Davis Still Learning

August 13, 2008   ·   Patrick Hickey, Jr.   ·   Jump to comments

Mets 2008 first round pick and Brooklyn Cyclones first baseman Ike Davis hasn’t had the best summer of his life in Brooklyn, hitting just .230 in 39 games, but it hasn’t been all bad. Starting his career with a 15-game hitting streak and showing great defensive skills at first, Davis quickly became a fan favorite at Keyspan. However, as the season has worn on, Davis has had to battle problems with injuries and consistency. Nevertheless, the poised and confident son of former big leaguer and rookie of the year finalist Ron Davis knows the season isn’t over yet and is primed for a late season turnaround.

DemBrooklynBums.com: When you were originally drafted, did you have a conversation with your dad to talk about what to expect in pro ball?

Ike Davis: Well, I was originally drafted out of High School [19th round 2005 by the Tampa Bay Rays] and I know a lot of people at this level, so I really knew what to expect.

DBB: You have this aire about you, I wouldn’t call it cocky, but I think it revels between confident and self-assured. You seem to always know what you want to say before you say it. Considering that, do you think you were trained at any early age to become a pro ballplayer?

Davis: I wouldn’t say that, but I have been in the spotlight for a while and it’s just something that I’m used to now. I’ve done stuff like this a lot from a very young age and now I’m accustomed to it. It’s a lot easier then it used to be back in the day.

DBB: You weren’t flustered at all the first time you stepped on to the field here like many of the younger player either.

Davis: Not at all. Like I said, this is nothing new for me. I’ve played in front of 30,000 people before. But I do think there is something special here in the park and the fans though. They don’t give up on you and they’re there with you until the end of every game. Hopefully we can start playing a little better at home for them.

DBB: You started your season off very strongly and now you’ve tailed off a bit and you’ve been injured. Considering that, where do you see your season going? Any expectations?

Davis: Before I got hurt [fouling a ball off his ankle that caused him to miss a few games], I was driving the ball hard and I was really happy with that. I’m still adjusting to the strike zone in this league. The strike zone in PAC-10 is much smaller; it’s almost like the major leagues. It wasn’t helping matters that I was going out there and arguing calls every night. I just have to go out there and hit.

DBB: Despite your struggles though, you’ve remained pretty poised and have never thrown your helmet or vented on the bench. Guys in similar situations at the big league level would kill to have that kind of patience. Considering your outgoing personality, has being this calm and focused been tough for you?

Davis: I’ve wanted to [lose his cool] at times, all the time actually. But baseball is a game of failure and it’s never about what you just did. The more you hang on to that, the less successful you’ll be. I always try and focus on what I’m going to do my next at bat and that’s why I can remain calm when things don’t go my way.

Notes-

Reese Havens appeared fine on Monday, but was scratched from Tuesday night’s game. If he is injured, I’ll have an update later in the day. The same goes for Davis who was taken out of the game as well yesterday.

Links-

Box Score to last night’s 6-2 Cyclone win

Also…

For those who didn’t know, you can vote for your favorite Cyclones to play in this year’s All Star game. Click Here to cast your vote!

Update- 8:00 a.m.

According to the team’s official website, Brad Holt, Chris Schwinden and Yury Santana will represent the team at the NY-Penn League All-Star game.

Photos by Ron Hatcher.