Did Davis fleece the Os again??

[Moose Milligan]

9 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

Speak for yourself. There are plenty of people that would have handled things differently and there are several cases of MLB players giving tens of millions of dollars back by retiring because they knew they no longer could earn that money. But, as it's been said many times already, this situation is over. I'd be happy to never hear of his name again.  His legacy is of embarrassment for him and the Orioles organization.

Thankfully that page has turned.

Meche seems to be the exception to the rule.  Maybe there are guys who walked away with a year or two left on a deal but I can't think of anyone who'd leave that amount of years and that amount of dollars on the table if Davis retired after the 2019 season for example.  

I think a lot of us (me included) would like to think they would have handled things differently.  

But a few things:  

None of us (I'm assuming) have been in a position to make that amount of money.  Or turn down that amount of money.  I don't pretend to know what Davis's living expenses are but I'm assuming not cheap.  Even if they're relatively modest for a professional athlete, he's in a unique position to ensure that his kids, his kids kids and his kids kids kids would never have to work again if they invest everything right and set everything up right.

It's one thing to be able to say you'd like to do the "honorable thing" and walk away and leave money on the table.  It's quite another thing to be able to say your family is set for generations and to try and get every dollar you can from a guaranteed contract.  Sure, what's 10 or 15 million had he walked away early?  It's more money for his family.  At the end of the day, I can't get too mad at anyone who's looking out for their family first.  

As frustrated as all of us have been with Davis, it's not his fault the Orioles were stupid enough to bid against themselves and give him that deal.  We can banter back and forth on if he worked hard or not, what he did or didn't do in the offseasons, etc.  But I will say the telling thing is that none of his teammates seemed to have a problem with him.  There were never any "un-named sources" in the media who were talking smack about him.  There never seemed to be any clubhouse disputes.  If his teammates didn't seem to care, I'm not sure why I should have cared so much in the first place.  He also did a lot for the community of Baltimore and that shouldn't be overlooked.

We forget that these professional athletes understand that this is a business, first and foremost.  It's why NFL players don't mind it when their teammates are holding out for a contract during training camp.  They know that their teammates are handling their business first and that's what needs to be done.  As much as we as fans would like to believe that "team first" chest beating stuff, it just doesn't work that way anymore.  

Lastly, I also wouldn't be surprised if the Players Association was in his ear and urging him not to retire.  While they certainly couldn't do anything if he decided to walk away early and leave money on the table, the MLBPA doesn't like to give anything away.  As I said, they couldn't do anything to recoup money for Davis if he decided to retire early but I'm sure they don't want any of their players leaving money on the table no matter what the situation is.  

Now...this is all said in hindsight.  Davis is gone, he's not a threat to return to the roster.  Had there been reports of him training, rehabbing and planning to be at Spring Training next year, I'd probably be a bit irate.

[Tony-OH]

56 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Meche seems to be the exception to the rule.  Maybe there are guys who walked away with a year or two left on a deal but I can't think of anyone who'd leave that amount of years and that amount of dollars on the table if Davis retired after the 2019 season for example.  

I think a lot of us (me included) would like to think they would have handled things differently.  

But a few things:  

None of us (I'm assuming) have been in a position to make that amount of money.  Or turn down that amount of money.  I don't pretend to know what Davis's living expenses are but I'm assuming not cheap.  Even if they're relatively modest for a professional athlete, he's in a unique position to ensure that his kids, his kids kids and his kids kids kids would never have to work again if they invest everything right and set everything up right.

It's one thing to be able to say you'd like to do the "honorable thing" and walk away and leave money on the table.  It's quite another thing to be able to say your family is set for generations and to try and get every dollar you can from a guaranteed contract.  Sure, what's 10 or 15 million had he walked away early?  It's more money for his family.  At the end of the day, I can't get too mad at anyone who's looking out for their family first.  

