Camden Chat - Chris Davis free agency rumorsPut a bird on it!https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48285/camden-fave.png2016-01-22T08:00:07-05:00http://www.camdenchat.com/rss/stream/96409232016-01-22T08:00:07-05:002016-01-22T08:00:07-05:00Chris Davis era begins (again) for the Orioles
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<p>It surely helps that the Orioles were the ones offering $161 million to Chris Davis, but he also sounded like a player who is very happy that it was the Baltimore team that made him that offer.</p> <p>Vowing with a smile that he would never pitch again, <span>Chris Davis</span>, the newly-minted $161 million man, was back in Baltimore on Thursday night to be officially re-introduced as an Oriole at a press conference after his contract became official. The pending physical part is over. He's back and he's now in possession of the largest contract in franchise history.</p>
<p>"This feels familiar," Davis joked in the pause while he went through the ritual of putting on his "new" jersey to pose for photographs. It was a light-hearted comment that fit in with a theme Davis mentioned several times throughout the conference. This is the place he knows, and these are the people he knows, and those things both meant something to him - although surely so did the $161 million.</p>
<p>At the conference, Davis specifically mentioned that he was pleased to see both <span>Matt Wieters</span> and <span>Darren O'Day</span> making returns to Baltimore, as they are both players with whom he's enjoyed playing. Davis had clearly seen at least pictures of O'Day's conference as he chuckled about the "Wyatt Earp mustache" that O'Day has been sporting. As for whether any of the existing players had lobbied him, he mentioned that the clubhouse atmosphere is the best recruiting tool the O's could possibly have.</p>
<p>There's a strong temptation to scoff at comments like that at a press conference like this. Of course the player always talks about signing where they always want to be. But even if you accept that Davis is here because the <a href="https://www.camdenchat.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Orioles</a> offered him the most money, that doesn't mean he can't be happy that it worked out that way.</p>
<p>Davis told reporters that during the free agency process he tried not to get too emotional about everything and have that cloud his judgment. Still, he also spoke about how, after having signed the contract, he was talking to one of his buddies (unnamed) who mentioned how special it is in today's game of baseball for a player to get to spend the large majority of his career in one city and for one team.</p>
<p>Davis sounded to be genuinely proud to have the opportunity to keep having a chance to be successful for a franchise that, as he put it, "has had so much success in the past and has such a rich history." He can be happy about the money and be happy about that too. It wasn't mentioned at the conference specifically, but just for an example, seven years of Davis will have a pretty good chance to leave him as high as second on the franchise home run list.</p>
<p>What is it that makes the O's so special to him? His answer was probably not all that different from what a fan of the O's might say about the recent era of O's success. A reporter asked what the O's would have to do to get back to the competitive place it was in 2014. Davis answered by saying that it's "kind of our MO - that we've never been the sexy team, the easy pick to win the AL East."</p>
<p>He noted that the team is full of players who have been traded or otherwise passed on by other teams. That's created a kind of chip on the shoulder mentality, he said, either because they've adopted it for themselves or had it instilled in them. The phrase is straight out of the Baltimore sports true-believer playbook, so much so that, three years ago, when the O's Camden Yards neighbors the Ravens won <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/super-bowl" class="sbn-auto-link">the Super Bowl</a>, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti told the crowd after the parade to never lose the chip on their shoulder.</p>
<p>Not much surprise, then, that Davis had people shouting towards him throughout the season, hoping he comes back, fans running into him on the street hoping the same. One particular fan who stuck out in Davis's mind told Davis it's been fun to watch the Orioles because they seem to have such a happy-go-lucky attitude - and Davis himself was aware that it's not like that everywhere.</p>
