Baltimore Orioles Chris Davis to take first base in 2013 season- MLB News
Chris Davis, the Baltimore Orioles hitter will be at first base in the 2013 season. Chris has been playing around the field in the 2012 season including being stationed at the first base. He generally is a player placed at the first or third base.
The 26-year-old was originally drafted by the New York Yankees in 2004 in the final round of the draft by Chris did not sign. He was selected by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2005’s draft and he declined again. He was eventually signed by the Texas
Rangers in the fifth round in the 2006 MLB Draft out of Navarro Junior College in Texas.
Buck Showalter, manager of the Orioles, said that Davis had been a recommended first baseman by many but he was unable to live up to the expectations in the 2012 season. Buck expects that he can change this around and do well.
“I just wanted him to know that things change,” Showalter said. “And I’ve had some really good quality people tell me he was a really good first baseman, and it just never happened.”
Chris had a not so good time at the first base in 2012. In 38 games, he committed four errors in 374 chances and pasted a fielding percentage of .989 as a first baseman.
Chris, who was replaced at the first base by Mark Reynolds during the season, himself believes that the made some errors that should have not taken place.
“I missed some plays that I probably shouldn’t have,” he said. “It was one of those things where I really couldn’t find a rhythm and then with the injuries, I kind of had to fill in other places [outfield, designated hitter].
He also believed that some of the errors took place due to mental lapses and perhaps laziness as well.
“I think there were a few plays where there were some mental lapses, lack of focus. Maybe I took my eye off the ball a little too soon and was a little lazy,” Davis said.
Chris came to the Orioles in a trade along with pitcher Tommy Hunter in July of 2012 for Koji Uehara from the Texas Rangers. He did well with the bat in 2012 with a batting average of .270 and an on-base percentage of .326 in 139 games. With 139 hits, he
managed 85 RBI’s and hit an impressive 33 home-runs during the season.
He had a decent time in the post-season games with .208 batting average of a .310 on-base percentage in a total of 24 at bats.
Buck Showalter has shown great confidence in Chris by deputing him on the first base from the start of the season and has conveyed it to him much in advance. It would be in the best interest of the team and Chris himself that he grabs the opportunity and
makes sure that the lapses at the first base do not repeat in the coming season.
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