Davis. What do you see different with him?

[scOtt]

22 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I don’t think it’s something he did immediately.    It’s something he did as a reaction to struggling.    And it did help him defensively, if you compare 2018 to 2019.    Incidentally, spring 2019 was the first time I heard him say he’d slimmed down on purpose (that winter).    He might have done it before then, but he never said so at the time.

On his weight/muscle gain, I read Roch reports and Davis quotes that he was down weight on purpose, but that by the end of the long grind of a season he was significantly down in weight. I think that is where most of the weight gain came from. But he's also bulked up. Nobody can look at a picture of him now and deny that.

0-1 today but still productive. Out was a warning track fly to left knocked down by the wind. Sac fly on the easiest swing ever to right, and also walked to come in on Nunez's homer. 'Sbeen quite a nice day.

 

Did gak a catch on a nubber to the pitcher (or catcher, can't remember) but that's just baseball.

[MongoBoy]

6 minutes ago, SteveA said:

They're showing 7 games this spring.

All the info is here:  

 

I meant it with regards to MASN.  Someone on this forum gave me the link to that website that has all different sports feeds.  I would put it out there, but not sure if it is allowed.

[MongoBoy]

3 minutes ago, scOtt said:

On his weight/muscle gain, I read Roch reports and Davis quotes that he was down weight on purpose, but that by the end of the long grind of a season he was significantly down in weight. I think that is where most of the weight gain came from. But he's also bulked up. Nobody can look at a picture of him now and deny that.

0-1 today but still productive. Out was a warning track fly to left knocked down by the wind. Sac fly on the easiest swing ever to right, and also walked to come in on Nunez's homer. 'Sbeen quite a nice day.

 

Did gak a catch on a nubber to the pitcher (or catcher, can't remember) but that's just baseball.

But, no one exploded an H-bomb today.

[scOtt]

1 minute ago, MongoBoy said:

But, no one exploded an H-bomb today.

I always love it when people get my references!

[Aristotelian]

Only 1 K so far. New prescription? Back on Adderall? I have to think something is helping him see the ball better.

[Enjoy Terror]

2 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

 I don't know what Brady preached but I'd be shocked if it was anti-strength/muscle.

Interesting video from a former farmhand.

 

[Moose Milligan]

9 minutes ago, Enjoy Terror said:

Interesting video from a former farmhand.

 

Really cool video, definitely worth watching.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

1 hour ago, DrungoHazewood said:

My assumption is that nothing is different until it is.  He's still unplayable.

But... most of my assumptions are based on data, on information.  I don't know that there has ever been another case of a player completely and totally losing the ability to hit for multiple seasons and then being asked to come back and try again.  Perhaps others would have recovered if only they'd been given 1500 PAs to try.  I doubt it, but maybe?

This is the correct answer. I need to see a full season of Davis producing again to believe something has really changed.

Again even if Davis is better what does that translate to? I’m thinking early 90’s Rob Deer. I’m pulling for a David comeback, but realistic in that it’s probably not happening.

[Hallas]

1 hour ago, Tony-OH said:

There is nothing he can do in spring training that can convince me he's "fixed". If we're a month into the season and still hitting like the old Chris Davis, I'll start to think he found the same genie that made him good before.

Just so we're clear, there's a lot of space between "entertain the possibility" and "convince."

[Hallas]

1 hour ago, DrungoHazewood said:

The one thing in spring data that has some real-ness is slugging.  I have seen studies that show some correlation, at least slight, that massive jumps in power in the spring tend to carry over.  So if Davis slugs .600 in the spring after slugging .326 last year I'd have some faith that will carry over, at least to some degree.

Honestly if he slugs .600 in the spring I still won't be all that impressed.  If he slugs .800 in the spring I'll feel a bit of hope.

[DrungoHazewood]

16 minutes ago, Hallas said:

Honestly if he slugs .600 in the spring I still won't be all that impressed.  If he slugs .800 in the spring I'll feel a bit of hope.

