It's a tricky business trying to figure out the greater meaning of something like the $161 million contract the Orioles just agreed to with slugging first baseman Chris Davis.
Buck Showalter attempted to do so Saturday morning, tying the deal to the importance of stability and continuity in a successful sports franchise. No doubt, others will wonder if this signals a new commitment by Peter Angelos to put the team in position to finally reach the World Series under his ownership.
The Orioles had already shown signs of both over the past several years, starting with the big commitment to Adam Jones and, more recently, by giving Darren O'Day a record contract for a setup reliever and tendering the $150 million offer to Davis that finally got bumped up Friday night.