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Mets 1B prospect Ike Davis is hitting .309, and has reached base in eight of his team’s 10 games, during this year’s Arizona Fall League.
In a post to Rotoprofessor, Eric Stashin asks, “Could Davis be the Mets 2010 First Baseman?”
…i think it’s a little early… the Mets like davis a lot, as do other teams, but they know he needs more time in the minors… but, not that much time… in addition, from what i can gather, other teams like that he has a baseball pedigree and he seems poised and destine to play in the big leagues… in what capacity, though, remains to be seen…
Last month for the Daily News, Adam Rubin said he believes the Mets will look to add power in left field, not first base, because:
“There’s little sense blocking Davis by signing a first baseman to a multi-year deal. I’m told the Mets likely will trade for a righty-hitting first baseman with a short-term commitment to pair with Daniel Murphy in 2010.”
Davis hit .298 with 20 home runs and 71 RBI between Single-A St. Lucie and Double-A Binghamton in 2009.
According to Baseball America, he was the best first-base prospect in the Double-A Eastern League, and the 13th-best prospect overall.
Last week, in a chat for ESPN.com, Keith Law said he sees Davis as a starting first baseman in the major leagues some day, but, he adds, “I’m not calling him more than that till I see him hit a breaking ball.”
The following is video of one of Davis’s at bats for Team USA during this summer’s 2009 IBAF World Cup:
Murphy proved that he’s good enough to not be in a platoon, more importantly, he showed that he plays his best when he’s _not_ platooning.
Davis is obviously not the 2010 1B.
I wonder if Fernando Tatis is available…
You’re joking right? The Tatis magic will be gone in 2010! Please stay away from him. PLEASE!!
Tatis is one of the mets i want GONE….Delgado, Tatis… The if possible please,Castillo, Ollie.
My recollection of Tatis was double play rally killer. However when I looked at his year end stats, they’re actually respectable. He turned it up in the second half hitting .317/.359/.485. He was terrible in May and June when we were actually in the hunt; and once everyone tuned the Mets out, he hit the ball well from July-Sept. Dare I say it, but for a million bucks, he’s a worthy bench player as he can play multiple positions and hit (sometimes).
Yes, but if you let him get that 1 million from another team and open up that bench spot to someone like Nick Evans or Chris Carter(Wagner Deal) you get a Type B Sandwich Pick. Somehow, Someway Tatis Snuck into being rated as a TYPE B by elias rankings via MLBTR.
I know it’s shocking to me too.
I agree, the Tatis ship has sailed,…..( or atleast it better) besides how many freaking utility outfielders do we need?? I think we’ve cornered the market on those type players!
But you think the Mets will risk offering him arbitration? What if he accepts?
Then god help us!
I couldn’t bear to watch yet another Tatis induced GBDP!
hahaha…i want nothing to with him
“I wonder if Tatis is available…” was pretty obviously a joke. Let’s all calm down.
” other teams like that he seems poised and destine to play in the big leagues… ”
I am also poised and destined to play in the big leagues … but that only goes so far ;)
nice
wow, this guy looks big at the plate, his batting stance looks like either’s.
if he is killing AAA next year, I could see the mets calling him up in mid-season.
Is he supposed to be starting the year in AAA or AA? My guess is he will play the majority of next season at AA. I think teams typically like to allow a guy to get at least one full season in AA.
More realistically, if Ike Davis continues to rake then he will be a mid year call up in 1.5 seasons, but otherwise he is 2 seasons out.
Davis Played 50 games in AA this year and RAKED…. If he has a good winter league, which through 10 games he’s been good, he will most likely start in AAA. They should give him a full season at AAA unless he starts to flat out dominate.
His 2 weaknesses have been lefty pitching and off-speed pitching.
am i crazy or does his followthrough look like griffey jrs? obviously he’s nto even REMOTELY close to the talent that Jr. was, but his swing does slightly resemble him
PLEASE DO NOT RUSH DAVIS. Im fine with the idea of getting a RH hitter who can play first base bc frankly we need a RH pinch hitter anyway but it should not be a strict platoon. Murphy needs to face lefties, maybe not guys like cliff lee, but he cant just be completely quarantined when a LHP is out there. Davis is a 1st round draft choice out of college with a good head on his shoulders and the polish that alot of our prospects do NOT have. Please dont blow this.