As frustrated as all of us have been with Davis, it's not his fault the Orioles were stupid enough to bid against themselves and give him that deal.  We can banter back and forth on if he worked hard or not, what he did or didn't do in the offseasons, etc.  But I will say the telling thing is that none of his teammates seemed to have a problem with him.  There were never any "un-named sources" in the media who were talking smack about him.  There never seemed to be any clubhouse disputes.  If his teammates didn't seem to care, I'm not sure why I should have cared so much in the first place.  He also did a lot for the community of Baltimore and that shouldn't be overlooked.

We forget that these professional athletes understand that this is a business, first and foremost.  It's why NFL players don't mind it when their teammates are holding out for a contract during training camp.  They know that their teammates are handling their business first and that's what needs to be done.  As much as we as fans would like to believe that "team first" chest beating stuff, it just doesn't work that way anymore.  

Lastly, I also wouldn't be surprised if the Players Association was in his ear and urging him not to retire.  While they certainly couldn't do anything if he decided to walk away early and leave money on the table, the MLBPA doesn't like to give anything away.  As I said, they couldn't do anything to recoup money for Davis if he decided to retire early but I'm sure they don't want any of their players leaving money on the table no matter what the situation is.  

Now...this is all said in hindsight.  Davis is gone, he's not a threat to return to the roster.  Had there been reports of him training, rehabbing and planning to be at Spring Training next year, I'd probably be a bit irate.

Man that's a lot of writing for a guy that we should have already forgotten his name. I'm not interested in playing the "what would you do" game any longer as we've all had our say. 

Thankfully for all involved, Davis is gone and we can stop talking about him until the next thread where someone will want to dredge this mistake back up. 

All I know is the Orioles should never acquire or sign a guy named Davis again because that last name is cursed in Baltimore. Glenn was the worse trade they ever made that started the Orioles into their spiral into irrelevance and of course we know Chris is the worse signing in team history. 

Maybe we should make a pact to not use the word Davis on OH? lol 

[LTO's]

FWIW Buster Olney is on one of his weekly screeds about the Orioles and he's implying the team has saved a substantial amount of money on Davis via insurance. I doubt we'll ever get an exact figure but it would be nice if one of the local guys did some digging there. His exact words were, "Once you account for the insurance savings on the Chris Davis deal, the Orioles are roughly spending in total team payroll what the Dodgers are paying Trevor Bauer." 

 

[Moose Milligan]

4 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Man that's a lot of writing for a guy that we should have already forgotten his name. I'm not interested in playing the "what would you do" game any longer as we've all had our say. 

Thankfully for all involved, Davis is gone and we can stop talking about him until the next thread where someone will want to dredge this mistake back up. 

All I know is the Orioles should never acquire or sign a guy named Davis again because that last name is cursed in Baltimore. Glenn was the worse trade they ever made that started the Orioles into their spiral into irrelevance and of course we know Chris is the worse signing in team history. 

Maybe we should make a pact to not use the word Davis on OH? lol 

There's probably something you can do with the bulletin board software, like every time someone types "Davis" it automatically changes to "ol'whatshisface" or something.    

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, LTO's said:

FWIW Buster Olney is on one of his weekly screeds about the Orioles and he's implying the team has saved a substantial amount of money on Davis via insurance. I doubt we'll ever get an exact figure but it would be nice if one of the local guys did some digging there. His exact words were, "Once you account for the insurance savings on the Chris Davis deal, the Orioles are roughly spending in total team payroll what the Dodgers are paying Trevor Bauer." 

 

I'd be surprised to hear that much of the deal was insured and if it was the cost must have been substantial. 

Buster should just go ahead and provide real numbers, if he has them.

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, Moose Milligan said:

There's probably something you can do with the bulletin board software, like every time someone types "Davis" it automatically changes to "ol'whatshisface" or something.    

I wasn't here for it but wasn't that done in the past?

[Moose Milligan]

13 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

I wasn't here for it but wasn't that done in the past?

I'm not sure.  Maybe.

[foxfield]

The O's were not fleeced. It still seems to me that both Buck and Dan were ready to move on and ownership made a decision to keep him.  HWSNBN (He who shall not be named) may or may not have cheated to get his contract.  Whether he did or did not, if the O's were not aware of it that is on them.

Once HWSNBN signed and sucked, he clearly quit working and was uncomfortable being challenged to change.

