6
2012
While Collins Continues To Skirt Issue On Ike Davis, What About Derrek Lee?
An article by 
This morning, Jessep already laid out a great case as to why first baseman Ike Davis should be demoted to Buffalo with all expediency and I don’t have anything more to add to that. But on that front, Terry Collins was asked again about the situation yet he continues to dance around the issue. Adam Rubin documented the moment on his blog at ESPN New York:
The Mets have been resolute in dismissing the minors as an option for Ike Davis, but Terry Collins is not promising an indefinite starting role at first base.
With Jason Bay now having returned from the disabled list, Collins was asked if he might consider using Lucas Duda at first base, which would alleviate some of the outfield crowding.
The manager’s response: “Not yet.”
So when then?
“I don’t know,” Collins added. “Good question. If I had an answer, I’d give it to you.”
I don’t mind a strong-willed manager who stands his ground, but not to the detriment of the team and it’s hard for me to believe he continues to wrestle with a decision that has become so crystal clear in it’s clarity of what needs to be done.
I mean, come on already… Davis is currently the worst hitting position player (.160 AVG) in the majors… What’s the delay?
Free agent Derrek Lee’s popped up a few times in this morning’s thread as a potential target for the Mets to replace Ike Davis.
Pauly METS! commented:
Can someone please tell Sandy to sign Derrek Lee. A 1 year, 4 million contract is not that bad. If Lee agrees then send Ike down and when Ike turns everything around and stays consistent and producing in AAA then platoon him and Lee (Ike vs righties and Lee vs lefties) and then when Ike shows us what we missed in 2011 then leave Lee on the bench as a righty power bat alongside Scotty.
Tommy2cat replied:
Truly an outstanding suggestion. Derrek Lee is a Gold Glove caliber quality right-handed hitting first baseman. His insertion into the Met infield and line-up would solidify this team as Don Clendennon did for the Miracle Mets in 1969.
Ike would then be able to sort through his issues in Buffalo without causing any further harm to the parent club. There’s a point where merit supersedes all loyalties. Ike has reached that point.
Apart from Ike’s troubles, opposing teams are able to load up on lefties and shut us down cyclically every other inning or so. That’s simply poor planning on Alderson’s part.
Two of Daniel Murphy’s primary deficiencies were exposed last night: his lack of power and limited defensive capability. His trade value will never be higher. We should move him now to an AL club with a quality minor league prospect for a blue-chip prospect, such as Toronto’s Jake Marisnick, a slugging outfielder with burner speed.
I do not think this is our year, nor should it be. Last night exposed virtually every weakness in our organization.
According to MLBTR, Derrek, Lee has continued working out and is said to be in excellent shape. They say that he is seeking a contract similar to what Johnny Damon got from the Indians - $1.25MM plus $1.4MM in incentives.
Sounds pretty reasonable to me…
Lee still has plenty of gas and slugged 19 home runs and 17 doubles last season while batting .267 in 447 AB between Pittsburgh and Baltimore. He has one request, and that is he wants to play for a contender. If we act now, all we need say is that if the season ended today, we’d be going to the post season.
I say go for it… Another right-handed bat in the lineup to go with Wright would do wonders for this offense.
About the Author: Joe DeCaro
I'm a lifelong Mets fan who loves writing and talking about the Amazins' 24/7. From the Miracle in 1969 to the magic of 1986, and even the near misses in '73 and '00, I've experienced it all - the highs and the lows. I started Mets Merized Online in 2005 to feed my addiction. Follow me on Twitter @metsmerized.
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 23 | 18 | .561 | - |
| Nationals | 23 | 19 | .548 | 0.5 |
| Phillies | 20 | 22 | .476 | 3.5 |
| Mets | 16 | 23 | .410 | 6.0 |
| Marlins | 11 | 31 | .262 | 12.5 |
Last updated: 05/18/2013
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Good Idea but i would be surprised if it happens.Maybe Bill Maher can write another check to help the cheapskate Wilponzis sign Derek Lee.Right now, Davis cannot hit, field or give a non delusiional answer to what is wrong with him.Why is this decision so hard for Collins?The Nationals are in first place and they don’t scare anybody.Upgrade the Mets and we can contend for the division.Isn’t that the job of Collins and Alderson
I’m glad that everyone is starting to get the big picture from my recommendation of acquiring Lee going back to another one of jessep’s articles.
http://metsmerizedonline.com/2012/05/looking-ahead-summer-trade-season-to-begin.html
“1st Base:
-Derrek Lee (Free Agent). Remember him? Always loved this guy and wished he could play here. He still possesses that power bat that you need in the lineup. He tore it up in Pittsburgh before he got hurt last year. See if he’s available.”
I don’t know what the Mets are waiting for at this point. They better pick him up before some other team swipes him up, like the ones wanting Youkilis.