I agree with you. No need to rush him. I also think that giving Muprhy a Platoon partner would be a bad idea. He needs another full year for us to really know what he has. If we trade for a platoon partner, then we give up prospects that bolster our depth and prevent us from trading for a picther.
Let’s worry about LF, not 1B. Holliday is the best man available, he has to be top priority. Sign Holliday, Lackey, Harden, and the mets should be solid next year. Easier said then done, I know, but those fill the wholes most in need. Plus, the mets draft pick is secure, therefore, this is the season to load up on the Typa A free agents. As for the bullpen, Yates was released by the Pirates, I say bring him back to the mets. Done.
Just because somebody is the best man available does not mean that we automatically go after them dude. The best available 1b is Russell Branyan (or Adam LaRoche or Nick Johnson), but that doesn’t mean we just go out and get him because he’s the best available.
I’m against spending our money on Holliday. I’d MUCH rather spend it on Lackey.
I agree. I keep saying the same thing.
Sign Lackey, trade for Crawford, sigh a Harden/Sheets/Bedard type.
Crawford
Castillo
Reyes
Wright
Beltran
Franceour
Murphy
Santos/Thole/scrub signing
This is a team which hits to the gaps with power and has speed. AND . . . it doesn’t block future prospects. F-Mart and Davis are in the wings with flores hopefully learning 2B.
Pagan on the bench
Santana
Lackey
Pelfrey
OP
Maine/Sheets/Harden/Bedard/Niese/Nieve
First, It would be a waste for Flores to be learning 2nd base. it’s not a premium position and wouldn’t be pertinent to his development. Besides most see him as a 3rd baseman or an outfielder.
2nd. How do you plan on acquiring Crawford and not give up what will be regarded as 2 of your top 5 prospects? Tampa won’t just give away Crawford. They will certainly ask for Davis or F-Mart, if not both, but most likely Davis, and 2-3 Pitchers. This way they can move Pena and his big contact and they have a OFer waiting in the wings in their system.
3nd for an additional 5-7 million (Crawford will make 10 mil this year) more you could have a lineup that looks like.
Reyes, Castillo, Wright, Holliday, Beltran, Franceour, Murphy, C,P.
Which is stronger offensively, You don’t have to give up any prospects to Tampa, You don’t block any position on your team, as you can let Franceour go if F-Mart is ready in your opinion.
I don’t see how that is not the best corse of action.
Also you don’t think that Crawford wouldn’t either want a 5 year extension at 15 mil per, or opt to be a FA at the end of this year?
Well . . . the thing with Crawford is F-Mart doesn’t fit because they are full in the OF. Davis isn’t going anywhere. Maybe Flores goes as the core of the deal?
I think Crawford can be gotten for “potential” players, much less than the Santana package. Although I wouldn’t be adverse to including Maine or Niese to get it done, it’s about us assuming the contract and extension. And yes, I think Crawford would want one, and be worth it.
A healthy Met team with a core of Crawford, Reyes, Wright and Beltran, with supporting players like Castillo, Franceour and Murphy I think would be a powerhouse. Maybe no Howard type bopper (until/if Davis arrives) but a lineup that’ll beat you down. No real easy out.
That team has absolutely no power and would be lucky to win 85 games especially when Lackey only ends up making 25 starts because he is on the wrong side of 30 and has been hurt for significant time in each of the previous two season’s.
I wouldn’t say absolutely no power.
A healthy Beltran and protected Wright should approach 30 HRs.
The depth of the lineup is the key, they’ll double you to death.
As for Lackey, I think better of him than that. I think he’ll shine in the NL, especially Citi.
And beyond that there is little to no power in that line-up. The Mets would be one of the worst offensive teams in baseball.
With Lackey the guy has been hurt the previous two season’s and is on the wrong side of 30. He’s not worth a 85-90 million investment over 5-6 years with injury issues.
Well . . . Reyes I would expect to approach 20 in the three hole, as well as Franceour, Crawford would be in the low teens and Murphy in the mid teens.
The team would also lead the league in doubles and triples and get to the oppositions bullpen early.
Crawford – 13
Castillo – 1
Reyes – 20
Wright – 27
Beltran – 30
Franceour – 20
Murphy – 15
Santos/Thole/Scrub – 8
That’s 134.
The starting 8 of the Angels (leaving out the DH) hit 136 this past season and the Dodgers as a team hit 145.
