Mets first base prospect Ike Davis kicked off the AFL season in grand fashion as Surprise Rafters routed Peo Javelinas Peo Javelinas 17-4.
Davis impressed a host of Mets brass that were all on hand to watch the Arizona native go 4-6 at the plate including two doubles and a mammoth grand slam homerun. Davis has six RBI’s in the game.
According to Adam Rubin, among the Mets in attendance were GM Omar Minaya, assistant GM John Ricco, top deputies Sandy Johnson and Bryan Lambe, Adam Fisher and virtually every professional scout from the organization.
I would have to believe that they were all their to see what they had in Ike Davis as they decide whether they need a one-year stop gap at first base or something more. As I’ve said before, Daniel Murphy is trade fodder and not the solution the Mets are looking for at first base. The Mets may keep him in a role similar to the one Dave Magadan used to have with the team, but I continue to believe he will be included in some sort of trade this off season to help fill another area of concern on the team.
Getting back to Davis, the former first-round pick that came to the Mets as a compensation pick, via the Atlanta Braves when they signed Tom Glavine, has shown an explosive bat and could have overtaken Fernando Martinez as the Mets best hitting prospect.
“It was a blast,” Davis said of his AFL debut. “We have all these different teammates, different jerseys. It felt like kind of an All Star Game.”
Technically for Davis, it was the 24th homer of the season as he belted 20 homeruns between Single-A and Double-A, three more while playing for Team USA in the World Cup last month, and then of course the grand slam in his AFL debut.
Most of you who read this site know of my skepticism regarding many of the prospects the Mets have hyped in the last three years. I questioned all of the Eddie Kunz, Fernando Martinez and Wilmer Flores hype, and couldn’t understand why such mediocre numbers in the minors translated into top prospect status. Sure they have great tools and thus the enthusiasm, but why the lofty expectations?
Ike Davis on the other hand looks polished. He looks real. He looks legit.
Other Mets who played included left fielder Lucas Duda who went 2-5 with a double, two RBI and a walk, and shortstop Ruben Tejada who also went 2-for-5 with a stolen base and an RBI double.
Mets top pitching prospect Jenrry Mejia is due to start today’s game, with Scott Moviel, Eric Niesen and Josh Stinson assigned to the bullpen.
One other note, shortstop Reese Havens, will be getting experience at second base during the Arizona Fall League.
