Top Six Stories of the 2011 Mets: Ike Davis' Season-Ending Injury (4)

by Chris McShane on Oct 11, 2011 2:01 PM EDT

There was no good reason for the Mets to begin the 2010 season with Mike Jacobs playing first base, but it didn't take long for the previous administration to realize Ike Davis deserved the job. Davis responded with a good year at the plate and plus defense, two things that aren't easy to come by for league-minimum salary.

As good as his rookie year was, Davis' bat profiled in the middle of the pack for major league first basemen. One of the exciting things at the outset of the 2011 season was that the Mets would find out just how good Davis might be.

The early returns were nothing short of spectacular. Davis hit .302/.383/.543 through 149 plate appearances, good enough for a .391 wOBA. And in that tiny sample of playing time, the defensive metrics still approved of Davis' play at first base. Unfortunately, those numbers accounted for his entire season, which came to an end on May 10, 2011, when he and David Wright bumped into each other in front of the pitcher's mound on an infield pop fly. And then came the injury updates, which James detailed in his postmortem on first base.

Even without Davis for the majority of the year, the Mets were able to score runs fairly well. Had Davis played 150 games or so, they likely would have had an even more potent offense, and there's his defense at first base would have been a boost on a team that lacked fielding prowess in general.

But Ike was missing for almost the entire year, hurting the team in the short-term and making everyone wait another year to find out what his ceiling might be at the major league level. If he can produce anything close to his abbreviated line from this year, the Mets lineup could still be quite good, even if Jose Reyes leaves town.

Previously:

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Ike David: Mets proof that you have to hold your breath every time a player has so much as a hang nail

Jets center Nick Mangold has a high ankle sprain from having a 300 lbs guy fall on his ankle twisting it sideways. He returns in two weeks. Davis taps Wright and the outcome is possible micro fracture surgery. Its really unbeliveable. But as the saying goes, “You gotta believe!”

by CervezaVerde on Oct 11, 2011 2:13 PM EDT reply actions

The Jets have a better diagnostic medical staff than the Mets.

That’s the difference. #Firethemedicalstaff #BlameBeltran

Now, kids, being eaten by a crocodile is just like going to sleep; in giant blender.

by meigs1414 on Oct 11, 2011 2:17 PM EDT up reply actions

meh, I don't think you can use two cases like this to prove a point.

Different players, different injuries.

Big fan of the Assassinate Kevin Burkhardt Society

by scott from peekskill on Oct 11, 2011 8:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Sorry, I thought it was proven fact that the Mets were in fact snakebitten.

I assumed that any attempt to prove a jinx, curse, snakebite, etc., was automatically considered true.

by CervezaVerde on Oct 12, 2011 5:12 AM EDT up reply actions

http://www.amazinavenue.com/2011/5/10/2164861/i-think-the-injuries-are-starting-to-get-to-me

As Kramer would say “Always trust my instincts, because my insticts are honed” When I look back on this post I am forced to admit that as clearly defeating as Ike’s injury at the time, even in that moment I had no idea how bad the worst possible outcome could be.

by Bruce Wayne on Oct 11, 2011 2:15 PM EDT reply actions

Links don't work in the subject line

by CervezaVerde on Oct 11, 2011 2:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Sorry

Here it is

http://www.amazinavenue.com/2011/5/10/2164861/i-think-the-injuries-are-starting-to-get-to-me

by Bruce Wayne on Oct 11, 2011 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Biggest disappointment of the year

for me. There was much to look forward to with a full year of Ike over at 1st. Now, we’re crossing our fingers that ankle heals 100% and it’s not the most bizarre of career ending injuries before he even gets started.

#OnlyTheMets

by MetsFan4Decades on Oct 11, 2011 3:43 PM EDT reply actions

me too

Ike was going to be the focal point of my optimism for 2011

Hey, wait! I'm having one of those things. You know? A headache with pictures?

by KeithsMoustache on Oct 11, 2011 5:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Same

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!" Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

AA Gamethread Embiggening Record Holder- 458 posts (08/24/11)
3rd Place- 2011 AAOP Contest

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Oct 11, 2011 6:26 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Ditto

Big fan of the Assassinate Kevin Burkhardt Society

by scott from peekskill on Oct 11, 2011 8:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Niese and Dickey, also

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!" Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

AA Gamethread Embiggening Record Holder- 458 posts (08/24/11)
3rd Place- 2011 AAOP Contest

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Oct 12, 2011 1:27 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

In my opinion this is the biggest true question mark for 2011

I dont think we really expect anything from Santana given the nature of his injury, and we all expect Bay to be a .250 14Hr 70 RBI guy. Anything else would be a bonus, If Ike can return to his early 2011 form and be healthy all year I think the mets will be in contention. If he has trouble, then we are in for 75 wins again

"Its only a game, but it helps teach you about life"

by Seaver73 on Oct 11, 2011 4:10 PM EDT reply actions

Have we had any updates on Ike lately?

I am hoping he’s actually fine and just resting up before he has a normal offseason, healthy spring, and monstrous 2012 campaign.

by BurleighGrimes on Oct 11, 2011 4:28 PM EDT reply actions

Last update we got was that he doesn't need surgery.

by graves9 on Oct 11, 2011 4:34 PM EDT up reply actions

But that is usually the announcement they make before a guy has surgery, no?

by CervezaVerde on Oct 11, 2011 4:55 PM EDT up reply actions

No

Proper protocol is always play your players for two weeks prior to surgery.

A deadline has a wonderful way of concentrating the mind.-Professor James Moriarty
Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.- Former Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan

by Blame-everyone-else on Oct 11, 2011 5:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Well, they haven't yet had the public disagreement about whether or not he needs it,

so they’re not quite ready to cut.

