In what has been yet another disappointing season for the Mets, Ike Davis has been one of a few standout players. Although his batting average of .223 is low, the first baseman has provided some pop this season with 27 homers and 81 RBI in a lineup that has struggled to produce. But because of the way he spends his personal time, the Mets could be open to trading Davis.
Or that’s what this ESPNNewYork.com report says, at least. Citing a “baseball source,” ESPN reported on Tuesday that the Mets will consider moving Davis because he has been unwilling to take coaching advice and stays out too late after games, which they believe poorly influences younger players. The news caught Davis off-guard.
“I have never missed games or not been ready to work because of anything to do with staying up too late,” Davis told the NY Daily News in a interview Tuesday. “I show up every day. I play hard. It is unfair to me, and it doesn’t make sense. … It comes out of nowhere. It happens to athletes like this. A rumor, or something is said, and it’s blown out of proportion. You can’t really do anything about it.”
Davis is only 25 and has the potential to be a 30-homer, 100-RBI guy as a starting first baseman, so the Mets would have to have a good reason to trade him. Manager Terry Collins recently said there is “not a guy in the clubhouse” who can’t be traded at this point.
“I don’t know what late is,” Davis continued. “When you leave the ballpark at 12, you go back to your place, it’s 12:30. If you watch a movie, it’s 2:30. Is that late? It’s up to everyone to decide what late is. If I had a job where I had to wake up at 6 in the morning, it would be late, but it’s not (in baseball).”
Davis certainly has a point. Most MLB players stay up late. With the exception of a few day games on weekends and getaway days, they work second shift. They don’t have to get up early in the morning to get to work because their day starts in the afternoon. Unless Davis has been seen at clubs flirting with trouble, the report would seem pretty baseless.
