While it looked as if the Mets were comfortable heading into the season with both Ike Davis and Lucas Duda in tow, ESPNNewYork.com's Adam Rubin reports that GM Sandy Alderson has resumed calling clubs to gauge interest in Davis.
Davis hasn't played in a Grapefruit League game in two weeks due to a calf injury and would presumably need to prove healthy for another club to take him on. Rubin adds that Davis is scheduled to DH in a minor league game today, though he hasn't been running after contact in that setting due to the leg injury. Also of note, Rubin adds that at least one American League team is showing interest in Lucas Duda, and the Mets aren't completely adverse to dealing him should the right offer present itself.
The Pirates have long been linked to Davis and can't be thrilled with what they've seen from Andrew Lambo (2-for-31) or Chris McGuiness (.616 OPS) thus far in Spring Training. The Brewers were seen as a potential fit at one point, but they have many options in camp now and reportedly informed Mark Reynolds that he was a near certainty to make the club when he signed a minor league deal.
Many clubs in the AL have been seeking offensive upgrades — most notably the Orioles and Mariners (the two most oft-connected clubs to Kendrys Morales in recent weeks). However, Seattle has a great deal of first base/DH types on its roster and a lineup that leans too heavily to the left side of the plate as it is. Baltimore would make a bit more sense, but acquiring Duda would likely shift Nelson Cruz into full-time outfield duties, which the club did not appear to be planning on at the time of his signing.
The Astros were linked to a number of first basemen in a report earlier today, but it's unclear at this time if they've shown an interest in either of the Mets' strikeout-prone sluggers. The Rays reportedly proposed a one-for-one swap of Davis and Matt Joyce at one point this offseason but were turned down. They may not be so keen on that concept now with Davis' leg ailing and James Loney back in the fold on a three-year, $21MM deal.
If Davis hasn’t played a Grapefruit league game in two weeks, now is not the time to trade him.
Correct. His value has never been lower between the injury and lack of competition for his services.
I think it’s best not too take Sandy’s public statements too seriously. The Beltran trade was expected, but his other signature moves like the Dickey trade and the Byrd trade were surprises. I have no idea why he would continually publicly circulate that he’s trying to trade Ike (esp. when the best time to trade him would’ve been at the end of 2012 when his value was high), but I’m sure he has some reason.
(and I call the Byrd trade a surprise because the trade deadline had passed already and it looked like the Mets were keeping him)
This article and my comment don’t cite his public statements.
Um, what? It’s based on the fact that ‘Sandy has resumed calling clubs to gauge interest in Davis’. If that information is not based on Sandy’s public statements to someone (the source cited in the article), then what is it based on? Wiretaps? If you don’t think this information is coming from the Mets, you’re wrong.
The information could just as easily be coming from the front office’s of teams the Mets called. I’d do some basic research on how journalists get information if you really think that all offices are airtight and that this kind of stuff doesn’t happen on a daily basis.
Ike Davis to the pirates for management advice on how to rebuild a team from NH
sandy does not need advice from anyone. The pirates are not that far ahead of the mets…
the pirates have steadily increase the last four years, and have a factory as strong as the Rays organization.
To echo other sentiments, Sandy Alderson is doing just fine. I get that what NH has done has been great, but Sandy’s been great, too. Keep in mind that NH has had essentially a three year head start on Sandy, NH starting as GM in 2007 and Sandy in 2010.
Also, Sandy got two pretty good prospects from NH for 30 games of Marlon Byrd and 9 of John Buck, so I’m pretty sure he knows what he’s doing.
no no no No No No No No NO NO NO PLEASE NO IKE IN PITTSBURGH!
*averse, not adverse. The words have different meanings.
Signed,
That Guy
As the question of interest in Ike Davis lingered, the sound of crickets overwhelmed all else.
I don’t see how Ike Davis has any value right now, he hasn’t played an ounce of spring training, or proven he could return to his 30 HR days (as of yet). Trading him now would be foolish, it would be the ultimate sell-low for the Mets and Sandy.
“Anyone interested? Still no? Okay, see you later!”
I know you guys didnt want to trade for him when he was healthy but what about now that he is hurt? No. WHAT why not come on
The Mets don’t have a first basemen and even they aren’t interested in Ike Davis. That should tell you all you need to know about this guy.
How would Ike Davis be an upgrade for the Pirates? He was horrible last season and he has been hurt this spring. That means he hasn’t had the chance to show he will turn things around. The Pirates can find a better alternative that Davis. Ike Davis is so overrated it is ridiculous.
Ike’s 3.2 million dollar contract is working against the Mets right now. No one is going to pay that money plus give the Mets something.
Ike is salary relief at this point.
If I’m the pirates, I give up nothing more than Mazzaro and agree to take on the salary.
Ike has more value than what Met fans will admit. A YOUNG, former first round draft pick who has already hit 32 HR in the majors has value. He needs out of NY. He’s not built for it. Though unless the Met’s eat almost all of the 3.5 million owed to him in a trade I don’t see him returning fair value. Have a feeling he’s gonna have Met fans saying “Why did we give up on him” real soon though.
Because he has been awful and keeps getting awful. The only impressive thing going for him is his 32HR in 2012. The way he is going next year he will have a 30% SO rate, sub .200 BA, sub .300 OBP, sub.700 OPS, and register a negative WAR, all while earning $3.5mil. A young and worse version of Mark Reynolds.
at least the orioles are no longer even an option mets can keep their .200 average hitter