MINOR DETAIL: Ike Davis watches a foul pop during his debut with Triple-A Las Vegas last night, in his first action since being demoted by the Mets on Sunday. (AP)
LAS VEGAS — It was just about 100 degrees in the afternoon sun at Cashman Field yesterday when Ike Davis took his first early batting practice as a minor leaguer since 2010.
Such is the new reality for the first baseman, who was sent down to Triple-A Las Vegas by the Mets Sunday night.
“It’s not a good feeling,” Davis said. “You’re getting fired or demoted. In a normal job, that would be what happened.”
After arriving in Sin City late Monday night, Davis made his debut for the 51s last night, hitting cleanup against Tacoma and hoping to fix what forced the Mets to ship someone who they had thought was going to be a mainstay in the middle of their lineup back to the minors.
Not surprisingly, he’s still struggling.
The first step in attempting to get him back to Citi Field took place when Las Vegas manager Wally Backman and hitting coach George Greer worked with him prior to the game.
“We took his hitch away from him,” Backman said. “You’re not going to see that big hitch anymore.”
That lasted two at-bats. After popping out to center and striking out looking, Davis appeared to abandon his new approach and in the fifth, went back to the long swing that was familiar throughout the season with the Mets as he managed to draw a walk and then in the seventh, when he fanned a second time. He walked in the ninth to finish 0-for-3 with two walks and two strikeouts in the 51s 8-6 win.
Davis did not talk to reporters after the game.
Backman said he was optimistic he would get results, but also realistic.
“You could see his hands weren’t in good position when his foot came down,” Backman said. “Is it that easy a fix? I hope so. But generally, it’s not that easy.”
Clearly, he was right.
Just as important is Davis’ confidence level, which Backman said was OK.
“I think mentally he’s fine,” Backman said. “I think he’s relieved a little bit. I’ve been booed in New York before, but probably not that much. It’s … tough on a player. In New York City, you can find out who the mentally tough guys are that can handle that [stuff]. I believe Ike can handle it because he put up with it for a long … time.”
Davis didn’t exactly admit to being relieved, but admitted he could work on some things more easily outside of the spotlight.
“If I try a new stance and that day go 0-4 with three pop-ups to the infield, it’s not like all of New York is going to kill [me],” Davis said.
He wasn’t given a timetable of how long he should expect to be in the minors, but said: “Hopefully, if I rake, I’ll be up there soon.”
Backman even called the demotion “probably the best thing for him.
“Sometimes a player has to fail before you really know what they’re all about,” Backman said. “And he’s failed, and he knows he’s failed. When he gets it right, I believe he’s going to understand why he got it right this time. As long as he does that, there won’t be [any] more up and down.”