A few thoughts on Chris Davis' retirement

When we saw former Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy at Camden Yards for his O's Hall of Fame induction over the weekend, it brought back a lot of good memories. He was a huge part of the core group of players that took an organization that had 14 straight losing seasons and turned it back into a winner.

A winner that led the American League in victories from 2012 through 2016 and that made three playoff appearances, advancing as far as the 2014 American League Championship Series. It was a special run by the Orioles and re-energized the fans throughout Birdland.

Chris Davis, who announced his retirement from baseball effective today, was also a big part of that turnaround.

Traded with pitcher Tommy Hunter by Texas to Baltimore on July 30, 2011 for pitcher Koji Uehara, Davis went on to hit nearly 40 homers per season on average and produce an OPS that was 30 percent above league average during the five-year winning run.

His O's tenure, though, ends with a whimper and the player who was at one-time a feared hitter in his later years was simply one of the worst hitters in baseball. It was a huge fall, one that made Davis and his big contract a lightning rod for constant criticism from fans.

He seemed resistant to make any needed changes until it was too late. He never got it back and posted a .550 OPS starting in 2018.

Davis also got deserved criticism for his suspension for using Adderal at the end of the Orioles' AL East-winning 2014 season. He helped them get there, yes, but a club that would be without the injured Matt Wieters and Manny Machado for the playoffs also would be without Davis, and the Orioles lost the ALCS in four straight, all close games, to Kansas City. As it turned out, that was the Orioles' best chance to win it all during the five-year run.

But we can't forget this part either: From 2012 through 2016, Davis hit a combined .249/.340/.518/.858 with 197 homers and 496 RBIs. He struck out a ton, 968 times those five seasons, but the big run production made the strikeouts a lot easier to take.

The Orioles needed Davis, Hardy and all the rest of the key core group to turn this franchise back into a winner.

Here is Davis' statement today:

"After an extended time dealing with my injury and recent hip surgery, I informed the Orioles about my decision to retire effective today. I want to thank the Orioles partnership group, led by the Angelos family, the Orioles organization, my teammates and coaches. The University of Maryland Children's Hospital, with whom I will continue to be involved following my retirement and, of course, Birdland. Thank you all for the many memories that I will cherish forever."

On Jan. 21, 2016, Davis, coming off a 47-homer season with a .923 OPS, signed a new seven-year contract worth $161 million, much larger than any other deal in team history. Today, Jon Heyman reported that Davis will still be paid his 2022 salary but that there was some restricting of what remained in his deal, which included deferred money. Heyman reported it will all be paid off in three years.

In this story, right here on MASNSports.com, my colleague Roch Kubatko wrote that "Davis still receives his full salary, per a source, but the 2022 portion becomes deferred over the next three seasons. He won't receive a lump sum next year."

This probably means there was no massive saving of dollars here for the club, although there is likely some benefit. But at least today's news puts finality on Davis' future situation, and a spot opens on the 40-man roster. Now there will be no concern that Davis will try it again next spring and take at-bats away from anyone else trying to make the club.

Davis was once one of the most feared hitters in the game, producing 53- and 47-homer seasons. He had an OPS of 1.004 in the 2013 season, when he finished third in the American League MVP voting.

He appeared in 1,151 games for the O's, connected on 253 home runs, was named an All-Star starter, Silver Slugger Award winner, three-time Roberto Clemente nominee, and finished in the top three of MVP voting. He ranks in the top 15 in Orioles history in home runs (253-7th), walks (491-10th), RBIs (656- 1th), extra-base hits (433-12th), runs scored (592-14th), and games played (1,151-15th). His 142 home runs at Oriole Park at Camden Yards are the second-most in the ballpark's history, while his 11 Eutaw Street homers are most by any player.

Many fans will choose to remember the Davis that let them down in recent years and did not live up to his contract. The criticism of Davis was fair, but there were numerous times when it crossed a line and some of it was, to say the least, irrational.

But Davis' production earned him the contract in the first place. When the Orioles turned this thing around in 2012 and for the next five years, he was in the middle of it. The middle of the lineup and a big part of the winning.