Baltimore Orioles: First Thoughts on the Chris Davis Deal

Aug 3, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis (19) celebrates with center fielder Adam Jones (10) after he hit a home run against the Oakland Athletics during the first inning at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports /

The Baltimore Orioles have come to an agreement with first baseman Chris Davis for a reported $161 million over seven years.

Just when it looked like the O’s had pretty much pivoted away from Davis, even offering a chunk of change to Yoenis Cespedes, suddenly we wake up late on a Saturday morning to hear of a deal with Crush.

I am pretty sure we are going to have A LOT more to say about this in coming days (and over the next seven years), but here are a few immediate thoughts and reactions.

I am personally pleased to see Chris return. Baseball issues aside (well, for just one paragraph), Davis is a really good guy, one with whom a share a significant faith component. And it would have been difficult to see him visiting Camden Yards in some other ghastly uniform. On the personal level, this is a win-win.
Peter Angelos has to be seen in a different light. Though he has done much to irritate and goad the anger of the fanbase over the years about being too cheap to get the best players, this is a new day. People said this sort of deal was impossible … could never happen. Let’s stop saying and hearing that.
Chris Davis could be the biggest loser. How does a guy with $161 million be seen as a loser? This is a lot to bear in the public eye. He has to “put up” now in a very big way. There are going to be more than a few days where the game is on the line and he strikes out (he tends to do that, you know). If Davis does not prove to be largely worth this investment, he will be a reviled character in Baltimore for decades.
I expect Davis to be largely successful. As I’ve written before, I think Davis is a genuinely fine athlete. This has been seen by his ability to play the outfield at a high level … even pitch relief. He’s a fit specimen of humanity; he’s not just a big boy who hits long fly balls while carrying around an excess of adipose tissue (for Yankees fans, that means fat cells).
What does this portend for the rest of the roster and the remaining offseason? It would seem to necessitate that there will be no other large signings. My guess is that the Orioles will no longer be in on a Cespedes or Upton. More likely the direction of attention will shift toward some inexpensive pitching possibilities. There are a number of reclamation projects that could be explored.

So a good bit of winter fog clears with this acquisition. This addresses the middle of the lineup and a left-handed bat, along with the addition of Mark Trumbo. Hyeon-soo Kim looks to be a major piece for left field. A combination of Trumbo, Reimold and others can address right field and DH. The bullpen is in good shape; it is the rotation now that needs focus.