How long will Davis' benching last?
Photo: Greg Mac
Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis had a career year last season, he had a monster first have and ended the season with 53 home runs and 42 doubles. Davis broke the Orioles home run record and if not for a bad end to the season which was probably due to wearing down he might have hit 60 home runs.
Now come the year after, with all the expectations and every pitcher gunning for Davis and pitching him more carefully Davis has had a major slump in production. It is now July and Davis is barely hitting over .200 and has 13 home runs, three of which came in the same game. Davis also only has nine doubles, which is well below his number last season.
Buck Showalter is known for sticking by his players and letting them work through slumps but even he has seemingly benched Davis. Showalter wants Davis to fix his swing before he throws him back out there. Davis has hit way too often into the shift and has not figured out how to beat it. The shift is a major problem right now for Davis who looks like he has forgotten how to hit to left field.
The Orioles are in fine hands without Davis. Steve Pearce can play first base well and Pearce has been smoking the ball. Pearce may not be as good defensively as Davis but Pearce is the hot hand. With Pearce at first it gives the Orioles a chance to play Delmon Young more who has also hit the ball well all season. Both Pearce and Young have averages well over .300 and need to be in the lineup while Davis is slumping.
Davis still gives the Orioles a good power bat off the bench. How long will Showalter bench Davis? Time will tell, I just hope Showalter sees something positive in the batting cage before he sends him back out. Davis needs to be able to hit to all fields so he can beat the shift. That is something that Davis did a lot last season.
