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Baltimore Orioles: An Open Letter to Chris Davis

By Mike Travers |

Dear Chris,

We miss you already, man. And this is not to assume that you’re going anywhere. No, this is literally us missing watching you swing a baseball bat every day. Genuinely. I mean, man… who would have thought we’d be in this situation a year ago.

This time last October, you were suspended from the league in a year where you put up career-low numbers. Flash forward to this season and you’re the home run king once again, leading baseball with 47 homers, on the brink of earning a record-breaking contract.

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Life’s pretty funny, huh?

You know, Chris, I don’t know if we really got the chance to express it, but we were pretty disappointed in you last season. Some of us went a little bit overboard with it, but I’m thinking that’s something you’re growing to love about our city – our passion.

We only have two sports teams here – you know that. Our hearts pump orange and black all spring and summer, and once the leaves change in the fall we’re overcome with tenacious cases of purple fever.

There was a time in Baltimore when we tolerated mediocrity from our baseball team. There was a time when a player hitting .196 beckoned us towards terms like “Hey, what do you expect?” or “Classic Orioles.”

We weren’t upset with you because we thought you had turned on us, Chris. We were upset because we thought we deserved better.

The great thing is, we know you felt the same way, too.

You deserve to be supported by those who hold you to high standards.

And let us be clear: if the Orioles don’t give you the money you deserve, you should walk. There aren’t many guys in the world who can do what you do. In fact, statistically, you’re the only guy in the world who can do what you do, to the extent to which you do it. You should be compensated accordingly.

I mean, seriously – when a game is in extra innings at Camden Yards and you’re up to bat, fans don’t fill in the lower seating bowl. You know where they go? The right field STANDING section, just praying for a Chris Davis walk-off that turns into a Eutaw Street souvenir. It’s nuts.

We’re going to assume that winning is pretty important to you, too. You don’t seem like the type of guy who is going to sign a contract with any old team who throws a big paycheck your way. You’d like to have a ring.

In Baltimore, we’re pretty darn close. We won’t lie to you and say that we’re there right now, but we have a foot in the door. We have the best manager in baseball, all-stars at third base, short stop, and center field, a top-5 bullpen, and a second baseman who looks to be just a few years away from being one of the best at his position.

You could be a legend here. Imagine if you brought a ring to this city. We haven’t had a World Series game played in Baltimore since before you were even born.

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    • And we don’t know if you knew this, but if you hit just 25 home runs a year for 6 more years here, you would be 3rd on the Baltimore Orioles’ all-time home run list.

    That sounds not just possible, but kind of probable.

    Look, we know you have a lot to think about. You have a house, a family, an agent, and a life into which we have very little insight. So just know that we don’t mean to sound pushy or ignorant.

    When the guys and girls in Baltimore say that you look good in orange, we may be talking about different things, but the underlying message is very simple: we like you.

    Someone is going to pay you a lot of money this offseason. If it’s someone else, we will take some time to reflect on all that you’ve done for this team in your years here. If it’s the Baltimore Orioles, however, you can bet on continuing your career with a winning team with fans who have your back, 100%.

    We hope to see you soon. Thank you for everything!

    Sincerely,

    Baltimore Orioles Fans

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