by Glenn Clark/Pressbox I had exactly 19 thoughts about the Orioles re-signing Chris Davis. I definitely didn’t shoe-horn to that number because I thought PressBox would want to attach a clever “19 thoughts about the return of No. 19” headline to the column. I swear.
1. I WAS GENUINELY SURPRISED. NOT, “‘STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON’ DIDN’T GET ANY OSCAR NOMINATIONS? I’M REALLY SURPRISED” SURPRISED. MORE LIKE, “THE PANTHERS HUNG 31 POINTS ON THE SEAHAWKS IN THE FIRST HALF? I’M REALLY SURPRISED” SURPRISED.
I was betting against it happening even if the market swung back toward the Orioles, but only because they’d never given more than $85.5 million to a single player. I was wrong.
2. BALTIMORE OVERPAID FOR DAVIS. YOU OVERPAID FOR THAT BOUILLABAISSE THE OTHER NIGHT. THE BOUILLABAISSE ISN’T LIKELY TO HIT 40 HOMERS THIS SEASON.
Every baseball player is overpaid. There isn’t a free agent who has or will sign this offseason who is worth the amount of money they’re getting paid (in the grand scheme of things). Davis had a 5.2 WAR last season. If he can perform similarly moving forward, the contract will be worth it from a baseball perspective.
3. THE DEFERRED MONEY CONCEPT IS SORT OF FASCINATING. “MAKING A MURDERER” IS MORE FASCINATING, BUT YOU GET IT.
If Davis doesn’t live up to the deal (and we all know there’s a chance he won’t), we’ll probably make jokes about him getting $3.5 million in 2032 … when he’s 46 years old. In the meantime, the difference between $23 million a year and $17 million is significant.
4. WOULD THEY HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF SIGNING ________ AND __________? PROBABLY NOT, CONSIDERING BLANK LINES DON’T REALLY WIN BASEBALL GAMES.
It’s easy to ask if Baltimore should have signed (left fielder Alex Gordon) and (lefty Scott Kazmir) instead. The total money would be less, but so would the length of the deals (if we base them on the contracts they received from the Royals and Dodgers, respectively). The answer to this is “maybe.” That’s called analysis.
5. DAVIS IS MORE VALUABLE TO BALTIMORE BECAUSE HE’S CHRIS DAVIS.
Perhaps the Orioles could have replaced Davis’ production with first baseman Mark Trumbo and (insert name here). It wouldn’t have been as valuable to the organization. Fans in Baltimore love Davis. There’s more value in marketing; there’s more money to be made in merchandising. Some have suggested Baltimore essentially outbid itself. That might be true. But Davis was more valuable to Baltimore than to anyone else.
6. DOING A $100+ MILLION DEAL IS SIGNIFICANT TO THE FAN BASE. IT GIVES THEM THE BELIEF THE TEAM COULD SIGN ANYONE IN THE FUTURE. PROBABLY NOT CHICAGO BEARS WIDE RECEIVER ALSHON JEFFERY, THOUGH.
They likely won’t suddenly become massive spenders, but at least the possibility of landing big-money players can’t be completely dismissed.
7. SIMILARLY, SUCH A SIGNING HAS TO CATCH THE EYE OF TEAMMATES AND FUTURE FREE AGENTS.
If you perform at a high level, you don’t always have to start looking at real estate in The Bronx when you’re two years away from free agency.
8. THERE’S A CHANCE THIS LEADS TO A TICKET PRICE INCREASE. SIMPLY ANNOUNCING TICKET PRICES AT ALL WOULD BE NICE.
I’ve said for some time that if I’m getting a better product, I’m willing to pay more for it.
9. NO ONE LIKES SCOTT BORAS, DAVIS’ AGENT, MUCH AROUND THESE PARTS. THAT’S NO DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS BEFORE HE LANDED HIS CLIENT $161 MILLION.
But perhaps being able to work with Boras bodes well for when (if?) catcher Matt Wieters becomes a free agent again after this season.
10. THE ORIOLES HAVE TO WIN BY HITTING HOME RUNS AGAIN. I’VE HEARD DAVIS IS KIND OF OK AT THAT.
They haven’t exactly built a strong on-base percentage roster. If you need home runs, who better than the guy who lead the league in each of his last two full seasons?
11. HAS ANYONE NOTICED THERE STILL ISN’T A RIGHT FIELDER?
When Wieters accepted the qualifying offer, the organization deemed him the catcher for next season. But wouldn’t Davis in right field, Wieters/Trumbo splitting first base/designated hitter and Caleb Joseph catching be more logical than a Nolan Reimold experiment in right again?
12. WE’RE PROBABLY NOT SEEING MINOR LEAGUE SLUGGERS CHRISTIAN WALKER OR TREY MANCINI MAKING AN IMPACT AT THE BIG LEAGUE LEVEL SOON.
This is a good thing. Walker struggled at Triple-A. and Mancini hasn’t been there yet. If either rip the cover off the ball at that level this season, there’s always a way to find them at bats.
13. THIS DOESN’T FORGIVE THE ORIOLES FOR THEIR PAST MISSES.
Was slugger Nelson Cruz not worth four years, $57 million? It’s fine to like this move but still have issues with decisions the leadership of the organization has made overall.
14. THE MOVE ISN’T AS GOOD IF BALTIMORE CAN’T SIGN THIRD BASEMAN MANNY MACHADO LONG TERM BECAUSE OF IT. ALSO, THAT NEW SHIRT YOU BOUGHT ISN’T GOING TO BE AS GREAT IF YOU CAN’T GET YOUR DREAM JOB AS AN ASTRONAUT BECAUSE OF IT.
Which is to say that Davis’ deal shouldn’t impact Machado’s. Perhaps Baltimore was never going to pay the (potentially) $300 million it will take to lock up Machado long term. But blaming the Davis deal would merely be a copout. They have the means to do both if they so choose.
15. IF YOU’RE GOING TO SPEND MONEY ON ONE PLAYER, IT WOULD SEEM LIKE SPENDING MONEY ON ANOTHER WOULD BE A SMARTER MOVE THAN A MIDSEASON TRADE.
I have no idea if they’ll lament not having lefty Josh Hader or righty Zach Davies in the future. It just seems like they could address further needs without having to trade anyone else away.
16. THIS ROSTER REMAINS FAR FROM PERFECT. DIDN’T A CERTAIN GENERAL MANAGER SUGGEST STARTING PITCHING WAS THEIR PRIORITY?
As constructed, Baltimore needs a big season from Kevin Gausman to compete or more pitching. Right-handers Yovani Gallardo and Mat Latos are among the best options available. And I’m using “best” non-ironically. They’re probably worth the risk for this team.
17. AS IMPERFECT AS THEY ARE, THEY STILL LOOK LIKE THEY SHOULD BE COMPETITIVE IN THE AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST.
The Blue Jays lost left-handed ace David Price. The Red Sox remain incomplete with him. The Yankees are beatable for six innings. The Rays still don’t have skipper Joe Maddon.
18. ULTIMATELY, THE ORIOLES ARE BETTER WITH DAVIS (AT ANY PRICE) THAN WITHOUT HIM.
Which leads us to …
19. FOR THE SAKE OF REDUNDANCY (TO GET ME TO 19), THIS WAS PLAIN AND SIMPLE A VERY GOOD MOVE.
Sometimes it’s OK to not be cynical.
