As Mitch Moreland solidifies his case to become the Rangers’ regular first baseman, the team is receiving inquiries on the availability of another young infielder. GM Jon Daniels told MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan that rival teams are calling about Chris Davis.
"We have been asked about him," Daniels said. "Obviously there is no clean fit as we sit in Spring Training, but we all know things can change. We have to be prepared for anything. We've got time to see how things play out."
Davis doesn’t seem likely to win the starting first base job despite a .387 spring average and two home runs. Manager Ron Washington says it's Moreland's job to lose and that he has been impressed with the first baseman's offense and defense.
The Rangers could send Davis to the minor leagues without exposing him to waivers if they aren’t swayed by any offers, since the 24-year-old has an option remaining. Davis, who has been playing third base this spring, has a .248/.300/.459 line in three seasons as a major leaguer. Like Moreland, he struggles against left-handed pitching.
I looked ahead to the year that awaits the two first basemen last week.
Rangers should keep him this year, start him at Round Rock with Moreland at First if Moreland strugles and Davis is still tearing it up send Moreland down and call up Davis. If Davis doesnt get it together this year it will be his last with the Rangers
That sounds good, but if Moreland can handle the job, wouldn’t you rather trade Davis while he still has value? The Rangers could still get a pretty good return on Davis now. If he struggles all of 2011, people are going to start writing him off. If they have confidence in Moreland, it makes sense to deal Davis.
They had confidence in Davis once too. Yeah I would trade Davis now instead of later if he does strugle but this is baseball he could be the next (sighhhh) Adrian Gonzalez or Carlos Pena (two former Rangers 1B who strugled and were given up on). I like Moreland he is a solid player but Davis has a much higher potential
I agree Davis has a much much higher potential. His defense alone already makes him one of the best defensive 1B in the game. Nelson Cruz was a late bloomer, it took him awhile and now? Nelson Cruz is a top 20 outfielder in the game. Same could happen with Davis if so Moreland can go back to being an outfielder. I rather hold on to Davis one more year, and give him a 3rd and final shot…we did that for Cruz and look what he became, I hope the Rangers give Davis one more shot.
Adrian Gonzalez didn’t struggle, he was just stuck behind Teixeira, and the Rangers liked what the Padres offered.
Davis won’t struggle in AAA. Look at his 3 stints to AAA. Davis will remain solid defender with high upside power. Question is can he put it together at ML level. His value isn’t really going anywhere but up.
Rangers should keep Davis for the possibility that Moreland falters, unless they get an offer they can’t refuse. As another poster wrote, ‘Moreland appears solid but Davis has higher ceiling.’
“His value isn’t really going anywhere but up.”
uh negative. One more failed stint in Arlington and hes pretty much a complete bust.
Nelson Cruz would beg to differ. He actually made it through waivers before finally breaking out in texas.
Davis is only 24, he has many seasons ahead of him of not being able to hit.
Davis is redundant with Moreland, Young, and Napoli (emergency) available.
They should use him to shore up a position of weakness. Perhaps a reliever if they really want to put Feliz in the rotation.
Dodgers need to go after this Kid. Blake is getting old and has all the signs pointing at getting hurt this season (already taking place in ST…sighhh). Plays a decent/ok 3rd is young still and if he puts it together, can add some much need UMPH (power) to the line up.
Anybody want to throw out what it would take?
Probably a high upside arm.
define high upside arm
young reliever with the potential to pitch high leverage innings eventually.
Scott Elbert
Considering Elbert hasn’t been able to sustain under a 1.4 WHIP since 2008, it’d probably have to be something like Scott Elbert+ or Kenley Jansen.
Kenley Jansen.. Are you serious? Scott Elbert plus who? Xaiver Paul? John Ely?
Considering Davis hasn’t been able to post a positive WAR, has a comibined OPS of around 650, and struck out 190 times in 555 PA since 2008.. All while in the ALs greatest hitting environment.
