15
2013
Locking Up Ike Davis To An Extension Won’t Come Easy
An article by 
Mets GM Sandy Alderson was a guest of Mark Hale and Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post on their podcast today, and he had some interesting things to say about a variety of Mets topics.
At one point, Hale brought up the possibility of signing Ike Davis to an extension and buying out his arbitration years, similar to the extension the Mets completed last spring with left-hander Jonathon Niese.
“We’re always looking at our young players to see if it makes sense, both from their standpoint and ours, to do complete something on a longterm basis,” Alderson said.
“Ike Davis is coming off a big second half last year, showed up to camp in great shape and in great spirits, and we see him taking on a bigger leadership role in the clubhouse right behind Captain America – David Wright.”
“Any kind of an extension has to fit for us and it has to fit for the player. So it’s something we’ll keep an eye on. Sometimes the player is not interested, and sometimes the agent is not interested. It’s one of those things that has to work for both sides.”
We’ve discussed this topic a few times already this offseason, and back on January 22, I wrote the following regarding Ike Davis and the possibility of extending him:
Now that the Mets have avoided arbitration with Davis and both sides have agreed on a one-year deal worth $3.2 million dollars, the plot thickens somewhat.
Davis gets a hefty raise from the $500K he earned last season. It’s the first step to a four year process that will take his salary to the $15 million dollar a year range by 2016.
Even the $7-8 million dollars he most likely will earn in 2014 sounds like a tough nut to crack for a team who hasn’t doled out that much cash annually in a new contract to a player in many years, not counting their franchise player David Wright who just cashed in for $142 million through 2020. In fact, Jason Bay was the last of the Mohicans.
So will the Mets open their wallets and pay Ike Davis at a level commensurate with what other first basemen of his caliber get paid?
That’s tough to say and I remain skeptical. I don’t think it will happen. Niese signed a deal that averaged about $5 million a season for the next five years. It will take a lot more than that to get Davis to sign any extension.
As I’ve said before, I have yet to see any evidence that this front office will ever pay any player not named Wright at current market value levels. It’s simply not in their DNA.
I could be off base here, but I challenge the front office to go ahead and prove me wrong. In fact, I’d welcome it in Ike’s case.
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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|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Mets | 25 | 40 | .385 | 14.5 |
| Marlins | 22 | 47 | .319 | 19.5 |
Last updated: 06/18/2013
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Get this guy locked up before it’s too late. i see a guy who will have a breakout year this year, get him locked up now or we’ll be seeing the same reyes scenario soon…
“So will the Mets open their wallets and pay Ike Davis at a level commensurate with what other first basemen of his caliber get paid?”
If the player is interested and the agent is interested and it works for both sides, yes.
Five years and $75 million should get it done. You buy out an extra two years of his free agency and it will show a real commitment to wanting to retain him.
I agree that if you do it you buy out 2 years of FA. Not sure about the 75M though. That shouldn’t be necessary, should it?
I would think something like Justin Upton?
14: 5M
15: 8M
15: 12 M
16: 15M
17: 15M
5/55?
But if he dont sign an extension he’ll make much more than that.
2014 Arb – $7MM
2015 Arb – $10MM
2016 Arb – $15MM
2017 he’s a free agent and will get $15 a year easily if he produces at same level or better.
What do you think?
It’s all about what Alderson said. Working for both sides. Anything much more than that and it’s too risky for the team. Remember the player is giving up some cash in these deals for security.
If he signs TRS’s deal, he gets 5/55 guaranteed.
If he goes year to year, he might get the same. or a lot more. or a lot less.
which is exactly why guys do these deals. Sets him up for life, even if he has a career ending injury, or just falls off a performance cliff and never comes close to being a 10-15 mill/year player.
and with a 5 year deal, like with Wright, he can still come out and sign another big one at ~30, if he really does become a top player.
Most pre-FA deals are pretty good bargains for the teams. And Ike really hasn’t had a big year yet…and really even if he does have a big year this year, he shouldn’t be all that expensive yet.
that is because the arbitration system does not accurately reflect performance (since it is heavily weighted on years), and because the team assumes all the risk of the guaranteed deal. So there has to be an incentive for them to take on that risk.
BREAKING NEWS:
Terry Collins told Braves Broadcasters he thinks David Wright might miss opening day & could miss a month.
Ohhhh, Boy……………
You’d think by now you would have learned to not read too much into anything Collins says. Oh well in any event I guess the keyword is “might”. We will know for sure soon enough.
Well, he’s the manager, i am sure someone’s in his ear about this. i mean, at some point the man needs to know about his players and their health no?
” i mean, at some point the man needs to know about his players and their health no?”
One would think so.
Maybe he will be right this time. We’ll know soon enough.
Hey Alex, I just noticed that you left this comment.
What did he say about missing a month? Did he actually say that?
Also, thanks to you I wont be seeing SaltyGary comment here for a week and I quite enjoyed his comments. That was an illegal bet and was not sanctioned by the FDA, WBC, WWF or MMO.
I bet your just upset because the house didn’t get it’s cut from the gambling! LOL
You need to send Luca to get the Vig….
If Ike comes out hot and shows us he’s improving and consistent, I’d definitely look at around 5/60
5/60 is fair.
