Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Ike Davis is my Starting First Baseman

Ike Davis is currently on his way to minor league camp. You see when you bat nearly .500, come through in clutch situations and drive in more runs than the other two first baseman combined during spring training, you're bound to be sent to the minors.

Why the Mets feel so attached to Daniel Murphy is beyond me. They went out and got Mike Jacobs this offseason and it wasn't because Jacobs is a must have talent. They got Jacobs because they figured they needed another legitimate option at first if/when Murphy fell apart.

But now they have an exciting, young and energetic player in Ike Davis who has done nothing but prove himself this spring and he's rewarded by being sent back to the minors when he's potentially better than both the first baseman that will make the Mets roster.

What's the worst that could happen with Ike on the opening day roster? He fails and gets sent back to the minors. If he's a solid player, he'll be back up eventually. If he succeeds, you have just excited the Mets fan base and the organization.

Let the kids play. Mejia, Davis, Tejada. This team needs some new life. If Murphy goes on to bat .300 and drive in 80 runs, I'll gladly eat my words but I doubt I'll have to.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Well, tejada is a non-issue now that reyes won't likely miss more than a week of the season.

As for Ike, I just can't deem him ready from a handful of spring games. I'd rather start him in AAA, if he keeps it up, and Murphy doesn't perform, we'll see him soon enough. Murphy is having a slow start this spring, but many people do, Murphy had a pretty solid year for a rookie (.266 38 doubles, led team with 12 homers)playing a new position, and statistically, his defense was pretty good at first as well. On top of that he's truly a gritty gamer, the type player this team needs. Give him a month or so, and see what he does and if Ike's hot streak continues before writing him off.

Now Mejia...He's just way to young and raw to start in the Majors, and there's just no need to rush him into the pen, when we should show a little patience and let him start at AA as a starter. If he's that good, he'll crack this rotation soon enough.

I am excited about these kids too, but i don't fill this is a bad team, the pitching being the biggest question mark, and i'd rather not rush the kids.

thomas

Unknown said...

thomas - i see where you're coming from but i disagree about mejia. this guy has the raw stuff to be a future closer. i'm afraid the mets will pull a "Joba" and pretty soon we won't know what we have with him. the kid's been downright nasty this spring. we need an 8th inning guy and i almost think he's more valuable as a reliever than a starter in both the short term and the long term.

plus Mets fans need some excitement. we want to root for a young guy. mejia would instantly add some electricity to the fan base. and if he doesn't perform then we can send him back down for more development.

Unknown said...

getting beat up and sent back down is often very detrimental to a youngsters developement. I just don't think any reliever will ever be as valuable as a starter, simply look at the major leagues to see this, mediocre starters make as much or more than some of the elite relievers.

If you don't have starters that can get you through six or seven innings without giving up a plethora of runs, then the closer becomes irrelevant...ie Frankie Rodriguez circa 2009.

Further we have Kiko Calero and Pedro Feliciano, both of whom can be eighth innings guys.

Mejia is twenty, less than 44 minor league innings. Even Doc "junkie" Gooden started the season in the minors when he one rookie of the year.

Thomas

Unknown said...

ah, memories of Doc. such a wasted life.

appreciate the back and forth. wherever mejia starts the season i'm hopeful that he'll turn into the player that i hope he can be, unlike the Phil Humber/Bill Pulsipher of the world who brought us false hope.

Unknown said...

I agree! Where ever he starts i like him a lot and hope he pans out even better than in my 2010 version of OOTP. In the first season he really wasn't given much in the way of ratings. i used him a few times in the majors in 09, when i needed a spot starter and he did well. Did average in minor league action and ratings for 2010 season have him as a mid-rotational guy for most teams i gues, not taht i'd be disappointed if he becomes that, but i'd like to see him become a stud!

Thomas