Davis wants to be fixture in Oakland
On club that routinely deals its stars, slugger seems eager to stay put
MESA, ARIZ. >>
Star players typically don’t stay in an A’s uniform for long.
Khris Davis wants to be an exception.
The talks of a long-term contract for Davis have floated around over the past couple of seasons. Now set to become a free agent after the season and watching how many quality players still remain without a team this spring, it’s hard for Davis not to think about his future.
“It’s not a good thing being a
free agent right now,” Davis said. “It’s going to impact it a lot. That’s the way the business is. I’m already 31 so I don’t know if I’m too old; there’s a lot of things that run through my head for it.”
Who can blame Davis for feeling a little nervous about possibly becoming a free agent?
Aside from stars Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, who still remain unsigned, it has been a struggle for many players to find teams. Guys who were once considered locks to earn good money are having to settle for minorleague deals.
“Teams have different models these days,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “It’s more of a pay-for-what-you’re-going-to-do as opposed to pay for what you’ve done in the past.
“I think it takes everybody a little aback looking at some of the contracts being signed right now, but I think teams are doing a little more homework and trying to build their teams a little differently and more efficient,” Melvin continued.
A’s general manager David Forst has remained in touch with Davis’ agent about a possible contract extension and is willing to continue those discussions into the season if Davis would like.
The slugger who led the majors with 48 home runs last season — is looking for at least three more years, which he understands is outside the norm for how the A’s usually do business. Marcus Semien is currently the A’s longesttenured player, entering his fifth season with the club.
“That’s a long time to be an Oakland A,” Davis said of his three-year request. “But if anybody can do it, I guess it’s me, hopefully.”
The numbers Davis has put up in with the A’s would support him becoming best candidate to break that mold.
Since the A’s acquired him in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers just before the 2016 season, Davis has been the most prolific power hitter in baseball. His 133 home runs are the most of any player over that span.
But Davis’ value goes beyond his ability to launch baseballs into the upper depths of the Oakland Coliseum. His lack of ego embodies the type of culture the A’s have established in their clubhouse. He brings a blue-collar work ethic that rubs off on younger players and connects well with the Oakland community.
“I think he’s been as good a fit here as some of the great players in the past here,” Melvin said. “He seems like the perfect fit for our city and for our team. The attitude he has, he’s a superstar that has an everyday workmanlike mentality. He doesn’t want the spotlight.”
Were it up to Melvin, Davis would already have the contract extension. While the manager remains concerned at the prospects of possibly losing his star player next year, he believes Davis’ love for the team would help the A’s fend off other potential suitors.
“He’s always implied to me wants to be here, but you also have to do what is best for yourself and your family as well,” Melvin said. “If push came to shove and everything was equal, I think we’d have a leg up on the potential other landing spots for him.”
Davis said Melvin was complimentary of him during the team meeting before their first full-squad workout of the spring, which actually gave him a little more hope that his spot in Oakland is secure, at least for this upcoming season.
“We’ll see,” Davis said. “I don’t think they’ll trade me as long as we’re doing good. So we better do good so I don’t get traded.”
For now, Davis will do his part to help the A’s in their quest back to the playoffs as the cleanup hitter.
It’s a lineup that no longer features 2018 All-Star Jed Lowrie in the No. 3 spot right in front of Davis; the second baseman signed with the New York Mets this offseason. Instead, Jurickson Profar takes over at second base.
Though Profar might not bat third, Davis looks forward to adding another hitter with 20-plus homer power somewhere in the order.
“It’s going to be different, but I think Profar is going to step in and explode,” Davis said. “He’s dynamic and has got a great smile. Playing against him in Texas was tough.”
• Before the A’s hit the practice fields at Fitch Park for their first full-squad workout of the spring Saturday morning, they received a special pep talk from Dave Stewart and Rickey Henderson to get them fired up.
Stewart and Henderson spoke about the legacy and tradition of the A’s, something they know well having been part of some dominant teams in the late ‘80s.
“With the championship teams of the ’70s and ’80s and then the run of the 2000 ballclubs, it was just having them understand how special that is and seeing them at the beginning of what can possibly be another long run of championship-caliber baseball,” Stewart said. “These kids are in a similar position. So it was really about the legacy and tradition.”