<p>We'll probably never know how likely it ever was that Davis might sign elsewhere. Davis's agent, Scott Boras, doesn't seem to be telling. He attended the conference and was asked by reporters afterwards about other offers. You can practically imagine there must have been a Cheshire cat grin in this response:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Scott Boras wouldn't say if Davis had any other serious offers. Said, "You don't go to a wedding and talk about girlfriends." Good point.</p>
— Brittany Ghiroli (@Britt_Ghiroli) <a href="https://twitter.com/Britt_Ghiroli/status/690335659781943296">January 22, 2016</a>
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<p>But as far as how the deal came together, O's executive vice president Dan Duquette said that much of the structure of the deal had been in place and it came down to a late night phone call between Boras and O's owner Peter Angelos last Friday night to hammer out all of the details. One can imagine that's where all the deferred money was negotiated, an agreement that, if all goes well, will work out as a positive for both sides.</p>
<p>That's how you end up with the biggest contract in franchise history. And by the way, if you're wondering how Davis feels about the pressure that might bring, he will relish that pressure. "I hope there are expectations," he told the assembled reporters. "As a professional athlete, you're going to expect yourself to be great." You will sometimes hear manager Buck Showalter talk about how he always hopes fans hold the team accountable because it means they want success. No surprise that attitude has trickled down to his players.</p>
<p>When it came to handling the pressure, Davis pointed out that it is not for his own sake that he has those expectations, but rather that he does not want to let his teammates down. As he has gained experience and matured, he said, he has realized that there will be ups and downs over the course of a season. Still, as long as he works hard to prepare himself, he knows now that even if he struggles, everything will come back around.</p>
<p>It will take more than willpower for Davis to succeed for the length of a seven year contract, of course. At least fans can feel sure that he's beginning it all with the right attitude.</p>
<p>One reporter noted at the close of the press conference that another high-dollar Baltimore athlete, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, had welcomed Davis to the club. The reporter then mentioned that Flacco bought $20 worth of tickets for the recent gigantic Powerball jackpot. Had Davis decided to do the same?</p>
<p>No, he said, he did not buy any tickets. With a $161 million contract, perhaps he already felt like he had hit the jackpot. O's fans will be hoping the Orioles have also hit the jackpot with Davis. There are now seven years to cash in.</p>
https://www.camdenchat.com/2016/1/22/10811588/orioles-news-chris-davis-signs-press-conferenceMark Brown2016-01-21T16:57:49-05:002016-01-21T16:57:49-05:00The Chris Davis officially re-signed GIF Party
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<p>It's official. Chris Davis is an Oriole again! That can only mean one thing... yes. You know what must be done.</p> <p>It is Thurday afternoon.</p>
<p>The Orioles have just officially re-signed Chris Davis, who hit 47 home runs last year and hit 53 home runs three years ago. The Eutaw Street home run champion will be back for another seven years to extend his lead. A key part of the current core remains. Yeah, you're worried. I'm worried too. How will they be able to survive this season now that they've DFA'd Joey Terdoslavich to make room for Davis? That was sarcasm just there.</p>
<p>But it's about to snow like eighty feet in Baltimore and there's not much else to celebrate. So with that in mind...</p>
<p><b>YOU KNOW WHAT MUST BE DONE.</b></p>
https://www.camdenchat.com/2016/1/21/10779600/the-orioles-re-signed-chris-davis-gif-partyMark Brown2016-01-16T08:26:38-05:002016-01-16T08:26:38-05:00Orioles sign Chris Davis to seven year, $161M contract
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<p>If the Yoenis Cespedes offer was the Orioles attempt to lure Chris Davis back in, it worked. But since it was at a higher deal than previously reported, was it the Orioles who got played?</p> <p>If you really wanted <span>Chris Davis</span> to return to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.camdenchat.com/">Orioles</a>, it looks like you got your wish. Jon Heyman, noted Scott Boras mouthpiece, tweeted out not long ago the the Orioles and Chris Davis have agreed on a seven-year, $161M contract. No I didn't get that wrong. <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeyman" target="_blank">Check out the tweets.</a> The deal also includes no opt-out and a full no-trade clause.</p>
