Adam Rubin reports that Mets insiders now expect Ike Davis will be in spring training with the team while cautioning they are willing to reengage the Pittsburgh Pirates or Milwaukee Brewers or any other club in search of a first baseman in trade talks in the six weeks before pitchers and catchers report on Feb. 15.
Sources add that Davis genuinely does want to remain with the Mets, that was something we’ve also heard from some sources at MMO.
There’s still ample chances to move Davis even if he does open Spring Training with the Mets as injuries could cause other teams to take a second look at Ike. The Mets could also just choose to cut him and just pay him his $600K rather than his entire salary.
Rubin also added that Mets officials largely project Lucas Duda as having the better long-term potential, but are not averse to Davis being the first baseman in 2014.
On Monday, the Pirates acquired first baseman Chris McGuiness from the Texas Rangers for righthander Miles Mikolas. The trade did have an impact on the market for Ike Davis as the Bucs were one of three teams who had reported interest in the Mets first baseman. the other two being the Orioles and Brewers.
The Mets have been unsuccessful in dealing with the O’s as they have no desire to trade a top prospect for Davis. The Mets were reportedly trying to snag Eduardo Rodriguez, a highly regarded 20-year old southpaw.
Sandy Alderson has been holding out for a young pitcher for Davis all along throughout this process, even if it meant keeping him.
His fear of course was that Davis becomes the power hitter he’s been projected to be for another team. Seeing Davis become a 35+ home run hitter elsewhere would definitely sting.
The Ike Davis rumors first caught fire at the GM Meetings and then again at the Winter Meetings when Sandy Alderson had several conversations with Brewers GM Doug Melvin in a trade for their young pitching prospect, Tyler Thornburg. However, those discussions fizzled out when the Brewers balked at the suggestion.
Surprisingly, there hasn’t been as much interest in Davis as many expected. Now 27, the former first rounder batted .205 last season with 101 strikeouts in 317 at-bats, and has also seen a decline in his defense.
Things would be pretty weird after all this, if Davis were to show up at St. Lucie. He says he wants to be with the Mets, but obviously the Mets have no desire in bringing him back.