Add 1 team-option years at 20 mil and then 1 player-option for 30 mil that vests with 40 HR in the final season after that to make it even better
total potential deal is 110 mil for 7 years
at minimum its 5/60
while we’re at it…lock up Tejada…b/c replacing a SS will be even more difficult than a 1B…and if u can replace him….having him locked up only boosts his value if he is good.
Tejada really flying below the radar right now, quietly having one of the worst springs on the team.
I wouldnt put too much stock into spring training numbers…
Brad Eamus looked pretty good too once
Why anybody would want to sign an extension with this sorry-ass organization is beyond me…
esp one that aired out his dirty laundry last season.
The Wilpons EASILY could’ve killed that by having Sandy tell the press that the mets are completely satisfied with the level of dedication Ike Davis shows towards the team and the fans and his movie going habits are his business.
Period
The End
Because that is EXACTLY what they would’ve done if it were David Wright.
Why? $$$$$ pay for luxury
Because it is all about the money. and guys do (some of them) like to play in NY.
Well I’m not sure Sandy is even sold on Ike yet….
He has yet to put together a full season of performance…
That Said I bet there are still some leftover animosity over the trashing he took….
If I’m Ike I sure would wait till after this season to entertain a contract.
And as for people’s projections on what he might make in Arb or waht is fair for an offer, if he hits closer to 40 HRs than 30 this year your all WAY OFF on what the price will be.
Let’s calm down a little. We may be overrating Ike off his second half last year. I like him and have high hopes, but he needs to prove he can hit lefties before they pay him. His career .217 avg, .281 obp, .643 ops in 300+ ab vs. lefties needs to show dramatic improvement throughout 2013. I would hold off until after the season…they still control him through 2015.
Once again, I am in the minroity here. I reckon that Ike has to prove that he can hit consistanly, hit lefties, raise his on base average and cut down on his strikeouts.
As I’ve said many times, this is a really important year for Ike.
Some want to give him 60 million. I say, not yet!
he hit .174 versus lefties last year. His OPs against lefties was .560. That’s not just bad – that’s terrible.
He had a .308 on base last year and for those who say he had a better second half – well he did – but in September – the last full month of baseball – he hit .228.
In my opinion, if he signs for what Neise got, then fine. But, to me he has to prove that he won’t strike out against the sweeping breaking ball of lefties before you give him star money.
I don’t think you are in the minority at all…
There are two ways to look at this though….
Sure you want him to prove…But the more he proves the more you pay!
After his horrendous 1st half followed by the big hit comeback you can make a case to say you’ll never get him any cheaper than you can now and if you wait for him to prove what he can do for an entire season and he does it you could be looking at numbers that fit a 40 HR player or High Average 30 HR guy which is about as top dollar as you get in the MLB….
Think of it in hindsight with Reyes….
Sandy could have extended his contract that first year but Sandy said I want to see what you can do first!Prove to me you deserve the Big bucks….
He did! And did it so well that he was out of our price range in the end….
Probably could have got Reyes on a 6 year 65-80Mil deal right after 2010!
He waited for him to prove and he won a batting title and that drove the price to beyond what he could afford!
Same could happen here!
It’s really about the timing and how MUCH proof you need.
If you think the kid is on the cusp of a breakout year then it makes much more sense to buy him out just BEFORE he breaks out….Before the price goes up.
But I agree Ike is not yet proved anything in his two partial years and one Half and Half….
What is encouraging is that second half was pretty damn good!
Hey Metsie -How are you?
I wouldn’t be comparing the current situation of Ike with Reyes. Reyes was a proven player when Sandy let him go. At times, Reyes would put the team on his back and carry them to wins. And this was before him winning the bating title.
Resigning Reyes was a no brainer – though I do agree that Sandy should have signed him up before his last season.
Ike has too much to prove right now. Let him do it. If you pay extra for him that’s a good thing because it means he’s reaching his potential.
They are not really similar in way I agree….
I was just showing an over inflated example of the forces at play I was trying to convey….
It’s one thing to wait for a player to prove thierworth to you….
But it does come with some ramifications….
While you might be taking less risk on paying for something that isn’t there you also might see it is there and have to pay more than you could have….
But you are absoloutly correct to point out the difference that Reyes petty much PROVED he was a Good (and I would dare say Elite) MLB player…..He was elected to a few All Star games by that point….
Ike hasn’t (maybe he does this year now that Fielder and Pujols are gone) but if he has a very good year and gets close to 40 Hrs your going to be paying a damn site more when you decide to extend him than you might pay him right now.
And the real issue is they might not have the control long enough to wait until he DOES prove himself to the same degree Reyes did…
I’m not saying they shouldhave extended him this offseason (I would have been opposed though) Just saying if they wait for him to do something good before they do it they will pay more than they will if they did it now before the proof was proved…
I’m in the minority with you. Until I see one full productive season, any talk of an extension should be shelved.
So what happens if the player is interested in an extension but the agent isn’t?
How does that even work? Doesn’t the agent work for the player?
Yes SRT!
Agent can refuse to do what the player asks and the Player will just fire him much like what happened with K-Rod!
of course the agent works for the player, but they have a lot of influence. If the agent is telling him to wait, good chance they will listen.
there is no such thing as a lock in sports.
About the “controversy” last year: People are making too much of that. One anonymous source says something about Ike possibly staying out late and that is the last we heard of it.
If they were really mad at Ike, he would not have been with the big club all year.