Ike Davis had a debut to remember for a Mets team in need of help.
Many questions surrounded the New York Mets entering this season. How would the rotation fair behind Johan Santana? How about the bullpen? How would Jason Bay fare in the National League? If he did well, would he get much help from the rest of the offense? Would Jose Reyes bounce back? Would Daniel Murphy take his game to the next level? Would David Wright find his home-run stroke? I could go on and on.
Questions were asked, and so far many haven’t been answered positively. They entered the opener of their series against the Chicago Cubs with a 4-9 record, the same as the lowly Boston Red Sox.
In this game, they had something to finally cheer about. Ike Davis , their highly-touted rookie first baseman who was called up prior to the gave, spread previously unforeseen smiles across his teammates faces. The 23-year-old, who was in the Buffalo Bison’s lineup and in uniform when he got the call from the Mets, was announced to a standing ovation at Citi Field. New York, in front of demanding fans, and in the big leagues a couple of hours after suiting up the Triple-A affiliate. No pressure. He was admittedly nervous, and rightfully so, but you wouldn’t know by his first at-bat.
He took a first-pitch slider for a strike from Cubs pitcher Randy Wells, then aggressively fouled off a changeup and a fastball with his smooth, home-run capable stroke. In a 0-2 hole, he possessed a great deal of plate discipline, laying off a low changeup and an inside fastball to even the count. Wells hurled the sixth pitch of the battle, a changeup that Davis waited on. The call-up, who breezed through Single and Double-A last season adjusted, splintered his bat upon making contact, and lifted it over the head of second baseman Jeff Baker for a single.
Like the Atlanta Braves Jason Heyward earlier this season, his first hit came in his first at-bat. The crowd erupted as the memorable keepsake was tossed from left-field to the first base coach and into the dugout, so Davis could cherish the memory into his old age.
He wasn’t done, either. In the seventh inning, the Mets broke a tight game open, and he was apart of the offensive eruption. Angel Pagan had already hit a two-run homer in the frame, Jason Bay had already doubled in a run, and, in front of Davis, Jeff Francoeur had reached on an error. With runners on first and third and two out, Chicago manager Lou Piniella replaced Jeff Samardzjia with Sean Marshall in 4-1 game that was just deadlocked a few moments earlier. The pitching change did no good, as, after taking two of three curveballs for balls, Davis tagged a slider past a diving Baker and into center-field, scoring Bay from second. Now, his debut was more than memorable for one single hit. Now, Davis had his first two hits and first RBI.
His era had begun. Yes, with little to hang their hats on, columnists that cover the Mets back east are already saying it’s now his era.
Entering this game, they had a few young promising position players: Wright, Reyes, and Francoeur. Now, as everyone who has followed Davis isn’t surprised to hear, New York has four. It is one game, but with his swing, eye at the plate, and his ability to already hit in the clutch, there is little doubt that he will receive more ovations from the desperate Mets crowd and live up to the hype for a team that is in dire need of something positive.
Maybe Davis, who was told to do pushups by catcher Rod Barajas before the game as part of his rookie treatment, can steer the Mets in the right direction.
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