The official Chris "Crash" Davis thread

[LoboFan07]

Congratulations to him!! Definitely making the city of Longview proud!!

[Thumbsup66]

As Ric Renner said in Sunday's postgame report, it's good to see Chris Davis "Lobo Up!" with his bat and some great defensive play. Here's hoping Mr. Davis has a long career in the majors, joining such Longview greats as Charlie Neal, Lee Lacy and Sammy West.

[uniballer]

Proud to say I was in The House that Pudge Built for Davis' second big league homer and boy was it a bomb!!!

 

Let's go get three from the Yanks!

[etos10]

Proud to say I was in The House that Pudge Built for Davis' second big league homer and boy was it a bomb!!!

 

Let's go get three from the Yanks!

 

 

I am all for that (the three from the Yanks!)

 

Congrats to Chris! We are all soooo proud!

[maroonandwhite34]

ya i was there for his first career start and got to see his first homer. it was pretty awesome.

[stevosev7]

Proud to say I was in The House that Pudge Built for Davis' second big league homer and boy was it a bomb!!!

 

Let's go get three from the Yanks!

 

i was there too...and i'll tell you this, if chris davis plays legit the rest of the way at 1st, then the rangers will shock alot of people...the corner bags have been killin us this year but with davis and blalock back the rangers will be playoff contenders!

[sackem]

i was there too...and i'll tell you this, if chris davis plays legit the rest of the way at 1st, then the rangers will

 

If Chris continues to hit and play that way they will trade him. the Rangers are more interested in making money. Look what they have done with every really good player they have found. Pudge-Rod, ect name a few more.

[stevosev7]

If Chris continues to hit and play that way they will trade him. the Rangers are more interested in making money. Look what they have done with every really good player they have found. Pudge-Rod, ect name a few more.

 

i got a name for you...

 

NOLEN RYAN!

 

those stupid trade days are over.

[Loftin74]

i got a name for you...

 

NOLEN RYAN!

 

 

And I got a name for you...

 

NOLAN RYAN!!!!

 

its Nolan with an "a" not an "e"

 

(just messing with you man)

[Guest imyahuckleberry]

Well he just sent Ponson to the showers with a shot to dead center.

 

This kid has got a stroke.

 

Hank who?

[t-dub]

Since being called up, ESPN reported last night that Davis has twice as many home-runs as he does singles.He has a very easy,smooth swing.

[panther55dad]

:coolball: I seen the interview on CH7 with Davis and he isn't letting all this hub bub get to his head. He seems to be a well grounded young man. He acted like he has been there forever. Man I'd be so jacked up I couldn't see straight. lol Keep your eye on the ball! :thumbsup:

[fatcat255]

Per The Jamey Newberg Report (www.newbergreport.com):

 

According to Derrick Goold and Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Cardinals are one of a number of teams interested in Eddie Guardado. The Rangers reportedly like 22-year-old righthander Jess Todd, who between High A and AA this season is 6-3, 2.01 with one save in 16 starts and four relief appearances, with 93 strikeouts and 24 walks in 107.1 innings, and a.199 opponents' average, with only five home runs allowed. Todd was St.Louis's second-round pick last year.

 

Todd was teammates with Chris Davis at Navarro Junior College in 2005 and 2006, before transferring to Arkansas for his junior season -- which is exactly what Davis would have done had the Rangers not drafted and signed him in 2006.

 

No American League hitter, by the way, has more than the eight home runs that Davis has hit since he arrived in the big leagues on June 26.

 

ESPN's Rob Neyer wrote this last week: "First base in Texas is now occupied by the best hitter nobody's talking about: Chris Davis. Last winter I worked up lists of the best players of the next five years at each position. Then, I'd never heard of Chris Davis. I suppose this was an oversight, as Davis was then listed as the Rangers' No. 2 prospect, but on the other hand he did strike out 150 times in 129 minor-league games last season. Now, though? He's still striking out, but not as often. And the guy's power is off the %@#& charts: 13 homers in Double-A, 10 homers inTriple-A, and now six homers in 17 games with the big club. Oh, and he turned 22 just last spring. This season his combined slugging percentage is.645. Can you find a better 22-year-old hitter in the game right now? Anyone?"