Even Flow, nice job and excellent foresight too I may add. I didn’t realize it or I certainly would have quoted you as well in the post.
Thanks for repeating it here in this thread for all to see.
Collins being stubborn????? Are you all serious????? Do you think Sandy Alderson lets his lowly field manager make decisions such as this? Collins is in a bad spot having to defend a piss poor GM who has a winning team despite his failures to help the team.
Actually, after reading that quote from Collins it sounds more like a manager who is being handcuffed by Alderson and is as frustrated with Ike Davis being on the team as we are. I wish there was video of it.
Part of it also has to do with his two best option to replace him getting hurt…
Baxter and Turner had been the two guys playing when Ike was benched.
Both are jurt now.
This.
I think that’s the only thing saving Ike’s job up here right now. Too many position players on the DL, not enough IF back ups right now.
I suspect if Ike doesn’t immediately turn this around, as soon as some of these guys get back, he will be sent to AAA. With Tejada’s set back though, not sure when he’s returning.
For that matter, haven’t heard much about Cedeno either. Turner is going to take longer than 2 weeks with a sprained ankle as well.
Well I think Baxter is going to take the longest here if I’m not mistaken.
Sprains can take a lot of time but don’t have to but look at what happened to Ike last year!
We really have been lucky til now that some of the guys who had gotten hurt early were guys who were not performing all that good in the first place!
Bay and Torres were pretty easy to replace when you look at what they were contributing at the time. Tejada was the only injury that really cost us production the first month.
And with Turner and Cedeno around it was rather easy to replace Tejada’s bat because lets face it Tejada is a high BA hitter not a SLG, power OBP, Speed guy. Any good platoon can replace that BA.
But now we have lost some of those replacements. And while we have the starters coming back those starters may actually do less than their replacements did.
Injury bug has really put a damper on this team, your utility guy Turner gets hurt, you best LH bat off bench/part time leadoff OF gets hurt preserving 1st No Hitter for Mets, Tejada gets hurt then doesn’t return to field cause he is afraid he might get hurt, Cedeno calf injury turns into long DL stint, Rauch is pitching w/debris in elbow; who knew and when?
I can’t believe the amount of injuries Mets have had but, just talking here, how bad are injuries to Cedeno and Tejada and can the mental fear of getting hurt keeping especially Tejada from playing?
Here we let best SS in Mets history leave, whomever was at fault is too late now, but behind Tejada we had no backup in minors other than the Q cause Cedeno was a SS/2B fill in so where was the long term plan?
Who vetted Tejada and his ability to be everyday player for Mets?
Didn’t he have past injuries with Mets?
Here we are with a team that fans can get behind, we shut down the best offense in NL then the BP and defense implode at the same time exposing our lack of reliable middle infielders, instead hoping that offense will cover that up but your LH bats, Ike, Murph and Thole are not producing so this team is performing inspite of the poor pieces that SA/TC have tried to put together.
Is Omar Vizquel available?
Is Ramon Martinez around?
Maybe we could get Escobar from Blue Jays
Where are all those reliable journey men SS/2B players that used be available all the time?
When is TC going to sit Murph to clear his head cause he is just a singles hitter now with no power and poor defense.
Just venting cause of all teams to fall apart against the Nats are right at the top for me other than the Yanks, sheesh!
Sign Lee and SEND Davis down! End of story!
Can someone please tell Sandy to sign Derrek Lee. A 1 year, 4 million contract”
Funniest line i’ve heard in a while!!! LMAO… This small market GM is not gonna sign Lee, let alone for $4 million, the only reason he overpaid for Rauch and FFF was due to that reyes fella he botched negotiations with and wanted to appease the fan base.
What is Lee now 50, give me a break the minute he goes 2-10 you guys will be sending him to the minors to work things out
Totally, agree, Vinnie.
I wrote this on my piece in response to somebody but I will put it here as well.
My concern with Lee (well I have a lot of concerns) so here they are
#1 Why isn’t he signed? Milwaukee lost Fielder and Gamel and actually met with Lee and left the meeting with the decision they’d rather fill 1B internally. Why?
#2 He said he would only return for the right opportunity. So I ask you the Mets fan, why is this opportunity so attractive to him? And, what is the opportunity?
If the opportunity is “play 1B while we send Ike down and hope he straightens things out.” then Lee is not coming here.
If the opportunity is “get in uniform, you are our starter at 1B versus LHP.” then it’s a slightly better offer but is that enticing enough? I’m honestly not sure.
I don’t think he HAS to come back and play which worries me about what he has left in the tank. So if he doesn’t have to come back, I feel like he’s only returning for a starting role and unless we’re just saying Ike is done for the year… that chance is not here in NY
Right, I mean aside from the fact that he would probably suck. Essentially, he’d be signed with an undetermined–fill-a-gap-right-now-role. You might play, you might not. Unless the Mets were stupid enough to decide this guy is the 1stB-man for the year, why would he sign. Lose-lose as I see it.
