<
        >

          New York Mets

          Collins not dismissive of Ike to minors

          • Adam Rubin, ESPN Staff WriterMay 20, 2012, 11:40 AM ET
            Close
              Adam Rubin has covered the Mets since 2003. He's a graduate of Mepham High School on Long Island and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He joined ESPNNewYork after spending 10 years at the New York Daily News.
              Follow Adam on Twitter »  Chat archive »
            Follow on X

          TORONTO -- Terry Collins no longer is dismissing Ike Davis to the minors as a possibility.

          A day after the Miami Marlins sent 2011 All-Star first baseman Gaby Sanchez to Triple-A, and only days after the Blue Jays demoted their first baseman, Adam Lind, Collins acknowledged Davis needs to pick up his performance during this road trip or that fate could befall him too.

          Ike Davis

          Ike Davis

          #29 1B
          New York Mets

          2012 STATS

          • GM38

          • HR5

          • RBI14

          • R12

          • OBP.220

          • AVG.160

          In recent weeks, the manager steadfastly had said team brass had not even discussed such a possibility. Davis enters Sunday's game 4-for-29 in his past 10 games. He has the worst home batting average in the majors, at .065 (5-for-62).

          Overall, Davis is hitting .160 with five homers and 14 RBIs.

          The Mets are going to need to clear roster spots for the returns of Ruben Tejada (quadriceps) and Jason Bay (rib), both of which may be a week to 10 days away. Lucas Duda did extensive early work back at first base during the last homestand.

          "There is nothing etched in stone," Collins said with respect to minors consideration for Davis. "We will never, never say something is not going to happen. What we're trying to do is make sure is we wring the rag dry. And that's why, coming into this road trip, we said, 'Look, here's some pretty good opportunities.' This is a pretty good hitting park. Pittsburgh is a pretty good hitting park. We've got right-handers, right-handers, right-handers coming up. Let's just see if we can get him going."

          Sanchez and Lind are not the only high-profile players to wind up in the minors in recent weeks. Jair Jurrjens, another former All-Star, was dispatched to Triple-A Gwinnett by the Braves.

          That's not to say there are not other options to make roster room. Kirk Nieuwenhuis has slowed considerably since his torrid introduction to the majors. He is hitting .176 (6-for-34) in his past 10 games.

          "I don't know what to tell you," Davis said Sunday morning. "I'm going to play here until something happens. ... I really can't answer questions about that until something happens. I'm not sent down yet, so I don't know what to tell you.

          "I feel fine. I've hit some balls hard, just never found a hole.

          "Yeah, if you don't play well, unless you have like a huge deal, you're not going to be up here. Until it happens, I can't really say anything. I've played one game since we've been here, and I lined out. And then I faced a pretty good guy last night. We'll see what happens. I honestly don't know what to tell you. I can't just make up stuff."