The Orioles are said to have extended a seven-year offer worth roughly $150MM to bring free-agent first baseman Chris Davis back to Baltimore, but Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that Davis is “believed to be seeking” an eight-year pact that will guarantee him $200MM through what would be his age-37 season.
Heyman reports that the Orioles’ offer to Davis now exceeds $150MM over a seven-year term, although MLB.com’s Britt Ghiroli tweets some dissenting information, stating that the Orioles have not upped their offer. Baltimore has met with the representatives for Justin Upton and also are interested in Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez and free-agent Pedro Alvarez as the team lines up potential contingency plans.
A $200MM guarantee for Davis may seem difficult to fathom, and may not prove achievable, but it’s notable that Boras feels comfortable seeking it — particularly with such a significant chunk of change already on the table. We’ve yet to hear of much concrete interest from other teams around the league, but surely Davis has caught the attention of several other organizations.
beyou02215
Time for the Orioles and just about every other team to move on. A team would be crazy to give Davis 8/$200 IMO.
gorav114
I wonder which one ends up doing it, lol. I hope the Orioles move on now. I’d love to have him back but would be just fine with Heyward, Alvarez, and Gallardo instead.
cards1
Heyward is asking for 200+ too FYI.
basquiat
I would posit that Heyward is a more complete player, certainly defensively.. He’s also younger.
22Leo
I think both are ridiculous asking prices for those two players, even given the market these days.
mlbgeek
Yeah both are completely absurd!
No Soup For Yu!
True, but that would probably be over 10 years rather than 8, meaning a lesser annual commitment, and would almost assuredly include an opt out clause. Even without an opt out, that would still be through Heyward’s age 36 season. He’d probably only show real decline after 8+ years, whereas Davis will probably begin to decline after around 4+ years. Davis strikes me as Ryan Howard 2.0, a TTO player with defensive limitations that his signing team won’t be able to give away once his performance starts to drop.
basemonkey 2
Davis is plus at 1B though. Better than most realize. Very athletic and nice scoops with the glove.
johmnyswa
7 for 150 was way too much,, this is ridiculous
apitts87
His agent must be taking his meetings at the bar in the lobby.
mstrchef13
No. This is what Boras does. For him, the O’s offer is a starting point. He knows what he wants. He puts out a figure that is higher than that. If someone gives it to him, fantastic. If not, he negotiates backwards to the price he wanted in the first place, and the team feels like it “won” the negotiation. Duquette is hopefully doing the right thing. He will tell Davis and Boras that the current offer is as high as it will go, and that if it is not accepted by some deadline a few days to a week from now, it is gone and the team will spend their money elsewhere. Davis will have to trust that Boras can get him the contract he says he can, and he will have to accept that it will be from a team he will be happy playing for. By all accounts he loved it here in Baltimore and the team loved having him. To be honest, though, I would be happier (and the team would be better) if the money they are offering to Davis turns out to get them Gordon and Fowler instead. I hate the idea of Trumbo at first base, but I can live with it for a year if it means filling two OF spots.
cardfan2011
Oooook, well the Cardinals wont sign him NOW lol
ray_derek
Good
A'sfaninUK
Love it, why not? He has the 17 more HR than any other 1B since Opening Day 2013 and only Goldy, Miggy & Votto have a better fWAR. He even has a higher fWAR than Rizzo does, in less games. $200M isn’t really out of the question.
Acuña Matata
How is Pujols contract working out so far? Davis will not earn that contract. Ever. Lol thats absolutely ridiculous anyone thinks he deserves that. Miggy is in another world compared to Davis and honestly the only person I can think of currently earning his contract.
peterangelosisataintstain
Because he strikes out more times in 7 months than he poops in 12 months.does that help?
Acuña Matata
lol
gmenfan
Best explanation I’ve heard in a good long while.
peterangelosisataintstain
Its easiest way i could explain it lol
A'sfaninUK
Why would compare Pujols 10/240 starting at age 32 vs. Davis wanting 8/200 starting at age 30? Their cases aren’t even remotely similar, and Davis is good. Also teams don’t care about players “earning” their contracts. They “earn” them through being there – there’s more to contracts than just on field stats. Bet you Phillies owners don’t even care Howard is still there, he’s a pillar of the community otherwise.
