One calendar year into his big league career, Ike Davis has a .266/.355/.441 line with 20 homers and 81 walks. The first baseman, who made his MLB debut one year ago today, is a fixture in the Mets’ lineup and, apparently, in their long-term plans. But Andy Martino of the New York Daily News hears that the Mets prefer to wait a few years before locking the 24-year-old up to an extension.
Davis is reluctant to discuss his success, but he’d be open to discussing an extension, according to Martino. The 2008 first rounder narrowly missed getting a full year of service time in 2010 because the Mets did not call on him until late April. He fell four days short of a full year of service, which means he won’t become a free agent until after 2016 (he would have been eligible after 2015 with a full year of service in '10). The Mets can safely wait to discuss extensions, since Davis won’t even be arbitration eligible until after next year.
Waiting to sign Davis to an extension would be a rare wise move for the organization. Mediocre first basemen actually DO grow on trees.
mediocre may be a bit strong, but you’re right that they should wait on the extension. I’d like to see more before they commit what are scarce resources these days.
Well I don’t think a guy who hits 19 his rookie year is a mediocre first baseman. It’s actually hard to find a home grown talent like Ike who plays his position pretty good and can hit. I know the Mets have time but I would lock him up sooner than later.
Hard to find? There are 3 others(if you count his D as “pretty good”) in the division alone.
Bill James thinks his defense is ‘pretty good’. That’s enough for me.
Actually I count 2, Howard and Sanchez, Freeman has played all of three weeks at the MLB level, and Adam LaRoche was not originally a National.
And Around the league you only have Howard, Sanchez, Votto, Pujols, Fielder (iffy for defensive reasons), maybe Helton, Youkilis, Butler, Morneau, and Morales.
Including Davis, that’s only 11 players, less than half the league, and you can argue against Morneau (health), Helton (age), Fielder (defense), Youkilis (not currently playing 1b), and Butler (might not be as offensively powerful as the OP intended). So that’s 6-11 players fitting his description, I’d consider that rare.
A-gon, Cabrera Tex, Dunn(yeah I know sucks defensively), Konerko, and theres probably some mediocre ones too who put up or can put up similar numbers to what davis is doing like butler.
Konerko was not originally a White Sock (Dodgers and Reds), same with A-Gon and the Red Sox (Padres), Cabrera and the Tigers (Marlins), Dunn with the White Sox (Reds, D-Backs, Nats), and Tex and the Yanks (Rangers, Braves, Angels). So they do not fit the description the OP used for Davis, as they are not homegrown. And I think a .270 20 65 line with solid defense isn’t put up too often, mediocre first baseman don’t do that.
I think that he is an above average player. If he played a premium position he would be considered a very good player.
It’s smart not to spend money you don’t have.
I like Ike Davis well enough-he’s a fine player but he’s at a position that’s fairly easy to fill. What if they come up with some big slugger in the minors in the next few years that can’t play anywhere else?
They don’t need to lock him up at this juncture.
Exactly what I was thinking. See how good he’s going to be and see where the team is going before you commit to Ike.
Besides with the Mets hurting financially, they don’t need to sign away dollars on guys they have control of now. Better they spend elsewhere, get the team winning, and use their profits to lock up Davis later.