Baltimore bar offering free shots for every Chris Davis hit
The Baltimore Orioles are bad.
Really bad.
Like worst record in baseball (19-48) by a long shot bad.
Their futility is evidently having a negative impact on the business of local sports bars. So one clever entrepreneur couple came up with an idea that’s being written about in the local paper and national sports blogs.
Chris Davis gets a hit, shots on the house!
Bartenders Pub in Baltimore is offering free Dr. Pepper shooters to patrons every time the embattled Orioles first baseman gets a hit. Owners Danny and Dana Coker described the drink to the Baltimore Sun as a mix of Miller High Life and amaretto. There’s no Dr. Pepper involved. It apparently just tastes like popular soda.
“Baseball season for us is big business,” Dana told the Sun. “With the team not doing so well, it’s affected our business. We just can’t seem to do any specials that encourage people to come to the bar and watch baseball with us.”
“We’re just trying to give people a reason to come out and watch the games again,” Danny said.
Davis is having an awful season at the plate
Why Davis? Well, he pretty much epitomizes the struggles of the Orioles this season. The Baltimore slugger is hitting a paltry .150 with four home runs and 15 RBI. Davis, a .241 career hitter, has never been the most reliable man at the plate, but he’s been a dependable power hitter when he does connect for years.
Davis had six straight seasons with at least 26 home runs prior to this year, including a 53-home run year in 2013 that earned him an All-Star bid and played a part his current contract that’s paying him $23 million annually for the next four years.
Bar owners not picking on Orioles slugger
The Cokers told the Sun they’re not picking on Davis, but seeking out a tried and true baseball solution.
“It’s a superstition that we hope will encourage him to do well,” Danny Coker said.
“We know the season is over for the Orioles,” Dana Coker said. “If him getting a hit is a small victory in the game, it’s a reason to watch.”
It’s good idea with little apparent downside. If Davis gets hot, Bartenders Pub seems likely to drum up some business. And if he doesn’t? That’s less booze the Cokers have to give away.
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Jason Owens is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter.
