Chris Davis: "I've put myself in the conversation to be an everyday player next year"

While Chris Davis put his name in the record book with a three-homer game on Friday night, he hopes that in the big picture what he is doing most this year is earning himself a job on the 2013 Orioles. He feels he is well on his way to doing that during a season where he is batting .256 in 108 games with career-highs in homers (23) and RBIs (64). "I think so. So far this year, I've proved I could compete every day at this level," Davis said. "I've had some ups and downs but I think that is part of growing as a young player. I think I've put myself in the conversation to be an everyday player next year. Hopefully it will be at first base, but we'll see how it plays out." So what is the key for Davis in hitting homers? "First of all, it's about getting a pitch I can drive as opposed to just a pitch I can hit," he said. "I think the biggest thing with me is a lot of times I chase out of the zone and swing at pitches that are tough to drive out of the park. When I'm patient and just kind of lock in on one pitch in one zone, I'm a lot more dangerous and that was something I was able to do last night." What he also did last night was link his name forever with Babe Ruth. With his win as a pitcher at Boston on May 6 and his three-homer game, Davis became the fourth player in major league history to record a pitching win and a three-homer game in the same season. According to Elias, the other three players are Guy Hecker of the 1886 Louisville Colonels, Baltimore native Ruth of the 1930 New York Yankees and Jim Tobin of the 1942 Boston Red Sox. Hecker was primarily a pitcher, winning 26 games in 1886 and hitting four homers, Ruth hit 49 homers as an outfielder and had one win as a pitcher in 1930 and Tobin was also a pitcher, winning 12 games in 1942, while homering six times. "That's pretty crazy," Davis said. "I think everybody does the best they can day in and day out to make a name for themselves and to be remembered as one of the great players in the game. To be even in the same conversation as Babe Ruth is very humbling. Obviously, it's a huge honor." Davis said he heard from a lot of people with congratulatory messages after the game last night. "It was a lot of fun," he said. "A lot of people that have followed me since I was in the minor leagues with Texas and even some going back to high school. It was good to hear from family and friends and it was a fun night for everybody."