Earlier today I suggested that the Mets could acquire their most significant piece via a trade rather than free agency where skyrocketing prices have made the front office a little queasy.
One team that could be a good match as a trade partner for the Mets would be the Tamp Bay Rays, who may have some interest in Ike Davis.
Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, sees Davis as an interesting buy-low fit for the Rays writing:
After hitting 32 homers for the Mets in 2012, Davis started badly last year, was sent to Triple A for a month and finished with rough numbers: .205, nine homers, 33 RBIs, 101 strikeouts, a .661 OPS in 103 games.
But the Rays, who drafted but didn’t sign Davis in 2005, would have to be intrigued by the potential lefty power, plus getting three years of control and a somewhat reasonable cost — an arbitration projected $3.5 million salary.
That’s about the same as Matt Joyce is to make, and the Mets seek a corner outfielder, though the Rays need lefty power.
Joyce is a right fielder who has averaged 18 home runs a season over the last three seasons. He could be a solid long part of a platoon in right for the Mets and at the same time clear up the logjam at first base while allocating Davis’ $3.5 million salary to an area of need.
On Thursday, WFAN’s Mike Francesa said that Ike Davis wants out of New York. Francesa said he spoke with Davis during the All Star break and Ike said he wanted to leave. The former Met first rounder believes the fans have given up on him and the team has given up on him.
Adam Rubin also got the sense from a Mets executive that that Ike Davis is a goner and that other teams view him as a decent bet for power with a change of scenery.