To slug .600 he'd have to hit at least .260 or .270.  He hasn't hit .260 in a month since June of 2016.  And if he did that he'd have an ISO of .330 or .340.  Last year he hit .179 and slugged .326, with a .147 ISO.  Last spring didn't he hit under .200?

If he hits .270 and slugs .600 this spring I think I'll conclude something is pretty radically different.  Not that it would mean he's going to hit .270 with a .600 slugging in 2020, but that he might not hit .170 with a .300 slugging.

[joelala]

1 hour ago, turtlebowl said:

This likely says a lot.  Davis had lost so much bat speed over the last several of years that you could see him at times cheating on the fastball yet he still wasn't able to get the bat head out in front to pull the ball with authority.  I would guess that many of the balls put in play to the right side the last couple of years were on off speed pitches where he rolled over.  

I know in your earlier post you were curious why Davis would try to lose weight after having success and getting a large contract.  I kind of read a little sarcasm  but I could of been misinterpreting.  I will say it though,  only one thing seems to make sense and it does involve the S word.  How many guys did we see during the steroid era go from hulking figures to losing a bunch of weight and along with that, the power numbers shrunk also.  If something is working (and legal) why change anything?  Maybe he gained the weight and muscle back this winter honestly and maybe that is helping his confidence this spring.  You do have to wonder though if he just figured he can't do it without the help so at this point he has nothing to lose?  He admittedly said he had discussions about quitting so if he does go the illegal route and gets caught it ends up the same result, he quits baseball. However with cheating there is that chance that he becomes Crush again and continues playing the game he loves.  Desperate people can take desperate measures. 

I know this is a lot of speculation but it has some merit to it just from what we have seen over the last few years.  Ultimately though I hope I'm wrong on all accounts and Chris just turns his career around without doing anything that is considered cheating.  Doesn't happen very often but it would be a good story.

The psychology behind these deductions is sound and I too wouldn’t be surprised nor blame him. When he signed the contract originally it’s very possible a positive test would have voided the whole thing. He had everything to lose. Now that he’s made a very large sum of money and has admittedly considered retiring and walking away from the rest of the money, why not take one last ride so to speak and have some fun again? 
 

I’m not saying I suspect him of taking PEDs this winter, but psychologically it would make sense

[MongoBoy]

1 hour ago, scOtt said:

I always love it when people get my references!

(whisper, whisper) i think i used that one last year, and i know you mentioned it last week, but we'll keep it to ourselves.  it's our little secret (whisper, whisper)

[Frobby]

24 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

To slug .600 he'd have to hit at least .260 or .270.  He hasn't hit .260 in a month since June of 2016.  And if he did that he'd have an ISO of .330 or .340.  Last year he hit .179 and slugged .326, with a .147 ISO.  Last spring didn't he hit under .200?

If he hits .270 and slugs .600 this spring I think I'll conclude something is pretty radically different.  Not that it would mean he's going to hit .270 with a .600 slugging in 2020, but that he might not hit .170 with a .300 slugging.

Honestly, the thing I’m watching is the strikeouts, or lack thereof, and how they happen.  Davis always struck out a lot, and that’s not going to change.   But the last few years his strikeouts looking went through the roof.    I’m more encouraged by the fact that he’s only struck out once in 13 PA than I am by the homers.    Not that I mind the homers....

But, let’s see what unfolds as the spring progresses and he faces better pitchers more often.   He’s actually faced pretty decent opposing pitchers to date.

[scOtt]

1 hour ago, MongoBoy said:

I meant it with regards to MASN.  Someone on this forum gave me the link to that website that has all different sports feeds.  I would put it out there, but not sure if it is allowed.

Probably was me who gave you the link. But BEWARE!!! That site is not working well this year so far. You can get video... but if I try to full-screen the video, or unmute it, Norton says you're entering a restricted site trying to steal your data. I've trusted Mr. Norton for... 25+ years now. Even when he got bought out by Evil Bill. Anyways... approach with caution.