Also, can we quit using the word “deserves” when talking about baseball player contracts? Yes, every single player is overpaid. Move on….
Acuña Matata
Actually their cases are identical…. Davis is demanding money from a position that both Prince Fielder and Pujols occupied.
Its funny how you gloss over my reference about Miggy. Every single one of your comparisons were bad as each one of those players are better than Davis. Sure hes good but hes exactly what Orioles offered or cheaper. But feel free to continue arguing why he deserves 50 million more and one extra year.
Sure we could ignore it as a society and just let it run amuck or we can pose the question. At what point is it too much? Or you rather just put your head in the sand and say “I don’t care entertain me”?
blackhillscard
Davis isn’t even remotely as good as Pujols was at 29 or even Fielder. Giving hime 8yrs/200mil would be a horrible decision and would wreck any teams budget for years.
Mitch Augustyn
Albert Pujols was an All Star every year and future Hall of Famer. Chris Davis when he came to the Orioles was lost. He was getting no playing time at all in Texas. Chris Davis was given the first base job in 2012 and first time ever had 400 at bats and hit 33 hrs and drove in 85. Next year he was an All Star his only time getting that honor. So when I hear $25M a year for 8 years. Guys that are hit or miss batters do not get that kind of money. Guess we will see who the competition is but could end up being a Nelson Cruz or Kendrys Morales mistake. We all love Chris Davis but difference is Adam Jones loves baltimore back…that at half the money that Davis was offered.
SoCalShu
Remember he had that down year b/c MLB didn’t give him the exemption to take Adderall…he didn’t hit until he was given that exemption….
mehs
Look at his splits for 2013. A .245 hitter after the All-Star break. 2015 a .235 hitter before the All-Star break, ..196 in May. Both while taking Adderall during his good seasons. He is feast or famine. No guarantee you don’t get another 2014 season from him and no guarantee he continues to get an Adderall exemption since MLB has taken it away from him before..
jrwhite21
Because he’s a strikeout machine and when he does eventually lose his power, what does he have left?
chesteraarthur
youtube.com/watch?v=-ViF6JRNjTk
gfn14
That is hilarious.
RedFeather
Ha ha ha ha ha.. Not happening buddy. If this is what he is seeking then he will hold out till late February and take a 5 year 85 million deal.
taco guy
Arte Moreno signs on the bottom line in 3…2…1 Oh dear
SoCalShu
Haha
throw him at 3b…who cares about defensive metrics
johnmillerjones
Nah, Davis was better in the outfield than at third. Better move Trout to 3B
buzzkillington
He seems like the typical horrible free agent signing that screws a team in the future
gilly
That is correct. Get the rockies on the phone stat! I would rather have Nick M back! The braves will deal anything! Go get Soler from the cubs for pitching.
newera36
If I could borrow a line by Curly Bill in the movie Tombstone… Well Bye.
Nobby
You’re a daisy if you don’t.
bradb4ku
All Star comment there Newera36.
peterangelosisataintstain
Id like to see adam jones hit scott boras and chris davis with cow dung filled pies.
184729
Go to thw blue jays and have 4 guys with 40 homeruns
SoCalShu
Of course he’s seeking $200m….his agent is seeing Heyward seeking it and Heyward doesn’t hit as many HR’s….
I don’t think either is worth $200m unless its over 10yrs and that is a stretch….salaries are out of control….
A'sfaninUK
Reality is the Jays might be losing Endy and Joey Bats at the end of next year, so getting Crush does make sense for them, to have a bigtime power bat there if they lose either or both of them.
Plus it would be wild to see Donaldson-Bautista-Davis-Encarnacion-Martin all in a row for one year.
baines03
They also have that Tulo guy.
Outlaws12
That is funny. 🙂
jacobywankenobi 2
lol
ray_derek
As Norm MacDonald would say, “Wait, what?”