[Smoaky]

For the first time since his demotion from the Rangers major league roster to Triple-A Oklahoma City, former Longview Lobo star Chris Davis discussed his season in a phone interview with David Smoak.

 

Davis went 2-4 with a walk and 2-RBI on Wednesday night against New Orleans. The RedHawks play in New Orleans on Thursday night before hosting Round Rock in a four-game series starting on Friday.

 

Smoaky: Let's start with the obvious, how are you doing?

 

Chris Davis: "I feel like I'm doing okay, I was obviously disappointed but yet relieved to get a new start. It became very difficult going up to the plate each night and watching my batting average around .200, and I knew the franchise was discussing my situation, as they should've been."

 

Smoaky: When you say relieved, is that knowing it was inevitable?

 

Chris Davis: Well, I knew the facts and I wasn't hitting the ball, my swing was so off, but I think since I've been here with Oklahoma, I've made a lot of strides and my swing is back to where it used to be. I never got down on myself, I kept a positive outlook and it's allowed me to make adjustments a little better and quicker."

 

Smoaky: What is your biggest challenge right now?

 

Chris Davis: The challenge for me now is making sure I don't think, okay I'm ready to go back up, it's going to be day-to-day and I must keep my head here with Oklahoma and not ponder the future."

 

Smoaky: On the night you were demoted, what was your initial reaction?

 

Chris Davis: "My very first thought was disappointment, not so much that I was being sent down, but that I wasn’t able to make adjustments to stay up there. Everyone could see that it was coming, I felt like I was making some subtle adjustments and my at bats were better, I was definitely making better contact. Once you’re in the big leagues you don’t want to go back down anywhere---you get used to the lifestyle of being in the big leagues, and I mean more being a pro, being in the big league clubhouse and how you're treated. It was tough, because the team was about to leave for Anaheim and things were a little chaotic, my teammates were patting me on the back, I was beating up myself pretty good and I didn’t want to talk much to anyone. Later that night, I collected my thoughts and said this is going to give me a shot at new life, so yea, I was in sense somewhat relieved."

 

Smoaky: Did you pay attention to the outside criticism when you were slumping?

 

Chris Davis: I think because my strikeouts were so high and people started looking at the pace I was on, that started gaining momentum and attention. I did let that affect me a little bit, but I got through that eventually. The pressure was really more on me early in the season when I was trying to break through in April and early-May. I bounced back with a nice string of games, had the game-winning home run and then, I went back into a slump after I thought I'd made the proper adjustments."

 

Smoaky: What was the main issue with your swing?

 

Chris Davis: "My main focus was going there everyday to make the adjustments to get my swing back. I've had success here in Oklahoma because my swing path had gotten so bad with the Rangers. I've looked at a lot of video from my at bats with the Rangers and I've never seen my bat path be so far out of the zone, I mean I was missing fastballs right down the middle of the plate because I got into a bad habit of swinging uphill but I've flattened it out."

 

Smoaky: Has the level of pitching in Triple-A been a big difference?

 

Chris Davis: "Well, I know that's a common theory, but there are some really good pitchers I've faced in Oklahoma, Sidney Ponson and others, but I've had success against them and even if I miss a few pitches in the strike zone my confidence is still very strong, no matter who is pitching. I have keep thinking positive because otherwise you set yourself up for failure. With the Rangers, I got to the point where I was wondering if I could hit something in the strike zone, no matter who was pitching. Right now, I feel as good as I did a year ago. It's a good thing the Rangers keep winning and I'm proud and excited for them, and they're not really in position right now to make a move. I'm not going to worry about it, I'm going to enjoy my time here and see what damage I can do."

 

Smoaky: There has been talk that the Rangers moved you through the system too quickly, do you agree?

