rbi.

I'm rude then.  /shrug.

I would much rather he come to a buyout with the Orioles and hang it up.

[Frobby]

23 minutes ago, Camden_yardbird said:

Looks pretty much like an important part of that success.  Principle doesnt mean hea the best, it just means he was one of the most important pieces, and I will stand by that statement.

I understand he deserves criticism, but saying I hope he just doesnt show up, gives up and walks away from the game...comes across as pretty rude to me.

Do the Orioles need to figure out how to make him a decent player again or, if not that, try and dispose of his contract some how, sure.  And if he announced tomorrow that he was going to retire would that be better for the Orioles, sure.  But I am not going to sit here and say I hope he doesnt show up. No.  I hope he shows up and hits 35 dingers with 100 rbi.

I wish I could convince myself that Davis could ever return to being a 35 homer, 100 RBI guy.    But assuming he isn’t going to just retire and give away the huge sum of money he has coming to him — and I’m quite sure he won’t do that — the best scenario I can believe as a possibility is that he’ll get somewhere between his 2016 and 2017 levels.   In fact, that would thrill me, given the alternatives.   

[Camden_yardbird]

9 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

I'm rude then.  /shrug.

I would much rather he come to a buyout with the Orioles and hang it up.

At least you own to it.  

As to a buy out.  Sure, that is a solution and one that I am sure will be visited if things persist this year the way they have gone.

[foxfield]

1 hour ago, Camden_yardbird said:

Looks pretty much like an important part of that success.  Principle doesnt mean hea the best, it just means he was one of the most important pieces, and I will stand by that statement.

I understand he deserves criticism, but saying I hope he just doesnt show up, gives up and walks away from the game...comes across as pretty rude to me.

Do the Orioles need to figure out how to make him a decent player again or, if not that, try and dispose of his contract some how, sure.  And if he announced tomorrow that he was going to retire would that be better for the Orioles, sure.  But I am not going to sit here and say I hope he doesnt show up. No.  I hope he shows up and hits 35 dingers with 100 rbi.

I agree with you from the standpoint of we loved him, how can we now hate him.  And I hope he shows up and hits 35 dingers with 100 rbi too.  Everyone does.  But he has been one of the worst players in baseball for a stretch that is going on 2 years.  The Crush Davis you cite and we all remember is gone.  It will be much more palatable to recall those memories when he is no longer looking up the third base line while strike three is 10 feet in front of the plate.

Nothing would help the rebuild more than Chris Davis leading it on his shoulders.  But in all fairness, if he is who he has been, nothing will hold back the rebuild more than him clogging up 1b/DH for 4 more years.

The contract is not his fault whether you or I were for it or not.  He was offered it and he took it.  Everyone of us would have done the same in his place.  I cannot imagine how difficult this is for him, but he does not make it any easier for fans when Oriole legend Jim Palmer calls him out on TV for not working.  Maybe Jim is wrong, I hope so and I know you do too.

In some ways there will be less pressure this year, but I think that it will only seem that way because the Orioles are not expected to win.  But very soon, Chris Davis will either leading the new kids or holding them back.  Our memories and our wishes are certainly geared to seeing him and the Orioles succeed.  Age and current performance however, are likely to continue to stain that memory and disappoint those wishes.  And it will become harder and harder to see Crush until he is gone or at least stops being Crash.

That is cold, that is harsh and it is unfair.  But it is also part of baseball and is as certain as the hopes that will bloom anew for the Orioles, but probably not until 2022.

[Can_of_corn]

29 minutes ago, foxfield said:

I agree with you from the standpoint of we loved him, how can we now hate him.

I don't hate him, at least not more than I hate everyone.

I just don't want him on the team.

[foxfield]

1 hour ago, Can_of_corn said:

I don't hate him, at least not more than I hate everyone.

I just don't want him on the team.

Oh, I am with you.  I'd love to have the old Crush Davis, but I think that guy is done.  I hope I am wrong, but I don't think I am.  I think the realization of that becomes a key component of the rebuild as it becomes clear that he doesn't deserve a spot on a 25 man roster.  IF he is done, he ain't staying for 4 years.  2019 we may honestly say he isn't really blocking anyone, but that will not last all season much less 4 years.