Ike Davis arrived from New York with a new attitude with the Pirates as he looks ahead to a new chapter of his career. He knew he would probably be traded before the season started, but it wasn’t unexpected when the Pirates made the deal.
“I thought I was going to get traded a lot earlier,” said Davis. “There were a couple of teams that were continuously out there, the Pirates were one of them. I definitely was looking forward to it. I did want the Pirates because my brother lives in Sarasota area and they have spring training close to there.”
His father, Ron, had been traded during his days in the majors and gave his son some advice on how to react to it. Ron was elated to see his son leave New York.
“He loved it because it usually means one team doesn’t want you and the other team does and it’s a good thing to play for someone that wants you and you’re going to get playing time and you get a fresh start. Sometimes you can get in a little rut and in the same spot over and over. Hopefully, I can let my talents come out and help the team.”
Another positive that came out of the trade for Davis was he gets to compete on a playoff contending team. Something he wasn’t able to do much with the Mets.
“I haven’t gone to the playoffs in my career and I haven’t had too many winning seasons either, so it would be nice to hopefully jump on the Pirates bandwagon too.”
He had been sharing time with Lucas Duda at first base with the Mets and looks forward to the playing time with Gaby Sanchez here in Pittsburgh.
“I was excited obviously, to play,” said Davis. “I haven’t been playing, but it’s weird leaving the only place you have ever been. That’s the weird part, especially leaving the guys you’ve been with, some of them for seven years, so that was the only tough part. I’m excited, I know a couple of the guys on the team just from youth baseball and stuff like that, so I got some buddies already and I’m looking forward to meeting everybody and helping hopefully to contribute in games”
Davis feels that the trade to Pittsburgh is not only a good move for the team, but a good move for his attitude as he has a fresh start in the Steel City.
“Obviously a change of scenery couldn’t hurt,” said Davis. “It was pretty negative over there for me for a little while and hopefully I can come here and create a positive energy and start building forward and start playing better.”
Davis had been hitting well the second half of last year before injury sidelined him to end his season. A simple change in approach aided in that success and he looks to build on that with the Pirates.
“I just tried to see the ball a little longer,” said Davis. “Sometimes you get into the habit of not trusting yourself and that’s the worst thing you can do. Your hands aren’t fast enough to hit fastballs, you don’t need to cheat and when you cheat, you don’t see the ball as well, so i’m not cheating anymore. I’m just trying to see it and hit it.”
That change can also help get him into the right mindset mentally, as well.
“I feel like I have the right mentality right now,” said Davis. “I’ve worked on the right stuff in the offseason to have a better performance during the season and I just need to get out there and do it.”
With Davis being a left handed hitter, the short porch in right is a pretty tempting area to swing for the fences for, but he doesn’t intend to give in to that.
“I don’t get too many fastballs in..period,” said Davis. “So pulling the ball is not the main thing on my mind, so just go out there and hit the ball, hopefully hit some line drives and take my walks.”
He lived up to those expectations in his first game as a Pirate Saturday night going 2-for-3 with a double, walk and two runs scored.
(Photo Credit: Vincent Pugliese/Getty Images)
