Davis-Duda: This Time It's Personal

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Pretend for a moment that circumstances require you trade one of either Duda or Davis. Not because you want to, but because you have to. Pretend Bud Selig made it a requirement of winning the All-Star Game or whatever.

Assume also that a trade brings the very same return (Infielder X and Pitching Prospect Y, they're not bad, you can see the upside).

You're welcome to play the one you keep however you like. Which guy do you trade? Why?

[bmfc1]

Duda. I like them both but Ike is a premier fielder and Duda is, right now, a poor RF who probably should be a DH or playing first. BTW, Sherman says today that the Rays like Duda.

[Edgy MD]

I hate to use a plastic word like "makeup," but Duda just doesn't seem to have the emotional constitution to thrive under a spotlight in the bigs. That's what I love about him to an extent, and I would hope he could perform well on a team that has so much offensive redundancy that he could lay low and not have to hit cleanup. But Selig has this gun to my head.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Even with the horrendous start to his season, I think Ike has a much bigger upside than Duda. (I haven't checked out their backsides, but that's another story anyway.)

[TransMonk]

I trade Duda.

I think Davis has the higher ceiling and is the better defender.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I'm inclined to agree with what you guys are saying except:

1) I'm less convinced Duda is done improving while I think we've seen everything Ike can be already

2) Assuming they are about the same offensively, moving Duda from right field to first base might improve the team. (Eh, probably a wash there with worse d he'd provide at first)

3) Duda less prone to ugly slumps (so far)

4) Duda less prone to injury (so far)

5) Duda cheaper for longer

[Edgy MD]

I think history might dispute (3). Duda dug himself some deep dark holes at the start of his career in 2010 and again at the start of his 2011.

[Frayed Knot]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: 5) Duda cheaper for longer

Only one year's worth. That's the difference in service time which, in some ways moreso than performance, is the biggest factor in salary.
Arb & FA will each come one year later for Duda.

I'd deal Duda first also in this scenario.

As a side note: Looking over Duda's stats (now that his 2012 ABs are conveniently just about equal to what he got in all of 2011) I was partially surprised to see that his HR-rate is actually up a bit l this season compared to last - I would have guessed he was down some. But the problem is that his BA is down about 50 points and that he's hitting doubles at about half the pace.

[metirish]

All those pretends are for you Ceetar......please play along

[metirish]

I'll trade Davis.....Duda is Jim Thome ,but he doesn't know that yet and isn't acting like him at all.

[Frayed Knot]

Thome also had 93 total HRs, a 38 HR season, a .400+ career OBA, a Silver Slugger award and a middle-of-the-pack MVP finish by the time he was Duda's age.

And then he got good.

[Ceetar]

metirish wrote: All those pretends are for you Ceetar......please play along

I hate pretend.

but fine, I trade Davis because my hitting consultants, Keith Hernandez, Ralph Kiner, and my father, like Duda's swing better.

[smg58]

Duda's complete lack of defensive ability is hurting the Mets way more than his bat is helping. Davis has more upside, and I think we've already seen the worst stretch he'll have in his career.

[Zvon]

Ceetar wrote: All those pretends are for you Ceetar......please play along I hate pretend. but fine, I trade Davis because my hitting consultants, Keith Hernandez, Ralph Kiner, and my father, like Duda's swing better.

I trade Duda cuz my doctor says watching him play right is bad for my health. But you've got a good point there Ceets.

[G-Fafif]

I have a real affinity for Ike and feel nothing in particular for Lucas, but I just traded Ike because I don't trust my affinities. Also, as JCL suggested, I think there's more to Duda than we're seeing (at 1B, probably) while we may have a pretty good picture of everything Ike can do. Also, indispensable power-hitting first basemen are sometimes dispensable, Albert.

This is not a real-world endorsement of trading Ike Davis, mind you. Just a pretend-world answer to the question.

[nymr83]

The response looks pretty overwhelming even after Ike's putrid start to the season. I have to agree.

I'm kinda shocked that Baseball-Reference has Ike with a negative dWAR, I'd think he's a contributor on defense, maybe its just sample size?

[ashie62]

I trade Duda. Ike has better baseball instincts. Duda would make a great cleanup hitter for some crappy AL team.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Nymr83 wrote: The response looks pretty overwhelming even after Ike's putrid start to the season. I have to agree. I'm kinda shocked that Baseball-Reference has Ike with a negative dWAR, I'd think he's a contributor on defense, maybe its just sample size?

According to what defensive measures there be, he's been pretty stinky there, too. (And my eyes kindasorta agree.)

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Yup. I don't know if he was bringing his offensive troubles out there with him, but Ike hasn't been nearly as good with the glove as he was in his first two seasons.

[Guest The Second Spitter]

Shocked to see Ike has a higher SLG% than Duda.

[Frayed Knot]

The Second Spitter wrote: Shocked to see Ike has a higher SLG% than Duda.

Especially when Ike is starting with a 40 point gap in BA
Lucas's Isolated Slugging numbers are right around league average which isn't a good thing for a 250 pound right fielder with neither speed nor a glove.

[Fman99]

I'm smarter than all of you. I take a picture of Justin Turner wearing Duda's jersey, flip the negative around so he looks like a lefty. AND I FLIP THAT SHIT.

[G-Fafif]

Rubin reports the Mets may be mulling a choice, and it could be the unpopular one per the poll results here and, one would guess, sentiment everywhere.

The Mets will consider trading Ike Davis this offseason as a way to upgrade other areas of the team and open a spot for Lucas Duda at his natural position, a baseball source told ESPNNewYork.com. While that does not guarantee Davis will be moved, it at least is a very plausible option. Davis should be marketable despite a slow start because he is a 30-homer threat with the potential for above-average fielding at first base. The Mets are disappointed with Davis' unwillingness to make changes based on coaching advice. Although he is personable and by no means a troublemaker, they also worry about his impact on other young players in social settings away from the ballpark. The danger in trading Davis would be that there are few doubts about his ability to perform as a starter at the major league level. There is no guarantee Duda would perform at that level. And certainly he could not perform at the same level in the field. So being comfortable trading Davis would mean trusting the evaluation skills of the front office that Duda would thrive at his natural position. The Mets recently have been using Duda at first base against left-handers over Davis.

Personally, trade 'em all.

[Guest The Second Spitter]

Good to see Adam keeping himself busy writing fluff pieces.

[Edgy MD]

Purely speculation but I'd guess there's probably about 26 teams interested in Davis and maybe twenty fewer in Duda.

[metirish]

they also worry about his impact on other young players in social settings away from the ballpark.

wtf Rubin..... don't just throw that bone out there and then nothing , does he turn into a total douchebag with drink?

[HahnSolo]

Edgy DC wrote: Purely speculation but I'd guess there's probably about 26 teams interested in Davis and maybe twenty fewer in Duda.

I'd probably agree...I would think the return would be greater for Davis, too.

[Frayed Knot]

"... they also worry about his impact on other young players in social settings away from the ballpark."

Well now there's a sentence that's subject to a lot of speculation.
Keeping late hours?
Drinking?
Whoring?
Cross-dressing?
Attending neo-Nazi rallies?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I'm guessing he swings wildly, then watches stuff he shouldn't.

[Edgy MD]

I hacked Davis's account to find pictures of him partying away from the ballpark, and frankly, I'm stunned.















Fucking deviant.