<p>I'm having mixed feelings right now, because of course I wanted Chris Davis back. I love Chris Davis, and having him on the team has been a joy. But the number reported by Heyman is the same number of years and $7M more than the Orioles initial offer, which they had "pulled off the table." Since then there hadn't been an inkling of a report that any other team was interested in Chris Davis. I mean, I'm sure other teams were thinking about it, but not to the degree that it made it to the hot stove rumor mill.</p>
<p>I presume that this means the Orioles' offer to <span>Yoenis Cespedes</span> is now off the table, although maybe Dan Duquette and Peter Angelos will just go whole hog and try and get him too.</p>
<p>What do you think of this deal? Happy to have Davis back? Miserable at the idea of him tying up that much of the team's money? Both? That's okay.</p>
<p>The good news is, we're going to see Chris Davis hitting dongs in Camden Yards for a long time. And that's something I could get used to.</p>
<p>I mean, unless he falls apart as he ages. But don't think about that right now.</p>
https://www.camdenchat.com/2016/1/16/10778902/orioles-news-chris-davis-sign-contractStacey2016-01-09T13:05:31-05:002016-01-09T13:05:31-05:00Boras now trying to shop Davis as an outfielder
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<p>Agent Scott Boras is reportedly trying to sell teams on Chris Davis as an every day outfielder. So far no one has bought it. The Orioles are still waiting.</p> <p>Only a desperate man or an idiot would enter a season with the plan of having <span>Chris Davis</span> be an every day corner outfielder. Although certain GMs may act in confusing ways from time to time, there are no idiots running MLB teams, and with the corner outfield market already seeming to be saturated, desperation hasn't set in - or at least not on the part of teams. Perhaps agent Scott Boras, whom <a href="https://twitter.com/Buster_ESPN/status/685629813445529601">ESPN's Buster Olney reported</a> is trying to sell teams on Davis as a regular outfielder, is the desperate man.</p>
<p>It's all starting to paint a picture of a scenario where Davis and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.camdenchat.com/">Orioles</a> kind of need one another. It's been over a month now since the Orioles were reported to have offered Davis a seven year contract for $154 million in guaranteed money. Since then, not one team has emerged as an alternate destination for Davis, and now we find out that Boras is trying to shop Davis as an outfielder.</p>
<p>The Orioles may not have bid high enough to get Davis into the fold right away, but it seems like they offered enough that at least so far, every other team has been scared away. Now, that could change at any time, because this is Boras we're talking about. Contracts of this magnitude tend to be run directly through the owner, and it would only take one owner other than Peter Angelos to say to himself, "Wait a minute, I can get a guy who just hit 47 home runs on my team?"</p>
<p>Unless that happens, you have to figure the Orioles are the front runners by virtue of there being no other runners. That's a strange realization to sink in for someone like me who simply assumed as soon as free agency began that Davis would be gone. Then again, I also assumed that <span>Matt Wieters</span> and <span>Darren O'Day</span> would be 100% gone. Remember, I know even less than Jon Snow.</p>
<p>The Orioles have a couple of other options, or at least they've been reported to have given some consideration to other options. Free agent outfielders - actual outfielders, mind you - <span>Justin Upton</span> and <span>Yoenis Cespedes</span> have been said to be on the radar. It's none too clear how seriously the O's are interested in those guys or whether it's all just trying to keep some leverage so they don't have to completely break the bank to ultimately retain Davis.</p>
<p>That the O's could use the all-time Eutaw Street home run champion Davis in their lineup is no question. He is a strong dude who hits plenty of other homers that don't land on Eutaw Street too. But they could also stand to get another real outfielder. We all saw what a mess the Orioles were in left field last year, and to a lesser extent in right field.</p>
<p>Right now, those spots would seem to belong to Hyun Soo Kim and <span>Nolan Reimold</span>, and the void at first base left by Davis is set to be filled by Mark Trumbo. That leaves the designated hitter to be, uh... <span>Jimmy Paredes</span>? That doesn't exactly scream "<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/world-series">World Series</a>" or even "wild card contention."</p>
