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PORT ST. LUCIE — Nothing says spring training for the Mets like a good medical mystery.
The latest subject is Ike Davis, who is “likely” battling a form of Valley Fever, the team confirmed in a statement Saturday night. Davis, who played in Saturday’s intrasquad scrimmage at Digital Domain Park, remains clear to continue playing, the Mets said, but will be monitored.
Valley Fever sidelined Diamondbacks outfielder Conor Jackson for most of the 2009 season, but Davis’ potential case doesn’t appear nearly as severe.
The Mets did not reveal the Valley Fever diagnosis last month when Davis was sent to New York for testing, after his spring training physical included an abnormal chest X-ray. Upon Davis’ return to camp, the Mets only said Davis had a lung infection, and was clear for baseball activities.
“Ike is not contagious, is not taking any medication for his condition and does not currently exhibit any of the outward symptoms associated with Valley Fever,” the Mets’ statement said. “However, Ike has been instructed to avoid extreme fatigue. No additional tests or examinations are pending, but Ike will have a follow up exam when the team returns to NYC in early April.”
But Davis had earlier told MLB.com that he was awaiting the results of additional tests and wasn’t sure about his situation.
Valley Fever is prominent in the Southwest — Davis’ offseason home is in the Phoenix area — and can be triggered if a person inhales a certain fungus. Symptoms of the ailment include headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, chills, cough and fever.
The Diamondbacks’ Jackson was diagnosed with Valley Fever in May of 2009, and needed months to recover.
Earlier yesterday, manager Terry Collins said Davis probably has Valley Fever and will be monitored.
“We’re treating [Davis] as if that’s what it is,” Collins told MLB.com. “We can’t let him run down. That’s what we’ve been told. We’ll give him some days off. He says he can go, and he’s been doing everything he’s supposed to. But we need to be sure he doesn’t push it.”
Davis had better hope the Mets and their doctors are right in their decision to keep him active. The team has a checkered past when it comes to such decisions. Most notably, Ryan Church was allowed to fly cross country after sustaining a concussion in 2008, and Jose Reyes continued playing on a bad hamstring a year later and only worsened his condition.
It’s just the latest potential bad luck for Davis, who missed most of last season with a bone bruise in his left ankle after colliding with David Wright on a routine pop up at Coors Field in May.
After toying with the idea of having September surgery, Davis let the ankle heal and recently said it hasn’t been an issue this spring.
For the Mets, it’s just the latest spring training uncertainty. Two years ago, Reyes’ blood test indicated the shortstop had a thyroid condition. Reyes was sent home to rest, missed most of camp and opened the season on the disabled list.
Last year, Carlos Beltran reported to camp with questions about his surgically repaired right knee. After playing his first exhibition game, Beltran had soreness in the knee and was sidelined for most of spring training.
Johan Santana’s surgically repaired left shoulder still rates as the Mets’ biggest concern this camp, as the veteran lefty attempts a comeback after missing the entire 2011 season, but now Davis also must be monitored.
As a rookie in 2010, Davis batted .264 with 19 homers and 71 RBIs. He was on a tear last season – with 25 RBIs in the season’s first six weeks – before sustaining the ankle injury.