I’m starting to wonder about Ike
Davis. Mark Simon wrote a piece on
him this morning that is worth reading -
yfrog.com/gy1defkp – He seems lost at the plate. We have learned in the past
that much of his game is emotional and there isn’t a single player in the
entire sport that complains more about strike calling. How can you complain
about some of the pitches he swings at? Shouldn’t a player at this level be
able to stop his swing sometimes when it’s obvious that the pitch is going to
wind up a called ball? I played this game and was a leadoff hitter. My job was
to get on base. You can’t do that swinging at obvious bad pitchers. And, if you
are a lefty (I was a switch hitter so I didn’t have this problem) and the ball
starts out as a curve, it’s going to end up as a curve. A curve has the highest
amount of called balls of any pitch. Umpired have different definitions of
strike zones on curves. Some call it where the ball winds up, others where the
balls cross the plate. My job as the leadoff hitter in the first inning was to address
this issue and let the other batters know what this umpire was calling early.
Does this team communicate like this? The world hasn’t seen Davis play an entire
season and we may not this season if he keeps hitting below .200. Eventually,
you will see more than Justin Murphy spelling him. I know Joe DeCaro reads this every day. Hey Joe… have one
of your reporters at the game keep an eye on infield practice. If you see Lucas Duda taking reps there, we might see the next
step to be taken.
10 comments:
I thought after Ike's resurgence in last season's second half, coupled with a healthier and stronger Ike in spring training, we'd see a powerhouse of a player in the clean up spot. That didn't happen.
What we've seen is a guy who refuses to drive the ball the other way, can't lay off the garbage they're pitching him on the outside part of the plate, and swings at anything that comes his way. He just wants to hit home runs and can't seem to adjust to the way they're pitching him.
Now, Duda....Here's a guy who is willing to wait for his pitch and has the opposite problem that Ike has. He's too passive in his approach. Fortunately, at least he'll work out a walk and keep his OBP decent enough to be a productive member in the line up.
Both of these guys needs to give a little bit and find a balance in their style that will work better and produce the results they're capable of. I can see Duda being able to make that adjustment. Ike doesn't seems to want to or he just can't. Ike seems to be pressing big time at this point and I'll tell you, he just doesn't seem like the guy he was before that ankle injury two years ago.
Both players are not long term answers for this team at this point and I sure hope they get their shit together.
Also, I know it only April so a lot can change, so lets all hope they can work this out before the team is 15 games below .500.
One more thought....I remember in spring there was resorts that the Mets didn't think Ruben Tejada was their SS of the future. They had let word get out that they felt he wasn't in their long term plans at that position. At the time I thought that was nuts. He had replaced a hometown favorite and seamlessly filled in by playing great defense and hitting just enough. Year after year he had gotten better at the plate and was still extremely young. I thought Ruben was a great young player and getting better.
Now? He added some muscle, seems to want to drive the ball over the fence, and suddenly can't throw the ball over to first without making an error. If this is what the Mets saw in the spring, I totally understand their thinking.
Is it possible however, that his current play both offensively and defensively, is because Ruben is trying a little too hard to prove his worth? I don't know, maybe he's just in a funk, but this Ruben Tejada is not the one I've watched the last few years.
I have to agree with Charles, I don't think either should be part of the long term plan. I'm surprised as I thought Ike was really coming into his own. I don't think Duda is the long term answer at 1B and we know he can't play OF. First move should be to trade Ike and shift Duda to 1B. Then in the offseason shop him to an AL team.
Kevin Kernan of The New Post tells me he just doesn't give a shit.
I don't know about that, but I do know something... he hates the NY beat press.
Both these guys are losing trump points in a possible trade...
I really hope Ike catches fire. At that point, I'd have to consider dealing him if a good trade was offered.
How does Sandy market him for a trade?
He markets him when he's hot, as a former 1st round talent, with a great glove and who has serious power. Sell the other teams on his poor performance periods as just slumps. Enough teams need power at 1B that someone will bite.
I don't know...
It says a lot when the Mets don't want your bat.
1. Trade him when he's on the upswing
2. Target teams desperate for power and a 1B or be patient for one of them to contact us
3. Make it as much about making a commitment to Duda at 1B i.e. LlE
i truly believe it has to do with the weather. We always make fun of the Latin players not being able to play in April or October due to the cold weather, but Ike is from Arizona and hes never had to deal with 30' weather in his life. I really think when mid May comes around, he'll start hitting again and end up with 30/100 at seasons end. I know its not really a conciliation, but dont expect him to catch fire until the weather is 80'+ on a daily basis.
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