<p>Any other team would have to give up its top available draft pick to sign Davis. The Orioles would merely lose out on the compensation pick they might have gotten for Davis signing elsewhere. He's a known quantity here. Fans are already invested in him as well. Are those good reasons to sign him? Maybe it's all a horrible idea, a train crash waiting to happen. Seven years is a lot of years.</p>
<p>The 2016 Orioles need Davis, though. So do the 2017 and 2018 Orioles, teams who still have <span>Adam Jones</span> and <span>Manny Machado</span> signed to play here. The time to win is now. They can't completely throw caution to the wind, but whether they sign Davis, Upton, Cespedes, or none of the above, the potential benefit in years 1-3 is something they won't be able to get without also absorbing risk in years 4-7. Everyday position players who are a sure thing to perform like stars don't sign for three years.</p>
<p>As things stand right now, a reunion seems like it might be the best option for both sides. No team should bite on Davis as an outfielder. No other team seems to need or want him as a first baseman. Until there's a twist, that only leaves the Orioles.</p>
https://www.camdenchat.com/2016/1/9/10741216/orioles-rumors-chris-davisMark Brown2015-12-12T13:52:46-05:002015-12-12T13:52:46-05:00Duquette: Orioles offer to Davis "off the table"
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<p>Dan Duquette told Orioles reporters on Saturday that the Orioles offer to Davis is definitely "off the table," but he wouldn't say the Orioles have entirely moved on. Davis' agent, Scott Boras, says there's "no indication the Orioles have moved on."</p> <p>One of the ongoing <a href="https://www.camdenchat.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Orioles</a> mysteries from this week's Winter Meetings was where exactly things stood in their negotiations with <span>Chris Davis</span>. Different people have said different things at different times. At Saturday's Orioles FanFest, GM Dan Duquette told O's reporters that <a href="http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2015/12/duquette-says-theres-no-offer-on-the-table-right-now-for-davis.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter">the team has withdrawn its offer to Davis</a> and that they are moving on to explore other avenues.</p>
<p>So that settles that, right? Well, not so fast, because The Baltimore Sun's Dan Connolly checked in with Davis' agent, Scott Boras, to get the perspective from the other side. <a href="https://twitter.com/danconnollysun/status/675739673252245504">Boras told Connolly that</a> he has "no indication that the Orioles have closed the door in their negotiations" regarding Davis.</p>
<p>Worth noting that these are not necessarily mutually exclusive concepts being explored. Boras, in his comment to Connolly, does not specifically address the reported pulling of the $150 million offer. His statement about whether the O's have closed the door is the answer to a different question.</p>
<p>Duquette's comment about the offer being withdrawn is interesting because it's the first time that's been addressed on the record, rather than through vague "sources," but he also would not say to reporters that the O's have moved on entirely from Davis. Both of these positions can be true at the same time. So we may well have been told something new that offers no additional clarity on the situation whatsoever.</p>
<p>Boras claims that he's maintaining dialogue with multiple teams about Davis, including the Orioles. As of yet, there has been no solid report on any other team seriously pursuing Davis. Duquette claims the Orioles are talking to other free agents, particularly left-handed hitters, but we haven't heard a whole lot about that specifically, either.</p>
<p>It all still seems like an elaborate dance regarding Davis, and will probably seem like it until the Orioles spend money on a different free agent that would seem to preclude their also signing Davis.</p>
<p>The notion of the Orioles having upped their offer to seven years and $168 million, which was <a href="http://www.camdenchat.com/2015/12/10/9889214/orioles-rumors-chris-davis-contract-offer">one of the competing rumors from Thursday</a>, has fallen by the wayside, at least for now. So we're down to two competing and not completely contradictory Davis rumors, both of which could be efforts to stand firm in a negotiation, either of which could be subject to change at a moment's notice. The hot stove season in a nutshell.</p>
