Hot Seat Ike

[Edgy MD]

Well, last night, in my head, I was Terry ripping apart the team before today's game. I was all, "Lucas? Where the fuck is Lucas? Lucas, you're our fourth-place hitter ever night for the next month. No exceptions. No days off. It's your job. Your team needs you. NOW GET OUT OF ON THE FIELD!"

Ike? Stand up, Ike! It's your job to make me sorry I ever said that. Every day for the next 30 days I want you to punish me for that decision. NOW GET OUT ON THE FIELD!"

[Guest vtmet]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: MFS62 wrote: Wilmer Flores started at first base last night for Las Vegas. Later Interesting, maybe? I thought LV already had 2 RHH first basemen in Campbell and Satin.

maybe they want to try one that has a chance of successfully hitting MLB pitching...Plus, there aren't a lot of placed that Flores could successfully play at the MLB level...he's supposedly not agile enough for middle infield; 3B is blocked for a long time; and he's supposedly too slow to play the OF (yet, somehow they believe that Duda/Byrd are not)...

[Guest vtmet]

Frayed Knot wrote: The other problem with Duda to 1B is that he's the only regular in the OF right now so pulling him out would create even more of a Chinese Fire Drill out there. ....

Terry COllins loved Chinese Fire Drills...

[Zvon]

I think the only way Duda gets moved to first is if we move Ike and then Duda plays first all the time. I'm not saying I want that. No way. I know that I don't want Duda being bounced around position wise mid season. Ike is our first baseman until he isn't. If we send him down for a spell, plenty of players can fill that spot as opposed to unsettling Duds again.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Zvon wrote: If we send him down for a spell, plenty of players can fill that spot as opposed to unsettling Duds again.

I don't know about "plenty", but I tend to agree that it would be better not to move Duda, or Murphy for that matter, to first base as a temporary measure.

I would guess that the choices for an alternative to Davis are Turner, Campbell, or Satin. The time may very well come when one of them will get a shot. Davis may or may not snap out of this and become the long-term answer that we'd all like him to be, but it may soon be time to start working on Plan B. For the moment, the options are all internal.

[Edgy MD]

I love players moved around. I think all good teams have versatile guys who get moved around. It's a good reminder to them and to everybody that their job is to hit and if they do that, the manager will find room for them.

Murphy sure hasn't had a problem moving from second to third or second to first in the past.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

The Sound of Whiffing

He used to show some promise but it all seems to be gone
He strikes out with the bases juiced and whiffs when no one's on
And in the field he's shaky and exhibits no elan
He isn't doing much to help the ballclub

They put him in the four hole then they drop him down to six
They kind of hoped that he'd respond to some of Terry's tricks
I hate to have to say it but he's put us in a fix
Now Ike is not an asset to the ballclub

I'd like to say a word in his behalf
Then say it Mr. Pitcher
Ike Davis makes me laugh

How do you solve a problem like Ike Davis?
When each of his at bats ends with a frown?
So do you solve a problem like Ike Davis?
Or do you suck it up and send him down?

[Zvon]

After that one at bat today, 3 curves, 3 horrible swing and misses, I'm officially worried about Ike. He stared down the pitcher as if to say :How dare you do that to me? Go look in the mirror Ike. That's who you should be concerned for. That's who is hurting you the most. While you're there, practice and visualize your swing.

oe: work on making sure your hips lead your hands, and stay back longer. Your hips are leading too early. Let the pitch come to you.

[Edgy MD]

Collins committed to batting Ike fourth through the weekend, or at least until the Mets face lefty Travis Wood on Sunday.

[ashie62]

If Ike gets expensive after this season just ride the year out with him and move on..

Next!

[Zvon]

This pic illustrates whats wrong with Ikes swing nicely.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Daric Barton DFAed, eh? If they could get him for a reasonable package I'd put him in Las Vegas for two weeks and see what he's got.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Yup, time to do it.

[Edgy MD]

Alderson and Davis meet today, as per the Rube, and both came away claiming that Alderson indicated that a demotion was not imminent.