I’d expect Francoeur and Reyes (if he is healthy) to be in the 15 range. You also don’t know what you are going to get from Beltran. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Mets only get 130 games out of him next season. Which means that HR total will be closer to 20-25 than it will be to 30 HR’s IMO.
All in all it’s a pretty mediocre line-up with little pop in it especially beyond Wright and Beltran.
IMO the Mets need to add one middle of the order hitter this off season that could provide an .850-.900+ OPS to the order. While building a team on speed is nice, you still need to have power in the middle of your order and having a 3-5 of Reyes, Beltran and Wright does not provide the power the Mets need IMO.
I don’t think we should platoon Murphy either, he showed that he played best when he played everyday not sitting on the bench and we should either commit to Murphy or get a full-time 1B
and i’m excited about davis but i’m not jumping on the let’s see in 2010 bandwagon, we can’t rush these guys
Y’all will think I am crazy, but I am anticipating Murphy to have such a sound 2010 that people will quickly forget about Ike, while he grows on the farm, and then in 2011 we’ll have a nice situation on our hands.
Murphy in 2010: .305, .365 OBP, 18 HR, 35 2B, 80 RBI
I sure hope you’re right, but I can’t help but be pessimistic.
The avg is reaching. Probably more like:
.283 AVG, .365 OBP, 16 HR
In another post I mentioned taking a look at Delgado for 1 year on the cheap. He’ll hit more than 16, has a lot to prove before moving to DH-land, and if he reaches 27 HR, he’ll have 500 HR in a Met’s uni. I’d like to do that if it’s on the cheap, moving Murph to the bench as a utility guy, or trade him when needed.
I’m one of the few people that is also open to a one year Delgado deal, incentives based on games played. I feel as long as Delgado is healthy, he will produce.
If healthy, I think you can count on .250/25 (.340 OBP) from Delgado, and possibly upwards of .275/30.
Please, no more Mo Vaug – Carlos Delgado.
I was an advocate of activating his option last year and trading him when he had some kind of value. Please, don’t throw good money after bad.
You must be anticipating quite an increase in Murphy’s walk rate if you’re expecting a .365 obp next year. He hit .266 this year with a .313 obp, a spread of 47 points.
If he hits .283 next year and maintains his walk rate, thats only an obp of .330.
I don’t think I’ll ever ever understand why people think Murphy is more talented than he is. Stop giving him so much credit, and look at him for the player that he IS, not the player you want him to be. You’ll be starting out with much more realistic expectations that way.
Because he was a rookie. Not a 10 year veteran like a russell Branyon. Who people think will put up a similar line to his career year this year.
People Get better as they get experience. Happens to lots of young players. Chase Utley, Andre Ethier or Jasyson Werth.
Not everyone comes up and is Albert Pujols, or Evan Longoria. Some take a year or 2 or GASP 3 years until they become comfortable.
Murphy 24 years old. Was a rookie who jumped from AA to the Majors. His Minor league Track Record showed a patient Eye at the plate with a low walk total and a solid OBP.
Good thing the Mets didn’t have James Loney at 1st base. I mean a first round pick who hit .281 with 13 HR’s and a .756 OPS. He’d be burned at the stake and never taken seriously.
I think we were going off Murphy’s historical iso rates in the minors. Last year looks like an anomoly in comparison, he didn’t walk much in the second half (largely because based on pressure he felt he needed to start swinging at everything to show more power).
oh that rarest of creatures (esp at this time in history)………….an optimistic mets fan!
I love Nady for that RH-1B role…though I am sure the Yankees will re-sign him to improve their crap-tastic OF once they let Damon walk.
I like Nady as well for that spot, a couple more guys would be Cuddyer, Wiggy and Atkins, too bad Carter wasnt a righty.
I don’t want to get ahead of myself buuut. Ike Davis could be:
-the greatest 1B the Mets ever produced.
-the one to lead us to 3 or maybe 4 World Series titles.
-the one man who can straighten Oliver Perez out.
-the one man to square off with Tony Bernazard and knock him out for scaring Delgado away in 06 and possibly costing us a WS.
But again I don’t want to get a head of myself.
Okay… Who’s backing Phils and who is backing Yanks?
We will NOT be rooting for either team in the 2009 World Series, we have determined that a winner from the NL East, the division to which the New York Mets belong, is somewhat more palatable than a winner from The Bronx. However, we cannot speak for Different Matt, who is clearly lost and at odds with his/her identity.
I agree with the poster above– David looks big and has a sweet stroke, one that probably will ultimately produce a nice amount of power.
