Is Ike Davis heading toward a statistical cliff?
I’m really concerned about the fact that unless something drastic happens between now and Opening Day, there will be no real legitimate right-handed power bat to protect Ike Davis in the lineup.
The Mets are lacking a true number five hitter.
With Davis being the Mets’ number one power source on the team, why would any opposing pitcher throw him anything that he could wallop?
Especially when they know his propensity for chasing pitches out of the strike zone?
We know how intense a player Davis is, and we’ve seen him go through prolonged slumps before. But unless we get him some real protection in the lineup, I can see him having even more prolonged slumps than we saw in 2010 and 2012, and that could have an adverse effect on his overall production and development. The carry-over effect can even ripple down to David Wright’s production as well.
I know it’s still early, but I also know the Mets seem unwilling to overpay in dollars or in prospects to get the right-handed bat they will need to keep the 2013 lineup from becoming a significant offensive problem for the team. We already are lacking a true lead-off batter with .370+ on-base skills, but a power laden middle of the order could have made up for that.
I thought for certain that acquiring a right-handed power bat for the outfield was going to be a logical assumption for the front office. I guess I was mistaken. But is anybody else as concerned about this as I am, or is this just much ado about nothing on my part?
