Royals 2014 Fansided Faux-Winter Meetings Recap
By David Hill
Ike Davis ponders what happened to his career. The Pirates won 3-1.Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Royals Sign Ike Davis: 1 year, $750k
To be honest, I did not go into this simulation with any plans to get a backup first baseman/designated hitter type. With the holes on the roster, it just was not on my radar. However, when the Pirates decided to release Davis, he seemed like an interesting lottery ticket at a very minor cost.
It was not that long ago that Ike Davis appeared to be on the cusp of becoming a star. He had a solid rookie season, finishing seventh in the Rookie of the Year vote in 2010, and was hitting at a .302/.383/.543 rate with seven home runs in 36 games in 2011 before injuring his ankle when he collided with then teammate David Wright. That ankle injury did not heal well, so Davis spent the rest of the 2011 season on the disabled list.
Although he hit 32 home runs in 2012, Davis just has not been the same player. In the three years since that injury, Davis has produced a .223/.324/.403 batting line in 402 games. However, Davis has also hit 52 home runs in that timeframe, even if 32 came in that one year.
As a one year lottery ticket, Ike Davis could be an intriguing player. He certainly has the potential to hit for power, and should anything happen to Eric Hosmer, would not be a complete embarrassment at first. He certainly appeared to be worth the gamble.