More on Davis' first day in the instructional league
By Roch Kubatko
The Orioles lost another game last night. Are they also losing their edge?
That's the question posed to me every couple of hours, and I have no idea.
I understand the logic behind resting the veterans and letting guys heal and staying away from certain relievers on certain nights to freshen up the bullpen before the Division Series. However, we can't measure how much edge is left until the playoffs start on Thursday.
I do know that the defense has to improve. Maybe it happens with a more set lineup. The Orioles just look sloppy right now and that's unusual for them.
It's also unacceptable to manager Buck Showalter, in case anyone actually needs me to point it out.
The Angels locked up home-field advantage last night. The Orioles will have to settle for the second-best record, which the majority of fans would have signed up for in blood back in spring training.
The bar gradually was raised as the season progressed, but let's step back for a minute and appreciate that the Orioles hold the second-best record in baseball. I didn't see it coming, you didn't see it coming. The failure to catch the Angels shouldn't be viewed as a crushing disappointment.
The Orioles won two of three in Anaheim in July, losing the final game by one run. They're not afraid to return in the Championship Series if they're able to advance. The Rally Monkey won't keep them awake at night.
Meanwhile, Chris Davis played in his first instructional league game yesterday morning in Sarasota, collecting an infield hit and a walk in three plate appearances. The game was scheduled for 1 p.m., but the Orioles moved it to 11 a.m. due to the weather.
"He did good," said Double-A Bowie manager Gary Kendall. "He walked, flew out to right field on a 3-2 pitch up and in, and reached on an infield single. They had the shift on. He hit a ground ball to the second base side of shortstop, and their guy ranged to his left and couldn't throw him out. Chris also made two plays in the field.
"He looked good. He didn't really miss a beat. He didn't swing through pitches, but he swung and fouled off some pitches he'd normally get to when he's good to go. It's just an adjustment period with his timing, but everything else is good.
"He took pregame, took ground balls with us, took batting practice in the cage."
The Orioles travel to Clearwater this morning, the bus departing at 7:30 a.m., but Davis probably won't be on it. No games are scheduled on Sunday and the Orioles are in Tampa Monday.
"We have a couple home games during the course of next week. I don't see him on that bus (today)," Kendall said.
Davis, serving his 25-game suspension for using Adderall without an exemption, seems to be in good spirits, according to Kendall. He isn't detached from his teammates.
"He was tremendous, he was tremendous," Kendall said. "He interacted with the guys. I go back to that Sarasota thing where we're here now, the minor league and major league. There's a couple guys here who were with him in spring training. Tyler Wilson started the game. Chris was used to him. (Mychal) Givens is here. There are some people who are used to having him around.
"What's impressive is it goes back to what Buck brought to the organization. We're on a first-name basis. I've been at lower levels and Double-A, where you get guys on rehab and they have to check the manager's name, who the pitching coach is, who the hitting coach is. Chris knows everybody. And not just Brian Graham or Dave Anderson. Now it's Ryan Minor, now it's Wilson Alvarez. He knows my name. He knows the personnel here and that goes a long way. It makes everybody feel part of this thing.
"It's not just Chris. It was that way with Nick Markakis and Kevin Gausman and Miguel Gonzalez, guys we've had over the course of the year, as far as the camaraderie and interaction with guys. His non-separation. He didn't separate himself. He hit with the group, and after he was done, he took ground balls before going out for the game.
"He was into it. He had a lot of spirit. He didn't separate himself one iota from anybody else. We have taxi squad guys like Buck Britton, Eddie Gamboa, Tyler Wilson, Henry Urrutia. We also have young kids, 17 or 18. It was awesome for the guys to interact with him in the dugout. He made them feel right at home."
Davis can still get his work in if he's not on a trip. Guys stay back and throw live batting practice. Simulated games can be arranged. Players will work out today at the complex.
"It will be a whole day full of stuff," Kendall said.
And Davis will continue to make the best of it while the Orioles move on without him.
"He was very upbeat, very determined to get work in and do his thing," Kendall said. "He came in and checked with me with signs - bunt, hit and run, steal, all types of things. I said, 'Well, you're not going to bunt or hit and run or steal.' But that's part of his nature.
"Dave Anderson and him go way back with Texas. They sat together a lot on the bench and talked about the work he's going to do this week.
"It was a really good day. A good day for Chris Davis."
Meanwhile, Chris Davis played in his first instructional league game yesterday morning in Sarasota, collecting an infield hit and a walk in three plate appearances. The game was scheduled for 1 p.m., but the Orioles moved it to 11 a.m. due to the weather.
"He did good," said Double-A Bowie manager Gary Kendall. "He walked, flew out to right field on a 3-2 pitch up and in, and reached on an infield single. They had the shift on. He hit a ground ball to the second base side of shortstop, and their guy ranged to his left and couldn't throw him out. Chris also made two plays in the field.
"He looked good. He didn't really miss a beat. He didn't swing through pitches, but he swung and fouled off some pitches he'd normally get to when he's good to go. It's just an adjustment period with his timing, but everything else is good.
"He took pregame, took ground balls with us, took batting practice in the cage."
The Orioles travel to Clearwater this morning, the bus departing at 7:30 a.m., but Davis probably won't be on it. No games are scheduled on Sunday and the Orioles are in Tampa Monday.
"We have a couple home games during the course of next week. I don't see him on that bus (today)," Kendall said.
Davis, serving his 25-game suspension for using Adderall without an exemption, seems to be in good spirits, according to Kendall. He isn't detached from his teammates.
"He was tremendous, he was tremendous," Kendall said. "He interacted with the guys. I go back to that Sarasota thing where we're here now, the minor league and major league. There's a couple guys here who were with him in spring training. Tyler Wilson started the game. Chris was used to him. (Mychal) Givens is here. There are some people who are used to having him around.
"What's impressive is it goes back to what Buck brought to the organization. We're on a first-name basis. I've been at lower levels and Double-A, where you get guys on rehab and they have to check the manager's name, who the pitching coach is, who the hitting coach is. Chris knows everybody. And not just Brian Graham or Dave Anderson. Now it's Ryan Minor, now it's Wilson Alvarez. He knows my name. He knows the personnel here and that goes a long way. It makes everybody feel part of this thing.
"It's not just Chris. It was that way with Nick Markakis and Kevin Gausman and Miguel Gonzalez, guys we've had over the course of the year, as far as the camaraderie and interaction with guys. His non-separation. He didn't separate himself. He hit with the group, and after he was done, he took ground balls before going out for the game.
"He was into it. He had a lot of spirit. He didn't separate himself one iota from anybody else. We have taxi squad guys like Buck Britton, Eddie Gamboa, Tyler Wilson, Henry Urrutia. We also have young kids, 17 or 18. It was awesome for the guys to interact with him in the dugout. He made them feel right at home."
Davis can still get his work in if he's not on a trip. Guys stay back and throw live batting practice. Simulated games can be arranged. Players will work out today at the complex.
"It will be a whole day full of stuff," Kendall said.
And Davis will continue to make the best of it while the Orioles move on without him.
"He was very upbeat, very determined to get work in and do his thing," Kendall said. "He came in and checked with me with signs - bunt, hit and run, steal, all types of things. I said, 'Well, you're not going to bunt or hit and run or steal.' But that's part of his nature.
"Dave Anderson and him go way back with Texas. They sat together a lot on the bench and talked about the work he's going to do this week.
"It was a really good day. A good day for Chris Davis."
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