Ernest Dove - Ike Davis. Signed. Sealed. Delivers?

Well, nothing in life is guaranteed. That includes baseball trades happening. However, spring training is right around the corner. Day by day, week by week, possible teams in need of a first baseman slowly but surely filled that need. In the end, with a few weeks to go until pitchers and catchers report, Ike Davis is still a member of the New York Mets. He has been officially signed for 2014. Of course, like many sports contracts, there always seems to be some kind of random an hidden out clause. But I'll leave that speculation alone today. Instead, I'll spend yet another article talking about the man, the myth, the enigma that his Ike. The man who, in what feels like 10 years, has actually only been a major leaguer (minus a few AAA stops in between) for 4 seasons. A player who, in his 442 career major league games played, has a stat line of: .242 BA, .334 OBP, .434 SLG, .768 OPS. Then there is the home/away splits: 

 At home, Ike Davis is a career .233 BA, .330 OBP, .409 SLG, .739 OPS On the road, .250 BA, .333 OBP, .457 SLG, .794 OPS Fans are anxiously awaiting that start of the season, to see which Ike Davis they are going to get. Although, based purely on the numbers, you just never know what you are going to get. In 84 career April games played, Ike Davis is sporting an almost decent(for him) .244 BA, .326 OBP, with 13 homers and 42 RBIs. However, in 88 May games played, he is hitting a LOWLY .189 BA, .272 OBP, with 8 homers and 32 RBIs. 

 For me, the biggest wow factor stats occur towards the end of seasons. During the month of August, which over the past 4 seasons has seen the Mets pretty much already out of any playoff contention, Ike Davis then begins to shine, hitting .275 BA, .401 OBP. Then, when Sept/Oct. hits, so does Ike, batting .289. I guess I can go all day with this. Even with his slot in the batting order.  
Overall, Ike seems to hit for more power while hitting cleanup, while sporting a higher BA and OBP hitting 5th. No matter how you look at it, bottom line is that Ike Davis might be the best first baseman option on the roster right now. 

Wilmer Flores doesn't seem to be getting a fair shot. Brandon Allen is some guy who should at least get a small chance, but most likely end up at AAA, or the unemployment line. Lucas Duda has seemed to have some of the same issues as Ike Davis, yet has never jacked 30+ homers in this league. 

 Then there is Josh Satin, who everyone seems to believe is the go to guy in a platoon. Which would make some sense with Ike, who is a career .204 BA, and .268 OBP against lefties. With Josh Satin possibly entrenched into this platoon role, Curtis Granderson possibly slotted into the cleanup spot, and the Mets (depending on experts, pessimists and optimists alike) seemingly going through one more possible year of not competing for a playoff spot (I swear I still think there is a chance), maybe this all adds up to Ike Davis having a career year. Or at least a year of reduced expectations, and the stress that goes with it. Although, I guess the same can be said for Lucas Duda. And these scenarios, along with a healthy David Wright, could possibly lead to Wilmer Flores getting his chance. But Ike is officially the highest paid first baseman going into the season. He will also still only start the season as a 27 year old, who for all we know will have a bit of a resurgence, and lead to him being in his prime right about the time that Dominic Smith comes knockin at the major league door. Then we can all fight management and state that Ike Davis is the best option..............ok, maybe not, but its January, so why not make comments like that.