Chris Davis has always seemed unique. Early in his career, Davis was Cuban National Series Pedro Cerano in AAA and MLB Pedro Cerano without a proper sacrifice (see Major League). In other words, once off speed pitching reached a certain level of precision and movement, Davis was dead in the water. The difference between a solid .300 hitter and a sub .200 bat was an amazing study in how his contact tool was on a threshold with a deep dropoff.
Occupying that threshold contact performance always made him seem like a player who should not be completely depended on.