Poor Chris Davis & Trevor Rosenthal

There are two major league ballplayers who are having an awful time of it on the field during this young 2019 season - Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis and Washington Nationals relief pitcher Trevor Rosenthal.

Davis has begun the year hitless in his first 23 at bats, striking out 13 times (although he somehow has 2 RBIs). In fact, he is hitless in his last 44 at bats going back to the 2018 season. Davis' last hit was on September 14, 2018 when he doubled off Chicago White Sox hurler James Shields. Indeed, if we go back to September 5th, Davis is 2 for 63.

It has been a long steady decline for Davis since 2015 when he led the AL in home runs with 47. Following that season, Davis signed a 7-year, $161 million contract which takes him to the 2022 season. Unfortunately, his offensive output has diminished in each successive season. In 2018, Davis belted only 16 HR with an anemic .168 average. But .168 is still a lot better than .000. If this keeps up much longer, the O's will very likely eat this money and release him. This might be for the best because with the kind of jeering Davis gets at Camden Yards, a change of scenery is probably in order.

But misery loves company. This is where Trevor Rosenthal enters the action. Rosenthal was formerly the closer for the St. Louis Cardinals saving 45 and 48 games in 2014 and 2015, respectively. However, he tore his UCL late in the 2017 season and required Tommy John surgery. The Cardinals cut him loose and he's trying to revive his career in D.C.

So far it has not been going well. In four appearances this season, Rosenthal has faced nine batters and given up seven runs without recording an out. His ERA is infinity. I saw his most recent appearance this afternoon when he faced the New York Mets. The velocity is there, but the command isn't at all. Rosenthal plunked a batter, threw two wild pitches and then walked the batter. He only threw one strike. With the Nats' bullpen struggling so far this season, Rosenthal is probably on an even shorter lease than Davis an hour up 1-95N.

Naturally, one cannot help but wonder what would happen if Rosenthal faced Davis. He'd probably plunk him. Rosenthal wouldn't record an out and Davis would still be hitless (although he would get on base, but that would be of little consolation).

In any case, I don't wish to rub any more salt in their wounds. I hope both players can find a way out of their rut and make their way back to their former glory. That would be a story I'd rather write about.