NEWS

By Don Leypoldt

“And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.”- Hebrews 11: 32-34

Rajai Davis grew pensive.

The Toronto Blue Jays starting outfielder was clearly searching for the right words.

He was asked the closing question of the interview- what advice would he give to players in the NECBL- and his urging to work hard flowed naturally.  But now, he paused.

“To me, I think it’s a little different than everyone else because I was fortunate enough to be in a position to have faith on my side.  I believe God helped me to get to where I am.” Davis said humbly.  

“God is the reason why,” continued Davis, a Connecticut Shoreline native.  “He has helped me.  I have worked hard to develop my skill but I think He has allowed me the opportunity to get my skill and talent noticed.”

“Davis's success stems from following a plan. Not just his plan, but also God's plan,” wrote Gavin Keefe in The New London Day in November 2009.  “He's heavily involved in his church's ministry at Miracle Temple Church in New London. He participates in a men's group twice a week.  His faith gives him faith in his abilities.

"’I just want them to understand some of the things that I've gone through and gotten through, believing and having faith in Him, knowing there's a good outcome waiting,’ Davis said.”

Davis’ faith has paid off in spades.

Start with Davis’ God-given speed.  He has swiped more bases (231) than all but 15 active Major Leaguers.  Just one player ahead of Davis- Michael Bourn- has stolen them in as few seasons as Davis’ eight.

The American League stolen base runner-up in both 2010 and 2012, Davis truly has 80 speed on the scouting scale.  A video on his MLB page shows why Davis is such a threat.  Davis punches a single to center on a good pitch against Tampa Bay.  He steals second easily, steals third and when Jose Bautista launches a medium fly ball to center, Davis has time to cross home and put on a pot of coffee before the throw gets there.  

“The experience.  Experience more than anything else plays a role,” responded Davis on how he improved as a base stealer.  “When you get experience, you know what a guy is doing.  You have an idea, you get a feel, you get better instincts.  I think it’s something that hasn’t happened overnight.  I think you go through the process, you gain the experience and you can develop it.

“(Summer ball) is a great time to see what you can do and a good time to explore,” he continued.  “You want to win and the team wants to win but you also need to think about your career and yourself as well.  It’s a game played by individuals but with one common goal: to win.  But sometimes you need to figure out what is going to work for you.”

Davis spent part of his summer of 2001 with the Middletown Giants (now Holyoke Blue Sox).  A switch-hitting shortstop from UConn Avery Point who married his college sweetheart, Davis hit .143 in 10 games, yet he struck out just twice in 31 plate appearances.  Just as telling, he reached base seven times- and stole six bases.

“I was just starting to switch hit at the time,” Davis recalled.  “It was a process in and of itself.  It was difficult.  I was facing pretty good pitching and I was inexperienced switch hitting.”

“He was a quiet, hard working, and gifted ballplayer who could do things on the field that no other player, on either team, was physically able to do,” recalled Mystic Schooners GM Dennis Long, who was the pitching coach at Avery Point during Davis’ years.  “He was a shortstop for most of his time there and I recall Rajai making plays that caused Coach Roger Bidwell and I to just look at each other in admiration and amazement.   

“His ability to change a game either offensively or defensively complimented his humility and work ethic, which helped pave his road to the Majors.”

“They put us up in little condos- we stayed as a team.  There were six guys to a unit,” Davis remembered.  “I stayed right there in Middletown and got to know the guys a little bit.  I didn’t stay long since I ended up signing that year.  But it was pretty interesting.”

The Pirates had drafted Davis in the 38th round during his summer in Middletown.  Davis signed. 

“That was something that I always talked about and dreamed about, and always believed I would do…some day,” said Davis.  (Signing) lined up with where I was going.”

To use Keefe’s aforementioned line, Davis’ faith led to faith in his abilities.  A 38th rounder is the longest of long shots to even make the Majors.  Not a single-signee from the 35th through 37th rounds of that Draft played a single inning in the Majors.

And it took even more faith when that 38th rounder struggled in Short-Season Class A.  Davis cited his demotion to Rookie ball as the low point in his career.

“I think the biggest thing was getting the ball rolling.  The toughest thing is to get it going.  Once you get it going, it’s kind of easy because you can keep it rolling,” Davis responded when asked about he handled adversity.  “At the beginning you want to make a good impression because if you don’t, it could be the last impression.  That was the thing I had to get over.  

“I got demoted my first year- from short season A and where the college guys go to Rookie ball, where the high school guys go,” Davis continued.  “I had to get over that hump of playing with high school kids when I was coming from junior college.  They’re pretty good…but they are high school kids.  So I think that is one of the things- just overcoming that and getting the career started on the right foot.”

Davis did finally land on his feet.  He was a Carolina League All-Star and an Eastern League All-Star in consecutive years, when he hit at least .280 and stole 45+ bases in both seasons.  Davis finally debuted with Pittsburgh on August 2006.

Faith was rewarded.

Pittsburgh traded Davis to San Francisco at the 2007 deadline.  As a waiver claim in April 2008, Davis took BART in the other direction- to Oakland across the Bay.  

“In the National League, if you’re not starting every day, there is a good chance you’re still going to play as a position player.  There are a lot of double switches, which is how I got in a lot in the National League,” explained Davis on the difference between the Leagues.   There weren’t too many games where I didn’t get in as a pinch hitter or switching for the pitcher.  That is going to happen two or three times a night.  

“In the American League, if you’re not playing every day, you have to stay sharp.  You have another position player who can hit, and you have to deal with.  The pitcher has to make more good quality pitches.”    

Davis has thrived in Junior Circuit since Oakland picked him up.  He hit .260 with 25 steals for Oakland in 2008 and broke out in 2009 with a .305 average and 41 steals.  Traded to Toronto in the 2010 offseason, Davis has found yet another way to beat you: his eight assists last season ranked third among American League left fielders.

But while his game further develops and as Davis hones that lethal arm and legs, one thing doesn’t change.  “He is the same kid now as he was back then,” noted Long, “which is a testament to his upbringing and the positive influences in his life.”

 Rajai Davis’ Advice to the NECBL: “It’s not easy.  You see it on TV and it’s a cakewalk and everything is easy.  But it is a lot of work.  You’ve got to get better.  You have to find a way to get better.  If you get better, you have a chance.  

“To me, I think it’s a little different than everyone else because I was fortunate enough to be a in position to have faith on my side.  I believe God helped me to get to where I am.  God is the reason why.  He has helped me.  I have worked hard to develop my skill but I think He has allowed me the opportunity to get my skill and talent noticed.”