DAVID DAVIDSON

4/23/84; '02 10th; Thorold, Ontario (HS)
L/L; 6-1, 185

Level
W-L-Sv
G
GS
IP
H
 HR
BB
K
 BB/9 K/9 WHIP OAVG
ERA
2003 R
0-2-0
7
0
7.2
10
 0
7
8
 8.22 9.40 2.22 .357
12.91
2004 R
1-0-0
7
1
18.1
16
 0
14
24
 6.87 11.78 1.64 .235
3.44
2005 A
1-2-0
10
2
19.1
16
 4
21
23
 9.78
10.71
1.91
.225
9.78
2005 A-
1-1-0
5
4
17.0
14
 0
8
23
 4.24
12.18
1.29
.226
3.18
2006 AA
1-1-0
10
1
11.2
8
 0
10
13
 7.72
10.03
1.54
.186
2.31
2006 A+
0-0-0
5
0
8.1
6
 0
2
11
 1.08
11.88
0.84
.194
2.16
2006 A
2-1-0
27
0
56.0
39
 2
21
72
 3.38
11.57
1.05
.195
1.93
2007 NL
0-0-0
2
0
2.0
6
 1
2
0
 9.00
0.00
4.00
.462
22.50
2007 AAA
1-0-0
6
0
7.2
6
 1
3
9
 3.52
10.57
1.17
.214
1.17
2007 AA
3-1-2
39
0
59.2
44
 3
30
55
 4.53
8.30
1.24
.205
4.22
2008 AA
4-2-0
35
0
64.2
58
3
36
51
5.01
7.10
1.45
.248
3.34

After struggling for three years with injuries, Davidson had a breakthrough season in 2006. He was considered projectible when drafted, his best offering being a curve. After signing too late to play in 2002, he spent two years in the GCL trying to overcome injuries and poor control. He began 2005 at Hickory and even started a couple games. He had a high K rate, but he couldn't throw strikes. He was sent back to extended spring training and eventually was assigned to Williamsport. He did far better there, with a walk rate that was only high rather than astronomical, and a very high K rate, but he again missed time with injury. In 2006, however, he turned a corner, dominating at Hickory. Oddly, he followed the same promotion path as Romulo Sanchez, moving up to Lynchburg briefly at about the same time, then being promoted to Altoona at exactly the same time. The difference, however, was that Davidson pitched well throughout, allowing few hits and fanning a lot of hitters, although the control problems resurfaced in his brief AA trial. Surprisingly, Davidson pitched better against RH batters at the two higher levels, although the sample size was small. At Hickory, LH batters hit a measly .127 against him.

The Pirates added Davidson to the 40-man roster in the off-season and he opened 2007 back at Altoona. He wasn't as effective this time due to control problems. Still, he didn't get hit hard, as shown by the very low opponents' slugging average, and his K rate was good. He didn't have a strong platoon split, so he doesn't seem to be limited to being a lefty specialist. He did better in a late season promotion to AAA, but got hammered after a September callup. The fact that the Pirates gave him only two outings even though they had plenty of mopup work during a poor September shows that they had no faith in him to get through an inning or two of work. The Pirates sent him back to AA to start 2008, possibly due to the large number of relievers competing for spots in AAA. He didn't make any progress, as he continued to struggle with walks and his K rate dropped. He had no platoon split. He has a high effort delivery and his fastball reaches 90 or so. His curve hasn't impressed me much when I've seen him pitch. After three years in AA he's not dominating; the fact that he didn't even get a promotion to AAA is a bad sign. He should be a candidate to come off the 40-man roster.

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