Chris Davis 2019 and beyond

[El Gordo]

If the new manager plays Davis very much, we'll know who is really in charge. If he benches him most of the time. I think Davis will be gone one way or another before the new manager is.

[24fps]

CD will get the opportunity in spring training and probably the first half of next season to fully demonstrate that writing off that much money is justified.  I believe that is exactly what will happen, but not without one more extended chance to prove that he's washed up.  That will almost certainly be demanded by ownership regardless of the wishes of the new manager.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

3 minutes ago, 24fps said:

CD will get the opportunity in spring training and probably the first half of next season to fully demonstrate that writing off that much money is justified.  I believe that is exactly what will happen, but not without one more extended chance to prove that he's washed up.  That will almost certainly be demanded by ownership regardless of the wishes of the new manager.

I think it’s this.  Davis gets one final chance to rebound or it’s off to the glue factory.  

[foxfield]

23 hours ago, SteveA said:

I wonder if having a new manager, who isn't Chris's longtime champion from his days in Texas, will affect him.   Buck had Chris's back, played him way more than he should have given his performance.   Could be very different with a new manager, especially if it's someone from outside the organization.

 

23 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

Now you have me worried a change is going to negatively impact his performance.

 

23 hours ago, SteveA said:

I was thinking more on the lines of being more willing to accept some sort of buyout and end his Oriole tenure if the new manager was more likely to bury him on the bench than Buck would have been.

So, a new manager would have a positive impact on his performance.  Cool!

[ChrisP]

With a new head leading the FO and a new manager, I think they have to reach a settlement with Davis. You'd almost think it would be contingent on the new head and manager accepting the position. 

[SeaBird]

There will be no payoff, settlement, or agreement to put Davis out to pasture.  He'll get every red  cent that is due to him.   The Player's Association would not stand for  buyout because it would establish a precedent that once in place could come back in the future to "rework" contracts.  "Pay the man" or "Play the man."  Either  way he gets his full pay day.  Remember......the Orioles wanted this contract.

[bird watcher]

14 minutes ago, SeaBird said:

There will be no payoff, settlement, or agreement to put Davis out to pasture.  He'll get every red  cent that is due to him.   The Player's Association would not stand for  buyout because it would establish a precedent that once in place could come back in the future to "rework" contracts.  "Pay the man" or "Play the man."  Either  way he gets his full pay day.  Remember......the Orioles wanted this contract.

What could the PA do if Chris Davis himself wants a buyout? If he is tired and frustrated beyond repair, maybe he accepts a 75% structured buyout to not have to embarrass himself anymore. 

[jtschrei]

26 minutes ago, SeaBird said:

There will be no payoff, settlement, or agreement to put Davis out to pasture.  He'll get every red  cent that is due to him.   The Player's Association would not stand for  buyout because it would establish a precedent that once in place could come back in the future to "rework" contracts.  "Pay the man" or "Play the man."  Either  way he gets his full pay day.  Remember......the Orioles wanted this contract.

Correct. Those wishing for a buyout are living in a dreamland. Ain't happening. 

[spiritof66]

1 hour ago, SeaBird said:

There will be no payoff, settlement, or agreement to put Davis out to pasture.  He'll get every red  cent that is due to him.   The Player's Association would not stand for  buyout because it would establish a precedent that once in place could come back in the future to "rework" contracts.  "Pay the man" or "Play the man."  Either  way he gets his full pay day.  Remember......the Orioles wanted this contract.

I think that's probably right. This situation might be a little but different, though. Davis' s contract requires Davis to play baseball (or be willing but unable to play because of injury or illness). Suppose Davis's play doesn't improve and he sits on the bench most of next season, used as an occasional first baseman or pinch hitter or relief pitcher. In August, he announces that he no longer wants to keep up his end of the contract by playing major league baseball because he recognizes that, even though he's able to show up and get on the field, his continuing inability to play at a level where he can help an MLB team is harming his mood, his family, even his mental health, and he wants to do something else with his life without waiting until 2023 to do that. The Orioles and Davis agree to reform his contract, no longer requiring Chris to play baseball or sit in the dugout waiting to play,  with substantial payments to Davis over the next 20 years. 

If that happened, I think the union would be hard-pressed to object to a player agreeing to a buyout because he believes he'd be better off abandoning his playing career and taking a buyout. If there's precedent for that one way or another, I'm not aware of it. And if that's what Davis prefers to continuing to be on the team, I'm not sure the union would be able to prevent it, other than to object and file a grievance of some sort on the grounds that it's not what Chris really wants and he's been forced into it by the Orioles.

[Can_of_corn]

1 hour ago, SeaBird said:

There will be no payoff, settlement, or agreement to put Davis out to pasture.  He'll get every red  cent that is due to him.   The Player's Association would not stand for  buyout because it would establish a precedent that once in place could come back in the future to "rework" contracts.  "Pay the man" or "Play the man."  Either  way he gets his full pay day.  Remember......the Orioles wanted this contract.

How exactly can they stop one?  They have happened in the past.

[atomic]

36 minutes ago, spiritof66 said:

I think that's probably right. This situation might be a little but different, though. Davis' s contract requires Davis to play baseball (or be willing but unable to play because of injury or illness). Suppose Davis's play doesn't improve and he sits on the bench most of next season, used as an occasional first baseman or pinch hitter or relief pitcher. In August, he announces that he no longer wants to keep up his end of the contract by playing major league baseball because he recognizes that, even though he's able to show up and get on the field, his continuing inability to play at a level where he can help an MLB team is harming his mood, his family, even his mental health, and he wants to do something else with his life without waiting until 2023 to do that. The Orioles and Davis agree to reform his contract, no longer requiring Chris to play baseball or sit in the dugout waiting to play,  with substantial payments to Davis over the next 20 years. 

If that happened, I think the union would be hard-pressed to object to a player agreeing to a buyout because he believes he'd be better off abandoning his playing career and taking a buyout. If there's precedent for that one way or another, I'm not aware of it. And if that's what Davis prefers to continuing to be on the team, I'm not sure the union would be able to prevent it, other than to object and file a grievance of some sort on the grounds that it's not what Chris really wants and he's been forced into it by the Orioles.

You don't hire Boras if you don't want every cent you can get.  Davis is motivated by money.  He won't quit and he won't produce because he wont' make more money by producing. 

[spiritof66]

7 minutes ago, atomic said:

You don't hire Boras if you don't want every cent you can get.  Davis is motivated by money.  He won't quit and he won't produce because he wont' make more money by producing. 

The first part certainly was true of Davis in 2015-16, and probably today. (I don't follow the last part of the post about not producing.)  But I think there's a chance that, after making negative history this season, he might change his priorities if things don't get any better. He probably would have to fire Boras and pay him off in that case.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

31 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

How exactly can they stop one?  They have happened in the past.

I could envision a scenario where Davis still gets his money, but the Orioles restructure his contract into an annuity that gets paid out over the next 20 years.  This is contingent on David agreeing to not play baseball anymore.  

Best thing would be for Davis to retire, but I don’t see him walking away from all this money willingly.  

[eddie83]

Am I only one who thinks in the grand scheme of things that the Davis contract is way down the list of things to worry about?

We all know why it is such a topic, we get the significance of seeing a player not perform and yes it is a waste of money. That said this isn’t going to stop the Orioles from doing the right things. At this point it is more of a nuisance. 

[TouchemAll]

Davis gets paid, no ifs and or buts, and I don't see Davis quitting yet, so my only hope is new manager owes Davis nothing, you play if you produce, otherwise you sit.