Chris Davis, 2019

[Frobby]

7 minutes ago, interloper said:

Yeah. He's also just kind of vacillating between stuff at this point. "I'll try slimming down. That didn't work, I'll try bulking back up. I was too patient, I'll try to be aggressive now. But it's good to be patient." It's really just a mess. 

You are exactly right.

[interloper]

Quote

Pence went to the Dominican Winter League in the 2018-19 offseason intent on revamping his swing mechanics, and any changes that he made appear to have yielded overwhelmingly positive results. 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/01/hunter-pence-intends-play-2020.html

It can be done late in your career, it's just whether or not you want to commit to it. 

[weams]

Bulk

[wildbillhiccup]

4 hours ago, MurphDogg said:

Melewski recaps yesterday's show. Apparently he is trying to "add bulk".

As I mentioned in this post above, Davis actually had a couple stretches of productivity last year. Unfortunately he had other stretches where he hit worse than a pitcher. That makes me think that at least some of the issue is mental.

The 2020 post game Roch / CD pose offs are going to epic. Do they play the Giants this season? Maybe we can get a Gabe Kapler / coconut oil cameo. 

[SteveA]

2 hours ago, Frobby said:

Reading the interview highlights, I really think Davis is whistling in the dark.    I would have released him partway through last season.    Unless he shows this spring that he’s looking better for whatever reason, I’d just cut bait.    

Agree.   This sentence really got my BS meter going:

“I’ve got to find a way to really let my ability take over in unison and in harmony with what our lineup is constructed to do".

 

[Frobby]

3 minutes ago, SteveA said:

Agree.   This sentence really got my BS meter going:

“I’ve got to find a way to really let my ability take over in unison and in harmony with what our lineup is constructed to do".

 

When he’s in it, our lineup is constructed to lose, so I guess he’ll be in perfect harmony with it.   

[interloper]

7 minutes ago, SteveA said:

Agree.   This sentence really got my BS meter going:

“I’ve got to find a way to really let my ability take over in unison and in harmony with what our lineup is constructed to do".

 

That line alone suggests he's thinking about things wayyyy too much. Dude, just go out there and focus on hitting the ball. Stop thinking about who's in the lineup and what THEIR skills are. 

He's just thinking about all the wrong things. 

[SteveA]

1 minute ago, interloper said:

That line alone suggests he's thinking about things wayyyy too much. Dude, just go out there and focus on hitting the ball. Stop thinking about who's in the lineup and what THEIR skills are. 

He's just thinking about all the wrong things. 

It reminded me about meaningless corporate buzzwords like synergy, or the various "quality" fads that have popped up in the past 30 years.

[mdbdotcom]

1 minute ago, interloper said:

That line alone suggests he's thinking about things wayyyy too much. Dude, just go out there and focus on hitting the ball. Stop thinking about who's in the lineup and what THEIR skills are. 

He's just thinking about all the wrong things. 

You give him too much credit. He's just dancing for the microphone. He's not doing a damned thing.

[interloper]

Just now, mdbdotcom said:

You give him too much credit. He's just dancing for the microphone. He's not doing a damned thing.

Yeah I mean, either way, it's not great. I was holding out hope that whatever his new regimen was, was not simply limited to diet and working out, but some kind of data-driven tweaks. 

This article has me convinced more than ever there's truly no chance of improvement. We will see! 

[Just Regular]

The spring plate appearances will be a total mystery to me.  If he's 0-for-20 in Florida, that might help a quicker release.  I don't think he'll be 0-for-20 though because I think it has reached the point where pitchers are just going to challenge over the heart of the plate, even with Early Spring ramp up stuff (and maybe division rivals want him to get Spring hits so he can make it to part of the season).

I'm calling a Sarasota-delighting shot off some A-ball Red Sock or Ray on 2/23 or 2/25.

[interloper]

7 minutes ago, OrioleDog said:

The spring plate appearances will be a total mystery to me.  If he's 0-for-20 in Florida, that might help a quicker release.  I don't think he'll be 0-for-20 though because I think it has reached the point where pitchers are just going to challenge over the heart of the plate, even with Early Spring ramp up stuff (and maybe division rivals want him to get Spring hits so he can make it to part of the season).

I'm calling a Sarasota-delighting shot off some A-ball Red Sock or Ray on 2/23 or 2/25.

.751 OPS in ST last year with 3 homers in 37 AB. I expect him to do something similar. 

[atomic]

3 hours ago, Frobby said:

Reading the interview highlights, I really think Davis is whistling in the dark.    I would have released him partway through last season.    Unless he shows this spring that he’s looking better for whatever reason, I’d just cut bait.    

Reading the interview it seems like Davis is going to keep doing what kept him successful the last two season.  He isn't going to swing early in the count and he isn't going to change his swing.  He is helping the team after all by looking at a bunch of pitches to give the Orioles pitcher a breather.  And why change what worked so well. And being a left-handed bat really helps the team. 

[mdbdotcom]

32 minutes ago, interloper said:

.751 OPS in ST last year with 3 homers in 37 AB. I expect him to do something similar. 

They should start him in away games so he faces major league pitchers. If he doesn't travel, he won't see an experienced starter until the last week or so of ST.

[tntoriole]

1 hour ago, mdbdotcom said:

They should start him in away games so he faces major league pitchers. If he doesn't travel, he won't see an experienced starter until the last week or so of ST.

I would have him on the bench every game until he said uncle to a buyout of the rest of his deal.