The Mets still have not had the ultimate Ike Davis conversation.
The one multiple members of the organization told me will be held at season’s end, when a group will advise Sandy Alderson on the tough decision about what to do next with the first baseman. And, really, don’t kid yourself about how difficult this choice is for the franchise.
For those thinking you must keep him — well, how do you get beyond “The Old Mets” syndrome if the team brings back Davis and he goes through another one of those dismal first halves that stains a lineup and drains an organization?
But for those in the turn-the-page camp, we offer you another Davis named Chris.
His skinny batting average and fluctuating power frustrated the Rangers, who twice sent him to the minors in 2010, when he hit .192. Texas traded him during the 2011 season and he finished with 33 homers in 2012 — one more than Ike.
Still, at the end of 2012, his age-26 season, Chris Davis had a .775 OPS and 77 homers in 1,644 plate appearances working in homer-friendly Texas and Baltimore, or not all that different than Ike Davis has now at the end of his age-26 season with a .768 OPS and 67 homers in 1,711 plate appearances hitting in hardly homer-friendly Citi Field.
My friend, Tom Verducci, did a wonderful job in a recent Sports Illustrated article detailing the mental and physical alterations made by Chris Davis that have elevated him to be the pre-eminent power hitter in the game. Much of that success is derived from finally blocking out the noise — the endless stream of often good-intentioned counsel that turns into a stew of gobbledygook in a hitter’s brain.
This is not to say refinement and simplicity will permanently fix Ike Davis. But when I asked recently what has turned Chris Davis’ career around, a pro personnel head said simply, “he turned 27.”
It was shorthand to explain not every player is a prodigy such as Mike Trout or Manny Machado. Some need to combine reaching their athletic prime with a critical mass of educational at-bats. Late bloomers such as Jose Bautista, Brandon Moss, David Ortiz and Jayson Werth attest to the phenomenon.
Often times a change of scenery — which comes with new advice-givers — is necessary, which may be the case with Ike Davis, who turns 27 in March. But he has real power, the kind that could embarrass the Mets in the future as surely as Chris has made the Rangers’ decision-making look bad.
But for what is maybe a 5 or 10 or 15 percent likelihood Davis turns into a perennial power force, do the Mets really risk devaluing him further and — worse — burdening the roster yet again with daily “What to do with Ike” stress in 2014?
Or do they try to trade him now? The Brewers, Marlins and Twins could be in the market for a first baseman, and so could the Rays (if James Loney, another possible late bloomer, leaves), Rockies (if Todd Helton retires) and White Sox (if Paul Konerko retires). You could imagine some or all of those teams seeing if there is buy-low potential with Davis, who will make only about $4 million next year and is not a free agent until after the 2016 season.
Tampa Bay, for example, has become the first baseman revival capital of the sport (Carlos Pena, Casey Kotchman, Loney), and Ike’s power could really translate in offensive-havens in Milwaukee and Colorado.
Do the Mets see if they could do a mutual change-of-scenery swap in exchange for someone such as the Marlins’ Chris Coghlan, the White Sox’s Gordon Beckham or the Rays’ Jeremy Hellickson?
Look, if Davis’ consistent upside is 30 homers and an .800-ish OPS, could the Mets convince themselves they can get at least that next year from a Lucas Duda/Josh Satin platoon? And at about half the price (Duda might be arbitration eligible as a Super Two, in which case he would get about $1.5 million, while Satin would get about $500,000). Saving even $2 million could be valuable for the Mets, who have to shop this offseason for at least one and possibly two outfielders, a sturdy starter if Matt Harvey is to miss next year (think a Bronson Arroyo type), perhaps a shortstop and some bullpen pieces.
These are extremely small samples, but when playing first base and not concerning himself with his fish-out-of-water outfield play Duda is hitting .310 with an .850 OPS in 203 plate appearances, including 1-for-3 with a double last night. Satin has a .958 OPS in 78 plate appearances against lefties this year.
The fringe benefit is if that duo cannot handle the position, unlike Davis, there is versatility to bolster a bench. Duda can play the outfield (though not well) while Satin can play third base and told The Post’s Mike Puma he intends to work on his outfield play in the offseason.
Or the Mets can bring Davis, Duda and Satin back and have a competition in spring, since all three have options remaining and can be sent to the minors.
There are many choices — but not easy decisions.