25 Brewers in 25 Days : Doug Davis

Doug Davis belongs in Milwaukee. He played with the Brewers from 2003 -2006 only to be traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the offseason following that last year with the Crew. It was a trade that should have never even happened, as we gave away Davis, Dave Krynzel and Dana Eveland for Johnny Estrada, Greg Aquino and Claudio Vargas. At the time the Brewers needed a catcher, but Johnny Estrada was not the answer. Greg Aquino was a bust and Claudio Vargas was just ok, which is funny because Vargas is back with the team but in a different role (he's in the bullpen now). The Brewers then tried to reacquire Davis last year before the trade deadline, then also put a claim on him when the Diamondbacks exposed him to waivers only to pull him back. So when Davis became a free agent, Brewers GM made him his second pitching target (right after signing Randy Wolf). And now in 2010 Doug Davis is back in blue. And although the Brewers are facing an overload of left-handed pitchers, it's good to have him back because he fits the mold of the hard working, blue collar town that he's playing for.

Doug Davis is never going to win a statistical award. He's never going to win 15 games. He won't lead the league in strikeouts (but he may lead the league in walks). But Doug Davis is going to take the ball every 5th day, give you 200+ innings of 4 ERA ball and keep you in the game. For a team that struggled mightily with pitchers posting 7.00 ERA and spending weeks on the DL, that's a blessing. I know that we shouldn't celebrate mediocrity, but at this point I welcome it compared to the ups and downs we had last year. Last year I was begging for Suppan, Parra and Bush to just be average. That is why we brought in Doug Davis to be the #3 starter (possibly the #4 if Manny Parra gets his act together ) because of the reasons I already mentioned. With the numbers our offense is able to put up, all Davis has to do is put up a "quality start". A quality start is defined as when a pitcher goes at least 6 innings and gives up no more than 3 earned runs. 22 of Davis' 35 starts last year were define as "quality." Most people don't like this terminology because it can be a little misleading, but for average pitchers like Davis it shows that he usually gives his team a chance to win by keeping the opposing team from scoring a lot. You'll never ask Davis to shut them down and pitch a no-hitter, so I'll take all the "quality starts" that we'll get from him.

My only problem with bringing Doug Davis back is that a scenario exists where we could have 4 left-handed pitchers in the starting rotation (Randy Wolf, Davis, Manny Parra and Chris Narveson) to go along with right-hander Yovani Gallardo. I don't think that scenario will happen because right-handers like Jeff Suppan (because of his $12.5 million salary this year) and Dave Bush (out of minor league options and would become a free agent if he doesn't make the team) are competing for those spots. Davis and Wolf were guaranteed starting spots in the rotation because we signed them as free agents to fill those roles. So Davis need not worry, but even if only one of those lefties makes the rotation, we're still looking at Gallardo at #1 followed by back-to-back-to-back lefties before Suppan rots in the #5 spot. In a NL Central Division filled with right-handed sluggers like Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday, Derek Lee, Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Lee, this could prove to be a big mistake. But after the injuries and ineffectiveness of the pitchers that he did have, Brewers GM Doug Melvin had no choice but to sign a durable pitcher like Davis, even if he throws with his left arm.

I liked Doug Davis when he was with the Brewers because you always knew exactly what you were going to get out of him. He may have some starts where he only gives up 1 run or 7, but those starts are going to be few and far between. But I also had a personal and selfish reason for liking Doug Davis. I previously mentioned that I work on the Club Level at Miller Park as an order taker, but I don't know if I said that I've been there since 2002. So I've been to more than my share of Brewers games in the last 9 years. Most people I worked with dreaded a Doug Davis start because they had somewhere else to be after the game. I loved it because I can't think of anything better to do on a hot summer night. It also helped that I get paid by the hour and the average time of a game started by Doug Davis would be like 4 hours. When you compare that to a Ben Sheets game, which almost always clocked in at less that 2 1/2 hours, you can see the difference.

Since Davis isn't a hard thrower (his fastball tops out at the mid 80's) he relies on command of his pitches to get outs. When his command isn't there, the batters aren't swinging. Which leads to a ton of walks. He regularly places in the top 5 in walks allowed, and in 2009 gave up more walks (103) than any other pitcher in the entire Major League. That is why it is important for our defense to be more improved from last year and to stay on it's toes because Doug Davis is going to put men on base. And he's also going to have a soul patch and hold a funny looking dog. I know you were looking for an explanation when you saw this, but that picture has nothing to do with this post. I found it online and I just had to use it. Does this guy know how to party or what? I don't think there is anything that can top this.

Except for this. If you read yesterday's article, then you know I'm all about yelling out quasi-sexual things that really can be taken either way. When Doug Davis was on the mound, I'd always yell out some reference to his initials, D.D. (or Double D). There was always some kind of way to spin it, like yelling out, "Who loves Double D's? This guy!" I forgot about this for years, but one night when I was drunk and talking Brewers with a friend, the DD reference came back to me and I started laughing. Now before anyone starts thinking that all I do at Brewers games is yell out random sexually suggestive things, I really only do this when I'm wasted. I know that being drunk is no reason to start yelling out things and being obnoxious, nor is it an excuse for my behavior. But sometimes it just happens, and unfortunately I find to be hilarious. I'd apologize for my actions (and I'll let it be known that I don't swear and I usually try to restrain myself if there are children around) but that's just kind of who I am. That's probably why I've managed to stay single all of these years. I knew there was a reason why my dashing good looks and million dollar personality wasn't winning me the hand of every female in town. It's because of things like that. And the fact that I laugh anytime someone says member, insert, the penal system, slot, parts, rump, Uranus and other words like that probably has something to do with it. But one thing that is not a laughing matter will be Davis' stat line in 2010:

4.08 ERA, 12-12 record, 208 innings pitched, 138 strikeouts, 98 walks

I was going continue with the starting rotation, but we're 2 weeks away from Opening Day and there still is no resolution on who will pitch in the #4 and #5 spots. So instead I'm going to try to grow up and act my age. But one player that doesn't act his age is closer Trevor Hoffman. The man is supposedly 42 years old, but you wouldn't think that if you saw him without his shirt on. I don't know why I'm looking at dudes without their shirts on, but that guy is ripped. His workout regimen is supposed to be second to none, which explains his longevity in the league. 2010 will be his 17th season and 2nd in Milwaukee. Last year he was damn near perfect, and if you would have asked me a few years ago that not only would Trevor Hoffman be a member of the Brewers but he would also record save #600 with them, I would have laughed at you. But this also is not a joke. Hoffman is (and has been for a while) the all-time saves leader in Major League Baseball history. He's just 9 away from reaching that plateau, and I hope it happens at Miller Park so I can be there when "Hell's Bells" blasts through the speakers and I get to witness another historical moment. But that my friends, is a topic that will be covered tomorrow. Brewers! Brewers! Keep Turnin' Up the Heat!

- pookon -

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