Report: Orioles won't pay $150M-$175M to retain Davis

The Baltimore Orioles are interested in signing slugger Chris Davis to a long-term contract, but only if the price is right.

Baltimore's front office is hoping Davis will be open to the idea of a hometown discount, and isn't willing to hand out a contract between $150-175 million in order to retain his services, according to The Baltimore Sun's Dan Connolly.

The Orioles also don't believe they'll be the highest bidder for Davis, who has blasted 159 homers over the past four seasons, more than any player in the majors over that span. Still, Baltimore is expected to table a competitive offer to Davis and fully expects to be in the mix come crunch time.

Rumors surrounding Davis have been relatively quiet to this point in the offseason, but the St. Louis Cardinals are one of the clubs showing early interest in the 29-year-old first baseman. Contract talks will surely heat up with the winter meetings on the horizon in early December.

Davis is represented by Scott Boras, who has a reputation as a fierce negotiator who fetches top dollar for his clients, and he's preaching Davis' versatility as a key selling point to interested clubs.

"Chris Davis grades out as the top free agent because he's the top outfielder, the top first baseman, and the top DH," Boras said earlier this fall. "He's all of those. He's three in one."

Davis is without a doubt the top power bat on the market this fall, but his 208 strikeouts last season were the most in the bigs.