Chris Davis, the King of the worst contracts ever? 161 mill and 0 fer year

[gcstomp]

Chris Davis, 0 for the year. Last year, hit for .168 avg with 192 k's in 470 ab. This is awesome, most anyone who has played, when they get this bad, get cut/demoted/phantom dl, something. He has 4 years left on a mega contract. Is he merely bad, or is this historically worst contract ever? I am intrigued, did Chris take the mountain of cash and is just phoning it in? Anyone else watching this with some interest?

[Ken]

is this historically worst contract ever?

Yes, I believe it is the worst ever.

[joncarlos]

He's 0 for his last 44 ABs. The major league record for position players is 46. At this point I just feel bad for the guy. I do think he's trying, he's just bad. If he plays today he'll be facing Marco Estrada... so if he's going to break the hitless record he's going to have to try really hard to get out.

[Judge Jude]

Eugenio Velez has the record - one more than a 40-year-old Craig Counsell's 0 for 45, which matched Bill Bergen, the worst hitter in MLB history.

[TS Garp]

The Hosmer contract is looking pretty terrible, as well.

[cleo]

A few thoughts to consider.

When I see players have a huge drop like this, I quickly assume that they were on a 'program' that included performance enhancers. It could be with improved testing, Davis did not want to risk getting caught and is now clean and facing the reality of the player that he really is. The other possibility is that he is just too stubborn or does not care to make any adjustment to his swing or the way he is being pitched. You would think that he and / or the team would have had him try to re-work his swing during the off season. I would think the best option for him and the team is to send him down to AA as a wake up and to change his approach and swing. Keeping him in the current lineup is not doing any good for anyone except opposing pitchers.

[revo]

A few thoughts to consider.

When I see players have a huge drop like this, I quickly assume that they were on a 'program' that included performance enhancers. It could be with improved testing, Davis did not want to risk getting caught and is now clean and facing the reality of the player that he really is. The other possibility is that he is just too stubborn or does not care to make any adjustment to his swing or the way he is being pitched. You would think that he and / or the team would have had him try to re-work his swing during the off season. I would think the best option for him and the team is to send him down to AA as a wake up and to change his approach and swing. Keeping him in the current lineup is not doing any good for anyone except opposing pitchers.

Wasn't he given an exemption for Adderall and/or another drug? Is he still taking them?

[DMT]

Wasn't he given an exemption for Adderall and/or another drug? Is he still taking them?

I believe he was and then it was revoked so he's no longer taking it. I actually got the chance to talk with one of the psychiatrists who makes these decisions and he said they've really cracked down so that only 2-3 players per team now are given exemptions. Some players who were abusing it were so dumb that they'd stop filling their prescriptions during the offseason. I mean seriously!?!

[Sour Masher]

I can't remember seeing a guy so utterly lost at the plate in the majors for this long. Of course, he just broke the all time record hitless streak, so beyond my memory, I guess this is the worst stretch in baseball history. It is hard to believe that Adderall can make that big a difference, but what other explanation is there for a guy who isn't really old, who seems physically fine, to be this utterly lost at the plate for so long. And I don't just mean during this streak where he has as many hits as the rest of us, but for the last couple of years. At this point, contract or no, he is a massive sink in the line up. He shouldn't be in it.

[madducks]

Why won't the Orioles just send him to the minors? Would anyone even claim him from waivers?

[joncarlos]

Why won't the Orioles just send him to the minors? Would anyone even claim him from waivers?

With that contract? No chance. I wonder if Davis could refuse.

[Gregg]

How long will the streak continue?


He is at 49. I will say he hits 53 before it comes to an end.

[Kevin Seitzer]

With that contract? No chance. I wonder if Davis could refuse.

Here is what the CBA says:

ARTICLE XIX—Assignment of Player Contracts
A. Consent to Assignment
(1) The contract of a Player with ten or more years of Major League service, the last five of which have been with one Club, shall not be assignable to another Major League Club without the Player’s written consent. At his sole election, however, a Player may, at the time he signs a multi-year contract with a Club, waive the right to prevent an assignment of his contract under this Section A(1), provided that the multi-year contract (a) is signed before the Player has attained ten or more years of Major League service, the last five of which have been with one Club, and (b) contains a no trade provision that, at a minimum, limits the Club’s right to assign the Player’s contract, during each of its years, to no more than sixteen (16) Clubs designated or subsequently to be designated by the Player.
(2) (a) The contract of a Player with five or more years of Major League service, not including service while on the Military List (or seven or more years of Major League service, including service while on the Military List), shall not be assigned otherwise than to another Major League Club, without the Player’s written consent.

(On an unrelated note, when you hear about veteran players signing an "advance consent" to be sent to the minors when they sign with a club during the spring, this is the paragraph of the CBA that is the reason clubs ask them to do that.)

[madducks]

How long will the streak continue?


He is at 49. I will say he hits 53 before it comes to an end.

The streak ended on Saturday at 0-54. Facing Rick Porcello was just what the doctor ordered. Davis actually requested to keep the ball after singling in the 1st inning lol. He later added 2 doubles to finish 3-5 with 4 rbi.