It also appears that HWSNBN was convinced (Self delusion or perhaps an certain agent) that it was his duty to take the money.

HWSNBN gave at least 2% of his contract to charity.

I don't care whether HWSNBN gets every cent or not.  It isn't my money. 

The Orioles did this, savings or not, to just move on.  

Good.

[Tony-OH]

1 hour ago, Moose Milligan said:

There's probably something you can do with the bulletin board software, like every time someone types "Davis" it automatically changes to "ol'whatshisface" or something.    

or "namethatwillneverbespoken" Kinda like a did with that kicker who missed that FG in the Patriots game.

[Frobby]

2 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

All I know is the Orioles should never acquire or sign a guy named Davis again because that last name is cursed in Baltimore. Glenn was the worse trade they ever made that started the Orioles into their spiral into irrelevance and of course we know Chris is the worse signing in team history. 

Maybe we should make a pact to not use the word Davis on OH? lol 

I enjoyed Eric Davis and Storm Davis.   I actually enjoyed CD until he signed his big contract.  

[SteveA]

1 hour ago, Tony-OH said:

or "namethatwillneverbespoken" Kinda like a did with that kicker who missed that FG in the Patriots game.

Bob Hayney has gone in the opposite direction and uses the kicker's name as a verb.

Example:  "I really Cundiffed myself this morning, locked my keys in the car".

[Moose Milligan]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

I enjoyed Eric Davis and Storm Davis.   I actually enjoyed CD until he signed his big contract.  

Eric Davis was so much fun.  

IMO, he could have been an all-time great had he been able to stay healthy.  People constantly wonder what Bo Jackson could have done if he didn't break his hip and Bo was certainly an amazing talent.  Obviously he was a higher profile because of two sports...but I think Eric Davis was a bigger, better what if?

This is a must-read:

https://www.mlb.com/news/eric-davis-put-up-video-game-stats-for-reds-c279109048

He was so f'ing good while he was here, even though it was brief.  And that was when he was older, after cancer and a year out of MLB.  

Does the goodness of Eric Davis wash away the badness of Glenn and Chris?  It's close.  

[spiritof66]

The Orioles' decision to extend Davis' contract payments into the future, even if it meant giving up the potential for saving money if there's an abbreviated schedule and salary reduction next year, fits pretty much every decision with financial implications they've made in the last couple of years.

That is, it makes sense if the Angeloses expect to to sell the team soon after Peter's death, but don't know (or have only a vague idea) as to when that triggering event will occur. They might expect to sell because they would rather have hundreds of millions of dollars than own a bad MLB team, because they realize they'll be cash-strapped after estate and inheritance taxes are paid, or because they believe the other MLB owners won't improve a transfer of Peter Angelos's controlling interest in the team to one or both of his sons or to his widow.) Until then, moves like this enable the Angeloses to retain more money from their profitable, if historically bad team, team. 

If the Angeloses expect to sell the team, they have had and continue to have a motive to invest in areas, like international scouting/player development and a not-too-shabby analytics capability, that will make the Orioles look less like the ignore-the-future, behind-the-times operation that Peter Angelos was running. But they have no reason to sign or trade for players whose contracts will increase the Orioles' payroll significantly in the short term, even if they would improve the on-field product. That's why I'm guessing that the message to Elias this off-season will be something like, "Build the team up to around .500 with what we've got in-house. Then we can talk about adding players from the outside who make more than $1 million to $1.5 million a year, say a $7 million to $8 million total. Maybe we can go a little higher than that in a special case." We'll see.

 

[Tony-OH]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

I enjoyed Eric Davis and Storm Davis.   I actually enjoyed CD until he signed his big contract.  

That's like saying, I enjoyed OJ as a running back until he killed his wife and some unlucky guy.

Ok, maybe not quite as bad!

 

[Tony-OH]

38 minutes ago, SteveA said:

Bob Hayney has gone in the opposite direction and uses the kicker's name as a verb.

Example:  "I really Cundiffed myself this morning, locked my keys in the car".

He must be a fan of Kingpin!