RedFeather
Im just gonna put this here — BA .196
timyanks
justin morneau’s looking good now
charles stevens
I thought the O’s were nuts for offering 150. You’d have to be completely out of your mind to give him 200. Who are they even bidding against? I can’t think of one team with the financial ability to hand out 200 mil that even has a need for a 1st baseman.
BirdsontheBat 2
Cardinals, but they wouldn’t even come close to that number.
scottbour
Amazing how arrogant Scott Boras is with ALL his clients.. $150 Million for 7 is a huge overpay. If I was the ORIOLES I would tell Boras that if he don’t take the deal by Friday the the deal is off the table, and any future offer will be for less. Almost all the Big Spending teams don’t have any interest in Davis…
cxcx
If you were the Orioles you would pull the offer immediately as you deem it a huge overpay.
Actually you seem more creative than that. You’d tell them the keyboard you emailed Boras from has a bummy keyboard (believable sin
gorav114
The thought of him going to Toronto made me sick but I would be all for it if they paid him over 200 million. That’s the kind of contract that breaks a team.
Bob Smiley
NO WAY ANYONE SHOULD GIVE HIM 8 YEARS!!!!!!
mookiessnarl
Tough to see a fit for him with that kind of deal. The Yankees, Red Sox and Dodgers don’t seem to be in on him and they’re the teams that pretty much print money. Not sure there’s another team out there willing to invest crazy money in a one trick pony.
beyou02215
And an aging one at that. He’ll be 30 on opening day. If he was 27, then maybe. But not at 30.
kingfelix34
I would much rather have cano for 240 than Davis for 200, which is saying a lot
andyb
lol
SLACK
Well good luck getting that
bringoutthegimp
Peters not going there!!!
disadvantage
But that’s only 1 year and $50 million more. Pony up, Orioles!
TJECK109
Man just imagine what Harper is thinking right now…. These contracts over 200mil are larger that some countries annual GNP
stymeedone
They should offer that 8th year as 50MM club option with a 1 MM buyout. Then Boras would be able to say he got what he asked for.
Johnny Kraycik
Davis is too streaky. He’ll never make it until age 37 without breaking down physically, being suspended or being DFA’d.
The Orioles are over paying at $150 over 7-years. Who cares if you hit 40 bombs a year if you strike out 200 times (rally killer)and you have a whopping 230 BA.
If he raises his on base percentage by 60 pts and plays 160 games a year- he still isn’t worth an 8- year $200 mill team mortgage
Billy Leager
His OBP was 360 last year. Asking for a 420 OBP is asking a lot of most players, much less a power bat like Davis, so if he does add 60 to his OBP he might actually come close to being worth that, but right now? I would laugh in Scott Boras’ face.
Joe McMahon
I agree that he could break down and not be worth the contract in a few years, but the idea that his most recent performance wasn’t worth the money is ridiculous. His 2015 performance was worth WELL over $25M and if he keeps playing like that over the life of the contract, a $200M deal would be well worth it. His K’s and AVG are not nearly as important as his strong OBP, excellent ISO, SLG and wRC+. I highly doubt he will keep playing that well though, bringing us back to your original point. I would probably top out at 6,/144 ($24M a year) or maybe 7/160 (around $23M a year).
Gambit1193
LOL 8 Years 200 Mill
southi
Someone who is desperate might do it, but I think it is way too much.
tom brunanskys black sock
I remember my first beer
ChicagOs
Move on O’s. He’s great to have but not at the cost of tying a franchise’s hands for years to come. They have keeping Manny to think of.
bartoloshomie
Manny is a $200mm player, not Davis
mrshyguy99
I know it won’t happen but can he play LF for the Dodgers. Since agon getting up there in age since what 34 and his contract has to be coming up soon. So why not sign Davis have him play LF for a few years then have him replace agon. Just a outside the box idea
theknock
No
misterb71
For those pointing out Heyward will ask for just as much as Davis, I’d wager that Heyward gets outs built into the contract like Stanton did with Miami. There’s no way a guy as young as Heyward wants to lock in his prime years beyond 30 if he can get an out clause after four seasons.
echoes
Welp, as a diahard fan of both the O’s and Davis, thanks but no thanks. 7/150 seems more than reasonable to get Crush back, but unfortunately it seems that he’s had too much of the Boras Kool-Aid. That’s too bad.
bartoloshomie
I hope he gets forced to take the pro-rated deal. There are better options on thr trade market
Gilman321
Move On!
legit1213
His market is hearing crickets. The only teams dumb enough to sign Davis for, say, 175/8 are already handcuffed by EXISTING overpay contracts. Thanks for boosting Matt Adams trade value btw.
