Photo Credit: AP Photo/Gail Burton
With FanFest fully underway, it’s hard not to think about where the favorites of a team will end up. With guys like Big Papi retiring after next season, Jason Heyward signing a mega contract with the Cubs and the numerous trades that are taking place, it’s easy to lose track of all the free agents possibly on the move. One of the biggest questions of this off-season though is where Orioles’ favorite, Chris Davis will end up. Should the O’s hand Davis the mega-contract that he earned or should they let him go and try to find it somewhere else? The answer is simple, let Davis walk.
Before all of the Orioles fans come for my head, allow me to explain myself. As many, myself among them know, Chris Davis is one of the best players in the game right now. Even though the Orioles failed to make it into the postseason, Davis hit 47 home runs, batted in 117 runs and appeared in 160 games. Those stats are pretty impressive especially for a guy who’s been in the league for seven years, only being in Baltimore since 2011. However, the Orioles have plenty of guys on their team who could pick up the slack including Adam Jones, Manny Machado, and Jonathan Schoop.
Then there’s the business side of it. Trying to keep Davis would just not be feasible for the Orioles, especially with his 2014 season. Davis was suspended for testing positive for amphetamine after taking Adderall which prohibited him from playing in the last 17 games of the 2014 season and not appear in a single postseason appearance. Davis also had a slump in production during his 2014 season too which could easily be repeated next year.
Even if Davis does not have a slump in his production, it would be a major risk for the Orioles to re-sign him. The Orioles have many other issues to address besides the slugger. One of the biggest issues that plagued the Orioles this season was trying to find a starting pitcher who could bring them the production needed for a postseason run. Financially speaking, giving Chris Davis a mega contract for the next seven years could give the Orioles exactly what they don’t need which is not enough money to get some help for a team that ended up in third place in the AL East.
If the Orioles let Davis walk, it would be better for both parties involved. Davis and his agent wouldn’t have to continue meeting with the O’s and leave empty-handed. Granted, the Orioles would lose one of the biggest bats in their lineup, but in the long run, it would be better for all involved. The Orioles should let Chris Davis walk proudly into free agency.
