Coleman: The Mets Like Ike
By Eddie Coleman
>> More Columns
New York, NY (WFAN) - If he keeps this up, he'll be hitting .200 before you know it. Ike Davis continued his surge toward respectability with another hit - a pinch-hit RBI double in the 8th inning on Saturday - vaulting his average all the way up to .173. Davis has now hit in 4 consecutive games - two as a pinch-hitter - with 4 hits in 9 AB, and has driven in at least a run in three straight (5 RBI total).
Podcast
The decision to keep Davis on the major league level rather than send him down to Triple AAA to work out his problems took a dramatic turn on Wednesday in Pittsburgh. Ike had just one single in 4 AB in the 3-1 win over the Pirates, but it was the dugout reaction of his teammates to every Davis AB that swayed Collins.
So the decision was made that Ike was staying put, and the early returns thus far are good. Davis will play most of the time - not all of the time - and it means more to do it here on the major league level than it does down in the minors, says Collins. For his part, Davis feels his swing is much more in rhythm now, which has helped over the last week.
Podcast
Andres Torres came up to Collins the other day and told him that he had never seen a team that cared as much about each other as the players on this Mets team. That's a very good sign. And Collins, who's been around the block a bit in his major league career, wholeheartedly agrees - he says he's never seen a team like this in all his years.
Podcast
Davis has been humbled. He owns the 2nd-worst overall average among qualifiers (.173). He has the worst home batting average (.104) in all of baseball - and it just climbed over .100 with his latest hit Saturday. Davis is batting .194 with RISP with 22 strikeouts in 62 AB. The numbers are not pretty.
Podcast
Yet the way his teammates have rallied around him, embraced him, pushed him to break through the slump and be the player that they know he can be has really moved Davis.
Podcast
Nice to hear. So Terry Collins, has Ike turned the corner in your estimation. Hopefully, running the bases, hitting homers, and knocking in runs.
C U soon,
Eddie C.
Is Ike Davis back on the path toward respectability? Leave a comment below...