Francisco
A removed from hitting .196 Any team spending that kinda money is insane.
gilly
Can someone get the rockies on the phone? I am willing to deal pitching for bats! Get Cargo and two years later give him a QO. Even playing 130 games would be better than 150/7 years for this guy!
norcalblue
Yes, move on and send a powerful msg to agent and player. The agent’s demand is absurd. Dave Stewart has an even better 1B and his owner is tapped out. He’s the only fool dumb enough to accept this kind of demand.
stoi
The Orioles have way too many holes on their roster to commit 150 million to one player, let alone 200 million. Give the spot to Pedro Alvarez at 1/8 million. He’ll hit 30 homers. Just sit him against lefties as much as possible.
bartoloshomie
Boras has officially lost it. Thats scherzer money. Thats kershaw money. Thats Miggy money. Thats david price money. Those are the top players in baseball. He is no elite player and Im flabberghasted by the amount of greed.
start_wearing_purple
That’s a very Boras opening move. Demand the moon and accept half,
As for greed. How is it greed when owners are making hundreds of millions off of his talent. Whether or not the owners spend the money on the players won’t change whether or not the price of the tickets change. Davis and Boras are simply products of the market, not the problems with it.
bradb4ku
These owners aren’t making hundreds of millions of dollars and the biggest reason for that is these massive contracts they give out. Go check out Forbes annual MLB valuation list.
drum18
Sheer madness! This guy isn’t worth that kind of money or commitment in years. Really, I hope he sits long enough that come late January, he’ll be happy to take a one-year deal to “prove” ’14 was a fluke.
superman 2
I’m a fan of Davis. Orioles are going to look drastically different without him batting behind Jones. 8 years/200M is ridiculous though.
Outlaws12
I’m a die hard Cards fan, and this kind of reminds me of the Pujols thing. We wanted him back so bad, and then the Angels paid all that money. We were able to get the draft pick (Michael Wacha) and sign extensions for Molina and Wainwright. Best thing that ever happened was saying NO to Pujols.
Just say no to Boras and Davis. You will thank your organization later.
There are a lot of good options at first base out there. However, if you are thinking Pedro Alvarez you should know he may be the worst fielding first baseman in baseball. Maybe get him as a DH?
bruinlife33
As proven commodities only Trout and Harper are worth $200 million plus (position player). But then again, Davis is a Boras client
Joe McMahon
Well, that’s blatantly incorrect. There are probably 10-15 players worth that amount, maybe more. Unfortunately, none of them are free agents.
bradb4ku
If the Orioles are smart, they’ll realize Boras just gave them an out and move on from this greedy turd. Davis should be giving them a discount for roiding out and screwing over the team and fans with his suspension. 1 in 100 of these mega contracts actually works. Josh Hamilton Jr. coming up if they pay him over $150M.
Joe McMahon
Roiding up? You know he was suspended for adderall, right? Adderall he has a prescription for.
jkos
Boras Greed! The fans have stood behind Davis and this is how he repays them? O’s look at the contracts that NY has gotten into over the years and the effects of those now….this is ridiculous….. Let him go!
ln13
I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up with one year at $15MM after spring training.
Joe McMahon
I think 6/144 ($24M a year) is a very reasonable offer. If he wants a 7 year deal, I’d drop the AAV a bit and give him 7/154-160 ($22-23M a year). If he wants an 8 year deal, I’d drop the AAV more and maybe go 8/170 ($21ishM a year). But that would be the absolute max.
jdubs
Davis is a guy I won’t let near my fantasy team and he wants $200 lol, is this a joke?
Ap1556
Wouldn’t be surprised if he signs with the Angels, and they move Pujols to DH