<p>One thing that is new is that <span>Adam Jones</span> seems to be happy with the efforts the Orioles have made to keep Davis. He told O's reporters that "it shows they care" and that <a href="https://twitter.com/masnRoch/status/675739018743693312">"they're not just blowing smoke up our tails."</a></p>
<p>Of course this isn't the most important consideration at play, but after Jones seemed to be irritated that the Orioles didn't make a greater effort to keep <span>Nick Markakis</span> and <span>Nelson Cruz</span> last offseason, it's progress in its own way to know he feels satisfied. Better if spring training is full of happy comments rather than the occasionally disgruntled things that emerged from the players about the direction of the team this past March.</p>
https://www.camdenchat.com/2015/12/12/9987870/orioles-rumors-chris-davis-contract-offerMark Brown2015-12-10T18:44:40-05:002015-12-10T18:44:40-05:00The three big competing Chris Davis/Orioles rumors
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<p>Thursday saw three big rumors about the Orioles and Chris Davis, all of which contradicted one another. Here's the rundown of what's going on - although whoever knows for sure doesn't seem to be talking or telling the truth.</p> <p>The circle of people who know what the heck is going on with the <a href="https://www.camdenchat.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Orioles</a> pursuit of <span>Chris Davis</span> is a small one. The circle of people talking about the Davis situation is much larger. Seemingly not all of that second group of people knows what's actually going on, which is why, over the course of Thursday, three competing narratives about Davis emerged.</p>
<p>The morning began with a report from Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal that the Orioles have increased their offer to Davis, <a href="https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/674960221404585984">possibly as high as seven years, $168 million</a>. That's big news, right? Davis, we learned last night in a report that wasn't disputed, is seeking eight years, $200 million. So for the Orioles to offer another $18 million, well, that looks a lot like negotiating to try to get something to happen.</p>
<p>Later on in the morning, immediately after the regular Orioles reporters tweeted out a series of quotes from Dan Duquette, "a source" conveniently spoke to <a href="https://twitter.com/masnRoch/status/674983651369730053">at least three</a> of <a href="https://twitter.com/Britt_Ghiroli/status/674983569417195520">the Orioles beat crew</a> that was <a href="https://twitter.com/EddieInTheYard/status/674983728909783041">at the Winter Meetings in Nashville</a> to say that the O's have not increased their offer to Davis beyond the seven years, $150 million that was reported previously.</p>
<p>Now, I'm not saying that Duquette spoke to all three of those reporters. But the time stamps on their Twitter timelines make it very clear they were all talking to Duquette, got the same quotes from Duquette five minutes previously, and then simultaneously spoke to "a source" - because they concurrently tweeted that information. Whoever they are, "an Orioles source" certainly talked to them all at once in some way.</p>
<p>That source contradicts Rosenthal directly. Does that mean what Rosenthal said is wrong? No. It's entirely possible that source lied to the reporters' faces! Or in a group text, or whatever. This could all be part of some hardball negotiating dance through the media. By the same token, whoever talked to Rosenthal could potentially be trying to drive up the Davis price.</p>
<p>Right around the same time, ESPN's Buster Olney also reported that the O's hadn't increased their seven year offer, but, he added the further detail <a href="https://twitter.com/Buster_ESPN/status/674981011911016448">the offer is off the table</a>. That's also big news! Except he was the only one saying it, and right after saying the offer is off the table, he added that the O's "would pick up the thread of past talks."</p>
<p>That sounds like the offer is more or less still on the table there. I mean, if you say it's "off the table" but you're willing to resume at the previously-discussed point at a moment's notice, have you really withdrawn the offer at all? This is making my head hurt.</p>
<p>So there's your three stories. The Orioles have either offered Davis $168 million, or $150 million, or they've now offered him nothing at all because they've moved on. Glad we've cleared that up.</p>