We have plenty of “high upside” pitching prospects that haven’t progressed as smoothly as we would have liked (not unlike Davis’ situation.) What if we offered up Ethan Martin or Arron Miller along with soon to be gone Xavier Paul.
The only problem I have with picking up Davis, we already have Ethier and Blake that can’t hit lefties what good will Davis do?
Clayton Kershaw?? LOL
I would like to see the Cardinals go after him. Depth at 3B, young, inexpensive and has power.
Id love to see the Cards pick him up.. but who are they giving up…?
i cant see him costing as much as people are suggesting on here. I would say a second tier pitching prospect would do the trick. Like Ottavino.
If thats all it took… I’m surprised the Cards havent made the call already… with what they are looking for to move Young, i’d really be surprised if thats all it took… but really.. i’d rather have Davis at 3rd than Freese… and a lineup with 2-6 of Rasmus, Pujols, Holliday, Berkman and Davis never hurt anyone…
I would keep Davis. If Young is traded or if Young has to play the field due to injuries to other players then Davis is the first call up from Round Rock. Chris Davis might just be the next Nelson Cruz who the Rangers actually got through waivers a few years ago.
??? No they didnt they got him in the Carlos Lee trade. They exposed him to waivers and no one bit i doubt that will happen with Davis though but he has an option
I should have worded that differently. I meant the Rangers were able to put him through waivers and he went unclaimed. I know they got him in the Carlos Lee trade when they gave up Cordero. In other words he struggled so much with the Rangers that they put him through waivers and no one even made a claim on him. Cruz was a late bloomer and hopefully Davis can be too.
It’s been a while since anyone has seen JacksTigers… I don’t think he is going anwhere though.
I think it’s a bad idea.
Cubs will take him at the deadline trade Pena or Ramirez and trade whoever you get for either player for Davis. Maybe Davis and Young? Probably not. I’ll try to make a reasonable trade.
Cubs get- Michael Young and Chris Davis
Texas gets- Kosuke Fukudome, Rafeal Dolis, Christopher Carpenter, Marquez Smith, and whoever they get for Pena/ Ramirez.
(I added Fuku cause he’s an expiring contract and the Cubs will have to trade a big contract for another)
C- Soto
1B- Pena/ Davis
2B- Young
3B- Ramirez/Davis
SS- Castro
LF- Soriano
CF- Byrd/B.Jackson
RF- Colvin
I don’t know about any of that, but here’s something I’m legitimately concerned with regarding the Cubs….
Why on earth did their best hitter last year hit in the 7-9 spot in the order more than the 3-6 spots?
Aside from leading the team in OPS, Soto actually led all catchers in the MLB in OPS(.890). He played a total of 105 games. He hit in the 3-6 spots in 21 games, but logged 85 games hitting in the 7-9 spots.
How unbelievably stupid is that? Especially considering guys like Aramis Ramirez and Derek Lee were really struggling for most of the year while hitting in the middle of the lineup. Byrd, who doesn’t have as much power and doesn’t get on base as much as Soto logged a ton of games in the middle. Soriano also managed more games higher in the order. It just doesn’t make any sense whatsoever. I’ve asked baseball writers and a ton of fans and I’ve yet to get a reasonable answer.
Hard to see the Rangers trading away depth if they don’t need to especially if Davis is like Nelson Cruz and just waiting for his options to run out before he finally blossoms into a 1B who can add another potent bat to the lineup. At this point, I doubt Davis brings back anything the Rangers could use right now in any trade. They won’t get a good closer for him for example as someone mentioned.
if im the Orioles I go after him. They have nothing at the position in the minors and need someone to step up when Derek Lee and/or Vlad go to the DL or dont pan out or get traded
This is the second time that MLBTR has mentioned that Moreland “struggles against lefties”, so I’m skeptical how much research the writers actually do. He only had 173 regular season at bats last year and just 23 of those were against lefties, so no one knows whether he can hit lefties at the major league level. His minor league splits, however, have always been fairly even… so, the only evidence that MIGHT be worth considering actually disagrees with MLBTR.