Orioles Chris Davis Won't Be On ALCS Roster
By Samuel Njoku
Davis Not On ALCS Roster
If Chris Davis wanted to be a part of the ALCS, the clean sweep of the Detroit Tigers was a bitter sweet outcome for him. Orioles manager Buck Showalter confirmed on Baltimore's 105.7 The Fan that Chris Davis would not be a part of the ALCS roster. That comes as no surprise to anyone considering the facts. To start, Davis has 5 games remaining on his 25 game suspension for the consumption of Adderall — a banned substance in the MLB. If he were to be added on the roster, he would not be eligible for action until Game 6. Baltimore hopes to have advanced to the World Series by then.
Showalter Knows How to Run the 'Sho'
Buck Showalter has proven to be the master of utilizing the most out of every player on the roster. For him to enter this series basically a man short is a situation that the manager doesn't want to be in. Couple this with the fact that Davis wasn't the same player he was in 2013, and the decision to keep him out of the roster is a no-brainer. Players like Delmon Young and Steve Pearce help ease the loss of Davis in the lineup. Both players were instrumental in helping the Orioles make the jump into the next round of the postseason.
Baltimore's Offense Has A Hole: Davis Out is Right Call, But Still Will be Missed
That's not to say that Davis isn't missed in the Orioles roster. Just his presence in the lineup changes the entire dynamic of Baltimore's offense. It also completely changes how the opposing team pitches to Baltimore. Though Davis finished the regular season with a batting average of just .196, he finished with 26 home runs. His ability to change the game with a swing of a bat makes him a dangerous weapon and a precious commodity for the organization. But the hole he leaves on the roster with his suspension is too large in a series that means too much. If Baltimore advances to the World Series, he'll definitely be a part of that roster. But the decision to keep him out of the ALCS is the right call.
Samuel Njoku was born and raised in Baltimore, MD and is a graduate of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Samuel has covered the Ravens for Examiner.com since 2010. Prior to 2010, Samuel was an avid blogger and radio personality in Salisbury, MD. Samuel Njoku is a freelance writer covering all things NFL. His work can be found on Examiner.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @Ravens_Examiner.