 

Chris Davis: "I know there’s been talk about it, fans have mentioned it, but the biggest thing you have to look at---if a young player is able to succeed at each level while making adjustment along the way, especially in-game, he need to move up to the next level. For example, in Bakersfield (Ca.) I was hitting everything, making contact, ripping doubles, homeruns, while making in-game adjustments. I think the Rangers felt like I was ahead of the competition and needed more of a challenge, and I had success in Frisco too. I don't think you can say I was rushed because I never really struggled for a long period of time. I've always gotten through a slump by making adjustments, hitting the ball the opposite way, hitting with power the opposite way. I think it's hard to say a player is rushed. I was younger, but it wasn't like I was right out of high school since I'd been in their system for three years. I think it all depends on the mentality of the player and what they're capable of doing mentally and physically."

 

Smoaky: Do you have a hole in your swing?

 

Chris Davis: "You know, I've heard that too--but for a while there I had several holes in my swing. It's one of those things, I've always handled the inside pitch very well, I was always able to turn-and-burn and I could always rely on hitting the ball to the opposite field and that made me a better power hitter and hit better for average. This season with the Rangers, I was missing pitches out over the plate, and beat writers, media and whoever else tried to nail down my lack of success to one thing, and so the hole in the swing discussion came up. I don't think it was a hole in my swing, I was just missing pitches, any pitches. Technically, I had a hole everywhere for awhile and that was so frustrating, flat-out missing pitches. Everyone had advice, everyone else was baffled too, was it my hands, my feet, my swing, and it almost became a helpless feeling I'd never experienced before."

 

Smoaky: During your time with the Rangers, when things were tough, who did you rely on the most?

 

Chris Davis: "Michael Young, and it's funny to say that because it was just 2-3 years ago when I was watching those guys, Young, Blalock, Kinsler on television, and I looked up to them. It was great to fit in with them last season and earlier this season. And when I was struggling, I wasn't worried about the media reaction or even fan reaction because I was bothered that I was letting my team down, and I sometimes didn't sleep well at night thinking about it. Michael (Young) reassured me everyday about the second year being the most difficult and opposing pitchers make adjustment and he said I'd respond too. Young even went out of his way to setup a meeting between me and Jason Giambi of the A's, we talked in the batting cage one night before a game---Michael didn't have to do that, that was above and beyond, he's a veteran and to take that time for me meant a great deal. He went out of his way and he still remains in touch."

 

Smoaky: You mentioned earlier the challenge of not thinking about a future call-up, has anyone in the organization contacted you of late?

 

Chris Davis: "No, and I think it’s funny because I feel like I’m seeing the other side of the business. Last year, I was a prospect and every day I was hearing from someone within the organization, now it's like---I've had time, I'm back in Triple-A and I'm trying to get back to normal. I also think everyone is standing back and trying to let me work this out on my own and want to give me some space. I spoke with JD (Rangers GM Jon Daniels) a couple of days after my demotion and he said he liked what he'd seen and what I was doing and for me to keep it up."

 

Smoaky: Are you enjoying the game again?

 

Chris Davis: Yes, I'm enjoying it again and playing with a smile on my face, I'm having success and doing what I can do. Obviously, at some point I'd like to know do I stay here or will I go back up? The first part of this season was such a mentally, physically and emotionally draining time for me, and when they need me, they'll call."

 

Smoaky: How did you keep your offense from affecting your defense?

 

Chris Davis: "It’s something that kind of caught me by surprise, my defense that is...I always felt like I had the defensive capabilities whether at first or third. I was never looked at for my defense because I was hitting the ball so well. No one mentioned my defense, but I told myself before the start of the season that I wanted to win a Gold Glove, knowing if I took care of my offense, I could make plays in the field. And then, once I started struggling with the bat, I kept telling myself I'd take away a hit or run with my glove. Once I got into a rhythm and found out more about playing first base, I was doing a lot of nice things with my glove. My father used to tell me when I was younger how baseball is a combination of pitching, hitting, situational hitting, defense, and not just power and run production. It was tough going onto the field after a bad at bat, but I was going to do everything possible to do something with my glove even if it meant throwing my body into the stands to take away a hit."

