Sometimes in life you get to see a first. Once in awhile, it’s the beginning of something special. The jury is still out on the second part, but I happened to catch the professional debut of this week’s SotW a couple weeks back. While he’s not setting the SAL on fire yet, Blake Davis has moved into the starting shortstop role for the Shorebirds and is doing a respectable job at the plate. Thus far in 14 games he’s 14 for 53, which translates to a .265 average – 30 points better than the team’s as a whole. In addition, the speedy Californian has stolen 4 bases. For a full season that works out to 40 so he’s a threat to run.
Drafted in the fourth round this year out of Fullerton State, Davis may well be on a fast track up the Orioles chain. Generally the draft class of 2006 toils in Bluefield or Aberdeen but Davis made his debut in a Delmarva uniform. With Miguel Tejada being the subject of trade rumors because the Orioles are “sellers” at the trade deadline, the roadblock for Davis’s major league dream may be shoved aside. While he’s certainly not ready at this early career stage, it’s quite possible this picture may be of a future double play partner to Brian Roberts.
For the record, that initial at-bat led to a groundout to second base. However, he did get his first pro hit later in the same contest, a bloop single past the diving Lexington shortstop.
Michael, what about this Vito Chiaravalotti guy? He’s absolutely destroying the ball. He seems to be a pretty solid defensive first baseman, and has clearly replaced Fleisher in the lineup. Think we’ll be seein’ him anytime soon in the “show”?