Chris Davis has two years and $46 million left on the seven-year, $161 million contract he signed in January 2016. The last few years have been bitterly disappointing for Davis, and many fans would be happier if the Orioles cut ties with the 34-year-old first baseman.
On a video conference call Wednesday, Davis said he wants to keep playing with the Orioles.
“My desire to play has nothing to do with the amount of money that I’m owed or the amount of money I’m going to make,” Davis said. “I want to play the game because I feel that I can still compete. I enjoy playing the game.
“I want to play the game, not only for myself, but for my teammates, for our fan base, for the people of Baltimore. I still feel like there’s something that I have left to give. To be honest with you, I don’t really want my career to end on the note that it’s on right now.”
Davis, who was twice put on the 10-day injured list in 2020 because of left knee patella tendinitis, hit just .115 ( 6-for-52) with an RBI in 16 games.
“I don’t want it to end the way that things have gone the last few years for me,” he said. “There’s more of a story to be told. As far as my contract goes, it is what it is. I’m not going anywhere. I’m not giving up. I’m not throwing in the towel. I understand the club’s in a position right now where they’re trying to cut payroll, and I’m the one big lump that they’re kind of stuck with. They knew what they were signing up for when they took the job.”
Davis led the major leagues with 53 home runs and 138 RBIs in 2013, and led the majors in home runs with 47 in 2015. It’s been steadily downhill since, with averages of .168 in 2018 and .179 in 2019.
Despite his struggles, Davis said the game remains fun.
“Yeah, it is,” he said. “It is. It wasn’t at times. I’ll be honest with you. There were times when I was really kind of standing back and looking at everything, thinking, What the heck am I doing?’
“… I think this past season, that was probably the biggest question for me going into it was, ‘Am I going to be able to have fun in this environment without any fans, with really no contact with the outside world, with just the guys?’ While I did miss having fans at games, and that really took a lot of joy out of it for me, it was still fun for me to go in there every day and be with the guys.
“To go through that weird setup and scenario as far as the season was laid out, to go to the field every day and see those guys, being around them, and being a part of something that’s bigger than you, it still is fun for me.”
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“And cashing those checks is the most fun.”, it is what it is, we’ve said it til it means nothing anymore, I’d have more respect for him if he’s just retire, again, he said it, we know it, “they knew what they were signing up for”, I get they need to honor the contract, just drop the crap about wanting to be with the guys, everyone he played with in the day, his “friends” are all gone, I’m sick of responding to it...go O’s...
Don’t know if I could walk away from that much ca$h.
"They knew what they were signing up for when they took the job". They were signing up for 53 home runs and 138 RBIs in 2013. They were signing up for the guy who led the majors in home runs with 47 in 2015. That's what they were signing up for Mr. Delusional!
"I don’t really want my career to end on the note that it’s on right now.” Well then you should have quit/retired 3 plus years ago. And don't bring the Oriole fans into this because I don't know of one Oriole fan that thinks you "can compete" anymore. So, just do the smart thing for yourself, the team you claim to love and the fans that love the Orioles and work out a fair settlement on money and then retire! Dustin Pedroia had a severe knee injury and can't play anymore and is currently working out a settlement with Boston so just do the same with the Orioles.
He’s a rich good old boy. Your right Chris they knew what they were getting into when they signed you. The worst player by far in the majors the last three years. Maybe the worst in history over three years. Glad your still having fun.
The guy has no shame. For 3 years if you read between the lines of what’s been written about him you know he has attempted no changes in his swing mechanics, although he tries to pretend he has. This year he says he’s going to make adjustments ( about 3 years too late) and admitted that he hadn’t made changes because everything worked so well during his good years. Talk about being late to the party. But as others have noted, he still gets to cash big checks and this why I have my doubts the team will ever be competitive as long as it is owned by the Angelos family. Daddy gave him a big contract because he liked Davis. The organization lacks talent and also player development skills coupled with an unwillingness to spend money( unless the owner really likes you). The jury is still out on whether Elias is the answer to these problems, but if it costs money ownership win’t spend it. Otherwise they would have owned up to their mistake and sent Davis walking. It’s not like he’s doing anything to earn what he’s being paid so open up a roster space for someone who can play.
Totally agree:)...go O’s...
What would truly be shameful is if Chris denied his family the money due him.