 

Smoaky: How are you doing overall?

 

Chris Davis: "I'm fine, I feel like I'm back to my old self, I'm back to the person I was last year and it's not as though I got away from that outside of baseball, but there was a lot of frustration, disappointments, and I just wanted to enjoy myself, I've always played the game hard and that will never change. People constantly told me, thank you for playing the game hard and not wearing your emotions on your sleeve. I'd be lying if I didn't admit I'm a little anxious right now, I want to get back---but at the same time I’m trying not to think about that---I’m enjoying playing the game and I always try and keep a positive attitude all the time. I’m not worn down, I’m not losing sleep and I’m back in control of things."

[Eagleborn]

Great interview.... Hope to see him back up in the future.

[RETIREDFAN1]

Good interview....thanks....

[wtlobos]

That was a great interview. I would guess he'll be back up this season if Blalock or someone gets hurt. I know he said he wasn't rushed in the interview, but he was and that's why he's in OKC right now.

[USNDocOfMarines]

Its good that hes has been able to maintain a positive attitude through this. Hopefully he will be able to come back and contribute more to the Rangers. Good Luck Chris!

[Smoaky]

Chris went 1-5 on Thursday night, 2R HR, walked and scored twice.

 

RedHawks lost 7-6 to New Orleans.

 

Smoaky

[Smoaky]

David was 1-4, with a run scored and 1-RBI, one walk, 2-K's, hitting .338.

 

Smoaky

[Guest Rednek99]

Davis and Smoak both should be in Arlington once the rosters expand. If we do not see one or both before then.

 

 

[Smoaky]

to have played in both Yankee Stadium, old and new?

 

I think so.

 

Not sure what it matters because it's a brand-new stadium

 

Congrats to Chris tonight, 2-4, 2-runs scored, 1-BB, as the Rangers literally held on to edge the Yankees, 10-9.

 

David Smoak

[Smoaky]

Longview's Chris Davis returned to the Rangers lineup on Tuesday night in a 10-9 victory against the Yankees.

 

Afterward, Davis called me from the team hotel to answer some quick questions about his return to the major leagues.

 

(DS) What was your initial reaction when you were called back up the majors?

 

(CD) "I was relieved, excited, I felt like I'd worked hard in Triple-A and I accomplished what I needed, and I kept picturing myself back in the Rangers lineup and helping to contribute to their season and winning down the stretch."

 

(DS) What have your learned from the experience of being sent down to Triple-A and returning to the Rangers?

 

(CD) "You're constantly going to have to make adjustments, make some moves with the swing, tweaks here and there and always learning more about the game."

 

(DS) You appeared more comfortable in your first game back, I know there are many games left, but did you feel that way?

 

(CD) "Yes, it felt good to have a good approach mentally and physically, and even better to have a solid stance after putting that much work into my swing, and this place (Yankee Stadium) was one of the places I'd hit well during the first part of the season."

 

(DS) Did you ever question yourself even after we talked about a month ago?

 

(CD) "I don't think I ever questioned myself, but I was a little doubtful a few times because there was so much failure at the beginning of the season for me...and it's good to come back from that and I know I can do it again if I have too, and even better---I've built a foundation to build from in the future."

 

(DS) How important was winning in New York to open the series?

 

(CD) "It was huge for us to win the way we did, and it was special being in the lineup as well and contributing. We swung the bats well tonight and (Kevin) Millwood kept us in the game after a tough start and the way we bounced back can tell us a lot about the character on this team, to grind out a game like that now---down the stretch in a pennant race against the Yankees, and especially knowing how tough they are when they get a lead at home and they've been playing so well."

[cheaptrick77]

Is Chris Davis the first East Texan to have played in both Yankee Stadium, old and new?

 

NO .......... Clay Buchholz (Lumberton HS / Angelina JC) has played in both stadiums, as well.

 

 

 

 

 

[Stoney]

^he dont count. he's a red sock. :lol: