Chris Davis seeking 8-year, $200 million deal

The Baltimore Orioles reportedly have offered free agent Chris Davis a seven-year deal for over $150 million to try and convince the slugger to re-sign with the team.

ESPN reported the offer was for about $150 million, which would average more than $21 million per year.

The additional year and $50 million that Davis is looking for could – at least partially – be his agent, Scott Boras, just being tougher in negotiations.

Earlier on December 8, Duquette said the Orioles had finally made some progress in adding a left-handed hitter to their lineup.

We know Boras has one offer from the Orioles in hand. That being said, it isn’t hard to imagine Davis earning a contract worth an annual average value of $25 million. So Baltimore’s plan should be to spread the money that would have to be allocated to Davis across multiple assets, and signing Alvarez to a two or three-year deal fits that bill.

Who knows where the bidding goes, but in a winter in which new San Francisco Giants starter Jeff Samardzija just got five years and $90 million without ever having a winning season as a full-time starting pitcher, well, that ought to tell you something. I am not sure this always helps him, like when he is called out on a third strike that is nine inches off the plate, but he quietly turns around and walks back to the dugout. They showed that they are willing to pay the price for him too.

That’s generally a stance Boras clients never take.

Duquette could be very proactive and relay the Orioles’ best possible offer right now and put an acceptance deadline on it, hoping to force Davis to make a quick decision while there still might be uncertainty about his true value. Matt Wieters accepted a one-year qualifying offer this offseason. Chris Davis has been on fire with the birds in his past few seasons.