Davis leaving legacy as consummate hitter
In a quick glance at Joe Davis’ career statistics, four numbers stand out: 14, 8, 13, 16. Those are the yearly home run totals for the senior first baseman, who owns the University of Houston career record with 51 and counting. Here are a few others: .331, .299, .318, .319. Those are his yearly batting averages, proof that the book on Davis is not just about the long ball. Throw in that he is finally healthy, and Davis is having one of UH’s best offensive seasons in decades as he puts the final stamp on a decorated collegiate career while the Cougars (22-15, 6-6 American Athletic Conference) make a late push for an NCAA postseason bid.
What does Davis want his legacy to be?
A power hitter worthy of the Thor hammer passed around the dugout after every UH home run?
Or a consistent .316 career hitter who always found a way to get on base?
“I’d like to be remembered as one of the best Cougar hitters to ever come through the program,” Davis said Wednesday. “I think I’ve been consistent enough and done pretty neat things, breaking the RBI and home run records and things like that. That’s how I would like to go down.”
Along with the home run mark, Davis will leave UH as the record holder for RBIs (212 and counting), extra-base hits (104) and total bases (481) and finish in the top 10 for hits (273) and doubles (51). He is a virtual shoo-in to be named to the All-AAC team for the fourth year in a row.
“Joe is a great hitter who just happens to be really strong and his power shows up,” UH coach Todd Whitting said. “He hits for average. You see a lot of guys around the country hit a lot of home runs, and they hit .250.
“Joe has been above .300 (almost) every year.”
Entering Thursday’s opener of a three-game series against Cincinnati at Schroeder Park, Davis is tied for third nationally with his 16 homers, and his 46 RBIs are tied for first in the AAC.
“He’s as healthy as he’s ever been,” Whitting said. “He’s playing like one of the best players in the country.”
Davis attributes his success to a healthy offseason, which allowed him to go through a regular routine to prepare for this season and contributed to a hot start.
In past seasons, Davis has dealt with injuries, most recently to his wrist and ankle, that slowed him early on.
“Starting off the season hot was due to all the at-bats I got in the fall,” Davis said. “I got to see pitches, and that really helped me prepare for the early part of the season. In past seasons, I hadn’t really done that great early and came on late. This year, I’ve been able to start hot and keep it rolling.”
In a recent four-game stretch against East Carolina, Sam Houston State and Wichita State, Davis hit .467 (7-for-15) with four home runs and seven RBIs. In a game against Stephen F. Austin, he had two homers and six RBIs.
“He is playing relaxed, loose and confident baseball right now,” Whitting said.
Of course, with success at the plate comes a different set of headaches. Davis has been intentionally walked 14 times this season. Half of the total has come in the last two weeks, including twice in Tuesday night’s 4-1 win over No. 11 Texas A&M.
“This is a tough year for him, and I’m proud of him, because he’s not getting pitches to hit,” Whitting said. “Typically, when Joe gets out, he gets himself out. Very rarely do opposing pitchers get him out.”
The biggest benefactor of late to teams pitching around Davis has been outfielder Rey Fuentes III, who has batted in the cleanup spot behind Davis the last eight games.
“I see a lot of pitches (hitting behind him),” Fuentes said. “He puts me in a lot of runners-in-scoring-position situations. It’s good for me to come up in some clutch spots.”
Jokes Davis: “Maybe he’ll owe me a steak or two.”
Davis says that down the stretch, his approach at the plate will be the same one he’s had for his UH career: Get a hit — any way possible. If a few happen to leave the ballpark, so be it.
“Right now, we need to get every win we can,” Davis said. “Best thing I can do is get on base. I know I have to do my part to get the team in the right direction.”