Should Ike Davis go to the minors?

Ike Davis has been abysmal this season, and fans have lost faith in the former first round pick. He is hitting .169 with 4 home runs and 9 RBI heading into Wednesday night's game, and has already struck out 40 times. Davis had a rough 2012 season, but it was overshadowed by his 32 home runs that he managed to hit. This season he has not been able to find his power stroke and is still hitting for an incredibly low batting average, thus arising the question: Should he go to the minor leagues?

I truly believe that putting Davis into the minor leagues would be beneficial for the young first base-man. Granted, it would be a confidence-killer, but Davis would have the ability to work on his swing, and come back later in the season better than ever. We understand that he may always be a high-strikeout type of player, but he may develop some consistency from working in Triple-A.

The Mets would have plenty of options at first base while Davis is gone. Lucas Duda is a first baseman by trade, and could slide there for a few weeks. That also would allow a player like Jordany Valdespin to get more playing time out in left field. You could also move Daniel Murphy to first base, which was his primary position when he first came up to the big leagues. Murphy too would be an exceptional first-baseman for the however so many weeks that Davis would need in the minor leagues.

All in all, the Mets are going to need to do something about Ike Davis. His struggles are not going unnoticed, and fans are beginning to lose patience. I'm personally not ready to give up on him just yet, but I would like to see the organization send him to Triple-A and see how he does. 

Mets sign Rick Ankiel, send Brown to Triple-A

The Mets have signed outfielder Rick Ankiel to a major league deal. Ankiel started the season with Houston, and hit just .194 in 25 games. He also struck out 35 times in 65 plate appearances. Outfielder Andrew Brown has been sent to Triple-A Las Vegas to make room on the roster for Ankiel. The team also moved pitcher Jenrry Mejjia to the 60-day disabled list.

Ankiel has been a player on the Mets' radar for quite some time now, but at this stage in his career he really doesn't offer much. He strikes out way to often, and isn't known for his eye at the plate. The only thing he really has going for him is that he has an excellent throwing arm that could land him some playing time in center field. 

GM Sandy Alderson described Ankiel as a stop-gap like player until a few of the younger players are ready later this season. However, at this point, the Mets are sitting in 4th place in the NL East, and should consider just bringing up the prospects now. It is very unlikely that Ankiel revives his career in New York, and he is clearly not part of the future with this organization. He is a nice player to have for outfield depth, but besides that he is a waste of a roster spot. 

Matt Harvey dominates Sox, almost perfect

Last night Matt Harvey had a fantastic game against the White Sox, striking out 12 batters in 9 innings, and letting up one infield single that came in the 7th inning.
Unfortunately Harvey did not get the win because the team did not give him any run support. However, he dropped his ERA to 1.28, and already has 58 strikeouts on the season.

Harvey has easily been the biggest bright spot for the Mets this season, and, barring any injuries, will be on this year's National League All-Star team.

So far in his brief career, Harvey has lived up to his incredible hype. He is becoming the leader of the starting rotation, and fans are very eager to see him go out every fifth day and toss gems.

Zack Wheeler status update

Zack Wheeler has been the top prospect in the Mets' organization for the last two or so years, and it is expected that he will make his major league debut sometime during the 2013 season. Due to an oblique injury, he didn't get a chance to prove himself in Spring Training. He also has had the Super-Two status problem hovering over his back for quite some time now. However, due to the rotation's recent struggles, fans have gotten impatient. Zack Wheeler could be up in Queens sooner than later.

At the moment, his 4.00 ERA in 7 Triple-A starts is nothing to get excited about, but the 10.0 K/9 ratio is impressive. Wheeler has shown that he has the ability to become a major league ace, but control issues have held him back. His 4.2 BB/9 rate will keep him in Triple-A a little longer, as he still needs some more seasoning.

Overall, Wheeler still needs a good 5-6 solid starts until the Mets will give him a crack at the major league rotation. His strikeout numbers have been impressive but he will need to cut down on the walks in order to have success at the professional level. I expect him to be with the team sometime after the All-Star break, and to stick with the club throughout the rest of the season. 

Mets bring up Lagares, demote Nieuwenhuis

The Mets have announced that they have called up outfielder Juan Lagares from Triple-A. Kirk Nieuwenhuis has been demoted to create roster space for Lagares. Lagares, 24, was hitting .346 in 78 at-bats with Las Vegas this season, and is known for his solid defense.

"There are people in the organization who think he may be a better center fielder than Matt den Dekker," Terry Collins told reporters on Wednesday.

Collins did say that Lagares will be in the starting lineup on Wednesday. but the outfield situation remains a competition. Lagares will wear No. 12, which was previously worn by Scott Hairston.

Optioning Nieuwenhuis to Triple-A was a move that we expected to come. Nieuwenhuis will be better off getting every-day at bats in Triple-A. Pitchers have discovered his weaknesses, and despite his solid defense, his strikeout rate will need to come down.

I am excited to see what we have with Lagares. We have heard his name for a while now, and he started the season strong down in Triple-A. He is known for his glove, but his speed would be a nice welcome addition to the team. He has every opportunity to make a name for himself right now as there is little outfield competition.

Mets sign DJ Mitchell

The Mets have signed pitcher DJ Mitchell to a minor league deal. Mitchell was involved in the Ichiro Suzuki trade last year, and posted a 3.86 ERA with the Yankees before going to Seattle. He has a combined 3.86 ERA in 50 career Triple-A starts. The Mariners designated him for assignment recently and he elected free agency after clearing waivers on April 13.

Mitchell will basically serve as a Triple-A filler for now, but I expect to see him in the rotation soon if he has success in the minor leagues. The pitching depth is so thin right now, and the team needs a stop-gap like options in the rotation.

Keep in mind that Mitchell is still 25 years old, and was once a decently regarded prospect in the Yankees organization. The Mets could catch lightning in a bottle with him, but like mentioned before he will probably just be a rotation filler.

Jays claim Laffey off of waivers, Mets promote Carson

The Blue Jays have announced that they have claimed pitcher Aaron Laffey off of waivers today. Laffey was designated for assignment by the Mets on Sunday in order to create roster space for fellow left handed pitcher Robert Carson. Laffey was with Toronto in 2012, throwing 100 2/3 innings as a spot starter. Over the winter he joined the Mets on a minor league deal. Carson posted a 1.17 ERA in 7 2/3 Triple-A innings this season.

We all knew that Laffey's time was running out with this team. He had a very poor start in Colorado which some of us blamed on the weather. However, after a second bad start in better conditions, the Mets knew that it was time to let him go. 

The Blue Jays seem like they are claiming every player out there, and Laffey should provide rotation depth for them. However, it is definitely the right move for the Mets to keep him out of their rotation. Carson is not a starter, rather a promising relief pitcher who could be a decent left handed specialist at some time.