Orioles first baseman Chris Davis, as you may have heard, is in a bit of a rut right now. Last night he broke the record for most consecutive at-bats without a hit, going 0-for-47.
And after Davis went hitless in his next two plate appearances, the number is at 49 and counting ahead of tonight’s game against the Oakland Athletics.
If you don’t know much about baseball, let’s just say that failing to get a hit in that many at-bats is really, really, really bad. Like getting-written-up-in-The-New-Yorker-level bad. Not much is expected of the rebuilding Orioles this year, but seeing the highest paid player in franchise history struggle so spectacularly–one year after he had the worst season for an everyday player in baseball history–is both frustrating and pretty sad.
It’s also, apparently, an opportunity for some feel-good marketing. Power Plant Live! announced today that it will be giving away 1,000 orange crush drinks–back when he led the league in home runs, Davis’ nickname was Crush–after the struggling slugger gets his first hit of 2019. The number of freebies goes up to 1,500 if it’s a home run.
It’s been a crushless season & we are over the wait! We want our Crush Davis back! When he breaks his hitless streak we will be ready to celebrate! We will give away 1,000 Smirnoff Orange Crushes on the Friday after his first hit & 1,500 crushes if it’s a home run! #Ibackthebirds pic.twitter.com/ZKma0hQnTs
— POWER PLANT LIVE (@POWERPLANTLIVE) April 9, 2019
The drinks will be awarded the Friday after the fateful base knock.
Liz Csanady, district marketing manager for the complex of bars and clubs, said anyone wishing to redeem the offer has to arrive after 7 p.m. on that Friday and say at the check-in they are there for a Crush Davis. The voucher is only good for that evening.
If anyone could use a drink right now, it’s probably Davis. Hopefully 1,000 lucky fans will soon get to raise a glass to toast him shirking this dubious milestone.