"And that's why anybody who invested with Lenny Dykstra should really call that number. Lawyers are standing by."

by BobbyV_Incognito on Oct 11, 2011 9:21 PM EDT up reply actions

I'd like to point out though

Because Ike was out, we got a long look at our depth and it looked good. Those at-bats missed by key position players (I’m including Wright and Reyes) went instead to a mixture of Tejada, Murphy, Duda, Turner, Evans, etc.

Injuries have tested our depth a lot in recent history. For once, I think we passed.

by TheBigStapler on Oct 11, 2011 5:52 PM EDT reply actions

This.

Without the injuries to Davis and Wright, we likely don’t see much of Tejada and Evans who were blocked at Buffalo, while Murphy/Turner would’ve only shared playing time at second and Duda probably would’ve come up to the big club only after Beltran was dealt, nearly two months later than he was actually called up.

Sad that it came at the expense of Ike and David, but at least we know a little more about these other guys (i.e. that we may have a really good RFer in Duda, a decent righty swinging bench piece in Evans and that Tejada can actually hit a little bit).

Chamption of the R.A. Dickey Face contest and "Cromulent Photoshopper Extraordinaire" of Amazin' Avenue!
You might know me as mistermet.

by Steve Schreiber on Oct 11, 2011 6:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Good points all.

Big fan of the Assassinate Kevin Burkhardt Society

by scott from peekskill on Oct 11, 2011 9:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Really hope this is our lineup next year

Reyes SS
Murph 2b
Davis 1B
Wright 3b
Duda RF
Bay LF
Pagan CF
Thole or another catcher to be named later

by David G on Oct 11, 2011 7:51 PM EDT reply actions

this story saddens me the most

well maybe the potential leaving of jose reyes but that puts me in like a robert smith of the cure singing about rain kind of depression

I hate Philadelphia so much.

by the caveman on Oct 11, 2011 8:18 PM EDT reply actions

Ike Davis, David Wright, and Jose Reyes

are all gonna have career years for the Mets next year. You heard it here first.

2012 National League Wild Card Champion New York Mets

by piazza62 on Oct 11, 2011 9:07 PM EDT reply actions

We've got to be due for some happiness sometime, no?

by SuperT on Oct 11, 2011 9:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Which David Wright?

If it’s the new Wright he’ll be an all-star. If it’s the old one he’ll win MVP.

Please god, let David Wright have just this one MVP!

Kicking knowledge in the face.

by BlackOps on Oct 11, 2011 10:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Ike David is gonna put up a 19.8 WAR season, sorry

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!" Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

AA Gamethread Embiggening Record Holder- 458 posts (08/24/11)
3rd Place- 2011 AAOP Contest

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Oct 12, 2011 1:28 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

and we'll have league worst pitching

and win only 83 games.

amest I bovvered forsooth?
ARE YOU DISRESPECTING THE HOUSE OF CITI
ARE YOU CALLING REYES A POX RIDDEN WENCH
ARE YOU CALLING DAVID WRIGHT A GOODLY ROTTEN APPLE
CAUSE HE AIN'T EVEN A GOODLY ROTTEN APPLE THOUGH

by Gina on Oct 12, 2011 10:40 AM EDT up reply actions

unless Mike Pelfrey gets traded!

"Fantasy, reality, science Fiction. Which is which? Who can tell?"

by feslenraster on Oct 13, 2011 2:12 PM EDT up reply actions

If he ends up having the surgery after all this I'll.. I don't know what but I'll do something, probably throw something/someone

Kicking knowledge in the face.

by BlackOps on Oct 11, 2011 10:57 PM EDT reply actions

BlackOps, candlestick, rayramirezroom

In lobby for: Jaime Cevallos, Zack Lutz, orange unis and Rickroll as the 7th inning song.
The Unwritten Rules of AA

by Michkin on Oct 11, 2011 11:02 PM EDT up reply actions

same reaction, every time I think we've hit rock bottom, we find a lower level

I’m pretty sure we’re actually breaking some sort of mathematical/natural laws at this point. Quantum physicists should forget neutrinos and study the impossibility of the mets decade.

by Gina on Oct 12, 2011 10:42 AM EDT up reply actions

we're quantum tunneling to the 12th dimension of suck?

Hey, wait! I'm having one of those things. You know? A headache with pictures?

by KeithsMoustache on Oct 13, 2011 12:45 AM EDT up reply actions

if we continue on this trend we're actually going to become a blackhole of suck

and start sucking in the earth.

by Gina on Oct 13, 2011 6:39 AM EDT up reply actions

A major shame

Ike Davis looked a lot like a Mets version of Joey Votto for the first 6 weeks of the year – only with better defense. And including his strong finish to the 2010 season, I was actually starting to believe this kind of production could actually be for real with an almost 3 months long sample size of high-end offensive production.

Of course, the injury does put a major question mark on him for 2012. Will it effect his swing ? Will it effect his mobility around 1b ? Is he one odd step away from micro-fracture surgery or – if this heals properly – should this be stable for good ?

It would be so important to finally have a LH middle of the order bat again who can produce a .290 BA, .370 OBP and .530 SLG type season with 30 or so HR. Haven´t had that since Delgado obviously. And while it´s probably Davis´ ceiling, he did seem on his way possibly approaching it. How far does this injury throw him back ?

I´d say along with Santana & Wright – and whether Reyes re-signs – Ike´s ultimate upside & health is among the biggest keys for success in 2012.

by Doob on Oct 12, 2011 12:42 AM EDT reply actions