MLB

Mets’ Davis doubts return this season

Ike Davis said he “hasn’t thrown in the towel” about returning to the Mets this season, but admitted again Tuesday he might not play again until 2012.

“If in three weeks I’m not healthy, I’m not gonna play the rest of the year,” Davis said before the game against the Cardinals at Citi Field.

It wasn’t much of a departure from what the first baseman and the team has said recently, especially after he got a second opinion and cortisone shot last week in North Carolina that reaffirmed the diagnosis that if he’s not better by his next exam, he should have surgery on his injured ankle- which would end his season.

“I’m not gonna tell you I’m gonna play this season because I’ve told you like 16 times this year [that I will] and it hasn’t happened,” said Davis, out since May 10. “Give it three weeks and we’ll see, either ‘yes’ or ‘no.'”

Davis jogged on a treadmill Tuesday and said he felt good, but the good days are often followed by bad ones.

Terry Collins, when told of Davis’ comments, said, “I’m surprised he would say something like that.”

The manager would like to see Davis back on the field at some point.

“Even if its three or four more weeks and then he can play some, then he doesn’t have to deal with the ramifications of whether his ankle will hold up [next season],” Collins said.

Earlier Tuesday, Davis said he needs to have surgery on his ankle soon to start next year on time, ESPN.com reported.

“I would say the majority odds are I probably wouldn’t play this year. …,” Davis said, according to the website. “Obviously there’s a possibility that I don’t need surgery. We just need it to heal. And if it doesn’t heal, we have to do something to make it heal.”

Davis said a microfracture procedure on his left ankle would need to take place in the next three weeks to avoid putting next year’s spring training in jeopardy. He has been out since colliding with third baseman David Wright fielding a popup in a game at Colorado.

“But next year I will be back and healthy,” Davis said, speaking at a Long Island day camp. “I promise.”

With AP