<p>Still unanswered in all of this is who else, exactly, might be interested in Davis enough to start some negotiations even after seeing the $200 million price tag. The <a href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cardinals</a> were vaguely linked as interested <a href="http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/11/cardinals-chris-davis-free-agent.html">nearly three weeks ago</a> and there hasn't been a whole lot else about that since.</p>
<p>Unlike another big free agent, <span>Jason Heyward</span>, whose market of interested teams is <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS/status/675019329604308993">very clearly defined in the press</a>, nobody really knows about Davis. Are they bidding against themselves? Are they bidding at all? Is there another team out there lurking, waiting to either jump in with a big offer late in the process or with a smaller offer after the Orioles get fed up and move on to other players? Someone knows, but they don't seem to be talking.</p>
<p>No one has said much of anything about the Davis situation since noon. The reason for that is simple. Everyone is flying away from Nashville. Maybe we'll find out more tomorrow. No, "find out more" is the wrong thing to say. We haven't found out anything today. But maybe more things will be said about Davis and maybe some of it will even be true.</p>
https://www.camdenchat.com/2015/12/10/9889214/orioles-rumors-chris-davis-contract-offerMark Brown2015-12-10T10:04:30-05:002015-12-10T10:04:30-05:00Chris Davis offer could be up to 7 years, $168M
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<p>Will the Orioles get their man? Who are they even bidding against? </p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.camdenchat.com/">Orioles</a> have raised their offer to <span>Chris Davis</span> to <a href="https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/674960221404585984">possibly seven years, $168 million, per Ken Rosenthal</a>. If you think that's crazy money, you are not wrong.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Roch Kubatko of MASN <a target="_blank" href="http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2015/12/orioles-holding-firm-on-offer-to-chris-davis.html">is saying that the Orioles are holding strong</a> at seven years, $150M. Buster Olney agrees with Roch, and also throws in that the Orioles offer is<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/Buster_ESPN/status/674981011911016448"> currently off the table</a>. Who to believe, who to believe?</p>
<p>Is that bigger number coming from Davis's agent, Scott Boras, as a negotiating tactic? Is MASN's info outdated and the Orioles have moved up? I hope it's the MASN version, because the idea of giving that crazy amount of money to one player gives me heart palpitations.</p>
<p>I want Chris Davis to be an Oriole. I've been hoping for it since the day the season ended. But this much money makes my tummy hurt. What about another outfielder? What about a starting pitcher? What about a future that I hope includes extending <span>Manny Machado</span> and <span>Jonathan Schoop</span>? How much money do the Orioles have to give away?</p>
<p>The rumors thus far about Davis have pretty much only talked about the Orioles. So who are they bidding against? Is there another team that would have given him more than the previously mentioned seven years, $150M?</p>
<p>None of us can answer those questions, it's a matter of if we want to put our faith into Dan Duquette and the Orioles, or if we do not. It's a huge commitment to give one player $24M a year, and if it ends up being a bad decision, it could really hurt this team for years.</p>
<p>Yes, I want Chris Davis on the team. I want to watch his sweet swing and majestic dongs for years to come. But this is an unprecedented amount of money for the Orioles, and it's pretty scary to think about the possible consequences.</p>
https://www.camdenchat.com/2015/12/10/9885142/orioles-rumors-chris-davis-offer-contract-hugeStacey2015-12-09T19:48:25-05:002015-12-09T19:48:25-05:00Davis believed to be looking for $200 million deal
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<figcaption>Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Orioles have offered Chris Davis $150 million over seven years, but he is reportedly out there looking for $200 million over eight years. Well, OK then.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.camdenchat.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Orioles</a> have reportedly offered <span>Chris Davis</span> $150 million over seven years. That sounds like a lot of money because it is a lot of money, but it still may not be enough money to entice him to come back to Baltimore. According to CBS Sports' Jon Heyman, Davis is <a href="http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/25407976/hot-stove-orioles-go-over-150m-in-bid-for-davis-but-theres-still-a-gap">"believed to be seeking a $200 million, eight-year deal."</a> That is also a lot of money.</p>