Alderson, asked if Davis had a �significant amount of leeway or this is going to come to a head,� told ESPNNewYork.com: �Everything comes to a head at some point.�

I'd totally give that answer. People would hate me if I was GM.

[ashie62]

It would read well on a fortune cookie...

[Frayed Knot]

Swan Swan H wrote: Daric Barton DFAed, eh? If they could get him for a reasonable package I'd put him in Las Vegas for two weeks and see what he's got.

He was a big time bat prospect after being drafted in the 1st round by the Cards, but that was back in 2003; turns 28 in August. Hits lefty too so it wouldn't be practical to think of him in a platoon with Ike.
Also not a lot to feel good about concerning his last three seasons with Oakland [.205/.323/.276] except for his ability to draw walks.

[Frayed Knot]

Frayed Knot wrote: Hits lefty too so it wouldn't be practical to think of him in a platoon with Ike.

Aww the hell with that thinking, we should specifically look for a lefty bat to play 1B so he can be platooned with Turner.
Between his 1-fer-30s, diminished defense*, and his sleep-standing on 1st base, Ike is bringing nothing to the table at this point.






* it might be too harsh to say that it's costing the team runs but it is noticeably sloppier

[Benjamin Grimm]

Yes, I think it's time we accept that Ike Davis isn't likely to be the player we expected or hoped he would be. It's unfortunate, and sad, but even if Ike suddenly snaps out of it like he did last year, will we have any confidence that he won't go oh-for-April-and-May again in 2014? If this team is to become a contender, they'll need someone a lot more reliable than Ike has become.

I don't know if it's the ankle, the Valley Fever, a combination of the two, or something else entirely, but it's become very hard to see Ike as part of the solution.

[Edgy MD]

And it's become very hard to give him the reps that he'll need to get out of it during major league games.

[Edgy MD]

Crazy thought, but how about calling up Alan Dykstra and his .436 OBP from AA?

He's clearly considered a non-prospect as he's 26 and spending his third straight season in AA, and we probably need somebody who can give us extra-base hits more than somebody who gets on base, but... he really gets on base.

[MFS62]

(tongue only partially in cheek)
When Ike was in college, he also pitched. IIRC, he could throw 93-94 MPH.
If the can't correct his swing, why not try a reverse-Ankiel and put him back on the mound?
He couldn't be any worse than Robert Carson, right?

Later

[Benjamin Grimm]

It had gone away for a while, but the "he can't be any worse than what we already have" meme has been recently making a comeback.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Edgy MD wrote: Crazy thought, but how about calling up Alan Dykstra and his .436 OBP from AA? He's clearly considered a non-prospect as he's 26 and spending his third straight season in AA, and we probably need somebody who can give us extra-base hits more than somebody who gets on base, but... he really gets on base.

He's like Daric Barton-- right down to the first-round pedigree-- only he's ours.

Why not find out what we have-- it's that kind of a year, right?

[Edgy MD]

At least give him some Vegas time. They've been rotating infielders from other positions over to first for two months now.

Unlike Barton, he hasn't yet been promoted to a level he couldn't hang at, but yeah, nice analog.

OE: They both even bat left and throw right.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Ike last year after 43 games: .156/.212/.291, 5 homers, 15 rbi.

This year after 43 games: .149/.229/.248, 4 homers, 9 rbi.

As absolutely horrendous as he was last year, this year he's even worse. And even if he does rebound like he did last year, are we going to have any faith at all in him going into 2014, even if he says that he feels great?

I'm totally on board with trying someone else.

[Vic Sage]

Argh. eNUFF with this guy!
NEXT!

[Edgy MD]

I think it's better than even money that he goes down before the sun does.

[Chad ochoseis]

I was about as hard core "keep Ike in the majors" as they come. But it's time, Ike. If it's any consolation, I think tickets are still available to Penn & Teller at Rio this weekend.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Residency at Caesar's Palace did good for Rod Stewart's career.

[Vic Sage]

he can go fuck a white tiger for all i care (though that might make Siegfried jealous).
just get him out of town.