And what's even more shameful is the team carrying his sorry butt for the past 2 or 3 years and not eating the contract.
And even more than that, what's shameful is the sorry ass tank job Mike Elias has been heading up the past 2 seasons.
The worst contract in sports history is not on Chris ... it's on the Angelos family.
Take the money Chris, it's due you.
Chris's family wouldn't have enough $ to eat if Chris retired. /s And , although it is rare, Davis would not be the first athlete to retire before the end of his contract.
"They knew what they were signing up for" has to be one of the biggest a-hole comments ever.
I think he deserves a chance.
And for all of y'all that think he should simply forgo the money and retire, you're as silly as he is.
Understand the legalese of the contract, he’s had his chances, he has every right to have them fulfill the contract, if ANY of us did our jobs the way he has the last few yrs, we’d be out the door...a REAL team would just eat the money...go O’s...
Yup. Pride in your performance is certainly second to getting paid. If I had made as much $ has Davis already has, I don't think I would put up with the constant humiliation that he has to endure for being such a pathetic player now..
“I feel like there’s something I have left to give.”
Yes, you might have a shred of your dignity left to give after abandoning most of it the last 3 years. Yes, you can continue to give heartburn to the fans by remaining on the roster. Yes, you can continue to demoralize everyone around you every time you come to the plate. You’re the gift that keeps on giving.
When i saw those comments about knowing what they signed up for, i was put off. But the more i think about, it’s CD admitting he’s stunk it up for 5 years and so Elias knew he was terrible when he agreed to take the job. I doubt he was referring to fleecing the O’s
Thanks for putting that into perspective. It certainly makes more sense and isn’t so harsh in that context.
Yeah that makes sense. And when talking about the O’s there’s even more ways you could take that. As in “he knew who he agreed to work for.” Elias had to know the Angelosers weren’t gonna dump that salary to help facilitate the rebuild. Elias was always gonna have to work around that obstacle. Even CD would probably welcome getting cut so he’d get his money and a fresh start somewhere else on a cheap prove-it deal where he wouldn’t have all the pressure and scorn he has to face here.
What an absurd situation ... the Orioles will be at, or near, the bottom of all MLB team payrolls for 2021, have one player who accounts for nearly half of their entire payroll, and that player also happens to be the worst hitter in all of MLB.
Right the worst hitter in the league eats half the teams salary with very little regret just that they knew what they were getting into. He can be a poster boy for the slogan dumb jock. I hear his wife and him are charitable. I hope he’s giving back during these difficult times for many people out there
You all seem to forget that the Orioles saved a ton of money on his and Cobb’s deal last season with the pro-rated value of the decreased season. Rich has commented on it repeatedly. They aren’t going to cut him if they can carry him on the roster and MLB has another potential shortened season. This would again save the Orioles millions. They aren’t going to compete for the playoffs in 2021 so who are you opening a roster spot for? They already have a surplus of 1b/DH types on the team. Mountcastle is here and Mancini is back so let them play the position and let him ride the pine and save some money if the season is indeed shortened again. NHL and NBA are shortening their 2021 seasons so might as well wait and see what MLB decides to do before cutting Davis.
You have this framed very accurately.
We will be lucky indeed if we play a 120 Game Season in 2021. This would save money on his salary. After this year when (hopefully) there will be a full season is the time for the Orioles to eat the final year of his contract.
A couple of points on this whole CD fiasco;
- The only reason he has that deal is because one Peter Angelos gave it to him directly---withy zero input from Dan Duquette. Although I do very much suspect that one Buck Showalter was whispering in Peter's ear the whole time, usurping Dan Duquette's Authority as the then GM
- As proof of the above, Dan went out and signed Mark Trumbo to a big contract to replace CD at 1B
- What I find most upsetting about this whole deal is that CD has never even tried to make us believe that he ever really worked hard to improve his hitting. Even BS'ing Showalter that winter in Texas when he was supposed to be working w the Hitting Coach Coolbaugh..
- The final point is this...(and I really hate to say this) could it be that CD is just not that intelligent to get himself turned-around as a hitter?
“I still feel like there’s something that I have left to give.” Let’s see, in his final year before his contract extension he hit 47 HRs and had 117 RBIs. In the FIVE YEARS since he’s hit 92 HRs and has 231 RBIs. Whatever makes him think that he still has something g left to give?