<p>As these things go, you can pretty well guess that if Heyman "believes" that's what Davis is seeking, that's because it's what Davis's agent, Scott Boras, told him that he's seeking. The connection between that reporter and agent is one of those things everyone who follows the baseball rumor mill "knows", although probably not well enough that you could get away with saying it without getting slapped with a "citation needed" on Wikipedia.</p>
<p>A gap of $50 million is a pretty significant gap, to say the least. Whether Davis is lined up to get that money he is seeking is another question. Boras has his ways of shaking out every last dollar, but if there's no market at a price level, there's only so much he can do. None of the reporter class really seems to know who else may be in on Davis.</p>
<p>Bridging that gap sounds complicated, although maybe it really isn't that much. A deal of eight years and $200 million gives an average annual value (AAV) of $25 million. The Orioles are offering a bit more than $21 million AAV already. If they were to add an eighth year at the existing AAV, they'd be "only" $30 million apart; if they upped their seven-year offer to the AAV Davis seeks, now they're "only" $25 million apart and they can start haggling over some kind of option year.</p>
<p><b>UPDATE: </b>Maybe the gap isn't even as high as all that at this time? Here's Heyman, who again conveniently has the inside scoop on a bidding process involving a Boras player:</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Orioles are now OVER $150M on Davis bid. There's a gap but situation is "fluid." story on <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSports">@CBSSports</a></p>
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS/status/674755566045167616">December 10, 2015</a>
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<p>The two big questions here are how far over, and whether the Davis side will be willing to come down from the initial ask, of course. Surely some people know the answer to that, but they aren't people who are talking about it. So in the meantime we all must guess, and possibly panic and run around screaming as if our hair was on fire.</p>
<p>Then sometimes reporters have conflicting information. Here's MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli:</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Orioles?src=hash">#Orioles</a> have NOT upped their offer on Chris Davis. I mentioned it on <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBNetwork">@MLBNetwork</a> but it bears repeating.</p>
— Brittany Ghiroli (@Britt_Ghiroli) <a href="https://twitter.com/Britt_Ghiroli/status/674758374689480704">December 10, 2015</a>
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<p>So really there's a third big question, which is, what the hell is going on? And some people know the answer to that too, but they're not talking about it.</p>
<p>One further contribution comes from MASN's Roch Kubatko, who gives a fairly strong hint that <a href="https://twitter.com/masnRoch/status/674761333326405632">owner Peter Angelos</a> was <a href="https://twitter.com/masnRoch/status/674763255127109632">directly involved in the negotiation with Boras today</a>.</p>
<p>(end update)</p>
<p>Boras holding court at the Winter Meetings is one of those baseball traditions. He did so today and obliquely referenced having <a href="http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2015/12/scott-boras-i-dont-think-anyone-has-drawn-any-lines-in-the-sand.html">"been in talks with a number of teams"</a> about Davis, and that he has more meetings still to come. We'll see about that. There are only so many teams who can even be involved at that price range.</p>
<p>At least initially, it doesn't sound like Dan Duquette has much interest in jumping to meet that price tag. "Who are we competing against?" he asked O's reporters rhetorically <a href="https://www.facebook.com/brittghiroli/posts/442125629308010">in his nightly debriefing with them</a>. Duquette also indicated another question the team must ask themselves: "How much resources are you going to put towards one part of your team?" A $25 million salary for 2016 is probably 15-18% of next year's payroll. That's a lot.</p>
<p>None of this means Davis is gone for sure, but it does mean there's either going to be a lot of negotiating to get a deal done, or one of these two sides is going to have to blink.</p>
https://www.camdenchat.com/2015/12/9/9882466/orioles-rumors-chris-davis-contract-againMark Brown