By Matthew Michaels
During Chris Davis’ career year, which included 53 home runs, people began to insinuate that he was using performance-enhancing drugs. Many casual fans assumed his increased power output at the age of 27 was the result not of a combination of hard work, luck and a fly ball swing, but due to his use of human growth hormones or steroids. They were right about one thing; he was using a banned substance.
In 2013, Davis provided the Baltimore Orioles with a capable middle-of-the-order bat despite his 199 strikeouts. His 138 RBIs helped him lead the American League in two of the Triple Crown categories as well as earn third place in the MVP voting. While the Orioles have been defeating AL East opponents all season on their way to Baltimore’s first division title since 1997, Davis’s disappointing season has come as an unwelcome surprise to fans. An even bigger surprise came on Thursday, Sept. 11, when Davis was suspended following a drug test.
Because this was his second failed test, MLB issued him a 25-game suspension that will end his regular season. Davis will still be suspended for Baltimore’s first eight playoff games if they make it that far. His suspension was not for using a human growth hormone but for a more traditional performance enhancing drug; he was caught taking Adderall, a prescribed drug for Attention Deficit Disorder.
Baseball players have a long history with amphetamines, an ingredient in Adderall. Until amphetamines were banned in 2006, big leaguers would pop green pills known as “greenies.” The “greenies” would help players focus and were thus considered a performance enhancing drug.
MLB grants therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs) to some players that apply to take a certain drug for treatment of a certain disorder. Davis had a TUE in the past, but his exemption expired sometime before 2013, at which time he did not reapply. So, he could not legally take Adderall. When the ball started to look like a blur to him, Davis started using Adderall again so he could focus on the pitches.
His suspension raises many questions, such as why players have to apply for a TUE every year and why Davis was no longer granted one even though he obviously qualified for it. Another is why Davis continued to take the banned substance after failing a first test and knowing the implications of a second failed drug test. The third question revolves around the Orioles’ World Series chances following the suspension.
The former two are confusing matters that may not have an answer for a long time, but the latter is quite obvious. Davis was batting .196 and reaching base at only a .300 pace, so his bat was not doing much for the Orioles’ lineup out of the five spot. Manny Machado and Matt Wieters, two of the Orioles’ best position players, are out for the season. The offense will now rely even more heavily on outfielders Nick Markakis and Adam Jones as well as designated hitter Nelson Cruz. The rest of the offense will be comprised mostly of role players.
None of the starting pitchers have had stellar years, but Chris Tillman has led the rotation well enough to give Baltimore a large lead in the division. The pitchers may be good, but they are unproven. Manager Buck Showalter will not feel comfortable with any of his options starting a decisive game.
All in all, the Davis suspension is not a deal breaker to Baltimore’s push towards the World Series. We could not have expected Davis to perform all that well in the playoffs anyway.
When Baltimore is eliminated from the postseason, it will not be because they are missing Davis; it will be because Baltimore was an inferior team to begin with.
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Matthew Michaels is a Staff Writer for The Fordham Ram.
