Tommy Gilligan USA TODAY Sports
The Baltimore Orioles have made it clear they would like to bring back first baseman Chris Davis, and they reportedly met with agent Scott Boras on Tuesday at the MLB Winter Meetings in Nashville. Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports reported an offer believed to be in the neighborhood of $150 million, and ESPN’s Buster Olney offered the term of seven years for that offer.
Orioles’ offer to Chris Davis sets a significant benchmark in his talks: About $150 million over seven years.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) December 9, 2015
On Wednesday night, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports suggested that Davis is seeking $200 million or more in a new contract. Heyman also suggested the Orioles went over their initial bid of seven-years at $150 million, which Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports backed up.
Sources: #Orioles have increased offer to Davis, possibly as high as 7/168. Team hopeful, even somewhat optimistic, that it can strike deal. — Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 10, 2015
Olney, citing his source, has refuted the idea that Baltimore upped their offer to Davis while suggesting the initial offer is off the table. Kubatko has also backed that up.
Orioles didn’t increase 7-year offer to Davis. Source: “Not one nickel.” Offer off table, although O’s would pick up thread of past talks.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) December 10, 2015
#orioles source shot down idea that club increased offer to Davis
— Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) December 10, 2015
A $200 million deal, for let’s say eight years if that’s what he (and Boras) seeks, is an exorbitant amount to pay Davis. He will turn 30 before the 2016 season starts, so a seven or eight-year deal will carry him into and right through his decline phase. Davis does offer some defensive versatility, as a first baseman and right fielder with experience at third base, but the driving force of his value is offense and more specifically his power numbers. If age-related decline brings a drop in home runs, then Davis is not going to make a positive impact, let alone justify an annual salary anywhere near $25 million.
Baltimore should not get into a bidding war for Davis, and it appears they have drawn a line in the sand. There’s a chance that contract talks could pick up again, but the Orioles should confidently move on from Davis without feeling like they’ll lose an irreplaceable star.
Brad Berreman is a Senior Writer at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter.
