The Perennial Disrespect of the Athletics’ Khris Davis

Khris Davis posted another monster season for the Athletics’ in 2017. But, why is Davis still largely overlooked in fantasy circles?

What more does a guy have to do? Davis has amassed 85 HR and 212 RBI over the last two years. It may be because he is hidden in Oakland, or the pedestrian .247 AVG , but no-hitter in MLB has amassed 40+ HR and 100+ RBI per season over that time. Yet, Davis’ name is never mentioned among the best power threats.

It is time for that to end.

Looking at Davis’ ADP over the last two seasons, he was on average taken after the first 100 players. There were was some speculation of what he would do in 2017 after his breakout in 2016, yet all he did was get even better.

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Fantasy owners need to abandon the idea that batting AVG is an end all be all stat. The league has come more and more to peace with hitters having all or nothing swings. Prior to 2017, Davis looked to fit the bill as a homer or bust player.

But, Davis made strides in his plate discipline in 2017. He earned 73 BB, which was a career-best 11% BB rate, and a 4% jump from his breakout year in 2017. Now he did strike out 29% of the time, so it is not as though he is swinging and missing less. But, he did manage to up his contact rate to 69% as well, the highest since 2015.

His batted ball data even improved as well. In his breakout campaign, he posted 17% LD, 43% GB, 40% FB, 46% Med, and 39% Hard contact rates.

In 2017, he upped his LD rate to 19%, dropped his GB rate by 5%, and upped his FB rate up 2%. He also posted 44% Med and 42% Hard contact rates. He is not a blazer so the dip in GB rate was a welcome sight, and in both seasons he made a ton of hard contact.

Davis has also stayed on the field for the Athletics the last four seasons as well. He has played in at least 121 games over that span and notched over 1262 at-bats during his two breakout seasons. He is a force in the Athletics’ lineup and remains the crux of the offense.

According to ESPN’s Home Run Tracker, Davis’ homer chart is very interesting.  During his 42 HR outburst in 2016, 18 of his dingers went to right field. Last season, 26 of his homers went to right field. He does not have the physical profile that Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge have, yet his raw power plays to all areas of the field just like them.

For a guy that plays half his games at one of the worst hitters ballparks, over half of his 85 homers came at the Coliseum. There is no indication in Davis’s game that makes owners think the power is waning, nor unsustainable.

It is early, but Davis’ current ADP is still hovering around the 100 mark. Which is still baffling considering Nelson Cruz, who boasts a much better AVG, is the only comparable power producer yet goes over 20 spots in front of Davis.

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We will see countless owners chase the likes of Judge and Stanton early in drafts, and they have all the reason too. Yet, Khris Davis who is about a lock for 40/100 RBI, goes seven or eight rounds later. It is time for fantasy owners to hold Davis is the same conversations the premier power options in the game and draft him according.

Respect the real Khris Davis.