Ike Davis Shares His Thoughts on Comments About His Behavior

The biggest news related to the Mets over the last day and a half has been the rumors swirling about New York being open to trading Ike Davis this winter. Although the front office wouldn’t actively be shopping the slugging first baseman, they wouldn’t shy away from a potential deal if presented with something intriguing. With the way the Mets have played in this second half, no one would be “untouchable,” except for someone like Matt Harvey. It didn’t sound like the rumors bothered Davis much, but it was the reasoning behind it, and he responded yesterday.

One of the things Adam Rubin mentioned in his story regarding the rumor, is that the organization felt that his habits off the field (staying out late after games) could potentially be a bad influence on other younger players. Danny Abrianoshared his opinion on this in his latest article, and whether players are young or old, they’re all adults and can make responsible (or irresponsible) decisions all on their own. Davis responded with the fact that he doesn’t even leave the ballpark until about midnight, so if he does anything after a game (he cited watching a movie), then it would be considered late.

Sept 2, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; New York Mets player Ike Davis (29) is congratulated by teammates in the dugout after scoring during the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE

The life of a Major Leaguer is different than any other job in the professional world, and he deserves to have some time to decompress from his “work day.” Whether that’s going to watch a movie or getting a drink afterward, as long as he shows up on time the next day and is ready to play, then there should be no questions asked. There hasn’t been one time when Davis has led the Mets to wonder about his performance because of his nightlife, so this sounds bogus.

Davis made a great point about the comment mentioning he was “uncoachable.” Throughout his first half slump, we all saw him make numerous adjustments to break out and be productive at the plate. From night to night, there was a possibility he would come to the plate with a different stance, timing mechanism, or his hands in a different spot. So, that comment sounds rather ridiculous when you look back at all the things he tried at the urging of the coaching staff to make his slump a thing of the past.

Terry Collins backed his first baseman as well, saying that no one in the organization has ever mentioned to have a problem with their young slugger, and his willingness to try new things while playing most of the season with Valley Fever (without using it as an excuse) show that these comments must be coming from an unreliable source, or one that is not close to the current situation in Flushing.