Russell: Two things..
I personally don’t think Lee would be a bad player. He played very well when he was traded to Pitt last year. He’d be a serviceable player. He also has a great reputation for his clubhouse demeanor and was the Cubs captain.
But, I just don’t think a 36 year old player is going to take 4 months off (plus the winter so a total of 9 months off) without seeing big league pitching and just get in uniform in a week.
I don’t care how “in shape” he is.
So even if they signed him today (which they won’t), I still believe you’re talking about a minimum 2.5 to 3 weeks without seeing him in a Mets uniform. By then, you’re talking July.
From what I have read Lee wants a 1.5 Mil contract with 1.5 Mil in incentives minimum…
So you have a point in regards to why would he come here knowing full well he will never reach those incentives once Ike gets back!
And I think back to another aging 1B and can see us signing Lee only to have a slow roller go between his legs and costing us a World Series.
The solution is to FIX Ike….
This is where Hudgens needs to earn his salary!
I find it a bit odd that people think the Minor League coaches can do something better than the MLB hitting coach.
Only plus to the Minors is the lesser pitching but what good is that going to be when he gets back up?
Metsie, I don’t think people are saying a minor league coach can do better than a major league coach.
If Ike was sent down to the minors, the Mets would likely send their instructors to Buffalo to work 1 on 1 with him. I honestly do not know who their roving instructors are but every team has them. For example when I worked for the Twins affiliate, Mauer was there. Paul Molitor came to the stadium for a few days and worked 1 on 1 with young Mauer. He was there for Mauer specifically.
So you have guys who will be sent right to Buffalo to give him 1 on 1 attention. If Hudgens or Terry or Geren didn’t have 24 other guys to worry about yeah I’d say leave him at the bigs. But we’re past that.
Well I have to ask…Why haven’t they just brought them up here for a week and work with Ike on the last Homestand?
Here is my issue with Buffalo…
I don’t see Ike’s problem as much mechanical as others would say…
He’s not recognizing pitches and lets face it the pitches in Buffalo are going to be even HARDER to identify because the reason the Kids are down there is trying to WORK on making those pitches good!
So Curveball/Slider in the Minors is harder to identify than a real good one in the MLB.
I can see sending him to StLucie where he gets a refresher in the instructional league and relearns his hitting fundamentals which is pretty much what St Lucie is set up for!
But all that said I think we missed the boat as we now don’t have the personnel to cover losing Ike. I really don’t like moving Duda or Murphy from leraning the position they are destined to play for the foreseeable future (barring trade) especially when Ike gets sorted and comes back. And even if he doesn’t it’s more likely Lutz will play there when he is healthy before the other two.
And while I agree we can’t carry Ikes bad bat for much longer I have yet to hear an option (other than signing someone as a temp) that really is going to be effective in fixing him.
Buffalo doesn’t seem to be a very good place to me and seems more like a move to meant to fix the MLB lineup not Ike himself.
Too bad they didn’t make Jason Bay take Reps at 1B while he was rehabbing!
That would at least solve the OF problems…(He would be terrible glove wise I know!)
Relax folks, Ike should start hitting now. I just dropped him from my Fantasy team.
Ha! So your to blame!
LOL – i asked you to do that weeks ago!
I have been debating for a while, can’t keep having him on team at this time. Hate to do it cause I believe in him, but enough is enough.
“I don’t mind a strong-willed manager who stands his ground, but not to the detriment of the team and it’s hard for me to believe he continues to wrestle with a decision that has become so crystal clear in it’s clarity of what needs to be done.”
Roster moves are Alderson’s domain, not Collins. TC is probably just being a good soldier here.
Yes but when alderson was interviewed during the rain delay (the one that killed Hefner’s start) he made it clear that there are two sides below him that were split on what to do. One side thought sending him down was good the other thought it would not help and might as well leave him here.
He didn’t say who was who in those sides but he did say some thought sending him down was the easy way and Sandy disagreed with that!
If Collins wanted to get rid of him he would have sat him a lot more than he has!
So I can only assume Collins is not on the side of sending Ike Down.
Especially now that there is no one to take over for him like there was at the time they decided not to send him down and made an announcement to that effect!
Or Collins is keeping the discussion out of the media and maintaining a unified front.
Well Collins isn’t saying anything…And even if he did feel one way or the other the fact is this…
He has not sat Ike down as often as someone who thinks he is a problem would have…
Now either thats because he got ordered to not do that or the fact that with injuries there is no one to play there…
Or Maybe he is on the side of keeping Ike here.
You can decide how much of each it is but I personally don’t really care there is too much discussion going on about where to put Ike when the focus should be whats wrong and how do you fix it!
Sending him down only works if there is a plan down there that can’t be achieved up here!