I am no scout, but he just looks like he could be a player in this league.
As far as Murphy goes, I think we are all torn– the kid works hard, has been put in a bad spot and perhaps doesn’t really have a great natural position to play. I think the Mets are taking the wise approach to explore a platoon for him. If, however, we lose out on Holliday, Bay, etc., plans could change…
I meant “Davis”…
A righty-hitting 1B? Is Nick Evans the kid in the front row raising his hand wildly that the blind teachers (Mr. Manuel and Mr. Minaya) cannot or refuse to see?
Hey, is this what it feels like to have a prospect with value?
Wow. Wow! That’s… that’s so weird!
Peter – I like your enthusiasm for Reyes, but he is not a #3 hitter. He is our leadoff man, and he will never hit 20 homeruns. On top of that, if the Mets are going to trade for anyone, it will be a young pitcher that they can control for afew years, not a second CF who is a clone of Reyes.
That’s a pretty confident statement considering jose hit 17 in 2005 and 2006 and 19 in 2008. :-)
I think that the added responsibility of the 3 hole, with the protection of Wright, and with Castillo and Crawford in front of him would make him a little more disciplined yet still keep him involved in the game. Actually, I think with Reyes abilities, 20 is easily attainable.
Not to mention with Crawford, Castillo, Reyes, Wright and Beltran 1 through 5 I think you’re looking at a MLB record for stolen bases and triples by a team.
I truly believe this team would be an offensive juggernaut.
Obviously, it’s thinking outside the box, but the point isn’t to have your #4 hitter hit HR’s. it’s for your team to score runs.
This lineup would put pressure on the opposiing pitcher from the first inning and I think wear them down early. In todays game, getting to the pen is crucial, the sooner you do the better. We know that all to well.
I say we build a team which learned from our failures as opposed to doing things the same old way.
The Mets problem in 2009 wasn’t their speed it was the lack of power in their line-up. It would take them 3-4 hits to actually score a run.
And I wouldn’t count on Castillo having a repeat offensive season in 2010.
C’mon . . . the Mets problem in 2009 were injuries, which took away their power.
When you take away guys like Reyes, Delgado and Beltran for long periods of time Wright and Church have no protection. Then Wright get’s hurt . . . you can’t replace that.
But this year there will likely be no Delgado in addition you don’t know what you are going to get out of Beltran with his knees.
At the very least you need to replace Delgado’s power with some type of impact addition.
Exactly. I tend to think of power as a question mark as it is. Yeah, HR’s are great, but strikeouts and GIDP really suck. I’d rather keep guys on and moving around the bases.
I prefer multiple doubles hitters and pressure offense to AL longball. Not to mention, a lineup with 5 players with more than 15 HR potential means a mistake can still be crushed, so power is there in late innings in a pressure spot.
There’s nothing wrong with having speed in the line-up and building your line-up that way. But you at least need to have some power in the line-up. What you are proposing leaves the Mets with little power in the line-up IMO. It would be one of the worst offensive squads in baseball not that much better than what we saw in 2009.
Crawford career = .295 .335 .437 .772
Reyes career = .286 .337 .435 .772
Crawford career = .295 .335 .437 .772
I agree that there is nothing wrong with having two of the exact same player in this lineup, especially in Citi, but not at a cost of 4 or 5 of our top prospects.
According to Peter a team like the rays that lives and dies on Prospects and scouting won’t ask for any of our Top prospects. They will ask for only guys with “potential”.
Trading for Crawford only should be an option should the mets not sign Holliday. Same as trading for a SP should they miss on Lackey.
Niese is our #4 prospect according to Toby Hyde. Would he Reese Havens and Parnell or Kunz get it done? Possibly.
Wouldn’t it be amazing if Murphy continued to grow so productively that he batted close to .300 with 20 HR’s and 80 RBI’s at the completion of 2010? Just as Ike finishes tearing up AAA batting over .300 with 25-30 HR’s and 90 or so RBI’s? This all just as Castillo’s contract comes to an end allowing Murph to slide over to 2nd an Ike to rip up at 1st for 2011? Assuming DWright and Jose stayed healthy, that would be a sweet infield with some great hitting behind themselves.
I’d love for Murphy to learn 2nd, ala kelly Johnson with the Braves coming from the OF to 2B. I just hate jerking him around. I think it hurts his development to have to learn how to hit at the major league level while constantly learning new positions as well.