Crashing the Party

Despite leading the Rangers in spring home runs, RBIs and slugging, Chris “Crash” Davis was optioned to AAA to begin the 2011 season.  As a 22 year old, Davis has a breakout season to remember, totaling 39 home runs between AA, AAA, and the Major Leagues.  In fact, in 80 games at the big league level that year, Davis hit 17 home runs, driving in 55 runs and appeared to have secured his position as the Rangers first baseman of the present and future.  Certainly, things were looking bright for the rising star.

And then something happened.  Davis stopped making contact, almost altogether in fact.  Granted, he always carried a lofty K%, never striking out in fewer than 23.6% of his at bats at any professional level.  However, with the Rangers in 2009, things reached an all-time low (or, high depending on your view of the glass)—38.4%K.  This led to Davis’ batting average plummeting from the .280 mark he carried as a vaunted rookie to .238 (.284 OBP) in his sophomore campaign.  His inability to make consistent contact forced the Rangers to option him to AAA to refine his skills. 

It seemed to work.  In 44 minor league games in 2009 Davis reverted back to his dominant form, hitting .327 while slugging .521.  Sure, he was still striking out more than 23% of the time, but he was clearly making more than enough contact to reassert himself as a professional, enough that the Rangers rewarded him with a September call-up.  Once again, if only for a short time, Davis hit.  After his September recall, Davis amassed 110 at bats, hitting .318, and slugging .518 (5 HR).  He still struck out more than 25% of the time, but he seemed to regain his stroke and again lay claim to the first base job in Texas.

Alas, the story repeated itself in 2010.  Davis struggled in April, hitting .188, eventually resulting in his return to the minors.  Another go-round, this time in July, yielded almost identical results (see: .188 AVG in 16 games), and another return to AAA.  September was almost as cruel, with Davis hitting to just a .211 batting average, all the while striking out at an alarming rate (33.3%).  Still, each time he found himself in the minor leagues (103 games), Davis hit: .327 AVG, .520 SLG, .383 OBP, 14 HR, 80 RBIs.  It was becoming fairly obvious that Davis was heading down the dreaded road of the AAAA-player.

Now, following the Josh Hamilton injury, Davis may be getting his last shot with the Rangers.  He was recalled from AAA Round Rock on April 13 to take Hamilton’s roster spot, and with good reason.   Through his first five games, Davis was absolutely raping the ball, hitting .429 slugging an absurd 1.095 (4 HR).  Could this be the year Davis lives up to his potential?

There are obstacles to his success.  One is Mitch Moreland, the incumbent starting first baseman.  Moreland is currently batting .333, successfully reaching base in all but one game to date, and has given manager Ron Washington ample reason to keep him firmly entrenched at the position.  While Moreland doesn’t possess nearly the power that Davis does, he’s shown himself to be a more consistent contact hitter at the big league level.  Another consideration is Michael Young, a player without a true position, but one that currently serves as the Rangers’ primary DH and can spell Moreland at first when necessary.  Should Young get traded (or Davis for that matter), at bats would suddenly become available and a potential outpouring of power could lie in wait.  For the moment, however, Davis (and his potential fantasy owners) will have to remain patient—something Davis has shown little inclination toward thus far in his strikeout-riddled career.