Ike Davis

WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

2008
A-:  256/326/326, 215 AB, 15 2B, 23 BB, 43 K

Davis got off to a slow start in his debut, with no HRs and a fairly high K rate.

2009
A+:  288/376/486, 222 AB, 17 2B, 3 3B, 7 HR, 31 BB, 52 K, 0-2 SB
AA:  309/386/565, 207 AB, 14 2B, 13 HR, 26 BB, 60 K

Despite his weak debut, the Mets moved Davis up to high A and he hit well in the pitching-dominated Florida State League.  He then dominated AA after a mid-season promotion.  His K rate, though, crept up to one every three and a half ABs in AA.

2010
AAA:  364/500/636, 33 AB, 3 2B, 2 HR, 9 BB, 5 K
MLB:  264/351/440, 523 AB, 33 2B, 1 3B, 19 HR, 72 BB, 138 K, 3-5 SB

The Mets sent Davis to AAA to start the season, but called him up in mid-April after an unsuccessful experiment with Mike Jacobs as their first baseman.  He played first the rest of the year and had a good season.  He showed good patience at the plate and his K rate wasn’t alarming.

2011
MLB:  302/383/543, 129 AB, 8 2B, 1 3B, 7 HR, 17 BB, 31 K

Davis got off to a very strong start, but suffered a sprained ankle and bone bruise in a May collision with David Wright.  The injury ended up keeping him on the disabled list for the rest of the season.

2012
MLB:  227/308/462, 519 AB, 26 2B, 32 HR, 61 BB, 141 K, 0-2 SB

Davis got off to a miserable start and had just a .507 OPS on June 8.  He may have been affected by Valley Fever, which doctors thought he might have contracted prior to the season.  The medical tests were inconclusive and Davis himself stated that he didn’t feel any symptoms.  (Many people with Valley Fever suffer no symptoms and don’t know they have it.)  After June 8, Davis hit 27 HRs.  In his final 75 games he hit 255/346/542.

2013
AAA:  293/424/667, 75 AB, 7 2B, 7 HR, 17 BB, 18 K
MLB:  205/326/334, 317 AB, 14 2B, 9 HR, 57 BB, 101 K, 4-4 SB

Davis got off to another horrific start.  By June 9, his OPS was .500 and he was striking out in more than a third of his ABs.  The Mets sent him to AAA for a month and, after he returned, he hit 286/449/505 in his final 40 games while walking more than he struck out.  He missed September with a strained oblique.

2014
MLB (NYM):  208/367/375, 24 AB, 1 2B, 1 HR, 6 BB, 4 K
MLB (Pgh):  235/343/378, 336 AB, 18 2B, 10 HR, 57 BB, 74 K, 0-4 SB

With both Davis and Lucas Duda available to play first, the Mets spent the 2013-14 off-season trying to trade Davis.  Given the continuing financial crisis enveloping the team’s ownership, Davis’ $3.5M salary probably played a significant role in their desire to move him, but no trade occurred during the off-season, evidently due to the Mets’ demands being excessive.  They opened the season with an undefined plan to utilize both players, but on April 18 they finally traded Davis to the Pirates, who’d figured prominently in the trade rumors.  Davis took over the larger half of the Pirates’ first base platoon from Travis Ishikawa.  Clint Hurdle platooned him strictly, which included pinch hitting for him nearly any time he had to face a LHP.  He got only 35 plate appearances against lefties, including his time with the Mets, going 3-for-32, all singles.  As in 2013, Davis continued to draw a lot of walks.  He also cut down on strikeouts, but his power remained mostly absent.  The end result was good for a catcher but not a first baseman.  Davis’ numbers were hurt by a terrible (183/330/268) month of June and he hit a little better in the second half, posting a 232/327/440 line.  Still, two years after his 32-HR season his power hasn’t returned and there remains the possibility that his bout with Valley Fever has had lasting effects, which apparently is a risk with that illness.

The Pirates will face a difficult decision with Davis.  In late August, it appeared as though they might be in the process of replacing him at first with Pedro Alvarez, but Alvarez’ season-ending injury took care of that.  Once the season ended, the Pirates stated that they still considered Alvarez a third baseman, but Josh Harrison’s emergence and Alvarez’ throwing issues make that statement questionable.  With Alvarez, Davis and Gaby Sanchez all headed to arbitration, it’s likely the team will need to make a call sooner rather than later, which could mean Davis being non-tendered.  Of course, another possibility would be a trade, but Davis’ trade value, especially with an arbitration salary attached, is doubtful.  Barring a non-tender or a trade, they’ll have to sort through the first base options in spring training.

UPDATE:  The Pirates designated Davis for assignment to clear roster space for prospects who needed to be protected from the Rule 5 draft.  In doing so, Neal Huntington acknowledged that the team would go with Pedro Alvarez at first.